Mimi (After the Battle)

Richard was in a wonderful mood, smiling happily while taking the fifty gold coins from Kobe himself. Whatever the reason, it seemed that the Minotaur was more than willing to support Richard and our gang thanks to the conversation they had earlier. While he couldn't help us on the surface in a broad manner, he was able to make moves behind the scenes that would still benefit us greatly.

Mark and his pet managed to make it to the old warehouse, with the Bo'sun. Douglas informed them of their initiation which naturally made the tamer wary. Such emotions were resolved when Douglas spoke about how Gray was coming, and that according to my understand he should be more than capable of dealing with a burrow worm on his own. Naturally the man was going to leave his pet behind for something so dangerous, but that was also acceptable.

The Fiend's Eye movements died down, as they prepared to hole themselves up in their warehouses and other defensible places. The fact was that they couldn't distinguish between which of their homunculus we had gained control over or not. Which led to a sizable portion of their forces being destroyed. The numbers were on our side, but the Fiend's Eye no doubt had other plans. They had a single person move to the bar we designated, clearly waiting for us to negotiate with them.

I plan on hearing them out at the very least, while my giants moved into their positions for tomorrow's attack. We didn't need to kill them, but with my lack of understanding on curses, I was not going to allow them time to grow stronger. They moved to attack us first, and if the opportunity presented itself, they would have already dealt the killing blow. I was still standing here by chance, and I would not make the same mistake twice. Their leaders will die, and I will claim their knowledge and power for my Hive.

Richard himself was approached by all manner of members from Kobe's gang. As they understood it, Ace was taking stock of who needed to be healed, and who he could potentially heal. Many of the stories were about someone losing a limb in a accident, or from adventuring outside of Eclipse itself. Others were with the Minotaur because he was the quickest way to raise coin to try and pay off a Bishop or Pope for a miracle. Richard himself was able to fix a couple of rotten teeth, by pulling them out and cauterizing the wound left behind with minimal pain. He was decent at first aid, thanks to having to endure his own wounds from training.

I truly did feel a sense of pride towards the man, and how he conducted himself. His trust towards me was unfaltering despite understanding how I felt on 'sensitive' subjects. He made me feel like a person, and he truly did care how I was treated. The way his emotions would flare with hints of anger whenever someone said something distasteful towards me. The willingness to risk himself for me, despite only feeling the emotions I allow him to feel from me. Truly, I just wanted this war to be over so we could spend more time together.

Then there was Nina, a dark elf friend from Alice's past. We could only talk to each other, when I made the move since I had to reconnect with her every time. She was still confused about the situation with my body, but naturally we couldn't explore that and the differences anytime soon. Still, I'd have to invest a little coin into a dark elf slave, or even just a regular one to explore just how different our bodies were now. Asking Wyatt would be too much, and I could feel something like indignation whenever I pursued that line of thought.

We weren't going anywhere soon, and it wouldn't be until the sun finished setting before others could really make their move. Plus, judging by how those merchants were eyeing Richard, they likely wanted his protection, services, or even an endorsement for their wares. With nothing better to do, I checked on Nina to see if now was a good time to talk. She was in the middle of patrolling through the area of the tribes towards the dead-zones we inhabited. She would jump a little when my offer for a connection hit her, then looked around for the source. I kept the offer going, but did a couple taps to let her know it was me.

With a soft sigh, she moved to an alley and accepted. |"Yes, Alice?"|

|"I noticed you were patrolling near our lands, may I ask why?"|

She thought for a moment, peeking out of the alley, not noticing the giants hidden under trash. |"Where are you? I'd prefer to talk out loud, I hate the feeling of being watched."|

|"I'm still at the Arena, and we are watching you, as well as the other potential entrances to our area. Do you still plan on talking to Wyatt?"|

She nodded her head slowly, walking out of the alley, before continuing her patrol. |"I'm not sure why I'm surprised. Are you sharing senses with your bugs or something?"|

|"Yes, but do not mention it to others. This is how I get most of my information. People really don't hold back if they think it's only a bug."|

|"Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Aren't you worried about being attacked while your focus is on me?"|

I noticed a man cutting someone's coin purse and walking off, while Richard was still dealing with another toothache for some gang member. |"I'm used to seeing multiple viewpoints at once, I just watched a thief in action, I also saw Cheshire rubbing Levi on the back, while explaining more about what happened during our fight. It is frustrating that Jacky has a habit of making it difficult to eavesdrop."| I let a little frustration make its way to her.

Midnight laughed a little, |"Yeah, his clan is kind of like our tribes. We like our secrets. Still, it's pretty creepy Alice. You shouldn't watch everyone all the time. You might miss something, right?"|

|"You are mistaken, I have my Hive watching for certain things, listening out for certain phrases, and officers going over the redundant information. The only things I do miss, are those where my bugs are not in a good position to see or listen."|

Nina let out a small sigh, |"Clearly your time out in the wild hasn't helped your social cues. You always did like to carry that doll around with you while you just stared holes into the adults."|

My ears twitched a little at the embarrassment of such a memory. |"Regardless, there is nothing I can physically do while Richard talks to everyone. He's set up a small booth with a gang member giving the people alcohol while he pulls teeth. It's boring here, and the day is just downright peaceful."|

|"Well you should enjoy peaceful days when you can. Besides don't you have a big battle tomorrow? Are you certain there is nothing more you can do?"|

|"Certain, everyone is where they need to be, and we have a large amount of larva to replace the bugs we expect to lose, just in case we have to mobilize more for a second wave. Even in the worst case, I can have a new army up in just under a week. The only issue is the amount of food to keep those numbers up and going."|

Nina stopped, taking a second to think before continuing. |"You're telling me that you can create an army of bugs with enough power to rival the Fiend's Eye in under a week?"|

|"Yes, it costs a lot of food, but I have the hives set up to produce as many replacements as needed. The real issue was securing space and food, but going forward that shouldn't be much of a problem. Though over-hunting is an issue, and I do not wish to cause a second famine."|

|"Right, speaking of, we need to talk about what you told Cheshire. I talked to him for a few minutes when you came back. He told me to tell you any plans, and make a show of our willingness to work with you. All because you have death grip on our food. Tell me what that is about."| She was serious, she wouldn't trust me if I didn't tell her.

|"I told him something I could do if I chose to. My bugs have monster blood, and I mentioned that it would be easy to taint the food."| Nina stopped walking, her muscles flexing, as I continued. |"It was only a threat, that I would not carry out even in the worst case."|

|"Why not?"| She relaxed a little, and I got the feeling she wanted to understand how I thought.

|"There is no advantage to doing such an action. The Guard will get involved, and I lose all chance of reasoning with other parties. I would ask that you do not tell Cheshire, or anyone else. Though I expect Richard to tell him eventually."|

|"You're not going to say that it's morally wrong to do it? That you aren't okay with making so many people suffer needlessly?"| She was nearing the end of her patrol, but decided to take another lap around her area.

|"I can stay connected with you, even if you leave my field of view. If you want to do something else, feel free to. As long as you are in the Underground, I can stay connected. As for your questions, the answer is that I don't care. If there is a benefit to causing harm to another group, I will consider it. If it is the survival of my Hive, versus never being allowed to return to a city, and potentially being hunted down? I would have exhausted all other options first, and finally made that choice."|

Nina's ears flicked a little as she was a bit embarrassed, before leaving her patrol area to make her report. |"I swear, it's almost like I'm talking to you when we were both younger. You can't just say you don't care, then go on about how it's the last option you'd take. You're considering every other option before making that choice."|

I would catch glimpses of her, idly moving some of my ghosts to silently give me a better view, and listen to what she reports. While she had to focus, it was possible for her to keep secrets from me, and talk without me being able to pick up on what she said. It was frustrating, but she was usually honest about what she told others. |"Is that so? I can explain why it doesn't matter to me, if you'd like."|

Nina put her hand to her face, shaking it, but continued on when she saw one of the guards when she rounded a corner. They hadn't noticed her yet, so she drew a dagger. |"You're still like a child Alice. I can almost imagine you stamping your foot on the ground and pouting with your favorite toy."|

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|"Says the one about to put a blade to the throat of some poor guard. You're going to scare him half to death!"|

Nina rolled her eyes, |"I don't even see your bugs, and you still know what I'm doing. Stop being creepy Alice."| She was teasing me now. Moving in the shadows of the alleys nearby. She was silent, as she moved closer. |"Besides it's his fault for not doing his job. Even we used to play these games on your tribe's guards."|

She was right of course, if you caught someone slacking on their job, it was your duty to put a blade to their neck and demand compensation. Some guards even enjoyed the game, carrying candy filled pouches to keep the others motivated. Still, she called me a child and I clearly wasn't. My ghosts moved and buzzed a little louder making the guard start to look over. |"Darn shame, it seems he might spot you yet."|

|"Cheater."| My ghosts moved back to catch her smirking, |"You just made it harder for me. He still doesn't know that I'm here yet."|

|"What are you going to take from him when you catch him off guard?"|

Midnight used her dagger to watch the guard with it's reflection, flicking her ears. |"Tsk, tsk, Alice. Only children demand compensation from the guards. I'm an adult now, if we were married I'd divorce him. If I knew he had a wife, I might push it a little and take him somewhere secluded before going out for an 'elven' custom, and bringing her to him with the whole story. You know, things that adults do to idiots and weaklings."|

She was still calling me a child, and I couldn't disconnect or it would just make me look even more like one. |"Why are you trying to provoke me exactly? I fail to see the benefit for you."|

The guard looked away, muttering about the stray bugs. Nina crept ever closer. |"Because it's fun and refreshing. Plus that's just how I remember you, from the last time we saw each other. You might be smarter than those around you, but if I push the right spots you're acting like a child. Even you admitted to using past memories to guide you in these situations. While you do act like Alice, it's also clear you aren't. Though I accept that, because you told me about your unique circumstances and mothers."|

Midnight remained silently as she put a hand over the guard's mouth, pressing her dagger to his throat. She pulled her hand away before he could bite, frowning deeply at Nina. "What's the big idea?" He raised a brow at her.

Midnight shrugged, "Well if we catch guards slacking, that's what we do in our tribes. Just because I'm out on patrol, doesn't mean you can slack off."

The guard grunted, a little annoyed. "You're lucky I didn't take a finger off. Do you have anything important to report?"

The two talked for a little, before Nina moved on. |"Thanks for not talking while I was busy talking to him."|

|"It's still hard for me to understand why that's difficult for you. At any given moment, I'm thinking about over a hundred different things at least. I hate not being active."|

|"Well yeah, that's kind of because you're unique Alice. Generally we don't think that fast, or that well. Also don't even offer to tell me the things you're thinking about, I'll end the conversation here if you start."| Nina was walking back to one of the painted buildings. It was this tribe's armory.

My ghosts followed her inside, watching while she started to tend to the equipment. I paid a little more attention to compare her movements and methods to the crude strikes of the lizardmen. |"I was going to, but that's fair. I'm still going to watch you hammer and polish though."|

Nina smiled, |"That's fine, if you made it to the age where your talent awakened, you would have been taught how to do this."| She was a little sad despite the smile.

|"You promise to have a lot of things to teach me, when we arrive home? I won't expect special treatment, but I want to know more about our tribe."|

Nina took a deep breath, hammering away. |"Alice... it's not my place to accept you into my tribe. I'll talk it over with my elders, but... please be careful if you do come. If they want to capture you, I'll have to help them."| She was reluctant in telling me this, a bit of pain coming with the thoughts.

A part of myself felt sorrow, my wings wrapping around me a little more. Another part understanding her words, and figuring that my Hive was my tribe. I kept my tone light, |"It's fine, if you try then I'll just have to kick their butts, and yours. Then I'll just leave, so long as your tribe doesn't kill anyone with me. For what it's worth, I'll still let you into my Hive."|

Nina stopped hammering, her ears going low, |"Alice, you need to stop making me that offer. You're trying to substitute your tribe with your Hive. Those bugs are not people you can talk to. They are just bugs that you gave the ability to think to, so you aren't alone. You even told me that their personalities had to come from you, or your memories."|

|"Let's say I accept that, and get rid of the personalities of my officers. It won't let me join another tribe anytime soon. They think differently than I do, and take the time to understand things in their own way. Still, this argument will get us nowhere. I doubt you can understand how we actually work, so we'll agree to disagree on this particular subject."|

Nina started hammering again, |"I want to help you Alice, so I will talk to my elders. I'll talk to Wyatt, and get him to agree. If he doesn't, I'll mention that you said he can be allowed back into your Hive. Which is such a childish thing to do. For what it's worth, these techniques for repairing gear, and polishing are hardly enough to repay you for what you told me. I'll try to show you everything I would show to a new tribe. I hope it helps you, and that you can stay yourself."|

|"I am myself, and I haven't lost myself except when I've gone berserk, as I've told you. Even then, I still manage to remember who I was."| I casually observed every motion she took, the precision and practice she had showing she spent years honing her ability to keep her weapons clean, and her armor in top shape. Something I knew I would have had to learn if my tribe didn't die that day.

Nina pounded away, not wanting to continue our talk. Still, I felt what she wanted to tell me. That I only go berserk when I am alone. That I am still a child that cannot handle being alone. Our conversation was done, and I was left to idly ask questions about why she'd swing her hammer this way or that. What polish worked best, and why.

Thankfully, it helped to keep the hours Richard spent pulling teeth a little more bearable. He used the alcohol still in their mouths, to seep it into their gums, and find the nerve. He'd burn the nerve quickly and stop the signal from making them feel pain before going about his business. At this rate, Richard might put any dentists out of business. Not that they did particularly well in the Underground anyway.

Cheshire's tribes were preparing to receive a small army of our bugs tomorrow, everyone informed about our agreement with Jacky. How a council would be formed, and such was taken pretty well. It couldn't happen overnight, but as food became more plentiful and those on the council got access to that food. It would help unify them over the course of a month or so.

Kobe's members were rather happy with Ace pulling their teeth out, helping to relieve some of their daily pain. As far as they were concerned, he was welcomed to join anytime. Which he politely declined, claiming his loyalty was with his boss. It was endearing since he was openly saying he would choose me, over one of the biggest gangs in the Underground. I wanted to take him somewhere private, and show him how much that meant, but we still had to hold ourselves back for now.

Everyone was moving, and our reputation rose to make us more friendly with the ones closest to our borders. They would acquire things we will need in the future, and we will be able to trade with them as well. With everything done, we finally went to the Rusted Handle. A pub well outside the Fiend's Eye territory, and not in our territory either. A neutral ground that was perfect for both parties to negotiate. Naturally I kept an eye on the person inside, making sure there was nothing ill intentioned going on.

We arrived right as the sun set above ground, just in time for Gray to capture someone and take them into the sewers for a few lies, and a bit of blood. They were an earth elementalist, which fit our purpose just fine for testing that theory out. Gray took just enough blood to leave them light headed, before returning them to the surface and stalking his way to our portal. Robert was made aware ahead of time, and Gray knew exactly where he needed to go at all times. His first body made it without issue, as did the second body. That was all we needed for our plans.

We entered the Rusted Handle, a run down pub with boarded up windows. The sign painted over with the handle in question to make it just seem rusty. The walls held different gang signs, and bits of art, just making it look like a terrible place. We entered, while it was still much too early for the usual patrons. A feature I had discovered while having Scix scout out potential spots for new hives. The Bartender was a bald man with a long scar running down his face, a cloudy eye clearly blind and few teeth. He was disfigured, with stitches on his arms and a flat nose with a protruding lower jaw. His back hunched, and his muscles pronounced under a decent layer of fat.

He didn't ask questions, merely tilting his head in the direction of a woman wearing the same cloak as the one we took over in the Arena. There were barrels behind the bar itself, some with rusted handles to show that people only came for a certain set of drinks. The woman sent this time was well endowed with dark skin and black lipstick. Her cloak had enchanted stitching on it, but they only hid her features behind a veil of shadows. This was someone a little more important to the Fiend's Eye.

Richard sauntered over to her, sitting beside her, while I stayed behind him. Ready to act if needed. Richard broke the ice, while I chose to keep my silence. "So, what do you know about us?"

The woman cleared her throat, hands folded on her lap, despite the sleeves hiding said hands. "We know quite a few things. That you aren't the Fire Starters for one, and the name you were given at birth. We shall not utter the name, since you are a man quite sought after by a few groups."

Richard nodded, "Yeah, from what I understand, people only started looking when they couldn't find me. Want to tell me how you know though?"

The woman smiled a little, "We used a curse we had placed on Carter to watch your movements. Because of this, we know the true danger you pose to our gang. We have failed in subduing the one by your side. The Minotaur will not aid us, and the smaller gangs are too busy with their infighting to properly mount a defense on our behalf. Because of this, I have come to negotiate the terms of our surrender."

Richard's surprise hit me, as I was a little shocked myself. After everything they did, they were content to drop it here? Richard coughed, knowing that he'd have to come up with something to say. "I see, well I didn't expect surrender from you guys..." He was struggling, and I couldn't whisper the words I needed into his ear. Still I let him feel he needed to remain calm and that our needs have not changed.

The woman lowered her head, "It would be a different story if you did not have a monster that could take over the churches in the area. The truth is that the two Hags that appear to be running our organization, do not actually hold that power. Such was consolidated among our sisters after decades of them being unable to find a third. We are more than happy to offer their heads to you, in order to spare the resources that would be wasted in a fight against your gang."

Richard slowly nodded, not fully understanding it. "Well don't kill them yet, we'd rather do that ourselves. Something like a public execution. How does that sound? What else are you going to give us? Since that isn't enough."

The woman nodded slowly, "We are surrendering, to your gang. All of our resources will be at your disposal, and we'll continue with your former plan to not arouse suspicion. You will infiltrate us, while we work to subdue the hags. We will be free of their curses, and you will be our hero."

This was too good to be true, but any gang that broke a surrender would be wiped out by other gangs joining in the fight. Richard himself was uncertain, but finally nodded. "Alright, sure. I'll sleep on it, and I'll see you tomorrow morning. Where should we meet?"

"We'll meet outside the monster church, and wait for the hags there. They tend to pray extremely early in the morning, and we will attack with you, when you arrive and are ready."

Richard nodded, "Then we're done here. I'll sleep on it, and I look forward to working with you I guess? Anyway, I'll see you around." He got up and left, while the woman stayed an hour later. We walked home, while she moved to talk to others and told them the plans that were made. I was suspicious, but Richard could be replaced if they did manage to kill him. He wouldn't accept being taken as a hostage. Still this didn't sit right with me. I pushed that feeling back, figuring it was just the sheer amount of food wasted for this war. The denial of a thrilling fight, and the enjoyment of crushing my enemies. Now it was just over and done like that.