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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tButlerTeller\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tButlerTeller\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
who provided all sorts of inspiration for the legendary Kin's adventures! And what better way to honor a muse than to get her pregnant, and fight for her honor?

Yeah, I can't think of anything better!", "writing": "Travelling by a rocky cart on rough roads for over a week straight, pulled by a strong Mudsdale; one can expect to traverse the distance between a remote Maskerade Village in the midst of endless lush forests, and the capitol city of the wide-spanning Kingsland. \n\nIn a kingdom overseen by a strong leader blessed with a fragment of Giratina, the peoples live in an exciting world. Dungeons with mystical properties lure in brave adventurers from all over, and draw attention to the wilds and their odd occurrences. Feral Pokémon grow to become terrifying monsters when in the mystery dungeons, and guilds of explorers and adventurers fight to keep them at bay.\n\nThis is one of the many tales that one lone Meowscarada recites, as a tribeshunter turned hero over the course of a long, long year in greater civilization. With two swords in hand like the fangs of the Viper, and the legendary blessing of Reshiram flowing through him, Kin of the Maskerade wields righteous justice with a keen sense for what's right and wrong.\n\nExcept for that one day... That one, bothersome, blessed day.\n\nThis is the tale of one of Kin's beloved partners, and their mutual journey into deep bonds of trust and parenthood.\n\n...\n\nThe adventurer's guild was busy as usual, the central board where all bounties were posted constantly changing. Posts were soon accepted and taken down by all walks of life. Parchment hit the board, parchment left the board. Plates of hearty breakfasts hit the table, and were left cleaned as the eager warriors set out for the day.\n\nThat day, however, one note was posted on the board that nobody dared take, after reading for even a moment. Everything around it cleared and refreshed multiple times, but it was left alone. \n\nUp until one Meowscarada laid his paws upon the strange, gem-encrusted mini-book of a splendid message. Most of the guild hushed their boisterous excitements and feasts that morning, to turn to the strange hero.\n\nKin of the Maskerade was already a rare species in the lands, exotic even. He himself hadn't seen another Meowscarada in his two-or-so months of living in the kingdom. But the thing is, they don't usually give off a hot aura, have a bluish tinge to their fur, have a winglike natural cape, and carry two straight swords of equal length on their back. \n\nHe was a unique lad, with a fairly notorious reputation at that point. Within the guild, he further cemented his odd reputation when he accepted the insane quest with a smile!\n\n\"I, Noctianna of the House of Luna, seek a brave soul who will help me defeat a target of threat level 10.\"\n\nThat was already a bad sign, for one little reason. The threat scale used for missions like these only went from 0 to 7. Furthermore, the House of Luna was a family of nobles with a history of investigating especially dangerous marks. Kin didn't care.\n\n\"As I investigated the presence of especially corrupted and powerful wild monsters by Darkmarsh Village, my suspicions led me to the nearby swamps, where its people speak of a witch living deep within.\"\n\nUsually, any mission posted by a Luna ends horribly. Even teams of many adventurers are bloodied or murdered when things go astray. Kin didn't care.\n\n\"I will give a personal warning; this mission is not meant for the average warrior to undertake, as I suspect even a team armed to the teeth will not survive. Find the witch, and slay her on sight. Do not be fooled by any attempts to lure, seduce, or otherwise calm you. This is a lethal mark who can steal your soul with a single short incantation.\"\n\nOh, that's also a good reason nobody's taken the post. They're not supposed to have warnings on them. People are meant to understand the dangers of a mission just by parsing out the details, but Noctianna found it necessary to be blatant.\n\nKin did not care.\n\nHe turned to the mortified attendant of the quest registration counter, and slapped down the post in front of the Simisage. \"Alright! Sounds good! I'll take this one.\"\n\n\"A-Are you s-s-sure?\" The receptionist took up the post, knowing full well she's seen other adventurers sing this same song, and turn up dead or disabled days later. \"O-Okay, I'll n-notify N-N-Noctianna... Be saf-fe...\"\n\nKin just grabbed up a fried Staraptor leg in one paw, a map in the other, and turned to one of his Rapidash acquaintances at a far-off table in the guild. \n\nStrider snorted with bewilderment. \"No. A thousand times no. I am NOT fighting by your side, Kin! Are you nuts!?\"\n\nKin laughed, as if Strider wasn't completely reasonable in his refusal. \"Don't worry about that! I just need a ride to Darkmarsh. You don't have to do any fighting, okay? I know this one's probably going to be dangerous, so I wouldn't dare ask anyone else to undertake any battle with me.\"\n\nStrider cracked his neck and took one last lap of his tray of coffee. Then spit it out. \"Probably!? Fine, but on one condition! If you and the mark die, I'll take the bounty for myself.\"\n\n\"Sounds good to me. Thank you, my steed!\"\n\n\"Whatever.\"\n\n...\n\nDarkmarsh Village wasn't very clustered, more like a band of farmlands in general proximity to each other. Fields of grain as far as could see, before any swamps or forests truly began. Said fields showed obvious signs of being attacked by strange creatures. Kaiju footprints that oozed with black mist, large patches of plants that were removed for sudden unnatural wilting, and other scars upon the land that were generally scary.\n\nOnce the pair of adventurers reached the line between paved civilization and the drab wilderness, however, Strider stopped. Kin dismounted from the armored back of his companion, gave one last salute of gratitude, and turned for the unknown.\n\n\"Kin. If this is the last I see of you, we're all gonna be disappointed.\" The disgruntled Strider spoke up, eyes narrowed under his helmet.\n\nKin stopped, and turned back, not expecting to be shown such concern. Really, it was unnecessary in his eyes... \"Don't worry, Strider. Everyone back at the guild. I know how much you're all expecting of me.\"\n\nLike some mere topic of gossip. Some legend to be told by bards and poets alike, despite Kin still being here. Going from competent hunter to everything short of a Legendary Pokémon isn't something you see everyday, but Kin was already sick of hearing it.\n\nHe comes home from a mission that called for a team, but he did it alone. Whenever he assembled a team before, they barely contributed, but divided the bounty anyways. It was understandable that they couldn't keep up with Kin's wild fighting style and extreme powers of fusion flames, but sometimes his teams hardly try.\n\nThen, at the guild, his dinners are always tainted by their voices. Oh Kin, it's our pride and joy Kin! Our hero! Frankly, he got sick of being treated like an idol pretty quickly. Nobody talks to him like a person anymore.\n\nYet, he still couldn't help but give Strider a fake toothy smile. \"I'll come back. Just you all wait!\" After that, he disappeared into the darkness of the trees. No hesitation.\n\nAt this point, Kin only cared about making bank so he could send it all back to his tribe. They were his people, truly and absolutely. His family, they loved him with or without any impressive feats. Nothing like the strangers of Kingsland. Oh, he missed just being a part of Maskerade.\n\nBut he was set on this path. Journeying beyond home, adventuring in lands unknown, meeting people unknown, before coming back home a new cat. He needed to do this, and it was worth it so far, if only for the excitement of good fights and gaining a chance blessing from a Legendary.\n\nAs he walked through the thick forests, seeing such fauna as toxic wild Dustox flitting around, Muks emerging from the black water swamps, and the like.\n\nFor someone living in a drier, more temperate part of the continent, the mud on Kin's boots was unfamiliar. The sounds when he took a step, the softer feel of the ground. The murky rivers, and the interesting trees. \n\nFor a hunter who's lived in the wilds his whole life, Kin still sometimes feels that sense of wonder and freedom he did when he first learned to fight and hunt, as a child. The little Sprigatito in him never left, judging by his smile when he breathed deep of a new flavor of fresh air. Intoxicating. For all his negativity towards Kingsland's capitol, he still loved life...\n\nHe just wished there was someone out there who shared his lively passions.\n\nAh, right, the witch. Someone was conjuring up dangerous beasts, and they need to be stopped! So, with that being said... \"What's a witch?\"\n\nHe finally muttered to himself after several hours. Noon had passed into the evening, and the sun careened far over and neared the horizon. The swamps just looked like swamps. He walked and walked, and hunted the meat of some monsters too toxic to eat, some far more edible with thorough roasting and cutting out less contaminated regions of meat. \n\nBut through all his time out there, he still didn't know what he was actually looking for. Being someone who grew up in a tribe and only lived in Kingsland for about two long months, there were obviously some concepts he knew far better than others. Home education provided him with plenty of knowledge, but it's not like he can just know every little word spoken in this forsaken land! Which witch is which!?\n\nWith absolutely no idea what a witch was, Kin decided he should look for a safe place to rest and sleep out in these swamps. Some areas in the treetops seemed uncomfortable, but safe and workable. Though the sun had begun to set, Kin felt not very tired. Some more searching aimlessly was in order. By then, Strider was probably sleeping in one of the nearby farms, anyways. No return trip, tonight!\n\nEventually, he rounded a mess of large trees, and finally found a change in the scenery. Deep in the swamplands, miles from any trace of another person, it seemed there was a house. Black wood built up in expertly-crafted boards, creating a massive and frankly ominous dark abode.\n\nYellow sight seeped through the crossed windows, and one could only wonder what horrors lied within the twisting haunted property.\n\n\"Oh, phew! Someone lives out here. Looks like I can ask them about what I'm looking for...\" Kin wasn't put off at all, but relieved. Striding through the rough stone pathway to the door, he knocked twice, and was left in calm silence for a time.\n\nEventually, the door opened... To the kind of person Kin didn't really expect to see. First off, her grey face wasn't that of any identifiable Pokémon, despite Kingsland being highly populated by such. Her fluffy face was more like a mix of all sorts of cats, mainly... Maine coon? With a few cute stripes on the sides. She wore a wide-brimmed hat, and a long baggy cloak from her exposed shoulders to her hidden footpaws. They seemed to host a dark nebula in the fabrics.\n\nShe was curious, seeing someone so exotic and... Well, it's not like any sane person goes out in the wild this far! The lady was beaming! \"Why, hello there stranger! What brings mew all the way nyout here?\"\n\n[\"A strange, adorable woman, sounds a bit like my sister with her catty accent. Absolutely stunning! But odd nonetheless... If there's anyone who knows what's up, it's her!\"] \n\nKin was utterly oblivious, returning the cat's smile with his own, paws proudly on his hips. \"Good evening, Miss! I'm a local adventurer, and I'm investigating a report about dark and powerful beasts awakening in this region. Would you happen to know anything?\"\n\n\"No, I've nyot heard of any kinds of suspicious goings-on purround this place. It's just the same old myarsh as always, in my eyes!\" The lady tilted her head, wondering what sorts of scary things folks must have seen in the swamplands. \"My name is Maid, by the by. Anymeow, why don't mew come in? It's getting dark!\"\n\n\"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Kin, of the Maskerade. Far-off tribe, you wouldn't know.\" Kin's twinswords rattled on his back as he took a bow, before being led inside.\n\nCozy, cozy, cozy... With all sorts of strange glowy scribbles on the carpets and walls. Shelves of books wherever you looked! \"My, aren't you well-read! Some kinda... Librarian!\"\n\nMaid was busy setting up a kettle of tea at the stove, looking at Kin over her shoulder. \"Eh? Ah, nyah, I don't lend my books to anyone.\" Her shuffling was fairly ambiguous, only her hips able to be defined when her legs moved. Her fuzzy tail gently swayed, drawing Kin's eyes down for a moment.\n\n\"Eheh... Guess I don't know what stuff means, roles or jobs that is. In my tribe, I knew hunters, caretakers, and traders from the outside!\" *A paw scratched the back of his head, as he took a seat at the kitchen table. To say he was eager to be in any sort of home was an understatement. Any would have made him comfortable, much less this lovely atmosphere. \"Say... How'd you get such a nice house all built up out here? I mean, there's wild monsters everywhere. Hasn't a Muk ever rotted the walls out?\"\n\n\"Myahah! So mew'd think!\" The back of her paw was against her cheek as she laughed, thrusting a hip with her own pride. \"My meowgic spells protect this place day and night! Anyone who tries to barge in gets ejected~\"\n\n\"Hey, that's pretty cool! I don't see a lot of magic back home.\" Kin, despite his impressive feats in the past, still found room to be impressed by those who held different skills to his own. \"Honestly, I don't know much about magic at all. I'm still a fresh face in these lands, really.\"\n\nThe teapot hissed, reminding Maid. She poured a cup for Kin, bringing him the delicious lemony brew. \"Why don't I show mew some?\" \n\nAs Maid swayed back up to the stove, Kin was left in awe. From how low she bent over to shift through the pantry, to how wobbly yet balanced her body was, carrying all sorts of ingredients in her arms.\n\nWait, was he supposed to wait until the magic began to start gawking?\n\nMaid managed to sneak glances back, glad that all attention was on her already. As if she planned to make herself a sight as sweet as what she was about to make. \"Neow, do mew like jam buns?\"\n\n\"Don't get me started on buns!\"\n\n... Ahem.\n\n\"I always loved it when we pick enough berries to make tons of syrup! We'd gather it all in a big pot, crush it, put it in the fire... Man, what I wouldn't give to have some of that.\" \n\nKin grinned at the memories. It was always tradition, and pretty much the only sort of dessert that wasn't bought from the occasional traders passing by Maskerade. Their village's crops were meant for making tons of bread, and anything that went over the reasonable supply of plain bread was made into crude pastries.\n\nMaid just winked, and got to work on making Kin's night. Flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk and the like, floating through the air and changing temperatures on a whim. Without a mixing bowl, they gathered in a flying orb, mixing and baking right before Kin's bedazzled eyes.\n\nHe had nary a chance to stick a finger up into the batter before the sphere severed into fractions, and plopped down onto a pan, already steaming hot and smelling like... Home...\n\nAs Maid commanded a couple of- \"Nyapples! Crush and thicken, de-seed, jiggle and sway!\" She merely waved her paws, and suddenly the fruity spread glazed the tops of the buns without any fuss. The dust of the magic lingered in the air, as Kin was left starstruck.\n\nUp until the cats both sneezed.\n\n\"Maid, that was a-maid-zing!\" He made his pun with all the grace of a charging Bouffelant, forcing its way into a dialect from which it didn't belong.\n\nMaid found it cute. \"Enjoy~\"\n\nKin gladly took one up in his paw, and took a big bite. His eyes widened, the taste rushing through him like the gentle warmth of the fire pit he'd always eat beside.\n\nSweet. Rich. Tasty. Any words at all would betray their splendor, because speaking would prevent Kin from savoring the taste a moment longer.\n\nAs one might guess or know about Kin, there are many ways to reach through his tough exterior and hold his heart. The best way always has been, and always will be food. Over the course of two long months in Kingsland- 66 days to be exact- Kin has eaten the meat of beasts exotic and unknown before. Drank fine beer at the guild. Hearty feasts. Rations of dried fruits, nuts, and jerky when on the road.\n\nAll of it was new. New sights, new faces, new adventures, new foes. Kin was growing distant from it all, overtime. Starting to forget what it meant to be somewhere he belonged.\n\nAs the buttery bun melted in his mouth, he stopped thinking about the faces of guild members he couldn't even remember clearly, and instead felt like the chair below him was the one he sat upon almost every day for 20 years, at dinnertime. And that the woman in front of him was much like someone he loved dearly... No, like Maid was someone he felt like he could love dearly.\n\nLike this place was the home away from home he was missing, all this time.\n\nBy the time he snapped out of it, Maid was already wiping Kin's tears away with a cloth. Her face was in a slight panic, considering in her perspective, Kin took just one bite and practically froze up. \"What's wrong, Kin!? Are you having a reaction!?\"\n\n\"N-No, I j-just... Haven't settled down like th-this in a long t-time... It's delicious, M-Maid...\" Despite breaking down like he did, Kin didn't want to worry poor Maid too much, taking the cloth and wiping the rest of those tears off himself. \"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to come back sometime... Maybe after a break from all the action.\"\n\n\"Of course! Mew can come back anytime!\" Maid found it hard not to show her excitement, paws curled against her chest, trying not to squeal. This was clearly a rare sentiment spoken in her presence. \"And eat all the buns mew want! Mew deserve it, if the adventuring's really getting to mya that meowch!\"\n\nMaid was content in silently sitting beside the weary hero, watching him savor every bite of every pastry with a mutual smile. Kin looked like less of a warrior, and more like a lost child by the minute. The two feline friends felt like they knew each other more with every glance. By the end of it all, Kin and Maid shared their treats until they were full. By the end, their eyes met once more, and lingered in dreamy stillness...\n\nKin scratched his ear and broke the silence. \"I should be getting to sleep soon... My partner might presume I'm dead if I don't show up bright and early.\"\n\nMaid pawed at her chin. \"Oh, right! Um, there's only my bed, but there are couches over that way. Mew wouldn't wanna sleep with me though-\"\n\n\"Don't be ridiculous!\" Kin's mouth ran, but he wasn't even thinking when he spoke. He just felt the need to shut her humility down. \"Don't think I didn't notice the way you moved, the way you looked at me. If you want me, you've got me!\"\n\nThey both immediately started to blush.\n\n\"K-Kin... Mew want little old me that meowch...?\" Maid didn't even have the chance to rub her flustered cheeks, before her bare shoulders were gripped tight.\n\n\"Don't kid yourself. I haven't met someone as deserving of my love anywhere else!\" His paws slowly ran down her arms, feeling the soft fabric of her cloak on the way to her fluffy paws.\n\n\"It's this way... Come...\"\n\n\"You'd better believe I will.\"\n\nDespite being painfully corny, Kin's words remained genuine, with a certain motivation behind them that resonated deeply within their hearts. They made their way to their destined shrine, paw in paw.\n\nThe bed was more big and comfy than Kin could have ever imagined, much like every carpet in Maid's home. Maid was planning on sitting at the edge and leaning back to entice Kin, but before she had any chance, her feet were off the floor and she was thrown right into bed.\n\n\"Maid, if you'll allow it... This is where I want to be. I won't just visit occasionally. We could be together!\"\n\nSplayed on her back as the world blurred, she couldn't tell what just happened, other than the Meowscarada before her was... Strong. Flipping her over with such eagerness and lust...\n\n\"That would be purrfect... A dream come true...\"\n\nAs Kin climbed over Maid and loomed, she began to witness a transformation in his soul. His humble and caring cheer slowly morphed into the kind of beastlike stare that made her shiver. The steam in his breath added to the cold atmosphere, as Kin took hold of her cloak's chest before she could grab it herself. \n\n\"Not just that! There's a lot of time left before I have to go back home... There's much we could do in that time. We could prepare to bring you... And our children!\"\n\nUndoing her garbs to reveal the complete lack of any underwater beneath, Maid nervously smiled up while stammering, taken completely aback. She was prepared for something like this, but to have the reception so passionate...\n\n\"W-W-Wait!? M-Making me a meowther...? B-Bringing me to your tribe!? Yes... YES! TAKE ME, KIN!\"\n\nKin was quite happy that Maid left herself so open to being claimed. He didn't even need to make much of an effort, pinning her paws beside her head and letting her squeaks and meows make everything clear.\n\n\"Then I'll breed you... Maid of the Maskerade!\"\n\nHow much she wanted to belong. Even if said belonging was to this man, she felt it was oh so right to. His glare, the way his paws grasped tight without being harmful, the impossible strong softness made Kin the perfect cat to wrap her arms and legs around. Welcoming him to the deepest insides of her body and heart.\n\nKin's movements were clear, too. How much he wanted to belong somewhere, with someone. A fellow outcast with a bewitching aura, her cute gaze, the way she clung to him, the confident submission she showed was why Kin chose Maid. \n\nThe reasons why they bred deep, into the night and only stopped by their sleep.\n\n...\n\nThe sun slipped through heavy trees, and barely shone through the windows to bathe the nude felines in cool morning light. They were wrapped around each other loosely, drinking in each other's fuzz and warmth all night.\n\nKin was the first to wake, gently scratching Maid's ears to make her purr and slightly open her eyes. \"Good meowning...\"\n\n\"Good morning, Maid. I have to leave soon, because...\" Kin next scratched his own chin, still a little dazed from the heavy night of love they had just before.\n\nOH!\n\n\"That's right, my mission! I completely forgot I was out here to search for a witch! And I gotta meet up with Strider soon!\" He punched his palm before throwing himself out of bed, searching for his coat and twinblades strewn upon the floor.\n\n\"Murrrr... Kin, loud...\" Maid snuggled back into her pillow, clearly not done with the night just yet. \"I'm a witch, what did mew need...\"\n\n\"... Huh?\" Her sleepy ramblings only served to make Kin's nerves jump even further. As he was picking up his swords, the mission orders read back in his mind.\n\n\"I, Noctianna of the House of Luna, seek a brave soul who will help me defeat a target of threat level 10.\"\n\nNo... No, it couldn't be. Her!? Maid!?\n\n\"As I investigated the presence of especially corrupted and powerful wild monsters by Darkmarsh Village, my suspicions led me to the nearby swamps, where its people speak of a witch living deep within.\"\n\nThe woman he made every promise of love and devotion to. Did that mean anything? He cried in front of her! His seed was swimming around in her belly, for goodness sake! Was that just...\n\n\"I will give a personal warning; this mission is not meant for the average warrior to undertake, as I suspect even a team armed to the teeth will not survive. Find the witch, and slay her on sight. Do not be fooled by any attempts to lure, seduce, or otherwise calm you. This is a lethal mark who can steal your soul with a single short incantation.\"\n\nWas that all just a lie!? Was he already under Maid's spell!?\n\nIt all came to a peak, as the headboard of her bed was stuck with a throwing knife strong enough to punch up to its handle, right above her shocked face.\n\nKin was angry, but most of all, he felt betrayed. He hid his tears behind a blade pointed forwards. \"YOU'RE the mark I've been looking for! The one behind all those attacks on the farms! WHY!?\"\n\n\"K-KIN!?\" Maid was left covering herself with the blanket, which made for no good defense at all. She was scared, but most of all, she felt betrayed. \"I thought w-we were...!\"\n\nKin was experienced enough to gauge someone's reactions in the heat of the moment. When backed against the wall, a cunning bandit might shift their eyes or beg, looking for a way out. Other malicious actors might hold defiant hatred, biting down on pride that they're not in control of the situation.\n\nInnocent people either fight back, run, quickly babble to appeal to their assailant, or freeze.\n\nMaid just stayed there, eyes wide with tears, bracing herself for whatever Kin would do next.\n\nKin was confused, and started to feel the pangs of guilt in his throat as he tried to come back to reason. \"You're the... The mark... Right...? No other witches in these swamps?\"\n\nMaid just shook her head no, hoping and praying to herself that whatever she'd done to set him off would pass, and she'd be safe.\n\nThankfully, Kin was starting to piece together what was happening, dropping his weapons and hanging his head with shame.\n\nThe House of Luna is a formidable client to be taking missions from. Their investigations are always of extremely dangerous anomalies that crop up all over Kingsland, and they're approached with all sorts of caution.\n\nKin should have known something was wrong when he didn't detect any danger, at all, whatsoever! It was a trick! The House of Luna must have set things up. The one who'd take this mission was supposed to find the mark, and slay her on sight!\n\n\"I've been played for a FOOL! I'm so sorry, Maid! Are you okay!?\" Kin turned his attention to the poor victim of circumstance, who began to ease up on seeing Kin's overflowing remorse.\n\n\"M-Myeah... Why did you throw a knyife at me...?\" Maid hiccuped in the fallout of her adrenaline, giving way to unfettered crying.\n\nKin climbed back into bed with Maid, but waited for her to come to him, which she did so eagerly. Despite that betrayal, the thought that it was a misunderstanding gave her a good enough reason to trust him again. She used that trust to sob relief into his chest, grabbing his shoulders.\n\nHolding her tight, Kin was worried. \"I don't know why, but someone in the kingdom wants you dead, and wanted me to be the one enacting their will. While I know who I'm going to visit first, I'm also worried about keeping you safe...\"\n\nLooking up from his chest, Maid stiffened her upper lip and put on a brave face. \"I... I may be all cute, but I can handle myself! My home is protected by my spells, and if all else fails... I'll teleport to you, with this!\"\n\nHer paw slapped a rune into Kin's fur... He felt the warm marking for a moment, and was relieved. Maid was no slouch, that was for sure. A witch... But a good witch!\n\n\"Maid, I promise to come back as soon as I can. In the meantime, I'll have to deal with one Noctianna Luna.\"\n\nMaid suddenly perked up. \"Eh? Nocti? I know her! We... Oh! Let me show mew something!\"\n\nShe finally got out of bed, putting her cloak back on and leading Kin by the paw, through her house. \n\nWhat awaited in her study, filled with all different sorts of texts alongside experimental materials, was one peculiar chain of red gems.\n\n\"I've been sharing the results of my studies with fellow scholars from the capitol, and Noctianna's one of them. I send letters and whatnyot.\"\n\nThe Red Chain pulsed with light when Maid picked it up. \"She was interested in what I wrote about this. It's a relic I made, based on a myth about the gods who created the world! This thing's supposed to bind and weaken the gods.\"\n\n\"That's...\" Kin didn't know what to say to something with that description. He believed Maid's words. \"Amazing! And probably what she wants, unfortunately. We should destroy it!\"\n\n\"No! I spent so much effort on this! Oh, but what if Mew took it with you?\" She eagerly placed the chain in Kin's paws.\n\n\"Maid, you'll really trust me with something like this...?\" Kin blushed, already feeling attachment to the magical relic.\n\n\"Myeah! Mew might just be the safest place for it, if it's that wanted by bad meownsters.\" Maid was soon taken in by another big hug from her mate, which she purred happily within.\n\nThe feline duo knew they'd be together for a long time, from then on, in each other's care.\n\nIn the coming months, Kin would fight for the fate of Kingsland, and return home with all the beloved mates he's amassed over the course of his journey. Maid would be one of them, and the first at that.\n\nHowever, that would be in the future. In the present, Kin needed to take care of the person who wanted Maid dead.\n\nKin set off into the swamps once more, filled with a purpose that dwarved all other motivations he's had up until that point. Love unlocked a level of resolve that was impossible to achieve before... Like the wind on his sails.\n\nSailing to the capitol, to continue his fate.", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Travelling by a rocky cart on rough roads for over a week straight, pulled by a strong Mudsdale; one can expect to traverse the distance between a remote Maskerade Village in the midst of endless lush forests, and the capitol city of the wide-spanning Kingsland.

In a kingdom overseen by a strong leader blessed with a fragment of Giratina, the peoples live in an exciting world. Dungeons with mystical properties lure in brave adventurers from all over, and draw attention to the wilds and their odd occurrences. Feral Pokémon grow to become terrifying monsters when in the mystery dungeons, and guilds of explorers and adventurers fight to keep them at bay.

This is one of the many tales that one lone Meowscarada recites, as a tribeshunter turned hero over the course of a long, long year in greater civilization. With two swords in hand like the fangs of the Viper, and the legendary blessing of Reshiram flowing through him, Kin of the Maskerade wields righteous justice with a keen sense for what's right and wrong.

Except for that one day... That one, bothersome, blessed day.

This is the tale of one of Kin's beloved partners, and their mutual journey into deep bonds of trust and parenthood.

...

The adventurer's guild was busy as usual, the central board where all bounties were posted constantly changing. Posts were soon accepted and taken down by all walks of life. Parchment hit the board, parchment left the board. Plates of hearty breakfasts hit the table, and were left cleaned as the eager warriors set out for the day.

That day, however, one note was posted on the board that nobody dared take, after reading for even a moment. Everything around it cleared and refreshed multiple times, but it was left alone.

Up until one Meowscarada laid his paws upon the strange, gem-encrusted mini-book of a splendid message. Most of the guild hushed their boisterous excitements and feasts that morning, to turn to the strange hero.

Kin of the Maskerade was already a rare species in the lands, exotic even. He himself hadn't seen another Meowscarada in his two-or-so months of living in the kingdom. But the thing is, they don't usually give off a hot aura, have a bluish tinge to their fur, have a winglike natural cape, and carry two straight swords of equal length on their back.

He was a unique lad, with a fairly notorious reputation at that point. Within the guild, he further cemented his odd reputation when he accepted the insane quest with a smile!

"I, Noctianna of the House of Luna, seek a brave soul who will help me defeat a target of threat level 10."

That was already a bad sign, for one little reason. The threat scale used for missions like these only went from 0 to 7. Furthermore, the House of Luna was a family of nobles with a history of investigating especially dangerous marks. Kin didn't care.

"As I investigated the presence of especially corrupted and powerful wild monsters by Darkmarsh Village, my suspicions led me to the nearby swamps, where its people speak of a witch living deep within."

Usually, any mission posted by a Luna ends horribly. Even teams of many adventurers are bloodied or murdered when things go astray. Kin didn't care.

"I will give a personal warning; this mission is not meant for the average warrior to undertake, as I suspect even a team armed to the teeth will not survive. Find the witch, and slay her on sight. Do not be fooled by any attempts to lure, seduce, or otherwise calm you. This is a lethal mark who can steal your soul with a single short incantation."

Oh, that's also a good reason nobody's taken the post. They're not supposed to have warnings on them. People are meant to understand the dangers of a mission just by parsing out the details, but Noctianna found it necessary to be blatant.

Kin did not care.

He turned to the mortified attendant of the quest registration counter, and slapped down the post in front of the Simisage. "Alright! Sounds good! I'll take this one."

"A-Are you s-s-sure?" The receptionist took up the post, knowing full well she's seen other adventurers sing this same song, and turn up dead or disabled days later. "O-Okay, I'll n-notify N-N-Noctianna... Be saf-fe..."

Kin just grabbed up a fried Staraptor leg in one paw, a map in the other, and turned to one of his Rapidash acquaintances at a far-off table in the guild.

Strider snorted with bewilderment. "No. A thousand times no. I am NOT fighting by your side, Kin! Are you nuts!?"

Kin laughed, as if Strider wasn't completely reasonable in his refusal. "Don't worry about that! I just need a ride to Darkmarsh. You don't have to do any fighting, okay? I know this one's probably going to be dangerous, so I wouldn't dare ask anyone else to undertake any battle with me."

Strider cracked his neck and took one last lap of his tray of coffee. Then spit it out. "Probably!? Fine, but on one condition! If you and the mark die, I'll take the bounty for myself."

"Sounds good to me. Thank you, my steed!"

"Whatever."

...

Darkmarsh Village wasn't very clustered, more like a band of farmlands in general proximity to each other. Fields of grain as far as could see, before any swamps or forests truly began. Said fields showed obvious signs of being attacked by strange creatures. Kaiju footprints that oozed with black mist, large patches of plants that were removed for sudden unnatural wilting, and other scars upon the land that were generally scary.

Once the pair of adventurers reached the line between paved civilization and the drab wilderness, however, Strider stopped. Kin dismounted from the armored back of his companion, gave one last salute of gratitude, and turned for the unknown.

"Kin. If this is the last I see of you, we're all gonna be disappointed." The disgruntled Strider spoke up, eyes narrowed under his helmet.

Kin stopped, and turned back, not expecting to be shown such concern. Really, it was unnecessary in his eyes... "Don't worry, Strider. Everyone back at the guild. I know how much you're all expecting of me."

Like some mere topic of gossip. Some legend to be told by bards and poets alike, despite Kin still being here. Going from competent hunter to everything short of a Legendary Pokémon isn't something you see everyday, but Kin was already sick of hearing it.

He comes home from a mission that called for a team, but he did it alone. Whenever he assembled a team before, they barely contributed, but divided the bounty anyways. It was understandable that they couldn't keep up with Kin's wild fighting style and extreme powers of fusion flames, but sometimes his teams hardly try.

Then, at the guild, his dinners are always tainted by their voices. Oh Kin, it's our pride and joy Kin! Our hero! Frankly, he got sick of being treated like an idol pretty quickly. Nobody talks to him like a person anymore.

Yet, he still couldn't help but give Strider a fake toothy smile. "I'll come back. Just you all wait!" After that, he disappeared into the darkness of the trees. No hesitation.

At this point, Kin only cared about making bank so he could send it all back to his tribe. They were his people, truly and absolutely. His family, they loved him with or without any impressive feats. Nothing like the strangers of Kingsland. Oh, he missed just being a part of Maskerade.

But he was set on this path. Journeying beyond home, adventuring in lands unknown, meeting people unknown, before coming back home a new cat. He needed to do this, and it was worth it so far, if only for the excitement of good fights and gaining a chance blessing from a Legendary.

As he walked through the thick forests, seeing such fauna as toxic wild Dustox flitting around, Muks emerging from the black water swamps, and the like.

For someone living in a drier, more temperate part of the continent, the mud on Kin's boots was unfamiliar. The sounds when he took a step, the softer feel of the ground. The murky rivers, and the interesting trees.

For a hunter who's lived in the wilds his whole life, Kin still sometimes feels that sense of wonder and freedom he did when he first learned to fight and hunt, as a child. The little Sprigatito in him never left, judging by his smile when he breathed deep of a new flavor of fresh air. Intoxicating. For all his negativity towards Kingsland's capitol, he still loved life...

He just wished there was someone out there who shared his lively passions.

Ah, right, the witch. Someone was conjuring up dangerous beasts, and they need to be stopped! So, with that being said... "What's a witch?"

He finally muttered to himself after several hours. Noon had passed into the evening, and the sun careened far over and neared the horizon. The swamps just looked like swamps. He walked and walked, and hunted the meat of some monsters too toxic to eat, some far more edible with thorough roasting and cutting out less contaminated regions of meat.

But through all his time out there, he still didn't know what he was actually looking for. Being someone who grew up in a tribe and only lived in Kingsland for about two long months, there were obviously some concepts he knew far better than others. Home education provided him with plenty of knowledge, but it's not like he can just know every little word spoken in this forsaken land! Which witch is which!?

With absolutely no idea what a witch was, Kin decided he should look for a safe place to rest and sleep out in these swamps. Some areas in the treetops seemed uncomfortable, but safe and workable. Though the sun had begun to set, Kin felt not very tired. Some more searching aimlessly was in order. By then, Strider was probably sleeping in one of the nearby farms, anyways. No return trip, tonight!

Eventually, he rounded a mess of large trees, and finally found a change in the scenery. Deep in the swamplands, miles from any trace of another person, it seemed there was a house. Black wood built up in expertly-crafted boards, creating a massive and frankly ominous dark abode.

Yellow sight seeped through the crossed windows, and one could only wonder what horrors lied within the twisting haunted property.

"Oh, phew! Someone lives out here. Looks like I can ask them about what I'm looking for..." Kin wasn't put off at all, but relieved. Striding through the rough stone pathway to the door, he knocked twice, and was left in calm silence for a time.

Eventually, the door opened... To the kind of person Kin didn't really expect to see. First off, her grey face wasn't that of any identifiable Pokémon, despite Kingsland being highly populated by such. Her fluffy face was more like a mix of all sorts of cats, mainly... Maine coon? With a few cute stripes on the sides. She wore a wide-brimmed hat, and a long baggy cloak from her exposed shoulders to her hidden footpaws. They seemed to host a dark nebula in the fabrics.

She was curious, seeing someone so exotic and... Well, it's not like any sane person goes out in the wild this far! The lady was beaming! "Why, hello there stranger! What brings mew all the way nyout here?"

["A strange, adorable woman, sounds a bit like my sister with her catty accent. Absolutely stunning! But odd nonetheless... If there's anyone who knows what's up, it's her!"]

Kin was utterly oblivious, returning the cat's smile with his own, paws proudly on his hips. "Good evening, Miss! I'm a local adventurer, and I'm investigating a report about dark and powerful beasts awakening in this region. Would you happen to know anything?"

"No, I've nyot heard of any kinds of suspicious goings-on purround this place. It's just the same old myarsh as always, in my eyes!" The lady tilted her head, wondering what sorts of scary things folks must have seen in the swamplands. "My name is Maid, by the by. Anymeow, why don't mew come in? It's getting dark!"

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Kin, of the Maskerade. Far-off tribe, you wouldn't know." Kin's twinswords rattled on his back as he took a bow, before being led inside.

Cozy, cozy, cozy... With all sorts of strange glowy scribbles on the carpets and walls. Shelves of books wherever you looked! "My, aren't you well-read! Some kinda... Librarian!"

Maid was busy setting up a kettle of tea at the stove, looking at Kin over her shoulder. "Eh? Ah, nyah, I don't lend my books to anyone." Her shuffling was fairly ambiguous, only her hips able to be defined when her legs moved. Her fuzzy tail gently swayed, drawing Kin's eyes down for a moment.

"Eheh... Guess I don't know what stuff means, roles or jobs that is. In my tribe, I knew hunters, caretakers, and traders from the outside!" *A paw scratched the back of his head, as he took a seat at the kitchen table. To say he was eager to be in any sort of home was an understatement. Any would have made him comfortable, much less this lovely atmosphere. "Say... How'd you get such a nice house all built up out here? I mean, there's wild monsters everywhere. Hasn't a Muk ever rotted the walls out?"

"Myahah! So mew'd think!" The back of her paw was against her cheek as she laughed, thrusting a hip with her own pride. "My meowgic spells protect this place day and night! Anyone who tries to barge in gets ejected~"

"Hey, that's pretty cool! I don't see a lot of magic back home." Kin, despite his impressive feats in the past, still found room to be impressed by those who held different skills to his own. "Honestly, I don't know much about magic at all. I'm still a fresh face in these lands, really."

The teapot hissed, reminding Maid. She poured a cup for Kin, bringing him the delicious lemony brew. "Why don't I show mew some?"

As Maid swayed back up to the stove, Kin was left in awe. From how low she bent over to shift through the pantry, to how wobbly yet balanced her body was, carrying all sorts of ingredients in her arms.

Wait, was he supposed to wait until the magic began to start gawking?

Maid managed to sneak glances back, glad that all attention was on her already. As if she planned to make herself a sight as sweet as what she was about to make. "Neow, do mew like jam buns?"

"Don't get me started on buns!"

... Ahem.

"I always loved it when we pick enough berries to make tons of syrup! We'd gather it all in a big pot, crush it, put it in the fire... Man, what I wouldn't give to have some of that."

Kin grinned at the memories. It was always tradition, and pretty much the only sort of dessert that wasn't bought from the occasional traders passing by Maskerade. Their village's crops were meant for making tons of bread, and anything that went over the reasonable supply of plain bread was made into crude pastries.

Maid just winked, and got to work on making Kin's night. Flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk and the like, floating through the air and changing temperatures on a whim. Without a mixing bowl, they gathered in a flying orb, mixing and baking right before Kin's bedazzled eyes.

He had nary a chance to stick a finger up into the batter before the sphere severed into fractions, and plopped down onto a pan, already steaming hot and smelling like... Home...

As Maid commanded a couple of- "Nyapples! Crush and thicken, de-seed, jiggle and sway!" She merely waved her paws, and suddenly the fruity spread glazed the tops of the buns without any fuss. The dust of the magic lingered in the air, as Kin was left starstruck.

Up until the cats both sneezed.

"Maid, that was a-maid-zing!" He made his pun with all the grace of a charging Bouffelant, forcing its way into a dialect from which it didn't belong.

Maid found it cute. "Enjoy~"

Kin gladly took one up in his paw, and took a big bite. His eyes widened, the taste rushing through him like the gentle warmth of the fire pit he'd always eat beside.

Sweet. Rich. Tasty. Any words at all would betray their splendor, because speaking would prevent Kin from savoring the taste a moment longer.

As one might guess or know about Kin, there are many ways to reach through his tough exterior and hold his heart. The best way always has been, and always will be food. Over the course of two long months in Kingsland- 66 days to be exact- Kin has eaten the meat of beasts exotic and unknown before. Drank fine beer at the guild. Hearty feasts. Rations of dried fruits, nuts, and jerky when on the road.

All of it was new. New sights, new faces, new adventures, new foes. Kin was growing distant from it all, overtime. Starting to forget what it meant to be somewhere he belonged.

As the buttery bun melted in his mouth, he stopped thinking about the faces of guild members he couldn't even remember clearly, and instead felt like the chair below him was the one he sat upon almost every day for 20 years, at dinnertime. And that the woman in front of him was much like someone he loved dearly... No, like Maid was someone he felt like he could love dearly.

Like this place was the home away from home he was missing, all this time.

By the time he snapped out of it, Maid was already wiping Kin's tears away with a cloth. Her face was in a slight panic, considering in her perspective, Kin took just one bite and practically froze up. "What's wrong, Kin!? Are you having a reaction!?"

"N-No, I j-just... Haven't settled down like th-this in a long t-time... It's delicious, M-Maid..." Despite breaking down like he did, Kin didn't want to worry poor Maid too much, taking the cloth and wiping the rest of those tears off himself. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to come back sometime... Maybe after a break from all the action."

"Of course! Mew can come back anytime!" Maid found it hard not to show her excitement, paws curled against her chest, trying not to squeal. This was clearly a rare sentiment spoken in her presence. "And eat all the buns mew want! Mew deserve it, if the adventuring's really getting to mya that meowch!"

Maid was content in silently sitting beside the weary hero, watching him savor every bite of every pastry with a mutual smile. Kin looked like less of a warrior, and more like a lost child by the minute. The two feline friends felt like they knew each other more with every glance. By the end of it all, Kin and Maid shared their treats until they were full. By the end, their eyes met once more, and lingered in dreamy stillness...

Kin scratched his ear and broke the silence. "I should be getting to sleep soon... My partner might presume I'm dead if I don't show up bright and early."

Maid pawed at her chin. "Oh, right! Um, there's only my bed, but there are couches over that way. Mew wouldn't wanna sleep with me though-"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kin's mouth ran, but he wasn't even thinking when he spoke. He just felt the need to shut her humility down. "Don't think I didn't notice the way you moved, the way you looked at me. If you want me, you've got me!"

They both immediately started to blush.

"K-Kin... Mew want little old me that meowch...?" Maid didn't even have the chance to rub her flustered cheeks, before her bare shoulders were gripped tight.

"Don't kid yourself. I haven't met someone as deserving of my love anywhere else!" His paws slowly ran down her arms, feeling the soft fabric of her cloak on the way to her fluffy paws.

"It's this way... Come..."

"You'd better believe I will."

Despite being painfully corny, Kin's words remained genuine, with a certain motivation behind them that resonated deeply within their hearts. They made their way to their destined shrine, paw in paw.

The bed was more big and comfy than Kin could have ever imagined, much like every carpet in Maid's home. Maid was planning on sitting at the edge and leaning back to entice Kin, but before she had any chance, her feet were off the floor and she was thrown right into bed.

"Maid, if you'll allow it... This is where I want to be. I won't just visit occasionally. We could be together!"

Splayed on her back as the world blurred, she couldn't tell what just happened, other than the Meowscarada before her was... Strong. Flipping her over with such eagerness and lust...

"That would be purrfect... A dream come true..."

As Kin climbed over Maid and loomed, she began to witness a transformation in his soul. His humble and caring cheer slowly morphed into the kind of beastlike stare that made her shiver. The steam in his breath added to the cold atmosphere, as Kin took hold of her cloak's chest before she could grab it herself.

"Not just that! There's a lot of time left before I have to go back home... There's much we could do in that time. We could prepare to bring you... And our children!"

Undoing her garbs to reveal the complete lack of any underwater beneath, Maid nervously smiled up while stammering, taken completely aback. She was prepared for something like this, but to have the reception so passionate...

"W-W-Wait!? M-Making me a meowther...? B-Bringing me to your tribe!? Yes... YES! TAKE ME, KIN!"

Kin was quite happy that Maid left herself so open to being claimed. He didn't even need to make much of an effort, pinning her paws beside her head and letting her squeaks and meows make everything clear.

"Then I'll breed you... Maid of the Maskerade!"

How much she wanted to belong. Even if said belonging was to this man, she felt it was oh so right to. His glare, the way his paws grasped tight without being harmful, the impossible strong softness made Kin the perfect cat to wrap her arms and legs around. Welcoming him to the deepest insides of her body and heart.

Kin's movements were clear, too. How much he wanted to belong somewhere, with someone. A fellow outcast with a bewitching aura, her cute gaze, the way she clung to him, the confident submission she showed was why Kin chose Maid.

The reasons why they bred deep, into the night and only stopped by their sleep.

...

The sun slipped through heavy trees, and barely shone through the windows to bathe the nude felines in cool morning light. They were wrapped around each other loosely, drinking in each other's fuzz and warmth all night.

Kin was the first to wake, gently scratching Maid's ears to make her purr and slightly open her eyes. "Good meowning..."

"Good morning, Maid. I have to leave soon, because..." Kin next scratched his own chin, still a little dazed from the heavy night of love they had just before.

OH!

"That's right, my mission! I completely forgot I was out here to search for a witch! And I gotta meet up with Strider soon!" He punched his palm before throwing himself out of bed, searching for his coat and twinblades strewn upon the floor.

"Murrrr... Kin, loud..." Maid snuggled back into her pillow, clearly not done with the night just yet. "I'm a witch, what did mew need..."

"... Huh?" Her sleepy ramblings only served to make Kin's nerves jump even further. As he was picking up his swords, the mission orders read back in his mind.

"I, Noctianna of the House of Luna, seek a brave soul who will help me defeat a target of threat level 10."

No... No, it couldn't be. Her!? Maid!?

"As I investigated the presence of especially corrupted and powerful wild monsters by Darkmarsh Village, my suspicions led me to the nearby swamps, where its people speak of a witch living deep within."

The woman he made every promise of love and devotion to. Did that mean anything? He cried in front of her! His seed was swimming around in her belly, for goodness sake! Was that just...

"I will give a personal warning; this mission is not meant for the average warrior to undertake, as I suspect even a team armed to the teeth will not survive. Find the witch, and slay her on sight. Do not be fooled by any attempts to lure, seduce, or otherwise calm you. This is a lethal mark who can steal your soul with a single short incantation."

Was that all just a lie!? Was he already under Maid's spell!?

It all came to a peak, as the headboard of her bed was stuck with a throwing knife strong enough to punch up to its handle, right above her shocked face.

Kin was angry, but most of all, he felt betrayed. He hid his tears behind a blade pointed forwards. "YOU'RE the mark I've been looking for! The one behind all those attacks on the farms! WHY!?"

"K-KIN!?" Maid was left covering herself with the blanket, which made for no good defense at all. She was scared, but most of all, she felt betrayed. "I thought w-we were...!"

Kin was experienced enough to gauge someone's reactions in the heat of the moment. When backed against the wall, a cunning bandit might shift their eyes or beg, looking for a way out. Other malicious actors might hold defiant hatred, biting down on pride that they're not in control of the situation.

Innocent people either fight back, run, quickly babble to appeal to their assailant, or freeze.

Maid just stayed there, eyes wide with tears, bracing herself for whatever Kin would do next.

Kin was confused, and started to feel the pangs of guilt in his throat as he tried to come back to reason. "You're the... The mark... Right...? No other witches in these swamps?"

Maid just shook her head no, hoping and praying to herself that whatever she'd done to set him off would pass, and she'd be safe.

Thankfully, Kin was starting to piece together what was happening, dropping his weapons and hanging his head with shame.

The House of Luna is a formidable client to be taking missions from. Their investigations are always of extremely dangerous anomalies that crop up all over Kingsland, and they're approached with all sorts of caution.

Kin should have known something was wrong when he didn't detect any danger, at all, whatsoever! It was a trick! The House of Luna must have set things up. The one who'd take this mission was supposed to find the mark, and slay her on sight!

"I've been played for a FOOL! I'm so sorry, Maid! Are you okay!?" Kin turned his attention to the poor victim of circumstance, who began to ease up on seeing Kin's overflowing remorse.

"M-Myeah... Why did you throw a knyife at me...?" Maid hiccuped in the fallout of her adrenaline, giving way to unfettered crying.

Kin climbed back into bed with Maid, but waited for her to come to him, which she did so eagerly. Despite that betrayal, the thought that it was a misunderstanding gave her a good enough reason to trust him again. She used that trust to sob relief into his chest, grabbing his shoulders.

Holding her tight, Kin was worried. "I don't know why, but someone in the kingdom wants you dead, and wanted me to be the one enacting their will. While I know who I'm going to visit first, I'm also worried about keeping you safe..."

Looking up from his chest, Maid stiffened her upper lip and put on a brave face. "I... I may be all cute, but I can handle myself! My home is protected by my spells, and if all else fails... I'll teleport to you, with this!"

Her paw slapped a rune into Kin's fur... He felt the warm marking for a moment, and was relieved. Maid was no slouch, that was for sure. A witch... But a good witch!

"Maid, I promise to come back as soon as I can. In the meantime, I'll have to deal with one Noctianna Luna."

Maid suddenly perked up. "Eh? Nocti? I know her! We... Oh! Let me show mew something!"

She finally got out of bed, putting her cloak back on and leading Kin by the paw, through her house.

What awaited in her study, filled with all different sorts of texts alongside experimental materials, was one peculiar chain of red gems.

"I've been sharing the results of my studies with fellow scholars from the capitol, and Noctianna's one of them. I send letters and whatnyot."

The Red Chain pulsed with light when Maid picked it up. "She was interested in what I wrote about this. It's a relic I made, based on a myth about the gods who created the world! This thing's supposed to bind and weaken the gods."

"That's..." Kin didn't know what to say to something with that description. He believed Maid's words. "Amazing! And probably what she wants, unfortunately. We should destroy it!"

"No! I spent so much effort on this! Oh, but what if Mew took it with you?" She eagerly placed the chain in Kin's paws.

"Maid, you'll really trust me with something like this...?" Kin blushed, already feeling attachment to the magical relic.

"Myeah! Mew might just be the safest place for it, if it's that wanted by bad meownsters." Maid was soon taken in by another big hug from her mate, which she purred happily within.

The feline duo knew they'd be together for a long time, from then on, in each other's care.

In the coming months, Kin would fight for the fate of Kingsland, and return home with all the beloved mates he's amassed over the course of his journey. Maid would be one of them, and the first at that.

However, that would be in the future. In the present, Kin needed to take care of the person who wanted Maid dead.

Kin set off into the swamps once more, filled with a purpose that dwarved all other motivations he's had up until that point. Love unlocked a level of resolve that was impossible to achieve before... Like the wind on his sails.

Sailing to the capitol, to continue his fate.", "pools_count": 0, "title": "A Witch Maid's Tale", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/plain", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "3", "name": "Violence", "description": "Mild violence", "rating_id": "1" }, { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "1", "views": "68" }