Blue looked around, trying to spot another one of the cup they'd "disposed of". If that was the last mimic that might be causing trouble here, then all they had to do was find it and kill it like the other two. Leaving even one of these things in her house, waiting to attack someone's face at the first opportunity, that would be awful. They had to get rid of it.

Blue wasn't worried about unions or reputations. They only worried that something might ambush and suddenly bite off Gwen's or one of her maids' faces. The ooze still didn't even know what marriage was, or that that was what they were supposed to be here to discuss in the first place before they'd been interrupted by a toothy teacup.

"Yeah, hopefully." Blue repeated with a nod, but looked away awkwardly. From Gwen's tone, she sounded like she'd be very upset if the mimics had gotten slime on her cabinets. "So, you don't like slime?" Blue asked, trying to sound like it was just an offhand remark and not like her answer might hurt their feelings.

Kneeling, Blue looked through the kitchen as thoroughly as they could. Opening cabinets and drawers, making sure Gwen nor any of her maids were looking, reaching a hand in and emptying the cabinet by eating everything inside it and then spitting it all back out into the cabinet again once they found there was no mimic hidden among the contents. Some of the cabinets were left more organized than they had been when Blue had opened them, and free of any dust or missed filth on any of the pots and pans. If Blue wasn't a noble and an adventurer, they might have had a promising career as a butler.

"Maybe it's not in here." Blue said when they'd emptied and refilled the last cabinet. The last place they could check was the door leading into the pantry. They walked over and opened the door, peaking inside.

Inside the pantry, too many eyes to count turned and looked at the open door, locking eyes with the ooze. Blue and the countless mimics stared at each other, the mimics freezing, some mid bite into some fruit or vegetable. Blue closed the pantry door and looked at Gwen.

"Um. I think they reproduced."

The ring on her finger rung softly with a sense of shame, or worry? She blushed slightly with embarrasment, only now remembering that Lord Wolfes primary magic was goo based. Wondering how much further her foot could go into her mouth, she began to search the rest of the kitchen with him.



“Ah, no no. Slime can have it’s positive contexts.” Said, whilst hiding her head in a drawer. Millicent and Mori exchanged confused glances with each other before their own continued search. Gwen mused with a more upbeat attitude after going through the cabinet that the mimic teaset had been stored in. “Quite the opposite in fact, look at how clean it’s left the inside of these cabinets. And organized too actually. They wouldn’t be so bad if they weren't so vicious. I could only imagine being eaten by something so slimy. Hell, I almost was.” She says, chuckling whilst pointing at her nose.



Adrenaline was in fact still rolling it’s way through her endocrine system. Her heart was racing at a baseline after the encounter with the mimic on her face. She wasn’t quite comprehending all information entering her ears, escpecially after a close call of offending her fiance. All she knew was that the last cup was in the pantry, and that it was her turn to deal with it.



Yoinking the door open with nervous energy, her maul summoned from thin air, she stepped inside. Ah, it was hiding. The entire pantry was still aside from a now empty tin can rocking softly as though something just passed it. It seems like half of the stock was already consumed in some form or another, at least most of the canned goods looked like they were untouched.



A small bead of condensation dripped slowly from an innocent tea cup off to the right. It’s drip echoed throughout the pantry as Gwendolyn locked eyes with it. The sound of ceramic quivering in it’s boots is one to revel in, but now was the time for action.

"Uh, yeah, imagine." Blue replied, their nerves going crazy.

Did that mean Gwen liked oozes? What would she say if she found out Blue was an ooze? Would she be happy? No, maybe she was just trying to be nice. But why would she say that to be nice? Wait, did she already know they were an ooze? No, but they never told her. Did Astrid tell her? She wouldn't do that, would she? She always kept Blue's secret for them.

And what did she mean she could only imagine being eaten by something slimy? Blue would never eat her. They didn't eat people... As much as they used to... But they only ate bad people and only after killing them! Gwen wasn't a bad person.

Blue was thinking all of this, feeling as if their stomach was tied in knots, as they watched Gwen open the door to the pantry.

"Oh, uh-!" Blue let out a sound of worry when they finally realized what was happening.

Inside the pantry, Gwen stepped forward to confront the teacup.

"Wait!" Blue tried to stop her, but it was too late.

All at once, a multitude of mimics revealed themselves. On every shelf, dozens of cans, pots, jars, and kitchen utensils and containers of all kinds grew eyes on stalks, tentacles, and teeth. Gwen was surrounded.

Blue acted as fast as they could. Lightning began to spark across them and was absorbed into their skin, enhancing their speed. They rushed in and grabbed Gwen. They turned and tossed Gwen back out of the pantry that had become a swirl of teeth and tentacles. They didn't want any of these things to escape. A whip of slime lashed out from Blue's hand and pulled the door closed, slamming it shut and sealing Blue in with all of the mimics.

These mimics had no idea who they were messing with.

From outside the pantry door, the sounds of clattering metal, small screams, and strange sloshing and slorping sounds could be heard. The door rattled from several impacts against it and then everything was silent.

The door creaked open and Blue walked out. They were unharmed, but their expression was slightly nervous.

"Uh, I think that was all of them, so that's that problem solved!" Blue announced and smiled.

They just hoped Gwen wouldn't question why the pantry was now entirely empty. Not even the food the mimics hadn't gotten into yet was left on the shelves.

---

So Much
Don't Worry About It

Gwendolyn stared at the door as sounds of violence erupted from within. The sounds of fighting slowly died down after a minute or two, and the door began to creak open. “Servants, you are dismissed. I need to speak to Lorde Wolfe in private.”



The maids bowed as Wolfe made his exclamation that all was safe, before retreating back upstairs. Obviously, at least two of them went to the upstairs dressing room to eavesdrop through the hole in the floor. Jess and Mori pressed their heads close together to each have a chance of hearing whatever was about to go down.



The tense expression on Gwendolyns face was a mixture of worry and anger. All of it towards herself. “Your aptitude and grace extend farther than I can fathom, Lorde Wolfe. This marks the third time you have saved me from myself in but a day. This household owes you a debt of kindness that I can only hope to repay someday.” She says, with a bit of a knot welling up in her throat, as well as the beginnings of tears beginning to form.



She gathers her emotions, before turning away from the nobleman in her kitchen. She couldn’t bear to see him hear this. “I… know something that could undermine the foundation of this engagement. I’ve hidden the knowledge of it from father, so I wouldn’t worry about it ruining your reputation…” It was true. Public knowledge that an up and coming nobleman like himself was married to a cursed woman could tank his standing in society. It pained her to do this to him, but she couldn’t imagine the chances of holding a strong, young, handsome nobleman like himself back if the news ever came out.



“I bear a curse. My body is a servant to a higher being, a conduit for magical energy. I… must feed on magic from others occasionally, to stave off the hunger. I couldn’t imagine continuing an engagement like this with a noble whose future burns as brightly as yours. It would ruin you. Who would you be were it to be discovered?” (1)Her words hung in the air, her last question a desperate attempt to sus an answer one way or another. It would crush her to break this engagement, but she would understand. A pivitol decision lay in the young Lords hands.




Thank You for your Candor



The longer you engage someone in conversation the more likely that they will be to reveal some private or secret information. Your skill to guide and lead conversation as made you an expert information gatherer. A conversation that lasts for three posts will subconsciously force the other participants to be truthful while talking. At the end of three post you may ask the conversationalist one question that must be answered truthfully.

Blue didn't know what was going on. The servants left as Gwen told them to, and Blue waited, now feeling a bit nervous. What could she want to talk to them about in private?

Wait, a secret? Knowledge that could undermine their engagement!? What did that mean? It sounded bad! She kept it hidden, so it shouldn't affect their reputation... Wait, was she saying she knew they were an ooze!? How did she find out? Was she about to tell them she didn't like oozes? Did she not want to be their friend anymore?

"I-" Blue started to try to explain, or apologize, or whatever words would come out, but they were cut off as she continued. Blue stood there, staring at Gwen. They forgot to pretend to blink as they were completely caught off guard by what she admitted. A curse? So... She didn't know they were an ooze? She had a secret of her own. She had to feed on magic.

Blue didn't know what to say. How should they feel about this? Betrayal, repulsion, anger. Any of these emotions might have been felt right now by any normal person hearing such news in this situation. But no. Blue didn't feel any of those at all. Blue felt... Relief. They weren't the only one with a secret. This was great!

Blue reached their arms out and pulled Gwen into a hug, holding her for a moment before pulling away again, keeping their hands on her shoulders.

"You scared me. I thought you were going to say you didn't like me!"

They pulled their hands away from Gwen's shoulders and held them in front of their chest, touching the tips of their fingers together abashedly.

"Actually, I'm really sorry. I also have a secret." Blue admitted, their nervousness apparent, but mixed with the lingering sense of relief they felt. If Gwen also had a secret, then sharing their own secret might not be so bad. This felt like the right time to say it, like something was compelling them to admit the truth of who they really were.

Their face melted, the tone of their skin changing into an electric blue. Their facial features smoothed out into a smooth blob and their hair receded. Their head became a smooth, featureless blob. Their entire body was made of the same blue slime molded into a humanoid form. They kept their physique beneath their clothing, wanting to make sure their outfit still fit them correctly.

"I'm an ooze. All my shapeshifting and magic... It's not really magic. Those are just things I can do with my body. See?"

Blue held up one hand and transformed it, the slimy fingers shifting into a set of sharp, wolfen claws for a moment before shifting back into the same blue slime hand.

"So... Do you still like me? I don't really mind the curse thing. I mean, eating magic and all. I eat weird things too, so it doesn't bother me. I actually ate all those mimics."

The sound of a bump from the ceiling brought her back to reality. Lord Wolfe…an Ooze? That was certainly… It did explain… How did?… There were so many questions. Though realistically, there was only one.



“I… of course I still like you. This, I’m just glad I wasn’t the only one holding a secret” She said, turning back towards her fiance. Another bump could be heard from upstairs, Mori and Jess rubbed their heads after banging into each other for a better listening position. Gwendolyn sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, to collect their thoughts. This… was alot. He was still the Wolfe that she had come to fall in love with, the one who had made her blush almost every time they had met. If he could accept her for who she was inside, then so could she.



“Well then, I suppose we have alot to talk about. Venue for instance? As well as who is in the wedding party. Who knows about your… you? Does Astrid? We need to give her an invitation by the way. How are kids going to work? Do we need a bigger cake for you?”



It certainly was alot, but her feelings for Lord Wolfe remained the same. How could she give up on someone so caring and capable just for what their body was made of. They could make it work.