Everything was in place. So finally, today would be the day! Marron had spent the past few minutes running up, down, and all about the house. She had gathered materials, claimed a workspace, and rung up people for help. Now, only one more major hurdle stood in her way: re-writing the Ritual spell in such a way that she could actually cast it.

Fortunately, she knew just the guy to help. She patiently waited in the southern bedroom, sitting on the floor. A jar of blood sat by her side, as well as a paintbrush and a large piece of parchment. Then, Auth can be heard landing outside, before he walks into the room.

MARRON: Oh, sup!
MARRON: So, yeah. I called you here to help re-make the ritual.
MARRON: I… don’t really know of any other way I could modify it, so I’ll be re-writing it in my own magical system.
MARRON: Think you could help with that?
AUTH: I believe so. Would the resources from the previous ritual be of any help, if you’re rewriting it? We still have some of them left.
AUTH: Actually, I grabbed some more splinters a little earlier. I hope it helps.

Auth carefully passes the ritual materials off to Marron. Marron eagerly takes the small bag of diamond dust, the jar of splinters, and the few precious droplets of Godblossom Extract. She sets them to the side.

MARRON: Ooh, thanks!
MARRON: Now, to get started.
MARRON: So, since this is a pretty damn complicated and exhaustive spell, I’ll need to draw a… big ol’ circle to start.

Marron dips her paintbrush into her jar of blood, and draws a great big circle on the sheet of parchment she brought. She then draws a smaller circle inside of that circle, and partitions the area between the two circles into six different areas. She taps her brush against the edge of the parchment as she ponders something. Suddenly, she thrusts the scroll containing the ritual into Auth’s hands.

MARRON: Okay, so.
MARRON: You might not remember the lecture I gave about my magic, but basically, I need a big, central symbol for the spell.
MARRON: The “primary element”, or effect, or whatever.

MARRON: I’m… not really sure what to draw.
MARRON: A soul? Some sorta thing to represent life?
MARRON: I have no goddamn clue.
MARRON: Any suggestions?
AUTH: Ah, yes. I do. Since this isn’t intended to resurrect the dead, I think I have a better idea. Put a cross in the middle. It’s a symbol of healing, at least where I come from. And it’s not complicated, either.
MARRON: A cross…?
MARRON: That should work!

Marron draws a big plus shape in the middle of the central circle. Given that this is in fact, a cross drawn in blood, the Red Cross would 100% sue Marron, had they any presence in this realm. But they don’t. She spends a few moments decorating the area outside of the cross, filling some of the null space with a bloody cross-hatch.

MARRON: Normally you don’t need to do this, but with these bigger spells, they need more mana.
MARRON: The more blood I put onto the parchment, the more of my blood it’ll use. More blood, more power.
MARRON: ...I mean, with smaller spells, I can just fuel it with my mana, but this isn’t a smaller spell.
AUTH: That makes sense, although… that’s your blood, isn’t it? Please excuse my concerns that this might put you into a, er…
AUTH: Perhaps not exactly healthy state? I’m sure there’s a better way of phrasing it, but…
MARRON: ...Huh, yeah.
MARRON: I rarely actually use much of my blood when casting these, so I rarely have reserves on hand when I do cast magic.
MARRON: That’d be smart.
MARRON: Thanks.

Marron pulls out another jar of her blood from the inventory, and sets it to the side. She then pulls out two small paintbrushes, for fine detail. She hands one to Auth.

MARRON: Okay, so…
MARRON: In these outer rings, we write like… modifiers for the spell.
MARRON: Typically, you need to write in some weird sorta runes…
MARRON: But since Chaos made the system, it’s really just the english alphabet, but in weird symbols.
MARRON: And, because Chaos made it, the system’s actually pretty goddamn loose...

Marron begins to scribble some symbols down on her side.

MARRON: I’m writing the bit that helps “focus” the magic, and lets the potion do its work.
MARRON: But, more importantly...
MARRON: This would take ages to do by myself, so mind writing in the part that helps regenerate the body?
MARRON: Chaos said it’s a bit like “programming”, and I’m not sure if you’re really good at that…
MARRON: But again, it’s the work of Chaos. It’s really hard to screw up.
AUTH: I don’t really have any experience, it was never exactly my thing… but I know roughly how it works. I won’t make any snide comments about how easy it is, that’s a recipe for disaster.
MARRON: Honestly? Make as many comments as you want.
MARRON: I can help fix it up if there’s really something wrong, anyway...

The two of them get to writing - intricate and precise brushstrokes on Auth’s behalf filling out his part of the spell, and Marron’s brushstrokes being performed with the speed and grace that only an expert seamstress could have. As they work, the two of them share some idle chitchat.

MARRON: Hey, you’re pretty good at this!
MARRON: Maybe I’ll even need to pay you for your services…
MARRON: W-Wait, do you need payment? Chaos hasn’t given me my paycheck yet, so I-I’m actually a bit strapped for cash...
AUTH: Me? Oh, no, don’t worry about it. It’s in my interest to see if this works, too, remember?
AUTH: Hmm…
MARRON: Huh. How gentle-manly of you.
MARRON: Still, I could repay you in… casting this on someone else for you, once we get more materials.
MARRON: Assuming it works, of course.
AUTH: That would be very much appreciated. Both on my behalf, and the other person who needs it…
AUTH: I hope she’s doing ok up there...

The two of them continue scribbling down runes on their respective sides of the circle. With some segments completed, they each move onto the next slot, writing in functions for other components of the spells.

AUTH: On the topic of magic, I feel like I ought to ask. Are there any plans to do magic club in the near future?
MARRON: I’d like to, but Toast’s been out of commission lately, and it wouldn’t be the same without her...
MARRON: Plus, everyone’s actually really busy with the whole “saving the world” thing, so it’s hard to find the time, y’know?
MARRON: Maybe you could help with that?
AUTH: I can certainly try. It’s a shame, though. I’m sure that people probably have lots of things they’d love to show off if they had the opportunity. Although...
AUTH: Mm. I understand, though, if there’s no time there’s no time.


Soon enough, the two of them manage to finish filling in the remainder of the sections. Marron quickly crawls around to the other side of the parchment, and gives Auth’s sections of the “code” a lookover.

MARRON: Wow.
MARRON: You actually did really well, for your first time doing this!
MARRON: Like, I think there’s… a single lil’ structural error, over there?
MARRON: I can fix that pretty easily, though.
MARRON: You did great!
AUTH: Thank you. I was worried the whole time I was doing it wrong, truth be told.

A few scribbles later, and the error has been corrected. With little warning, Marron gives Auth a quick, gentle hug. Nothing too passionate, though- that’s reserved for Toast.

MARRON: Thanks a bunch!
AUTH: It’s not a problem. Go and fix Toast. Tell me how it goes after, yeah?
MARRON: Yeah, I will!
MARRON: God, y’know? I can’t believe I’m actually doing this…
MARRON: Fixing up her arm seemed like a pretty distant dream, but everything’s just been going well lately, y’know?
MARRON: I fixed Ette, and now I’m gonna fix up Toaster…
MARRON: It’s a nice change from my usual daily life.
AUTH: I can imagine. I hope it keeps going that way for you. In the meantime… I’ll see if I can’t chase up more of those resources.
MARRON: Alright!

Marron stands up, and once it's fully dried, the parchment is rolled up. She then stashes away the paintbrushes and one of the jars of blood into the inventory. She then takes the spell in one hand, and another jar of blood in the other. She begins to trot off towards the door, but before leaving, she turns and waves with her hand that’s holding the parchment.

MARRON: See you later!
AUTH: Yeah, you too!

Marron is out the door.

AUTH: ...
AUTH: Wait, don’t tell Toast that it’ll hurt, that makes it… hurt… more…
AUTH: Too late.

---

With a blood-etched parchment in hand, Marron skips down the stairs eagerly. For once, everything was going her way! The spell was completed, she’d be able to regenerate Toast’s arm, and maybe, she’d get to see her winning smile! While daydreaming about this, she's completely oblivious to the similarly-distracted sorceress turning the corner.

Crash.

TOAST: ow gorilla
MARRON: O-Ow! W-Watch where you’re going, y-you-
MARRON: ...O-Oh! Sup, Toaster!
TOAST: H-Hey!

Toast produces a clear flask filled with a deep red liquid that anyone could immediately identify as blood. The real kind, not the weird fake kind that she usually has.

TOAST: So, I managed to find this.
TOAST: I remember Ette's ritual requiring blood so…
TOAST: ...This is mine.
MARRON: Huh. I was actually gonna ask you for a sample before we began.
MARRON: This saves us time, so… thanks!
MARRON: Anyway, I’m gonna go grab Mr. Has a Big Axe now.
MARRON: Meet me in the new wing of the house, alright?
TOAST: Y-Yeah! Okay…

She sets off to the eastern part of the house, trying to hide her nervousness about the whole situation. Meanwhile, Marron runs off to the kitchen, having heard the unmistakably loud voice of Irongutta in there. Once again, she kicks the door wide open, which immediately got Irongutta’s attention from whatever heated debate he was in with Chloe.

MARRON: Hey! Irongutta!
MARRON: We’re ready!
MARRON: Grab your axe, and come with me, alright?
CHLOE: W-Wait, w-we were-
IRONGUTTA: Oi, let’s get this done, then! Ya ready to do this, Magnolia?

A gentle snoring sound comes from the axe. Marron gives it a quick pap, and its eye opens with a flash!

MAGNOLIA: Hm? Uh…
MAGNOLIA: Let’s go! Yeah!
MAGNOLIA: ...What’s happening, again?
IRONGUTTA: Accordin’ to Marron ‘ere, we’re uh, choppin’ off Toast’s arm? Somethin’ like that.
MAGNOLIA: Oooh! I’d be really, really good at that!
MAGNOLIA: Let’s go! Hurray!

The axe hums to itself as Irongutta carries her to the rightmost room. Marron runs ahead of Irongutta, meeting up with Toast. The sorceress is wearing a rare sleeveless top which graphically reveals the bond of flesh and crystal at her shoulder. It looks sickly and diseased, purple and green veins fanning outward from where they intersect. It's pretty clear why Toast wants to be rid of it. Ette has also met the duo in the room, sitting to the side with a bottle of anesthetic, bandages, and lots and lots of healing potions. Once Irongutta arrives, Marron rolls out a comfy mat onto the hard wooden floor, and tells Toast to lie upon it. Ette scoots up to Toast’s side, taking her supplies with her.

Quietly, Marron and Ette prepare the ritual. Marron begins mixing various materials into a jar. Soon, she ends up with the bright, beautiful crimson fluid that she had created back with the ritual with Ette. Just a far, far smaller portion this time. Ette meanwhile, counts out and arranges 17 candles, placing them by Toast’s side. She also slots a pillow beneath Toast’s head. Then, with the ritual “potion” set aside, Marron crouches next to Toast. Irongutta stands nearby, tapping his foot while holding Magnolia over his shoulder with one hand.

MARRON: So…
MARRON: Toaster, are you ready?
MARRON: Even with the anesthetic, t-this might hurt...
TOAST: I'm… kind of nervous.
TOAST: ...Especially now I know that it will probably still hurt.

She prods her crystalline arm, as if rethinking whether to get rid of it.

TOAST: But… we should still do this.
TOAST: I'm… ready as I'll ever be I guess?
MARRON: Well, alright…

MARRON: Ette! Anesthetic!
MARRON: Irongutta! On standby!

As Ette pours some anesthetic into some sort of tube, she gestures Irongutta towards her. Irongutta steps forward, looming over Toast’s crystal arm. Ette then places one end of the tube over Toast’s mouth, the substance beginning to flow into her.

TOAST: W-Wait…
TOAST: ...I know I can't really feel it, but can you hold my hand?
MARRON: H-Huh? Of course!

As Toast’s consciousness begins to drift, Marron tightly grips Toast’s metallic left arm with her own mechanical right. Even once she’s out cold, their intertwined hands tremble. As Toast slips into artificial slumber, Marron slowly turns to Irongutta.

MARRON: O-Okay…
MARRON: W-Whenever y-you’re ready, I-Irongutta.
MARRON: P-Please… b-be careful.
IRONGUTTA: Aye aye. I’ll get it over with quickly so ya can stop tremblin’.

The ork positions his legs in a ready stance, adjusting his grip on Magnolia to use both hands. He gently places Magnolia’s blade right at the edge of her crystal arm to get a sense of the right position. It’d be like preparing for a golf swing, actually. Slowly, he takes one step backwards and raises Magnolia upwards. He holds his axe in a steady, white-knuckled grip overhead, taking a single, deep breath.

IRONGUTTA: Okay, ‘ere goes.

With that, Irongutta took one step forward and swung Magnolia down in a straight arc, aiming right for the edge where crystal meets her shoulder. Magnolia’s blade strikes its mark, slicing through the crystal and cutting into the mat Toast was laying on. A few stray shards of crystal break and sail off in an arc. Marron’s eyes shut, and she winces as the shattering of crystal rings through her ears. This sound is swiftly followed by a cry of pain as Toast's eyes crack open. Her hand nearly crushes Marron's from the shock, the servos within straining.

TOAST: FUCK
MARRON: W-WAAAAH! P-Please say you’re a-alright!
IRONGUTTA: Bloody ‘ell, did I hit yer squishy bits!?
TOAST: oh god oh god oh god

The cut seems to have been clean, leaving a mere sliver of crystal; her flesh is left untouched. As the ork watches, it begins to bleed a sticky, bright green substance, slowly seeping into the floorboards. Irongutta yanks Magnolia out of the floor and steps back in shock. Marron immediately scrambles for her parchment, and the crimson potion she made moments earlier. Ette begins to plop candles in a semi-circle around where Toast’s arm was only a few moments prior. Toast's breathing becomes rapid and intense as she attempts to stave off the immense pain.

TOAST: gorilla gorilla gorilla start it start it start it
MARRON: I-I’m trying, I-I’m trying, I-I’m...

Marron stands up, and the scroll begins to glow a bright red. Unlike any of Marron’s other blood magic spells, this one seems to be far, far more intense than anything she’s cast prior. So much so, that it seems that she’s going a little pale, most of her blood being sucked from her body, and turned into mana. The puppeteer crushes the glass jar with her organic hand, a few fragments of it piercing into her palm. Though it hurts, she keeps her concentration. The liquid within the jar floats near Marron’s palm. With a gentle gesture, the material floats towards Toast’s… arm socket, and begins to flow into her.

It seeps into her body, the sensation being burning for the sorceress as the material binds to her. Then, it begins to flow back outward, organic cells quickly piecing themselves together to replace those of the crystalline parasite. A stump of flesh, growing outward into a branch of flesh, growing out into a palm of flesh, then branching out to create fingers of flesh. There’s a horrible, cracking, grinding noise as bones slot themselves into existence within the newly formed flesh. It spasms for a few moments as the muscles properly formulate themselves. All the while Toast's face contorts in expressions of pain, unable to muster the smallest sound.

The whole time, Marron hasn’t taken a single breath, too scared to dare move a muscle. But fortunately for the sorceress, the pain finally fades. She un-grits her teeth. There’s an unfamiliar feeling of incredible numbness to her right. It also seems that the ritual’s effects have almost completely dispelled the anesthesia Ette applied earlier.

MARRON: …
MARRON: U-Um…
MARRON: H-How do you f-feel?

Toast is briefly unable to respond as she controls her breathing, trying to return to stability.

TOAST: I'm… okay.
TOAST: I'm okay.

She tries sitting up, but falls back down in the process. The toll from the ritual in combination with her numbness makes mobility somewhat difficult.

IRONGUTTA: Oi there, take it easy Toast. I just lopped yer old arm off, now.
TOAST: Y-Yeah, you're right…

Marron then suddenly topples over, landing on her back. She’s incredibly pale. Ette’s soon by her side, a jar of her sister’s blood already prepared. She swiftly extracts the shards of glass from Marron’s hand, and then uses some variant of Transfusion to stuff some blood back into Marron’s body.

MARRON: I-It… w-worked…
MARRON: T-Thank… goodness.
MARRON: I’d c-celebrate, b-but I don’t think either of us a-are really in shape f-for that...
IRONGUTTA: Aye, you lot best get some rest now after all that.

Irongutta looked over to the severed crystal arm on the floor. Naturally, he couldn’t resist picking it up and holding it up to the light as if he were appraising it. It's faded from its brilliant emerald to a dark, foresty green, seeming to have lost much of its previous power. Marron gestures for Ette to come closer.

MARRON: H-Hey, sis…
MARRON: Can you carry me to the couch?
MARRON: A-And… Irongutta? Please carry Toast there, t-too...
ETTE: A-Alright! Hold on!
IRONGUTTA: You got it!

Ette picks up Marron with ease, plopping her older sister onto her back. She gets a piggyback ride to the next room over, before being gently set down on the right side of the couch. Irongutta slings Magnolia over his back using a strap and, with his now freed arms, hoists Toast over his shoulder. He sort of just sets her next to Marron on the couch. Both are too exhausted to really cuddle up, but it seems that they’ve already made themselves comfortable.

---

Some time later, the couple recovers from their lethargy / blood loss / shock / some combination of the three. Having had a quick nap on the couch, the puppeteer wakes up, finding Toast resting against her shoulder. The sorceress' breathing is slow and calm, a stark comparison to her hyperventilating earlier this afternoon.

Marron runs her real fingers through Toast’s hair, shaking her whole head gently. Slowly, she begins to stir.

MARRON: Hey, Toaster.
MARRON: Uh… h-how does y-your arm feel?

She gently runs her fingers across the sorceress’s arm, caressing it. Beneath the touch she shivers, opening her eyes fully. She sits up from her girlfriend's shoulder and rubs her eyes- realising that she actually can rub her eyes. Her voice is a little groggy at first, but quickly recovers.

TOAST: Good morning...
TOAST: My arm feels... so weird.
TOAST: Everything I touch is… vibrant?
TOAST: It's kinda like I've been wearing earphones all my life and finally took them out.
TOAST: ...That's a weird analogy, but my sense of touch was so dull with the crystal arm.

She reaches forward and caresses Marron's cheek with her new hand. The seamstress giggles, her cheeks beginning to glow at the touch.

TOAST: You feel...
TOAST: ...Cute.

Marron can’t help but giggle more as she sits up, and leans on the sorceress’s shoulder.

MARRON: I guess we both feel the same, then?
MARRON: Hehehe~

Marron rolls counter, and succeeds! She begins to gently poke Toast’s arm, pressing firmly but gently. This successfully gets a giggle out of Toast too, who then wraps her arm around Marron, pulling her into a tight hug. And for once, Marron doesn’t feel a sharp stabbing pain from Toast’s crystal arm.

TOAST: Aaa hugging you is so much better like this!
TOAST: Plus, I can play with your hair!
MARRON: And, we can... hold hands!
TOAST: Yesss!

The handholding commences. Fortunately no Chairians are in the area to witness such a lewd display. Since Toast is still wearing a sleeveless top, Marron notices a nasty-looking mark on her girlfriend’s arm. She lets go of Toast’s hand, and clutches her right arm, rolling up Toast’s shoulder to get a closer look.

MARRON: Huh? What happened here?
MARRON: I mean obviously, we cut off your arm, but...
MARRON: I… I think it’s a scar.

Toast traces the scar with her thumb. Judging from her reaction, it doesn't hurt too much.

TOAST: I mean… I guess you never saw that part before today?
MARRON: I guess not.
MARRON: It’s rare you ever wear anything like this…
MARRON: Honestly, I kinda like your outfit.
TOAST: ...The scar doesn't ruin it?
MARRON: I mean, I don’t really care that you have a scar.
MARRON: I have a pretty big one, too!

Marron pulls up her shirt slightly, revealing a scar across her belly that she got from the Butterfly quite some time ago. Toast winces in empathy.

MARRON: It’s kinda itchy sometimes, but whatever.
MARRON: I guess we have matching scars now.
MARRON: Which is.... kinda romantic?
MARRON: ...Actually, maybe that’s stretching things.
MARRON: But we have something else in common now, I guess.
TOAST: Scar or not, I'm grateful for the arm.
TOAST: Thank you.

Toast pulls Marron into another tight hug, both of them melting into it. As their hands clutch together, Marron’s lips lock with Toast’s, meeting for a few seconds before breaking off. The two gently smile as they hold each other close.

MARRON: Ahh…
MARRON: Y’know, I’m still pretty exhausted…
MARRON: Wanna call it a day?
MARRON: Or at least, sleep until dinner rolls around?
MARRON: I think we’ve earned it.
TOAST: Not gonna lie, we really earn a lot of breaks.
MARRON: Yeah, well…
MARRON: …
MARRON: ...I don’t really have a defense for that.
MARRON: You’ve totally earned it this time though, at least!
TOAST: Hmmm… okay.
TOAST: I think you have too!
TOAST: Let's sleep, and figure out what happens next later.

Too lazy (or perhaps, too tired) to actually head upstairs, Marron flops backward, resting her head against the arm rest. She pats the area next to her, inviting the sorceress to join her. She quickly accepts, relaxing with her girlfriend.