Rouge stared at the woman before her, contemplating her first move. She was unsure of this stranger. Was she a human? A Mobian like herself? A witch? An alien? A demon? A poor soul possessed by one? Or was she indeed the legendary operative G.U.N. only spoke of in ghost stories, hushed tones or newbie hazings? Was this woman the Calamity Baroness?
The bat did not know. All she knew is that she would not be afraid of this creature. So, she struck with a straight kick to the gut, which was parried. She then swung with a rolling sobat, which was easily blocked. Undeterred, Rouge kept attacking with various kickboxing techniques, even attempting a punch or two to catch the woman by surprise. No matter what she tried, though, it was all dodged or deflected. After that failed, Rouge jumped back and performed her Secret Spear technique, which went right through the woman!
Landing on her feet and running towards her target, the arcane woman took a step back (it was hard to tell in that darkness, even with the demonic aura surrounding the woman) and dashed toward Rouge, appearing right in front of her.
Before the bat could react, she was suddenly attacked from five different directions at once, before being kicked to the right. Rouge was confounded by what happened, but shook it off, grabbed her Rings before they disappeared and took off flying after the Baroness. Once in range, she attempted her Screw Kick, but was caught by the ankle. "Are we done playing around, my dear?" the Baroness taunted with a dark tone. "I am getting rather bored…"
Gritting her fangs, Rouge pried her leg from the woman's grasp and, inhaling, used her Beauty Shock technique, a combination of sonar and ki formed into a nasty projectile. The woman simply touched it…and it was gone. "I'm warning you, honey," said the Baroness, dropping all pretenses of amusement, "if you don't step it up, I'll become quite disappointed."
Rouge hissed, "Allow me to make a better impression, then, bitch!" She flew high above the dark, dense fog – which was a lot higher than she originally thought – and, gathering a great deal of ki, she shouted, "BLACK WAVE!" sending a black torrent of energy right straight into the fog. Not wasting any time to discover if the attack connected or not, Rouge quickly soared downward with a powerful claw-first dive straight into the ground.
…The ground?
Rouge, in her puzzlement, heard the words, "Well then, I believe it's M̸͉̙͉̗̩̯̀͋̋Y̷̨̧̭̰̰͚̞͋͌ turn, dear." At that moment, Rouge was surrounded by eight copies of the woman, each bearing different markings on their suits, but sharing the same expression: maleficent annoyance. Rouge's own expression was one of fear. "T-T-That's impossible! No one can-"
She was swiftly interrupted by a punch to her jaw from one of the copies, which sent Rouge flying to a different copy that grabbed her and slammed her on the copy's knee. The bat was then thrown to another copy who kicked her in the stomach to yet another copy who, with a twirl, slapped Rouge across the cheek. This went on for a good two minutes, expending the huntress of all her Rings and leaving her severely wounded before one copy, at last, knocked her to the ground.
"̴Y̸o̷u̸ ̴s̸e̸e̷m̶ ̵t̴o̷ ̷b̵e̷ ̶l̶o̶s̴i̵n̵g̷ ̸y̸o̴u̵r̸ ̷w̴a̶g̶e̴r̵,̷ ̶s̶w̵e̷e̶t̶i̵e̸,̷"̸ spoke the Baroness, her clones elucidating in eerie unison, "̵C̸a̵r̸e̴ ̴t̶o̶ ̷y̸i̷e̵l̴d̷ ̸b̵e̶f̵o̴r̷e̷ ̸t̶h̸i̸s̵ ̶g̵e̵t̴s̷ ̴u̷g̴l̷y̸?̷"̶ Rouge simply spat blood at the face of what she thought was not the real Baroness. Unfortunately for her, it was, and it did make contact, as the Baroness' expression soon twisted from vaguely insulted to frighteningly livid. At that instant, four copies grabbed Rouge and held her up by her arms and legs, while another walked over from behind and did the unthinkable. Her wings were ripped.
OFF.
The resulting screams were so loud they could be heard across the zones of Ice Cap, Red Mountain, Lava Reef and Azure Lake, where, coincidentally, Knuckles currently lay, unconscious. In his pain-induced slumber he twitched, occasionally mumbling, "Rouge…you idiot…run…please…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Click this link to de-scramble the cursed speech of the Baroness...if you dare.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The clones eventually dispersed when she finished screaming, though when that was, none of the women could say. There Rouge lay, beside her own wings in a pool of blood. She was already in blinding pain from all of her injuries, but losing her wings? That was a different peak. She could barely see straight, could not move and twitched every so often. Her voice was hoarse from the screaming, but as the malevolent silhouette approached her, she was quite ready to begin anew as she drew away the best she could in fear. "Please…" she wearily begged, "No more…Lady Baroness…I beg you…"
The Calamity Baroness did not grin in victory, however, instead bending down and, with her right hand, grabbing Rouge by the base of what remained of her wings. She began screaming in agony once more before a slap silenced her. "̸͙̯͔͔̣̪̹̐̑̆͂̕I̷̡̥̱̫̺̯͙͗̒̑̑̔̚ť̵̨̯̭͙̲̣͈̪̓̾̓ ̸̢̡͙̲͎̲̫͆͆i̵̫̜̓̋́̿ͅṡ̵̢͎̗͇͕̘̻̗ ̵̞̲̬̆̑̾͘g̵͙̲̖̭̣̪̯̊̏́̓͐̅ǫ̶̝̲͙́̾ő̵̧̺̘̘͍̗̪͍d̸̹̾́̉̈̊̄ ̷̛̞̯̻̺̇͆͌̉͠ͅṱ̴̲͖̳̯̲̓ḫ̶͙̠̐̓́̅̈͘a̵͓̥̾t̷̛̤̩̣̟̩̟̋̈̽̆̅͒͠ ̵̟̫̞͌̅͐y̴̺͆o̸͕̙̙͊̐̑͘u̶̡̧̠̣̻̅̉͋̆̈́́̈́͜͝ ̴̨̡̹͎͚̼̽̈́̋̔̓͂k̶̨̭̺͚͍͖̝͚͒̕͝ņ̸̡̟̟̺̬̙̓̄̈̋͝ơ̴͉̖̈̊̅́̃̌ẅ̵̡͇̞̭̏͛̀͐̊͠ ̷̯̙̤͎͋̑͐͊ȳ̷̝͖͙̲̭̪̗̕͝ö̴͍̤͖̣̜͔̔̎̓̍̀̐u̵͚̖͔̟̿̓̃̆̓͗̔͆r̸̻̮͍̳͍͙͉̆̇́ ̷͚̅̌͘͝p̶̙̮͖͚͐̊͝l̵̜̻̺͖̻͐͜á̸̡̙̎̿̓c̸̝̩̔̌̒̓̽̔͠ę̸̰̲̫͍̍̂̇͛͐̈ ̶̰͌̆͜ñ̸̰͈͓̘͈̬͇̓̏͐̍͜͝o̸̱͊̈́̌̈̕w̷̧̹̒̒̇̕,̶̨̳̟̩͖̝̯͙́̊ ̷̗̻͉̤͚̮̣̪̔̑̀b̶̫͕̹̹̊u̴̦͆́ẗ̸̺̦͈̦̼͓̝́́́̽̃̽̽ͅ ̴̡̦̥̳̅̇̄̃̀͊I̵͍̪͙̳̮͠ ̷͇̲̥̟͉̺͖̓́͝͝w̷̡͍͈̰͒̈́̌͘͜ơ̴̛̮̩͇̎̈́͂͘͠u̷̡̝͙̹̳̕ͅľ̶̳̭̹̓̎͌̈͜͝d̸̠̪͙͇̂͒͑̋̈́͋̊͆ ̵̦̼̥̼̟̱̬̐̿̽p̷̢̺̗̈̍͊ŗ̶̤̝̼̼̞̞̮͊̒̇̒ẹ̵͎̗̀f̸̛̭̲͕̹̈͒̇̆̓́͘e̸̙͇̽̑r̶͍̲͔̙̝̃̾̑͒̆̅̈̕ ̶̟̞̫̰̙̈͌́͒ͅͅi̴̟͉̺̰̼͓̰̿t̵̺̩̙́͌͠ ̷̝̿̈į̶̘̟͓̫͇͉͚̏́͑͊̚͘͝f̸̡͙̝̻͂̐̈̔͂͜͜͠ ̷̛̙̲̼̞̜̀̂̆̍͌y̴̛͓̖͒̂̎̆̂̚͜o̴̢̩͑̿̀́̒͗̀͝ṷ̵̢̡̬̯̳͔͆͊ ̵͔̦̹̼͋̀̓͋͠w̴̧̜̞̹͔͓̅̉̽͒͛̃͜ȅ̵̥͎̾̉͆͋r̴̙̈̕e̴͎͕̽̍ ̸͍̱͖̋̎̀͜q̵̢͈̰͍̲̯͎̺͝ū̸̠̩̻̘͒͜ͅḯ̴̻͖̳͓̳̟̇̄̾͗͋͜͝ẻ̴͓̳̹̳̲͈͛̀͜t̶̗̹͙̖͇́̈́̃̐̾̚.̸̢̗̳̤͎̞̦͇̏̆̂́͘͠ ̸̡̘̥̓Y̷̨̲̗͈͓̼͊̅̍͐̒̽͗̓ô̷̡̗̟̱̳̹̩̐̾̊̿̚̕ṵ̴̙̹̘̆̒r̴̡̬͉̦̆̿͜ ̸̧̡͈̃̈͆̍̋c̵̫̹͙͆̈́̉̎̔̈͝r̷̞͓̆̆̃̏̓͝͝i̷͇̺̚̚ė̷̙̙͍̺͊̋̿͐s̴̳͎̀̕ ̷̠̌͒͘ő̸̪͆̽͘͠͝f̶͕̥͗ ̵̦̦̍͋̀͋ǎ̴͇͓̥̣͉̙̹̌̂̌͛̈́́ͅǵ̸̩͖̽̎͗͗̕o̷̼̭͗̄̂ṉ̶̨͓̌͂̈́͐̚͝ͅy̵̳͕̬̜̓̀̍͋̐̔͂̕͜ ̸͚̯͕͔̘̊͒̂͐̿͐͝h̶͖̝͚̪̦̘͎̦͗a̴̢̰̹̜͔̼͍̤͒̀v̶̧̼̙̱̞͎̻̓̏͂̚ė̴͍̱̙̪͎̟͔͑͝ ̴̤̄̍́͆b̷̧͎̙̱̳̄̏͊̽̔͝è̷̛̪̲̀̊̚ͅg̴̗̙͎̤̣̙͎̏̂̑͐̈́̂̑͜u̶͇̯͙̦̖̺̗͗́̓̔̓ň̷͍͓̙̫͜ͅ ̸͔̝̣̅̀̊̈͒̾̿̕t̸̳̜̟͐̒̈́ǒ̶̯ ̶͙͙̱͔̳̗̮̜̒g̸̬͇͊͑͜r̸̜͕̭̯͋̋̔͜ã̴̲̜̰̻̹͇͐͌̕̕̕ť̶͍̦̒̿e̷̢̱̩̙̬̜͒.̴̮͕̙͉̩̌̀̂̀ͅ"̵͚̜̞̺͕̮̒͠ Rouge miserably said, "I cannot help it, my Lady…it hurts so much…" The look in the Baroness' evil eyes was tragic for a moment before returning to apathy. "̴̝̖̹̓͌̈́̃̿̋̃Y̴̛̼̤͖̎͂̍͘͝o̷̮̳͐̿̔̔͌ͅu̴͕̥͘ ̶̛̼̼͎͖͇̬̙ͅb̵͚̳̉̿̒r̸͈͠ǫ̷͈͈̲̻̗̘̜͌̄ṵ̴̢̘͈̑̅̚ͅg̸̡͙̝̲͈̈͒̅̄̽̈́̐͐h̸̩̘̺̪̤̯̖̋̊͗͋̋́ͅt̷̲̉͐͒ ̷̱͔̌͐͘t̷̨̛́͌̀͐̽͝ẖ̶̪̣͍̈́̿̌͌͑͛̊i̶͚͈̠͙͙̇ş̵̗̱̣̝̠̩̓́̿ ̴̢̻̬̟̼̹̳̹̿p̷̈́͘͜͠ǎ̵̘̹̬̻͙͇͈̈́́̂͌͆̇ỉ̴͖̃ņ̶̛̙̲̻̬̼̯͗̎ ̵̙͂̈́͐͗͊̄u̴͙̩̞̔̐̽̏p̵̢̝̖̟̻͒̈́o̵̘̼͍̙͉̙͕̔̋̏͜n̷̢̥̞̟̙͌ ̵̼̗̮̹̘͑̅͐̔͝y̵̨̫͍̭̥̩͙͊͋̆ǫ̶̰̻̳͔̦͖̈́̓̑̊̈́u̴̘̍̑͛́̅r̶̳̲̮̬̻͗̀͛̋͝s̴͚̠̎̑͘͘ȩ̶̢̝̹̲̩̂̐̉̆l̵̡̲̙͔̮̫̄̈́̽̊͗́̒f̶̢͇̠̆͒͒̌͊.̴͉͚̙̆͊́̈́͊͜ ̴̛̰̳̖̍͋̏͘͜Į̴̥͎͔̞͚̥̎̄͋͗́̈͝ ̴͖̑̂̍́̓̈́̐͂t̵̢͚͉͎̦͎̦̄́̍̉͜ö̸͚̖͕̺́̅̚l̶͇̈̋̆̿̈́̾̑̍d̷̦̖̞͉̤̊̎̀ͅ ̷̱̮̜́̈́́͌͒͝͠ỳ̵͙͎̮̬̫̝̹̳̈́͋̕͘o̷̧̢̙͔̥̹̓̀̚û̶̢̡̂̌́̕ ̸̭͋t̴̀͘ͅo̴̥̍̌͐ ̷̨̠͖̪̦̥͇͛͛̇͗g̵̢̘̞̫̩̘͂͗̈́̚ͅo̵̧̞͎͙̓̀̃̀ ̸̧̛̳̹͒̏́͂̈̂͊ͅă̷̟̞̟̦͔̟͇̖̽̀f̴̢̭́͛̈͝͝t̵̨̰̭̱̻̟͚͂̎͘e̴̪͓̮̬͈̳͑͛̌̓́̔͝͝ŗ̷̂̃ ̷̛̝̯̮̦̊͌̃̓͘͠t̴̨͓̙̭͋̃̈̾͌̕͜h̵̨̩̬͇̺̝̟̤̄e̷̲̹̳̙̯̽͝ ̵̭̫̻̝͔͔̙͕̉ë̸̳͔̻̲̞͔͈́c̶̡̬̦̳͍̮̥͊̽̈́h̵̨̢̦̬̝̪̱͂̈́̓͂̚̚͘i̶̘̗̳̿̋ď̵̖̭̤̻͆̈́ṅ̴̡̧̫̻̼̝̫̘̋̓̋́ȧ̸̗̺͑̎̉̉,̴͇͊̾̇̿́̕ͅͅ ̵̧̡̬̯͖̙̮̓̇͋̔b̸̨̞̭̻͚̫̞̖̎͗ư̴̺̞̫̯͕͗͆̄̔̕ţ̶̨̯͈͓̼̇̇̓ ̴̻̹͎̣̊̿̋̔y̶̘̜̣̣̙͒̆̎̾̅͐̀͐͜ỏ̸̧̨͙̝̝̪̜͖͂̇͌u̷̢̨̼̯̖̞̥̒̉̈́̚ ̶̢̺̰͚̟̩̠̆͘͝͝ͅď̷̼̘̌ḭ̵͖͎̬̏̓̐̽̂̕ḍ̵̝͓̜̻̏̔̏͊̈́̚ͅ ̴̬̻̙͎͚̭̟͑͌̌̊͛̀̕n̵̜̣͕͍̫̘͘͠ö̵̢͎̦͔̩̏t̵̯̼̱̪̽̓̽̓̀͊̈́̕ͅ ̸̭̘̫͔̤̂͐̀̃͘l̷̥̗͓̭̠̑͗͆̌̉̔͋̉ï̸̢͉̳̳͍̾̔̂̈́s̶̤͉̩̙̺̓͋͗͜ť̵̟̀̅͆ȅ̸̛̬̗̺͈̘͙̖͈̓͊̾̉̾̐n̷̟͍̩͌͑͆͋.̶̬͌͊̿̆͊̇"̸̨͓̤̞͇̌̋͊̂͘͘ͅ
Rouge's usual fire sparked for a moment upon mention of him. "You don't understand. Knuckles, he…"
"̵͉͍̰͍͛̋͊ͅH̸̢̙̺̱̲̀̐̉̐e̷̻͊̉͐ ̵̢͔̗̮̗̮̒w̵̡̗͎̱̤̐̒ä̸̖̭́̈ͅs̴̘̮̦̤͙̑̚ ̷̛̻̝͓̻̜́͂̅͋̂ͅb̷̹̺̻̹̳̾͆͜e̸̼͑͋̕ỉ̵̡̦̩̝͖̣̃̎͒̀͆n̴̩̒̑́g̶̡̡̮̤̍̍̈́̍͝ ̷͙̮͆̋͗͐ä̴̡̠̺̥́̾͐͗͝ ̴̢̤̺͍̮̌͜b̶̺̈́̃ŕ̷͉̿͜u̵̬̖͍͈͆͘͠t̸̨̳̝̳̀͋̀́e̶̫͎̹̝̅̔,̷̢̊ ̷̫̀̓̌̀̕I̴̻̬̤͔̣͆̅̀́͒̆ͅ ̶͎̩͔̬͛͋͘̚͝k̷̫̩̐̕n̵̢̲̥͔̄͊̉̀o̸̧͓̬̐̈́͗̾͘w̴̰͇̫͖̝͌,̶̝̜̱̤̽̈̒̓̓"̵̳̯̜̰̦̳̆̋́̕ the Baroness said, "̷̧̛̝̿̐́̏a̸͚̹̞̐͋̂̕͜n̷̯͇̰͚̠̲̈͊̒̎̉͠d̵̹̻͆̆͆̓͛͘ ̷̙͚̮̈́̓͜h̴̢̢͉̹̙̀̔e̶̢̞̭̭̞̐͗̆̓͒́ ̴̨̙̬͖̾̿͆d̴̘̩̓̆̋͝ͅͅe̸̛̟̦͐͒͊̑͜s̵̛͕̫͖̑͋̋é̷̛̳̜̩r̴̨̘̱͇͆̐̓̐̈́v̸̖̝̭̖́͐̄͛̔e̷̢̲̲̔̓̅̓͠d̵̢̲̥̹͉͌͌̀ ̶̡̺̜̘̝̗̓̽̒͝w̷̧͕̪̾̀̀̏͑́ḫ̷̽́̀̈͌a̴̮̲̔͗̀͝ṯ̷͉̫̝̪͍̉̓ ̶̱͈̳͉̰̈́̎̇̉̕ỵ̴̥͂̉̔͋ͅŏ̵̯͑͊̀ủ̶̢̮̤̋̈́̇͘ ̶̧̜͍̖̰͑͘g̸̲͙̜̰̮̻̊͗͂͗a̸̠̿̚v̵̧͍̪͉̕e̸̛͇̍̍͌́̏ ̴͙̦̞͇̺͋̃͛̀͊͋ͅh̷͚̗̪̓̃̏í̴̙̺̖̯̝̒̎ͅm̷̨͊̉,̷̻̠̾͝ ̷̪̝̖̳̲̯̋̑̋̆̀̚b̷̺͋̄͠u̸̥̼̕t̵̨̧͕̩̮̐͑̊̉̈́̚ ̶̢͉͇̳̓̿I̴͓̦̲̐͌͐͗ ̸͓̆̓͗͒̓̽s̸̢͍͍̝̖̐͌̇̈̑ė̶̛̟̩͆̈́̅͜a̷̺͓͆̌̍̎r̸̰̠̈̀̿c̵̨̢̫̥͓̈́̓h̷͉͇̩̉ȩ̵̲̜̣̈̽͊͠d̶̬̑̈̚ ̸̡̞̹̙͎͒̾̿̑̽͜y̶̮̩̥͍̼̎̔̉̅ơ̸̢̬̮͓̼̱͒̿̒u̶̻̮̇̀̓̍͘ȓ̷̳̇̈́̂͊̒ ̴͔͇͐̎f̷̡̝̱͉͙̄͒͐̄̕ḙ̵̗̘̳̰͊̋͝é̴̢͖͇͙̬̇̈́͘͝l̷̡̻̩̬͛͒̃̿́͝i̴̯̤͛ṅ̵͙̗͗ġ̸̥͓̤̜̩̮̍͒s̶̨̛̪̙̮̭̻̈́̈́̔͊͘ ̶̤̟͔̪͔̐̒̀͝a̷̠͔͓͖͓̝̋̃͆f̵̟̖̞̒̃̀̍͝ţ̷̧̗͚͈̃͠ê̶̛͍͈̬̈͆r̷͚̙̫͔͉͋́̾̃͑͠w̶̙͙̓̽̆ą̷̢̪̥̣͕̃́̋̇͠r̵͎͇̱͈̬̉͌͑̀̎͝d̷͈̩͑̈͆͐ͅś̷͕̥̝̳.̵͍̐ ̶̡͇̒̂̿͆̕͘Ȳ̶̱͓̯̲̅̈́͘͝ơ̵̞̻̯ụ̶̡̬͇̻̫͊̄͝͝ ̵̰̃h̸͔͉͒̚͜ͅa̷̧̼̥̘͊͌d̶͇͍̼̓͆̊̉̽̃ ̵̱̿̄̑̑̓̏ṋ̸̫̉̇̎ó̴̗̭̩̦̥̆͋͗ ̵̢̛̘̳̮̣̳̍̆̊̚̕ḭ̸͌̽n̵͖͈̹͉̞̬͗̿͊̿́t̶̡̮̃̒̚e̶̺̗̺̤͉̳̊͑̇͠n̸͙̱̬̎̂̅̃̕͜ţ̷͉̹̻̂̊̈́̉͠i̵͓̰̟̓̈́̌̍̿̌͜o̶̻̥̺̹̿̀ǹ̷̯̯̏͜͜͠ ̵̳͖̅͂̎ͅo̴̧̩̩̖͎̍̄̿͝f̶̢̧̲̞͓̮̐̍̓͘͠ ̴͔͉͈͇̠̗̓̓̓͑̓f̶͖̓͝ḯ̶͍̱̈́͋ņ̵̠̿̀̉͘̚d̷̨̧̦̾́̏̍͘ͅḭ̵͇̈́̍ṋ̶̛͍͆̑̾͆ͅg̴͇̩̾̈́͌̅͠͝ ̵͗̉̊́͘ͅḩ̶̦̣̺̤̗͛ǐ̴̝͘m̵̡̪̮͖̺̫͊̈̌͝.̸͚̮̝̺̦̹̈́̈́̚ ̶̛͉͕͖I̸͕̬̪̽̉ṉ̸̆̐́̒̅̀ ̸̰͌̊̏y̸͓̱͚̓o̸̪̓̋͛̿̀͜͝ų̶͍̥͕͍͂̂ŕ̴̝̝̞̳̬ ̵̢̘̻͖̯̤̆̉̈͝p̷̠̘͘a̷͖̬͕͙̼̺̎̈͠ḭ̴̓̄͘n̸̪͌̆̀̚͠,̴̧͉͌ ̴̨̛̪͖̹͈̓͜y̸̘̯̾̆̅o̶̬͙̤̼͔̜͆̋̏̊̃u̴̱̰͋͐̋̑̈́͝ ̶̬͆̉̀f̸̨̙̤͒̊͂͌́̕͜e̵̪̥͓͚͋͒͠͠l̵̜̯̔̈͒͝t̷̛̙̼̲̩̣͆͛̈ ̶͍̽̀͊̃̚j̵͇̓̈́̓̌ͅu̸̮͉̠̙̙̎͝͠s̵͎̼͔̙͈̿̃̊t̷̹̬͚̊̈͘i̸̡̜̣̝̇̈f̶̱̮͕̓͋̈͑̈͝i̸̦̩͆̀ͅe̸̞̠͕̘̪̋̏̓̈́͘d̵̯͇̳͋̈́̿̆ ̶̭͛̆̑̃͜͝ă̷͕̼͙̺̓͝͝n̸͍̭̠̞̰͗́d̷͙̋̃͠ ̵̧̳̣̮̪̜̈́̈̏̆̕͝a̵̤͖̰̽̑̈̏n̸̬̩̾͘g̷̢̭͚̪͐͜r̸̦̝̫̝̮̤̀́y̷̨̤̣̘̐͛̂͂͑̈́ ̷̰̤̦̮̽̑̔̄̇̀e̸̳͎̙͝ň̷̢̌̚ǫ̵̼̝͋̍̉̅͑͛ụ̶̡̩̑̓̕ģ̴̞̘͐͑̓̐̀h̵̠͙̝̻̱͊ ̶̡̛̩̃̆ͅt̴̻̒ŏ̶̥̥̌͑̿͒ ̵͉͆͊͘t̵̯̙͝à̷͍͌̔̚͝k̵̻̣̰̈̀̓͜ḛ̵̫͓̀ ̵̤̻̟͓͈̇͑͊̏t̶͕͆̈͆̿͌͠h̷̜͇̳͉̒̋̋̈́̉e̸̲̍ ̵̛͕̯̾Ḿ̷̨̥̇̊å̴̰͙̣͖͜ś̷̞͔̬ṫ̷͙̫̿̚e̶͉͝r̴̺̃͌̉̔ ̵̧̢͍̙̼̔̈́͌͆̕Ḛ̸̳̜̓̆̈́̈ͅm̶̾͌̒̌͜è̵͍͕͎̯͇̻̈̈́͆̈́̕r̶̛̮̫̭̣̥̩̍ä̵͎͇̀̂͝l̶̮̺̎̌d̸̖͒̄͌̃̋ ̶̪̈́ͅȁ̷̗̃͐n̶̼͈͉̓̿̕d̸̡̯̪̺̱̏̀͗̕ ̵̯͔͓̩̮̹̐ĺ̸̩͊̔̔ẻ̸̢̬̘̜͈́̿͌a̷̙̮͍̋̇̎̈́v̷̨͖̮̬̹̤͐̔̈́̾͝ẽ̵̛̗̞͖͓́,̵̧̣̖̬̬̄͌̎ ̸̟̂͌͑͒͘̚t̷̰̗̺̖͉͆ͅḧ̵̡̩̟̤͆̀̇̔̐ǘ̸͍̟͕̆͋̃s̸̨͉͎̈́̈̐̇͘͝ ̸̹̼̩̓͂c̷̦͎͗o̴̥̦̫͙̝͘ǹ̶͚̲̌͊̍͠f̴̡̘̗̺̣͎͒̌̾͠ǐ̵̳͈͔̖̯͘r̴̢̫̈́m̷͈͖͆i̴̳̞͌̈́͠n̵͔͙̳̩̍̇̓̕͝͠g̸̹̩̞̀̓͑ ̶̛̘̭̙̊̏͊̊͗h̶̨̘͇̭̩͒̒́͌i̴͉̹̳̋̓͒́s̸̬̲̤̤͕̫̔̊̀̎͐͝ ̸̹̈́̿̽̎̕d̷̡̠̙́̈́̓̒̕ớ̴̢̮̣̰̯͖̎u̶̙̩̜͋̔̈́̚͠b̵̛͕̣͔̥̓̇̈́ͅͅt̴͙̬̽͂̌̿͆ṣ̷̛̗̱͌ ̵̨̛̳̺̓̀̏a̵̼̳̪͓͆̊͊͐͠b̴̪̪͈̳̒̔̾̅̿͝o̷̜͐ụ̶̘̖̖̂t̷͖̠̮̻̎̀̂́͊͝ ̴̪̲̤͛̋̏ỵ̶̗̠̙͍̰̾̽o̵̖͍̘͓̅̍̔̇̂͛u̵̘̿̽̂͌͝.̷͕͈̱̻̱͖͒̆"̵̨͊̀̓ This correct analysis angered the broken bat, despite whose mercy she was upon. "You know nothing about me or how I feel, Baroness." The woman's eyes narrowed to a sneer and her grin returned. "̷͓̺̙̺̺̪͚̗͈͇̍̓̓͘͝Ò̵͎̜̮͌͝͠ḩ̸̼̯̃̓̊̔̉̾̂͛̋͘,̸̮͕̼͔̟̟͉͚̀̉͝ ̸̡͇̙̜̰̭̊̊̑̉͂͆͐́̋͊Ì̸͋̂̾͝ͅ ̷̨̠̖͙̠͇̩͐b̸̢̨͉̤̭̰͉̱̺́̂͝͝e̴̢̮̝̽̍̋͆͗̎ḷ̸̢̛͕̖̝͔̲͇̂̄̒̾͆̽̓̑͜ͅi̶̠̘̦̖͖̩͕̾͊͆̚͜͝e̵̢̧̡̨̛̤͔̓̔v̷̡͙̻͇̼͓̖̦̼͋̀̐̈́͠e̵̲͐̒͠ͅ ̶̻̫̯̖̙̆͋̓͗͐̓͗̏̚̚I̵̛̩͛̓̈́̈́̽̈́̀͝͠ ̶̳̘͔͇̮̖̭̯̲̓͑͐̏͗̾̂̕̚d̶̛̼̈́͗̉͛̔͐̉̅͑ô̶̡̧͈̻̫͖̗̅̌͒̀͌͘…̸̡̨̫̘̣̺̠̦͖͍͊̏̏̐̂͝Ṡ̶͎̈͒̅͆č̴̲̮̻͎͑̇͂͝ȃ̴̛̙͈͍̜͚̐̈r̴̢̲̺̣̤̰̣̾͘͜͜l̸̨̤̳̱̝̃̈́͑̆̀̂́͘ë̶̯̲́ṫ̷̢̜̠̮̦́͒̈́̿̂́͜.̴̢̛͍̠̠̍̆͒̄͆̿̕͠"̵̧͎̝̘̦͉͇̘̌͑̿̉͠͝
Landing on her feet and running towards her target, the arcane woman took a step back (it was hard to tell in that darkness, even with the demonic aura surrounding the woman) and dashed toward Rouge, appearing right in front of her.
Before the bat could react, she was suddenly attacked from five different directions at once, before being kicked to the right. Rouge was confounded by what happened, but shook it off, grabbed her Rings before they disappeared and took off flying after the Baroness. Once in range, she attempted her Screw Kick, but was caught by the ankle. "Are we done playing around, my dear?" the Baroness taunted with a dark tone. "I am getting rather bored…"
Gritting her fangs, Rouge pried her leg from the woman's grasp and, inhaling, used her Beauty Shock technique, a combination of sonar and ki formed into a nasty projectile. The woman simply touched it…and it was gone. "I'm warning you, honey," said the Baroness, dropping all pretenses of amusement, "if you don't step it up, I'll become quite disappointed."
Rouge hissed, "Allow me to make a better impression, then, bitch!" She flew high above the dark, dense fog – which was a lot higher than she originally thought – and, gathering a great deal of ki, she shouted, "BLACK WAVE!" sending a black torrent of energy right straight into the fog. Not wasting any time to discover if the attack connected or not, Rouge quickly soared downward with a powerful claw-first dive straight into the ground.
…The ground?
Rouge, in her puzzlement, heard the words, "Well then, I believe it's M̸͉̙͉̗̩̯̀͋̋Y̷̨̧̭̰̰͚̞͋͌ turn, dear." At that moment, Rouge was surrounded by eight copies of the woman, each bearing different markings on their suits, but sharing the same expression: maleficent annoyance. Rouge's own expression was one of fear. "T-T-That's impossible! No one can-"
She was swiftly interrupted by a punch to her jaw from one of the copies, which sent Rouge flying to a different copy that grabbed her and slammed her on the copy's knee. The bat was then thrown to another copy who kicked her in the stomach to yet another copy who, with a twirl, slapped Rouge across the cheek. This went on for a good two minutes, expending the huntress of all her Rings and leaving her severely wounded before one copy, at last, knocked her to the ground.
"̴Y̸o̷u̸ ̴s̸e̸e̷m̶ ̵t̴o̷ ̷b̵e̷ ̶l̶o̶s̴i̵n̵g̷ ̸y̸o̴u̵r̸ ̷w̴a̶g̶e̴r̵,̷ ̶s̶w̵e̷e̶t̶i̵e̸,̷"̸ spoke the Baroness, her clones elucidating in eerie unison, "̵C̸a̵r̸e̴ ̴t̶o̶ ̷y̸i̷e̵l̴d̷ ̸b̵e̶f̵o̴r̷e̷ ̸t̶h̸i̸s̵ ̶g̵e̵t̴s̷ ̴u̷g̴l̷y̸?̷"̶ Rouge simply spat blood at the face of what she thought was not the real Baroness. Unfortunately for her, it was, and it did make contact, as the Baroness' expression soon twisted from vaguely insulted to frighteningly livid. At that instant, four copies grabbed Rouge and held her up by her arms and legs, while another walked over from behind and did the unthinkable. Her wings were ripped.
OFF.
The resulting screams were so loud they could be heard across the zones of Ice Cap, Red Mountain, Lava Reef and Azure Lake, where, coincidentally, Knuckles currently lay, unconscious. In his pain-induced slumber he twitched, occasionally mumbling, "Rouge…you idiot…run…please…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Click this link to de-scramble the cursed speech of the Baroness...if you dare.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The clones eventually dispersed when she finished screaming, though when that was, none of the women could say. There Rouge lay, beside her own wings in a pool of blood. She was already in blinding pain from all of her injuries, but losing her wings? That was a different peak. She could barely see straight, could not move and twitched every so often. Her voice was hoarse from the screaming, but as the malevolent silhouette approached her, she was quite ready to begin anew as she drew away the best she could in fear. "Please…" she wearily begged, "No more…Lady Baroness…I beg you…"
The Calamity Baroness did not grin in victory, however, instead bending down and, with her right hand, grabbing Rouge by the base of what remained of her wings. She began screaming in agony once more before a slap silenced her. "̸͙̯͔͔̣̪̹̐̑̆͂̕I̷̡̥̱̫̺̯͙͗̒̑̑̔̚ť̵̨̯̭͙̲̣͈̪̓̾̓ ̸̢̡͙̲͎̲̫͆͆i̵̫̜̓̋́̿ͅṡ̵̢͎̗͇͕̘̻̗ ̵̞̲̬̆̑̾͘g̵͙̲̖̭̣̪̯̊̏́̓͐̅ǫ̶̝̲͙́̾ő̵̧̺̘̘͍̗̪͍d̸̹̾́̉̈̊̄ ̷̛̞̯̻̺̇͆͌̉͠ͅṱ̴̲͖̳̯̲̓ḫ̶͙̠̐̓́̅̈͘a̵͓̥̾t̷̛̤̩̣̟̩̟̋̈̽̆̅͒͠ ̵̟̫̞͌̅͐y̴̺͆o̸͕̙̙͊̐̑͘u̶̡̧̠̣̻̅̉͋̆̈́́̈́͜͝ ̴̨̡̹͎͚̼̽̈́̋̔̓͂k̶̨̭̺͚͍͖̝͚͒̕͝ņ̸̡̟̟̺̬̙̓̄̈̋͝ơ̴͉̖̈̊̅́̃̌ẅ̵̡͇̞̭̏͛̀͐̊͠ ̷̯̙̤͎͋̑͐͊ȳ̷̝͖͙̲̭̪̗̕͝ö̴͍̤͖̣̜͔̔̎̓̍̀̐u̵͚̖͔̟̿̓̃̆̓͗̔͆r̸̻̮͍̳͍͙͉̆̇́ ̷͚̅̌͘͝p̶̙̮͖͚͐̊͝l̵̜̻̺͖̻͐͜á̸̡̙̎̿̓c̸̝̩̔̌̒̓̽̔͠ę̸̰̲̫͍̍̂̇͛͐̈ ̶̰͌̆͜ñ̸̰͈͓̘͈̬͇̓̏͐̍͜͝o̸̱͊̈́̌̈̕w̷̧̹̒̒̇̕,̶̨̳̟̩͖̝̯͙́̊ ̷̗̻͉̤͚̮̣̪̔̑̀b̶̫͕̹̹̊u̴̦͆́ẗ̸̺̦͈̦̼͓̝́́́̽̃̽̽ͅ ̴̡̦̥̳̅̇̄̃̀͊I̵͍̪͙̳̮͠ ̷͇̲̥̟͉̺͖̓́͝͝w̷̡͍͈̰͒̈́̌͘͜ơ̴̛̮̩͇̎̈́͂͘͠u̷̡̝͙̹̳̕ͅľ̶̳̭̹̓̎͌̈͜͝d̸̠̪͙͇̂͒͑̋̈́͋̊͆ ̵̦̼̥̼̟̱̬̐̿̽p̷̢̺̗̈̍͊ŗ̶̤̝̼̼̞̞̮͊̒̇̒ẹ̵͎̗̀f̸̛̭̲͕̹̈͒̇̆̓́͘e̸̙͇̽̑r̶͍̲͔̙̝̃̾̑͒̆̅̈̕ ̶̟̞̫̰̙̈͌́͒ͅͅi̴̟͉̺̰̼͓̰̿t̵̺̩̙́͌͠ ̷̝̿̈į̶̘̟͓̫͇͉͚̏́͑͊̚͘͝f̸̡͙̝̻͂̐̈̔͂͜͜͠ ̷̛̙̲̼̞̜̀̂̆̍͌y̴̛͓̖͒̂̎̆̂̚͜o̴̢̩͑̿̀́̒͗̀͝ṷ̵̢̡̬̯̳͔͆͊ ̵͔̦̹̼͋̀̓͋͠w̴̧̜̞̹͔͓̅̉̽͒͛̃͜ȅ̵̥͎̾̉͆͋r̴̙̈̕e̴͎͕̽̍ ̸͍̱͖̋̎̀͜q̵̢͈̰͍̲̯͎̺͝ū̸̠̩̻̘͒͜ͅḯ̴̻͖̳͓̳̟̇̄̾͗͋͜͝ẻ̴͓̳̹̳̲͈͛̀͜t̶̗̹͙̖͇́̈́̃̐̾̚.̸̢̗̳̤͎̞̦͇̏̆̂́͘͠ ̸̡̘̥̓Y̷̨̲̗͈͓̼͊̅̍͐̒̽͗̓ô̷̡̗̟̱̳̹̩̐̾̊̿̚̕ṵ̴̙̹̘̆̒r̴̡̬͉̦̆̿͜ ̸̧̡͈̃̈͆̍̋c̵̫̹͙͆̈́̉̎̔̈͝r̷̞͓̆̆̃̏̓͝͝i̷͇̺̚̚ė̷̙̙͍̺͊̋̿͐s̴̳͎̀̕ ̷̠̌͒͘ő̸̪͆̽͘͠͝f̶͕̥͗ ̵̦̦̍͋̀͋ǎ̴͇͓̥̣͉̙̹̌̂̌͛̈́́ͅǵ̸̩͖̽̎͗͗̕o̷̼̭͗̄̂ṉ̶̨͓̌͂̈́͐̚͝ͅy̵̳͕̬̜̓̀̍͋̐̔͂̕͜ ̸͚̯͕͔̘̊͒̂͐̿͐͝h̶͖̝͚̪̦̘͎̦͗a̴̢̰̹̜͔̼͍̤͒̀v̶̧̼̙̱̞͎̻̓̏͂̚ė̴͍̱̙̪͎̟͔͑͝ ̴̤̄̍́͆b̷̧͎̙̱̳̄̏͊̽̔͝è̷̛̪̲̀̊̚ͅg̴̗̙͎̤̣̙͎̏̂̑͐̈́̂̑͜u̶͇̯͙̦̖̺̗͗́̓̔̓ň̷͍͓̙̫͜ͅ ̸͔̝̣̅̀̊̈͒̾̿̕t̸̳̜̟͐̒̈́ǒ̶̯ ̶͙͙̱͔̳̗̮̜̒g̸̬͇͊͑͜r̸̜͕̭̯͋̋̔͜ã̴̲̜̰̻̹͇͐͌̕̕̕ť̶͍̦̒̿e̷̢̱̩̙̬̜͒.̴̮͕̙͉̩̌̀̂̀ͅ"̵͚̜̞̺͕̮̒͠ Rouge miserably said, "I cannot help it, my Lady…it hurts so much…" The look in the Baroness' evil eyes was tragic for a moment before returning to apathy. "̴̝̖̹̓͌̈́̃̿̋̃Y̴̛̼̤͖̎͂̍͘͝o̷̮̳͐̿̔̔͌ͅu̴͕̥͘ ̶̛̼̼͎͖͇̬̙ͅb̵͚̳̉̿̒r̸͈͠ǫ̷͈͈̲̻̗̘̜͌̄ṵ̴̢̘͈̑̅̚ͅg̸̡͙̝̲͈̈͒̅̄̽̈́̐͐h̸̩̘̺̪̤̯̖̋̊͗͋̋́ͅt̷̲̉͐͒ ̷̱͔̌͐͘t̷̨̛́͌̀͐̽͝ẖ̶̪̣͍̈́̿̌͌͑͛̊i̶͚͈̠͙͙̇ş̵̗̱̣̝̠̩̓́̿ ̴̢̻̬̟̼̹̳̹̿p̷̈́͘͜͠ǎ̵̘̹̬̻͙͇͈̈́́̂͌͆̇ỉ̴͖̃ņ̶̛̙̲̻̬̼̯͗̎ ̵̙͂̈́͐͗͊̄u̴͙̩̞̔̐̽̏p̵̢̝̖̟̻͒̈́o̵̘̼͍̙͉̙͕̔̋̏͜n̷̢̥̞̟̙͌ ̵̼̗̮̹̘͑̅͐̔͝y̵̨̫͍̭̥̩͙͊͋̆ǫ̶̰̻̳͔̦͖̈́̓̑̊̈́u̴̘̍̑͛́̅r̶̳̲̮̬̻͗̀͛̋͝s̴͚̠̎̑͘͘ȩ̶̢̝̹̲̩̂̐̉̆l̵̡̲̙͔̮̫̄̈́̽̊͗́̒f̶̢͇̠̆͒͒̌͊.̴͉͚̙̆͊́̈́͊͜ ̴̛̰̳̖̍͋̏͘͜Į̴̥͎͔̞͚̥̎̄͋͗́̈͝ ̴͖̑̂̍́̓̈́̐͂t̵̢͚͉͎̦͎̦̄́̍̉͜ö̸͚̖͕̺́̅̚l̶͇̈̋̆̿̈́̾̑̍d̷̦̖̞͉̤̊̎̀ͅ ̷̱̮̜́̈́́͌͒͝͠ỳ̵͙͎̮̬̫̝̹̳̈́͋̕͘o̷̧̢̙͔̥̹̓̀̚û̶̢̡̂̌́̕ ̸̭͋t̴̀͘ͅo̴̥̍̌͐ ̷̨̠͖̪̦̥͇͛͛̇͗g̵̢̘̞̫̩̘͂͗̈́̚ͅo̵̧̞͎͙̓̀̃̀ ̸̧̛̳̹͒̏́͂̈̂͊ͅă̷̟̞̟̦͔̟͇̖̽̀f̴̢̭́͛̈͝͝t̵̨̰̭̱̻̟͚͂̎͘e̴̪͓̮̬͈̳͑͛̌̓́̔͝͝ŗ̷̂̃ ̷̛̝̯̮̦̊͌̃̓͘͠t̴̨͓̙̭͋̃̈̾͌̕͜h̵̨̩̬͇̺̝̟̤̄e̷̲̹̳̙̯̽͝ ̵̭̫̻̝͔͔̙͕̉ë̸̳͔̻̲̞͔͈́c̶̡̬̦̳͍̮̥͊̽̈́h̵̨̢̦̬̝̪̱͂̈́̓͂̚̚͘i̶̘̗̳̿̋ď̵̖̭̤̻͆̈́ṅ̴̡̧̫̻̼̝̫̘̋̓̋́ȧ̸̗̺͑̎̉̉,̴͇͊̾̇̿́̕ͅͅ ̵̧̡̬̯͖̙̮̓̇͋̔b̸̨̞̭̻͚̫̞̖̎͗ư̴̺̞̫̯͕͗͆̄̔̕ţ̶̨̯͈͓̼̇̇̓ ̴̻̹͎̣̊̿̋̔y̶̘̜̣̣̙͒̆̎̾̅͐̀͐͜ỏ̸̧̨͙̝̝̪̜͖͂̇͌u̷̢̨̼̯̖̞̥̒̉̈́̚ ̶̢̺̰͚̟̩̠̆͘͝͝ͅď̷̼̘̌ḭ̵͖͎̬̏̓̐̽̂̕ḍ̵̝͓̜̻̏̔̏͊̈́̚ͅ ̴̬̻̙͎͚̭̟͑͌̌̊͛̀̕n̵̜̣͕͍̫̘͘͠ö̵̢͎̦͔̩̏t̵̯̼̱̪̽̓̽̓̀͊̈́̕ͅ ̸̭̘̫͔̤̂͐̀̃͘l̷̥̗͓̭̠̑͗͆̌̉̔͋̉ï̸̢͉̳̳͍̾̔̂̈́s̶̤͉̩̙̺̓͋͗͜ť̵̟̀̅͆ȅ̸̛̬̗̺͈̘͙̖͈̓͊̾̉̾̐n̷̟͍̩͌͑͆͋.̶̬͌͊̿̆͊̇"̸̨͓̤̞͇̌̋͊̂͘͘ͅ
Rouge's usual fire sparked for a moment upon mention of him. "You don't understand. Knuckles, he…"
"̵͉͍̰͍͛̋͊ͅH̸̢̙̺̱̲̀̐̉̐e̷̻͊̉͐ ̵̢͔̗̮̗̮̒w̵̡̗͎̱̤̐̒ä̸̖̭́̈ͅs̴̘̮̦̤͙̑̚ ̷̛̻̝͓̻̜́͂̅͋̂ͅb̷̹̺̻̹̳̾͆͜e̸̼͑͋̕ỉ̵̡̦̩̝͖̣̃̎͒̀͆n̴̩̒̑́g̶̡̡̮̤̍̍̈́̍͝ ̷͙̮͆̋͗͐ä̴̡̠̺̥́̾͐͗͝ ̴̢̤̺͍̮̌͜b̶̺̈́̃ŕ̷͉̿͜u̵̬̖͍͈͆͘͠t̸̨̳̝̳̀͋̀́e̶̫͎̹̝̅̔,̷̢̊ ̷̫̀̓̌̀̕I̴̻̬̤͔̣͆̅̀́͒̆ͅ ̶͎̩͔̬͛͋͘̚͝k̷̫̩̐̕n̵̢̲̥͔̄͊̉̀o̸̧͓̬̐̈́͗̾͘w̴̰͇̫͖̝͌,̶̝̜̱̤̽̈̒̓̓"̵̳̯̜̰̦̳̆̋́̕ the Baroness said, "̷̧̛̝̿̐́̏a̸͚̹̞̐͋̂̕͜n̷̯͇̰͚̠̲̈͊̒̎̉͠d̵̹̻͆̆͆̓͛͘ ̷̙͚̮̈́̓͜h̴̢̢͉̹̙̀̔e̶̢̞̭̭̞̐͗̆̓͒́ ̴̨̙̬͖̾̿͆d̴̘̩̓̆̋͝ͅͅe̸̛̟̦͐͒͊̑͜s̵̛͕̫͖̑͋̋é̷̛̳̜̩r̴̨̘̱͇͆̐̓̐̈́v̸̖̝̭̖́͐̄͛̔e̷̢̲̲̔̓̅̓͠d̵̢̲̥̹͉͌͌̀ ̶̡̺̜̘̝̗̓̽̒͝w̷̧͕̪̾̀̀̏͑́ḫ̷̽́̀̈͌a̴̮̲̔͗̀͝ṯ̷͉̫̝̪͍̉̓ ̶̱͈̳͉̰̈́̎̇̉̕ỵ̴̥͂̉̔͋ͅŏ̵̯͑͊̀ủ̶̢̮̤̋̈́̇͘ ̶̧̜͍̖̰͑͘g̸̲͙̜̰̮̻̊͗͂͗a̸̠̿̚v̵̧͍̪͉̕e̸̛͇̍̍͌́̏ ̴͙̦̞͇̺͋̃͛̀͊͋ͅh̷͚̗̪̓̃̏í̴̙̺̖̯̝̒̎ͅm̷̨͊̉,̷̻̠̾͝ ̷̪̝̖̳̲̯̋̑̋̆̀̚b̷̺͋̄͠u̸̥̼̕t̵̨̧͕̩̮̐͑̊̉̈́̚ ̶̢͉͇̳̓̿I̴͓̦̲̐͌͐͗ ̸͓̆̓͗͒̓̽s̸̢͍͍̝̖̐͌̇̈̑ė̶̛̟̩͆̈́̅͜a̷̺͓͆̌̍̎r̸̰̠̈̀̿c̵̨̢̫̥͓̈́̓h̷͉͇̩̉ȩ̵̲̜̣̈̽͊͠d̶̬̑̈̚ ̸̡̞̹̙͎͒̾̿̑̽͜y̶̮̩̥͍̼̎̔̉̅ơ̸̢̬̮͓̼̱͒̿̒u̶̻̮̇̀̓̍͘ȓ̷̳̇̈́̂͊̒ ̴͔͇͐̎f̷̡̝̱͉͙̄͒͐̄̕ḙ̵̗̘̳̰͊̋͝é̴̢͖͇͙̬̇̈́͘͝l̷̡̻̩̬͛͒̃̿́͝i̴̯̤͛ṅ̵͙̗͗ġ̸̥͓̤̜̩̮̍͒s̶̨̛̪̙̮̭̻̈́̈́̔͊͘ ̶̤̟͔̪͔̐̒̀͝a̷̠͔͓͖͓̝̋̃͆f̵̟̖̞̒̃̀̍͝ţ̷̧̗͚͈̃͠ê̶̛͍͈̬̈͆r̷͚̙̫͔͉͋́̾̃͑͠w̶̙͙̓̽̆ą̷̢̪̥̣͕̃́̋̇͠r̵͎͇̱͈̬̉͌͑̀̎͝d̷͈̩͑̈͆͐ͅś̷͕̥̝̳.̵͍̐ ̶̡͇̒̂̿͆̕͘Ȳ̶̱͓̯̲̅̈́͘͝ơ̵̞̻̯ụ̶̡̬͇̻̫͊̄͝͝ ̵̰̃h̸͔͉͒̚͜ͅa̷̧̼̥̘͊͌d̶͇͍̼̓͆̊̉̽̃ ̵̱̿̄̑̑̓̏ṋ̸̫̉̇̎ó̴̗̭̩̦̥̆͋͗ ̵̢̛̘̳̮̣̳̍̆̊̚̕ḭ̸͌̽n̵͖͈̹͉̞̬͗̿͊̿́t̶̡̮̃̒̚e̶̺̗̺̤͉̳̊͑̇͠n̸͙̱̬̎̂̅̃̕͜ţ̷͉̹̻̂̊̈́̉͠i̵͓̰̟̓̈́̌̍̿̌͜o̶̻̥̺̹̿̀ǹ̷̯̯̏͜͜͠ ̵̳͖̅͂̎ͅo̴̧̩̩̖͎̍̄̿͝f̶̢̧̲̞͓̮̐̍̓͘͠ ̴͔͉͈͇̠̗̓̓̓͑̓f̶͖̓͝ḯ̶͍̱̈́͋ņ̵̠̿̀̉͘̚d̷̨̧̦̾́̏̍͘ͅḭ̵͇̈́̍ṋ̶̛͍͆̑̾͆ͅg̴͇̩̾̈́͌̅͠͝ ̵͗̉̊́͘ͅḩ̶̦̣̺̤̗͛ǐ̴̝͘m̵̡̪̮͖̺̫͊̈̌͝.̸͚̮̝̺̦̹̈́̈́̚ ̶̛͉͕͖I̸͕̬̪̽̉ṉ̸̆̐́̒̅̀ ̸̰͌̊̏y̸͓̱͚̓o̸̪̓̋͛̿̀͜͝ų̶͍̥͕͍͂̂ŕ̴̝̝̞̳̬ ̵̢̘̻͖̯̤̆̉̈͝p̷̠̘͘a̷͖̬͕͙̼̺̎̈͠ḭ̴̓̄͘n̸̪͌̆̀̚͠,̴̧͉͌ ̴̨̛̪͖̹͈̓͜y̸̘̯̾̆̅o̶̬͙̤̼͔̜͆̋̏̊̃u̴̱̰͋͐̋̑̈́͝ ̶̬͆̉̀f̸̨̙̤͒̊͂͌́̕͜e̵̪̥͓͚͋͒͠͠l̵̜̯̔̈͒͝t̷̛̙̼̲̩̣͆͛̈ ̶͍̽̀͊̃̚j̵͇̓̈́̓̌ͅu̸̮͉̠̙̙̎͝͠s̵͎̼͔̙͈̿̃̊t̷̹̬͚̊̈͘i̸̡̜̣̝̇̈f̶̱̮͕̓͋̈͑̈͝i̸̦̩͆̀ͅe̸̞̠͕̘̪̋̏̓̈́͘d̵̯͇̳͋̈́̿̆ ̶̭͛̆̑̃͜͝ă̷͕̼͙̺̓͝͝n̸͍̭̠̞̰͗́d̷͙̋̃͠ ̵̧̳̣̮̪̜̈́̈̏̆̕͝a̵̤͖̰̽̑̈̏n̸̬̩̾͘g̷̢̭͚̪͐͜r̸̦̝̫̝̮̤̀́y̷̨̤̣̘̐͛̂͂͑̈́ ̷̰̤̦̮̽̑̔̄̇̀e̸̳͎̙͝ň̷̢̌̚ǫ̵̼̝͋̍̉̅͑͛ụ̶̡̩̑̓̕ģ̴̞̘͐͑̓̐̀h̵̠͙̝̻̱͊ ̶̡̛̩̃̆ͅt̴̻̒ŏ̶̥̥̌͑̿͒ ̵͉͆͊͘t̵̯̙͝à̷͍͌̔̚͝k̵̻̣̰̈̀̓͜ḛ̵̫͓̀ ̵̤̻̟͓͈̇͑͊̏t̶͕͆̈͆̿͌͠h̷̜͇̳͉̒̋̋̈́̉e̸̲̍ ̵̛͕̯̾Ḿ̷̨̥̇̊å̴̰͙̣͖͜ś̷̞͔̬ṫ̷͙̫̿̚e̶͉͝r̴̺̃͌̉̔ ̵̧̢͍̙̼̔̈́͌͆̕Ḛ̸̳̜̓̆̈́̈ͅm̶̾͌̒̌͜è̵͍͕͎̯͇̻̈̈́͆̈́̕r̶̛̮̫̭̣̥̩̍ä̵͎͇̀̂͝l̶̮̺̎̌d̸̖͒̄͌̃̋ ̶̪̈́ͅȁ̷̗̃͐n̶̼͈͉̓̿̕d̸̡̯̪̺̱̏̀͗̕ ̵̯͔͓̩̮̹̐ĺ̸̩͊̔̔ẻ̸̢̬̘̜͈́̿͌a̷̙̮͍̋̇̎̈́v̷̨͖̮̬̹̤͐̔̈́̾͝ẽ̵̛̗̞͖͓́,̵̧̣̖̬̬̄͌̎ ̸̟̂͌͑͒͘̚t̷̰̗̺̖͉͆ͅḧ̵̡̩̟̤͆̀̇̔̐ǘ̸͍̟͕̆͋̃s̸̨͉͎̈́̈̐̇͘͝ ̸̹̼̩̓͂c̷̦͎͗o̴̥̦̫͙̝͘ǹ̶͚̲̌͊̍͠f̴̡̘̗̺̣͎͒̌̾͠ǐ̵̳͈͔̖̯͘r̴̢̫̈́m̷͈͖͆i̴̳̞͌̈́͠n̵͔͙̳̩̍̇̓̕͝͠g̸̹̩̞̀̓͑ ̶̛̘̭̙̊̏͊̊͗h̶̨̘͇̭̩͒̒́͌i̴͉̹̳̋̓͒́s̸̬̲̤̤͕̫̔̊̀̎͐͝ ̸̹̈́̿̽̎̕d̷̡̠̙́̈́̓̒̕ớ̴̢̮̣̰̯͖̎u̶̙̩̜͋̔̈́̚͠b̵̛͕̣͔̥̓̇̈́ͅͅt̴͙̬̽͂̌̿͆ṣ̷̛̗̱͌ ̵̨̛̳̺̓̀̏a̵̼̳̪͓͆̊͊͐͠b̴̪̪͈̳̒̔̾̅̿͝o̷̜͐ụ̶̘̖̖̂t̷͖̠̮̻̎̀̂́͊͝ ̴̪̲̤͛̋̏ỵ̶̗̠̙͍̰̾̽o̵̖͍̘͓̅̍̔̇̂͛u̵̘̿̽̂͌͝.̷͕͈̱̻̱͖͒̆"̵̨͊̀̓ This correct analysis angered the broken bat, despite whose mercy she was upon. "You know nothing about me or how I feel, Baroness." The woman's eyes narrowed to a sneer and her grin returned. "̷͓̺̙̺̺̪͚̗͈͇̍̓̓͘͝Ò̵͎̜̮͌͝͠ḩ̸̼̯̃̓̊̔̉̾̂͛̋͘,̸̮͕̼͔̟̟͉͚̀̉͝ ̸̡͇̙̜̰̭̊̊̑̉͂͆͐́̋͊Ì̸͋̂̾͝ͅ ̷̨̠̖͙̠͇̩͐b̸̢̨͉̤̭̰͉̱̺́̂͝͝e̴̢̮̝̽̍̋͆͗̎ḷ̸̢̛͕̖̝͔̲͇̂̄̒̾͆̽̓̑͜ͅi̶̠̘̦̖͖̩͕̾͊͆̚͜͝e̵̢̧̡̨̛̤͔̓̔v̷̡͙̻͇̼͓̖̦̼͋̀̐̈́͠e̵̲͐̒͠ͅ ̶̻̫̯̖̙̆͋̓͗͐̓͗̏̚̚I̵̛̩͛̓̈́̈́̽̈́̀͝͠ ̶̳̘͔͇̮̖̭̯̲̓͑͐̏͗̾̂̕̚d̶̛̼̈́͗̉͛̔͐̉̅͑ô̶̡̧͈̻̫͖̗̅̌͒̀͌͘…̸̡̨̫̘̣̺̠̦͖͍͊̏̏̐̂͝Ṡ̶͎̈͒̅͆č̴̲̮̻͎͑̇͂͝ȃ̴̛̙͈͍̜͚̐̈r̴̢̲̺̣̤̰̣̾͘͜͜l̸̨̤̳̱̝̃̈́͑̆̀̂́͘ë̶̯̲́ṫ̷̢̜̠̮̦́͒̈́̿̂́͜.̴̢̛͍̠̠̍̆͒̄͆̿̕͠"̵̧͎̝̘̦͉͇̘̌͑̿̉͠͝
The bat's eyes widened in shock. "W-W-Where did you…?! H-HOW did you?!" The Baroness' grin got bigger as she continued, "̵̗͎̒́I̷͉͋ ̴̝̌͊ẘ̷̬ạ̸̀́s̴̊͜ ̷̲̠͂̾a̸͈̘͑̅ ̸̧̛͗G̶̗͝.̷͙̈U̴̪̅.̵̰̏̐Ñ̵̜.̴̟̭̆ ̷͕͇̚ǫ̴̹͐̏p̷̮̈́e̸͇̘͐r̵͉͇͐a̸̩̜͗̀t̷̜̯͂͛i̸̩̙̾͌v̷̧̥̓ḙ̷̤̈́̿ ̸̬̱͌b̶͖̚͝e̴͓̅̍f̴̨̹̿͝o̷͔̳͋̌r̴̼̯̉̚e̵̡̦͒ ̴̖̣̂y̷̓͆ͅó̶̹̰̏ů̵̧̞ ̵̺̣̐͠w̶̘̫̃ȇ̵̲͈r̵̖̗͠͠e̶̡̓̿ ̸̬́ḛ̵͂v̸̟̝̐e̴̘͊͘ǹ̶̫̣̀ ̷͔͈̉ḇ̴̐o̵̯͋r̷̙̯̈́͠n̶͉̯͛,̶̥̗̄͋ ̵̺̯̚d̴̰̲̏̆e̸̥̾̄ā̴̦̰͂ŕ̶͈̠,̸̝̐̈́ ̴͝ͅs̸͕̈̽ọ̵̓ ̴͚̼̾I̷͔̓'̴̧̫̈́̄v̷̟̼̈́̈́e̶̳̘̎ ̷̙̼̓h̸̝̋̑ạ̵̢̇ḍ̶͌̌ ̷͖̤͠p̴̘͊̒l̵̺̃ḛ̶̭̓̕n̴͍̈t̸̢̯̓̋ÿ̴̘ ̷̱̂͆o̷͇͉̕f̷͓͙̃̐ ̵̛̠̙̕o̵̮̒͝p̸̬͙̏p̴͉̦͒ǫ̸̱̐ṛ̸̓͜t̸͔͂́u̸͙̥̇ń̶͇i̸̫̽̌t̷̥̙͑i̷̺̞͊̄e̷͇̽͝s̴̜͋ ̵̠̘̏́t̴͉̘̆͝ȯ̷̞̼̀ ̴̟͍̃̈́d̶̫͎̀i̶̟͋̈ġ̷̳̍ ̶͇͍͋̏u̷̜͚̿̆p̶̭͆̈́ ̷̜͂d̸͎͛ī̸̡͔̈́r̶̥̮̿́t̵̺͗̚.̸̥̉̑ ̸͖̗̆S̴̜͍̐o̶̱̿,̴͖͘ ̶̣̐ỳ̶̯̕õ̸͓̺ǘ̸̗̝…̸̝̓̆ *giggle* I̷̘̓̈́̓͆ ̸͔͑́̈ͅk̶̟̟̀ņ̸̟̒͋͝o̴̻̟̻͋̅̆̚w̶̰̹̅̓̕ ̵̠̣̫̦́̽e̴̛̙̬̦̾̃v̶̤̫̭̘̆e̴̢͇̒̈r̴̠̫̳̈́ÿ̴͖́̏́t̶͕̃h̴̠̖̬̐́̿͋i̵͔̬̩̕ṋ̶̈́̚ğ̶͇̃ ̵̛̠̗̭́̽͌ą̸̼̻͍̓b̶̜̰̣̍̑o̴̢͎̼̽u̷̝̝̮͆t̷̪̩̘͊́́̃ ̴̮͎̓̅͝Y̴̧̛̟̭̲͂̃̎Ǫ̸̝̝͉͒́Ụ̵͖̊,̶̟͇͙̏͝ ̷̟͊͋S̶̡̡͉̮͒c̸̛̝ͅå̶͓̤̼̳r̶̥̭̼̞̓l̷̘̩̊ē̷̢̛̟ṭ̸̀̐̓̇ ̷͚̯̱̩̎͝Ĺ̸̹̦̆̈ụ̶̧̯͚̈́p̷̮͖͌̀į̵̮̹̂ǹ̸̪̤͔̫.̸̛̥͖͌̾̅ ̷̢͍̈́̈́͆Á̴͈͛̎̃ḃ̴͔̥́͝ô̵̡͕͈̹͆̈́u̶͖̣̗̾̋̑t̴̹̼͖͐͛͒̍ ̶̦̖̣̃y̴̙̱̻͖͝o̶̝̾̔u̶̖̿͗͝r̵̯̱̖̭̅̕͘ ̸̦́̀̍̚a̶͖̘͌̚ṅ̴̨͎̮̞̎̃̏c̵͎̣̯̈́e̶̗̪͌̍͝s̶̙̝̻̑ͅt̸̻̜̩̅̏̍̕o̸̺̗̒ř̴̞̥͓͖̄s̷͓̘̱̳̚'̵̧̟̘̑ ̷̛̙̘̙̣̈̓t̵̄͜h̷̡̞̹̗̍ȋ̵̛̺̤̐͌e̷̡̧̹̥̓̕v̶̪̘́ȋ̶͇̗͍̗̾̾n̵̳͍̤̈́̒g̴̨̛͍̘̲ ̶͕̰̀̈l̸̠͍̀͒͠͝ͅe̵͎͋̈́̈́̕g̵̤̬͍͊͝ͅe̵̮̪̱̦̊n̸͎̂͠d̵̙͉͎̄ŝ̵̤̖͈͖̃͝,̷̳̞̣̌̏ ̸̨̡̯̈͆̃̍t̸̡̋͐̍h̴͎͍̮̼̀̀ë̴̫̣̕ ̶̣͈͑́ṁ̸̘̥ã̵̰͔̖̅̅̑s̷̗̜̄̍͑͝ś̸̪̳̚͝i̴̘̥̒̋v̴͉̥͐́͆́e̴̼̬̣̓́ ̶̳̐́̔͝ḏ̴̨̦̾͐̆e̴̛̟̤͋b̸͙͆͊ṯ̶͒ ̵̧̣͋̈́̄͝ÿ̸̛̜̲̝̺́̈́́ơ̵̠͖̔̈́ų̵̪̞̥̏̌̎̿ŗ̸̘̼̟̀̏͠ ̷͓̙̲̊̍̕f̵̖̿ȁ̸͕̝́͌t̸͖̙̳͍͐̈́͂ḩ̶̑͜e̵̼͖̔ŕ̷̟͚͚̾ ̸̟̩̝̰͛̃a̶̧͋̅ċ̴͙͉̈́č̵͖̮͔̔̀͋u̵̬̓̉͌m̶̦̤̤̒̒͗̀u̸͕̱͓̾͘l̶̛͕͎͉͈͑͋ā̵͖̋͘t̶̹̖̗͂̇̉é̶͎͍̺̐́̾͜d̷͓̐̎̔ ̸̺͇̤̄i̷̥̘͙̿̂͠͝n̷͍͒͋̑ ̸͔̆ḫ̸͌̀i̶̜̅͛͠͝s̴̝̹͓̈́ ̷̛̼̂̀͊p̷̫̃̐̈́i̶͓̘͓̯͐ţ̴̫̓i̴̫̘͆͗̕͝f̵̱̌ű̸̜͗̀l̷͙̗̠̅̕ ̷̻̼̺͠a̴̩̎͌t̸̢́̌̀́t̶̜̲̰̎͛̃͝e̶̘̍̓͝ṃ̵͍̑̑́̚p̸̮͚̋ţ̶̹͊ ̵͇̩͋̄t̷͎̠̗̤̊̒̐͝ó̷̞͎̑ ̴̭̏̀͐f̴̫̎ö̸̗́̒l̶̝̻͚̙͛l̴̛̲o̵͉͇͝w̴̝͍̳̑̅̑ ̷̨̅͝͝i̷̗̾n̴̗̙̼͐ ̷̥͒t̸̜̟̲̼͋͋͐͘ḧ̴͈͜ȏ̶̡̪͚̏̓s̷̭͙̓̿ͅͅe̵͖̥̰͐ ̸̳͈̙̜͋f̵̨͈͔́ò̴̩̠̥o̶͇̹͖̓t̵̰̯̜̅͂͑̂ṡ̷̩͎̑̍̑ͅt̶̠̲̯̽̅ẹ̴͚̖̳̉̿̕p̶͙̼̈́̑͑̒s̷̗̗͂͠,̶̳͍̮̈́́ ̴͇͙̆͆ỵ̸̹̏ơ̴̞̯̜̎ǘ̶̝͍̉͆ȓ̴͖̃͆̆ ̸̝̝̤̏͝m̶̖̤̱̄ò̵͎̠̅̋t̶̘̓ḧ̸̢̠̲͉́̽̓̓e̴͇̘̳̕ŗ̸͔̊͌̚'̸̞̣̹͊̍̋͝ş̷͈̫̘͒̇ ̴̳̙̚š̸̤̩u̸̧̞̟̱̚ç̸̝͕̌c̶̮̲̀ȩ̶͇̝̉̌̑s̶̛͇̑̀̈́s̶͇͙̄f̸̡̢̯̹̔̈́ù̴̖ļ̴̙̌̈́,̴̥̘̺͊̕ ̷̨̳͕͎̒y̵̲̎̀̕ė̷͍̭̱̣͐t̴̩͌̂…̸̯̩̅́͘ū̷̮̀̋̓ṉ̴̢̻̙͛s̷̪͉̞̣͑̽̀p̷͙͉̏͂͋̄e̸̤̟͔͋͐͆ͅa̷̛͎͈̅k̴̑̃͜a̸͎͔̘̪̓̎̇b̵̲̯̟̺̀̌̐̊ḷ̵̢̠̭̀̈́͘e̵͓͖͂͒͠ ̴̢̞̲̥͗͌̀̃m̷̢͖͖͚̓̓̎̌ě̸̡͚̩̻̄à̶̲̮̾̔̒ṇ̷̼̤͍͗̈́͛s̴̨̞̈́͋ ̸̲͖̰̤̆t̴̠̩̟͙̔ǫ̸͎̣̈̐͝ ̴̛̣͇͍̓́̆r̶̨̘͍̒̔̽͆ę̴̝̣̄͝ͅp̶̢̮͙̔̿́a̶̭̩̒ÿ̸̛̫̪͉͒ͅ ̵͍̋̍i̷͖̯̩̺̽͑t̴̿͜,̶̛̦̝̈́̓̊ ̴̜͓̏́y̵̱̯̪̅͌͋̅ǫ̶̦̈́̚ụ̴̳̰̐̾͜r̸͉͙̣̞̉̔͝ ̵̣̣̗̏͆͋͜͝s̸̘̩̕t̸͍̑ủ̸̞̾̉b̴̨̛̹̓b̵̟̺̒o̷̖̽r̶͙̂̀ǹ̵̝̔̅ ̷̢̞̲̔͑̿́i̶̜̱̖͂͌̚ǹ̶̨̰̚̕ŝ̶̤̒̅ͅi̸̼̩̭̼͌s̴͕̓t̵̡̘͗͜e̷̪̠͗̓͐n̴̢͔̲̯̒̕c̷̞̳͊́e̷̗̞͐̓̑ ̵̜͉̗̅͝ṱ̷̳͕͇͒̑̾̉õ̸͓̮ ̷̪̞́̀̈́g̵̡̭̱͝o̸͎͒̇͑ ̸̡̡̡̫͛̄í̶̛̞͌̏n̵̬͍̆̅̓̏ţ̷̥̲͖̌̾ô̵̖̜͖̊̕͝ ̸̘̟͕̓t̴̬̄͂͑̉ḩ̴̌̎ȇ̵̎̕͜ͅ ̷͚͆̏̎̀'̵̢̪̲̮̀͘f̶̛̹̭̺̟̈́̃͑ǎ̵̻̖͛͝ṁ̶̪̔i̸̖̾̋̒l̸̡̗̮͈̈́y̴̛͈̯̫̋͆ ̸̛̯̊͠b̵͕̯͗̏ụ̴̪̩̃ş̵̭̮̽̍͑͘i̶̜̺͐̉̉̕n̷̨͓̔͑e̸͈͔̍͘s̵̨̯͉̮̄̔̚̕s̸̭͜͠͝'̵̡̖͇́͐̈,̸͚̘̞̀͐̑ ̸̻̝̠́̓́̏a̶̛̟͇̒n̸̥̭̳̗̈́̽́̚d̷̰͊͂̊͠ ̶̛̜̺̦̀͊y̸̢͐͑ő̶̫͕̦̀̿͛u̸̝͔̥͌̀r̴̤͓̾͜ ̸̭̤̲̀̏̉p̵̭̪̓͗͝͝ŗ̵̨̘̈́̑e̸̮͕̝̬̽͐͝c̷̨̯̣̠͛̑̆o̶̘̅͠͝c̵̹͔͆̀̋̍i̴̤͝ͅö̶̠̺́̒ų̶̧̝̝̄̽̇ş̴̈́̓̆ ̷̣̜̩͛l̴̬̇i̶̭̟̖̎̃̇͋͜t̸͚̣͖̩́̒t̸̨̛̗͍́ĺ̴̤̼ē̴͙̲͊ ̵̨͙̼̌̍͘͝b̵͈͍̑̃̕r̸͉̪̗̃̇o̶̙̙̞̅̆̈́ẗ̶͉̺͝h̴̨̙̗̿è̷͇̦̃͑͘r̵̝͈̅̒̅̚,̸̣͂̅͠ ̸̩̘͇͖̐̌ẅ̴̳̟͎́h̴͙̼͗̆̕͝o̸̺̬͌͐͜s̶͈̣̣̓͛͐̌ȩ̷͔̈́̃͝ ̷̦̖̜̼̍ḓ̴̙̞̌ê̶̼͓̈́̌̈́s̴̢̛̮̈́̌͑i̴̻̎r̵̙̻̽͛̒̒e̶̬͆ ̴̨͇̫̞͂t̶͖̦̞̾̅͒o̸̧̖̝̤̒ ̶̭̓͛̄̚h̴̭̓e̴̱͗̽͑̒l̴̹̈̊p̷̭̈́͌ ̷̬͛̐̂y̶̰̤̼̰̆̀͗ō̴̯̗̮u̵͚̭̽̈́ ̵̛̼͈̩͉͑̏͝ẹ̵͓͙̓̎͐̈́v̴̹̯̮͆̇ͅḛ̷̪̼̬͝n̸͚̬̺̈́̒̑t̷̹̉͒͒̂ũ̵̹̔̇ä̸̜́̏͆l̶̝̖̰̓͋̉̉l̴̳̪͂̀͛͂ÿ̷̱̰̥̚͝ ̸̣̹̋̈̾̈e̴̯̋n̶̠̏̌͒̚d̶̫̈́̍e̶̤̩͍̊̔͗͘ḑ̵̟̐͠ͅ ̴̲̺̦̆͛̔͝ẃ̷̛͕̻̗͑i̸̠̼̓̅̊ṱ̴̱̯͉͋̈́ḥ̷̗̝̇̈́̑ ̶̳̜̣͛́̄h̷̩͈̟̓͜ĭ̸̳̱̞̱m̷̪͕̜̓ ̵͍̓̏d̶͉̑̀ë̵̡̪̓ȁ̶̡̝͗̾d̵̛͓̞͒̎̅͜,̸̝̔̅͋̀ ̸̥̼̳͎̇̄́y̶̻͆̉̏̈́ỡ̴̛̞̠̄u̶̪͖̫̇͂ ̸͕́͒̊̚b̸̮̯̍e̶͇̿̆̒̓ͅḧ̸̦̝̖́͘͝ȋ̶̹̥̐͗n̶̜͒d̸̛͓́̓͠ ̷̞̟̻̃̒͋́b̸̟̗̩̭̍͝ȁ̷̝͚̞̙̐̄̕r̸̬̬̀s̶̨̲͒́̎̕ ̸̬̮͛̏͒̔a̵̛̦̳͎n̴̖̎́̌d̷͈͔̍ ̶̦͕̫̦̊͋̾͝ą̶̫̇̉ṭ̴͋͐ ̷̖̟̘͐Ǧ̶͚̒̕.̷̭̬͇͋̔̚Ú̸̖͗͠.̴͔̈́̒̆͝Ń̶̪̺̠̣̌́̋.̶͚̫͠'̸̠̯̳̂̌s̶̖̦̽̓͌͌ ̸̝̂̿͒̂m̵͉̈͐̀͒ę̷̛͖̦̀̿ŗ̵͇̾͝c̵̠͂͛̆̕ý̸̗̦̟̖̂̈.̸̜̖͐́͌̕ ̶̦͇̇͂I̷̼̿̒͐͑ ̷̢̠̰̫̋̾͑ą̴̜̝̲͛̒͝l̴͙͈̬͓̈̓͒š̶͓̰o̵͚̊̌ ̷͈̓͒́̒k̷͉̱̼͕̊͘n̸̞͐͒̉̈́ó̶̺͚̇̇̔ẉ̸͊ ̷̫̇͐a̸̖̞͓̪̕b̷͎̆́̋͗o̶̬͚̳͚̅́̇ǘ̸̲̪̅̅t̶̘͍̊͗́ ̴̖̆̄̆e̷̢̦͗̏̽̿v̷̳͒̏ë̸̼̔͑̃ṟ̵̘͚̽y̶͔͔̙͊ ̷͍̦̆̑ṣ̸͕̏͌͝i̶̡̲͎̎̈n̷̹̙͙̑̂̈̊g̵͕̼̟̊̈́͜l̵̺̬͔̾ę̵͒̌͊̃ ̶͚̪̑͌͠ͅö̵̝̗́͘͠n̷͔̯͗̍͠e̴͚͎̱͖͂͝ ̸̤͊̒̓̐ǫ̶̩̫̥͛̈́f̷͇̳̦̐ ̵̳̱̝̱̃͆̈́̄y̸͖̌o̴̜̣͊́͆ȕ̶̮̱̟͠ṙ̸͇̲͕̓́͜ ̸̫͉̇̒͛'̷̥͓͓̾̎s̷͖̬̮̈́̂í̶̩̮̥̳d̷̥̋͑̅e̷̳̦̔̕͠ ̵̠̜̝͍̓j̸̨̠̱͋ö̵̺̰̠́̅͝͝b̷̳͌s̴͓͙͚̯̋̇'̶̤̻͖̏̇ ̷̻̉̉̌ÿ̴̟͉̼̹̉̓͠ō̸̧̨͚̈̄͝u̸̞͓̼̕'̸͈̖͓̹̀̾͝͝v̷̬̣͗̇ẻ̷̩͍̼͎͑̊͆ ̶̣̲̹̽̒̈͗d̴͚̈́̅̾o̶̞͎͇̒́͊ń̴̡̌̃e̸͓͎͉̦̐̎ ̶̮͈̅̾ǘ̸͚͌͆ͅn̶̨̜͛d̴̜̮̞̻̄̽ḛ̵̹̣̗̽̍̈́̓r̷̙̜͉̿̒͜ ̶̰̞̪̀ͅt̶̘̱̀͒̕h̵̨̝̭̍̃͑̎ͅę̷̃̓̇i̴̝̬̲͝r̶̟̼̱̩̀ ̷͖̲͖͎͛n̶͇̟̼̼̅́͂͛o̷̜͙̘̚s̵͉͑̏͜e̸̡͇̪̩͘s̷̡̳̦̥͆͠ ̷̥̤͠t̴̉͆͂͠ͅǒ̴̡̗̒ ̴͙̼̲̗̑͝e̴̺͂̂ḁ̵̙̗̊͘͝s̵̨̹̮̉̾ḙ̷͖͍̣̈́̂̄ ̷̥̾̈́y̷̜͙͑̚̚̕ỏ̶̳̈̊ų̷͍̾̓ŕ̶̛͈ ̶͉̑͜p̸̝͆̇a̸͉̼̜̐̒i̶̤̤̋̕n̶̢̞̤̦̉̄͗̿.̶̟̉̈́ ̴͓̙͙̞͋I̶͕͍͎̪̿̐̄̄f̷̢̫́̐ ̷̠̘̍͊Ȋ̵̹̘̮͖̌ ̶̝̎̀͘͜w̸̪̺̿̒̋ả̸̢̛̭̫́ǹ̷̳̈́͊ṫ̶̹͕͈̄̈́e̶̛̞͒ḏ̵͆̆͂̾ ̷̡̭͍͎̅͘̚t̴̙̔͑̊o̸̙̝̞̻̓̕,̴̦͚̙̅̌̀ ̴̦̠̄͆͘Ì̷̩̱̎̐ ̵̫͇͉̀͜ċ̵̥o̵͓͎̰͔̓̐͆û̶̮͙̪̩͛̏̒ḷ̷̯̿̐̔ͅď̴̯̻̞ ̴̺̱̣̊͐t̷͙̹̎̾̃ḛ̴̽͛l̸͔̣͗l̸̢̡̔́̕ ̵̫̎̅̑̏C̷̨͎̣͔͂ỏ̴͓͚̈́͂̚m̶̝̅̆m̶̜̰̖̪͒͘â̴̙̔̾͑ͅn̴͓͗̐̓d̴̢͈̏͂e̷̲̱̦̥͐̀́̈r̷̨͙̘̗̾͌̌ ̷͈̒͌̕T̵̘͘ͅo̴̗͎̊̇̔w̸͉͎̟̚e̸̡̡̫̻̔̎r̵̨͔̎ ̷̫͊̇̚á̶̝̟̦̈̃͑b̸͙̅̕͝ọ̵̧̞̞̈͌̓ụ̸͚̍̕̚ͅẗ̷̢̟̑̕ ̷̳̔ṯ̴̛h̷͙̊̆̾ẹ̷̝̋ͅm̵̡̹͕̈́̌ ̵̼̄̎ä̶̢̻̩͉̽ļ̸͉̘̞̓̎̄̚l̵̖̲̾͛̌,̴̖̳̊ ̶̜̀̓̐̀á̸̠̻̅n̷̫̂̐̇d̶͉͛ ̸͇̮͎̭͌̽͘t̸̡̜̤͋̑́́͜h̵̭̒̆͐ḙ̵̫̊y̸̨̘̖͠ ̶̨̟̥̉w̶̥̘̾ŏ̵̧̫̝̑̓̏u̴͓̐̍͝l̵͈̙͙̄̀́̉d̷̠̯͊̇̕ ̷̢̳͎̈́͛̋͜t̷̨̗͆h̴̠̼̣̓̕r̷̘̅ó̵̰̺͑̌͜w̶̢̤̌ ̴̞̍̄̈́y̶̨̬͔͑͆͆o̴̙͌u̷̧̖͙̽̑̋ ̵̰̏͊į̴̟͚̐͝ṅ̵̥ ̷̛̮̥̗̈́̈́̋a̴̗̲̯̐̈́͆̏ ̷͚̆͂̽̈́h̴̛̠̜̆̏͆o̵̗̰̓͠ḽ̸́͆̃̕e̸̹̐͠ ̵̺̞́͐́͜͝s̵͍̿͋͊o̷͉̟̔͘ ̴̨̜̈̓̾̚d̷̘̅̈̕ȅ̶͖͕͔̣̀ẹ̵̮̋̍̅p̷̨̔͑̽,̸̰̦̬͆̊́͑ ̸͚͘͘͜n̷̜͎̦̹̈͋̽̆o̴̖͐̀͠t̸̜̤͎͕̉͆̐͝ ̴͉̙̗͊ē̷͈̗̯͎͊͋v̷̗̹̭͖̎e̵͉͊͒̅͘n̶̠̪̄͋͌̂ ̴̨̖͖͑͑ͅS̸͇͚̍̿̇̂o̸̧͙̙̬̿̊ṋ̴̨̭̩̉î̸̧̝̚c̶͓̫͌ ̴͔͓̈́t̷̝̾h̸̺̮͋͐̂ͅe̴͕͖̤̟̍̈́̊̕ ̵͚̃H̴̜̯̽̒́e̴̹̦͆̑̇̅d̷͙̭͐͘̚g̶̲̜̘̀́̚ḛ̶̍̕͝ẖ̵͎̽̀ó̴̟̞̹̝́͋g̵̻͎̞̓͂ ̵̦͇̱̺̓̿͘͝w̴̼̯̅̃̚͝o̷̡͙̘̐̆̈́͝ǔ̶̥ḽ̷̼͈̩̋̀͌d̷̝̞̤̝́ ̷̢̨̱̉̎̒b̵̲̖͈̓̿̋e̶͎͛ ̷̥͑̈̓͠a̶̦̓́̚ḃ̶͖̍l̶̤̈́̓͊͘ͅe̸̹̓ ̶̛̦̪̝̺̽̊̂t̴̯̞̣̀̈́o̶̼̮̼͝ ̶̥̞͗̃ẗ̷̫̖̳́͂a̸̩͐l̸̩̃̈́̔k̷͇͔̝̥͆ ̴̳̩̯͘ḩ̷̛͒ḯ̸͉̲͋̓̈s̷̪̙̎̄ ̸̧͚̜̥̕w̴̢̘̹̺̃a̶̠͕̓̓y̵͚̝̑ ̶͙̋͠i̷̖̇͐̄͋ņ̴̮̏̔̕t̸̡͙͕͗̌̾͜o̵̡̪͇͕̓͘ ̴̳͈̖̍̆́͐g̷̨̪̣̼͂͘ẽ̴̺̗̥̟͛̎t̶̨̞̩̜͋t̴̪̱̘̩̏̈́̔̒i̸̟͖̫̒́̆͊ͅn̴̳͋̎̍͠g̸̡͎͛͑͗ ̸̨̪̪̌͋̊͋͜y̸̡̹͓̜̔͝͠ǫ̵̮̒̔u̸̺̬̲̞͊̃ ̶̝̜̎͘o̴͈͊́͂u̸̖͔̣̠̎̑̉t̷̝̪̮̎.̴̩͈̗̎̃̓͝"̴͔̗͐͠
To say that the treasure huntress was flabbergasted would be a grievous underestimation. "There's…no way you…" she said, trying her best not to cry again or pass out from the pain, "You're…retired…" The Baroness nodded. "̸̼͑Y̷̟̌e̴̞͝s̴̲̋,̷̢̍ ̸̬̔I̸̳͠ ̴̼̕ã̵̝ḿ̷͔.̵͔̅ ̴̼̉Ḧ̵̦o̷̻͘w̴̉͜e̶͈͛v̶͒͜e̴̎͜r̴̥̀,̷̗̐ ̶̩͌ã̵̱s̷̜͆ ̸͇͘I̶̝̅'̶̦̂v̷̻̓ě̷̺ ̴̠̒t̷͙̎o̷͚͑l̴̙̅ḑ̸͆ ̷̗̍t̵͓̐ȟ̶̳e̶̱͝ ̴̖̉C̵͎̿o̴̲͐m̴̠͑ḿ̸̮ā̴͍n̷͊ͅd̵̼͆ẻ̴̱ř̵͈,̶͍͋ ̷̹̽I̶͚̅'̴̼̈́v̶̫͂ë̴̯́ ̶̰͊ḱ̶̼e̵͕͝p̷̛̙t̸̋͜ ̷̟͠ȧ̵̲ ̴̹͠C̶͉̑L̵͚̓Ö̶̠S̸̭͘E̶̝̾ ̷̼̉ê̵͔y̶͉͑e̷͔̓ ̶̭͌o̴̱͆n̶̉͜ ̵̪̿t̷̼́h̸͎̋i̸͉͑n̷̖͆g̴͕̉s̸̡̓ ̷͍͋i̷̭̅n̷̗͝ ̴͈͋t̷̹̆ȟ̴͍e̷̱͊ ̶̞͋m̸̹̓e̷̲̽a̸͓͝n̷͇̚t̶̙̆i̸͚͆m̵͙̿ĕ̶̩,̵̥͘ ̵̞̈́a̶̖͂n̸͖͂d̴͇̈́ ̵̗̋G̶̬̔.̵̡́Ǘ̶͉.̸̘͒N̶͎̚.̶͙̇ ̸̝̂h̴̠̋a̷͔͝ş̷̇ ̶̢͛b̴͔͘e̵̡͆e̵̜͐n̴͙̓ ̵̮̒s̷̞̚l̵͇̈a̴̞̒c̷̰̃k̶̲̅i̶̝͑n̴͚̆g̷͙̓ ̷̜̄ȯ̷̠f̵̞͐f̸̌ͅ ̴̞̋i̶̻̇n̷͚̉ ̸̰͗m̴̬͘y̸̜͐ ̶̰̌a̷͓̓b̵̥̾ṡ̴̱ȩ̸̄n̵̏ͅc̷̼̓e̷͓͒.̶͉̽ ̷̗̕T̶̙̊h̷̠͛e̴̦̅ ̸̝̑a̴͍̍c̸͎͑t̷͍̾s̶̲̚ ̷̺̀ŷ̶̮o̵͖̕ǘ̵̧ ̸̗͛ä̵̭n̶̡̈ḏ̵͘ ̸̰͊y̵̳̿ȏ̵̙u̸͙̔r̴̡͗ ̴͎͝f̴̤͆ẽ̴̟l̷̞̊l̴̠̓o̶͈͝w̷͕͆s̷̝̾ ̴͔͗h̵̺͗ả̵̜v̵̤̓e̷͕̎ ̴̼́d̴̤͆ǒ̵̱ṋ̷͊ẽ̷͜ ̴̪̌t̷͚͝ȏ̶̪ ̶̩́k̵̞̈́ë̷̦́e̷̘̍p̵̧̈ ̴̜͊t̷̫̽h̵̢͛e̵̢̿ ̸̻̏p̵͉̑e̸̥̾à̷͖c̸̠̒e̵̱̿ ̵̲̓a̶̖̿r̵̼̈́e̷̤͛n̷̞͛'̶͚͐t̸̤͌ ̴̨̈́j̸͔̇ù̵̬s̶̜̃t̴̨̅ ̸̘͗s̵̰̋ẖ̴̅ȯ̵̹c̷̭̉k̸͓͝i̷͎̽n̵͚͠g̷͎̎,̶̈ͅ ̸̦̀t̷͔̓h̴̤̄e̴̗̍y̸͉͌'̸̟̈ř̴͔e̴͇̎ ̶̪̎s̴̹͌o̸͇̒ ̴̮̾d̶͉̈́e̵̮͝s̴̝̈t̷̥̓r̵̻̒u̷̖̿c̷͖̄t̶͓͐i̷͈͗v̷̰̾e̸̯͂ ̸̰̈́a̸̯͋n̴̯͋ď̷͖ ̴̢͝d̸̪̈́o̵̹͂w̷͎̍n̵͍̽ṟ̸̃i̶̓͜g̶͍̎h̶͐ͅt̵̟͝ ̸̻̄p̴̤͋a̸̞͂t̴͙͒h̴̬͑e̵͕̊ṭ̸̽i̸̲̐c̸͍͝ ̵̰̀t̶̙̑h̵͔̅a̶͍͘ẗ̴̰́ ̸̹͂t̷̰͝ḫ̵́ë̷̠́y̴̮̿ ̴̝̍r̷͔̾i̶̖͛v̴̝̓à̶̖l̵͙͘ ̷̹̎t̷̲̾h̴̕ͅe̴̛̙ ̸̛͕à̴̱c̴͚̏t̶̖͆i̷̜̅o̴̟̓n̴̙̅s̵̞͆ ̸͔̐ǫ̴͐f̶̗̂ ̴͇̔D̷̢͝r̶͕̚.̶̰͊ ̷̯͋E̸̮̓g̶̙͒g̶͎͝m̴͉̂ā̸͎n̴̗̐ ̷̣̒ḥ̸̿ȋ̸̥m̶͉͆s̴̝͐e̵̼̊l̷̠̆f̴̹̄,̸̫̓ ̸̟̈́w̸͍̐h̴̜̎ī̴͕c̵̜͛h̸̫̑ ̴̫͂į̵̔s̷̬̽ ̶̣͠ḁ̶̇b̵͚̎s̸̬͝ò̴̠l̸̥̔u̸͉̾t̷̠̓e̷̻̊ḷ̵̈y̷͕͑ ̴̫́u̴̫͒n̶͇̾ặ̸c̸̤͛c̵̞͠e̴̫̓p̵͙͗t̷̥̓a̵̯͝b̶̦͆l̶̩̈́ė̷̺.̶̗́ ̶͕̈́Y̷͉̿ô̷̜ư̶͈ ̷̬̈́h̸̗͘a̴̓ͅd̶̈́ͅ ̶͉́b̵͚͗ȅ̵̤t̸͙̀t̷̺͗e̶̳̊r̶̠͠ ̵͈̓h̶̛̬o̴̘͛p̸̤͂e̴̱̿ ̵̄ͅİ̴̺ ̶̤̾s̸̥̿t̶̫̆ă̴͖y̸̺̔ ̵̗̿ṙ̴̮ȅ̵͔t̵̝̍i̴̟̅ṟ̴͊e̸̜̔d̶̜̑,̸̯̕ ̷̗̈d̸̲͘e̸͓̒ạ̵̊r̷͎͊,̴̜̊ ̸̗͑o̶̙̍ȑ̴̭ ̸̺͐G̶̻͌ḁ̸͒í̸̘â̵̳ ̶̡̌t̵̯̕h̴̗̚e̵͇̚m̶̕͜s̷̬͗e̸͕̐ľ̴͕ṽ̵͜ê̷̖s̴͖̆ ̸̝̿w̵͚̉o̷̮̿u̵̺̐l̸͔̊d̴̛̼n̷̞͗'̷͍̀t̶̠̐ ̶̣͒b̵̞̀e̷͛͜ ̶̤͠a̴̝͑b̴̭̅l̶̖͝e̵̙͒ ̸̧̊ţ̴̍o̴͆͜ ̵̥͗s̵͓̈t̴̰̄ợ̵p̸͍̌ ̵̞̈́t̸̔ͅh̴͎̃e̴̹̕ ̶̱͐w̵̜̒r̷͜͝ả̴͚t̵̡̆h̴͖͠ ̴̥̌Ȋ̷̢ ̷̮̕b̵̯̑r̴͍̊i̵͙͝n̵͎̊g̸̭̾ ̴̼̚ǔ̶̖p̸͓͒o̵̜̚ń̸̫ ̴̥͝t̷͈̚ĥ̸̡i̸̝͂s̴̪͝ ̷̼̚p̵̰͗ḷ̶̆a̸̝͌n̷̩̕e̸̤̋t̷̢͒.̸̝̒ ̵̙̉B̷̡̎u̴͖͌ṫ̸̜,̶͚̀ ̴̧̛Ḯ̸̧'̴͇͒m̴͚͊ ̵͉̀n̷̖͗õ̶̪t̵͕̊ ̸̺͑h̵̰́e̸͈̚r̵͈͘é̸̙ ̸̲̂à̴͕b̸̧̈́ợ̷u̸̪͆ṱ̸̚ ̴̟͐t̶̗͋ḧ̶̝́a̶̭͘ẗ̴́͜.̷̦̊ ̴͛ͅI̷͌͜'̴̨̅m̴͙̋ ̷̥̎h̶̲̽ẽ̸͙r̸̪̈́e̴̛͔ ̶̤́a̴͈̍b̸̝͘ó̴͙ü̷̟t̶͍͑ ̶̖͊y̷̱͂o̷͎͗u̷͚̒,̶̦͑ ̷̙͠S̸͙̽c̶͕̒a̸̮͝ṛ̶͆l̸͓̄e̸̱̒ṫ̴͈.̶̯̀ ̶̳͌Y̷̫̏o̵̢͘u̵͚͌ ̶̫̊h̴̯̎a̴̓͜v̸̼̿ē̷̫ ̷͕̇d̴̼̈́ơ̸̧n̵̤͌ė̴̖ ̴̳͘s̴̗͐o̷͝ͅm̷͇̅ë̴̘ ̸̰̅g̸̪͋o̶̙̅õ̷̘d̸̥̿ ̷̱́f̵̜̂ö̷̧́r̸͍̈ ̶̲̓ť̴̹h̷̲͘e̵͉̒ ̶̭͌w̷̬̽o̵̘͋ȓ̷̟l̴̝̅d̶̪̄,̷̤̓ ̷̹̽Ị̷̓ ̸͍̇a̷̓͜d̷̘͊m̶͉̀ȉ̷͉ẗ̷̻́,̷̨͂ ̴̢͒b̶̝͗ů̶̙t̶̠͗ ̴̯͑ỹ̷̨o̵͙͊u̸͉͛ ̶̠̇g̶̺͝i̶͑ͅv̷͉̅ẹ̵́ ̶̺́i̵̼̒n̵̼̏ ̷̩̎t̸̳̀o̶͚͊ ̵̢̊y̶̛͖ơ̷͇u̶͐͜r̸̂ͅ ̶͖̓t̶̡͆h̶̘̋i̸̹͗ė̷͙v̶͍̀į̸̉ń̵̨ģ̶͌ ̴̳̀l̶̩̉i̷̟̍n̷̼̄e̴͇͝ȧ̶͍g̵̦̕ë̶͇́ ̸̯̈f̴̥̓a̷̢̾r̵̢͘ ̵̲́t̶͉͂o̸̞̅ó̷̲ ̶̙͌e̸̮̾a̷̼͂s̵͈̐ï̵̦l̵͊͜y̶̬̚.̵̣͂ ̶̱̉Ỹ̴̞o̶̩̒ú̸͙r̷͉̎ ̶̗̈l̷̢̀u̴̦͌s̵̫̔t̷͓͛ ̵͜͝f̶̙̎õ̸̳r̴̝͋ ̴̜̊ṙ̵̠į̴̐c̵͕̀h̷̡͛ê̸̝s̷͉̍ ̶̭͘b̴̻̄o̶̖̐r̸̺̽d̵̛̺ȇ̶̩r̵̬͆s̵͍̍ ̶̤͆o̵̮̿n̴̡̚ ̷͗ͅt̶͉̂h̵͓͗ẻ̷̝ ̶̫̆ò̵̹b̷͉͝s̸̲̉e̵̝̕s̸̖̾s̶̩͑i̴̖̍v̷̞̆è̶͍.̸̧̐ ̶͒͜I̸̦͠f̶̞̈́ ̸̞̀y̸̨͛õ̴͜ṳ̸̓ ̸̼͑s̴̻͐e̸̼̚e̸͙͑ ̸̤̄è̴̲v̵͇̊ë̸̯́n̷̺͒ ̴̈͜a̸̢͒ ̴̼͝g̸̖͐l̸̲̇ĩ̷̧n̶̹͐t̸̖̓ ̸͚̃ȏ̷̪f̸̟̎ ̴̘̅a̵̫͋ ̷̞̐j̷̢̿e̷̘̓w̷̤̄e̶̳͂l̴͎͑,̴̦̿ ̴̜̀ỷ̴̹ó̵̜ư̷̺ ̵̞͊j̵̪͑ṷ̶̂s̶͔̽t̴͎͂ ̵͍̽h̶͇̄ȃ̴ͅv̵̜̔e̴̛̠ ̴̮͑t̴̟͗ò̸̯ ̶̳̒h̷̰̄a̷̛̭v̵͈̊e̶͓͐ ̶͇͑ĭ̷̦ť̸͕,̷̕ͅ ̵̛̥ḓ̵̉o̵̬͠n̴̟͠'̷̻̌t̷͍̀ ̶̻̾y̶̙̿o̸̕ͅu̸͎͋?̶͓́"̸̲̔
The bat tried to argue, "That's not-" but a quick twist of her left wing stub squashed that attempt. "̴̹̾N̴̜̽o̴̡̊ ̸̑ͅe̴̟̒x̸̧̛c̸̮͆u̸̯̾ș̷͊ë̶̙́s̵̤̊,̸̠̂ ̵̩͋c̷͉̚ḫ̴̅i̴͚͗l̶̢̍d̸̥͒.̷͙͐ ̷̩̿Y̷̝͂ǒ̶̖ủ̴̗ ̸̲̔a̴̹͝r̸̨͘ĕ̴̮ ̸͚̂n̸̩̅ô̶̲ť̴̪ ̴̤̑ý̴͍ǫ̸̔u̷̼͛r̷̳̽ ̴̬̈́f̵̥̍a̴̯͒ẗ̴͜ȟ̷̦ê̷̗r̶̹̈́,̷̞͌ ̷̛̟y̵̨̆o̵̜͗u̶̻̓r̴̙͠ ̸͔̾g̸͎̈́ṟ̶͗a̷̢͒ǹ̶̙d̶̠̒f̸͓́a̴͈͋t̷͈̀h̴͖̋e̴̙͘r̷͓͑ ̶̹̈ô̷̮r̶̥͝ ̴̣͛y̷̼̽ọ̷̇ų̴̏r̸͓͌ ̷̌ͅá̵͕n̶̢̕c̵̥̈e̴͎͋ś̷͕ţ̶̓õ̶͍r̴̳̂s̷̺̄.̸̮̄ ̴̺̽Y̶̱͌o̴̻̕ú̶̠ ̶̢͠h̵͍͑ȧ̸͙v̴̠̕e̶͕͊ ̷͌ͅa̷̯̋ ̷̮̅c̵͖͂h̵͙̓a̴̳̅n̷̲͛c̴̪͛e̸̥͊ ̶̦̀t̷̫̽ợ̸ ̷̣̅a̸̝̾ẗ̷̤́o̷̬͂n̶̗̓e̵̞͘ ̶̻̊f̵̞̏ó̶̪ŗ̶̚ ̸̛̻y̴̦͌o̶͕͌ũ̷̙ŕ̷͇ ̵̯̊b̷͎͝r̵͕̄o̷̝͌t̸̳̂h̶̦͌e̴̗̾r̶̞͘'̴̪͘s̵̮͋ ̵͉̉d̶̪͝ȇ̷̟ȁ̷͔t̷̜̄h̷̡̎ ̸̗̆a̷̭͂n̴͍̒d̶̬̉ ̴͕̽s̵̱̉t̶̺̋ḁ̴̂r̷̠̓t̵͎̋ ̸͎͠ý̷̰o̶̹̒ṳ̷̈́r̵̺̾ ̷͖͝ö̶̩w̵̟̒n̴͓͂ ̸̢̋l̷̬͘ḙ̴͆g̶̘͝a̴̤͝c̷̼͆ÿ̷́ͅ,̸̑͜ ̷̪̄b̷̗͌u̶̩͐t̸̬̒ ̴͈̐y̴̳͝o̷͋ͅú̶̻ ̴̼̿a̴̝̐r̷̗̔e̷̛̦ ̸̔ͅs̴̗͐q̶͓̒ú̶̧a̵͎͒ṇ̸͗d̴͙͑e̵̪̓ṟ̵̈ḭ̵̍n̷̛̙g̶̻̔ ̸͖̈́ĩ̵͔t̷̤̏ ̵̦̿ẅ̸̭́i̵̟̋t̵͖͋ḥ̷͋ ̴̲͑y̸̦̏o̸̙̾u̷͈͗r̶̟͆ ̵͈̈́t̸̝͊h̷͕́i̷̪̍e̷̼̽v̷͈̈́i̶͎͑n̶̢͊g̴̲̈́ ̸̥̚w̵̫̓a̵̜̓ŷ̶̢ŝ̶̗.̸̭̈́ ̴̩͛Á̷̠s̴͔̅ ̷̩͗l̶̼͆o̸͉͛ṉ̷̓g̸̱͐ ̶̼̇ą̸̋ŝ̶̪ ̷͈́t̷͉̀ḥ̴͂a̸̘͂t̸͓̅ ̵̲̚c̴̬̈ŏ̸̖n̸̩͂t̴̬̒ḯ̵̼n̷̜̾u̴̜̕ë̶͎́s̴̭̾,̶̢͋ ̵̲͝Ñ̶̙Ò̶͉ ̷͓̈Õ̵̟N̴̜̆Ḛ̵͌ ̶͕͑ẅ̷͙i̸̜͘l̷̛̹l̶͙̇ ̷̩́ṭ̴̿ȑ̸͇u̷̩̐s̵͙͊ţ̴͒ ̸̯͌y̵̲̅õ̷̗ũ̴̼.̸̦͘ ̷̞̈E̷̮̔V̵͍͋Ê̵̫R̶̼͝.̷̺̌ ̸̡̽Ȧ̴̜ň̸͔ḏ̵́ ̵̝̎y̸̢̎o̵͍̍ư̶̼ ̸͖̊k̶̫͗n̴̨̒o̴̦͆w̶̻̑ ̶͖͘t̸̥̃h̵̖͆ḯ̴̖s̷̬̔.̷͉̃"̷͉̑ Rouge was silent at that. To a woman who had beaten her so thoroughly, and who, somehow, knew of her entire history, there was nothing she could say, except, "…Why? Why, after all this, are you trying…" she was about to lose consciousness, "trying to…"
"̵D̸e̶s̶p̵i̵t̸e̶ ̴m̴y̴ ̸m̸e̷a̵n̴s̵ ̸t̸o̴ ̵g̶e̷t̸ ̵y̸o̸u̵r̵ ̷a̵t̵t̵e̶n̴t̸i̶o̷n̵,̶ ̸I̶ ̷a̶m̴ ̷t̸r̵y̷i̴n̸g̶ ̴t̶o̸ ̵h̶e̵l̶p̷ ̴y̴o̵u̵,̷ ̴d̸e̴a̴r̶,̵ ̸b̴e̸c̸a̵u̵s̷e̵ ̴I̷ ̴k̸n̶o̴w̴ ̴t̸h̶e̶ ̷h̸e̵a̴v̸y̸ ̷b̵u̶r̶d̷e̸n̴ ̵o̵f̸ ̵a̴ ̷l̶e̵g̸a̸c̶y̷ ̴y̷o̷u̶ ̸t̷h̷o̸u̷g̵h̶t̷ ̷y̸o̸u̸ ̵w̶a̵n̵t̷e̸d̵ ̶b̸u̵t̸ ̴h̵a̵v̸e̴ ̴g̵r̶o̵w̷n̴ ̷w̵e̷a̵r̷y̸ ̸o̸f̴.̷ ̴I̵ ̵a̸m̷ ̷b̶o̸u̸n̸d̴ ̷t̵o̴ ̵m̸i̴n̶e̸,̵ ̸o̸n̵e̷ ̴w̵a̴y̵ ̶o̸r̶ ̷a̶n̴o̶t̵h̴e̴r̴,̵ ̶b̶u̴t̴ ̸y̴o̵u̶ ̵h̵a̶v̵e̷ ̶a̵n̶ ̵o̸p̵p̴o̶r̶t̶u̵n̷i̸t̵y̴ ̷t̴o̶ ̸s̷t̵a̶r̵t̷ ̶a̷n̸e̷w̶,̶ ̴t̸o̵ ̵c̴o̴n̷t̵r̶i̸b̴u̴t̸e̶ ̶y̵o̷u̴r̵ ̴o̷w̴n̷ ̴v̷e̶r̷s̴e̷ ̶i̷n̸ ̴t̶h̸i̴s̷ ̷p̷o̷w̴e̴r̴f̴u̷l̸ ̵p̴l̸a̵y̴.̴"̴ The Baroness then brought the bat in close, and whispered, "̶I̴ ̵u̵n̸d̴e̷r̸s̷t̷a̸n̴d̸ ̶y̵o̷u̷r̸ ̵p̸a̴i̴n̶ ̴m̴o̴r̷e̴ ̵t̸h̶a̸n̴ ̶y̶o̶u̴ ̴k̴n̶o̸w̶,̷ ̵S̴c̶a̶r̶l̶e̶t̸, so the last thing I want for you is to understand mine." She then used her free hand to remove her hood, revealing herself slightly. Rouge gasped, "No way…you're-" The Baroness silenced her with a soft glare, stroking her cheek. "Yes, and this is our little secret, under pain of death. Understand?" Rouge nodded. "Good girl. Now, sleep."
With those words, and a tender, motherly kiss on the forehead (followed by a quick spell), the Calamity Baroness dropped her, and the thief/agent/huntress known to the world as Rouge the Bat finally passed out. As her consciousness faded, she heard the Baroness' words: "Remember, dear, pride can empower your mind, but it can also enslave your heart…"
To say that the treasure huntress was flabbergasted would be a grievous underestimation. "There's…no way you…" she said, trying her best not to cry again or pass out from the pain, "You're…retired…" The Baroness nodded. "̸̼͑Y̷̟̌e̴̞͝s̴̲̋,̷̢̍ ̸̬̔I̸̳͠ ̴̼̕ã̵̝ḿ̷͔.̵͔̅ ̴̼̉Ḧ̵̦o̷̻͘w̴̉͜e̶͈͛v̶͒͜e̴̎͜r̴̥̀,̷̗̐ ̶̩͌ã̵̱s̷̜͆ ̸͇͘I̶̝̅'̶̦̂v̷̻̓ě̷̺ ̴̠̒t̷͙̎o̷͚͑l̴̙̅ḑ̸͆ ̷̗̍t̵͓̐ȟ̶̳e̶̱͝ ̴̖̉C̵͎̿o̴̲͐m̴̠͑ḿ̸̮ā̴͍n̷͊ͅd̵̼͆ẻ̴̱ř̵͈,̶͍͋ ̷̹̽I̶͚̅'̴̼̈́v̶̫͂ë̴̯́ ̶̰͊ḱ̶̼e̵͕͝p̷̛̙t̸̋͜ ̷̟͠ȧ̵̲ ̴̹͠C̶͉̑L̵͚̓Ö̶̠S̸̭͘E̶̝̾ ̷̼̉ê̵͔y̶͉͑e̷͔̓ ̶̭͌o̴̱͆n̶̉͜ ̵̪̿t̷̼́h̸͎̋i̸͉͑n̷̖͆g̴͕̉s̸̡̓ ̷͍͋i̷̭̅n̷̗͝ ̴͈͋t̷̹̆ȟ̴͍e̷̱͊ ̶̞͋m̸̹̓e̷̲̽a̸͓͝n̷͇̚t̶̙̆i̸͚͆m̵͙̿ĕ̶̩,̵̥͘ ̵̞̈́a̶̖͂n̸͖͂d̴͇̈́ ̵̗̋G̶̬̔.̵̡́Ǘ̶͉.̸̘͒N̶͎̚.̶͙̇ ̸̝̂h̴̠̋a̷͔͝ş̷̇ ̶̢͛b̴͔͘e̵̡͆e̵̜͐n̴͙̓ ̵̮̒s̷̞̚l̵͇̈a̴̞̒c̷̰̃k̶̲̅i̶̝͑n̴͚̆g̷͙̓ ̷̜̄ȯ̷̠f̵̞͐f̸̌ͅ ̴̞̋i̶̻̇n̷͚̉ ̸̰͗m̴̬͘y̸̜͐ ̶̰̌a̷͓̓b̵̥̾ṡ̴̱ȩ̸̄n̵̏ͅc̷̼̓e̷͓͒.̶͉̽ ̷̗̕T̶̙̊h̷̠͛e̴̦̅ ̸̝̑a̴͍̍c̸͎͑t̷͍̾s̶̲̚ ̷̺̀ŷ̶̮o̵͖̕ǘ̵̧ ̸̗͛ä̵̭n̶̡̈ḏ̵͘ ̸̰͊y̵̳̿ȏ̵̙u̸͙̔r̴̡͗ ̴͎͝f̴̤͆ẽ̴̟l̷̞̊l̴̠̓o̶͈͝w̷͕͆s̷̝̾ ̴͔͗h̵̺͗ả̵̜v̵̤̓e̷͕̎ ̴̼́d̴̤͆ǒ̵̱ṋ̷͊ẽ̷͜ ̴̪̌t̷͚͝ȏ̶̪ ̶̩́k̵̞̈́ë̷̦́e̷̘̍p̵̧̈ ̴̜͊t̷̫̽h̵̢͛e̵̢̿ ̸̻̏p̵͉̑e̸̥̾à̷͖c̸̠̒e̵̱̿ ̵̲̓a̶̖̿r̵̼̈́e̷̤͛n̷̞͛'̶͚͐t̸̤͌ ̴̨̈́j̸͔̇ù̵̬s̶̜̃t̴̨̅ ̸̘͗s̵̰̋ẖ̴̅ȯ̵̹c̷̭̉k̸͓͝i̷͎̽n̵͚͠g̷͎̎,̶̈ͅ ̸̦̀t̷͔̓h̴̤̄e̴̗̍y̸͉͌'̸̟̈ř̴͔e̴͇̎ ̶̪̎s̴̹͌o̸͇̒ ̴̮̾d̶͉̈́e̵̮͝s̴̝̈t̷̥̓r̵̻̒u̷̖̿c̷͖̄t̶͓͐i̷͈͗v̷̰̾e̸̯͂ ̸̰̈́a̸̯͋n̴̯͋ď̷͖ ̴̢͝d̸̪̈́o̵̹͂w̷͎̍n̵͍̽ṟ̸̃i̶̓͜g̶͍̎h̶͐ͅt̵̟͝ ̸̻̄p̴̤͋a̸̞͂t̴͙͒h̴̬͑e̵͕̊ṭ̸̽i̸̲̐c̸͍͝ ̵̰̀t̶̙̑h̵͔̅a̶͍͘ẗ̴̰́ ̸̹͂t̷̰͝ḫ̵́ë̷̠́y̴̮̿ ̴̝̍r̷͔̾i̶̖͛v̴̝̓à̶̖l̵͙͘ ̷̹̎t̷̲̾h̴̕ͅe̴̛̙ ̸̛͕à̴̱c̴͚̏t̶̖͆i̷̜̅o̴̟̓n̴̙̅s̵̞͆ ̸͔̐ǫ̴͐f̶̗̂ ̴͇̔D̷̢͝r̶͕̚.̶̰͊ ̷̯͋E̸̮̓g̶̙͒g̶͎͝m̴͉̂ā̸͎n̴̗̐ ̷̣̒ḥ̸̿ȋ̸̥m̶͉͆s̴̝͐e̵̼̊l̷̠̆f̴̹̄,̸̫̓ ̸̟̈́w̸͍̐h̴̜̎ī̴͕c̵̜͛h̸̫̑ ̴̫͂į̵̔s̷̬̽ ̶̣͠ḁ̶̇b̵͚̎s̸̬͝ò̴̠l̸̥̔u̸͉̾t̷̠̓e̷̻̊ḷ̵̈y̷͕͑ ̴̫́u̴̫͒n̶͇̾ặ̸c̸̤͛c̵̞͠e̴̫̓p̵͙͗t̷̥̓a̵̯͝b̶̦͆l̶̩̈́ė̷̺.̶̗́ ̶͕̈́Y̷͉̿ô̷̜ư̶͈ ̷̬̈́h̸̗͘a̴̓ͅd̶̈́ͅ ̶͉́b̵͚͗ȅ̵̤t̸͙̀t̷̺͗e̶̳̊r̶̠͠ ̵͈̓h̶̛̬o̴̘͛p̸̤͂e̴̱̿ ̵̄ͅİ̴̺ ̶̤̾s̸̥̿t̶̫̆ă̴͖y̸̺̔ ̵̗̿ṙ̴̮ȅ̵͔t̵̝̍i̴̟̅ṟ̴͊e̸̜̔d̶̜̑,̸̯̕ ̷̗̈d̸̲͘e̸͓̒ạ̵̊r̷͎͊,̴̜̊ ̸̗͑o̶̙̍ȑ̴̭ ̸̺͐G̶̻͌ḁ̸͒í̸̘â̵̳ ̶̡̌t̵̯̕h̴̗̚e̵͇̚m̶̕͜s̷̬͗e̸͕̐ľ̴͕ṽ̵͜ê̷̖s̴͖̆ ̸̝̿w̵͚̉o̷̮̿u̵̺̐l̸͔̊d̴̛̼n̷̞͗'̷͍̀t̶̠̐ ̶̣͒b̵̞̀e̷͛͜ ̶̤͠a̴̝͑b̴̭̅l̶̖͝e̵̙͒ ̸̧̊ţ̴̍o̴͆͜ ̵̥͗s̵͓̈t̴̰̄ợ̵p̸͍̌ ̵̞̈́t̸̔ͅh̴͎̃e̴̹̕ ̶̱͐w̵̜̒r̷͜͝ả̴͚t̵̡̆h̴͖͠ ̴̥̌Ȋ̷̢ ̷̮̕b̵̯̑r̴͍̊i̵͙͝n̵͎̊g̸̭̾ ̴̼̚ǔ̶̖p̸͓͒o̵̜̚ń̸̫ ̴̥͝t̷͈̚ĥ̸̡i̸̝͂s̴̪͝ ̷̼̚p̵̰͗ḷ̶̆a̸̝͌n̷̩̕e̸̤̋t̷̢͒.̸̝̒ ̵̙̉B̷̡̎u̴͖͌ṫ̸̜,̶͚̀ ̴̧̛Ḯ̸̧'̴͇͒m̴͚͊ ̵͉̀n̷̖͗õ̶̪t̵͕̊ ̸̺͑h̵̰́e̸͈̚r̵͈͘é̸̙ ̸̲̂à̴͕b̸̧̈́ợ̷u̸̪͆ṱ̸̚ ̴̟͐t̶̗͋ḧ̶̝́a̶̭͘ẗ̴́͜.̷̦̊ ̴͛ͅI̷͌͜'̴̨̅m̴͙̋ ̷̥̎h̶̲̽ẽ̸͙r̸̪̈́e̴̛͔ ̶̤́a̴͈̍b̸̝͘ó̴͙ü̷̟t̶͍͑ ̶̖͊y̷̱͂o̷͎͗u̷͚̒,̶̦͑ ̷̙͠S̸͙̽c̶͕̒a̸̮͝ṛ̶͆l̸͓̄e̸̱̒ṫ̴͈.̶̯̀ ̶̳͌Y̷̫̏o̵̢͘u̵͚͌ ̶̫̊h̴̯̎a̴̓͜v̸̼̿ē̷̫ ̷͕̇d̴̼̈́ơ̸̧n̵̤͌ė̴̖ ̴̳͘s̴̗͐o̷͝ͅm̷͇̅ë̴̘ ̸̰̅g̸̪͋o̶̙̅õ̷̘d̸̥̿ ̷̱́f̵̜̂ö̷̧́r̸͍̈ ̶̲̓ť̴̹h̷̲͘e̵͉̒ ̶̭͌w̷̬̽o̵̘͋ȓ̷̟l̴̝̅d̶̪̄,̷̤̓ ̷̹̽Ị̷̓ ̸͍̇a̷̓͜d̷̘͊m̶͉̀ȉ̷͉ẗ̷̻́,̷̨͂ ̴̢͒b̶̝͗ů̶̙t̶̠͗ ̴̯͑ỹ̷̨o̵͙͊u̸͉͛ ̶̠̇g̶̺͝i̶͑ͅv̷͉̅ẹ̵́ ̶̺́i̵̼̒n̵̼̏ ̷̩̎t̸̳̀o̶͚͊ ̵̢̊y̶̛͖ơ̷͇u̶͐͜r̸̂ͅ ̶͖̓t̶̡͆h̶̘̋i̸̹͗ė̷͙v̶͍̀į̸̉ń̵̨ģ̶͌ ̴̳̀l̶̩̉i̷̟̍n̷̼̄e̴͇͝ȧ̶͍g̵̦̕ë̶͇́ ̸̯̈f̴̥̓a̷̢̾r̵̢͘ ̵̲́t̶͉͂o̸̞̅ó̷̲ ̶̙͌e̸̮̾a̷̼͂s̵͈̐ï̵̦l̵͊͜y̶̬̚.̵̣͂ ̶̱̉Ỹ̴̞o̶̩̒ú̸͙r̷͉̎ ̶̗̈l̷̢̀u̴̦͌s̵̫̔t̷͓͛ ̵͜͝f̶̙̎õ̸̳r̴̝͋ ̴̜̊ṙ̵̠į̴̐c̵͕̀h̷̡͛ê̸̝s̷͉̍ ̶̭͘b̴̻̄o̶̖̐r̸̺̽d̵̛̺ȇ̶̩r̵̬͆s̵͍̍ ̶̤͆o̵̮̿n̴̡̚ ̷͗ͅt̶͉̂h̵͓͗ẻ̷̝ ̶̫̆ò̵̹b̷͉͝s̸̲̉e̵̝̕s̸̖̾s̶̩͑i̴̖̍v̷̞̆è̶͍.̸̧̐ ̶͒͜I̸̦͠f̶̞̈́ ̸̞̀y̸̨͛õ̴͜ṳ̸̓ ̸̼͑s̴̻͐e̸̼̚e̸͙͑ ̸̤̄è̴̲v̵͇̊ë̸̯́n̷̺͒ ̴̈͜a̸̢͒ ̴̼͝g̸̖͐l̸̲̇ĩ̷̧n̶̹͐t̸̖̓ ̸͚̃ȏ̷̪f̸̟̎ ̴̘̅a̵̫͋ ̷̞̐j̷̢̿e̷̘̓w̷̤̄e̶̳͂l̴͎͑,̴̦̿ ̴̜̀ỷ̴̹ó̵̜ư̷̺ ̵̞͊j̵̪͑ṷ̶̂s̶͔̽t̴͎͂ ̵͍̽h̶͇̄ȃ̴ͅv̵̜̔e̴̛̠ ̴̮͑t̴̟͗ò̸̯ ̶̳̒h̷̰̄a̷̛̭v̵͈̊e̶͓͐ ̶͇͑ĭ̷̦ť̸͕,̷̕ͅ ̵̛̥ḓ̵̉o̵̬͠n̴̟͠'̷̻̌t̷͍̀ ̶̻̾y̶̙̿o̸̕ͅu̸͎͋?̶͓́"̸̲̔
The bat tried to argue, "That's not-" but a quick twist of her left wing stub squashed that attempt. "̴̹̾N̴̜̽o̴̡̊ ̸̑ͅe̴̟̒x̸̧̛c̸̮͆u̸̯̾ș̷͊ë̶̙́s̵̤̊,̸̠̂ ̵̩͋c̷͉̚ḫ̴̅i̴͚͗l̶̢̍d̸̥͒.̷͙͐ ̷̩̿Y̷̝͂ǒ̶̖ủ̴̗ ̸̲̔a̴̹͝r̸̨͘ĕ̴̮ ̸͚̂n̸̩̅ô̶̲ť̴̪ ̴̤̑ý̴͍ǫ̸̔u̷̼͛r̷̳̽ ̴̬̈́f̵̥̍a̴̯͒ẗ̴͜ȟ̷̦ê̷̗r̶̹̈́,̷̞͌ ̷̛̟y̵̨̆o̵̜͗u̶̻̓r̴̙͠ ̸͔̾g̸͎̈́ṟ̶͗a̷̢͒ǹ̶̙d̶̠̒f̸͓́a̴͈͋t̷͈̀h̴͖̋e̴̙͘r̷͓͑ ̶̹̈ô̷̮r̶̥͝ ̴̣͛y̷̼̽ọ̷̇ų̴̏r̸͓͌ ̷̌ͅá̵͕n̶̢̕c̵̥̈e̴͎͋ś̷͕ţ̶̓õ̶͍r̴̳̂s̷̺̄.̸̮̄ ̴̺̽Y̶̱͌o̴̻̕ú̶̠ ̶̢͠h̵͍͑ȧ̸͙v̴̠̕e̶͕͊ ̷͌ͅa̷̯̋ ̷̮̅c̵͖͂h̵͙̓a̴̳̅n̷̲͛c̴̪͛e̸̥͊ ̶̦̀t̷̫̽ợ̸ ̷̣̅a̸̝̾ẗ̷̤́o̷̬͂n̶̗̓e̵̞͘ ̶̻̊f̵̞̏ó̶̪ŗ̶̚ ̸̛̻y̴̦͌o̶͕͌ũ̷̙ŕ̷͇ ̵̯̊b̷͎͝r̵͕̄o̷̝͌t̸̳̂h̶̦͌e̴̗̾r̶̞͘'̴̪͘s̵̮͋ ̵͉̉d̶̪͝ȇ̷̟ȁ̷͔t̷̜̄h̷̡̎ ̸̗̆a̷̭͂n̴͍̒d̶̬̉ ̴͕̽s̵̱̉t̶̺̋ḁ̴̂r̷̠̓t̵͎̋ ̸͎͠ý̷̰o̶̹̒ṳ̷̈́r̵̺̾ ̷͖͝ö̶̩w̵̟̒n̴͓͂ ̸̢̋l̷̬͘ḙ̴͆g̶̘͝a̴̤͝c̷̼͆ÿ̷́ͅ,̸̑͜ ̷̪̄b̷̗͌u̶̩͐t̸̬̒ ̴͈̐y̴̳͝o̷͋ͅú̶̻ ̴̼̿a̴̝̐r̷̗̔e̷̛̦ ̸̔ͅs̴̗͐q̶͓̒ú̶̧a̵͎͒ṇ̸͗d̴͙͑e̵̪̓ṟ̵̈ḭ̵̍n̷̛̙g̶̻̔ ̸͖̈́ĩ̵͔t̷̤̏ ̵̦̿ẅ̸̭́i̵̟̋t̵͖͋ḥ̷͋ ̴̲͑y̸̦̏o̸̙̾u̷͈͗r̶̟͆ ̵͈̈́t̸̝͊h̷͕́i̷̪̍e̷̼̽v̷͈̈́i̶͎͑n̶̢͊g̴̲̈́ ̸̥̚w̵̫̓a̵̜̓ŷ̶̢ŝ̶̗.̸̭̈́ ̴̩͛Á̷̠s̴͔̅ ̷̩͗l̶̼͆o̸͉͛ṉ̷̓g̸̱͐ ̶̼̇ą̸̋ŝ̶̪ ̷͈́t̷͉̀ḥ̴͂a̸̘͂t̸͓̅ ̵̲̚c̴̬̈ŏ̸̖n̸̩͂t̴̬̒ḯ̵̼n̷̜̾u̴̜̕ë̶͎́s̴̭̾,̶̢͋ ̵̲͝Ñ̶̙Ò̶͉ ̷͓̈Õ̵̟N̴̜̆Ḛ̵͌ ̶͕͑ẅ̷͙i̸̜͘l̷̛̹l̶͙̇ ̷̩́ṭ̴̿ȑ̸͇u̷̩̐s̵͙͊ţ̴͒ ̸̯͌y̵̲̅õ̷̗ũ̴̼.̸̦͘ ̷̞̈E̷̮̔V̵͍͋Ê̵̫R̶̼͝.̷̺̌ ̸̡̽Ȧ̴̜ň̸͔ḏ̵́ ̵̝̎y̸̢̎o̵͍̍ư̶̼ ̸͖̊k̶̫͗n̴̨̒o̴̦͆w̶̻̑ ̶͖͘t̸̥̃h̵̖͆ḯ̴̖s̷̬̔.̷͉̃"̷͉̑ Rouge was silent at that. To a woman who had beaten her so thoroughly, and who, somehow, knew of her entire history, there was nothing she could say, except, "…Why? Why, after all this, are you trying…" she was about to lose consciousness, "trying to…"
"̵D̸e̶s̶p̵i̵t̸e̶ ̴m̴y̴ ̸m̸e̷a̵n̴s̵ ̸t̸o̴ ̵g̶e̷t̸ ̵y̸o̸u̵r̵ ̷a̵t̵t̵e̶n̴t̸i̶o̷n̵,̶ ̸I̶ ̷a̶m̴ ̷t̸r̵y̷i̴n̸g̶ ̴t̶o̸ ̵h̶e̵l̶p̷ ̴y̴o̵u̵,̷ ̴d̸e̴a̴r̶,̵ ̸b̴e̸c̸a̵u̵s̷e̵ ̴I̷ ̴k̸n̶o̴w̴ ̴t̸h̶e̶ ̷h̸e̵a̴v̸y̸ ̷b̵u̶r̶d̷e̸n̴ ̵o̵f̸ ̵a̴ ̷l̶e̵g̸a̸c̶y̷ ̴y̷o̷u̶ ̸t̷h̷o̸u̷g̵h̶t̷ ̷y̸o̸u̸ ̵w̶a̵n̵t̷e̸d̵ ̶b̸u̵t̸ ̴h̵a̵v̸e̴ ̴g̵r̶o̵w̷n̴ ̷w̵e̷a̵r̷y̸ ̸o̸f̴.̷ ̴I̵ ̵a̸m̷ ̷b̶o̸u̸n̸d̴ ̷t̵o̴ ̵m̸i̴n̶e̸,̵ ̸o̸n̵e̷ ̴w̵a̴y̵ ̶o̸r̶ ̷a̶n̴o̶t̵h̴e̴r̴,̵ ̶b̶u̴t̴ ̸y̴o̵u̶ ̵h̵a̶v̵e̷ ̶a̵n̶ ̵o̸p̵p̴o̶r̶t̶u̵n̷i̸t̵y̴ ̷t̴o̶ ̸s̷t̵a̶r̵t̷ ̶a̷n̸e̷w̶,̶ ̴t̸o̵ ̵c̴o̴n̷t̵r̶i̸b̴u̴t̸e̶ ̶y̵o̷u̴r̵ ̴o̷w̴n̷ ̴v̷e̶r̷s̴e̷ ̶i̷n̸ ̴t̶h̸i̴s̷ ̷p̷o̷w̴e̴r̴f̴u̷l̸ ̵p̴l̸a̵y̴.̴"̴ The Baroness then brought the bat in close, and whispered, "̶I̴ ̵u̵n̸d̴e̷r̸s̷t̷a̸n̴d̸ ̶y̵o̷u̷r̸ ̵p̸a̴i̴n̶ ̴m̴o̴r̷e̴ ̵t̸h̶a̸n̴ ̶y̶o̶u̴ ̴k̴n̶o̸w̶,̷ ̵S̴c̶a̶r̶l̶e̶t̸, so the last thing I want for you is to understand mine." She then used her free hand to remove her hood, revealing herself slightly. Rouge gasped, "No way…you're-" The Baroness silenced her with a soft glare, stroking her cheek. "Yes, and this is our little secret, under pain of death. Understand?" Rouge nodded. "Good girl. Now, sleep."
With those words, and a tender, motherly kiss on the forehead (followed by a quick spell), the Calamity Baroness dropped her, and the thief/agent/huntress known to the world as Rouge the Bat finally passed out. As her consciousness faded, she heard the Baroness' words: "Remember, dear, pride can empower your mind, but it can also enslave your heart…"
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