Seasons Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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seasonsgreetings2023-04-14 10:33 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2023-04-14 10:33 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #2
Test Drive Meme #2
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sizes companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
Part 3
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
April is the time for a strange weather effect that affects all of the districts, save for the one in the middle and Frostreign. It's not weird that it rains, but it's what the rain does that has been dubbed as the Rain of Affection.
Anyone who stands in the rain will feel the need to get close to someone. It starts with a need to gently touch someone gently, but can escalate into needing to hug someone. The ultimate craving of the rain is kissing in the rain but that's the most it can make happen. It's a very Safe For Work Rain Effect.
After a successful kiss in the rain, the cravings slowly become less urgent, but the effect can start all over again at any given time.
Of course, there are individuals who don't get too affected by the rain (at all or not as badly) and it only works if it directly hits someone. So staying in a shelter or being in Nightwake Center or Frostreign is definitely a way to avoid this whole phenomenon. Even avoiding the worst of the effect is easy by just going under a shelter or purchasing a nice, maybe even a color changing, umbrella.
It's raining very often until the end of the month at different times in each districts.
After the rain, a rainbow usually appears. Rainbows formed by the Rain of Affection are special, wish granting ones. The natives will explain that if you hold someone's hands and make a wish that wish will come true in some capacity.
Someone wishing for wealth may win a gift card for a shop while someone wishing to see a loved one they're missing may get pictures sent to their mobile devices (how? magic). Those wishing for world peace may find their very presence be calming to others. But the biggest prize is a free regain of a non-magical item or an animal companion. If someone asks for a magical item it will come as a non-magical item and the magical part of it would have to be purchased by a magical-regain, so it's cheaper to just not.
Be careful what you wish for, as each character only gets one wish, no matter how many rainbows they end up seeing during the rainy season.
Solarpeak has a new way of battling against the hot summer days (you know, when it isn't raining). Many shops along the streets sell ice cream mochis of varying flavors. You have your very normal flavors like different berries, fruit and chocolate, but also some very excotic and weird ones.
There's even a flavor called random mystery that is literally that. A randomized flavor that is a mystery to all. It can even be a flavor that no one has thought of before or even something that definitely should not be in any kind of food. Anyone who buys a pack of two mochis will get a free mystery one if they want it (and sometimes even if they don't).
Other districts also have some treats out for different climates. There are various flavors of hot cocoa in places like Amberfall and Frostreign, and nice light treats like macarons in Blossomcrown. Of course various restaurants have their own menus that fit their own season, so you could definitely have a gourmet journey all over the city of Nightwake if you wished.
One morning, on all of the bridges leading outside into the segments, round gates appear. They're portals that bring in monsters. They look normal from the outside looking in, like portals to a lovely garden. But the gardens are the problem as they are infested with different monsters, waiting to attack the city. This isn't the first time natives have seen these portals and before they had people to deal with them, but now? They need otherworlders.
All of the monsters inside need to be defeated for the portal to disappear. No one knows exactly how many there are, but with the defeat of the last one, the portal will disappear from around anyone inside of it, leaving the characters on the bridge.
The portal can be entered from both the city and the segment side and it looks flat when looked from sideways. Like it's just a random 2D structure in the middle of the world.
Those who explore the portal further will notice that they will loop around. It's very similar to the place they started in, back when they arrived, as it doesn't seem to have an end, no matter how you explore the place.
For noncombatants, natives have set up stations to help with first aid and making food for the fighters so they can occasionally come back from the portals to take a much needed rest.
Anyone helping with the fight, either in the portals or outside, will receive a hefty 5000 Moon Coin reward for their hard work. A good way to earn some starting funds!
Monster List [ Click to Expand ]
All of the Monsters listed here will be in all of the portals and there will be several of each to fight.The danger level is indicated with Stars. The lowest level threat is 0 while the highest is 10. From 7 and above, the likelihood of a beast going for a kill increases significantly.
| Name | Description | Stars |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblefish | Bubblefish are lumbering, two-legged creatures, with fins for arms, a long, muscular, finned tail, and a big fish face. They are fast, dangerous predators while in water, but do not count them out while on land, as regardless of whether they are above water or below it, they can blow large bubbles which capture their targets. Once inside the stretchy bubble, victims begin to go numb, their body feeling like it's on pins and needles as the Dragonfish begins to cast various debuffs on them. The bubbles are tough to escape despite their appearance, but the debuffs are lesser when shared, and can be escaped with the propper application of mint or minty treats! Mint has the effect of weakening the bubble to allow it to pop, although you may then find yourself being charged as the Bubblefish goes wild trying to get that minty goodness. | 5-8 |
| Bugboars | These are really more like rhinocerous beetles, but they are the size of wild boars, and they act similarly, roaming about in family groups together, rooting through the ground to unearth any edible material. They are highly territorial, and charge at anything or anyone who gets close. Their eyesight might be poor, but they make up for it with their antennae and the fact that these massive beetles do have wings, and they possess enough control over wind to lift themselves off of the ground at great speeds, or send powerful gales at those who come too close to their young. | 6 |
| Crockodile | Crocodiles with elemental powers of earth, leading to them being able to travel through dirt and stone as if they were water, these large reptiles often hide beneath the earth with only their eyes and nostrils peeking out, resembling the stone they hide within. They are ambush predators, popping out of the ground, large stony jaws open to crush their prey, but even once dragged out of hiding they are hardly easy to defeat. These crocks are stony in appearance and their hide is just as hard to pierce. In addition, they're a little closer to the size of a small car than your average crocodile. | 6-9 |
| Flurry Flock | White birds acting like a swarm that may deceive you into thinking they are harmless doves at first. Upon closer inspection, they more closely resemble a vengeful murder of crows with pure white feathers that they can use to reflect light so brilliantly that one can be blinded, leaving the flock's victim open to attack as they descend upon their prey like a group of voracious piranhas, claws and beaks as cold as ice as they try to tear their foes apart | 3-6 |
| Lavapotamus | These large hippo-creatures seem to be either made of or covered in molten rock that hardens over time when in the air. Usually they prefer to soak in lava and be left alone. Pulled through portals in an environment far too cool for their liking and with people so nearby has them aggressive and dangerous, charging down anyone who gets too near and leaving a red-hot trail of lava in their wake. | 3-8 |
| Minosaur | This creature seems to be a horrific mash of other creatures, similar to a traditional chimera; it possesses the body and horns of a bull, a head like a Tyrannosaurus, the plates of a stegosaurus all the way down it's powerful back and becoming spikes as they trail down it's tail, which ends in a very angry snake head. There is no end of this creature's body which is not hard, sharp, and completely pissed off. If you manage not to get bitten or gored at it's head, you will still need to contend with the powerful hooved legs attempting to stomp down on you, and take care to dodge as the snake head on it's tail spits fire. | 8-10 |
Even after the defeat of the Portals, there's still a lot of things to do! All of the Guilds are open. There's a good training space outside of them to test our powers and computers where you can learn all about what kind of powers you can unlock.
All guilds also have the same Questboard open! Why not take a look and see what adventures await?
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you're not a friend of the mods and want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible!
- Feel free to visit the EMP/ATP - meme!
- New characters can add TDM on their subject line to indicate they're new! They can also comment HERE to promote their new top levels.
- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well.
- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.
- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.
- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!
- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open. Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures.
- You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
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W-We most definitely will not!
[ All of her confidence, all of her sparkling? Everything is gone, crushed within a split second by that cruel laughter. What a vile and mean Servant! ]
Why aren't you terrified? Did I mess up this poorly...?
[ It can't be, Dumuzid had told her this was definitely the best intro she'd ever worked on! ]
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Nah, you did wonderfully. [He reaches out to softly brush his knuckles against her cheek.] I was just charmed, that's all.
[But okay, maybe most people wouldn't touch someone after being threatened with death, but that's why Takasugi's doing it. Besides, she can't possibly be serious. Anything is better than violence. There are too many people in here. Is she really the kind of goddess who would put everyone in harm's way?
... He doesn't have a backup plan in case she is.]
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Is that his hand - or rather his knuckles - daring to brush against her cheek? She immediately takes a step back and slaps his hand away. In spite of appearance she got A-Rank strength so that may hurt. ]
H-Hands off, interloper!
[ What's the next step to this, handholding? She is a pure maiden reserved for her destined love - whoever that may end up being (preferably a black or red-haired human master) - and shall not stand for such undignified and shameful things! ]
Hmpf...! [She clears her throat and attempts to put herself back together.] You may be understandably charmed, but you would do well to remember your place.
[ It is, after all, an objective and eternal truth that she is more beautiful than the Goddess of Beauty herself (also known as Ishtar). So she can let it slide so long as he realizes the enormity of his offense! ]
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[Takasugi nurses his hand. Maybe he shouldn't tempt fate so much with his D-Rank Endurance, but he really can't help himself. What is he supposed to do to someone cute? Not touch their cheeks!? Probably. But Takasugi's not a normal person who understands physical boundaries.]
Well, it's better getting slapped than stabbed.
[He remembers the last time a god stabbed him. Ouch.]
Alright, alright. I know your type. We'll have none of that until the third date. [Already assuming they'll go on one...] I'm not a fan of bowing down, though. Queen of Kûr, can't I call you something else?
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[ Being red-haired would be a good start to get through to her, but alas he's a Servant and not a human Master. Shame, real shame. ]
What know you of me? What know you of the pain and the loneliness I have endured long before you first set foot on Earth and that are still mine to this day? [ ] I will not stand for such familiarity!
[ They barely know each other! Such things took time. You couldn't just make friend on such a level of familiarity within the span of a couple minutes!
... Maybe his comment about a "third date" is right on the money. ]
1/2
I don't know anything. I already told you, didn't I? I just joined Chaldea.
[ Suddenly, his expression is cold. He's getting bored of this topic fast. ]
If we're gonna be like that, you don't know anything about me either. Where do you get off, trampling on the dreams of the dead? I died within the four corners of my room. Now that I'm a Servant, isn't it natural that I want to do everything I can?
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[ She'd never claimed to know anything about him on her end! Ugh, were there really Servants like that in Chaldea...? She'd spent only a few days there, but clearly she was going to have and find the most secluded and difficult to reach room in the whole complex!
And wait, is he speaking of... ]
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Hng!
[ ... Scandalous! Kissing? Absolutely inadmissible. It was like taking a good romance novel and starting by reading the final chapter first! Had that man absolutely no standards? It wasn't three dates he'd need but a couple hundreds! ]
Y-You are fortunate there are too many innocents around for me to pass divine punishment upon you! [She crossed her arms and turned away.] Begone lest I lose what little tolerance for your madness I have!
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[Yeah, yeah, he's heard this before. Sure, he's the crazy one! As if he can wait a thousand years for a hand to hold before they go back to the Throne. It's fine. Like he said, he knows her type. A stickler for the rules, but only when it benefits them. Many who worked for the bakufu weren't any different.
Isn't she just shy?
No one tells Takasugi Shinsaku what to do. Instead, he circles her like a snake, looking over her shoulder to command her attention. Ereshkigal's being super difficult, but he's also super bored, so she's not getting rid of him just yet!]
And what will you do when I'm gone? Will you go back to scampering along the walls like a mouse? Haha! I guess that'd be fun to watch.
I can watch you like a cat, then. I mean, I was always on the run before. It doesn't sound too bad, giving chase for once!
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Not that she could even if she wanted with so many innocents around. ]
I... I warned you...!
2/2
Go! Away! Now!
[ This is probably starting to draw a lot of attention on them. But Ereshkigal is either unaware of it or does not care because as soon as there is nothing left on the table for her to throw, she grabs a chair to throw at him.
At this rate, she'll end up throwing the table itself his way! ]
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Takasugi blocks the food and other items with his arms as he tries to pacify her, but he wasn't built to tank all this,
Lancers have a class advantage against Archers,and there's only so much food flinging he can take! He draws the line at the chair. Not even Servants should be allowed to face that in one piece.]Oi! Are you sure about that? I'm just trying to be friends! Now who's the mad one?
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You... You've been talking about dates and kisses! And now you're trying to confuse me. [She picks up another chair.] Dirty! Filthy!
[ A fun fact about people with severe social anxiety is that they tend to do the craziest things the more threatened and pressured they feel, in ever-more desperate attempts to be left alone. As a goddess, of course Ereshkigal should be above such things. Being in a human vessel however, that means she is instead hyper susceptible to such things. ]
Villain! [And off goes the chair.] Predator! [She picks up another chair and throw it his way too.] Interloper! [And another.] Criminal!
[ There were only a few chairs left till the table was all that was left... And more and more people were now staring at what had become, without a doubt, the highlight of the meeting. ]
1/2
Haaa... Well, I am a criminal, so that's not wrong. You've certainly made this meeting the most colorful one I've had lately, Queen of Kûr! I know you hate me, but that's why teaming up with you should be all the more intere—
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T... Timeout. We can still fight, I'm just...
[Ahh, this sucks. Why in front of a goddess, of all times? He was kind of having fun, too.]
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Was it an attempt at deceiving her, perhaps? Getting her to lower her guard so he can lunge in for a kiss?! Surely not even this Archer could be that despicable! She lowered the chair she had been about to throw at him and put it back on the ground. ]
W-What's happening to you?
[ She approached him, hesitantly so. She did not have any healing powers outside of the Blessing of Kûr so it wasn't like she could really do anything for him... But she wasn't going to stand by and watch as someone was dying, even if they were the most annoying person she'd ever met. ]
no subject
[He coughs again, keeping Ereshkigal at arm's length, throat still raw from the last fit. He doesn't want pity, and although his condition isn't contagious now, she doesn't need to witness something this unsightly. With a fist over his chest, he tries to swallow to soothe the pain. His breath has stopped shaking, he thinks, but his illness doesn't rest only in his lungs. He's losing his balance.]
I'm okay. It's just my Spirit Origin. I'm... the coolest in Choshu!
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Don't be a fool! [She approached him in spite of his attempts to keep her away.] You need medical attention. If this place is like Chaldea they should have an infirmary somewhere...
[ She lent him her shoulder for him to hold onto. Gah, more physical contact... But there was a time for fighting, a time for running in anxiety and a time for being responsible. It was clearly the later. ]
Can you hold onto me? [And she quickly adds:] Ritsuka needs their Servant to be well and healthy, so don't think I'm doing that for you...!
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The cold words of that evil god are but a faint echo when Ereshkigal offers her shoulder. Takasugi finds himself holding onto her before he can fight it. She tries to give him a boring excuse for her kindness, but he knows what she's doing. He coughs once again, and in a small voice, he apologizes.]
A goddess of death, taking care of me?
[He huffs, the sound something like laughter. Even he knows she should kill him now. He'd hate for that to happen, though.]
... I won't die from this. But I would like to sit.
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There.
[ Ereshkigal sounded and looked like a completely different person right now. Without the stress of having to socialize and with a responsibility forced onto, the goddess was more like her "normal" self. Stoic and dignified, laser-focused on the task at hand.
She put a hand on his forehead briefly to gauge his temperature. Mhm. ]
You are not allowed to move till you feel better. Nor provoke anyone and further endanger yourself. Is that understood?
[ The way she speaks, she is very clearly not in the mood to hear him argue. Annoying he may be, but she won't have him die under her watch. ]
no subject
But Ereshkigal is kind. ]
Haha. Maybe taking orders isn't so bad once in a while. I'd at least like to be awake for whatever they gathered us here for, anyway. I have a feeling it'll be interesting.
[ ...
She's so serious now that he's in trouble. He was certain she'd panic. Or perhaps she would have killed him, and that would have been the end of it. But when she commands him without any malice, he's suddenly nostalgic for those days at the academy, and he starts to think this outcome is far more interesting.
His smile is weak, but it's warm. ]
... Sorry. I had the wrong impression of you.
Your hand was cold, but it was nice.
no subject
So of course, people ignored the one who incarnated their greatest fear. And when they weren't just content ignoring her, they hated her and accused her of being an awful entity responsible for their sorrows. She understood why, but... Ugh. ]
... I am used to it. [Unfortunately.] I have always been ostracized and despised for simply being what I am.
[ And the realization nothing had changed even now that she had become a Servant and joined Chaldea was depressing. Rather than linger on it though, she went on to pick up the many things she had thrown his way and put them back on the table. Goodness, she'd really been panicked...
As soon as she finished, she turned back to him. This whole thing had turned to be mentally exhausting and she needed to recover. ]
I believe I will go find what accommodations they have for me. Will you be alright?
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Ugh, but I'll die from boredom if you're not here. Being sick super sucks.
[Takasugi's aware he's being difficult, but he's also never really had a filter. He is taking full offense. He hates being alone.]
Whatever. [He closes his eyes.] Go, go. No one wants to sit next to a rotting corpse anyway.
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[ Wow. Not a sign of sympathy towards her words nor any understanding of her need for rest. Sure he's still in pain and she really doesn't care for a pity party, but talk about being selfish! She sighs and sits on one of the chair. ]
Fine, I'll stay.
[ He really doesn't make it easy for her to like him. What an unruly child. As soon as she could see Ritsuka, she would have to have a little chat about him. A Servant like that is in dire need of an education and some discipline. Not to mention, what if he falls sick like that while having to protect Ritsuka?
Every Servants got weaknesses, but that's quite the debilitating one. ]
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[ Takasugi grins like his intentions weren't painfully clear. He's not even thinking about every distasteful thing he's told her before this moment, or every hateful thing she's supposed to stand for. He's just happy there's someone with him now. ]
When I was a child, no one wanted to be my friend either. Everyone pretty much hated me, too. But you're more likable than me now, dear queen, so you don't have to worry about a thing.
[He anticipates another scolding, so before she gets the chance, he speaks up again.]
Don't worry, I'll be quiet now. Talking is getting quite boring for me.
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