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Chapter Text

The ill-omened path laid for her was bound to conceive this unfortunate outcome. 

At such a young age, her mind had already been tested to its limits - forced to endure agonizing trials and tribulations. All in the immoral excuse of making her fit to be a unit of immense prowess - a soldier, meant to serve without hesitation. 

She was reformed - metaphorically remodeled into a different person. Her personality from when she was a mere kid, her humble-yet-mischievous curiosity, her drive to explore the world beyond the walls she and others of her age were kept within. Everything that made her… her … dissipated - vanished and brought about to the void when she expressed her desire to escape the confines of the prison she called the SPDM and formulated a plan just to do exactly that. A plan that not only failed horrifically, but also resulted in her garnering the title of ‘Timekeeper’.

She regretted ever accepting Z’s offer. She wished that her speciality wasn't that of being able to brave through the “Storm” unharmed, but to be able to turn back time and slap her child self for ever thinking about trying to escape. Because if that were the case, if she never became curious and just simply abided by the laws of the Foundation like a good little dog, then perhaps she may have kept two people from being washed away like dust by the “Storm” - keeping her sanity and innocence preserved in the process. Yet despite her disastrous upbringing, she coped with it through telling herself that this was always supposed to happen.

She was always supposed to be the Timekeeper. She was always supposed to undertake missions that no other individual could. She was always supposed to endure the wretched pain and agony that came with her pre-planned occupation - to be forced to sacrifice her physical and mental well-being in the service of others. She was always supposed to suffer, to be hurt, to be corrupted, to crack, to break, to be traumatized, to lose friends, to remain alone despite being surrounded by comrades that trusted her, to be betrayed, to encounter entities that made her question her reality, to cry behind closed doors - where no one would be able to witness her pitiful wails and the stream of tears that would follow suit.

She did that often… no, she did that almost every single time she managed to prevail through another mission. She would lock herself in her room for hours, and sometimes, if she weren't being called to be sortied out to yet another mission, days . 

They wanted to help her - to be there for her in her times of need. But the door that separated them would never be opened regardless of how many times they would plead for her to let them in. Vertin would just stay quiet whenever they knocked - hoping that they would just believe she's asleep. 

All of them knew better, of course. They knew that she's just pretending to sleep just so they would give up and ultimately try again some other time… So they'd try and try - not caring if they were possibly getting under Vertin's skin.

Yet all of them would eventually stop, either after a while, or whenever Sonetto would tell them to.

She was the only person whom Vertin would allow access into her room, even if she truly didn't want her to be there. But even she couldn't deny that she needed the orange-haired girl's presence.

Sonetto would be her angel - her only guiding light amidst the darkness that was so very close to fully engulfing her mind. Somehow, her angel would always be there whenever she needed her comforting aura. 

The way she'd stare with saddened and sympathetic eyes at first before sauntering ever gently closer. The way she wouldn't ask what was wrong - but rather open her arms as a form of invitation for a warm embrace. 

Everything about her, Vertin loved with all of her heart… or whatever's left of it.

She enjoyed the gentle rubs that Sonetto would endow upon her with love she thought herself unworthy of… yet she had no choice but to be endowed by it, since Sonetto wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

Her mind came across the thought of self-harm on many occasions - so many times, in fact, that it was almost a common occurrence for her. At first, it devastated her. The very fact that she was starting to develop those horrid and inconceivable urges to hurt her own self made her question…

“...Why am I even still here…”

Her first time ever going so deep in her episode of sadness that she actually drew a blade and closed it onto her forearm, through some divine intervention and timing, she was caught. And who else better to have caught her nearly going through with hurting herself than her green-eyed guardian angel…

She finally found a new reason to keep going - a grand and profound drive to remain alive. 

While Vertin attempted to create a believable-enough explanation as to what she was doing, Sonetto bothered not with trying to comprehend whatever she had to say, nor did she try to even hear it. Her mouth just split and her lips quivered as tears started to stream down her cheeks. 

She ran up to her and brought the person she loved most into a tight hug. The blade dropped onto the tiles below - causing an unpleasant and high-pitched striking sound.

She bawled her eyes out and screamed out her true feelings towards the Timekeeper that night. She bombarded Vertin with her overwhelming emotions that flowed out as naturally as she breathed. 

She confessed everything to Vertin that evening… how much she loved her… how much she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her… how much it broke her heart to see her suffering on her own…

She said it all to Vertin - through hindered breaths exhaled shakingly. And to top it all off, to seal away the doubts that Vertin had, she no longer gave a damn about boundaries. She took Vertin's "first" kiss that night, and that wasn't all.

Vertin felt alive again after that fulfilling night. A night filled with the sounds of love and lust intertwined into a beautiful and rejuvenating display and act of reconciliation. She engraved the cute sounds of her new lover's moans into her mind. For the first time since first encountering the “Storm” back from when she was still a child, she genuinely felt happy again. Her teammates were happy to see her smile - to see her act and talk with such liveliness that they've never seen her emanate before. 

For the time being, she thought that she had changed - that she was no longer some pathetic throwaway that cried herself to sleep. For the time being, she thought that she could remain happy… For the time being… For… the time… being…

Sonetto died - returned from a failed mission on a stretcher and pronounced dead upon arrival.

After mere hours of acknowledging her beloved’s death, she recalled the time when she was captured by Manus Vindictae. She remembered her conversation with its leader.

The voice that spoke to her was haunting… yet, enticing, borderline hypnotizing . It seduced her - made her hardened exterior crack open and expose all of her sensitive bits as the words it spoke promised her a way out of her special kind of hell. 

A part of her didn't believe it, most of her wanted to. How Arcana described the freedom she would promise her, should Vertin comply, sounded like paradise for the young Timekeeper. 

All Vertin needed to do was to let the curse that Arcana embedded, through a deep and passionate exchange of spit and other bodily fluids, within her weakened heart to bloom and let its darkened petals show like a Black Dahlia. 

Safe to say… she gave in to the temptation. During her reminiscence of Arcana’s offer, she followed just as Arcana had instructed. She raised her knife - pointing it towards the skin that concealed her heart that beated for no one, not anymore.

She didn't bother to think of the ramifications; it was already too late. The thought of how many people she would hurt, how many of her friends she would betray, never crossed her mind. She just ran on her emotions - on the desperate and pathetic need to let go.

 She had nothing left to lose - nothing left to live for. The last reason she had to hold on to her life was gone - sent into battle, returned a cadaver.

The pain from the stab wound held no weight compared to the pain of losing Sonetto. She could taste the tears that flowed down as she started to draw a fatal amount of blood - regrets and sorrow filling her mind as she continued to push the knife deeper… and deeper… and deeper. 

She pushed until she could no longer do so. She did this until she drew her last breath - until her sacrificial husk collapsed onto the hard and cold tiles below her feet. 

Vertin died that same day. And no one else knew since they all wanted to give Vertin some space to mourn.

She remained in place like that for 3 days - with her body laying in her own pool of blood. The knife was still lodged into her heart - staying in place until it were to be unsheathed from the caverns of her chest cavity.

Once she was found by a guard meant to deliver her some much needed sustenance, medics were dispatched almost immediately after a distress call was made.

The medics even bothered putting her on a stretcher and bringing her towards a hospital even though her body was already showing signs of bloating. And once her friends, her comrades, her teammates, caught wind of the news…

They cried. Every single one of them cried. The druid, the pilot, the floating apple, the stack of TVs, the invisible knight. Even the self-entitled genius that was jealous of her for having her crush, Sonetto, as her ex-assistant cried for her.

It was like reliving Sonetto's death all over again - with the worst part being that they were still mourning and very much hurt from their orange-haired friend's premature departure.

The late Timekeeper's teammates stormed towards the hospital room where she was brought to - sobbing and screaming for the nurses and doctor to let them in. And once they forced themselves in, they fell on their knees beside her deathbed - apologizing for an outcome that they couldn't stop. An outcome that they didn't see coming. And they blamed themselves for letting it happen.

Now, they believe the Timekeeper was gone - her broken soul transcended onto the beautiful and peaceful utopia up above in the clouds. With her hand intertwined with her late orange-haired lover's as they both sauntered beautifully across the white marble staircase that led towards the Pearly Gates…

Oh how wrong they were… In fact, Heaven's gate would be the last place she'd ever get to see - let alone be allowed to cross.

Elite soldiers from Zeno were already given the green light to prepare to honor their fallen comrade through a military funeral as the service morticians were prepping Vertin's corpse for the embalming process. They tried to refuse - saying that it was already too late for them to press on with preserving the dead body.

That was the first time that anyone had ever seen Z grovel - knees to the floor and eyes reddened as she pleaded for them to at least try. Her lover, who's flowing tears grazed upon special metal braces, kneeling down to comfort her as best as she could - all of Vertin's friends watching from behind with similarly-reddened eyes.

The morticians softened; they agreed to try their best to preserve the body of, what many considered her to be, a natural-born hero…

Regret. 

Regret would be the only thing that would cross their mind. That would tread upon their thoughts as they'd beg for their lives. 

Multiple variations of fear struck each of their hearts. Fear for their lives, fear for the Foundation, and fear of whatever kind of… demon… Vertin was turning into.

Her body contorted and twisted like a pissed-off Onryō - the rotted skin near the joints of her limbs torn and ruptured as her bones seemingly started to grow. Her fingers lengthened - forming sharpened claws that could penetrate human skulls like butter knives through gelatin. Dark and odorous tar seeped from her widened and deformed mouth - her eyes starting to cry the very same tar as they were infected with the same dark hue.

Every augmentation. Every abnormality. Every agony disguised as blessings that transformed her from a respected hero, into a monster feared by all unfortunate enough to witness her. All of it portrayed her pain - her sufferings.

That pain became her new drive. It became her new reason to live once again - to grab her second chance at life by the neck and consume it. She wouldn't waste it, it was too early for that; she had a mission to do. She had a deal to respect - a contract to follow. She had to pay her due; resurrection doesn't come free of charge. 

And pay it, she did - through the screams of her disemboweled victims, the destruction she inflicted to the Foundation’s infrastructure, and the blood of those who attempted to oppose her unopposable wrath-induced rampage… and she cried.

She cried all throughout the entire duration of her massacre - though no one could have even noticed due to trying to run away. The people she hurt, the people she killed ; all of them were her allies. And the worst part was: some of them… a lot of them… she considered as her friends - people she had some level of trust with, even outside of work-related duties.

Mesmer Jr., X, Medicine Pocket, Tooth Fairy, Z, A Knight, Eagle, Mondlicht, Matilda…

Regulus. Lilya. Sotheby. Druvis. Mr. APPLe. 

Their attempts to stop her were in vain. All of them tried. Most of them were only hurt. Some of them… died. And everything happened as intended by the great and powerful ‘Sufferer’.

She could still remember how they begged… how they sobbed as they pleaded for her to stop… yet she didn't. She couldn't. Even if she tried everything she could to resist the demon controlling her, it would've just been in vain.

That was the price she paid to put an end to her own personal hell…

“hrgh… m-mrgh…”

And now

“argh… h-hahh…”

she treads the path 

“Gargh… h-hargh…”

that would lead towards her promised salvation.

“hr- argh!”

Dragging along a coffin containing the only reason why her massacre hadn't come sooner…

She grunted as she fell down once more - knees and forearm colliding with the hard ground below her. 

She was already bruised and bloodied - her limbs crying out in pain and for solace. Her entire body screamed for her to stop for a moment - to take a simple break that she needed greatly after the heinous deeds she committed.

Yet she pushed on - bearing no mind to how painful the stings of her open wounds were, or how sore her entire stature was. She kept her slow march on - giving her all on pushing onwards to her given destination.

Her clothes were tattered and covered with pints upon pints of blood. Whether it was hers or from those she used to call her allies… she didn't know anymore. And how she suddenly had them on when she turned back into her normal form… she didn't know either.

She carried two crimson pistols with her - belonging… or used to belong… to a friend whom she had also lost to the “Storm”. Along with a knife that was given to her by Lilya as a gift. 

She never used them, however. She came across them during her impromptu self-assigned task of digging up the coffin she was dragging and decided to bring them along with her. 

Having done the first part of her savior's plan, it was on towards the second-half - which only involved her getting to a safe-enough distance away from the critically-hit Foundation, where she would be guided by a Manus member.

The sounds of twigs and leaves snapping and rustling beneath her boots respectively, along with the disturbing dragging noise that the coffin was emanating, were the only sounds that came across her field of hearing. Her breathing was a given; she was extremely tired and fatigued - ready to collapse at any moment.

However, all of them were in a rhythm that she orchestrated through her physical exhaustion. It wasn't perfect - filled with plenty of inconsistencies in speed, volume, and tempo. But it was hers, and hers alone. And she would know when the very same sound of leaves snapping were to be made, but not by her.

Like what would occur just behind her.

“Who's ther- argh!” Letting go of the rope she used to drag the coffin, she turned to her 6 o'clock with the speed of a cat’s paw swatting a target - involuntarily unsheathing her curse-acquired weapons as her fingers transformed back into the very same claws she used to decimate Laplace. How her flesh practically split like atoms during nuclear fission and how her sharpened bones pierced through her skin like pneumatophores granted her a great deal of acute pain that she couldn't bear.

She collapsed onto the ground as she cradled her right forearm - wincing in pain as she gazed upon her deformed and weaponized hand with horror-filed eyes. 

“...Hm~” A chuckle, mocking in tone - alluring by nature, blessed her ears as crinkling footsteps soon followed suit. 

“The curse hath done its work most well… dost thou not agree~?” She knew immediately who was speaking to her. She could never mistake that voice for anyone else's - not when it's almost etched into her mind.

“Ar…cana…”

“Yes, love~?” Despite her hand still hurting like thousands of acupuncture needles were shoved deep into it all at once, her body still managed to bring enough blood towards her cheeks to form a faint blush.

“Help… please...” She pleaded - desperate to end the pain enveloping her right hand.

“Hm…” The lady in black pondered for a moment just to tease her new cute plaything. She was already willing to help the poor ex-Timekeeper out - since she knew that helping her would lead to a great and lubricious exchange. She just wanted to immediately make sure who would be the one in-charge in their soon-to-be relationship.

“Thou dost beseech aid from the very one who hath brought thee to this woeful plight? How far hast thou fallen from thy noble throne, Vertin~”

“Could you not… argh… do this now? Please?”

“Oh? Doth mine words vex thee?”

“Very much…”

“Hm… Hm~” Her expression of ponder switched into a teaseful one - with a little hint of sympathy thrown in due to hearing her winces of genuine pain. She sauntered closer towards the Timekeeper in pain - bending down at a perfect angle for her lithe fingers to graze upon Vertin's cheek.

“Then I shall speak plain, for thee alone…” She says - holding Vertin’s chin to raise the younger girl’s field of vision.

“You inquire for help… from your greatest foe? Where has your pride gone, dear Timekeeper~?”

“...So you can speak normally.”

“Indeed, I can… However, it is for your ears, and your ears alone…”

“Heh… should I be glad?”

“Perhaps. Across the span of my entire existence; no one has ever heard me speak this… simple.”

“I'm honored.” She sarcastically says. “Now, help me. This hurts…”

“Oh, I can imagine~” She shoots an eerie smile towards Vertin before letting go of the chin she held with care. She then arose back onto her feet - gesturing for Vertin to do the same.

“Arise, my dear…”

“Can't you heal me first?” 

“Arise. Then, I shall grant thee… you … solace from your pain.” She announced - letting her usual habit-of-talk slip out but briefly. As she turned around to cast their means of escape with one flick of a finger, she heard something that granted her both satisfaction… and a feeling that she had never felt before…

“...h-haha…” Vertin chuckled… chuckled … at the slight mistake that her savior had made. And she only continued - marking her spot in the graveyard of those who dared to spite Manus Vindictae in the process.

“To think… the high and mighty Arcana, Leader of Manus Vindictae, the Great Sufferer … struggling to speak the English of the new-age! Truly a spectacle !” Her voice was harsh and filled with enough faux and sarcasm to kill someone. Even Arcana was taken aback by this.

“…Have I so grievously wounded her?” She thought to herself - genuinely in awe of Vertin's tonality. Though she dared not to show her surprise through visible expressions… besides through the eeriness of her widening eyes.

“You dare to mock… me, my dear?”

“Don't fucking call me that…” She hissed - further adding on towards Arcana’s disbelief. It almost seemed like… shock … for the Great Sufferer. She expected Vertin to be angry, distrusting, and cold. But she never expected for her to outright display these powerful emotions straight to her. Subtly, perhaps. But definitely not directly.

Having finally gotten used to the pain that centered at her hand… or rather, what used to be her hand, she fought through the pain and forced her legs to lift her up - sucking air through her teeth as dried tears started to be streaked with fresh ones.

“And why can I not call you that?” She pondered out loud - slowly walking towards the bleeding Timekeeper with intimidation right by her side. 

“Have you forgotten… the bond we've formed, love?” She then bent a little as she reached within half-arm’s length away from her ‘beloved’ pet. 

“Through blood. Through essence…” She clasped Vertin's chin with her index and thumb and raised Vertin's head “Through… Lust.”

“Did you genuinely think that just because we spent that night together - where you forced me to bare myself to you… that I would just… fall for you afterwards?”

“...A part of me hoped, yes.” Vertin scoffed jadedly at the amount of gall laced within the taller girl's answer.

“Keep hoping… Sufferer.”

“...Pardon?” Arcana asked - patience hurriedly straining and nearly depleted.

“You heard me… bitch- hrgck-” From tenderly holding a chin to being wrapped around a weak and fragile neck, Arcana’s hand squeezed - her eyes widening like she was crazed as she started to give Vertin her own twisted version of a warning.

“a-ack…”

“For thee, my dear... I took mine own time and didst come to fetch thee myself. For thee, I spake the tongue of this modern age. And unto thee... I did bequeath mine first...” Her grip tightened with every word she emitted - it was almost painful for her to keep it going. She genuinely did not want to have to resort to this style of disciplining when it came to the arcanist that her heart had unfortunately fallen for. But, in her eyes, it was necessary.

“I didst provide thee a way out of the hell thou didst call thy life - granted thee the strength to wreak thy vengeance upon those who beheld thee… who beheld her, ” She gestured towards the coffin. “-as a mere pawn meant to serve until thou canst serve no longer, or until the Reaper cometh after thou hast been shot, stabbed… or worse… ” She stressed that last word to inflict one last serving of ‘guilt’ towards her Timekeeper before finally letting her go.

“Argh-!” She landed with a highly-audible thud - emitting a vocal response to the pain of hitting the ground before her body started to automatically regain some much needed air.

To see Vertin like this, on the ground, coughing dryly and gasping for air after being choked without even putting up a fight, it felt.. odd … for the Great Sufferer. Never has she seen Vertin so weak… so… vulnerable . The display answered her earlier question to herself: she really had broken the one that had first made her darkened heart flutter… It made her pity the poor girl, and grant her a second chance.

Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her eyes as she implicitly forgave the younger girl before crouching down to Vertin's level.

“...Grant me thy… Let me hold your claws.” She inquired - tone shifted down significantly to portray regret in her words.

“H-Hah… *cough* i-is that what these are…?”

“What else would you call them?” She garnered no response - but simple compliance. Albeit with a side of hesitance. Vertin raised her claws towards Arcana - palmer side facing up. The urge to swing them at her was certainly hard to resist for her… but she managed, for now.

Despite the sharpened blades, that were her fingers, being reduced to mere bone, she could, somehow, still acknowledge the feeling of Arcana's hand. It was haunting - how cold it was. As the Sufferer grazed her fingertips across the shaft of Vertin's middle finger-claw, Vertin shuddered - a swift and calming aura suddenly enveloping her system. 

“What… are you doing…?”

“Healing you, dear… or would you rather be left in this state?”

“N-No… please keep going…”

“Hm...” She responded with a hum as her other hand held the dorsal part of Vertin's ex-hand while her initial hand continued its slow sauntering against the claws. This lasted for a short while, enough time for her to gather enough courage to overthrow her pride that came with being an entity capable of ending thousands of lives in less than mere hours.

“...I suppose… I should apologize for my… unnecessary violence. I really did wish that I did not have to resort to such brutish methods to calm your mind.” Her head, nor eyes, never raised to meet Vertin's. She merely focused her gaze onto the hand, nay claws , that she was healing. Though Vertin did notice a sort of… coyness… in the Sufferer’s tone. 

It granted her some form of confidence… mainly due to acquiring a bold and dangerous epiphany.

“...Are you embarrassed?”

“...Pardon?”

“...Heh… h-haha!” From quiet chuckles to a brief burst of laughter, the horror from Arcana's death-grip on her neck had seemingly disappeared - replaced with mocking huzzah that further served to make the slight red tint on Arcana's cheeks to become slightly more recognizable. It took all of her willpower to resist choking Vertin again… yet she dared not to stop herself from giving the Timekeeper yet another warning - a more reasonable one… or at least, as reasonable as the Great Sufferer could get..

“Shall I sharpen your entire skeletal structure like these claws of yours?”

“Hahh… I don't care anymore… At the very least, I get to die with a smile… so, thanks for that, I suppose…” Arcana stilled her hand as her heart throbbed in slight pain after hearing her beloved Timekeeper emit those last few words. 

“...Do you really not fear the Reaper any longer?” She asked after a slight pause - tilting her head up to finally face Vertin with saddened eyes. It was because of this that Vertin's hesitancy outweighed her newfound confidence. It made her remember the horrible, awful, unforgivable acts she committed. All the damage, all the pain and suffering inflicted, all the lives taken, all of it came back to her like being hit by a truck. And while she didn't trust the one she now served, the need to open up her bottled-up feelings took over - even if just a little.

“Whether or not I lose my life… I don't care. Not anymore…” Arcana continued healing the Timekeeper's hand as her question was being given a clear and direct answer. 

“The only person that ever gave me a reason to live… that told me to keep finding more reasons to live… died. And all I could do was watch as she faded away… I… I begged… for the doctors to let me in… To let me hold her… one last time. To tell her that I loved her… To comfort her… I didn’t care if she was already gone… I just wanted to be with her again…” She could feel her heart tightening and the familiar feeling of her eyes once again forming tears. 

“Hm… I suppose that… the person you loved so dearly now resides within her coffin… The very same that you have ruined and dragged all the way onto here…” The choice of words landed a blow that most definitely hurt the ex-Timekeeper; as if she weren't already nearing bursting into tears again. She turned towards the desecrated coffin with eyes filled with nothing but the urge to portray her mountain of regrets.

“She was my angel… my saving grace… my everything… And when she died, I… I couldn't take it anymore… That's when… When… W-When I…"

“When you drew your blade towards yourself once again…”  As she finished her sentence, the healing process was done; Vertin's claws were retracted back into her body and her hand was once again back to normal - five fingers all accounted for as she stood up from her kneeled state as Arcana raised her head to meet Vertin's gaze.

“...I made my choice. I gave up my life to kill those bastards that sent her out to die… I chose to let that curse you called a ‘ blessing’ to take over me… I chose to become your servant… But I didn't want to hurt my friends… I didn't want to kill Regulus… Mr. APPLe… D-Druvis…” With her unholy confession spoken out, the dam in her eyes finally gave in and broke - allowing the tears to start seeping out.

“...And now you wish to undo what you have done… yes? To go back and revert the outcome that you have created?” The Sufferer said as she too stood up - looking down at her beloved in the literal sense due to her taller stature as she awaited for Vertin's answer…

“...No.” an answer that she did not predict in the slightest.

“Oh? It is not redemption that you seek?”

“No… I'm too far gone for something like that…”

“I see… Then what is it that you want?”

“...” She took a deep and mournful breath - pondering briefly if this was really what she wanted. But all her doubts started to dissipate, like the elegance of metal being degraded through oxidation, when she gandered at the coffin behind her - the look in her eyes undoubtedly turning from saddened and mournful, to determined and driven. 

“...Her…”

All her life, she only ever had 2 drives - 2 goals that gave her life purpose: to witness and acknowledge what the “Storm” was, and her guardian angel, Sonetto. One of them costed her her innocence, her stable state of mind, and the lives of 2 people. The other worked against the first one - to provide her solace from the trauma of her curiosity. 

She despised the first one. Even until now, as she stood looking at her departed beloved's casket, she still hated herself for that childish curiosity she had. But the other? She wanted her back, she needed her angel back. There had to be some other reason for her to live than being a mere puppet of the Manus - destined to disembowel and decapitate hundreds of times more. She needed for someone to be there with her - someone to brave this new metaphorical kind of storm with her…

She needed Sonetto back.

“Arcana…” She started - voice softer than cotton. “I will follow your every will. Preach your every word. Kill anyone who stands against you and the Manus… And I will be yours… I'll do anything you want me to do… Just… please…” She dropped back down to her knees - not out of pain, but of submission and desperation - widening Arcana's snake-like eyes.

“Just bring her back… Let me be with her again… Please… That's all I ask of you…” 

Her view fell downwards once again; she could only see, through eyes laced with tears, the striking contrast of her new master's dark high heels against the naturality of the leaves and earth on which they stepped on.

Her devotion towards her deceased lover and her desire to be with her again struck Arcana as poetic - a true instance where love prevails even against the cold grip of the reaper and his blood-stained steel. She could almost feel it - the love for the orange-haired lass that sourced from within Vertin's disrepaired heart. And dare she confess; it was almost moving. 

She truly did feel bad for her Timekeeper; the way she willingly dropped to her knees and begged graced the Sufferer with pity. She saw how much Vertin was in pain during her massacre - both physically and mentally. After all, the blessing wasn't crafted to turn her into a monster. Its only job was to manifest all the negative feelings that she had acquired and stocked from the depths of her mind - to amplify them and then use them to provide power to Vertin while possibly ridding her of a majority of that pain. That was Arcana's first gift for her beloved.

Everything had gone according to her plan; the Foundation lost some of its best defenders and she had gained its most notable member - new and improved and engraved with more slicing and dicing efficiency than a food processor. All she needed to do was to make sure that Vertin wouldn't kill herself once again out of sadness… 

As much as she hated to admit… she alone couldn't make Vertin happy. And frankly, she didn't know how to. She would need help from someone. Someone who knew Vertin deeply - who has a deep and personal connection with her… Someone like…

The rotting corpse inside the dragged coffin.

“...Arise… my dear.” With a dominant presence and lack of other options, Arcana swallowed her pride and offered a hand towards Vertin - the latter looking up with tear-blurred vision to glance at the offered hand mere inches away from her face. She took a moment to breathe - readying her nerves while wiping away the tears in her eyes. She rubbed her hand onto her ruined slacks - wiping her hands dry slowly as accepted the choice she had made.

She held onto Arcana’s hand - sending a brief and weak chill down her back as her warmed hand met its polar-opposite temperature as she raised herself back up on her feet. Yet despite complying with the humble request, she still couldn’t muster up the courage to look towards the person she begged on her knees to - the last few smidgens of her pride desperately not allowing her to. So Arcana took initiative.

“Vertin.” Her whisper was followed by her hands softly cupping Vertin’s cheeks whilst she kept her calmed gaze upon the joyless eyes of her beloved. “If that is what you truly desire…”

Arcana leaned in - cutting herself off as her soft lips connected with Vertin's. The younger girl knew this would happen. And she didn't bother trying to resist it. Whether she liked it or not, this part of their conversation was destined to lead up to this moment. She knew this… and she liked it.

She reciprocated - gently holding on to Arcana's forearms with her hands as she closed her eyes and allowed her Sufferer to prolong the kiss. Her breathing, as well as Arcana's, calmed down to an eye-opening degree; she felt so comforted just from Arcana's hold on her cheeks and connection to her lips that she suspected some traces of arcanum at play.

However, nothing like that was true; there were no spells, nor incantations being casted. It was merely an entrancing side-effect - crafted through Arcana's graceful benevolence. And she was falling for it… for her - as indicated from her sudden want for more when Arcana parted from the light kiss…

“M-Mhm-!” She forced Arcana into another kiss; the dominant one out of them both wasn’t even done regaining her lost air. And to add to Arcana's surprise, she felt something warm and soft start to enter her mouth.

Hands gently holding her waist, Arcana's soft clutch on Vertin's cheeks was retracted as she chose to rest her forearms on her new lover's slacking shoulders. Her tongue no longer felt lonely - awaiting for the day it could finally dance with its destined partner once again. For that day, the day where it could perform its beautiful pas de deux with its significant other, was now. And as much as it wanted to continue, their first dance would have to be a mere warm up.

Like they were linked, they both retracted from the heated kiss in-sync - eyes staring at eyes as a trail of saliva formed between the space where their tongues and lips had parted. Their breathing was weighed - the lack of air finally catching up to them. A mere hindrance, it was… Yet it had given her the window to finish her sentence.

“...then with her… I shall share you, my dear~”

The cloud that rained on her parade. The weight that fell against her frail bones. The grieving want to be weathered into dust, into nothing . The urge to dig bloodied trenches across her body with a sharpened edge - to be laid upon another deathbed with a bright light shone upon her as life-saving shadows with widened eyes like ungleaming stars stared down upon her in disbelief and shock. The urge to let her blood run down her limbs - forming lines longer than where the red ink had seeped out from.

All of it, everything … were starting to fade away. All because of Arcana. And for once… ever since the last day she spent with Sonetto… she smiled. A smile so radiant, so genuine - filled with hope and a deep gratitude that knew no bounds. 

Her vision blurred once again - eyes beginning to create tears that she was all too familiar with. Only this time… it wasn't out of sorrow and pain… It was out of a feeling that had been taken from her multiple times throughout her heartbreaking life…

Happiness

She closed the distance between her and her benevolent Sufferer - her body colliding with the woman with hair the color of the ocean during a day when clouds are aplenty and sunlight was lacking. She buried her face onto the soft chest that laid in front of her - feeling comfort from both the softness and the sound of slightly-elevated heartbeats underneath. 

“Thank you… Arcana… Thank… you….”

She continued to cry - to let the rest of her negative emotions out like the pitiful waste they were as Arcana shone a beautiful smile upon her unkempt hair. She chose not to respond through words, instead cradling the back of her cute lover's head as she held Vertin in an embrace that she wished could last until eternity… But she desired more than a mere embrace.

“Shall we depart, my love?”

“...Y-Yes. We shouldn't linger…”

“Hm. The sounds of footsteps are starting to elevate.”

“Crap… We have a way out, right?”

“Hm~” A mere snap of her fingers and the utterance of a foreign language that Vertin could not comprehend, a darkened circle composed of a mere margin of a margin of Arcana's power had formed around the very ground they stood upon.

“Is this a… teleportation ritual?”

“Of sorts… Shall I teach you how to cast it yourself?”

“Sure… Wait- Sonetto!”

“Fret not, love.” As her arm extended to point her fingers towards the casket, a black and sludge-like mass crept along its stature - falling onto the ground where it amassed more and more until it was fit to form a monstrous humanoid that crept using tendrils rather than walked with two legs.

“I can just pull the rope, you don’t need to do that…”

“Would you ruin her coffin furthermore than you already have?”

“I… Does it matter? She’ll be brought back… I plan on burning it after she’s back.”

“The coffin will be pivotal to her resurrection. It shall serve as both the crevice where her soul had departed from her retired flesh, and where her soul shall intertwine once more with her rejuvenated husk. It is within its narrow space where-” A soft thud was then heard from just behind Vertin; the minion that Arcana summoned had brought the coffin into the teleportation circle as the two were conversing.

“Form, men!”

“Sir!”

And as Arcana was explaining, she was rudely interrupted by a squadron of soldiers - all sent by Zeno with the simple-to-understand yet impossible-to-achieve task of bringing the traitorous Timekeeper back to be judged for her crimes.

“It seems your friends have arrived, my love…”

“Tch…” Hurried sounds of guns unholstering and a loud shriek sourced from Vertin's instincts and the sludge monster's cry of dominance. 

“Timekeeper! Lay down your weapons and this won't have to end badly…” Says, what appeared to be in her eyes, the squadron's captain.

“Just leave me alone!”

“After what you've done!?” He screamed - pain evident in his harsh tone. “We volunteered for this suicide mission because we want to see you suffer for the pain you caused us… You murdered dozens… You killed my sister, you prick! And all she was doing was readying your goddamn corpse to be buried!”

“...I'm sorry… for your sister's death, truly. My mind wasn't my own then… But unless you want to join her… I suggest you walk away.” Her voice held an uncommon mixture of venom and remorse in her tone. Not that the soldier cared.

“...Monster… You goddamned DEMON!” 

“S-Sir! That's Manus Vindictae’s leader beside her!”

“And!? You knew what you signed up for, soldier!”

“I-I thought we were just going against Vertin, sir!”

“Shut yer fuckin' trap and point your gun at the enemy! It don't fucking matter who she's with! She's paying… one way or another…" Gun in hand and pointed towards the betrayer, he set the safety off as his finger itched to pull the trigger already.

"How shall we go about this, Vertin?"

"Let's just go. They're out to kill me, not to take me back-"

"Miss Vertin!" But then, a familiar voice, squeaky and filled with ruined innocence, called out to her from where the squad of Zeno soldiers had appeared. It was her old teammate… the most innocent out of all of them… It was Sotheby.

“No… oh God please no…” She then shuddered out of fear - not of the little lady with the big green hat, but for her. She knew that there was no going back after this. Her allegiance, her own will, her freedom, her every choice. All of it will be governed by her new master - whirled, repurposed, reimagined, manipulated, and controlled by the Great Sufferer… by her new religion. 

“Please! You don't have to do this! We can still make this right!”

But as long as she still had some essence of control over her thoughts and actions, she still had the urge to care for the ones she called her friends - even if they saw her as nothing but a monster that betrayed their trust…

“Please, Vertin… Don't give up to the bad guys… We still care for you…” The little lady begged, taking steps too close for the squad leader's comfort.

“Hey! Don't get too close!” He warned - harshly grabbing Sotheby by the arm and pulling her back as she groaned in surprise and slight pain.

“Argh! L-Let go of me!” She swatted her arm away from the leader's grip. “Miss Vertin would never hurt me! I'm sure of it! A-And I know that she'll come back to our side!”

“Hey- argh! Men! Mind the kid, aim higher!”

“Sir!”

“...” Vertin's heart couldn't help but to ache from the young lady's words. And it nearly cracked when she knew that Sotheby's hope would be destroyed… But it hurt her more; knowing that the Foundation had the gall to send a child into a suicide mission. 

“It would seem that the Foundation has yet to learn from its prior mishaps…” Even Arcana noticed - glancing towards her alerted lover.

“Arcana… How long is the ritual going to take?”

“It awaits your command. Just say the word.”

“...If they start firing bullets, will I be safe?”

“I will not allow a single one from their petty weaponry to cause you harm, my love.”

“Thank you…” A smile, tender as moonlight shining down upon a serene lake, followed suit upon the younger girl's words. Try as she might, but Arcana cannot deny that her heart could not help itself but to skip two or three beats from the glorious radiance that blessed her field of vision.

“Vertin… Lilya and I still trust you… She's still waiting for you to return…” Announced the young noble. Whether or not she was being genuine or was trying to follow an order given to her prior to being sortied, Vertin did not care. She remembers how she massacred her team when they tried to stop her: the claws that pierced through the pirate's torso, the branch that was stabbed into its creator's heart, how one swing was all it took to slice the floating apple into three slices. And how Lilya's arm was…

“Don’t lie to me, Sotheby…”

“...W-What…?” She asked. Once again, whether out of genuinity or mere acting, Vertin didn't care. She knew it was all too good to be true. “I’m not lying to you, Vertin! I would never-”

“I RIPPED HER ARM OFF! YOU THINK SHE STILL TRUSTS ME AFTER THAT!?”

“Ah!” 

The scream, practically a roar, cracked through the air like a whip towards bloodied skin. She did not want to have to resort to screaming at the poor girl, but she had to break that hope of hers somehow before it breaks her.

Sotheby fell onto the ground - very much startled by the terrifying roar. When she looked back towards Vertin, her eyes were already starting to water. Even if Vertin still looked the same, she was no longer looking at the Vertin she knew, respected, and loved like an older sister. All she saw was a broken individual - a victim of destined circumstance that fell to the dark side.

“Hargh… Listen to me, Sotheby…” She began - huffing loudly as the sounds of guns getting ready to fire and angry stomps forward was emitted, courtesy of the soldiers. “Take Lilya, take Eagle, Mondlicht, take all of the children still within the Foundation's clutches away… Leave the Foundation…”

“W-Why…” She shuddered - yet still able to utter a response.

“Because… look at me.” Vertin raised her arms as if she was presenting herself. “ This is what’ll happen to them… to you. You're not safe inside that crooked organization. Whether or not you get hurt, or you get killed, they'll only see it as a tragic outcome that they'll move on from within minutes… ”

“...Vertin…” The dam had broken; the young noble's tears began to line down onto the fair skin of her cheeks. The words were enough to engrave its warning onto her mind - forever present like a scar from a healed wound.

“...I'm sorry… Sotheby… For yelling. For everything… I may no longer be able to the next time we meet, but know that I still care about you and Lilya… So please…” Vertin pointed her gun back towards the squadron.

“...heed my warning.” 

Vertin initiated the firefight afterwards - letting a bullet loose towards the direction of the squad with the sole purpose of missing in an ear-splitting display. And from one bullet being reciprocated with hundreds in less than a few seconds, Arcana's words held their weight. The shots fired towards the pair stopped dead in the air a meter away from hitting their intended targets like there was an invisible field preventing them from getting any closer.

The initiator took one last glance at her ex-comrade and friend - engraving the young noble's saddened and terrified look into her mind before taking a deep breath in and exhaling it.

“...Let's go.”

“Gladly…” The darkness surrounding the unholy circle grew as the teleportation ritual neared its completion - almost perfectly hiding their statures as though they were mere silhouettes.

“Should we leave the monster here to wreck havoc upon them?”

“Don’t allow it to kill anyone… and make sure it doesn't hurt Sotheby.”

“Hm~” A hum of acknowledgement later and they vanished into the ether - no harm inflicted onto them whatsoever. 

What was left behind was the sludge monster that had no other current purpose but to inflict harm on anyone with a gun in their hand. After one last war cry, it charged towards the squad - mauling and beating each and every one within an inch of their life. All while Sotheby just stayed on the ground crying.

Chapter Text

The ritual brought them to a room all-too-familiar for the dimmed-blue-haired mistress, but was enough to grant the young Timekeeper goosebumps… if she wasn't currently fuming with rage and already familiar with the space she was currently in.

“Argh! How heartless can they be!? Why did they send Sotheby of all people to try and get me!? She's just a kid!”

“Yes… Such a heartless organization indeed…” Arcana sauntered calmly towards her grandiose vanity mirror - descending comfortably onto the cushioned surface of its assigned seat after emitting her half-caring comment.

“And they have the gall to call me the monster… when they forced me into this… They were the ones that turned me into this!”

“Hm… yes, they bastardized every remnant of sanity and innocence you had… at such a young age as well…” She began to undo her luscious hair - dispelling the minute incantations that held her hair the way it was. Once done, she moved on to dislodging the huge pin that protruded from one side of her head, to another - dripping more and more of the black substance the closer it got to being free from Arcana’s head.

“...When will they learn… What will it take for them to realize that children aren't meant to be thrown in battle… Was the massacre I caused not enough!?”

“It would appear so…” 

“Maybe… Maybe I should just decimate the Foundation… Maybe then they'll learn…”

“...Hm~” 

“H-Hey!” From behind, Arcana's arms wrapped around Vertin's waist like a python to its prey. Vertin's surprise was justified. To her knowledge, her mistress was still seated upon the cushioned seat. So the sudden-yet-welcome sensation was alarming for her to say the least…

“Calm yourself, my dear. There shall be plenty of opportunities to render the Foundation obsolete. For now, we wait in the shadows…”

“Isn't now the perfect opportunity to attack, though? While they're hurt and recovering?”

“Think clearly, Vertin. You have given little Sotheby your instructions, did you not? Attacking now would make her task significantly more arduous, wouldn't you agree?” The reminder made her embarrassed. She silently scolded herself for forgetting something so important so quickly. It's only been a minute!

“Right… sorry…” 

“There is no need to apologize…” Her hold on her lover grew into a full on embrace - her arms fully snaking themselves around Vertin as she bent down slightly to hug the younger girl more comfortably.

“Welcome home, Vertin… I truly have been granted a most gracious blessing to have you returned to me…” She whispered - taking in Vertin's warmth with glee. Vertin felt like she was a big teddy bear being hugged by its owner. This only added onto her embarrassment - so she decided to play along with her ‘owner’.

“...Let go a bit…”

“Hm? What for?”

“Just… humour me.” Shs asked bashfully - still shy about what she planned to do. But, she was determined to start off strong in her relationship with Arcana. So once the owner of that name complied and loosened her hold, Vertin turned to face the taller woman - her arm lightly grazing against Arcana's chest. She then wrapped her own arms around Arcana's waist before shamelessly burying her face into the softness of the chest that laid in front of her - causing Arcana to emit a soft chuckle that sent critical hits onto Vertin's heart.

“Hm~ So this is your intent: to behold your desires to me post-haste?”

“No desires, none yet… Just my love…” 

“Oh~?” There’s the word that she's been aching to hear from Vertin: love. It provided her yet another feeling that she's never experienced before: giddiness. And it showed, through her smile, her hands and arms garnering the urge to hug Vertin tighter like a lovestruck teenager hugging her pillow after getting a text from her crush. But with the urge to embrace, came the desire to tease.

“You love me~?”

“...Isn't it obvious?” Vertin purred - granting her mistress a satisfying opportunity to tease the smaller girl.

“Not at all, dear… I do recall the harsh choice of words you used to refer to me earlier~”

“...I’m sorry…” She said pathetically. She thought about trying to explain herself, but opted to keep her apology simple… perhaps too simple. But her new mistress understood as she combed through Vertin's hair with her hand - smiling at the thought of Vertin being this submissive for her.

“You are forgiven. It was a mere instance of emotions overtaking your thoughts…” 

“Mhh…” The shorter girl let out a quiet moan from Arcana's fingers massaging her scalp. An odd gesture, but it proved to be effective in helping Vertin to calm her mind and collect herself once again.

After what felt like 7 minutes in heaven spent in each other's embrace, Vertin thought of being the one to take their current intimacy to its next stage.

“Arcana…” The look in Vertin’s eyes as she purred her mistress’s name… Arcana couldn’t even try and tease her about it - the lust accumulating within her system was making her self-restraint want to hang itself…

“Vertin…” And she knew. She knew well what that quiet tone entailed…

Her hand, no longer able to resist the most powerful variation of desire, grasped onto Vertin's shoulders. They itched to grab something more… sensitive… but Arcana's restraint miraculously prevailed.

Vertin shuddered at the roughness of her grip. She only had a second after that to prepare her lips from being claimed once more by her mistress - moaning as soon as contact was made. Arcana meant for the kiss to be a scrumptious first delicacy - meant to kickstart their appetite for the main course. 

A main course that Arcana was already craving to have.

“Mhh… Wha- A-Arcana? What are you-”

“Hush… my dear…”

The whole ordeal happened so fast even for Vertin. The moment Arcana parted her lips from her lover's, she immediately got out of Vertin's weakened hold on her waist - taking the younger girl's hand and pulling her along towards the massive bed fit for an unholy goddess. Vertin was laid upon the softness of its cushions - the sound of a quiet creak and rustling sheets, as well as a cute grunt, accompanied her forced descent. 

“Arcana…”

Vertin; both legs opened. Arcana; laid on her knees in-between the space of her lover's opened legs with her hands hungrily resting upon the tattered slacks that covered the ex-Timekeeper's thighs. Arcana's goal was obvious. Her lips hungered for more than just another pair of lips…

“Forgive me, my love… I can wait no longer to taste you once again…” Her hunger practically forced those words out of her. She could feel her mouth salivating as she gandered at Vertin's covered groin…

“...It’s fine… I… I want this as much as you do…”

“Such boldness… It satisfies me - how you voice your desires so casually~”

“The feeling's mutual then…” She said with a smile as Arcana chuckled. 

Vertin leaned down towards Arcana to give her another heated kiss - one that was brief, but effective in terms of portraying her love and lust. And once they parted, saliva trail and all, she whispered something that nearly caused her mistress’ already-strained self-restraint to snap.

“Don't bother going soft on me; do whatever pleases you…”

“...Do you understand what you are asking me to commit, dear…?” She asked - her trademarked widened eyes glowing a warning that Vertin quickly and irrationally disregarded.

“Very much… and I'm fine with it…” 

“I could hurt you.”

“Go ahead… whatever you've ever wanted to do to me… do it.” Despite a smile starting to form, evil and filled with sadistic intent, her new responsibility to take care of her lover took charge before her lust could. She still attempted to be a good lover for Vertin and put her safety first before anything else… even if her true desire was to inflict joyous and addictive pain that would leave the younger girl begging for more.

“Are you certain, my love…? Do not take these next few words lightly…” Her hand held Vertin's - squeezing it gently to provide Vertin with as much comfort as she could before continuing on with her warning. 

“I will hurt you. Initially, I yearned only to drain you of your energy. To fuck you until your tears began to drip from your chin, and the only noise that shall ever be released from your quivering maw are your sonorous moans and unanswered beseechment… Hurting you, however… I restrained the thought because you're still healing… And because this night is special…”

“H-How so…?”

“It is the night of our reunion, my dear Vertin… I did not want to hurt you on this blessed night”

“...” Her words were certainly effective in granting the red tint that immediately became more noticeable on Vertin's cheeks and making her eyes as wide as plates. 

Everything about Arcana’s aura during her short warning radiated unmatched dominance. Her eyes glowed - staring directly into the younger girl's soul. Her hand's grip onto Vertin's served as a humble and indirect reminder that she was the one on top. Her haunting low-tone that perfectly did two things at once: entranced Vertin, and buried fear into Vertin. And this was evident; Vertin began to slightly slightly - her tone and breaths coming out shakily. Yet, out of all the emotions granted to her, one was the odd one out. It made her… excited.

“How shall this evening proceed, my dear? I will respect whatever choice you make, regardless of my own carnal desires…” 

“...Hm.” Yet, despite the worry and fear of being inflicted with the one thing she's always been afflicted with all her life, she emitted a hum of understandment - beaming her broken smile beforehand towards her new lover.

“I appreciate your honesty… and… I'm grateful that you considered my current condition; even I didn't think about that… But… I won't change my mind.”

“...Why are you so determined to fall victim to my immodesty? If you are doing this for Sonetto, then know this: I will reawaken her, my dear, regardless of how this night shall proceed…”

“This isn't about her…” Vertin brought her free hand towards Arcana's cheek - softly cupping it as the merciful Sufferer held it lovingly.

“As much as I want to deny it… I just… can't… anymore. My heart no longer beats just for her… The reason why it's even beating right now is because of you … ” Gently, she forced her other hand that was held down onto the cushions up and brought it towards Arcana's other cheek - her eyes never breaking their gaze away from Arcana's. 

“I will always love Sonetto. She was… is… my angel - the only saving grace I had. And nobody, not even you, can make me think or believe otherwise. But… I love you as well… Arcana. You gave me the means to escape from my own hell… I'm forever grateful to you for that. So please… let me try and repay you using what I have… And currently, all I have to offer to you is my body…”

“I do not care for offerings, my dear…” She could barely contain her excitement… She was now given the green light to do what she does best.

“However, if that truly is what you desire…” 

“A-Argh!” Vertin's scream filled the cold room - the cushions, nor the clothes on both of the two lovers’ backs, were enough to prevent it from emitting faint echoes. 

The feeling of the fingers that rested on her right thigh became irrelevant - four points of delicate softness that surrounded the point of her new open wound. Her eyes shut during the initial sting. And when one of them, her right, opened, she saw what was the cause… and it terrified her.

Arcana's thumb, darkened and sharpened by the sludge that dripped from the pierce-point of the pin that was always lodged into her head, stabbed itself into her thigh. 

“A-Arca- hmph!” 

Lest she spoke more sins, her accursed lips smacked into silence by another hand. And lest her eyes tremble, her body shook, and her mind devised to be broken. The Sufferer's gaze, unforgiving and crazed and uncontrolled and unhinged and despicable, pierced her soul akin to the first digit of the finger set that pierced into her flesh.

“-then I shall commend your bravery, my love~”

“G-Hargh!! Stop!!” 

Her muffled plea was… heard - to her relief. Yet the relief has yet to cross her frightened mind. It was too preoccupied with the sharp pain that rippled from her thigh. Safe to say, she was slowly and very surely regretting her decision. And to make matters worse, Arcana retracted her thumb from its temporary hiding place - bloodied and, as Vertin predicted, sharp as a spear's tip.

“Vertin~”

“H-Hah…hah…a-argh…” Tears formed and her hands clutched near the open wound - applying pressure in a futile attempt to prevent more blood from gushing out. The very breath that she exhaled was hitched - constantly hindered by her instincts to cry out in pain. She still had the capacity to wonder, however, why the wound was that painful. It felt like it was not just stabbed - but laced with acid and set ablaze as well. 

Arcana relished in the ex-Timekeeper’s suffering - evident through the sadistic smile plastered on her gorgeous face. Not a single iota of mercy was left in her disturbed mind; all of it was flushed out of her system the moment Vertin's little heart-warming speech about loving both her and her cute little green-eyed angel had ended - replaced by her overflowing lust and uncontrollable urge to hear Vertin scream.  

“Mhm~” Her first moan made itself known - released when her tongue slid across the shaft of her blade-like thumb. The taste of Vertin's blood invigorated her as if she were a parched dhampir left with no other choice but to quench her thirst with her lover's offered blood. And not only did it taste like heaven; it granted her a sensationally strong form of pleasure - so strong that it made her heated and damp entrance start to drip arousal like a broken faucet.

“A-Ah~ Vertin~!” She collapsed onto Vertin as the latter quivered from the impact. Her face directly grazed upon the bulge in her lover's slacks as her arms encircled Vertin's waste - pulling the younger girl into a tight embrace as she quivered.

“Hrgh… a-ahh… w-what happened to you…?” Despite the fear and pain that was very much fresh, she still mustered the courage to voice out her dangerous curiosity out to the disheveled Sufferer.

“M-Mhh~”

“Ah~!” She released her own moans as Arcana's face continued to rub against her covered tip - either intentionally or not. Her hands grasped onto her mistress' head - one hand trying to push her away while the other didn't know the difference between pushing and pulling. She supposed that her increasing lust and acute sense of pain was already fucking up her mental state - causing her to make mistakes not even children could make. 

“Vertin… Vertin~!”

“W-What are you- Wait! A-Arcana!” Once she raised her flushed face from her lover's crotch, she desperately tried to release Vertin's hardened length by savagely scratching her nails away at the fabric that covered it and desperately pulling on Vertin's belt buckle. And just to add to Vertin's horror, it actually did something: Arcana's fingers managed to rip the pivotal piece of metal off from its leather and threw it away aimlessly and without care.

Vertin couldn't even try to stop her manic lover - she was too scared to try and too weak to fight back if she did try. All she could feasibly do was to watch as her tattered slacks became more and more tattered as each second passed by.

“Ah!” She screamed as her zipper gave in. Its hook broke off when Arcana had forcefully pulled open the front opening her slacks - eerie and sudden zipping noises and the shriek of a long tear following suit when Arcana ripped it too much.

“V-Vertin~” Her hands began to quiver from excitement. The main obstacle in the way of her goal was desecrated - rendered useless and fit for being thrown away like trash. Now, there was only one hindrance left that was safeguarding the very thing that she wanted shoved deep into her untrained throat. And if it could portray emotions, it would be crying for mercy right now - praying not to be ripped apart like the ruined article of clothing above it.

“Hah~! A-Ahh~ Arcana~” 

“Oh Vertin~ What… have you done to me~? What curse has your delectable crimson… h-hahh… adorned my senses with~?” Her questioning words were laced with enough lust to cause an overdose - a fate she was almost aching to face if it meant being granted more of Vertin's flavorful fluids. 

She rubbed her lover's cock up and down through the fabric that covered its hardened stature - her hands shaking and heavy with anticipation while her heart beated its fastest rhythm ever composed in all of its owner's existence. The composure she had was simply discarded by whatever side-effect Vertin's blood carried. Regardless, she didn't, nor could she, care to think about what could have caused it. 

After a few more seconds rubbing the warm and hard outline of Vertin's cock, gone was the boxer's life as its very being was ripped open by both hands of the lustful Sufferer.

“Gah!” Screamed Vertin - startled by the unnecessarily barbaric act. Her cock sprang up and twitched to the rhythm of her quick heartbeat. And as soon as her crazed lover's gaze focused onto her newly-freed and erectified cock…

“O-Oh… my…”

…she quivered - another addition to the many ‘firsts’ that Vertin had stolen from her. She felt her very soul tremble in sweet delight as the cock that pointed towards her stood inches away from her face. 

“A-Arcana… Please calm d-down…” The younger girl's plea wouldn't even be processed.

“Hm~ Ahaha~”

“A-Ah~!” Arcana, creepy smile and widened eyes and all, closed her face in towards that intimidating length of her lover's hardened cock - stopping only once she felt the radiating heat from its length touch her sweating face directly as Vertin moaned. The sensation was enough to make her orgasm right then and there - she thought herself pathetic and licentious because of it. Yet she forgave herself as well - pinning the blame on the succubus-level of lustfulness she was afflicted with by Vertin's blood.

Her eyes and mouth relaxed as she grew more comfortable with the heat - muffled moans still being released in respect to her teeth constantly biting her lower lip. Then came her right hand…

Distancing her face a bit, her hand gripped Vertin's shaft perfectly in the middle. The warmth overwhelmed her senses even as her hand was still gloved. The feeling only heightened as she started to stroke Vertin's cock up and down - evident through both her lover's and her own moans escalating.

“Ahh~ Arcana…”

“Oh Vertin~” She purred as her hand kept stroking the hardened length - precum starting to seep from the sensitive tip. Shortly after that… came a move that almost took away Vertin's consciousness.

“A-Argh~!!! Fuck-! H-Hargh~!!”

“Hck- arghck~!” 

Choked-out cries and rapturous groans tangled into a truly polyrhythmic symphony of pure rapture - composed through the depravity and libido of its two composers. The Sufferer absentmindedly opened her maw, with strands of saliva forming as her tongue separated from the roof of her mouth, and encircled Vertin's tip with her lips before fully forcing it's entire girth as deep as it could go into her throat. 

With every inch of her length that went into her lustful mistress’ throat, waves upon waves of pleasure of unimaginable proportions rippled across her entire system - making her lungs deflate and inflate sporadically as she struggled to even breathe properly. 

“H-Hahh~! Argh~” She couldn't even try to muffle her erotic moans - nor could her hands resist grabbing hold onto Arcana's lustrous and voluminous locks as if she were holding on for dear life. She was even pulling her mistress closer, despite her mind wanting to actually push her away a bit out of worry; Arcana's constant choking and pseudo-coughing noises drew a smidgen of concern onto the ex-Timekeeper she was blowing. 

But it was merely that: a smidgen - an insignificant speck of dust.

“Fuck… F-Fuck~! Argh- h-hah~! Arcana~!” Her moans spiked in volume as she started drooling - a clear indicator that her climax was rapidly starting to appear within her reach. It hadn't even been 2 minutes…

“Ahh~! A-Arcana~!”

“M-Mrgh~!” 

Arcana's love-locked eyes shut as Vertin involuntarily pushed her mistress' head away only to then thrust the entirety of her six-inch cock back into Arcana's throat with little warning. Self-control disappeared as she kept Arcana in place while her cock started to shoot out its first of many ropes of cum.

The dark-dressed lady could feel her lover's cock pulsating as it spurred its hot essence directly down her throat - still thrusting in and out as it did. All she could do was to accept it as she gagged and coughed out some of the sticky substance that she couldn't swallow.

Her hands planted onto Vertin's thigh and the soft bed during the entire time of getting orally abused - gripping tightly as if she were on a rollercoaster ride. The sonorous and intense song of pleasure that came across her ears, composed and sung by none other than her handsome ex-Timekeeper, only served to make the wet spot on her panties drip more and more of her heated arousal - creating a small puddle on the tiles below while some strands dripped down her thighs akin to the pleasure-driven tears that streaked down her cheeks.

A short while after and both had calmed down… well, as calm as they could be. Vertin's hold on Arcana's head loosened - hands shutting down for the time being as they landed dorsal-first onto the sheets. Her eyes were still shut as she tried to catch her breath. 

“Hahh… Arca…na…” She called out to the person, through breathy and tired words, whose throat she just violated only to receive no response.

“...Arcana…?” She asked again - tone more collected than before, yet still drunk on the pleasure she had just experienced. “A-Are you alright?”

“H-Hrgh…” Still no response - just the constant sounds of Arcana trying to breathe properly. 

“Hey, pull out…”

“...Hm…” Finally, she acquired a response - a rather vague one. It was a mere hum signalling that she understood, and that she'd comply… and comply she did.

“M-Mhm…” Vertin shivered and purred in delight as Arcana savored every inch of her lover's cock that was released from her maw.

“Argh~! A-Arcana~!” Then, another scream, driven by shock and overstimulation, was released…

“Mh~” and the cause of it hummed proudly - eager to taste more of her lover's salty essence. The many drops of it that she couldn't swallow merely overflowed - mixed with her own spit as lines of the sticky white substance dripped down from her mouth and chin with enough viscosity to nearly rival a third of caramel’s.

“Stop- argh~! I-I just came…” She laid her hands onto Arcana's head once again - both hands finally working in unison to desperately try and push her mistress away. The desperate act failed, however; Arcana quickly swatted those hands away - grabbing them and roughly pinning them down to the bed with her own as she continued to please her younger lover through her previous means: orally. 

She bobbed her head up and down at an accelerated tempo that Vertin couldn’t fathom - her mouth still circled upon the swollen cock. The cries for mercy that her quivering ex-Timekeeper was emitting only motivated her to drag Vertin deeper down into the ocean of pure ecstasy that both of them were currently submerged in - not caring if either she or Vertin would end up drowning. The waves were just so undeniably addicting - to the point where losing their lives to them became a thing of wonder. She just kept sucking, kept bobbing her head, and kept circling her slimy tongue around Vertin’s cock. She kept on doing this for a few more agonizingly delectable minutes, both for her, and especially for Vertin.

“Argh! Fuck- Arcana~! S-Stop… it- ahh~!!” This particular plea of hers marked her  first taste of Arcana’s many variations of warnings - a rather painful one at that… “Fuck~! I-It hurts… Argh~” 

Yet it felt oh-so-good for her.

Her hands, formed into tight fists, tried to escape from her mistress’ clasps to no avail. They merely weakened with each attempt - gradually losing their strength to the point where Vertin could barely even move her arms anymore. It was as if they were robbed of their strength the moment they tried to resist. Yet her resistance had a valid reason: Arcana, fueled by Vertin's overstimulated wails, could keep her sadistic side immobilized no longer. 

Vertin could barely feel her mistress' soft lips anymore - replaced with sharp and merciless pain that served to both provide unholy pleasure and bestow agony upon her sensitive flesh. 

“Gargh~! Stop~! P-Please- Ah-!” The jaw that torturously held her throbbing cock hostage playfully applied more force on its bite.

“Hm~” 

“Hrgh… h-hrgh~!” Whilst teeth surrounded her cock’s front and back, her tip was still being serviced by Arcana's fierce tongue. It swirled around it - never once caring for its swollen condition. 

Arcana's ravenous act conveyed its warning; Vertin was now scared to even let out a single squeak - yet the breaths through her own teeth could not be prevented. She wanted to fight back, she really did. But she knew that the more she rebelled, the more sadistic Arcana would be. 

So she merely sat there: beads of tears streaking down her face as she tried her best not to start drooling. The pain was strong, yes - enough to make her entire body convulse. But the pleasure… The pure, unadulterated pleasure she felt perfectly balanced out how much it harmed her. And while she was screaming and crying out for her cruel mistress to stop, she really didn't want her to.

She was already used to pain; the kind that fucked up her psyche, and the kind that made her body go numb. Scars, bruises, wounds; every example was a normal work day for her. The subsequent clean up: sterilizing, bandaging, medicine; the amount of times she had done that, either with help or on her own, were as plentiful as the number of casualties she caused. All of it, both variations of pain, was caused by her obligations/mandatory duties of being the Timekeeper. 

Not this time.

She wasn't used to this kind of pain.. Her old pain broke her; this new pain invigorated her. The past made her cry herself to sleep; the present made her cry from rapturous glee. She would frown in utter sorrow. But now… her lips parted to show a crazed smile that portrayed her attempt at fighting through the pain, and how she started to want for…

She finally welcomed her mistress' sadistic qualities. The bite, the swirling tongue, the grip on her hands, the relentlessness. She welcomed it all with weakened, unresponsive, and limp arms. She really couldn't escape pain no matter how hard she tried to run from it. Even running caused her soreness and cramps. So she chose to accept it - to let it envelope her body once again. For it didn't serve to actually hurt her, but to both please her and make her submit - to let her know that she's simply a shackled sex slave whose life was in the hands of her crazed and sadistic mistress who would kill a thousand men or more just to save her.

“Argh~! Fuck- Arcana~!” She yelled out of ecstasy rather than pain. She could feel her climax slowly clawing its way up - making her ready to erupt at any second. And Arcana noticed this.

She side-stepped away from her playful antics - instead choosing to move her hand towards the shaft of her lover's cock. She held its wet and sticky hardness - jerking it off as her lips and tongue focused solely on her pet's incredibly sensitive tip. 

Strength started seeping back into Vertin's arms - a silent message of what Arcana wanted her to do again. She was content with Vertin spewing out her hot cum onto her lips and tongue right then and there - only to immediately exchange it with her lover. But another part of her desperately yearned to get her throat fucked once more by the lengthy cock.

Regardless, she would get what she yearned for.

“Hm- Hrghck~!!”

“Gahh~!!” 

With hands laid upon the back of her head, her wish was granted by her lustful pet. 

Vertin, already so close to reaching zenith, pulled on Arcana's head as she savagely thrusted her lengthy cock deep into her mistress' throat - deeper than what had occured during her previous orgasm. She wasn't even aware that she was harshly poking the back of her throat, nor was she aware that Arcana was basically coughing while her throat was being violated - tears running down as excessive amounts of saliva dripped out of her mouth. She could care less about Arcana's nails pressing down harder onto her thigh, nor did she give a damn about the lingering feeling of teeth against her hardened length. She was stuck on autopilot; driven by one goal: to release.

“Hargh~! A-Arcana! Fuck- Ahh~!!”

“M-Mrgh-”

A final and brutal thrust later, one that made Arcana emit a choked and hindered groan, she reached her second zenith; accompanied by consistent wails naturally released by the pleasure. All the while, Arcana's nails harshly parted the skin on Vertin's thighs once again with her nails - causing blood to trickle out like the cum that seeped out of the side of her mouth. 

She released moan after moan as Vertin forced her to choke on the six-inch cock buried deep into her orally. She could feel her throat become agitated with each repetition of Vertin's ropes of cum spurting down for her to swallow as Vertin moaned louder than before.

With eyes rolled back and hands gripped on Arcana's hair, being subtle about how much she enjoyed the pleasure was never a feasible option for her. She was more savage, more… unhinged on how she revelled in the ecstasy granted to her by her mistress. She convulsed a lot more - her mouth and chin now dripping with the saliva she couldn't possibly keep inside, not while her orgasm was still running its course. The pain from the nails that pierced her thigh barely even bothered her. If anything, it only served to make the pleasure exciting for her - balancing undeserved suffering with a gratifying stroll through the fields of elation. 

Only after the bliss had passed through her overloaded system was she finally able to think rationally again - to be able to control her limbs once more without irregularly-constant convulsions every half a second. She relaxed. Her limbs relaxed. Yet her heart still couldn't.

She attempted to calm it - applying the breathing exercises that she felt most comfortable with. At least her occasional visits to a therapist provided her with something she could use…

“H-Hargh… Ahh… F-Fuck…” Yet her therapist never really considered for when someone is disturbing her breathing exercise in the most lewd and gorgeously erotic way possible. 

“Mrgh… ah~” Arcana slowly hoisted her head up - moaning every inch of her lover's hardened length out with satisfaction. Though she paused once her lips were leveled with Vertin's sensitive tip. She moved her hands to hold the shaft of Vertin's cock while she began laying soft and gentle kisses to its tip - garnering immediate shivers from the overstimulated girl.

“Hah~!”

“Hm~” The mistress only chuckled - revelling at the thought of how sensitive she made Vertin feel. 

She gave the tip small licks - replacing the gentle kisses she was providing to it a few seconds ago. She did this until she felt satisfied and sure that the slight extra service she did would leave Vertin wanting more - despite silently, yet obviously, begging for a little piece of solace from the pleasure.

As her final lick enveloped Vertin's tip, she subsequently retired the idea of further pleasuring her lover orally - letting it go and choosing to rise back up to the Timekeeper's level as her hands snaked their way up her lover's torso. Vertin's legs almost involuntarily closed - allowing Arcana to split her own thighs and sit upon Vertin's lap as her face drew closer towards her lover's handsome face.

“Vertin~” The owner of the moaned name braced herself for what was about to occur.

What then followed was the sweet sounds of two lovers granting each other love through each other's lips and tongue - with their arms wrapped and bodies closer than ever before. The erotic melody filled the room with its unholy and blackened notes - one that lasted for minutes, composed and sung by the duet of the ex-Timekeeper and her gracious Sufferer. The very same notes that would serve to reawaken the premature cadaver held within the beautiful ruined cradle…

Symphonies filled the benevolent private space. Sheer magnitudes of desire, ecstasy, and every other iteration born out of the sin of lust were moaned in tones mimicking screams during that blissful night. A night that belonged to no other person, no other deity or god. To no other mystical entity, or some lovey-dovey couple. 

It simply belonged to them, and them alone.

Chapter Text

A few weeks had passed since their predetermined reunion and the road to recovery had been going well for the treacherous ex-Timekeeper. Manus Vindictae treated her with the utmost respect previously fit only for its leader, even though she had been responsible for plenty of the casualties that befell the wicked believers. They chose to forgive her, some even began to worship her, and it was mainly because of two reasons: her brutal performance that made blood rain across the Foundation, and her newly-appointed position in the Manus hierarchy.

She became a staple in the covered eyes of Arcana’s believers - a grand example that served to inspire the unresponsive hearts and chaotic will of those who watched from the eyes of the many moles and sentries planted all across the Foundation’s unknowing territory. Although, some were still skeptical. There were still some who questioned her loyalty to the great Sufferer.

The most notable one being one of the Manus’ commanders. A sick and twisted musician named after a beautiful five-petaled flower: Forget Me Not.

During Vertin's initiation, he dared to speak his thoughts. He, along with those who sided with his uncertainty, dared to question Vertin's loyalty to Arcana - even doubting it altogether and pinning the reason for her supposed ‘loyalty’ to the rotting corpse that was once her guardian angel. He voiced this, all while knowing full well that she was the Sufferer's first ever partner. 

Vertin never cared for how the rest of Manus Vindictae would treat her. She never cared about what words they would sneer at her behind her back. She never cared about the looks in their obscured eyes - be they filled with animosity, fear, or respect. She never cared… because she knew that they were worse - way worse than she could ever be.

She had better things to do than to let their words provoke her combat - to let herself be offended by whatever cursed idioms were aimed towards her. She was given a second chance at life, and she was given freedom to do with it as she pleases… as long as she continued to serve her mistress. Naturally, she didn't want to let all the negativity ruin that for her.

Yet her beloved angel had been bad-mouthed.

Vertin never cared for how the Manus would treat her. But if anyone dared to desecrate her angel's beautiful and majestic image, they would come to know the true meaning of suffering.

She stared directly at the wretch that belittled Sonetto - her eyes glaring sharpened bones towards the musician. And then... she made her move. 

Within thick, black smoke that rose from seemingly nothing, she disappeared - leaving behind the lingering remnants of said smoke. The believers started wondering where she went - voicing out their worries with tones that matched their newfound distress. Even Miss Grace, an agent of the Manus, had to ask Arcana regarding her lover's intention. She was given only one word as a vague answer - a smile accompanying the hauntingly-amused tone that carried her one and only word…

“Behold.”

One could describe what would occur next as terrifying, gruesome, gratuitously brutal - an execution ripped straight out of an 80’s slasher flick. 

Reappearing behind the on-edge and elite believer faster than he could even register, Vertin began her murder. With the claws granted to his murderer by the one he worshipped, he was granted 4 sharpened bones that were stabbed through his chest - each one barely missing his fast-beating heart. The sound of his dropped wine glass, shattering as it made contact with the floor, became chaotically melodic as it intertwined with the gasps and screams of those who stood on the side and watched his brutal demise unfold. 

He landed front-first onto the ground - writhing in pain as he attempted to prolong his own suffering by applying pressure on his wounds. This was an act that amounted to nothing - that did nothing. As seconds passed and his blood started to form a puddle beneath him that tainted his luxurious clothes, Vertin, in her horrific Demon Form, pinned the regretful Forget Me Not to the ground as she started the execution.

A slash to the right… followed by a slash to the left… then to the right… then once again to the left… then to the right… then to the left… then right… then left… right… left… right… left… She kept swinging her claws over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Each swing going deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper.

Sounds of screaming, sounds of flesh slicing apart and blood flying then subsequently landing at random surfaces, then the sounds of bone scratching the ground. The blood he spat out was nothing compared to the amount that Vertin diced out of him. Even as his upper torso had already parted from the rest of his body and her claws started creating deep scratch marks onto the ground, Vertin didn't give a damn. She was relentless - slicing and dicing her anger and frustration away in a mortifying display of sheer power, mercilessness, and dominance.

She only stopped when she heard a faint and sonorous whisper that told her to cease - one that was relayed to her telepathically by her entertained lover. And like the faithful follower she now was, she obeyed… sort of. She stood up first before making her message clear, as if it weren't already. 

She stabbed both claws onto the lifeless body of her latest victim like forks picking up pieces of chopped meat - the left onto the lower part, and the right directly onto the musician's lifeless head. Then she threw both pieces of dead meat towards the terrified group that once shared the dead elite's doubtfulness of her loyalty to the Sufferer before roaring her bone-chilling shriek.

Everyone knelt down to her, either in fear or admiration. Even those whom she threw the parted body towards. And for once… she finally felt respected. 

Arcana smiled at her from all the way over to her throne. She knew now that Vertin had fully embraced her new faith and identity. Her lover was no longer some benevolent soldier of the Foundation; she was now hers.  

The believers praised her brutality and the celebration of her initiation truly began…

----------

“...M-Mrgh…”

Amidst the dimly lit room stood the grand bed that would hold the two lovers, the sounds of the sheets shuffling softly was emitted. And Along with it were the cute groans of the mesmerizing angel that rested upon its eternal softness.

“Argh… H-Help…” Her arm moved before her eyelids could even open - stopping once her hand could press itself just near her heart, where the cursed bullet had landed. The past trauma of her trying to apply pressure on it stayed with her. She thought she was still in battle - stuck on the ground and weakly calling out to the Zeno soldiers that were escorting her. The feeling of the bullet frying her from the inside was overwhelming; it was enough to make her cry. 

“Hargh…. A-Argh…!” She could still feel the burning sensation - making her crumple up into a ball as tears rolled. She silently begged for it to stop - for the pain to go away. She prayed for someone to come and save her - to rid her of her current torment and bring her peace and serenity...

“Open your eyes.”

Then, all of a sudden, she heard a voice. Gentle as the waves in the morning - calming as the aroma of the scented candles that enveloped the room. It provided her the solace that she was desperate for - a sinister beacon of hope that she was drawn to like electrons to protons without knowing, nor caring, whose voice it belonged to. 

“Yes… Calm thy mind… Follow the sound of my voice…”

In the dark void that overtook her vision, she knew not what she was doing. Whether she was walking blindly, crawling blindly, or reaching out to something she couldn't even see, she didn't know. Yet her march towards her only hope out of her suffering prevailed - never once stopping in her non-existent tracks.

“Let go of thy pain, for it has passed… Accept the light that illuminates thy darkness… Let it serve as thy guide…”

All she could see was the light. All she could do was to follow the light. All she could hear was the voice that told her to follow the light. And as the sweet smell of scented candles clouded her judgment, she had finally gained the feeling of respite she so desperately begged for…

“Yes… Wrap thy arms around my body, dearest Sonetto… As I wrap mine around thee…”

“...M-Mhh…”

“...Hm~” Arcana couldn't stop herself from chuckling lightly. The view of the cute little angel finally waking up from her terrible nightmare was simply to die for. Especially since her face was comfortably buried into her admirer’s soft bosom while her head was cradled and patted oh-so-softly.

“Mh… W-What… is this…” She asked as her hand unknowingly laid itself onto the pillow-like softness that acted as her temporary headrest. 

“That would be my chest, dear.”

“...What…?” She asked again - completely oblivious to her unintentional groping. Her tone still relayed signs of her quarter-awakened condition - a hefty side-effect of the reawakening spell that was well known to the beautiful false-deity. Yet it still amused her. 

“You can continue sleeping if you want~” The urge to pet the cute and sleepy angel was undeniably irresistible, even for the taller woman. She didn't bother trying to resist the tempting act - choosing to continue her previous notion of petting the orange-haired girl's head like she was her child.

“...Hm~ Simply precious…” She whispered - a smile as gentle as her voice formed as she spoke her truth. And her smile only grew as she heard faint purrs from the one she was currently spoiling with affection.

“Mrgh…” Though her mind was still hazy - fogged by the remnants of her death-sleep and Arcana's dangerously addictive headpats. It could still perform the most basic autonomous task of waking itself up from unconsciousness. Albeit, she was very much hindered. Her arms could barely carry the weight of her petite body as she attempted to push up and away from the Sufferer's comforting embrace.

“Do not force yourself… You've still yet to regain a fraction of your strength.” Her concern seemed to fall on ears that couldn't quite relay what sounds it was absorbing onto its assigned brain properly at the moment as Sonetto continued to try her hardest to rise up. So Arcana exhaled as she humored the younger girl's attempt - fully loosening her wrapped arms that helped to keep Sonetto closer to her.

“Grgh… A-Ah-!” Just as Arcana had anticipated; Sonetto squeaked as her frail limbs quickly gave in - granting her a less than pleasant descent towards the woman below her. 

“Hmp- I've got you.” 

“Ugh… S-Sorry…” 

“It is alright, my dear. Just rest… You are still recovering…” The opportunity to spoil the cute angel showed itself yet again after the fall - one that Arcana gladly took. Her hand once again found itself ruffling the soft and silky orange hair of her lover's lover - her fingers slowly sauntering within it and applying just the right amount of pressure to register a truly relaxing feeling onto the young girl's system.

“Mh…”

“How does it feel?”

“Hrmh… Amazing…” Arcana felt happy at the response - her heart fluttering at the heartwarming display shown to her. Sonetto's soft purrs as lithe fingers slowly massaged her scalp was simply divine - a gracious present given to the Sufferer by a being of a higher power compared to her.

“Hm~ So… irresistibly cute~ Your beauty truly is as ethereal and heavenly as our beloved boasts it to be…”

“Hm…? W-What do you mean…?” Her question came with a revelation: she didn't know just who this person that she was cuddling with. Her mind was so preoccupied with reconfiguring itself back to functionality that she forgot to do the simple act of getting her mental bearings - nor could she even try if she did think to do it; her brain was still in the complex process of restarting itself.

“Hush, dear… You need not concern yourself with that for now…”

"N-No- I… don't understand…”

“Given ample time to recover, and you will be able to. But for now, I only ask for you to continue resting… Please…”

“...How can I… trust… you?” She said groggily. It was clear that her instincts as a soldier were already returning to her, yet they remained as mere remnants - a puzzle still missing its pieces to form a coherent picture.

“Mm~ A bit too late to be asking that, love~” The speaker's embrace tightened - her arms pushing deeper into the delicate softness of the gorgeous angel that rested on her body.

“M-Mhh…” And the purrs! Soft as the clouds above and as gentle as a kitten’s licks! Arcana was genuinely struggling to resist the urge to hug the green-eyed angel even tighter like she was a big teddy bear.

“Oh… How soft you are…” She allowed herself to relax as Sonetto neared her self-inflicted descent into unconsciousness - revelling at the calming aura that sourced from the angel’s plushness and warmth.

“Mrgh…”

“Cease your worries… Let your mind calm itself… Let the warmth of my body guide you to a place of tranquility… outmatched not by even Elysium itself…” Her tightened embrace loosened as she whispered her sweet nothings - paving a near-perfect path towards sleep for Sonetto.

“Hm…” The hum, weak and tired, made Arcana all the more happier. She wanted nothing more than to simply fall asleep in the arms of Vertin's angel on this magnificent late-afternoon. Sonetto was truly a thing of wonder - a testament that stands against those who believe that nothing in this fucked up world is perfect. Given the chance, Arcana would force them to drown in black tar for casting hearsay to the orange-haired angel - to the very definition of the word “perfect”. She was now given a glimpse as to how Vertin must feel towards the little cutie. The way she breathed, the way she quivered, her very existence. Everything about her was a reverie - deserving of every blessing granted towards her.

“That's it… let go… Fall into a rejuvenating slumber… And I will be right by your side… to fall alongside you…” Drowsiness started to take over her mind - hindering the words she used to form her emitted sentences. And she wished for that to be the case… It was her way of opening up to her would-be lover - through showing this softer side of hers that only her other lover knows of.

“...” No verbal response was given, yet it gave the Sufferer the answer she aimed to conclude with. Sonetto chose to trust her for the time being - to let her entire being be left unguarded as sleepiness overtook her. However, her arms would move themselves - snaking under Arcana's back and wrapping around its lust-marked skin as the taller woman began to to once again tighten her embrace to a comfortable degree for both parties. 

“Yes… go ahead… Wrap your arms… around me…” 

“...” No response; just as she had hoped for. She would keep her word - to accompany the cute angel as she dwelled within the momentary realm of peace and serenity known as a good afternoon's rest. Even if it was only for a few hours, she would aim to make it the most enchanting few hours just for the cute angel. 

Her calming heartbeat, her warm hug, and a loving kiss laid on the top of Sonetto's head; it was everything she needed to do to grant that beautiful dream she silently promised to Sonetto…

“I have grown soft indeed… Shame upon thee, my love… My heart may yet fall for another… And the one to blame… is thee…”

Hours passed. The illuminating rays of the golden celestial body that ruled over the vast solar system no longer faced them. The clouds that formed their monotonous silhouettes were now as dark as their shadows to the naked eye. It was now night: it was now time for the accursed world to bear witness to the celestial silver moon - to bask in the glory of its reflected luminescence.

Yet bask in its glory, they would not. For their focus would not aim towards the shadow-hued glory of Mother Gaia, but towards each other’s natural beauty - revealed through the dimmed gleam of the immortalized scented candles and ink engraves that encircled the room. Were it not for the great bed and the various woodworks typically found within the confines of a bedroom, the haunting bedchambers could easily be mistaken for a grandiose space of unholiness where demons and various dark entities would either be conversed upon, or be summoned. 

“...M-Mhh… agh…” The cute angel groaned - her eyes and hair showing adorable signs of having just woken up. “W-Where… am I…? What is this- H-Huh!?” 

A flush of redness was what quickly became present on her cheeks as her hands acted out of instinct rather than autonomous command. It aimed to cover what needed to be covered with the blanket that kept her warm and snug as she slept. She wondered why she felt chilly - why she could feel the unseeable breeze from the non-existent air conditioning unit directly on her torso. When she looked down, she found her answer: she was currently naked. 

“W-Why am I naked… Whose bed is this!?” Her instincts of being an innocent girl and being a soldier were overlapping with one another - causing the latter to become hindered as she became flustered with worry. Her mind started generating various guesses as to why she was in this position. 

Perhaps she was still in a dream. Perhaps she got drunk the day prior. Perhaps Vertin suddenly became interested in gothic arrangements… Or worse… Perhaps… she was kidnapped. 

She could remember what happened during the last mission she undertook more clearly now. The manic arcanist rebels, the escorts Zeno provided as backup, the firefight with enchanted firearms that shot arcanum-infused bullets. She could remember getting shot, and how painful it was for her as she writhed in the ground - gasping for air and crying out for help as the curse imparted within the bullet that shot her started scalding her from the inside like Aqua Regia to noble metals.

Her whole mind was frozen at the horrible thought. She had no idea if she was meddled with during her period of unconsciousness. But of course, this was not the case…

“Awake, are we~?”

Chapter Text

“Awake, are we~?” Asked the beautiful woman laid upon a chair near the grand bed - a glass half-filled with fine red wine was held by her slender fingers as she leaned back comfortably.

“Grgh-!” 

Sonetto's memories weren't the only vital piece of her that was now fully restored; her instincts fully kicked in as it made her roll and fall onto the farther side of the bed from where the hauntingly familiar voice sourced from. She crouched once her feet landed onto the room’s shiny tiles - treating the bed like a wall of sandbags.

“I see that your instincts have been returned~” Low tone, oozing with intimidation, and a hint of flirtatiousness. Sonetto couldn't mistake that voice for anyone else, though she so desperately wished that she could. 

“...So Manus Vindictae was behind those rebels.”

“Hmm~? Rebels?” She repeated - her tone laced dangerously with a mixture of curiosity and coquettishness. “Whatever could you mean, sweet Sonetto~?”

“Save your breath trying to lie to me… Those were your people… Your worshipers…” Yet the orange-haired’s spirit prevailed. She refused to come out from her cover - afraid that her mind would be played upon like the story that Vertin told her about when she was captured by the Manus.

“You are gravely mistaken, my dear…” Her hand swirled the glass she had gently - causing chaotic, yet brief waves of the delicious liquid to undulate in a circular motion within the fragile confines of the glass. “Neither I, nor those under my faith, were present during your mission’s extravagant fireworks show.”

“Then why am I here… Why am I naked… W-What did you do to me!?” She trembled as she paved through her sentence - the brambles of fear finally crawling up her bare back. Granted the situation of being naked under someone else's room, she was worried of what the ramifications of that were to have been…

“...Hm.” Another hum was all she released - one of understanding and sympathy. Her crossed legs were then straightened - her hand lightly placed upon her chair's armrest as she raised herself up to her feet. 

Sonetto could hear the light creak of wood from the Sufferer's chair - a sound her heart did not take lightly. It slowly crescendoed its passive beating - providing Sonetto with an unhealthy dose of anxiety and adrenaline as her mind attempted to come up with ways to defend herself while faint footsteps crept ever closer to her position…

“Calm yourself, Sonetto… You and I are sheltered within my bedchambers. And in my bedchambers, violence will not be tolerated…” 

Arcana then remembered the night of her beloved's initiation. Even after the bloodshed that occurred during the afternoon, the trail of ichor still followed through with Vertin's desires. She remembered how unhinged Vertin was during their lovemaking. She was bound by her, choked by her, gagged by her, bitten by her, taken near a breaking point she never knew existed.

Vertin abused the Sufferer's body during their heated sex. Arcana's wails echoed within the walls of her gothic bedchambers in a haunting mixture of pain and pleasure as her lover's relentless thrusts pushed her mind to the limit of its capacity for ecstasy. Her lungs cried out for air, yet her throat would be blocked by her lover's throbbing length. And If that were not the case, her neck would be encircled by firm hands that pressed down mercilessly as she desperately strived to breathe - all while being fucked silly by the one causing her asphyxiation.

The ex-Timekeeper’s fiery rage needed to be extinguished, and mollifying it was no simple feat for her. For once, she was at the receiving end of merciless suffering - of an agony so unforgivingly rapturous that it made her cry tears mixed with blood and black goo. And it embedded fear into her blackened heart. A fear for what she had created - for the demon she had engraved within the depths of Vertin's reawakened body. 

She shivered in delight at the horrifying memory. She could still see the malevolence in Vertin's twisted flesh - she could still feel every instance of anger that her beloved had unleashed upon her like solar flares. Every bit of skin that neared being peeled off with ease, every tendril that kept her limbs within their desired place. Every unrestrained thrust and passionate embrace, every tightened grip upon her neck and angered scratches from sharpened bones mimicking claws. She couldn't decide whether the memory was extremely pleasing, or simply traumatic. And her indecisiveness only made her chuckle and lean towards the third option of ‘a mixture of both’. Though she did at least hide the scars that now covered most of her torso through an incantation, for the sake of not surprising the sensitive angel just yet...

“...hm~ Unless… violence… is to be desired~” A smile followed her salacious tone - drinking more of the intoxicating beverage afterwards.

Arcana placed her curvaceous figure down to one of the two chairs of the table-for-two in front of the bed, and along with it, the glass - placed down onto the flat and relatively small piece of woodwork. It was perfect for two people to dine closely together.

“Please, reveal yourself… You shall encounter no harm within this wonderful evening. Of that, I can assure you…” She pleaded - voice seemingly filled with genuineness.

“...” She knew she had to come up someday. Hunger, cramps, her excretory organs telling her that nature was calling; there were multiple reasons. 

“...Mrgh…” She whimpered quietly - a similar notion to the sound emitted by her stomach. It was the first of the many reasons: she was hungry. 

“I have prepared sustenance for you…” 

“Oh just shut up…” Sonetto rebutted mentally. But she dared not to say it.

“...How can I trust you?” The question made Arcana giggle - the recent memory of the angel asking that exact question to her whilst being half-alive and cutesy immediately came to her mind.

“You are still alive, are you not? Seemingly well and with holistic control of your thoughts and motions?”

“...Will that change once I eat what you prepared?”

“If I wanted to control you, dearest Sonetto, then you would already be sitting across from me… and we would not be having this conversation… Wouldn't you agree~?”

“...” She was sure that that was her final warning. That subtle threat disguised as a fact meant that Arcana was slowly losing patience. Even her instincts, both as a soldier and for survival, were already telling her to humor the false deity inviting her to a nice and cozy at-home date. And while she was already preparing herself to do so, there was just one problem…

“...C-Can I at least have some clothing…?” her chastity and overall dignity were both being put on the stakes. She didn't care if it was another woman, the only person she would ever bare her naked self to was towards her one and only lover.

“Hmm…” Arcana playfully emitted a fake hum with a questioning tone. “I would provide you with some, dear. However, I do not have anything that would fit your… cute and petite figure~” 

Lies. Vertin had brought in plenty of good clothes for Sonetto to wear once she had regained consciousness. From clothes focused on comfortability, to being vibrant with elegance fit for a princess. Vertin provided everything that Sonetto would ever want to wear. All of them were merely tucked away within the massive closet in the room. Arcana simply wanted to see the angel's prepossessing body - with no flimsy obstacles like clothing obstructing the magnificent view.

“S-Surely you're joking… right?” 

“I’m afraid not… I apologize for this breach in hospitality...” Sonetto sighed at this - nerves chilled as she steeled herself for the embarrassment she'd have to face.

Slowly, she stood up - her hands bashfully attempting to cover what needed to be covered. Though she desperately wanted to, she couldn't fully cover her dainty chest. Arcana hummed as the view of her lover's lover's back was hers to gander upon but briefly - for as soon as Sonetto stood up, she turned to finally face her greatest enemy as she sauntered towards the table shyly.

“Hmm~” Arcana couldn't even be discreet with how the view affected her self-restraint. Her eyes kept their shameless gaze upon the younger girl's gorgeously slim body - not even caring for Sonetto's slowly-diminishing chastity. All she could merely partake in at that moment was in making sure that the image of Sonetto's naked body was to be engraved into her mind…

“Grgh… Could you n-not stare…?”

“I…” She cleared her throat shyly before responding properly. “I apologize, Sonetto… It's just… the sight of your disrobed spectacle is as exquisite and bewitching as that of angels…” She confessed - voice calmed and genuinely captivated.

“W-Wha…” A light rosy hue tinged her cheeks as her eyes widened like plates - her hands absentmindedly dropping slightly to reveal more of her bare allure for the Sufferer’s eyes to indulge upon more. “You… mean that…?”

“Every word… You have been blessed with the beauty of the divine; take pride in that, my dear~”

Her words pierced through Sonetto’s coldness - rendering her precautionary defenses obsolete as her naive heart fluttered from her enemy's flirtations. She was genuinely surprised and caught off-guard at this, so much so that she nearly forgot that she was invited to sit across from Arcana, not to merely stand there and act as a blushing nude model while Arcana drank from her wine glass.

“I-I uhh… Thank you…” She expressed silently - embarrassment slowly taking over her again as she sat her cute behind down onto the chair across the table.

“You need not thank me for merely emitting the truth. If anything, I should be the one to express my gratitude to you for adorning my nightly indulgence with your grace…” 

“Nrgh…” It would seem that the more words of adoration that Arcana would grant her, the more shy and bashful she would become… as if she weren't already shy and bashful enough.

“W-Well… I don't have much of a choice…”

“...Hm. you still think that I have something to do with those rebels you fought~?”

“...Unless you explain why I woke up naked in your bed, I'm inclined to believe so.” As she subtly asked for an explanation from the entertained false-deity, her instincts as a soldier seemed to have begun to reclaim her thought process as Arcana chuckled at her retort.

“Hm~ I will explain everything to you once you have finished your light meal. For now, let us gratify ourselves with appropriate pleasantries, shall we~?” Arcana pointed her hand towards the covered food - a silent gesture that told Sonetto that she was allowed to indulge already.

“...Considering our history, that would prove to be rather difficult.” She laid her fingers upon the handle of the cloche covering her plate - clasping it and slowly raising it up to finally reveal her scrumptious meal.

“Well… I managed to worship your beauty to the near-highest degree, did I not~?” Sonetto's fingers nearly slipped and dropped the food cover as a shy response to being reminded of the previous words of endearment granted to her.

“...I-I suppose so…” She replied coyly as she observed what the cloche was covering. It was a chicken salad with some bread sticks on the side. A humble meal - perfectly balanced in terms of nutrients and taste… though there appeared to be more chopped rotisserie chicken than what is typically found in an average chicken salad. But Sonetto definitely didn't mind it, her stomach was practically growling since she first stood up. In fact, her mouth was already watering at the sight.

She didn't even bother asking if she could start eating, she just picked up the fork beside her plate and started piercing various vegetables and pieces of chicken before bringing it closer to her mouth to start her ingestion.

The view of the cute younger girl enjoying her meal made Arcana's typically-cold heart warm up - to think that there would be a day where a girl as humble and honest as Sonetto would be invited to dine in her bedchambers… Another collection to the many ‘firsts’ that Vertin has yet stolen from her.

Regardless, she enjoyed seeing the odd-yet-welcomed reality unfold - to bask in the simple glory of the orange-haired angel enjoying the meal prepared just for her.

“Does it suit your tastes, dear?”

“Yes… Thank you…”

“Hm~ I'm glad to hear it.” She then finished her glass - letting the intoxicating liquid flow from her tongue to down her throat.

A bit of time passed in silence as Sonetto continued to satiate her long-overdue hunger. And as that occured, Arcana only watched her in adoration - chuckling coquettishly at random intervals and setting some humble reminders for Sonetto to slow down her consuming, lest she hovered within the danger of accidentally choking. Dare she'd say: it was time well spent.

Slowly, her hand reached for the quarter-emptied bottle of wine - the very same that filled her wine glass a bit ago. Once it was within her grasp, she gently opened its closure and tilted it just above her glassware - allowing the red liquid to flow until the stunning piece of delicate glassware was filled by three-quarters.

Sonetto noticed - the view of the bottle certainly looked alluring for her. And similarly, Arcana noticed the younger girl staring - eyes filled with enough curiosity and intrigue to kill several cats.

“Would you like a glass?” She asked - upholding the firm law of hospitality. She had to make up for her supposed ‘no clothes that fits’ kerfuffle from earlier.

“...I would… But I am rather concerned about what would happen after…” Arcana chuckled softly at the retort as she placed the bottle down onto the table.

“My dear, I understand your concern; but do lighten up… If I truly wanted to cause harm upon you, then wouldn't you agree that you would have already received it by now? You know what I am capable of; so you would know that I would not need petty mediums like salads or fine wine to instill it upon you.”

“...” As much as Sonetto hated to admit it, Arcana had a point. The Sufferer's intentions were clearly not to inflict harm upon her. Perhaps… she really just wanted to enjoy a brief date with her… But even if that were the case, there was still another pressing issue…

“Even so… I'm still…” She trailed away from her sentence - unintentionally choosing to whimper out and blush once again as she was reminded of her current… predicament… when she looked down.

“...H-Hm… Ahaha~” Arcana finally figured out her other reason, and she couldn't help but be amused by it. It was a valid reason, sure. But considering that absolutely nothing sexually dramatic has happened yet despite the obvious power imbalance of the two individuals, and the other fact that Sonetto had already been naked for nearly a month now, and the other other fact that both she and Vertin had been sleeping beside the unconscious angel every night after the resurrection incantation was finished; the valid reason seemed very much silly for the false deity.

“Oh… Dear… sweet Sonetto~” Her deep, sing-songy tone made the green-eyed girl slightly worried, and she flinched as soon Arcana reached towards the unused wine glass that was also placed onto the table.

“Calm your mind… Calm your heart. I know that trust is the last thing that I can ever hope to receive from a pure and just soul such as yourself…” As she continued on with her assurance, she began to pour for her beloved roommate.

“However, believe me when I say this, my dear…” And as she filled the glass halfway, she stopped and laid the wine bottle down onto the table - her eyes suddenly darkeking and emanating an aura of abrupt intimidation as their gaze pierced through Sonetto's innocence.

“If I wanted to violate you… If I longed to lay my hands upon your delicate body… If I desired to taste those… tantalizing lips of yours… All against your will - with permission and consent disregarded like a fickle breeze… Then… we would not be having this conversation… We would not be laid upon these seats and savouring this date on this lovely evening… Would you like to know why…?”

“...Hm.” The trembling girl hummed.

“Because you… Hm~” She chuckled before continuing on. “-would have never gotten out of that bed… On the count of being bound; your wrists cuffed and your ankles chained… Your entire body would have been mine to indulge upon… Your most sanctified crevices would have been mine to desecrate… Your soft lips would have been mine to nip and pull with my teeth… Every fibre of your being would have been mine to claim…” And as if Sonetto wasn't already flustered, shy, and terrified enough, Arcana decided to let her mind speak her remaining thoughts for her as she locked her eyes dead towards Sonetto's.

“Every whimper. Every tremble and quake. Every salacious moan. Every licentious plea. Every hindered breath you would have taken… All of it… would have been because of me.”

She placed the half-filled glass onto the table - farther from herself and closer towards the wide-eyed girl suffering severe goosebumps and seduction.

“However… None of that happened, did it not? Instead of inflicting my lust upon your delicate body, I am merely offering you a fine drink~”

“...” Speechless: that was Sonetto's current predicament. And among them were scared, horrified, shocked, horny, turned on, blushy, flustered, red-cheeked, heart pounding twice as fast. Out of the ten statuses she had, the salacious positives greatly outmatched the negatives. And not only has something awakened from deep within her and that she gained another crush, she, once again, could. not. deny. that her greatest enemy was once again… dreadfully and/or lovingly correct.

Arcana's power greatly overshadowed hers by a landslide. It was like comparing a dainty pond to the Pacific Ocean. Or the level of depth of an average university pool to the Mariana Trench. Or the height of a small hill to Mount Everest. There was no competition, no fair fight, and absolutely no. point. in even doing a comparison; Sonetto's knowledge in the craft was nullified when pinned against Arcana's might. So the taller woman's words held weight. They were undeniably accurate… and that was all that Sonetto needed to hear in order to try out the truly delectable wine granted to her.

With her dominant hand quivering and shaking like she was stuck in a snowstorm, she, as best as she could, ‘carefully’ acquired the half-filled glassware and brought it closer to her lips to finally taste the mind-altering liquid…

“Ah…” She exhaled after the soothing taste flowed down her parched throat.

“Hm~ See~? Nothing bad happened, right~?” The Sufferer purred - taking a sip from her own glass shortly afterwards.

“...I s-s-suppose t-t-that w-w-we sh-shall s-s-s-see…...” She responded - words as shaky as an earthquake. And Arcana loved it. She found it so very endearing - a spectacle that fouls every other form of entertainment she had enjoyed over the years.

“Hm~ Truly a blessing you are, my dear…”

Sonetto's meal went on, with the silence lasting a lot less than during its previous occurrence. Perhaps it was because of the lewd threat, or the newly-acquired sense of “trust” gained by the Sufferer from the angel. Albeit a bit forced, it was mostly derived from Arcana's brutal honesty - it gave Sonetto a concrete reason to at least start to truly hear and understand what her greatest foe was saying.

“U-Um…” She began - her lightweight self slightly tipsy from the red liquid she had imbibed.

“Yes, my dear?”

“I… wanted to ask you something…” Her tone was still obstructed by the cute hint of bashfulness she acquired from the earlier conversation.

“...Is this about how you got here?”

“N-No! Well, I do want to ask about that but- I-It's not that.”

“Hm… Then where has your curiosity wandered upon, I wonder~?” 

“...I wanted to ask about…y-you…” Her head slowly faced down as she uttered her reason - her dominant hand shyly bringing yet another forkful towards her mouth.

“Ohh~?” And the embarrassment only grew within her as she heard Arcana's smug realization. “Hm~ So that’s where it landed… back to me~”

“I-I just… wanted to make some small talk…”

“Mhm~ Like… a cute couple~? Out on a lovely little date~?”

“...I suppose that's… one way of looking at it…”

“Hm~” Arcana’s chuckle and subsequent smile that made Sonetto's blush last longer gave the younger girl a near-clear indication that she made a good choice.

“Well, what would you like to learn about me, my love~?”

“L-Love!?” One of the most powerful words that began with the twelfth letter of the alphabet; pronounced so casually towards her by her greatest foe. It certainly caught her off-guard once again.

“Hm~ Yes~?” The Sufferer further teased - choosing to perceive the cute response from Sonetto as an endearing call that a typical lover would use to call upon their beloved.

“...” Arcana only smiled as Sonetto went silent for a short while, still processing the critical flirts she was being bombarded with.

“...Did you make this salad?” Regardless of shyness overload, she was able to muster up a fair question.

“I did~ How does it fare on your culinary palette?”

“It tastes amazing…” Her praise wasn't forced. It wasn't something she had to say just to gain Arcana's good graces. She said it through genuinity - she couldn't lie about it. It wasn't just a salad; it was the best salad she's ever had.

“Aww, you flatter me~ It is merely a humble salad.” She said as she drank from her glass yet again - placing it down gently afterwards as she smiled at the euphony of truthness within the notes of Sonetto's answer. “However… I truly am glad that you liked it, my love… Believe it or not, it was my first time preparing food for someone…”

“R-Really…?” As if the orange-haired angel wasn't already dumbfounded enough, Arcana revealed yet another factor that added to Sonetto's confusion… albeit “revealed” was putting it lightly. It more or less slipped out of her mouth.

“...Yes.” Sonetto studied her date's current status - and it made her eyes as wide as saucers for the second time. Arcana portrayed symptoms that highly suggested that… she was actually shy… shy… when she confessed. 

The short pause, her slight fidgeting of her drink by swirling it weakly, her avoidance of eye contact, the bashful look on her face.

And the most noticeable: the slight flush of red tinting her cheeks…

“...Are you… alright?” She asked - initially and falsely pinning the blame to the Sufferer's cute demeanor to her suddenly gaining some sort of ailment.

“I am fine… Do not worry about me…”

“...Aren't we supposed to be some… ‘cute couple’... right now? Therefore I… have a right to worry about you…”

“W-What am I saying!!?? Why am I saying this!!??”

On the outside, she seemed calm and collected - her face portraying fake worries that masked her true intention: to solidify her suspicion, or liquify it then throw it down the drain. And at this point… she didn't know which one she preferred over the other.

On the inside, she was panicking. She was just expertly hiding it to prevent Arcana from developing suspicions of her own - ones that could lead her to calling out the cute angel.

Arcana was wide-eyed for a good few seconds - her circling hand pausing whilst silence filled the atmosphere of their little date. Sonetto became slightly worried when her date suddenly chuckled - a confident smile forming afterwards and crucifying the earlier shock that showed on Arcana's face. Thankfully, however, Arcana didn't find out that she was merely putting on a facade of confidence.

“...Where has your boldness arised from, my love~?” 

“Well… I wanted to know more about you.” 

“Hm~” Her chuckle indicated that she was entertained and the faint blush that previously formed on her cheeks remained. 

Their pleasant small talk continued on, filled with much needed normalcy and even the occasional smiles and laughter - genuine smiles and genuine laughter. They quickly found new topics to converse about. Literature, arts, music; neither of them knew that plenty of their tastes were actually aligned… Perhaps… they were aligned…

And of course, the heartbeat-skipping subtext that was present within their words…

The flirtatious comments and tones mostly sourced from the taller woman - a blend of sweetness and spice that Sonetto still has yet to grow accustomed to. But the angel herself had teeth of her own to bear. She would join in on Arcana's seductive antics - throwing in sly pleasantries of her own as responses to the Sufferer's flirtations. Even after Sonetto had finished her meal, their talk continued on as they shared the bottle of wine until it held the delicious red poison no more.

Although, there was still the weak sense of security within what Sonetto chose to reveal about herself. And the same applied to Arcana. The slight alcohol in both of their systems was slowly melting those essential defenses down, however.

Their talk became borderline heated when Sonetto brought up the concept of clothing once more - followed by another attempt at asking for something to cover her nude body with.

“Do you really not have anything my size…?” She asked - her tone a bit sly in her questioning as Arcana released yet another trademark giggle of hers.

“Hm~ I sense doubt in your words… Do you think that I've lied to you, my love~?”

“Merely a suspicion…”

“Oh~?” Arcana slowly and slightly leaned forward. “And what about me arouses your suspicion~?”

“...Well, there's… what you're currently wearing…”

Arcana, all throughout their date and even since before Sonetto finally awakened from her death sleep, had been wearing a rather… provocative outfit.

Lacey straps and thin, almost translucent fibers formed the very fabric that provided sufficient comfort for the Sufferer. But in terms of covering her most gracious parts… the black two-piece lingerie was struggling in that department.

That was one of the main reasons towards Sonetto's near-permanent blush. Arcana's beautiful and, dare she think, sexy curves that were laid bare for her eyes to feast upon - even if all she could see was just the Sufferer's upper half. 

Now that her attention was focused on it, she couldn't turn away from the alluring eye-candy. Bare shoulders, supple skin that bore no lacerations, soft-yet-firm arms, oddly-seductive collarbone. And of course, the cherry on top, the crème dela crème that massively complemented the enchanting image of her worst enemy: Arcana's barely-covered breasts - laid perfectly in view with enough cleavage to seduce even the most pious of girls. Dare she think it; she was slowly becoming jealous of the lingerie that Arcana was wearing. 

Every impossibly perfect detail. Every red flag imaginable. Every valid reason to throw her valid reasons out the window. She saw it all in Arcana. And she couldn't unsee it - couldn't delete it from her memory.

She hadn't even realized that she’d been staring at her date's bountiful bosom for nearly a minute now - in complete silence and her mouth slightly ajar…

“My… Such a shameful gaze, my love~”

“...Mh-!” and she only realized once Arcana's voice came across her auditory field once more. “I’m S-Sorry…!”

“Mhm~” Her dangerously soft and coquettish chuckle… Sonetto could listen to it for hours and it would never nullify the flattering effect it brings to her. Even as she caught the orange-haired angel staring, she didn't try to cover or obscure her cleavage from view. It was her silent method of keeping the younger girl flustered.

“Well, my love~?”

“Hm?”

“You mentioned that my present attire has garnered your suspicion… How so~?” Sonetto's flustered senses nearly caused her to forget that she was supposed to cite some ‘valid’ reasons as to why the Sufferer's garments gained her doubts.

“R-Right… *cough* Back to that…” Her cough was completely voluntary and it made Arcana all the more happier - evident through a silent giggle she emitted before Sonetto could continue.

“Your clothes… while generally providing the female spirit with confidence…”

“Hm~”

“a-and it also greatly improves… o-one's attractiveness…” She swallowed nervously halfway through her unfinished sentence.

“Mhm~?”

“-to the point where you could very much s-seduce anyone with a m-mere glance…” Seeing that Sonetto was struggling once more on keeping her focus towards her rational thoughts and was instead completely engulfed on

“Will you keep stuttering your appraisals towards my body~? Or will you get on with your point, love~?” The comment made Sonetto flinch - the very culmination of her embarrassed lust manifested through a slight squeak that came immediately after.

“I-I… believe that… it could only imply that… y-you planned on doing something… unholy… to me…”

“...Hm~” Arcana smiled at the far-off conclusion that Vertin's angel had ended up on. She would have laughed… but then again, she couldn't blame Sonetto for the crude hypothesis… After all, she did just reveal how much she was now craving the younger girl just minutes ago… and shamelessly chose to let the innocent angel remain nude because of her selfish desires… Mayhaps Sonetto's conclusion wasn't that far off…

“So you believe that I had planned to… bring my earlier fantasies of desecrating your cute body to fruition, my love~?” The latter half of her sentence echoed within Sonetto's head - not to serve as a warning, but as another teasing query. 

“...It's merely an observation… Especially since you've been so… direct with me… and have kept me naked all this time…” Sonetto finished the wine that remained in her second serving after her coy remark - marking her third glass of the night and garnering more and more inebriation.

“Hm~ I have already told you, have I not~? I do not have anything that would fit you. And as for my flirtatious tendencies… I just cannot stop myself, dear~ Your adorable retorts are simply to die for~”

“...So all this time, you've been flirting with me… just to tease me…?” The angel said - fueled with liquid courage and a sudden urge to get her playful revenge by giving Arcana a taste of her own medicine.

“Of course not…” 

The Sufferer trailed off from her sentence - cutting it short momentarily to lay her hand upon the hand laid on the table belonging to the cute angel. Her soft palm provided a comforting warmth that soothed Sonetto's dorsal side. The younger girl didn't even flinch this time. The level of trust she formed throughout their date provided her with plenty of reasons to not fear the all-powerful false deity that sat just across the small table from her… to a certain degree.

“If my words aimed to only make your bashfulness more apparent, then I would have never spoken the truth buried deep within my discordant heart for your ears to perceive, my love… My remarks, my flirtations, every word and phrase I uttered to describe your magnificence were all genuine… However… if my words unintentionally offended you, then I apologize…” She confessed yet again. Only this time, her words weren't laced with unholy lust - but rather drizzled in an apologetic coating. And this nearly sealed the deal for the angel; the combined strength of both Arcana's confession and genuine guilt made Sonetto suddenly regret her decision to tease her.

If it weren't for her gut constantly reminding her that she already has someone she loves and that this was Arcana she was conversing with, then she was sure that she would have fallen head over heels for the gorgeous fatale by now. After all, whilst developing a crush on her enemy was a slight hiccup, her main goal was to ultimately just get on Arcana's good side so she could live to see another day while being in full control of her actions and thoughts.

“I-It’s okay! I was just teasing you too...” She quickly reassured - a guilty smile quickly forming to further grant reassurance to Arcana.

“Oh… Hm.” She reciprocated the smile with her one of her own - a rather shy one at that. “That's… a relief to hear.”

They remained like that for far longer than they both anticipated. Sonetto's hand was still enveloped within Arcana's. The angel's entrancing gaze caught within the Sufferer's. Both rhythms of their hearts weren't perfectly in sync, but they beated in a tempo nearly similar to one another's. And the fact that the air was slowly being filled with a new kind of tension made Sonetto unable to register the simple thought of retracting her right hand away. She never realized it, but Arcana was just as scared to move her hand as she was. Not due to the same fearful reason she had; the taller woman had her own reason - one that could demoralize her angel whose hand she held and would most definitely destroy the wonderful atmosphere they both had slowly created for each other.

But someone had to make the move. As much as Arcana wanted to keep gazing into the wonderous emerald hue of the angel's irises, she knew that she couldn't keep evading the fact that she still owed Sonetto an explanation. Coupled with the fact that they were running out of things to talk about, her hand was nearly forced to metaphorically make the first move.

“My love…” She began - stroking her lover's dorsal skin with her thumb.

“Y-Yes?” Her response portrayed coyness - a subtle hint that told Arcana that the younger girl was still not used to being called such an endearing remark.

“I apologize… I can only imagine the sense of unfamiliarity you must feel when addressed in such an endearing manner…”

“...By you? No… Not yet…”

“Oh? ‘yet’~?”

“Uhh…” She slipped - eyes subsequently widened as her lips accidentally spat out what was supposed to be kept within her seduced mind. “N-Nevermind that…” 

“Hm~” Arcana chose to respect her date's request - wearing a smile that showed her amusement. A smile that slowly wilted away into a semi-neutral expression and her gaze darted away from Sonetto's and onto the table.

The pleasant mood was slowly dying out - hurriedly being replaced with a twinge of awkwardness that generously complemented the uncomfortable silence that followed. Neither individuals of polar-opposite backgrounds knew how to move on - the aforementioned silence speaking volumes of novelty for both the angel and the Sufferer. Yet Sonetto noticed Arcana’s sudden change in aura. And as if Arcana’s eyes didn’t already see her as an altruistic being sent from above, her natural kindheartedness overwrote her better judgment.

“...Is there something wrong?” She asked - aiming to know and to understand the hasty uneasiness of the woman with hair of midnight-azure hue. Arcana could only revive her smile at this - the very fact that the younger girl cared for the woes of someone like her made her cheeks want to show a hint of redness.

“...You truly are an angel, dear Sonetto…”

“No… Such a term doesn't fit me. I only want to know if there is something bothering you…”

“Hm…” Arcana hummed affectionately - her smile prevailing as she finally regained the courage to gaze upon Sonetto’s divine visage again. “Either you are equipped with sufficient humbleness to cause even the most prideful to crumble… or you are simply blinding yourself from the obvious.”

“I’m just an arcanist…”

“Believe me, Sonetto… You are more than that…”

As Sonetto’s heart fluttered for the umpteenth time, the hand that rest above hers lifted away as Arcana leaned back and chose to let her chair’s backrest do its job as she mentally prepared herself - releasing a weak sigh that made Sonetto all the more curious and worried.

“You must have accumulated a great deal of curiosity during our lovely dinner date… Your mind and spirit yearning to know why its body currently resides in my bedchambers…”

“...Yes.” The angel finally gained the answer to the Sufferer’s sudden worry, and it made her feel… kind of relieved. She was anticipating a hint of unspoken provocation to fill the air as soon as the topic of her alien presence within the very heart of Manus Vindictae was brought to the limelight. However, this never came to be. There was no hidden tension or animosity within Arcana’s tone… Only a misfitting mixture of hesitation and calmness.

“Hm. I suppose that you are owed an explanation. However…” Arcana cut herself off - her mind thinking of ways to grant Sonetto the softest impact possible against the weight of the truth that had the potential to break her gentle soul.

“Can I perhaps… sit closer to you?” She settled on the more direct approach - to provide possible comfort to Sonetto in the medium of physical intimacy. She thought it to be the most potent method to calm a distressed mind - proven to work during her first night with the ex-Timekeeper. 

“Sure…” With permission granted to her shyly, she hummed once more before she arose from her comfortable seat briefly to eliminate the last two-and-a-half feet separating her from Sonetto - who contemplated on at least making an attempt at covering her chest. The thought was flung away immediately, however, as her focus was stolen by the one gently approaching her.

Sonetto’s eyes immediately glued towards the voluptuous body of the woman that had the answers to her questions that burned as hot as the desire that was swelling up within her. She knew that she was being shameless, disrespectful, and nearing the point of being considered a creep. But she just cannot help it. Her eyes had to take in the beauty of her date - especially considering that Arcana’s current garments of a two-piece lingerie set was just barely covering the truest wonders of her curvaceous body. The fact that they were also slightly see-through simply made it all the more mouth-watering for her…

She didn’t even realize that Arcana was already done moving her seat closer towards her - stopping just west of her before Arcana sat down.

“Does my body satisfy the lust hidden within your eyes, my love~?” 

“Yes…" She absentmindedly answered.

"Does it fan its flames~? Does the thought of my naked husk invigorate your unholy desires~?"

"Yes…" She answered once more - mind still seemingly hypnotized by the Sufferer's gracious chest.

"Hm~ Would you like to feel them~?"

"Yes… I-I mean-! Uhh…” Her face quickly became beet red at her moment of unawareness. She wanted to slap herself on the lips so bad for once again letting her thoughts slip out - with such a lazily salacious tone as well… The sudden shyness and unintentional honesty granted a fair bit of amusement to the taller woman.

"I-I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean-"

“Ahaha~ It’s quite alright, my dear…” She reassured - reaching for Sonetto’s defensively waving hand gently and setting it back towards the table before squeezing it with the same gentleness. “If the sight of my body will soothe you… then please, never stride your gaze away from me.”

“I don’t think I’m being soothed… My heart can’t take this…”

“Hm~ Yes…” 

“...W-What are you…”

“Do not worry, Sonetto~” 

Arcana’s hand, the very same that calmed Sonetto’s hand, raised itself and closed in towards the younger girl’s bare chest - flattening and pressing down with little pressure to help her feel the soothing thumps of the angel’s fast-beating heart.

“M-Mhm…” Sonetto nearly moaned at this - her body tensing up at the unfamiliar feeling of the larger hand pressing against just a little bit above her left breast. 

“...Hm~ Such a comforting feeling…” The Sufferer remarked - closing her eyes as she focused on the only sense her hand had access to. And as she focused on the comfort of the angel's pulse and the softness of her skin, she could tell that the internal metronome of Sonetto's heart started its involuntary crescendo.

“Your heart beats faster… Hm~” She then opened her eyes - casting their alluring gaze upon Sonetto's submissive ones. “I wonder… Is this… because of me~?”

“Mhh…”

“Answer me, my dear~”

“Grgh…” Arcana chuckled when she noticed a hint of frustration in the angel's cute whimpers. “What other reason would there be…”

“Hm~ You truly are fun to tease…” She remarked one last time before promptly leaning back to her chair - taking her angel-graced hand with her and laying it upon the table.

“I apologize if my sudden advance made you feel uncomfortable…”

“It's fine… I didn't mind.”

“Your cute whimpers relayed a different story~”

“I was- just surprised! That's all!”

“Mhm~” 

“Can we please move on from this…” Arcana’s gaze upon the angel broke for a second - looking slightly down before she breathed in and reconnected her gaze with Sonetto’s.

“...I would rather not.”

“W-What…?” Before Sonetto could even ask why, Arcana gave her an answer - one that seemed flirtatious at first, but was actually laced with genuine concern.

“Even as I asked you to sit and dine with me, your most formidable foe, your heart still allowed your mind to develop an inkling of trust for me… have you not?”

“...To a degree…”

“Hm… And even as I confessed my… licentious urges upon you… You still chose to humor me…”

“...You were just so direct… I didn’t know how to respond properly…”

“Hm. Even still, you had a bit of fun with me… yes?”

“I guess I can’t deny that… But, where is this coming from?” Sonetto asked - words filled with shy curiosity.

“I am… afraid.”

“...” The response, the amount of hesitance and quietness she noticed on the Sufferer’s answer, as short as it was, still made her speechless. Arcana, leader of Manus Vindictae, was afraid… And what she would confess afterwards would make the angel’s tongue all the more tied - unable to move and allow her to properly convey an appropriate response to Arcana’s feelings.

“My love… Sonetto… I am afraid of your voice… I am afraid of how my heart flutters when I hear it… How every cute chuckle and every flustered squeak makes me want to keep teasing you… to keep being a reason for your sonorous laughter and enchanting smile…” Her hand raised and gently landed atop of Sonetto's once more - blessing it with a gentle squeeze.

“I am afraid of your kindness… How your eyes can choose to look past the evil that overshadows the fractions of me that others could judge as acceptable…” The blush on her face only rose in intensity - hindering her pride, yet she couldn't care less.

“I am afraid of your picturesqueness… How every dainty curve, every surface bestowed with satin-like grace, every gorgeously hypnotizing detail grants me both a yearning to cast my marring hands upon you, and a want to cast an incantation that would keep me from defiling your divinity - to strike me down if I ever get too close to you…” 

“W–Wait… You’re actually serious…?” The flustered angel asked - her words nearly enveloped with stutters.

“I have always been serious… I am afraid of you, Sonetto…” Her hand’s hold on Sonetto’s, like her blush, intensified to a comforting degree as she leaned the slightest bit closer. 

“And that is why I believe… that… my heart may have chosen you…”

She had an inkling that this was the case. She was scared of it - this outcome where, in her eyes, anything she would respond with could spell disaster for not only her, but also for the one she truly loved. She didn’t want, nor did she ever plan to reveal that she was already spoken for in fear of either not being able to go back to her loved one, or her loved one being brought into this… or both.

Her heart was brought back - her rationality begging to be given the driver's seat and allow her to think of an efficacious way out of her current predicament… ‘predicament’.

However, as she stared at her confessor with eyes full of awe and lips slightly ajar, she did start to wonder…

If her heart wasn't already taken by Vertin… then would she have said yes?

She was already taken aback - her very soul trembling with shyness and bashful reverie due to the honey-laced words used to confess a love so seemingly potent, so seemingly real, so seemingly loyal that it made her ask herself the prior question. 

Her thoughts were like her breathing: hindered with emotions and unable to function clearly. But despite Arcana's passionate attempt at gaining Sonetto's love, it was still not enough. Above everything, the angel’s main mission was to escape from Manus alive and well and, most-preferably, with full control of her mind and with clothes on her back - to be rescued by the Foundation and be brought back into the loving arms of her Timekeeper.

Would she have to betray Vertin's love but briefly just to get in Arcana's good graces? Or would she portray her loyalty to the Timekeeper directly towards the most powerful being she knew and risk never setting foot in the Foundation's setting ever again? These were the questions that she asked herself…

“Has Vertin made her way into your worries?”

However, once again, she was interrupted by the eerily calming voice that resonated within her mind. The angel could only shoot Arcana a widened gaze - portraying shock from the words that were telepathically-communicated to her. 

“...What do you mean?” She responded - her mind entering alert mode.

“You are concerned for what this would mean for your engagement with her, yes?” The angel opted to look away - trying her best not to make it obvious that she blushed at the mere mention of that word: engagement.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” 

“You need not lie to me regarding this. Vertin herself informed me…”

“What…?” 

“...Perhaps… informing you of the events that transpired during the prior month will prove most effective…”

“...”

She couldn't believe it. Every word that the taller woman spat out was simply unintelligible to Sonetto. Vertin's massacre? The fact that Vertin died? The fact that she died? Every word made no sense… or rather… her mind tried desperately to deny the sense that was present in Arcana's words in a feeble attempt to stray away from the painful truth…

She just didn't want to believe that she really did die, which led to the heart-breaking consequence of Vertin's suicide, which then led to the brutal massacre of the Foundation. As well as apparently now sharing the same lover. The words were so clear to her, yet so alien at the same time. And whether or not she chose to believe those words, it was still painful for her..

“T-This… can’t be…” The pain was only now registering in her heart. She grasped her chest tight - the passive action of breathing calmly becoming hard for her to do. “I don’t believe you…” She says, though her mind didn't know if she was lying or not.

“You do not need to believe me just yet… You can choose to live in blissful ignorance if it will help mitigate the pain… at least until our dearly beloved returns.”

“...Our…”

“Yes…” Her melancholic voice prepared itself to show sympathy - yet never disregarded the possibility of being defensive. “Do you despise me…? For seducing the one that swore to be yours and only yours?” 

“Did she smile…?” Sonetto asked.

“...Pardon?” 

“Was… Was she happy…? The night when you two reunited… Did you make her happy…?”

“...Hm. You truly are a divine gift…” Arcana's response yielded a great deal of admiration for Sonetto. The very fact that Sonetto's focus wasn't towards understandable jealousy, but rather towards her beloved's feelings, made Arcana see Sonetto for what she truly was: a guardian angel. Vertin's guardian angel. She cared not for her own emotions - instead choosing to put her beloved first and foremost.

“Yes… Her smile… Her embrace… Her words… The soft touch of her lips…” She blushed as she recalled that fateful day - nodding down a little to avoid gaining more fluster. The day when their broken bridges abandoned its reconstruction as it was sunken - drowned in the ocean of their reawakened love that arose and paved a way for a higher, more impregnable overpass to be made.

“I needed not to have the insight of an empath to tell that every love-laced symptom she portrayed to me that night was genuine…” A smile formed on her flustered face before she raised her gaze onto Sonetto's expression that was a mixture of dying disbelief and loving worries.

“Then…” Sonetto stopped for a moment - and much to Arcana's surprise… it was to smile. “I'm glad… Thank you.”

“Sonetto…” Taken aback, Arcana's utterance had intrigue within it - honest curiosity coursing alongside the blood in her veins. A curiosity that Sonetto softly laid to rest after a few seconds reminiscing about the good times she had with Vertin. 

She could still recall every lovely detail within those fond memories - memories she would cherish. For they were filled with the very attribute of her handsome ex-Timekeeper that she missed dearly - a mesmerizing attribute that she last witnessed back when both she and Vertin were still mere children: her most-luminous smile.

“I assume that… she's already told you of how our relationship started…?”

“Only in parts… Though I did not need every piece to tell that it was a truly enchanting night for both of you.”

“Hm… It was…” And from being glad to immediately being stricken with slight fluster, her words became a bit hard for her to emit - shyness causing her to slightly hesitate.

“She… W-When I… When we… Uhh…”

“Hm~ Take your time, my dear…” Arcana's profusely flirtatious confidence once again returned to her - granting her the courage to once again lean forward a little and rest her forearms on the table in a way that almost made Sonetto begin yet another round of spaced-out ogling.

“...” The angel took a deep breath in to calm herself - both from the memory of the night where she gave her first time to Vertin, and from Arcana's subtle advance.

“That night… I bore everything to her; my feelings, my body… And as much as it was a heat-of-the-moment occurrence… I did it to also give her another reason…”

“Hm… For her to continue living… For you to become a new beacon of hope she so desperately needed…”

“Yes… Every time I see her locking herself in her room… Every time I could hear her wailing from the other side of the door… It slowly cracked me… And when she… When I caught her with that knife… I… I just-” A hand quickly raised up - signalling Sonetto to stop.

“That is not why I waited for you to steel your nerves, Sonetto…” The hand then softened - its flattened palm facing upwards as Arcana invited Sonetto to hold it. And after a quick glance from Sonetto's glistening eyes, the inviting hand quickly found itself a new partner.

“I wanted you to reminisce, my dear. To recall how wonderful that night was for you and Vertin…”

“...It's not easy to just forget the bad parts of it…”

“I never asked you to…” Her hand's grip tightened - squeezing the angel’s smaller hand comfortably. “Never forget how that moment came to be… The tribulations that both you and Vertin had to overcome in order for that moment of respite to manifest… However, my dear…”

And from just one hand enveloping Sonetto's, to both of the Sufferer's hands wrapping and softly squeezing it to provide as much unspoken comfort as possible.

“do not let those bitter parts darken and spread all throughout that sweet memory like cancer… Do not let them fracture your heart more than they already have… Let them be as what they merely are: a tragic fraction of a much greater scene…”

Sonetto's share of surprises for one evening had certainly reached a point where it no longer granted her that feeling of shock. After learning and slowly acknowledging the horrific events of the past month, she was slowly getting used to it…

“...H-Heh…” which was why this new surprise only granted her the sweet feeling of giddiness… and a hearty reason to chuckle slightly.

“Why are you laughing…? Did I say something funny?” And coupled with the fact that the one that was causing her to chuckle had no idea as to why she was chuckling made it all the more amusing for Sonetto.

“Hm… Are you really Arcana?”

“...Of course, my dear… Who else would I be?” She responded - confused as ever.

“It's just… I… We… have always seen you as someone merciless… A powerful entity that wanted nothing more than to wreck unnecessary havoc and inflict death everywhere… But, looking at you now… hearing what happened… knowing what you have done for Vertin and I…”

Sonetto's eyes once again met Arcana's in a beautiful exchange of gazes that would be imprinted into both of their minds - acting as a new, wonderful memory they could look back upon and smile…

“I’m starting to think that… you aren't entirely bad… Just like that memory of mine and Vertin's, not everything about you is bad… a-although you are still objectively evil…”

“...Hm…” and the thought made Arcana smile - through authentic, newly-mined happiness. It wasn't quite the same happiness she acquired from Vertin, but it felt a lot more… fulfilling. Vertin's love filled a massive gap within her heart, Sonetto's comforted its very stature - enveloping it within a warmth that surpassed even Vertin's.

“...And will you only focus on that minute part of me that you believe is ‘not entirely bad’?”

“Hm…” Sonetto's hand wiggled slowly out of the grip of Arcana's hands as they loosened their hold. However, the angel quickly held onto Arcana's left hand - a subtle message conveyed wondrously to the Sufferer that told her not to put her hand down just yet.

“I can't say I can…” Her fingers began to rub the smooth skin that covered the hand's dorsal as she whispered. The gentle sways of her thumb were enough to provide the greatest comfort to Arcana - lacing her smile with seduction…

“Hm… And why is that… my dear…?” The taller woman played along with Sonetto's subtle flirting as she whispered in return - her own fingers starting to caress the angel's in a slow rhythm that could be understood and followed with ease…

“Because… at the end of it all… you're still… you…” Sonetto attempted to counter Arcana's digit responses by gliding her fingers across each advancing finger like ballerinas equipped with the title of Étoile…

“And does it scare you…? Does my very presence curse you with an acute sense of danger…?” Yet no matter how graceful Sonetto's fingers were at dancing around each of Arcana's digits, getting caught was still an eventuality. As shown when the Sufferer targeted not the evading fingers, but the hand of which they were connected to…

“M-Mh…!” an act that made Sonetto's breath hitch a little…

“Does the ocean of sins that I've committed grant you the desire to punish me~? To wrap your divine chains around my unholy body as they sear marks onto my flesh~? To whip my naked skin while my powers are bound by your holiness~?”

The lustful continuity of Arcana's alluring retort was almost overwhelming for Sonetto. The way they were conveyed, through both the voice that sang into the deepest part of her mind, and through the captivatingly deep voice of Arcana herself, combined as they relayed each and every word in unison and with as much lust and charm as inhumanly possible, made Sonetto's slightly-inebriated mind all the more hazy…

“Mrgh…” And it showed through her slightly unhinged retort after her light whimper…

“You make me want to stab you with my Glasfeder…” She flirted/threatened - forcefully interlocking her fingers with Arcana's after her irritated tone conveyed her heated words.

“Hm~ And where would you like to stab me~? My dear sweet Sonetto~?” And to add the cherry on top of their beautifully odd mix of black velvet and tarty apricot cake, Arcana's fingers accepted the convergence - curving each digit oh-so comfortably as she reveled at the tenderness of Sonetto's gentle, yet dexterous hands.

“Straight to your heart… right where it'll hurt you the most…” She leaned in closer to her greatest foe - her eyelids beginning to laze.

“Hmm~” And Arcana reciprocated - leaning forward slowly in respect to her new lover's passiveness…

“Then… just say the word…” Arcana's other hand cupped the blushing angel's cheek - her eyes now half-lit as she felt Sonetto's breath against her own lips.

“Why would I…?”

“Because… for you…”

“M-Mhh…”

“Mh~”

“I would gladly sacrifice my heart for~”

Chapter Text

The softness of the angel's lips… Every hitched breath… every shuffle of their undivided hands… Every line they've both crossed to get here… It made Arcana question herself…

“Why…?”

A relatively simple question… Yet she couldn't answer.

“How…?”

Another simple question… Yet she couldn't find an answer.

“Since… when…?”

A question of moderate difficulty… The result was obvious.

“Why them…?”

A question… that not even the combined minds of every renowned scientist, be they human or arcanist, could answer…

She was pulled out of her brief period of existential self-questioning by the delicate hold of Sonetto's sinistral hand - gently squeezing it as their long-awaited kiss went on. The title that Vertin had given the green-eyed girl certainly made sense. It didn't take an Einstein or a Tesla to figure out why… and it frightened the sinful false deity.

Now she knew, now she witnessed. The girl of whom she exchanged this loving and prolonged kiss with wasn't simply an angel; she was her polar opposite - a being lower in strength yet higher in divinity, in mercy. She reeked of malevolence; Sonetto would balance that with her benevolence. To think… that even someone like her would be blessed by the soothing grace and merciful allure of the cute angel… She still couldn’t truly believe it.

Both parties were enshrouded with bliss even after their prolonged first-kiss - an immense aura of heat that laid a heavy burden to their ever-crumbling sense of self-control. Their breaths, heavy with passion and unquenched desire as their lips stayed ajar - a complete opposite to their softly-closed eyelids…

“Hah…”

“Ahh…”

It was Arcana who first released her field of vision from darkness - a choice she would soon be grateful for, as her eyes found nothing more captivating than the adorable, love-stricken symptoms of the panting angel who was still shy to open her own eyes.

Yet courage would soon find itself returned to Sonetto as Arcana's hand, the one that cupped the naked girl's cheek oh-so lovingly, began sauntering its pollex across the very short distance from where it was planted upon. 

Her eyes open at the pace of a sloth. And what she saw was truly a sight to behold…

“Arcana…” She whispered…

“My love…” and a whisper, she received.

The Great Sufferer. The all-powerful false deity. The rightful matriarch of Manus Vindictae. Destined Consort of She Who Braves the Storm. Every title given to Arcana held weight and deployed an objective essence of power to her name, to her very presence. Her most-loyal believers feared her as much those who dared to provoke her combat did. So as Sonetto finally got a grip on reality again, it only made the surprise so much more lovely.

Arcana was… blushing. She was flustered - red-cheeked and with half-lit eyes that were so close to gazing away out of shyness.

“...You're blushing…” She pointed out - wanting to tease her new lover. An act that made the taller woman’s calm image nearly crack and expose a giddy smile that betrayed her merciless demeanor. 

“...Hm. Perhaps… I am.” She muttered under a coy tone. “And the one to blame…” 

Her hand that interlocked with Sonetto's loosened - splitting off slowly to join her other hand in cupping the angel’s gratifyingly soft cheeks.

“is you~” And with one last seductive whisper, her lips parted from one another once more to connect with her new lover’s - a beautiful enactment formed out of love, forgiveness, and mercy, that would lead the two individuals into a calming scene of pure serenity… Guided by lust, guided by desire. Whichever it was, it made Sonetto's fate certain.

She would no longer be just Vertin's. She now had two demons whom she would lovingly call her loved ones.

+ + + + + +

“A-Arcana…”

“My love…”

They ended their little date after a few more kisses - exchanged when they were still seated upon the chairs. It was Arcana who proposed the idea of finally starting off the grand event of the night when she asked her new lover if they should move their lovely make-out session to the grandiose bed. To say the least, her plan worked. Sonetto never stuttered - never flailed around to find a valid excuse or to show hesitation. Both of those had dissolved already - melted away like she did into the gentle kiss she shared with the Sufferer minutes prior.

The only thing on her mind, lured and seduced without any essence of rationality or even loyalty towards the teachings of the Foundation, was to ensure that she would not refute against the wishes and advances of her new lover. Her will was already bent, and she would now gladly have herself be bent over if it was Arcana who would do the bending…

“Mhh…” Her soft lips were once again claimed by the taller woman in one swift and graceful descent as her hand was pinned down from the wrist. Her breath, like her nerves, gradually became shaky with each passing second she spent with her lips locked with Arcana’s. Her legs couldn’t help but to constantly shuffle - rustling against the cold sheets below as her skin would rub against Arcana’s inner thighs. And when she finally calmed down to a certain degree, when her heart beat slowed and her eyelids gave in and surrounded her vision with darkness… “Ah-!” 

“Mhm~” 

Her eyes shot up as she felt something warm and slimy graze upon her parted lips. Arcana was already taking their passionate kiss into the path of heating up - her lust slowly building up with each drop’s worth of saliva that stuck onto her ravenous lips. Unfortunately for the Sufferer, Sonetto’s surprise caused the cute angel to shut her lips tightly out of instinct.

“Mh…”

“Ahh~ Hmm~” Oh how that chuckle made Sonetto’s heart want to give in… “Grant me audience with thy tongue, Sonetto~”

“Mrgh…” She wanted to part her lips, she really did. But her overall shyness just passively kept it shut… So Arcana gave her subtle reassurance/warning before she would commit to the thought that appeared in her mind…

“My love… Do not let your fear overwhelm your body… It will only make me want to hear thee scream~”

“But… you promised…”

“Yes… I did. However…” She descended slowly towards her quivering lover - her eyes aglow with serpentine desire. “I will be more than happy to break it if the outcome would be that I get to taste you better~”

“M-Mrgh…” Sonetto could only squirm as Arcana descended, inch by inch - the alluring melody, haunting, yet filled with irresistible temptation, leading her to kick the chair of which her pride, rope wrapped around its frail neck and tied to the skies, was standing on. It granted her the desire to fully allow the sadistic beauty atop of her control to her subsequent ideals…

“So… what shall it come to, sweet Sonetto~? Shall you grant me thy tongue~? Or shall I force mine beyond those delectable lips guarding it~?”

“...” To say that her core wasn't already dripping would be to lie. While she released no verbal response, her expressions gave away more than her stutters could ever emit. With more clarity and desperation than her pride would ever allow her vocal chords to release.

"Answer me… I grow impatient, my love…" She hissed - giving Sonetto one last chance to see this night through in a way that she preferred. Once her will to wait dies out, she would no longer ask, nor care for consent. 

"..." She dared to stare at the snake eyes of the false deity - trembling before she made a choice. A choice that she made without thinking it through, "...Hurt me…"

"...Pardon?"

"B-But not too much!"

"..."

"But… n-not too light either…"

"...H-Hh…" Snickers and light muffling of laughter was all that Sonetto could hear after she made her… rather amusing request. "Ahaha~" 

"Don't laugh!"

"It's hard not to, dear…" She responded, her breath still shaky from trying to hold in her laughter.

"Mmmph." Filled with newfound embarrassment, Sonetto pouted - looking away from the Sufferer and making a cute pouting face that made the laughing Arcana want to comfort her and apologize.

"My love~"

"M-Mrgh… h-hey…!"

"Hmm~" The taller woman purred as she laid the weight of her whole body atop of her lover - still recovering from the hearty laughs she released. 

"You're… heavy…" She struggled to even emit just two words.

"Hm~ But aren't I soft, my love~?"

"M-Mhh…" On that, she couldn't deny. Her new lover's breasts were unfathomably soft - so much so that she could get lost in how gratifying the feeling of them was when pressed against her dainty body.

“You smell heavenly, my love…” Arcana nuzzled her face closer to Sonetto's neck - her nose lightly grazing against the aromatic smoothness.

“...Now that you mentioned it, why do I smell like…” She raised her forearm towards her nose - taking a quick whiff before completing her sentence. “-peach blossoms…”

“Hm~ Would you like to guess~?” Arcana teased - nuzzling even closer than before. Sonetto shivered slightly from her lover's breath that tickled her neck.

“I-Is it safe to say that some arcanum is involved?”

“Hmm… I suppose you could say that... However, it was not used in the way that you are thinking.”

“You didn't use it to clean me…?”

“My~ How bold of you to assume that I was the one cleaning you~?”

“...Then… was Vertin using arcanum to clean me?”

“Hmm… Wrong~ Guess again~?” Arcana's playful and teasing antics gave way for Sonetto's expected surrender - choosing to instead wrap her arm around Arcana's back and relish in the unholy softness of her new lover.

“I give up…”

“Hm~” Yet another sly and entertained giggle. Sonetto was losing her will to stay calm. “Then you will never know~”

“No fair…”

“If you grant me an audience with your tongue, then perhaps I will tell you~” She purred as her tongue glided across the tender curve of Sonetto's neck - granting light shivers to the squeaky receiver.

“M-Mh-! Arcana…!” Then, she felt a small patch of her neck suddenly enveloped within the tasting touch of the Sufferer's soft lips before the encapsulated skin was met with acute suction, “H-hh~!”

“Mmhm~” And the suction only continued for ten more seconds. Seconds Sonetto spent with eyes shut tightly as her body reflexively braced itself to be inflicted with satisfying pain. Pain she was scared she would become addicted to - that she would beg for more of it once she's experienced it. Her fingers curled, her legs kept shifting against the sheets, and her hold on the gorgeous Sufferer's back tightened and loosened in respect to the force of Arcana's maw - still savoring in the sweet flavor granted to her taste buds.

After invigorating herself with her delicious hors’ d’oeuvre, she strived to move on to the mouthwatering second course…

“Ah~ Sonetto~”

“Mhmm…” She leveled her lips with Sonetto's once more to steal yet another lovely kiss from the orange-haired angel. And this time, Sonetto finally gave in to her desires. She opened her lips as soon as she felt her new lover's needy tongue start to glaze her desperate maw - gladly welcoming Arcana as they both allowed their pent-up lust to finally be let out. 

Unlike how long it took for Arcana to engrave a hickey onto her angel's delectable neck, they each took their time with this greater appetizer - melting effortlessly into the heat of their moment that felt so long… and so right. Neither of them wanted it to end - mouths still craving for the other's. Yet both yearned for something greater - something that would make the act of exchanging saliva through their dance of tongues look like mere child's play.

And they wanted it now, especially the one on top.

"Hrgh…" The Sufferer moved her hand towards the angel's head with the sole objective of forcing it to tilt to the side slightly - granting her ample space to gander sadistically at the mark she left on her angel as Sonetto was suddenly stricken with an acute episode of fright. 

"A-Arcana…! What are y- argh~!” And her fright was justified as soon as she felt her new lover's lips touch the darkening patch on her neck once more. Only this time, the Sufferer's restraint was loosening.

“Mrgh~” She bore her teeth - biting down softly as the angel gasped. 

“Khh… H-Hahnn~!” The softness hardly lasted, however. The feeling of teeth pushing against her skin was becoming more and more prevalent as her moans graced past Arcana's ears - serving as both the top's drive to go further, and as her reassurance that the corrupted angel beneath her was actually enjoying this. 

“Hahh…” For a moment, she lifted her teeth from Sonetto's neck. “My love… you will receive what you’ve yearned for… However, please do not hesitate to tell me if the pain is too much for you to handle–I’ll stop immediately… do you understand?”

“M-Mhh…” Not a word was given as a response - only a muffled whimper, one that solidified the angel's fate for the night.

“Hm~”

Lust surrounded them like fireflies resting and flying over a lake reflecting the moon’s silver grace - surrounded by trees and flowers that granted a beautiful, fantastical element to the lovemaking taking place within its magical site. The angel's delicate moans perfectly tangled with the Sufferer's soft, almost wolf-like growls as she continued to nip away at her prey's scrumptious neck only continued - with no hints, nor clues, being given towards either ever halting. 

Acute, brief moments of pain was what made her lips quiver. The low-tone purrs, the hand that snaked its way under her head and lightly cradled it, the warm pair of lips that kissed her, and the tongue that playfully sauntered up across her neck and ending up back into her mouth for yet another lovely exchange.

“Ahh~ H-hah… Mrgh~!” And the growls only grew louder, more unhinged than they were before Arcana had another taste of her new lover's lips. Sonetto's abrupt groan held a valid reason behind its utterance: a set of teeth began pushing into her skin with little warning. Said warning was merely a few more kisses granted upon the soft patch of skin that would soon be surrounded with a fierce bitemark.

“Ngh… M-mh!”  Seconds later… and her skin parted. 

The taste of the fallen angel's crimson was simply delectable - matching… or even outmatching her first lover's blood. Instead of granting her a great deal of invigoration like she had injected drugs into her veins, she felt… light - as though the weight of her identity as a being of pure chaos was slowly becoming soft. It was like she was becoming soft. The evil, the forewarned deaths, the senseless violence disguised as her most-righteous cause, every responsibility and consequence, it all seemed to abandon her mind for a brief moment - leaving her to float as if she laid upon clouds rather than her grand cushions.

“Mhh…” Her teeth ended its hardening bite - instead focusing on intaking more of Sonetto's fresh blood. With every lick, and every drop of blood that greeted her tastebuds nicely, she felt herself letting go of her natural self to embrace this new feeling of serenity.

“Arcana…”

“My love… You really are an angel…”

“You've said that already…”

“Oh but I need to emphasize it~” Lifting herself up - she cupped Sonetto's red-tinted cheeks and caressed. “Your blood… is not anything like our beloved’s…”

“H-How so…?”

“...Hm~”

“Ahn~!” And with haste - her hands went lower. And they stopped once her palms began to fondle Sonetto's breasts - granting them warm and soft cover amidst the cold air as she lowered herself closer to the very same mounds of flesh her hands had just begun to play with.

“When I first tasted our beloved's blood, I became feral…” Her own tongue halted her sentence as it became preoccupied in slathering more of Sonetto's exposed breasts.

“a-ahh…” 

“ah~” and once she was content for the time being, she allowed herself to continue… “It was as if a succubus had taken over my body…”

“Ahh… mh~!” only to once stop herself once again - choosing to please her lover. One hand massaging the angel's left breast, and the other merely squeezing the right gently as her tongue drew circles over and around her lover's hardened nipple.

“I showed Vertin no mercy that night… The tears… sweat… and blood she drew… hm~ t’was a miracle that she had not died once more~ However…” Slowly, she rose up - her hands pushing against Sonetto's soft chest one last time, “when I tasted yours… I only felt… light…” Slender fingers began their ghostly sauntering downwards. It cared not for her smooth belly, instead they aimed for something more sensitive - something more fulfilling to touch, and more satisfying for both her and her gracious angel…

“Hrgh~! A-Arcana…”

“There was no urge to hurt you… nor did I want to witness you begging… I was only granted this… softness… this… desire to watch you fall into bliss gently…” Sonetto couldn't quite focus on the words that were meant for her, yet she understood everything. Her lover's confession was like background noise for her; calming, serene - a gentle lullaby that guided her closer towards an impending zenith, rather than a refreshing sleep among soft and slightly damp sheets. 

She gave every ounce of her willpower into raising her arms so her hands could feel her false deity's red-tinted cheeks once again, “Please…” Her voice nearly cracked, “don’t be afraid to hurt me…”

“I… cannot… I physically cannot, my love… My body…”  

“H-Hahh~!” Fingers, the very same that trailed down, pressed against her already-slick entrance. “Arcana~!” She squeaked in surprise - eyes shut as her hands grabbed onto the back of her lover's neck as if she was desperate to hold onto something for support.

“I cannot scratch… cannot bite… h-hahh…” She descended slowly. She did this to give her moaning lover’s arms some needed leeway to wrap around her neck, “I can no longer grant you suffering… not even the sort that would elevate your sonorous voice…” Sonetto’s moans only intensified. The fingers that slid against her entrance earlier threatened to dig into her - to unearth the lust burning within and make it erupt. And now, they did. 

At this point, she didn’t care for Vertin’s instruction of being gentle in "handling" the newly-awakened angel. Arcana just wanted to torture her. She wanted to see her beg. She wanted to hurt her new lover gently at first, and nearly break the angel’s mind at the end. A scratch mark here, a bite mark there, perhaps even a small open wound on Sonetto's immaculate stomach. Yet she couldn't grant any of it. She was powerless; she could no longer be the reason for her sinful angel's delectable suffering… and it frustrated her. 

“What have you done to me, Sonetto…” 

“M-Mhh~! Ahh~!” Sounds of unalloyed pleasure perfectly blended with the unhinged thrusts of fingers. Not even Arcana could control it. Her every move since greeting Sonetto walls with her fingers was no longer hers to make; her body was simply on autopilot - driven by whatever curse or blessing she garnered when she took a mere sip of her lover's sweet crimson…

“Why…”

“Hh~! Arcana~!!” And the sounds only escalated, both in volume and of repetition - with Sonetto’s sweet angelic voice providing more sensuality onto her current predicament. 

“Why can I only please you…”

“I’m… clo- hargh~!!” It was automatic for the wondering Sufferer. The mere first one-and-a-half syllables of her lover’s heated declaration was all it took for her to give it her all. Her fingers, despite their restless thrusting, were still in the half-mindset of teasing the angel. Their constant in and outs were still limited to their second joints as a result of their owner not being fully aware of how much pleasure Sonetto could handle. However, despite the sense of wanting her sinful angel to maintain her unharmed porcelain skin, she could still aim to “hurt” her in other ways. 

She went from limiting her reach from just passing by her first two underwhelming joints, to the point where her knuckles were beginning to tickle Sonetto’s entrance. And it was all too much for her newly-reawakened body to handle… especially since she was already on the brink.

“Arcana~!!” Sonetto’s arms pulled her dominator in as she screamed out in rapture. The familiar feeling of her usual state of mind being pulled away and drowned into a lake of her own lust overtook her - limiting her control of her body as it quivered in response to her first orgasm since her reawakening. “H-Hrgh… Arcana…!” 

“Hush, my love…”

“M-Mhh…! Mrgh~!” The abrupt tremors prevailed in their inconsistency. All throughout her delicate body, waves upon waves of pleasure crashed upon her - like the serene lake she fell into earlier had turned into a violent ocean. And she struggled to stay afloat. The pleasure was simply overwhelming, and she could barely handle it… and she had the gall to ask for suffering earlier. A mere orgasm and she was already on the brink of passing out.

“Calm yourself… I’m here…”

A minute had passed; Sonetto's arms were still arched around her lover's neck. Slowly, her neck gave in and allowed her head to rest back on the pillow beneath her as her chest started to heave a lot gentler than before.

“...And now… I cannot even command myself to please you further…”

“H-hh…” Another tired exhale came out of her lover's maw - as if she weren't listening at all.

“What have you done to me… my love…” She hoped for a response; she needed one. First it was Vertin who took one of her many “firsts”, now it was Sonetto. She felt powerless against the angel's sweet ichor. She felt controlled in a way - like she had been turned into a mere puppet meant to be mastered by her new lover. Every conscious desire, every salacious intent; all of it was still there. Yet acting them out, making her thoughts pass the line of being mere thoughts and into action, felt impossible for her.

Her lover's arms were next to give in - slowly slipping away from their grasp on her neck and landing onto the sheets. Looking at her, she couldn't help but to feel both at ease and confused at once.

Sonetto looked so helplessly fatigued; like her earlier climax had drained her energy. Her eyes lazed as a few droplets of tears streaked downwards. She was the practical definition of weak. So it bothered Arcana how she couldn't defy against her…

“Arcana…”

“...yes, love?”

“I didn't… do anything…” She confessed. She sounded so tired; as if the simple act of speaking was almost too much for her to handle.

“...hm. I know… You would dare to raise your arms against me no longer, would you?”

“Mhm…” The hum was groggy; like she had been thieved of sleep. But it was one of agreement - a gentle form of reassurance that calmed Arcana's pondering mind and her smile once more

“You are nearing unconsciousness, my love… Would you like anything beforehand?”

“Mhh…” Sonetto's hand then raised briefly - landing upon the top of Arcana's own before squeezing lightly. She couldn't help but to widen her smile at this. She knew the implications behind the cutesy act.

“Hm~ I suppose not…” Darkness surrounded Sonetto’s vision; her eyes could only see a faint line that streaked through the black like a tear in her reality. Slowly enveloping her; slowly encapsulating her in warm, softened comfort. Arcana had laid next to her, shifting the weight onto her left side as her arms wrapped once more around the angel’s delicately-soft body - with her hand laying upon the back of Sonetto’s head to cradle it close to her.

“Good night, my love…”

“I… lo…ve you…” One last time–amidst cold sheets, the gentle bloom of the candles that surrounded them, and the soothing scent of her lover’s hair as her nose ruffled against the silky orange strands–her lips arched one last time with drowsy glee as Sonetto nuzzled closer. And as she felt the breaths of her angel finally reached a slow and stable tempo, she cursed at herself silently as her eyelids could no longer remain opened. Yet, like clockwork, her hand couldn’t stop patting…

“I love you more…”