"Alright, so," John clapped his hands together, "this is what we're about. The Scorned are just a club. A space where like-minded people could gather and feel at home. Feel... at peace, you know?" He asked.

Rin, however, was barely listening. That word had sparked something in her mind, and she couldn't ignore it.

[Scorned... Scorned... I swear, I've heard that before.]

It wasn't exactly a word she heard often, so the fact that she remembered it from somewhere felt important. John must not have noticed her internal dilemma as he just kept going.

"It was created by outcasts a long, long time ago. People like you, people like Vix, Natalie, Bernard, Kate, and I. Misfits. Orphans, beastborn, sex workers, etc. Those rejected by society."

"Weirdoes, pretty much," Natalie said after rolling her eyes. "He's being a little dramatic. It's not that serious."

"Well, yeah," John said with a laugh. "Weirdoes, essentially. Like Nat said, it's not that serious. Even though we do have people all over the world, mostly, we just sort of hang out. Just like everyone is doing right now."

"It's not that boring either," Natalie countered. "Sometimes we have a little bit of fun. Like the party Kate had told you about."

"Indeed," John stated with a mischievous smile. "We're going to have one next week. It would be nice if you could join us, Triss."

When Rin heard that, she focused back up, making a mental note to try her hardest to remember where she heard that word before later. For now, however, she had friends to make. Weird, somewhat overly kind friends, but friends nonetheless.

Friends who could potentially pay to get their clits licked.

"Sounds pretty interesting," Rin replied confidently. "What do I have to do to 'join' or whatever?"

"Not much. Are you doing anything next weekend?"

"Nope," Rin quickly replied.

"Alright. We have another party planned for it. Right here," he said, stretching his arms out and gesturing at the room around them. "You attend and we'll have an initiation of sorts. How does that sound?"

Rin's response came quickly.

"I'll be there."

"Wonderful," John replied with a smile. "Now, how about some seconds?"

---

Rin walked out of that house later with a full stomach, a party to attend after her next mission, and confusion clouding her thoughts. That one word remained on her mind as she took a walk around the city, waiting for her illusion to time out.

[Scorned...] It echoed within the walls of her skull. [Where the hell did I hear that?]

She kept her eyes low, nearly running into a few different passersby. Frustration bubbled up inside of her until, finally, an idea came to her mind.

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"Wait, Xhez," she muttered to herself. "Maybe she could help me."

Once the illusion ran out, which took around another hour of aimless walking, Rin returned to the academy. She strode through its halls and went straight to her room. Empty and silent, Rin walked over to Xhez's water bag and opened the top of it, tapping the thing's sides.

"Hey," she said somewhat quietly, so as to not startle her friend. "Xhez."

Xhez's minute body stirred, and Rin just barely noticed her eyes opening under the surface. The sprite swam up to the top and Rin asked:

"Can you come out for a sec?"

Sleepily, Xhez yawned and nodded at the same time.

A few seconds later, Rin was standing in the center of her room with her arms crossed, while Xhez stood in front of her, naked and dripping.

"Hello," Xhez greeted her. "What time is it?"

"It's about to be nighttime. Sorry to interrupt your rest and all, but I wanted to see if you could help me out with something," Rin said.

"It is fine," Xhez waved her concern away, though she did look like she would have rather continued sleeping. "What is the problem?"

Rin gestured for Xhez to sit down with her on her bed. She laid a towel down beside her, so the sprite didn't get the whole thing soaking wet. Once they were a little more comfortable, she took a deep breath and asked:

"So... You can look through my memories, right?"

"Indeed," Xhez nodded, smiling back at her. "I enjoyed the ones I have seen. Most of them, anyway."

"Right, uh, could you maybe look for a specific word, though?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" Xhez asked, tilting her head in a way that looked pretty damn cute to Rin. She set that aside though and explained:

"I heard someone say a word today that I've heard somewhere before, but I can't remember where."

"Which one?"

"Scorned," Rin quickly answered. "I swear, it's familiar to me, but, like, ah, I can't really place where it was that I heard that. I just know that I did."

"Ah... I believe I understand," Xhez responded, internalizing this information. "I could try. I haven't done this sort of thing before. Normally, when I look through others' memories, they usually have something in mind already. Like when you showed me what sex was like," she said with a smile.

"R-Right." Rin swallowed. "So, can we try this out right now?"

"Sure."

And so, they quickly began to take the position needed to share memories. It was the same as before, with the two of them holding hands as they pressed their foreheads together. Any thoughts Rin had about the intimacy of this moment were shrouded in the curiosity that she had regarding that word, making it a little easier to focus.

Rin closed her eyes, letting the warmth she felt from the sprite's touch ground her as Xhez began to search. Rin saw the images as well, of course, as recent events began flashing before her eyes. Rin saw herself waiting for a customer last night, training with Maria, and speaking with Eve and Elisa. That word, "scorned", echoed softly as the images began portraying events that were further and further into the past.

The ruins she'd visited with Eve during her last mission, the raid on the monster camp that she and the others had gone to spectate, and her first fight at the Arena.

Until, finally, they stopped.

The images paused at one specific moment in Rin's recent history.

All of a sudden, she was back there again.

Fire crackled behind her. Rin's hands were tied behind her. She could see her own eyes widening as she realized what her situation was. Rows of empty chairs stared back at her. Chairs that didn't remain empty for too long, as several robed individuals began walking in from the door on the opposite side of the room.

As they all got into different positions around Rin, one began speaking.

"Long have we waited."

"And still, we persist," the others replied.

"Another moment of payment has been granted to us, brothers and sisters. For this world has burned us, tortured us, and maimed us for too long!"

Then, that same man grabbed Rin by her chin and lifted her face up, aiming it at them.

And, finally, he said:

"Look! Look, brethren. A representative of the exact system that orphaned us. That murdered us. That raped, plundered, and stole from us! In front of you sits, not a person, but a representation of the scourge of society. That which made us scorned!"

Instantly, Rin's eyes opened and she was back in her room. Xhez's eyes opened as well, and the sprite separated herself from Rin.

"Goodness," the sprite said, exhaling slowly. "That was... intense."

Rin didn't respond. She was too shocked to do so.

"Rin?" Xhez asked. "Are you okay?"

Rin just blinked.

"... What the hell?" She asked quietly, as she grabbed onto the edge of her bed, to steady herself.