Headed by a Snake

Tycondrius turned as a door opened from a nearby building.

He glanced at the sign outside of it... carved into the wood was a plump winged creature with... an angry or annoyed expression. It was a public house.

First to emerge was a... frustratingly familiar elf with sandy blonde hair. Two iconic long, straight blades were sheathed on his waist.

...It was then that Tycon realized why Suka's armor was so familiar. The elf wore the same design.

⟬ Quies, Gold-Rank Elven Pathfinder Ranger. Guild Sol Invictus. ⟭

Next to exit the pub was an armored, white-furred Weretouched boy, walking with an iron staff. Following him was a pale-skinned, dark-haired elf in golden robes, far taller than an average human. Last to walk out was a child-sized humanoid wearing black goggles and with his face wrapped in tan strips of cloth.

⟬ Levi Wolfrider, Iron-Rank Weretouched Warden; Indrazeal Zuko, Iron-Rank Elven Sorcerer; Gobsuke, Iron-Rank Goblin Sharpshooter. Guild Sol Invictus. ⟭

"No..." Tycon could barely hide his surprise.

Suka let out a heavy sigh... "Y-yeah."

"WHAT IS the MEANING of THIS???" An annoying yet... oddly charming voice shouted.

The pub door burst open noisily and an armored gentleman in gaudy gladiator attire rushed out. The handsome fellow was wearing an unstrapped half-helmet, his eyes hidden by a liftable single-slit visor.

⟬ Tycondrius, Iron-Rank Maedar Warlord. ⟭

"Stay away from my BEAUTIFUL and KIND, LEGALLY LAWFUL WIFE, you-- you CAD!!!" Other-Tycon shrieked, pointing angrily as he stomped towards them.

Tycon slowly turned his face to Suka... The girl's cheeks were stained a deep, wine-red.

"Lawful wife?" He asked, "Have we wed?"

Earlier, the young lady had declared she was his consort. This newest bit of information was... quite different from that.

"N-not in real life," Suka stammered.

Tycon jabbed with a left, striking the exceedingly handsome other-Tycon in the chin... Feeling the jab connect, he followed with a powerful right straight at the same point with meticulous accuracy.

Other-Tycon dropped like a stone. His approach had left him wide open... and he didn't have the speed or reflexes to dodge a Gold-Rank attack. As the other-him's head struck the road, his helm rolled off... revealing a featureless face without eyes.

That made sense... as Suka did not recognize his face enough to recreate it. Such were the limitations of making an accurate mana-construct in his likeness.

He immediately got to work stripping the fellow of the rest of Other-Tycon's Arcanite armor... which was his.

"Wh-wh-wh-at are you doing?!" Suka shouted, "That's inappropriate!! Also that's something I wouldn't normally do! Nope!"

"Hmm..." Tycon pursed his lips. "Why isn't the other me wearing a tunic underneath?"

"S-s-s-stop~!!!! Pleaheheheeeeease stop!!" Suka begged, holding onto his arm and pulling with all her pitiful strength, "Don't take off his breechcloth!!"

Tycon hesitated, turning and narrowing his gaze, "Why would I do that? I only want the chestplate, gloves, and sandals."

Suka retracted her hands in distress, mumbling to herself... which allowed Tycon to finish off stripping Other-Him.

"...You know, Suka... in my human form, I only have one--"

"Sh-shut up!!!"

"Because, like a proper snake, I noticed that your mana-construct recreation of me has two--"

​ "I KNOW, OKAY!!!" Suka seethed, her left eye twitching.

Tycon chuckled quietly, enjoying teasing the young Shadow Snake. He felt a sudden surge of nostalgia... was this the sort of playful relationship he had with his sister, Cass?

"Help me with this, young lady."

"WHAT? ...Oh. Sure."

He donned his breastplate with Suka's assistance in tightening the straps. Her lithe hands were... slightly more invasive than he thought appropriate, but he decided to ignore it.

The armor fit perfectly. He had no memories of wearing it before, but even still, it granted him a sense of comfort and familiarity.

...

Suka gulped watching the Ivory Prince put on his armor. It fit... so well. She just wished... only a little bit... that he'd show her what was underneath his tunic. Did he have abs? He definitely had abs. ABBBBBS.

ARRRGHHH!!!! She'd missed the opportunity! She could have checked when she put her hands on him!

And the way that he put on his helmet... oh, when he put that visor down and went into full-battle seriousness... he'd be so, stunningly sexy...

As Prince Tycon put on the rest of his gear, he casually pointed to the arranged members of Sol Invictus-- at Levi Wolfrider, "Swap that one out, if you would."

"What? Why?" Suka grimaced. "Wolfrider is the most popular person in Sol Invictus! ...Next to Ranger Quies, anyroad. Those two with you are the most 'shipped couple in--"

"--That is enough, thank you," Prince Tycon twisted his lips to the side... "Anyroad, that's not even remotely true. Last I checked, Lulu has won all the popularity contests... followed perhaps by Quay, then by Bella Sapphira, and--"

"Alright, alright! I get it!!" Suka growled, "I know, okay! I was just..."

She was testing him. It wasn't right-- it really wasn't. She somehow knew in her heart that Prince Tycon was the real deal. But there was something about him that just didn't sit right.

With a sweep of her hand, Levi Wolfrider disappeared into mana-dust... and the closed pub door opened once more. A behemoth of a man ducked his head low to cross the threshold and took his place standing with the rest of Sol Invictus.

Stretching to his full height close to nine fulms tall, the red-haired Titanblood, Droghan Ashlord waved his meaty hand, "Yo."

"That will do," Prince Tycon nodded. "Now... give me a weapon."

Suka's heart raced once more. She knew a way to prove that the Ivory Prince wasn't who he said he was! Concentrating once more... she recalled every training weapon she'd ever wielded... She trained with all of the weapons Sol Invictus used, because... because of course she would.

They spilled out of the door of the public house in a heap... spears and greathammers and heavy-crossbows, Turathi hextech and Tyrion steel.

Prince Tycon pursed his lips, "Above and beyond. Thank you, Suka."

"Haha... thanks," Suka laughed nervously.

WAIT!! That was wrong!

Her eyes shot wide-open and she began to shout, "No, WAIT!! NO!! This is a TEST!! CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON, IVORY PRINCE!!"