“Strip.”

She obeys instantly, her robe vanishing into her inventory, but you shake your head. Then you speak, as her eyes are shut.

“No.”

Her face creases in confusion, and she finally opens her eyes to look at you, her mouth slightly parted as if to ask a question. You don't give her the chance.

“I said strip.”

*CENSORED*

*CENSORED*

*CENSORED* Who knew you had such a thing for humanoids?

*CENSORED*

“*CENSORED*

You nod as she talks, pleased with her proposition, but then you get to the crux of the matter. “Can you heal? Can you, in fact, cast any magic at all any more?”

Amanda's expression falls, and for the first time she looks away, unable to meet your eyes. “No.”

“What happened?”

She laughs, a humourless sound. “The Goddess of Beauty and Art wasn't pleased to have a follower of hers wake up with her face covered in and throat filled with *CENSORED* . It probably would have been ok if my player didn't delete her account shortly after.”

You open your mouth to apologise reflexively. No matte how much you enjoyed pushing her, Amanda didn't deserve that, but she held up a hand forestalling you.

“I don't blame you. Frankly, I think my player was going to abandon me anyway, and I was a low level cleric with no friends. All I've lost is a few magic tricks, and I stand to gain a lot more.”

You raise your eyebrows again, but it's Mercy who speaks. “You levelled up as a disgraced cleric? I've never heard of someone doing so, except for when levelling up once is part of the redemption quest. What does it give you?”

Amanda looks uncomfortable, still *CENSORED* , as the conversation drifts away from her*CENSORED* , but she still turns to face the dryad and answers. You take the opportunity to take her shed clothing into your inventory.

“Very little. Just a feat called 'Wasted Potential', which is currently rank four, with the description 'you could be more'. I'd rather not talk about it.”

The atmosphere quickly turns awkward, non of you sure how to proceed, until you push on. You inject a note of light hearted teasing into your voice.

“Well if you can't heal, I'm not sure-” but you cut yourself off. Amanda looks genuinely upset, and that's not what you want here. Embarrassed, yes. Upset, no. You continue down a different track.

“Well then, you'll have to study hard... at least when you're Amanda, to learn other ways of helping. We're a small community, and no matter my own wishes to keep a pet, I have to think of everyone else first.”

That had the desired effect. Amanda's face lights up when she processes your words.

“You mean that?” Her voice is filled with a soft, hopeful yearning. Whatever she's been exposed to lately, you realise, it's not been good for her self esteem.

“I do.”

*CENSORED*

The green skinned woman was still lent against the entrance,*CENSORED* . She returns your gaze levelly however, and her hand leaves her *CENSORED* to spin in a circle around her temple. You can see her mouth across the cave to you 'Bitch has issues'. You blink in acknowledgement and turn back to Amanda.*CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED*

*CENSORED*

*CENSORED* *CENSORED*

She turns to Mercy, raises a finger as if to make a point, and lets out a belch and blushing scarlet.

“Oh gods I'm so sorry, that was rude.”

That, of all things, breaks the tension once more, and the three of you prepare to leave, although you are somewhat reluctant to return Amanda's clothing. As a compromise, you keep her panties, and it's her turn to raise an eyebrow at you before she gets dressed, although she's still smiling happily. The smile turns somewhat guilty as you all leave and you remark.

“Feel free to keep the *CENSORED* in as long as you like, just make sure you don't lose it.”

As you're the last to leave the cave, you take a moment to drop Amanda's panties, and then hang them from a protruding roof root. You're not some kind of weirdo who collects used panties after all.