To a brighter future (BelleSoumis x Mini Magi)

[BelleSoumis]

As Yul spoke and interrupted her song, Liz’s ears perked up once again and tilted in his direction. At his words, she peered down at her fingers. Yup. They were pruny. That must mean it’s time to get out, then.

Nodding in agreement, the girl stood up in the tub, water sloshing around and dripping, trickling down her naked body. Her skin shimmered with a sheen of moisture in the strange, artificial lighting. And she took the towel, listened to his instructions, and nodded again. Of course she did as she was told, too.

Soon she was dry enough to get out and, leaning a hand on his chest for balance, she stepped onto the floor. When instructed to sit, she did so. And as he brushed through her hair, she immediately closed her eyes. Something… familiar came through about this situation. She had felt this feeling before. Someone grooming her. But it was so blurry in her mind, all she could remember was the sensation; not who gave it to her.

Yul’s words barely registered. She was utterly relaxed as he brushed through her tangled mess of hair. Even when he pulled at her scalp a bit, which was inevitable, she was calm and still and quiet. Clearly she was enjoying the Royal treatment.

Only when he stopped his brushing did she open her eyes, slowly. It looked as if she had come out of a trance. Her tongue was even sticking out of her mouth a bit in a ‘blep.’ The kitty was content.

But then… she saw herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened, and her whole body perked up. She had seen her reflection before. But it was never this… appealing.

The girl sat there, marveling at herself. She ran her fingers through her now silky smooth and clean hair, under her eyes where there were no longer bags, and across her cheek, where there was now a healthy, rosy tint where there had previously been no color.

The sight made a smile tug at the corners of her lips, growing into a beaming grin which she then directed towards Yul’s façade in the mirror. Then, taking great care and putting in a great amount of effort, she said, as loudly and as clearly as she could:

”Th-… Thank… you.”

Finishing the words with a small and gentle, sincere grin, Liz’s face then suddenly fell along with her ears as her gaze dropped to his… nether regions. Thoughts of yesterday creeped in, and she was reminded of how she had left him, unserviced and unsatisfied, all because she was crying.

The girl seemed troubled about something as she then looked down at the floor in deep thought.

Surely I owe him at this point, right? He was right when he said it. He has given me food, a bed, freedom from my old Owners… and now, a bath and grooming… I need to make it up to him. But how can I repay him other than…

Frowning in determination, Liz suddenly spun around in her seat to fully face Yul. She then, very assertively and with much conviction, placed her palm on his groin. With a look of a naïve, desperate desire to please, she tried to speak her intentions into existence.

”C-… Can, I… help?”

[Mini Magi]

Well? The treatment was nothing but a resounding success, making Yul chuckle at how she seemed to have trouble believing the mirror. Yup. It was safe to say that he felt damn satisfied with himself, even if what he did was technically really simple. And his intuition about her was right. She was a good girl~ Even thanked him for the trouble. When she reached for his crotch though, he put his hand on her forehead and stopped her from getting closer. Like holding back a child from punching one. "A+ for the thought, but no. Not with that at least." He waited till she got the idea and went back a bit on her own before taking his hand away. Because yes. Sure. A good morning fuck sounded great. But he was pretty sure he could push her a bit further, really want him and it, so that was what he would do for now. Let her simmer. 

"This will be your full morning routine from now on. Get out of bed, take a bath, and take care of your hair." With that said, he handed her the hairbrush. Unlike most of the room, it didn't look expensive. Or maybe at least not AS expensive? Regardless, it was a round hairbrush with several small, needle-like pinheads, each with a small ball on its... maybe 100 or so tips. "But speaking of you helping, I think it's about time I fill you in on my plans. So relax for a bit again while I get us breakfast." 

[Roughly half an hour later]

Going a bit lighter on the meal, today's breakfast was chicken soup, which Yul brought in on a cart. Now he didn't have to hand her things through the bars, and could also bring some bread, 2 mugs, and a big jar with water. After they were seated and had a couple of spoons of soup, Yul finally began his explanation. "So... Let's talk about... Where to start? There's a lot, so how about you pick the order? Right off the bat, I guess I can explain why I treat you this odd way, what I do, and what I'll expect of you. Anything that makes you extra curious?" Giving her time, he leaned back while munching on some bread, waiting for her to decide what was more important for her to hear. He also wanted to try ant trick her into using her voice more, so this was a good opportunity for that as well.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Mini Magi

[BelleSoumis]

Liz’s ears fell at the rejection, and her eyelids went half-mast with disappointment. And yet still, she conceded and backed off, sitting up straight. When being given the brush and her orders, she took them both with a nod a mumble of “Yes, Mmmaster…”

~~~
 

When Liz and Yul sat down at the table, the cat girl still seemed rather downtrodden about earlier. After all, for a girl who had spent her whole life in the service industry (as unwilling of an act as it might have been), to suddenly be rejected for actually offering her skills was… confusing, to say the least.

Still, she listened to her Master as she ate her soup quietly. And when prompted to speak, she furrowed her brows and placed her hands in her lap. Then her fingers balled into fists as her mind raced with questions that were all too long to vocalize. Finally, she settled on the simple, and most obvious:

”Why… me?”

A pause. Then Elizabeth clarified, looking up to meet his eyes hesitantly. “Why… p- purch- chase… me?” The girl asked, placing emphasis on the last word so as to insinuate: ‘Why, out of all the other girls, would you pick me?’

[Mini Magi]

Well. If she was curious about herself the most, by all means. He'd indulge her, and began his answer while grinning. "Because I am kind of a bad person. Consider this: I know it can be kind of a brag to say this, but I am strong. Really, ridiculously strong. If I were a good person, I would have busted out you AND the other slaves right at the auction. True, your personal treatment would not have been this fine then, but guards are surprisingly cooperative. 

Instead, I went out of my way to research about every slave and trader who were there yesterday, and looked for the most miserable, unfortunate of them all. So... That's basically you." It wasn't even close. He didn't get all the details, but just imagining that she might have even liked one or two of the masters over her actual owners, and see them get killed? That was an outright tearjerker. Helplessness at its finest. "This ties in well with my plans, so let's continue there."

"As for what I plan with you specifically: I want someone I can trust, which in itself is a bit of an issue, and the reason you wear a modified collar." He pointed to his neck to get her attention on it. "That thing is not my only approach to that though." Leaning back again, he continued. "I plan something special with you. It will be scary, mentally taxing, and decide whenever I keep you or not. And yeah. You heard it right. There is a chance I'll kick you out if something specific doesn't go as I want it. Keeps things exciting, doesn't it?" But that was all he would tell her on that for now. And while freedom did sound great to some, and she could benefit from it, for now he banked on the fact that she had basically nothing. No everyday skills, no income, no money. Odds were she might be turned into a slave again, though with some luck, better treated than before. Noticing a frightened reaction, he uttered just one word. "Stay!" Maybe it was because of the volume, but the collar would use much stronger shocks to keep her on her seat if she lifted her butt off that chair.

Once she calmed down enough to stay where she was, Yul waited a bit, sighed, then continued. "Bad guy, remember? Which brings me to, well, ME. I work as a doctor. I make medicine and sell it to adventurers who either leave town, or come back for the most part. Sometimes I also take some of them in. Sometimes town folk come to me because my stuff is actually effective AND affordable. Basically: I make money by helping others, so long as they have the coin. For the most part anyway. Sometimes I also do things that are scary, dangerous, and criminal. I mean... Aren't you in the least bit curious where your former masters are?" That would be a surprise for later. For now, he moved on. "Your main job is going to be to help me with almost all of that. Make medicine, take care of some little jobs here and there, basically be an extra pair of hands. In return, I treat you like an actual person. Why? Because you are an investment. If you are taken care of well, I can expect you to do well. Or I could beat you and wonder why you're not doing better like an idiot. Seriously, I don't get most slave owners. Might as well just stab themselves in the foot."

"And that basically sums it up. You'll assist someone with a dubious morality in his everyday tasks, and will stay in this room while not needed. Any other questions?" Now having some time to eat again, Yul took his bowl up and ate while she had time to think.

[BelleSoumis]

To every word, Liz listened intently. But then she heard it. The thing that made her heart drop, her ears tuck tightly against her head, and her tail curl around to wind around her hand.

There is a chance I’ll kick you out if something specific doesn’t go as I want it.

…a chance I’ll kick you out…

…I’ll kick you out.

The catgirl’s focus zeroed in on that phrase. It echoed between her eardrums and made her head spin. Immediately her mind was flooded with enough thoughts to send her spiraling into a flurry of anxiety and terror, enough to completely drown out whatever the hell it was that Yul was saying.

He’s going to abandon me? What did I do wrong?!

Calm down, Liz, he is just going to do that if I mess up. If I mess up? If I mess up what?!

Instantly she was yanked back into reality as the order came and she was forced to stay planted in her chair. She hadn’t planned on going anywhere, especially with the threat of being kicked out on the streets hanging over her head.

Obediently Liz sat there and listened, hanging onto every word as if her life depended on it (because, truth be told, it kind of did). When he finished, she blinked at him. Suddenly a few tears brimmed her eyes and one of them trickled down her cheek. The poor thing was terrified.

”Please… d- don’t ab- bandon m- me… Master,” Elizabeth pleaded in a croak. “I’ll… be good… I p- promise!”

[Mini Magi]

Most other guys would have gotten up, put a hand on her shoulder, and told her everything would be fine. Yul however, laughed a bit at the response. This was good. "This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Do you know how hard it is to make someone useful who is uncooperative?" All the pieces finally fell into place. He got someone who actually preferred being here than out there. Perfect. Simply perfect. But since she would need to be calmed down at least a little, Yul leaned forward onto the table. "Then we have a deal. You'll be good, I'll keep you around. No catch attached. Sounds like a good deal, doesn't it? ... Oh but one thing. What do you want me to call you? It said in the papers that your name is Elisabeth, so I'm guessing either Elly or Liz for short." A minor detail, but the more choices he could arrange for her, the more opportunities she had to develop herself. 

[BelleSoumis]

A sniffle came from the poor, naïve girl as Yul laughed. What was so funny, she wondered?

Yul’s next words made Liz’s ears perk up and twitch. Her tail unwound itself from around her wrist and the tip of it twitched as well. She was hopeful, yet cautious. Honestly, the ears and tail made reading her mind so much easier.

”R- Really…?” the slave whispered in reply to his offer. She grinned then. It was slowly onset at first, but once she fully digested the situation, she couldn’t help but jump up from her seat to tackle Yul into a hug.

…Buuuuut then the painful reminder of the order to ‘stay’ from before came in the form of horribly intense shocks that shot through her entire body. The girl let out a high-pitched squeal as she plopped back down in her seat from the pain, and thankfully the shocks stopped, then. It was only a moment of electricity shooting through her tiny frame, but holy hell, did it hurt.

The catgirl pouted in her seat, glaring at Yul with pursed lips and a furrowed brow. She looked indignant, but also really… cute. And childish.

”Th- They… called me… ‘cat,’” Liz sighed, looking sideways to the floor. Her ears were still down and her face was still in a frown. But now it looked more… somber.

”M- Momma called mmmee… Liz.”

The sound of her own name, coming from her own lips, made the slave’s ears tuck down against her head almost flatly. Her lips started quivering and she turned her head almost completely around, not wanting Yul to see her cry. It seemed to upset him last time, after all. So now she knew she needed to hide her tears, which she quickly and stubbornly wiped away.

[Mini Magi]

Oh? Pouty/angry at defying an order? Really cute, but deserved. He told her to stay after all. She also chose a bit later what she wanted to be called. He did consider calling her Elly instead since it seemed to wake up some bad memories, buuuut whatever. Her choice after all. But while she was good at hiding tears, turning her face away would only work well for people with less sensitive sense.

On the bright side, this seemed like a good opportunity to take her mind to something else, so Yul went back to the food card and reached into it, pulled something out, "Hey Liz! Catch." and threw it over Liz's head. A big piece of cloth. Not a very fine one, but it at least was clean. An old robe that looked like it was made out of a sack. Somewhat standard attire for work slaves. "Put that on, because we're going to town. I have some shopping to do." Yeah, sure. It was shit as far as he was concerned. But it was better than letting her walk around naked in broad daylight.

[BelleSoumis]

Thanks to cat-like reflexes (literally), Liz was able to perk up and whip around in time to face him, catching the cloth between clapped hands. She pulled the corners apart to examine it. Then, at being told to put it on, she nodded quietly and did as she was told, all while trying to keep her butt on the chair. Since whenever she seemed to move it away, the prickling would start and quickly turned painful the further away her rear got from the surface below it.

Then, Liz, now with all of her bits fully covered, sat there. Quietly, with her hands folded in her lap. And she waited. Patiently. She was not eager to stay in the chair, clearly, but she was eager to not have her soul exit her body via electricity.

Additionally, something made quite apparent in the way that she stared at Yul, readily, anticipating an order, not daring to speak unless directly prompted to… was that she seemed desperate to please him. In that moment, it was clearer than anything, that Elizabeth the slave would do anything and everything to please her new Master; her forever True Owner; her savior, Doctor Yul B. Allwright.

[Mini Magi]

Quick as a cat, and ready to listen by the looks of it. Good~ "Now that you are covered up, and your hair is nice and shiny: We're going shopping to add some neccessities to your room. Some clothes at least, maybe an iron kettle... And something to write with." There were also some magic supplies in the back of his mind, so yes. They had a lot ahead of themselves. 

Yul took Liz out of her room, to the first floor, and got the both of them 2 bags he called "backpacks". "Put your arm under one of these and pull it up to your shoulder. And then your other arm through the other one. Like this." He demonstrated it first, then watched as she repeated. The backpacks themselves were made of some wool-like material, light gray, and not scratchy to the skin. There were also 2 solid plates inside. Wood at the bottom and back, and some padding at the back, and thick padding at the bottom of the back for comfort. "I make these myself, and they will make bringing back stuff a lot easier. And lastly..." Thinking at least this far ahead, Yul then also pulled out a pair of straw sandals from under the counter. If not before, now was a good time to notice that Yul was quite good with his hands... and had a lot of free time it seemed. 

-

And not much long after, they arrived at the gates. For Yul it was like any other day, except that he had company. Factoring in that she was probably quite new to being able to walk around like this, Yul turned to her once they were past the guards. "Hey, listen up. This whole thing could get tiring, and I don't trust people, so: If you, by any bad chance, get kidnapped: Stay calm and do what they say so you don't get hurt. I can track where you are over long distances. If you get exhausted, let me know so we can take a break. Same goes for if you get hungry or thirsty. I say this because I feel like your former masters told you to shut up often before putting that curse on you, and those times are over. If something is wrong, you let me know. If you get in trouble, wait it out till I catch up. Was that clear enough?" If so, Yul would nod, and head further into town. Liz would notice that Yul got a mixed bag of reactions, where most people didn't want to look at him, while others outright turned away, and only very few actually greeted him. Odd considering he was quite a good doctor. He in turn greeted those specific people back, quickly introducing Liz as his "bought assistant", making some males interested in getting a medical check up in the near future. Worked for him, really. The more business, the better.

Going down the checklist in his head, the first priority was clothes for Liz. The sack worked of course, but it wasn't meant as a constant solution. Plus, it was mate from jute. That stuff could get itchy over time, and while he wouldn't mind rubbing lotion all over her body, he didn't want to bother Liz's body with that. So? To a tailor first. 
The shop he went into was somewhat big, and had a good amount of customers inside already. Upon spotting him, one of the workers went to the back. Yul used that time to chat up Liz once more. "Take off and give me your backpack. It will get in the way." And by the time she did so, a woman came up to Yul. Definitely an adult, brown eyes and hair, a short haircut, and a worker's apron around a dress she wore underneath. The only issue was that she looked a tad annoyed while looking at Yul. "Please tell me this isn't what it looks like." But Yul grinned back at her when he turned around. "It is exactly what it looks like, and you know it. And good day to you too by the way Hazel." "...Good day Yul. If you're here for your fabric, you're a bit early." Yul shook his head. "Nah. Not planning to rush you. I'm here for her. This by the way is Liz, my bought assistant. Say hello, Liz."

[BelleSoumis]

The young woman did exactly as she was asked the whole way there. She didn't struggle much with the backpack and she nodded firmly at his plan. Though the prospect of getting kidnapped was terrifying, she trusted Yul could handle himself and protect her. After all, she was a (nearly) free woman, now. Speaking of which... What ever happened to her previous Owners...?

Just as Liz was about to ask that very question, she realized she was being spoken to yet again. Blinking as she tried to process what he said without even hearing it, the beginnings of a small shock from her collar told her that she had been given an order. Then she realized they weren't alone. At the woman who eyed her curiously, Liz gave a small wave. "...Hi," was all she said, shyly, as the tiniest grin pulled her lips upwards into a curve. As the electric feeling from the collar immediately died down, she sighed in relief. Then her tail swished to and fro and her pupils dilated as she saw something on the counter.

STRING!!!

Liz was gone now, in her own little world, as her body entered predator-mode. The loose thread of a ball of yarn dangling over the edge of the counter was swaying in the slight breeze from the windows and constantly opening door. Liz fell to her knees instantly, then sat back on them and leaned forward. Her ass wiggled in the air like an actual fucking cat, and her tail twitched in a really odd way. Ears laid back against her head, she looked as if she was ready to pounce as she rocked back and forth on the ground...

[Mini Magi]

Introductions went well... until her eyes went into hunt mode. Yul knew right away what was up. "Stay." He ordered, calmly, but clearly. No way he would let her loose in a store full of fabric. Turning back to Hazel, Yul clearly wanted to be done with this as fast as possible. "Long story short: We need clothes. A full wardrobe even. Trouble is, I have no idea about underwear, and she's been nude for a long time before I got her. Be a dear and look for something that fits her." Hazel, while not doing so gladly, obliged. It was either this, or Yul around other customers who looked for bras and whatnot. "Liz? Follow Hazel around and do what she tells you... for about 30 minutes. I'll go look for some other stuff myself. Oh and pick something nice. I can afford it." And with that, Yul left Liz to Hazel's capable hands. "So... Follow me?" She took a few steps, and when noticing that Liz did so, went to the far corner of the store where she helped Liz pick something that would fit her. Yul in the meantime was busy himself, and was easy to spot thanks to his white hair. He was just a bit taller than the shelves.

After some time, Hazel had also taken Liz to the change rooms to try on some of the things they had picked out. When something fit, Hazel took note of it, and sorted out what was uncomfortable, or simply too small. After she was done, Hazel told Liz to wait in the changeroom and went away to pack everything up. 

Yul got there a few minutes after just that. Done with his own things, and catching on that Hazel seemed to be done with her part, Yul spoke up to get Liz's attention. "It's me. Try this on." Without letting himself in, Yul held his arm in instead, and held what looked at first like a ball of pink fabric. After she took it, Yul pulled his arm back and went away again. And as for the fabric, it turned out to be a dress. A really really expensive looking one, complete with 2 hair ornaments and even gloves.

[BelleSoumis]

One... Two...

Stay.

Liz blinked, pupils returning to normal size at the order. Once she realized and process what had been said, her ears drooped in disappointment as she turned her head to frown at Yul. But he didn't seem to notice her discontent with the command, as he continued talking to the strange lady before them. Well at least, Liz thought she was strange. How could one work in a store full of yarn and not want to roll around with it and bat it across the floor??

What a weirdo.

Liz huffed a breath as she was given yet another order. She dragged behind the woman, not at all interested in shopping for clothing. And because she couldn't exactly talk, she could not voice her disdain. Not that Yul would care either way. An order was an order, after all. Anyway, Elizabeth followed behind Hazel and half-heartedly picked some things out to try on. This was too small, this was too big, this was itchy, this was ugly... It was a really boring experience. Honestly? Liz preferred being naked, as she had never been given actual clothes to wear before.

But then Yul came over and her ears perked up as he handed her the prettiest garment she had ever seen. Blinking, and unbelieving that he would hand her such an ornate dress, she carefully took it and mumbled a shocked "thank you, Master" before trying it on. It fit perfectly, was completely comfortable, and made her look amazing. She felt... pretty, for once. The girl stepped out of the changing room, clad in the dress, to show Yul...

...She couldn't hide the grin on her face or the content swish-swishing of her tail. She was clearly eager to get Yul's reaction.

[Mini Magi]

The wait was absolutely worth it~ Yul crossed his arms, nodded, and smiled. "Looks purrfect~" He took a look at Hazel, who was absolutely not amused by his pun. Fair though. "You mind packing everything before I cause you another headache?" 

A few minutes later, the pair was outside again, with every bit of clothing safely stored in Liz's backpack. A couple spare dresses too, which had cost a bit, but around 2 gold were a fair deal. "You're quite a looker now." Yul took the lead. By now she would get different looks from people, soft blushes here and there, even kids liked how she looked. There would be the occasional lewd thought behind a stare, but that had to be expected. "Which brings us to a little problem. Let's assume that someone doesn't respect the collar on you, or that you otherwise get in danger. We'll teach you magic of course, but quite often, you might need something faster. Which brings us to-" Yul pointed ahead to a big building. One of the little jewels of this city. The smithy. Unlike a regular store for weapons, this was a little guild in its own right. 3 stories tall, it's front open, and even from there they would see the big smelter that the... 5 or so smiths used to heat up their materials. It was connected to conveyor belts as well, even some big machinery. Or in simpler words: This smithy was ahead of the competition, dipping a toe into industrialization. 

Once inside, they would both feel how the temperature rose a bit. That had to be expected. That 3 story smelter produced ridiculous amounts of heat inside it after all. Half the area was where the smiths worked on their items, and separated by a long metal counter. The other half was the shopping area, with armors on stands, shelves full of armor pieces, displays with fine weaponry, and barrels full of more affordable looking items. "Think you can handle this for a little while?" She had more clothing on her than she was used to after all, so best make sure. It would do him little good to force her to stay here and overheat.

[BelleSoumis]

Liz was very oblivious to the stares, as she was busy keeping her focus on the ground. She could be rather clumsy, after all, and she had been trained to not look strangers in the eye as a sign of respect and submission. This only egged on some of the more brutish-looking men in the city. But none dared approach them, with Yul by her side. She was completely unaware of just how lucky she was, though she was grateful for his presence in its own right.

As they stopped in front of the smithy, she blinked. She had never seen a building so tall before, besides one or two of the nicer inns she had been brought to. When they stepped inside, she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the warmth touching her skin. Her ears and tail relaxed, and she inhaled deeply. A gentle purring sound could be heard from her now, which was strange considering she had largely human anatomy. Oh well. Unimportant.

At the question, Liz cracked open her eyes a bit, a lazy grin spread across her face, as she nodded slowly. Clearly she was more than happy to be here.

[Mini Magi]

Huh. Right. Cats prefer warm places. With a huge smelter around, no wonder she feels all warm and cozy. After making a mental note to get some extra firewood, Yul nodded to her and went ahead to the counter. One of the blacksmiths went to him, and unlike Hazel, this tall, muscular, mustached man seemed even a bit eager to have a chat with Yul. "Greetings Yul. Here for your knives?" Yul grinned. "You know it~ Also, something for her. You mind if she takes a look around?" The man looked over to her, wondering what SHE would need a weapon for, but nodded. "By all means, go for it. But she doesn't look like much of a fighter, so I recommend something cheap." This man was familiar with how Yul thought, and what a slave collar meant. So if he suddenly had a slave, whatever. Yul looked went back to Liz, and pointed towards the cheap weapon section. "Go take a look around there and pick something you feel like using." 

There was quite a selection there. Fair considering the smithy had multiple blacksmiths working here. Anything from the good ol sword and shield, bows and crossbows, spears, axes, hammers, maces, staffs and hammers, up to some more fancy weaponry such as gauntlets, claws, whips, rapiers, and throwing knives. In terms of selection, this shop couldn't be beat. And despite this section, where the weapons were stored in barrels, or on simple shelves rather than displays, the weapons looked fine. Maybe it was just the material? Or they were cheap by comparison to the stuff in display cases? Well, regardless, even Yul took a look around, and got himself a knife, and a set of throwing knives. 

The difference between the two was their build. The double-edged knife had a guard, and a leather-bound grip. The throwing knives were a lot simpler, being basically just the blade, something to hold on, and some long holes for stability. Yul went to one of the dummies, made from straw bound around a wooden pole... and went right for a stab, pullet the knife down while still stuck, then used the momentum to jump back, and threw a knife right into the dummies head before he even found his footing. What this type of weapon lacked in elegance, it could make up for in speed. Yul took out the throwing knife, and went back to put everything back into the shelf, turning to Liz when she noticed her looking. "Don't get me wrong. I like swords, hammers, crossbows, javelins, and the oh so colorful rainbow in between. But having a weapon that is light and small has many advantages. So... if a bow or sword are too heavy, let me know, and I'll teach you a thing or two." Not that she had to learn his favorites, of course. All he wanted was to let her know there were many ways to defend herself.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Mini Magi

[BelleSoumis]

Liz was busy purring her heart out when Yul spoke to the man behind the counter. It wasn't until he spoke to her directly that she stopped, blinked, then flickered her eyes over to the weapons section. She tilted her head, face scrunched up in confusion, and did not move from her spot. Why on Earth was he asking her to pick a weapon? To defend herself? Wasn't that his job? And what about magic? Wasn't that meant to be her means of defending herself?

Too confused to move from her spot, Liz merely stood there in place and watched Yul as he wandered. Continuing to watch as he approached the dummy, one of her ears fell and her head quirked to the side once more. She was inquisitive. Carefully, quietly, she snuck forward to get a closer look, as he assumed his stance. Then he attacked. Her pupils dilated. Her tail twitched. She was in huntress mode. Recognizing the dummy as 'prey,' she lowered her frame until her top half of her body was at a ninety degree angle from the rest. Not hearing what her Owner had said to her finally, she stood there for a moment, eyeing her prey. Then, she attacked.

Lunging forward, yanking a shuriken-looking implement off the shelf as she went (it was the first shiny pointy thing within reach), Liz jumped up in the air and swung her arm forward. She let go of the blade in the process, and it went spinning impossibly fast through the air, making a small 'whoosh'ing sound as it went. The blade struck the dummy, surprisingly, right where the heart would be. And, because of the rapid velocity of the weapon's travel, it was buried deep within the sack of straw: so much so that it had torn a large hole in the fabric and was completely hidden from view within the straw. This in and of itself was quite the feat, especially for an untrained fighter like Liz. And it would've been impressive and awe-inspiring. However, all amazement and inspiration from the attack went out the window at what she did next.

Liz then hissed loudly and let out the cry of an angry housecat, actually charging towards the dummy and... biting it. She actually... bit... the dummy. Then she latched on with her hands and bit it again. And again. And again. Yeah, it was pretty clear she had never fought a day in her life. And the perfect shot must've been a fluke. Right?