Nemona, Lucy and Raven had entered a restaurant to try to get more info about Wonder Woman. And also to have something to eat as they've been traveling for a few hours now.
"Wow...This place is..." Lucy looked at the interior. The restaurant had a very sensual vibe to it. The lighting was dim and romantic, with candles flickering on every table. The walls were adorned with erotic art, depicting women in various states of undress. Quite fancy and quaint.
"A little much, isn't it?" Raven commented, her brow furrowed in disapproval. "Then again, this is the Island of Lust."
"You say that like it's a bad thing, Raven!" Nemona grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I think it's great!"
Lucy couldn't help but agree with Nemona. There was something about the place that was both liberating and exciting, a celebration of female sexuality in all its forms.
A woman with long, flowing pink hair and a curvaceous figure approached their table, a menu in her hand. She wore a tight dirndl, her breasts spilling out of the low-cut top.
"Welcome to The Gilded Lily, my dears," she said with a sultry smile. "My name is Lilith, and I'll be your server for tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?"
"I'll have a water, please." Lucy said, trying to keep her composure.
"I'll have the same." Raven added.
"I'll have a Lust Special!" Nemona exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "What is that, by the way?"
Lilith's smile widened. "Oh, you're in for a treat, my dear. The Lust Special is our most popular drink. It's a concoction of various aphrodisiacs, designed to heighten your senses and awaken your deepest desires. It's... quite an experience."
"Ehh...Nah." Nemona shook her head, turning it down. "I'm more a soda girl."
"Fair enough." Lilith grinned. "Maybe some food then. Or are you three here for something else?"
"Well, we're looking for someone named Wonder Woman." Lucy stepped forward. "By any chance, have you seen her? Tall, dark hair, wears armor."
"Ah...So you're friends of the Amazon." Lilith's smile faded, her expression turning serious.
"You know her?" Lucy's eyes widened.
"Well, some gals in this city knows of her. She caused quite a stir when she first arrived." Lilith explained, lowering her voice. "But from the fact you're asking around, not many know who she is. But believe me, she's been here."
"Where is she now?!" Nemona leaned forward.
"Beats me." Lilith shrugged. "She flew off somewhere else. But I did hear her saying she'd be back, so there's that. If you'd like to know where your Wonder Woman friend is as soon as possible, you might want to find someone that can really sense her. It's a big island after all with girls from various worlds. You might just find someone with that kind of power."
"Hm...I guess waiting around for her isn't too bad." Nemona crossed her arms. "Maybe some of the bigger figures here can help out?"
"Good thinking, Nemona! That would make sense! Wonder Woman is for sure someone who'd interact with important figures!" Lucy liked that idea. "We can ask them! Emma might be one. When we met her, she seemed important in a way. Not sure how important she is in this city though."
"Emma? Emma Frost?" Lilith said, giggling afterwards. "Hm-hm! Good luck with that!"
"Why? What's wrong?" Raven asked.
"You girls picked a wild time to show up to Amor City, I'll tell you that. Because right now, there's a bit of a civil war going on."
"A civil war?" The trio said in unison.
"Mhm. You see...In a place like this, with all these gals from different universes around, some of them will want to really start something big to ensure they last and don't fall behind. Something like say...Organizations and Brands." She snapped her fingers, pointing at the three of them.
"...Brands? Here?" Nemona blinked in confusion.
"When they got to Amor City, the ones who really took charge wanted to have their own piece. They've set up a bunch of 'Brands', each with their own speciality and goals. They control parts of the city and even other parts of the island too. Emma Frost's got her own, one of the biggest in the city. It's a fashion one. But really, I don't think that's the one you have to worry about."
"Which ones then?" Lucy asked.
"Three in total. The Kiryuuin Cortege, the Heart Unity, and the Collective Blades. Right now, those three are the big ones. And they're at each other's throats right now. It's all for control of this city." Lilith explained. "It's a mess. I'd be careful if I were you. You don't want to get caught in the crossfire."
"How bad is it? Things look peaceful here." Nemona added.
"So far, not too bad. But it can for sure get out of control. Especially the first group. Led by quite the figure. Ragyo Kiryuuin. Her group is the Kiryuuin Cortege. They've been taking over territory. Plenty of it. They're also trying to push out Emma's group from the city as well."
"Ragyo Kiryuuin?" That name didn't ring a bell for any of the trio.
"The Heart Unity. They're more about peace and all that. They're the ones trying to stop the fighting. Led by someone called Princess Peach. And the Collective Blades are just looking out for themselves, trying to make sure they don't get caught in the middle. Not sure who leads them though."
"There's already a power struggle like that here? And the city is mostly fine?" said Lucy.
"Meh. Mostly. Mainly because the Kiryuuin Cortege does a good chunk of their work outside the city. Either way, if you can get in contact with either of them, that could help you with your little mission. You could eat something first before you leave though~"
"I am pretty hungry..." Nemona felt her stomach growl.
"Of course you are. Just let me know what you want, dears. I'll be right back~" Lilith walked away to take another table's order.
"So...what now?" Nemona asked.
"We should find out more about these Brands and Organization." Raven suggested. "They might know where Wonder Woman is. Or at least know someone who does."
"Yeah." Lucy nodded. "But we should be careful. We don't want to get involved in their conflict."
"Then let's eat first and then go from there!" Nemona proposed.
----
As for Erza's group, they found themselves in a spot where that very power struggle was happening at this very moment.
"What's going on here?" Rainbow Mika commented. Standing on opposing sides were multiple girls of two different groups. And they looked ready to fight.
One group was a mix of women who all wore casual clothing while the other side on the left wore the same clothes.
On their bodies was the same outfit design. A very revealing, skin tight bodysuit with a collar and an open back lined with strange veins that look like glowing tattoos. And they had one logo on the front of their bodysuits. A crest resembling a lotus with an eye in its center, placed at the upper sternum or even their chests.
The group with the unique uniform all had a proud, almost arrogant look on their faces, while the other group seemed more defensive and cautious.
"You and your group have been causing too much trouble!" One woman bellowed.
"You call it trouble, we call it progress." A woman wearing the suits said. "Lady Ragyo's just using the full potential of what the island has to offer. It's about time we take over this city."
"What would you know about progress?! All you do is cause chaos and pain! Kiryuuin Cortege!"
"Hmph. That's what you think. Your side is falling behind fast due to a strong lack of chances. Honestly...the Heart Unity is too soft for a place like this."
The arguments kept going back and forth, and it was clear that this was a heated conflict between the two groups. The one with the suits were the Kiryuuin Cortege, and the other were the Heart Unity.
"Maybe we shouldn't get involved with this at all..." Asuka Kazama suggested.
"Hmm..." Erza pondered about that though.
"Can't resist, can't you, Erza?" Cynthia noticed her expression.
"It could lead to something important. And I truly can't pull away from something like this." Erza told her. She would step forward, wanting to say something and hoping to avoid anyone getting hurt. "Hold on. What's going on here?" She spoke up, grabbing their attention.
"This doesn't concern you." A woman of the Kiryuuin Cortege turned to Erza and said. "Leave."
"We are just trying to keep the peace here." The leader of the Heart Unity, who had a pink dress and blonde hair said. "And these people want to ruin it."
"Their peace is never going to work on this island. Lady Ragyo understands that." The Cortege member scoffed.
"Ragyo..." Erza repeated the name. That was the name Lilith mentioned. The one that was in charge of the Kiryuuin Cortege. She now had a name to the face she was about to see. "I'm Erza Scarlet. And we are from the Shining Valkyries."
"Shining Valkyries?" The Cortege member raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of you."
"That's because we're from the other side of the island. We're new to Amor City." Asuka Hanzo spoke up. "Well, some of us are a part of a different group though."
"Heh. Newcomers, huh?" The Cortege member smirked. "Welcome to Amor City then."
"We're not looking for trouble." Ikaruga stated. "We're just looking for someone."
"Someone? Well, you're in the wrong place for that." The Cortege member crossed her arms. "Unless you can speak with Lady Ragyo and maybe you can get something out of that."
"If you are going to speak to someone, make it Princess Peach!" A girl of the Heart Unity cried out. "She's much more reasonable!"
"Reasonable? Ha! You call being weak and passive reasonable?" The Cortege member scoffed.
"Don't you disrespect Princess Peach!" And the argument went on once more. And all this arguing led to something else. With it rising, a fight was about to break out. Some girls were already unveiling weapons. "I'll shut you up for good!"
"Do your worst." The other side replied, ready to fight.
Before anything could happen, Erza stepped in between them, her hand raised. "Stop this, all of you!"
"Eh?" The girls looked at her, surprised.
"This is new to us. But I'm not sure who to go to. This Princess Peach or Lady Ragyo they speak about." Erza wondered.
"We try and take both," Cynthia suggested. "Some of us should split up and try to talk with the leaders of both groups."
"That's a possibility." Asuka Hanzo replied. "I choose the Princess Peach one please!"
"Same here." Ikaruga agreed. "The other one just seems too dangerous to me."
"Alright then. Split up one more time and meet back here. You'll come with me, Cynthia. Ikaruga. And as for the rest of you, you try and find the Princess." And so, the group went their separate ways once more. Erza's group to find Ragyo, and the other group to find Peach.
Erza, Cynthia and Ikaruga would be the ones to find Lady Ragyo.
-----
Meanwhile...
Gwen, Noelle and Katara arrived at a place with many beautiful clothes. Racks and racks of clothes lined the walls, and mannequins displayed the latest fashions. To their surprise, there were actual multiple clothing options on this island, but that was only made possible due to Amor City's existence.
"Wow...This place is amazing!" Gwen exclaimed while looking upon it all. "I've never seen so many clothes in one place before!"
"It's... a lot." Noelle added, her cheeks flushed. She felt a bit out of place in her usual attire, surrounded by so many stylish and revealing outfits.
"It's a bit much, isn't it?" Katara commented, her brow furrowed in disapproval. "Then again, this is the Island of Lust."
"Hmm...Do you think someone made this? If they did, they wouldn't have to make it so revealing." Gwen had to wonder. "If not, then it's probably the island's own creation."
"Or someone benefitting off the island's energy." Noelle pointed out. "This city is thriving off the Lust Connection. It's the only way it can exist."
The trio were in a boutique, one of many in this part of the city. This one was called "Frost Fashion". It was a high-end boutique, catering to the city's elite. The clothes were expensive, but they were also of the highest quality. And they were all designed to accentuate the female form, to highlight the curves and contours of the body.
"Oh, if that doesn't satisfy you, no worries." And the one responsible for this place existing in the first walked over. None other than Emma Frost herself, suddenly appearing.
"Huh?" The girls looked over.
"You three. Not too fond of my clothes? I can see it in your eyes." Emma Frost said, walking over with a smirk on her face.
"Emma!" Gwen was surprised to see her here. "I didn't know you owned this place."
"I own a lot of things in this city." Emma replied. "This is just one of them. I'm a businesswoman, after all. And on this island, business is good."
"Business...of what kind?" Noelle asked.
"All kinds." Emma's smirk widened. "But mostly, I deal in pleasure. I provide the women of this city with the tools they need to explore their desires, to embrace their sexuality. And in return, they provide me with their lust, their energy. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."
"That's... a bit much." Katara commented in disapproval
"Is it?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "Or is it just honest? This island is all about lust, about pleasure. Why fight it? Why not embrace it? That's what I do. I embrace it. And I make a profit while doing it."
"So you're one of the 'Brands' we heard about." Gwen realized.
"I am." Emma confirmed. "The Frost Brand. One of the most successful in the city. Relatively new too. And a real beauty."
"How did you make a brand here on the island, Miss? Especially by getting fabric for new clothes..." Gwen checked out the clothes.
"Hm-hm." Emma chuckled a bit. "Simple. The island made the fabric for me."
"It did?" That was surprising to Katara's ears. "Fabric? Actual fabric was made by it?"
"Oh, yes. I took advantage of the island's benefits and I was rewarded for it. I simply had to use my own energy and the island's energy to manifest it. It took some time, but I managed to get the hang of it. It's just like how you girls can use your powers here. You just need to know how to tap into the island's energy. And I have a knack for that."
"So, you're a powerful figure here, then." Noelle stated.
"I am." Emma nodded. "But I couldn't do it without some help. Now that you girls are here...how do you feel about trying out my business for a short while."
"Try out? Like...work for you?" Gwen tilted her head.
"Not fully. Just a test run, really. You three little ones might have that kind of specialty in you. If you have the time."
"Well...We're not really in a rush. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out." Katara replied.
"Excellent. In that case...Ladies!" Emma clapped her hands as all of a sudden, other girls who work for her came in. "Please, get these three some new clothes. I want to see them in my best designs."
"R-Right away!" The girls said, leading Gwen, Noelle and Katara to the back of the boutique.
"Wait! Isn't this too sudden?!" Noelle exclaimed.
"Not at all. You'll love it."
-----
"Aah...What a meal!" Nemona said with a satisfied stomach. "That was great!"
"I expected some kind of lust effect to happen to us, but surprisingly, no." Lucy smiled, having finished her own meal.
"Me too. But we should get going." Raven said, getting up from her seat.
"Right." Lucy nodded, getting up as well. "I say we got to either one of the larger groups. As for who we should choose first..."
"Leave it to me! The island could help point me in the right direction!" Nemona grinned, pointing at herself. As a Futanari, she could potentially have that benefit.
The trio walked, coming across an area known as the Eros Plaza.
A massive open-air marketplace filled with stalls and shops selling all sorts of goods, from food and drink to clothing and jewelry. The shops were all either lined up in rows or in a circular pattern. Most of which were small and intimate, their interiors illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns and candles.
"Wow... Look at that..." Lucy was awestruck at the size of the plaza and the number of shops. "A whole plaza too?! With this many shops?!"
"It's only been 6 months and they've done this?" Raven was just as surprised, even if her face and tone didn't show it.
"Oh man, this is great!" Nemona said, excited. She had been to cities with shopping malls and big plazas before in the Paldea region, but this was different. It was a marketplace on an island made by a mysterious entity, filled with women from other worlds. It was a wild and wonderful experience. "Ah...But we don't really have the currency for this, do we? What's this island's currency anyways?"
"Eeehhh..." As if Lucy would know. Back at the Shining Valkyries' base, all the stuff they had was handmade and gathered themselves.
"Hey you three! Would you like a sample?!" Just then, a woman selling her stuff spotted the trio. Others would too, coming towards Nemona, Lucy and Raven to try and interest them in their products.
"I have some fresh Essence Fruits! Very potent! Care to try?" A woman with large breasts and an apron asked them, holding up a basket filled with colorful fruits that seemed to glow faintly. Each one seemed to have a different aura, from a warm, inviting pink to a cool, calming blue.
The woman, seeing Nemona in particular, thought she could make a sale. As a Futanari, she could tell that Nemona had an advantage, a special power that not many others had. And if she could get Nemona to try her fruits, then she could potentially get a lot more customers.
"How about a taste?" The woman offered a fruit to Nemona.
"Sure! I'll take one!" Nemona went to grab it.
"Nemona!" Lucy bellowed, making Nemona flinch and halt her movement.
"You there! You have such a nice sense of style!" Another woman appeared behind Lucy, hands on her shoulders. "I bet you'd look marvelous in our own custom clothing designs!"
"Uh...We're not really here for that..." Lucy uttered.
"Such nice skin you have! A nice shade of gray, young lady!" And another appeared next to Raven. "I have the perfect set of ointments and oils to make it shine!"
"I don't need any..." Raven replied with a deadpan tone.
It was clear that the merchants were eager to make a sale, and they weren't going to take no for an answer. They were relentless, their voices a blend of sweet persuasion and aggressive salesmanship. They could sense that the trio were newcomers, and they wanted to take advantage of their ignorance, their naivete.
"How do you even pay for this stuff?" Nemona questioned, wondering what the currency is.
"The currency is Lust Energy." Just then, someone answered Nemona's question. But it wasn't any of the people selling these things. Rather, it was someone who sat on top of a shop's roof, looking down at them.
They looked up to see Melona sitting there.
And when they saw her, the women selling these items would suddenly change their expressions to shock and fear, no longer cheery. Seeing this girl meant only one thing: trouble for them. And they were not willing to risk it.
"Melona...of the Kiryuuin Cortege." One of them said, trembling in fear.
Melona's smile widened as she hopped down from the roof, landing gracefully in front of them. The merchants immediately backed away, their sales pitches forgotten. They knew better than to cross a member of the Kiryuuin Cortege.
"Oh, don't mind them. They're just scared." Melona said with a sweet voice. But there was something ominous about that voice. The merchants all walked away, not wanting to stay around Melona for any longer.
Lucy's eyes widened, recognizing the name that Lilith had told them about. "Kiryuuin Cortege...So you're one of them."
"That's right." Melona said, her voice still sweet, but with a hint of warning in it. "You three are newcomers to the city, I see. I'd like to give you a nice welcome. Everyone else has done the same for you, haven't they?" Her gaze fell upon Nemona and her crotch. "And you...You have something special down there, don't you?"
"Yeah?" Nemona replied.
"I'm just curious. It's not often I see someone like you." Melona replied, her eyes trailing down Nemona's body. "You're very rare on this island. VERY rare."
Raven would feel the fear coming from the people in the shops. Some of them hid, others just simply shut down. "It seems you're a figure to be afraid of."
Melona looked over to Raven, noticing her stoic expression. "Oh, dear. It seems the other customers are afraid of me. That's a shame." She said with a pout, but she was sarcastic about it. "Anyway...You three...You're looking for someone, right?"
Lucy felt a sense of unease. She didn't trust Melona one bit. "We're just exploring the city. We don't want any trouble."
"Trouble? Who said anything about trouble? I just want to talk. Is that so wrong?" Melona said, her voice still sweet, but with a hint of malice. "You're looking for a specific someone. I can just tell. Is it Wonder Woman?" This made them flinch.
This got Lucy's attention. "How...how do you know that?"
"A little birdy told me. Or rather, I overheard some girls chit-chatting about it. 'Some girl from the Shining Valkyries is looking for that Amazon'. That's what they said." Melona explained. "If you're looking for your leader, Lady Ragyo knows for sure."
"Shouldn't you know yourself?" Nemona pointed at her. "You're a part of her group after all."
"Hmmm..." Nemona was very much cautious about this. She knew this girl was up to no good. Something told her that. And her intuition was screaming danger. But she was still willing to listen, just in case.
"You. I'd like you." Melona pointed at Nemona, wanting her specifically for obvious reasons. As she is one of the few Futanari on the island, Melona wanted to capture and use her as her own personal sex toy. Something to feed herself with.
"She's not for sale." Lucy shot her down.
"I didn't say she was for sale." Melona's smile widened. As she said that, people of the Cortege appeared. Walking out of the shops or coming from the corners, they appeared in their usual revealing bodysuits, here to back Melona up.
"Ngh..." The girls were suddenly surrounded.
"Oh? An ambush?" Nemona gritted her teeth as a grin started to form on her face. "This'll be fun."
"Don't act so excited!" Lucy cried out.
It looked like a conflict was about to happen here after all, the plaza about to be a victim to some serious damage. The Cortege did not hold back about their intentions at all, being very direct about things.
"Oi! That's enough! Don't be bothering the newcomers!" But someone interrupted before that could happen. Walking over from behnd and making herself known was someone not of the Cortege. Or really, any other group.
A woman with wild orange hair, quite the grin that could match Nemona's and a presence that made the Cortege Members a bit antsy. As she stepped forward, she made herself known.
"Tch." Melona sneered with an annoyed grin. "Of course you had to show up now of all times...Mereoleona."
Her name was Mereoleona Vermillion.
"Hmph." Mereoleona ignored Melona's scoffing. "The moment a girl starts shaking in fear when someone mentions your boss's name, you know something's wrong. You don't need to add to that. Now...all of you get lost. Unless you want to fight here and now, we can gladly do that."
The Cortege members started to become more nervous. Mereoleona was a known threat. Her fighting prowess and magical capabilities were legendary among the residents of Amor City. She was a walking storm, a force of nature that even the Kiryuuin Cortege thought twice before crossing.
"Fine...We'll play for now." Melona clicked her tongue. "But this isn't over. See you later, cuties." She blew a kiss towards them, specifically Nemona, before she and the others vanished into thin air. They didn't walk away, but rather disappeared in a swirl of pink energy.
"Whoa! They just left like that?!" Nemona was shocked by that, but then the excited grin appeared again. "Ah man! I was hoping for a fight!"
"Be careful what you wish for." Mereoleona smirked. She took a good look at them afterwards. "Even though I was itching for one too."
"Ah. Thank you for that." Lucy bowed her head a bit in gratitude. "I think you really helped us there."
"Nah, I didn't. I'm bored and wanted a real fight. But they're too scared to go all out with all these people around." Mereoleona crossed her arms and looked to the sky. "Tch."
"My name is Lucy. This is Raven and Nemona. We appreciate what you did."
"Mereoleona Vermillion. But you can just call me Mereoleona." She said. "Now, who are you three? And why were they interested in you?"
"We're from the Shining Valkyries. We're new here." Lucy answered honestly.
"Shining Valkyries? So you're the ones that 'Wonder Woman' is with." Mereoleona figured it out.
"Right. Do you know where she is?" Lucy asked, a little hopeful.
"No. I don't. But...I did have a fight with her." Mereoleona grinned.
"You fought Wonder Woman?! How'd it go?!" Lucy leaned forward.
"Heh! What a fighter she is! I barely stood a chance! Never have I fought someone so strong! It was an exciting brawl to have! She won that fight, but I have no complaints!" Mereoleona said excitedly. "She's a real warrior!"
"Awesome...Oooh, I wish I could meet her since I've heard so much about her!" Nemona clenched her hands, wishing for that fateful day.
"As for where she is, you're gonna have to ask someone who actually knows where she went. Someone willing though." Mereoleona said. "But right now, in Amor City, you'll have a tough time since the three sides are arguing with each other."
"What about you?" Lucy looked to her. "What group are you in?"
"Hmph. I'm not a part of a single group on this island. I'm on my own. I've been on my own the entire time on this island. So far, I've managed on my own. But I have chimed in for others here and there. But now that you three are here, you're not safe just walking around Amor City without any guidance. Not at a time like this."
"Yeah. I can tell." Raven can vouch for that. "I felt the emotions of different people when walking by. Everything is tense right now with this civil war going on." She had to sense it.
"And still no one telling us where Wonder Woman went..." Lucy lowered her head, sighing. "This is harder than it should be..."
"The three of you are coming with me for the time being." Mereoleona decided. "You're not gonna just walk around here without any guidance. I'm gonna get you three prepared."
"Eh, that's fine with us." Lucy would kindly turn it down, waving her hands. "We're planning to-"
But before she could finish, Mereoleona had placed something on Lucy and Nemona's heads without them noticing until now. Something warm. Hot, but not too hot. It felt like something gripped their heads.
"Eh?" Lucy blinked as she and Nemona were grabbed by flaming constructs that seemed to resemble that of a lion's paw. "EH?!"
"We're going." Mereoleona casually said. "For your own good too. You're going to learn all that you need to about Amor City. Only the essential things and not something like a plaza."
"H-Hold on! Isn't this kidnapping?!" Lucy bellowed, stunned by this.
"Hmmm...Well, I think I'll go on ahead and catch up with you." Raven sensed that Mereoleona had no ill intentions. She could tell that she was truly being earnest, so she entrusted the both of them to Mereoleona, turning around.
That is until.
"You too, pale face." Mereleona had a third flame paw grip Raven's head.
"...Huh?" Raven paused, now being in her grip. She was not exempt from this guidance Mereoleona aimed to share. "H-Hold on...I-"
"Let's go." Mereoleona then started walking off. "I'm taking you to a special place where we'll be training."
"T-Training?!" Nemona, Lucy and Raven said in unison.
"That's right. Amor City isn't all fun and games. So if you want to survive here, you're going to have to get stronger. And I'm the best at that. If you can't even handle a small kidnapping, then you have a lot to learn."
"...A small..." Lucy grit her teeth but had to accept her situation. She looked over to Raven who looked like she was giving up on resisting and Nemona who just had a grin on her face. This was going to be a wild ride, but perhaps for the best. "I see."
-----
Melona's group were somewhere else. But Melona wasn't satisified. Not when she's found someone that special. She was currently with troops of the Cortege, discussing things.
"What now? With Mereoleona aware of them, it'll be hard to really bring her over." A woman asked.
"Hmph. Not impossible though. And we'll certainly get it done with someone that special around." But Melona wasn't bothered. "Futanari are so incredibly valuable to our dear Lady Ragyo."
The troops nodded their heads.
"But what do we do for now? The Heart Unity are making more moves and the Collective Blades seem like they're about to take some real action too." The woman added, concerned.
"They don't matter. This little power struggle of ours is just getting started anyways. We will get what we want." Another woman declared.
"Will we?" Melona sighed. "Not when that Mereoleona is around. She always has to be a hero...Getting in the way so many times..."
"Lady Ragyo's expecting us soon." One of them told her. "You should head back."
"Oh, you'll all head back. Some of you will stay with me though. I'm going to get that girl. One way or another." Melona let out a devious grin, licking her lips. She wasn't about to give up so easily. All she needed was a plan.
A plan to get Nemona. And the plan she had in her head was something that would certainly work. For now, she'd follow Ragyo's orders, but in the back of her mind, she was already plotting her next move.
-----
For Katara's group though...
Things looked much more pleasant. Right now, Noelle, Katara and Gwen were all wearing employee clothing. It was a very professional-looking uniform that had a nice ice-theme to it. Plus, they looked like maids.
"What are we supposed to do now...?" Noelle looked at herself, a bit embarrassed.
"Good question, Ms. Frost!" Gwen said, trying to be professional for now.
"Simple. Follow my girls' instructions." Emma pointed to the staff members who were guiding them on what to do. "You'll be handing out flyers, giving descriptions on our new products. Also, just letting people know about our new arrivals and promotions. Think of it as basic marketing. If you can handle that, I will see more about you later."
"Alright!" Gwen nodded.
"Sheesh..." Katara sighed, not so on board with being a maid.
Right on cue, customers were already entering the shop. They seemed drawn to the new faces and the promises of exclusive offers. They have to look fashionable, of course.
Now it was time for the three of them to do their best.
"I still don't know about this..." Katara grumbled. But Noelle seemed to take initiative, going up to a customer with a nervous but bright smile.
"Welcome to Frost Fashion! We're having a special sale today!" She held out a flyer to a girl with pink hair. The girl took it, her eyes scanning the page.
"Oh, I love these designs! I'll have to try some of them on!" she said excitedly.
"It's a new design I'm testing out. Based on your aura, you might like this one." Emma told the pink-haired girl, before whispering into her ear. "It can really help you and your partners get in the mood..."
"I'll be taking three!" the girl eagerly responded, going with some of Emma's staff to the changing rooms.
"Huh? She got all that from just looking?" Noelle blinked, amazed at Emma's ability.
"Emma's just like that," a staff member whispered to her. "She can read people's desires like an open book. That's why she's so successful."
Katara went to another customer, holding out a flyer. "Welcome. We have a sale." Her voice was flat, her expression deadpan. The customer seemed a bit intimidated, but she still took the flyer.
"Th-Thanks..." The customer stammered, before quickly leaving.
"Katara...More energy, extra oomph in tone and a smile too." Noelle whispered.
"Hmm..." Katara grumbled, not too fond of this. But she would try it regardless. With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes before then putting on a grin. A very forced grin. It seemed so unnatural that it made her look a little creepy. Even for this place.
"Ah...Maybe not that much..."
And as they doing this temporary work, Emma watched them in action. She had to say, so far, they weren't so bad. Pretty good for what they could do. But just then, she turned around, facing a mirror as she approached it. She stood before the large mirror, speaking to herself where no one else would hear her.
"The three of them have potential, don't they?" Emma said to the reflection in her mirror, having quite the strange smirk on her face. "A shame though. When nightfall comes...you won't be able to help them at all...won't you?"
There was a reason for her speaking to the mirror.
The reflection on the other side...
It had another expression.
The other Emma had a serious look on her face, glaring at Emma for her last sentence. It seemed to be another Emma entirely. But as for the Emma who stood in front of the mirror, she simply smirked, having a plan in mind that would benefit her greatly once she made the right moves with this group.
"Don't you dare drag them into this." The other Emma said. "I promise I'll prevent them from getting involved in your mischief."
"Good luck with that. You won't resurface this coming night at all." She cackled a bit before walking off, the reflection vanishing, replaced with her normal smile, leaving Gwen, Katara and Noelle to do their part in the shop. Oblivious to what just happened.