dreammoonchild | [Story] Two Girls Talking

"So where are we?" Kitty asked, a gas mask over her nose and mouth, but otherwise wearing her normal Gyaru kinda wear. She looked over the area, it was like if someone had taken a Victorian villa, splashed it with a sense of Ragygun Gothic style, then let plants over run it, miasma build up, and an ever pouring grey rain beat at the windows outside.

"One of my various places I built back when I was in charge of the Illusion Witches, but before I stuffed myself in a metal box." Ashley, the twin tail diva said, wearing a similar gas mask. She likewise wore a gyaru outfit, but more markedly dark and foreboding compared to her... fluffier companion.

"Oh." Kitty said. The two clicked their heels walking on worn linoleum and trying to avoid too many vines and roots on the floor. "And we're here to pick up something to help Sanae-senpai?"

"Basically, and just generally an asset for the future." Ashley said, briskly turning around, trying to orient herself in the worn beaten room they had found themselves.

"So, why didn't you bring Aradia or the other one, um, Kaguya...? Artemis? With us?" Kitty asked, shifting her hips nervously.

"..." Ashley paused. "You want me to be honest, Kat? I don't trust them." The teenage diva twirled one of her two fluffy long pigtails.

"... You don't?" The younger girl blinked, pausing, her hand resting on a table.

"No, not really. They're more loyal to Bohr than to me, and I'm pretty sure if I show any weakness they'll devour me alive, or ugh..." Ashley groaned.

"D-does that mean you trust me?" Kitty said a little hushed.

Ashley tiled her head in annoyance. "I guess, but only because I know you and stuff, and know what you can do, and don't let yourself get too full of yourself, Kat."

Kitty hugged the other girl much to the other's frustration, and then pulled away. "Though, could you uh. Call me Kitty. I didn't like it when Suburu kept calling me Katherine..." The fluffy girl said trailing off.

Ashley thought about it for a moment, as she looked at an ornamental sword. "... I'll try. It wasn't me trying to be all weird like Suburu. I think." She tipped the sword, causing a bookcase to move as a flight of stairs opened up.

"I think I know, but I'm a bit sore still, so if you could at least try. You don't sound... demeaning, I'll admit." Kitty said, rubbing her hands together nervously as Ashley lead them down the stairs.

"I just don't, or didn't like you because you annoy me, but I guess you've grown on me, Ka... Kitty." Ashley said. They minced gently down the steps on their heels. Fortunately, the steps were steel and wood with light carpeting, and not stone.

"... Do you still plan to do that thing with me?" She asked as they walked down slowly but surely.

"Yeah."

"That still doesn't seem really. Friend-y." Kitty said, noting nervously.

"... It probably isn't but. I really need. Something. To stabilize me." Ashley admitted as they entered the underground suite. It was all well lit, polished wood, full of what were books or things that at least resembled books.

"Stabilize?" Kitty took one of the 'books', and opened it. It was a digital sort of tablet, yet also a book. She had heard Ashley mention them before, Le Maison, the Grand Spellbook Tower, dealt in devices similar to them.

"There's a quote, I'll adjust here: "I live on a placid island of stability in the midst of black mental seas of madness, and it was not meant that I should be held together." Or something like that." Ashley said with a shrug.

"... Oh. ... oh. So..." Kitty said, trailing.

"I have to constantly be held together, and I'm apparently not very good at. Holding together." Ashley chuckled nervously, as she opened a door. "Let's leave at that, Kitty Kat." She motioned Kitty to walk in.

"... I don't think I'm really that all held together, myself." Kitty said, mincing in.

"... I think you'd be healthy or me, to a degree." Ashley said. "That and I wanna be more like my mother, I admit." Following her in and closing the door. The room was a strange hidden occult chamber. Full of actual books. Magical devices. Pens. Talismans. Seals.

"... I'm not her. I don't wanna be her. She's. Sad." Kitty said exasperated.

"... Yeah, story of her and my life." She counted books. "But something needs to change for her. For me. And for you, I think." And took one down.

"Me?"

"I can tell you want to fix Suburu and pretend nothing was wrong. Or that she wasn't. Isn't. A shitty girlfriend, Kitty." Ashley said, peering through a book, muttering stuff under her breath in her mask.

"..."

"But it's honestly your decision. I can't stop you. At the end of the day. 's your choice." Ashley said, putting the book down and walking over to a painting of a fox witch yokai. And tilted it, revealing a safe. "Just like I deserve better than Bohr."

"... Huh?" Kitty said, blinking.

"You don't really think I'd be so stupid to permanently keep the one who broke me the first time around, do you?" Ashley said with a nervous chuckle.

Kitty would of opened her mouth wide if she was able. With surprise or something else? That's hard to say.

Ashley started fiddling with the dial.

"We aren't forced to stick with our shitty first rolls. With the choices life gives us. That's why I'm a once in a ten thousand year genius."

"I thought it was a thousand years." Kitty said.

Ashely looked at her, and even though she was wearing a gas mask, Kitty could sense a very 'Oh is that what you think.' energy to the way her colleague. Friend? She didn't know what Ashley was to her.

Click.

Ashley opened the safe and pulled out a canister. Its center glowed with energy, with a card in the middle of it all.

"So, is this what we were looking for?" Kitty asked.

"Yeah." Ashley replied, holding it up, eyeballing it. "Timelord Progenitor Vorpgate." She paused, eying Kitty for a moment. "... So. Wanna go on a date?"

Kitty fidgeted, playing with her promise rings.

"... Like a date date?" Kitty said, nervous.

"... Whatever you want it to be, girl." Ashley said.

"..."

"Though if we do go out, let's get you suited up with something to fit that pretty little bod of yours." The twin tail temptress said, pulling out a second container. "And Kat, I think this is totally you." Ashley said, as Kitty sensed another mischievous, but much more playful and cheerful smile.

Kitty took a deep breath and gave a quiet response.