The forest is dark and thick, which is a small blessing; it keeps most of the wind and rain away from Nicora's exposed, furless skin. The soles of her feet are sore from rocks and roots, her sides scraped by twigs and branches and underbrush as she runs naked through it. There's firelight ahead, and maybe shelter and warmth. Her elfin body seems to lose heat quickly without clothing.
"Dagh this both is cold," the annoyed elf thinks as she darts through the brush, the bark not exactly kind to her exposed skin. Nor does it help her run that she has to use her arms to keep certain ... features of her body from bouncing too much. She discovered earlier just how much that hurt and for that time had wonder why men liked them so; if they had to carry them, they'd lose their luster fast! Now, as for why she's running through the forest? She has no idea, but then dreams are like that; you never wonder why you're there at first ... or where the hell your clothes went!
EDIT: both -> body
The fire grows closer, and finally Nicora bursts from the forest into a small clearing. A campfire is burning, sheltered by an overhang of stone from the wind and rain. There's a stack of relatively dry wood not too far from it, along with tinder, but no sign of anyone else.
"I miss fur," Nicora grumbles to herself as she heads quickly towards the fire and the meager shelter. There she sits down, though rather gently, nearby. She extends her hands towards the fire to warm them ... marvelling how delicate they look; and how much like black stone in this light.
Damp white hair hangs in the elf's face, and a flash of lightning casts the shadow of the stone behind her onto the ground. The thunder hits next, nearly deafening. And then another flash - and this time the silhouette has changed; there's something on the stone, with great bat-like wings seen in the shadow!
Nicora pushes her hair out of her face with the back of one of her hands. "Why am I here?" she finally asks herself, confused at her condition, "And what am I running from...?" The thunder makes her, well, actually squeal in surprise and hug herself! It's a good thing she didn't leap up, though. And when the next flash comes and outlines wings behind her somewhere ... she doesnt jump. Instead she looks to see if she can grab a burning branch of wood to defend herself with. "Act like you didn't see it," she thinks, trying to remain calm...
The fire is small, but at least one burning brand feels hefty enough to make a passable cudgel.
Nicora grips the branch firmly in both hands and rises. "Okay, lets just see who you are," she thinks, "I'm not about to fall victim to some perverted stalker..."
With the fire to her back, Nicora faces down her own shadow, flickering against the smooth surface of the stone. A glance upwards shows nothing perched atop the outcrop, however.
Nicora's delicate brow furrows deep. Her hands flex around the rough wood in them, then she slowly leaves the shelter of the stone to find the source of those wings!
Almost immediately, the wind and rain buffet her and her torch begins to gutter out. But then the storm is blocked again, as two giant wings form walls to either of side of her, and then slam together, knocking the wind from...
... Alptraum. He ran into the tombstone, which shattered against his heavy chest and scales. It snaps him momentarily out of his trance, but then he feels the urge wrap itself around his draconic form again. She's just ahead, a shining white beacon in the darkness of the cemetery: a pale, naked girl atop a sarcophagus, silently stirring his blood with her lure. Saliva drips from his fangs, and blood rushes through his loins in response to the Siren call.
The dragon's horned head tilts slightly to the side and cranes its neck, the bones crackling as they go. His lips draw back, revealing razor-sharp teeth and a disturbingly pleased grin of being so near the end of the hunt. There is little delicacy in his movements as he heads towards the sarcophagus, thick tail tashing from side to side and cracking any tombstone that dares get in its way. "Pleasure before dinner," A voice in his mind rumbles, "Take her body ... then consume it!"
The girl watches him from her macabre bed, smiling invitingly. She even lies in a pose that makes Alptraum's brain fizz. As he closes, he can smell her, and easily imagine what she must taste like.
Alptraum's approach is slower; practically prancing to show off his magestic, scaled, body ... and to show her what her fate is about to be. His two forelimbs rise up and take hold on the sarcophagus on each side of Snow as his scaly visage comes down to hover just over her face. "Hello tender morsel," he rumble-rasps at the human as he towers over her. "You belong to me now, and I do so love to play with my food..."
The wet grass chills Nicora's back, and several pebbles grind into her skin as she's pushed down by the dragon. It's breath leaves her dizzy, but not enough to ignore the pain! Its talons grip her shoulders as it forces itself on her. Scales scrape at her belly and chest painfully, and the monster's caustic saliva burns her cheek!
Nicora's head arches back and she screams at the fire that burns in her shoulders where the talons dig into her flesh. While it may look like black stone, it most certainly isn't. Her arms and legs flail in a futile attempt to push the great beast off her body ... right as a new 'fire' erupts within her as the dragon simply does what it desires. Her head snaps to side to side as she tries to wipe the caustic saliva that's burning her once pristine flesh. The elf screams again to the weeping skies above as everything hurts, inside and out. "Stop, stop!" she pleads.
"Stop!" the Siren cries, but Alptraum is too close to sating himself now. He knows how to stop the noise at least, and wraps his jaws around the girl's throat, tasting her skin with his tongue. Nicora's dragon does the same thing, and both bite down together..
CRUNCH
Nicora wakes with a start! Her heart and lungs are racing, she's perversely aroused, and she doesn't know where she is! Something is holding her!
Nicora's eyes go wide and it seems like every muscle in her body goes tense at once. "Where am I?" she thinks in an absolute panic! Her body tries to jerk upright and take everything holding on to her with it!
Blankets get tangled in arms and legs and wings, and a soft red light erupts just in front of the panicked bat's face - illuminating another face. Twig takes ahold of one of Nicora's flailing arms, and asks in a deliberately calm voice, "Bad dweam?"
Nicora sits there, wide-eyed and breathing heavy for a few seconds before her rational mind kicks in. "Oh ... oh ... Twig," she says as she reaches up and feels his face just to be certain. "Yes, a very bad," she admits, "And strangely arousing, dream." That last bit comes with a furrowed brow of worry that such would arouse her.
Twig pulls Nicora in close, and just holds her. "Was it about clowns?" he asks her, and rubs the back of her head.
"Dragons, actually," Nicora admits as she leans heavily against him, even if it probably is a thinly veiled attempt by Twig to feel Rosalind's body again. "Letting that shadow dragon change me so completely," she murmurs, ",then with the curse ... it's really hard being this. Confusing and so many strange desires."
"You need to find a way to get awound them, then," the larger Eeee advises. "Have you thought about having the blessing of Inala wemoved?"
"I have," Nicora admits and nods, "But that won't remove the other curse; it will just make it dormant. And I'm ... well, surprised you'll even touch me, you know I'm cursed."
"I'm a vampiwah," Twig notes. "Besides, I know how to beat Inala's blessing."
"Oh? How is that?" Nicora asks. "I am willing to just ... live with it, too. The pain that follows, well ... it's all the more motivation to return to normal after all this." She ends that with a weak smile.
"The blessing weacts to lust and pleasure, because those awe things Inala undewstands," Twig reasons. "But not to actual intimacy, I suspect."
Nicora's brow arches slightly. "Twig, are you suggesting we should develop an intimate relationship?" she teases her vampiric friend, then runs one of her claws down his spine since she is still in his arms. "I think you like me like this..."
"Well, it does allow fowa some intewesting intewactions," Twig admits. "If yowa still feeling fwisky, we could twy my idea."
Nicora eases herself back a bit so she can look into his red eyes again. "Even if it hurts me afterward," she tells her friend, "You're quite worth it. In your lab last night ... well. I'm willing to try ... and I have a few ideas for something afterward you might like too."
The red light flares brighter at the notion of a treat afterwards, and Twig proceeds with his plan. At first, he's a bit like Galen - very slow and deliberate. And he continues to be slow and deliberate! Whenever it seems like passion might really flare up - he pauses and switches to massaging or cuddling. It still feels nice, of course, but the goal seems to be different and more tender. After awhile, Nicora realizes her pulse and breathing have matched her partner's own rhythms.
"Careful," Nicora teases in one of the moments of calm, "Or you might encourage me to stay like this." Even in this, the teasing aspect just can't completely go dormant. She follows his lead, trying to sense Twig's own states and adjusting as he goes to keep him at the point of not being lost in passion. It's certainly different, and the way it feels emotionally is ... staggering.
When the release comes, it's slow to build.. and not at all what Nicora was expecting. Twig bites a sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder that she hadn't even realized was tense - but when the tension in the muscle breaks, it spreads out like a wave, until even her fingers and toes feel limp. It's wonderful, relaxing, warm.. and doesn't trigger the blessing of Inala, nor the curse of Gorphat as a result.
Nicora clings gently to Twig for many minutes after the wave has passed. "I suppose that is one way to avoid the curse," she murmurs to her companion, "But ... that would mean I must visit you more often. Mmm. Perhaps this is your own way of cursing me, no? Seducing me to return .... for appearing is such a body?" That is followed by a playful nip of his shoulder. Another minute passes, then she asks, "May I ask you a question?"
"Of cowse you may," Twig says, nuzzling Nicora's cheek. "And I'm suwa you can mastah this technique in time."
"Why in the names of tall the Goddess' are you still single?" Nicora asks the larger bat. "You're so gentle and in spite of the cackling and occasional lightning strike ... a genuinely nice person."
"Ah, well my caweewa is impowtant to me," Twig notes. "Not many would want to live in a stowm-widden castle in the middle of nowhewa, and put up with Igowina as well."
"I would, but I'm probably a little insane," Nicora admits. Then something seems to strike her and she adds, "and I'm sure your child will appreciate it too..."
"My.. what?" Twig squeaks in alarm.
Nicora pats her stomach and gives Twig a knowing look ... all for about ten seconds. The look fades to a grin, then a wink. "You should see the look on your face," she actually giggles. "I'm kidding. It would take another shadow dragon to do that to me, thankfully."
"Oh, well.. you gave me a fwight!" Twig notes, then licks Nicora's nose. "Still, it's nice to be with anothah Eeee. Nothing else quite compawes."
"No, nothing else really does," Nicora has to agree as she wiggles her nose slightly. "A lapi is quite enjoyable, but an Eeee is still best. And ... I'm safe. No real risks. Now ... as for your treat..." She looks towards the door as she asks, "How would you feel if I went and found Igorina, borrowed one of her outfits, and served you breakfast?"
"Oooooo," Twig coos. "The maid outfit?" he asks.
"Complete with corset," Nicora offers, "If possible. I'll have to get her to help me dress."
"And would Igowina be bweakfast, owa yowa fwiend the tasty Yodhinala?" he asks next, waggling his eyebrows.
"I don't know," Nicora says as she lightly chews her claw thoughtfully. "How energetic do you feel..? And which are you willing to give to me?"
"I thought we could shawe?" Twig offers. "But I'll take whatevah you bwing.. owa just bite you some mowa.." More eyebrow waggling, which makes his eyes flicker.
"Flirt," Nicora teases back, "Be careful or I'll 'bite' you in tender areas..." She even lightly snaps her teeth before slipping out of the bed and heading to the door. She doesn't even bother getting a robe since she'll be changing clothes soon enough anyway ... so nude walk through the castle it is to Rina's room.
The door is unlatched, of course, and Nicora can make out the Skreek and Eeee cuddled up together under the blanket.
Nicora taps her claws on the wooden door frame. "Wakey-wakey," she tells them, then heads towards the bed. "I need your help, Rina ... and one of you also gets the honor of being breakfast for Twig and I..."
"What time is it?" the Skreek asks, rubbing her eyes. "Is it even morning or did you just not get much sleep?"
"Breakfast?" Mave asks, waking up with a bit less complaint.
"Early morning and I had a nightmare," Nicora admits, "But Twig made me feel better ... so I'm going to make him feel better. Do you think I'll fit in your maid's dress, Rina? I intend to serve him breakfast in bed." Her head tilts as do her hips and she rests her right hand on her right hip. "And what about you?" she asks, "Did you two get sleep or were you busy into the wee hours?"
"I had plenty of rest," Mave claims, sitting up and stretching. "I'll help you with the dress.. just as soon as you unshackle my foot," Igorina says, with a toothy grin and rattle of her shackle.
"I know that shackle," Nicora giggles, "And I hope to wear it again some day." She goes to 'frisk' Mave for the key and check her natural pockets...
"It is on the night-table!" Mave finally relents after the tickling.
"Well, that is no fun," Nicora mock-pouts and goes to fetch the key from the night table. She returns, lick's Rina's nose, then unlocks the shackle. "I hope you two were up to no good last night?" she asks.
"I'm always a proper host, you know," Igorina claims, wiggling her naked toes once freed. Then she hops off the bed and goes to the wardrobe. "Hmmm, corset may need to be extra tight on you, and the skirt belt.." she mutters, holding things up against Nicora.
Nicora nods a bit as she peers at the garments. "We'll do what we can to make it fit right," she says, "I want to look good for Twig in it. What about undergarments? I don't remember you wearing any..." She then can't help herself and looks over her shoulder at Mave. "And I bet you're loving this," she teases.
"I find it amusing that you are trying so hard to please a man," Mave notes with a grin.
"He knows how to please me," Nicora teases right back with her own grin.
There's a bit of tugging and tightening and adjusting involved, but the outfit does eventually stay on Nicora. In the mirror, it's an odd combination of black and white. And of course, there isn't any matching underwear.
Even Nicora ends up squeaking and feeling pained as the corset is cinched down and things are pushed up. "This is terribly uncomfortable and hard to breathe in," she admits as she turns around in the mirror to get a good look, "And rather ... drafty in certain ways." she spins one more time and claps her hands, "So which, or both, of you want to be breakfast?" she asks with a predatory grin.
"I will volunteer, if we are not going to be flying later," Mave offers.
"Well, we could sleep ore more night here and leave in the morning," Nicora offers and then extends her hand to Mave. "And that will give me time to visit with Rina later," she adds.
"Alright," Mave says. "Another day of rest will be worth it. How do you intend to serve me?"
"Alas, I do not have a platter big enough to put you on," Nicora notes and rubs her chin. "Rina, do you have a long scarf I can borrow?"
"Does it matter what color it is?" the Skreek asks, producing something made of green and orange wool.
"Twig won't notice. He'll be too focused on us," Nicora claims as she takes the scarf. She walks to Mave, grins then ties it lightly around Mave's neck. "Come along, sweetie," she teases, then gives the scarf a light tug. "The master awaits!"
"Hmmm, you will owe me for any indignities, Nicora.." Mave notes, while Igorina cackles and follows along behind.
"Owe how?" Nicora asks as she takes all too much pleasure in leading Mave through the castle. "And ah, I do have a question for you ... can you remove blessings bestowed directly by Inala? Gorphat's blessing is fighting with Inala's ... which is why I experience pain. I'm not asking you to remove it now ... just is it possible?"
"Yes, it is possible," Mave notes, a bit cryptically.
"Not that I want to offend Inala by removing her grace. But it is good to know if it was necessary, it could be done," Nicora adds and bobs her head once. She's also learning this dress and corset makes her really roll her hips; and for an Eeee she does have good hips. Not as broad as Mave's, but ... enough.
When they get to Twig's room, the Eeee is wearing his fez and has lit some lamps. He sits up in bed and smiles widely at Nicora and the naked women with her.
"Master," Nicora says as she curtsies to the be-fez'ed Eeee, "I present to you this mature woman who graciously offers her blood to sate your morning needs ... and other desires if you like." Boy, she's laying it on when she lightly tugs the scarf and guides Mave over to Twig's side. She reaches up, lightly brushes Mave's cheeks before untying the scarf, then guides the older woman into settling herself down in Twig's lap. "You will find she tastes delicious," the dark Eeee adds.
"Come my deah," Twig says to Mave in his deepest voice, before he starts fondling her. He can't help but erupt into semi-evil laughter though! "BWAHAHAHA!"
Nicora, while slightly bent over, wiggles her bottom and scaley tail at Igorina. She rises up and then takes a few steps back. "Shall I leave you to enjoy her, Master?" Nicora says ever so sweetly.
"Mrumph?" Twig goes, his mouth full of Mave. Then he waves his hand in a 'come join me on the bed' sort of invitation.
Nicora steps back towards the bed, then slides herself on it ... which is a bit of a feat given the corset boning. She also waves for Rina to join them ... then picks a shoulder opposite to Twig before gingerly biting onto Mave too!
Mave shudders, and Igorina sits behind Nicora - and starts playing with her tail and rubbing it up against herself. It looks like they really will need an extra day to recover at this rate.
"What's a little pain when with friends?" Nicora wonders briefly as she drinks her breakfast, "And I'm sure all these dragon dreams are meaningless ... but maybe I should check wit Kaira after all this. Or even visit Vorg to see if he's gloating..." But for tight now she's eating ... and using her toes to 'encourage' Rina to continue playing with the tail. She can't neglect her 'little Alptraum' now can she?
It's weird, being two people at the same time. But that's what Alptraum and Nicora experience as they appear in a very soft bed, inside of a lavish room that is most likely part of an elven palace. Everything is royal purple, silk and satin. There are even pull-cords to summon servants it looks like.
Nicora and Alptraum blink in unison. She focuses her mind on Nicora to make it her 'primary' ... then does something odd. She thinks back to the dream as a dark elf ... and tries to focus on it and shift her 'dream' body into that of the dark elf.
There's a bit of effort involved, but eventually it snaps into place.. and causes a reaction from Alptraum, who can't help but lick his lips and make a grab.
Nicora grins and slaps her male counterpart's hand away. "Down, you, I've been my own companion too much as it is," she says, before reaching for a rope and tugging it to see who makes an appearance.
The bell chimes out a little tune, and eventually the door to the room opens as.. something.. arrives. It's dressed in servant's livery, and is humanoid in shape.. but its skin is dull grey and it head is just a block with holes in the front and sides where ears and eyes would be.
Nicora's think brow arches. "Hello?" she says to the strange creature. "Can you speak?"
EDIT: Thin
"I serve," the creature says in a hollow monotone voice. "What is your desire?"
"Where am I and who do you serve?" Nicora asks the strange creature.
"You are in the fourth guest bedroom," the thing replies. "I serve you, Mistress."
"Curious," Nicora remarks and rubs her chin. "Can you bring others here so that I may speak with them?"
"How many would you like me to bring?" the servant asks.
"Just one at a time. I wish to speak to a prisoner named Vorgulremik," Nicora remarks as she lounges back on the bed, making herself comfortable against her Alptraum counterpart.
The servant leaves, and Alptraum tries to nibble on Nicora a bit during the wait.
"Oh go ahead," she tells her male aspect. Then can't help herself and changes perspectives between the two a couple times during the wait. There's something to be said for being able to see both sides!
The door opens again, without warning, and the butler reappears.. with a maid. The maid has pink skin and a spherical head, plus one extra hole in her face for a mouth (or maybe a nose). The thing actually curtsies.
Nicora's focus goes back to the elf. "Yes?" she asks of the maid as she swats her male aspect back into behaving itself for the time being.
"You requested that I bring the others, one at a time," the butler replies. "This is the first."
"That does not look like Vorgulremik," Nicora notes, ears splayed. She slips off the bed and away from Alptraum. The elf saunters over to the spheroid-headed being and waves her hand in front of it. "Hello?"
"The maids do not talk," the butler announces, just as the pink maid starts dusting Nicora's chest with a feather duster.
"Then what about whom I wished to speak to?" Nicora asks the butler as she glares at the maid.
"I am sorry, but we do not have any Vorgulremik in stock," the butler says. "Shall I fetch the cook now?"
"Do you have Kaira in stock?" Nicora asks, hands on her hips now.
A shadow blocks the sun coming through stained-glass doors on one side of the room, just before they open up and an armored dragon comes though. Kaira looks just like she did when Alptraum first found her in the Echo of Vorhoun. The dragon looks at the bat in the bed, and the naked elf, and turns back to the bat. "What is it?" she asks.
"Where exactly am I?" Nicora asks the dragon, "I had wanted to speak to you. Would you prefer that I ... " she waves towards the bat, "Transfer?"
Kaira shifts her focus to Nicora. "Why are you a naked dark elf this time?" the dragon asks, then just shakes her head. "You're in the palace of.. er.. Lord Bright-something of Fairyland.. it's not really important. You just showed up here because I was nearby, I suppose." She then lies down on the floor, her armor rattling.
Nicora's attention focuses back on Alptraum and the visual shift is, as usual, a built jarring. "I had a nightmare where I looked like her. I thought it would help me get over it by having good experiences in the body," he claims as he slips off the bed so he can go sit with Kaira. "Why are you in armor? Did something happen?" she asks.
EDIT: He asks.
The dragon turns back towards Alptraum now. "Stand still, would you?" she asks. "As for my armor.. uh, it's for a parade," she claims. "Was this a dagger nightmare then or just a run-of-the-mill nightmare?"
"Run of the mill one," Alptraum says, "I was ... ah, raped by a dragon as that ... while also being a dragon and ... it was disturbing. Probably due to the incident with the demon."
"What incident with a demon?" the dragon asks, narrowing her eyes.
"The demon I, uh, ate with my shadow. I had an accident where I went far too low and nearly lost control. I fled into the forest to protect others ... and was attacked by a demon," Alptraum explains while rubbing his neck. "It was pretty horrible."
"So you ate a demon," Kaira states. "What did it taste like?"
"Nasty, and it made my eyes glow red. I tried to summon you for help ... then Vorgulremik showed up," Alptraum explains, sounding like a five-year-old caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Nasty and powerful, but still not great," Alptraum amends.
Kaira just stares at Alptraum for a bit, then says, "Do continue, please."
"He tried to get me to let him absorb the power and go on a rampage to 'use it up', so to speak. I refused and took a terrible punishment instead to burn it off," Alptraum explains, "I was his ... toy for over a day. A day. And not once did Gorphat's blessing burn to punish me! It was horrid! But ... he claimed I would turn into a demonic blob over time if it wasn't drained out of me."
"Hmmm," the dragon grunts at the end. "Good to know. Don't eat demons. Important safety tip there."
"So, are you going to kill me now?" Alptraum asks as he pulls his knees up and hugs them.
"I did not know about this odd side effect, so no," Kaira says. "However, I urge you to avoid feeding off of supernatural or possessed beings. That goes for gods too. You have far too many dealings with those as it is."
"Does that include you?" Alptraum asks as he looks back and over at Kaira.
"Hmmm, I think that might count as recycling," Kaira admits. "When I'm manifested in your world, I'm using energy you are actually providing.."
"Vorgulremik made it sound like that I am some sort of Shadow Dragon larva now, if demonic energy would change me," Alptraum says and shrugs. "Was he mainly trying to scare me? I don't trust him; he's just trying to save his own skin."
The dragon's claws tap on the marble floor as she ponders. "Whether it has any dangerous effect on you or not is not as alarming as it being able to summon Vorgulremik without me knowing. It doesn't matter now though, since you're not going to repeat it, right?"
"I think it requires demon energy, so hopefully not. I wanted to confront him in here at some point just to wipe the smug smile off his face for what he did to me out there," Alptraum says and sticks out his tongue.
This earns a very cold glare from the dragon. "You want to see him again?" she hisses.
"Only to tell him to go stuff himself!" Alptraum claims, "It's not like I like the huge worm. The only dragon I trust is you. But you never seem to believe that."
"So, you're angry at him, then, and want to vent your anger?" Kaira asks, seeking clarification. "I could deliver a letter to him to that effect. Do you really want to see him in person? Has that ever gone well?"
"It goes okay, but perhaps I should wait a bit before facing him, lest he get some idea I wanted him," Alptraum concedes. "I don't want him for anything. You're more than enough dragon for me and you've been able to make both my aspects quite happy." He waves towards the glassy-eyed dark elf who still has her chest being dusted by the maid.
"Or else I've hopelessly corrupted you through encouragement of odd behavior," Kaira says, but lightly. It's not like she'd really admit to being wrong about anything, after all.
"Are you now trying to say you didn't enjoy being a male dragon with an elfin prize?" Alptraum asks Kaira and lightly elbows her armor, making it clang.
"It has its moments," she admits. "Now, how has this demonic-draconic encounter impacted your journey? Where are you now?"
"I'm at Twig's. One of the last stops before a rush to Blackshire. Twig discovered my curse is actually due to a blessing from Inala fighting with a blessing from Gorphat. My lower half is a battle of green and white in my physical body," Alptraum explains while waving his hands to vaguely draw the shapes. Most of me is greenish and veiny in his scope down there ... and theer's this 'worm' of green energy in my head, too. It's ... bizarre."
"So.. another reason to visit here more often, where none of that is in effect?" Kaira asks, raising one eyeridge.
"Well, I am learning to just deal with it, the pain is at least temporary and keeps me motivated to be changed back. That is, if Melusine will change me back," Alptraum says. "But coming here to be with you has its allures too. And ... hm, do you think my curse is active when I'm well, male out there? What would happen if you changed me back and I experienced pleasure, do you think?"
"I don't know," Kaira says. "You could have Twig use his magical viewer on you to see. But when you are a male.. where does your female side go? You don't have a tail then for it to hide in."
"I'm ... not entirely sure," Alptraum admits, then shrugs, "And this is a really odd conversation. I should probably leave you in peace soon unless you want me to stay for a bit?"
"Well, you must be bored at Twig's place being female," Kaira guesses. "Did you want me to change you back so you could play with the rat girl?"
"I'm not bored ... but it would be an interesting experiment to see how my curse reacts," Alptraum admits with a small grin. "Plus .. Rina is fun."
"If your curse does react.. are you sure you'll be able to handle it?" Kaira asks, looking concerned. "Men do not tolerate pain in that area very well."
"I'll have the dagger at hand for you to change me back quickly. I can also use my shadow to soothe it," Alptraum offers.
"Well, if you want to risk it.." Kaira says. "Just make sure you aren't going to run low on energy. Otherwise that mad scientist may try to hook you up to one of his lightning rods to recharge you.."
"My energy level is halfway right now and it doesnt' seem like it takes too much to hold my form," Alptraum says after some careful thought, then a single nod. "I'm willing to risk it. Better than I know now in a safe place..."
"Alright, but take it easy," Kaira advises. "I think there's something wrong with that rat girl. She seems like the type to shackle people to her bed or something.."
Alptraum puts his hand to his chest. "Hey, it's me. Have I ever gotten in over my head?" he asks, grinning. "What's with that look? No, don't you dare say anything...!"