The magnolia baths gave Ashe a much-needed breath of fresh air. She couldn't remember the last time she had visited such a relaxing scene, she never had time. Entering the bathhouse, Ashe made sure of one thing, her hair that was usually delicately placed over her shoulder now cascaded down her back. She was hiding her guild insignia. If that were to be shown here, it would be all over. Now, disrobing, her body was seemingly perfect, not a single scar, a single imperfection, and although beauty is in the eye of the beholder Ashe definitely fit the description. She walked forward, the steam now covering her body only showing a silhouette to those not already in the waters. Gently she took one foot, dipping it into the waters. It was warm, no hot, it did burn at first. This feeling reminded Ashe of her magic. She grimaced before stepping into the spring and resting on one of the many built-in seats. The relaxing warm waters of the bath seemed to rejuvenate her, it was a wonderful feeling.

This relaxation was rather short-lived, a teenager ran through the spring, "GERONIMO!" She yelled as she cannonballed into the spring. Ashe sprung from her seat, one hand over her chest, the mist still covering everything. "Why you little..." She made a fist with her free hand. Storming over to the child who was now frightened, like a deer in headlights, Ashe reared her free arm back and slapped her. "This is not a playground, it is a place of business," Ashe said before taking her seat and mouthing a few more words, the girl was now crying. "I expect you to obey the rules." Ashe said, a scoff escaping from her mouth.

The child then ran from the spring, crying. An obnoxious wicked laugh filled the springs. undoubtedly Ashes. She closed her eyes now, leaning her head back it rested, the feeling of relaxation and serenity returned and Ashe let out a sigh of relief but with her sister's arrival, this too would be short lived.

Ever since they'd gotten to Magnolia it was all Brunhilde could do not to jump around like an over joyous teenager. She'd tried her best to refrain from letting her emotions seep from her about their trip to the Magnolia baths because it was in Ashe's nature to deny something from them if they seemed too overly thrilled to do something. Brunhilde couldn't help it though, the warm water washing over her body, filling her with pure bliss as her body reacted to the water sending tingles through every part of her being. She'd practically been daydreaming about it ever since they passed the Magnolia threshold. Finally, some girl time to themselves ever since they joined Phantom Lord. It wasn't like they were denied to feel emotions or have time to themselves, it was more they never had the time or rather- Ashe never had the time. Typical, Ashe demanded them around and when she wanted something, they all got it, which was never often.

It wasn't too often Brunhilde came face to face with girls, no- women, who had perfectly feminine faces and curvaceous bodies. On the other hand, Brunhilde was flat as a board, short, and her body resembled that of a small boy. Her facial features were feminine, of course, but they were more childlike than womanly. Normally, her hair was tightly secured in pigtails that she constantly flipped off of her shoulder, but today her hair was loose, and it fell down her back. She stared longingly at the chest of her sister, then stared back at her own. How could she ever have her own shadow when Ashe's was so BIG? Brunhilde insecurely disrobed and as she did so her hands quickly moved to cover her bust and bellybutton. Mostly out of insecurity but also because her guild insignia was on her bellybutton. Her platinum hair wasn't much of a contrast against her fair skin, but it's sheen certainly stood out.

Only when her insignia and bust were securely underneath the bubbles of the bath did she remove her hands and relax, basking in the euphoric waters. No one could see her body, no one could give her critiquing looks and most importantly, no one could see her guild insignia. It would be a perfect day but if she said that she would only be jinxing herself and well. And well, with the way Ashe acted, chaos was always sure to follow. Brunhilde didn't always agree with Ashe but in this instance, the child was quite a nuisance. No one wanted to be splashed when they were trying to relax.

The first thing that she wished to enjoy while she was on an errand was the fact that Magnolia seemed to have very relaxing baths. It was safe to say that she hadn't been to a bathhouse before and it might worth it to try out at the earliest convenience. The bathhouse was warm, almost like it was accommodating to the people that wanted to relax in the warm waters. With that, Elise was content with coming inside the bathhouse as quietly as she could, but unfortunately the people there seemed to have other ideas at the spring. With a towel wrapped around her body, she would disrobe when she reached the waters, but it seemed like there were two other girls there.

The first girl was a dark-haired lady and the second had pink hair. Maybe they were here to enjoy the fun of splashing around in the waters too, but she wasn't sure if she should be talking right now. However, it was better to strike up a conversation rather than staying silent most of the time. Elise would lower herself down to the waters herself, inevitably joining this merry group of women and she probably wouldn't have to worry about being naked before them. "Good day to you both, I hope I am not interrupting something important?" It was all that she could say at that moment, talking with some strangers would have an opposite effect on someone who was on edge, but to her, maybe these girls were friendly after all.

Besides, the warmth tugging at her body at the moment was starting to feel relaxing and the steam did enough to cover her torso. All she could think about was the face of her father and how he was doing while she was away on the business he asked her to do. As the heiress of her family, it was certainly easy for her to be kidnapped or mugged. Mugging a rich person wasn't a good idea, she had been taught to have a bit of self-defense should it happen to her. Who would even rob a lady in a bathhouse anyway?

Well, meeting someone new was on the list after all, making a bit of conversation with the two girls was certainly going to go well. Her late mother had taught her as such to choose her words carefully when mingling with their other associates not like the younger her would understand, but as she was older, she truly understood. The honor of the family she was born in depended on it and persuasion was certainly an asset in matters like these anyway.

It was nice to see Brunhilde entering the springs despite her struggles with her body image, after all, not everyone can be bodacious. Ashe's attempt at relaxing was rather pointless. No matter how much she tried she still planned and plotted, something she always did. Ashe found her other sisters to lack maturity and intelligence, it was because of this she had to have enough for all three of them. She was always the sister who took care of things, got them out of trouble, kept them safe, and even with no motherly instincts as most women were born with, it could be said that she comforted them and even shaped them to be who they are in her own way. Ashe firmly believed they were nothing without her and vice versa, although she would never admit this. However, it was more often than naught that her sisters took this relationship for granted and that is what clouded Ashe's mind.

But that thought became distant as someone else entered the springs. A girl with white hair. Ashe recognized her, but not by her name. By her wealth. Ashe scowled, relaxation fading from her mind. Picking up a towel near the edge of the springs, she wrapped it around her to conceal her chest and waist. Eyeing her sister briefly, she then turned her attention to the girl. Stepping out of the spring, Ashe made her way to the girl.

The girl's name was on the tip of Ashe's tongue. In fact, she previously had plans to steal from their family in Crocus but had been given explicit orders not too. Of course now so far away from home the girl's riches and influence would not stop Ashe anymore. Lowering herself so that she would be close enough to the girl, "Oh my, so far away from home... it would be a shame if you didn't return." Ashe whispered into the girl's ear before licking her lips as if she was her meal.

Ashe had completely ignored the girl's good intentions and went straight to intimidation, something all too common for her. She had set her eyes on the prize and nothing would stop her.

This was certainly a well deserved day off from whatever they were doing lately, and she was enjoying herself more than Ashe was, it was obvious in her posture and outward expression. It was clear she was deep in thought and couldn't lose herself in the warmth that cradled Brunhilde, herself. She was zoning out not after long and it was like she was losing herself to the warmth swallowing her, floating on a cloud made of steam. Brunhilde had thoughts, tons of thoughts, but she chose to push them to the back of her mind. This was her day, and she didn't want her insecurities to ruin her day.

Short-lived as Ashe seemingly got up and walked over to a newcomer, a girl. She looked back, over her shoulder, and at first, Brunhilde didn't recognize the girl, but longer inspection revealed to her that this girl was, in fact, from a lustrous and wealthy family. The same family Brunhilde and her sisters were going to steal from. Now with this realization, Brunhilde could guess Ashe's intent and she wouldn't try to stop her, she would stand right beside her. And it was only natural she'd follow behind Ashe, but first, she had to get out of the springs.

This proved to be a rather difficult task after she tried the first time. She had to cover her bust and her guild insignia with both of her hands, leaving no room for her to get out. Of course, she could always put her towel around her but she was too short and the water reached her waist. So, she chose the difficult path and wrapped her arms around herself and slid onto marble flooring. She'd successfully gotten out, but she was a sitting duck because she still couldn't stand up, and if she tried she might fall into the water. Brunhilde tried to stand up with just her feet and proved capable but as she turned around to walk over to Ashe, she lost her balance and almost fell into the water. But her heels never left the floor. A rather subtle and nice save on her part.

With her feet now flat on the ground, Brunhilde reached for her towel and was finally on her way over to Ashe. Securely wrapped around her, Brunhilde's towel wasn't going anywhere and she felt safe enough to let her hands hang. As she neared their spot, her mind was dancing with images of all the dresses and accessories she could buy with the money they'd get from this girl. And they were wonderful thoughts too until Brunhilde's bubble was busted and reality hit; the girl didn't have her things with her. But it wasn't something a quick check of the room couldn't fix.

"What do we have here?" her eyes shifted down to the girl and a roguish smirk tugged at her lips. It was clear they were here for trouble, not small talk.

When the dark-haired girl began going over to Elise's side, it was all too well that she was trying the art of intimidation on her. Maybe the other lady would say something among the lines of 'your daddy isn't here to save you, so you're all mine'. The only thing she could do was to use persuasion and words which were always a worthy asset in the middle of getting someone to get off your back. She wasn't about to let intimidation get the better of her and instead responded back to the woman calmly as possible. "I don't suppose you know who I am? I'm not intimidated by your gaze. but I'm assuming I am to be your prey. Of course as a Smirnov...I'll remain strong even under worse circumstances." It was the best she could say, but violence wasn't ever the answer.

It would take a long while just to poke at her insecurities. she wasn't so easily unnerved by fear tactics such as this though. Those two probably knew...she was raised to be a perfect heiress of the family, so having a goody two shoes personality seemed to stick out like a sore thumb throughout the guild's members. She was well aware as a child that nobody approached her for she was in a different world than the rest of them. Commoners and poor people alike were going about their daily lives, almost like they were oblivious to the troubles that the young heiress faced. However, this wasn't the safety and comfort of her own home, no. This was a public ladies' side of the bathhouse where almost anything could happen.

Which was why when she was far away from home and her daddy wouldn't be able to protect and coddle her, she believed that going into town alone meant that she was far likely to be mugged of her treasures than anything. Still, the fact that she was too good and pure to ever be hanging with a bad crowd seemed to be laughable. "Still, I would assume that you do not yet know my name. My name is Elise, the only heir to my family." Perhaps they wouldn't care that she was filthy rich, all the other dark-haired girl cared about was how she should be emotionally torturing her or so Elise assumed.

Scylla, after being tested and being in a world of hurt, stepped in. She was mad, ready to snap at someone even, because of a so called "test of strength" She had to do because of one of her sisters, Ashe. The water maiden was wearing her casual attire, with it having some cuts and blood on the piece of clothing, showing the hard work of the mage. Scylla's furious behavior could be seen from afar, which made her somehow unapproachable. She looked over at where her sisters were and saw someone she couldn't recognize at first, which left her wonduring, who and why. Her sisters, and her, were social butterflies, and they knew that.

Scylla decided to walk over to them, sighing in needs to join the girls in the water."Hello."She greeted them, smiling only to the girl she didn't know the name. Scylla couldn't care less for her sisters, she felt betrayed, dumb even, for believing she was going to be rich after getting the mission done. The true nature of the mission was to kill Scylla. It had almost succeeded if it wasn't for the water maiden out smarting one of the monster and escaping from the place she was.

She removed the pieces of clothing she was wearing and got in the water. The hot liquid sent delicious shivers down her spine, which left Scylla relaxed. It was like magic, just a single touch could do that to her. The water maiden looked over to Ashe, deciding if she should ask a question or not. "Are you happy, Ashe?" Scylla knew Ashe could notice what Scylla was talking about, and she was not happy about it.

Ashe was just about to rip into her meal when suddenly Scylla stepped into the fray. Ashe was shocked because she had recently sent Scylla on a mission she was certain she would never return from but apparently, Scylla had been much stronger than Ashe initially thought. The fact that Scylla had returned was similar to the rapture as the mission was a test of strength, an odyssey even. Ashe then clapped slowly, refusing to show that she was surprised, "Look who has returned, I am glad that you prevailed. You are much stronger than I thought." Ashe said this casually as if that test had not been meant to kill her. However Scylla's attitude surprised her, she didn't seem angry but it was in her best interest not to fight with Ashe because she would undoubtedly lose.


"Nice of you to join us," Ashe said to Scylla, she still stared at the heiress from the corner of her eye. "We are just getting started." Ashe said before grabbing the heiress's hair and tugging it hard. "I don't care who you are. I don't care how you feel. Neither do the phantoms." Ashe said, letting out yet another wicked laugh.

Ashe then snapped her fingers, it was a sign for her sisters to stand beside her and if they knew what was best they would obey or face her fiery wrath.

Resistance. Prey that resisted only made it worse for themselves. Fighting against the winds and currents only buy you so much time before you are finally consumed by the raging storm. The maidens; the three sisters were starting up a storm and they would be the only ones in the eye, controlling the speeds and strength that is used to rip you apart. They were, quite literally a storm when brought together, and now that Scylla, their sister was here, angry at that, the storm would have the rage to fuel it.

At the snap of Ashe's fingers, Brunhilde was at her side in an instant, taking up a stance with her hand on her hip. She used her other hand to flick strands of hair from her shoulder and her gaze never once wavered as she did that. Brunhilde may not be confident in her body but she was confident in the icy looks she could give people, from narrowing her eyes to glaring daggers at someone. Her gaze almost surpassed that of Ashe's, and it would surpass Ashe's if she stopped walking in her sister's shadow, which wasn't going to happen anytime soon. "If you're going to be angry, then you'd better fuel Ashe's flames in a progressive way, Scylla," Brunhilde's voice mimicked one of disdain, but she continued, "because right now, you're fueling her flames and they WILL burn you." though she was genuinely glad to see that her sister survived Ashe's mission, she couldn't show any compassion for her sister.

Brunhilde was conflicted; join her sister or don't? One part of her wanted to join Ashe and grab the girl, but the other part of her knew how the girl felt. She always felt like that. Even if she didn't show it. This girl was an heiress, she had everything handed to her on a silver platter and that should've been enough to make Brunhilde join in, but it wasn't. The more she thought about it though, the more it angered her. Everything Brunhilde had, she worked fair hard to earn. Illegally. She had to turn over a life of crime just to escape her horrible upbringing and justify everything she's ever done wrong. This girl, this girl knew nothing about her life, their lives. Brunhilde, Ashe, and Scylla each had some type of horrible event(s) happen in their lives to lead them down this path. It was only natural that Brunhilde takes her place beside Ashe, and so she did.

Behind her, Brunhilde grabbed the girls shoulders and dug her nails into the girl's soft flesh. A heinous cackle came from Brunhilde and it rang loudly over the waters in the bathhouse. Usually, only Ashe cackled, but from time-to-time, Brunhilde let out some pretty wicked cackles that sent chills down one's spine. This was one of those times. And Brunhilde, she was just getting started.