Alice had gotten up again quite early in the morning. She was enjoying her book about some cursed village close by and enjoying her toast. It was not a difficult day today, she didn't have much planned. She actually decided that she would try and find another job for today because money was still welcome. She was trying to save it up before she would leave Oak. Which could be any moment but still something was holding her back and she wasn't entirely sure what it was, maybe fear but not yet completely. It was something that was bothering her but couldn't put her finger on it. She would figure it out soon enough, there were at this moment enough jobs to do so she didn't want to leave just yet. As if other cities wouldn't have jobs.

She was munching on her toast when someone came along and put a letter on her table, with her name in fancy handwriting. She had no idea who it was from, as the letter from Yu last time had a different handwriting. She put the toast and her book down, after marking her page and opened the letter. It was a request from the doctor, Stephan Mabuz, if she would visit him as soon as possible, he had a job for her. With a frown on her face, she finished the last of the toast, brought her book back to her room and grabbed her coat and bag to go and visit the dear doctor.

When she entered, he remained seated, didn't say anything to her. Which was weird as the last time she had seen them, they even had small talk at the market. He told her he was doing groceries, as she had always thought he would ask that as request as well. Apparently he did leave the shop. Since he didn't say anything, she suspected someone else was coming, she merely guessed it would be either Yumi or Yami. This was the first time she noticed how close the names were and simply shrugged about the idea as she went to look around the shop. The doctor was rather rude but she thought about the money and simply waited for him to start explaining what was going on.

Wordcount: 386/1000

Yumi sat on her bed throwing an apple up and down, dressed in her usual attire the difference was she was not wearing her boots letting her toes stretch out against the material of her seductive black leggings. The lolita caught the apple and raised it to her supple lips and took a loud yet dainty bite from it enjoying the sweet taste that travelled down her throat. She chewed counting backwards in her head before swallowing once she did she parted her lips and took another bite. Yumi rose from her bed sitting the apple down on the table next to her bed on the left side. Yumi reached down to the floor picking up her right boot and slipped it on before doing the same with the left high heel boot.

The gothic lolita jumped to her feet grabbing the apple, Venom floating into the room. Yumi patted the top of his mask before leaving her room, as she shut the door to the room she spotted a letter attached to it. Yumi tore open the letter finding it was a request from Doctor Mabuz to participate in another experiment with someone else once more. Yumi scrunched the paper into a ball and threw it into a nearby bin and made her way from the inn to the magic shop.

Yumi was still disgruntled from the last quest, but things couldn't happen the same again could them. Unintentionally she raised her right hand to her throat and forced back a shiver as she arrived at the shop. As she walked in she spotted the doctor and Alice waiting patiently for her. Yumi tipped her head, Venom did the same, "Greetings. I have come as asked of me Doctor." Greeted the Lolita before she approached Alice showing a tender smile, "And greetings to thee as well." Yumi bowed her politely in a manner of a respectful greeting.

WC: 319

Alice was moving some vials looking at the name tags and so on. Not sure what she was waiting for but before she could reach for the fifth vial, someone familiar entered. She turned her back to the closet and stared at Yumi, not a surprise. Maybe she was family of Yami, although she didn't see any ressemblance but the colour of their hair. She frowned for a second, wondering if this was about the same thing as last time. The one that gave her nightmares. She bowed to Yumi as well, copying the bow that showed off respect. For some reason, blame the shivers she got when Yumi looked at her, she knew that she should be respectful to Yu. Especially with the power the little girl possessed, "It's good to see you too. And you also Venom." was the first time the girl greeted the companion, but she found him interesting after their quest to find the herb.

The doctor didn't say anything, only nodded and guided Alice and Yu to the room where they had been before. There was only one chair, he still didn't say anything and if it had to do with the liquid stuff that he had used on them before, Alice was afraid for his life. Not that she really cared to be honest. She didn't feel like using it herself. The doctor dragged the chair that was in there out of the room and left Yumi and Alice alone, in which she looked at the younger girl. The doctor came back with two syringes, "It's improved now. It is better if you use it on yourself." He handed them both one and left the room, not saying much more. What did improved mean? Was that the only way to get Yu to use it?

Alice stared at the syringe in her hand, not so sure. She simply would look what Yu was doing before she might even use it herself.

Wordcount: 726/1000

Yumi stood up straight, watching as Alice returned the bow greeting her and Venom as well. The familiar floated around Alice bobbing up and down happily. Yumi allowed a small smile to form on her lips from the actions of her familiar before a scowl formed on her lips as she looked at the Doctor who had dragged the chair out of the room and returned with two syringes telling them the mixture within was improved. Yumi accepted the syringe and twirled it in her fingers contemplating if she should use it or not. After what happened last time she was somewhat reluctant, at least she wouldn't be bound to a chair and somewhat defenceless, but she could handle herself when it came down to it.

Yumi tsked in mild annoyance before being the first to raise the syringe and inserted it deep into her left arm not even wincing when the needle point entered. Yumi then pushed down allowing the liquid to flow into her bloodstream to be distributed throughout her body. Yumi swayed slightly before she removed the needle from her arm and tossed it across the room where it smashed against a wall into dozens of broken pieces.

Yumi sneered as everything started to shift around her, the world changed the room growing as the walls and ground rusted over. Yumi found herself to be in a long corridor with many rooms and a single stairway at the end with a light shining from it. It seemed to be another of one of the doctors weird experimental results. Yumi showed no fear as she took the first step forward slowly building up her magical energy allowing it to flow through her veins preparing it for a spell should it be needed. Magic rolled off her as her hair flowed about as she took the second step.

During all this her familiar Venom blinked unsure of what was going on as everything seemed normal for him, his master in a trance as she moved. Venom could even see magic gathering around her and it made the grim reaper like creature worry.

WC: 354
TWC: 673

Alice followed Yu her example reluctantly and pushed the syringe in her left upperarm and winced a bit as it did hurt. She felt like a child compared to the girl next to her. She simply dropped the syringe when she was done and blinked rapidly for the changing scenery. She stared not much later at the end of a long corridor, at the stairs with the little bit of light. That should be the exit. This must be the new version of the white liquid, she looked left and right at the doors that were surrounding her and because she didn't trust the doctor, she muttered the words to get her spear in her right hand. She held it at the middle, so she could easily grab the front with her left in case she did need to attack. She walked to the first door with suspicion and opened it. When she looked inside the scene was changing into something that looked like two versions of herself, one was her sister probably, the other one herself. Was this a memory? Was that what the doctor was after?

One of the twin was fading, like it was a tv screen that wasn't able to focus. There was no better way to describe it and Alice shivered, than suddenly the other one disappeared, leaving the unfocused twin looking around as if she was lost. Her brown eyes met the ones from Alice, the eyes turned hollow and all she said was: "Are you my mommy?" Quickly Alice took a step back and shoved the door closed. Right, not a nice door or memory or whatever it was.

She hurried to the next, not entirely sure if the stairway was the exit. Before she entered the room, which was with some speed, she had to stop herself, because the room ended in the nothing, she stood on the brick of falling and held her spear behind her to not topple over to the front. Her heart was sinking as she couldn't see the bottom of the room but there was some sort of light that indicated it was quite a way down. She almost fell backward but managed to stumble out of that room and close the door again. She would try one more time.

She shook her head, held onto the spear so tightly that her knuckles were white. She opened the door carefully, to make sure she wouldn't drop down from a second mistake. The room was empty, there was nothing and she stepped inside and turned to look around. That's when the door swept close behind her and she couldn't open it, "Let me out!" she yelled as she slammed with her left fist on the door, "Come on let me out!" After some effort and biting away her tears by biting the inside of her cheek, she simply broke down the door with force and stepped outside. She could hear noises, gurgling children laughing and everything that made her shiver and give her goosebumps. It was coming from the way she had come, and she backed away, hands holding on to the spear, prepared to fight.

She tried to make her way as soon as possible to the stairway to get out of her. She felt her back bump against something and she had to blink again rapidly to look at the room that she had just stood in with Yu. Her eyes gazed at the girl and the companion and finally understood what happened, which didn't make her angry. She was still holding on to the spear and could hear the door open for the doctor to come back.

The doctor came in, asking what happened as if he was a worried person but as she explained, there was this filthy grin appearing, he just played with her, "Money." she said holding up her hand like Yu had done so many times. She was done, she didn't want to see him again. She looked at Yu before she followed the doctor out of the shop and stood a bit dazed in the sunlight. Why did she fall for it again.

Wordcount: 1439/1000
Exit

Requip Summon:

Yumi's irritation grew as she transvered the corridor looking at all the doors, pondering if she should open them. Of course she should it was all probably part of whatever this way. With an irritated sigh Yumi approached the first door to her left when she came to a halt. Yumi opened the door in order to see just what was inside. Her crimson hues glowed as inside of the room was a large stone room in the middle an altar. Standing before the altar was a man in his forties with ruggish brown hair wearing a black kimono, in front of him was a girl of thirteen or so years who looked exactly like Yumi. Yumis eyes watched the scene as the girl slowly raised a dagger appearing reluctant but a reaffirming nod from the man gave the girl conviction to implant it deep into the man's chest.

Yumi slammed the door shut, she had not thought about that event in years, the event where she became a Priestess fo Malum by killing her own adopted father to complete a ritual. Yumi scowled as she stared at the the door, if glares could kill the door would have burst into flames. Yumi took a step back from the door and slammed a lid shut tight on whatever emotions she was beginning to feel, one being grief and regret over the loss of her adopted father who she killed, but by forcing them down YUmi was stone cold once again. That had been over sixty years ago it didn't matter now, as long as she kept the memory buried it did not matter. No longer thinking of the door Yumi took a step back once more before turning to down the corridor and walking once more towards the stairwell.

Yumi came to a halt as a door was calling to her. She slowly turned to her right and opened it as she did her eyes widened. There inside was Yumi tied to a wooden stake and all around her was everyone she had ever killed. They were screaming calling for her death, and on the stake Yumi appeared powerless unable to move, magic and strength sealed. Yumi watched as the people slowly turned to face her, tears of blood flowing from their eyes as they slowly walked towards her chanting for her death. Yumi pulled the door shut once more with a loud bang her heart slowly beginning to increase in speed, but she inhaled to slowly calm her breathing down no need to panic.

Yumi was about to continued walking when the door next to the previous swung open. Yumi reluctantly took a peak inside. Her eyes narrowed as inside was an event she was familiar with, it was her as an old woman upon an altar burying a dagger into her own stomach offering blood to her God Malum. Yumi placed a hand on her own stomach watching as blood trickled onto the ground but nothing happened no response from her God, as if driving fear into her that he did not exist and she truly could have died. Yumi bit down on her cheek and closed the door her right hand trembling slightly but she calmed down again.

Once she calmed Yumi heard a noise. Yumi turned to where she came from seeing nothing but darkness and noise coming from it. Yumi did not know why but it drove fear into, but she did not panic instead she grew angry, "STOP MOCKING ME!" roared the gothic lolita as magic exploded from her body expanding out rapidly, before funnelling into her right palm in the shape of a sphere. The sphere flowed back into the tip of her right index finger as she took aim and fired a beam of black magical energy 1m in diameter that sailed forth into the darkness exploding on contact. Yumi scowled and quickly rushed off at max dash speed 6m/s to the stairwell wanting to get out.

The moment Yumi reached the stairwell the world returned to normal, Alice was already walking out the door after demanding money from mabuz, like Yumi she too was upset. Venom floated over but Yumi waved him off and stomped to Mabuz glaring daggers before demanding her own money. Mabuz simply smiled and asked what happened, so to get her money yumi explained, with venom in her tone before snatcing the jewels from his hands and left.

WC: 745
WC:1418

{EXIT}

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