"Mom, what name will my sister have?" a little brown-skinned, brown-eyed boy asked his mother with a curious tone in his voice.
"Ada, we'll call her Ada. You'll have to protect her in the future, Jack," said the boy's mother, a blonde woman who touched her bulging belly with much affection in her eyes.
The two were in a playground where other children, accompanied by their parents, were having a good time, but this peaceful scene was blurred in little Jack's eyes.
All because of a large crimson light that filled his entire field of vision. It was the first time Jack felt fear, the first time he saw his mother, a powerful woman, so weak as blood stained her lower body.
It was the first time Jack felt hatred, a deep and abject hatred for the being that had hurt his mother, nearly taken his life, but most of all, the one that had prevented his sister Ada from seeing the world with her own eyes.
"A Cyber Ghost escaped from the UNMSO field agents, it wasn't powerful, but since my mother was pregnant, she couldn't use Pneuma or risk Ada's genetic integrity.
This thing forced her to choose between protecting me or her unborn baby... she chose me. Wounded, she used her Pneuma to fight the Oddity, ruining any chance of Ada surviving.
I understood then that I had to fight, that I had to become stronger, that this was the only way to protect the others, but... Laria, there was nothing I could do to stop those beings from ending the lives of so many officers.
I want to leave this city, I don't want to see the sad faces of wives, children, parents, all crying because of my lack of strength... even if I gave everything, even if my body was almost torn to pieces, in the end... I could only make a desperate attack against a puppy," Jack's voice cracked noticeably at this point.
He was sitting at his desk, he had finished his dinner, and like a dam about to burst, all of Jack's negative emotions flooded out at this point, telling Laria something she already knew, but she didn't hold it against him.
Laria listened to his words in silence, letting Jack tell her how happy he was when he found out he was going to be a big brother, how much he liked the name they could give his little sister, and the pain he suffered afterward.
"I wanted to tell her the story of my favorite Legendary Weapon, the 'Glove of Life' used by the main founding father of the Federation.
I wanted to use my knowledge of Clockworks, which I was training at the time, to create fun toys for her, maybe I could create a Legendary Weapon for her if I tried my best! But that fizzled out in a crimson glow," Jack clenched his fists so hard that his fingernails dug into his palms.
At this point, Laria took Jack's hands directly, and her Pneuma began to flow from her body, transferring to her boyfriend.
The small bleeding cuts on Jack's palms began to heal while Laria had a rather concentrated look on her face, but that didn't stop her from speaking.
"Thinking about these things won't change anything, it will only make you unhappy. You've worked hard all these years to make yourself stronger, but remember, you're human.
We can't reach the same strength as some of the things we face, there will be times when we can't perform, but it's because we're human that we can pick ourselves up every time we fall and continue our long journey.
Jack, you are a good fighter, and you are capable, but knowing and acknowledging your weakness is not a bad thing, on the contrary, it makes you stronger.
I'm very sorry for your losses and hurt feelings, but don't let them get you down, don't let them hurt you physically," Laria took out a white handkerchief and started to wipe the remaining blood from Jack's already healed wounds.
"I'm sorry, I got carried away. I remembered that I decided to become stronger so that nothing like that would ever happen to me or others again.
Maybe it's hard, but we were able to stop the Cyber Ghost's crazy actions or the Flesh Dog's lust for flesh," Jack said as he flexed his hands before placing them on Laria's cheeks, smiling at his girlfriend.
"I also made a personal promise to myself..." Jack whispered, and the meaning of his actions became quite clear in the eyes of Laria, who, unusually for her, stuck out her tongue playfully.
"What promise was that?" she asked, already having an idea of what it could be.
...
Alexis, on the other hand, was concentrating on a certain object in his hand as he looked out of his bedroom window at the starry sky with a certain sadness in his green eyes.
His red hair was damp and his body seemed to exhale a little steam, indicating that he had just finished a bath, but not even the soothing hot water could wash away his turbulent emotions.
"If I had known this was going to happen, I would have taken the Pneuma Cannon, but it was impractical in this situation... but with the Mimic, there are no such inconveniences.
Laurie... I will show you that there is still hope down here, and why fight," Alexis' eyes sharpened at that moment, his whole body radiating determination.
Especially when he opened the object in his hand, he could see a rare color photograph, strange in today's technological developments, but very familiar to him.
It depicted the beautiful image of a woman dressed in strange clothes with dazzling navy blue hair that seemed to be covered with tiny dots that shone like stars.
"And I will show your people that we too can create wonderful things," Alexis stopped looking out the window and walked over to his cluttered desk, where several objects were stacked and a blueprint.
The blueprint of a weapon that he had in mind, and that he, along with Lisa and Jack, would build. A weapon inspired by the legendary weapons that would allow humans to replicate a bit of nature's fury.
The tentative name written in black ink on the blueprint was 'Thunder Weapon'.
...
Irina lay in a meditative position on the bed in her room, wearing a traditional garment from the land of her ancestors, it looked like a much wider robe and its color was white.
Her calm breathing gently shook her breasts, which were almost exposed by the neckline of this garment, they were not very large, but the shape of this garment made them stand out a little. But why was Irina dressed like that while meditating?
A knock on her bedroom door seemed to be the answer. Irina opened her eyes and released the breath she had been holding. Meditation always helped to clear the mind, and a variation of this activity could even improve the quality of her Pneuma construct.
Irina took small steps towards the door, knowing that the only person who would come towards her at that moment was...
Was Lisa.
Her friend, teammate, and at times, her lover. They weren't in a relationship or anything like that, they just gave each other 'heat' after a long mission to relieve the stress from their bodies.
Lisa stood behind the door, wearing only a pair of pink shorts and a tank top that barely covered her stomach, revealing a tattoo of a hawk she had just below her navel.
"So... will you let me pass?" she asked with a small smile, causing Irina to step aside as she made an exaggerated bow, one that emphasized her cleavage quite a bit, while waving her hand in a deliberate gesture.
"Please, come in," Irina said in a mocking tone, Lisa stepped into the room, but not before running her index finger under Irina's chin.
"Do you need help?" asked Lisa, who sat down on the bed in the room without wasting any time.
"Plenty," Irina replied before closing the door, she didn't want any surprises for the rest of the night.
"Come on, let me help you with something," Lisa called, touching the bed on one side of her, where Irina soon sat down.
They wasted no time, simply getting down to business with kisses that quickly escalated to something deeper as Irina took the initiative and slipped her hand inside her partner's blouse, moving up to reach one of Lisa's breasts.
Perhaps one of the things Irina envied in this world was the ample breasts that both Laria and Lisa had. From Laria, she understood that the girl could make potions to prevent exercise from reducing the fat on her breasts while training her physique.
And Lisa? Except for the basic physical training, the woman's entire training was focused on the use of weapons, as she was the expert of the group in this area. Because of that, the girl could afford to have breasts that Irina had a hard time holding with one hand.
"Hmm~" Lisa moaned as she made out with Irina, who reacted to the way her friend's fingers gently squeezed her breast before starting to massage it or play with her nipple, making her quite excited.
Not wanting to enjoy this situation alone, Lisa placed her hands on Irina's waist before gently pushing her down onto the bed, leaving her on top of her partner.
The two broke the kiss before Lisa began to kiss Irina's neck, her hands moving up her white thighs before trying the garment that blocked the way to her current lover's most important part.
But her hands didn't touch anything, just the soft skin of Irina, who gave Lisa a mischievous look before squeezing the girl's nipple a little harder, making her moan.
"I was waiting for you, how could I have my panties on?" asked Irina teasingly, making Lisa laugh.
"We think alike," Lisa replied, letting that tidbit of information hang in the air before placing her thumb over a certain key spot on Irina's crotch, who had spread her legs a little to give her room.
"Do you want to go... straight up?" Irina asked awkwardly before arching her back a little at the pleasant touch that sent a rush of pleasure through her.
"I've been under a lot of stress, I haven't been able to do much in this fight except shoot, the technique I'm developing will allow me to use my Pneuma bullets without relying on a weapon, which will allow me to be more involved in the fights.
But it's getting tedious to create, I'm tired of so many failed tests. So I need to hear you moan, you know? It calms me down," Lisa whispered to Irina before gently biting her ear.
The two women began to caress each other in a much more intimate way, gradually removing the clothes that prevented them from exposing their naked bodies to each other.
They were already used to seeing each other naked, so there was no unnecessary shyness as the two shared this personal moment. Sitting on the bed, their bodies were at a negative distance as they kissed.
Their nipples rubbed against each other while one of each woman's hands was placed on the other's pussy, masturbating each other; their moans escaped between kisses, but neither failed to use their lips to vent the passion that burned between them.
Soon they were both moaning deeply, reaching orgasmic climaxes for each other. Their breathing was a little ragged, they were sweating from the physical activity, but there was no intention of stopping now.
They both had too much stress to release from their bodies and the night was still young enough to end with a single orgasm. So after catching their breath, an easy thing for fighters like them to do, they went back to pleasuring each other.
Knowing what the other liked and using it to help their partner release tension, they both came several times that night until they collapsed with smiles on their faces.
After all, as good friends, it was their duty to make sure the other was in the best physical and mental shape possible, wasn't it? Even if they ended up sweaty, with silly grins on their faces and wet fingers.
...
Turning back to Jack and Laria's side, they were both kissing, both sitting on the bed in the bedroom wearing only their underwear. Their movements were slow, deliberate, without the fiery passion of their partners, for there was something more to the carnal exchange they were making.
They were demonstrating their love for one another.
Jack wore only a nondescript boxer made of black cloth, while Laria's underwear was more detailed, as it was black but had intricate lace that embellished her clothing even more.
Laria's hands wandered over her boyfriend's naked body, stopping at all the scars that marked his body, of which there were quite a few. Each one is a reminder of a conflict, a particular enemy, or hard training.
Jack had many wounds, some with stitches, some that healed normally, and many marks on his skin that indicated small abrasions that left marks on his skin.
Even though Laria had potions that could remove all those marks from his skin, Jack refused. Not for aesthetic reasons, but because he felt they were a reminder of his constant growth.
Because even having something as incredible as a sixth sense could and had been deceived on a multitude of occasions, so he never got used to relying on that talent all the time, always striving to become stronger, more skilled.
"I don't know why you always touch my scars," Jack murmured, kissing his girlfriend's neck and even leaving a small hickey that would probably leave a mark the next day.
"Scars are beautiful," Laria's gray eyes seemed to shine with a vague gleam at the sight of her boyfriend's scarred body, and since she could just go with her instincts on this occasion, she pushed Jack back against the bed.
Soon Laria was straddling Jack's body, her crotch sitting directly on the obvious bulge in her boyfriend's boxers, wriggling a little on his member before lying on top of him, kissing an ugly scar on the right side of the man's chest.
She gently shook her hips as she slowly moved down Jack's torso, kissing each scar she found along the way, before reaching down to his boxers, which she held in her hands before pulling them down far enough.
Jack's fully erect member appeared before Laria's lustful eyes, she even made a little joke by placing her head next to her boyfriend's cock for a size comparison.
They both laughed for a moment before she took Jack's member in her hands and began to masturbate him, starting with gentle strokes before speeding up a bit, using her fingers to stimulate the annealing of his penis.
Just before it went any further, Laria stopped her movements before bringing her lips close to Jack's member, using her tongue to give small licks to the tip of his cock before taking it into her mouth.
She began to suck him off as waves of pleasure surged up Jack's body, making him shiver as he felt the need to clench his feet from the sensations he was feeling.
To accompany this, Laria took Jack's member between her ample breasts, still covered by her bra, sucking only the tip as she masturbated him up and down with her breasts until after some time her mouth was filled with a thick white liquid coming from Jack.
She exaggerated her tasting movements before opening her mouth and sticking out her tongue, showing Jack that she had swallowed all the cum he had poured into her. As was the case every time they had sex, Laria always took the initiative, this time she moved closer to him, showing her back and fingering the clasp of her bra.
Slightly stunned by the orgasm he was experiencing, Jack removed the clasp of his bra, allowing Laria to show him her huge naked breasts, which made his member hard again.
Soon Laria also removed her panties, exposing a bit of her crotch, which was covered with some white hair, just like the hair on her head. It also showed a slight sheen, indicating that she had been wet all the time.
Laria lay on her back, spread her legs slightly, then used her hands to spread her pussy lips a little, as if inviting Jack. He didn't hesitate and moved his face closer to her crotch.
Jack quickly found that magic spot before giving her the proper attention she deserved, causing Laria to cling to the sheets as he continued to give her a rather satisfying experience.
Jack always knew how to make her feel good! Laria began to moan at this point, not bothering to cover her mouth, her hands too busy holding her boyfriend's head against her body as he devoted himself to giving her pleasure.
From his familiarity with Laria, Jack knew which parts of her body to touch with his tongue or fingers, causing Laria's vision to fade for a few moments and her breathing to become much more agitated.
Soon the familiarity with her body told her what had happened, she had had a rather strong orgasm, something she had missed very much under her usual cool facade.
But this time the course of their usual sex sessions changed completely, Jack had made a promise to himself this way, how could he let Laria lead this time?
No, this time it was his turn to lead.
Jack's hands went to Laria's sides, turning her on the bed until she was face down; then she realized her boyfriend's true intentions, so she lifted her hips, grinding her slender, trained ass against Jack's hard member.
"Don't worry, you can release all your tension on me~!" Laria told him provocatively, brushing her buttocks over Jack's erect cock, using her ass to stimulate him a little, and giving him a butt job.
The advantages of the Pneuma were many, it allowed a human to fight against oddities, anomalies, and contamination zones, but its side effects were very noticeable.
Especially when dealing with powerful and influential beings in reality. So everyone had their way of venting their minds to avoid trouble. Alexis built weapons, while Irina, Lisa, Laria, and Jack used sex to relieve their stress.
The negative emotions Jack experienced were part of those disadvantages, not only the physical ones, which could be solved by methods or one's stamina, but the excessive use of Pneuma also had mental consequences.
Fortunately, Jack had a nice, round bottom that gesticulated in front of him. He smacked her hard, causing a pop and leaving a red mark on his girlfriend's butt, who just moaned as she slapped her hips against him.
"What are you waiting for, fuck me!" Laria's words were all Jack needed to get completely free.
Jack's family's Pneuma technique even activated unconsciously, allowing the man to hear the whispers of one of the primitive human instincts that had chosen Laria as his official partner, giving him clear instructions on how to fuck her senselessly.
Heeding those whispers, Jack brought his cock, held by one hand, closer and began to rub it right against Laria's wet entrance, she tried to push her hips against him, but his free hand prevented it by squeezing her ass hard.
His cock was the perfect size, long enough, thick enough. All of it slid into the tight, hot, wet interior of Laria, who supported herself with her hands as she turned her head a little to see the smile on Jack's lips.
"Let me enjoy this," Jack murmured, pushing himself into Laria's pussy, making her moan at his action.
With his hands on Laria's hips, Jack began to penetrate her gently to set the rhythm, while his girlfriend's breasts jiggled from the movement and her ass wiggled from the contact of their bodies, making a characteristic sound.
"Yes~! There, keep pounding ~!" Laria moaned as she felt Jack's penis hit the spot inside her that gave her so much pleasure, something her boyfriend continued to do.
Laria's moans were followed by sounds of clapping and wetness, and occasionally the crack of a hard slap on her buttocks. Although she wasn't the only one making noises, Jack also let out occasional moans under his breath, releasing all the passion and stress he was feeling at the moment.
Sex between them was always like this, they loved each other so much, it was cathartic and a way to reaffirm their connection while helping each other deal with the consequences of constantly using Pneuma in their fights.
Speaking of Pneuma, an extrasensory connection developed between them as their bodies remained connected. Both of their Pneumas seemed to connect at times, allowing the other to experience the pleasure of their partner.
This situation was very rare, but occasionally they could enjoy this special connection that strengthened the bond between them. The two enjoyed each other in different ways and different positions until the night passed and the next day dawned.
Jack did his part, making his girlfriend moan until she was completely hoarse.
...
"Looks like you had a good time last night," Irina said to Jack with a grin on her face, causing her friend to wave his hand carelessly.
Jack was holding a thick hardcover book, the title of which referred to Enchantments. He studied it, understanding some things that had confused him before and giving him ideas for his future projects.
"You smell like Lisa's perfume," Jack interrupted, making Irina blush as he turned a page in the book before looking aside at a glass window.
Both Jack and Irina were in a cabin on the train that had arrived in Tuskville this morning. Soon they would begin a day trip to the new location, where they would carry out a mission.
Interesting things might happen on this trip.