"Come on! Come on! Come on!" Larishazza excitedly chanted while she also bounced about with no restraint. Not even her sister did anything to impede her so this must've been quite the something.
"Alright, calm down." I tell her as I step away from the table after putting down the tablet I was reading.
"What's all this noise about!?" Vadei asks us with a clear display of irritation. All I could was shrug at her as Larishazza just kept on hopping about.
"They coming or not?" Einervaene then surprisingly asks as she comes in shortly after.
"Okay, now I am most certainly coming." I chuff before putting on my mask and hat.
"If you are going, I suppose I am too." Rose sighs as she gets up and then sits on the table. Her pointed tips gestured at me while she also dangled her tubes. She clearly wanted me to put them on. Yet, I was not held back if I didn't.
"Come on, then." I snicker as I walk out the door without so much as stepping near her.
"My love!" I heard her strop before she then came stomping out with them all secured.
"So what is it you wanted to show us?" I ask before a bundle of metal things were shown off.
"We got invites to the Victor's Party!" Larishazza answers as she dances about with our tickets.
"Even me...?" I ask slowly before I am then given the answer. These metal tickets all had our names on and I did indeed have one. Which, surprised me quite a bit. This felt like a dream...
Even if I wasn't one for parties. It just felt so unreal to actually get something like this. So, now I was quite curious as to how I was even given this. Did a machine make these or something...?
"Why do we need these?" Quinshuu asks as he played with its reflection. Something he used to great effect once he turned it on Larishazza's noisy direction.
"To take the tram to the site." Tiyanat answers before she starts to giggle at Larishazza's suffering. And, eventually, I blocked the light with my claw just so there would be some peace and quiet.
"An off-site party?" Vadei says as the strokes her tail in a ponderous manner.
"Any idea where it is?" I ask as I have never actually taken the strange trains they have going into this place.
"Very far south." Einervaene vaguely answers before she suddenly rushes off upstairs.
"What was that about...?" I ask in confusion before my ticket is suddenly shoved into my face.
"THE DEPARTURE TIME IS SOON! WE NEED TO GET READY!" Larishazza screams in my face like a child in the final moments of a sweet shop.
"WHY DO YOU TELL US NOW!?" I ask back with equal force. And, I was only met by an embarrassed smile.
"I forgot." she giggles before she and everyone else suddenly vanished.
"I guess I am fine, then." I shrug before I decide to go for a walk to where ever this train station was. Rather thankfully as well, the academy was now plastered with directions. And many were clearly on their way. Yet, the more I saw, the more I felt my confusion go away.
Our house did not win the Inter-House, yet, there were quite a few people dressed and ready for a party. So, that could only mean it was an event where everyone got an invitation regardless of if they won or not. Which, went a long way in explaining my ticket. There was no way I was getting in if a person was handing them out...
Actually, they might still try to stop me at the entrance... Wherever it is given we need to take a train. Suppose that could be amusing, having them throw me off of a high-speed vehicle. I'd certainly like to see them try!
"Ah! My friend, walking on our own, are we?" Omb says as he quickly catches up with me after chatting away with some blushing girls.
"Hello again, Muscleman." I greet as I look at his puffy trousers and chest-exposing vest.
"Not got anything to wear?" he asks me after he finishes laughing at his nickname.
"Never had the encouragement too." I shrug before he suddenly stops me.
"That simply won't do, come, back to our place of rest. The nervous beauty will make you something." he says to me as he starts to pat me back to the dorm.
"It's a bit late to ask Einervaene to make me something, no?" I ask him, to which he only laughed.
"My friend, you do not grasp how long our journey will be." he chuckles before we walk into a hectic mess full of panicking women. Surprisingly, as well, Quinshuu was going all over the place too. Yet, he seemed to be preparing for an excursion into the wilderness more than anything.
"Move." he hastily demanded before he loudly sang into the open air. Then, all of a sudden, the sound of hooves filled my ears and something skidded to a halt before our dorm.
"What is that...?" I ask as I stare at the creature that looked like a cloud.
"Luhki." Quinshuu answers as he starts to dress up this creature.
"Lucky?" I repeat as I realise it is his pet or something. Which, made me interested. Always did want a pet. But I could never have one back at Tobaballe due to my low status.
"Yes, now, I must head out before you. Save me the strongest liquor you have!" he says before he flawlessly mounts the creature. A prideful neigh then is simply roared out of the creature before he suddenly gallops away.
"I think he just wants an excuse to ride her." Omb comments before he brings me back into the dorm.
"Will he even make it?" I question as I had trouble believing an animal could match the speed of a train. Then again, once upon a time, I would've had trouble believing a lot of things I see now all the time...
"Trust in his ability and her strength. Those two have travelled far together."
"Bit surprised he is even willing to come."
"He enjoys revelry. He just is passionate about his distaste for our friend's excitable nature." Omb explains before he guides me out of the way as Larishazza comes running past. Her arms full of decorative bras and panties and all the other stuff she normally wears.
"I am going to guess she is upstairs." I then say when I hear the gentle crackle of lightning. Somehow, given how noisy this place had suddenly become. Yet, the moment we made it upstairs...
"My love, which do you prefer?" Rose asks as she steps out into the hallway with nary a single thing on her. I looked away slightly, but, I was never going to get out of this unless I made a clear descision. I couldn't just wave her off.
"Alright," I sigh as I cross my arms and at least put on an interested facade, "sway 'em in front."
"I like this one, but I feel like it has too many pieces of amber..." she says first as she dangles what might as well have been chains of gems and other shinies.
"How about this one, then?" I ask her as I move to bring forward a mostly white outfit with a reddish metal rim. Some gemstones were also fitted into the fabric as well. The style also reminded me of a flower, so I guess the gems were meant to be morning dew?
"Are you sure?" she asks me as she brings it up to give me an idea as to what it looked like. And I regretted my decision as it left her chest completely exposed. Like, I was aware of her culture's details, but come on!
"And about this...?" I ask as a claw lingers around an exposed nipple.
She then brings it forward so my claw gently pressed into it, "What about them?" she asks with a sly smile.
"Get something else or cover it up." I breathe out humorously while shaking my head.
"Of course, this isn't the whole outfit. It has some bits that get attached afterwards." she explains before she moves to kiss my cheek. Then, I was beholden to her running off with a schoolgirl's giggle.
"Hard to believe she stopped coming here for a while." Omb comments as we turn towards where Einervaene should've been. And I waved at her as she jealously peered out from her room.
"C-Can I have some advice..." she whispers against her doorframe.
"Pardon?" I ask with a smile as I lean in closer. Smiling even more as she backs away with a red face.
"I-I would l-like some advice... Please..." she stutters out while she anxiously gestures to various pieces of clothing. I was not familiar with most of it, so she must've made it in her free time. And long before we left the hospital, clearly.
"What sort of style you looking for?" I ask her slowly before I pick up a familiar summer dress. Only to put it back down when I remembered the why it was familiar.
"I d-don't know..." she moans while her gloved fingers drum her legs.
"Well, for starters, let's move you out of this." I say with a shrug before I close the door on the bemused Omb. Starting off slowly until Einervaene was naked enough to slap me for my actions.
"S-Sorry!" she eeps while I breathe out a chuckle.
"Always so quick to take the violent route." I tut, much to her embarrassment. And, when she was done being stripped, she hid under her bed covers.
"W-Well?" she asked me impatiently as she burned up.
"I've bathed with you, Woman." I complain as she continues to hide herself.
"That's different..." she mumbles into her quilt before I hop onto her bed. Pulling down on it with enough force that she would have to tear it to cover herself again.
"Go on, pick one." I say with a knowing smirk as she starts to panic and flail about. And, it was a challenge not to watch her chest as it jiggled so openly in front of me.
"THAT ONE!" she screams before a pillow is slammed into my face and held there.
"You won't kill me like that." I joke while making sure she could hear my breathing. Then, the pillow dropped.
"You know that is not what I am trying to do!" she sobs with a pout.
"And I know what I am trying to do." I say as my eyes stare intently at those milk dispensers of hers. But, I would not get close to them, as instead, I got to see her lightning dispensers.
"S-Sorry..." she lets out as I flop to the side after having been shot at.
"Just choose!" I say through the pain and laughter before she finally picks something up.
"Well!?" she asks as she hold a short dress in front of her body. It was a tight-fitting thing that went down as far as her upper thigh. At least, most of it did. As there was a V-shaped cut in the fabric on the right side.
It had long sleeves that went all the way down her arm until it reached a pair of vambraces. But one of many metal parts with jewels set into their body. The other major metal part was around where her chest would go. With a metal frame for her breasts likely pushing them up and making them appear fuller.
Not that she needed it, "Yeah, that will do." I say with a nod as I make sure to slide the deep pink fabric between my carapace. It was the only way I could reliably feel the fabric. And, I liked what I felt.
"W-What about down here?" she points out as her bare legs start to gently kick at mine.
"Pair of stockings and heels?" I answer with a shrug before she starts to nod. Then, she completely contradicts herself by happily putting it all on in front of me.
"So, when you are done, can I perhaps have some help myself?" I ask as she seemingly starts to struggle getting one of the stockings on. And, I was left smiling as she started to lose the smirk and turn red.
"C-Can you stop l-looking, please?" she nervously asks as her attempt to dress seductively falls apart. I hold back the urge to laugh and comply, turning back around moments later.
"And my question?" I remind her as she finishes getting changed. Now, while I was waiting for an answer. I instead got to watch her sort her hair out and flatten out any creases.
"What do you need help with?" she asks slowly as she slowly twirls one of her braids. A light blush on her face as her arms also pressed her breasts closer together.
"Omb, who is on the other side of the door there, wants me to change my attire for the party. Not that..."
"Of course! The journey there is going to take a while so I can do it there." she excitedly answers, interrupting me. But, I easily let it slide as I was just going to ramble at the end.
"I guess that gives me time to think of something." I laugh as I stand up, intent on finding Larishazza so I can see how she is preparing for the party. Maybe I could even get some advice from her! Parties were definitely more her thing than mine. Especially given my current skin condition!
"I can help with that if you want?" she offers with the same excitement prior before I turned her down. Much to her disappointment.
"Well, okay, using what I have. Which is just this, offer one upgrade as it were." I tell her, clearly clarifying what she had to work with. She probably would just use her own supplies, but I did not want to be a bother. Besides, bandages was all I really wore nowadays. That and the jacket thing Einervaene here made prior for me.
"Well, let's see," she began to say as she started to pace around me, "your cape could be repositioned and trimmed an-"
"Much obliged." I say with a grin as I interrupt her in revenge. A cute little pout was my response, but, she was happy enough with that. And, as I left her room and came face-to-face with a smiling Omb once again. I found Larishazza latched onto him with her hand going under his vest.
It made me angry, seeing this, but, it ended quickly when Larishazza pulled something out, "Found it!" she giggled before she flicked it into the air and caught it on the way down.
"You're looking, peculiar." was all I could think to say as I saw what she had chosen to dress up in. Rather than her usual decorative bra and other things, she was wearing a simple yellow top and black shorts. A pair of heeled black sandals further down. I had to admit, it was surprising to see her dressed like this.
"So you like it?" she giggles as she starts to prod around my jaw. Yet, the spot she prodded made me think she had found something. So, I started to look at my hideous bug face in the window to see what. However, I could not find it.
"What were you poking...?" I ask her as I run a claw across my features. Had she found my equivalent of a blush or something.
"Is there something else besides your handsome face?" she asks, and when she did, I started to chitter rapidly. And she started to poke my face, again and again, like just now. It made me happy, if I was to be honest. She helped me find things that at least helped draw further connections to my lost humanity.
"S-So you are all set?" I ask her just because I needed to get my mind back on track. Couldn't lose myself in her beauty just yet...
"Mmmmhmm! Just waiting for Tiy-Tiy!"
"That one is new." her sister then comments as she comes walking down the hall in a grey sweater and a short, black skirt. A pair of pantyhose of the same colour under that with, once again, the same colour for her simple footwear.
"Well, uh, anyway, Lari, can I have your ear for a moment?"
"No!" she chirps with a giggle.
"W-Why...?" I asked in confusion while she kept on giggling. Yet, I did not let the answer get me down as knowing her...
"I need my ears!" she then says as her laughter bursts out with great force.
"Hilarious." her sister sarcastically comments before she snatches Omb and takes him away from me.
"So, to get to the point as we don't have long, is there anything you think I could do to look nicer?" I nervously ask. Stepping back slowly with a painful gulp when she slowly started to swing towards me. Her great strides came to a halt once she had me against the wall and her body against mine. And, for some reason, it was very easy to feel her body.
It almost seemed to burn!
"Maybe if we open up this a little, got rid of these, and, slanted this a bit." she quietly whispers as she starts to modify my clothes. With her magic pressing down on it every now and then to get it to the right shape. Then, when she was done, she took my claw into her hand and pulled me towards a mirror.
"Hello." I said to myself once we got to that accursed object that reminded me so easily of what I was. Yet, this time, I did not see myself entirely as a bug. I was joking to myself inside my head that I was a handsome lad with a beautiful girl. I was making light of it all as she continued to alter my dress.
"There, all done!" she declares as she uses her magic to clear away the shower steam. And, clearly, I could see what she had done. Her magic had polished my shell and made it shine, my bandages had been cleaned and braided and knotted. And, most obviously, she had opened up my jacket and given it a fine fold.
"Thank you..." I quietly said before her hands took hold of my face. Yet, I resisted the urge to take her hand into my claw. I did not want to scare her off...
"I heard you talking about the cape inside Einervaene's room, so I have left it alone." she tells me with a giggle before she dances off once she had taken a grand bounty of whatever was arrayed in here.
"Well, I guess we can head back to the thing, then." I quietly chuckle as I leave the bathroom and make my way to leave the dorm again. Only to have a mischievous thought cross my mind when I see Vadei's tail lingering just outside her door. So, I slowly approached it, hoping the noise everyone was making would silence my heavy footsteps.
Yet, before I could grab her tail, it swirled into the room, "Come in!" Vadei eagerly said. And, I obliged and went in. Smiling at the sight before me while she herself blushed like crazy.
"Isn't that Einervaene's?" I ask with a smile, taking pride in the way she aggressively reacted.
"SO WHAT!?" she screams before she crosses her arms. And, it did not take long for her to start swirling about in it again.
"You look very nice." I tell her as she regains her blush while she dances about in the borrowed yukata.
"You know it!" she declares, full of confidence before her boob nearly slips out of the modified top half.
"Maybe don't do that?" I ask with a laugh while she just smirks and moves closer.
"Or, I could do it closer to you?" she asks me with a sly blush as her mouth opens slightly near my cheek.
"Yeah, true." I calmly say before getting up to my feet and walking away. A smirk on my face as she started to throw out incoherent insults before she started to follow me.
"I see it fits you well." Einervaene comments as she leans around me to see the attention-hungry oxfuine.
"Yeah..." she quietly mutters before she does her best to cuddle up next to me.
"Not walking you down the stairs." I tell Vadei before I take a couple of steps down. Bringing one of my legs back up and leaning on it while she continued to look at me nervously.
"Please...?" she asks quietly as everyone starts to look at her.
"Sure." I chuckle as I hold out my hand. Only for Larishazza to steal it so she could swing me down the stairs.
"Whee!" she lets out while I froze up at the sudden burst of athleticism.
"Up again..." I let out slowly once I had registered for sure that I was staying on the ground.
"Thank you..." Vadei squeaks as she enters my grip while Einervaene jealously latches onto the other arm.
"Congestion imminent." I comment before we reached the bottom of the stairs with no issue at all. Yet, when I got to the bottom of the stairs, I realised we were missing someone. So, I left the others be and looked about for a tail. And soon, I was greeted by the one I was looking for.
"So you're going with them?" Liada asks me with a disappointed sigh while she assembles a pile of pots, pans and other cooking devices.
"You don't want to go?" I ask as I quickly catch onto what she was probably up to.
"Not even if you came with me..." she mutters as she brushes her tail on the floor in disappointment.
"I thought we went over this, Liada?" I ask her as I reach out for her talisman. Letting her rest her forehead on mine while I held it up. And, while I did that, she let her hands go across my body until I pulled away slightly.
"I know... But, I just..." she fails to answer before I bring her in for a comforting hug. One she is quite happy to return. Albeit, rather slowly.
"Well, would you like me to try and bring back anything, then?" I ask her so I can at least offer her some closure for the missed experience. She did take part in the tournament after all. Besides, she was safe if she went. She had me and the limitless power of a god to keep her safe.
Nothing would ever happen to her again.
"There's a thing called cake that I would like to try..." she answers with muffled words as she kept her face buried between my neck and shoulder. Then, when she finally moved it away, she slowly moved in for a kiss that I did not interrupt. Yet, I did not return it. So long as I did not return it, I kept my first kiss...?
"Just a slice or a whole one?"
"Whatever, so long as you give it to me." she says with a small smile before she moves to get back to whatever it was she was doing.
"I take it you will be fine while we are gone?"
"Yes, I'm going to be doing some cooking!" she answers with some embarrassed joy before her eyes glance over at Omb.
"Well, try not to burn the dorm down." I joke as I wave goodbye before joining back up with the others.
"My love? Where'd you go!?" I then heard Rose call out from upstairs. Which, meant only one thing. Stupid woman had been so enthralled with her imagination she did not catch the memo.
"We're all downstairs!" I call back before I turn to Vadei and roll my eyes. A reaction that elicited a giggle from her until Rose finally made it down the stairs. And, thankfully, the prior flaw I had with this outfit was solved. Because now she had a decorative, metal plate covering her chest.
At least, just enough of it.