Aura

Natia blushed in slight embarrassment as Glenda had to come over and help her get dressed. However, it wasn't totally humiliating to the point where the girl would question her ability to survive without the help she was receiving. Even though she was sure it wasn't common for someone to be unable to do something as simple as putting on a dress, Glenda was more than supportive and didn't make her feel like she was strange in the slightest. When Glenda lifted the dress over her head, Natia just giggled slightly and raised her arms up. "Yeah, I see them!" As the dress was lowered onto her, it fit pretty easily over her thanks to her size. The dress was perhaps a bit too big for her, but it still hung onto her body tight enough to stay on, albeit looking somewhat awkward, especially considering her small breasts. With a little more help from Glenda, She glanced down at her body. The dress was almost completely see-through. It didn't so much cover any part of her body as it did tint it purple. It was more like a curtain that was draped over her. The arm holes were significantly large so, instead of straps, the dress seemed to only wrap around her neck to hold itself up. Just under her small breasts was a silky purple sash with a beautiful small ribbon on the front. Underneath the ribbon, the rest of the dress parted around her stomach, leaving her belly completely exposed. Natia was about to step out from the screen before she was stopped by Glenda. "Just a minute. You can't let him see you without completing the look, sweetheart. Just a second..." She spoke with a grin before stepping out from the screen and retrieving a pair of black pumps and fairly plain-looking white underwear along with a few extra supplies, she returned to the screen. With a few adjustments, Natia was able to put on the innocent-looking white bra and panties, neither of which she'd ever worn before. However, the bra certainly did wonders in pushing her breasts together and not only making them look larger, but actually giving her cleavage! Natia wore the pumps over some cute knee-high socks. It was quite difficult to stand in the shoes, but this outfit was clearly not exactly meant for travelling, so she figured she'd be okay. "You look wonderful, darling~" Natia blushed again as she looked down at herself, but with Glenda's encouragement, she just giggled and stepped out from behind the screen so that Rowan could finally see his prize. For the first time in several days, Natia smiled brightly and confidently as she placed her hands on her hips and bent her legs, twisting her body around so that Rowan could see the whole outfit. "What do you think? Do you like it~?"

As Glenda suggested Natia try the outfit on behind the screen, Natia smiled and nodded in agreement. "Thank you very much!" She happily reached into the cabinet and grabbed the purple dress she'd spied earlier. She figured that would be something Rowan would like to see her in. She then walked over to the screen Glenda had pointed her toward and hid herself behind it, hanging the two dresses on a nearby rack before stripping out of the tunic Rowan had gifted her. It was bizarre being naked so close to a complete stranger and not being bothered by it. Something about Glenda was just that relaxing, she supposed. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, she would be nervous about being seen in such an intimate way. However, Glenda had offered all sorts of advice to her already, so it almost felt like they were childhood friends. The first outfit Natia grabbed was the see-through babydoll dress. Putting on clothes like this was a bit of a foreign concept to her as, again, she was used to simply having the clothes form around her body. Rowan's tunic wasn't so hard to put on as it was significantly bigger than her. It was mostly just a bag over her head and finding the holes. Plus, she had Rowan's help putting it on. Here, though, she had quite a bit of trouble finding out how to even put the dress on. She blushed in slight embarrassment as she slowly spoke up. "U-um... Mrs. Glenda? Could you help me a bit...?" Back in the main room, a garish, plump older man stepped through the door. The man appeared to be exceedingly wealthy, with all sorts of gems and jewels embroidered into his red vest. He wore several golden necklaces, rings, and other gem-encrusted jewelry. His pants were baggy and shoes made of rare animal leather. On his face, the man wore an unamused expression on his face. He scanned the room and immediately locked eyes with Mary, who seemed to be running the front. With a growl of frustration, he walked over to her at the counter and dropped the bag in front of her. "I want to talk to the owner." He spoke curtly in a gritty voice.

Natia was delighted by Glenda's compliment, although her hesitation on the word 'magic' seemed to imply the woman didn't believe her. Still, she was glad to know she had other desirable traits even without her magic. Perhaps she just might return here even after getting her magic back. "Thank you." She spoke with a bow before turning her attention to Rowan. When he agreed to look at the back room, Natia was ecstatic. Especially when she felt his arm around her. Her heart fluttered with joy and she just pressed her body against him, Glenda's compliment still swimming in her mind, making her feel giddy and excitable. When they went through the door, Natia was surprised to find another woman working in the back. She looked over at the dresses that were being made, fascinated by the progress the girl had made with absolutely no magic, all with such simple tools? Now wasn't the time to inspect such complexities, though. She was far more excited to see the finished products in store for her. Sure enough, the blonde woman 'Mary' left to the store front while Natia and rowan followed Glenda more closely. At first, Natia thought the fabrics in this small area were what Glenda had in mind, but instead, they were led deeper into the building into a discreet, unassuming room. However, as Glenda opened one of the cabinets inside, Natia was shocked to see such daring clothing. The corsette, especially, as she'd never expected to find clothes her size, much less seemingly too small for her... Natia's face turned a bright red again as Rowan suggested she pick out something sexy. She had no idea where to even begin... what was it that Rowan would like to see her in? She perused the cabinet and found a lacy, see-through purple lingerie babydoll dress that caught her attention. However, she decided to start with Glenda's first choice, trusting her judgment as she picked up the corsette from the cabinet and held it up to her body. "I-It's so small... Do you mind if I try it on to see if it'll fit?" With such a small dress, Natia wouldn't be surprised if it would be difficult to sell... She wasn't sure if the colors fit her, but she wanted that to be left up to Rowan.

As Glenda tried to give Natia encouragement, she only found amusement in her words. Though the gentle, motherly touch of her fingers certainly helped to soothe her stress. She gave Glenda a small smile and nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, I know he loves me. He's proven it time and time again, it's just... I don't get it, myself." She sighed as she touched her collar. "Without my magic, I'm completely useless except for my body... this collar is designed specifically for that to be my only purpose and it's supposed to be impossible to remove except by my 'owner'" She bit her lip and shook her head. "I just don't get what he sees in me... But... thank you for listening to me." She smiled at Glenda. It was almost like talking to her mother again. This was certainly not the sense of community she had expected from a place filled with people who lock their doors at night. Perhaps Rowan really was onto something after all. Glenda soon began to take the conversation in a different direction, however. Her descriptions immediately made Natia blush hard. "Th-that... I-I.." Natia could feel her whole body growing hot and steamy from her descriptions, but... could she really see herself wearing such daring clothing? More importantly, would Rowan really like to see her wearing such clothes...? She bit her lip as she glanced up at Rowan. If those clothes really would make him go as crazy as she said, she would genuinely love to see that... Before she could give Glenda a genuine response, she nodded to her silently and walked over to Rowan, gently tapping him on the shoulder. "U-um... Mrs. Glenda said that there were... more... options..." Her face only grew brighter as she spoke, if that were even possible. Her heart was already beating out of her chest and she hadn't even seen any of these clothes. "Do you want to maybe...?" She glanced back at Glenda, realizing she hadn't actually gotten any sort of okay to see them.

After speaking, Natia glanced back at Rowan to make sure he hadn't heard, and she was happy to see that he had wandered off to look at other materials. She giggled excitedly when Glenda suggested that she knew what she could wear for him. "I would love that~" She eagerly responded before Glenda led her off and pointed out a soft, silky see-through outfit. The material fascinated her. "I love it! You can put flowers on it, too? I do think Rowan would like a dress made out of this very much..." The idea of wearing a see-through dress was a little embarrassing for her, but she figured Rowan would love for her to wear it out... of course, her imagination was quickly captured by the idea of being in Rowan's arms wearing such a dress, riding his cock and screaming with pleasure... the lewd thought brought a bright blush to her face that she quickly shook her head and tried to hide. "Ah... but... I guess I don't have any money, so Rowan would still have to pay for it..." It would take away from the surprise a bit, but she didn't mind too much. Besides, if Rowan had any objections, she wouldn't want to disappoint him by having already purchased the dress. "I think it would make for a beautiful dress, I think I'll suggest it to him. Thank you very much, Mrs. Glenda." Natia bowed her head respectfully toward the woman before turning to look back at Rowan, still blushing somewhat subtly, especially as she stared at him. She could feel her blush growing along her face. Perhaps she hadn't noticed the more civilized part of Rowan out in the wild. But here, watching him walk around the shop with purpose yet still so relaxed... he looked so elegant, so regal... "He's so... handsome..." She spoke softly, not really sure why she said it allowed. Perhaps she just wanted to gush about the perfect man who'd literally wandered into her life. "I still can't believe he loves me as much as he does, especially as I am now." She was crushing for this man hard. Yet she wouldn't change a thing. "I want to give him everything I can, you know? Compared to him, I feel so... inadequate..."

Sophia was somewhat disappointed to feel Kay pull out of her body. Every moment she'd had his dick inside her body was an incredible blessing. Her mind was gone, her body destroyed and her soul completely warped yet she wouldn't have it any other way. This feeling of bliss was unlike anything she'd ever felt. If it was Satan's grasp on her then she would let him fuck her right on the cross. She loved the mindless little whore she'd become and the intense love she was making tonight was a strong testament to that. This was only the start of her new life. She was going to get fucked by every man in the city. Every single cock. If each one was like this, she would be living out heaven on earth. But why should she stop with just cock when she had such a perfect piece of woman right in front of her, too? "Thank you, sir~" Sophia moaned out before pulling herself up more firmly toward her new pet. It was clear that Kay and Shez were going to be a bit distracted, so she decided to take this time to affiliate herself with her new roommate. She practically purred as she heard the newly formed kitsune accept her new place. The squeal that followed as Shez pulled out of her, the sight of her adorably stupid face and the visual of the cum leaking out of her delicious cunt heated Sophia's body once again. Like a thirsty animal, she lunged at the girl, pinning her down and scooping her dangling tongue into her mouth, sucking on it while grinding her body against Emma's. She didn't care how hard she was gripping the girl. She didn't care if it was too much, if it hurt her, if it would be called rape. She did this to herself. Sophia forced her tongue deep inside Emma's gaping throat, one of her hands gripping her neck and choking her while the other pinched and pulled on her nipple.

Alez was taken aback by the sudden light that emitted from the door. It was actually quite jarring considering the dark hallway they had just come out of, especially considering the fact that she was expecting to see the same pitch black void of nothingness she'd seen before. She shielded her eyes from the blinding light and when she lowered her arms, she was surprised to find that she was surrounded not by the server room from before, or even an empty void, but... a grassy meadow at night? Where were they? What happened to the server room? She looked around and saw, to her dismay, even the door was completely gone! It was like they'd stepped through a one-way portal! This didn't particularly alarm Alez too much as she knew she could return to Coelis at any time as long as she had her pendant. But she was still bothered. What was that light? Was this where they were supposed to be? Had that demon set up some sort of trap for them? Maybe this whole area was just an illusion meant to protect whatever secrets the actual room held... When Cassandra asked if she was okay, Alex just nodded silently before looking over at the woman. She seemed bothered by something which only had Alez more concerned for her. "Are you okay?" She finally spoke up, reaching over to gently touch Cassandra's shoulder. "Do you recognize this place?"

Natia was confused for a moment when Glenda asked about the "big day." What exactly was she referring to? The day she'd have her collar removed? Then she heard Glenda mention wedding clothes, causing her to blush. She thought the "wedding" the two of them would have was just been that simple bite he gave her the other night. Did Rowan really plan for more than just that? Was that normal for Keza or was he making a special exception for her? Either way, the idea of marrying into Rowan's family left her feeling ecstatic! Natia walked over to the fabric Rowan was feeling and brushed her hand daintily along it. It was surprisingly soft to the touch, almost feeling like an animal. This brought joy to her face as she began to pet the roll of fabric as if it were one. "Hehe," she giggled. "It's really soft and really pretty, too. They can make clothes out of something like this?" Natia didn't know much at all about the process outsiders used to make much of anything at all outside of the cooking she'd seen Rowan do out in the wilderness. She couldn't fathom how humans could take a roll of plain-looking fabric like this and fashion into any sort of clothing. Especially not without magic... Was it really possible? "When it comes to creating clothes with our magic, we just form it around our bodies from the elements surrounding us. I can't even fathom creating clothing without it..." She trailed off and her fingertips wandered up to her collar once again. If this was possible without magic, then perhaps she wouldn't be entirely hopeless even if she'd lost her magic abilities after all! Perhaps she would return to this shop at some point and ask to see the process of designing a dress... but for now, she didn't want to bother Rowan with unnecessary details. They seemed to only be here for a quick stop to set things up. "Well, if clothing can be made from this thing, then I would love to see it!" She smiled brightly up at Rowan, knowing very well that the two of them would match if she wore a dress like this. Staring up at the Keza, she then got an idea. She slowly walked over to Glenda and spoke softly to her, hoping Rowan couldn't hear her. "Um... so, you know Rowan, like, really well, right?" She blushed slightly as she spoke as she knew she was going to be embarrassing herself. "Do you think there's anything here I could walk out with that he would find... you know... attractive?"

Anhara recognized the panic attack Rose was suddenly facing. Again, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for her. In fact, it was a big part of why she loved doing what she did. She loved the sight of a pretty girl losing her breath and desperately trying to catch it. Something about it showed a level of anxiety and fear that couldn't easily be obtained. Still, she had gotten quite attached to Rose and it upset her that the girl was so adamantly against coming home. But she knew everything was going to change for the better. With her hands, she gently spun Rose around so that she was facing her and gently lifted Rose's chin to look her in the eyes. She put on a friendly smile, highly contrary to the way Rose seemed to see her. The type of smile a girl would flash her best friend when encouraging her at her lowest point. A concerned, but sincere smile. After staring into Rose's beautiful blue eyes, she just leaned closer to her so that her lips were inches from Rose's. "God made you pretty to attract me, darling. Don't fight it. This is God's plan. And He loves you. Why would He do something you wouldn't like in the end?" With those words, she placed her lips firmly against Rose's. No tongue, just a gentle, loving kiss with a firmness to ensure she knew she had no choice but to accept it. "'Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.'" She quoted directly from the bible. It was amusing to spit the bible back at a church-goer, especially considering her own other half was a follower of God, so she knew all the ins and outs, even if there was more to discover within the pages in time. Anhara reached around to gently rub Rose's back in an effort to ease her panic and help her regain a rhythm to her breathing.

If Natia was embarrassed before, she was certainly embarrassed now. Still, Rowan's act of catching her only renewed Natia's love for him. As Rowan placed her back on the stool, she glanced back at Glenda and bowed her head. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." She smiled a little up at the woman. "Thank you for being concerned, though!" She beamed at the woman. Like Rowan, she'd somehow started to see this woman almost like a mother. She was very motherly in her mannerisms and was also very pretty like one... She had to wonder if she had any children of her own and that was why she was so concerned about others? Regardless, she definitely appreciated the hospitality in this trying time. When Rowan kissed her on the nose, Natia just smiled up at him. "I won't, I promise." She giggled a little. She figured leaning forward for another kiss wasn't particularly worth it. The kiss itself would definitely be worth it, but she wouldn't think Glenda or Rowan would appreciate the unnecessary risk when they can kiss at any time, anywhere else. She listened to Glenda as she was asked to move her arms for measurements and she hopped off of the stool to follow closely behind when told to look at the materials. She didn't quite understand what "10 gold" meant to Rowan, but it didn't seem like a bit deal and, if she had her magic, it would be more than easy enough to conjure up. Currency was such a strange concept to her... As she looked at the rolls of fabric, she lowered her hands to brush along each one with thought. "I want something really soft... and I also want something that won't get cut up very easily..." She blushed again and glanced up at Rowan. "But... most importantly, I want them to be whatever he wants." She skipped over to Rowan and hugged him. It really would be no surprise for Glenda to assume she was his daughter or niece, but Natia didn't mind.

Anhara frowned when Rose confessed she didn't have any makeup. "What a shame... Well, don't worry. Like I said, you're beautiful as you are, so it's not like it's a dire need or anything. But you will have to get used to putting it on every morning. Don't worry, your big sis teach you all about it~" Anhara gently placed her hands on Rose's shoulders as she stared at her in the reflection, licking her lips at the thought of how Daddy would react to seeing his new girl... For a moment, her own thoughts caused her to feel a twinge of jealousy as she began to imagine this girl hogging daddy's cock all to herself... but of course, Daddy knew good and well that his cum belonged to Anhara and no one else. She only shared his cum with women she gave permission... With that level of control, she should have no problem keeping a pretty, timid one like Rose at bay. "Well, I think that just about covers everything, don't you?" She leaned forward and gave Rose a gentle peck on the cheek. This bathroom may have been a safe space, but that merely meant that Rose didn't have to fear Anhara's wrath here. "Now then... before we leave, remember that this is your safe place. Anything you say to me here, you won't be punished for as long as you're respectful. So, is there anything left on my pretty flower's mind? Or shall we move on to the rest? I wouldn't say there's much at all left to worry about, just a few loose ends that need to be tied up... Other than that, I think Daddy will be really excited to see you, darling... speaking of which, he'll probably show up any minute, so if there's anything you want to say in your safe space, say it now."

As Serenity continued to wander the grounds of the motel, she kept in the back of her mind her intent to find witnesses. She wouldn't imagine it to be uncommon to find victims of blackmailing right here in the motel, especially considering the discovery she'd made in her room. No doubt, information was being recorded on guests to this museum and she already had a small checklist of people to question. However, she had to be very careful who she spoke with and where. After all, if she revealed all of her cards at once, she could only imagine how quick word would get to Ghost. If that happened, it would be game over for sure. If she was too upfront with someone who happened to be a part of Ghost, there was no telling what could happen to her. Yet, if she was too upfront with a victim, they would likely be far too paranoid to even speak up against their blackmailers. She needed to seek out someone who was not yet a victim, but likely to become one. That was when she noticed an older gentleman standing outside of his car and smoking a cigarette. For a brief moment, she made eye contact with the man and suddenly gained a sense of tension immediately between the two of them. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something off about this man... Like he had something to hide. Being a police officer for so long, Serenity was more than capable of recognizing even the most subtle of suspicious activity. This man was glancing at her, but trying to make it look like he wasn't... He was nervous. But what would he have to be nervous about? Had he done something wrong? She couldn't just walk right over and question him, though... After all, it was possible he was seeking someone to blackmail. And though Serenity would never allow herself to fall prey to such a criminal's manipulative ways, she couldn't deny the possibility that she could be physically overcome by someone from a criminal organization with specialized training... And it wasn't like any backup she could call for would be of any use, especially considering she was off duty and didn't have access to communications. For now, she decided to just act natural, focusing her efforts on recording various objects. A stop sign, a water hose, the plants that lined the motel... eventually, she turned to walk on, dropping the camera to her side. Conveniently, the lense facing outward toward the parking lot as she walked by the smoking man. With any luck, she would capture some footage of his car in order to search for it on her patrol later. As Serenity walked back inside the motel, she noticed a young girl with silvery hair wearing particularly revealing clothing. It wouldn't take long to come to the conclusion that she was a prostitute. Judging by the distant look on the girl's face, though, it was clear to Serenity that this girl had been through something traumatic. The sight of such a damaged young girl tore at Serenity's heartstrings. It was just another reminder of why this case was so important. What caused her stomach to twist, however, was the style of clothing she wore... skin tight, cleavage exposed, the pencil-thin skirt that didn't even cover her ass... it was unfortunately all too familiar to the police officer and made her shudder as flashbacks arose. As the two girls walked past each other, the prostitute didn't even look at her. She was lost, trapped even, in her own thoughts. This was not something that Serenity could leave alone. Perhaps this would be a mistake, but she supposed she had to take a risk somewhere if she were to avoid going around in endless circles... She reached out to grab the girl's shoulder as she passed by and whispered into her ear. 'If you want hope, come with me. Room 143.' With those words, Serenity walked back toward her room, hoping that the girl would follow. After a brief pause, the girl looked back at Serenity with confusion, then back to the door she was about to leave through. She stood indecisively in the lobby for a good several minutes before finally deciding to follow after Serenity.

After being told to stand on the stool, Natia placed her small feet on the block one step at a time. Standing on such a small platform was a little bit scary considering she wasn't in direct control of it, but it wasn't much different than riding on Baellator, and she wasn't nearly as high up. Still, she didn't have anyone to lean on, so the somewhat shaky footing was enough to make her a bit nervous. While she watched Glenda search for the string, she failed to notice the sadness in Rowan's eyes. When she felt his hand stroking her head again, she blushed in embarrassment as she realized that, even while standing on this stool, she was still slightly shorter than Rowan. Although, the two were much closer in height and she could see his face more clearly, much like when the two were cuddling on the ground. She giggled slightly and leaned forward to give Rowan a soft kiss on the lips, but as she did, she shifted her weight too much on one side and the stool slipped from beneath her. "Ah!" the small girl cried as she began to fall over, instinctively reaching her arms out for Rowan to catch her.

Upon hearing Rose's pleading, Anhara frowned and slowly nealed down closer to Rose's ear to whisper into it again. "When I do this, this family won't matter anymore." Anhara gently brushed her finger through Rose's hair again to make sure it was all perfectly lined up. "Do you not believe God is all-powerful? Do you not believe there is a greater purpose in all of this? Perhaps a lesson to be learned, or an obstacle for you to climb in order to discover yourself for who He really created you to be~? You think this is wrong because it doesn't fit in your narrow understanding of the world. You're no different than all the mindless cattle on the streets. You think it's wrong just because you've been given a very specific image of what family is by the man and woman who raised you. But just look at where we are. We're in the middle of your home and yet you don't feel at home in the slightest. Where is mommy and daddy while their little girl is in the arms of a complete stranger in her own bathroom? Look at you, you can't even defend yourself... Maybe what's happening to you doesn't even have anything to do with you at all. Maybe it's everything to do with your parents. Maybe your daddy needs to be more of a man, or maybe your mommy needs to be a better mommy and care for her daughter... Maybe you're simply not appreciated as much as you deserve. But darling, you're going to be loved." as Anhara finished speaking, she looked down at the counter to see what other beauty products Rose had. "Now, let's see here... do you have any makeup? Not that you need any in particular, your face is beautiful just the way it is, but daddy loves an extra bit of dolling up~."

Natia nodded at Glenda's acknowledgment but didn't say much more to contribute. Still, Glenda went on to talk about what she would do to the ones who hurt her, which only caused her to smile and giggle slightly. It was surprising not to hear an immediate threat of violence. She simply wanted to scold them. Natia really appreciated that and even looked up to make eye contact as she felt Glenda's finger gently brush her cheek. She smiled, slightly amused when Glenda called her a child. She giggled softly, wanting to correct her, but now didn't seem like a good time as Glenda quickly changed the subject back to their service. It did occur to her, though, that it might be a good idea to ask if any other Aequu were to have been seen around town... If anyone were to be in a similar situation to her, then they may be either lost somewhere on the path they were traveling or have been brought to a store like this one by a friendly stranger, just like her. If any other Aequu were captured like her, it would be a relief to at least know they were safe as well... Natia snapped back to attention when she noticed that both Rowan and the store owner seemed to mock the dresses on display. Once again, this made Natia much more comfortable. She didn't feel so out of place knowing she wasn't the only one who thought the dresses were ridiculous. Still, she didn't feel comfortable speaking up on her opinions as she didn't want to come off as rude or condescending. That was when she heard Glenda comment about how she looked like a 'delicate little flower,' the very same compliment Rowan had given her. This caused her to blush considerably. She just smiled right back at Glenda, though, much brighter than before. Even taking herself by surprise. She never expected to take to a human so quickly... Perhaps it was only thanks to Rowan's encouragement that she was able to see past the barrier of this woman being an outsider... She listened eagerly as Glenda described the dress she wanted to design. The image in her mind only making her excited to see the final product. She glanced up at Rowan and noticed him staring back at her... it was a very similar look to the one he'd given her when she asked him what he'd like her to wear. He must be imagining her in the dress. He looked excited, too, which only made Natia happier. "It sounds beautiful!" She soon found her voice. "I-I would... I'd love a dress like that." She blushed a little shyly, realizing her sudden outburst. "S-sorry..."

As soon as Natia's little feet touched the ground, she immediately clung to Rowan. She didn't want there to even be a chance of the two of them being separated. It wouldn't be strange for passers-by to see the two and assume Natia was Rowan's daughter given this position and their size difference. Of course, Natia couldn't help but smile as she felt Baellator nudge her. He certainly helped make her feel better. The couple soon entered the building... just like on the outside, it was strange. It felt almost like the inside of a cave, but everything was, again, much more blocky and flat. And yet, Natia's attention was grabbed by the beautiful dresses on display. Although they certainly weren't her style, she could tell that they took inspiration from nature. Somehow, in such a bland world of boxes and cubes, this store had such elegant displays of natural beauty. Many of the dresses almost looked like large flowers. Still, there were details that bothered her. The dresses were bedazzled with jewels, which just didn't make any sense. Jewels didn't grow on flowers for a reason. The two are made of completely different combinations of elements... jewels were more earth and fire while flowers were more earth, water, and aether. Just like the tree she'd seen earlier, this mildly frustrated her. Why did these outsiders feel the need to add these unnecessary things to nature's already beautiful creations? She could only imagine how beautiful these dresses would be with much simpler designs without the random rocks... It wasn't long before the two were greeted by a seemingly friendly woman. Natia shyly tucked herself behind Rowan as he spoke for her. However, the woman decided to show empathy toward her situation, which helped draw Natia's attention to the lady's welcoming nature. "I-I'm... Natia." She slowly introduced herself with a slight, nervous stutter in response to Glenda's own introduction. "I'm... really sorry about what happened to your brother... I'm glad he was safe in the end, though." She forced a smile on her face before frowning again. "I-..." She started to tear up a bit as she raised her hands to her collar, but she shook her tears away. The last thing she wanted to do was cry in front of another stranger. Not in a place like this... "I'm sorry... I've been through a lot, lately..."

It seemed that Cassandra had pretty much dodged her question. She seemed to have already had an idea of who this being they were sensing was, but seemed to have no intention on explaining it. Not that she could really blame her. After all, whatever it was, it clearly needed to be stopped asap. What she was told, though, had her much more concerned than before. Just what would it mean if this was what she thought it was? Was it something that would concern the people? Alez gulped but nodded slowly. This was going to be a danger she would have to face head-on. Her heart was racing as the two approached the door and a part of her didn't want the door to open. That part of her simply wanted to flee and return home to Caelisia in Coelis. But she couldn't abandon Cassandra in such a serious time. Besdies, she wasn't in control of opening the door. Had it been up to Alez, it was possible the door probably never would have opened as she tried to mull over every possibility in her head. But waiting wasn't an option and she knew that, so she nodded in agreement with Cassandra. "No doubts... we've got this, right?" She asked, perhaps showing a bit of her self doubt despite trying to mask it behind a layer of confidence. "Come on, let's push that door open and pressforward!"

Location: Star Lite Motel This investigation was nothing short of troublesome. With no access to police documents and the body cam on her vest restricting her ability to investigate while on duty, Serenity was stuck chasing blind leads while off duty. She tried to follow wherever it seemed Ghost had influence, but it was difficult to keep paranoia from taking over. It seemed like Ghost had control over every corner of the city. All she had to go off of were vague, unverified rumors on the street which usually just added to the paranoia. Still, she did have one consistent lead: The types of secrets that get leaked onto the streets on a regular basis. More often than not, these secrets are found to be true and usually revolve around criminal acts. The leaks are so detrimental to these people that it wouldn't make any sense to leak the information themselves and, while many involve multiple parties such as drug deals or cases of prostitution, many still are crimes committed in complete isolation. These crimes simply should have been impossible to solve if not for the anonymous tips the police department receive. And then, of course, there's the odd behavior she'd been noticing herself surrounding the police department. The higher-ups completely turning a blind eye to criminal acts in the streets... Judging by the testimonies of the criminals put on trial, it seems blackmail is a recurring theme in these cases. It was clear that, even if Ghost didn't exist, someone out there was collecting these secrets and blackmailing the masses... But how did they learn these secrets? For one, Ghost seemed to be extremely talented hackers. Many of their targets were blackmailed for electronic content, such as possession of illegal pornography or other illegal online interactions. Still, even if Ghost was talented enough to hack into microphones and surveillance systems, that wouldn't explain everything. How would they learn of the crimes committed by people alone with no outside contact and no security systems nearby? That was what Serenity had come to this Motel to investigate. It was just one of many private areas that she could think of, but also a place she could investigate with no legal risks. She had her theories, but she was mostly just here to confirm them. She'd already paid for a room for the day and had arrived at her room. She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and then turned off the lights. From her bag, she pulled out a pocket camcorder. She slowly turned around and carefully recorded every corner of the room before sitting on the bed, still in complete darkness as she reviewed the footage. She smirked to herself as she found her answer. 'Sure enough...' She thought to herself. She closed the camcorder and stood up again, walking back out into the hallway. It would be suspicious if she took action now. Instead, she continued to record clips of various arbitrary objects as she'd been doing for a few hours leading up to now. However, she decided to stay around the motel for a little longer. After all, it could be possible she could find herself a valuable witness in a place with such an... intimate reputation.

Anhara smiled happily as Rose asked her to elaborate. It was the first time in quite a while that she had managed to get any sort of meaningful dialogue from the girl. "Well, just look at you, darling." She hovered her hands over the girl's body, careful not to physically touch her. "You look so pretty and pure, yet you also have the sexiness to drive someone mad~" She giggled to herself. "Of course, there's more to it than just that. If that was it, you'd be no different than half of my little toys... No, something about your circumstances intrigues me... You're broken, yet you continue to insist that everything is fine... I don't think it is. I saw those pictures in the hallway, they tell me everything I need to know. Your family is falling apart, Rose. And I can tell it all has to do with that one little girl who's missing from your lives..." As she spoke, she finally finished the braid and grabbed a pretty blue bow to hold the braid together. She then draped the braid over Rose's shoulder with a warm smile. "There you are, sweetheart~ Oh, it just makes you all the more precious, doesn't it?" Anhara smiled happily as she looked her prey up and down. "Yes, that's why you're so special to me... you remind me so much of young, naive little Halie before she was brought home. She was so innocent, so precious. She thought God's plan for her life was something simple. Maybe she thought she was going to fall in love with some man, marry him, and live the rest of her life as a modest housewife... Just as the bible tells her to do. But God had much bigger plans for her. She was set to live out commands of the bible nobody ever likes to listen to. Perhaps she prayed a bit too hard for God to change her life... Perhaps that's exactly why He's placed me here, too? What do you think? Have you prayed for a change?"

Undoubtedly. And I'm sure having a police officer walk in questioning him about what he was doing at the hotel wouldn't exactly look good in front of his wife, either. xD All around an awkward situation, but Serenity has to operate in underhanded ways if she wants any progress in her investigation under the condition the city is in.

@Neptune Well, with that side story out of the way, I think it's time to look at our future interactions? I was thinking that this would be a good point to introduce Serenity. She could be investigating the hotel at the time of this encounter and bore witness to the whole event. She might lock eyes with Zack as he's leaving and come by his shop later in the day to question him after first questioning Aria in private. This will help her to get more insight into Viper and how they operate, which could in turn help her in her investigation into Ghost. What do you think?

Aria was just left lying there, right on the cusp of an orgasm. Her face was still red and she couldn't just sit still. She wiggled her body from side to side. She needed a release and this man wasn't going to help her with that. If she had any hope of things continuing, she could hear the shower turning on in the bathroom. Obviously, he wouldn't be taking a shower if he wasn't done with her... but what did that mean for her? Was he just going to leave, or was he actually going to hold up his end of the deal? With no way of knowing, she really only had the choice of laying there. The few minutes of silence filled with nothing but the running water in the other room gave her plenty of time to reflect on what had happened. How horrible this man had to be for the way he treated her... even after hearing her story, he didn't care. He just wanted to use her. Was this really what these people were like? Yet she was in no position to object... She couldn't forget the debt she'd inherited in her efforts to rescue her mother. She was going to be raped for a living. And she was sure that if she couldn't find any customers, her... owners... would be more than willing to help. And what could she do to fight it? The police didn't care in the slightest. They didn't help her mother, so why would they help her? Damn them... they were the real villains here. By this point, Aria was just exhausted. She even began to nod off before she heard the water finally shut off and the bathroom door slide open. She immediately woke back up, her heart racing in anticipation. She was either going to hear the door close, signaling that she would be trapped, or she was going to finally be untied. She listened intently and, to her relief, heard his footsteps approaching her. She heard the bills plop onto the table beside her, though she had no way of verifying if it was the correct amount of cash. Finally, the man began undoing her bonds. Aria didn't react much afterward, though. She really didn't have the energy. Once she was untied, she allowed her body to relax for a little while. She was still face-down against the bed. She didn't want to move an inch until Zack was gone, in case she was wrong about him being done. Zack didn't do anything else, though. Instead, he walked to the door, gave her some insignificant advice and closed the door behind him, leaving Aria completely alone. Even though she was weak and exhausted from all her struggling, the man was right. She did have to leave or she'd probably be charged some fee for overstaying. Weakly, she took her blindfold off and managed to stand and make her way to the bathroom. She dropped the blindfold on the floor along the way. The heat from her encounter was still looming, though. After turning on the water in the shower, she leaned against the wall, the hot water running over her pale skin. She reached down with her hand and gently began fingering herself. She let out soft moans as she did. It didn't take but a handful of seconds to make herself cum. Afterward, she just continued leaning there against the wall, tears of shame rolling down her cheeks as she raised her hands to cover her mouth and muffle her sobs. It took a few minutes for Aria to get out of the shower, a changed woman. Not for the better, necessarily, but changed was definitely the right word. After today, things were never going to be the same for her again. She stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and stared down at the blidnfold on the floor. 'Why did he leave that?' She thought to herself, the only ideas coming to mind making her sick to the stomach. 'Is this some sort of joke to him?' She gritted her teeth in frustration before sighing, releasing her frustrations, and bending down to pick it up. She knew it was probably exactly what he wanted. Like a symbol of her accepting her new role in life... But it was true that it could come in handy if she ever found another man who liked blindfolding women... She hated that she had to think of it this way, but it could be a layer that could interest a client who would otherwise turn a blind eye... She sighed and gathered together her clothes, putting them all back on. They were just as tight and difficult to move in as before, but she somehow managed to fit back into them. She folded the blindfold and stuck it into her bag. She double checked the bag to ensure that nothing had been stolen. She didn't think so considering it seemed like she had gotten the right amount of money. She stuck the money inside the wallet in her purse. She wasn't to keep a dime of it for herself... She then checked the time on the nearby clock. It was time for her to go. She wanted to take some more time to recover, but she had to leave before getting fined and she also had to report back to her... sirs... She picked up her bag and pulled it over her shoulder, then double checked to make sure she didn't forget anything before taking a deep breath before pushing the door open. ================================== [END OF SIDE STORY]

Alez didn't bother to question the new weapon that had spawned in Cassandra's hand at the moment. She, too, had a weapon that appeared only when she needed it, but she could clearly tell that this one was completely different than the one Cassandra was using before. Still, there was no point in distracting herself on such matters. As for whether she was prepared to fight, Alez couldn't deny the fact that she was nervous. She'd never fought a winning fight before. Before, she'd always assumed that it was punishment from Lady Caelisia. Still, she always managed to get out okay and she could think of no one but Caelisia to thank for that. "I've... prayed on it." She spoke after a brief pause. "If it comes to that, I'll have no choice. Lady Caelisia will guide me to victory." As the two women approached the vault, Alez could hear that eerie music grow louder. The surroundings were quiet and serene, which only made the ominous moans of the violin all the more chilling. Still, she didn't let it discourage her and continued pressing forward. "What do you know about what's happening? Who these people are?" She turned to ask, realizing they had yet to discuss any sort of strategy in regards to the actual encounter. "It'll be important to know everything we can before jumping into a fight, right? I don't know anything at all about them..."