I leaned down towards the bed, kissing Taylor's forehead softly. She was still sound asleep, and that was perfectly fine with me. We had quite a long night of patrolling after all.
Quietly, I retrieved the golden key from my purse and approached the wardrobe. The door swung open silently, revealing not clothes but a portal. I stepped through, entering the pocket dimension that housed the Smithy.
Taylor's costume lay discarded on the ground near the entrance, alongside two machetes we had confiscated from a pair of drug dealers the previous night. While we hadn't encountered any other capes during our extended patrol, my psychic ability to locate talented criminals had still proven useful. But there had been one… realization I had after we turned in Stormtiger that had left me feeling foolish.
I had been so focused on using my psychic power that I had completely neglected my Space Time Distortion Sense.
What if a parahuman had tried to ambush us last night? I would have been caught completely unaware, unable to detect their presence until it was too late. It wasn't completely my fault, because I wasn't able to focus on multiple things at once like Taylor was able to with her bugs, but I should've switched between the two at regular intervals. I had no excuse for not doing that. We had been lucky that someone like Rune hadn't tried to ambush us, because that could've gone badly if we were taken by surprise.
I sighed and scooped up the two blades, feeling their weight in my hands as I approached the aged Hylian blacksmith. He was already awake this time, seated in his chair with the ever-present hammer resting across his lap.
"Good morning," I greeted. "I was hoping you could assist me with something."
The old man's eyes crinkled at the corners as he returned my smile. "Of course, young miss. How may I be of service?"
I held up the two machetes. "I was wondering if you might be able to fuse these two weapons together for me? Create a single, stronger blade from the pair. And will it cost any Rupees?"
The blacksmith nodded, extending a hand. I passed him the machetes, and he turned them over slowly, inspecting every inch with a critical eye.
"I can indeed fuse these together," he said after a moment. "Though I must warn you - neither of these blades possesses any special properties or enchantments. Combining them will simply create one sturdy weapon, nothing more. There will be no charge for any fusion services."
I waved a hand dismissively. "That's cool with me. I'm not looking for anything too flashy, just a single solid blade instead of two separate ones."
The blacksmith inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Alright then. But here's the process - when we fuse them, we have to pick one as the base. The other gets absorbed into it, see? So whichever one you choose as the foundation, that'll determine the overall power of the weapon. Any special properties from the secondary item will get mixed in too. So, which one do you want as the base?"
I held up the machetes, comparing them side by side. One was slightly longer, with a more worn handle that felt comfortable in my grip. "Let's go with this one," I decided, handing it over again.
I watched, fascinated, as the blacksmith placed both weapons on his anvil. He lifted his hammer high and brought it down with a resounding clang. The moment metal met metal, a brilliant white light erupted from the blades, so bright I had to shield my eyes.
When it finally faded, I leaned in for a closer look.
Where two machetes had once rested, a single sharpened machete now lay on the anvil. The handle was wrapped in what looked like brand new leather, fitting perfectly in my palm as I picked it up.
I grinned, twirling the newly fused machete in my hand. The weight felt just right, and the leather grip was smooth against my palm. "This is seriously cool," I said, unable to keep the excitement from my voice. "Hey, while I'm here, do you think you could help me test something?"
The old Hylian slowly stroked his white beard. "Of course, young miss. What did you have in mind?"
I set the machete down carefully on a nearby workbench. "Well, it's about my teleportation power. I know I can take someone with me if they're willing, but I'm not sure what happens if they resist." I paused, biting my lip. "Would you mind being my guinea pig?"
The blacksmith chuckled. "I'd be happy to assist. What do you need me to do?"
"First, let's try when you're willing," I explained. "Just stand there and I'll teleport us both a few feet away. Then we'll try again, but this time, I want you to really focus on not wanting to move. Like, imagine you're glued to the spot. Got it?"
He nodded, pushing himself up from his chair with a soft grunt. "Ready when you are, miss."
I reached out, grasping his arm gently. In a flash of crimson, we reappeared on the other side of the smithy. The old man blinked rapidly, looking a bit disoriented.
"Well, that was certainly something," he muttered, shaking his head as if to clear it.
I nodded, giving the old Hylian a moment to steady himself. "Alright, ready for round two? Remember, really dig your heels in this time."
The blacksmith's face scrunched up in concentration. I reached out, grasping his arm just as before. The familiar crimson light flashed... but when it faded, I found myself alone on the other side of the smithy.
We ran through the experiment a few more times, testing different levels of willingness. Even the slightest reluctance on the blacksmith's part was enough to prevent the teleportation. It was like my power could sense the very intention in a person's soul.
That victim we'd rescued yesterday - he'd been terrified, probably convinced he was about to die. His soul must have been practically begging for an escape, making him perfectly willing to be whisked away by my teleportation.
"Thanks for being my guinea pig," I said, offering the old Hylian a grateful smile. "This information could be really useful in the future."
He waved off my thanks with a chuckle. "Always happy to help, young miss. Now, was there anything else you needed?"
I was about to shake my head when a thought occurred to me. "Yes, one last thing - that Lon Lon Milk we tried yesterday? It worked wonders, but do you think it'd be safe to use regularly?"
The old Hylian nodded sagely. "Absolutely. Lon Lon Milk is known for its restorative properties. Using it daily won't cause any harm - quite the opposite, in fact. It should help keep you both in peak condition."
That meant we could probably drink it every night, and it should refill the moment the next day started.
"Awesome. Thanks again for everything!" I said, giving the old Hylian a grateful smile.
I gave him one last wave before heading back towards the portal. When I neared the edge of the smithy, I ducked behind the largest trunk of a small copse of trees off to the side.
I took a deep breath and waved my hand. In an instant, my clothes vanished, replaced by two small patches of cloth barely covering my nipples.
I'd been in my magical girl form pretty much non-stop since getting Vanity's Reward. Why bother changing back when I could just alter my outfit at will? Plus, a quick transformation reset left me feeling fresh and clean. No need for showers when magic did the job.
But now... now it was time to really test the limits of this power.
I started small, changing my hair from black to blonde to red and back again. Easy enough. Then I focused on my face, subtly altering the shape of my nose, the fullness of my lips, the arch of my eyebrows. Each change came effortlessly, like clay being molded by an expert sculptor.
I moved on to more dramatic shifts. I shrunk myself down to barely four feet tall, then stretched up to a towering seven feet. I made myself rail-thin, then extremely voluptuous, then muscular enough to put bodybuilders to shame.
Through it all, my body felt... normal. Even as a withered old crone, I moved with the ease and flexibility of my teenage self. It was fascinating and a little unsettling. I also tried going outside of the human norm, but no matter what I tried, I couldn't do it. If I tried turning my skin green, nothing happened. If I tried growing a third eye, again nothing happened.
Finally, heart pounding, I turned my attention lower. I bit my lip, hesitating for just a moment before waving my hand once more. My magicka pool dropped to half, and I felt a strange tingling sensation as my clit began to grow, stretching and expanding until...
"Oh my god," I giggled in disbelief, staring down at the fully erect eight-inch cock now jutting proudly from between my legs.
I'd seen plenty of dicks online, of course, but this... this was something else entirely. Hesitantly, I reached down to touch it. A jolt of pleasure shot through me at the contact, making me gasp.
Almost of its own accord, my hand began to stroke up and down the shaft. It was incredibly sensitive, responding to even the lightest touch. I could feel myself getting wet – apparently having a dick didn't negate my original equipment.
I leaned back against the tree trunk, overcome by the dual sensations. This... this was going to require a lot more experimentation. I played with the glans, but froze as a pulse of energy hit my mind. The Celestial Grimoire was activating again, and this time it felt... familiar. Just like when I got the free Pool of Magicka perk.
[Grimm - RWBY] - Free, 150cp remaining
And then there are the Grimm. Older than even humanity itself, created by the God of Darkness to destroy all life, the Grimm are creatures of pure destruction. They lack a soul, making it impossible for them to use Aura, and they are drawn to feelings of negativity. Envy, sadness, despair, loneliness, all these things can cause Grimm to gather en masse if enough of it is present. Incredibly large amounts of Aura also seem to attract Grimm, but less so than pure negativity. Grimm come in all shapes and forms and are usually mindless beasts of destruction and malevolence. However, your mind will stay intact. You wouldn't even have to follow Mistress Salem... Your Grimm form becomes an Alt form.
Grimm may gain 1000 GP (Grimm Points) to customize their form.
My hand fell away from my newly-acquired dick as I stared blankly at the sky. A Grimm form? As in, those soulless monsters from RWBY? Thank god this was an alternate form and not my base form.
I spent the next hour or so just... thinking. Weighing my options, considering the implications. This wasn't just some minor power-up - this was a whole new form, a completely different way of existing.
Eventually, I settled on my choices. A 100-feet long Western Dragon Grimm that can breathe electricity and form storms, because why the hell not? As the wise men say, "Always be yourself. Unless you can be a dragon, then be a dragon".
Grimm Biology (Free and Required): The Grimm are creatures of pure darkness and destruction. As such, it should come as no surprise that their biology, and yours now too, is very different from any other life. To begin with, your Grimm form is made entirely out of the black Grimm liquid and pools that your kind all come from. For humans, these pools are deadly, whereas you won't have to fear anything from them. In fact, you will be right at home in them.
You are a Grimm without a soul, making soul-based techniques useless on you. In fact, you actively drain Aura if someone were to transfer it to you. But it also makes it impossible for yourself to make use of such powers. Grimm come in all manners of forms, but a uniting factor is their black color with white bone-like armor. The longer a Grimm lives, the larger, stronger, and more intelligent it becomes. A Grimm that has accumulated experience over hundreds of years can make them much more deadly in their single pursuit of ending life. Furthermore, you are attracted to negative feelings such as sadness, hostility, anger, and fear, which you can suppress but will nonetheless feel comfortable around. You also have the instinctive drive to hunt the people of Remnant and destroy any artificial creations made by their hands, though that instinct can be toggled on and off for you, in the event there is a time where you WANT to be such a beast.
Grimm don't bleed like people do; instead, they evaporate an odd black smoke when injured. Killed Grimm disintegrate altogether, making biological studies impossible, and they have the tendency to die in captivity.
Lastly, as a Grimm, you can over a long time adapt to your surroundings and threats. The Grimm of Solitas, for example, a long time ago, couldn't survive in the harsh cold but have since then adapted against it and are now considered the strongest type of Grimm. With all the places you go... I wonder what this will leave you as.
Avian: Your Grimm form is a bird of some kind like the Nevermore. This option also can include any other flying Grimm. Chosen form: Western Dragon.
Large (200 GP): Now we are approaching the bigger Grimm. Grimm of this size are the strongest of their tier without going into ridiculous sizes, like the Beringel or Nevermore. Physically, you are more than a match for a seasoned Huntsman and can give them a good fight and even come out on top. Chosen length: 100 feet.
Wings (100 GP): Gain wings to fly through the air. Your airspeed is equal to your speed on land, and you can endure comfortably at high altitudes, anything short of approaching orbit.
Swimming (100 GP): You are able to swim as fast as you can move on land and survive comfortably underwater, including withstanding deep sea pressure and having the ability to breathe underwater.
Natural Weapons (Free): Your Grimm form has natural weapons. These can be anything from a set of claws, particularly sharp teeth, stingers, or even tentacles. You may choose two. Chosen weapons: Claws and teeth.
Breath Attack (200 GP): You have a breath attack of some sort, capable of shooting violent beams from your maw. This breath attack can be made of electricity or fire and can be very destructive when used. Chosen breath attack: Electricity.
Tempest (400 GP): You have the power to generate electrical currents that form storms in the air and are powerful enough to single-handedly destroy Atlesian Airships. Using this, you can also levitate in the air without any wings, like the Seer.
I focused on the new presence I could feel lurking just beneath my skin - my Grimm form, waiting to be set free. I did just that.
It was... beyond description. One moment I was standing there as a normal human girl, and the next...
I was massive. I turned my head, trying to get a better look at myself. My neck was long and flexible, allowing me to crane around and take in the sight of my own massive form.
Pitch-black skin covered my body, and bone-white armor plates adorned my head, back, and limbs. I stretched out my wings, and they unfurled with a sound like thunder, spanning what had to be at least 200 feet from tip to tip.
Red eyes glowed from beneath my bony mask as I looked around the pocket dimension. I could spot the Hylian Blacksmith looking absolutely terrified as he stared at my sharp claws not far from the Smithy.
I wonder... I considered, focusing on the electrical energy I could feel coursing through my body. I opened my maw and let loose.
A blinding bolt of lightning erupted from my throat, searing the air and leaving the scent of ozone in its wake. The beam struck a nearby tree, reducing it to splinters in an instant.
Oh hell yes, this is going to be fun.
The urge to take flight was overwhelming, so I gave my wings an experimental flap. The gust of wind nearly knocked over the poor Blacksmith, who was still gawking at me in terror.
Crouching low, I pushed off with my powerful hind legs and beat my wings. The ground fell away as I soared upwards. But my joy was short-lived as I quickly reached the "ceiling" of the pocket dimension. It was like hitting an invisible barrier – I could go no higher.
Well, it doesn't really matter. I focused on the levitation ability I now possessed. Gradually, I felt my body become lighter, defying gravity without the need for my wings. It was a strange sensation, almost like floating in water.
I considered testing out my storm-generating power but quickly thought better of it. The last thing I needed was to accidentally fry the Blacksmith with a stray lightning bolt. Maybe another time, when I had more space to work with.
I did want to see if my teleportation still worked in this form, so I concentrated on a spot about ten feet ahead of me, willing myself to appear there. In a flash of red light that covered my entire massive body, I blinked forward. Success!
Giddy with excitement, I swooped low over the trees, opening my maw to let loose another blast of electricity. Two more trees exploded into splinters, the smell of ozone and burning wood filling the air.
Just then, I sensed massive amounts of fear coming from someone other than the Blacksmith. I turned my serpentine neck to see Taylor step through the portal, her eyes going wide at the sight of me.
"AHHHHH!" Taylor's scream pierced the air, her hands flying up to cover her mouth in shock.
I couldn't help but chuckle, the sound coming out as a low, rumbling growl. Slowly, I flew down towards her, watching as she stumbled backward in fear. When I was just a few feet away, I focused on my human form and shifted back.
In an instant, I was standing before her, grinning from ear to ear. "Morning, Taylor! Like my new look?"
Taylor gaped at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "L-Lara?" she finally managed to stammer. "What... how... WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
I laughed, unable to contain my excitement. "Oh, just a little upgrade I got this morning. Pretty cool, huh?"
Taylor's eyes widened, the whites visible all around as her gaze darted between me and the sky where the massive dragon had been moments before. Her mouth hung open, lips trembling as if struggling to form the words. With a strangled sound somewhere between a gasp and a whimper, she finally managed to force out, "Cool? COOL? Lara, you were just a DRAGON! And why the hell do you have a penis?!"
"Oh, come on, Tay! Don't tell me you've never wondered what it'd be like to be a dragon," I teased, wiggling my eyebrows at her. "As for the, uh, extra equipment..." I glanced down at my still-present appendage, "that's just a little experiment with my shapeshifting power. Pretty impressive, right?"
Taylor's face flushed bright red. She looked as if she was trying to decide which part of this insanity to address first.
"Lara," she finally said, her voice strained, "you can't just... I mean... a dragon? How is that even possible?"
I shrugged, still grinning. "Hey, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When you get the ability to turn into a giant electricity-breathing dragon, you don't ask questions - you just roll with it."
Taylor pinched the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut. "Okay, okay. Let's... let's back up a second. Start from the beginning. What exactly happened this morning?"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my excitement enough to explain coherently. "Right, so, I woke up early and came in here to fuse those machetes we got last night. But then I got curious about my shapeshifting power, and well... one thing led to another."
I gestured vaguely at my lower half. "I was in the middle of some, uh, anatomical experiments when I got another power. And boom! Suddenly I've got this amazing alternate form as a Grimm."
Taylor's brow furrowed. "Grimm? What's that?"
"Oh, right," I said. "Never mind, not important. The point is, I can now turn into a massive dragon-like creature. It's got all sorts of cool abilities too – sensing large amounts of negative emotions, breathing lightning, creating storms, even levitating!"
I was about to continue explaining when I felt the pulse of energy re-start. It seemed that the Celestial Grimoire was kind and let me test out my new form before giving me the second perk. And I felt like it confirmed that when I get a free perk, I get another perk that costs cp.
[Now You See It - Super Dragon Sword] - 200cp, 50cp remaining
You are capable of using a moderate portion of your mana to create a Decoy, an illusionary copy of you or your allies, requiring a high intelligence or perception in order to discern them from the real thing. Decoys have phenomenally low health, but are extremely evasive and difficult to strike.
Taylor rolled her eyes. "Let me guess," she said dryly, "you can now shoot lasers from your eyes and turn invisible at will?"
I laughed, shaking my head. "Not quite, but wouldn't that be something?" With a wave of my hand and a small expenditure of magicka, I transformed my revealing 'outfit' into a comfortable t-shirt and stretchy leggings. The newly acquired appendage vanished as well, much to Taylor's visible relief.
"Actually," I explained, "I can now create illusionary copies of myself or my allies. They're super fragile, but also really hard to hit. Could come in handy during fights, don't you think?"
Taylor's eyebrows shot up. "That... actually does sound useful," she admitted grudgingly.
I grinned, wrapping my arms around her neck in a playful hug. "See? I'm not all giant dragons and anatomical experiments."
Speaking of which, I sobered slightly as I continued, "About the dragon form... I'll probably save that for major threats we can't handle otherwise. It's not exactly subtle, you know? Plus, I'd hate to accidentally level a city block just trying to fly around."
Taylor nodded, her expression thoughtful. "That makes sense. But just having it as an option... it's kind of comforting, in a weird way."
"Exactly!" I beamed at her. "Now, what do you say we head back and get ready for school? I don't know about you, but I could use some breakfast after all this excitement."