"Hand over the sword, Saeko." Mio repeats again, clenching her burning fists.
I hold the sword so close to my chest that it cuts into my skin. But it isn't the wound that hurts. When I look at Mio, my heart drops. There is a mix of indescribable feelings that I wish I could put into words.
"No…"
"Hah?" Mio raises a brow. She certainly heard me, but if she wants to hear it again—
"I said no!" My yell echoes back a few times. It's so loud I'm scared Rika's father heard and would enter at any moment.
I expected Mio to start throwing fireballs at me, but she cracks a laugh. It's the same laugh she always does when she's having fun. A laugh that eases my mind even in a situation like this. "Kh— kahahahaha!"
"I don't know what this is or why you want it, but I feel like if I give this to you…" I swallow hard, "I might never see you again."
For a brief moment, the flames in her hands flicker away. "Really… you are just too much fun, but The Blade of the First Temptress is my bargaining chip."
"I'm not giving this up."
"Then you leave me no— what…?"
Mio and I both sense it at the same time. Like the faint weight of wind pressing against your skin. We turn to the bath entrance to three succubus flying in, wings unfurled and fangs bared like predators ready to pounce. One of them, with horns and wings larger than the rest, sees Mio and scowls. "Came here looking for the sword, and what do we find? None other than the traitor herself."
So there were more succubus in this city? But they don't exactly look friendly…
"Back off." Mio growls, reigniting her hands.
One of the other succubus tugs on their presumed leader and points to me, "H-hey, don't think we've seen her before, but I don't like the vibe she's giving off…"
"Doesn't matter," Their leader says, "Her Majesty wants the sword. You two get that one, and I'll take care of Mio."
Mio's breath catches in her throat as she echoes the succubus' words, "Her Majesty…?"
The other two succubus dive full speed into me, knocking the sword from my grasp. Mio tries to intervene, but their leader tackles her into the bath.
"Mio!" I shout. "Guh… get off!"
The two succubus have me pinned on the ground as the larger one picks up the sword and scoffs. "The Queen doesn't want competition. Finish this one off."
"Aren't you going to help?!" The other two cry in desperation.
"I've already taken care of Mio. Good luck." The leader of the trio leaves in a hurry.
No matter how much I struggle, I can't escape from their grasp. I thought I was stronger than this? Especially after draining Rika's sexual energy. Did the sword really take all that away from me?
A hot burning sensation starts building behind my back. Unlike Mio's saliva, this burn hurts like mad. I lift my head enough to see Mio rising from the water. She glances towards the exit.
I cry out to her as the feeling of flames lick at my backside. "Mio… help!"
Mio's eyes flick between me and the door for a moment before she decides to go for the exit. My heart shatters. My will to live leaves me, and I stop struggling against my captors as I wait for the final deathblow.
…
..
.
"Tch."
A gust of wind blows past just above my head. The weight of the two succubus disappear and the heat dissipates from my back. Mio has grabbed both of our assailants by the neck and hurls them across the baths. She cracks her knuckles and says, "Two on two, bitches."
Now that we're on even ground, the two of them tuck tail and run. Mio collapses to the ground. I pick her up and put my arms around her.
"Yeeowch— " She mutters under her breath, clutching her head. "That's what I get for being the hero…"
"I'm sorry…" Is the only thing that I can say. I didn't give her the sword, and now neither of us have it.
"No point crying over spilled milk, so quit it because I'm not good with sappy stuff."
I wipe the sweat from my face. Or maybe they were tears? We help each other up and I'm suddenly pulled forward towards the exit. Mio curses under her breath and says, "We might be able to catch up!"
"W-w-w-wait!"
Mio doesn't listen, and I have no strength left to struggle against her. The two of us trip out of the sento completely. Utterly. Without a single shred of anything on us. Naked.
"Mio, our clothes?!" I yell at her while she is busy looking up and down the street. I vainly try to cover my chest and groin, red up to my ears.
Strangely, the passerby don't pay us any mind. They continue to walk past us like we're invisible. The heaviest sigh escapes me as I drop to the ground. My butt plants down on the warm pavement.
"You didn't really think I'd walk us out here to be seen, did you?"
"Uuu… I don't know what to think, but right now I feel like a perverted exhibitionist."
There are dozens of people passing by us completely unaware of two naked succubi on the sidewalk. I can't imagine what would happen if we weren't invisible. Would they violate us? Would just start screwing me in the street…?
"Uhh, Mio?" I tug on her arm.
"What— Oh, geez. You're starving? That's what you get for holding onto that sword." Mio sighs and hoists me on her back. "Guess we'll go home for the day."
"What about the sword and those succubus?"
She shakes her head. "Forget about it. I gotta get you home before you frenzy."
***
Some point along the way I blank out and wake up in my room. Judging by the moonlight peeking through the curtains, it must be early in the evening. The familiar feeling of my bed sheets against my skin, the moderately firm pillow against my head, and Kana's limp dick in my mouth—
"Mmph—Pwueh! K-Kana?!"
"You're awake!" Mio comes in naked with a towel slung over her shoulders. "Oh, but the kid's unconscious."
"Mio!" The memories come flooding back. The morning after, dodgeball, the changing room, Rika, and then the sword and trio of succubus. "Thank goodness you're okay!"
"Just hit my head a little. I'm fine." She knocks on her own noggin and starts digging into my drawers.
I get off the bed and spin her around to face me. "I deserve some answers."
"You can ask, but I can't guarantee I have all the answers."
I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the most important question. "Did you… plan this all along? Did you know transforming me into a succubus would eventually lead to that?"
"Not entirely." Mio puts on one of my older shirts. Because my size is so much smaller, it's a tight fit and her chest stretches out the fabric. She takes it off and looks for another. "But I did hope for it."
"Why me?"
She shrugs. "Instincts. I thought you were special, and it turned out I was right."
I feel like I could fall at any moment and take a seat on the bed. My whole ordeal, drawing me into her problems just because of her… instincts? "What about the shard thing?"
"I didn't lie about that. I really am stuck here in your world, and the only thing that can turn you back is another one."
Mio throws on one of my loose hoodies and sweatpants. She picks out a few articles of clothing and tosses it to me. As I start changing into them, she asks rather timidly, "Not gonna ask about the sword?"
"I am curious but… really, I'm more relieved you saved me." I say with a weight lifting from my shoulders.
Mio tackles me onto the bed before I finish changing and rubs her cheek against mine. "Kehehe! What's this? Are you suddenly falling in love with dear little me?"
"Stop that! I'm still mad at you for what happened!" I say, trying to push her away. "So, the sword. What happens now?"
"We find them and fuck them silly."
"Wait, that doesn't sound right."
"Let me finish— then we take back the sword, and pick up the ticket to transform you back."
"Why does it sound a little too easy?"
"Which part? The fucking?"
"NO!"
"Kahahah!" Mio pulls on my horns. "We know they're in the city. Just a matter of tracking them down."
"They said something about a Queen? Do you know anything about that?"
"Probably some uppity bitch pulling the strings." Mio lets go of my horn and peeks between the curtains. "There's no way. It can't be…"
Mio trails off and just stares outside.
"...?"
Mio turning her back to me is probably her way of saying she's done. There's more she isn't letting on, but I doubt asking her would yield anymore answers on that subject. She's from another world, which means there must have been some hierarchy in place for the succubi.
A succubus queen in a human world… what a recipe for disaster…
"Should we be worried that they're bringing the sword to their queen?" I ask cautiously.
"Fortunately for us, the sword's potential can only be fully unlocked by the wielder." She turns around and points at me. "It's a hunk of steel in their hands."
"Huh…" I think back to when Mio demanded the sword from me. "Then why did you…?"
"Doesn't matter anymore, does it? Not like we have it now."
"It matters to me." I stand up from the bed to look her in the eyes.
Mio scratches her head and sighs like Hatsumi would when I rebel against her. "I'll tell you when we get it back, okay? Everything."
"You won't leave, will you—"? Mio grabs my face and kisses me. It's a gentle kiss, not like her usual ravenous tongue-shoving kiss. Her lips pursed against mine sets off fireworks in my head. When she pulls away, it's hard for me to look at her without blushing.
Mio grins and says, "Didn't leave, did I?"
"Ahem… I guess not." I wrench away from her grasp and look back at Kana. "S-so, I guess Kana's been sleeping in my room the whole day?"
"Nah, I picked him up from his house."
"Eh?"
"Yeah, after we came back you were about to go into a sex craze. So I went looking for someone that could fill ya."
"SO YOU BROUGHT KANA TO HAVE SEX WITH ME?!" I scramble to look for my phone. "What time is it… 11:13 PM? When did we get back?"
"Like 6?"
"WE'VE BEEN SCREWING FOR ALMOST FIVE HOURS?!" I bury my face in my hands. "Oh, my god. The day isn't even over yet and I had sex three times… two of which were with my best friend…"
Mio pats me on the back. "It was either charming five people or one person, because this kid was overflowing with sexual energy when I found him."
"Does he remember everything…? How am I going to face him when he wakes up?"
"Did you want your sister instead?"
"NO, GODDAMNIT— oop!" I shut my mouth and glance at the door. "Is she home?"
"Haven't seen her, nope."
A worry builds up within me. Hatsumi looked really troubled with Kotaro. I wonder if there's anything I can do to help? Sis might be overbearing, but she's family; I have to look after her.
"Well, I'm gonna get some shuteye. Have fun with the cum hydrant." Mio closes the door, leaving me alone with a naked Kana. His dick is slowly becoming erect, probably due to my aura.
Gulp…
"Uu… I need to change back quick, or I'm going to go crazy."