Complete ✪ Stokbon Delights of one's victory

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

After their little showdown in the woods, which probably looked like a zone of death and corruption now, the two beings of pure dark finally arrived at the big city. It took a while, given how beat down and drained of energy they were after such a close fight. That said, at least they had each other to lean on until they regained enough energy necessary to move on their own.

It wasn't too much of a walk from the city gates until they got to a tavern loosely connected to the inn where they could stay. They might not have had much energy, but that didn't mean they shouldn't celebrate their union and, perhaps more importantly, Ginevra's victory in their little bout.

Lucille did feel a little bummed that she could not come up at the top, but at least it was a fellow warrior of darkness. Her ego would not have recovered if it was anyone else. At this point, she was pretty chipper and had fully accepted the result.

The door to the tavern was practically kicked open as Lucille entered first. "Rejoice, people of Falderen! The rules of Dark have decided to grace this establishment with their presence!"

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

It was time to celebrate her victory and their newfound companionship, the two having leaned on each other and limped their way out of the woods until they were energized enough to walk on their own. It had taken a short while, but Lucille's mood had recovered enough that the girl was chipper and happy about things, so Ginevra was more than satisfied with the way that everything had gone, as they made their way towards a tavern that was connected to the inn they would be staying at.

And of course, they basically kicked down the door as Lucille announced their presence, in a way that would have had many other people cringing with secondhand embarrassment. Ginevra, however, strode into the building and gave Lucille a swift pat to the rear.

Very good! Greetings everybody! We have picked this establishment for our merriment! You may not approach us unless we demand it!

With that, she strode over to the bar, knowing that Lucille would probably be by her side, if not one step behind her.

Bartender! Two of whatever your finest drink is for myself and my companion here!

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

It might have been because their walk back here was full of such little gropes, but Lucille was actually starting to get used to them and accepting them as just something that her companion did for no discernible reason. Still, the touch made her body stiffen for a brief moment before she quickly followed behind Ginevra to the bar. Good thing she waited for a moment because she was unsure if her company would want to go directly there or actually get seated by one of the tables.

The bartender shot them an unwelcoming look followed by a blank stare, only to sigh and start tapping some bear into two wooden mugs. Clearly, he was not very impressed with the two girls. Lucille, as she, seated herself, also realized something. She had never, ever, tasted any alcohol at all. Made sense, given how her life outside of the game was. And here? She didn't have enough time yet. Or, more accurately, she didn't even realize it was an option. So as the beer slid over and she caught in her furred hands, she stared at the liquid with a moment of hesitation.

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

They didn't look particularly welcome, if the looks that were being shot to them by the bartender were anything to judge off of. That was quite the blank stare that he was giving them, though in the end, he would serve them anyway. After all, they were paying customers and this was a business establishment, so he couldn't just refuse them service just because they were loud and boisterous. Not without damaging his reputation or that of his business, anyway.

Many thanks good sir.

She took the wooden mug as it was offered to her, looking down at the beer that swirled inside of it and humming. She'd never actually drank beer before, so this would be exciting. Though she turned to the side and saw Lucille staring down at her drink, clearly hesitating. Well, she couldn't have that, could she? She reached forward to tap her mug against Lucille's.

Cheers to us, the queens of darkness!

And with that, she took the mug and brought it to her lips, gulping it down and hiding her wince at the taste and the slight tingle it left as it slid down her throat.

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

Lucille wasn't one to quit or back down from a challenge! Of course, this wasn't exactly a challenge per se, but she was determined to do anything and everything she could not in the physical world. Alcohol was one of those! So as Ginevra brought her own mug so the two could have a toast, she'd happily oblige with a smirk. "HELL YEAH! CHEERS TO US!" She wasn't bothered by being loud and annoying to all the other guests, who were probably done with the whole traveler thing already.

Gulping the liquid down, she had a similar reaction to her companion. As a first-timer, the beer was… horribly bitter. It felt like her throat was burning up. Why the hell were older people so eager to drink stuff like this? Even murky water would probably do a better job. Perhaps those old geezers already had their taste buds burned off, so they couldn't even tell the difference between what was good and what was terrible.

That said, a quick glance to the side revealed that Ginevra was gulping it down like a champion, so Lucille would keep on going to keep up with her. She managed to withstand the wounds from their fight, so she would withstand something like this!

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Loud and proud was good! They were celebrating after all, so Ginevra grinned at Lucille's loud cheer, before they both slammed down the beer in their mugs. Ginevra sucked her own drink down with as steely and stone faced an expression as she could possibly manage, chugging until her mug was empty and she could slam it down on the bar, breathing a sigh of relief that she hoped people misunderstood as one of enjoyment instead.

The taste had been god awful and she desperately didn't want to drink another one, but beer was what the adults drank! It was the drink of choice for mature people such as herself. A queen of darkness couldn't be seen sipping on some kind of colorful cocktail or something like that!

So Lucille, are you enjoying the drink? You sure look like you are!

She watched the beastkin girl chugging her own drink, moderately impressed by how much of a champion Lucille was. Clearly beer was old news to the wolf girl. She'd have to go all out if she wanted to keep up with such a drinking pro, even though her master plan relied on getting Lucille drunk.

Another drink for the both of us!

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

If she didn't have an appearance to upkeep, she would have probably shaken her entire body after finishing the large mug of beer, slamming it on the counter just like Ginevra. "Y-yes, truly an activity for warriors of darkness like ourselves..!" It took every last bit of her willpower not to have all of the hair on her body stand up. Perhaps they could see about drinking something else? Surely this was not the 'strongest' stuff they served here, right?

Before she could say anything out loud, her companion had already ordered another round. Even the biggest drunks around couldn't finish a full mug that fast. The bartender merely shook his head, however. If the two girls passed out, he'd simply toss them out, and that'd be it. Clearly, he wasn't exactly concerned about the health of travelers. However, things could change if the two were rowdy enough to make landers leave. "Y-yeah. ANOTHER ROUND! This stuff is… WEAK!"

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

I knew you'd agree with me! How fitting for my special soulmate, my sister in the darkness!

And then their second drinks arrived, with the bartender shaking his head. The fool clearly didn't realize that the alcohol he provided was unable to overcome the overflowing darkness of the two girls. Though Ginevra figured that she'd probably have to slow down sneakily, even if she couldn't allow Lucille to outdrink her so easily! The girl had taken the first like a pro, so she was going to have her hands tied, trying to win this impromptu contest.

She slammed their mugs together again, before she began to drink from her mug, slower this time. If she was asked about it, she'd mutter some excuse about wanting to savor the taste, even though it was honestly so disgusting that she wanted to taste anything else to take the taste away.

You know Lucille? I'm feeling really glad we met! I've not had a drinking buddy or a darkness sister before.

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

"O-of course I would! This is nothing compared to what we could do if we were serious, too! You know what?" The black wolf turned toward the bartender briefly and then shouted again. "JUST BRING US FIVE MORE!!" Perhaps the buzz was already getting to her. And if it weren't, it would once she were done with all of those. Not that the man would actually give them out all at once, he wasn't about to risk giving out a beer a customer wouldn't finish and then try to not pay for as a result.

A beer later, Lucille even had to briefly turn around to stick her tongue out, her whole face twisting in disgust as she continued to put that vile substance into her body. In the end, both of the girls tried to hide something from the other sneakily. "Hum? Fufu… no need to be glad, my Queen! For… t'was fated…! YES! It was going to happen regardless, and there is no need to be glad for what is only natural!!"

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Five more!? Ginevra blinked, looking at the black wolf, before she turned back to the bartender and gave her best impression of a confident woman nodding at a bartender. Lucille was far too strong when it came to alcohol, she would have to revise her plan to get Lucille to worship her and her godlike avatar body! This was bad!

You're so right! Of course it was fated that we would meet and join our powers in unholy matrimony~

Though there were certainly other things she'd like to join in some kind of matrimony, if she could get Lucille drunk enough to agree to it all. Still, another beer later and the conversation was still continuing. Lucille really was a pro! Ginevra could feel her body warming up as the alcohol began to take action, giving her a slight but pleasant buzz.

So then, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, my dark beloved? Likes, dislikes, things like that? Let me know of your ambitions so that we can join them together with my own~

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

At this point, Lucille had decided she would showcase just how rebellious she was. Actually, was any of this rebellious at all? Perhaps not. But the girl had made her choice that she would impress! Downing one beer after another until all five that were ordered were gone. At the moment, she even felt like throwing up but managed to keep everything inside of herself.

Once done, her body would wobble in the chair a bit. Even the bartender had finally decided she had enough and would refuse to give her any more. Leaning on the bar, her watery eyes fixated on Ginevra. It took a moment for her to process what was said, but she would reply eventually. "Fue? Ishn't that obvious? Pff, it's to indulge in the darkness! ALL OF THE DARKNESH!"

Tossing her hands into the air briefly, she would slump forward again soon enough. The alcohol was having a strange effect on her. It certainly made her even more open than she usually was, but also a tiny bit lethargic?

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Watching Lucille drink was incredible. Ginevra had to admit defeat as she watched the pace at which the beastkin woman downed all five of her drinks, one after the other, holding them down like a champion. It was only afterwards, after the bartender had cut Lucille off and she realized, in her own tipsy state, just how much that had affected Lucille, that Ginevra figured that maybe her plan hadn't been such a bad one after all.

Of course, women like us find our deepest revelry in the dark, do we not?

She slid her stool closer to Lucille's, an arm snaking out to make its way around the wolf girl's waist, before she began to try to guide Lucille out of her chair. There was one thing on the agenda before she wanted Lucille in private and all to herself~

Let's do a little bit of last minute shopping, shall we? I just thought of the perfect accessory to make your outfit so much more dark and fitting of a lovely woman such as yourself~

She began to walk out of the tavern, holding on to Lucille as she went, hoping that the girl would come along with her in her drunken state. A small, particularly evil, grin began to spread across Ginevra's face as the excitement built up.

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

The girl wasn't even lying. Not really, anyway. For her, relishing in darkness simply meant doing whatever she wanted. Especially things she had been denied by her parents and other people in her life who would seize control of what she could do. None of what she did would change how she lived in the real world, but at least she could enjoy it all while it lasted. And as far as she figured, Ginevra was the same.

When the hand suddenly went around her waist, she almost fell over along with the stool but managed to keep her balance at the last moment. "Fum?" She looked down at the smaller girl as she stood up, being led out of the building. But instead of having a caring friend who would get a drunk friend back to their home and bed, she had a Queen of Darkness who had her own plans. "Heeeh? Even DARKER? Yaaaaay~!"

She had no idea what kind of accessory Ginevra had in mind, but if it were coming from her, then it would definitely be awesome. She would follow by the other girl's side closely and eagerly.

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Gosh, Lucille was just adorable, with her slurred speech and her excitement, though Ginevra didn't blame her for the latter, since the queen of darkness herself was just as excited, even if she wasn't quite as animated about it. So she half dragged, half led her new friend out of the tavern and down the street, as market stalls were beginning to close underneath the setting sun, she quickly spied a stall that had exactly what she wanted, though the owner looked a few seconds away from closing up himself. Seeing that, Ginevra moved with purpose towards that stall, shouting.

Hey! Don't close yet! I want to buy something first! I've got good coin with me!

The owner stopped, fixing Ginevra and the wolf girl she was being followed by with a look that was half expectant and half disgruntled. "What're you looking to buy?" His voice was deep, masculine and gruff, totally fitting for the toned, muscular looking man with sun-bronzed skin.

I'll take one of those fetching collars! One of the ones that will fit my sexy little friend here~

She gestured to the rag wearing beastkin girl, hugging Lucille closer to her when she noticed the man's gaze turn a little leer-y.

And can you add a tag that says 'Return to Ginevra' on it?

With a grumble and some exchange of coin, a few moments and some tag engraving later, the man was holding out a tagged collar for Ginevra to take, the blonde grinning as she turned to Lucille.

Hold your hair up so I can put this on you. You're going to look so cool! All the badass characters in my favorite games and movies wear collars!

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

With the support she was getting from Ginevra, it wasn't exactly hard to follow right next to her, even as the other girl's step became faster. As the stall came into view and the Queen of Darkness started shouting, Lucille's ears would twitch, and her dual-colored eyes would start examining the place. A stall that was open this late into the night and it was selling collars? Seemed weird.

She didn't question it, though. She already had Ginevra's assurance that it was a cool accessory, and perhaps precisely because of that reassurance, her mind went to places. Namely to Satanic beasts like Cerberus. There were plenty of depictions of that beast online where it had a spiked collar. Did that mean she was being perceived as the mighty guardian of Hell itself?

"Fufu… yeaaah, but I might be even cooler than that!" The girl exclaimed without any context as she did as she was told, grabbing the hair in the back of her head and lifting it up. There was quite a lot of it, so it might have still been a bit of a fight to get that collar on without any issues. Once it was in place, however, the dark wolf would grin, not quite grasping what was written on the thing.

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Ginevra nearly gaped at how easy it was to get Lucille to agree to put on the collar, though it seemed that her assurance had helped a bit. She grinned, watching as Lucille grabbed her hair and lifted it up, before the Queen of Darkness descended on the hound, fighting to get the collar onto the girl without it catching any hair, but when it had finally clicked shut and was in position, held in place around her neck, Ginevra almost cheered. And she'd gotten the tightness perfect too! Not tight enough to choke or impede any movement, but not so loose that it would slip up and off of Lucille's head.

Oh trust me, you look absolutely fucking amazing! I totally dig it!

Honestly, maybe she would get a spiked collar for the girl to wear more often and then swap to the ownership collar whenever it was just the two of them. She made a mental note to return to the stall, before her arm once again encircled Lucille's waist and she was guiding the wolf again, this time towards what seemed to be a noodle bar. She'd heard starchy, carbohydrate laden foods were great for sobering up.

Let's get some noodles! I'm starved and you could probably use something solid in your belly!

She sat the both of them down at the noodle stand, something that had clearly been influenced or maybe even started by Travelers, considering how it seemed like it had been ripped out of real world Japan. Ginevra grinned, quickly ordering two large bowls, one for each of them. It only took about five minutes for their food to arrive.

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

Lucille might have been swaying from side to side, but that didn't mean she couldn't understand what was going around her. She caught the praise very quickly and grinned even more than before. "Such is… the visage of the WOLF of ETERNAL DARKNESS!! Few things… could ever compare… or enhance! Only one sush as you, my Queen, could phosibly pick an item to achieve such a deed!" Unfortunately, her words were still a bit all over the place. More so than when she was sober, anyhow.

Thankfully there were no complaints from her when Ginevra led them to a stall with food. The girl had no idea if it was possible for their stomachs to rumble if their food meter got too low, but she knew that if it were possible, it would probably happen pretty soon. After all, they didn't exactly eat much today. Meeting up in the forest, they got too busy fighting and then took a fair bit of time getting to this place with no breaks for food in-between. Perhaps that was why those beers got into the wolf's head so easily, the fact that she was drinking on an empty stomach.

After the food arrived, Lucille would almost start drooling as her eyes were laid upon the golden noodles, submerged in… sauce? Honestly, she had no idea what this food was. Asian culture might as well have been an imprint of Satan as far as her family was concerned, so she never got to learn about such things. "OOOOOH! This… this food befits the Wolf of Eternal Darkness!"

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

The girl's slurring was honestly adorable, that wagging tail and the swaying only enhanced that specific cuteness, as Ginevra began to abandon any of her more heinous plans for the night. Maybe. Possibly not. If she could get Lucille out of those clothes, her opinion might differ, but for now, she honestly just wanted to make her friend eat something to help sober her up. She'd been drinking on an empty stomach and she had no clue if Lucille had eaten before they'd run into one another, but if not, then the girl had really sabotaged all chances she had at not getting drunk.

Almost as if it had been her first time drinking or something.

Still, when they were sat down and their food had arrived, Ginevra looked to Lucille and grinned, seeing the girl's reaction. Hearing it too. Lucille was loud and was all the more charming for it. Still, being so unfamiliar with this kind of food was just a little bit odd. Ginevra blinked, before she leaned forward to bump shoulders with Lucille.

This stuff is called Ramen, I think. You've never had it before? They sell like, really cheap and quick versions that you can buy at most stores, though the stuff that's been handmade by a proper chef is unbeatable, in my opinion.

With that, she leaned forward to begin slurping noodles from her bowl, using a fork rather than embarrassing herself by trying to use the chopsticks that had been provided. A moment in, she paused, before glancing at Lucille, to see how the wolf was doing.

@Lucille Fer

 

[Lucille Fer]

《 Oderint dum metuant 》

"Ramen." She repeated after the other girl, looking the meal over one more time to feast her eyes. Though she paused a bit when she saw the chopsticks. Was that something she was supposed to use to eat? She didn't really know, but when she glanced over at Ginevra, she saw that her Queen was using just a regular fork. In that case, perhaps those sticks were meant for something else. Although the wolf did not show much restraint or fanciness as she started devouring everything in the bowl with much enthusiasm. It tasted damn good.

She might have eaten the whole serving faster than she even drank one of those beers from before. Slamming the bowl down, there was but one word. "ANOTHER!" Wiping the mess around her mouth with her hand, she slumped a bit in her chair while letting out a satisfied sigh. She'd probably have to wait a bit before that second serving arrived, and Ginevra did mention that whole thing about multiple ramen variations.

"Hum, it would appear that… even for a being of immense knowledge and power such as myself… there are still many things that I must discover! Be they food befitting our royal selves or anything else!"

@Ginevra Delaney

 

[Ginevra Delaney]

Ramen.

Ginevra agreed, before beginning the joint tasks of eating her own bowl of ramen whilst also watching Lucille to see the girl's first reaction to the food. It was so rare to get to experience the first time that somebody experienced a food or drink, after all, so she was going to savour that with Lucille and drink in the girl's whole reaction, excited to see what the wolf's opinion on it would be.

And she wasn't disappointed, as Lucille practically inhaled her ramen, at a speed so increidble that Ginevra honestly wasn't sure how the girl could have possibly tasted it, but apparently it had been good enough to warrant a call for another. Setting to work on finishing her own bowl so that she could join Lucille in seconds.

Make that two more please. Give us a different type this time! Surprise us!

As they got to work on the womens' next orders, Ginevra and Lucille were left with a bit of time to talk. Lucille had a lot to learn, apparently. Ginevra grinned, leaning to the side to rub shoulders with the wolf.

There are a lot of things that I would be happy to teach you. Sharing my knowledge with you would be an absolute thrill. I have so many different things I want you to learn~

@Lucille Fer