-Break-
Hugging Iancu from behind, Orb rubs his head and says, "Now that sounds like a pickle."
"LET GO OF ME!" Iancu says while elbowing Orb in the stomach.
Holding his stomach in pain, Orb says, "Iancu, you're so prickly today, what's wrong. Do you need more hugs?"
Iancu steps on Orb's face, and Ilus turns to Suzuka and says, "Are you sure he can help me?"
"Despite how he looks, he works wonders."
Grabbing Iancu's feet, Orb quickly removes his shoe and starts tickling Iancu's foot, making him fall to the floor, and as he does, he says, "Now look at that smile, it seems someone is happy."
Still under the pressure of Orb tickling him, Iancu pulls back his foot and tries to kick Orb, but his accuracy is all but non-existent. Turning his face to Ilus, Orb says, "Was the smell always this bad?"
"It wasn't that bad when I was younger, but as I have aged, it has smelled worse and worse. Curses at the end of the day are physical changes, unlike spirit energy, the strength and power of a curse tend to follow the same development rate as normal human development. I stink, and I will probably get worse for the rest of my youthful years before petering out in adulthood."
Maple and Willow, confused, say, "You're thirties are youthful?"
Ilus falls to the ground, and Orb says, "Willow, Maple, people in the outside world don't die when they hit 40 like in Aplos. 30 is still considered mildly young."
Both of them quickly cover their mouths, and Ilus, with despair reeking from his face, says, "Don't apologise, I just thought I would be allowed to keep that little delusion for a bit longer. Rotten and old, and born with a completely useless curse, no wife, no friends, and I struggle to find any consistent work with this smell of mine, which even rots my cooking. I have nothing good going for me!"
Standing up and letting go of Iancu, Orb says, "You're being a bit dramatic, aren't you?"
Maple moving up to Orb says, "No, he isn't. It really is that dire."
Pushing his face against Maple, Orb says, "Maybe it is for dumb dumbs like you. But you're amazing, big brother will help if you just say 'Orb, please help you me, because you're the best brother to ever, ever, ever exist', or so I have been told."
Swatting at Orb, she says, "NO WAY!"
Orb dodges backwards, and Iancu rising from the floor tries to kick Orb, but he doeges and smacks Iancu on the butt, and says, "Well regardless I planned to help anyways."
Pointing at Ilus, Orb says, "Listen here, not a single person whom I have ever met has a right to hate themselves for being born. Hate you're actions all you want, but I assure you I can find something for you."
Orb's hair shines golden with arrogance, and as Iancu sees his confidence, he grips his fist.
Snapping his fingers, Orb says, "Now let me use you're kitchen!"
-Break-
As the five of them sit outside the kitchen door, Ilus says, "Is it ok to allow that frea-friend of yours to use my kitchen?"
Glaring at the door, Iancu says, "Just call Orb a freak, it's grammatically correct."
Maple says, "He is an annoying strange, bothersome, punchable, little shit eating dog."
"But he always takes helping people seriously, and that's something everyone here can confirm," Willow adds.
"I agree!" Suzuka says.
"It's the one thing predictable about him," Iancu mumbles.
"But he forced all those nasty plants into my mouth, and then he milked my body like a cow to get oil. And did you see the look of joy he had while staring at the oil? I don't even see men leaching at their wives like that. Are you sure everything is going to be all right?"
The four of them turn their heads away, and Maple says, "Of course. Maybe."
"That doesn't make me feel confident."
Kicking open the door, Orb falls to the floor and says, "Help, Suzuka."
Everyone rises with worry in their eyes, and Suzuka rushes over, grabs Orb, and says, "What's wrong?"
"C-Closer."
Suzuka brings his face closer towards Orb's, and using his fingers, he quickly touches his lips. Then, he presses his finger against her own, and Suzuka's face turns red as she steps back.
"You dummy, I was worrie-." Before she can finish, Orb stands up and pushes her against a wall, before slamming his arm to the side of her, as the other four in the room watch in shock.
Iancu, turning to Maple, says, "Shouldn't you do something?"
Maple quickly starts stamping her way over to Orb, and Willow grabs her shoulder and says, "Wait for it."
Orb holding Suzuka chin says, "That dress really suits you."
Confused and red, Suzuka says, "Umm-thanks. It can even make something like me look pretty."
Putting his hand in her hair, Orb says, "You underestimate yourself too much, Suzuka. The sun can only make gems shine. Your shining hair mixed with bits of pink is captivating."
Running his hands to her face, he cups it, and says," The shy little expression you make when anyone points out your cuteness takes my heart in hold."
"Orb, what's going on, it like you're acting real wei-."
Orb quickly bites her ear, and she squeals, causing him to say, "Sorry, it was so cute I mistook it for a threat. Though no part of you can simply be classified as just desert."
Moving his hand down to her waist, he grabs her packs and says, "For every drop of your cuteness, there is a strength that makes even heroes look like maidens."
"I am muscular. It's something that's gross compared to Atalanta's marshmallow-like skin."
"Don't even mention that Septémons, and all of the disease she is ridden with. Those muscles you have are a sign of dedication and hard work, something everyone can achieve, a sign you stand above others. It's the most enchanting part about you."
"Orb, I don't know what's going on, but my heart won't be able to take it."
Putting his fingers on her lips and bringing his face closer, he says, "Then allow it to explode as you listen to my words."
As Orb's face comes closer, her face turns more and more red, and she says, "What words!"
Orb activates his legacy and freezes her lips, then says, "That you're way too easy, and you should be super careful because if this is all it takes, some random stranger is going to bed you, then dash! Hahahaha!"
Maple puts her hands to her face, and Orb says, "Did you guys see the look on her face? How adorable was that!"
"ORB DODGE!" Willow screams.
And following his instructions, Orb quickly turns and bends his back, dodging a kick from Suzuka, but as the air pressure from the kick bounces onto his face, multiple different slashes of wind pierce his skin, and leave marks which quickly heal.
Then, staring at the monster in front of him, Orb says, "You didn't like my joke?"
Suzuka's anger and rage are so intense that the entire area around her body looks indistinguishable from an Oni, and as she glares at Orb, his legs start to shake.
"MAPLE!"
"You reap what you sow, Orb."
Suzuka's tails all turn into spirit energy, and she focuses immense amounts of it into her fist, and Iancu starts to let out a prayer for Orb. Willow claps his hand, then Maple and Ilus follow up soon behind.
Suzuka throws a punch towards Orb, and he dodges, causing the force of the punch to send the four behind him flying back, and as she continually tries to strike him, Orb releases the ice on her lips and says, "My, my. Don't you know violence isn't the answer, Suzuka?"
"DIE!!!"
"If you keep moving at that speed, the air will dry out the moisturiser of your lips and leave cracks which will eventually turn into wounds, some of which have already appeared. But don't worry, I have just the thing for that."
Orb jots right, then, the moment before he is about to get hit, he moves left, and Suzuka, who tries to hit him, steps on her dress and trips, and in this moment, Orb grabs her from behind.
And then he quickly rubs something across her lips, and as she tries to turn around and strike him, Orb makes a little mass of ice which reflects her face, and stopping, she says, "So shiny."
Maple, Iancu, Willow, and Ilus, recovering from the blow, stand up and stare at Suzuka's face, which has her lips shining. Maple says, "You look so glossy!"
Orb then points at her and says, "How do those cracked wounds on your lip feel like?"
"They don't sting at all?"
"Exactly."
"Orb, what did you do?" Willow asks.
From his sleeve, a small tub of cream appears, and Orb says, "A little concoction I made with Ilus's oil."
"YOU PUT THAT STINKY STUFF ON SUZUKA'S LIPS!"
She quickly then turns to Ilus, and says, "I meant no insult by saying that!"
Grabbing his chest on the ground, Ilus says, "It's alright, I am used to it."
"Orb, you know that's gross even for you?" Iancu says.
Orb quickly dashes forward, and under all of their noises, she rubs some, causing each of them to react negatively until he says, "How does it smell?"
With some level of fear, they all take a sniff, and Willow says, "It smells kind of like beeswax."
Iancu adds, "It also has a medical scent."
Maple says, "It feels like flowers as well."
Clicking his finger, Orb says, "Exactly, I took some of the oil and added a couple of other ingredients to it. Ilus has a rather packed kitchen, so it was easy. Using that, I made some cream, and by adding some rather fragrant ingredients, I was able to alter the smell. But that isn't all I could do! Ilus oil seems to retain aspects of the food he has eaten, so by stuffing all those medical plants into his mouth, the oil, regardless of how I cooked or cooled them, retains those properties. Allowing me to get a bunch of medicine in a very compact form!"
Looking at his hands, Ilus says, "I didn't even know that was possible."
"Of course you wouldn't, the nasty smell from your oil would usually counter any of the medical smell."
Iancu, sweating, says, "Then how did you know?"
"Isn't it obvious? I ingest some."
Putting his hands on his face, Willow says, "Of course you did."
"Ilus it's hard for you to get a job, but I do believe being able to make ointments and moisturiser like this could be a pretty profitable small-time business, which should take care of you're financial troubles."
Freaking out Ilus grabs Orb, and says, "But are you sure you're ok, I wouldn't want you to get sick from my fluids!"
Giving Ilus a thumbs up with green hair, Orb says, "Don't you worry about that. In fact, if you ever want someone to taste test any new concoctions, just call me."
"Stop underplaying this. What if your inards rot from my stink?"
Orb flicks Ilus on the forehead and says, "About that, I think you might be overestimating the innateness of your stink. I think there is some enodgentiy here?"
"What do you mean, I have been stinky my whole life, and it has only gotten worse with time?"
"Seeing that you're oil changes depending on what you eat, I have to ask what has you're diet being over you're lifetime. Have you been eating your fruit and veggies?"
"Eww."
Sighing, Orb says, "If you're diet has been bad, and has gotten progressively worse as you age, that might actually be more of the reason than you ageing in general."
"What!"
"Given that you were stinky as a child, I think some of the smell is innate, but you're diet has definitely made it worse. I think if you diversify what you eat, it could actually reduce the stink."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I am." Orb's hair turns silver, and he grabs his chin and says, "This solves your financial and smell issue, though I don't know what to do about your oil destroying your clothes."
But his attention is quickly directed at Ilus, who has tears running from his eyes.
"Is everything ok?"
"My friends, my family, my teacher, even my doctors, were so put off by the smell that they wouldn't help me, but you, but you went so far as to do it all for trash like me!" His tears increase, and he starts to produce oil, which flies everywhere.
As everyone takes cover, Orb moves up to Ilus and gives him a big hug and says, "Of course I would. As long as you have a need, I will be there to help. Because no one deserves to be alone through their battles. No matter what."
Ilus cries more, and everyone looks upon the sight of their hug, with the exception of Iancu, who merely grips his fist and lowers his head.