Evangeline laid a selection of armours and garments on the floor. There was much that was tempting -- but her gaze lingered on the more revealing outfits. They stirred a hunger in her. A hunger she could not quite bring herself to name, anxious about the threat it posed to her morals.
"Weeell..." Loosening up a little won't hurt, she reasoned, squatting on her haunches to run her fingers over a low-cut silk dress. Obviously these garments wouldn't be here if they weren't acceptable for a Hero to wear. Right?
But turning into a temptress wasn't her only fear. God -- or Goddesses? -- only knew what lurked out there, and she wanted some protection.
Ultimately, she settled on a kind of compromise. Kojin, Dark or not, were built for agility -- and sex appeal -- not brute force. Might as well play to my strengths. So she picked out a suit of leather armour -- tight enough to be sexy but still letting her breathe and move freely and offering decent protection. It covered her torso, groin and upper thighs. To this she added steel spaulders and matching fingerless splint gloves and leg guards (black leather with steel plates). The armour had not been made for anthros, but fortunately she had a spell specifically to accommodate it to her tails.
For a bit of flare she bound a black-and-purple leather band around her head, arranging her bangs to frame the red jewel it bore on her forehead.
"There." Despite the realizaiton that she was doubling down on her "evil" appearance, she couldn't help but approve as she looked in the mirror.
Next up, weapons. This was far easier -- she was immediately drawn to a glaive. She had trained with the bo staff at home, and that seemed to have evolved into an affinity for this elegant weapon. Impulsively she also picked up a short rapier, buckling its scabbard to her belt. This she did not feel as confident in using, but she knew she would need a weapon for enclosed spaces, and she could learn along the way.
She practiced a bit with the glaive -- partly for fun, partly to warm up for whatever might be waiting outside the Tomb. The polearm whirled around her body, blade hissing, as she went through various kata mixed with techniques her Kojin brain added in. Then she stopped in front of the mirror to admire her finished look, striking various poses, ending with her arms raised and bent back, holding the glaive behind her head like a stripper pole, her bust proudly thrust out.
She smiled seductively at her reflection. "Looking good." Fuck modesty. This IS good.
Then came the more boring task of packing supplies. I could really use a servant to carry this for me... She frowned down at the packs she had put together, bemused at the thought. Another bit of Dark Kojin seeping into her consciousness? Well... probably; it's not like she'd ever really imagined having servants on Earth. But what was the harm? It's not like she'd abuse them, or anything.
Regardless, she did not have a servant, so with a sigh she hefted the bags onto her shoulder, braced herself on her glaive, and went to the door of the Tomb. Or "doors" -- two large rectangles of stone with no visible hinges. She fumbled a bit, not having a third hand to push the "switch" -- a button beneath the right lamp. But she found her tails were dexterous enough to do so for her.
However, she hesitated, letting her tail fall back from the button and even letting her packs slide to the floor. The weight of her situation suddenly crashed on her, and she leaned on her weapon, trying to control her breathing. Here she was, a "monster" in a strange world -- one she would be expected to save from unknown catastrophe. She took her lower lip gingerly in her sharp teeth.
Once I open these doors...
Shivering, she felt a deep stab of yearning for her hme. For the birthday party she'd so been looking forward too. Heck... at this point, even the hospital room would have been comforting. At least there were people there who cared about her. She tweaked herself with her claws, vainly hoping that maybe she could wake up.
Nope -- still here, staring at the sealed doors. Still a Dark Kojin. She took a final deep breath. Take heart.
"I can do this." She wasn't going to gain anything by staying here. Even if it was only to get back home, she had to go out into this, this world of childhood fantasy brought to life. She lifted her tail again and pushed the button.
Light flashed around the edges of the doors, and they began to rumble open, drawing apart into the wall of the Tomb. She looked away for a moment as bright daylight streamed in, replacing the soft blue glow of the lamps.