Lewd King's Bucket List

Stifling his endless nerves, he decided his fears were unfounded and irrelevant to the true issue.

Why did what Dia thought of him even matter?

'And since when have I ever cared for such a thing?'

Ixion had little care what an individual thought of him before, so why would he begin to care now.

Floating forward, Ixion's soul gently caressed Dia's body; he didn't want to slam his soul into her and cause her body to react.

As more of his soul slipped into her vessel, Dia's eyes momentarily grew a hint of confusion, but she kept still. Her eyes were trained on the thrall before her.

The first thing Ixion felt when he finished entering was pain.

The biting scars from lashes still dripping blood. The several cracked ribs which attempted to mend themselves using her Aether.

Tentatively, Ixion thought:

'Don't react.'

Dia shook a little upon his words, perhaps startled. But a moment later, she spit upon the thrall watching her.

'Good sell! As expected of you, Dia.'

Ixion felt the tendrils of Dia's nasty soul trying to consume his; thankfully it was much too weak at the moment to even dream of that conquest.

Though, now feeling this intimate connection with her soul, he only began to question its nature more.

Was it merely hereditary? From Despair?

No. Souls are not exactly exempt from that idea of genetics, but not entirely connected.

'Ah, what a terrible man that Despair is. Trapping his daughter in a prison cell and whipping her? Gods! Does that man have any morals?!'

Ixion's soul chuckled — a conveyed sentiment rather than a physical reaction.

'I guess I should tell you who I am… I'm Ixion, the real one. Perhaps you met my memory self. Maybe even my memory soul — though I doubt even Despair's ability could create even an imitation of my soul. Oh, you might also know me as Pirithous. You see, I can possess bodies. Like I am now. I was wearing his skin that day I took you to the tavern. The real Pirithous is long dead. Ah! I promise I'm not some creep! On second thought, there's not much defending myself to do after saying that… Okay, at least I'm not nearly as creepy as Despair! And don't worry, I don't want to take over your body. You see, I'm not all that jealous of your current predicament.'

'Though, I was thinking about kidnapping you. Would you be alright with that? In… I don't know, a year or so? Sounds fun, no? Much better than this! Come abscond with me to Praxis. I doubt Despair would care to follow. Ah! But I would like you to rethink your favorite color. Don't you think green is a little… presumptuous?'

Dia stayed still, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back.

It looked like she wanted to scream.

'Ah, am I annoying you? I usually don't talk this much… Okay, maybe I do. However, this situation is totally awkward! I just learned Despair is even more wicked than I thought. Which is saying a little more than a lot. I also learned he had a daughter! Wait, let me ask that… you are his daughter, right? Biologically speaking.'

Dia took a deep breath, and opened her eyes, staring at the thrall.

"I've learned my lesson, daddy dearest. Now, can't you let me go?"

'That answers that!'

The thrall tilted its head slightly, but cared not to respond. Or more so, Despair cared not for it to respond.

'Ah, and speaking of that… why are you chained at all? Despair should be able to trap you in this world. Unless, there's a way out?'

"I promise not to kill Drath or run away again."

'Hmm. I see. I thought killing the Dreamer would just collapse the memory and trap everyone inside. I guess that's a lie he sold me. And, there is a way to "run away," without his permission? Or him granting the ability?'

Her head rocked down, then slightly up. Then again. Almost as if she were failing to lift it.

But, to Ixion, that was a nod.

A nod that Despair had a weakness he hadn't expected.

Although…

Just how? How could one escape a Memory World?

That was something Ixion didn't think he'd be able to learn without being expressly told.

'How curious. Oh, also, you seem quite calm despite me speaking in your head. And being the boy you met. But perhaps…'

Dia lifted her head toward the thrall again.

"I knew. I knew running away was a bad thing, daddy dearest. And now I know to never do it again."

'Can you stop calling him "daddy dearest"?! It's creepy!'

But, other than that…

'You… knew?'

Dia's head mimed the awkward nod again.

'So, then… you knew… and called me idiotic and crazy to my face?! Plus you thoroughly believed my lie about who I was and "my brother"!'

A smirk slipped on Dia's face as her head fell back toward the ground, a couple of bloody strands of her platinum hair falling down and into her mouth.

'Ah, you're a bit coy. Playing with a forlorn king's heart. What happened to the cute, naive "dainty commoner"?'

"I'm still cute."

'Hey! Careful!'

Dia had whispered it under her breath. So quietly only one who whispered could hear it. Though that was a certainty that didn't apply to people like Ixion and Despair who were not normal.

'I don't know if you ramble to yourself much, but I do pray you don't blow my cover. I don't want to particularly be punished by Despair either. Ah, speaking of that… If he wants to punish you, why is he doing it physically?'

To that, Dia lightly shrugged.

'I see, I see… no I don't.'

Though if she shrugged, it was unlikely she knew the answer to that one.

'Man, this kind of sucks. The cold steel on your ankles really is not comfortable at all! I can feel them by the way. I can feel lots of things when inside a body… wait, I didn't mean for that to sound wrong! I meant I can share senses!'