"Oh...Right." Setsuko was still unsure whether or not she deserved to be rank 4 instead of Melanie but now wasn't really the time to dwell on it. She was too busy looking around. The grounds where huge and boasted a very well kept garden. Clearly someone had put a lot of time into caring for it. "Is this Lilith's place or... Yours?"
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
The garden was only nice to Setsuko because she had the idea that it should be after seeing the inner workings of the place being so grand on the other side of the wall. Wherever she looked a new reality would mold itself and tear away from the old dullness. Janus saw neither of this--and not just because she was blind.
"This is all mine," Janus said in something of a barging tone. "I'm the boss here and there's nothing anyone can do about it." She chuckled a little to herself. "Not even Lilith can tell me what to do here; remember I was a god before I started hanging out with her." Two things: setsuko was second to a god, and Janus had a completely separate life she needed to tell the trainee.
"It's right up here." The maids, who had changed clothes magically to fit the scene, were pointing up to a nice set of stairs with ornate railing. A balcony was open, screaming "THIS IS IT! YOU MADE IT!"
Setsuko was really starting to feel the pressure on her. She had forgotten her sempai was a former god. It was so easy to forget with how she and Lilith acted towards each other. "So Janus... What is it I'm supposed to do?"
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
"Just what Lilith said before," said Janus as the two started up the stairs. "You're coming here to learn how to be an effective succubus." She whispered something to herself and the entire landscape changed. As Setsuko looked around she would see what looked like some grubby apartments on the Lower East Side.
"It's all about illusions for us. ... Well, mostly. We're going to get you use to identifying and, if we have time, teach you to make your own effectively." It just wouldn't do to have your team get caught up in their own illusions.
"Here's the room, don't bother us unless the sink acts up." The maids changed again.
Setsuko entered the room. It was quite pleasant and mostly occupied by a very large bed. Moving her suitcase to the side Setsuko looked around. There was only the one bed and the maids hadn't mentioned any other rooms. Since it was Janus' home she was bound to have her own room but Setsuko wondered. The bed was too big for a single person and there were separate dressers on either side of the room. Walking to one she pulled open the top draw and was presented with a collection of underwear. Blushing Setsuko swallowed, not taking her eyes off the lingerie. "We're sharing the same room aren't we..."
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
Janus couldn't help giggling a little to herself as Setsuko explored her new environment. Clearly she hadn't quite figured out what was going on here; Janus liked to call this Stage Zero, in which the subject had influence on an illusion and vice versa without being aware. Stage one was infinitely more terrifying, and Janus thought Setsuko might as well get there sooner rather than later.
"I don't know, are we?" Janus said with that trademark smirk. "The view from here's nice regardless." If Setsuko looked out the window she would see the courtyard and garden replaced by something to match this more modest room.
Looking out the window and seeing how the courtyard and garden had changed it became clear to Setsuko what was going on. "It's all an illusion isn't it?" This felt really weird to her. Everything seemed to be real and she couldn't tell what was fake or not. If this was just the start of her training she was going to need a lot of aspirin.
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
By the time Setsuko put the pieces together Janus had wrapped her up in soft, warm glomp. The GoD smelled heavenly.
"You made it to stage one," She said stroking the pawn's lovely blue hair. "Before you were at what I call stage zero--obviously. This is the scariest stage, because you simply don't know what to believe. Don't worry though, it gets better from here." Outside would continue to change according to what Setsuko was thinking of it.
"This is why we're here. If we can get you to stage three in a week we'll be looking pretty good. ... But for now, why don't you just focus on getting use to everything being an illusion?" That idea was so ridiculous it hurt, and it held the key to stage two: perceiving everything; even yourself; as illusory. Janus let go of her kouhai and spun to the far corner of the room. Before she even got there it was part of an overpass.
Since Janus confirmed her suspicions Setsuko was a little bit on edge. Why did she have to go on this training camp? She could have been happy staying at home watching the newest Magical Girl Milky Spiral Seven. Following Janus Setsuko tried not to think about what was an illusion or not.
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
That might make her feel better for a moment, but it would become clear before long that type of thinking was unsustainable. The illusion would persist, but it would appear to vanish, just as Setsuko thought of it. Soon the over-bridge-pass-thingy would fade into the surrounding atmosphere. Depending on how much Setsuko was surprised by this she might just fall through that thin strip of air the two were walking over.
As the path faded Setsuko panicked and fell screaming. Her wings shot out and kept her from falling while Setsuko curled into a ball to protect herself. " don't like this..."
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
"Set!" Janus bolted and reached for the trainee succubus. Thankfully she hadn't fallen too far. Grabbing Setsuko's wrist, Janus stood there on a piece of over-bridge, calm as could be.
"Silly... You can't just run from your problems. Well, not when I'm around anyway." Setsuko would get a heaping helping of the same smile that made Melanie lose her junk after being told she was disappointing the GoD. Hoisting her up, Janus pointed at the "ground" beneath them.
Standing on the "firm" walkway Setsuko's wings folded back and she hung her head. "Janus, I don't get it. How am I supposed to tell what's an illusion or not?" This was really very hard for her. She'd only been made a succubus recently so magic and devils was all new to her.
Abilities on: Rook Blind (f): Janus is blind as a bat, but luckily has their hearing on a demonic scale. Creature of the Night+: Plus illusory magic and hypnosis.
Inventory: Phone {currently texting: }
Health: max Energy: max
"... You can't." Janus could only shrug at this question, because it implied there was some objective way to actually tell the difference.
"Here... You came here; before that things were 'real,' right?" She started as she walked around the little island they'd created. "And everything in here is fake... Right? Sounds pretty simple to me. You decide." She said playfully poking Setsuko's forehead. As she did this the landscape around them adjusted rapidly until they were standing next to a table in an outdoor cafe.
"Can we help you, Miss Ichiyusai?" one of the waitresses pulled out a notepad and looked at the Succubus expectantly. Janus nodded that it was ok.
