Toofy Ch. 12

Xivian tightened the bright blue, silk, scarf around Toofy's neck gently, and stepped back with a timid smile. "I would say that it suits you well, m'lady."

"Toofy is in a bad mood, Xivi. Scarf isn't going to make her feel better about leaving her Arina behind." The catgirl pouted, looking over at the woman still lying still in the bed.

"Lady Castelle will not allow any harm to come to her, and I have been tasked with creating regular correspondence to be sent to you, on her condition, m'lady." Xivian tried to smooth things over.

The catgirl bit her lip, fighting back against her instinct to snarl. It was hardly the handmaiden's fault that she was now an ambassador, and had to serve at the whim of the emperor.

It wasn't her fault that Daen had bitten and scarred Toofy's neck, right below where her collar rested.

Collar with a golden bell now, not a silver one.

She was identified to the public as a free woman, finally removing the title of slave from her name. She was the Lady Twenty Four de Sai, in truth.

The ambassador of his grace, the emperor. Sent to sort out some trifling deal with disappearing gold near the edges of the empire... As far from her Sai as they could send her.

Once her task was complete, she was free to come and go as she pleased. Which probably meant that they expected that she would die before then, and if she survived, that she'd die before she restored Sai's lands to him.

A neko lady, without property, wasn't going to find any respect in the empire. She was going to endure hardship, and be beaten and insulted. Treated as little more than a slave, because no guard would lift a hand to protect her once her ambassadorship was done.

Hell, she didn't even know if her own guards would protect her during her mission. They might well be intending to kill her and toss her in a ditch.

"She will miss waking up the Liz." Toofy managed, "Xivi, too. She only got to play with the Xivi, once. Had to share her too much with her mistress. Wanna play with her all by herself."

The handmaiden flushed in embarrassment, "Thankyou, for ensuring that I did not grow apart from the Lady Castelle, m'lady. The efforts were quite appreciated."

"Lord Castelle was dickhole that Toofy will not miss. She hopes that he doesn't wake up." The neko growled, ignoring just how dangerous it was for her to express that sentiment right now.

The woman smoothed down Toofy's dress, considered her for a bit more, and then nodded to herself. "May your journey be smiled on by the gods, with the sun ever at your back."

"Gods don't care about Toofy, and she doesn't care about them." The cat replied and ruffled the edges of her dress with a smirk.

Then she turned and made a pained look.

The catgirl bent over and kissed at Arina's forehead, a tear falling from her face onto the handmaiden's. "Please... Wake up, for me. Just for me, Arina."

There was no response.

No changes.

She sniffled, wiped her cheeks, and spun on her heel. Marching out of the room and into the hallway. Striding passed the various servants, head held high.

She was a lady of the court. She was an ambassador for the emperor. She was above each and every one of these, and she must act like it if they were to remotely believe it.

A neko, elevated above them all.

She had barely dared to imagine that even this much progress towards her dream would be possible in years. She had accomplished it in months.

The world, it seemed, was entirely underprepared to face off against the determination of one cat who didn't want to be treated like a mewling kitten.

The world she wanted was beginning to bow towards her, and she would trample it beneath her feet.

These were the lies that Toofy tried to tell herself, so that she wouldn't weep for the handmaiden she had to leave behind. Wouldn't fear for the succubus she had to leave behind. Wouldn't break for the man that she had to leave behind.

She would find the gold, for Arina's sake.

She would return it, for Little Saia's sake.

And she would kill the fucker's who stole it, for Sai's sake.

Toofy's golden eyes dimmed to a darker colour.

---

The sun had not risen that morning.

The rough growls and calls emerging from outside the town walls plagued at her sensitive elven ears. Telling her what was out there, in the dark.

"What do you see, mistress?" Kaleid asked.

Trician looked out grimly, seeing what others couldn't. She didn't need light to see. Right now, that left her feeling like her elven blood was more of a curse, than a blessing.

The creatures were unorganised, thrashing about against each other, biting and clawing anything that came too close. That would change, when they smelled it.

When the hunger set in, and those things realised that all that they were craving was just behind a hastily erected wall. Defended by frightened farmers, and a mysterious group led by Tyre.

"You can see them, too." She glanced at the strange man with the green eyes.

He nodded grimly, flecks of gold flashing and swimming in his eyes for a moment. Another oddity she didn't know how to explain or describe.

The elf shrugged, "Well, you seem to understand what is happening, better than I. Why it is happening."

"Not quite why." Tyre said quietly, "I've seen it once before. Once. This kind of mass rising... Sun going out... Something powerful has called out to them. Might not even know it did. No idea if that has to do with you and the gods."

Trician sighed heavily, "Somebody used some kind of forbidden magic. And everything, dead or alive, felt it."

"Pretty much." He shrugged, "At a guess. And I'm guessing that what caused it, is west of us. That's where they're shuffling, looking for a new lich to lead them."

Kaleid, who couldn't see, crouched and spoke in his rumbling voice, "Will they pass us by?"

"Extremely unlikely." Tyre chuckled, "We would have to have the luck of hell itself, for that. Souls smell like food to these fuckers. And what's worse, they aren't mindless. They're instinctual, bestial... But like wolves in that regard."

"Wolf." Kaleid mused, "There it is. That is one of the scents I smell on you, human. You smell like a fucking wolf."

Trician's ears went back as she suddenly realised. She hissed as she crouched, the diamonds embedded not just in her hand, but all the way up her arms, beginning to glow white.

Her slave landed in front of her with a growl, fists at the ready.

She put a hand on the onokentaura's shoulder, "Calm yourself. You cannot fight him. Not a chance. He's one of them, Kal. He's an abomination, crafted by magic that should have stayed buried."

"They call me Shifter." Tyre whispered, looking calmly out at the dark. "You can hate me all you like, princess. I certainly deserve it. But right now... I would say you could use an abomination."

Kaleid growled, "What are you talking about?"

"There was a unit. A small group of warriors." Trician whispered, "Astadia helped them do something... Horrifying. She turned them into weapons, so that the human empire could win a war that could not be won. Genocide to the neko. Massacring other exotics, like the kitsune, your kind. The subjugation of the orcs."

He grunted, "Why would she help them prove human superiority?"

"The Golden Mountain is allowed to rule itself." Trician replied, "That... That was the price. That is what pissed off my goddess. Humanity tries to bring absolute order, so she will bring absolute chaos."

Not that the goddess could help her much, right now.

The gods were silent.

The Shifter smiled, and looked at the soulless monsters in front of them, "Have you ever been in a war, princess? Or is attempted, and failed, assassination your only skill?"

"I am the Godkiller." She replied grimly.

---

Elizabeth looked down at the silent woman lying in the bed. Looking ever so peaceful, and innocent. The silver chain around her neck signifying her devotion to the Green Goddess.

This was the catalyst that she needed.

It would take a little time before the news would reach the neko, and there would be a little regret in it for the lady. She had intensely enjoyed the cat's affections.

She had enjoyed being toyed with, and she would regret that Toofy would not make it out of this alive.

Elizabeth's goal had never just been to remove herself of a husband who moved erratically between abusive and neglectful. Castelle's death was but the first step towards her true desire.

She wished, above all else, to demonstrate the folly of believing that humanity was superior.

She wanted to make all peoples equal. To be free to take Xivian as her official mistress. To be able to display her proudly to the world, rather than relying on people to hold their tongues.

For that to happen, first the old guard must be removed. Weakened, so that they would not be ready for what was coming.

Secondly, war had to return. A war that would tear this horrific and heretical empire that worshipped a man as a god, apart.

Elizabeth plunged the knife downwards.

She flinched as her wrist was caught, and looked up at the figure crouching in the window, confused.

The woman smiled at her, "I cannae let ya be doin' dat."

"Unhand me!" Elizabeth snapped angrily, "Do you not know who I am, fox?"

The woman shrugged, "Not be a carin' much, ta be honest. This one, she's the cat's. I like dat. So I won't be lettin' ya be killin' 'er. She's... Too int'restin'."

The fox shoved her hand back, and bounced onto the bed. Kneeling over the prone figure and sniffing her deeply. "Dat's just fuckin' weird. 'er soul is stuck. Fuckin' weird."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Elizabeth snapped, "I am the Lady Castelle. You will name yourself, and your business here."

"Tammy." The foxgirl yawned, and then smirked, "Or dat's what I be tellin' peeps. When I ain't takin' from 'em."

Elizabeth stared in confusion, and grasped at her chest. The foxgirl tossing the purse that had been around her neck lightly, before tucking it somewhere into her rags. "Give that back."

"Nah." The foxgirl replied casually, and then licked Arina's face. "So, where's the cat? I keep tryin' ta piss 'er off. She ain't come lookin' for me, yet."

"The Ambassador Twenty Four has left the city." Elizabeth said stiffly.

The fox leaned in close to the handmaiden, sniffing at her deeply, "Ah. She goin' ta take care of the dead tings. Dat makin' da sense. Her fault, anyways."

"Dead things?" Elizabeth said in confusion, "... Stolen gold. What dead things?"

"Da ones she pissed on." The kitsune said, and then her tails spread out across the bed behind her, and Elizabeth felt her bladder empty itself in utter terror.

She fell to the ground, swallowing and staring, as she made a mess of herself.

It couldn't be.

Tammy.

Tamamo de Mae.

The fox held her nose, "Ew! Gross! Ya coulda warned me, ya was a bitchin' coward. Fuckin' sakes. Go be pissin' else."

"What are you going to do to Arina?" She asked quietly.

The orange eyes rolled, "Ya was of thinkin' dat killin' her be pissin' on da neko. Makin' her so da mad dat she be attackin' da emperor. Ya fuckin' stupid, ya know? She already be dat mad. Dey took her man."

Elizabeth swallowed, "I know who you are."

"Ain't be hidin' it." The fox scoffed, and then licked the handmaiden's face again. "Be seein' why da kitty keeps this one fer 'erself. I'd claim 'er, if I didnae have places ta be. Ah. Cannae be 'elped. Keep her safe, human. Or I'll eat ya giny-bits wit ma teeth."

The kitsune stood up and stretched.

Her tails spread out in a fan, and she seemed to glow golden for a moment. The air itself seemed to fill with floating flakes of the precious metal, and Elizabeth swore she could hear a distant and ethereal screaming.

"Ya li'l bitch!" The fox snarled, "Do as ya be told! I ain't be pissin' around!"

There was a snapping sound, and then the fox was gone.

Elizabeth blinked and rubbed her eyes. No light, no fox. Just completely vanished. Had... Had the magic failed? Had that been magic? It wasn't like any other magic that she had witnessed before.

Arina emitted a tiny little groan.

---

Elia stumbled out of another room, dizzy and unsteady on her feet, but feeling like she was finally intact. Which probably meant that it was a good time to leave before someone realised why so many of the guests had suddenly expired.

She'd eaten five souls.

Five dead, by her cursed hands.

She might be an assassin, but the people she had been putting down this time hadn't had enemies. No prices on their heads. Just people who had fumbled their way into her path.

There was a twinge of regret and guilt, there.

She caught the sound of a bell in her ears, and spun, expecting an attack from Toofy. Instead she spotted an elf dragging someone into a room, a silver bell hanging from the woman's belt.

Just a trusted slave, here to have some fun.

Elia breathed a sigh of relief, and then hardened herself. She needed to know for certain if her mistress was her enemy, or her friend.

The succubus groaned and shivered, using a small amount of her magic to turn herself into a human-ish equivalent to herself. Horns vanishing, and tail concealed. Red eyes becoming the seductive baby blues she so enjoyed.

She moved towards the entrance of this cheap little whorehouse. Trying to ignore the swirling scents of cheap ale and stale vomit that she kicked up with each step.

Elia got about halfway there when she noticed the man following her.

The shadow wasn't terrible. He played with the background girls, looking genuinely interested in them, but he maintained a distance of exactly twenty steps to her. No less, no more.

The succubus rolled her eyes, and turned to him, "Well? What do you want?"

"Just to observe." He said smoothly, abandoning his position and walking up to her. "Lord Westcolm assigned me to report on your recovery, Miss Elia."

Westcolm.

The succubus could return to the Castelle Estate. That would be the obvious first place if she wanted to determine what had happened to her, and the consequences.

However, going there now in her condition would get her killed, if there was a trap waiting.

On the other hand, if Westcolm was feeling free to indulge his exotic fetish by getting reports on her, then there was someone else who would know a considerable amount about what had happened.

She shrugged and turned, walking out of the building and into the bright sunshine. The succubus stretched, inhaling the filthy air of the city. A good sight cleaner than indoors.

"What's your name, boy?" She smiled at him.

"John, miss." He replied, "Prefer if you didn't eat my soul."

She chuckled and smirked, "Don't give me an excuse, then. We're headed to the temple. See an old friend. You a religious one, John?"

The young man produced an amulet from around his neck, "Depends on what you mean by religious. The Madgod is uninterested in prayers or rituals. Just wants people to live an interesting life."

"I was raised by the temple, moron." Elia chuckled, "I know about the Madgod and his tenets."

John nodded, "Mmm. Suppose that should be expected, though I wouldn't have thought an assassin would get much religious training."

"We get a shitload. We're not supposed to seem different to the other temple girls." She yawned, "I mostly didn't pay attention, though. Hard to bother when seduction is instinctual."

He chuckled, "I saw you fulfil the lustful dreams of many, today. Last dreams, but their dreams. How do you know what they desire?"

"I pull it out of their heads. It's instinctual. I don't know how I know, I just do. For example, there's a certain dark-skinned guard you'd love to take up your ass."

He coughed uncomfortably. "I would... Be indebted, if you didn't spread that around."

"Temple girls don't care about gender or even species. We're taught to fuck everything under the sun." Elia said casually, "Don't become my enemy, and I'll have no use for that particular piece of information."

John frowned, "Technically, you're still a slave. Where's your bell?"

"Not approved for freedom of movement." Elia replied and shrugged, "Not really an issue when you can look like anyone you want to. Why? You going to report me, human?"

He shrugged, "Don't become my enemy, and I'll have no use for that particular piece of information."

She smirked at him, enjoying the way he casually threatened her.

Almost reminded her of Tyre, or Toofy.

Elia led him to the temple, where they were greeted by one of the girls. A pretty thing that, though familiar, she didn't remember the name of.

The succubus requested a meeting with Efina, and the two of them stood around to wait.

John wandered over to the shrine to his god, offering up some token prayer in an almost bored manner.

Elia didn't know if she really believed in the gods at all. In a world like this one... Who would?

Even the story of the war of the gods didn't make sense to her. The empire banned a bunch of gods, and so the other gods triumphed over them and locked them away.

It stank of propaganda.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a flirtatious elf. An arrogant woman cocking her hip to show off her silver bell as she walked up. "Succubus. I thought I heard you got bought, bitch. Didn't expect to see you back here. Yu will be delighted."

"The old cocksucker can suck a cock." Elia rolled her eyes, "I ain't here for him, and you should watch your tongue Esme. Or didn't you hear? My mistress has got a title, just like yours."

"Your mistress just exiled to the far east, to die. Or didn't you hear?" Esmerelda sneered.

Elia smiled arrogantly at the elf as she rifled through the woman's memories. So... Toofy had been made an ambassador, then. A free woman. A neko, titled and free.

Fuck's sake.

Her mistress always ended up surprising her, no matter how crazy and insane things got. It didn't matter how many times she thought she understood that Toofy could do what she wanted... Cat always surprised her.

"Esme, I know you think you're hot... But do you really want to fuck with the slave of the emperor's chosen ambassador?" Elia raised an eyebrow.

The elf glared at her, "What are you doing here? I'm Yu's favourite, now. I won't let you get in the way."

"Oh, nothing much." Elia smiled, "Just got a meeting with the priestess. You can rest easy, I don't intend to take the drunk bastard from you. Not until my mistress tells me I can eat his heart."

"Girls."

The two turned, and instinctively curtsied to the priestess as she approached.

Efina looked between them, and sighed, "Esme. Go find something more interesting to do. Like thinking about whether I should have a conversation with your title-less master, and his boyfriend."

The elf nearly ran.

The priestess shook her head, "That one is going to get herself killed. Unlike you, Elia. You seem to be immortal. I am surprised to see you up and about, considering what Lord Westcolm told me of your condition. Shall we walk in my garden?"

"So long as Lord Yu has been told he cannot enter the garden." Elia replied with a shrug.

She thought for a moment and then waved, "This is John. One of Lord Westcolm's."

"He can wait for you, here." Efina said firmly, and the man bowed his acceptance to her.

With that, the two women walked through the familiar hallways. Passed paintings that told epic tales of gods, men, and war. Few women featured in them, though Elia knew they'd been involved.

That was one of the things about history that irked her.

Efina spoke quietly, as they travelled. "I assume you came to me, because you have questions about what happened. Lord Westcolm was not certain that you would survive."

"Five souls lie dead in a shitty little whorehouse, because of me." Elia stated darkly, "Westcolm is probably going to use that against my mistress. Any chance you can change his mind?"