Riverside Temple
"Do you have your book?" Cassidy's been instructed to carry it with her always, so she should do.
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Riverside Temple
"Do you have your book?" Cassidy's been instructed to carry it with her always, so she should do.
Riverside Temple
"As intsructed." Cassidy, been carrying the book in a leather bag.
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"Excellent." Defelent and the others will either lead or carry, depending on her preference, Cassidy down to the ritual room in the basement.
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Cassidy definitely prefers to be led down to the ritual room, cooperating until she sees that she shouldn't.
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"Could you please give me your book, take off your clothes and lie face-down on the slab?" It's the same stone table from the first ritual.
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Cassidy offers her book for Defelent to take, before taking off her clothes that still haven't changed much. As she lays down on the table, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.
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The book will be placed on the small of her back, as the catgirls gently shackle Cassidy's limbs. After that, Defelent begins chanting, and Cassidy's skin should (rather painfully) grow around the book and turn into a leather binding for it. As this happens, Dalachrech Himself carefully examines Cassidy's mind, looking through every memory. It doesn't matter how submerged it is, if it hasn't been deleted He shall find it. If He finds an incriminating memory that suggests her loyalty to the cult comes second to her loyalty to another group (WATCHTOWER, Remnant and other religions especially), then the brand from the first ritual will reappear as though it has just been applied again. Only, it hasn't.
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Cassidy can't do much about what is done. She starts to cry in pain as her skin grows around the book. She also can't do anything about Dalachrech searching through her mind. He'll learn about her going to NO and agreeing to give information on the Cult before she entered the Temple to become an Initiate. But he'll also find out that after some time, thoughts of giving away information completely vanished from her mind, replaced by spreading the word of Dalachrech.
((I thought it would make more sense for Cassidy, after a long time with the Cult, would eventually switch sides and actually believe in her own con.))
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OK. I did have two contingencies! One involved the sensory deprivation pods, lots of invertebrates, and somebody telling Cassidy that she'll stay there until she gives in to Dalachrech. The other involved chains and the Hermitage Temple, before a trip to either Azurelle's room or the altar (which doesn't have to be fatal). Which I suppose makes three.
When the book is completely bound, Defelent will plunge another branding iron onto it to mark it with the holy symbol before he delicately cuts it from her back and casts a healing prayer. At which point, she's unshackled and given her clothes back. "Congratulations, Reverend Twig. You are now a full-fledged cleric of Dalachrech. This is your holy book; look after it, for it's bound in your own skin, and your death will follow its destruction, but whilst it survives so shall you. If I may say so, however, it's not as pretty as mine; mine's a much nicer colour." The last sentence is not part of the ritual, but Defelent says it anyway as he hands the holy book over.
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Cassidy calms down as the book is cut from her back. She stands and dresses herself before accepting her holy book. "I am honored to accept, Defelent. But I think my book's better. If I may say so." She smirks.
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"Of course you may, but you'd be wrong. See?" Defelent takes his book out from under his robes. It's very similar in shade to his skin. Slightly darker, but that's simply because it's worn through large amounts of use.
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"Yes, I see it." Cassidy refuses to admit that Defelent's holy book does look better than hers. She places her book back in her bag. "It doesn't really matter anyway, right?"
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"Well, no, not really. Omid's book looks a bit odd; his elemental nature sort of... Congealed. It's as effective as mine or yours, though, so it doesn't really matter." Omid's gone upstairs.
Also, so you are aware, I have a dream awaiting Cassidy's sleep.
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"Will there be anything else, Defelent? The ritual was very painful, and I'd like to rest.' Cassidy brushes odd her tanktop.
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"Of course you may rest. Pain in this life ensures there's none in the next. Or so some some old chap told me." Defelent sounds serious as he says everything up to the 'or so', at which point he grins.
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Cassidy grins. "I'll be in my room, then. Thank you again, Defelent." She turns to go upstairs, unless interrupted.
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"Goodbye, Cassidy. Sleep well." The bedbugs, of course, won't bite.
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Cassidy heads up to her room to relax in bed before falling asleep.
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That night, Cassidy may discover that she's been transported in her dream to Dalachrech's throne room, where the two-bus-long centipede-like demon-god is observing her with His compound eyes. I have a task for you, Twig/Cassidy. I would like you to go to NO, and integrate yourself into their leadership. If they plan another mission against My religion, tell Defelent about it. Also, be sure to note which Temple they are going after, and let him know. Defelent has My favour, so obey him as you would Me, but My orders shall always and forever come first. Somehow, both names are said at the same time.
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As soon as Cassidy notices where she is, she makes sure to kneel before Dalachrech and bow her head. "As You command, so I act. When shall I leave?"
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Leave when you feel you are ready. Sending you immediately only hampers My aims if you are unprepared and find yourself discovered. I have left you something that may prove useful. When you awake, head down to the altar room. My likeness shall be clasping it upon My altar. Treat it well; despite its unusual nature, it is still one of My creatures. It can be returned to the orb with a press of the button that releases it. I think you may now know what it is. I just have to go and choose one that seems suitable.
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"Your aid is always welcomed. You have my thanks." Cassidy stands about now, still bowing her head in reverence. "I believe I'll be awake soon. I shall go to the altar."
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I do my best to prepare all My followers, and especially My clergy, before their tasks. Visit Erin's, she may stock some ammunition for the tiny pistol. The Apache revolver she picked up at Sznovf hamlet.
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"The ammunition is rare, but I'll visit her store." The Apache revolver was the only weapon Cass took with her to the Temple, all the others weren't concealable.
At this point, Cassidy can tell she'll be waking up soon. She deeply bows to Dalachrech
"I hope to speak to you again soon."
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Dalachrech ends the vision quite abruptly. This is because He's not as strong as He pretends to be, and He lacks the power to keep Cassidy asleep for longer.
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Cassidy wakes up as the vision ends. She immediately puts on her coat, making sure to wear her holy symbol over it, and walks out to head to the altar room.
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Clasped in the gold idol of Dalachrech's praying mantis-like forelimbs is a round sphere, half white and half blue; the blue half has a cross-hatch pattern resembling a net on it, and also marks the top. It's a Net Ball, a type of Pokéball. Inside is a Heracross, with moves, personality and so on up to you, as you are its player (unless you want me to be).
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((I'll be its player. Also, I find it hilarious that there's a wiki dedicated to all 83 bazillion Pokémon.))
Cassidy approaches the idol with some trepidation, she'd never seen a sphere like that before. She takes it before long, and places it in one of the many pockets of her trench coat. Then she goes around the Temple, hoping to find Defelent and tell him of her task.
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It's because there's 635 pokémon that there's a wiki devoted to them. Anything sufficiently large has a wiki, I think.
When the sphere is taken, the idol moves into its more normal position.
Defelent is in the kitchen, having a sandwich made for him.
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Cassidy moves to sit next to Defelent when she enters the kitchen. "Hey." She's in a good mood, for reasons that are probably obvious.