The Devil's Advocate (Closed to Bubbles)

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent had left Luna to get to sleep while he went out onto the deck, inhaling the salty sea breeze as he did so. He stretched his arms and rubbed his eye as he stumbled through the sun battered deck. Several sailors milled about and hailed the boss, once upon a time, Vince had spent an entire voyage pretending to be one of them. The friendships he had made had lasted even though he was the man who signed their paycheck.

“Oi, master Vince, heard you all night I did.” A sailor quipped rubbing elbows with his employer. “How many times did ya make ‘er cum ey?” Another exclaimed slapping him on the back. The scholar let out a hearty laugh and joined in, shaking his head.

“Gentlemen, gentlemen, you all know the rule. The Emperor doesn’t kiss and tell.” The crew howled with laughter, but Vince figured this would be the best way to play off their bawdy comments. Sure, Luna was a succubus, but she still had a reputation to uphold. “Now then, how late am I to breakfast? Or are we close to lunch by now?” The crew all laughed and went about their work.

“Lunch was an hour again mistah Cayun.” One of the sailors quipped. “But ol cookie did save ya some grub, yes sir he did!” A larger gentlemen with a peg leg trotted out from below deck with a beat up looking metal tray with two covered dishes, each a beat and tarnished silver, almost to mock the scholar. The larger pirate gave his boss a sideways grin and bowed shortly after passing the tray off. “For ye and yer lady milord Cayun.”

Vincent rolled his eyes, “Eat shit Cookie,” he grunted before laughing. “I love y’all to death, but we need to work on our manners here.” This solicited a raucous cry from the men as they all laughed. “Keep the ruckus down, I haven’t slept a wink in hours, I’m gonna eat and then sleep. If any of you fucks wake me, there’s gonna be hell to pay and half wages all around!” He grinned and winked at the chef to show he was kidding before turning to his cabin. After shutting the door behind him he ran his sapphire eyes over her sleeping form.

“You’d almost swear she was an angel…” he mused as he sat at his desk. “But I know better…” He opened the dinky silver cover, and glanced at the simply put together sandwich. “Fucking smartass…” he growled. His stomach growled and prompted him to wolf down the food before him without even stopping to taste it. His eyes shot back over to Luna and a smile crossed across his lips. “She isn’t too bad though…” he mused. He stared down at his empty plate and pondered stealing Luna’s meal, but he figured that would be too far out of line. Instead, he crawled into bed and burrowed under the covers, keeping a healthy distance from the lust demon just encase she woke and felt like snacking after her meal, drifting off to sleep.

[Bubbles]

Mmmm… Such a warm body….~

Luna hugged herself against the sleeping Vincent, only partially awake. It was nice to hold something in bed. She understood the appeal of teddy bears and the like… Her lips brushed over the back of his neck a little as she snuggled him closer. The scholar let out a soft grunt and continued snoring, as if being the small spoon to a succubus was a rather common occurrence. She took in his scent. It made her remember how hungry she was…

“So good….~” She murmured sleepily. The scholar turned a bit, unconsciously spinning to face the succubus and wrap his arms around her pulling her closer.

Luna smiled, her eyes still closed. Her lips bumped against his once or twice. And then she started basically sleep-kissing him. The scholar’s eyes opened slightly to find the seductress’ lips against his. His heart began to thump slightly as he closed his mind.

I’ll just let this play out… The scholar mused to himself. We have twenty four hours give or take until we need to be on our best behavior… His hand gently slid to her rear pulling her closer into him, reducing the gap between them to nothing, her bosom pressed against him.

The Succubus’s leg wrapped around his waist. She still hugged him to her, her lips slow but thorough. One of Vincent’s hands remained on her rear, pulling her closer as the other ran up and down her back slowly, caressing the smooth silk of the robe she had adorned. A shudder ran down his spine as her legs pulled him closer to her.

She could feel the pleasure from him. For once, it was a very pure, unguarded feeling that was coming from him. Most likely because he was half asleep. It was nice to feel him like this... Luna made a small happy noise and continued kissing him. The scholar pressed his lips a little tighter to hers, slightly deepening the passion of their shared kiss, his eyes wide open now as he took in her pheromones and just let go for a minute. He’d already made his peace with what he was doing, and while he didn’t want her to control him, he was tired of going nowhere fast. He wanted to be a man, and at that moment in time he had a chance to seize the moment.

Without thinking Vince found himself pulling her over him. Luna was lost in his scent. She laid on top of him and started kissing his neck, gently nibbling the skin there. Vince let out a slight groan and his lips found her ears, his teeth gently nibbling on the upper cartilage. He could feel her warm breath on his neck and he could feel his arousal growing as his hands found her rear, gently playing with the warm plushness there.

Luna was fully awake now, and loving every minute of this. Her lips traveled to his ear.

“So eager… It suits you…~”

The scholar smirked, “Hey now, don’t spoil the fun by gloating...I’m getting what I want too…” he cooed his hands sliding to her hips. His rough fingers gripped her gently guiding her to grind along his waist. Every fiber of Vince’s being tingled as her skin met his, her lips sending sparks shivering down his body. He couldn’t tell her pleasure though… He was flying blind.

Luna sat up, straddling Vince and continuing the motions he had prodded from her. A small moan escaped her as she did so.

“Are you ready for me to give you Heaven?~” She purred. The scholar sat up, his lips find hers as she continued to grind against him.

“Bring it…” he muttered between sweet kisses. An almost feral growl seemed to rumble from his lips as the two grew closer and closer. The Emperor was the epitome of masculinity, and he was in his element, the heat of passion.

She growled playfully in return, shoving him back down until he was lying beneath her again. She continued slowly and roughly rubbing herself against him, tilting her head back a bit. The scholar hisses slightly, being denied her kisses and forced to play a passive role. The Emperor did not do passive, the Emperor took action.

After a few more minutes of moving against Vince, she stopped. She tilted her head a bit, smirking.

“Hmmm… Not yet. I want you when we have more time. And more… toys…~”

She slid off of him, standing up and walking over to the desk where the other covered dish was. The scholar let out a growl and rose from his bed stretching.

“Fucking tease.” He grumbled

“Succubus~” She retorted, giggling.

“Synonym,” Vince countered with a grin.

Luna nibbled on her sandwich, smiling at him. He was quite adorable when he was a tiny bit flustered.

Vince regretted leaving her that sandwich. If you give a succubus a sammich...this metaphor doesn’t hold up very well... The scholar thought for a moment. He debated busting out the cuffs he had made for her, shackling her and taking what he wanted. That urge was soon defeated by the sane parts of his brain. He took a deep breath and flexed his muscles, forcing the blood to retreat from elsewhere and give his brain a little more clarity.

“And here I thought you were going to take what you desired.” Vince taunted. “But maybe you’ve got cold feet”

“No, dear. I have patience. Something most people seem to lack~”

[Cards of Fate]

Luna winked at him, eating the last bite of her sandwich. The scholar rolled his eyes and rose from the bed and exited the room without a word, slamming the doors behind him. Outside he found that the sun had set while they’d slept, and the crew was gathered around telling tales of the stars and of the lands that they’d been to. A slight chill had begun to take to the air, the eternal frost of Salvar riding the ocean further south to greet them. Vince found some pleasure in knowing that the succubus would suffer for a bit, it would take at least a day to find a seamstress to procure a coat warm enough for her.

As he lurked on the lurching boat, he took a moment to think about what was going to happen. He hadn’t heard any reports on the artifact as of yet, so it was doubtless his spies were still out and about doing their work dutifully. Suddenly, as if his thoughts had summoned it, a voice shot through the silence.

“Lord Emperor,” a rough voice called out in his head. The scholar smiled and ran a hand through his hair.

“Ah, Olaf!” The scholar replied tapping on his amulet to open a mental channel to the man. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.

“I’d been in Knife’s Edge visiting family when your order came in,” the giant boomed in the scholar’s head. “So I decided to take up the order and do some research for you.” The scholar raised his eyebrows in surprise, last he’d heard the man had been in no hurry to return to the frozen north.

“I’m assuming you have info for me then?” Vincent walked over to the edge of deck and leaned over the railing, staring at the choppy blue water beneath him.

“Of course,” The giant chuckled. “This amulet you mentioned, it’s pretty famous around these parts in the underground scenes.” The scholar frowned a bit and chewed his lip.

“Famous? How so?” He asked.

“Well you see milord, apparently it makes the user seem significantly more attractive to people who observe them. It also makes their commands have more weight; they say it can make a normal man completely subservient.” The scholar raised an eyebrow.

“I assume you’ve found its owner then?”

“Of course, and it’s not pretty sire. It’s currently being used by the Lord of Flowers.” Olaf paused, seeming almost embarrassed. “He’s not actual nobility...he’s uh...he runs a brothel sire. He uses the amulet to feed his own...desires…”

The scholar chuckled a bit, “Of course he is.” His eyes shot back to his cabin, his brow furrowing. “I guess I brought the right operative along for this…”

“One problem sire, he’s not currently in Knife’s Edge.” Vincent frowned.

“Where is he?”

“Well, he headed out to some sort of...get together with some of the nobility. The whole thing has been quite hush hush, but I managed to discover that it was being held in an old manor outside Tirel.” Vincent tapped his fingers against the railing as he listened.

“Well that’s good, I’ll be in Tirel in a matter of hours…”

“I’m on my way as well sire.” Olaf replied. “Who did you bring? Joseph? John.” The scholar laughed. “No, I brought a woman named Luna, and be careful…” he paused. “She’s the type of woman who’s gonna get you in trouble with your wife.” The man on the other end of the conversation let out a booming laugh.

“Thanks for the warning boss, see you when the sun comes up.”

“See you when we arrive.” Vince responded. With that, there was silence again. The scholar stayed posted up on the railing for a bit, debating whether to head back inside or not. He was still rather disappointed he’d been blue-balled, especially seeing as sexual frustration was half of his life nowadays. However, if he didn’t head back in, the woman might get bored and try to seek fun elsewhere, and that was the last thing Vince needed.

[Bubbles]

“Remind me again when you’ll let me get a coat?”

Luna rubbed her arms a bit as she walked with Vince through the street. The dress she’d been wearing before was nice, but it did little to spare her from the chill of the air. She could see the smirk ever-present on his face as they walked. He was no doubt seeing this as some form of revenge.

“My men are looking for the best in town…” he stated shrugging. Snow has begun to fall just an hour before, sending little white flakes dancing down upon the ground, riding currents of arctic wind. Icicles hung from the edge of several buildings, giving the entire town frozen teeth that always seemed poised to crash down and injure someone. Just down the street a large building stood at the corner, its sign rocking back and forth from a recent breeze declaring the tavern’s name, The Chilly Moose. The scholar pointed a gloved hand towards the Tavern.

“We’ll be setting up shop in there.” The scholar grunted. “If anyone asks, I’m a traveling merchant and you’re my assistant.” he shot her a glare. “Keep any acts of magic hidden, none of your wiles while we’re in public. These people will burn us at the stake if they even suspect we’re witches.”

Luna rolled her eyes. She had already taken her disguise as a chestnut-haired blue-eyed maiden. All she required now was the appropriate attire and she could easily pass as someone who’d lived here before.

“It’s astounding how quickly you forget how long I’ve played this game, you know…~”

“I’m just being cautious,” Vincent replied glancing around. The wind had driven most people inside to seek shelter. “I’ve had nothing but shitty experiences here.” The scholar continued. They reached the tavern, and the scholar opened the door and held it for Luna to enter first. Since Tirel wasn’t a large town, it didn’t have a particularly large tavern. The hall seemed to be a small collective of chairs and tables gathered around a large hearth. Several barmaids milled about idly, and only one or two other patrons seemed to be about. The tavern keeper, a portly man who was several inches shorter than Vince or Luna, waddled over from his seat by the fire.

“Welcome to the Chilly Moose!” He exclaimed almost too excitedly. “How many rooms? Two?” He eyed the two, “Or one?” The scholar let out a sigh and held up one finger and tossed the man a pouch of coins.

“I assume that’ll cover food and board for a week or so?” He asked. The man’s face lit up as he counted the coins.

“Yes yes yes...it can also pay for some..entertainment from my girls if you need.” he added looking over at the maids. “Some say they’re the best fuck this side of Knife’s Edge.” The scholar shot the man a frown as he spoke but chalked it up to the fact the man was holding more gold than he’d usually make in a month.

“Bring us some food, and an extra coat for my assistant here if you have one.”

Pfft. “the best fuck this side of Knife’s Edge”. Luna contained her chuckle. She looked around the room a little.

“They really know how to keep fires going. That’s good.”

She sounded like a somewhat quirky assistant. She was good at changing her voice a bit to suite her disguises. The two sat down and waited for a moment, the scholar drumming his fingers on the table as the thought.

“By my intel, the event we need to sneak into is tomorrow night.” Vincent’s words entered the Succubus’ mind out of nowhere. “My men are working on our entrance now…”

She met Vince’s eyes.

“So, just who will I be seducing? Do you know what their type might be? I’m going to need a good amount of leverage so that I can make an excellent impression.”

The scholar shrugged, “They call him the Lord of Flowers, he’s some sort of big-shot in the brothel scene in Knife’s Edge. I’ve got nothing other than that, but from what I hear he’s into just about anything…”

“... Which means I’ll need to stand out from anything…”

The two smirked for a moment before a young woman brought over a large, fluffy winter coat and set it by Luna. She gratefully accepted the garment, slipping it on happily. It was SO SOFT!! Vince took a moment to appraise the woman in her snow white coat, “That’s one plan. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to get in alongside you, but I will be able to help guide you…”

Suddenly Luna found herself looking at herself. “I can use the amulet,” Their vision shot down to Vincent's chest where a silver locket hung, “To talk to you mentally, but I can also show you what I’m seeing, and you can show me what you’re seeing…” Once again Luna found herself seeing through her eyes.

Luna gasped a little. She gave him a small glare.

“Warn me the next time you decide to do that! I have horrid thunder thighs….”

“I think you have nice thighs,” The scholar quipped. “When you get in I’ll be looking through your eyes, guiding you until we get the artifact. I have no clue if anyone inside will be armed or not, but we’re going to need to be careful.”

Luna adjusted her coat a bit.

“Just get me a nice dress, and leave the rest to the professional~”

“We have a meeting with a seamstress this evening. We have about...ten hours to kill before then.” Vince chewed his lip for a moment, “How should we pass the time?”

Luna grinned at him.

“Having a few ideas? Or have you decided to wait until we have less of a time limit?~”

“You seem awfully confident I’ll last ten hours…” The scholar retorted. “I was thinking that we could go back to the ship and see how well you fight, there’s a good chance you might need to make a quick exit…”

“I’m not a fan of sparring… But I suppose I’ll do my best.”

The scholar let out a chuckle and rose from his seat. “Everyone has to start somewhere…” He mused as he beckoned towards the door. The barmaid shot them an odd glance.

“Your food?” He asked. The scholar face-palmed for a moment.

“Save it, I don’t think we’ll be particularly long.” He shot Luna a sideways glance. “I’m not sure how long this will last.” The maid let out a blush, obviously jumping to all the wrong conclusions. Once the scholar reached the door, he opened the oaken portal and held it open for his companion. “After you.”

Luna rose from her seat and walked back outside. It was much more comfortable now that she had a coat to wear. She wasn’t a stellar combatant the way some of her other kin were, but she wasn’t ignorant in that area either. She hoped it truly wouldn’t take too long. The two strode towards the boat, now free of most sailors. The crew had long taken to their shore leave, and only an odd crewmember milled about near the docks to keep an eye on the boat.

Once on the main deck, Vincent shrugged off his winter wear, stripping to a simple cotton shirt and leather trousers. Goosebumps formed along his arms as he stretched a bit, flexing his muscles to draw blood flow to his extremities.

“Let’s start with the basics, okay? A little hand to hand combat. Feel free to come at me with full strength, it’s kinda hard to hurt me.” The scholar dropped the a ready stance and watched the woman's movements carefully.

Luna slipped off her coat, setting it to the side.

“I don’t fight in this form. Pardon me while I change…~”

She began removing her dress. However, instead of her naked body being exposed for all to see, there instead appeared to be… Armor? A natural kind of exoskeleton that covered the entirety of her form. Her soft hair came together into armored dreadlocks. Claws formed on the end of her fingers and toes, and two large wings appeared on her back along with a tail. Both seemed to be made of bone. Altogether, the display was terrifying yet a tad appealing.

“Honestly…” Vince mused, “...this doesn’t surprise me that much.” The scholar sat for a moment and turned his head to the side for a moment. “You kinda Kerrigan from Starcraft…” he trailed off. “Huh…” He took a step back and stretched his arms. “Let’s see if you can get a hit in on me….”

[Cards of Fate]

Luna smirked, her glowing rose-colored eyes turning to face him. She bent forward slightly, readying her claws. There was a movement from her wings. A sudden burst that propelled her toward him with surprising speed. She made a few swift swipes at his throat and abdomen.

Vince ducked backwards, dropping low and taking several steps to maintain the gap between them. With lightning fast precision he strafed to the side, sending a light jab at her stomach and hips with barely any force. They would be more like an annoying poke than an actual hit, a taunt to rub salt in the wound. While the seductress might have the advantage in bed, Vince was a trained warrior.

Being teased in this manner was familiar. Rin would often do this when he’d been training her. But his taunting would quickly grow more violent if she didn’t try to correct her mistakes. So, instead of trying to insistently pursue Vince as he maintained distance between them, she backed away and took a defensive stance, waiting for him to make the next move.

Vince raised an eyebrow as she seemed to yield the offense to him. He took a breath and vanished in a cloud of blue sparks, appearing behind Luna as he loosed a series of seven rapid pokes, each aiming for a different pressure point on her back, his hands a blur.

“You need to raise your reflexes,” he chided. “Or any fighter worth his salt is going to be able to take you down.”

Her light armor kept only a small part of the force from affecting her. Luna stumbled forward slightly, making a noise. Her tail lashed at Vince’s legs suddenly as she spun around to swipe at him again.

The scholar pivoted, to avoid the tail swipe and raised his arm up to catch her strike with his forearm against her wrist, avoiding her sharp nails. His eyes narrowed as he swept out with his legs, this time slowly, attempting to sweep her legs out from under her. He’d gotten a feel for her speed, now it was time to take things down to her level to give her a fighting chance.

She jumped over his legs, and lunged heavily into him in an attempt to knock him down. Vincent didn’t miss a beat. He planted with his sweeping foot and pushed off, sliding out of the way of her clumsy attack.

“Close,” he commented as he turned around to face her. “But risky, what if your opponent has more strength than you?” he asked, “You’d be overpowered in seconds…” The scholar paused for a moment.

“Let’s change gears here.” Vince added dropping his stance. “Maybe we should work on building up some agility first? If you can strike first and concisely, you can end a fight before it begins.”

“Assuming that a fight even ensues…” Luna retorted. “I’m much better at avoiding these kinds of scenarios entirely, you know.”

“Yes, but I’d rather not have a dead operative.” Vince retorted. “One mistake and…” Suddenly Luna found herself at swordpoint. “...you die.” The blade disappeared in a flash of sparks. “And seeing as you’re here to help me, I’d rather not be responsible for your death.” He cracked his neck and yawned.

“Let's start simple,” He raised his hands up. “Hit me with as fast and as rapidly as you can. Give me all you have.”

Luna launched herself at him again, unleashing a flurry of attacks in a blur of motion. The last three blows were considerably more powerful than the others. The scholar parried the several blows, but the last caught him off guard catching him square on the chest. His shirt ripped, but her nails scratched harmlessly off his chest.

“Good.” He growled. “Faster.”

[Bubbles]

Luna obeyed, moving ever more swiftly. She started moving around him, trying to hit him from all sides. Vince upped the speed of his blocks, trying to just barely keep ahead of her pace. Each strike barely behind his blocks, teasing her and propelling her onward. After an indeterminate amount of time, Luna was left panting and unable to throw another punch. Vince chuckled and took a step back.

“I think that’ll do.” Vince commented running a hand through his hair. “Get dressed.”

Luna was sitting on her knees, waiting for her breath to slow.

“Is this your idea of vengeance for me being on top?~” Even in her exhausted state, she could still tease without a single pause.

“No, that comes later” The scholar quipped winking. “In this line of work you’re going to need to grow stronger, and I will help you get there…” He cracked his neck, thinking about all of the people who had helped him grow stronger.

She rose to her feet, going to pick up her clothing. As she slipped her dress back on, her armored state returned to the softness of before. She brushed some of her hair from her shoulder and put her coat back on as well.

“Next time, could you start by not using your powers to cheat?~”

“I didn’t cheat,” The scholar retorted indignantly. “I simply utilized the tools in my arsenal to present a myriad of situations to you…” This led to an eyeroll from the Succubus.

“Yes. But since it’s obvious that I haven’t spared in a long while, don’t you think it was a bit unfair to pull so many little tricks? Unless, of course, you enjoyed doing so.”

“Not true at all.” Vincent scoffed. “What sort of man would I be if I enjoyed abusing a poor defenseless woman.”

“The kind that likes to be in control. But you need to remember something, Vincent…”

Luna walked up to him, and slapped him hard across the face. She gave him a serious sort of smile.

“Though I may listen to what you ask of me, and let you tell me what to do in many circumstances, you do not control me. I am not a puppet. I am not a toy. You may be stronger than me now, that much is evident. But when my power finally matches that of yours, how easy will it be for you to hold me beneath your palm? The sooner you realize that I am not a tool at your disposal, the sooner things will be easier for the both of us.”


The scholar raised an eyebrow “I like your fire.” He feigned injury at her behest, rubbing a cheek that showed no sign of injury. “You say that now, but when it comes down to it no one is in control here. You and I are merely pieces in this mysterious game Fate has us playing.” He turned and gestured back towards the town. “I apologize if I came off as rude, but you need to understand something.” He paused and took a deep breath.

“I’ve seen too many people die already, I’d rather not lure you to yours as well.”

She laughed a bit, looking out at the harbor.

“There’s no need to be concerned about a Succubus, child. I’ve died before.”

“So have I. It’s still not pleasant.”

“I will admit. The regeneration process is… unbearable….”

Luna shuddered a bit from the memory. Painful was a gross understatement.

The scholar sighed. “Anyways, we should get back to the inn where it’s less cold and we can relax before the mission....”

She nodded. She walked with Vincent back to the inn. Their food was awaiting them there. As nice as it was to dine on mortal cuisine, Luna’s appetite wouldn’t be sated until she received actual nourishment. But she ate the food nonetheless. It was quite delicious.

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent had spent the rest of the night rather silent, answering to questions when prompted, but otherwise it seemed like his mind was somewhere else. The Succubus could tell. After saying an assortment of raunchy and explicit things with no reaction from him, she eventually reached over the table and smeared a bit of mashed potatoes on the tip of his nose.

“Earth to Vincent. Ground Control to Major Tom…~”

The scholar blinked for a moment and shot her a quizzical look. “How the fuck do you know a David Bowie song?”

She giggled. “I’ve been to Earth too many times to count. I met David Bowie, actually. A strange man. But he had a spark in him that was so… unpredictable. And endlessly attractive…~”

The scholar chuckled, “That’s wild…” he mused sipping absently at his drink. “I’m from Earth, can’t recall if I’ve ever mentioned that....” he paused. “Fucking boring compared to here though.”

“Each world has something interesting hidden within it. Earth is a hotspot for magic and supernatural happenings. Humans aren’t really aware of it, however. Hence why it’s rather easy for someone such as I to prey upon you.”

Vince raised an eyebrow, “Maybe a different earth then. Mine was pretty plain.” He shrugged. “Either way, I guess it means that I can make earth jokes and you’ll maybe get them.” A chuckle left his lips. “I’ve missed that.”

The Succubus grinned. She leaned over the table, taking Vince’s chin and pulling him toward her. She gently licked the mashed potatoes from before from the tip of his nose before moving back to her seat. Surprisingly only a few patrons gawked. The rest didn’t seem to care in the slightest.


“Are you hungry?” The scholar asked raising an eyebrow. “As in for something...more sustaining than food?”

“I’m positive you know the answer to that. But I’ve got to save my appetite for the mission…~”

The scholar faked a pout, and drummed his fingers on the table. “I hate waiting.” He growled, “This guy apparently has some beefy security, so I’m nervous sending a new operative in alone.”

“It’s a brothel, dear. I’ll be right at home.~”

The scholar rolled his eyes and leaned back, creating distance between the two.

“Whatever you say, but if they catch wind of what you’re up to, I’m going to have to come in guns blazing…”

Luna giggled.

“I’m sure you will. But I think I’ll be alright.”

As she said this, the waitress from before came around with a white box.

“Some men stopped by and said this was the new dress you’d been wanting.”

She smiled, accepting it happily. Inside, there was a lovely light blue dress made with heavy material. It was soft, with silver and white accenting the edges and forming intricate designs along the collar, sleeves and skirt.

“Wonderful!~”

[Bubbles]

Vincent could already hear his best friend Joseph bemoaning the expenditure. A dress! Why the fuck do our operatives need dresses Vince! I wear the same pants for every occasion! You’re wasting our fortune! The succubus was going to fit in well at the party, which would do her a lot of good.

“Perhaps you should go try it on?”

“Later. I’ll need to formulate a new look to go with this!~” She chittered happily. She very much enjoyed new items of clothing. The scholar shrugged and returned his thoughts elsewhere. Recruiting Luna had turned out to be a new sort of challenge. Most people seemed to fall in line pretty quickly. No one had ever really tried to play games with him like this before. He found the challenge to be equal parts entertaining and frustrating.

As long as Fate wills it… He mused to himself. All challenges serve a purpose.

“Do I need to alert the seamstress for more work? Or do you have everything else you need?”

Luna shook her head. “I’ve got everything I want. The shoes I’m wearing are simple, but they should work quite well. As for jewelry, well… I don’t expect you to have any. I can make a look that doesn’t require it, however.” She tapped her chin with her finger for a moment in thought.

"What do you suppose would be a good approach for this man? Regal? Exotic? Raunchy? Mysterious? Or a bit of everything?"

"I’m not sure…" Vince paused. "My research says the man is a bit of a sleazebag, so raunchy is probably the best way to go. I wouldn’t play it too easy, but you should probably let him think he’s seducing you, not the other way around."

"Hmmmm…. He’ll want what he doesn’t have…. Do you know anything about the girls he has there?"

The scholar tapped his chin for a moment. "Most of his gals are trafficked from Fallein or Alerar, so I’m pretty sure most of them are darker skinned, I’d try to play up like a Salvarian beauty, fair skin and light hair perhaps?"

"I’ll make myself a rare gem for him. I’m sure he’ll be pleased~."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Succubus studied herself in the mirror a moment, making sure that everything was ready. Finally satisfied, she exited Vince’s cabin and went outside to the deck where he was waiting for her.

She wore her new dress as well as her coat. Those were the only things that would make her truly recognizable to him, however. Her hair was a shining silvery white that traveled just past her calves. Her skin was as white as the snow. But perhaps the most enchanting part of her features were her eyes. They were a bright and ever-captivating crystal blue. Her clothing seemed to cling to her curves, and her cleavage sat ripely above the collar of the dress.

“How do I look? Also, would it look better with elf ears or with normal ones?~”

The scholar let out a whistle for a moment, eyeing the woman before him up and down. He could see why Fate had selected her after all, such skill literally made her look like an entirely different person.

“I’d pass on the elf ears. If I recall correctly, our target despises high elves.”


“A good point. But I’ll add the ears the next time I use this form~”

Luna walked over to Vince. “Right. How shall we enter? Or will I be going in alone?~”

The scholar ran a hand through his hair and gestured to the waiting carriage. “I’ll go with you up until we reach the manor the affair will be held at, but after that you’re on your own with me whispering sweet nothings to you mentally.”

“My my, Vincent. Are you going to peep on my private affairs?~” Luna purred, smiling.

“I’ll give you privacy to a degree.” The scholar quipped back. “Besides why would I want to watch when I could be the one playing along later?”

She chuckled. “Touche.”

The Succubus linked her arm through his.

“Oh right. One more question. Shall I kill him?~”

[Cards of Fate]

The scholar paused for a moment, her body warm as she leaned up against him. At this very moment he held a man’s life in his hands. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Flashes of blue filled his visions as sparks danced from his closed eyes. He focused on this man..the lord of flowers and willed visions forth. The past, present and future melded together to reveal a story of hedonism and suffering. He saw poor women enslaved and sentenced to a life of sexual abuse at his hands, he saw the deaths of the unwilling. More and more gruesome images flashed before his mind before finally he heard a voice in his head. “Your call.” It muttered.

“If you can get him alone I want you to kill him. Otherwise don’t risk it.” The scholar growled opening his eyes. A few sparks fluttered from his sapphire orbs before it settled leaving the scholar looking tired.

Luna smiled. It was a very devilish look. Intimidating in her current form, actually.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make certain to leave nothing but a shell behind~” Her voice was eerily bubbly. “Now, we’d better hurry or we’ll be late for dinner.”

With that the scholar lead the succubus down the gangplank and opened the carriage door helping her inside. He followed suit and shut the door behind him and tapping the wall signalling the driver to start driving. Once they set off the scholar let his eyes close for moment, breathing deeply.

“Let me know when we’re there…”

The ride was a bit longer than what she’d expected. Luna looked out the window, memorizing the route back to the ship in case she needed to make a hasty escape. She glanced over at the seemingly meditating Vincent. Hmmm… With a small grin, the Succubus gently pulled him closer to her. She opened her coat a bit, hugging it around the boy and letting his head rest against one of her breasts.

“There,” She murmured. “You looked a little cold…~”

The scholar grunted and let out a sigh. “I fucking hate doing that…” he shuddered. “Always gives me a migraine.”

“Hmm… Well then, why don’t you rest easy for a little bit? The manor should be a fair distance away…~”

It was hard to argue with that logic, without opening his eyes the scholar simply took a deep breath and let out another long sigh. He imagined a trolley barreling down a set of tracks towards thousands of innocent people, with a switch at his hands to save them all at the cost of a single wicked life. The decision should be easy, the death of one to save others, but the weight of such a choice placed tremendous strain on the scholar's conscience. Who was he to make such a decision?

[Bubbles]

“Tell me…” he mused trying not to fall asleep, feeling the warmth of her body seeping through her dress. “What’s your endgame out of all of this?”


Luna chuckled softly.


“I don’t really have one, dear. I’m here because this is the most fun I’ve had in the year I’ve been here. Believe me when I say that centuries of boredom is worse than death.”



Vince nodded slightly, her words hitting a little close to home. He was now immortal, and while the idea of being without death and detached from time was still very foreign to him, it was a very real and ever present reality he would soon face.


“I guess so…” he mused, breathing softly as sleep tugged at the fringe of his consciousness, urging him to sleep. “Although right now it’s all child’s play…”


“I delight in the challenges to come. And… I delight in you being there to experience them all with me.”


The Succubus planted a soft kiss on his forehead.


“It’s nice to have a friend…~”


The scholar sat silent for a moment before he began to snore softly, leaving the succubus alone with her thoughts for the rest of the ride.


Finally, the carriage came to a halt in front of a large manor. It seemed fairly out of place in the city. They must’ve paid a literal fuck-ton to build it here… Luna looked down at the still sleeping Vincent. It seemed mean to wake such a little sleeping beauty. So, she carefully slipped off her coat and made him a fluffy bed of sorts before silently exiting the carriage.


And so her solo mission began.


The driver handed Luna her invitation and gestured to the front door where several men dressed in black armor stood guard at the front gate. Behind them, a man dressed in a bright teal silk suit grinned from ear to ear.


“Goodness! Another guest for the Lord of Flowers!” He cooed excitedly. “What a pretty little flower too! I’m sure my master will be pleased to see you…miss…” he looked down at the invitation in her hand. “What might your name be...Madame?”


Luna smiled in a mysterious and intriguing way. “Frost. Emma Frost…~” She knew full well where the name came from. She was sure Vince would get a kick out of it later.


“What a wonderful name!” The man exclaimed glancing at the men at his side. “Hugo, Thaddeus, why don’t you bring our guest to the festivities!” He giggled a little too excitedly as he reached into his pocket and pulled an emerald leaf from it, stuffing it into his mouth greedily.


The two armored men with faces obscured by large iron helmets stepped aside creating an opening for “Emma” silently, gesturing with iron clad arms.


‘Oi.’ A Voice called out in the succubus’ head. ‘I told you to wake me up…’


Luna slowly walked in with the escort, continuing to smile, replying to Vincent as she did so.


‘You looked so precious sleeping in my coat. Like a beautiful little boy! I didn’t have the heart to wake you, and you seemed so tired anyway~’


‘Probably because a certain someone wouldn’t let me sleep in peace on the ship with all that sexual tension…’ The scholar quipped. ‘Turn your head to the left please…’ He asked as Luna felt a strange sensation in her eyes, as if someone else was controlling her pupils. ‘I need to check out their security’


The succubus glanced to her left and watched as she passed a guard at every ten feet or so. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever before she found herself in a foyer of sorts. Twin helix staircases spiraled upwards to higher floors, and down into what seemed to be a basement.


“The main party is upstairs, with all of the nobility…” One of the guards murmured, his voice like gravel. “But if you’re interested in more than just idle chatter and wine...the Lord of Flowers has some special events going on down below.”


‘Oh, I’m sure there are…’
Luna thanked the guard. Now, should she go upstairs as to not seem so conspicuous, or should she go downstairs and get this over with as soon as possible? As interesting as the party upstairs might be, the less witnesses the better. So, the succubus began making her way down the winding staircase into the bowels of the manor.


‘Probably a good choice…’ The scholar mused in her mind as they descended. His own thoughts seemed to muddle in with hers for a moment, she could see the mental map of the manor Vincent was already building with amazing accuracy. Soon the sounds of “the special events” were beginning to echo up through the stairs. ‘Good Christ are they fucking or slaughtering pigs down here?’ Vincent asked once more, shuddering as he attempted to block out the noise.


Luna chuckled a bit. ‘You wouldn’t have survived a minute where I come from. This sounds like home.’ She continued down to the large, plain-looking wooden door. The moans and screams were fairly loud now. ‘Brace yourself, darling. You’re about to see the extent of human perversion~’ She gently opened the door.




The light in the room was warm. Expensive glass lanterns hung from the ceiling. Fine silk and satins seemed to litter the walls and the floor. Cushions and incense and varying shades of reds and pinks and purples flooded the succubus’s vision. It felt like a brothel… Until you noticed the cages in the darkest corner of the room. As strong as the incense was, it couldn’t fully mask the smell of the filth. There were chains on the walls in that corner, and many girls attached to them. One could only imagine what “games” awaited them in the next room… The moaning and slight screaming was very loud now. Her gaze shifted to the fat hog of a man that sat on the other side of the room. He was on a throne of pillows, of course, with a girl being forcibly bounced on his lap. Though she was putting in a valiant effort, it was quite obvious that she was in pain and not enjoying herself in the slightest.


‘Magnificent, isn’t it?~’ Luna thought sarcastically. The scholar’s thoughts melded into a seething mass of red anger, almost drowning out all noise. He’d known it was bad, but to see it “in person” was beyond description.


“Ah.” The Lord of Flowers grunted as he went about his business, as if the woman straddling him was something normal and to be expected. “Another guest to come join in my celebration of the natural desires of mankind?” He asked.


“Emma” looked around a little more, slowly walking over to the pillow throne. “You seem to be enjoying the festivities rather adamantly yourself, sir~” She said evenly.


The man grinned slightly as he climaxed and shoved the woman off his lap, growling at her. “Go and bring me another whore!” he roared. The young blonde woman held back a sob and scrambled out a nearby door. He turned to his guest and let out a chuckle. “I hope you enjoy the comfort of a woman my dear, I don’t keep men in my collection you see. I’m the Lord of Flowers, not the Lord of Sausage.”


She chuckled. The Succubus watched the girl scamper off to the cage and grab another one. This one looked considerably younger. And considerably unwilling… “I don’t suppose you come across these ‘flowers’ by chance?” She asked curiously.


“All of my Flowers have been bought from their masters fair and square…” The man grunted chewing on his lip in anticipation. He was already visibly ready to continue, a sight that would haunt Vincent for years to come. “I’m not the one who puts them in the chains, I just buy them afterwards and enjoy the fun.”


The closer the next girl got, the more visible her age became. She looked to be no older than 14... Say what you will about the morality of a demon, but even Luna, a Succubus, knew that this girl wasn’t ready for sexual encounters. She stopped the child.


“It can’t be very fun when all you do is stick it inside an untrained, inexperienced girl~” She said. She gave the Lord of Flowers a grin. “Surely you’d like someone who knows what they’re doing. It would be so much more fun~...”


‘Just call my name when this is over...or you need me in there ASAP.’ The scholar grunted mentally. ‘I have seen enough of this guy’s dick for a lifetime and the last thing I want to do is experience being fucked by it on your end…’


The Lord of Flowers cocked a bushy eyebrow at the prospect before him. He liked to play with his toys, to make them suffer whilst he had his fun. This woman however, was different. She was a new and shiny toy for him to play with, and he knew just what to do. He reached under his shirt and pulled out an amulet bearing a single tear shaped ruby and muttered softly into it. It began to glow, sending subliminal mental messages to the woman. Soon, by the work of the amulet, she would be putty in his hands for him to play with as he pleased…


Hmmmm…. A lovely little jewel indeed…. So many colors… For about half a second, Luna felt compelled to do everything and anything the man wanted. But, unfortunately for him, her mind was much stronger than that of a normal person’s. His little magic stone had no effect on her. But he didn’t need to know that, did he?~


So, the succubus allowed herself to look dazed and hypnotized. She stood perfectly still for a moment or two. “...Shall we play?~” She said distantly.


“We shall.” He beckoned her forward with his free hand, absently wondering what to have her do first. It wasn’t this often he got to play with such a high quality toy. “Disrobe my sweet silver rose, let me gaze upon you as the gods meant a man to see a woman.”


Slowly, Luna removed her garments, setting them aside on the floor next to her. What the Lord of Flowers could see could only be described as perfection as she made her way toward him. She stood in front of him, fully exposed to his eyes.


“Come my dear and join me on my throne.” He said gesturing towards his manhood. “And I will show you what heaven feels like…” It took a great amount of effort to keep her face straight and stifle a laugh at the same time. She got down on her hands knees and started crawling up to him. She stopped as she got onto his lap. She was so close she could smell the wine on his breath.


“Good girl…” He whispered as he pulled her closer to him, closing the gap between her heavenly body and the rolls of fat that clung to his body like drooping sacks. She grunted a tiny bit as her skin slapped against his chest from the force of him pulling her in. She maintained eye contact with him at all times, making sure he was as lost in her gaze as she was supposed to be lost to his amulet.


His mind began to cloud as the succubus worked her sinister magic, his eyes began to droop for a moment as he attempted to press his lips against hers, pulling her up to prepare to thrust inside her.


Luna pressed her lips tightly against his while she slid down onto him. Oh, this was atrocious. He had no foreplay skills whatsoever! Talk about a let-down. She slowly started moving her hips on him. However…. Something would begin to change about her. The Lord of Flowers would begin to feel as if he was trapped in her gaze. His being would begin to feel as if it was somehow being siphoned out, like someone putting a vacuum to him.


The succubus’s eyes started glowing unnaturally in a bright shade of fuchsia. He flailed and tried to move her off. But he was growing far too weak for such toilsome motion, and she was far too powerful to remove. He screamed into her mouth helplessly. Before their very eyes, the girls that were imprisoned would see the woman’s hair shift into a bright rose red as horns, wings and a tail became visible on her form. Within a matter of 10 minutes, Luna stopped. As she climbed off of him, a lifeless old husk would be all that remained of him.