Abomination of Innovation Chapter 3 (Patreon)

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[100 CP Acquired!]

“... Set the Relic down, child.” Salem eventually broke the tense silence while lowering her hands and stepping back. 

“Are you gonna do something stupid?” Agito bluntly questioned without any facial fluctuations, making Salem’s face twitch at his blatant disrespect.

He didn’t even look like he noticed. Or if he did, he didn’t care.

“... I am not one to do foolish actions carelessly,” Salem spoke despite her exasperation before raising an eyebrow. “Will you do something stupid, child?”

“Probably.” 

…

Salem and Summer stared with twitching eyebrows as Agito didn’t deny it, unsure if they should be amused or worried. Had it not been for the powerful relic in the boy’s hands, it would’ve been the former without question.

“... Right.” Salem didn’t speak more regarding that to avoid triggering the ‘stupid’ Agito spoke of. “What do you wish to bargain for the Relic, child?”

“Summer’s life.” Agito bluntly stated. “You will never attack or harm Summer again. Not you, not Grimm… Hell, not even the human subordinates you undoubtedly have.”

Salem raised an eyebrow with a slight smile on her face.

“You’re quite confident that I have human subordinates, child. I am the Grimm Queen, you know?” Salem challenged with narrowed eyes of interest as the child stared at her with deadpanning eyes, unamused by her argument.

“You’re basically The Devil of this world. There are always idiots who think they can avoid everything bad by worshipping the big bad guy, like Satanists or whatever.” Agito sounded unconvinced as he explained, making Salem hum in response. “You probably have cultists or something… Actually, you probably have a Snape of your own. A person inside the ‘Ozpin’ person’s inner circle?”

Summer gasped.

“That’s how you knew of the Ritual!” Summer accused Salem with a horrified face, as Salem didn’t even look at her. Her calm smile said it all.

“You’re quite the detective, aren’t you, child?” Salem asked rhetorically while crossing one arm under her chest while the other supported her chin as she stared at Agito intently. “How can you be sure of all that when you know so little of what you speak of?”

“Some may say my reasoning may be defective, but I prefer to say it’s quite effective.” Agito’s blank expression faded into smugness as he turned away and closed his eyes, nodding to himself at the fly rhymes he used after her ‘detective’ comment. “Summer’s comment only proved my words, after all. After all, every bad ‘Greater Good’ guy has an inner circle.”

His hand tightened around the Ocarina as if expecting Salem to capitalize on his loss of sight, but the woman didn’t take advantage of it—Smart of her.

“... Then, knowing that ‘Ozpin’ is a bad guy…” Salem calmly began while smiling as she stared at Agito’s cute, twitching raccoon ears. “Won’t you come to work for me instead, child?”

Agito deadpanned at Salem’s offer as Summer gasped in horror and turned to him with panic.

“Agito! Don’t listen to her-” Summer was interrupted by a shadow whip hitting her back, sending her hurling back towards Agito.

“Eep.” Agito calmly sidestepped the incoming Summer, letting her crash into the petrified Grimm statue behind him. “Sorry, Summer. Catching you would’ve made it harder for me to keep my grip on the Ocarina.”

Summer groaned weakly, not responding.

“I did not ask for your opinion, Summer Rose. Please keep quiet while the adults are speaking.” Salem spat venomously after Summer’s interruption, turning her eyes away from the silver-eyed warrior and to the frowning Agito as her scowl faded into a smile.

“... Agito needs an adult,” Agito muttered after shivering at Salem’s gaze, no longer having Summer in front of him to shield him from her piercing eyes. The stress was even affecting his speech.

“I am the oldest living creature on Remnant,” Salem reassured, but it didn’t have the same calming effect she intended. Agito continued staring at her blankly for a few seconds.

“G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-GILF.” Agito eventually muttered as Salem blinked in confusion.

“What?” Salem’s eyebrows furrowed as Agito deadpanned.

“I called you a hag.” Salem physically flinched back at Agito’s blunt confession. “Anyway, why would I refuse to join the ‘Greater Good’ guy because he’s bad only to join the biggest bad in the world?? That’s like saying no to a street gang because they commit crimes only to join a terrorist organization.”

“That is quite a good point…” Salem chuckled amusedly at Agito’s reasoning, but the glint in her eyes showed she wasn’t done. “But it’s not like you’re on humanity’s side either, are you, child?”

“Why do you think that?” Agito curiously tilted his head at Salem’s accusation as the Grimm Queen chuckled.

“If you were, wouldn’t you have bargained for a more beneficial trade that saved more than one simple undeserving human?” Salem questioned amusedly while glancing back at the silent Summer before returning to Agito. “Furthermore, wouldn’t you have simply sacrificed your life by breaking the Relic of Time to defeat me once and for all?”

“Why would I sacrifice myself for people who have never done a single thing for me?” Agito bluntly asked, lidding his eyes at Salem as she laughed delightfully at his response. “Summer… Is the only person who has done anything for me in this world. So she’s the one I’ll protect.”

Person, at least. Rocket wasn’t a person, so Agito didn’t count them.

“Delightful… So, why not join me? You hold no loyalty to humanity…” Salem offered again while extending her hands as Agito remained silent.

“You definitely want to destroy the world.” Agito deducted pointedly, making Salem blink once before nodding. “It’d be stupid helping someone who I know will only kill me in the end, you know?”

“I have lived for longer than you could imagine, child.” Salem pointed out amusedly as Agito tilted his head in confusion. “I can wait for a few years until you die a natural death. I already will need to do that, considering how your bargain states that I must not harm Summer Rose… Meaning I had to wait for her to die a natural death as well anyway.”

“Oh yeah!” Agito’s ears perked up at Salem’s point before they fell again slowly as Agito covered up their entrance with his hands. “Wait, Agito can’t join you. You’re the evil queen lady… You’re definitely gonna throw me into your dungeon and then have some weird shadow tentacles touch me! I saw the whip you hit Summer with!”

BZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

Summer’s previously weak body burned with power as her Silver Eyes glowed, glaring menacingly at Salem after Agito’s accusation that she’d… do terrible things to him should she get her hands on him.

“Oh my god, you’re a main character.” Agito marveled as he stared back at Summer, gripping the Ocarina hard in his grasp before turning back to the motionless Salem.

“... I would do no such thing, child.” Salem calmly muttered while sighing in exasperation as Agito deadpanned.

“You wouldn’t, not because you’re bothered by the idea or find it disgusting, but because I’m too valuable for you to do such a thing.” He blankly pointed out with an accusatory finger as Salem’s eyes widened.

“... It seems you understand me quite well, child.” Salem mused amusedly before turning her eyes to the Awakened Summer, her eyes narrowing a little warily as Summer continued glaring at Salem without moving… She was likely using the energy of her ‘awakening’ to recover. “However, you now know I won’t do such a thing, no?”

“True! But… If I joined you, I wouldn’t be able to travel around and collect my shinies freely.” Agito countered next as if this was an interview rather than coercion by this world's big bad evil lady.

“... Shinies? If it’s treasure you seek, I have amassed quite a few trophies over the many millenniums I have lived.” Salem offered while swiping her hand through the air, summoning dozens upon dozens of shiny treasures. Armor, weapons, extremely pure Dust crystals…

“Awoah…” Agito’s usually expressionless eyes became starstruck as Salem displayed her many trophies…

So many shinies… and he can use them to make better treasures… And then he can use the treasures to explode everything… So many explosions-

BONK

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[A few minutes prior…]

Summer weakly lifted herself from the ground as she saw Agito standing in front of her while gripping the Relic of Time in his hands, fearlessly facing the ruthless Queen of Grimm despite being no older than one of her adolescent children.

She could barely make out what they were speaking about over the ringing in her head, the last bit of aura inside her working overtime to keep her from fainting, abandoning Agito completely and forcing him to face the most dreaded creature on Remnant alone.

She collapsed to her knee after a failed attempt to stand up, chuckling weakly at how pathetic she was and how useless she was acting. So many years of anticipating and planning this encounter, only to fall flat when the time came, only surviving thanks to an Aura-less boy she picked up a mere week ago.

She couldn’t die here… She couldn’t lose. She still had to return to her family… Her team… Her children.

But… she felt so tired… so weak…

“Summer… Is the only person who has done anything for me in this world. So she’s the one I’ll protect.”

Despite the intense ringing in her head, Agito’s words rang louder and muted all other sounds. His words brought her out of her dazed state as she shook away death’s cold grasp from around her, feeling a warmth rising in her chest and her eyes.

That idiot… Could she truly give up and let him fend for himself when he was fighting on her behalf? It was the guardian who protected, wasn’t it…?

Summer felt a shift in her Aura as the warmth in her chest expanded outward, encompassing everything in its path. It was like a small flame warding off a merciless blizzard… but it did not falter for a second despite being so outmatched.

Her eyes, previously dimmed after she expended it in one last burst of energy, glowed weakly as her aura mixed with its light attribute. She lifted her head from the ground to look at Agito, watching as his face remained expressionless before Salem.

She knew better, though. He was definitely stressed. His stiff, motionless tail on his back certainly proved that to be the case, and the way he kept slipping into third-person mode when speaking about himself further confirmed it.

But Summer still couldn’t move… Her aura was working hard to keep her up, but she still did not have the energy to do anything beyond slowly recovering.

Ugh… She needed motivation… Imagine Ruby trapped under a car! Yang stuck in a burning building that she probably set on fire herself…

“You’re definitely gonna throw me into your dungeon and then have some weird shadow tentacles touch me!”

BZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING

The small block keeping Summer from making a full recovery shattered, allowing Summer to pull upon a new reserve of Aura previously unknown to her body and soul. Her body glowed with newfound power as she stood up, glaring at Salem with shining silver eyes. The surge of Aura from her awakening was automatically channeled into them, flooding her silver eyes with power just begging to be released.

Her eyes widened as she sensed something amidst the raging aura swirling inside her. It was subtle, easily missed thanks to the nature of her silver eyes… but her aura had mutated, adapting to the light trait of her eyes.

Despite her new, overflowing power, Summer hadn’t moved yet. She used the downpour of Aura inside her to recover, flooding it through her aching body as she quickly began recovering and healing her tired muscles with the newly improved healing capability of her Light-infused Aura.

She could finally listen in on Salem and Agito without muted senses, smiling as Agito called her a main character in awe. He didn’t show it, but she saw his relief at seeing her up and about.

Whether it was because of genuine care for her, relief at having someone to aid him, or both, she did not care. 

Summer’s eyebrows furrowed as Salem tried to recruit Agito, slowly stepping forward and behind Agito as he refuted her points and stated why he wouldn’t join her…

Her eye twitched as Salem unveiled many shiny treasures to entice Agito, thoroughly capturing his attention as the idiot stared at all of the ‘shinies’ with starstruck eyes and a gaping mouth.

BONK

“Don’t get tempted by material wealth, idiot! You’re too greedy for your own good!” Summer chastised after chopping his head as she usually did whenever he tried to sneakily toy with her stuff, huffing as Agito snapped out of his daze and turned to look at her with teary, pleading eyes before becoming expressionless again after a few moments as she didn’t budge.

“Okay…” He obeyed with a frown, turning to look at Salem with his head down. “Mom said I can’t become an international terrorist. Sorry…”

“... Summer Rose.” Salem narrowed her eyes at her warily, having sensed Summer’s new awakening and the changes in her aura. “You truly have become quite the thorn in my side… It’s making me reconsider whether this relic is truly worth sparing you.”

“Try me, arachnid hair.” Summer taunted as a wave of light emerged from her eyes, passing through the air and towards Salem as a wave of dark energy rose from the ground to block Summer’s warning shot, courtesy of Salem.

“Y-You dare?” Salem appeared simultaneously flushed and enraged by Summer’s provocation, especially because Agito was covering his mouth and cringing while muttering something about ‘too soon’ under his breath. “... I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Salem composed herself and acted like her earlier hair never existed, making Summer chuckle mockingly as she and Salem glared at each other intensely.

“Um… Let’s go back to our trade.” Agito was the one who broke the glaring match, reminding the two women of the extremely important Relic still being held in the child’s hands.

Summer’s gaze became complicated.

… Could she allow Agito to give away such a Relic?

…

…

“... As I said before. You don’t attack Summer. Grimm don’t attack Summer. Your minions and allies don’t attack Summer… Their minions and allies don’t attack Summer. No hurting Summer.” Agito spoke with finality while crossing his arms as Salem narrowed her eyes slightly.

“... With how powerful Summer Rose has become, I cannot reasonably agree to such a condition unless a clause allowing self-defense is put into place.” Salem contested with a scoff, bargaining for the ability to defend herself should Summer voluntarily attack her.

“That is acceptable. But you are only allowed to retaliate in any way once you yourself are physically hurt. Even if Summer was to kill every ally and Grimm you have, attack your personal belongings, or anything of the sort, you yourself won’t retaliate in any way.” Agito slowly nodded before detailing the conditions that would allow Salem to defend herself, making Salem narrow her eyes slightly as she mulled over those conditions.

“... Being unable to aid my allies or protect my property is quite extreme, no?” Salem questioned with a raised eyebrow, making Agito’s ears rise threateningly, and his tail stiffen.

“You do not care for anything but yourself, Queen of Grimm. Not for your ‘allies,’ Grimm, or belongings.” Agito bluntly accused with a light glare as if trying to intimidate the Queen of Grimm. “These are all excuses you’re trying to use to get a justification to attack Summer. Accept this condition, or I kill all of us. Right here. Right now.”

Squeeze…

Summer reached out to stop Agito before stopping as he turned to her with narrowed eyes, squeezing harder on the Ocarina of Time.

“Halt!” Salem called out as she saw how hard Agito was squeezing the Ocarina, making him turn to her and loosen his grip slightly. “... Your conditions are acceptable. Should you give me the Relic of Time, I, Salem, Queen of Grimm, vow never to allow harm to befall Summer Rose by my, or any of my associates’, hands.”

“Gaming.” Agito nodded with a dull tone, his ears and tail relaxing as Salem agreed. He stepped forward towards Salem, but Summer placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Agito… You don’t have to go with this anymore.” Summer spoke softly as Agito’s eyes met hers. “I feel… much stronger now. We shouldn’t allow such a precious artifact to fall into the hands of Salem, right?”

“You’re going to die.” Agito bluntly told Summer as she blinked and flinched back. “I recognize that you’ve gotten a power-up, but I can promise you you’re not the main character.” … Despite him saying otherwise a mere few minutes ago.

Agito slowly raised one of his hands to point at Salem as her displeased expression became slightly amused.

“That’s the main antagonist. You know what she can do?” Agito questioned with furrowed brows as Summer blinked again.

“Um… No?” She hesitantly responded, unsure of what he was asking for.

“Exactly. You don’t.” Agito deadpanned, making Summer puff her cheeks out exasperatedly. “She probably has like a Deus Ex Machina power-up she has yet to use, and you’ve already expended your flashback power-up. You’re about to become the powerful side character that died to the main villain to show their strength.”

“The boy speaks the truth.~” Salem added with a cocky smirk as Summer turned to her with a glare before turning back to Agito with a complicated expression on her face.

“I… I understand, Agito.” Summer hesitantly nodded despite knowing that she shouldn’t let the Relic fall into Salem’s hands. But she knew when to cut her losses and retreat, and she did not have what it took to defeat Salem just yet if Agito’s words were to be believed.

It made sense in retrospect. She was still quite tired despite her awakening, and Salem had yet to do anything truly strenuous, let alone reveal her true potential. Summer wasn’t an idiot.

Not a complete one, at least.

“Oh yeah! Salem?” Agito suddenly perked up and turned to Salem with expectant eyes, making the Grimm Queen raise a curious eyebrow. “Summer said that no Grimm would ever be intimidated or hurt by me if I start blowing into my Ocarina, so here’s me proving her wrong.” 

Summer and Salem’s eyes widened in horror as the boy brought the Ocarina to his lips, the beautiful music immediately as they prepared to feel the effect of the Relic…

VVVVRRR… VVVRRRR…

Summer suddenly blinked, remembering how Agito had already used the Ocarina so many times without anything happening.

Salem also relaxed as nothing happened, smiling in amusement as Agito slowly put the Ocarina down…

BONK

Her smile then faded as the round lid of a trash can impacted her chest, falling worthlessly to the ground after Agito threw it at her.

The three stood in silence after Agito’s ‘attack,’ the two women feeling speechless at Agito’s attempt at hurting the most powerful creature on the planet with… the lid of a trashcan. 

“Agito, no!” Summer was too late to stop Agito as he moved towards Salem, narrowing his eyes at her. He slowly approached and kneeled to grab his ‘shield.’

Agito was still gripping the Ocarina, so he was shocked when he felt Salem’s hand on his head after he kneeled. He looked up at her with narrowed eyes, finding her smiling down at him in amusement as her hand carefully ran through his similarly white hair.

Agito twisted his body and smacked her hand away with his tail before running back to Summer, blowing a raspberry at Salem as his tail swayed behind him.

“... I retrieved the Relic of Treasures.” Agito proudly reported while hiding behind Summer, puffing his chest out with a smug smirk as he held his prized ‘relic’ close.

Smack!

“Idiot!” Summer scolded with visible exasperation, her face appearing to have aged ten years just by his little stunt… all to retrieve a random trash can’s lid.

“Oomph…” Agito made a dissatisfied noise at being hit but didn’t comment further. He turned to look at Salem with a wary look for some reason, his two hands gripping his ‘shield’ as he hid behind Summer. “... The trade is complete, Salem.”

Salem’s eyes widened as she heard Agito’s words, her head snapping down as she stepped back to find the Ocarina of Time beneath her feet. A melodious laughter left her lips at Agito’s trickery, her hands moving to gently hold the Ocarina as a dark material raised it from the ground and into her waiting hands.

Summer smiled bitterly as she saw the precious Relic in the hands of humanity’s biggest enemy, but she knew it would all be worth it. Salem would undoubtedly retreat to safeguard her new relic, allowing the ritual to pass without a hitch in Vale. 

They may have lost the battle, but this was a large step forward for humanity nonetheless!

“... You’re quite the trickster, child.” Salem’s laughter eventually faded until they were no more than a few quiet chuckles, her eyes opening again to gaze at Agito as he hid behind Summer. “... The trade is indeed complete, young one. No harm shall befall Summer Rose; I guarantee you that much.”

“... Thank you.” Agito politely responded, tilting his head as Salem raised her arm into the air.

ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!

“What is this!?” Summer demanded with panic as several powerful Grimm suddenly rose from the ground around Salem, roaring angrily as they stood beside her and glared at Summer and Agito with malice.

“... Step aside, Summer Rose. Your involvement is no longer needed,” Salem spoke with a satisfied smile as she approached the duo, appearing quite pleased with herself. “After all, I promised that no harm would befall you.”

Summer’s eyes widened in horror as she stood in front of Agito.

How could she have forgotten something so important!?

“I won’t let you harm Agito!” Summer bared her weapon at Salem as she approached, her silver eyes glowing threateningly as Salem’s smile widened at her actions.

“Careful, Summer Rose. You may just invalidate the little one’s sacrifice should you carelessly attack me.” Salem warned Summer with amusement as Summer’s eyes widened further. “Now, be obedient and step aside, won’t you?” 

“... Agito, you never added a clause to protect yourself from Salem.” Summer gritted her teeth and accused Agito as he blinked innocently before nodding.

“True! That’s true.” He kept bobbing his head up and down like a chicken before gasping as Summer placed a hand on his chest again. “Pervert…”

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

Agito’s body began glowing with a beautiful light of bright gold and a pure white mix, the energy around him radiating quite powerfully as Summer gasped at the quality of his aura.

It was stunning…

“Summer Rose!!” Salem roared furiously after Summer unlocked Agito’s aura without permission, extending her arm at them as chains of black energy shot out from her shadow.

“Awa??” Agito’s eyes widened at the energy around him and the feeling of pure, unadulterated power coursing through him before noticing Salem’s attack, his eyes widening as he saw the approaching chains. “Go, Relic of Treasure!”

As Summer prepared to deflect the incoming chains with her axe, her eyes widened as Agito’s Aura shot out. The mixed light enveloped the two of them, and as she turned around, her eyes widened. She saw Agito pointing the Relic of Trea- the trashcan’s lid to the sky.

She was left stunned as the aura settled into the shape of a trashcan a mere moment before Salem’s chains impacted it, the conjured trash can shaking from the impact but actually blocking the attack made by the Queen of Grimm.

“Ack-” Agito released a pained sound as the conjured trash can withstood the attack, the energy extending out from his body quickly cracking around his body before shattering completely alongside his conjured creation. “Noooo! I just got my aura, but it’s already gone… I’m crippled!”

Summer didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as Agito’s aura immediately shattered before Salem’s attack, making Agito cry at the ‘permanent’ loss of his aura before her and Salem’s eyes.

“... I will ensure that your aura makes a safe recovery once I capture you, young one. Not to worry.” Salem reassured with an amused… and almost fond smile as she saw Agito’s devastated state, pausing her walk as Agito suddenly jumped up. “Apprehend him!”

Her Grimm moved to obey her commands but were immediately disintegrated by Summer’s eyes as she showed a considerable level of control unseen previously by excluding Salem from its effects.

“Okay, Summer. Please do not let Salem provoke you into attacking her no matter what, okay?” Agito suddenly called out while tugging at Summer’s arm as she turned to look back at him with shock, confused about why he was speaking as if he was going to somehow leave by himself. “She’s going to taunt you, but ignore her. Remember your family, please.”

“What are you doing, Agito??” Summer asked in confusion, feeling warmth rising in her chest at his affectionate words even as she dreaded whatever he was planning. 

“I’m sorry, but I told you I’d have to go.” Agito didn’t answer her question, apologizing instead as he stepped back and away from her before turning around. “I’ll be leaving with Rocket… So you be safe, okay? I know you’re strong, so please be safe.”

“You will not be leaving, child!” Salem exclaimed with furrowed brows as she raised her hands, summoning another wave of Grimm to chase after Agito as a powerful magical presence enveloped her. “You cannot run, Agito! Do not make this harder on yourself!”

“You’re right… but Agito isn’t running.” Agito smirked proudly and took a deep breath, holding his ‘Relic of Treasures’ in front of him like a sacrifice… “With this Treasure I summon…”

“Rocket-chwaaaan! Save me!”

VRRROOOOM!

Before Summer and Salem’s shocked eyes, a futuristic motorcycle appeared beneath Agito as the boy immediately mounted it excitedly. The engine roared to life as Agito turned to the two of them with a smile…

“I’ll be the first to pass on. Good luck.” 

VRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

“After him!” Salem furiously ordered the surrounding Grimm as Agito sped away, launching forward to try and stop him, only to pause as Summer intercepted her with her body. “Out of the way!”

“Nuh-uh!” Summer smirked and felt that Agito’s influence may have corrupted her in the past few days… “You can’t touch me, remember? Don’t do anything stupid, Salem!~”

Salem roared in outrage at the provocation but could do nothing but try and pass Summer, gritting her teeth as every move was intercepted by her even if she didn’t physically attack or hinder her in some way. Salem couldn’t just push her, after all, as that would be considered an attack.

The Grimm surrounding Salem were not having a good time either, as Summer kept releasing the power of her Silver Eyes to suppress and petrify them before they could chase after Agito. The few who managed to pass by her tried to make chase, but it was too late…

“You will regret this, Summer Rose!” Salem roared as Summer cackled victoriously while glaring at her, a wide smile on her face even as a portal appeared behind Summer and a slim pair of arms wrapped around her waist before pulling her into it. “Watch… Watch as the same boy who saved you from my wrath strikes you down by my command! SUMMER ROSE!”

The echo of Summer’s cackles was all that remained as the portal closed, leaving the enraged Salem cursing furiously amidst a battered and ruined field filled with statues of her former Grimm…

“... This is not the end, Ozma.” Salem silently murmured as she stared in the direction Agito had escaped, slowly bringing her newly acquired ‘Relic’ to her lips as she held it tightly with glaring crimson eyes. “I am.”

Vrrr… VRRRr~

Melodious music emanated from Salem’s figure as the light around her dimmed in response, darkening further and further until her vicinity held no light… a helplessly somber abyss.

“You can never escape the inevitable… Little Agito.”

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That's the final chapter! Hope you enjoyed so far! Celestial Grimoire is really fun!

Can the 10$ tier guy DM me by the way? I've got some stuff to discuss. Teehee.~