"Oh, man! It's been sssoooooo loooonnnnggg since we've been together girls~!"

"Not now Poseidon. This is all business. Where's the Fallen?"

"I'm right here. Surprised you would even invite me to this little get together. You must be really desperate."

"Or, everyone here has finally come around to our way of thinking. Finally tired of being 'neutral' girls?"

"That's not what this is about. Tell me, how much have either of you seen of the newcomer?"

"Not much. I've been busy with Pandemonium. Fullmoon has recently joined us, which has led to a large increase in our adherents. While the woman may be primarily focused on that Elt boy, she's rather good at converting others to our way of thinking."

"And I've been busy watching over the seas. Though...the Abyssal creatures did start acting strange earlier this year. They kept talking about how 'family' has come by for a visit."

"...OK. You heard that, right? Eros? Hel?"

"Yes, I heard Ares."

"That makes way too much sense."

"What? Do you all know what they mean?"

"Here, give me a minute and I'll show the both of you."

...

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?"

"That's what we all said."

"How am I only JUST NOW learning about this?! One of the Abyssal creatures managed to get out of the sea?"

"I don't think she's an Abyssal One, Poseidon. She doesn't act like them at all. And you saw her meeting with the Shoggoth. They're only tangentially related. And even if they weren't, I don't think any of the Abyssal creatures you deal with could destroy a Demon Realm by merely existing within its general area!"

"I'm surprised that's what the two of you were focusing on and not the male Monster."

"Oh, the male monster isn't that bad."

"Yeah. If he proves to be a problem, one trip to Pandemonium will fix him right up."

"Huh. Well, either way, I called the both of you here because I've got a plan. Fighting this woman won't help us. The best chance we've got is to approach her diplomatically."

"The Goddess Of War deciding to take the diplomatic route? I'd make a snide remark but based on what you've shown us, this woman IS that much of a problem."

"What's she doing right now anyway?"

"Not sure. Hel, Eros, get over here! We're gonna look at the monster to see what she's up to."

"I'm coming. The Ochimusha has separated from her, and I'm already working on making contact with him."

"I'm only coming over to be with you all. We hardly see each other anymore. And even though it's that horrid monster bringing us together again, I'll still enjoy it."

"Awww, thanks Eros!"

"Welcome, Posei!"

"Focus you two. Now, Fallen, Poseidon, get ready. You're gonna see someone who looks like absolute terror made manifest. Lets see...ah. Here she is. In her home. Lets see..."

...

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"When did she change her clothes!?"

"Why does she have a Living Doll in her arms?!"

"This is the person who you all are worried about?!"

"Where was she hiding those tits!?"

...

"What?"

"Seriously? Ares?"

"Oh, don't give me that shit! You look at those things! Look at them! I can understand using binding to keep them out of the way. I'm the Goddess of Fighting for my own sake. Warrior women do that all the time. But we've all seen her when she's fighting and in her normal attire! You can't even tell she has tits! But now?! Those things are bigger than a Demon's! There's not enough binding in the world to hide those things that well!"

"Maybe it's a part of her nature as a cousin of the Abyssal ones? She can come back from being atomized. Wouldn't shock me if she's able to change her body."

"But then...why make herself look like that?"

"It's a sign!"

"What?"

"It's a sign girls! Don't you get it!? She's not fighting us anymore. Having children to care for has finally made her realize she can't keep fighting and killing everyday. She needs to stay home with her children and get them a father. Thus why she looks like that. She wants to look like a mother and attract someone who will love her!"

"...You sure about that, Eros?"

"Of course! Look at how she's taking the Living Doll into her room. There's no way she doesn't know that it's a Mamono. But rather than attack it, she's bringing it into her bedroom. Likely planning to clean it up and get it ready for her daught-"

"She's punching the Living Doll."

"Oh me damn it!"

----------------------------------------

Matilda had not been born in the traditional sense.

Her creator originally made her in response to the death of his daughter. With painstaking work, he put his all into recreating her from paintings and memory. Everything about her, from her azure hair to her sharp jawline, was made specifically to emulate a dead girl. To fill the hole in her creator's heart that had been left by his daughter's passing.

Is it any wonder that it didn't work? That the moment he finished her, he immediately became disgusted with himself? That he threw her into a rocky ditch within a no-name valley not a day later?

And, with such harsh treatment, is it any wonder that she became a Living Doll three days later?

It didn't take long for her to be found by a young Witch, who took her to a local "Black Mass". There she learned of the Sabbath and the joys of bringing love to human men. Though she hadn't managed to find an "Oni-chan" of her own, she enjoyed simply being around so much love. Love that she had never received from her own creator. She didn't know where he was at this point but she didn't mind. She was sure fate would bring the two of them together again sooner or later. Until that day, she would help the Kuroferuru Faction of the Sabbath spread their love of little girls across the land.

After the Lady Lilim captured Lescatie, she had mostly remained stationary. Wandering the newly created Demon Realm and watching as other Mamono found husbands for themselves. Seeing the love spread among a populace that was so sorely missing it was enough to make her heart soar...even if she couldn't partake in it. She contented herself with simply watching as others found their own happiness, while she waited for her's. For her's Destiny was still to eventually lay with her creator. Wherever he may reside.

Which was likely one of the reasons she was chosen to corrupt the dreaded Hunter's child. She had no husband of her own to tie her to the city, and she could easily get in and out of Pran with the Hunter's children before anyone noticed. Of course, Matilda had her worries. The stories she had heard of the Hunter's extremely brutal nature had reached her ears. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't the least bit scared of her.

But...well...the White Lilim is extremely persuasive.

And besides, her objective wouldn't be the Hunter herself. It would be her children. The Black Goat would teleport her next to the boy and girl when the Hunter was away from them. From there she would use her magical attraction to get both of them in her clutches. She'd reveal herself to them, get them to trust her, then convince them to secret her away from the Hunter. Then while the Hunter's back was turned, she'd begin teaching the children the way of the Sabbath.

That was her plan.

But that plan didn't account for the boy. While she did manage to get the daughter's attention, the son managed to break out of her control. Which just so happened to give the Hunter enough time to return after getting her new dress.

The moment Matilda laid eyes on the Hunter, she immediately regretted ever taking this mission. Even though the red haired woman had her gloves on, she could still feel the absolute emptiness that resided within her. Through this she began to truly understand why she wasn't being sent to transform this woman.

Because the stories were true.

This woman was totally immune to monsterization.

And now, she was forced to reside in her house until she could find a chance to escape.

At first, she didn't think this would be that bad. The Hunter didn't seem to realize she was a Mamono. When her daughter, Gloria, asked to keep Matilda she didn't seem to be angry or suspicious. She simply said yes, took her into her arms, said something to the tailor, paid for the clothes, then headed home with her children. She greeted the young man (who Matilda could tell was attracted to the Hunter), then told Gloria she would clean Matilda in her room.

The Mamono thought she was safe.

This was proven false when the Hunter got to her room and said five words that made her blood run cold.

"I know what you are."

Before Matilda could react, she was tossed onto the Hunter's bed. She came to life and scrambled to her feet. Diving to floor and she tried to run to the exit, but was soon caught by the now gloveless Hunter's hand.

"Did you honestly believe you could fool me? A strange doll appearing out of nowhere, right in front of my children while I am busy, and one that the tailor does not recognize?" came the woman's cold voice. Matilda struggled in her grasp, hands trying to reach up and get the Hunter's hands off her to no avail. She was turned around and forced to look the Huntress in her furious black eyes.

"Normally," she began, "I would simply ask you what you are doing here? Then, depending on your answer, I would determine what I would do with you. However, you decided to go after my children. Thus..."

The Huntress adjusted her grip on the Living Doll. Then she tossed her up into the air. As the doll screamed in terror, Selina counted down the seconds until it was in range. The moment it was she threw a right jab up at the Mamono. The monster bounced off her fist and flew back into the air. The Huntress then threw a left jab at it.

Then another right.

Then another left.

Then she kept throwing them up at the Mamono, increasing her pace with each and every strike. Her clothes offered no hindrance as she proceeded to wail on the still airborne Mamono. Each blow siphoned Mana from the Living Doll, which only added on to its pain as its body began to break under the assault. Cracks started to appear along her arms, legs, and face. Her body creaked with each and every punch that landed.

For six minutes, Matilda knew nothing but pain the likes of which she could never imagine.

Then the Huntress finally ended the assault by grabbing the airborne Mamono by the head. Not willing to give her any reprieve, she slammed the Living Doll into the floor of her room. The resounding crack echoed through her room while pieces of porcelain fell across the floor. Only when the Living Doll's body flopped onto the floor did the Huntress pull its face up. Cracks spread along its entire face. One of its eyes was missing, while the remaining one had tears flowing from it. Its mouth was quivering and kept bending upwards as pain spiked through its body.

"Now that I have made your mistake clear to you, you are to remain right here. I am going to go get someone to meet you. If you attempt to leave, or try to call for anyone before I get back, then I will hunt you down. And when I find you, I will make this feel like a relaxing massage. Understood?"

Selina's tone brokered no argument.

And Matilda had all the defiance punched out of her two minutes ago.

----------------------------------------

When the Huntress arrived in the Dream she found Eve laying down on the wall next to the stairs to the Workshop. The Doll, despite likely not having the internal structure to do so, seemed to be gently snoring under the dull light of the Dream. Numerous Messengers milled around her feet. Most were either lightly grabbing at her dress or tossing around copies of Hunter weapons. The moment they saw the Huntress, however, they dropped everything and begin to groan a happy greeting to her.

Idly wondering where they kept all those weapons, the Huntress walked over to Eve's position. Selina stood there for a few moments, simply enjoying the sight of her friend's peacefully sleeping face. Then she stepped forward and gently shook the Doll awake. Eve stirred, her bleary eyes slowly opening. As she straightened herself she spoke, "Oh. Forgive me, Good Hunter. I seem to have dozed off."

"It's alright, Eve," Selina smiled at her friend. But that smile turned into a thoughtful frown. She placed a hand on her chin while observing Eve, "Now that I think about it, what is it like when you sleep, Eve? Do you have actual dreams?"

"When I was first created, no," Eve shook her head, a sad expression coming over her face. But it was quickly replaced by one of calm happiness. A hand went to the ornament in her hair, "But when you gave me this...something changed. I believe I began to...to dream in a sense. Though I am unsure if its is correct to call them that."

"Well, what do you usually see?"

Eve closed her eyes and hummed to herself, "I see you, Good Hunter. Sitting atop a hill, watching the sun rise in the distance. Then you stand and walk towards the horizon."

"OK. Then what?"

Eve shook her head, "That is all I see, Good Hunter. No more."

Selina nodded as the Doll opened her eyes. Eve looked at the Huntress then tilted her head, "Those clothes...they are not made for a Hunter."

Selina looked down at her dress. She pulled at her skirt with a frown on her face, "Yes. I purchased this outfit from a tailor in the Waking World. It is...well I have been told by my children that it is pretty. But...I'm not sure."

"Then you do not like it, Good Hunter?"

"Oh, no. I do enjoy it. The color palette is particularly enjoyable. And not a single part of it feels too tight on me. It's just...it...," Selina let her skirt fall with a sigh. She shook her head then waved a hand at her new outfit, "It just doesn't feel right. The clothing is sensible, surprising considering this world, but I can't shake this feeling of...wrongness. I'm more comfortable in my boots than slippers, a particularly sharp pin could pierce through any part of my outfit, and though it is modest, I feel a bit too much effort was put into making sure eyes were drawn to my chest."

Her shoulders slumped forward a bit at the admission. Seeing her friend's distress, Eve put her hands together and gave the Huntress a small smile, "Well, I think they look wonderful on you, Selina."

The Huntress straightened up. Smiling she stepped forward and hugged the Doll, "Thank you, Eve."

Eve returned the hug, patting the Huntress on the back with her jointed hands. The two remained like that for what felt like seconds to them. Then Selina stepped back, her happy expression disappearing, "However, I'm afraid I didn't simply come here to get your opinion on my new attire. There is a matter I wish to speak to you about."

"Oh? What is it, Good Hunter? Do you wish to improve yourself once more?" Eve questioned.

"Not that," Selina looked away from her friend, unsure how to broach the subject. She rubbed the back of her head while saying, "Do you remember when we talked about you entering the Waking World?"

At Eve's nod the Huntress held out a hand, "Well...I may have a found a way to make that happen while allowing you to interact with others. But...well...you'll have to see for yourself."

----------------------------------------

Matilda hadn't called out for help nor tried to escape from the Huntress' room. Normally, her body would be repairing itself. A part of her nature as a Living Doll, no matter how badly she was shattered, tossed around, or thrown away, she would always return to her husband in pristine condition. It was to ensure that she would never be apart from her husband when she eventually found him. They would be together, forever and ever.

But her body hadn't healed.

Her eye was still missing, the cracks along her form had remained, and she could feel more pieces of her body falling off by the second. She knew that, even if she managed to escape, she didn't have long left to live. She had lost too much Mana to that...that...monster's assault. She doubted she could even make it to a quiet corner to ask for the Black Goat to help her. Least, not without the Hunter immediately coming after her again.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Thus why she remained on the floor of the Huntress' room. She curled into a fetal position as she felt a numbness within her chest. It started at her heart and slowly began to spread across the rest of her body. As it did, she could only think of one thing. The only thing she regretted in her life. And though it was a simple desire, it was strong enough to make her rapidly approaching end a thousand times worse:

That she had never known true love.

She would die here. Alone, cold, sad, and having never known her creator. Having never met him ever since he first threw her out. Unable to tell him she forgave him. Unable to tell him she loved him. Unable to give him the love she knew he desperately wanted.

She would never know him. Never feel his arms hold her close. Never feel his warmth enter her as they made love. Never see his smiling face as she helped him forget the troubles of the world.

It would all end here.

"Oh. You poor little one."

Matilda, single eye opening as the numbness reached her neck, dared to look up. That wasn't the voice of the Hunter. It was too calm and kind. But it was too mature to be Gloria's. Then...who...

...

How is this possible?

Matilda felt the numbness in her body recede. Mouth agape in awe she pushed herself to her elbows. Her eyes were completely locked on the being standing over her. Her single eye focused on the newcomer's face and the deep well of pity she could see within her eyes. Despite her injuries the Living Doll managed to get to both her knees, her closeness to death forgotten in the face of what she saw.

She knew what the woman in front of her was.

She was a Doll. A Living Doll. Just like her.

But...but she was different.

She was a grown woman, didn't have any features that would identify her as a Mamono, stood as tall as the Hunter, and her body wasn't made to please men. Oh, she was made to be a companion. Matilda could see that plain as day. But it was also clear that not a single part of her was created for love making. Even from her position on the floor, Matilda could see that her skin wasn't soft enough for a hand-job nor made for someone to rub and grab onto.

Yet...yet...why?

Why was she filled with so much love?

Matilda could feel it. A never-ending well of love deep within the Doll's core. It filled the strange creature's being from head to toe. There was so much that it seeped out of the Doll's body and bled out into the room. It had a light blue tint to it, and seemed to flow like the ocean's waves within the Doll's body.

But that's not what confused Matilda. She knew how powerful love was. That the single emotion could move mountains and make the impossible possible. One only had to look at the current Demon Lord to see the truth of that claim.

No.

What confused Matilda was the type of love within the Strange Doll.

From the moment she was created, she had always believed that there was only one kind of love in the world: Sexual. That any romantic or affectionate feelings one had for another would eventually lead to a sexual relationship. There were no exceptions to this. And this love had been proven time and again to be the most powerful force in the world. It was through this power that many Mamono evolved into their subspecies, gave their husbands effective immortality, and managed to defy the world itself at every turn.

Yet right in front of her was something that disproved that entire notion.

For the Doll that stood over her was filled with love that wasn't sexual in the slightest.

But it was the purest, most powerful thing that Matilda had ever seen in her life.

And all she could do in the face of it was weep.

From her mouth came a loud, pained cry that echoed through the room. She cried, both at the beauty of such a potent source of pure love and at how she would never experience anything like it herself. For this is where her life would end. While the numbness had abated, she could feel it just waiting for her to drop her guard. Waiting to spread through her body and suck her into death's embrace once more. So potent were her awe and despair, that she didn't even notice the Hunter standing off to her left side.

Her crying continued...until a single, unnaturally warm hand cupped her right cheek. Matilda went silent as she looked into the shining eyes of the Doll. The strange creature looked at her with kindness and sorrow. She spoke in a soothing tone that calmed Matilda's heart, "Oh, poor little one. Tell me, what are you called?"

"Ma-Matilda," the Mamono said, her voice sounding far away to her own ears.

"Matilda. A wonderful name. I am known as Eve. Tell me, why do you weep? What trouble has grabbed hold of your heart?"

Matilda's breaths were labored but she managed to speak clearly, "I'm going to die."

Eve brought her other hand up to cup Matilda's other cheek. She nodded to the Mamono, "That is true. But I can tell it is not what makes you cry out like this. What is it that, truly, brings you such heartache?"

"That...that...that I won't know true love. I...I never had a husband. I never found my creator. I won't ever see or feel what it means to love and be loved in turn. That is the ultimate fear of we Mamono. That we will die without ever knowing that wondrous feeling," Matilda's wails came once more, but they were far weaker now. Her arms and legs had given out in the middle of her sentence. The only thing keeping her up was Eve's gentle grip on her cheeks.

The Plain Doll allowed her counterpart to cry for a few minutes. When her tears began to slow, Eve said, "I see. While I do not know the love you speak of, I do know a type of love. One that is the reason for my very existence. Would you like know it, too?"

Matilda's eyes widened in awe and shock. But she didn't hesitate to answer, "Yes! Yes! Please! Let me know what something so pure feels like! Before I leave this world."

Eve nodded. Her hands moved to Matilda's shoulders. She pulled the Living Doll towards her, until the Mamono's full body was pressed against her chest. Like a mother soothing a crying child, the Doll began to rock Matilda in her arms as she spoke, "Here. Stay close to me. And listen. Do you hear it? The impossibility that was made possible by someone very, very dear to me."

Matilda could only nod as the sound resonated within her ear.

A heartbeat.

Within a chest made of porcelain, where neither veins nor arteries resided, where there was no need for a proper blood flow, was a living, beating heart.

"This love...it is...it is so beautiful," Matilda's face was locked in a permanent smile. She could feel the power as it washed over her being. It flowed into the cracks of her body even as the numbness spread to her soul.

But she didn't mind. She had stopped her thrashing. Her wails had quieted.

Her soul was at peace.

And when it finally departed her body, something else was left in its place.

For, within the Selina's room on that afternoon, Matilda the Living Doll Mamono, died.

And Matilda, the Assistant of the Plain Doll, took her first breath.

----------------------------------------

Late Afternoon

"And what am I to do if I discover something interesting?"

The Guard Captain patted the saddlebags on the back of Koga's horse, "Well it depends. If it's a landmark, resource site, something we should take note of for the battle, or something we could use in the battle, then mark it down on the map in your saddlebags here. I put some charcoal in there too if you need it."

He stepped away from the horse, arms crossed with he back to Pran's open southern gate, "If you find other people then it depends. If they're friendly or aren't trying to kill you right off the bat? Try to see if you can get any assistantance sent our way. Even a caravan of food would be good."

Koga nodded while pulling at the reigns to his horse. It was a dappled gray stallion right out of the Guard's own stables. It had taken half an hour to get it to let Koga mount its saddle. And even now the Ochimusha could feel its body shaking beneath him. He made sure to take note of that before turning to Felix, "And if they are not as friendly as you suspect?"

"Then I leave it up to your judgment," Felix shrugged, "Do whatever you think is best."

"Does that extend to encountering Mamono?"

Felix nodded to the monster. Koga returned it before turning his body towards the land beyond Pran. In front of him was a long expanse of hill covered grasslands that bordered a deep forest area. He couldn't see farther than that, but already had his destination in mind. He adjusted his grip on the reigns then spoke, "Then I bid you farewell, Guard Captain. I shall return with good tidings."

If Felix replied, Koga didn't hear it. He had already snapped the reigns and started riding off into the horizon. He drove his horse at a quick but calm trot. No point in tiring it out at the beginning of their journey. It would need all the strength it could muster for the flights ahead.

For the sun would soon rise upon the next day.

And then he would only have all of tomorrow and the next day before the Good Hunter made ready to act against the White Lilim.

He tightened his grip on the reigns at the thought of her going without him. But he didn't let it convince him to drive the horse forward.

"...You will need a name," Koga turned his gaze to his steed, "one fitting for the steed of a warrior."

The horse snorted and shook its head.

"...I think I shall call you Nobu. It means trust in my homeland. To signify how we must trust each other, if we are to return in one piece."

The horse snorted again.

"I'm glad you like it," Koga grinned while looking down at Nobu. The equine shook its head again while kicking at a nearby rock.

Koga chuckled...but soon went silent as a new sound came to his ears. The sound of hoof-beats that weren't Nobu's.

And they were coming from behind him.

Sighing, he turned around and spotted the form of Akuri approaching on the back of a light brown horse of her. She pulled the equine to a stop at his right, her eyes focused on him, "I'm coming with you."

"Why? Do you believe I am unable to handle myself?" Koga narrowed his eyes at the kuniochi.

"No...I...I merely wished to...accompany you. I can help watch for threats you may not see coming," she said quickly. Too quickly to not be made up on the spot.

Koga stared the Mamono down, barely keeping his lips from curling into a frown. He took three deep breaths and let each out in a sigh to calm himself. Then he spoke in an exasperated tone, "I would ask more, but I feel like nothing I say would convince you to leave. Would it?"

Akuri didn't answer him.

He shook his head then looked up, "Fine. But understand this. If you so much as try to touch me, in any way, shape, or form? Your life is forfeit. Now come, we ride to find a river. Let's go, Nobu."

Koga's horse whinnied as it began to trot towards the forest. Akuri remained rooted to her spot for a moment. Then she shook her head and looked down at her own horse, "Lets follow them, Mimi."

Her mare nickered while one of its hooves pawed at the ground. Akuri shook her head, "I know. I know he doesn't feel the same. I...I can feel his disdain for me...but...but I can't help it. I want to be with him. Even if it hurts."

Mimi snorted before beginning to trot after Koga's horse. After a few moments, she let out a whinny that made Akuri's face go crimson. The kuniochi shook her head, "No, I do not wish to know what you think of his steed's hindquarters!"

----------------------------------------

"Nick? Is everything alright?"

Nick nearly jumped out of the chair he sat in at the sound of Cynthia's voice. He turned towards the woman sitting across from him...and immediately averted his gaze when he felt his heart start beating rapidly.

The two of them were in the living room. Horace and Gloria were apparently upstairs doing...something. Cynthia didn't elaborate when Nick asked her where they were. She only said that they were, "Greeting their new caretakers." Nick could guess what that meant, but he did wonder how Cynthia was able to hire new caretakers and get them in the house without him seeing them. Then again, she was pretty mysterious when he thought about it. He wouldn't be surprised if she had a bunch of secret passages built into the manor.

But that wasn't what the two of them were in the living room for. They were here so Nick could finally talk to Cynthia about his true intentions.

...At least, that was the plan.

But, for whatever reason, Nick's hormones decided to go into overdrive at the sight of Cynthia in her new dress. He didn't even understand it. He had seen her plenty of times before, and never once did he ever feel any bit of attraction to her. Even after she save Maggie and him from those Mamono. He respected her for that, sure, but never felt anything romantic.

Yet now, he couldn't help but feel like a kid going through puberty when they're around their childhood crush. Just being in the room with her made his stomach feel like it was tied up in knots. And that's when he wasn't looking at her. When he was?

Fiery red hair that drew the eye and promised a willful, stubborn personality that was just his type.

Sharp black pools for eyes that he could get lost in if he stared for too long.

Thin lips that managed to be more enticing without makeup than with it.

A face that gave off this air of danger, stoicism, and generosity all at once.

Arms that legs that seemed to go on forever.

A waist and hips with just the right amount of fat on it to be pleasant.

And then there were her...assets. He didn't want to risk staring at those for too long. He knew what she could do to him if she got angry. But it was hard to do that! He wasn't a man who really cared about size in that department. But Cynthia's...just...wow.

All these factors combined to make talking to Cynthia a much more difficult prospect than he expected.

He looked at the floor and let out a nervous chuckle. His throat felt dry as he spoke up, "Ye-ye-yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. How are you?"

Cynthia tilted her head at the young man, "You do not appear to be fine. Your voice sounds strained, you're breathing heavily, and you won't look me in the eye."

"Oh, really? I hadn't noticed. Ha, ha, ha, sorry about that," Nick rubbed the back of his neck while trying to focus on Cynthia's eyes.

Seeing the (unnaturally cute) worried expression on the woman's face made Nick close his eyes. He took multiple deep breaths while trying to calm himself down. He forced his mind to think about things other than Cynthia's body.

Like Sera, or Jet, or Montgomer-

...

"Wow. That was really effective."

"What was?"

Nick jumped again as he realized he had said that out loud. He scrambled to find an excuse, "Nothing! Nothing! Just thinking about...a...an...a technique Sentinel showed me! He trained me while you were gone, remember? I was just thinking about how effective it was."

He chuckled again, eyes on the Huntress' own as he did. Eventually, he sighed and let his shoulders slump, "Sorry, Cynthia. It's just...I'm having trouble figuring out how I want to say this."

She nodded at the young man, "Take your time, Nick. I'm ready whenever you are."

"OK...OK...," Nick took in a deep breath. He was silent for a moment as he prepared himself. Then he let it all out in a single go, "I've trying to emotionally manipulate you into letting my family and I live here at your Manor this whole time."

He started to gasp and cough as he finished. Cynthia tilted her head to the side, face a mask of indifference, "Oh?"

Nick looked up at the Huntress with an incredulous look on his face, "That's it? That's all you can say? I admit that I'm a piece of shit and you're reaction is just...'Oh'?"

"Well, I am assuming there is some rationalization behind your actions. Thus I am waiting for you to explain it. Until then, I will reserve any and all other reactions," she shrugged.

Nick blinked twice. Then he leaned back in his seat, "OK...that...wasn't what I expected. But it's...good I guess? I don't know."

He sighed then started to speak, "I'll be straight with you here, Cynthia. About everything. With how you helped Maggie out when she was about to lose her smile, you deserve that much. So...as you can probably guess Maggie, Marcus and I didn't exactly have a good childhood. Our parents came to Pran when I was ten, Maggs was nine, and Marcus was still in diapers. They were just people hoping to run away from problems back at home. They had hoped to come to Pran and start a new life. Give themselves and us the happiness we all deserved. As you can tell, didn't work out that way. Can't tell you how they died. Just know they left the hovel we were living in one day and never came back."

Nick leaned to his left side, one hand tapping an off-beat rhythm out on the armrest, "From there the story gets pretty simple. I become the man of the house, so I start doing whatever I can to provide for us. Stealing, beating people up, rooting through garbage. You know, the works. Do this for a couple years, eventually start getting good at it...and start to notice the problems with the slums. Problems that I start to realize I can't handle alone. So, to protect Maggs and Marcus, I start making friends. Only get a couple guys at first. But it turns out I can be a pretty charming fellow when I put my mind to it. A couple turns into a bunch. Then a bunch turns into a whole bunch. And before I know it, a whole bunch turns into a full on gang."

He lets the implications hang in the air, wondering if Cynthia will catch on.

She does.

"You started the Viper Gang," she states as a matter of fact.

"Ding ding," Nick twirls a finger through the air, "Got it in one. Though we weren't called the Vipers. Didn't even have an insignia. We were just a bunch of poor kids who wanted to try to make our little slice of the world better the only way we knew how. By stealing stuff from others."

He was silent as he let everything sink in for Cynthia. The Huntress only asked, "Do Maggie and Marcus know?"

"Nope. Keeping it well hidden from them for a reason. Especially after we just learned that Brigid was in cahoots with them. Maggie...Maggie doesn't need that right now," he sat up with a deep frown on his face. With another sigh he continued his tale, "We weren't that bad you know. We only stole stuff from people. And I made sure to keep things that way...until Maggs turned sixteen. For her birthday I used the gold I had saved up to buy us our place in the slums. The moment I did that, Brigid came a knocking with his 'deals'. I was forced to divide my attention between keeping the gang together and keeping that creep away from my sister. I did my best...but guess that wasn't enough. Eventually, something slipped through the cracks."

He was silent for a few minutes. His hands grabbed the armrest of his chair, gripping them tightly as he began again, "It happened a few months before I bought the house. Her name was Sera. She was a girl some of my guys managed to save from a bunch of thugs in an alley. They didn't get there in time to stop them from raping her, but they at beat the fuckers down. While she was beaten down, she still had this fire in her eyes. The kind that wouldn't go out no matter what the world through at her. I liked it, so I took her under my wing. Taught her how to move about unseen, how to run a gang, how to steal without getting caught, all that stuff. Not how to fight though. She figured that out on her own. And she was good. Absorbed all the knowledge I gave her like a sponge. But I could tell that something was...wrong with her.

"I prided myself on ensuring my men wouldn't ever stoop to the level of common thugs. We didn't kill, we didn't take contracts, we didn't extort, none of that. But Sera...I tried to get through to her. I really did. I tried to show her why killing and treating others like dirt wasn't the way to do things...but she never took it to heart. If she was caught when she tried to steal from someone, she would beat them within an inch of their lives and only stop when they couldn't move anymore. If someone insulted her, she damn near ripped their eyes out. If she wanted something from another one of the gang, she'd beat them up and take it. Would only give it back if I ordered her to. But that wasn't the worst of it. No, the worst part was that she became obsessed with me."

Nick shuddered as the old memories started to surface, "She would always find some reason to be near me. And by near me, I mean with my arm held in hers. If another girl got close to me, she'd threaten to rip their arms off. If someone else said my name, she'd ask me how I knew them and why I didn't tell her about them. She kept asking about Maggie and Marcus. Specifically, where they lived, if they knew what I was doing, when I was going to introduce her to them, etc. etc. Kept trying to follow me home. It was...it was surreal. And she kept trying to convince me to become like her. To start running the gang like an actual gang. To 'Take over this shitty place, and then the rest of the city!' Like I was some kind of uber badass gang boss."

Nick's fist slammed into the armrest of his seat. He could feel his teeth grinding against each other as he tried to calm himself. Cynthia nodded at the man, "I believe it is a testament to your character that you didn't fall for her goading. That you stuck to your principles to the end."

"Yeah, but fat lot of good it did me," Nick replied in a frustrated tone. He shook his head as he continued his story, "After I bought the house and Brigid started making his moves, Sera made hers. I wasn't able to be around the gang as much as I used to and she took full advantage. She started to drive out all the old members who were around since I started the thing. Started to replace them with people just as bad as she was. I never noticed cause she always kept her new recruits as far from me as possible. Usually they were off driving the old members out of the slums so they couldn't warn me about what was happening. By the time I finally caught on, it was too late. It wasn't the gang I had made any more. It was the Sera's. The Viper Queen's.

"And if that wasn't bad enough...she...she had the gall to tell me that it was for my own good! That she did it out of love for me! Out wanting to see me 'Rise to the top' and 'Become the man I was always meant to be'. She asked me to join her. I told her to fuck off and got out of there. She sent people after me, but never to kill me. Only to try to get me to come back. I kept sending them packing. The time we met, when you helped me out with Ravor? That was her latest attempt."

Nick leaned back in his chair, sighing as a sense of tiredness suddenly came over him. He waved his hand through the air, "And the rest is history. Now, we're here, with me confessing about how much of a piece of shit I am."

"No offense meant to you, Nick," Cynthia replied, "But your tale certainly doesn't make you look like a 'piece of shit.' If anything, it proves that you have a rather upstanding moral character."

"An upstanding moral character that wasn't afraid to use a noble lady's kindness, to try to manipulate her into giving his family a home," Nick shook his head, "Frankly, Cynthia, I just can't see it. Taking that into account, who's to say that I wouldn't have turned into the Viper King if I thought it would help out my family? Really, I'm just scum."

"Mr. Mercer," Nick's eyes widened at the Cynthia using his last name. He stared into the serious, set face of the Huntress as she continued, "It is my honest opinion that you are overreacting. I will admit, it does upset me that you thought to take advantage of my kindness for your own benefit. However, it is but a single drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming evidence you've given me to show why I should let you remain here."

She held up a hand as she began to count off on her fingers, "You fought to defend your sister and brother when your parents died. You created a gang specifically to accomplish this goal, and managed to stop it from deteriorating into little more than a gaggle of thugs by your own power. You used the money you gained to buy a place to live for your family. When you lost control of your gang, you didn't despair nor accept Sera's rule. You rejected her and stayed true to yourself. You kept my children safe, despite not knowing if I would return from my battle with the Vipers. You willingly let yourself be captured, so that Jet's mercenaries could kill Montgomery. Avenging who knows how many people he's hurt? And, here you are, willingly telling me your wrong doing, when you could've stayed silent and I would've never been the wiser."

She leaned back in her seat, a dazzling smile on her face, "Tell me, does any of that sound like something a 'piece of shit' would do?"

Nick was speechless.

He had come into this expecting anger. Expecting Cynthia to start yelling at him. To admonish him for taking advantage of her offer. To kick him, Maggs, and Marcus out into the streets.

Yet, instead, here she was. Talking him up and pointing out all the good things that he's done in his life.

...He truly didn't know what to say. Except for one thing.

"N-No. They're not. Thank you, Lady Cynthia. I swear, I will not forget this. While I may not be a fancy noble like yourself, I promise you that having the favor of Nick Mercer is worth its weight in gold," Nick unconsciously moved a hand to his eye. Only when it came away wet did he realize he was crying tears of joy.

He tried to stop the other tears, but he couldn't help it. The happiness welling up in his chest was simply too much. His breath started to hitch as he tried to stifle the sobs coming out of him.

Eventually, what stopped his crying wasn't anything he did.

But what Cynthia said.

"That actually reminds me. I also have something I need to say; I'm not a noble."

Nick swore he heard a pin drop.

He turned back to Cynthia, "What?"

"I am not a noble. I purchased his house with gold I got from doing a job with Jet, Blitz, and Sen."

"...WHAT?!" was Nick's shouted, shocked reply.

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