*comment history vars / tigress relationship As expected, the Tigress has rented out a training room for your sparring session: it's wide and durable enough for both of you, mere Early Houtians, to let completely loose without fear of damaging the structural integrity of the building. Such commodities would be available to you for the rest of your journey in the state of the First Rebirth, but Xiantians have to rent out special, auxiliary reinforced by the sect caves, as buildings like this are far too flimsy to contain their full power. When you enter the room, Tigress immediately catches your attention. It would be strange if she didn't, dressed that way. Though you struggle to call the state of her clothes actually 'dressed'. She, it appears to be, has gone on a protest against the modest and strict style of fashion adopted in the Celestial Empire, where women of high status always wear long, figure-concealing robes. Boasting nothing more than a strip of linen — that is certainly meant only to support her considerable bust, instead of covering it — and short shorts that reveal her shapely legs, the Tigress is in the middle of a warm-up. She stretches her stout, athletic body: with hands above her head and standing on one leg, she bends to the side, her sinewy frame surprisingly flexible. Busy, she doesn't appear to be aware of your presence. *choice #Watch her for a bit. *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 1 "+" You lean against a wall, your gaze transfixed by her grace. She goes through a couple of exercises, unwittingly showing off her toned muscles, until she lies down, puts her palms behind her head and, with an effortless thrust, achieves a perfect bridge pose. She then opens her eyes and, with a smirk, gives you a knowing look. "The Tigress lived in the wild for years. These few months of civilization have not dampened her senses enough for someone to get close without her knowledge." *choice #"Sorry..." "Sorry." — you apologize, scratching your neck sheepishly. You didn't expect to stare for as long as you did, you just lost track of time, too enthralled by her curves… The Tigress laughs at your response. "The Tigress minds not you looking." *label lifting_legs — she says, before letting out a grin and lifting her legs from the ground. Balancing herself purely through the strength of her core, she even raises one of her hands to touch up her long and messy red hair — "Lust is a natural human instinct." She then brings her legs to her head, the whole acrobatic feat for her a mere child's play, flips herself, and gets up. "Should we get to our training now?" #"Yeah, well, you see, I..." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 1 "-" "Yeah, well, you see, I …" — you blabber on, not sure how you could excuse yourself after being caught red-handed. The Tigress rolls her eyes. "No need to be so nervous." *goto lifting_legs #"I wasn't trying to be sneaky." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 1 "+" "I wasn't trying to be sneaky." — you double down, crossing your arms and letting your eyes shamelessly roam her curves. "Oh?" — the Tigress grins — "I didn't expect someone born in this shithole full of necessary traditions to be so direct." Then, she lifts her legs from the ground, balancing herself purely through the strength of her core, she even raises one of her hands to touch up her long and messy red hair "Lust is a natural human instinct." — she says — "No need to be ashamed." She then brings her legs to her head, the whole acrobatic feat for her a mere child's play, flips herself, and gets up. "Should we get to our training now?" #Cough to attract attention. Not wishing to be called indecent, you cough to attract the young woman's attention. Her response, however, consists only of a playful chuckle. "Have you no desire to admire the Tigress's impeccable shape?" — she says, before letting out a grin and lifting her legs from the ground. Balancing herself purely through the strength of her core, she even raises one of her hands to touch up her long and messy red hair — "Or is it the flimsy bounds of this… [i]propriety[/i] that've stopped you? The Tigress doesn't mind, lust is but a human instinct." She then brings her legs to her head, the whole acrobatic feat for her a mere child's play, flips herself, and gets up. "Oh well. Should we get to our training now?" "Of course." — you smile at her, putting the whole affair to the back of your mind. You're here for practice only… Right? Nevertheless, that's what the Tigress expects. Being brought up in the cold, barbaric world where the essence of battle education children receive amounts to 'kill them before they kill you', she lacks in that aspect severely. Tenacity and talent can only take you so far — which is what she hopes to rectify. You remember the previous battles you've seen her in: the Tigress is extremely fast and agile, relying on speed as the core of her combat style. She prefers attacking her opponents from unexpected angles, at speeds that they cannot react to. Her muscles are not for show either: although second to her most developed attribute, her strength cannot be called lackluster. And what issues of insufficient power she may have are solved with the pair of sharp claws she uses as her weapon. Her other aspects, however, as not as good. From what you remember, she's quite brittle, quick to fatigue, and not good at recovering from injuries. What do you want to focus her training on? *gosub_scene subroutines set_enemy_stats 15 16 13 13 15 "early" "Claws of Piercing Rage" *label training_choice *choice #Help her utilize her speed better. In the Martial World, only a few can afford to be jacks of all trades. Most of the martial artists, even as talented as the Tigress, must pick a specialization, a certain focus to divert their attention to. For her, it would be only natural to choose speed as the sole direction of her growth. Now, another question poses itself. Are you actually qualified to teach the Tigress? *choice #I'll teach her. You explain your reasoning to the Tigress, about how it's foolish to scatter one's potential amongst multiple aspects. She nods at your words, agreeing to them without argument. "That's what the Tigress thought as well. She was never a match for the hulking brutes either in strength or in constitution, yet she's the one that stands here today, while their remains are covered under layers of thick snow." "But," — the Tigress states, giving you a confused look — "The Tigress already knows all there is to know about how to use her speed." "Do you?" — you smirk in amusement — "Why don't you try and hit me?" She grins, the same bloodthirsty grin you've already grown accustomed to. "Try not to die." She takes a step back and crouches, moving left and right on all fours. Her red eyes scan your relaxed posture, your confident gait for a good minute: before they find a perceived weakness. And then, she leaps. She roars as her keen claws reach for your throat. Her attack is simple. Crude. But nevertheless dangerous… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check_crit "agi" "agi" 2 0 *if (crit_stat_check) … for anyone but you. In your eyes, she's just so overwhelmingly slow. You wouldn't call her a snail, but 'as fast a turtle' would not be too far off. With a disappointed sigh at the artlessness of her strike, you take a casual step to the side, grab her wrist and guide her to the ground. Once there, and the reality of her helplessness hits her, it's as if an animal awakens inside her: she begins to thrash about wildly and struggle. You put your boot onto the back of her neck and tighten the grip on her arms. Eventually, she calms down enough and you let her get up. Only to immediately chastise her when she gets back on her feet. "If this was a real battle, you'd have already drawn your last breath." The Tigress snorts, a bit snubbed at just how easily you handled her. "If the Tigress felt someone like you was near, she would make sure to run a hundred li in the separate direction." "You can't always run, can you? There would be times when you would have to fight people stronger than you. People who can react to your speed." "And how is the Tigress supposed to do so?" — she crossed her arms in derision — "The strong are strong and the weak are weak for a reason." *goto feints *elsif (stat_check) … even for you. However, even though she's fast, you're even faster. You dodge the first attack, evade the second and before she can perform the third one, you send a palm towards her stomach. It knocks the breath out of her and she staggers back. "Not bad." — you compliment — "But that exchange, you could've easily won." "How?" — she asks, half confused, half excited at the prospect. *goto feints *else … especially to you. You barely have time to raise your arms, which immediately become cut and bloody, to protect your throat. No, you're, for certain, not good enough to give her advice on the usage of agility — after all, you scarcely were able to defend yourself from her casual attack. The Tigress snorts. "This is a waste of time." — she says, walking to the room's exit — "The Tigress overestimated your strength." *page_break Leave *goto_scene free_roam *label feints "Perhaps due to your upbringing, perhaps simply true to your nature, your every attack is meant to kill." — you shake your head — "And that's not correct." "What is this nonsense?" — the Tigress exclaims — "In a battle, you can't be merciful! With every move, you must go all out!" "It's not about mercy. Such a straightforward way of fighting will only suffice against opponents of similar strength. To defeat those who are stronger, who are faster, you must rely on deceit. I'm sure you're no stranger to using tricks in order to win." "So how do you propose the Tigress fixes this?" — she says, still not entirely convinced. "Easy. Use feints. Like this." Out of the blue, you aim a punch right at the Tigress's jaw: true to her name, she reacts with a cat-quick instinct and pulls back. But that attack was never meant to reach her, as you've already shifted the weight of your body to the other side and let out a hook from your left that catches her unprepared. She falls down, but she neither complains nor whimpers in pain. Instead, her eyes glow bright, a light of understanding flickering inside them. She gets up hastily. "Again!" — she says, eager to improve her own prowess. You oblige, passing the next few hours engaged in exchanging of moves and battle tips. *page_break *goto tigress_sex #Actually, I changed my mind. *goto training_choice #She needs to beef up even more. Focus on strength. In the Martial World, only a few can afford to be jacks of all trades. Focusing on two aspects, however, is done quite often — especially by someone as talented as the Tigress. Now, another question poses itself: are you actually qualified to teach the Tigress? *choice #I'll teach her. You explain your reasoning to the Tigress, about how, while it's foolish to scatter one's potential amongst multiple aspects, she needs to train her strength as well, in order to be completely countered by someone's faster. Your words cause her to contemplate, thinking for a moment before she nods. "That makes sense." — she says, albeit not quite certain — "The Tigress would've preferred to bring her speed to the peak, but your words have merit." "You'll need to eat more. Train with heavier weights." — you add — "But you also need to utilize your strength better." "What's wrong with the Tigress's of strength?" — she asks, a bit annoyed. "Why don't you try and hit me?" — you smirk in amusement. She grins, the same bloodthirsty grin you've already grown accustomed to. "Try not to die." She takes a step back and crouches, moving left and right on all fours. Her red eyes scan your relaxed posture, your confident gait for a good minute: before they find a perceived weakness. And then, she leaps. She roars as her keen claws reach for your throat. Her attack is simple. Crude. But nevertheless dangerous… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check_crit "str" "str" 2 0 *if (crit_stat_check) … for anyone but you. With utter ease, you grab her wrists and throw her over yourself, smashing the Tigress into the ground. Once there, and the reality of her helplessness hits her, it's as if an animal awakens inside her: she begins to thrash about wildly and struggle. You put your boot onto her neck and tighten the grip on her arms. Eventually, she calms down enough and you let her get up. Only to immediately chastise her when she gets back on her feet. "If this was a real battle, you'd have already drawn your last breath." The Tigress snorts, a bit snubbed at just how easily you handled her. "If the Tigress felt someone like you was near, she would make sure to run a hundred li in the separate direction." "You can't always run, can you? There would be times when you would have to fight people stronger than you. People who can overpower you." "And how is the Tigress supposed to do so?" — she crossed her arms in derision — "The strong are strong and the weak are weak for a reason." *elseif (stat_check) … even for you. You hastily grab her wrists, but containing her claws is a challenge. After a moment, feeling your arms getting too tired, you throw her to the side. "Not bad." — you compliment — "But that exchange, you could've easily won." "How?" — she asks, half confused, half excited at the prospect. *goto body_weight *else … especially to you. You barely manage to stop her claws, which still reach your throat and leave behind a couple of gruesome cuts. No, you're, for certain, not good enough to give her advice on the usage of strength — after all, you scarcely were able to defend yourself from her casual attack. The Tigress snorts. "This is a waste of time." — she says, walking to the room's exit — "The Tigress overestimated your strength." *page_break Leave *goto_scene free_roam #I changed my mind. *goto training_choice *label body_weight "You've lost your balance." — you reply — "You tend to leap when you fight, to get your feet off the ground. That's not correct." "What is this nonsense?" — the Tigress exclaims — "Animals constantly do so while in a battle. The Tigress has seen it herself." You can't help but shake your head. "But we are not animals. We are humans. Here, let me show you." Out of the blue, you let out a palm strike right at the Tigress's sternum. She reacts fast enough, lifting her arms in a block, but such measly protections do nothing against a punch you've put all of your weight behind. You twist your hip to give it more momentum and, as the strike hits, the Tigress is sent flying through the room, rolling in the air. Hastily, she gets up. "Again!" — she says, eager to improve her own prowess. You oblige, passing the next few hours engaged in exchanging of moves and battle tips. *page_break *goto tigress_sex #We need to cover her weaknesses. The Martial World is too diverse, full of too many kinds of enemies deploying too many various skills: you can't succeed and thrive in it if you're limited to only a single area of expertise. You [i]need[/i] to be well-rounded. Now, another question poses itself: are you actually qualified to teach the Tigress? *choice #I'll teach her. You explain your reasoning to the Tigress, about how she must be prepared for everything, about how she must be both strong, fast, and resilient. The Tigress reacts to your words with a doubtful stare. "The Tigress always believes that spreading her efforts too thin is a bad idea." — she says, full of uncertainty — "But I guess your words have some merit." "Train more, with lighter weights for higher amount of repetitions." — you lecture — "Talk to the sect alchemists about small-time poisons to grow your vitality. But there's also a need for you to learn how to defend against attacks better." "What is this nonsense?" — the Tigress exclaims — "The Tigress has survived the dangers you can't even imagine!" "Oh yeah?" — you smirk in amusement — "Hit me." She grins, the same bloodthirsty grin you've already grown accustomed to. "Try not to die." She takes a step back and crouches, moving left and right on all fours. Her red eyes scan your relaxed posture, your confident gait for a good minute: before they find a perceived weakness. And then, she leaps. She roars as her keen claws reach for your throat. Her attack is simple. Crude. But nevertheless dangerous… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check_crit "con" "str" 2 0 *if (crit_stat_check) … but not for you. You just stand there, watching with a bored stare, as her claws fail to leave even a single cut on your neck. "Damn it!" — the Tigress jumps back, frustrated. "If this was a real battle, you'd have already drawn your last breath." The Tigress snorts, a bit snubbed at just how easily you handled her. "If the Tigress felt someone like you was near, she would make sure to run a hundred li in the separate direction." "You can't always run, can you? There would be times when you would have to fight people stronger than you." "And how is the Tigress supposed to do so?" — she crossed her arms in derision — "The strong are strong and the weak are weak for a reason." *elsif (stat_check) … even for you. You lean back, to match the momentum of the claw, and your hardy skin barely withstands the sharp blades. "Not bad!" — you compliment — "You almost had me." "How did you withstand that attack?" — the Tigress asks. *else Despite you doing your best to minimize the power of her blades, her claws still lacerate your neck and leave a couple gruesome cuts on your neck. No, you're, for certain, not good enough to give her advice — after all, you scarcely were able to defend yourself from her casual attack. The Tigress snorts. "This is a waste of time." — she says, walking to the room's exit — "The Tigress overestimated your strength." *page_break Leave *goto_scene free_roam "It's simple." — you reply — "You need to constantly move with the direction of the attack. Minimize its power by adapting its velocity." "Alright! Let's try it out" — she says, eager to improve her own prowess. You oblige, passing the next few hours engaged in exchanging of moves and battle tips. *page_break *goto tigress_sex #I changed my mind. *goto training_choice *label tigress_sex *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 3"+" You step back, barely raising your arms in time to protect your face from the assault of metallic claws. After hours of non-stop fighting, both of you were supposed to be exhausted — but the cunning warrior has been apparently obscuring her strength, biding her time to erupt with all of her power in the end. You can't say it didn't work, since you find matching her flashy, lightning-quick attacks becomes more and more difficult. So difficult, in fact, that you miss as she dives down and sweeps your legs, bringing you to the ground. You only awaken from your stupor when she climbs on top of you, pinning your arms with her own. Inches away from the Tigress, you take notice of how her savage, rough face breaks into a smile of almost child-like joy. "I won!" — she shouts, her pride in herself evident. But soon, she looks down and becomes aware of your close proximity as well. *if characters_5_opinion >= 65 Her gaze wanders down, stopping at your mouth for a good moment, before it travels even further, ogling you without restraint. She tilts her head, as if deep in thought, before coming to a decision that results in an alluring squint of her eyes and a predatory, hungry grin. And then, she leans down, eager to capture your lips with her own. [i]Knowing her, this would certainly not end with a simple kiss.[/i] *choice #Embrace it. *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 5 "+" The same wanton thought that has driven the Tigress to her brazen act has been occupying your mind as well — so not only you do not hesitate, you embrace her with the same lustful fervor. *label tigress_on_top Her solid body of firm muscle suddenly feels soft and mushy, as both of you are joined in a kiss that feels like another battle. Despite being at the top, the Tigress refuses to cede on this front as well — her mouth [i]ravishes[/i] yours, her tongue invading it without reservations. You reply in kind, your hands feeling up her curves. Her claws ruthlessly attack your clothes, tearing your training robe apart — and leaving a small, bleeding line on your chest. The Tigress pulls back from the kiss, leaning into your ear instead. "Now, the Tigress will teach you something we do very well in the West." *set history &"tigress_training_sex|" *page_break ... *goto afterwards #Do nothing. Her brazen act catches you off-guard and you do nothing, watching her etch closer and closer with a dumbfounded expression. Noticing your hesitance, the Tigress stops. "Is this not something that you want?" — she asks. *choice #"No... I am ju-just nervous..." "No…" — you whisper in a barely audible murmur — "I am ju-just nervous…" *label little_bunny *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 3"+" The Tigress chuckles, cupping your cheek with her palm. "Don't be, little bunny." — she teases — "The Tigress won't bite. Unless you'd ask her [i]really[/i] nicely, of course." With that, her lips finally connect with yours. *goto tigress_on_top #"Yes. I'm sorry." "Yes. I'm sorry, but I don't like you that way." *goto brows_rise_up #"Wait, no." Before her lips connect with yours, you pull back, wrestle out your hand, and put it before the Tigress. Puzzled, the Tigress stops. "What's wrong?" — she asks. *choice #"I don't like you that way." "I don't like you that way." — you reply. Gently, in order not to hurt her feelings, but firm enough to make her understand. *label brows_rise_up *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 3 "-" The Tigress's brows rise up, her whole expression dumbfounded — as if the mere notion that someone could find her unattractive is outside of the realm of her comprehension. Nevertheless, she respects your wish and unaffectedly gets up, only letting out a chuckle in response. "Alright." — she says — "But you're missing out, believe me." "I'll take your word on that." — you laugh in response as well. "The Tigress hopes this won't change things between us. She knows you imperials get touchy about this stuff." *choice #"Of course. We are still friends." "Of course." — you nod — "We are still friends." "Good." — the Tigress replies in kind — "She'll see you around then." *page_break Return To The Sect *goto_scene free_roam #"I don't think we should be friends anymore." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 20 "-" "I don't think we should be friends anymore." — you shake your head — "Just to prevent this from happening again." The Tigress scowls at your words. "What? You don't think this Tigress can control herself?" — she snorts — "Don't flatter yourself. Fine, if that's what you want, the Tigress will be happy to oblige." *page_break Return To The Sect *goto_scene free_roam #"This is too fast." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 5 "-" "This is moving too fast." — you reply — "We don't even know each other that well." The Tigress rolls her eyes and gets up. "You imperials and your stupid customs." — she grumbles — "What need is there to complicate things? It's just a little bit of fun." "Forget it." — she adds — "The Tigress will see you around then." *page_break Return To The Sect *goto_scene free_roam #"Nothing. I was just nervous." *goto little_bunny #Flip her over and take the initiative yourself. *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 5"+" *set history &"tigress_training_sex|" The same lustful thought that has driven the Tigress to her brazen act has been occupying your mind as well: but you'll be damned if you let her be the one in charge! Instead, you bend your legs, place your feet at her abdomen and [i]roll[/i] her over. Your positions now reversed, you can't help but enjoy the dumbfounded look on her expression. The Tigress's surprise, however, doesn't last long as she chuckles, flashing her straight white teeth. Undoubtedly, she has taken your initiative as a challenge. And she's not the one to give up without a fight. At first, she tries to push you back and free up her arms. *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "str" "str" 1 *if (stat_check) However, you keep her down. So, she attempts to repeat the trick you used and flip you over… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "con" "str" 0 *if (stat_check) *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 2 "+" But no matter how much she kicks, she fails to move you. That's when your lips find hers, stopping the struggle. Her solid body of firm muscle suddenly feels soft and mushy, as both of you are joined in a kiss that feels like another battle. Despite not being at the top, the Tigress refuses to cede on this front as well — her mouth [i]ravishes[/i] yours, her tongue invading it without reservations. You reply in kind, your hands feeling up her curves Her claws ruthlessly attack your clothes, tearing your training robe apart — and leaving a small, bleeding line on your chest. The Tigress pulls back from the kiss, leaning into your ear instead. "Now, the Tigress will teach you something we do very well in the West." *page_break ... *goto afterwards *else She succeeds, once again taking control. *label maybe_let "Maybe I'll let you take charge next time." — the Tigress teases — "But don't count on it." And then, your lips connect. *goto tigress_on_top *else Which ends up as a success, and from that point on it's not a problem for her to flip you over and take control. *goto maybe_let *else She doesn't think much of it, however, and simply pats you on the shoulder. "Good fight!" — she tells you as she gets up — "We should do it again sometime." After that, the both of you say your farewells and leave the training room. *page_break *goto_scene free_roam *label afterwards Both of you lie on the ground, the sweat of your bodies serving as a blanket. The Tigress yawns, as she squirms in your embrace. "Time to wake up, little bunny." — she taps you on the nose — "And get up. You stink." You snort in response, pulling away. The Tigress finds herself back on her feet, picking up her things. "The Tigress hopes this won't change things between us." — she says — "She knows you imperials are touchy about this kind of stuff." *choice #"It wouldn't." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 2 "+" *set characters_5_status "[i]Special[/i] Friends" "It wouldn't." — you confirm — "Don't worry. Everything will remain as it was before, except, you know. [i]More fun[/i]." "Great." — the Tigress explains, hops over to you, and gives you a kiss on the cheek — "I'll see you around then." *page_break *goto_scene free_roam #"It wouldn't? I hoped we would become something more than simple friends." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 2 "-" "It wouldn't?" — you ask, your disappointment clear — "I hoped we could become something more than simple friends." The Tigress sighs. "The Tigress knew that something like this would happen." — she shakes her head — "Then forget this ever happened. The last thing the Tigress wants is to be tied down." "I'll see you around." — the Tigress says her farewell and leaves. *page_break *goto_scene free_roam #"I don't think we should do this again." *gosub_scene subroutines change_opinion 5 2 "-" "I don't think we should do this again." — you say. "Oh?" — the Tigress looks at you. You think she's going to argue, to question you, but you're mistaken — "Alright." Her answer is simple. Concise. As if what happened before holds no meaning to her. "I'll see you around then." *page_break *goto_scene free_roam