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A stand off between big-boobed onee?!

Edited by: Trismegistus Shandy
Beta Read by: Yuki Kitsune, M A Thermidor

Marigold’s quest for elixir ingredients:

It was a pain in my neck to get those ingredients for the alchemist.  I wandered into the Wildflower Funeral Plains, because the ingredients are most plentiful there, since people don’t typically survive long enough to return with resources. Thankfully, I only had to dispatch a few dandelions. I didn’t have to plumb as deeply into them this time.  In my last adventure into the plains, the lilies had teased and lured me deeper into the plains.

I think at that time, I survived as long as I did because they’re crafty predators.  Despite their overpowering strength, they might be cowards. They wait until you’re weakened or until they run out of patience.  They tend the plains, because they’re its denizens and gardeners. They even repair the damage they do when they burst from the ground.  They’re underground plants, coming up once in a while for sunlight. I saw the signs of a lily’s activity, but I evaded its clever trap. It became impatient when it saw I wouldn’t fall for its ploys.  They’ve been known to rapidly mature fruiting plants. The scents can attract animals and humans. This one was crafty enough to bait a trap with gold. How canny can a lily be? That didn’t work on me, though my situation with Aimi did make that lure almost effective.

I moved on to where I knew there was a dried-up lake bed, which would work almost as well as an outcropping as a sanctuary in the Wildflower Funeral Plains. The lilies avoided those grounds, perhaps because they were too hard.  There may have been other reasons as to why they wouldn’t go near it.

Long story short, I managed to find that herb the alchemist needed while I was on the run to it.  I scooped up a bunch of its berries and inscribed them in my arcarray. When I reached the dried-up lake, I found the other ingredient I sought, after careful surveying.  It was the mineral component I needed to find! I took them back out of the plains after inscribing them into my arcarray. I was happy that it only took most of the day to gather these two ingredients. Finding them meant that Iris would recover soon, and would be a productive partner again!  I reported to the alchemist upon my return to Wilted Rose. When I arrived in his shop, he grinned broadly. I walked to the counter and removed the supplies from my arcarray, and set them tiredly on his counter.

“Ah, it took you a good while for you to retrieve these.  Don’t you care about the life of your friend?” he asked me, as though he was insulting me.

“I’ve been a little distracted,” I replied, annoyed. “but it’s not like I wasn’t able to collect the hardest ingredient!”

“Very true,” The alchemist said.  “Sadly your trip into the plains has resulted in oversaturating the market with stylidium lilly tendrils. Their value has drastically decreased, but a deal is a deal.”

“Good,” I grinned, feeling a little guilty. I’d had no choice but to sell off all my two hundred or so of tendrils. “So that means you’ll be able to finish the elixir, sir?” I asked him with a relieved expression.

“Well, as for that,” the alchemist chuckled as he pulled the ingredients across the counter to his side.  He reached under his counter and placed a mortar and pestle down on it. He removed two glass vials, and set them upright.  He placed the mineral in the mortar and ground it finely. I watched him raptly, curious about the process of the creation of the elixir, just in case I might need to know it. I could save some money in the future, and I could cure Iris again!  The alchemist lifted the mortar and carefully poured the powder into the one vial. He then lifted the cluster of berries. He separated them and dropped them one by one into the mortar.

He removed another vial from beneath his counter. It was a strange ingredient with a strong odor.  He poured the liquid into the mortar with the berries. Steam rose in plumes and I saw the berries blacken as though they were burning.  I watched as the steam cleared, fascinated. He began to grind the berries into a fine powder. The berries crunched under his pestle, and the product resembled ashes.  When he finished, he poured this powder into the second vial.

“Ah! This is interesting!” I enthused, pleased to learn something new. “Now what?” I asked, eagerly.

“Why are you so interested in this?” he asked me. He lifted his hand to access his arcarray and I smiled brightly as I watched. “Your elixir has been finished, actually.”

“R-really?” I exclaimed.  “Well, of course I would be interested in…” I watched his hands eagerly but instead of a vial of elixir, what appeared in his hand was actually a sandwich?

“Th-the cure is a sandwich?” I gasped.  It was an elegant way to deliver a cure, but that wouldn’t work on Iris-chan! “But, Iris-chan doesn’t like to eat anything but grass!”

“I know,” the alchemist shook his head. “Victims are seized by strange compulsions. Your friend’s compulsions are strange. She’s fortunate she’s still alive.  Grass isn’t very nourishing for humans.”

He set the sandwich down and lifted the bread topping it. He lifted both of the vials and sprinkled the ingredients on top.  I blinked as I watched him replace the bread.

“This was the last ingredient I needed to complete my greatest creation!” he declared. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

I smiled, and gaped as he started to eat the sandwich. “T-the cure!” I shrieked and seized his shirt as I seethed.

“W-what are you doing, Marigold?  It’s my lunch!” he gasped, his eyes bulging as I started to shake him.

“You ate it?!  The cure for my friend?!” I couldn’t hold back. “Wait, this was just for some perfect lunch for you?” I regret what I did next… but he seemed pretty happy with his stupid sandwich.  I left the shop with the vial of elixir, which it seemed he’d been holding onto for a day. “D-damn him!” I screamed as I stomped up the street. I happened to look into a doorway and I saw her! That sand witch! Oh, and that stupid sandwich!

(╬ Ò ‸ Ó)   (╬ Ò ‸ Ó) (╬ Ò ‸ Ó)   (╬ Ò ‸ Ó) (╬ Ò ‸ Ó) (╬ Ò ‸ Ó)

Backies, and lots of blushes…

I gasped as Camelia squeezed my butt, holding me against her body.  It did things to me. “N-no… I-I need to find Iris-cha…” I desperately gasped.  My words were interrupted when she pulled my face up and kissed me. Her kiss tasted like spicy cinnamon.  My first kiss had been with a girl whose kiss tasted like a semi-freshly mowed lawn. Camelia’s kiss was way too nice.  I fidgeted and squirmed as she held me. Why was she doing all this to me in a public place?

N-no… M-Marigold-onee… I squeaked as she kissed me.

“Ohhh, you’re adopting that cat?” I heard the tavern’s owner inquire.  “That’s fine with me, but could you take her elsewhere?”

Camelia broke the kiss and saliva trailed between our mouths.  I was breathing pretty hard. My whole body ached.

“She’s not a pet!” Those shouted words made my heart race faster than Camelia’s actions had.  Camelia stiffened and laughed haughtily as she turned towards Marigold-onee-sama, who had stepped into the tavern.  She was visibly seething for some reason. It was an expression I hadn’t expected to see from her. Even though she seemed kind of scary, I was so happy to see her!  I started to run over to her, but Camelia’s hand gripped my tail. I slammed forward as I fell to the floor, paralyzed! Uuuuuu, that tail!

“Onee-sama!” I cried out, clawing at the floor to get to Marigold-onee-sama, but I couldn’t get free.

Marigold-onee-sama’s eyes flashed as she walked up to Camelia to defend me. “What are you doing to my companion, sandwich!?” she asked. “Are you toying with her?”

“Sand-WITCH!” Camelia yelled, loudly.

“A camel sandwich?” I blinked, and Camelia squeezed my tail. I twitched and drooled helplessly.  She mercilessly stroked my tail backwards and my hair stood on end as I floundered.

“Carame-Camelia!” Camelia raged for a moment, terrorizing my tail. “Sand-WITCH! I possess high order magic!  I can manipulate the earth itself!” Abruptly she regained her composure, and straightened to confront Marigold-onee-sama.

“Ahahaha… your silly companion?” Camelia laughed, raising her hand gracefully to her full lips.  “Do you adore misfits? Well, honestly, as a poor orphan with no pedigree or privilege, it stands to reason that you would attract them.  No, don’t misunderstand my words. I’m referring to Iris. That poor idiot… taking care of her for the rest of her life suits you best. Find a husband soon, Marigold.  You have no talent.” She stroked my tail, now as she held it. I twitched and squirmed. “So you’ll use this poor kitten to promote your undeserved adventurer’s career?”

“N-no… d-don’t… don’t talk about Onee-sama... like that!” I struggled, but her grip on my tail was too strong.  

“I don’t use friends!” Marigold-onee-sama’s teeth grated as she responded. “I swore to protect her.  I will do that!” Marigold unsheathed her blade and whipped it up between Camelia’s breasts. The fabric pulled first and then tore as her bodice was sliced open. Her over-sized breasts sprang free right there in public. Her grip on my tail loosened and I was able to pull free and bound over to Marigold-onee-sama.  I glomped her and snuggled against her, purring.

Marigold-onee-sama giggled, stroking my hair.  Camelia gasped and desperately gathered her bountiful breasts as the patrons laughed even louder than they had for her quip earlier.  The dust in the air and in the corners of the tavern lifted to spin around Camelia like a ring around its planet.

Now it was Camelia’s turn to seethe amidst her dust cloud.  “Marigold, don’t challenge me again, or I will make you regret it.” Camelia directed her finger accusationally towards Marigold-onee-sama, clutching her breasts with one arm. She then turned her gaze towards me and her eyes softened. “Aimi, rethink your foolish loyalty.  She’ll use you until you’re used up. If you come with me, you’ll live in luxury for your whole life. The finest meals, clothing, all you need.”

I turned to look at Camelia with a blush, and back to Marigold’s determined expression as she glared at Camelia. Their eyes clashed. I broke the mood when I looked to Camelia and pulled my lower lid down and stuck my tongue out at her. “I don’t need those things!  I love Marigold-onee-sama!” I purred and nuzzled her.

Marigold-onee-sama’s composure shattered and she blushed. “L-l-l-l-l-l-l…” she stammered, and I wanted to snuggle even more up to her.

I leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss Marigold-onee-sama gently, and squirmed as I did.  Marigold-onee-sama seemed to completely lose her grip on reality. Her eyes widened and her whole body was red like a beet!

“So you choose her today, cat.” Camelia seethed and shook her head as her eyes narrowed. “Very well.  You’ll reconsider those words and your action, foolish Bushi. The offer still stands.” Then she piercingly focused on Marigold-onee-sama.  “Enjoy taking care of your… troublesome cat, Marigold, if you can even hear me right now, you pathetic puddle of a mess. Hah!” She dramatically stepped around us, clutching her bosoms in her arm. Her sashay was something even I had to watch.  “When you find yourself deep in debt, I might rescue you, but I’ll expect after living in poor conditions, that cat will joyfully run into my arms. Good day.” She stepped out of the tavern with a great air of dignity.

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A note from Iris: You’re probably wondering where I went in all this. You’ll need to read more to find out!  By the way, I’m sorry, Marigold and little Aimi. I couldn’t honestly promise I wouldn’t tease you, even after I was cured!