Fairy Forest

[Apollymi]

Miki began moving, her body balanced by use of her spear as she moved gently along vines. She switched often between her footsteps and using vines above her head for grips. Every movement required the utmost of her concentration, even so she didn't seem to be bothered by it. Even so, her measured steps and movements were eventually overtaken by Kou who had gotten some kind of new item which he was using to help him along. This time particularly in the form of a gauntlet which extended his reach by a great deal. His reference to a certain popular franchise of game, didn't go unnoticed by the blonde and she found herself apt to reply. "Sugoi! It always seemed really cool the Devil Bringer. Though to be fair, I wouldn't have minded that claw thing from DMC. The remake one, not the original one. That angel stuff added to the devil stuff was pretty cool~" the girl commented, on the sort of thing she would have aimed for herself if given the option. All the while the pair of them made their way closer and closer to the summit of the tree. It seemed this little bit was their last stretch and Miki found herself needing to cross a gap wider than her arms or legs alone could take her. She looked at her spear and took a few steps back taking a running start she planted it in the space between some vines and launched herself across the opening. Once she'd landed, she whistled and her spear returned to her extended right hand. "Oomph. Good thing I never skipped gym class. That would have been pretty scary otherwise..." she said as if there wasn't a giant sheer drop off the side of the tree if she'd messed up. Whoever reached the summit first, would find a curvy young woman with green hair and pointed ears sitting in the middle of a large flower. She wore two flowers as a bra which opened up the center of her being and wore a light skirt which was split up the sides exposing her hips. Along with this a small pink ribbon could be seen around her neck, matching the color of her eyes. She nursed in one hand a small seed of light, while in front of her sat a small plot of land with nothing in it to speak of. This was the guardian of the Sacred Tree.

[Bloodedge]

"... Shit!" Kou said suddenly, seeming to have become quite distraught after Miki's response. After only a few seconds though, he continued speaking and clarified his issues. "I could have made that one!" he finished. During this brief exchange, Kou altered his path ever so slightly a few times over. These small maneuvers allowed him to avoid a few obstacles on his path until he reached the end of the journey. Once there, he bore witness to an NPC he'd seen on loading screens in Age of Eternity many times. He was immediately left dumbfounded by the sight of this individual, as she was something of an icon for the male population of players... and Kou was no exception. "Sugoi... You're... You're..." he started, though like a child meeting a celebrity, he couldn't find the words to express himself. There was a sudden memory within Kou's mind about this individual and his experience in his original world. In the room where he played his games and kept his collectibles, he happened to possess a life-sized cutout of this character... as well as one of many body pillows.

[Apollymi]

"Really?!" Miki seemed a bit shocked that the lad could have made the thing she'd so recently discussed. But she supposed she didn't really need such a thing. Still they soon found themselves standing before the guardian of the Sacred Tree and it seemed it was someone recognized by Kou enough that the boy was stammering through his introduction. Miki managed to look at the woman with only a raised brow, she'd seen a not of figures of this woman in the game store, and she was the featured character on the front of the guidebook. "Oh? I was going to introduce myself... I didn't expect to be known by a pair such as you... I'm Titania the Guardian of the Sacred Tree. It's been a pleasure watching the pair of you navigate the Labyrinth..." she said rather calmly. Miki continued to stare with her brows together. 'But Titania is the name of the Fairy Queen... is that what happens when players take over. They replace the originals?' she questioned mentally. Titania looked up at Miki and nodded. "You're quite correct. I did abdicate the throne to the Fairy Queen known as Dakini. She was the last one to make it this far... before her wings sprouted even, and I gave her what she wished for which was charge over the Fairies of the Forest. What is it you come seeking?" she asked of the pair as if she didn't know. 'Oh shit!'

[Bloodedge]

The woman's introduction came while Kou was struggling to form words, but it wasn't at all necessary. She was Titania, the queen of the Fairies in Age of Eternity, as well as a pivotal character in the game's first expansion pack. She alone had been the cause of a massive surge in traffic to the game. How she ended up being reduced to guardian of the Sacred Tree, Kou didn't know... until of course, Titania explained to answer the curiosity within Miki's mind about the very same matter. "Sou ka..." he said absently. Titania knew of the desires within those who reached the Sacred Tree. And yet, she still asked the pair of Adventurers what they wished for. Knowing that she already had this information, Kou righted his posture and stared down the former Fairy Queen. He would say nothing. He didn't need to say anything. Titania knew why he had come, just as she knew why Miki and any others had come. Further words would only be pointless.

[Apollymi]

There was silence from the pair of adventurers. It was obvious she already knew what they wanted, but she wondered if they'd changed their minds, or would suffer a breech of hubris. Surprisingly neither individuals mind showed any difference in their desires. They'd made it so far and without any special treatment, Titania laughed for the first time in quite a while, and it was a happy sound. "Kukukukuku~ You can't blame me for trying, oh well... for the Celestial known as Kou, who wished for a blessing. The Divine Protection of the Labyrinth, is suited to you. It will tie you to the Fairy Forest Labyrinth and allow you to use a bit of Fairy Magic. I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own..." the woman said, the vines from the flower she sat in growing to move her towards Kou where the glowing seed she held would aim to be planted in the center of his being. Such a thing would cause a strange glowing in the lad, and leave him with a new permanent magical affix on his stats sheet.

Soon after this a gentle pat to Kou's head would leave Titania turning to face Miki. "And for you... the Druid, what you seek is something you must cultivate for yourself. Come..." she said to the girl. Miki rather easily followed along the moving vines back to the front of the flower she'd originally been sitting in. In front of her was a single plot of unoccupied land. "You must feed the tree your mana, and it will determine what kind of sap you should have by growing a flower for you. You are familiar enough with our ways, to understand that you can give your mana to this plot and obtain what you are looking for..." the Guardian of the Sacred Tree mentioned. Miki nodded kneeling before this plot in before this woman. She'd go on to inscribe a set of four runes in this place, causing the perfect and rapid growth of what would originally be a one vine which would split into two flowers. The one which rose the highest was a single large glowing sunflower, a sign of her alignment to the light side of Fairies. But beyond this a little lower a large flower known as a moon rose, also bloomed. 'I figured I would just get one... do I not need both?' Miki asked herself but aloud her question would be answered by Titania. "You most definitely need both. One such as myself would call you... a Priestess of Nature. Rare is such a title but fitting given what I've seen," were Titania's words as she produced two separate bottles for the harvest of Miki's Sacred Tree Sap. When this was done vines aimed to deposit the bottles within her hands. "Given the two of you require nothing else, you should be able to travel back down. I'm told... it's fun..." she said pointing to a large vine based slide which would easily send both adventurers all the way to the bottom and to the settlement of the fairies in the forest without wasting their time.

[Bloodedge]

It seemed Titania only wished to ensure the pair's conviction before granting their wishes, hence her questioning them aloud. No alterations were made by either Adventurer, so their original intentions would be brought to the light. Things would begin with Kou's wish, granted by Titania approaching him and placing a magical seed within his very core. The glow of the seed itself spread from within him until it covered his body in its light. Said light then sank back into his body, and Kou was able to feel a very incredible change within himself. "Sugoi..." he said aloud. 'I feel like I've been born again.'

With that out of the way, Miki was taken to where she would cause the creation of her own. Kou took the time to observe the ritual which produced for Miki two bottles of Sacred Tree Sap. How she obtained two, Kou didn't know, but it could have only been something positive. Once the lass was done, Titania pointed the way to a vine which would lead them back to their starting point. Kou looked at this vine and stepped forward, then set his gaze upon Miki. "Looks fun. Takin' first!" he announced as he hopped onto the vine, leading the slide down to the forest.

[Apollymi]

Kou had something new attached to his person, but Miki didn't have much time to think about it. Her own task completed, she was left to look at the true Fairy Queen. It was strange to her, but this woman seemed almost happier to not be in charge of the rest of the fairies. Moreover, soon after she'd tucked away her two bottles of Sacred Tree Sap, Kou was heading to their apparent exit with much excitement in his voice. "Oi! Wait up!" Miki shouted after the lad, but before leaving the Guardian of the Sacred Tree she bowed. "Arigatou gozaimasu!~" she said which made the woman known as Titania laugh. "You're quite welcome, tell Dakini to send up some nectar the next time she gets a chance... if you're wondering how to thank me," she said offering the lass a wink before she also hopped down to ride this downward slide of vines. "Woooo!~" she said enjoying the speed and lift such an exhilarating way to end the adventure which was the Labyrinth.

[Bloodedge]

As Kou slid down ahead, he led with his lower half and kept his right hand behind him against the vine. This allowed him to keep his orientation properly while shifting from one side to another during the descent. It was a fun ride overall, yet rather short-lived in hindsight when he flew from the vine and landed... interestingly right in front of the current Fairy Queen's throne. At the end of this trip, Kou landed on his rear before the throne, though he seemed no worse for wear during or after the impact. "Oof! That was crazy!"

[Apollymi]

Miki also soon came sliding down what had been the most wonderful slide she'd had the joy to be on since entering puberty. Upon the end of this adventure she would find herself sliding in fast enough to knock directly into Kou. Kou was getting a bit of strange glance from Dakini who was amazed the pair of individuals had returned. Meanwhile, Miki was laughing uncontrollably as she tried to back away from the lad a bit. "Gomen, gomen... that was pretty fun. Is it weird I want to go again?" she asked of the lad her face alight with happy emotion. Dakini took a moment to clear her throat and shook her head. "Of course, the pair of you actually made it back. Lucky... I was betting on you... we've got a pretty good party set up here. And we got you two a nice spot to stay in while you were gone... it's gonna be great!~" she said to the pair of them apparently very enthused to have them both around. She also made it sound like staying the night wasn't really an option. Miki chuckled at this as she finally said something important. "Titania said to send her some nectar..." she delivered this message with haste before she forgot in lieu of whatever activity they were about to partake in. "Pansy, Daisy, give the adventuring kids some nectar then take some to Titania," this was the next order handed out by Dakini who would also be having some. Strangely this thing call nectar was served out of a flower which had its petals put together in such a way that one could drink out of it. One little fairy purple in color approached, Kou to hand him one such flower and a yellow one approached Miki to give her one too. 'This isn't seeming optional at all...' she thought. She looked over to Kou, 'Are we staying here for this?' she asked of him, as if it was a question, she obvious didn't care either way, one more day wouldn't make much of a difference, especially since it'd cost them nothing to stay here.

[Bloodedge]

"Ugh!" Kou blurted out when Miki fell into him. He was fine nonetheless, and was even easily capable of a quick retort to the lass. "It's probably weird. I'd go again too, though." Within moments, Kou rose from the ground and took in Dakini's words toward Miki and himself. She'd been betting on them returning from the labyrinth, and here they were. The pair would once again receive a party in their honor, and once again, it didn't seem like there was any thought paid to the idea of them not wanting such a thing. There was even some strange nectar being presented to Kou within a drinking flower. Though he questioned its presentation, it didn't look bad, and it smelled quite delicious. As such, when he heard in his mind what Miki asked of him, he looked up, shrugged... and began drinking. 'Why not? I like to party.'