Arc 1-Session 4-Doujin 2 - Shade

Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 7:30 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 7:32 PM
You done fucked up haven't you? I mean, accepting a contract to take out one of Pinnacle's super teams wasn't a great idea in the first place, but it turns out, when you tried to take down that Orc paladin by her lonesome...she was on a date. ....with the goddess of your profession. So. That's not fun. What's even less fun was getting strangled by your own shadow, knocked out, and ending up in a windowless room somewhere, with only a light for company. What's significantly less fun than that is waking up, naked, in said room, the goddess of your profession staring down at you, giving a smile which you're 99% sure isn't healthy or sane.
"hi! you're up!"
Bear in mind, you were unaware she was the goddess of your profession until you actually got a good look at her and knew. Which was probably rather weird. Like meeting the President in a diner. Sure, great, he's here. But you want your waffles.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:06 PM
Windowless room. Door in the room? Possibly no door, or a boarded-over door. Well. This is... awkward.
Sure, this is a natural side effect of the profession. You end up in jail. Sometimes for quite a while. So you keep training while you're behind bars and you wait for either a breakout attempt from your old crew (if they really care about you that much, or at least respect your talents) or one of those crossover events where they have to let the villain-ish people out to fight the horrifyingly deadly thing. (Every world with superheroes and a functioning government thinks they're being clever whenever they invent Task Force X. Spoiler alert: They are not.)
So, Jason "Striker" (well, let's hope he doesn't get confused with the other Strike in the building), Cryosphere-resident mercenary, leans forward in the chair a little. This is the first time he's been in a superhero base rather than being held for the police. Thaaaat is usually a really, really bad sign.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:09 PM
"first kill at nineteen! that's really impressive. did you mean to land the car on the target or was it just luck?" The girl before you, smiling like a loon, looking at you with those purple eyes of hers.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:12 PM
Mind reading supers always suck. And judging by who this one is, the usual old reliable tactic of thinking 'My Heart Will Go On' will only cause Jason pain. "Luck." It wasn't, but, uh, anything I say can and will be used against me. She's not a cop, she doesn't have to read me any rights.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:12 PM
"was not!"
"....you were totally planning for him to walk out just then. you studied his movements for weeks!"
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:13 PM
"I have OCD!"
I do!
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:13 PM
"you're very good at your job."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:13 PM
It's a crippling condition for someone in my line of work!
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:15 PM
Obviously not. You've been more than successful. Until now, really. You finally got caught.
"but um...look, the fact is, you're fucked. you tried to kill my girlfriend."
"i have no problem gutting you right here. but since you're here, and at my mercy, you can live. if you swear to worship me." ...that may be a "wut" for you.
It may not be!
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:18 PM
"...What?" Eyebrow raise. Okay! This person is... well..
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:18 PM
"no. you swear to worship me, and you're free to go."
"like, right now."
"i swear to worship you shade."
"you don't even have to do anything other than that. then i let you go."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:19 PM
"...Just like that? Um, sure?"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:19 PM
"okay, so, you need to say it."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:20 PM
"Iiiiiii..."
This is bizarre and freaky and I am really hoping this is just one of those insane supers.
"I swear to worship you?"
"Shade?" ... Just in case adding the word was necessary.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:29 PM
(Sorry! Back!)
(Well, less back and more...undistractedish!
Well...
So.
Good news is.
You're back in your apartment.
Still tied to the chair.
Well, the AirBnB you were using for this job. The bad news is you can feel something...like a vauge awareness of Shade.
Of that she's in the room with you.
"ta-dah!"
Oh. She's right behind you.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:32 PM
... So she is. "... Um." This is awkward! I start trying to stretch out of the chair. I might have to break it. You know, the standard stuff you do when you're tied to a chair in a place that you feel more control over.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:33 PM
"...um" is what comes out.
Your voice is much quieter.
And uh...you can totally break out of the chair. I mean, you're still naked but...
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:35 PM
"waugh!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:35 PM
"yep!"
"that's the first part that changes."
"not the last part for you, but the first part!"
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:40 PM
"the first part?" ... I try to say 'first' really loudly. It. It doesn't work. "you said i only had to swear to you and you'd let me go! this isn't fair!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:41 PM
"you'd be free to go. and you are free to go."
"you can go now."
"but you're still going to be one of my assassins."
"and uh, since you're a villian i'm making a few changes?"
"since you're technically one of my priestesses now!"
...she means priest, right?
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:47 PM
"priestess?" I try to say 'ess' really loudly. "hey! how do i emphasize things?"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:49 PM
"like this"
"try and say my name."
"shade or shrouded maiden or anything like that."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:55 PM
"like Shade? hey! that's not fair! how come you're the only thing i can say loud? that's really not fair!" ... I don't wanna say it out loud. It'd give her satisfaction!
"baaaaah!" I try to emphasize something like this, but I can't figure out how! Being supernaturally quiet is weird. "you didn't say it would change me! that wasn't part of the deal!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:57 PM
"no? i didn't say that at all. i said that you had to say that you'd worship me and nothing else and i'd let you go."
"so, you did, and i did."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 8:58 PM
"you certainly didn't imply any of this was going to happen! i want a lawyer!" Okay, now I'm saying that? "a good one! fae! from avalon!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 8:58 PM
"i told you i was a goddess of assassins."
"several times."
'you didn't listen. what did you think agreeing to serve me was going to do?"
"you're a supervillian here. you should know better."
"or, were."
"now you're my newest assassin-priestess."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:01 PM
"... i thought it was just a weird dominance thing! lots of capes have really weird sex hangups! i certainly never would have agreed to this! and why do you keep saying priestess? i mean, there's a pretty obvious problem with that!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:02 PM
So, is your voice higher? I mean, it's softer. But it's definitely higher too. "yeah, uh..."
"it won't be. for long."
"i have priests too. but girls are cuter and since you'd not like it and i'm still angry at you for hurting kaelis..." ....you feel...oddly guilty about that? "you're going to be a girl."
You certainly haven't felt remorse before really, have you?
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:06 PM
Of course not!
Remorse is a huge liability in this line of work.
I mean, it's more lethal than cigarettes.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:06 PM
Yep!
....
But it's not even one of the ones that...
You should feel bad about
Killing an orc paladin...
But you feel bad about that.
And you can't...I mean, you're trying not to, probably, aren't you?
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:07 PM
Sort of! I mean, emotions are always a bitch and a half and you can't control them. "stop it! you're doing some mind-whammy on me aren't you? i don't feel bad about shooting her! i don't!"
... She's fine now, by the way. Didn't even have to be hospitalized. Was mostly pissed that the date ended.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:09 PM
And now you're lying to god.
....
Which makes you feel even worse somehow.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHY!
UGH
STUPID SHADE!
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:11 PM
"uuuuugh! it hurts!" ... I don't mind, or even really notice physical pain at this point. "it huuuuurts Goddess!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:11 PM
"...you should apologize? but it really only hurts cause you've been so mean."
"and you're feeling how mean youv'e been to people who haven't deserved it."
A moment. "...well, not everyone didn't deserve it..."
You...did...you did kill a few villians, didn't you?
You...you're finding those memories in your head, and they feel...
Well, they're nice, like a refuge for you.
From the horrors you've visited on the innocent which you're FEELING SO BAD ABOUT NOW!
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:18 PM
"hhhh...." I... I try to stay in those thoughts... shivering... scared, cold, alone, and weak....
"m-make the pain stop, please..."
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:19 PM
Shade pats your head. "apologize."
"apologize and promise to be better."
"apologize and promise to make things right."
"swear that you will."
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:21 PM
"i'm sooooorrrry!" ... am I sorry? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that I'm scared. Really, really scared. "please don't! w-will you stop scaring me if i do?"
"i won't hurt people!" Well... that's not what Shade's asking for...
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:24 PM
"i'm not doing anything!"
"and...uh, that's not the issue, you hurt good people, not people trying to hurt others..." you...you do feel how good those memories of killing evil felt.
How nice it was, delivering...was it justice?
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:24 PM
"but you are! you're turning me into something that... feels... feels bad about things! i don't like feeling bad about things!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:24 PM
...You're not sure. But it feels like it now...
"but You are! You're turning me into something that....feels...feels bad about things! i don't like feeling bad about things!"
"well, it is sort of my fault that you've suddenly grown a conscience so..."
"sorry?"
"i mean, it's for a good cause." ....
So. You clearly don't like thinking that it's a good thing she stopped you being evil.
But it's a thought that's faintly slipping into your mind, unbidden.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:31 PM
"waaaah... i have a conscience now. these suck. You suck!" ... that sounds as forceful as I want it to, but... I can't really bring myself to mean it. I'm just... trying to be mean to my new Goddess. Intimidating her into letting me go.
"You shouldn't do this! You should... should... should..." ... I can't say what she should do instead. Because I know she should have done it. And it was for a very good cause.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:31 PM
So. Your voice is cute and female now. Even though your body is still male. But you feel...weird.
Your shadow feels weird.
You feel....
mmmmf.
Like falling into your shadow?
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:33 PM
I do! Like... I'm having to focus really hard to keep myself... from doing it. From falling down.
Like there's a tugging.
Constantly in my head.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:33 PM
You feel her in your shadow. "do you want a hug jaysa?" ....you do want a hug, don't you?
You REALLY want a hug.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:35 PM
... I don't say yes, because... it makes me seem so weak, to be someone who... who wants affection of any sort.
... but I don't say no, because lying to Goddess feels so wrong... so I just sit there... scared of myself.
Of my own shadow.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:37 PM
"you're not weak if you hug me. being kind makes me strong and it makes you strong too." Her voice is so tender, sweet. She cares for you.
YOu can tell.
She just wants you to be good.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:40 PM
"...yes..." I sniffle a little. "yes, Goddess..."
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:41 PM
....
So
You're hugging your goddess.
In your shadow.
Of your body, still standing there. It's your body, but it's not really your body.
"jaysa, you're really cute!" So, you can sort of see yourself. A cute wraith-let, a lot like your Goddess, though with dark brown hair and pretty orange eyes. You've got features that make you look like your daughter, if you had one. And a bit of Shade thrown in too.
And your...uh, old body, is still there. Unchanged.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:45 PM
"...what happened Goddess?" ... I'm totally confused. "is this something else You didn't tell me?"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:49 PM
"um, i think you might be a spy?" A fidget. "i sort of um...think i made your shadow your soul and your body is something you can possess and ride and have it do things."
"like spy on people."
"but if you don't want, um, we can just have you eat it and you can be a fully solid priestess who can turn into shadow."
"....i'm happy either way."
"cause yo'ure a good person jaysa." ....
D-Does that make you feel...I mean...she said you were a good person so...
And she's hugging you and...
Well, it feels good.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:56 PM
... It does.
... I'm already forgetting who Jason was, wasn't I? I mean...
It's really hard to remember. It's so... bright? Yeah, bright. Like I have to squint my eyes if I want to remember.
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 9:57 PM
You do. You...you can feel your body sinking into it's shadow, giving you substance as you emerge from the darkness with your Goddess, held in her arms. You're shorter than her.
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 9:59 PM
"... i'm short." ... I want to pout. Something tells me I should pout. But then... "i'm short?" Why... why was I sad about that? "i'm short!"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 10:00 PM
You are!
You...
You're short.
You were tall.
The human you were was tall, that is.
It's not like you don't know you were him before. And you can call upon his memories, but it's like reading a book which you haven't really cared to remember that much.
The skills? They're sharper than they've ever been.
But...
Memories are fading, darker and darker, hazier and hazier.
"you are! and very cute! <3"
"...do you want to go to your room jaysa?"
Kyoko - Last Wednesday at 10:07 PM
"... i have a room?"
"where is it?"
Hoshi - Last Wednesday at 10:12 PM
"um...." and then Jaysa is in...well, it's actually a really nice room. Like a dorm. About ten by fifteen. There's a bed. There's a desk. There's a bathroom and closet and small kitchen. There's a TV and a few other amenities. "ta-dah?"
"this is um, the priestess dorms."
"kintara is the high priestess. she'll help you get settled in."