Finished [Wmgroth Town] The Fox and the Witch Part 2

[TheTimePiece]

Hello! Welcome! This RP is part of the Isekai Hell community. Like anime? Like fantasy? If you find yourself wanting to partake in an open world Isekai fantasy RP community group based here on RPnation, feel free to check out our links!

This RP is a 1x1 continuation of Fantasy - [Isekai Hell] The Fox and the Witch .

Hope to see you soon!
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Time: Morning

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, outskirts of Wmgroth.

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

RP Goals:

Shion: Establish deeper connection to new world to help regain what lost

Iberis: Assist Shion with her goal and gain new magic knowledge accessible in the Fae See.


In the southern reaches of the Fae See, an abundance of towering trees adorned the landscape. Rolling hills and valleys, interspersed with stretches of flat land and occasional mountains, painted a picturesque scene. The See exuded a profound reverence for nature, a sentiment that resonated strongly within its boundaries. The allure of captivating landscapes and potent magics held a magnetic pull for aspiring adventurers and wanderers alike.

The specific purpose driving the duo's journey to this part of the southern See was a shared objective. Shion sought to reestablish her connection to the elements lost in her previous life, aspiring to achieve this by being in the company of other Fae and immersing herself in the mystic forest. Iberis, on the other hand, accompanied her newfound companion with a growing sense of attachment, eager to assist and to uncover the mystical secrets the Fae See held. Iberis harbored a sincere desire to witness Shion's success.

Wmgroth, a destination known to Iberis, was the focal point of their journey. It was an area where both affluent and esteemed residents of the See resided, interspersed with more laid-back locales. Iberis believed it to be an ideal proximity for their respective goals. While the central habitation bore a more urbanized atmosphere, distinct from places like Widersia, the surrounding region boasted plenty of forested areas and scattered dwellings. Wmgroth also stood out for its vibrant bazaar, offering a variety of luxury goods curated by a robust merchant presence. Fae frequented the area not only for its bustling market and business opportunities but also for the coveted privacy it afforded, away from what they considered to be the general rabble.

Wmgroth Entrance Gate A
​

As the pair traversed the meticulously maintained pathway Iberis made some small talk. They crossed paths with a few other Fae heading in the same direction. In the distance, a wooden barricade encircled the Fae settlement, catching their attention. The sides of the tall wooden barrier bore protective runes, and those with heightened vision or magical senses could discern a subtle green distortion enveloping the entire area in a dome-like shape. Clearly, someone had allocated considerable resources to establish a comprehensive magical barrier, safeguarding the border and the airspace above the settlement.

Iberis Odhir
​

“Well this is pretty exciting huh Shion? Like I said I haven’t ever been to the Fae See before..and to think my first time has been with you I’m quite pleased you could join me, I think it helped that you’ve been here with me, otherwise I’m not sure if i would have gotten through the border.” Iberis spoke truthfully with a smile toward Shion.

“It’s also pretty nice that a locale shared some information on areas which are..a bit more used to foreigners..I hope it’s a good choice.” She reiterated a bit bashfully toward the end.

However her eyes changed from bashful to ones of surprise as she looked forward and up at what was before them, having been so focused on Shion the whole time.

As the pair drew closer to the gate a treant came into view who was towering above them at about 12 ft in height.

???
​

“Reason for entry?” its voice resonating low, as it faced the two when they were close enough. Concurrently, a pair of verdant orbs descended, each employing an Appraisal of ??? grade on each member of the duo. Meanwhile, a mist-like substance emanated from the pipe clenched in the Treant's mouth throughout this interaction.

 

[Sharena]

​

The journey into the Fae See was perhaps the best decision Shion had made since arriving in this world. After they managed to get through the border, Shion's mood had done nothing but improve as she traveled the natural landscape with Iberis. Any melancholic episode from the kitsune lasted mere moments compared to what she'd gone through before now, while it wasn't her original home, Iberis was seeing Shion as if she were back home. Her energy was higher, taking occasional excursions off the beaten path where she'd go out of Iberis' sight on one side, and reappear on another. She was mostly smiles the entire way, her grins showing teeth and laughing a lot more openly than her conserved chuckles and giggles she'd shown before their time here. Despite all of this, Shion seemed more serene in this place, it was like her body was rejuvenated and yet still able to find peace even through her heightened activity.

As they approached Wmgroth, Shion had finally stuck closer to Iberis, having intertwined her hand into one of the mage's again as they walked. Her smile beamed as she listene to Iberis, and she winked at the mage as she playfully giggled to her. "Iberis, I haven't felt this alive in a long time, exciting is putting my mood lightly. Ever since my world entered its darkest hour, I hadn't gotten to gaze upon nature this beautiful in a long time. I'm so happy you're here with me too, places like this..." Shion looked up and along the treeline with awestruck eyes. "...It's like I'm home again..."

Shion pulled Iberis up with enough force to pull her off of her feet momentarily as she embraced the girl, kissing her cheek and nuzzling up against her face with her own before setting her down gently.

"I hope where we'll be staying is suitable too, but I'm not too worried, what I've seen already is more than enough to convince me the Fae of this world have a deep appreciation for nature." Shion stated. As she noticed Iberis's visage become taken by wonderment Shion focused to the gates of Wmgroth herself. She smiled as her eyes looked over everything.

"And not a hint of terraforming the land against its will." Shion briefly compared Wmgroth to Widersia before taking notice of the treant. He requested the reason for their presence, and Shion nodded with confidence.

"My companion and I were hoping to take residence within your walls for a small time. I recently came to these lands in hopes of deepening my connection to the magical weave of the wyld here, and this is where we were directed when we crossed into this beautiful place." Shion explained honestly as she let go of Iberis' hand to step forward and place the hand on her chest with a bow, ears twitching as she did so.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

While Shion felt rejuvenated, Iberis felt very fortunate to have Shion by her side. After all she was the reason Iberis could even be in the Fae See relatively safely given the average attitude toward humans. It would probably help her safety at the very least. Iberis did not pull away when Shion stayed close to her, instead allowing her to intertwine her hand with hers gladly, smiling back.

She was enthused to see that Shion was so much happier than she had been given her intense emotional state not all so long ago it felt like when they had met, or back at the estate.

“It’s..really nice to hear you say that Shion, I know that you’ve been through a lot..so if a place like this can help bring back some of the positive feelings you had back home, then I think that alone will have been worth this trip.” As excited as Iberis was at the prospect of magic, she sincerely meant those words. Overall Iberis had felt a lot more positive as of lately since traveling with Shion.

A bit of a blush fell upon her face again when Iberis was lifted by Shion and hugged, not quite expecting the kiss on the cheek and the nuzzle she got..this sort of attention felt so different every time she got it. It was nice in a different way..to be wanted like this, it made her feel reassured that Shion really did care.

“I’m sure it’ll be nice if it’s anything like what we’ve seen so far, especially considering plenty of those in the merchant class stay around these parts I’ve heard, I imagine they’ll want good lodging so I think the chances are looking pretty good.”

Iberis might have taken another look around at the terraforming comment but instead she found herself still focused on the large tree being before them.

???
​

The treant looked over at Shion and then between her and Iberis like he was in thought before giving a gentle nod.

“Your intentions are pure, and I believe what you say is true. I do find it curious that you would choose to travel with a human, but there are others like her here on business, I imagine you must see something within her to warrant traveling with here. Whatever that reason may be,l you may pass.”

The treant then stood out of the way and the orbs cleared away as the wooden gate glowed a faint green and retracted revealing a processional way with ornate stone obelisks. There was also a set of stone steps.

“I wish you both safe passage and hope you find what you are looking for here.”

“Uh..Thank you mister..I hope your gate guarding goes well too.” Iberis said a bit bashfully staying close to Shion, before they presumably headed through.

​

On the other side of the gate those with a connection to magic could once again perceive subtle green lines of magical energy emanating from the tips of the obelisks towards the domes. While the observation that they resembled humans might have been correct, their purpose could extend beyond mere decoration, possibly serving as a safeguard linked to the ongoing protective magic enveloping this location. The specifics remained a matter of speculation.

As they made their way onto the path Iberis looked around curiously, wondering what the magical energy was accomplishing. Regardless she was pretty excited to have made it in successfully.

“We really just made it huh? Truth be told I’ve never seen something alive that was as big as whoever that was. ” A thought did crop up in the the back of her mind that the time they’d spend moving along this path might be the time to present what she had made for Shion should the right moment arise.

"I'm..assuming you can see that too any idea of what it might be about?" Iberis asked gesturing to the pillars and energy.

 

[Sharena]

​

Shion was thankful of Iberis' words to her, and hugged her tighter in the moment, and it carried through to the treat's words to them. Accepting the invitation, she started to walk before pausing near the hulking tree man.

"I used to think like you a long time ago, thinking humans were nothing but a burden on the world. Honestly, every now and then my thoughts still turn there. But just as there are those of my kind I wish didn't exist..." Shion looked at Iberis with a smile. "...There are humans I couldn't be happier to have met."

She cautiously patted the treant where she best hoped he wouldn't be bothered before giving him a "thank you" before proceeding through the gates of Wmgroth alongside Iberis.

Once they were through, Shion's mind returned to its previous state of joy, looking upon the obelisks with curiosity as she rounded each one a couple times, listening to Iberis as she did so.

"Treants are gentle creatures back in my world, getting on one's bad side is usually the last mistake someone will make. How they are here, I'm not too sure." She glanced back towards the gates before she heard Iberis' next question come as she looked upon the flowing magical energy.

"Some kind of ward would be my first guess. I wonder what the weave could tell me with my current attunement." The sclera of Shion's eyes became consumed in the azure hymn of her flowing magic as she observed the magical energy as best she could, using [Magic D + Appraisal D] to see what the wyld might tell her as she used her hands to guide her own will while doing her best not to directly come into conflict with the natural energy abound here.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

???

​

The Treant looked back at Shion curiously as if it was in thought once again before nodding. While not exactly an endorsement at least the following words were more neutral than judgemental or scornful,

“Indeed you are entitled to your opinions, I have lived long enough to know that it is unlikely that any one race outside of monsters is purely problematic. We are called to shepherd those less fortunate than us, in that sense you are adhering to what the Spirit king has told us so I do commend you for that.”

The treant added before shifting. Perhaps even if he thought most humans were burdensome at least he was willing to admit that not all were.

Iberis Odhir

​

Upon seeing Shion smile at her, Iberis visibly lit up, responding with her own wide smile. Thankfully from that point it was a clear path through with the Treant not being particularly bothered and giving Shion a nod of acknowledgement at the thank you and pat.


By the point they had cleared the gate, Iberis looked back to Shion as she spoke.

“Yeah I wouldn’t want to get on one of those guy’s bad sides either, I dunno how much power they possess in your world or this one but they look pretty physically strong, I wonder if they know how to use any magic too..”

She replied in a bit of thought, really having no idea, but generally being the curious sort about the world this wasn’t terribly uncharacteristic.

Iberis also continued to look around, still intrigued by the sizable structures and subsequent energy.

The information revealed to Shion about the magic coming off indeed confirmed it was a ward, the actual stones themselves had been enchanted and possessed their own unique energy sources to help keep the magic force field going to protect the dwellings within no doubt. Primarily it was designed to keep monsters and criminals out as one might expect based on what Shion could get a read on. Thankfully she did not end up conflicting with the natural energy around them.

Iberis might have tried her own appraisal had she not been a bit distracted by Shion while she acted, giving her a look over before looking a bit more bashful again, after Shion had her look. She continued down the path with her presumably.

​

She looked around at the nature around them which was still rather serene between the breeze and plant life..Iberis eventually went down to her Sash when it felt like they were a more private distance away from the gate, and took out what appeared to be a gem socketed brooch of sorts.

​

“Hey..Shion, we’ve known each other for a good amount of time now, and, I just..I mean I’m not even really sure if you’ll have any use for this sort of thing but..when we were back at Sophia’s place I sort of tried my hand at trying to craft something different, since her invitation was clear that we had access, so yeah, sorry if it isn’t too great but..I really care a lot about you so..” She then presented it to Shion, with both hands outstretched.

“Hopefully with some time I’ll get a bit better at this sort of thing..”

 

[Sharena]

​

"Treants in my world were usually attuned deeply with earthen elemental magics alongside the great physical strength you assume they'd have." Shion nodded in confirmation with Iberis as they walked along before she had stopped to observe the flow of magic surrounding them. She took a moment of contemplation as she carefully but enthusiastically inspected the weave around her. She nodded along with Iberis' words.

"It appears my assessment was accurate, the weave here is a defensive ward to protect this establishment. I'd surmise it isn't natural and was handwoven by someone." The magic faded from Shion's sclera as she looked at Iberis with a smile before catching up to her as they walked further in together, her tails happily swishing back and forth in a slightly hypnotic pattern as she clasped her hands behind her back.

When the moment came where Iberis presented the accessory to Shion, she'd witness the kitsune's face beam with happiness as she listened to Iberis speak. Her ears twitched with joy, her tails adopted a slightly different pattern that seemed more sensual in the flow of the arc they traveled over. The kitsune pondered her next course of action a moment before stepping close to Iberis and taking the accessory presented to her gently into one of her hands. She then proceeded to pinch her top a little just under her bosom before Iberis would see the kitsune's eyes lit up once again as the accessory was woven into Shion's garb seamlessly, accenting her cleavage while still feeling like it added some much needed character to her top.

Shion stood in silence for a moment, looking at Iberis with a captivating smile. "It's beautiful, Iberis. I know exactly how I could make use of it. For now though..."

Shion stepped closer to Iberis, and suddenly yet gently took the sizable hat off of the mage's head before placing it upon her own! She got closer still, pulling Iberis into an embrace now that her hat wouldn't get in the way, one hand tenderly cupping the back of her neck while the other calming combed through Iberis' long locks of hair. Her tails wrapped around the mage too, bringing Iberis' head to comfortably rest upon Shion's chest right next to the accessory the kitsune had just woven into her attire. She held Iberis like this in silence for a time again, smiling all the while as Iberis could hear a happy chuckle escape her lips every now and then.

"I care about you a lot as well, Iberis. You'll be happy to learn I've managed to start seeing you and Olivia as different people in my mind. In that time of acceptance and soul searching within myself, I...am also aware my feelings for you are genuine and not misconstrued." Shion loosened her embrace on Iberis just enough that her hand weaving through her hair could gently push her head up with a finger on the mage's chin to make eye contact with her, although her head resting between Shion's breasts was a new sensation for the mage at this point despite how often the kitsune slept next to her completely bare. She looked down at Iberis with a smile, her hat on Shion's head making the moment even more intimate given how secluded it made them feel right now on Shion's taller figure.

"Iberis Odhir...if you would accept a centuries old fox as your partner, I...would like to deepen my relationship with a human such as yourself...very much." The words had a tinge of nervousness to them, but they were sincere and heartfelt. Shion had been very open with Iberis from the moment she'd seen some of her past reflected within her own mind and empathized with her. Despite that, it seemed like the kitsune was still fighting her instincts to push humans away as she laid out very plainly she was ready to try again and find a deeper connection within this new world.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

Iberis listened carefully to Shion regarding her comments on the Treant, magical beings naturally were something which interested Iberis, given her general interest in learning about magic how it could be utilized effectively. Earthen elemental magic sounded possibly useful so she should probably keep track of that.

“A..weave huh? I can’t say I’ve heard of that term before until now..but I think I understand what it does, sort of like the arcane energy I can shape and use for protective purposes instead of purely offensive applications, anyway, thanks Shion, I appreciate you explaining..sounds like someone put it up to protect this area I guess..which makes sense I mean this is a pretty big forest area with all sorts of things in It I’d guess, so you’d want to keep any potential monsters or enemies out..”

Iberis took notice of the tail swishing motion and since it was positive, it made her feel a bit better, not seeing all those nonverbal signs like she had before when Shion had been so upset with the trauma she had experienced. Iberis was just glad that she was in a great deal of a better mood now.

Even as nervous as she had been when she presented the item to Shion, a great relief fell over her when she saw lots of body language that suggested that Shion was very happy to have received it. Truthfully she wasn’t sure how good of a job she had done, nor if Shion would even like it, but to see that made it all the worth it. Seeing her attach it to the outfit so quickly was reassuring too. A soft smile which widened fell upon Iberis’ face.

Not only that but she called it beautiful! What better news could Iberis receive, well it wasn’t all to long before she heard the next exciting positive words of the day.

Upon having her hat taken off she was a bit surprised, a bit of pink coming to her face as she giggled a tad at the sight of Shion now wearing the quite sizable hat. Then she felt herself get embraced, resting her head against Shion who was rather comfortable all things considered, feeling sort of like she was the one being pet now, the tails adding a nice warmth and softness to the hug which hse appreciated, Iberis didn’t speak herself, just enjoying the contact she was currently making with Shion. She heard the happy sounds and that was enough for her at that moment, it really was a lovely place to be embraced with the surrounding environment, the beautiful nature all around them with a gentle breeze, the temperature quite pleasant as well.

Iberis listened intently when she mentioned that she was seeing them as different people. That statement did make her feel a bit heated, hearing that Shion didn’t think her feelings were misconstrued, given how Iberis had been feeling about Shion for quite awhile..she knew the sort of relationship Shion had had with Olivia at that from what she told her.. Of course Iberis didn’t resist her head being gently moved so she could make eye contact with the fox. Had Iberis had her memories from her past life more intact she might have seen her current situation in some anime she had been aware of..it was a comfortable position to be in.


“Shion..”

She replied softly like she was almost in awe at what she just heard. Iberis was very well aware of what humans had done in Shion’s world so it was no surprise that she was still conflicted, Iberis understood that much. Iberis hadn’t had so many feelings arise like this since the time she had faced off against Renee, except thankfully this time they were largely positive ones,

“Of course I accept you. Since you’ve arrived in this world you’ve been with me by my side, and after all we’ve done and the time we’ve spent together, you’ve made me so happy..in a life which hasn’t always been so easy, you’ve been there for me like a foundation I’ve since come to the conclusion that I feel the same way about you Shion. ”
She wasn’t sure how smooth those words had been but she wasn’t really experienced with any of this..and just hoped that it conveyed how she was feeling.

Iberis would then even if albeit hesitant from feeling her heartbeat quicken, she’d gently close her eyes, and face toward Shion, assuming a position where her lips were gently parted, the gesture indicating what she was offering should Shion decide to accept, whether or not that was the case she would find herself embracing Shion by wrapping he own arms around her to the best of her ability, to reciprocate the feelings.

 

[Sharena]

​

Shion smirked at Iberis' thanks for her explanation, but she wanted to remedy any possible confusion for the young mage.

"Weaves are more something I am used to referring to the magic of my world. Beings whose bodies were innately attuned to magic from birth in my world were often referred to as 'Magic Guardians,' and I had taken on the role of 'Spirit Guardian' in my father's stead after he passed. Guardians were innately tuned to the magical energies of the world, and we had the ability to perceive the make of magic within our world, which we all collectively referred to as 'The Weave." Shion looked at the mage with a smile.

"I'd be happy to explain it more to you if you're interested later, but yes, The Weave could in fact be manipulated to create spells and the like. When I say weave, I'm more referring to magic as a whole." Shion mentioned before they reached the moment Iberis handed her the accessory.

Now with Iberis in her arms, the kitsune listened to Iberis' words, and it certainly raised her mood to hear her be accepted. Iberis was a human Shion had greatly enjoyed spending her time with, and she was happy to have gone with her as she would've felt aimless in this world otherwise. The worst of her grief may not been surmountable either, and when she heard Iberis say she accepted her, Shion was exceedingly happy.

Of course next came the interesting behavior. The girl returned her embrace, which was certainly welcome, but then she closed her eyes and readied herself for a kiss? Shion was taken aback only for a small moment, and then it dawned on her that Iberis may have never had someone this close to her before. Shion felt a little saddened by that idea, even though she seemed to really like Kalina, Scylla, and the others, Iberis was still an orphan in this world. Shion was a patient one, and she decided she would do her best to help Iberis grow closer to her in a healthy way just as she wished to grow closer to the mage.

But that didn't change who Shion was in the moment. A sly grin spread on her face without words and her ears twitched inside the hat. She leaned her face in close to Iberis' lips.

"You know, Iberis, this is a little more intimate than I was expecting from your response." Shion said, hiding her playful intentions in her voice as she informed the mage. Before Iberis could recoil in embarrassment however, Shion closed the distance between their lips and reciprocated Iberis' intentions.

Shion's lips were soft and warm against Iberis' own, her own eyes closing as her free hand had found its way onto Iberis's face, gently rubbing her thumb along the lower portion of the girl's cheek as she held the kiss with Iberis for a time. When she finished, she withdrew her lips from her new partner's and lightly rested her forehead against Iberis' own and opened her eyes again, hoping to be greeted by a mixture of satisfaction and embarrassment from the mage, hopefully the satisfaction outweighing her thinking she had done something wrong.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of though, I was once in your shoes." She giggled and kissed Iberis' nose. She'd gaze into Iberis' eyes as her own began to become engulfed in azure once again as she now proceeded to [Mind Link] with Iberis. A scene overtook Iberis' mind, filling it much like Shion had back in Widersia when she was first discovering she had the ability.

"W-what do you mean that was excessive?" Two women stood in a room alone together, one was very obviously Shion, she looked exactly as she did to Iberis now, just with nine tails, but the other...this was Iberis' first time getting to see Olivia beyond just stories, there was no one else it could be. The woman was shorter than Shion by a few inches, with beautiful long brown hair and a gorgeous dress to boot.

Spoiler: Olivia

"Kissing me after being accepted as a travel partner is usually reserved for someone a little more special than that." She said with a giggle.

"But you never objected to it when I was in my fox form!" Shion said with a bit of blush on her cheeks, it was the most off kilter Iberis would've ever seen Shion.

"Hm...ah, I see." Olivia nodded a couple times, smiling. "So you equate licking my face and kissing me the same? Seems like you have a lot to learn if you want to be my perfect partner."

"Your perfect part-" Shion didn't get to finish as Olivia embraced her, throwing her off guard again.

"I'm happy to have you with me, Shion, fox or human, I'm just happy you agreed." Olivia stated, the kitsune in silence a moment before returning the embrace as the shock faded from her.

"...This was my first time inside a city in a decade...I was worried you'd be gone..."

The scene faded from Iberis' mind, and Shion's lips spread into a smile. "I suppose I'm not one to talk, sleeping next to you naked every night. Olivia practically jumped out of bed when I woke up to her naked the first time. Well...as a human." Shion shared with the mage, implying she'd slept next to Olivia "naked" all the time as a fox too and that hadn't bothered her. The kitsune chuckled.

"I'll do my best for you...last thing I want is for you to regret this decision." Shion said with resolve to the mage and a reassuring smile before finally breaking off the embrace as her tails returned behind her and began swishing in their calmingly hypnotic pattern again.

"I'd love to cuddle longer, but we can save that for tonight. I'd like to find somewhere I could try to meditate, this place feels like just what I need to grow more intimately with the weave of this world." Shion stated, but smile afterwards. "And I'd be happy to share any stories you like along the way."

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

The witchy youth paid attention to when Shion further explained what she had meant by what a ‘weave’ was. It was appreciated by Iberis since she really was curious to learn more about Shion’s background and her world. So she was a spirit guardian after her father died? And guardians were attuned to the magic energies of her world, which collectively was the weave, well that helped to clear things up some.

Iberis nodded when Shion offered to tell her more later, as Iberis was one who was frequently interested in magical knowledge. Even if this knowledge didn’t have direct application to the world she was in, perhaps there would be something to learn which could help further her own magic, and if nothing else came of it, she’d be learning more about Shion and her world, so that was a benefit.

She gave a bit of a smile Shion’s way at that point.

Of course since Iberis’s eyes were closed she didn't really have the visual cues that suggested that Shion was looking rather sly, nor the nonverbal gestures she might have seen when Shion was thinking things through.

Granted her eyes did open when she heard Shion saw that, as the bit of a blush formed on Iberis’ face in response to hearing that, but before she could really react, she found herself getting kissed back, which only furthered her intensified feelings, some which were quite positive others which were a bit confusing, It was probably a good sign that Shion reciprocated this way, but it sounded like she hadn’t picked the exact best response given the situation, but how was Iberis really supposed to gauge it all? She had very little experience to go off of, coming from the background she did.

Regardless she did enjoy the sensation of the lips against her own which she hadn’t been sure what to expect to say the least. Then the hand against her face, and the gentle rubbing made her feel a bit more calm, the kiss being held longer too which made it feel even more intimate to her than a quick one would have.

While Iberis did seem to have satisfaction and embarrassment certainly was there, the confidence she had was uncertain. However she did smile back at Shion seeing how pleased she appeared to be after the ordeal. Particularly as she reassured her that she had been in her shoes and didn’t need to be ashamed, allowing Iberis to have a bit of a reciprocal giggle upon receiving the kiss on her nose. She looked back into her eyes, not looking away, the dark spots under her eyes probably more obvious than usual to Shion there, she could feel what was happening and by that point probably knew what was coming next with a Mind link happening, she was curious as to what Shion wanted to show her so she watched and allowed it to take place.

Iberis upon realizing who that was could understand why Shion had found her attractive. She was well dressed, and had wonderful hair, and surprisingly she was even a bit shorter than Iberis, Iberis used to being someone who wasn’t exactly the tallest around, particularly in a world full of beings with greatly varying heights. This person who Shion had spoken so highly of, Iberis finally got to see. Iberis did find the situation a bit humorous and it made her feel a bit better about her own which had just transpired.

Even if it was obviously a warm memory and it made Iberis feel a bit better to see their interactions and how much Shion clearly had enjoyed being with Oliva, it did make her wonder if Shion didn’t feel a bit sad looking back on memories like those, given the fact that Oliva had passed. On the other hand she must have had a plethora of good memories like that some of which Iberis imagined must have been comforting from time to time. Etherway she was mostly just glad that Shion felt comfortable sharing stuff like that with her. Definitely a side of Shion which she had not seen before.

Once the memory went away, Iberis’ smile returned. “Thanks for sharing that with me. I think I feel better.” She said softly. Iberis hadn’t exactly thought of it that way, I mean sure she had seen Shion in the nude before even in her more humanoid form, but it hadn’t really occurred to her until now that those licks were like kisses, or that it was really a big deal when Shion was in the nude in her more animal form, since that was like how some pets slept with people, was Iberis’ understanding.



“Even so, sorry..that wasn’t exactly the most proper gesture, I just..know that from what I’ve seen people who care about one another a lot do that sometimes, so I thought it might make sense, but a nice hug probably would have been more uh, appropriate.” Iberis still clarified a bit sheepishly.

“Of course I want to offer the same, and give my best.” She replied back.

“And yeah, we probably should get going, we’ll likely be hitting the center of Wmgroth soon, and from there we should be able to branch off into less active areas maybe some which’ll be good for meditation or if you want we could even stray from the main path some if you just want to try to find somewhere in the woods to chill, but the center could be fun to check out, I’ve heard that there is a pretty nice international marketplace here.”

Iberis found herself looking at the tail swishing and feeling a bit calmer.

“And sure I think I’d like that..if there’s anything you’d like to talk about to, I can..probably share some things too.”

As the pair probably made some talk and traveled further down the path with the nice weather and nature around them it wasn’t before too long they saw some very large trees in the distance, sort of like apartments with large mushrooms covering them, but there was still a ways to walk before they properly reached them.

???
​

“Yeah I think we’re definitely getting pretty close!” Iberis reiterated rather excitedly, walking along freely feeling pretty good.

However not long after Iberis said that, a rather unique looking short fae individual with some sort of masked looking animal appeared uddenly with very little warning from the edge of the forest onto the path carrying some wares like a pack animal from the looks of things.

???
​

"Interested in buying? I'll show you what I offer. Many items and resources.Highest quality, Very rare, very good price. New face special, just for you."

Iberis’ initial reaction was to grip her catalyst as if she was ready to throw down but she paused, upon realizing they weren’t getting mugged or attacked by a monster but more so some merchant approached them.

“Oh uh, hello there. We were just passing through..whoever you are.” She said with a slight bow, looking to Shion and then back at the merchant.

 

[Sharena]

​

Shion had been thoroughly pleased through her entire interaction with Iberis. Seeing her confused yet elated reaction through the kitsune's actions had been exactly what she was hoping for. It caused a small chuckle to escape her lips while they kissed, but once their Mind Link faded Iberis thanked her for sharing the memory. Shion smiled back at her after explaining her experiences watching others display their affection.

"Iberis, you are still young, and I wasn't displeased by it. In most relationships, that might be a problem, but I am not most relationships." Shion stared deeply into the mage's eyes, hoping she could tell she was being genuine, trying to give a lighthearted tone so Iberis could connect with her reasoning. "I am both a fox and a woman in equal measure, something that may be difficult to grasp for hopefully not much longer, but I love receiving all forms of affection at any time. You saw how I was when you pet my tails after all."

Shion's eyes dimmed for a brief moment. "...Honestly one of the reasons I've struggled with your kind for so long. Learning that affection could be manipulative and destructive as well as genuine was a hard lesson for me..." Her words gave off this air of loneliness, and the looks in her eyes no longer seemed to be looking at Iberis, but into a memory of her past...she looked like she was coldly watching someone die that had wronged her. The next moment she shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

"Sorry, that got really depressing all of a sudden. I want this embrace to end on something positive." Shion tightened her embrace on the mage and proceeded to give her another kiss on her lips just to show how little she cared about such formalities or "proper" displays of affection.

Once the embrace was broken and their promises to not let this be a mistake were made clear to one another, they formed a plan to head further into Wmgroth. Once they started walking together again, Iberis posed a question to Shion regarding the woman she'd finally gotten to meet in Shion's memories.

"How did I meet Olivia?" Shion looked at the mage while they walked, taking in her partner's question a moment as she looked forward, her face smiling a little in reminiscence. "I met her while searching for a new home. The elder spirits were beginning to pass on in the forest I was protecting at the time, and the place had taken on a somber disposition for me. I happened upon her on a mountain trail being assailed by bandits, although she hardly needed my help. She dispatched most of them without me, I only stepped in to keep her from getting a nasty scar on her pretty face since the last bandit tried to get a cheap shot in his throes of death. At that point we decided to travel together at the time, and we grew close very quickly. When we finally reached her destination, it was a port city..." Shion drew a hand close to her chest, her feelings around that time surfacing perfectly as her memory was what made it so hard to move past her prejudices. Her face looked anxious and scared.

"Olivia was leaving for another country, and she was going to take a boat to cross over into it given that a war was happening on the border at the time. I wanted to keep traveling with her, she'd been the most understanding and kind woman I'd ever met and...she was the first human I didn't want to part ways with anytime soon. My distaste for civilization made the decision unbearable for me, and when I told her I couldn't go, she...she had the worst mixture of understanding and sorrow in her eyes. She didn't chastise me or criticize me, just gave a shaky, teary-eyed 'okay' and walked away..." A few tears were welling up in Shion's eyes, but she fought them off successfully as she shook her head. She wasn't there, she was just telling a story.

"As you can tell by that memory, I chose Olivia over my anxieties...and I couldn't have been happier I did." Shion's visage was calming down, she let her arm rest at her side again too. She looked skyward. Are you watching me, Olivia? Are you...happy that I'm doing my best to move on? Shion smiled, she knew the answer she'd get if Olivia could actually respond.

The kitsune stepped closer to Iberis and took hold of her hand, interweaving her fingers with the mage while smiling at the girl while they walked. "And I'm fortunate to have found you now, Iberis." Shion thought of a return question to give Iberis a chance to talk now. She had enough of the dots to connect to feel like asking about Kalina or Scylla would lead to unpleasant memories, so she wanted to try and stay off that kind of topic for now. "Do you like learning about all kinds of magic? Your studious nature hasn't gone past me unnoticed, my little mage." A small chuckle escaped Shion as she smiled at Iberis, hoping that would be a nice topic for her to speak on.

As the two traveled deeper into Wmgroth, the two were suddenly ambushed by a merchant offering to reveal his wares to the pair of them. Shion and Iberis looked at each other for a moment, and after Iberis explained what they were doing, Shion nodded in agreement. "We weren't visiting Wmgroth with the intention of buying anything, I must apologize that I think your wares will be better shown to other visitors."

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

All things considered Iberis was rather youthful, and just generally not knowing much better as far as relationship went, so the fact that Shion was showing leniency was reassuring. Iberis gave a soft smile Shion’s way after hearing her explanation. She nodded.

“Thanks for being understanding, it just sort of..looked like what people did I guess, unlike magic books this sort of thing..really isn’t my expertise.” Iberis continued a bit bashfully., looking back at her eyes.

She’d nod to show she was paying attention when Shion mentioned that she was a fox and woman in equal measure, Indeed Iberis did remember that cuddly interaction which took place. She was glad that much was true in that Shion and her seemed to get along rather well in that respect thus far.

Iberis did pick up on the fact that Shion’s eyes dimmed briefly as she had been looking at them, and when she spoke..part of what Shion said resonated pretty deeply with Iberis. Renee had become like family to Iberis, she had made her feel like she was good enough to do valuable things, her and scylla had been two of the first people who ever showed Iberis that they cared for her..unfortunately she eventually did learn that Renee had just been using her as a tool for her own ambitions. Iberis still wasn’t even sure if Renee had cared for her at all at any point or if the book had simply corrupted her that much, she hoped it was the latter, but not having any closure one way or another was painful for her, Iberis’ own face looking a bit more down as these thoughts crossed her mind, negative feelings stirring up.

“No..it’s okay Shion, you’ve been through a lot, and I understand what you’re saying. People who show you..genuine feelings are really..special, I know from experience.” Before she found herself getting a bit of a peck on the lips again, which felt rather nice coming from Shion.

The witchy young woman nodded while she walked along the scenic route keeping pace with Shion to the best of her ability.

She listened carefully to Shion’s story about how she met Oliva since she had been inclined to humor Iberis’ curious question. Meeting while searching for a new home..

“Through trial and combat huh?” Iberis commented quietly after she explained the bandit situation.

“I’m..sorry you’ve had to deal with.so much conflict.” She eventually further added, it wasn’t like Iberis herself hadn’t had to partake in quite a bit of violence but Shion’s life in her world just sounded like it was filled from it, from when she was quite young, to even meeting Oliva and after arriving in this world after helping Kalina..and Iberis could only guess that Shion had been involved in even more fighting besides that back in her world based on what she heard.

Iberis was at least a bit relieved, her concerned look shifting to a small smile when she heard that Shion had ended up picking Oliva instead of letting her prejudices and concerns rule her decision making, love was love as far as Iberis was concerned, so hearing that Shion had such a good time with Oliva..meant that at least part of her life had been good.

Iberis offered Shion a hand to take if she so desired when it looked like she might start tearing up, but Shion was quick to calm down regardless which made Iberis feel a bit better overall.

She found her hand being intertwined and she looked back with a soft smile back, glad that Shion had decided to take her hand..she reciprocated.

“I’m..happy you picked Olivia too, it’s clear to me that you and her made many good memories together..and I’m glad that..you think yourself fortunate for finding me..I haven’t really had anyone say anything like that to me before.”


“Yeah..I always have ever since I learned that I could use magic, I actually started pretty young someone at the orphanage was kind enough to help me learn how to channel it into the most basic of forms, and from that point on I saved up some money after I got out of there, to get the necessary equipment for casting, and I frequented the library, I spent a lot of hours in there to be honest..and then I eventually got good enough to get into the academy.”

“I’ve yet to meet a magic which I haven’t found interesting, I like learning about why it’s designed the way it is, and of course if it’d be of any use to me or others..then there’s even the magic that many don’t fully understand. There’s magic here in the See of Fae which is very interesting to me the high potency among the population, how so many can cast componentless magic… and the rich diversity of magic..one day I’d really like to go to the Magic Duchy too, it’s another place which has mixed races and magic is a major part of their society, maybe you’d like to come there too one day.” Iberis said with a smile.

Iberis was then in thought before she spoke up again.. “You know..Sophia warned me against Necromancery..but I’m still not convinced that it’s a form of magic which has to be used for evil purposes..I mean, it was in large part because of Auldlich that I was able to help Kalina out…” She further added.

“Honestly..I’d like to see if I could restore Oll’s End one day, the undead life there..it wasn’t inherently evil a lot of what was there just wanted to survive like we did..from the friendly skeletons to the slugs..I know that might be..a controversial opinion but I can’t help but feel like..there's so much more there that I still had yet to see..and yet now it’s been lost unless I can do something about it..sorry I know it might be hard to get where I’m coming from..on it.”

???
​

“I..see I see well well, you change mind, you know where to find, center of Wmgroth, friend very noticeable. New face special still on offer if do business with later.” The fae merchant gestured to the masked like face pack animal companion which was with them.
It seemed like the merchant knew better than to be persistent with them for now, maybe not wanting to lose possible later customers, walking off.

“Say Shion, I imagine if we hit the center we’ll run into a lot more merchant types from what i’ve heard, maybe we should take one of the side paths if you just want to relax a while longer, I mean a big part of the reason we came here was for the nature..and I’m fine seeing the center later.” Iberis said with a soft smile, gesturing toward a small side path which went off the main one.
---

Shrine Site
​

Presuming that Shion was agreeable to this idea, Iberis walked down the path which the forest became a bit more dense around them but it was still scenic as ever and comfortable. Eventually off of that side path was a clearing, it looked sort of like a sort of shine type area which had been curated. The mini stone structures were intentionally placed where one could leave offerings to the forest spirits. It was a place to rest, contemplate, and pay respects perhaps, a calming aura over the area, Iberis took a seat on the stone steps, and let out a soft content sigh of relief, feeling the cool breeze blow against her as she closed her eyes, being present.

 

[Sharena]

​

"You wouldn't be far off, kissing is a common form of affection. There are many kinds according to humans, to someone like me, all of them convey the same to me. Whether I kiss your cheek or your lips, I do not value one over the other." Shion explained to Iberis, but then a smirk grew on her face as she looked Iberis in the eyes. "Although, I guess there is one form of kissing that is a little more...intimate than that. Much as I'm tempted to show by example, I think I'll save that for later." She chuckled, entertaining herself in her head.

Iberis expressed her understanding on the topic of genuine feelings, and Shion's mind wandered briefly back to her friends she'd already met, along with the visions of Kalina's sister. It gave her mixed feelings of her own, but she didn't let it show, and simply smiled in response.

Once they were on their way and Shion had finished telling her story, her ears twitched as she picked up on Iberis' more quiet musings while she'd spoken, and once she had managed to calm herself more after her story and was now holding hands with Iberis as they traveled, she wanted to make sure to clarify a few things. "Trial and combat is putting it a bit grandiose, but I suppose it was more an unfortunate event causing a serendipitous outcome."

"And I must apologize, Iberis." Shion glanced the mage's way a moment before looking forward again as she continued her explanation. "While it is true that many of my stories have revolved around circumstances pertaining to conflict since I have met you, I wish to at least quell a little bit of your worries. My life hasn't been nothing but strife, there's been several points in where I've gone decades just living peacefully alongside the creatures and spirits of the lands I've chosen to call my home. Once the fullest extent of my powers had been awakened, if I had to deal with any threats to my homes afterwards, I acted swiftly and decisively, leading to more periods of tranquility." Shion raised her free hand and looked at her palm, slowly closing it as if trying to grasp some noncorporeal power betwixt her fingers.

"Once I regain more of my abilities in this world, I can assure you I will not let anyone threaten you either." Shion's hand opened, its posture as if she was bearing claws. She then relaxed, her hand becoming gentler as she gestured away with a small sigh.

"But yes, many of my days once I met with Olivia made conflict much more regular. Until the invaders of my world arrived, the world had been escalating in danger for the past several years. If there wasn't some clash between armies, there was certainly tension as if there was going to be one. Ironic that I'd come to miss those days once the Abyssians arrived..." Shion's gaze drifted up to the canopy. "...At least I could greet the sun each morning before those days..." Shion's gaze was interupted as she scoffed.

"Sorry, sorry, I promise my life hasn't been nothing but tragedy. The fact of the matter is most conflict I ever saw was before I fully grew as a Magic Guardian and after I met Olivia, between those points it was much more sparse, and luckily I had Olivia with me for the latter period of time, so it could've been much worse. I'd still have rather been fighting for our dying world beside her than have gone through another day of peace...without her."

Shion's last words hang in her throat temporarily, her sorrow over losing Olivia threatening to surface once again, but then Iberis squeezed her hand and her eyes traveled to the mage, and she managed a smile as the feelings subsided mostly. "Thank you, Iberis, I'm sure it's somewhat apparent by now, but my memory is very vivid, long and lasting just like my lifespan, and it can be hard for me to not feel like I'm back there when I tell any story from my past." Shion's words likely reminded Iberis of how she talked about Olivia was a light in her life that kept the darkest memories at bay. Perhaps this is what she meant, Olivia was able to keep her from experiencing the worst of her emotions, prejudices and memories alike.

Luckily for the kitsune, Iberis shared her thoughts on Olivia and what Shion's genuine words to her, and it definitely raised her mood. And once she had asked Iberis of a topic for her to speak about, she was happy to listen. It was clear she was interested and enjoying listening to Iberis talk, her ears and tails made complimentary gestures from time to time and Shion had a smile on her face when the mage was talking about the people of the See. It was comforting to the kitsune to know the mage didn't seem to hold any prejudices like she did, at least one of them had their head on straight in that regard.

When the topic of necromancy came up, Shion took in Iberis' words carefully and cautiously, doing her best not to have a kneejerk reaction to such a topic. She closed her eyes to let herself consider the variables properly.

"As a Magic Guardian, I do not view any magic as inherently good or evil, there is an intent given by an individual in the weave of their spells that designates which path they follow. However, despite that feeling, I do believe necromancy to be the easiest to wield with misconstrued intentions." Shion sighed, wishing she didn't have to say this next part.

"What I do know is if you had tried to raise the dead in my home in my world, it would've been very hard for us to become friends after that, much less being on the road to something deeper. Strong chance I would've killed you on the spot. Necromancy in my world may be different to what it's like here however, in my world necromancy was an exchange, and that exchange usually costed life to enact, and spirits were extremely vulnerable to that sort of weave." Shion looked to Iberis, using her thumb to rub the mage's hand so she hopefully knew what she was saying was out of respect and care for the girl.

"I only ask that, if you wish to continue in the pursuit of such magic, you do not let the consequences weigh on you lightly. Enacting your will on something that would rather rest is an act that would make my skin crawl. Please don't forget that." Shion said before squeezing Iberis' hand to remind her of their bond even if Shion had to speak bluntly about the subject.

After the surprisingly tame merchant was on his way and Iberis suggested a quieter route through Wmgroth, Shion obliged her very willingly. They eventually came to a shrine, and Shion stood before the humble structure with a deep focus as she looked over the place. Iberis had moved to sit on the steps, but Shion's eyes stayed on the shrine. The cool breeze gently ruffled through Shion's hair, her hand instinctively come up to brush it out of her face.

"I think...this will do." She said softly to no one in particular as she proceeded up the steps and approached one of the stone structures. She turned around and sat facing the walkway, her tails sitting up in a fan pattern behind her form as she crossed her legs and adopted a pose of meditation. She closed her eyes and began to let her mind empty as she began to channel her magic throughout her body, searching for the equilibrium she desired to achieve in order to restore more of herself.

Her body was still, her mind was clear, and her magic was flowing. How much time had passed since she adopted this state of being? She wasn't sure, her sense of time had faded as she continued her attunement to the weave of the forest.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth, Forest Shrine

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

Iberis listened to Shion and was a tad confused when she said there was some kind of kissing which was more intimate than that..having no idea what she was talking about, but it did make her feel a bit giddy to hear Shion talking about something intimate involving her like that whatever that was, causing a bit of pink to return to her face and a soft smile to form as she looked at Shion, in response to the smirk.

Iberis reciprocated the hand holding for Shion, nodding at her clarification while they moved along. She felt a bit relieved to hear Shion further clarify that her whole life was not as filled with conflict as Iberis might have been led to believe with what she had heard about Shion’s world and her experiences with humans, that in tandem with the death of family members presumably. At least the outcome..as she said wasn’t the worst possible scenario.

“Well that’s a relief to hear that you’ve had some periods of calmness, Ideally everyone could experience those times the majority of the time but unfortunately from what I’ve witnessed it seems unlikely that everyone can experience a state of peace like that, never mind the majority of the time…Not everyone is empowered to deal with threats, many are weak and at the mercy of the strong to act responsibly.” Iberis said reflectively sounding a bit sad toward the latter part.

“Perhaps it’s something which can be worked toward, to bring a period of relative peace toward this world once again. I’d be lying if this war didn’t have me a bit on edge..I don’t want it to escalate into anything bigger than needs too..nor do I want this land to be razed by the East Empire..but I don’t think a successful crusade against citizens of the Empire will result in any more peace..just resentment either way if either side wins completely it’s a loss..as far as I’m concerned from what I can gather…”

“Anyway.. I really appreciate that Shion there aren’t many I can say who have..offered that, I..want to be there for you too, and I don’t want you to get hurt anymore than you have..” She said sincerely, watching the hand posture shift to a claw like one.

It sounded like Shion had her fair share of experience with a large scale conflict so she doubted Shion was terribly pleased knowing about the war that was unfolding here. The only real reason Iberis had even felt comfortable coming here was because of how stalled out it had been at the borders, that and Wmgroth wasn’t terribly close to where the fighting was going on at the moment.


She nodded at Shion’s talk, looking a bit sad again regarding the invasion times Shion described with the Abyssians. However that shifted to a soft reassuring smile when she was thanked “It’s perfectly fine to talk about your experiences, good or bad they are a part of the tapestry which makes up your story..no matter what happened, I appreciate being given the opportunity to see some of yours..Shion With that said I understand if it evokes unpleasant memories or feelings so..should you ever not wish to continue talking about something I understand and will respect that.”
It was not lost on Iberis how profound Olvia had been at helping Shion for the better with how she spoke about her, all Iberis could hope was that wherever Olivia was at the moment she could be at peace.

When Iberis got to her part of speaking while they walked she was glad to see that Shion seemed to be paying attention and enjoying their conversation well enough. Iberis listened intently when she noticed that Shion appeared to be in thought on the topic of Necromancery. Iberis knew full well it was a controversial topic for many and was a taboo form of magic for many.

So firstly she was pleased to hear that Shion did not view any type of magic as inherently good or evil as that had been Iberis’ own more liberal thought right along on the topic which was not exactly the most in line with everyone else’s perspective. But of course there was the however and sigh with what Shion said next which was understandable, Iberis nodded thoughtfully when she said it was an easy one to use inappropriately.

“I..understand there was a different way of going about it in your world, and in well our current world there are different ways of utilizing it..but I understand what you’re saying and don’t take it personally, particularly if it posed the type of threat which you are you mentioning..it would have in your world.” Looking to Shion during the lil rub.

“Shion, I’m just in a unique position now where.I have quite a repertoire of knowledge on the subject due to Auldlich’s grafting, and I know that he doesn’t seem like the nicest or greatest guy, but it’s undeniable that he helped save this realm from devastation..and I Just see the high potential for the art to do better things, with that said, I don’t want to put you in that position, and I hadn’t really thought of it the way you're describing it..Like I said Sophia was adamant that she thought it was a bad idea to partake in any of it..so I’m fine holding off on it and making sure that I’m not doing something which I’ll regret later..should I decide to get more into it.” she replied with a soft smile.

When they arrived at the Shrine after Shion had agreed, Iberis was quick to take the opportunity to sit and rest nearby Shion, nodding in agreement. “mhm..I can see already why you like these kinds of places it’s really relaxing.” The architecture of the shrine had a naturalistic quality to it as if the small stone houses had been carved out of the wind itself, and the rocks had formed in place to accommodate the environment.

While it was clear that Shion was getting ready to attune herself, Iberis tried to reflect on herself during the period of quiet, closing her eyes as well, when it was clear that they were safe for the time being between the beauty surrounding nature and the gentle comfortable breeze.

While this was taking place over time, Iberis focused, and Shion found herself become successfully attuned during her process.

(Narrator Note: feel free to describe what this would entail, discussed ooc that it would succeed.)

 

[Sharena]

​

"So this world is also under the threat of war..." Shion closed her eyes as she heard Iberis speak about the brewing conflict. "I'm not surprised, there will always be those who covet. It is a tiring lot to exchange both words and blows with." The kitsune felt a brief wave of exhaustion hit her. It didn't affect her in any major capacity, just a brief moment of her body reflecting her words, she did find war tiresome to deal with in her older years, such boorish bloodshed in search of goals that likely weren't even reflected in the sentiment of those forced to pay the ultimate price for the whims of their superiors most of the time. She didn't wish to dwell on it long, allowing the conversation to flow away from the topic as quickly as it came.

The young mage's interest and concern in regards to Shion's memories bolstered her, it was worth braving some of the more somber ones just to know Iberis wanted to see them. Shion pulled Iberis closer momentarily to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Your concern for my wellbeing is heartwarming, and I assure you I will be honest with you should I ever wish to refrain from such." She spoke honestly with the mage, having no reason to lie about such a thing. She cherished her memories, even the bad ones, it made her who she was, and she was happy to share them with Iberis.

As they continued their conversation about necromancy, Shion did her best to respect Iberis' viewpoint on the subject, and she wanted to respond accordingly. "I appreciate that you've taken my words to heart, and I want to be clear and fair with you. Why don't you tell me exactly what it is you wish to accomplish with such knowledge, and maybe I can offer a helpful perspective."

Once Shion began attuning to the weave of the forest around her, she could feel the magic flowing around her. Finally, some of her senses as a Magic Guardian were returning to her! This was exactly what she'd been hoping for! Magic began to take physical shape, swirling around the kitsune in a calm stream, eventually closing in as it started to brush along Shion's meditative form. Her clothes returned to the weave, yet the accessory Iberis made for her remained centered just under her bosom. The magic began to caress Shion, gently sweeping over her as Iberis got to witness her body begin to shift and change!

Her fur became more pronounced on her body, her sitting posture altered itself as her physiology was changing, until her form started to be consumed in a warm azure glow just like her eyes when her magic was active. Slowly but surely, the magic faded away, and sitting near Iberis was Shion...as a fox! Her silver hair had created a shimmering coat of fur of the same color while her ears and tips of her tails remained the same brown as they had before. Her size was a little staggering too, turns out her height was translated nearly identically to her fox form, any bigger and one might almost call her a dire fox rather than a fox spirit guardian.

(4 Tails, not 7)

As Shion sat where she was, feeling the magic flow through her veins and the other half of her being returned to her, she felt elated. Tears formed in her eyes as she began sobbing a little out of sheer joy.

"Finally...I feel one step closer to being myself again..." It seemed Shion retained full speech as a fox, which Iberis might've remembered if she recalled the memory of Shion calling out to her father amidst a blazing forest. The fox was shaking a little from being overcome with her happiness right now, uncertain if she would ever recover this part of herself. Inbetween her sobbing she let out of couple fox yips, She finally felt real progress had been made in her goal.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth, Forest Shrine

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

Iberis nodded a bit more solemnly at Shion's comment regarding war. Unfortunately Iberis couldn't find herself disagreeing, before the incident with Renee Iberis may have found herself having a desire to join those very conflicts for her own personal gain of power. It had been an intoxicating experience to get stronger under Renee and feel useful for once in her life. Thankfully between the more recent developments and finding Shion, she felt a lot less inclined to under go such dangerous endeavors, but these thoughts were reflected in her mind..as the topic came up, thankfully it didn't stick around long as it eventually left.

Iberis let Shion pull her in. The kiss on the cheek prompted a bit of a blush from Iberis once more, still not entirely used to all of this sort of affection being sent her way as It had been so absent most of her life.

"I..really appreciate honesty Shion, not everyone's been that way with me in my life, so it's..pretty meaningful to me for me for you to offer me that much. No matter how difficult what you tell me might be to hear, I feel honored to learn about your authentic self and your experiences."

What was even more intriguing to Iberis was Shion's ability to listen, which she of course appreciated knowing many would not afford her that much on a topic like this, but also Shion wanting to know what Iberis wanted to achieve with such knowledge. She had thought it through before many times in her mind but explaining it to another person well was a whole different ordeal.

"I'd like that Shion, so I guess part of it is because I've seen how powerful Necromancery can be first hand,.., It's a very versatile and capable umbrella of magic to explore. Auldlitch used it to save many, and I have a head start on it by possibly tapping into his knowledge. As I said I am not of the belief that it must be used solely for nefarious purposes.. But for what I want to achieve with it, it's..rather personal, I never want to be in a position where I'm helpless again, I've made too many close connections in this world to let it take them away from me..again, not like Renee, or anyone else...if I can just get strong enough then I'll be able to keep everyone safe.." She finally reasoned out.
---
During the reconnection period Iberis took some time to quietly reflect and perhaps see if she could achieve some form of tranquility in this foresty shrine like area which they had stumbled upon, she hadn't really tried anything like this before, but since Shion seemed to be quite good at it, however during this process it was a bit hard for her not to focus on Shion when the weave connection really started firing up as she watched with awe. This metamorphosis was quite the spectacle for the witchy mage, something which she couldn't say she had been expecting to see anytime soon.

So that was Shion's guardian form in the flesh so to speak, she noted the tails, knowing that there were..more to come from her understanding as Shion continued to regain her power.

Iberis felt pretty compelled to make her way over, and if Shion would allow her, she'd embrace her from the side. "I'm..so happy for you Shion!..so this is what a fox spirit guardian can look like..you're amazing you know that?..thanks for being here with me..." Iberis took a moment to just take in the moment, the comfortable breeze still blowing between that and Shion's achievement this was turning out to be a very pleasant day..As they were left uninterrupted and free to come to terms with this positive progress.

 

[Sharena]

​

Shion contemplated Iberis' feelings on the matter of necromancy, and she bore through her thoughts to try and find a way to give Iberis some comfort. Was there a facet of necromancy she could advocate for? Was this world's version of such dark magics able to be used with any semblance of compassionate heart? She thought for a time, and then she smiled, maybe this would comfort Iberis somewhat on the matter.

"When we die, our bodies are returned to the earth, and in turn our bodies decompose and offer forth nutrients to enrich the soil, which then feeds the growth of plants and animals lowest on the food chain, like worms. All of this feeds into life's cycle. Iberis Ohdir, this is my challenge to you." Shion looked at the mage, optimism in her eyes hoping the mage would take her words with heart than discouragement. "If you can find a way to weave necrotic arts to enrich the land around you whence the magic fades and the spirits may return to their rest knowing their temporary resurrection was not solely for your desire, but for the sake of the land too so more life may flourish...I believe you will have found an answer that would leave me more tolerant of such actions." Shion stated as clearly as she could, the mage clearly liked exploring the facets of magic in many different ways, this might be a good way to stimulate her mind and find a solution amicable to both parties.

"But keep in mind that, while Audlich may have done good things while undead, he is a special case. I imagine he sought to expand his life in whatever way he could, maybe I'm wrong, but nevertheless he does not sound like one willing to let go of his new life. I would call that sentiment amongst the dead a rare one indeed. If those you wish to call upon want to return to the earth when their task is finished, it'll be my duty as a Spirit Guardian to make sure that is honored. Do you find that fair?" Shion asked the mage, awaiting her answer by looking her in the eyes as they walked.

--

(4 Tails)
​

Shion's joy overtook her as Iberis hugged her in her success. She would up surging forward, pouncing on top of Iberis! The kitsune proceeded to lick the girl's face repeatedly, eventually relenting as she gently laid down on top of the girl, her head nestled underneath the mage's as she laid there with her for a minute. "You're the amazing one, Iberis, I should be the one thanking you."

Eventually she got up, letting the mage sit back up as Shion stood beside her, her size even more apparent now that she was up on all fours. She smiled, not quite as apparent in this form but it was readable. "We should make for the settlement and find a place to lodge. It's been a little while since we last spent time together without a goal in mind. Even if just for a day until the next steps...I want my focus to be entirely on you."

Shion closed the distance and gave Iberis another lick on the face before relenting, awaiting their time ahead.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Time: Midday

Temperature: Cool

Place: Southern See, Wmgroth, Forest Shrine

Geography: Boreal forest

Mention: Sharena

Iberis Odhir
​

Iberis listened with great focus when Shion provided some insight into her response. She spoke of the cycle of life, something which Iberis might have expected someone from the very place they were at to speak of, but given Shion’s connection to nature it made sense, even so Iberis found the observation to be fair.

She looked intrigued at hearing the word challenge used. She picked up on that optimism, nodding slowly as Shion explained what an appropriate use of Necromancery could be. Truthfully Iberis’ knowledge on the subject of this cycle and respect wasn’t something she was very knowledgeable about, but through listening to Shion she felt she was getting a better understanding of it all.

“Enrich the land..help life to flourish in the process..it ure sounds like a more ethical use in many ways, perhaps I’ll need to figure out how to do just that should the occasion arise then..and I understand what you mean..if it’s possible to consult you, I’ll want too before I do anything drastic with the arts anyway..I respect you, and I know you’ve lived a lot longer than me and I really appreciate your insight..thank you Shion.”

She then heard the next part, which was curious, she hadn’t even really considered the Audlich being different from the norm, she had sort of guessed there were more than what Shion was suggested but this too she considered.

“I hadn’t really thought of it like that before, I know he definitely wants to stick around now, is that not common among the undead from your experience? I didn’t really know either way, I will admit it’s pretty apparent he desired power, which is part of the reason he ended up in the situation he did to begin with..but many strive for power..either way I think that’s fair.” she finished with a small smile, as she walked along.
--
Iberis found Shion on top of her and she giggled some from the licking, “Awh Shion..” feeling her nestled against her felt nice. She’d embrace Shion in her Kitsune form to the best of her ability while she was on top of her, now laying on her.

“I’m..so happy you’re here with me.” She smiled a bit softly again after the thanks.

Of course she sat back up after some time, lingering with the snuggling of sorts which had taken place. She got a much better understanding of the scale, she then nodded as she listened to Shion.

“That sounds like it’d be fun, I mean we came all the way out here, might as well enjoy the more settled areas of Wmgroth some together, from what I heard it’s an easier place to do that than other areas of the Fae See since they get so much commerce and foreigners more of the businesses accept currency compared to other parts..and I mean..I would love to hang out with you, I enjoy getting to know you better..and It’s really nice all around for a lack of better terminology.”

She was left smiling, feeling content after the last lick, “Well then if we’re done enjoying this shrine here, why don’t we get going like you said, plenty to see and enjoy.” She’d stand herself up, ready to head into Wmgroth center for a good time with her.

Shion closed the distance and gave Iberis another lick on the face before relenting, awaiting their time ahead.

----

(Thanks for joining me for part 2! Their time in Wmgroth shall be continued in part 3! Figured would figure out the details of the item in part 3)

(Do not add reward suggestions until confirmed by a grader mod)

Spoiler: Narrator Reward Suggestion

Narrator Reward Suggestion:

Shion:

optional title [Attuned] Character has successfully attuned themselves with something significant to them and regained part of themselves. Character may have an easier time attuning themselves in the future.