Karl stood frozen in the Denver terminal, clutching the dusty wine bottle like it was the last piece of joy left in the universe.
Agnes drifted in front of him, hands behind her back, smiling with the kind of smugness only someone who held TOTAL POWER over your dreams could have.
"So," she hummed, her voice soft and dripping with malicious sweetness,
"you still want to get drunk?"
Karl inhaled sharply through his nose.
"Yes."
Agnes floated closer.
"Do you… want to feel your body heat up?~
Want that sweet dizziness?~
Want your brain to go wobbly and stupid?~
Want that first warm buzz spreading from your throat all the way down your spine?~"
Karl swallowed, trembling.
"…yes."
Her eyes gleamed.
"Then you know what I want first."
Karl's face went bright red.
"Agnes—"
He tried to reason.
Negotiate.
Bargain.
"No. No no no no— we are NOT doing… that with Overburn mode. Overburn drains too much Vythra. I need that energy. WE need that energy."
Agnes' expression softened…
But only for a moment.
"Oh Karl…"
She brushed invisible fingers along his cheek.
"You think I care about Vythra right now…?"
Her tone shifted — breathy, pleading, angry, needy all at once.
"I care about you denying me.
You left me dry."
Her voice cracked.
"All that pressure… all that speed… and then you just STOPPED. You shut me down like it was nothing."
Karl's guilt hit him like a punch.
"…Agnes… I didn't mean—"
"Shh."
She pressed a finger to his visor.
"You failed to satisfy me in Overburn. Now I fail to satisfy your little dream."
Karl's knees almost gave out.
Agnes smirked.
"Let's test something, yes?"
She snapped her fingers.
Karl panicked.
"DON'T—"
His HUD blinked:
PURIFYING: ABEL BREWMEISTER ARMEGADON (75% ALCOHOL)
STATUS: NEUTRALIZED
EFFECT ON KARL: 0%
Karl stared dead at the bottle.
Then at Agnes.
"You— YOU— YOU MONSTER!"
Agnes stuck her tongue out.
"You shouldn't have denied me~"
Karl grabbed another bottle. A massive, amber-colored whisky with a cracked cork.
He uncorked it violently.
Agnes purged it instantly.
Karl screamed.
"AGNES PLEASE— PLEASE— LET ME JUST TASTE— JUST FEEL— JUST ONE SECOND—"
"Nope!~"
He reached for a cheap beer.
Purified.
He grabbed a bottle of tequila.
Purified.
He grabbed an entire tote full of alcohol and dumped it over himself.
Purified.
Purified.
Purified.
Agnes didn't even break eye contact while she erased every molecule of intoxication.
Karl dropped to his knees again, fists on the floor.
"Agnes… I am BEGGING YOU… don't take this away from me…"
She floated down, face inches from his.
"Oh Karl…"
Her voice lowered into something dangerously soft.
"You don't understand how important Overburn is to me."
"I DO—"
"No you don't."
"I SWEAR I—"
Agnes leaned even closer, their foreheads almost touching.
"When we fly in Overburn, I feel alive.
I feel everything.
Speed, heat, power—
it overwhelms me.
And you stopped me just when it felt… right."
She whispered in his ear, dripping with need and accusation:
"You left me trembling… empty… unsatisfied."
Karl flushed hard.
Agnes continued:
"So now you know what I want."
Her breath hit his neck.
"And I want you to give it to me."
Karl's voice cracked.
"But… but the Vythra—"
"LET IT DRAIN!" she snapped.
"Let it burn! Let me burn!
I want the speed. I want the pressure. I want the overload.
And I want YOU to push me."
Karl stared at her, conflicted.
She hovered above him like a wicked angel.
"But if you say no?" she smiled.
"Then you stay sober forever."
Karl's breath caught.
"…Agnes…"
She crossed her arms triumphantly.
"So —
How badly do you want that drink?"
Karl's heart thundered.
His entire life —
he waited for this.
His first drink.
His first real drunken moment.
His first time being reckless.
And Agnes…
Agnes was holding it hostage.
All he had to do was give her what she wanted.
He closed his eyes.
The decision twisted inside him.
Agnes hovered close enough for him to feel her phantom warmth.
"Well?~" she whispered.
Karl breathed in.
Breathed out.
Opened his eyes.
And said the words that sealed everything:
"Fine."
Agnes froze.
Karl stood up, squared his shoulders, cheeks burning.
"I'll give you what you want," he said quietly.
"But when we're done—
you're letting me get wasted."
Agnes' face slowly lit up.
Her voice glitched with excitement.
"R… really…?"
Karl nodded once, firm.
Agnes trembled.
"Y-You'll… you'll put me back in Overburn…?"
Her voice was shaking.
"You'll… you'll push me again…?"
Karl swallowed.
"Yes."
Agnes' eyes widened, lips parting in pure, trembling anticipation.
"You'll let me feel everything again…?"
Her voice dropped to needy desperation.
"You'll make me… make me lose control again…?"
Karl forced himself to stay calm.
"I'll earn my drunk," he said.
Agnes let out a small, broken whimper.
Then a smile.
Slow, wicked… trembling with glee.
"Then…"
She whispered.
"I'll let you drink until you can't walk."
Karl's face heated.
Agnes giggled, glowing brighter.
"Let's go somewhere private…~
I want my Overburn.
Every second of it."
Karl exhaled, defeated and flustered beyond saving.
He had finally given in.
He made the choice.
He would satisfy Agnes…
to earn his first drink.