[center][h2]Demonology[/h2] [img]https://i.imgur.com/C7nwoGY.png[/img] [color=D34C25]Primrose[/color] [color=2e2c2c]-------------------------------[/color] [color=BC8DBF]Therion[/color] [color=D34C25][u]Level[/u]: [b]11[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 243/110[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]10[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 271/100[/color] [color=gray]š¯™±š¯™æ[/color] [color=gold]ā—¸[/color][color=gray]ā—¸ā—¸ā—¸ā—¸[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------------------------------[/color] [color=gray]š¯™±š¯™æ[/color] [color=gold]ā—¸[/color][color=gray]ā—¸ā—¸ā—¸ā—¸[/color] [b][color=ea590c]Edward Portsmith: Level 4 (12 cells) [/color][/b][color=ea590c]/////////////////////////////////[/color] (46/40) Location: The Avenger Word Count: 2,437 (+3 exp)[/center] As the Avenger prepared to land, its occupants gradually began to congregate in and around the hangar. Even those that did not plan to venture out into the Paved Wilderness gathered, if only to see their comrades off. Such was the case for Primrose, who after a visit to the Spirit Chamber was content to spend more time on the ship acclimating and resting up rather than gallivanting across the dusty landscape. [hider=Juggernaut Spirit Results][b][url=https://i.imgur.com/jB5jWIQ.png]Overshield[/url][/b] A device of alien origin that will interface with the shielding system equipped to whoever picks it up (if applicable) and triple the shield's strength, but any depletion to this shield beyond its base amount cannot be regained [b][url=https://i.imgur.com/qj4q7BP.png]Blacklight Armor[/url][/b] An alternate costume that can adapt to anyone it's equipped to, enveloping them in a suit of biological armor. While equipped, it drastically boosts physical defense (especially to Pierce and Slash, but not as much to Impact) but decreases mobility to strictly human levels [b][url=https://i.imgur.com/nYND3gA.png]Pox[/url][/b] Housed in two bundles of infested flesh, these are essentially biological throwing knives that deal pierce damage, then inject toxic fumes into pierced targets. When hitting solid surfaces, they just burst into small toxic clouds instead. They're highly effective but come in limited quantities, with just ten knives per bundle, and they can only be replenished by secondary or universal ammo pickups[/hider] She stood slightly off to one side so as not to block those more interested in leaving. Though planning to get out of the ship himself, Therion loitered near her. Until the ramp actually opened, he didn't have anything better to do anyway. [color=D34C25]"I didn't see you around after we got back. Where did you go off to?"[/color] Therion blinked at her, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. An expression that said [i]wouldn't you like to know?[/i] Primrose recognized it quickly and simply looked back at him. While it might have seemed like he'd gotten up to trouble with a look like that, she'd known him long enough that she figured he had probably just kept to himself. Which was pretty much true. Therion had stopped by his room and ferreted away some things there, as well as collecting others he'd left behind that morning. He'd also roamed the Avenger's halls, going unnoticed for the most part as he eavesdropped -intentionally and unintentionally- on many conversations going on in the rooms he passed. He had actually stopped by Primrose's room once too, but since the dancer hadn't been there he didn't stay longer than the time it took to flick the lights on, snoop around what would have been Midna's half to see if the woman had stashed anything useful away there rather than in her portals, then leave without a trace. Primrose would probably be upset if she knew that, so he didn't tell her. [color=BC8DBF]"Were you looking for me for something?"[/color] She withdrew something strange looking from her bag and held it out to him - the bundles of bio-knives. Therion looked at them, then looked back up at Primrose with a slightly furrowed brow. There was clearly an unspoken [i]ew[/i] on his face, but he still took them. If those tendrils hadn't tried to attach themselves to her in the many seconds she'd held them, then it was unlikely they'd do anything weird to him either. But he did hold the bundles pinched between his fingers, holding them slightly away from him as he inspected them. [color=BC8DBF]"And these are..."[/color] [color=D34C25]"Knives, I think,"[/color] Primrose said. She pointed out the sharp end which she knew Therion had already seen, and the fleshy flap that housed the weapons. [color=D34C25]"If you don't want them, I can take them back."[/color] He just stowed them in his own bag rather than confirm he'd take them verbally. Just from looking at them, he could kind of tell how they worked - some kind of delivery system like a bee's stinger, probably. They could come in handy in the future. [color=BC8DBF]"If you're doing all that spirit stuff anyway, you might as well take back the one you gave me last night. Get the other one too if you do,"[/color] he offered. It wasn't like he was going to use them. They were keeping them just to keep them at this point, and even stored in a container they wouldn't last forever. She hummed an agreement. And since she would be staying behind anyway, she offered to the group at large, [color=D34C25]"if anyone has some leftover chores to take care ofā€¦ spirit crushing, item sortingā€¦ I'll drop things off in the appropriate places."[/color] She had a good grasp on the ship's layout, but it would help to get even more used to it since they were in this together with the Lost Numbers for the long haul. [color=D34C25]"And if there are any fusion plansā€¦ I have this one left over as well,"[/color] she said, displaying the demonic spirit she, Grimm, Zenkichi, and Roxas had fought together. [color=ea590c]ā€¯Someone seems to have gone through the ones we left in the armory from the one encounter that generated them. Hard to say exactly what was left or taken from the results, but there are new items in the armoryā€¯[/color] Edward approached to say, though of course this was more to Therion than Primrose herself so that heā€™d be aware of the situation. The thief's ears flicked towards him in acknowledgement. He'd have to go check it out later on, not that he expected much from the scores of crawlers they'd sent back through the magic circle. Edward did however lean in a little with an inquiring eye to inspect the demon, the eyebrow of which was raised at the sight of it. [color=ea590c]ā€¯What an unpleasant looking creature. Or creature and rider?ā€¯[/color] he said, before asking [color=ea590c]ā€¯what did it do?ā€¯[/color] to gauge if it would be of any value to him. With his failure in the most recent battle, he was considerably more open to taking edges heā€™d have been wary of before. [color=D34C25]"They seemed of two minds, but were fused together into one being,"[/color] Primrose told him. Malphas had been a ghastly demon to be sure, although it was because of what it could do that Primrose had had second thoughts about merely crushing its spirit. [color=D34C25]"This was a dark sorceress... It conjured ichor to attack with, although most troublesome were its portals. That... bird part of it was particularly strong, and able to strike out from anywhere when combined with them."[/color] [color=ea590c]ā€¯That certainly is a way to have both might and magic in great supplyā€¯[/color] Edward said, with some distaste, but not so much as to be immediately rejecting the possibility of utilising it. [color=ea590c]ā€¯A striker would make a great deal of sense, but, hmmm, well, fusion is reversible, so it could be prudent to experimentā€¯[/color] he supposed, mostly to himself, before coming to a partial decision as he half-rhetorically asked [color=ea590c]ā€¯only question is heart or mind I suppose?ā€¯[/color] and then actually asked [color=ea590c]ā€¯and, of course, what youā€™d want in return?ā€¯[/color] Primrose raised one delicate brow, amusement playing at her features. At the same time Therion looked between Edward and the spirit of Malphas, a skeptical look clear in his one visible eye. Leaving aside the triple humanoid body the demon sported, personally the thief wouldn't want to risk being fused with a malformed chicken even temporarily. [color=BC8DBF]"These scholarly types,"[/color] Therion scoffed lightly, having already pegged Edward as a learned, inquisitive man. Primrose glanced at Therion, and then simply handed the spirit over to Edward. [color=D34C25]"I'd like to see the results,[/color]" she said, naming her price as only that. So far she had not fused with monsters like these, for a number of reasons, but she liked seeing the changes. If the time came in the future that she chose to fuse with something like this, it would be good to have as much reference information as possible. [color=ea590c]ā€¯Well then, In that case I wonā€™t chicken out and take the easy pathā€¯[/color] Edward said, having clearly spent too much time around the Ace Cadet, before accepting and then applying the spirit to his chest. [hider=For Edward]Notable spirit consumed: [b][url=https://i.imgur.com/YHEQScK.png]Malphas[/url][/b] The host is three times bigger, bow-legged, and hunchbacked. His body is roughly separated into two sections: the head, arms, and front influenced by Malphas, while his back and everything from the legs down is influenced by the Hatchling. A ring of jagged crystals line the 'seam' between the two halves. The hatchling half is more mottled, brownish, and scaly, with four talon-bearing toes too large for shoes. His wings are threadbare, with most feathers now more like pine needles or spindly clawed fingers, and what feathers are left are black. Additional fingers protrude at random from the wings. There is a similar tuft of tail-feathers protruding from his spine. The Malphas half is more pale and slender, but with strange bone structure almost like the bones are undergoing osmosis, and about to split into three. There are black markings on his face, his eyes are glassy, and his hair is longer and darker. His personality is more cruel, egotistical, and unhinged. This spirit grants the ability [b]Nether Portals[/b], allowing the user to conjure portals of various size at high speed. Though static, they allow very quick displacement, allowing them to be used offensively, but their range is limited to line of sight. This spirit also grants the weakness [b]Chimeric Entropy[/b], causing cell tissues to gradually break down, causing abilities to strengthen but physical stats to decrease more and more over time[/hider] The results were not pretty, to say the least, and very difficult to ignore as the man towered over them, hunched over from looking down at them. It was a good thing they were in the hangar, because heā€™d have likely been crushed or destroyed some walls had they been anywhere else on the ship. He blinked in confusion, took a heavy step back, and then with a mere thought opened a pair of portals before him, looking through one to see himself out of the other. [color=ea590c]ā€¯Well, isnā€™t that dramaticā€¯[/color] the man said, with a tone far closer to a mad scientist than merely an inquisitive academic, as he examined himself. Then he ran a hand across the opposite arm and remarked [color=ea590c]ā€¯and internal changes as well? I should dissect myself to see what it has done to my bones because they feel very strangeā€¯[/color] as if this was an entirely reasonable course of action. Portal flashed open and shut as he took the entirety of himself in quick succession, as he mused [color=ea590c]ā€¯Fascinating, far more change than Ganondorf in terms of the shape of the physical structure despite the utterly inhuman nature of his fusion. I wonder why that isā€¯[/color] The Orsterrans regarded the changes with about the same mix of surprise and distaste. Therion was much more obvious with it, and he was quick to extract himself from the conversation when Edward brought up dissecting himself - especially as he wasn't entirely sure if it was the spirit making him talk crazy or if it had merely brought out some deeper facet of his personality. You never knew with scholars. [color=BC8DBF]"I'll leave you to figure out,"[/color] he said, heading for the ramp without a second glance at either the dreadnought or dancer as his tail swished behind him. Primrose watched him go out of the corner of her eyes, keeping most of her attention on Edward. Malphas had been very powerful, and the demoness' dark magic would certainly have been nice to wield for herself, but... now she was very glad she hadn't tried. Hopefully she would have still wanted to de-fuse afterward. Speaking of... [color=D34C25]"You... don't look very comfortable in your own skin,"[/color] she said. So far her experience had been that most feelings of unease passed after a few moments as the changes blended together and felt natural, but going from what he'd been before to [i]this[/i], well... it wouldn't be a surprise if he didn't settle into it. She folded her arms, looking up at the changed man. [color=D34C25]"Although at least you didn't split into three. I don't suppose it gave you the power to change shape?"[/color] Malphas hadn't displayed anything like that, and her comment was more teasing than anything. [color=D34C25]"How does the magic feel? Worth it, or do you want to change back?"[/color] She glanced back at the hallway leading into the hangar, unsure if he could even fit through the corridor. Could he even fit into the Spirit Chamber if he created a portal that led to it? [color=ea590c]ā€¯Oh it is deeply unpleasant, but I have felt many unpleasant things in my life, from death to far worse, and so i am willing to endure it for knowledge at leastā€¯[/color] he replied, before adding that [color=ea590c]ā€¯the impracticality however is certainly a reason to dispose of this. I'd rather not crawl through the halls of the Avenger, so youā€™ll get them to move the de-fusion device to save me the trouble once I returnā€¯[/color] Briefly Primrose wondered if the death he endured was meant in regards to the cycle they lived through in this world, or if he'd died in his original world before ending up here. Primrose herself had almost ended up that way. There was also the option that he'd been resurrected or something like that. She might have asked, if not for the tone he spoke in. She raised another brow at him. [color=D34C25]"Is that a request or a demand?"[/color] Edward, it seemed, had taken it as a given, as he had begun and did not stop to half turn and then walk into a portal, taking him outside of the Avenger in a single step. He then glanced around, and entered yet another portal, stepping to parts unknown.