[MSGC][Yuri] YummyLunches’s Story

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Nov 2013

1356

o/
Just waitin' for updates :3

Jun 26, 2014 6:10 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Fingers

I wake up with a start. What I behold is a perfectly straight hallway lined up with the direction of my vision, and extending out towards someplace I cannot see. I find myself sitting on the ground, propped against the wall behind me with my legs laying neatly against the floor. I vaguely remember peering into the eyes of a bandaged beauty, but to my chagrin, she is nowhere to be found. As I look back to the seemingly unending hallway before me, I strangely get the feeling that someone wanted to show me this view.

I give out a nervous chuckle and mutter to no one in particular, “Thank you, whoever you are.”

As I begin to pick myself up, I realize that something is amiss. On my left forearm I notice a firm wrapping of gauze a couple finger-widths below the elbow, and another band around the middle of my thigh. I feel fine though. I bring myself upright and straighten out my clothes which have not changed since last time.

Save for a sore bottom, it appears that, although still horribly tired, I can at least say with confidence that I am awake. Actually, considering my surroundings, I can’t say for sure. With this newfound glimmer of wakefulness, I take the opportunity to recollect my thoughts.

Oh yeah, I remember packing my things. What was I packing again? I remember looking out at the ocean, and going to sleep somewhere. Where was it again? It wasn’t that gigantic bed in that gigantic room, that’s for sure. Somehow I found myself in that room feeling more tired than usual, and with a completely different set of clothes. I then remember my encounter with that girl. Then after that, I’m here.

Clear as mud.

With that out of the way, I proceed with the expected feelings of fear and paranoia. I turn away from the hallway, and follow it to wherever it leads to, summoning whatever non-existant adventurous spirit I had in me. After a short walk, I come across a doorway set several stair-steps lower than the rest of the indoor environment.

I hear a faint splash as I step down, and I realize there is a barely-visible layer of water on the surface of the lowest point of the entrance-way.

Looking outwards from the perceived safety of the large entrance-way, all I can see is an expanse of gnarled trees growing out of the water, reaching higher than I can see. Thin beams of light shine down from the cracks in the mess of a canopy. I am more than simply creeped out by this as I’ve never seen anyplace like it. As much as I’d like to believe that such a place as this cannot exist, I can’t deny that I’m looking at it with my own eyes. That and it doesn’t exactly look inviting.

A sudden splashing sound in the distance makes me retreat a few steps back where I came, taking cover. The splish-splash of my own feet echo in the entrance-way as I silently berate myself for the blunder. After a moment of heart-pounding agitation, I slowly sneak a glance outside. There is absolutely nothing. It is only after yet another moment of hesitation that I gather the courage to continue onward. The ground outside the complex is a tangle of roots with a shallow layer of water above it, and it seems to continue this way for as far as I can see from here. However, there is a bend in the path formed by the maze of trees, bringing me hope that there is more to be found around the corner. I figure that if I don’t find anything, I can always return to the complex, which seems like an easy enough spot to come back to.

After I step outside the entrance-way and into the shallow water, I am briefly reminded of the one and only time in my life when I have went into the water both not for the purpose of bathing, and without swimwear. I was with my ex then.

As I begin to walk, I quickly find that the water levels out to just below knee-height, which is an annoying height for I cannot step with my normal gait and I cannot simply swim in it. It is also slowly flowing towards my right-hand side. I drudgingly wade through the unfamiliarly resistant water while trying not to hurt my normally pampered feet on the uneven and rough ground below.

Interestingly enough, the outside air is warm enough that my scant dress isn’t too cold to be in. As I round the corner towards my left, I come across something like a clearing. The bright sun suddenly shines upon me at full force, and I quickly bring up my hand to shield my eyes.

What is that smell? It seems to be coming from my hand.

With a quick sniffle of my fingers, I discover the presence of a distinctive smell which I am all too familiar with. I recoil with equal parts of disgust and bewilderment as I come to realize what it is. It is the smell of me, but not me simply.

Rather, it is the smell of me in a state of arousal.

Jun 26, 2014 6:11 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Soft Spot

After a period of rather uneventful wading through the shallow waters, I eventually reach land that is clearly above water. By this time, I have largely forgotten about the smell on my fingers, and the day was still bright. The environment around me is now that of a forest not unlike the ones I remember from back home. Because of this similarity, as well as the recent uneventfulness, I regard my surroundings as fairly unremarkable.

After awkwardly walking barefoot on the tangled mess of roots and stone, I find that the underside of my feet have become rather sore. After finding a comfortable place to rest and examine my pained feet, I am confident that blisters will soon follow.

I find what looks like a small isolated berry bush nearby. This discovery reminds me of my ongoing hunger, and against my better judgement, I eat some without hesitation. Recall that I am not in the best shape both mentally and physically.

I then hear a soft squeaking sound. While my attention was focused on the wild berries, something had quietly snuck behind me. With great lack of elegance, I stumble backwards in surprise. Scrambling to right myself and get back on my feet, I quickly realize that any fear I might have had was unwarranted.

What stood before me can be best described as something like a young girl fashioned out of a semi-transparent amorphous blob of a light-blue hue. It stares at me with innocent and eager-looking eyes while emitting a soft, pleasant-sounding, and melodious vocalization. How is such a thing able to produce sounds that are so similar to that of a human’s? Such a thing must be impossible, but my senses tell me otherwise. Its stance suggests an uncertainty as to how it should proceed, and this trait is most likely mirrored by myself. With great interest in its eyes, it takes a step forward and reaches out with what looks like an imitation of a human arm.

I remain deathly still.

Looking up at me with what appears to be a pair of child-like wide eyes, it smiles and lets out a soft humming tone. She really is like a little girl.

Letting my curiosity get the best of me, I press my fingers against the surface of her arm, and then quickly retreat. The area where I touched continue to wobble gently for a moment after I made contact with it as if it were some sort of gelatinous pudding. She lets out something like a happy giggle as if tickled.

“Eerily soft,” I accidentally, but quietly let out. Surprisingly, while smooth, the surface of her body didn’t feel particularly wet to me. While appearing to be made out of a big mass of some sort of liquid, she seems to be packed so tightly that she retains all of it. At least enough that I don’t feel any of it leak onto my skin when I touched her.

As I was lost in thought, she leans toward me and quickly pokes a finger into my breast in return. Startled, I quickly try to shirk away.

“Soft?” she asks with the most adorable expression I have ever seen to date. To that, I sheepishly smile in return, and reply with a non-committal, “Y-Yeah.” What could I have said? I think that ‘soft’ was most appropriate. What the both of us had laid hands on were both soft in their own way.

After our awkward introduction, we seemed to quickly get along. She seemed perpetually in a happy mood, and often makes very pleasant vocalizations that I instinctively associate with cheerfulness. She also seems fond of pressing and rubbing her body against mine, which I take to be a sign of affection. Thus far, she hasn’t spoken anything other than “soft,” but she has said that word on a few occasions already, leading me to believe that is her favorite word. I wonder if she understands what it means. Perhaps I shall name her something like Sofia, assuming that she isn’t already named.

Jun 26, 2014 6:11 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Sofa

We travel for a while, or as long as I could with my feet the way that they are. I wasn’t successful in getting my new friend to repeat the name ‘Sofia.’ The closest that she got was ‘Sofa,’ so I guess Sofa it is then. Sofas are soft, right?

As we walk along, with my subtle limping, Sofa seemed as content as can be. Her personality seems bubbly and bouncy, not unlike her body. At times, she actually engages in the act of bouncing on the ground. Every time that she does, a muted squishy sound can be heard as she hops and is relaunched a short distance above ground due to her elasticity. It is truly a remarkable sight to behold when her body quivers and wobbles to and fro at every leap. She’s really ‘pneumatic.’

I can’t help but let out a giggle and smile as I am reminded of how a character might jump in a cartoony platformer computer-game. She seems rather pleased to be getting a laugh out of me. As she continues bouncing, she also hums a sort of improvised tune.

Finding an inviting large tree to sit under, I decide to take a rest. By now, it seems the sun is setting, and my hunger is slowly setting in again. Noticing my intent to rest, my bouncy friend happily approaches me and insists on sitting on my lap. I quickly give her a nod of approval, and in return I am given a rewarding smile. I can’t help but pat her gently on the head.

I wonder if she has any family, or how she came to be. Was she even born in the way that I understand what being born is like? I assume that is not the case. This place, wherever it is, seems strange enough that it is not at all unreasonable to question simple things such as this. After all, only in this strange world, wherever it is, does Sofa sit on me.

Jun 26, 2014 6:11 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Losing Form

After Sofa and I play for a while, we eventually succumb to sleep.

In my dreams I saw vague images of a tall girl standing before me. I regard myself as pretty tall for a female, but this girl is just that much taller, such that her presence absolutely dominates. My standing height reaches not too far above the height of her breasts. Furthermore, extravagant doesn’t begin to describe her clothing and personal style. She was dressed in a rather revealing outfit with much subtle gold trim, which proudly presents her well-toned body adorned with a plethora of jewelry. What’s even more striking was the pair of upright ears atop her head, and the furry tail so full of body which she waves around with flair.

I can’t really remember what I was doing or where I was, but I remember that girl’s figure clearly. Most of the time I am not good with dreams. Most of the time it is as if I never had any, so tonight’s was especially noteworthy.

After the passing of the night, I wake up to find Sofa cuddled in my arms, already awake. At least I assume that she did go to sleep at some point in the night.

I find myself feeling rather thirsty.

Turning my head from side to side with half-open eyes, only Sofa fills my vision. Her curious and happy expression hovers dangerously close to my own face. As I begin to bring my arm up, I am surprised to find that I can’t. Upon further inspection by glancing from the edge of my vision, I see a series of tendrils extending from Sofa’s now-undefinable body wrapped around me, keeping my limbs in full restraint. Furthermore, I see some of those tendrils disappear somewhere under my skirt.

I gasp at the discovery and instinctively fight to break free. At this, an appendage extends out from my amorphous friend’s neck, and reaches up to pat me gently on the head as she lets out reassuring cooing sounds. I instantly feel comforted somehow, as if she’s telling me everything’s going to be alright. As I get ahold of myself and begin to calm down, so does her grip on me loosen. She gives me a pleasant smile in response to my implicit cooperation.

I give her a nervous smile as I calm down and relax, taking deep breaths to make up for my previous deficit. In return, she gives me a loving peck on the cheek and giggles, to which I instantly flush in the cheeks.

She seems to take this as a good sign, because the next thing she does is press her lips directly against mine. Something like a tongue quickly slip in and begins to flit about inside my mouth. I quickly learn that what I had previously thought of as merely ‘like a tongue’ possesses much greater capabilities than I could have imagined. I feel a gentle suction force against the inside surface of my cheek, a gentle stroking along the top surface of my tongue, and a massaging motion directed towards the underside of my tongue. All at the same time. I am at a loss as to what her so-called ‘tongue’ has suddenly transformed into.

I don’t think it matters anymore.

I feel something creep under my loose, strappy, frilly, sheer, purple-colored nightie, which in all honesty looks as if it were designed to be as visually and tactilely appealing as possible without consideration for any other factors. I had forgotten just how strange it would have looked if I were to wear something like this in public. This is most definitely meant to stay in the bedroom, without question.

I feel something sweep across my tummy, and lightly encircle my belly button. Something brushes against the surface of my breasts. I let out an involuntary whimper as I feel a sudden sucking sensation on the sensitive area of skin just ever so slightly under my nipple.

I also feel a gentle petting against my thigh. My ears start to heat up, and the sensitivity of my body starts to rise rapidly. I let out a muffled moan and then a shudder. It’s becoming really difficult to discern what exactly I am sensing anymore. I feel as if I am completely wrapped up and twisted into something strange and wonderful.

I start to question the form of my own body.

Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of pleasure overcomes me. I buckle. I can feel something inside of me, but it doesn’t seem to be simply inside. I can feel it twisting, and sucking, and reaching, and probing inside me at something… somewhere. These are strange things that I know I’m not supposed to be feeling, but I can’t deny that I am feeling them now. I have no idea what is happening to me, and I am frightened. My mind is unable to handle these indescribable feelings except to say that it is fantastic.

I try to concentrate on what I am feeling. Only with much effort do I start to rediscover that my body has flaps somewhere, and that something is gently slipping between them, and sliding along all the delicate crevices of my most sensitive area. Somehow I had forgotten. I think I also hear a lot of wet squishy sounds. That seems to turn me on a little bit, and I wonder what sort of expression I’m making on my face.

Shortly afterwards, I lose myself again to the overwhelming sensations, and eventually, I pass out in euphoria.

I wake up to Sofa gently nudging me with a happy smile across her face. As I groggily rub the sleep away from my eyes, I realize that I strongly reek of sex. I feel extremely tired, but also lazily comfortable, such that I really don’t want to get up, but Sofa is bouncing up and down excitedly for me to do just that.

“Hey Sofa,” I greet her and pat her on the head, as she was within arm’s reach.

“Uuu~!” she replies happily as she nuzzles the palm of my hand. I can’t help but smile at her adorable reaction.

She’s just so cute.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped then. I absolutely have to get up. As I brush myself off, and straighten out whatever clothing I had on me, I notice that the bandages are still around my forearm and thigh. Strange. Seeing that I’m ready, Sofa seems impatient to get moving. It seems that she’s going to lead the way, as if there was some specific destination she wants to bring me to. What can I say? I don’t think I have much of a choice in this matter.

And so, we walk. I spend the rest of the day following Sofa to wherever she wanted to go. To me, it seemed as if we were just wandering around aimlessly, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that just by looking at her. She had that look about her, as if she was dead sure of where we were going. In the end, I couldn’t be sure.

By the time night fell, I was getting hungry. During our little journey, we passed by some water, but no food. She seemed fine with that though. We eventually decide to stop at a large field of grass, and flowers of yellow and white. Tonight, I can see a big bright full moon in the clear night sky dotted with stars. I try to find recognizable constellations but I cannot. I guess I can’t ask for the same sky as back home. We lie in the grass and flowers, staring up at the night sky, with Sofa snuggling up beside me. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is how happy I felt.

----

When I wake up, I find myself alone. Sofa is nowhere to be found. I panic, searching all around, but finding no traces of her anywhere. I spend the entire day pacing back and forth. Somehow, hunger wasn’t a problem when my mind was filled with worry regarding other things. When night came, I slept at the same spot I did, or rather where we did the night before, with the grass and flowers. I think I secretly wished that she would magically appear before me again when I woke up. With these thoughts in mind, it took me forever to fall asleep.

In the morning, I wake up with a start. There are tears flowing down my face and soaked into the grass. I don’t know for how long I have been crying. My whole body is trembling violently, and there is an intense tightness in my throat, as well as a deep sinking feeling in my stomach. I can feel myself falling into the depths of despair.

I think I know what happened to Sofa, and I think I did it. I didn’t know that what I did was even possible.

It was so horrifying that I can’t bear to repeat what I saw in my nightmare; I don’t think I can handle it. It breaks my heart just to think about it.

I am so deeply ashamed and terrified of myself.

Jun 26, 2014 6:12 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Looking Up

I lay there for a few days, staring up at the sky, the stars, whatever decided to show themselves to me. How I got by without food and water, I really can’t say for certain. Somehow none of that seemed important.

I thought about what I could remember since I found myself in this strange place, and how hardly anything made any sense. I thought about Sofa, and how adorable she was. She definitely didn’t deserve what she got.

“Hello there. You’re a human, aren’t you?” I hear not too far away from me. Actually, it sounds fairly close to me. Before I know it, a girl’s face comes into view, looking down on me, and I looking up as she obstructs my view of the sky, with her long dark hair dangling down such that it brushes against my face. She smiles at me, looking friendly and approachable, albeit upside-down.

Perhaps sensing my startlement, she backs away slightly by a seemingly measured distance as I sit myself up to face her. Her long straight hair is nearly jet black, a couple shades darker than my own, and she’s dressed in a shrine maiden’s outfit of white and red. Her posture is perfect.

For the first time since my arrival, I truly feel uncomfortable with my state of dress. How unfortunate that it has to be in front of someone as pretty and proper as this.

“My, how rare it is to see a living breathing human, especially a girl.” Her eyes dance slightly as she looks me over. I figure that she probably wanted someone she could relate to in a way. I haven’t seen another human in long enough that I could probably use a bit of that as well.

“Yeah,” I reply nonchalantly. I don’t even bother getting excited over meeting her. I probably look as uninterested as can be. As my eyes wander, lacking energy, it must be painfully obvious that I was depressed. She quickly picks up on this, or perhaps she may have known all along.

“What happened? Would it help if you tell me what’s on your mind?” she asks kindly.

“I lost a friend,” I reply simply, avoiding looking at her face.

She nods understandingly and leans forward to wrap her arms around me. I guess I can say that it was surprising, but I didn’t have the energy to express it. I didn’t even wonder who she was, or how she got here. I just simply leaned into her body and cried. Her loose sleeves feel comforting against my skin. At least it felt like things were going to be alright for me, maybe.

Jun 26, 2014 6:12 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## Humanity

I feel a lot better now. Although that isn’t really saying much, at the very least I have found myself again. I’m glad to have had someone to talk to during my time of weakness, and it looks like I am to be having a new friend too. Even now, I still think of Sofa and the horrible things that happened to her. Things like that don’t simply vanish so easily.

After some time, my new miko-outfitted companion of sweet disposition informs me that humans are so rare here that the majority of residents have never see one before. With female humans, doubly so. She also went on to explain that despite the rarity of humans, the majority of the residents here, which seemingly nearly one-hundred percent are both female and attractive, have instinctive knowledge regarding humans, especially that of a sexual nature. How this is so baffles me. This island must be the spawn of a teenage boy’s wild fantasy.

She refused to give out many details about herself, stating that she wanted to distance herself as much as possible from her past and start anew. She tells me to call her Nura, which I can only assume isn’t her name from before arriving here. As a full-fledged resident of this inexplicably isolated island, she had decided to leave whatever baggage she had behind, and explore her new freedom. I find myself rather envying her forward-thinking attitude. Perhaps one day I will come to terms with all that has happened, and settle down somewhere, but for now, I want to accompany her and explore what the island has to offer. I find that I need active people in my otherwise dull life to push and pull me into all sorts of interesting situations, lest I lose myself to repetitive drab.

----

A sudden loud screeching sound sends shivers down my spine, shattering my thought process and sending me into a panic. The ground rumbles below me, and the vibrating grass tickles between my toes. I catch a glimpse of what looks like a dragon soaring in the sky overhead before it flies off into the distance at astonishing speed.

“It’s okay,” reassures the shrine maiden named Nura. “They won’t pay any attention to you unless you provoke them,” I hear as she pulls me close to relieve me of the effects of my own cowardice. I must seem rather pitiable in comparison. I find it hard to swallow, but after a moment, I manage to do it.

“Thank you,” I croak. “I’m still completely not used to this place yet. I’m sorry for being such a burden.”

Nura shakes her head gently and smiles back at me with all the warmth of a mother. I can’t help but feel a bit entranced by being in her care, and being given her full attention. She takes a measured step back while remaining to hold onto my arms for my own sake. I give her a confused look as she continues to smile at me with the sort of look that is full of intent. Her beautiful red eyes hint at playfulness, which seem to dispel the dread that I’ve been feeling. Fully unaware of what is to follow, I relax my shoulders as I find myself lost in her eyes. How captivating they are, for I am now completely under their spell.

Before I know it, she takes a step to the side, still holding onto me. She pulls my hands onto her shoulders, and takes a few more steps to the side, all the while reassuring my troubled self. She leads me around as she slowly encircles me with her slow yet measured movement, gently drawing me in. I feel a wave of heat against my face, but that was to be expected. I am in awe. The gentle rolling hills and grassy field with many tiny flowers of white and yellow, they become a dance-floor for just the two of us.

----

“So as I was saying,” explains Nura as we come across a slow-moving river next to some small trees. “Humans are somewhat special here. You have to remember that as a human, there are always forces acting upon you on this island, the most prominent being something in the air, and in the water. I can’t really describe it, but there’s definitely something there. It affects everyone, but it affects humans the most. It’s like some kind of corruption, and humans are considered pure. Men have to be wary of constantly being pursued for sexual purposes, and women… well I guess women have a tougher time here. Women have to be careful about losing their humanity, both to the darkness in the air, and to those who’d like to convert them into their own kind. Most probably don’t last as humans for very long”

I’ve never been a particularly spiritual sort of person, but I guess this explains her garments of miko-likeness. Something about ritual purity and whatnot. How fascinating it is to find that notion alive and well here.

“Well, I’m not going to decide for you that remaining human is the best. You’ll have to decide for yourself,” she continues while trying to act aloof and objective, but being only halfway there. Somehow I find it a bit cute. “But I felt you should understand the situation before you get caught up in something that changes you into something that you never wanted to be. Oh, and just by being here, you will slowly start to change bit-by-bit over time regardless. But it’s not enough to just completely turn you into something else. You’ll still be more-or-less human.”

With that, I’m left to ponder the implications of what she had said. I am naturally a cautious and thoughtful sort of person, and Nura appears to be relieved to see that I am thinking carefully about the issue. I wonder just what kind of non-human residents live here, and would be vying to convert me. I think I am more curious to learn about what other species are here than anything else. The prospect of changing into something else entirely seems so fantastical that I am having a hard time believing it. Can I become transparent, blue, and wobbly like Sofa? Normally that would be absurd, but in the back of my mind I knew I couldn’t discount it. I have already come to understand that on this island, I should throw away everything that I knew about reality.

Jun 26, 2014 6:12 PM

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Jul 2008

4300

## A Moment to Calm Down

“Why don’t you wash up?” suggests the shrine maiden named Nura with an encouraging smile. “You may feel better after freshening up. You sure look like you could use one,” she adds with a giggle. Seeing as I haven’t in a while, I figure that provided the water is clean, it’d be much better than doing without. The water appears clean, but the lack of relevant cleaning products will seriously downgrade the experience. After all, most of the wonderful feelings of ‘fresh’ and ‘clean’ are engineered into the products as separate processes than that of cleansing.

“I guess that’s a good idea,” I say in return before the doctrines of my upbringing start flooding back into the forefront of my thoughts. I look all around me in every-which direction as I uncomfortably start to disrobe. It goes by swiftly because there really wasn’t much to remove. As I unwrap the bandages around my forearm and thigh, I realize that the skin underneath is uniformly just slightly darker than the rest. It is, however, otherwise blemish-free. I wonder what the bandages were doing there to begin with.

As I gather my clothes into a not-particularly-neat pile in a somewhat clear spot on a large nearby flat rock, Nura sits herself down next to my pile. “Oh, you’re not coming in with me?” I ask.

She gently waves a hand in a dismissive fashion and says, “Oh, I’ll be fine. You go ahead. I’ll look after your clothes.” I hesitantly give her a nod before turning towards the water. I can’t help but feel just a bit disappointed that she won’t be joining me.

The water is cool, but refreshingly so such that the warm weather compliments nicely. When I turn back to face Nura, it becomes apparent that where she is sitting, although slightly towering over me, is very close. It’s a bit embarrassing for her to be doing nothing but sitting there watching me, and I promptly tell her so. She just gently waves at me and smiles sweetly. She looks overly pleased with herself for some odd reason, sitting atop that flat rock and quietly watching me bathe. Although the whole thing was slightly creepy, I secretly hope that she fancies me. As helpful as it was to wash in the river, some things didn’t wash away so easily. I’m obviously thinking too much into this. Nura is a proper lady after all, right?

With all of that in mind, bathing was most awkward indeed.

After I finished washing, I feel suitably refreshed despite the lack of soap and such. It is then that the next challenge presents itself to me— drying off. After shaking myself off a bit, I sit beside Nura on the rock, being careful not to wet her garments of miko-likeness. I catch her looking over my bare body as she invites me to sit with her. I show her the slightly darker spots on my forearm and thigh, but she didn’t know what they were. How unfortunate. I was hoping she’d be able to shed some light on the issue.

Before I know it, I’ve dried off. Just as I have started to become slightly less uncomfortable with my public nudity too. I carefully put on my lingerie, precious in that they are currently my only possessions. Nura giggles suspiciously as she watches me, to which I give her a curious look. “Don’t worry, please continue,” she teases from the sidelines with a very cute playful expression on her face. I get the sinking suspicion that she has been enjoying the somewhat voyeuristic aspect of the present situation, but I remain quiet, for it’s a difficult subject to simply bring up.

Despite not having a change of clothes, it still feels vastly better than before. For that I am glad that I took the time to wash up. Ready to set off and be shared in the wanderlust of my miko-outfitted companion of sweet disposition, I find her curiously still atop the flat stone as before, sitting upright with her usual good posture.

“Um, j-just a moment,” she says with an uncharacteristically bashful tone of voice. I stand there, confused. Sure enough, after a moment, she’s ready to go, but I really can’t help but wonder what that was all about.

Jun 26, 2014 6:13 PM

#10

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Jul 2008

4300

## Simple Misunderstanding

After a bit of walking, along the decided upon path of following the river, my feet start to get sore again. Perhaps from my gait or otherwise, Nura picks up on this astonishingly quickly despite me giving no mention of it.

“So, would it be quite alright if I carried you?” offers Nura accompanied with her typical refined giggle, which she uses her hand to gently cover in perfect coy fashion.

After a moment of stunned silence, I say, “Are you sure? I’m sure I don’t weigh a lot, but to carry me for any real distance….” I let that sentence trail off. “Uh, it’d be really embarrassing too,” I quickly add with a nervous chuckle.

She responds with a smile that strongly suggests that all will be just dandy, and says, “Please don’t worry about it. It’s not a problem whatsoever.” I hadn’t thought of her as the strong and athletic sort of girl, but seeing that she’s brimming with confidence, I wonder if it really will be as she says.

However, before I can react, Nura has already reached for my legs. With the swiftest of movement and inhuman grace, she swoops me off my feet with great ease. Ambushed by panic and surprise, I yelp and kick my feet wildly. She just holds me close as she waits for me to calm down. By then, I notice that she carried me such that my body is perpendicular to hers. I have my head close to her shoulder, my legs folded up and supported at the knees with feet dangling at the other side in a position commonly referred to as the “Princess style” of hold. Flushed at the face, I remain quiet, being too embarrassed to speak. Given her enthusiasm, I wonder if she had wanted to show off all along.

As she continues to carry me along the path laid out by the river, I notice that she’s showing absolutely no signs of tiring. Furthermore, she seems to be walking at a fairly brisk pace as if she weren’t carrying anything at all. In fact, it seems as if she isn’t even exerting the least bit of effort in carrying me. Just what exactly is going on here?

From here, her pleasant scent is unescapable. I find myself hopelessly drowned.

----

Further up ahead, we see the opening to a large cave just up ahead. We hear a rustle in the nearby bushes. A quick moment later, a child emerges, but she is no ordinary child. She looks like some sort of hybrid between a human and a lizard, where the torso section appears as a human’s would, but green scales cover her arms and legs. On her hands and feet are claws, and integrated into her arms are large wings. She has a few scaly protrusions on the back of her head, coming out of her short hair, and she has a lively tail on her back side.

In front of her, she has her arm/wing-hybrids wrapped around a bag full of what looks to be a bunch of miscellaneous fruit.

“Hi~!” she calls out to us with a friendly voice.

“Y-Yo,” I reply with an unsure tone of voice.

“Why hello there,” Nura says while still carrying me.

The little girl laughs happily. Perhaps she’s amused to see me being carried by someone who’s not obviously bigger than me. Nura might even be a bit smaller.

“I’m Simi. What’s yours?” asks the little girl with one of those slightly off-focused looks that kids tend to have. The kind where it seems like they are looking at something behind you rather than directly at you.

“Well, I’m Nura, and this is Amelia. Nice to meet you—”

“Okay!” Simi responds with much gusto almost before the sentence was over, and quickly starts shuffling towards the opening to the cave up ahead before anyone else can respond. Well, it looks like we are going in the same direction then.

----

As we enter the cave, I notice the large amounts of water flowing into it. The entire inside area must have been carved out by water some time in the past. Nura follows closely behind Simi, which leads down a path that runs in parallel to the direction of the water flow. There seems to be some sort of strange unearthly element that is embedded in the rock and emits an eerie glow, casting rows of long shadows. All in all, it’s still surprisingly bright such that one could make their way around here by sight alone without bringing along a lamp. The slow winds make a very quiet low moan every once in a while. The air is cool and damp.

Just before we turn to enter a sectioned off area in the cavern, I notice a small piece of land sticking out in the middle of the water a fair distance from where we are. Atop it sits a girl with long dark hair, and scaly webbed arms and legs. She may even possess a tail, but I can’t say for certain from here. She has her knees tucked to her chest, and she looks blankly at our way with an intense stare. Along with her, I can see a few landed fish weakly flapping about by her feet. I’m not sure what to make of her except that there’s something really unsettling about the way that she’s staring at us. Whether she’s friendly or hostile, happy or sad, interested or bored, I really haven’t a clue. There is only continuous unblinking blank staring, and I can’t say if we’re welcome or not. Nura however, doesn’t seem to mind.

After entering the sectioned off area, I notice a faint glow coming from deeper in the cavern which light the way. There are several racks of various weapons and unattached blades. On the side furthest away from us is what looks like a forge with tools all around. Someone sits by it with their back to us and remains quiet as Simi waddles towards the figure.

“Neena~!” Simi calls out, which echo loudly in the given space. We follow close behind. The figure dressed in leather, jumps a bit as if startled, then slowly turns around to face us. Another girl, but this time with bluish skin, a horn growing out of her forehead, and one large singular eye.

“I had a nice dream,” she says with a tired, unenthusiastic voice.

“Here,” Simi says as she sets her bag of fruit down. Then she looks at the one she referred to as Neena for a moment, then back at us for a moment, then tilts her head to the side slightly.

“Is Neena going to eat Amyaa too?” Simi asks curiously with complete seriousness that only a child could have had.

Nura can’t contain her laughter, and quickly sets me down. I can’t find suitable words to say at the moment, so I am left with only sitting obediently beside her. She speaks up for me. “Hello there. I’m Nura, and this is my companion Amelia.”

The one-eyed horned girl apparently named Neena stares at me as if I were perhaps a wastebasket or other such inanimate object instead of a person. After an awkwardly long moment, she finally answers with a straightforward and deadpan, “No.” Did she really have to think that long about whether I’m worthy of eating or not? I am unsure as to whether I ought to be offended or relieved.

Whatever the case may be, it seems that she has taken at least a small amount of interest as she starts to crawl towards Nura and I. It is then that I notice that both her legs end at about where the knees would be, maybe a bit higher. I also notice that her workplace seems to be set lower towards the ground than is normal. As I am still sitting on the ground where Nura set me down, Neena is able to come right up to me. She definitely looks interested, but only just so.

“Mmm, what are you?” she asks me simply.

“W-What?” I let out, dumbstruck.

“I mean, what are you?”

“I’m, well, I’m a human. Nura and I are human. What are you?” I ask, full of confusion.

“Cyclops. Neena.” Her eye blinks prominently.

The cyclops named Neena leans in uncomfortably close, which I can only assume is for her to take a good look at me, but I really can’t be sure. She’s an odd one.

“You’re lying,” says Neena simply. Her eye blinks again.

“Um, I’m not exactly sure how to respond to that, but I’m pretty sure Nura and I are human, right Nura?” I’m getting a bit flustered. This situation is absolutely ridiculous.

“First of all… mmm… you’re not a human,” Neena says with a nod. “Because you have boobs. Humans don’t.”

I stare at her incredulously. I’m sure that she is beyond help, and that no manner of words will resolve the situation favorably. Maybe Nura will have something to say to bring some sense into her.

“And second, I already know she’s a ghost. It’s obvious.”

“That’s correct. I’m a ghost,” says Nura with a light-hearted giggle.

“What.”

“I’m a wibbon~!” exclaims Simi from somewhere.

At this point, I can’t exactly say that I’m paying attention. A very strange and foreign feeling is growing inside of me. Or perhaps it’s something fleeting. It’s something unlike any other that I’ve felt before in my entire life. I feel as if this should have been a valuable learning experience, but I’m simply confused as to what it was.

Jun 26, 2014 6:13 PM

#11

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Mingling

“It’s getting dark so I have to go home or else…, or else my mommy will be angry. Amyaa should come play sometime okay? Bye bee~,” Simi chirped to me before hopping a few times, then flying out of the cave. From where I am, I can see her take a sharp turn upwards after she goes out the exit. My guess is that she lives somewhere higher up the mountain face. I’m not sure how I would visit seeing as I haven’t any wings of my own; a forgivable oversight on her part.

I let out an exasperated sigh. Now it’s just me and that scaly girl who’s still staring at me in the darkness. Having absolutely no idea what she wants, I wave timidly at her, hoping for some kind of positive reaction. It appears that my waving had absolutely no effect. I let out another sigh, and tuck my knees closer to my body, mimicking the way that she’s sitting, except that I am also leaning against a wall-like formation of rock. Even with the creepy staring girl nearby, I somehow feel the loneliest I’ve been in quite a while.

Just then, something catches my attention. The girl is finally doing something other than just staring at me. I see her reach out for one of the fish lifelessly flapping about by her feet. I’m surprised that they’re still moving. The chamber is then filled with a horrible crunching sound as the girl bites into the fish, ripping its head off with her teeth. The sound of her chewing is frighteningly clear, as I can make out grotesque squishing noises and spines snapping. The luminescent elements embedded in the rock let me catch small glimpses of the strings of blood and gore that stream down her scaly webbed hand. All the while, her expression remains completely unchanged, and her staring hasn’t let up either.

I can’t see my own face, but I’m sure that the expression I’m wearing is the look of terror.

After a moment, the girl hops into the water. My entire body is frozen stiff as I barely make out the subtle splashing in the water slowly draw nearer. I tense up and start shaking. My ears feel stuffed up with my pulse hammering against the sides of my neck.

Suddenly and without warning, the creepy girl’s head pops up from surface of the water, merely a few foot’s length away from me. A bit of the water splashes onto my toes, and I fight the urge to scream. A scaly webbed hand reaches out from the water towards me as I have my eyes locked onto her expressionless face. I hear a wet slapping sound against the floor, and then she quickly jumps back into the water. Still trembling from the encounter, I look down to see a fish flapping about by my bare feet. Looking back towards the water, I see her peeking back at me, with just the top of her head down to the bridge of her nose visible above the surface. Just what was that all about?

“T-Thank you?” I squeak, completely unsure of myself.

“New friend?” comes a voice to my left. I instantly look, and just as instantly jump at the sight. “Oh dear, I’m sorry. But I didn’t even say ‘boo’ though,” teases Nura with a flash of playfulness on her face, as her head emerges from the wall beside me.

She completely passes through the wall to this side, and sits down beside me. Her expression immediately changes into something a lot more seriously. She actually looks a bit hurt, and I hate myself knowing that I caused it. “Have you calmed down a bit now?” she starts to say. “Look, um, I’m really sorry for not telling you about it earlier—“

“It’s okay; I was just surprised.”

“I thought I’d let you know that I remained a human all the way till I died. So, um, I still consider myself as pretty much a human, so please don’t be sad. Please.” She looks rather nervous and ashamed, which makes me feel dreadful.

“I don’t have anything against non-humans. I was just surprised. I really don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t know what came over me. Really, it’s okay.” I don’t think I sound exactly convincing. I’m telling the truth, but I’m just really bad at this.

“Nura…” Looking her over, she still appears troubled. “Nura…,” I say in a low tone of voice as I carefully lean into her, with my arm around hers to draw her closer to me.

“Mmm.” I lean my head into her shoulder and then turn upwards to look up at her face. I catch a glimpse of a smile, and that was all that I needed to brighten up.

----

A splashing sound catches the attention of Nura and I, still in the midst of embrace. A large net full of various bottles and assorted containers rises out of the water and lands on the ground beside up. A girl with blue and green hair follows after it, and she places both her hands on shore, taking a deep breath of the damp air.

“Ahh~!” She lets out a sigh of relief before noticing us, and her face lights up after seeing me for some reason. “Wow, you’re a human right?” She pulls herself up out of the water to get a closer look at me. I can see that she’s carrying something like a small messenger bag, or perhaps more like a purse? I don’t think the distinction matters at the moment. She has a small top with about the coverage of a string bikini top, and a cute layered skirt worn low on her waist. She is also adorned with several pieces of shiny jewelry that dangle across the various parts of her body attractively. The water seems to slide off her body in a way that I haven’t see before. Clear droplets form on the surface of her skin, and as they roll across the top portion of her breasts, I really can’t help but keep my eyes on them. That said, her breasts are shapely enough that I really don’t need the water droplets to be there for me to be drawn to them anyway.

“Mo told me that she saw a cute human girl by the rootwater ruins, and I really wanted to go see her, but I didn’t expect to bump into her here. Oh wow, your dress looks really cute. It looks like a jellyfish.” She smiles brightly as she leans in close to look me over.

“Um, uh,” I stammer. “Who are you and who’s Mo?” For some reason, Nura looks a bit annoyed. I’ve never seen her like that before, but I guess she doesn’t like the over-friendly attitude of whoever this is.

“Oh, I’m Samira, and Mo… Mo, Mo, Mo…,” she looks around her. “Mo should be around her. Ah! There she is. Hi Mo~!” She waves to the creepy girl, who has gone back to her little piece of land to continue her unrelenting staring as before. She remains just as expressionless as before, with absolutely no reaction to being addressed. Somehow I doubt the possibility of her actually having told anybody that her name was Mo.

I laugh nervously. “I’m Amelia, and this is Nura,” I reply.

“Nice to meet you,” says Samira politely. “Oh hey, you have really pretty feet.” She leans in towards my feet, presumably to examine them.

“Huh?” I’m as confused as can be. Nura, however, looks uncomfortable with what’s happening before us. Samira looks genuinely intrigued with my feet. I lean to get a closer look in order to confirm that she too has feet, so I am perplexed when I see that she does.

She reaches into her bag and rummages around, eventually producing a small box. From the box, she retrieves a small thin silvery chain, with a single gem, and clasps on its ends. The gem is also very small, and has a light blue hue, but if one looks closely, one can see that it’s not a uniform blue, and that there’s some sort of swirling effect that resembles the movement of waves in the water. It’s very subtle. Samira quickly clasps the piece of jewelry around my right ankle.

“Wow, it looks amazing on you! I think you should have it. It’s not overly precious or anything like that, but the gem is made from some dwarven alchemy or something like that which I don’t really understand, but it looks really really pretty.” She smiles happily at me. Somehow Nura looks uncharacteristically ticked off as she remains quiet for the conversation.

“Oh wait, I still have this to drop off,” Samira says to herself, and grabs her net full of stuff, then heads off towards the chamber where Neena’s workplace is with a dainty wave of her hand as she leaves. I sit there listening to the soft wet pit-pat of her bare feet against the ground as she slowly disappears into the distance, still not having grasped what just happened.

I guess free jewelry can’t be too bad, right?

----

I’m feeling tired. Apparently Neena has a bunch of mats for sleeping because it’s actually quite common for guests to stay over. In just the short time that I was here, I can already say that is entirely reasonable. While I was spending time with the most lovely, charming, engaging, and talkative Mo, Nura had already found a spot for us to spend the night, and set up our mats there. It turns out to be a fairly comfortable looking area that’s a bit out of the way so as to offer just the tiniest bit of privacy.

“I’m surprised that ghosts sleep,” I say to Nura as she sits herself down on one of the mats. Both of them were arranged close to a wall. She remains quiet while staring downward at her mat. “What’s wrong?” I ask as I sit down on mine directly next to her.

“I, uh,” she looks up at my face while failing to start off her sentence. I can see now that her face was flushed red. She leans in close, bringing her face right up to mine. Then she gives my lips a small peck with her own, and then she smiles nervously. I’m not used to seeing her like this. I had always thought of her as a refined, yet free-spirited sort of person.

Nura carefully brings both hands to the sides of my face, letting her fingers caress the areas just under my ears. She lets them run along the side of my neck and through my hair, brushing them aside as she leans in again to press her quivering lips against my shoulder, then my neck, then just behind my ear.

“Ah!” I yelp softly as a rush of shivers run across my body. I feel my body temperature rise drastically. Entranced by her sensual advance, I can’t possibly resist.

“It’s only thanks to you… that I’m able to materialize my body,” she whispers suggestively into my ear. I shudder and lightly wrap my arms around her, not really knowing what else to do with them. Then I feel her pushing me gently, silently urging me to lay down on my back. I can feel her breasts squish into mine as she shifts her weight into me. She cradles my head with one hand to prevent it from bumping into the mat with too much force.

My breathing intensifies as does the sensitivity of my body. The way that Nura is kissing my lips is really arousing. I can feel the tip of her tongue playfully teasing the underside of my own tongue. The way that she showered my neck with kisses was really arousing. The way she brushes her knuckles along my inner thigh is really arousing. The way that she lets her fingers touch the very side of my nipple but not the tip is really arousing still.

“Please let me do this, okay?” Nura asks softly before pulling herself away from me, and shuffling backwards a short distance.

“Mmm?”

I feel her hands bring my skirt up and gently tug at my underwear. Then I feel them sliding down my legs as I stare up at the ceiling anxiously. My panties remain hooked on my left ankle. As I feel my legs being gently spread apart, a sudden wave of heat comes over me. I swallow. I bring my hands down to cover myself. I can hear her soft giggling. She must enjoy teasing me so, but I can’t say that I dislike it. Quite the contrary.

I shiver as I feel her warm breath against the parts of me that are glazed. She presses her cheek against my inner thigh and then nuzzles it lovingly, while running her knuckles along the other thigh. Then she runs the tips of her fingers along the soft area of skin just between where my crotch and my thigh connect, the bikini line. Her touch is so soft that I can barely feel it. The quivering of my body intensifies.

She blows a long breath at the glazed opening, causing my entire body to tremble. Then without warning, she suddenly gives it a quick peck with her lips, resulting in a loud gasp from me. She sounds amused.

Nura presses the flat of her tongue against me so as to completely cover up the opening, and then very, very slowly licks in an upward fashion. It’s so slow as to be torturous. All of the muscles in my body tighten, and my back arches slightly. How does she have the patience to do something like this?

I reach out with my hand to pat her on the head. By now I really want to get started. I’m dying for it to happen. She notices my hand and giggles. She holds onto it, and gently licks my fingers. She’s making these loud sucking sounds on them to get me going, and I had forgotten just how sensitive my fingers were. I whimper as she runs her tongue between my fingers all the way to the tip of my index finger, while she simultaneously uses her own finger to draw faint imaginary circles along the soft fleshy apex of my mound area.

Satisfied with her bit of psychological manipulation, she sets my hand down and gently pats it before lowering her head again. This time, she’s more direct. She sticks her tongue out and gently probes my lips, running the tip along its surface.

I use my hands to cover my face in embarrassment.

Nura gently wedges her tongue between the folds of the flaps, and licks all along its surface, giving the gentlest of flicks as it passes over the nub atop. I can’t help but whimper again when she does.

After a while, her usage of the tongue starts to settle into something more rhythmic. She lets it caress lightly along the length of my slit over and over with steady timing, while focussing the force of the sweep over the clit. My whole body seems to twitch just so every time she does it. Ah, this feels really good, and I start to feel dizzy because of it.

Her tongue starts to become more focused, as she’s now using the tip to repeated flick across my most sensitive spot. My body twitches rhythmically in time, and my breathing becomes really heavy. It is then that she covertly slides a single finger into me. I let out a stifled moan to accompany the rhythmic orchestration of lewd sounds.

I can feel so much trickle down between my legs. Be it my own juices or Nura’s saliva, I cannot say, but it flows, and I moan as I feel it pool at my anus. The whole area feels chilly now.

I feel the tingling start to gather. I think that Nura can sense it too. My hips are rocking back and forth, and while Nura’s tongue may be starting to tire, she uses her lower lip against the underside of her tongue for support, greatly increasing the force of stimulation.

My hips buckle suddenly, and an unexpectedly loud vocalization escapes me. My back arches tightly, and my whole body jolts. I curl my toes and tilt my head back. With both of my hands, I quickly grab onto Nura’s head and press her face as hard as I can into me, causing her to let out a muffled yelp. I completely lose my sense of orientation as waves of pleasure cause me to drown in a sea of euphoria.

----

As I calm down, I am able to finally relax my body and lie flat on my back.

“My tongue~,” Nura whines. I can’t help but let out a weak laugh at her expense as I enjoy the warm and fuzzy feelings of post-orgasm-induced comfort. Then I notice that she is being a bit distant. I would have expected her to come snuggle with me, but she isn’t doing that. Instead, she seems to be thinking about something, as if silently debating to herself, or lost in thought.

“Um, can I ask something more of you?” she asks meekly.

“Sure.” I’m in a fairly positive sort of mood.

“Can you, uh, face away for a bit?”

“Like how?” I ask as I start to tiredly sit myself up.

“Like turn around, maybe?”

Unsure of myself, I turn to face the wall. “Like this?”

“Yeah, t-that’s fine.”

I have no idea what to expect as I face the wall while kneeling down on my mat. I feel really wet and cold, and my panties are still dangling around my ankle. I’m starting to feel a bit nervous too.

Just then, I feel Nura’s arms wrap around me. Her loose sleeves are really warm to be in. After nuzzling my neck for a moment, I turn my head towards her, and we share an intimate kiss. She tastes familiar. She then starts to lift up my dress. I raise my hands in compliance, and she promptly slides it off me. After it’s off, she quickly wraps her arms around me again, and presses her body against mine. I can feel the subtle weight of her soft breasts press into my back. Soon afterwards, she’s lightly kissing me in the back.

“Mmm~,” I let out, enjoying the attention she has given to my sensitive back. She giggles softly, perhaps glad to see that I’m responding well to it.

Nura brings her face closer to mine, with one arm wrapped around my torso, and the other gently stroking the inside of my thighs. She playfully kisses me behind the ear, and then uses her lips to nibble at my lobe. I let out a pleasured squeal and tilt my head slightly away. It seems that I’m just a bit more comfortable having intimate contact with Nura than I was just earlier.

For some reason, she suddenly stops and the atmosphere becomes just a bit heavier. She gives my ear another short peck.

“I’m, um… I’m so sorry,” she says quietly into my ear.

“Mmm?”

I feel her adjusting her stance slightly, and then her bare thigh brushes into mine.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“P-Please forgive me,” she answers cryptically, her voice trembling. “I really can’t help it.”

I then feel something brush against the inside of my thigh in addition to her hand which was there since before. Her hug around me tightens. It causes me to shiver a bit. I’m not sure what’s going on, and I’m not sure what to say either, but I really feel like I should be saying something though. It feels really awkward now.

“Please don’t hate me,” I hear Nura speak in a voice that sounded almost as if she was crying. I can feel the side of it rubbing against my inner thigh clearly now. Only then do I start to understand.

“You’re a…,” I start to say, but I just can’t find it in me to complete the sentence. Nura doesn’t respond.

I reach between my legs with one of my hands, and carefully feel around. My fingers come into contact with it. Nura gasps into my ear as it happens. My mind is now racing, and hers probably is as well. I can feel her heart pounding against my back. Who knew that ghosts could do that.

As if overcome with lust, she starts to hungrily kiss along my neck and shoulder while groping my breasts from behind. This pushes me into the wall, and I turn my head a bit to avoid it hitting my face. A slap can be heard as I quickly press one hand into the wall to support myself.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…,” fills my ears as Nura mutters over and over again. I’m not sure what I can do to calm her down, and it’s making me feel terrible. Admittedly I was surprised, but after the initial shock, I can’t say that my feelings towards her have changed in the slightest. It makes me sad to think that she had been so terrified of my potential reaction that it had come down to this.

With that in mind, I turn my head towards her face. It feels like my back can’t turn far enough, but I do it anyways. A quick peck to her cheek was all that I could manage at first, but that seems to have snapped her out of her fit of panic. With her cooperation, we’re able to kiss again.

During this time, I use my free hand to collect some of my juices that have been on the verge of overflowing. It feels really slippery on my fingers. I then proceed to wipe it all over the lonely thing that had been smearing its precum along the inner surface of my thighs.

Nura tries to restrain her moan so as to not deafen me.

I run my slick fingers down the length of the shaft, and then I come across the softest of soft skin. I cup my hand under it, and I can feel them roll just a little bit along my fingers. I think that I can feel a bit of her juices rolling down the other side, and mixing with my own on my fingertips.

“Aaahh!” Nura squirms as her whole body tightens up. She starts to rock her hips back and forth, causing it to slip in my hand, and poke me in random places with the tip. I use my index and middle fingers along either side of it to guide it where it wants to go. I can’t help but smile to myself as I hear Nura’s satisfied whimpers as it slowly slides its way into me.

“Gentle. Gentle,” I coo her way. She buries her face in my shoulder, but I can feel her nod.

“I’m so sorry, I’m— Ahh~!” After she starts thrusting, with the wet sounds of glopping, it doesn’t take her long to climax. With her finger on my most sensitive spot, I quickly do so as well not too long after her.

----

After that whole thing, I find myself slumped forward resting my head in my folded arms, lost in a blissful state of mind. I think my body is still twitching very subtly; I can’t be exactly sure.

I suddenly feel my legs being pulled out from under me which causes me to yelp. I am then flipped over so that I’m facing upwards. I bend at the neck to see Nura having propped both my legs on her shoulders on either side of her neck. She has a wicked smile on her face before she leans in and smothers my most recently used orifice with her lips.

“W-What!?” I let out in surprise.

My back arches backwards again instantly as I feel a great suction force drawing out all my juices along with that which she had deposited earlier. My body twitches around wildly and my brows furrow.

“Hehe,” Nura giggles and gently sets my legs back down on the mat. I wonder if it’ll be in any condition to return to Neena in the morning, but somehow I’m finding it quite difficult to worry too greatly about.

Nura lies down right beside me. She and I share in our warmth. We exchange a peaceful smile between us, and then quickly fall asleep. It’s been a long, long day.

Jun 26, 2014 6:13 PM

#12

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Inspection

It’s hard to say how long I slept due to the nature of staying somewhere the sun doesn’t shine. The surrounding is observably the same as before. Nura appears to still be sleeping with her materialized body snuggled against mine. We’re both disgustingly sticky from last night’s sexual play. After a satisfactory amount of time is spent grimacing at this fact, I stop to pay attention to how I am feeling. I feel suitably well-rested, so I can only guess that I slept for at least a reasonable amount of time.

After I sit up, Nura gently turns away in her sleep, from facing me to a position of lying on her back with a sleepily lovely “Mmmm~,” escaping her lips. It is then that I see it. I had forgotten that she had that, but with her nearly-undressed state, I can see again the thing that she’d been so embarrassed about.

How peculiar that it looks so painfully erect. It doesn’t take me long to decide that I absolutely must examine it.

With that, I move closer to begin my inspection. First off, I must say that I haven’t seen many like objects before, but I can say this. For lack of better words, it looks about as feminine as a male sexual organ can possibly be. It looks smooth and much less than grotesque. It looks inviting. Curious about what I felt before, I gently lift her testes with my fingers, being careful not to wake her so that I can take a peek behind it. Sure enough, I am greeted with the familiar lips I’d expect.

Taking a look up at her face, I can see that she has the most peaceful of expressions in her sleep. I know now what I must do. She did so much for me last night that I feel I haven’t done my share.

As Nura continues to lie on her back, bottomless, and with the white robes open at the front, I have a full view of her entire front side. I gently spread her legs and position myself in the open space between them. She looks so peaceful and innocent. I almost feel conflicted with what I am about to do, knowing that I will be destroying that, but I’m sure that she’ll enjoy her morning treat enough to make up for it. I’m sure her expression then will be quite splendid.

I lean forward so as to bring my face close to it while tucking locks of my hair behind my ears so that they don’t get in the way. I slip my fingers along the inside of its subtle curvature, and gently pull it towards me. It feels almost unnaturally warm and alive, and I can feel it subtly twitching. I give a gentle kiss to the area just a bit under the head, and I can feel it move just a bit.

“Mmm~?”

I think Nura is probably half-awake by now. Looking up at her face, I can see her eyes slowly open in a groggy daze. Still holding onto it very lightly, I take this time to place my lips around just the head portion only, and forcefully give it a thorough swirl with my tongue. Her body shakes, and this wakes her right up.

I quickly take it out of my mouth, and press the side of the shaft against my cheek using my hand very lightly wrapped around it while I look up at her face with as cute a smile as I can manage. I hope this looks nice from her angle.

“Good morning,” I say to her, trying to sound just the tiniest bit seductive.

“Eh!? Uh, I uh….” She fumbles her words, and her face burns bright red.

“Relax, relax,” I coo while gently rubbing what I have of hers in hand against my cheek. I can feel it twitching as it starts to expand just a tiny bit more. She props herself up slightly with her arms, and has the cutest nervous smile on her face as she looks at me expectantly.

While still holding it lightly in my hand, I give it a kiss at the front of its base, and then teasingly drag my lips across its front surface all the way to the very tip. She instantly releases a small amount of clear gel to gloss my lips, which I pucker at the tiny opening at the front of the head. I spread it thinly over my lips just as I would any other tube of lip gloss.

Her whimpers really excite me. I can’t help but smile.

I gently grip around the shaft portion with my index and middle finger at the back, and my thumb at the front near the base. I start licking the opening at the head using the very tip of my tongue in a pointed fashion. With my other hand, I carefully slip a couple fingers behind her testes. I smear her juices along the back side of her testes as I gently cup my fingers under them, and she seems to respond to this very favorably.

“Ahh, ahh~.” She sure sounds like she’s having a good time.

I finally close my lips around the head which draws out a moan from Nura who begins to rock her hips back and forth gently, urging me to help her along. Bringing my tongue against it, I dance along its surface, while starting to stroke gently along the shaft. Her testes gently pull back from my hand. I can feel her fingers caressing the side of my face and stroking my hair, but they are also trembling slightly as she moans. I think her time is near.

My cheeks get pulled in as my lips close around her tightly, and I start to apply a suction force with my mouth. I bring my hand, which is wrapped around her, down towards the base to give myself some room. I then start up a slow repeated bobbing motion with my head, with my tongue randomly swirling at whatever’s in front of it at any given time, while trying my best to suck in as hard as I can. The shaft slides smoothly in and out of my mouth. My hand settles on a twisting motion at the base, while my other hand carefully caresses the testes. They feel so unbelievably soft that I am afraid to handle them with too much force.

Before long, her testes retract tightly into her body. Her hips suddenly jut out at me, and her penis twitches wildly in my mouth. Her unrestrained moans fill the air, and spurts of warmth burst into my mouth, which I struggle to contain. Her body twitches violently when I flick my tongue back and forth over the head, coaxing more and more out of it. I end up swallowing it bit by bit as it comes out. Much more difficult than I had imagined, but somehow I am able to do it.

“Oh my…” she lets out breathily. “What… in the world… was that? So… amazing….” Her eyes are completely staring off into space, lost in some sort of happy daze filled with wonder and awe. As I thought, her satisfied expression is truly remarkable.

Jun 26, 2014 6:14 PM

#13

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Nearly Boiling

A sharp churning sensation in my abdomen disrupts my gait.

“Oh my, are you okay?” asks my companion Nura out of concern. “Could it possibly be… that time?”

“I’m not sure, but maybe. Something feels strange though,” I manage to say with much effort as I slump forward with a grimace. A new layer of cold sweat glazes my skin, as I’m sure that I feel something moving inside of me. After a moment, however, it subsides, and we’re able to continue, but Nura’s look of concern doesn’t fade quite so readily.

I can’t express my relief when we finally reach our destination. Since the both of us were quite sickeningly sticky, we had decided to wash off in the water. We decided that it wasn’t worth it to soil our clothes for only a short trip to the river, and so we travelled in the nude.

We find ourselves at an area that looks as if it was a bit away from the river that we had encountered previously. This looks like a small aside area that feeds into it. Upon further examination, there were a few spots that emit light streams of bubbles where water rushes up from the ground, and the entire area feels just a tiny bit steamy. It appears that we found a hot spring. Cautiously probing with a single toe, I am astonished to discover just how ideal the temperature is.

Without further ado, Nura and I lower ourselves into the wonderfully inviting pool. I unexpectedly let out a loud sigh of relief. The water here is relaxing beyond compare. Pains of the body seem to melt away instantly. Nura yelps and giggles wildly as she attempts to sit on one of the flowing jets of water. I can only imagine how exhilarating that must feel for her. As for myself, I find a place to sit comfortably while keeping my head above water, only wanting to relax as much as possible. The misty air and softly glowing elements embedded in the rock only add to the enchanting ambiance. It’s rather amazing.

Just then, a figure comes into view wading in the water. As she approaches, I am eventually able to see that she’s the cheerful Samira that I had met the day previous. She begins to wave at me, seemingly about to say, ”Hi,” but then stops herself.

“Uh, m-maybe I should come back later,” she says nervously. How unexpected. What in the world happened to her happy and outgoing personality?

“What’s wrong? I’d appreciate the company,” I call out to her.

“Really?” Her voice is a little bit more hopeful. “Pardon the intrusion then,” she adds while carefully wading towards me. She has her eye on Nura the whole time, and generally looks overly nervous while she approaches me, sitting beside me on the opposite side of Nura. Just then, Nura shifts closer to me. They have me sandwiched.

The two’s behavior seem very suspicious to me. Nura looks strangely unimpressed, and Samira looks… afraid. This is quite odd indeed; is it Nura that she’s so afraid of? When I turn to cast my gaze upon Samira, she quickly forces a smile at me. I feel really bad when I see that she looks absolutely terrified. This is most dreadfully awkward.

“Uh, Samira was it? Did you sleep well, Samira?” I ask to break the silence.

“Uh, um, y-yeah.” She looks very conflicted, as if there’s something she really wants to tell me, but can’t for whatever reason. “How did you sleep, Ami?” was all that she could come up with.

“I slept surprisingly well,” I answer with a lighthearted chuckle hoping to lighten up the mood. It seems to help just the tiniest bit. I really feel bad to be robbed of the cheerful Samira from before. Although a bit forward, I thought she was quite pleasant. I’ve never been very good at bringing people’s moods up, but I feel determined to cheer her up.

Choosing something appropriately silly to say to her, I decide on, “So, I’m surprised that you didn’t simply call me ‘the girl with the nice feet’ seeing how interested you were in them before. What’s up with that anyways?”

Samira looks taken aback for a moment, but then starts to smile in the sort of genuine fashion that’s truly heartwarming to see. “I-I’m not really sure, you see,” she says. “I thought yours looked really slender and elegant, and, and… I couldn’t help myself. They’re so pretty. Say, do you still have that anklet I gave you yesterday?”

After quickly feeling around, I reply. “Yeah, I do. I’m still wearing it right now actually.”

“Wow~! You see, yesterday I was moving some things, and after a hard day’s work, seeing a cute human girl with cute feet was just really refreshing.”

I laugh nervously. It’s a bit embarrassing to be called cute in such a straight-forward fashion. And for my feet to be singled out just seems rather bizarre. “So what were you moving?” I ask, not really understanding. “And uh, not to be rude or anything, but may I ask what are you… assuming that you’re not human? I’m still really new to this place. I’m really sorry. Uh, I’m not really sure if that’s an appropriate question to ask or not.”

I couldn’t help but ramble just a little bit due to my own incompetence.

Samira laughs gleefully at my awkwardness. “Oh my, you’re acting so friendly with me even though you don’t know I’m a mermaid? I’m impressed. I was sure that most humans would try to get close to us just to hunt us, hehe.”

“Huh? Why would we hunt you?” I ask, thoroughly confused.

“Oh, you don’t know? Then… I won’t tell you~,” she teases. She continues to laugh at my expense. Surely I must look exactly as confused as I feel.

“I can clearly see that you also have legs like me. Are you sure you’re a mermaid?” This elicits even more laughs from her, which she’s trying to not let get out of control. I’m glad that I could lift her spirits, but now I feel just a little dumb.

“Ah, you’re just so cute I could hug you, Ami,” she says, looking at me with much adoration. I splash a bit of the warm water on my face to alleviate my embarrassment. “You see, we mermaids can change between our tail and legs.”

I simply nod in response. This is actually quite fascinating, and it doesn’t really make any sense at all. For example, is matter conserved? What she describes sounds so impossible, but whatever doubt I had left vanished as soon as she gave me a demonstration. Her pair of legs quickly transformed into a long fish-like tail of bluish color with long beautiful fins on either side. I am truly shocked to see such a fantastical thing first-hand.

“I like wearing skirts when I have to change back and forth because it’s just easier that way. Skirts are convenient for all sorts of things, you know?” she explains. Well, I can surely agree with that. Wait, does that mean that she doesn’t wear anything under her skirt as well?

“Oh yeah, since you’re new here,” Samira begins to explain. “The river that runs through this cave is a trade route.”

“Oh?” I reply, not really knowing what to make of it.

“Yeah, there’s a dwarf settlement downstream, and the only way to reach there from this side of the mountains is to go by water. There’s a part where you have to stay underwater for a long time though. Lately, the freshwater people seem to be in short supply around here for some reason, so sea people like me get called over from time to time. Hmm… things seem really quiet here the past few days though.”

“I see.” She seems quite enthusiastic in her explanation. By the way that she explained it, I can only assume that both salt water and fresh water are okay for her somehow, but I guess that she prefers salt water?

“The dwarves sell a lot of their alchemical materials to Neena to fund their experiments. Oh, did you meet Neena?”

I nod.

“Yesterday they were doing weird things to water. I didn’t really understand what they were doing, but I heard that they have an undine or two locked up somewhere. I’m a bit scared to know what they’re doing to them though,” Samira says while looking up thoughtfully.

What Samira has to say is actually quite fascinating. Even though I didn’t contribute very much to the conversation once she got going, I find myself unable to turn away from it, being thoroughly engaged. On top of that, there’s just something mysteriously pleasant about her voice and the way that she speaks. It’s so animated and nice. When I do find the time to look at what Nura was up to, she’s no longer anywhere to be found. I can’t help but be filled with worry, seeing how Samira and her seem to act so awkwardly around each other. There’s definitely something strange going on between those two.

Jun 26, 2014 6:14 PM

#14

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Doorway to the New World

“Say, I wanna try something,” someone says, disrupting my quasi-meditative state. I open my eyes to rediscover the enchanting mist and glows that surround me. Samira, who had been sitting beside me begins to make her way towards the shore. “You stay right there, okay~?” she says with a fleeting coy giggle. I can’t help but give a weak smile in return before relinquishing my thoughts to the mystic warmth of the pool around me.

Tinted red, I am filled with haze.

Before I know it, I feel the palm of Nura’s gently make its way across my cheek. I find her overlooking me, not unlike the first time we had met, and I, gazing upwards back at her.

“How are you feeling now?” she asks me.

“At peace.”

“That’s good to hear. I’ll always be watching over you,” she says.

At that, she brushes a lock of hair off of my face in the most tenderly way possible. The soft surface of her sleeve brushes too by my cheek. Somehow this all feels a bit nostalgic, be it the comfort or otherwise. Filled with warmth and lull, I can surely attest to the healing qualities of rest atop her lap.

“Perhaps you’d like a moment longer?” she asks.

“Perhaps.”

----

Fully clothed, at least to the standards of my previous attire, I notice bandages on my thigh and forearm. When questioned about it, Nura says that they were always there. She catches me staring perhaps a moment too long at her shrine maiden’s garments, and asks whether they struck my fancy. They did, but being too embarrassed to admit it, I give her a discreet non-answer. However, I’m sure my eyes gave me away, and Nura seems thoroughly amused by this.

We continue to look at each other for a while before I suggest that we explore what the caves have to offer. It is my understanding that there are many caverns and denizens here and there. With our freedom, there’s much to explore, although in Nura’s case, her free-spirited attitude is much more understandable after having discovered that she was a ghost. As for me, I can’t help but come to the realization that I will be the one tying us down by imposing upon her the limits of the flesh. As we exit the area, I can’t help but think to myself that something important had curiously slipped my mind.

----

Our promenade was met with many pools of flowing water, small and large, all dotted with illuminating stone. We could go wherever we wanted, and the lights would show us the way, but we didn’t go far. With no destination in mind, just the simple act of visiting the spaces nearby, one by one was enough to satisfy us.

“There you are,” a voice calls out to us. “I’ve been looking for you all day!” says the wavy-haired Samira as she approaches me with much enthusiasm. A single glance at the miko-attired Nura seems enough to drive her amiable spirit away.

“Have you any business with us?” my companion asks with chilling pointedness. For the first time, I find myself frightened of her, noticing how she manages to marry superficial welcome with hurtful indifference.

The mermaid Samira becomes pale in the face. Her knuckles whiten as she grips onto the hem of her skirt nervously.

“In that case, good day,” says Nura, who is quick to discard her. Nura’s disdain is apparent, but I won’t have any of it. I resist Nura’s gentle tugs at my arm to stay and listen, which elicits a cautiously hopeful smile on Samira’s part.

“I think I remember now. We did arrange to meet,” I recall loosely. Nura tugs another time, and when I resist once more, she finally concedes.

“Uh, I wanted to try something with you,” Samira says with shy hesitance. She produces a small spherical object that glimmers silver and blue in her palm. “It’s, um, called a Sea Bishop’s Pearl,” she explains with a curious amount of diffidence. “I’ve had it for a while now, but with no one to try it with. I-It only works on humans.”

She gazes at me longingly, which I don’t exactly know how to interpret, therefore finding it impossible to reciprocate. A quick look around me reveals that Nura is again nowhere to be found, and I am overcome with a dreadful sinking feeling wrapped in bewilderment. Before I know it, I’ve been ensnared. Our lips meet, and the marble-like object known as the Sea Bishop’s Pearl is forcefully passed into my mouth by way of the mermaid’s tongue.

Paralyzed by tranquility, I lose all strength in my body. The world spins madly around me in a dazzle of colors, and I find myself helplessly washed away.

Jun 26, 2014 6:14 PM

#15

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Estranged

Unable to bear the great burning sensation in my chest, I drop down to the ground. To my horror, a mysterious clear fluid slowly oozes out of my mouth, nose, and ears. Feeling as if my insides are being painfully eviscerated, a fountain sprouts from my head, glip-glopping and piling onto the floor. Repulsed, I am sure that my body has far deviated from the path of purity. Samira looks just as confused as I, and the look of worry comes clearly across her face. It can probably be surmised that this is most abnormal.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I don’t know what’s happening!” Samira comes to my side to comfort me. Choking, and gasping, and gurgling, I eventually regain control of myself, but I am still a mess. She looks horrified at what’s happened to me.

Crawling on the ground, I make my way to the closest water’s edge, and I quickly wash off my face. She sits beside me looking miserably apologetic.

“T-That was supposed to grant you underwater breathing,” she explains timidly. “I, uh, I didn’t know that would happen; um, maybe it’s supposed to be like that?” She grasps me by the shoulders and looks carefully into my eyes. “Are you okay? Are you feeling okay?” I nod. “Are you sure?”

Samira keeps me steady and checks me over with great concern. She explains to me that the object was supposed to mix with a sea-person’s saliva, and then coat a human’s lungs, forming so-called aqualungs. They are said to differ from gills in that they draw in and expel water in much the same way that normal lungs do with air, and serve dual-purpose in that respect.

She must have caught onto my incredulous expression, and suggests that I try it out for myself. I find that I’m unsure as to whether I would even like to confirm what she had told me or not. I’m not sure if my sanity would be able to accept it. At the very least, she seems relieved that no apparent immediate illness has befallen me, and wraps her arms around me in a gentle embrace that I was honestly not expecting from her in the least.

“I’m sure it’ll be okay,” she says reassuringly, if only to reassure herself. That was a terrifying experience that I’d like to never experience again.

----

For the next while, Samira and I sit by the water’s edge. I cautiously inquire about her sour relationship with Nura, and she was unable to give any good answer in return. The most that she could suggest was that Nura was simply overcome with jealousy. From the way that she talked about Nura, however, I have a strong suspicion that there are things she’s not telling me. The mermaid named Samira is an animated and expressive person, such that her emotions are clear for all to see.

When asked about the pearl, she said that it’s something commonly handed out to sea-people so that they can help humans live underwater with the sea-people. I find it absolutely absurd that so much attention is given to humans, which most never even encounter in this world. I tell her this, and in response, she tells me that she’s never thought of the situation in that light, but most are well prepared to find humans to court, or simply to take by force.

When told this, I feel a bit sick. I have now come to believe that I am merely valued for being a human, and devalued for being female. Then I think about Nura, how her life must have been like as a human, and how even now she considers herself to be human. Perhaps Nura is the only one that can come close to understanding my feelings on this matter, but even that is questionable.

Jun 26, 2014 6:15 PM

#16

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Marionette

As I sit with Samira, I find it awkward to say very much, and honestly, my mind starts to drift. It was hard to pay attention to much of what she said, but she sure did have a lot to say. I’m sure that she notices this, and I think that her expression subtly and progressively edges towards melancholy as she continues along, unable to engage me anymore. It feels awful, knowing that I am the one causing this, and continuing to cause this to happen.

Before long, Samira is forced to speak up about it. I’m sure she feels even worse than me.

“Um, I’m really sorry,” she begins, gently placing her hands on my shoulders in order to refocus my truant attention. “I didn’t mean to just alter you like that. I was just so excited to try it out that I didn’t even consider that you might not like it. I didn’t consider your feelings at all; I’m so sorry!”

I open my mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Try as I may, I find myself unable to utter any sound whatsoever. Suddenly my body locks up. I feel myself ripped away, unable to do anything besides glaring at her quizzical expression with a horrified one on mine.

“What’s wrong?” she asks with great concern. I start to feel dangerously light-headed. It doesn’t take long for Samira to break out in panic and worry. I wish I could do something.

Quickly and without warning, even to myself, my own pair of hands reach up towards the wavy haired Samira. Some mysterious influence causes me to grasp tightly around her neck, and force her to the ground, despite resisting to the absolute best of my ability. Terrified and confused, I see myself mirrored in her eyes, and I see that same terror and confusion of mine expressed so clearly on her face. I feel her kicking and struggling with wild abandon. Her hands clench tightly on my arms, trying to tear me away, but I clench tighter.

I don’t know why this is happening.

There are short bursts of disgusting gurgling sounds as she tries to breathe as my hands dig into her throat with a crushing force that I never knew I had. So strong is this grip that the muscles in my forearm are starting to ache, and I get the feeling that they may possibly tear. Samira’s face looks bright red as if it were about to burst, and her eyes twitch wildly as they weep. Her throat feels so soft and nice that I don’t want to harm it in any way. Instead I’d rather caress her skin tenderly, seeing as how lovely she is. I can also feel the ridges in the cartilage of her throat, and the wildly pulsing blood vessels along the sides of her neck under the grasp of my fingers, and I’m appalled to be laying hands on her in this way. She’s so warm, and it’s so disturbing that I can feel this. My own body feels cold in comparison. I’m surprised that her neck doesn’t snap considering how fragile it looks, but I really hope with all my might that they don’t, although I think I may have heard a couple cracking sounds, and maybe a pop.

I never asked for this.

Tears start rolling down my own cheek as her grip around my arms start to lose their prior strength, and her struggling starts to fade into futility. I am overwhelmed with disgust and revolt as I remain under the spell of whatever madness that has befallen me. Samira is such a nice girl, and doesn’t deserve any of this. This is truly sick beyond words, and I wish I’d stop doing it.

My arms are starting to tire too, and my own throat feels twisted and stifled. Oh how painful this is to watch. A single moment of stress is starting to take its toll and my whole body trembles wildly. Suddenly my insides start to turn violently, eliciting a painful shriek out of me. With one strong wave of resistance, perhaps everything she had left, the mermaid manages to struggle back, sending both of us tumbling into the water. I can feel her desperation, and it fills me with dread.

I regain the use of my arms, but just barely, considering how useless they have become. I see her figure slowly swimming to safety as the haze in my mind brings me into a stupor. I am truly glad to have failed.

----

For several days, I am truly miserable. Nura and I stay in the same general area and do very little of note. Nura sometimes asks for sex, and I mindlessly let her have her way with me. At times like these, I am reminded again of the sweet and gelatinous Sofa. My ghost companion often asks me to have a walk with her instead of simply sulking in a corner, but I just can’t be bothered. It’s obvious that she worries about me, so I feel awful for being such a mess.

After the first few days, I start to liven up a bit. At least I’m eating somewhat, and I start agreeing to the walks that Nura asks me to do. Even after telling her about the things that I did, she doesn’t seem afraid of me. She jokes that since she’s the ghost, if anything’s scary, it would be her. Nevertheless, I’m glad that she’s there to help me in my time of need.

Nura and I start to spend time with the cyclops Neena and her frequent visitor, the little wyvern Simi. Occasionally some other people show up too, but they are typically just passing through. I learn from Neena that Samira is still around, helping with the moving that takes place in the waters, only that she had been absent for a couple of days earlier. She just deliberately tries to avoid me, which I understand wholeheartedly. I would try to avoid myself too if I could. Even though Neena doesn’t seem to know what happened between Samira and I, what gets me worried is that apparently Samira is looking worse and worse. According to Neena, it’s as if she’s not getting any sleep.

To ease my troubled mind, I try to distract myself by playing with Simi, and gathering fruit with her everyday and what-not. However, I am reminded of the possibility of uncontrollably harming her, and as a result, I feel terrible. There is something unspeakably terrifying about being alone with little Simi, so I ask Nura to stay with me whenever I’m around her. I miss Samira, and I miss Sofa. I wish they can both be with me.

The pains in my abdomen become more frequent, but at the same time, they become less intense. Enough so that they aren’t much of a problem. I eventually start to crave sex more and more, and my nights with Nura start to become passionate as a result.

I often tell her that I wish I could see Samira again, and she always looks a bit uncomfortable. I don’t exactly know why I keep telling her that, knowing how there’s something strange going on between them, but I just keep feeling like I need to say it. Maybe I wished that she could bring her back somehow.

Jun 26, 2014 6:15 PM

#17

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Irresistible

I sit with Nura by the riverside not too far from the entrance into the side of the mountain, snacking on berries in relative tranquility. My ghost companion seems rather content just watching me eat, having no need for consuming such nourishment for herself; although she does have some food now and again, presumably only to indulge her palate. I wonder just where the food actually ends up when she eats. Although I still require it, It appears as though my need for sustenance has decreased somewhat since arriving here. I can only assume that it’s caused by my being here on this island, whether it be special properties of the water or air, I know not which.

“Mia~! You eat a lot!” exclaims Simi as she approaches us with her big bag of fruit. “Mia is amazing! You never get fat!” she says while setting her bag down by my feet and joining us for a rest.

“Ahaha,” I laugh awkwardly. I am the same back home; being resistant to weight-gain no matter the amount of food intake. “Simi, you always gather so much fruit for Neena, but does she actually eat that much?” I ask her, referring to the cyclops Neena.

The little wyvern Simi tilts her head up to think for a moment then responds with, “I dunno. Maybe.” She stares blankly at my face while she brings her wings together in front of her. She is quick to set the issue aside, and begins swinging her legs happily as she sits, head bobbing to and fro without a care in the world.

Suddenly, I feel a strong gust of wind followed by another. It’s strong enough to blow our hair and clothing this way and that. Nura and I instinctively shield our faces, while Simi starts getting excited.

“Mommy, Mommy!” she shouts out as she hops off her seat and flaps her wings about in a hyper and exaggerated greeting accompanied by random hopping as she makes her way towards the source of the gale. Just as one would expect, a wyvern of older age than Simi comes down from the sky, beating her wings rhythmically to soften her landing. I wait until the strong wind stops blowing before bothering to pull the hair out of my face. When the dust settles, I see before me the older wyvern spreading her wings out momentarily before bringing them back towards her body neatly in which I can only describe as a dignified manner. She looks like an older and taller version of Simi, except with longer hair, a toned athletic body, and a mature cool expression. She seems to glare at Nura and I with an analytical gaze before speaking.

“I take it you two are Mia and Nura?” she asks after bringing her clawed hand towards her chin.

“Yes, that would be us,” replies Nura. “I’m Nura, and she’s Amelia.”

I lower my head momentarily in greeting.

“Mommy, they were helping me pick fruit for Neena~!” Simi explains while having her arm/wing hybrids wrapped around her mother, and face staring up at the older wyvern’s face with wide eyes and a smile. “They help a lot,” Simi adds with a giggle. Simi’s height was roughly that of the wyvern’s hips.

“Oh? I see. I’ve heard a lot about you two from Simi,” she says lovingly as she gently pats her daughter on the head. Her expression softens after looking at us for another moment. “Sorry for not having introduced myself; I’m Taima; nice to meet you two, and thank you dearly for also taking care of my daughter.”

“Oh no, I…,” I start saying while bringing my hands in front of me with a slight waving motion and leaning back slightly. “I haven’t done much at all; it’s not a big deal at all. R-Really.”

“Simi,” says Taima. “I see you got a lot of fruit for Neena didn’t you?” she says with a higher pitched voice, like one that’d be used when talking to children.

“Yeah!” Simi exclaims happily.

“Why don’t you bring it to Neena now?”

Simi looks at her mother for a moment, then at us, and then back at Taima. “Okay!” she shouts with maybe just a little bit too much volume. She quickly runs over to the bag of fruit, lifts it up, wobbles a few times under the weight, and then starts carrying it towards the cave. She’s really cute to watch sometimes.

After Simi walks out of earshot, Taima brings her gaze back at us.

“So, um…” she starts to say, clearing her throat. She then brings her claws up to her chin again, looking really contemplative. “Mia and Nura, you two have met Neena, right?”

“Y-Yes,” I answer, a bit confused. The atmosphere seems to have changed drastically, and I am unsure of what’s to follow. I can’t tell if it’s good or bad, and that’s a bit unsettling.

“I see. Uh…” she looks away for a moment, pursing her lips, and then refocuses back on me. “How is she?” she asks with a bit of hesitation in the most cryptic way possible.

“She seems good,” I answer, as confused as I must certainly appear to be.

“Good, good,” the wyvern says, nodding her head slightly with an expression that I can’t exactly identify. If I were to guess, it’s something like relief. “Is she healthy? I-Is she feeling alright?” she asks with her clawed hand brushing behind her neck looking just a bit embarrassed. Her body language looks a bit vulnerable; a far cry from the initial impression she gave off as a strong, stoic type of personality.

“I, uh, guess so?” I reply, very unsure of myself.

“Why don’t you just go visit her?” asks Nura, in what I pick up as a very subtly annoyed tone of voice. I must say that I am only able to pick this up from her speaking due to my time with her. I doubt Taima was able to spot it.

“I… I can’t,” says Taima, looking a little bit depressed and maybe ashamed. She keeps her head a bit lowered, staring towards the ground with her hands by her tummy area, one hand over the wrist of the other; and lets her last sentence linger in the silence.

“Why not?” asks Nura straight-forwardly.

Taima kicks her foot into the ground. “I, I…,” she begins to say, and then stops herself, pursing her lips again. “I don’t want to hurt her,” Taima adds. Nura and I exchange awkward looks. “You know how her legs are… y-you know?” she asks.

“Y-Yeah,” I reply timidly.

“I’m ashamed to say that was my doing. When I see her, I, I…,” she says shaking her head, and exhaling deeply. “I can’t help it! Oh, I’m such a bad person! When I see her, I… I can’t help it! I can’t control myself.” She places her hand against her cheek, looking sentimental. “She’s so irresistible! Her amazing horn… I just want to ravage her! I just want to straddle her and have my way with her. I want to do this and that… I, I… ahh! She’s so amazing!”

I stare incredulously at Simi’s mother, the wyvern Taima’s incredible outburst. I thought she was a totally cool and level-headed person, but I’m not sure what to think anymore.

All I have to say in return is, “Oi… pull yourself together.”

Jun 26, 2014 6:15 PM

#18

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## False Start

For a few days, my dreams are filled with nothing but sex. I can never remember with who, or the circumstances surrounding the acts; only the acts themselves, and very vaguely at that. That is not to say that I even particularly enjoyed them. They completely lack the intimate connection that I tend to associate with such things, and I get the strange feeling of disconnect, as if I were witnessing someone else’s dream as opposed to my own. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night feeling a bit disturbed for some reason, and I always find my ghostly companion Nura to be missing. She always snuggles up to me when I go to sleep, and I always find her snuggled up against me when I wake up in the morning, but apparently she isn’t with me during the rest of my sleep. I somehow doubt her need to sleep altogether, and I often find myself wondering what she does during the night while I dream these unbecoming dreams, but I can’t bring myself to simply ask her. To be honest, I’m a bit afraid.

I let out a wistful sigh as I stare out the opening of the caves at the heavy downpour outside. It has been raining constantly for the past few days, and I haven’t been visited by either of the wyverns as a result. I lean against the cold rock, and the damp earthy air surrounds me, mixed with something like wet forest smells coming from outside. It’s not too bad.

A wet squishy sound makes me turn my head. When I do, I find Mo from the waters creeping up towards me awkwardly. I haven’t seen her in the longest time, and I wonder what business she has with insignificant me. Having drawn my attention doesn’t seem to affect her in the slightest, as her lack of expression remains as undecipherable as ever. As she approaches, she seems rather relaxed if not attentive, as if something about me interested her. Her scaled body comes into view more-so than ever before as the light from outside is cast upon her, and I can see her tail swinging back and forth behind her. After a moment of awkward silent staring, she raises both of her scaled and webbed arms up above her head, and touches the tip of her webbed fingers against the very top of her head, followed by a tilting of the entire upper portion of her body to one side. I give her the longest perplexed stare ever and she shows no reaction to this, save for wagging her tail ever so slightly faster.

Wondering if this is some sort of deranged, yet oddly cute greeting from her part, I timidly respond with a “H-Hi Mo.” Water droplets roll down her straight dark hair and swimsuit-like garment, and continue down her scaled legs. The petite swamp-thing-looking girl tilts her upper body to the other side with her arms still on her head. A lock of her wet hair slides across her cheek and falls between her eyes as she does, and she blinks, showing off what seems to be two sets of eyelids. Her response seems a bit unnerving. Then without warning, she lets out a light throaty sound, followed by what sounds a bit like a quack, and then lightly trots off, jumping back into the cave water. Like last time, her eyes peek out of the surface of the water one last time to look at me before she re-submerges and disappears completely from sight.

Jun 26, 2014 6:16 PM

#19

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Trickling In

Once more I wake up to the result of unrestrained lust invading my dreams. What an uncomfortable feeling it is to lose one’s body and to lose one’s mind to the deep unknown. Only truly abnormal circumstances could conjure such rude visions in my normally calm, albeit dull mind, one that rarely dreams until I first set foot upon this most fantastical of worlds. It is as if another organism had taken root inside of me. My stomach churned at the thought.

I realize that my ghostly companion Nura is nowhere to be found, which happens every once in a while. I figure she must be off doing something somewhere, as spending the whole night with me must have gotten boring after a while, considering that sleep isn’t at all mandatory for her. Again I wonder what she is up to. I continue to have an unsettling feeling that I am kept in the dark about many things, making me feel all the more like an outsider to an already strange place.

Just then I notice something odd about my clothes. The part for which I would consider to be the ‘underwear’ portion of an already lingerie-like ensemble feels slightly out of place. It’s all there as I’d expect, but the manner in which they sit against the skin feels different enough, such that it suggests that someone had perhaps taken them off and then put them back on for me sometime in the night. Feeling disturbed and paranoid, I stagger up from my mat, nearly losing my balance, ears ringing, and the sides of my neck pulsing heavily. The world around me seems to spin and pulse. I feel sick.

----

I sit by the water’s edge, listening to the faint sounds of light rain dripping lazily outside while lost in thought to the rhythmic echoes. I begin to feel restless and I shake my head vigorously. There’s this uncomfortable feeling of pressure in my ears that have come and gone since the past days after I took Samira’s ‘Sea Bishop’s Pearl.’ A couple days ago, the pressure became really strong to the point where I felt as if my head was about to split open, but after that brief climax in intensity, it has steadily gotten better over time. By now it is mild and manageable at the very least. I can’t be sure what has brought it on, but I suspect it had something to with that which I swallowed that day.

I have always been curious about the changes that the drop I swallowed could have caused in my body, but it’s quite a scary thought indeed. The initial experience of ingesting the thing, as well as the events that followed it were so foul that I wanted nothing more than to forget that the whole thing even happened. The idea of testing it out was also terrifying. That pool of water before me looks all the more intimidating when I think about plunging face-first into it and breathing the contents in.

“Myuuuu~,” a high pitched voice calls out, immediately drawing my attention. A gel-bodied girl, not much different than Sofa, but with a slightly more reddish color drifts about aimlessly in the water, bobbing up and down with the waves, and bumping against the shore as she drifts. She looks oddly content as her wobbly body floats about in the water, gently massaged by the waves.

“Hey,” I call out to her.

She responds with a carefree smile, even as her body is spun around ever so slowly by the waves. That seemed more than enough incentive for me to jump into the water and approach her. At least it was enough to break me out of my previous train of thought.

I follow her, treading water with my legs as she slowly makes a circle around Mo’s little piece of land. I continue to make sure I keep my head above water, still too afraid to test out my apparent inhumanly aquatic faculties. She giggles as she bounces off another visible rock which was sticking out of the water. She’s the first of these slime girls that I’ve seen since Sofa, which makes me feel a distant longing as I recall my time with her. I am all the more interested, and afraid. The eerie glows that emanate from the rocks light up her translucent body which gives her even more of an other-worldly aura.

I brace myself by placing my hand against the large rock to steady myself in the water when I hear a soft quacking sound in the distance. I look over my shoulder to see Mo paddling slowly towards me before submerging, having come from outside of the cave with a small net. The slime girl gently wraps herself around me as Mo approaches. The little swamp-thing-like girl pops her head out of the water to start one of her usual stare sessions with the new slime. The slime in return seems to be amused by this and she pushes herself off of me, wrapping herself around Mo after a short glide along the water.

Mo doesn’t seem too bothered by this, and she continues to paddle towards her usual piece of land with the slime girl on her back. She pulls both herself and the slime onto shore, along with her little net, which I can now see is filled with a small number of fish flapping about. The two sit down, and for a moment it looks as if they were going to have a little picnic.

I can’t help but smile at the sight.

I am surprised when I see the scaled Mo, who I had recently learned was called a sahuagin, turn towards me and gently pat the ground beside her with her webbed hand, emitting a wet slapping sound against the hard surface, inviting me to climb ashore. What surprised me again was when I heard her speak to me for the first time.

“Come,” she said.

Jun 26, 2014 6:16 PM

#20

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## At Last

“Human!”

I startle back as I hear a small voice booming out with unexpected force after I sit myself down neatly beside two others, the sahuagin known as Mo, and the slime-girl of reddish-purple color.

“Human?” the slime-girl repeats in a high-pitched voice after Mo with a curious expression upon her face while leaning first towards me, and then towards the little sahuagin shortly afterwards.

“Y-Yes?” was all I could manage to reply. Meekly at that.

“Your anklet,” begins Mo, who is kneeling neatly with her legs together and her hands atop her knees. Her posture is straight, and her expression stern. Her small stature does little to undermine the potency of her eyes. Those eyes, not by some manner of magic or unnatural force, make me feel weak in comparison. Those eyes commanded attention.

“My-,” I let out, confused.

“Where is it?” she asks calmly.

“Where!” the slime repeats after Mo, jutting her chest out, and straightening out her back enthusiastically, looking much too happy for any occasion, let alone this one.

“I.” I look over to check my feet, finding nothing. “I don’t know.” For some reason I forgot that I even had such a thing.

The slime-girl starts rocking back and forth, enjoying herself with who knows what, as Mo continues looking straight at me for a moment as if waiting for me to elaborate upon my non-answer.

Before I could give any real response, the little sahuagin leans forward towards me, placing her scaled hands onto the rock surface where we sat upon, and started crawling towards me on all fours. I imagine that I must look terrified despite the slow and non-threatening manner in which she advanced. Neither of us said anything while the slime-girl hummed to herself quietly in the background. When near enough, Mo reached out with her webbed hand, pressing it firmly on my belly. She then leans in closely. Perhaps sensing my discomfort, she gently pats my arm a few times as she presses the side of her face against my tummy.

Suddenly she makes a sound.

The slime-girl makes a curious expression and seemingly leans in to look more closely.

“Uh,” I let out, afraid to blurt out something I shouldn’t. I want to know what’s going on. All this secrecy and misdirection was getting to me, but against beings many magnitudes more powerful than myself, I haven’t a clue how to approach it. I am painfully aware that the only reason I haven’t been disposed of yet is that there was never a reason for anyone to do so. At least that was how I felt.

When Mo sat back up, her face looked dreary, at least it had that air about it, otherwise there’s no telling what’s on that girl’s mind. Before I could inquire further, she stares straight up at the cave ceiling.

“You!” she calls out at the air above her, then she turns to look over her right shoulder, into the slow-moving river that surrounds the little piece of land we sit on. “And you!” she shouts out into the distance.

“Eep!” I hear in the distance, followed by a faint splash.

In an instant, a floating figure materializes right above our heads, causing me to flinch reflexively. To my astonishment, it is none other than the ghostly miko-clad Nura. She looks a bit unimpressed, folding her arms as she gently lowers herself to our level.

A dark ripple shimmers past patches of luminescence in the riverbed, diffused eerily, as it moves towards our little impromptu gathering. Once it is close enough, I can see through the clear water, another familiar face. The friendly mermaid Samira slowly rises her head out of the water, stopping at the bridge of her nose such that just her eyes and the very top of her head are above the surface, looking afraid to confront us fully. She looks like a child who had just been scolded.

“You two,” said Mo flatly. “Fix it.”

“Fix it!” repeats the seemingly ever-happy slime.

Jun 26, 2014 6:19 PM

#21

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Voices in my Head

Nura continues to stand tall at the rocky ledge. Chilling were her eyes, casting silence upon those at her feet, where the mermaid Samira— who can only be described as cowering, held tightly onto the same ledge, reluctant to step out of the comforting blanket of waves. The paleness of her knuckles conveyed her terror more than clearly enough. Even the unnamed slime, as well as the sahuagin Mo, and I, the lowly human, simply sit, petrified. Never a fault in her posture, if only Nura’s eyes were not seen, there would only be a gentle calm, but behind her enchanting eyes today, I see a lividity I have never seen from her before.

I avert my gaze from Nura, and look instead at the usually cheerful Samira. I can already sense her regret at responding to Mo’s previous summon. It would have been much easier to simply dart away in the water. I already know that Nura and Samira aren’t on the best of terms, and I am in equal parts eager and fearful to potentially find out today.

Mo, being the braver one between us, stands up to face the apparition.

“Explain,” she says firmly.

Nura slowly starts to turn her head towards Mo, who is at least a full head length shorter, if not more. This causes the little sahuagin to step back as if intimidated. The slime-girl beside me waves her body back and forth as if shaking, while wearing a worried expression on her face, before quickly bouncing herself into the water as if to flee. Nura closes her eyes, takes a deep breath to calm herself down, then again to get the point across. With that, I can feel everyone around me start to ease up a bit. Finally I can see her eyes again, and whatever choler previously exhibited by the ghost girl is mostly gone now.

“Let me begin by first explaining that I may have been too excessive in my actions, and for that, I apologize,” Nura begins with a chilling calm in her voice. “I only wished for Amelia here to remain safe, and to remain human as best as one can. Therefore, I must protect her from things that may potentially jeopardize that. Not only from corrupting influences, but from physical harm as well.”

Somehow I’m not entirely convinced.

“Wha—,” says Samira, before she’s interrupted with a hand gesture by Nura. “I’m sorry. I’m… really sorry,” says Samira, now with her face entirely above the water. There has to be something she’s not saying. There must be something happening between those two behind my back, so to speak. Somehow I’m beginning to wonder if there is any real reason for the perceived conflict.

“After careful observation,” Nura begins. “I’ve determined that you are not a threat,” she says to the mermaid, albeit unusually cold. With that, I can see a slight bit of relief coming to Samira’s eyes.

I feel a comfortable warm glow come over me when I saw that, accompanied by a slight tightening in the chest. I start feeling a bit light-headed, but in a tranquil sort of way, just very slowly creeping in. By now, Mo had sat back down, and is now staring at me, straight in the eyes, but not saying anything. Is there something wrong with me? My breathing starts to feel very loud, like it’s resonating in my head, and I can’t make it go away. I try opening my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. By now, everyone has their attention on me. I can see them opening and closing their mouths, their expressions in shock, but it’s getting hard to see clearly. I strenuously force my head downward to gaze upon myself.

What I saw was no longer recognizably me. And what I saw was somehow not the least bit terrifying. I know, however, that it ought to be.

----

I feel unreasonably warm. When I open my eyes, I can’t see a thing. Flashes of red and yellow were all that I could make out, and everything sounds far away. Wait, I focus my hearing in lieu of my currently useless vision. I find that I don’t even have enough energy to panic properly, but rather, all I can do is simply stay as I am, and listen. After a moment, I begin to make out the sound of voices. And finally, pain.

“Ehh? You’re still taking care of her? Um, as sad as it is to say this, um… I think she’s a lost cause. Please don’t hurt me, but I think it’s time to move on,” I hear a voice say.

I hear another voice begin to speak. “No. She’s definitely improving. I think I owe it to her to nurse her back to health.”

“But… haven’t you heard the recent rumors? Suddenly there’s humans appearing on the island. Human men. Plus, um, she’s a bit broken. As rare as it is to see a female human around, it’s probably time to let go.”

“She’s always been broken; that’s not the point. Truth be told, I’ve known about the appearance of men for a while now”

“Then, don’t you want to go see? I’m going. Hopefully, I can even find…”

“Unlikely. As broken as she is, I want to help her.”

“Well I can dream, can’t I? Wouldn’t it be romantic though? And, uh, if you want my opinion, I think you’re obsessing over her a little bit too much. She’s just some girl.”

“That’s certainly true, but I’ve come to like her. The way that she seems to be always furrowing her brows, and hardly ever smiling. Like a broken shell of a person. But somehow I feel like I have some sort of responsibility towards her. It was because of her that I am able to materialize after all.”

“Ah, I see. That’s really sweet. Ahh~.”

“She likes you, you know?”

“Well…. You sure? Well I am curious. Like what a human girl enjoys, and everything. If you really can fix her, then I guess it would be nice to play with her some more. Back then I was really curious about her, but you totally kept her to yourself. Meanie.”

I can feel some sort of cloudiness in my eyes, and I can finally start feeling my body again. I am so incredibly thirsty. I must be deathly dehydrated. I hear a disgusting dry cough coming out of my mouth.

“Oh hey! She’s awake!”

“Quick. Give it to her.”

After a moment of silence, I feel a hand against the side of my face, turning me slightly to the side. Then after that, my lips are smothered, and cool heavenly life water start to flow into my mouth. As I swallow, nearly choking, I can feel the life coming back into me. I grit my teeth, feeling a slight metallic aftertaste in my mouth.

“Ami,” I hear fairly close to my ear as I feel myself being propped up, and then wrapped into an embrace. I can feel it now. Sunlight on one side, and the warmth of a body on the other.

“There’s so much to tell you Ami. But for now, welcome back.”

Jun 26, 2014 6:19 PM

#22

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Sunlight

Nura has a calm and soothing, but somewhat wistful expression upon her face as she gazes far off into the distance. She appears to be daydreaming. With slow running water beside us, and bushes of wild berries, we sit not far from the cave entrance where so much had happened, both good and bad. The sun is strong, but not overbearingly so. I notice that my skin had tanned, but only slightly. Almost imperceptibly so. I must have been out in the sun for long, so why exactly is my skin still so pale? Samira smiles at me as she holds my outstretched foot in both of her hands, digging a thumb into the fleshy portion under the arch, and massaging the sore tendons. Her underfoot massage is both painful and sensual, setting forth a shower of ripples upon my scalp and back. She lets out a soft giggle as she watches me shudder at the pleasant sensations.

“Please, don’t be afraid anymore,” says Samira in a melodious voice. “The, um, thing is gone now. As long as you stay in the sun, you’ll get better. You see… hmm, how do I say this,” she begins, trying to find a way to start explaining, tilting her head to the side, visibly thinking.

There isn’t anything I could do besides listening carefully.

“That thing that was inside you. We’ve managed to remove it, so you’ll be fine now. It’s behind us now. You’ll still need some time to recover, but things are going to be all right. Nura told me that you wanted to stay human right? Or at least I assume you at the very least want to keep your mind where it is,” she says while massaging my calf muscles, trying not to sound too serious, perhaps in an effort to not scare me. “It turns out it was something the dwarves made. Something shady. Some… experiment thing.”

“Wha—.”

“Yeah, you see… basically it’s like a parasite,” the mermaid explains, seemingly having finally found a direction for her thus-far confused explanation. While supporting the area above my ankle, she starts to rotate and stretch out my foot, causing me to gasp and lean back into my supporting arms. “It’s something called a roper core, or at least something similar. They seem to have… changed it somehow. It actually took control of you, and made you go crazy, but we were able to find someone to pull it out, and get rid of it. They said that luckily it didn’t work right. Ami. Ami?”

“Uh,” I let out as I snapped out of my stupor. Samira holds my foot still and looks me in the eye to make sure I am attentive. “Are you okay? You were gone for a long time. Well, gone as in it wasn’t you, but you were, or at least your body was running amuck. Do you remember any of it?”

“Are you serious?” I ask incredulously. She sounds genuine enough, but information like this was hard to swallow.

“Very,” she answers promptly.

I lower my head, not knowing what to say. The idea of such a thing— a mind controlling parasite, was both revolting and surreal. I suppose that’s not so strange, given the other nonsense that happens in this world, but even then, it just doesn’t feel real. It’s hard for me to imagine just what happened during the most recent hole in my memory. I try thinking hard about the matter, but the more I thought about it, the more confused I was. Perhaps seeing my distress, she places her hand on my head and pats me gently, running her fingers along my hair. She lifts my head up by the chin, and gives me the brightest smile.

“But it’s okay now, because you’re free! And we’re here to help,” she exclaims cheerfully. “Wait, are you free? What’s my name?” she asks, still smiling, with a hint of playfulness, and a slight twist in her shoulders.

“Do I really have to answer?” I ask half-jokingly, ever so slightly uplifted by her shift in attitude. In truth, I always felt nervous whenever someone asks me something completely obvious for the purpose of checking whether I was sane, or listening. I always had the paranoid suspicion that some sort of trick hid behind such questions, and it always affected my response time. But before I knew it, she was hugging me. Physical contact always had a stronger calming effect with me than words alone.

After a moment, she grabs ahold of her little purse-bag, and scoots over towards the slow-moving river so that she may scoop herself some fresh water to drink. She lets out a refreshed squeal and then turns back to me. “Why don’t you freshen up too?” she asks, to which I reply with a nod, and quickly splash some water onto my face. It must have been quite some time since I had last washed my face, and I realize that I am also quite thirsty. To my surprise, I find that the skin on my face is much smoother than I last remember. A quick feel of my upper arms reveal this to be the case elsewhere as well. Ever since I arrived at this place, I haven’t been able to partake in any of the tried and true skincare routines. The mermaid Samira is quick to notice my surprise, to which she beams with a happy smile. Something was fishy, for she’s obviously fishing for a response with that smile, so I cautiously take the bait. I can see the anticipation gradually grow on her face while I take a moment to formulate my question.

“So, I assume you helped me keep my skin smooth?” I ask, trying to seem casual and coolheaded, hopefully hiding my sense of bashfulness arising from the mermaid’s sudden boast-y attitude.

She nods. “With a generous helping of moisturizer,” she replies happily.

“And about the sunlight.”

“Yep!”

“Oh,” was all I could say.

“That ghost didn’t think to take care of that aspect of your body while you were out, so you have me to thank for that,” she continues, not letting her cheeriness let up.

“Well, I guess she probably didn’t think of it, because it’s not a problem for her,” I said in Nura’s defense while I turn to look at my ghostly companion. She averts her gaze slightly and stays quiet. Interesting. I wonder why she’s been so quiet for the past while. “Nura, is something wrong?” I ask. She slowly turns towards me, seemingly gathering her thoughts.

“I’ve been thinking,” says the ghost. “And I apologize if I seem distant, but I think it’s important. I’d like you to meet someone, and as soon as we can prepare you for travel, I’d like to take you to see her. I believe she can help you.”

Jun 26, 2014 7:06 PM

#23

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Wildfire

By the cave entrance under the shade on a sunny day, I sit with my knees drawn up to my chest, and my arms around them, gazing dreamily at the world outside. In the moderate distance, I can see two tailed women wrestling, striking, and straining. The conduct of their sparring session seems to be one of laughter and joy, which can be likened to that of horseplay despite the apparent potency of their combat acumen.

I lower my head and bury myself in my arms. I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of loss following the removal of the parasite. To think that she lived on inside of me for so long. Exactly what happened to her after the removal? No one seems to have an answer for me. Exactly what did the dwarves do to make her that way? It is indeed difficult to see her as a parasite when I can only imagine her cheery expression smiling back at me. The other slime who had joined me along with Mo, she knew. Now that I look back at the event, she definitely knew.

“Amyaaa~!” I hear a voice cry fairly close to me.

I lift my head up from my arms to see an excited Simi staring at me with a silly grin. The little wyvern has a citrus-like fruit held between her two wings, and promptly shoves it towards me.

“It’s for you!” she explains happily. “Did you hear? There’s humans, mans, all of a sudden! I’m going to find a mans! Are you?” she blurts out, flapping her wings around excitedly. Then without warning, she suddenly calms down and asks bluntly, “Are you sad?”

I slowly shake my head. The kid tilts her head until her entire torso tilts to the side, and turns to lean into my body. I gently catch her in my arms as she seems to deliberately twist into them.

“Aww, don’t be sad Amyaaa,” she says as she pats the side of my face with one of her wings while looking up at my face. “Neena’s been sooo busy,” she says, suddenly changing the subject. She squirms around playfully with a soft giggle as she rights herself again. “I’m going to go see my friend Nydia now okay? She’s going to teach me how to catch a mans. I’m going to get one before you do!” she says challengingly, and hopping around, as she starts flapping her wings and darts out of the cave, and then sharply up afterwards.

I let out a sigh to myself. She seemed a bit larger than the last time I saw her. Cute kid, but it’s a bit sad to see the tumult suddenly light this world ablaze at mere rumors about the appearance of men. I bring the round citrus fruit in front of me, and dig my two thumbs into the thick skin to part it. With a gentle peeling sound, and a weak spray of flavorful juice, the sweet fragrance seems to blossom in an instant, and quickly fills the surrounding air.

----

I wince slightly as Samira gently scrapes the pumice stone against the underside of my foot in a rhythmic fashion. The sensations scatter, and then crawl straight to my head.

“Hold still silly,” says the mermaid with a laugh as she looks up at me from her position from wading in the hot spring pool of water, and I, sitting ashore with my leg stretched out towards her. She lightly squeezes my ankle, and tilts the stone to scrape in a different direction.

“Uu, it tickles a bit when you do it,” I say to her.

“I know it does,” she replies teasingly.

Even without any clothes on, the rising steam is plenty warm enough to satisfy my comfort. If it weren’t for Samira’s soft but firm finger-work, I may have been lulled to sleep long ago by the misty, dreamy atmosphere around the hot spring. Despite relaxing here often, it doesn’t seem to get old.

“I’m done for now Ami. Why don’t you hop on in?” Samira says invitingly as she slowly wades away from me. I gently, and quietly slip into the water, as if on command. The hot water seems to melt everything away, blanketing everything in a soothing envelope of tranquility. I then let myself sink down until my bottom touches the rocky surface of the shallow portion of the pool. I’m already familiar with the locations where I can sit down in and have water coverage to above my breasts. The mermaid drifts back towards me and takes a seat directly beside me, giving me a friendly smile.

Just then, a new face enters the immediate area. Being just as naked as the two of us are, I think it’s safe to assume that she came here for the express purpose of relaxing in the hot spring. What was immediately striking about her were the tough scales on her arms and legs, with visible claws at the ends of her fingers and toes. She has long, dark red hair, with a long lock resting alluringly between her yellowish eyes. Furthermore, she has a toned athletic build, and lastly, a fiery tail.

She eyes the two of us as she steps into the water, and we watch her in return as the water seems to bubble and fizzle around her as she enters.

“Mmm, that’s more like it,” she whispers sensually.

“Hi.” Samira was the first to speak.

“Hi,” she says in response with a deep cool voice. She glances at me for a moment.

“I’m Samira, and this is Amelia.”

“Agaue,” says the lizard-ly woman, glancing at me again. After a moment of obvious and intense staring, she finally speaks up. “Hmm, don’t mean to be rude, but what are you exactly, an amazoness?” she asks, narrowing her eyes, and leaning towards me slightly. I feel myself tense up and pause, finding that to be a bit of a troubling question. My mermaid companion gave me an unsure look. I question whether it’d be a good idea to let them know too much about myself. Samira’s expression seems to suggest this as well.

“No, she isn’t,” a voice calls out.

“She looks more like a… kunoichi, perhaps?” another voice wonders out loud.

I turn to the right to see two girls walking towards us. I’ve seen them before earlier. They were the ones wrestling about with careless abandon earlier. Both of them appear almost entirely human, save for their dark tails, and both of them had clear, coppery skin, as well as toned athletic builds.

“Hmm?” says Agaue as she leans back to relax. “And I thought she might have been from some other clan. You metahumans all look the same to me. But it’s no surprise to be finding a kunoichi skulking about, and hiding in some cave. Ha!”

I decide not to correct them.

“Aren’t you also currently hiding in a cave?” asks one of the girls.

“I suppose so,” Agaue says with a casual laugh of amusement.

“And don’t you live in one too?”

Agaue simply lets out a hearty laugh in response.

The two enter the pool, and find a place to sit on their own side, letting out their own sighs of relaxation as they settle down.

“We overheard you earlier. Nice to meet you, Salamandar Agaue, Mermaid Samira, and perhaps-Kunoichi Amelia. I’m Seren,” says the girl with long, tied-back, dark hair.

“And I’m… Tesni,” says the other girl in a smoother-sounding voice, who has shorter, side-swept pinkish hair that covered her right eye.

“We’d be able to recognize other amazons, even if they were from other clans, right sister Tesni?”

“Yes… definitely.”

If I were to infer their purposes here, I would come to the conclusion that they must all be here to visit Neena, for weapons. Their intent is most likely preparation for something along the lines of ‘hunting season’, although I doubt they would be successful due to all the buzz being nothing but rumors. I don’t think I can ever truly understand the mindset here. Everyone seems so irrationally boy-crazy. Everyone seems so desperate towards something that is— at least for now, only an imaginary chance.

“We all know what we’re here for,” Agaue says, continuing my thoughts. “Now for the sake of conversation, let us discuss what sort of human everyone here seeks, shall we?” Samira and I exchange a quick glance as the lizard-ly woman raises her hand out of the water. “I already know that I want a human who can beat me in combat. Or at least be strong enough to be a match for me. That’s for sure. A romance that ignites my desire to improve is the one most suited for me, I think.” I find my eyes drawn to orange glow of undying fire cast under the waves by the salamander’s side as she begins to wave her tail back and forth while she speaks, the light refracting by way of the ripples, and strobing along the rocky surface.

“I must say I find that unlikely,” the amazon Seren speaks up. “Humans are weak and fragile creatures. What chance do they have against any warrior, much less one of your stature? I say this not to praise you too greatly, but to highlight their inadequacies as warriors.”

“Oh?” Agaue raises a brow. “If humans are so inadequate as you say, then what of you amazons? Aren’t all of your ancestors human? Or so the the myths you amazons perpetuate say, ha.”

“That may be true,” replies Seren. “But our ancestors cannot be compared with the humans today. Human in name only I say, but the meaning of the word has changed with the times unfortunately. What similarities are there between our ancestors and the men of today? Not many I say.”

“Mmm,” the other amazon Tesni lets out in oder to get everyone’s attention. “I think it would be pretty… difficult to have a romance with a human, at least with humans of today. They may make for decent pets perhaps?” she says with a thoughtful tilt of her head, and lilt in her voice.

“Hahaha, I’d like to keep my hopes up,” says Agaue, leaning back slightly to get more water coverage. “I’d like to think that if one of them did manage to meet my standards, then he’d be in every way a person as I.”

“If,” Seren emphasizes.

Samira could tell that the conversation was making me feel a bit uncomfortable. I feel her take my hand under the water and giving it a gentle squeeze, as if to comfort me.

“What about you, mermaid?” Agaue asks. “What kind of human are you looking for? And what about things such as romance?”

“Well,” she starts to say, bringing both her hands out of the water and clasping them, seemingly trying to find the words to say. “For me, romance is important, so I guess I’m looking for a man who also appreciates romance. I don’t think they’re any lesser though. Someone handsome and receptive to emotions would be the best. I’d like him to be a really romantic type of person who’d make my heart beat,” Samira explains with an almost dreamy, spaced-out look in her eyes, awash with sweet languor.

“But nothing about physical ability?” asks Agaue with an intrigued look upon her face.

“Um, I don’t think so,” Samira replies.

I lower my head to stare at the surface of the steamy water, and slowly feel my heart sink. I stop listening to what they say. I swallow deeply, and feel tight in my throat. Her unintentional callousness sends me down the sorrowful spiral once again, and it reminds me again, that as gentle and caring as she is towards me, she seems to treat me more like a doll, a plaything, a pet, or at least a small child. The way in which she is affectionate and intimate with me is not in the way that I long for.

“So, little kunoichi. What about you? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

“She’s with me,” I hear a familiar voice say from a sitting position directly beside me, causing me a great enough surprise to capture my attention. When I turn to face her, I recoil in startlement.

“Y-You were here?” I yelp.

“Yes, always,” replies an already undressed Nura with a sly smile. When exactly did she get in the hot spring?

Jun 26, 2014 7:07 PM

#24

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Driftwood

My body is being frustratingly uncooperative. I stare hypnotically at the ripples radiating outwards all around me as the surface of the clear water tickles my ever-tightening throat, and kisses upon my chin.

“I can’t believe you haven’t even once tried exploring underwater yet, or even just breathing in the water. You’re sooo missing out!”

“I don’t understand it myself. It’s as if entire portions of my memory had been tucked away and hidden from me. It’s hard to explain. The idea hadn’t even crossed my mind, despite how obvious it should have been, but I know now, again, that I am somewhat different than before.”

Samira giggles at me in an odd sort of way that was somewhat hard to read such that I thought I heard a bit of nervousness in her voice. I’ve never figured Samira to be ambiguous in her expressions, being usually so animated, so this occurrence in itself was an oddity to me. I can only assume that she knows more than she’s letting on, but it’s perhaps inconvenient to her to reveal more to me.

“I guess sky people really do fear the water?” says Samira, curious now, as she drifts closer, regaining her somewhat carefree demeanor.

“Sky people?” I ask.

“Hmm?” She looks at me quizzically, before turning her expression into one of amusement. “Oh, I guess you don’t really live in the sky. It’s just that traditionally, from our perspective, what’s above the sea, is the sky. So we called the, um, non-sea inhabitants sky people. Oh my, do you perhaps dislike being referred to as such?”

“Oh no, not at all,” I tell her. “I just thought it was odd.”

She gives me a bright smile, and gently places her hands upon my shoulders from the front. Then she gently slips entirely into the water, but remains close enough to the surface so that I may still see her clearly under the waves. She gives me an alluring smile with arms outstretched, and twists around, propelling herself slightly higher so that her face is a mere handspan under the surface. Her eyes take on a playful sparkle, and she subtly puckers her lips enticingly, inviting me to dive down with her.

I let out a heavy sigh so that she may see my expression, even underwater, to which she returns with a devilishly cute frown of her own. If there can be an attractive frown, she has somehow mastered it. I lower my face into the shiver-worthy cool water, and open my eyes, with my hair spreading out and floating, rippling along the water’s surface. My eyelids feel strange for a moment, but quickly clear up. Samira swims up and gives me a quick peck on the lips before darting down lower with an expectant look upon her countenance. I let myself slowly drift downward after her. The scenery under the water appears strangely lit before me, with the softly glowing elements in the rocky surfaces casting their glows in large spheres of waveringly lit areas. It’s oddly colorful, and not the creepy dull blue I’d expect from dark (or so I’d imagine) underwater places, with hints of green, and even purple here and there. It’s similar in effect to the surface of a soap bubble, breaking light into a multitude of rainbow colors constantly changing based on where you look, except that it’s all around me, hues shifting with every current, every bobbing of the head, and movement of the limbs, as if the water itself was a living breathing thing, wrapped around and cradling us in its warm embrace. It is oddly comfortable under here.

“Try breathing in,” I hear her say clearly, much too clearly. She is… speaking in the water!? That’s not how physics is supposed to work, is it? My own attempts at a reply only elicit a flurry of bubbles escaping my mouth, and no apparent speech.

“Breathe in the water first,” Samira instructs, floating at about arm’s length below me. As much as I try, it’s not exactly as intuitive as it sounds, but as my oxygen supply starts to deplete, I am aided by reflex, and eventually I force myself to draw in a breath. The water immediately irritates my poor throat, and I quickly choke and gag as the mermaid watches me worriedly. As she’s about to bring me up, I settle down and suppress my terrible choking reflex. It’s an odd feeling to convince one’s body to accept water into the lungs as if it were air, but after a few more breaths of fresh water, I start to feel better. I wonder just how long it will take to get used to this. To be honest, it feels a bit sickening.

“Are you okay now?” asks Samira.

“Uuh,” I croak, or whatever the underwater equivalent to croaking is. “I—,” I watch her wide-eyed reaction to my surprise. “I think I’m okay,” I finally say, still getting used to somehow speaking, fully voiced, underwater.

“How are things progressing?” I hear a voice to my right side. The sudden appearance of Nura gives me a fright, causing me to jump as violently as I am able to while submerged in the resisting body of water, to which I hurriedly direct towards her a, “Y-You were there!?” Sensing my all too familiar shock, she replies slyly with, “Yes, always,” as expected of her in such a circumstance. Strangely enough, this exchange has become routine between her and I. I wonder why we keep it up. Not to be left out of a most awkward exchange, Samira answers Nura’s question with a giggle, and, “Why, things are going swimmingly.”

It is then that I notice that Nura’s interaction with the water is strikingly different from ours. Instead of swimming in the water as Samira and I do, she simply passes through as she does with any other object. Her elaborate shrine maiden’s robe, and her hair all float gently and gracefully with an otherworldly ethereal quality, but remains unaffected by the waves of the gently swaying water, and at times even flow counter to it. An eerie sight to behold indeed. One must ask again, how exactly does she speak? This strange world and its inhabitants never cease to amaze me.

Jul 3, 2014 12:16 AM

#25

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Resolution

“Need some relaxation?” asks Samira as she reaches up to touch my knee. I sat by the water’s edge, peering down at her wading in the water. I notice her somber, thoughtful expression as she runs her fingers down my calf, and stops by my ankle. I shiver. She looks up at me looking highly unsure of herself, similar to how she normally does when she’s trying to tread carefully with the topic she has in mind. It should come to no surprise that I am equally awkward during these times, when I can so obviously sense the mood. Did she intend to communicate this, or is she just unable to mask her distress? It is actually quite awful, like a positive feedback loop of ever-increasing dread and terrible, when both parties are so fearful of the much needed procession.

“Amelia?” she lets out, twisting my foot lightly, with an evident look of concern that will never fail to elicit a sense of guilt within me.

“Yes, you were saying?” I reply, trying to mask my expression with one less ugly than my thoughts, its effectualness remaining to be seen. I see her press her cheeks against my knees, her eyes first glancing away in silent preparation, and then slowly approaching with much caution to meet my gaze. I can’t help but tense up my thighs in an effort to turn them away, but she holds them captive. She grasps onto them with a curiously longingly way, unbefitting of her normal conduct with me.

“I’ll make you feel, um, good,” she says with much hesitation. Her reluctance is heartbreaking. Perhaps if we weren’t in this situation, I wouldn’t have to feel like this, but for her to press the idea, as if it were something she ought to do, but not one she wants to do, simply makes it all the more clear. Why did she have to show me her distaste of her own accord?

“Please, not if you so obviously don’t want to,” I manage to say. That sounds so callous. I feel terrible for saying it this way.

She suddenly leaps out of the water so that her hands are on the ground on either side of my hips, and her face hovers close to mine, within tongue’s reach. I’m forced to lean back, and support myself with my arms. I can feel the dampness seemingly radiating off her body without even being in contact with it. Her face is flushed, and her regular deep breathing makes her chest move in and out as water seems to glide off her skin, nearly as unimpeded as rain by the sky. She has something like a short tube top holding her breasts up slightly, and a shiny body necklace that loops around the neck, rests on top of her breasts, feeding through the cleavage, and connects to a section that dangles and wraps around her hips above her skirt. It too moves with her breathing. I watch beads of water run along her metallic jewelry and trace the curves of her body, and finally dribbling onto me in tiny splatters.

“Please don’t misunderstand!” she pleads, looking downward to hide her face. “I do want to do things with you, to get close and be intimate. But…, I’m not sure if I can return those kinds of feelings. Even,” she seems afraid to say it, “s-sexual release, I’d be glad to help out with. It’s just I don’t, I don’t think. Ahh! I’m not sure what I want.” She bites her lip and looks annoyed at herself.

“You’d be okay with sex, but not romantically?” I ask, hoping to help her navigate her enigmatic storm of thoughts and feelings.

“Yes, I think. I-I don’t know. I learned that humans only do those kinds of things with each other if they’re romantically involved. I feel this, I don’t know. Passion? Lust? But I don’t think I want you in that sort of way. Sorry. But, but I want to get close to you. I can feel it. I don’t know anymore.”

“What’s the difference then?” I ask, hoping to turn things my way, which at the same time elicits slight pangs of guilt. “If you want to get close both physically and emotionally, if you’re feeling like you really want it, in what way is it different from romance?”

“I don’t know! The books never mentioned this. They were never very clear about how things should go,” she says looking wounded and distant. I see her eyelids alluringly half-lowered, and long full lashes with droplets welling up and running along them. The romantic in me wants to believe they are droplets of ocean. I raise a hand, and chance a gentle loving stroke with my knuckles and loosely bent fingers along her watercolor cheeks. She quickly clenches her jaw, and I can feel the muscles of her face press against me, reminding me of much less fortunate events. She starts to sniffle, but seems to accept this gesture of affection with little trepidation.

“Do I really have… romantic… feelings…” she asks herself aloud, sounding each word out experimentally. Her eyes land on mine before slowly closing, and she gives me a kiss.

Heart pounding wildly, a rush of pleasure overcomes me, nearly robbing me of my balance, as it is much harder to orient oneself when one’s head feels so weightless. In stark contrast to our conversation being more or less a jumbled mess, lacking in both clarity and confidence, her kiss, instead, seems to speak volumes. I bring my hand forward and gently brace the back of her head, and Samira lets out a sigh of contentment, bringing along with it a rush of warm current across my face, which had already been subject to rising temperatures. A couple scattered droplets splatter against my cheeks.

“That felt much better than I’d expect,” she says, pulling away from the kiss, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. I look up into her eyes to see fear and hopefulness in equal measure. “Amelia,” she says with a tone that brings me to full attentiveness, which she seems to feel when my body tensed up. “Is this what it feels like to… like someone that way?”

“Probably.”

She bites her lips, bends forward, and gently leans into me. Our clothes rub against each other, and I can feel the metal chain of her jewelry brushing against my collarbone, and above my breast. Hiding her face in my shoulder, she asks bashfully. “Can we try?”

Before I knew it, I’m being forced down on my back, Samira’s face in mine once again. She’s positioned a thigh between my legs and shifted her weight onto me. I instantly perk up when I feel the telltale dampness against my upper thigh, soaking through the same old nightie, although washed many times, that I’ve been wearing since my arrival. I can feel her hands gripping my shoulders timidly. She lifts her head up a bit so that we can clearly look each other in the face, and I can see that she is bright red and shaking uncontrollably. It is painfully clear that she has no idea what to do.

A part of me feels bad for her, like perhaps we shouldn’t be doing things so quickly, before she’s comfortable and ready, but it is also obvious to me that she’s seeking release for the feelings of lust that have welled up inside her. I figure that it would be up to me to guide her through this, which is an admittedly strange feeling. It’s not often that I get to be all too forward when it comes to sex, as I consider myself to be a fairly ‘bottomy’ person during sexual play. I can’t escape the feeling of me, as the great corrupter, tarnishing, no, crushing the purity of a most innocent and fair sea maiden. Maybe I’m too hard on myself. Who says sexual activity is bad or improper anyways? Hopefully no one in this world.

I bring my arms carefully around her trembling hips, and hold them there, to get her accustomed to my touch. I bring her body close to mine, pressing together snuggly in a warm hug. “You don’t have to force anything,” I say. “If you don’t feel comfortable with continuing, we can take a break. If there’s anything you’d like, I’m right here,” I reassure her with as warm a smile as I can muster. I’m not used to this at all, but she doesn’t exactly have to know.

She replies with a timid nod.

“Let’s back up a bit; create some space,” I say, pulling her gently towards me as I prop myself with my hands into a semi-sit position and drag the both of us towards a small incline where I can lay on. Samira looks a bit fidgety, and is awfully quiet. I guess I can attempt to make her more open about the whole thing. “You mentioned books earlier,” I begin to say with my arms around her, and hers tentatively around me. “What do they say exactly? About sex? Romance?” This seems to bring her back. “Is that where you learn the most about such things?” I continue to ask.

“Um, yes, they can be a bit vague.” The mermaid tries to gently pry herself from me as she speaks, perhaps subconsciously trying to keep a conversational distance rather than an intimate one, now that her mind has somewhat switched modes as she’s trying to speak. It’s cute, but I pull her back closer, resulting in a light yelp from her. “And, um, they also only ever mention romance between us and, um, men,” she explains, her voice getting quieter towards the end.

I can’t help but let out a low grumble as I shift my hips and turn them slightly in preparation. I run my fingers along her bare back, along the surface of her tube top, and between the exposed portion of her shoulder blades amidst a flurry of shivers as I do. “That can’t be right,” I begin to say as I pull her waist into mine, taking care to gently rest the soft spot between her legs against my hipbone, which I have rotated to make jut out as much as I can. I can feel the fabric of both of our skirts crumpling and folding into one another as they both start to hike up from the contact and Samira’s thighs being slowly pried apart. “There are so few men. You’ve said before that humans are already rare enough, and that men are only ever human, which makes them even rarer, even if most humans that make it here are men. And humans are so rare that few ever even get the chance to ever see one.”

“Well, that’s true. Most have never seen a man. But even still, the books that we learn from only ever mention it with men. I guess it remains as a dream to look forward to? Like an ideal for young girls to look up to?” I must have made a face, because she gives me a curious look as I guide her hips with my hands, and gently rock my own hips back and forth, as best as I can from under her. We shift our bodies until the angle is right, where I can feel the soft spot squishing against my hipbone, with the smell of arousal seeping through. I smile a bit to myself when I feel the dampness spread, enough to form a single drop sliding cooly down my thigh.

“But surely there must be girls that fall in love, even if the books don’t talk about it.”

“Yes, there are many, but….” She lets out a sharp moan as she leans into me, and trembles, seemingly finally getting the right idea about how I’ve positioned her, but still a bit unsure about how best to move about.

“But?” I ask with an uncharacteristic lilt in my usually fairly dull voice. I keep my hands firmly on her hips, and gently rock my hips counter to hers as I wait expectantly, watching and listening to her body for clues, both for the topic at hand, and the act at play.

“Well.” She’s interrupted by a short gasp. “Are you alright?” I ask. “Mmm,” she nods, continuing, while I continue to keep a steady motion. “They seem to find out on their own, I think, but they never teach it to others!”

She lets out a low whimper.

“Well, are those vague books any better? Even though you only ever read about relationships with men, but can actually witness relationships with women, do they somehow inspire more confidence acting with men than with women?” I hope to myself that I don’t sound too forceful, and that I’m not pressuring her too strongly to see things my way, but I must admit that at this exact moment, the paragon of bias-free assessment I am not. I fear it’s in part the unattainable nature of men that makes them attractive to girls like her, but I do not mention it.

“Well…,” Samira says, falling silent immediately after, and burying her face into my shoulder, seemingly in thought. Her reply comes in the form of a low muffled moan. Its proximity to my ear gives it a raw quality that sends shivers all over my body. I hug her tighter and rub my hipbone against her in broader, more defined movements, making deadly sure to stay consistent in order to ensure her a smooth ride to rapturous release. I’d like to think that she’s considering the validity of girl and girl romantic relationships the moment she’s feeling the greatest pleasure, and I can definitely believe that she’d already been on her way to discovering a predilection for it without my involvement, but then I can’t help also feeling awfully manipulative.

Her movements buckle, and she stifles a series of ragged moans into my shoulder as her body goes through its twitches and convulsions. I gently hold her in place as her rocking slowly comes to an eventual halt. Breathing heavily, she simply lays there, a small quantity of tears spilling onto my shoulder. After a moment, and a gentle pat on her head, she raises herself so that she can see me, her face a shade of fading crimson, and eyes moist, wearing a nervous but satisfied smile.

“Um,” she begins to say, still on top of me. “That was… really good. I was surprised. It didn’t go the way it usually did, um, with myself.” She blushes, eyes darting about. “Were you still needing some release? I-I could still help you out–”

“Aren’t you moving a bit fast?” I ask with a smile I can’t help but wear. “Our having that talk was enough to satisfy me, but do you think you’re ready for more? Maybe you’d like to reflect a bit, and if you’d like, we can do more later.”

“What about Nura? Are you still okay with her?”

“I’d like to think so. At least I definitely want to stay with her if possible.”

“You’re okay with still doing, um, sexual things with her?”

“Yeah, if she’d like to. Is that bad?”

“Oh. I think she had been quite afraid that you’d try to leave her.”

“Why? Because I have feelings for you?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Is that bad?”

“Oh no! I think she’d be delighted to hear that. As long as you’re not trying to leave her.”

“Does your own reluctance have something to do with this?”

“Uh, well…”

Just then, Nura appears beside us. Before I can say anything, she holds her hand up to stop me. “I see that we’re having this talk now,” she says simply. “Care if I participate?”

“Um, sure.” Samira and I give each other worried looks.

Was she here this whole time? If she was, she doesn’t seem especially alarmed at what Samira and I had been doing.

“I guess it’s time to clear some of the confusion you most certainly are troubled with. First, and foremost, I must apologize for the way things have gone as of late, as I was most worried about how it would influence you, Amelia. After much discussion among Samira and I, we have decided that we’re ready to begin working towards being more open with one another. It would appear that the three of us have a long road ahead of us. Together. Perhaps you feel it too?”

“Somehow that does seem quite likely.”

She gives me a warm smile as she sits herself down beside me as Samira still hovers over me. Samira lets out a relieved sigh as she moves off of me, and we all arrange ourselves so that we’re all facing each other comfortably.

“I’m really sorry,” says Samira, holding my hand, and overcome with worry. Her brows tilt up sharply, and her eyes, so large and expressive, capture me, and nearly move me to tears. Being helplessly swept by the emotive force of those eyes, I can’t help but feel tremendous pangs of guilt, as if I had committed some great atrocity.

“Before I forget, the keepsake that the mermaid had given you.” Nura reaches into her sleeves. “I have it here. Please have it back, Amelia. Samira had been worried by its disappearance, so please don’t lose it, as it means a lot to her.” She reaches out with the silvery chains and immaculate blue gem of the anklet in hand, which I take, after being dumbfounded at first by its presence.

“Oh wow, you got it back.” Samira sounds surprised.

“At first,” says Nura with less confidence than before, clasping her hands together before her. “I must admit that I… tried to keep Samira away from you. I succumbed to jealousy, fear, insecurity… and against better judgement, I employed some… underhanded tactics. For that, I must apologize, both to you, Amelia, and especially you, Samira.” She arranges herself into a kneeling position, and lowers her head and both hands all the way down to the floor towards Samira and I, in what looks like a fairly formal bow. “It was unseemly of me, and I have deeply wronged the both of you,” she says, voice beginning to falter. “When I decided to take you on a journey to meet someone who can help, I was reminded of my sins. There is no way that I can can see her if I do not resolve this, but if you are able to find it in yourself to forgive me, I would like to take you to meet her.”

I hesitate at her emotional outburst. For the past while, she had been fairly quiet and distant, so it came as a surprise when she delivered such passionate a confession. She must have been deeply troubled by this for a long time, growing more distressed as time went by. Does Samira know? I turn to her to see an urging, expectant look.

“She’s already come out to me before,” says Samira hopefully. “It’s taking a lot for her to finally reveal it to you. She’s been agonizing over it for a while now.”

“Are you sure?” I ask the mermaid. “And what does she mean exactly by, especially you?” I ask, just to make sure, if only to hear it from someone other than myself. A part of me feels as if I know exactly what that means.

Samira simply nods and smiles warmly, which is somehow enough to confirm my suspicions. All that’s left is for me to deliver my own reply to Nura, who still remains prostrate, with a silent intensity, quivering at the verge of either great rejoicing, or utter dejection, her emotions laid bare before me, ready to erupt at my command. Samira remains by my side, breathless in anticipation, urging me on with the sparkle of her eyes. I recount the events in my head, how relations between the three of us had soured, how secrets and manipulation had kept us apart and fearful. I imagine the ghastly machinations that had to have occurred, how I was used to unwillingly hurt my dearest mermaid; and most of all, the pained expression upon her countenance when I helplessly drove my fingers…, that sickening pop and the sound of fleshy, organic tearing, the thought of which cause my insides to churn violently.

But that’s all in the past now. I have every reason to believe that they’ve resolved their conflict long before I lost consciousness. All that’s left is for me to learn the truth, then hopefully no more ill will. No more delicate handling of the oh-so-fragile human.

I take a deep breath to calm myself. I’ve always had the answer, but giving it requires a moment of mental preparation to match the momentousness of the event before me, where we have gathered to make a big deal about something that in all honesty should have been resolved long ago.

Jul 3, 2014 4:30 AM

#26

SydoKiller

Offline

Jan 2013

975

So yeah, it took me a bit of time, but it was interesting.

I was shocked a couple of times, but still XD
*cough* sofa sex *cough*

I'll be waiting for more ù_ù

"You keep changing the shape of your eyes. How does that even work?" -AbhLeaderKrelian

Jul 3, 2014 6:36 AM

#27

Ocu

Offline

Dec 2012

263

YAYYUMMY YOURE STILL THERE :D
MG Yuri ftw o/

I like how it's going! give me moa- I mean keep going!

Jul 3, 2014 8:06 AM

#28

Offline

Jan 2013

2160

I still wonder if you get transformed into monster girl anytime soon as I would be interested how you describe the feeling.

Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world.

Jul 3, 2014 9:16 AM

#29

Offline

Nov 2013

1356

@Beast: rules say cannot happen :P lol

Nice chapter Yu, good to see you back to writing ^^

Jul 3, 2014 9:26 AM

#30

Offline

Jan 2013

2160

greatgreenman said:
rules say cannot happen

We had worse cases of rule breaking already, I doubt this kind of heavy psychological drama with nothing epic ever happening would ever affect the world.

Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world.

Jul 3, 2014 12:14 PM

#31

Offline

Nov 2013

1356

Well Su says in the rules that unless they decide otherwise, female players wont become MGs. I don't know of any other actual rule breaking taking place in any stories (unless I haven't read those yet) just things that are borderline.

Jul 3, 2014 2:17 PM

#32

emeraldtryst

Offline

Sep 2013

1156

I think he just said he might consider it, but I don't get the impression that's where this is going. Of course, there could always be a succubus waiting right outside =P

Oh dear, I am supremely amused by the great corrupter and her wiles. Considering that more than a few MGs probably have limited experience with human women, I really like that you're challenging their preconceptions (or lack thereof) by throwing them off-balance in an arena in which they'd likely consider themselves experts already =)

Anyway...hope to see more =)

Jul 3, 2014 5:16 PM

#33

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

Technically something of that nature did happen in the portion that was kinda cut out in my story. Canonically, it did happen, but I (my character) don't remember it exactly because I wasn't in control. Maybe we'll find out more about what happened exactly back then later on.

Many thanks for the warm reception.

Jul 4, 2014 11:48 AM

#34

tygertyger

Offline

May 2013

1492

beast_regards said:
I still wonder if you get transformed into monster girl

If she saves it for the ending, it doesn't technically break any rules. Kinda how another story could reasonably end with the MC transformed into an Incubus... };)

"When you have bought your own load of hooey, you know exactly what it is worth." -- Bruce Sterling

Jul 4, 2014 12:22 PM

#35

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

Hmm, I've been thinking. It seems that people have been getting less and less impressed as more chapters come out, so I've been wondering what exactly went wrong, and whether it's taken a direction that's not a good fit, or if general quality has decreased. As the second-longest running, still-active story here, I can understand if the climate around these stories have changed, or if my own story has changed to better fit with that change in an unappealing way. Sex scenes also tend to cause a stir in pretty much every story whenever they happen, and this latest one that I've included was one that I personally felt was the most interesting one I've ever written, even if it wasn't really supposed to be all that arousing from a reader's perspective. Responses seem to indicate, however, that it wasn't particularly popular this time around. I'm definitely still going to continue writing, but as time goes by, it just seems as if readers have moved on, or are simply staying with me due to momentum. I'd really like to know what everyone thinks.

YummyLunchesJul 4, 2014 12:28 PM

Jul 4, 2014 1:20 PM

#36

Offline

Jan 2013

2160

YummyLunches said:
I'd really like to know what everyone thinks.

Heavy psychological dramas are usually hard to read or watch, especially for someone who is far away from intended audience, social criticism is even harder if it touches you. And your story is like Akira Kurosawa movie in the middle of Hollywood flicks, of course we don't understand it, but it is also reason of its own to have such a story here. Because it's art. Art is usually something your peers don't like or can't grasp.
Feel free to ask if you need any more feedback from me

beast_regardsJul 4, 2014 1:26 PM

Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world.

Jul 4, 2014 1:22 PM

#37

Ocu

Offline

Dec 2012

263

I'm writing something too, it's just taking a bit of time :P

So so so
I normally suck at commenting/reviewing (what do you mean it was obvious?) but I'll try anyway

people getting less impressed, what went wrong, direction that's not a good fit, general quality decreased: I scrolled up to see the other comments between the previous chapters T_T I feel stupid.. Well, I'm obviously talking for my pov but I don't feel that, there isn't any particular elements that I really didn't like,

climate around stories changed, my story changed to better fit in an unappealing way:Not sure how this is going to come out as but I feel like every story has its own climate, atmosphere, feelings and I don't find yours unappealing : your story has a very unique feel, mainly because you(r mc) are(is) a girl and the way you write, and that's (part of) why I like it (also yuri and cute characters)

this latest one that I've included was one that I personally felt was the most interesting one I've ever written, even if it wasn't really supposed to be all that arousing from a reader's perspective:100% agree, the uncertainty made it pretty interesting. I personnaly don't mind any sex scenes in any way, you can put them wherever you want however you want with whatever. :3

it just seems as if readers have moved on, or are simply staying with me due to momentum:Hell no, I'm here and I'm staying. *install tent*

I hope it doesn't sound wrong/cheesy or anything like that and that it was kinda useful :3

Edit : oh wow I started 2 hours ago and didn't get disconnected :o

OcuJul 4, 2014 3:10 PM

Jul 4, 2014 3:44 PM

#38

Offline

Nov 2013

1356

YummyLunches said:
Hmm, I've been thinking. It seems that people have been getting less and less impressed as more chapters come out, so I've been wondering what exactly went wrong, and whether it's taken a direction that's not a good fit, or if general quality has decreased. As the second-longest running, still-active story here, I can understand if the climate around these stories have changed, or if my own story has changed to better fit with that change in an unappealing way. Sex scenes also tend to cause a stir in pretty much every story whenever they happen, and this latest one that I've included was one that I personally felt was the most interesting one I've ever written, even if it wasn't really supposed to be all that arousing from a reader's perspective. Responses seem to indicate, however, that it wasn't particularly popular this time around. I'm definitely still going to continue writing, but as time goes by, it just seems as if readers have moved on, or are simply staying with me due to momentum. I'd really like to know what everyone thinks.

Actually your writing is fairly impressive compared to most. I don't tend to say much unless the writing irks me the wrong way (not mentioning any names...) or if there is a dramatic twist of things. I don't know what to say often when I read your posts, I just generally enjoy the read and post to let you know that I read it ^^

If you want the reviews of your chapters I suppose I can give it a shot:

New_User_12345Jul 4, 2014 3:47 PM

Jul 5, 2014 12:08 AM

#39

Clarus_Nox

Offline

Nov 2013

1426

Really nice and it seems you've gotten the feedback you wanted

my only question is
What happened to Sofa? that's been bugging me for the last few hours I've been reading your story

Jul 5, 2014 5:30 PM

#40

YaN333

Offline

Jun 2013

3112

Much more of a calming, SoL feel than some of the other stories, and quite the enjoyable read. Looking forward to more.

It's natural for a person to deny he's a failure as a human being. That's why he searches for somebody who is more miserable than himself. That's why so much animosity exists on the internet. Those who aren't able to find a more miserable person, turn to the internet and call other people losers, even though they've never met. Just to make themselves feel superior. isn't that pathetic? There's a sense of security that comes from speaking badly of someone else. But that isn't true salvation. — Tatsuhiro Satou

YandereTheEmo said:
The only thing more pathetic than quoting someone you know nothing about, is quoting yourself.

Jul 6, 2014 4:28 AM

#41

tygertyger

Offline

May 2013

1492

YummyLunches said:
Hmm, I've been thinking. It seems that people have been getting less and less impressed as more chapters come out, [snip] Sex scenes also tend to cause a stir in pretty much every story whenever they happen, and this latest one that I've included was one that I personally felt was the most interesting one I've ever written, even if it wasn't really supposed to be all that arousing from a reader's perspective. Responses seem to indicate, however, that it wasn't particularly popular this time around.

For my part I've just had less time lately in which to comment -- there are several stories I need to catch up on, and I haven't even looked at the newest ones yet.

Your story is still one of my faves; I love the relaxed writing style and the less testosterone-laden character interaction. I enjoy that this story is character-driven rather than plot-driven (for those who aren't familiar with the terms, that means it focuses on who the characters are rather than what happens to them).

On this most recent sex scene -- I had mixed feelings about it. OT1H, it's about time the Mermaid got some lovin', and it's refreshing to see an h-scene that's more about affection than lust. OTOH, Amelia's approach to the sex (so much focus on technique that she ends up sharing little of her feelings) is antithetical to intimacy. This is not at all unrealistic; I've done that myself. But because I've done it myself, I know that approaching sex in that way shows more fear of intimacy than desire for it. If that was your intention, kudos on that bit of characterization (it shows that your MC has flaws).

"When you have bought your own load of hooey, you know exactly what it is worth." -- Bruce Sterling

Jul 7, 2014 3:01 AM

#42

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

@rega: Wow, I feel kinda odd being compared to such a big name. Meep.

@Ocu: Yay very yuri. Yayifications~! I feel like I’m the one sounding cheesy most of the time, haha.

@green: Oh. The probability of me randomly disappearing on this story is quite slim. It’s interesting that you say that about the hip. I’ve had both my hipbone and my tailbone ground on before, but yeah, it’s not really supposed to be especially good-feeling for me. It’s just something fun to do usually, kinda like how using your lips or fingers doesn’t really feel good in that sort of way to the person performing the act, but it can still be fun in an observe/tease the other person kind of way.

@Nox: Wow, tons of people are asking about Sofa. As for that other thing, I guess I could start posting chapter numbers if that makes things easier. Do you perhaps keep notes on your progress based on chapter numbers?

@dere: Oh, I thought SoL meant… :P

@tyger: Hmm, interesting that you interpreted it that way. This sex scene was very asymmetrical, both physically and emotionally even if genitals are the same type. The position is very intimate (facing each other, and body pressed together) and is usually associated with mutual-feeling-goodness, but only one was feeling good in a sexual way, and only she came. The point wasn’t that two people were coming together on equal terms and confidently having sex together. In this scene, the main character wasn’t at all interested in feeling good herself, at least not in that moment. I wouldn’t really say that it’s focused on her technique, but more that it’s consumed by her careful observation and deep thought. Everything is about giving Samira a good time, and making sure that the experience is comfortable, un-overwhelming, and memorable for her at the expense of herself getting any sexual pleasure in the short term. This is because, at the same time as everything going on, the main character is also challenging an unsure, reluctant Samira into accepting a girl x girl romance, by challenging her ideas of what romance can be. Emotionally, there’s too much at stake to really put any thought into herself getting lost in pleasure at that moment, but the hope is that in the future Samira will be more open to connecting in that sort of way, and that chances to have intimate sexual romantic interactions will be therefore plenty. I think this line is very indicative of the mindset that’s going on:

I’d like to think that she’s considering the validity of girl and girl romantic relationships the moment she’s feeling the greatest pleasure, and I can definitely believe that she’d already been on her way to discovering a predilection for it without my involvement, but then I can’t help also feeling awfully manipulative.

Yes, it’s manipulative, and my character does kind of feel bad about it too, but the long term strategy is more important than to indulge now. It takes a bit of finesse to naturally plant a thought into someone’s mind just as it’s leading up to their orgasm, and hopefully sticking around as it’s happening, without ruining the orgasm. Of course it didn’t feel all that complicated until I tried to explain it, but hopefully that increases understanding at least regarding what I tried to do. Or maybe it just confuses matters more. Or maybe I don’t really know what I’m talking about, very yay. Feelings are weird.

But yeah, I guess there’s always next time for me. :x

@everyone: To all of you who have the same question, hopefully this next chapter clarifies things for you. Thank you all very much for reading, and hopefully things get awesomer over time.

YummyLunchesJul 7, 2014 3:59 AM

Jul 7, 2014 3:03 AM

#43

Offline

Jul 2008

4300

## Chapter 25: Water & Fire

Samira listens quietly as she continues to apply the gel along the surface of my skin, all over my body, humming a pleasant tune. First my legs, then my arms, then my torso, and so on, until I am completely covered. She wears the faintest signs of fluster as she evenly spreads the slick ointment everywhere it needs to go. Also mixed in, is a thoughtful look, most likely relating to our most recent sexual encounter, which I hope she will remember with some fondness. She makes a face, as if visually announcing to others that she’s placing her thoughts elsewhere.

“This will help keep your skin soft and smooth, and in good condition, even when living an amphibious lifestyle,” says the mermaid in a most sweetest manner, apparently already successfully entered a different, less embarrassed mindset. “It helps keep moisture in when we come out of the water, and it helps regulate our moisture when we are in the water too, high or low salinity alike. Plus, it doesn’t clog pores, and prevents rashes. It gives you moisturized and younger-looking skin both in water and out. Oh, oh, and it also protects from sun damage.”

Ah, she’s starting to sound like a sales lady. I guess that’s unsurprising. I run my fingers along the surface of my arm to feel a smooth, and just faintly waxy substance along my skin that seems to glide effortlessly. It doesn’t seem to come off all too easily, and it doesn’t feel thickly coated. Instead, it feels like a much improved version of the typical skin moisturizer back home, and I gather, perhaps possessing vastly superior lasting power, seemingly leaving a thin slick coat atop the skin, even while most seems to seep in. There is also a surprising lack of any oily residue, which had always bugged me about many a moisturizer back home. Strange, as I rarely have thoughts of ‘home,’ if I can even call it that now. It seems so distant now.

“Mermaids use this both in water and out?” I ask.

“Yes,” Samira answers cheerfully. “But not only mermaids. It stays in a clump when not in use, and is just as easy to apply whether underwater or not. It doesn’t easily dissipate, and remains easy to spread as long as it is fresh. It’s a mermaid developed formula, and is starting to gain popularity with sky people too.”

“What is it made of? It sounds like something that would be very popular back where I came from too.”

“Unfortunately, you’ll have to ask someone else that,” she answers with an apologetically sweet smile.

By now, Nura, who sits beside me, didn’t seem all too interested in what Samira had to say, but she gives my arm a firm touch to feel for herself what the fuss is all about. Seemingly alarmed by the texture, she raises my arm up to feel its underside too while Samira watches quietly with a nervous smile at the display.

“So then, are we ready to go?”

“I suppose so.”

“Going my way?” asks somebody from behind all of us. I quickly spin around to see Agaue the salamander standing by the entrance to our current chamber with a pretty pair of sheathed swords on her back. She has with her another person who I don’t yet recognize, what looks like a girl fashioned out of water, not too unlike the slimy girls I’ve seen, such as Sofa, but actually made out of free-flowing water. She doesn’t seem to have the elasticity, and bounciness of the aforementioned slimes, but the way that the water forms a definite shape seems to indicate to me that there would be some sense of solidity if I wee to touch her.

“Oh hey, you’re a human aren’t you? I remember seeing you down by the dwarves!” exclaims the watery girl. “Fancy seeing you again!”

I look at her with confusion, and turn to look at Samira, then Nura in turn. They both had upon their countenances the unmistakable look of worry.

“Dwarves?” I ask meekly. I find myself unable to speak boldly in the face of her enthusiasm.

“Yes, before we, and others, were freed, you were there. You were the last those criminals brought in. Because of those fiendish practitioners of the most foul crafts, there sprouted a monstrous growth from your very body! And they were using brutish methods to separate it from you!”

I glance over at my two confidants to gauge their reactions. Samira continues looking worried and nervous, while Nura wears a look of resignation before giving me a strange, but warm smile. I guess here’s a chance to learn some more about the period leading to my recovery of sorts.

“A human? How can that be?” Agaue quickly bolts towards me, nearly knocking Nura out of the way if not for the salamander simply passing through her body. Nura must have rather quick reflexes, hardly moving a bit, and remaining composed at Agaue’s sudden charge. I fear for what she might have done if she deemed the salamander to be in the midst of an attack, and quickly moved to defend me. With great interest, Agaue lays a hand on my shoulder, and another near my chin, directing my face towards her for inspection. Her eyes pierce intimidatingly, and I find it difficult to look her directly back, but as I try to avert my gaze, she persistently shifts the position of her head to match, as if there were something special to be garnered from the appearance of my eyes.

“You’re really a human? Even though you’re not a man? Were the amazons right? With their nonsense about Great-Mothers, and human women, and whatnot?”

“Y-Yeah, I’m human. But I don’t know about the amazons.”

“Oh, what those amazons would think if they only knew. If they only knew, ha!” She gives me a few quick sniffs near my neck, then a light pat on the cheek before finally releasing me from her overly strong grasp, chuckling to herself in amusement.

“So, um, you are done with this place?” I decide to ask in return. “I assume related to those two?” I inquire, motioning towards the pair of swords on the salamander’s back.

“Oh yes, but only one of them, but what do you know of swords, eh… human?” she answers with a laugh.

“The other one was made elsewhere? Perhaps a spare? I must admit I don’t know much about swords.”

She laughs some more.

“Now if you want to know about my swords, let me tell you. Only one of them is from Neena, the metal one; Neena is only good with metal swords. That’s not to say that they’re bad swords. She has great skill, and she uses good materials.”

“What is your other sword made of then?”

“Glass, of course,” she replies nonchalantly. Sensing my expression, her amusement grows. She remains silent to bait my question.

“Glass makes a suitable weapon?”

“Yes, very. Our glass at least, makes for very strong weapons, and can withstand temperatures that metal ones cannot.” She seems to enjoy leaving hooks in the conversation so that I can ask all the questions, as if laying bait for a helpless prey, directing it here and there, stringing it along for her own amusement. Sensing my interest by asking seems to put her in good spirits, and soon she is all smiles, with tail visibly wagging side to side.

“Um, is there a reason to use glass?”

“We salamanders, when serious, fight with fire! The most skilled users of the fire arts can reach temperatures that can melt the most heat-resistant metal swords in less than a second. Our special glass is both strong, and so resistant to heat that even the best fire users can only just barely delay its solidification long enough to shape it into something useful before becoming tired. As good as the blacksmith Neena is, the only use I have for her swords is to bonk someone in the head with, haha. But not every fight requires the use of our prized glass swords.”

“How does it, um, become molten in the first place?”

“There are some naturally occurring furnaces that are hot enough deep underground if you look hard enough.”

“Yes, yes, very fascinating,” says Agaue’s partner. “Now back to what I was saying before. Human, I’m glad to see that you are alright.”

“I’m sorry,” I say to the watery girl. “It seems like what you’re saying is probably true, but I have no recollection of the events you described, and it’s a lot to take in. If you’ve introduced yourself to me before, then I don’t remember. Have we introduced ourself before? I’m really sorry about this.”

“Yes, you were under the influence of another organism,” explains Nura. “For that duration, you were not yourself, and any deed committed by the vessel that is your body can in no way be attributed to you as a person.” To the watery girl, she says, “If you may be so kind to help explain to the human what she went through, that would be greatly appreciated. I believe that she’s ready to know now.”

Nura gives me an encouraging smile.

“Oh yes, I forgot. Firstly, although I witness what those wretched fiends did to you. I don’t think we’ve formally met. I’m known as Pacifica, a spirit of the element of water, an undine. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Oh, and I’m Amelia, human, and likewise.”

“One of the very few, I believe,” adds Agaue, who was attentively listening in.

“You see, one of the things I do –one of the many things– is to ferry passengers through the various waterways. One day, one of the criminals, masterfully disguised as any normal passenger had me bring her to a strange suspiciously unmarked location. I should have refused right away, but she assured me that she would know the directions. You see, where she got me to drop her off, a band of her wild cohorts laid in ambush! Ruffians! With their devilish devices, they seized me and confined me in their evil lair! I could do not a thing as they poked and prodded me in a most perverse way, and I watched them create twisted monstrosities, somehow based on the inner workings of my body. But wrong!”

I listen in confused silence.

“Seeing as how I possess keen intellect and sharp wit…”

“Really now?” interjects Agaue.

“…as I was held captive, I did not rest. No! I deduced the nature of their nefarious schemes! Human, how much do you know about the slime family of monsters? Not much? You see, they are living entities with liquid bodies, in some ways similar to undine, but no doubt inferior! There are many types depending on the composition of their liquid bodies, up to and including semi-solids. You see, those devilish dwarves, that’s what they were, they had an idea. Terrible but true! They hypothesized that the vicious roper and the slimes were related creatures, that the parasitic ropers belonged in the same family as the slimes.”

“Huh.”

“Yes, yes! Ropers are terrible parasites, existing as seeds, cores if you will, that embed themselves into helpless victims, and rend their moist vulnerable flesh from the inside, turning it into semi-solid structures sprouting monstrously from the victim. And at the same time, the parasite also wrestles from the rightful owners, their very own bodies! Terrible parasites indeed! You see, many varieties of slime also exist as cores, controlling a body of semi-solid mass, and this is the connection those dreaded dwarves wanted to establish.”

“And–”

“I’m not done! Let me tell you of the terrible deeds they’ve done! They started by collecting a large amount of dormant roper cores. Seeing as how there are no humans in this day and age to infect– ahem, almost no humans in this day and age to infect, ropers of the dormant variety were plentiful. They took those dormant roper cores, and worked their dark arts, of inner workings I dared not learn, and attempted to twist them into the slimes that we know of. They tried and they tried, varying their processes in an attempt to perfect it, and created legions of almost-slimes. Creatures of various standing within the slime-roper spectrum were created, comprising at least one new hybrid race, I would say. Obviously having no space to keep such creatures, the experimenters carelessly set them free into the wilds, without warning to the local population, and with no precautions.”

I stare blankly at the undine, fully expecting to not have any chance to speak, despite the small pause, until she is completely done.

“You see, those almost-slimes can still infect as their former roper selves could, although to what effectiveness I cannot say. And no one expected there to be any humans nearby, much less a female human. Yes, you were infected by one such creature.”

Pacifica pauses again from her overly dramatic explanation, and I can see both Samira and Nura, with faces full of worry, gently holding on to my shoulders in preparatory support. From the looks on their countenances, it would appear as if both of them had been possessing at least partial knowledge of those previous happenings, and are just now taking the opportunity to have it revealed to me. As trauma-inducing as all of it sounds, at least I cannot be upset at the fact that they are finally letting me know the whole truth, and I am hopefully slowly on my way to knowledge-parity with a native inhabitant of this world.

“Oh,” I say, overwhelmed. “Am I, um, is it going to be a problem?”

“No,” says Nura, looking in my eyes reassuringly. “Remember when you were feeling unwell? You were slowly starting to feel various symptoms as the thing was trying to take over your body. Periods where you didn’t feel like yourself, where you didn’t remember things, where you, um, lost control. After it took over, I subdued you, and took you to the dwarves, which you wouldn’t have remembered; by then, the seed had already taken over your mind. However, the important thing is that it’s not a problem anymore.”

“Indeed,” says Pacifica. “Those experimenters removed the blasted parasite fully after much persuasion. Your ghost friend convinced them to take responsibility for their negligence.”

“W-What happened to me after that?” I ask, unable to stop trembling.

“Er, I believe the, um, villainous experimenters tried to keep you around, or um, steal you away, as a living human specimen was quite difficult to come by, but your ghost friend… took care of them. They’re no more.”

“It’s all in the past now,” says Nura.

“You’re safe now,” says Samira.

“Are you going to be alright?” asks Nura as she wraps her loose-sleeved arms around me in a warm comforting hug. “If you’d like, we can rest for a while, if you’re not feeling well. Our journey schedule is flexible, in that we have no real timeline to adhere to. It is more than okay for us to do as we please.”

“No, I-I think I’ll be alright,” I say, shaking my head. “Certainly those events sound more than shocking, but I am somehow not entirely surprised. It’s as if a part of me already knows, or have at least mentally prepared me somewhat for an eventual revelation.”

“So then, finally, will you be joining us or not?” asks Agaue with a patient look.

I give Nura as confident an expression as I can before answering with, “Yes, I believe so. I don’t want to skulk around anymore.”

“Good,” she says with a knowing smile and a simple nod, seemingly drawing the previous explanations to a close.

Thoughts pertaining to the subject continue to swim in my mind, however, and I believe they will not go away for some time. It was definitely a lot to take in, but with the information at hand, I’m confident that I have a pretty clear idea of the entire sequence of events. Alongside the sudden influx of knowledge and revelations, a certain shadow of doubt is cast. My hands, and their sudden betrayal, lunging at the throat of dear Samira. I cannot say for certainty anymore who or what the true perpetrator was on that dark day which continues to haunt me.

“This fine lady will be accompanying me through the Fire Heart to reach the lake on the other side, which is my home. That is, before those unscrupulous dwarves unceremoniously abducted me for their most reckless—“

“Calm down Puddles,” says Agaue.

The water girl gasps in surprise.

“I am not a puddle. I am a spirit of the–“

“Yes, yes. No need to get so worked up, haha.”

“Yes,” says Nura with a giggle.

“What about Billabong?” continues Agaue.

“Oooh, Billabong. I like the sound of that.” Samira decides to chime in.

“I’m not a–”

Agaue cuts her off with an affectionate arm around her shoulders, then another by her waist, and promptly lifts the other girl in her arms with an impressively smooth motion. I almost expected her to start steaming, either through a physical reaction seeing as how she’s made of living water, or an emotional one seeing as how it may be a bit embarrassing to be in such a position. I would know, since Nura worked her charm on me in such a way before.

“Okay then, Pacifica. No need to get testy, haha.”

Nura clarifies when there is a moment for her to speak. “We’re about as ready as we can be. It would be great if we could accompany the two of you to the other side. Our destination lies beyond. Perhaps we could even obtain some supplies at the Fire Heart.”

“The three of you, uh, ghost, mermaid, and human?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Heh, lucky human.”

“Hmm?”

“To have two of what amounts to bodyguards traveling with you. They seemed to have claimed you, but at the same time let you do as you please. Others may not have been so… respectful of your, what do you call it? Freedom, haha. Surely you ought to be careful regardless. Who knows what else would try to claim you. So where exactly are you three going to? I’m simply asking for curiosity’s sake if you don’t mind.”

Both Samira and I instinctively glance at Nura, since the journey was entirely of her design, and the location of her knowledge. I can’t help but smile to myself as I’m reminded of how fortunate I was to have been found by Nura. Despite all the things that have happened since then, I believe it was truly fortunate for me to have met her then. If what Agaue insinuates is true, then even more so, as who knows what could have ended up happening to me? I find myself imagining cruel servitude as a slave, or being slaughtered senselessly for sport, I shirk at the discomforting thoughts, and then afterwards, I sigh contentedly, knowing that I have a flawed but loyal guardian spirit, and an amiable friend, or perhaps more-than-friend, both soundly at my side.

“I’m afraid it’s best if I not say,” replies Nura politely.

“No matter,” Agaue dismisses with a wave of a hand, the same hand she had supporting Pacifica’s shoulders, but not before shifting the water-girl’s weight so that it’s propped against her own shoulders for a moment. That momentary one-armed carry somehow impressed me greatly, although now that I think about it, I have no clear idea how heavy Pacifica is, as she could reasonably be a great deal lighter than I imagine. The salamander brings her lips to the water spirit in her arms, kissing her, and then promptly dives, feet first into the water.

Nura motions for me to follow suit as she floats towards the surface of the pool, and Samira looks at me with a both sweet and encouraging smile before gracefully slipping in. I instinctively draw a deep breath of air as I look to the rippling gateway with equal parts of excitement and dread. As I hung in suspense, I try my best to expunge the instinctive aversion to plunging into the aquatic depths, compounded by years of life experience as a member of the ‘sky people.’

No fancy dives, I break the surface of the water feet first, outstretched and true as an arrow. Straight down, and I am engulfed. With practiced efficiency, I empty my lungs, blowing out a stream of bubbles that tie me to the overwater world I had just come from. But it severs the moment I take a deep breath to refill my lungs with water, and I turn my head to see the trail of bubbles leaving me, retreating back to where they came.

Before long, we start to move along a large underwater passage, with me kicking and sweeping frantically to keep up. Samira notices, and lends me a hand, being infinitely faster and more graceful in the water than I. Nura floats nearby to keep me company, and even matches our speed when Samira helps me along. She doesn’t seem to tire, no matter the speed; one of the advantages to being I ghost I suppose.

I look ahead to see Agaue and Pacifica, swimming surprisingly fast seeing as they’re in the lead, or perhaps it’s only with Pacifica’s aid that they can move at such speeds. The salamander’s tail waves from side to side as she swims, continuing to burn brightly, even underwater, lighting the way like a brilliant banner riding boldly through enemy territory, set along a backdrop of twisted but wide rocky caverns, and soft eerie glows. There are various forks in the branching passage, and the others take me along the chosen path without hesitation, and as we continue, the feeling is that of going deeper. We occasionally pass by other people swimming about in the same underground waterways, but we move along so quickly that I cannot see clearly who or what they are. I quickly lose sense of the direction we are headed in, except to say that I am simply following the others.

After what seems like hours, for which I am glad to have Samira here to assist me with, we reach a point where I can see something like a large warning sign carved deeply in the rocky surface, and somehow emitting a glow from the carved-in portions, following the lines, with a massive flurry of bubbles just visible ahead in the distance. As we approach, the surroundings seem to get noticeably warmer, and we arrive closer and closer to the surface where it is almost as warm as a hot tub, and small lines of symbols are carved along the walls like guide-lines leading to the surface. Somehow I don’t remember seeing similar symbols when I first entered the water, but it may be possible that I wasn’t paying enough attention, and simply missed them. I can only imagine how hot it must be at the massively bubbling area up ahead, and I can only assume the witnessed phenomenon is due to water boiling.

As everyone climbs out, I remain at the water’s edge, grabbing onto land, and violently coughing out the water in my lungs, or whatever they now are. It feels irritating that I’m not able to draw as much air as I’m used to due to them being still partially filled with water. Water that isn’t being renewed, and replenished with oxygen. The salamander shakes the water off her body and parts from her amazingly long kiss with the undine. Nura simply floats up out of the water and lands herself gracefully ashore, and Samira pulls herself out with fully-formed legs at the ready.

This time it’s Samira up on land looking down at me in the water. “Amelia?” she starts cautiously. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t… get the water out.”

She looks me over for a moment before focussing on my face again, seemingly taking a second to realize what I meant. Understandably, transitioning in and out of the water must not weigh on her mind much, if at all.

“After you’ve had enough practice, you’ll eventually be able to clear water or air as you please. Um, so until then, please bear with it. Is there anything I can help with?” She looks at me with a now-usual worry, hair draping down, and water smoothly streaming off her body.

I just stare at her, breathing as heavily as I can, which must be the least charming way a person can look at another person. I make a weak attempt as a smile, which I suppose must make it look even more disturbing if not during sexual play and if we were in the world of humans. Thankfully, Samira is abundantly understanding, and she gives me a warm smile back, extending a hand to help me out of the water. Nura gives me a couple gentle pats on the back as Agaue and Pacifica wait for me, the undine still in the salamander’s lizardy arms.

With all of us gathered and safely ashore, the salamander leads us along the path where I can clearly see two figures up ahead, standing by the riverside. As we approach, they great us, and Agaue gently sets Pacifica on her feet.

“Hello and welcome, travelers,” says one, an undine like Pacifica.

“The Fire Heart is just up ahead,” says the other, a girl, herself fashioned out of fire.

“And be careful of the water,” says the undine, pointing towards the water passage we were just in, now formed into the river beside us. “It may be dangerous for you.”

“Not for the salamander. Why, welcome back to the Fire Heart, Agaue.”

“Yes, not for the salamander, but for the salamander’s companions perhaps.”

“Yes indeed, the salamander’s… Agaue’s companions look as if they’re not suited to swimming in the fire.”

I look to the river in question, and upon closer inspection, nearly jump in surprise. I can clearly see the boiling section seen previously from our underwater viewpoint, with rising torrents of steam, but immediately beyond it the river continues, not as water, but as… fire? It looks similar to lava, but it seems to flow as water would, not terribly disturbing the ground beside it, or the surfaces containing it as it does.

“Yes, as you can see, at this junction, this is where water ends.”

“And fire begins.”

“We safeguard the junction.”

“And travelers from the junction.”

“Right. We’ll be on our way then,” says Agaue. “Say, human, I take it you’ve never been to the Fire Heart before, yes?”

“No I haven’t. It’ll be my first time.” I look at Nura and Samira nervously, but only enthusiasm gleamed from their countenances.

“Ah, I see,” she says making an alluring arch of her back, and a snaky twist of her shoulder so that she can turn her face to see me. I catch a glimpse of a smile forming as she’s turning away before she continues forward, fiery tail waving back and forth in large sweeping motions in time with the bounce of her step.

Jul 7, 2014 3:08 AM

#44

Clarus_Nox

Offline

Nov 2013

1426

YummyLunches said:

@Nox: Wow, tons of people are asking about Sofa. As for that other thing, I guess I could start posting chapter numbers if that makes things easier. Do you perhaps keep notes on your progress based on chapter numbers?

well normally i try to read it all in 1 sitting but my computer crashes alot(i really over work it) and chapter numbers would make it easy to remember where i last left off on

and dammit Yums X| i was just about to go to bed when you posted this now i wont be able to sleep until i finish it

Jul 7, 2014 4:28 AM

#45

SydoKiller

Offline

Jan 2013

975

Interesting seeing the idea of using those special glass swords with fire, much creative :P

Yummy said:
“Calm down Puddles,” says Agaue.

The water girl gasps in surprise.

“I am not a puddle. I am a spirit of the–“

“Yes, yes. No need to get so worked up, haha.”

“Yes,” says Nura with a giggle.

“What about Billabong?” continues Agaue.

“Oooh, Billabong. I like the sound of that.” Samira decides to chime in.

“I’m not a–”

And this was cute. ù_ù

"You keep changing the shape of your eyes. How does that even work?" -AbhLeaderKrelian

Jul 7, 2014 8:49 AM

#46

Offline

Jan 2013

2160

SydoKiller said:
Interesting seeing the idea of using those special glass swords with fire, much creative

It was quite surprising to even mention something like that in purely psychological story.

Signature removed. It was too good for this cruel world.

Jul 7, 2014 9:59 AM

#47

Offline

Nov 2013

1356

@Yulu: I didn't assume it would feel good for the person being ground upon (that sounds strange to say :P) but I just didn't see how it would feel good for the other person lol but as I said, I lack the equipment necessary to understand -_- and how did you manage to get someone to grind on your tail bone? Either I'm picturing some pony riding, extreme flexibility or somebody is upside down XD .. Glad to see you won't be disappearing ^^... now off to read the latest updates :P

Jul 7, 2014 11:21 AM

#48

YaN333

Offline

Jun 2013

3112

beast_regards said:

SydoKiller said:
Interesting seeing the idea of using those special glass swords with fire, much creative

It was quite surprising to even mention something like that in purely psychological story.

Interesting indeed--but considering there's an innate sense of SoL in this story, having events shape the mental state of the character works quite well.

@YuLu

Good chapter. Such cute, much dialogue, very interesting.

YandereTheEmo said:
The only thing more pathetic than quoting someone you know nothing about, is quoting yourself.

Jul 7, 2014 12:03 PM

#49