* LOVE ME !

{ルカ}❧

    The Alurune’s heart sinks as her digits roam the bark’s roughened surface; reverently, as if holding onto something forever absent.

      ❝The great tree is… dying.❞

A sympathetic look is cast toward lofty boughs overhead. Overall appearances are indicative of the truth to the pinkette’s words. Once green leaves have begun to wilt and fall from Ophiuchus’ branches. It is an omen which bodes ill for the future.

      Charlotte’s eyes fell upon the dying tree, leaf after leaf falling to the ground and collecting below her feet. It was eerily quiet as onlookers joined around its trunk: no doubt everyone was pondering what this could mean for their future. One stranger spoke, stating what they all knew to be true: the tree was dying, and quickly.

     And it was the sight of someone close to her that pulled her from this frenzy, someone she had fought countless battles for and loved as a dear friend in her home world. No, not Spirale, but the realm she’d been ripped from in the first place. Despite his altered appearance, there was no doubt in her mind. Kamui.

      What she found on the outskirts was a familiar face. Familiar and yet... not at all, for she hadn’t been the only one to experience a complete change in physiology. As she approached to ensure that he was who she thought, it became clearer with every step just how much of a toll this had taken on him. His canine physicality was one thing... his depressed and disheveled demeanor was something else entirely, something she hadn’t seen before.

General

Name: Charlotte Age: Mid-twenties Alliance: Opalarian Empire Race: Merfolk Appearance: Charlotte’s scales are an iridescent blue-green, and at her waist and the base of her tail are soft frills of a slightly lighter shade. Her skin is slightly transparent, flecked with the same blue-green of her scales in addition to gold and opal colored flecks. She adorns herself in gold, jewels, and other expensive trinkets that she finds (or buys... or convinces others to buy for her). When she’s on land with legs, she dresses in lace and other delicate fashion choices that compliment her natural beauty.

Abilities

Canon Abilities: Sol skill up to 3 times daily. Spells: Ice, Poison, Charm, Lock/Open. Equipment: Killer axe, steel axe.

Other

“If what was heard was transcribed properly then it would be binary code, which can be translated into human letters. ‘afretnayestjunefirst‘. June 1st stands out, but the first section… are the letters jumbled? The most likely rearrangement would make it ‘fantasytreejunefirst’, but I have no record of such a tree in my memory.”

Whenever Charlotte would arrive to HQ she’d find herself greeted by a lot of the coworkers she’s come to associate herself with. All of them wishing her a happy birthday and bestowing the woman with a variety of presents both big and small. Yet the biggest surprise was still to come, and knowing how the Boss was this could practically be anything. 

“ Yo, Charlotte! Come on over once you can! ” he would shout out from a nearby table. Man’s already got himself a drink in hand and from the look of things a couple of pretty sizable gifts ready to be given.

     She had been utterly overwhelmed by the burst of attention she was receiving. Of course, she wouldn’t be Charlotte if she wasn’t absolutely loving it, but it had been so long since anyone had put so much care and effort into something just for her, if it had ever really happened at all. So many gifts had been placed into her hands that she hardly had the time to thank each individual in attendance, and before long, her boss waved her over to a table, even more gifts waiting for her. She approached as calmly as possible, trying not to seem too excited. She’d gush about everything later, but she still had an image to maintain in front of everyone.

“ It’s just slang related to pothead culture. Started back in the 70′s when these five high-school kids all got together to look for an abandoned cannabis crop using a treasure map some dude gave ‘em. They decided they’d all start their search at the statue of a French biologist at exactly 4:20 pm. They never found the crop but eventually 4:20 just kinda evolved into a catch-all term teenagers used to refer to consuming cannabis. ”

“So you’re celebrating a birthday today! Occasions like this rarely happen here, so it’s good to give them special significance.” Considering it as a reminder that one was trapped here without any course for escaping and returning home as time keeps on slipping away certainly wouldn’t do any good.

“What is your birthday wish? Money is no issue. It’s all cause for celebration.”

     It was strange to get attention from the other residents of Spirale, especially those who seemed to genuinely care. That didn’t mean Charlotte could so easily let her guard down, but she was getting better at it over time as she found a purpose here. “...Whatever, I guess I’ll tell you, as long as you don’t tell anyone else, got it?” 

     A rush of calm took Estelle with it at the promise of help from Charlotte. She knew she was far from being out of the woods just yet, but the promise was soothing. They could move from there and things would be okay! 

     “Uh… I’ve popped a couple. I felt kind of bad. It’s fun but they’re also so cute! I guess my score really isn’t that great yet. All help kind of seems necessary.” But Charlotte agreed readily… so hopefully she didn’t mind.

     As much as this was a fun way for Charlotte to exercise her strength in place of feigning delicacy, she knew that she was physically stronger than Estelle; it didn’t take long for her to decide to prioritize Estelle’s score over her own. Until their scores were closer to one another’s, she’d hold off on going too hard on these calloons. Who knew what would happen if they didn’t meet whatever arbitrary score had been set? She’d feel guilty forever if something bad happened to Estelle because she’d been greedy.

“You are the only guarantee in your life”… what a lovely way of putting it.

Of course, it is right to not be selfish all the time, when it comes to those you care for. But even then, it should certainly never come at the cost of yourself. That is a mistake I’ve made for a long time, and one I plan to never make again.

What’s your name, dear? I am called Rosemaster.