Fantasy PHANTASMA: SCHOOL OF THE STRANGE

[ComradeSenpai]

"Yes, Master." Anya smiled, giving Lily a bow before running over to Susie's left. Normally, she'd think cameras were dumb and boring, but she got to dress up so now they were fun. She pressed in close next to Susie, and gave a smile.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette stood fully upright as she quickly moved her hands behind her back and held them together, as Lily got into position. Then Anya pressed in close. She glanced towards the camera and kept a stoic expression. "Ready whenever, er, you want to take it."

 

[CSA]

"Alright, everyone, smile!" said Lily, a genuine smile on her face. Normally her tea parties would be reserved for backstabbing, but it was actually pretty nice to just have a normal one. With costumes.


"Three... two... one..."


And Lily snapped the picture. Her vines then took the camera and plugged it into her laptop; she would look at it later.


"Alright. Just wanted to make that happen. We can go back to tea and lilypie now."

 

[MechaGhoul]

As soon as the picture was taken she turned to her side and gave a nod to Lily, "That would be nice."

 

[CSA]

Lily smiled back at Susie and said, "Of course, my captivating captain," before taking a seat once again and taking a sip of her tea.


"I wonder if she'd let me take a picture every time? I just know I'll want to capture she and Anya's lovely costumes."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette blushed a bit before quickly shaking her head. She sat back down and took another sip of tea. After finishing it, she quickly grabbed back the fork and ate another piece of the pie.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"That was fun. You should take pictures more often." Anya smiled, bouncing back to her play of Lilypie. She still hadn't figured out the secret ingredient, but she'd put her thumb on it soon enough. It was familiar, and tasty.


It was probably caramel. Maybe it was strawberry. Ingredient guessing was hard.

 

[CSA]

"Oh, that's a good idea, Anya," said Lily excitedly, "It would be nice to have pictures of us in all our pretty costumes."


Lily was practically glowing. It was almost as if she had been waiting her whole life for a cosplay tea party with friends, but she just didn't know it.


Well, not friends exactly. No, nobody was that close to Lily. Lily didn't have friends. But these were some terribly close acquaintances which Lily kept around because they made her feel somehow warmer, and warmth was good when it was so cold outside.

 

[MechaGhoul]

"E-er, well, I will admit to being uhm, curious about how that picture turned out. A-and, uhm yes, t-that would be nice. Costumes are fun." Susie said as she took another sip from the tea. Placing it back down she eyed the both of them. "The Captain." She said, entering again a haughty tone, fitting for the character."Seeks further entertainment."

 

[CSA]

"Ooh, I like this Susie too," said Lily, in approval of the Elf's new haughty attitude, "I mean, captain. I like this captain."


"Well, it's a little funny in the swimsuit, but I won't bring that up. She seems to be enjoying herself."





"Well, captain? What manner of entertainment do you seek? Your humble maids oblige. Also they have some board games and movies and stuff if it pleases. Or, there's always... truth or dare. For only the most adventurous, of course."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette stared at Lily for a moment and was about to bring up the fact that, she was going by Captain, as of the moment. But she corrected herself. Je vais avoir besoin de se assurer que la pénitence est raccord. She thought to herself as she stared at Lily, as she began rubbing her chin. "I have not yet decided. The muses of which I seek, have not yet shown themselves."


 
Suzette pondered on the subject for a moment, before giving a most pompous grin only a French Elf could give. "An exiguous and meager game of Truth and Dare? O~ho-ho-ho." She said laughing out. Susie waved her left hand in front of her as if it were a fan, "I suppose it shall do. Unless... the humble scullery maids of my crew are not adventurous enough." Susie said as her eyes gleamed with the issuance of the challenge.


Er wait, did I just? Did I r-really do that? U-uhm, er I so hope I didn't make uuh a-ah, a mistake in doing this. Surely can't er... Susie shook her head as she peered at them, her eyes gleaming again but this time in the 'oh god what have I done' moment.


Meanwhile Ferdie just stared incredulously. Well it would be the case if those puppet eyes were truly capable of showing that. SHE ISN'T EVEN WITH THE CREW. THE HELL!? He just sat down and observed the events, genuinely curious. Nor did she wear any of the Masks. Well, when I talk to her later, as I should, it'll be poignant of me to bring that up. Just to feed my curiosity. Ferdie continued to ponder, before muttering out, "Well, this should be amusing then."

 

[CSA]

"Ah, the legendary 'ojou laugh'," cried Lily, "I'm impressed, captain! You know, I think confidence is very attractive."


Really, it was like an all-new Susie. Of course Lily liked the cute and shy one too, but it was an interesting change of pace. Of course, Lily wasn't going to lose in a 'cocky bitch' contest, even if she was only a maid. Susie had her beat in pompousness, however, due to being both French and an Elf.


"Well then, captain, I suppose I'll just have to show you how adventurous I am!" replied Lily with all the force of her naturally strong personality and a confidence that could only come from the genuine belief that one was born to lead all others. Lily strutted directly up to Susie with no regard for personal space, placed her hand on the table in front of her, and leaned in close without once breaking eye contact with the Elf.


"Then... shall we begin, my captain?" Lily asked, a confident smirk on her face.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Susie couldn't help but blush when Lily gave her that compliment and just stare at her for a moment. "W-well e-"


Then Lily made her declaration, and she knew of the event that would go down. And then that's when Lily marched right up to her, after slamming her palm on the table. Suzette felt her lips tremble a bit at this invasion of her privacy bubble and immediately blinked when Lily looked her dead in the eye. J-just er um do what Captain or Quartermaster would do. Y-yeah! Y-YEAH!





She smirked back at Lily, as she reached over with her left hand to lightly flick at her drill-tail hair. "Of course. And as I'm such a kind captain, I shall allow you to go first."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

Anya turned around. While she was distracted by her pie, her friends had already started to play Truth or Dare. Anya didn't have a lot (any) experience with the game, but she bet it was super duper fun. The most fun, probably.


The kitten wiped her mouth, and stared eagerly at Lily. Nothing could possibly turn out bad during this game.

 

[MechaGhoul]

"Either in selecting the target, or choosing from the two." Susie said. "Whichever one you prefer." Giving another haughty smirk she fanned herself with her right hand, "I am sure you realize the generosity I am displaying here."

 

[CSA]

Lily couldn't help but blush a little when Susie calmly and confidently flicked her hair. The Alraune was almost certain that this would rattle her, and while she thought that it must have, Susie didn't show it at all. It was almost like a different person. Almost.


"I'm impressed, captain," muttered Lily, her gaze still dead set on the Elf. Shen knew that, while this was a strong persona, it was still just that. Lily wondered if Susie could keep it up throughout the game. This was going to be fun, in more ways than one. Lily backed up, and her smirk relaxed into a more calm smile.


"And of course I recognize your incredibly benevolent generosity. You must have taken quite a liking to me, captain."


Lily looked over at Anya, who was watching her eagerly, and gave her a smile as well.


"OK, Anya, this is how it works. One player asks another 'truth or dare'. If that player picks truth, the first player asks a question that must be answered completely and truthfully by the second. If they pick dare, then the first player dares the second to accomplish a task that they must complete satisfactorily. Then, when the truth or dare is complete, the second player gets to ask 'truth or dare' to one of the other players. Thanks to our magnanimous captain, I'll be starting. Watch and learn."


Lily turned back to Susie, and said, "Alright, captain. Truth or dare?"

 

[MechaGhoul]

Susie blinked as Lily realized the sheer generosity that she displayed to her. Or, well something like that, anyway. She made sure to not interrupt when Lily explained the rules of truth or dare to Anya. She peered at Lily as she asked whether she wanted to start out with a truth or a dare.


She moved her lips around as she mused on the subject. "Let us start out with truth."

 

[CSA]

"Truth, huh? Well, I suppose we should start with something easy in order to get Anya acquainted with the rules. A fairly simple truth question," said Lily, pondering. Of course, even captain Susie wasn't going to pick a dare right off the bat.


"Something good, but also easy. Hm."





"Alright, how about Ferdie? I'm guessing you didn't just find Chuckie in a dumpster somewhere. How did you two meet?"

 

[MechaGhoul]

Ferdie immediately stood up, "My history is a long dark existence! LO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME WHEN MAN WAS FIRST LEARNING HOW TO CARVE WOO-" Susie immediately shot him a glance and turned to Lily, "Well, really I was reading a story one day when I was inspired. I hadn't made all too many ventriloquist dummies, and I just had the inspiration to do the wood-working for one. So I began research on various subjects, and I settled on a design and began work on crafting up the puppet that would be Ferdie. Oh! Fun fact this isn't even the original puppet, this is a third iteration of it."


Ferdie grumbled out, "You said you'd use MY back-story if you told it." "But that would have been false."

 

[CSA]

"Well," said Lily, "That certainly answers the question of the body. Good work on that, by the way, captain. But I was more wondering about how it came to be possessed by... whatever it is that possesses it. You can make it simple for us non-wizards, but I am curious as to the nature of this 'Ferdie'."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Ferdie glanced at Lily, "Third body, technically. And of course, 'captain' is quite good at repair and building such things." Meanwhile Susie wagged her right index finger, "Ah, I suppose you shall need to ask that one later yes?" as she gave a cocky smirk. "Now then I suppose it would be my turn?"

 

[CSA]

Lily's eyes narrowed at the Elf. She knew damn well that the answer she gave was the bare minimum, and she didn't even care. Strategically, it was a good way to win, but it certainly wasn't as fun. Lily was going to have to show her how to really play ToD.


"So that's how you're gonna play it, huh?" muttered Lily, "well it's only the first round, so I suppose it can't be helped. However, you must know that now the kiddie gloves are off and I'm gonna make you pay for that half-baked answer soon enough. It's your move, captain. I'm waiting."


Lily resumed the pleasant smile she had worn as a cute little maid up until then, but something was different about it. There was an underlying threat to the thing, and it was aimed directly at Susie.

 

[MechaGhoul]

"Er as long as a cleric won't be necessary." Susie muttered out, remembering the hardships that came from more Professional Matches of Truth or Dare. "Anyhow, I suppose it is my turn." She glanced at Anya, "Er ah do you want to play? If so, I'll make sure after this question either I or Lily pick you." Susie turned her attention to Lily, "So Truth or Dare, Lily? I'm sure you'll wisely."


Meanwhile Ferdie chuckled and began singing, "One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble/Can't be too careful with your company." Ah if he remembered right Haven tried to put regulations on the sport, in its country and territories. But he wasn't sure if it passed the slog of bureaucracy to be banned. He at least knew Bangkok was one of the places that kept true Professional Truth or Dare. Well besides the Vampire Dictatorship, who used the sport primarily as a torture method. Ah well he knew it'd be interesting, especially if it became such a match. Which most likely it wouldn't.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"Yes, I would like to play." Anya answered, looking at the elf.


"Only a fool would give up a chance to play something fun with their friends, Susie. And I"m smart, that's how I cook so well." she explained.

 

[CSA]

Lily turned to Anya and scratched her behind the ears again.


"I'm happy you want to play with us, Anya. I'll pick you when it's my turn so you can get into the game, then," said Lily, smiling a somewhat less scary smile at Anya.


She then turned back to Susie and, with a proud and cocky look on her face, said, "dare".


Lily wanted it to seem like she was just being brave and awesome, of course, but the truth was that Lily had far too many secrets to be comfortable picking 'truth'. Especially when Susie seemed to be taking this game so seriously and Anya, like all children, had a penchant for armor-piercing questions.