"Whoa!" Mihyang yelped, jumping out of the way as a spray of purple magic nearly caught her on the chest. "You gotta try a little harder than that!"
"I'm trying as hard as I can!" Aisha whined.
"Try harder!"
.
Aisha grunted with strain as she once again tried to focus the mana in her palms, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as a tingly sensation came to her hands.
.
She braced her left hand with her right, stretching out her palm, and this time when her purple-tinted magic spewed out in a cone, Mihyang was a good foot clear of the blast.
.
"Hey, that was better." Mihyang raised her eyebrows. "Hm… although, you're not learning as fast as you did when I taught you martial arts."
"It's because I can't watch you." Aisha muttered. "I can't see what's going on inside of your body."
"Well, there really isn't a lot." Mihyang admit. "It's mostly… just getting a feel for it. And lots of concentration and practice."
.
Aisha shot another mass of magic, the cone slightly narrower, but her output was noticeably weaker.
.
"Rrrrrghhhh…" Aisha growled, as she felt the mana deplete from her body. It was strange - she didn't feel tired, but at the same time, she could definitely feel a kind of tiredness from within her body. The best way she could explain it was like if a muscle in her body was sore from lifting too many weights. Only, not a muscle that she could pinpoint. It kind of just ached all over, despite Aisha being able to move fine.
.
"Looks like you're dry." Mihyang said. "This time…"
.
Mihyang squinted at the sky.
"I dunno, an hour? A little better than before."
.
"This sucks." Aisha sulked. "I feel like I'm improving so slowly."
"You are actually improving incredibly quickly." Mihyang countered. "This is years of training."
.
"How long until I can cast a real spell?" Aisha asked. "Like a fireball… or whatever."
"That's a long way away." Mihyang rolled her eyes.
"How far?"
"Well, right now, you're working on controlling how much mana you force out your body." Mihyang mused. "You then have to learn how to condense the mana into an actual shape, and then how to build up mana, and then you have to learn how to change the type of mana inside you, and then-"
"Alright, alright." Aisha snapped. "I get it."
"Well, actually, I was almost done."
Aisha blew a raspberry as she flopped backwards onto the grass, magical burns pocking the entire lawn. Mihyang looked sourly at the spots. "I just wish I didn't have to rest so much."
.
"Don't we all."
.
"Hey, how much mana do I have, actually?" Aisha asked, turning her head. "Compared to a regular human."
"You actually have a ton." Mihyang said. "Like, three person's worth, I think. Maybe more."
"Really?" Aisha raised her eyebrows. "But…"
"Hm?"
.
"When I did the ritual…" Aisha mumbled. "I swear there was only one soul."
"Well, that's the thing about necromancy." Mihyang cautioned. "It's not well researched. You don't know what can happen. In fact, you should still probably be careful. There might be side effects you haven't seen yet."
.
"Maybe I should…"
"Don't tell anyone who's not your friend. In fact, refrain from even telling your friends." Mihyang warned. "Necromancy is almost as taboo as the practice of machina."
.
"Yeah." Aisha mumbled. "They've been treating me… differently."
.
Aisha could still remember Celeste's horrified face, in fact, all of the girls' horrified expressions, when she had told them how she had purged the mist poisoning from her body. Hana didn't mind, but the looks that she received from the other girls… at the very least, they confused Aisha greatly.
.
Suddenly, a thought hit Aisha, and her heart sank, her face going pale, as she turned to Mihyang.
.
"Do I look any different?" Aisha asked.
"...No?"
"Do I- Do I… do I act different?" Aisha asked panickedly.
"What up? Why are you asking?"
"Because- Because… Because my mistress might hate me." Aisha whispered. "I-if the rest of the girls-"
.
Mihyang rolled her eyes, before her expression went confused, raising an eyebrow. "You have a mistress? E-eerrr, nevermind. If those people don't support you, then they're not really good friends, right?"
"No-no!" Aisha said, starting to breathe hard. "I-if if my mistress doesn't like it, then I-I have to get rid of it! She's perfect - H-how do I rip this thing out of me? I h-have to go back to that tower-"
.
Aisha grabbed her greatsword from her side, unsheathing it with shaky hands, before pointing it at her stomach, tip first.
"I have to- I have to get this out of me-I have to-"
.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Mihyang exclaimed, rushing over to the clearly out-of-her-mind girl. "If this woman really is perfect, she wouldn't want you to mutilate yourself!"
"You don't know that!" Aisha said, a crazed look in her eyes. "If she wants it, then she-"
.
"Stop that." Mihyang said firmly, wrenching Aisha's sword out of her grip. "You're going crazy. Just breathe, okay?"
.
Aisha took a few deep, shuddering breaths, while Mihyang rubbed soothing circles on the girl's back, small arcs of electricity flowing into her back and soothing the girl. After a minute, Aisha's breathing steadied, and the girl dropped her head.
.
"Why don't you tell me about her?" Mihyang suggested. "While you rest."
.
Aisha nodded.
.
[
Aisha sighed as she propped up her face with a hand, blowing a raspberry as she leaned on the counter, facing the doorway. Her heart ached as she watched the still doorframe, fingers twitching in anticipation.
.
"Mistress…" She moaned softly to herself, as she usually did for the literal hours that she was gone. Her voice was almost hoarse. "I miss you…"
.
For an hour, Aisha sat there, sighing and moaning. Just a normal day in the life of the lovestruck little fey.
.
The expression on her face visibly lit up when she saw the doorknob jiggle, Aisha's mouth twisting into a big smile, and her eyes went wide, lights shining brightly within.
.
Lorian had barely put a single foot into the doorframe before she saw a blur tackle her, yelping indignantly. Before she could be toppled over, however, she quickly held out a hand, stopping Aisha's charge by the forehead.
.
"Good Serith!" Lorian laughed. "Were you waiting there this whole time?"
"...Yes." Aisha mumbled quietly.
"Really?" Lorian blushed. "How long?"
"S-since you left!"
"Wh-wha-? Jeez, Aisha, you… don't you have anything to do?" Lorian stammered.
"No!" Aisha whined. "I don't want to do anyythinggg! I just want to cuddle with youuuu!"
.
Lorian staggered back, blushing intensely, and holding a hand up to her face to block her blushing cheeks.
.
"T-that's so cute." She squeaked quietly. "I- I mean, that's not good, Aisha!"
"Why noooot?" Aisha whined.
"B-because what are you going to do… if I'm not home for a long time?" Lorian offered.
"You're already gone for a long time." Aisha said sadly, holding her arms out wide, palms facing Lorian. When Lorian saw the look on the small girl's face, eyes pleading and large, the tall woman's heart broke, her protective urges screaming at her to smother and pamper the girl until they were too tired to move anymore.
.
"A-aaaah, no!" Lorian exclaimed, a look of intense willpower on her face. "I'm not falling for that one again!"
"Are you sure?" Aisha said brattily, mustering up an even sadder expression, ears pressed flat against her head-
.
Lorian closed her eyes and visibly shook, fighting the urge to hug Aisha. She wanted to hug the girl so bad - but she wanted to do other things, and plus, she couldn't reward Aisha's bratty behavior. Aisha let out a small "aw" of disappointment when Lorian took a deep breath, folding her hands together in a fake meditative stance.
.
Truly a master of self control.
.
"I have a game." Lorian said calmly, third eye almost visible. "It will be fun."
Aisha's ears perked up. "Game?"
.
Aisha loved Lorian's games. Mainly because they mostly involved hugs, cuddles, and tons of kisses - usually involving some sort of perverse twist on a usually innocent game like tag, (kiss tag) rock-paper-scissors, (kiss-cuddle-hold hands) or cards.
(Usually, they didn't even touch the cards.)
.
Actually, all of Lorian's games were just thinly veiled ways to spice up their cuddling. In a way, they were kind of like different kinds of sex positions. When Aisha had brought it up, however, Lorian had blushed intensely, stammered something unintelligible, and then for a week they didn't play games again.
.
So it was quite confusing to Aisha when she sat on the couch next to her mistress, and the tall girl held out her hand, palm up, fingers curled into a U shape.
.
"What's this?" Aisha asked.
"..."
"What are the rules?"
"..."
"...I don't get it."
.
Lorian smiled softly, but when Aisha tried to move in for a hug, Lorian shook her head, wagging a finger at Aisha mischievously.
.
"Wha-" Aisha sputtered. "Mistresssss! Pleeeeease!"
"..."
"Ah, I hate this game!" Aisha fumed petulantly. "What am I supposed to do? Put something in your hand?"
.
Lorian nodded, still smiling, and Aisha looked at her with an upset look. Aisha got up and walked into the kitchen, rummaging through drawers, all the while being watched by a pair of amused, affectionate eyes.
.
Aisha flumped down on the couch and pressed a piece of paper into Lorian's hand.
.
"Paper?" She asked hesitantly. Lorian shook her head no.
"The-... telyport crystals?" She tried. Another no.
"Fork?"
"Spoon?"
"Chopstick?"
.
Lorian giggled mirthfully as Aisha tried various objects, growing adorably frustrated, and Lorian decided to help her out. As she put a cup into Lorian's hand, Lorian used her left hand to lift the cup out of Aisha's hand, and with her right, she took Aisha's hand into her own, rubbing and nuzzling the hand, cooing and purring. Aisha blushed, but when she again tried to hug her mistress, she was denied, much to her frustration.
.
When her hand was let go, Aisha attempted to get up again, walking towards the bedroom, but was stopped when Lorian cupped her chin, smooshing the girl's cheeks with her fingers adorably.
.
"Whatsh thish?" She asked, confused, as Lorian broke out into uncontrollable giggles.
.
"You suck at this game." Lorian laughed, breaking her silence. At the sight of Aisha's upset face, she cooed, holding her arms out wide.
"Aw, come here, kitten." She giggled apologetically.
.
Aisha finally took her rightful prize, wrapping her body around the busty girl. and pressing her cheek into her shoulder, but the victory felt hollow, despite how full of warmth and fluffy feelings she was.
.
"What was the answer?" She mumbled.
"You still haven't figured it out?"
"No…"
Lorian giggled. "Then it's my little secret, for now."
"Wha- tell me!"
"That would ruin the game." Lorian giggled, gazing lovingly at Aisha's childish, petulant expression. "You have to figure it out!"
.
"Dumb game." Aisha muttered.
"Aw…" Lorian cooed. "I'm sorry. Do you want pets? A tummy rub? Food?"
"I want the answer." Aisha said, the secret already starting to eat at her, much to Lorian's amusement.
"I'm sorryyyy!" Lorian half laughed, half apologized. "How can I make it up to you?"
"... I want… I want fluffy time." She mumbled. "And kisses. And food. And tummy rubs. And pets. And I want you to pick my ears."
.
Lorian broke out into uncontrollable giggles as her heart bloomed with affection, Aisha just sounding so adorable - She could take the embarrassment for the night, if she got such adorable reactions from Aisha, it was only fair.
.
"Okay then, what do you want first?" She asked, smiling as she pulled Aisha's head up to hers, nuzzling her ears affectionately.
"Food." Aisha mumbled, blushing at the way Lorian's cheek felt. "And pets. At the same time."
"Anything for my good girl." Lorian smiled, and Aisha smiled back, unable to hold her anger against her beloved mistress for even a single second. She closed her eyes as she relaxed into her mistress's wonderfully soft body, sinking deeper and deeper into pure, sweet, bliss…
]
.
"And then-"
"Oh lord, you can stop." Mihyang interrupted hastily, pink coming to her cheeks.
"..."
"That's… that's so cute." Mihyang said, laughing as she wrapped her arms around Aisha from the side. "Miss sapphire adventurer… Loves being pampered and babied. It's so adorable… I wish 'Less would do that."
"Mmmm…" Aisha mumbled. "Don't you two already hug and stuff?"
"Not that that!" Mihyang laughed. "And we fight a lot, too."
"You two fight?"
Mihyang raised an eyebrow. "You haven't?"
.
"W-well…" Aisha mumbled. "Not really. Wait. Actually…"
"Hm?"
"Before I left her… we disagreed." Aisha said sadly. "She got an invitation to some school or something, and I couldn't come with her. She didn't want to go, because of me… but I didn't want her to give that up for me."
"Don't you think that's kind of selfish?" Mihyang pointed out.
"Huh?"
"She didn't want to do something, and instead of talking it out with her, you forced her to choose the other option by leaving." Mihyang said softly. "Back when I was in the Persona program, 'Less wanted to move to another instructor, so that we couldn't get busted for being in a relationship."
"And?"
"And I denied it, of course." Mihyang laughed. "And then we talked about it, and we decided to sneak around it some more. She was so sad when we got kicked out, but at least… at least we decided on it together, you know?"
"You…" Aisha's mouth felt dry. "You talked it out?"
.
Mihyang looked down at Aisha's deathly pale face with a look of sympathy, and put a hand on Aisha's shoulder.
.
"Oh dear." Mihyang sighed. "Maybe I should teach you things other than combat. You can't just run from your problems, kid."
"I…" Aisha whispered. "Everytime I tell someone about mistress, I feel more and more stupid."
"It's okay." Mihyang rubbed Aisha's back. "Making mistakes is a part of living. You just grow from them, that's all."
.
Mihyang got up, and couldn't help but feel sympathy, when Aisha just stared at her legs with a downcast expression. She wanted to comfort the girl, but…
.
"OW!" Aisha yelled angrily, as Mihyang socked her in the side of the head.
"It's training time, kid!"
.
.
.
"U-um… Meowy… That looks dangerous. I-it might break!"
.
Sweat dripped down Mao's forehead as she pulled her chin up above her make-shift pullup bar, muscles tensing with strain.
.
"I've been bedridden for a week." Mao struggled out. "I have to- train. To make up for my deterioration."
"Your soul is fine!" Licia said in a concerned tone. "You don't need strong arms to cast magic."
Mao shook her head, accidentally spraying sweat around her like a wet dog. "If your body is strong, then so will your mind. Your brain is a muscle, right? And if your will is strong, then your magic- HYAaaH!"
.
Mao yelped as her pullup bar, a towel rack that she had jammed into a doorframe, gave out, sending Mao quickly to the floor. However, her body didn't hit the floor, as Mao stared up into a patronizing smirk, blushing as she realized that Licia had caught her in a princess carry.
.
"I told you so." The tall woman teased.
"Sorry." Mao blushed, letting out a sheepish laugh.
.
Licia let Mao out of her princess carry, as hurried footsteps echoed around the bathroom, three girls rounding the corner in an alarmed fashion.
.
"What happened!?" A short, busty girl with pigtail panted, brandishing a broom. "We heard a cry!"
"Just a training accident." Mao mumbled.
"Training!?" Pigtails exclaimed. "Why? You're adorable as is!"
"Some of us like to take care of ourselves, Poppy." Licia grinned, as she poked the girl in the stomach, a solid inch of her finger sinking in.
.
Poppy shrieked, jumping back and dropping her broom, hands coming downwards to hide her stomach.
.
"It's part of my charm!" She squeaked. "My clients like it, just like how yours like your freakish orc-"
"Guys!" Mao laughed. "Stop. I'm sorry, I won't worry you guys again."
"You don't have to worry about us." Poppy pouted. "Our job is to worry about you."
"Yeah." The two women accompanying Poppy chorused.
.
"But I-" Mao protested.
"But nothing!" Poppy shushed Mao. "We like doing it. Okay? Cause we love you!"
Mao blushed. "I feel like… I feel like I don't deserve any of these feelings."
"It's not about deserve." Licia chided. "We love you, and well, that's it, really."
"I still feel like I should pay you guys back."
.
Licia and Poppy shared a look, before both grinning.
"Well, there is one way…"
.
.
.
"WOOOOO! MEOWY!"
.
The dance floor erupted in cheers as Mao danced on the platform, hips swaying, and athletic legs moving gracefully as she paraded her body in her old beast-fey outfit, cat ears, skimpy spandex, high heels, and fake tail swishing around the stage. The girls sat in stained satin chairs, whooping and clapping as a soft melody flitted throughout the room - quite unfitting for the debaucherous scene, but it was the only thing that the inexperienced brothel girls knew how to play, flutes, guitars, drums, combining together for a strange, but fun sound.
.
Mao's cheeks burned hotly as she danced in front of the girls, feeling the exposed air on her back, arms, and uncovered legs.
.
(Why did I agree to this?) She thought, blushing profusely. (This is humiliating! They're all looking at my body…)
.
But despite the heat in her chest and face, Mao couldn't help but smile as she saw the brothel girls, no, her family, smile and cheer at her as she danced for them. Back when she was still a teenager, working in this place… she had thought those smiles and cheers were those of mockery, a cruel hazing of sorts for the smallest, weakest girl. But now, looking in hindsight… they had always been out of genuine affection and encouragement. Mao felt so awful, like such a fool, harboring those feelings of resentment for so long.
.
So she would have to make it up to them.
.
Meowy laughed and giggled as a new enthusiasm entered her movements, and the girls noticed, the cheering becoming louder and louder, as she swayed her hips and chest more exaggeratedly, sexier…
.
She made eye contact with Licia, who was sitting in the back, not cheering, but still smiling and clapping nonetheless, and blushed when the tall woman beamed her a bright smile.
.
A new feeling entered her heart, and the green in Meowy's eyes brightened, no longer the venomous eyes that she once had-
.
She frowned, stopping her dance as she heard a commotion near the front door, the sound of heavy boots padding softly on the carpet.
"Hey!" She heard Marik yell. "You can't go in there! We're not open!"
"Out of my way, idiot!"
.
A smacking sound was heard followed by Marik's grunt of pain, and Mao's eyes narrowed. The music stopped, and all the girls stood up, watching the door hostilly as a group of three adventurers barged into the brothel, platinum pendants gleaming dangerously in the low light. One was covered in a cloak, eyes scanning observantly under his hood. One was clearly a swordsman of some sort, in plated armor, although the plates were small, allowing for agile movement. And then there was a mage, dressed in a long casting cloak, and held a gem-tipped staff.
.
"What the fuck are you doing!?" One of the girls shrieked, invading the leading adventurer's face, blocking Mao from his view. "You can't just attack Marik like that! You fucking asshole!"
"We believe someone here is a… a wanted criminal!" One of the adventurers reasoned. "We traced her blood all the way here - we don't want any trouble!"
"Well, you're ONLY going to get trouble!" One of the girls said angrily, jabbing her finger into the platinum adventurer's chest. "There aren't any criminals here, and even if there were, we wouldn't let you anywhere close!"
"Yeah, fuck off!"
"Yeah! Get out of here!"
"What's all that armor compensating for, huh?"
"I bet you have a small dick!"
.
Meanwhile, Mao froze on top of the stage, recognizing the group of three men as adventurers, cursing her luck. She should have known that the damn dealers would find her eventually. She weighed her options - she could kill all three of them with a sneak attack - but then, the girls…
.
Mao made eye contact with Licia for a split second, and the tall woman, mistaking the look in her eyes for fear, made her way over the adventurers.
.
"Look, assholes." She said angrily. "You're not welcome! You're not going to find anything here, so piss off!"
"We're sure the criminal is here!" One of the adventurers argued. "My tracking is the best in the guild, and I'm sure-"
"We're sure you aren't going to find anything!" Licia spat, slapping the hooded man in the face.
"Piss off, bitch!" The hooded one spat back, raising his hand.
.
Time moved in almost slow motion for Mao as the hood raised his hand in a fist, and her eyes widened as she saw the man's fist collide with Licia's face, the tall woman falling backwards, blood spraying from her mouth.
.
Mao roared in anger, absolutely furious.
.
"There!" The mage cried, pointing at Mao. "It's that one!"
.
Mao ripped a massive concrete pillar from the ground, and launched it at the three upstart mercenaries, but a blue barrier blocked the pillar from crushing the mage, the swordsman holding his arms out wide. He pushed some girls away, Mao screaming in rage at the action, before drawing his sword, going into a trained, defensive stance.
.
Mao, blinded by rage, did not notice the arrow launched by the hood, wincing as she dodged last second, but not before it grazed her on the cheek.
.
She tried to draw the earth around her into a shell around her body - to form her stone skin, but she was sent careening backwards when the mage fired a powerful bolt of arcane energy into her, stopping the technique.
.
She cursed as she was forced to roll again, another arrow lodging itself in the space where her head used to be. As she got up, her eyes widened as she saw a green liquid dripping onto the carpet - the arrows were poisoned! And sure enough, when she raised her hand to her cheek, the same green liq-
.
"Aaargh!" Mao cried, as the warrior sent some kind of spell into her chest, knocking her down again. She didn't have time to think - this was a three-on-one battle, with three very experienced adventurers! They were weaker than those damn agents, but Mao was still recovering, and she didn't have the element of surprise like she had then. On top of that, their teamwork was airtight. The swordsman protected his team well, while the mage prevented any tricks, and the ranger pressured her from unconventional angles.
.
Mao used her prone position to her advantage, pumping her magic through the ground in an attempt to open a chasm beneath the ranger and the mage, but felt an opposing force, the mage, pushing against her. She was much more powerful than him, but she was forced to stop her spell and lift a wall of rock out of the ground to stop another arrow, and the swordsman's charge.
.
The ranger circled around Mao, and she tried to send a shard of rock at the hood, but it was blocked by the swordsman again. She formed another barrier between the ranger's new position and herself to block another arrow, but the action left her open, as a blast of arcane magic blew up her first barrier, and the swordsman charged into close range with Mao, slamming the side of his sword into the side of her head.
.
Her vision went black for a second as she hit the floor, hard. Instantly her head throbbed with a burning pain, oh so familiar to the short woman.
.
She balled up her fists on the floor as she seethed in frustration. Given more resources, more planning, or more time… she could have easily taken care of these three idiots.
.
(I should just dig out of here.) She panted. (They have no way to get to me if I just dig.)
.
Mao tensed her body, ready to pry open the carpet beneath her-
.
(But what would happen to the girls? They would be arrested for protecting me.)
.
Mao stiffened, as another voice spoke in her head. (Fuck the girls! You don't owe anything to them! You don't owe anything to anyone! All that matters is that you survive! Survive, and make it to the top! Everyone else is just stepping stones for you to do so! This world is unfair! And the people in it deserve to be trampled!)
.
(But… they're my family. They… they took care of me.)
.
(...)
.
Mao grit her teeth as the adventurers advanced on her, swords and bows drawn menacingly.
.
"Alright…" She said spitefully. "You win. Leave the girls alone."
"I don't think you understand." The mage replied. "You're dangerous. And there's no bonus for bringing you in alive."
"So you're going to kill me." Mao said, letting out a deep breath. It was smart. Sure. Befitting of a seasoned adventurer. But annoying.
.
"What!?" She heard, whispered around her, by the girls. "They're going to k-kill… Meowy?"
"No… we can't let them!"
"Hey, assholes!" Licia yelled, holding her bleeding mouth angrily. "Fuck you!"
"Licia, no!" Mao cried.
.
Licia picked up a folding chair and threw it at the adventurers, yielding an annoyed "Ow!" from the mage.
.
"Yeah!" Poppy cried from the audience. "Let her go!"
.
The plump, short girl picked up a folding chair as well, letting out a cute squeak of exertion as she hurled the chair at the ranger.
.
"Stop that! Whores!" The swordsman said, annoyed, turning his head towards the girls as more and more random objects were thrown at him and his party. Glasses, cups, sex toys, chairs, tables. The swordsman raised his hands - for a barrier, or a offensive spell to throw at the girls, Mao didn't know, but it was all the distraction she needed, and she knew what she had to do.
.
Mustering up all the energy in her body, she winced as she once more tapped into that forbidden technique - draining her life force - she raised her hand to the swordsman's chest.
.
"Darin!" The ranger yelled, fearfully. "Watch out!"
.
But it was too late. Mao let loose a massive blast of green energy, right through the swordsman and leaving a massive hole in his stomach. His eyes widened as he toppled over, dead.
.
"Damn bitch!" The ranger screamed, scrambling for an arrow in his quiver, but not quick enough - one of Mao's spikes tore through his mana shield and pierced him directly in the neck. He held his neck as his eyes bulged out of his head, blood gushing all over his chest as he fell sideways, gasping for air.
.
The last one was the mage. By then, Mao had exhausted all her mana, the pounding had returned to her head, and with it, the venomous look in her eyes.
.
"No no no no!" The mage cried, tripping backwards over himself, feebly attempting to cast a barrier.
.
Mao was quicker - she might have been out of mana, but her body was still strong, and pumped full of rage and adrenaline, she leapt over and drove her fist into the mage's neck, crushing his windpipe. She continued to beat her fists into the unconscious mage, her strikes growing weaker and weaker as her vision began to blur - all that adrenaline sent her heart beating wildly, but it also spread the poison rapidly throughout her system.
.
Her last sight before she went unconscious was Licia running over, catching the woman in her arms as blackness took over her vision.