Disclaimer:
This work is fiction. The work is presented under fair protection where applicable.
Feedback will be read, processed, and if it’s a flame it will be given the finger, then I will burst into hysterical laughter. Constructive feedback, be it criticism or praise, will be read, processed, given a smile, and filed away. To contact me, please send an email to socom.seal@(SPAM)yahoo.com. Remove (SPAM) for a valid email.
You should not read this if you are not of legal age where you reside. This work can contain rape, BDSM, cannibalism, and probably anything else my sick, twisted mind can come up with.
~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Chapter 47
“So how do we find this woman?”
Andrew continued walking. “What does the forest say?”
Kuu gazed around them. “I’m outside the heart. I don’t know these trees as well.”
“If I told you what to look for, could you?”
Kuu frowned. “I can. Why?”
“I want you to ask the forest where the heart is.”
Kuu gazed at him strangely. “What use would that be?”
“Can you?”
Kuu grumbled but paused, stretching out to touch a nearby trunk. A moment later she pulled away in confusion. “There are two hearts?”
“There is Telpëlass, and there is our visitor.” Andrew replied with satisfaction. “I figured she might have a similar effect on the forest.”
Kuu pointed. “The second heart is that way. Five kilometers.”
“Then let’s run.” Andrew gestured. “I want to be used to moving with this new strength before we arrive.”
Kuu raised an eyebrow. “Even more?”
“Less.” Andrew replied. “But that’s because I’m not calling on it anymore. It just... is. Instead of gaining a lot of it I constantly feel like there’s a bit more.”
Kuu giggled. “Gale isn’t going to like that.”
“And I’ll explain it to her if I have to.” Andrew winced. “I’m so fucked. I caught her asking Daria about magical races the day before Mary Lou came. It’s going to make it worse when she realizes I really am something new to both of them.”
Kuu nodded. “And you are new to me, but it doesn’t matter.” Her eyes twinkled. “Great Lord.”
“You fucking heard that.”
“Yes, but you are my King before all else.” Kuu replied gently. “I hope you can depend on me now that I will be taking a more active position within the harem.”
Andrew nodded, vacantly staring into the trees. “A more active position, huh.” He drew his eyes back to her. “And what kind of a position would that be?”
Kuu quickly strode ahead of him. “This way.”
Andrew chuckled but followed.
It only took a few minutes for Andrew to spot what he was looking for. “We’re here.” He caught up to Kuu and pushed into the small glade ahead. “EYWA! I have come with questions.”
The figure in the center of the clearing shifted, turning to look at them. Kuu growled low in her throat when Eywa stood, her nude body shining in the midday sun. “I have been waiting, Dewlen.”
“My name is Andrew,” Andrew replied evenly, “and you will use it. I am not your seer and I am not a member of your court.”
Eywa‘s eyes wandered over his face. “Yet today you look more like one of us.”
“I was not going to approach you until I had fully accepted what I was.” Andrew pointed out, leaning slightly on his staff. “Besides, even Bjorn understands that I have grown beyond my humanity.”
Eywa nodded slightly. “This is true. Very well; you say you have questions. Ask.”
“Will you ask her to put some clothes on?” Kuu groused in his mind. “You’re reacting to her.”
“My body may want her, but my mind is clear.” Andrew replied. “Besides, if I ask that she may count it against whatever limit she has. She claimed to be offering me knowledge as a gift but I don’t believe that for a minute. She has a price, and I’m going to get as much as I can before I have to pay it.”
“When you were worshipped in the past, how did they honor you?” He asked out loud.
Eywa stiffened. “You ask a very interesting question as your first.” She shook her head. “You would not know the slight you have offered me. I will forgive it.”
“Perhaps if you explain the slight I have given, I will not accidentally offer it again.”
Eywa eyed him. “We are not worshipped, Dewlen. We are called, and sometimes we may answer; when we do, it is expected the humans will honor our actions through tale and through payment. Some like to leave bribes, to offer their hunts to us in the hope of gaining favor, but we are not worshipped. Do not offer such an insult. We are Chibaio, as you named us, and we are not worshipped. To be worshipped would suggest we have a duty to our worshippers, and we do not serve humans.”
“Arrogant bitch.” Kuu hissed.
“I can understand not wanting to be worshipped.” Andrew replied, glancing at Kuu with a silent warning. “Thank you for explaining my slight. I retract my question.”
Eywa‘s eyes narrowed. “Your question was answered.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “My question regarded your worship. You had none, so no answer could be given.”
Eywa’s expression smoothed. “Very well, Dewlen. What is your question?”
“She really didn’t like that.” Andrew sent back to Kuu. “See? She’s counting my questions for some reason.”
Kuu begrudgingly nodded while Andrew voiced his next question. “I have seen you in various forms. What is our true form? How do I learn to take it?”
Eywa watched him curiously. “You ask very specific questions. I offered you history, and knowledge, yet you ask about things that should not matter.”
“They matter to me because they are important now.” Andrew replied. “My history and my future can be discovered later. I ask for information for my now.”
“Then I will warn you.” Eywa replied. “While it is true we have a body that we are born with, it does not last for long before nature claims us. Our true forms are whatever we wish them to be - many have taken human-like bodies to more easily walk among our neighbors.”
Andrew started to speak when she interrupted him. “If you were to ever meet one of us who has begun to find their true form, be on your guard. Nature shapes us, and if one of our people abandon her they will find their body losing the warmth that she gives. They become like corpses, their skin bleached and their eyes hollow. Many go mad, hunting what life they can so they can feel a semblance of what they have lost.” She gazed at him, only a desperate warning in her expression. “Do not become like them, and do not be fooled by them. The eldest of those creatures like nothing more than to kill those of us who still live.”
Andrew felt a chill across his spine at her earnest description. “How do I know if I see one?”
“If it is weak, you will recognize it. If it is not, you can not. The powerful know how to mimic the life they steal. It allows them greater access to more. It is unlikely you will recognize the enemy until it attacks, but once it does, you must strike without remorse. The guise it will wear is only a shell, no matter who it may have once been. Strike hard and strike fast, or yours will be its next form.”
“You sound like you have a lot of experience with them.” Andrew said quietly.
Eywa nodded. “I have killed many. I have lost many friends to them, as well.” She bared her teeth in a noiseless snarl. “The weapons the humans made of themselves are almost as bad as they. I have killed many of the weapons as well.”
Before Andrew could intervene Kuu had stepped past him. “Have you touched my people?”
Eywa gave her an even look. “No. I do not attack without reason. I recognize you, forest’s daughter, and I recognize your mark on the weapons that move through this land. I will strive not to hurt them.”
“It is good that you do not.” Andrew muttered. “Or the forest may punish you for your act.”
“I may not seem it, but I am as much an accomplished weaver as any other.” Eywa replied. “I see the life she has brought to the silent woods. Besides, if I was to anger her, I would lose you, would I not?” She cocked her head. “You claim the forest’s daughter, and she you.”
“I believe I was asking the question.” Andrew countered. “Which you have yet to answer. How do I learn to take other forms?”
Eywa shook her head. “You asked for your true form, and for that I answered. Do not pursue it. I have answered two of yours. I ask one in return.” Her eyes narrowed. “How do you claim this one?”
And the shoe drops,Andrew thought wryly. “She is my Queen.”
Eywa’s eyes flicked. “Queen? You allow the weapons to rule you?”
“It is not used like that.” Andrew replied. “She is my Queen, and I am her King. We are equal.”
“So she is your mate.”
“She is and she is more.” Andrew replied calmly. “I take many lovers.”
He knew he saw a flash of anger before Eywa’s face returned to neutral. “I see.”
“She is mine, without question.” Andrew continued. “I bound her to me under the light of the full moon.” He felt Kuu’s questioning thoughts but kept his eyes on Eywa. “This is her forest and she is mine. If you recognize her claim, then you sit on my land and enjoy my hospitality.”
The color drained from Eywa’s face. “I beg you, I meant no insult!”
“You did not consider that I am aware of your customs, since I am but a human.” Andrew replied grimly. “I forgive this transgression. Once. I suggest you begin to treat me as you would any other of your people, so as not to offer your own insult.”
Eywa hurriedly bowed. “Thank you for your graciousness. I- please, by your leave. I must think.”
Andrew nodded slightly. “I will return within two weeks’ time.”
Eywa nodded, watching him leave with Kuu on his heels.
Kuu waited for them to have walked a ways before speaking. “What in the world did you just do?”
Andrew slowly began to laugh. “I bluffed. I bluffed and it worked. I took her earlier nervousness regarding you to its logical conclusion.” He glanced at her. “Basically, I made the guess that since she was getting angry that I was describing you as something more than just my partner, there was some other status she thinks you might have. If she’s here to seduce me, you being above her rank would be a detriment to her plans. So I bluffed, and now she believes - correctly, I might add - that she has no chance dethroning you from whatever position you have. She’s probably back there frantically trying to figure out how to complete her mission without alienating me further.”
Kuu shook her head in confusion. “I don’t get it.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s as if she was a brand new pokegirl and, on her first day, she walked up and told her Tamer she was going to take the Alpha’s job.”
Kuu blanched. “That girl would be lucky if she was still alive after the day was out.”
“Exactly.”
“Do you think this will help you?”
“I hope so.” Andrew replied. “I do still want her to teach me about what I am. For today, I’m satisfied with the answers I got.”
Kuu scowled. “I don’t like her first one.”
“Will you ignore it?”
Kuu remained silent for a moment. “No.” She finally growled. “I will instruct the others to honor you instead of worship. They may still pray.”
“That I can accept. But as Eywa said, I will not be beholden to their prayers simply because they made them.”
Kuu gave him a wry smile. “You know, I can accept that. After thinking about it I’ve decided I wouldn’t be too happy knowing my King was off doing who-knows-what for random pokegirls. You’re supposed to be doing that for me.”
Andrew sighed. “Needy woman.”
“For you, and only you.” Kuu replied quietly. “For so many reasons more than we admit.”
Andrew smiled. “Thank you for coming with me today. Your presence definitely helped my deception, and got me a real answer to one of my biggest questions.” He raised his hand to stare at it. “My true form can be as human as I want it. Maybe this is it, with the color changes because of my heritage. As long as I remember what I am, I won’t lose myself. And that’s a relief I can’t even begin to explain.”
Kuu suddenly embraced him, causing the two to grind to a halt. “No matter what you may look like-“
“I’ll still be your master, or your King, or whatever.” Andrew replied softly. “I know. But I needed to be what I’ve known my whole life. It looks like for the most part I will have that.”
Kuu nodded, releasing him and stepping back. “I’m relieved.”
“Yea.” He glanced down at the staff he still held. “What I felt when I was... I think the best term is that I was joining with Telpëlass, I felt my personal magic more clearly. It was definitely trying to wash me away. But you held me fast, and now I know that I can do that. I’m not afraid of it anymore. That’s the first step.”
Kuu laughed. “The first step to pain and suffering as multiple women poke and prod and test every aspect of your body.”
Andrew sighed. “Not looking forward to that. I admit it.”
“Well I’m sure you still have some time before they descend like vultures.” Kuu grinned. “I’ll leave you be. Thank you for thinking of me during your private time.”
Andrew smiled back, watching her walk into the forest before turning his attention to his staff. He was so engrossed he didn’t notice when Kuu glanced over her shoulder and abruptly turned towards the caves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kuu walked inside, murmuring a spell and watching the line begin to unfold in front of her. She waited for it to stabilize before following it, pulling up in front of the room it led to. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she knocked, waiting for the muffled acknowledgment before stepping inside.
Cristina blinked in surprise when she saw her visitor. “Kuu? I thought you were out with Andrew.”
“I was.” Kuu replied, taking a seat across from the Ophanim. “He’s back in the heart of the forest and my trees will tell me if he tries to leave without me. While I’m sure he’ll be fine with my court around, I’d rather not risk anything.”
Cristina nodded slightly. “Why are you here?”
Kuu sighed. “I never got an answer about something that’s been bugging me, and I wanted to ask you a different question at the same time.” She waited a moment. “You’ve been training pretty hard recently, right?”
Cristina nodded. “I have.”
“And you’ve been training with Camiel.”
Another nod.
“Which one of you made the giant hole in the ground?”
Cristina winced. “She did. She said she’d show me something I could never do, and I believe her.”
Kuu nodded slightly. “I doubt I could ever do something like that either. But you can get closer to that than I can, can’t you?”
Cristina frowned. “I don’t know. You’ve been training as well since I last saw you in battle.” She glanced at Kuu. “To be honest, I’ve been wondering when you were going to challenge your position. I’ve seen the way you watch him.”
Kuu shrugged. “Is it any different from how you look at him?”
“No,” Cristina replied, “and that’s why I paid attention to it. And now you have your wish, don’t you? You’ve convinced him to finally bring you where you’ve always wanted to be. You’re truly part of the harem.” She smirked. “The inner harem.”
Kuu smiled back. “I am. And because of it, I will be able to fight the things that make him unhappy more easily.”
Cristina’s smile vanished. “Did Cortney come to an agreement?”
“Of course not. I gave her an ultimatum and walked out.” Kuu shook her head. “She’s playing harem politics as if we’re still back in the other world. Posturing for position and her Master’s attention.”
“That’s all she’s ever known.” Cristina replied gently. “That’s all Aella has ever known. Gale. Ishara. Constance. Lyn. Not many of us have broken out of the monotony of that life. Usually in doing so we break too.”
“And that is why we love him.”
Cristina nodded. “That is why. They’re pretty young, you know? They haven’t had the time to experience things like we have.” She paused. “How old are you?”
“I’m probably in my late twenties.”
“Don’t know for sure, huh.”
“I was nearly feral for so long the years all blurred together.” Kuu muttered. “No, I’m not sure. But I’m not as old as you are.”
You’re still older than the others.” Cristina agreed. “So, what was your question? You’ve sated your curiosity.”
Kuu sighed. “Cristina, why does he keep giving her extra chances? You know what he’s like. When one of us mess up he tells us how to fix it. The next time he gets annoyed and the next, he removes the problem. She’s been a problem for a long time, even before he made her Alpha.”
Cristina lowered her gaze. “Do you know who she is to him?”
Kuu shook her head. “Obviously not or I wouldn’t be asking.”
“She’s the last one from his original harem that he can turn to.”
Kuu frowned. “What?”
“Shamira is like a giant stuffed animal. All she cares about is love and while he can give that, it isn’t what he needs sometimes. Lyn vanishes constantly so she’s never around for him to go to. Aella is his last option when he needs to be himself with the ones he has known the longest. There are things even I haven’t been shown, and he’s supposed to be marrying me soon.” She sighed. “It’s so hard. I want to be there for him but there are simply things I can never know.”
“We all share that burden.” Kuu said gently. “We are there for him whenever he asks for us. And when he asks for space, those of us who love him are willing to give it.”
“What is your plan here?” Cristina abruptly asked. “You’re playing the same game she is.”
Kuu looked away. “Do you think she’s doing a good job?”
“Are you thinking you can do a better one?”
Kuu chuckled to herself. “If I did, I wouldn’t be able to try without the support of the Beta, would I?”
“No matter what I may think, I do not make that decision.” Cristina replied. “Andrew does. And he has no intentions of removing Aella from her post.”
Kuu nodded. “I shouldn’t be thinking about this, should I? I’m going to cause problems that he doesn’t need right now.”
Cristina watched her for a few seconds. “Kuu, I won’t lie to you. You’re going to cause a lot of waves by joining the inner harem like this. The others understand that you’re doing it to get closer to him, and some of them will see that as a threat. I would be happy if that turned out to be true. However, I have a duty to the harem as a whole before I can act on my own feelings.” She shook her head slightly. “I can’t support anything you do. Not publicly. I would prefer not having to clean up from the fallout of your politics, but I would be lying if I said the current situation is a good one. Tempers are high. Aella seems on the edge of a breakdown. I wonder if Andrew knew what this was going to do.”
“He didn’t plan this with you?”
Cristina snorted. “The exact opposite. He found a way to get me out of the way for a few weeks, and when I come back the harem is self destructing and suddenly there are soldiers bossing us around. He had to have planned it. He doesn’t do things randomly or for no reason.”
“He wouldn’t hurt her intentionally, would he?” Kuu gasped.
“No.” Cristina replied immediately. “He wouldn’t do that. Not to any of us. Especially not to her.”
“So why?”
“I don’t know.” Cristina whispered. “I don’t know because he still manages to do things without us knowing. I hate not knowing.”
Kuu frowned. “Have you asked him?”
Cristina started. “What?”
“Have you asked him. Why he did this.”
Cristina stared at the ElfQueen. “No, I haven’t.”
“Has he told you not to ask?”
Cristina’s brow furled. “No, he hasn’t. But I’m not supposed to question him, I just do what he needs me to. He’s got enough to worry about without me pestering him all the time.”
“So you’re playing the game just like all the rest of us.”
Cristina blinked before purpling. “I beg your pardon?”
“Wake up. If he wanted to be agreed with at all times, he’d have never accepted half of us into his life.” She watched Cristina. “Who would you say he has the strongest relationships with?”
Cristina shrugged. “Me, I hope.”
“Try again.”
Cristina scowled. “If you came to find allies in your play for Alpha, you can count me right out.”
“My ‘play’ is to make him happy.” Kuu snapped. “Right now Aella is not making him happy. Try again.”
“He wants to marry me.”
“He loves you.” Kuu agreed. “I do not deny that. But there was someone here whose death tore him apart. And her friend has helped ease the pain he still feels. I don’t blame you if you don’t know. You can only see from inside, while I watched all of you from the outside.”
Cristina stared at her silently. Finally she shook her head. “Tell me.”
“Constance.”
“Con-“ Cristina stopped. “Oh, fuck.”
“Grace was everything to him.” Kuu explained quietly. “When she interacted with us, each day, she was a bitch. We knew she was and we accepted her. But to him she was someone different. They completed each other.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because they are who I believe he connected the best with. Neither Grace nor Constance are submissive pokegirls, in any sense of the word. And while you are not a submissive person, you are a submissive pokegirl. I was too, until he showed me what I could be. And our relationship has grown ever since.”
“So what, I’m supposed to become a bitch? That’s not who I am.”
“Hell no.” Kuu snorted. “Pretending to be something you’re not is the worst thing you could do. I’m telling you to stop dancing around him and ask. Be more confident. Ask the questions you’ve been holding back. Ask the reasons for the actions he takes. Ask him to talk about his feelings, his wants and his needs. He’s not just our Master, and he’s not just our commander, no matter what we may call him or treat him as. One day I hope to join you as his wife, Cristina. I’d like to trust that you’ll take care of him until I can get there.” Kuu reached over to hold Cristina’s hand. “I’m one of the ones who has something unspoken with him. I think you are, too. We are the ones he will look to first, which is why I was so surprised that he casually included Daria into our group. I may be wrong, but I think he’s beginning to see her in the same light he sees you or I.”
Cristina gently tugged her hand free. “I’ll consider your words.”
“That’s all I can ask.” Kuu replied. “Think about who he is, not what he is. I know it’s what he does for us.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrew looked around at the heavily depleted PT group. Ann was gone, Shamira, Ishara, even Furia wasn’t there, the Wolf Queen likely back training however the court did.
“I guess Ishara is that much happier in her forge.” Andrew muttered.
“She won’t go soft on us.” Andrew turned to greet Gale when the Night Nurse approached him. “Neither will the others, if I have anything to say about it.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “You?”
“She’ll be healthier with constant exercise.” Gale explained. “They all will. I’m working on a regular schedule for the non-combat harem.” She glanced around. “I have no idea what’s about to happen to us, however.”
“I think it’s the combat harem here... and Camiel.” Andrew slowly looked around. “I know I saw Albia, but I don’t see her now, so she might have left. That’s slightly disappointing.” He sighed. “I’ll make sure to spread the word that when we announced morning PT is only mandatory for the combat harem, that didn’t mean it was closed to everyone else. I want to see a few more here.”
“There’s Cristina.” Gale muttered, dropping back when the Ophanim walked into view. “Where’s Aella?”
Andrew turned his attention to Cristina as she began to speak but jumped when a new body pressed up against his back.
“Thank you.”
Andrew frowned, trying to focus on Cristina’s speech as he placed the voice. “Lucina?”
The Shadowcat kissed his cheek. “Will you have time later to spend with me? I have been working hard to become stronger and want to show you what I’ve done. To show that I belong here.”
Andrew reached back to pet her head. “I’m free for most of the day. I’ll find you after breakfast.”
Lucina purred happily before detaching and slinking back into the crowd.
“...for the next week.” Cristina was saying. “We will be taking this slow, but I intend to change the course every few weeks.”
Andrew looked around when the pokegirls began to leave. “Shit.” He took a few steps towards Cristina, lowering his voice. “Lucina was distracting me. What did you say?”
“We’re running the obstacle course for the next week.” Cristina replied. “No time limit for now. I want to see where everyone stands before we start to make things harder.”
Andrew nodded slightly. “Sounds like you’re taking hold of the training position. Is this Aella’s idea?”
Cristina’s mouth thinned. “No. It’s mine. I assume you didn’t hear the other part of my announcement.”
“No.”
“Aella is taking a break.” Cristina murmured. “I think you need to talk to her alone. She had a panic attack when I tried to talk to her about today’s activities last night.” She hesitated before turning to look at him. “And I need to talk to you, too.”
Andrew gave her a tight smile. “Well It sure is a good thing that today is Sunday.”
Cristina hesitantly returned the smile. “Yea.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Andrew groaned, leaning his head against the shower wall and letting the warm water loosen the knots in his back. Taking it slow indeed. Cristina had been nearly as bad as Mary Lou had, pushing each individual through both halves of the starter course that had been built before sending them running down their regular path. It was well after ten when the last girl had finished. Two hours instead of one.
He finally straightened, snapping the water off and stepping out to get dressed. He needed to give Cristina and Aella the time they needed so he could honor his appointment with Lucina.
“Cortney, do you have a moment?”
It took a second before the Videogirl responded. “I do now.”
“I need to speak to Cristina and Aella. Where are they right now?”
Cortney manifested next to him and he took a step back when he saw her outfit. “Aella isn’t available.”
Andrew looked her up and down. “Where’s the bodysuit?” She was wearing a loose blouse and tight skirt that clung to her curves.
“I’m a civilian.” Cortney cracked a smile. “So I’m going to relax.”
“Is this because of the non-combat thing?” Andrew sighed. “You’re still my netmistress. That hasn’t changed.”
“I know.” Cortney replied. “This is something I needed to do anyways. Turn over a new leaf.”
Andrew nodded. “That’s something I need to do too.”
Cortney frowned. “You do?”
“Cristina made me think. I’m still acting like a soldier. This is our family, damnit, and I’m waging war in our home. I can’t do that. It’s hurting people and it’s hurting me. I will fight and I will kill for you but I will not do it out of obligation. I will do it out of love.” He gave her a serious look. “The war ends when we cross that threshold. I won’t allow it to tear us apart any longer.”
Cortney’s expression was unreadable. “Cristina is available.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s waiting in the lounge.”
Andrew raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. Alright, thank you.”
Cortney let him leave before gritting her teeth. “Kuu.”
Cristina looked up from what she was doing when Andrew stepped into the large room. “Hey! Already talked with Lucina?”
Andrew paused in the doorway. “Uh, not yet. How’d you know she wanted to talk to me?”
“She asked me if she needed to spend her tournament slot to reserve you this morning. I told her no. You should go see what she wants.” Cristina adjusted the papers she was holding when he stepped inside. “You promised her after breakfast. That’s now.”
“Yea, but I thought your talk might be important.” He took another step and grinned when she pulled the papers back again. “Are you hiding something from me?”
“Of course not.” Cristina slid something off the table in front of her. “You should go see Lucina. Come back later.”
Andrew lunged and Cristina swept the pile up, dodging his grasping hands and sprinting for the door as he gave chase. “WHAT IS IT!” He laughed, ducking around a corner to see her sprinting towards her room. “Cristiiinaaaaa!”
She slammed her door shut before he could get close. “Come on, just a little peak.” He crooned through the wood. “Let Andrew see.”
“NO!” Cristina giggled, holding the door shut. “Look, just go spend some time with Lucina. I’ll see you later!” She waited a few seconds, listening to the sound of footsteps. “Andrew, I can see you tapping your feet.”
Andrew snapped his fingers, actually walking away. “I’ll see it some day, mark my words!”
Cristina smiled, glancing down at the object she had hidden. “I look forward to it.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucina was chatting with Lyn, two forgotten plates nearby. Both jumped when Andrew slid in between them and dropped his arms over their shoulders. “Good morning beautifuls. What are we talking about today?” He grunted when Lyn’s arm flicked up at his sudden appearance and caught his cheek. “Ow.”
Lyn whirled. “Andrew, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. That’s your swordswoman reflexes.” He jerked his head away when she tried to inspect the bruise. “I’m fine. Lucina, hows it going? Should I come back later?”
Lucina shot to her feet. “No. I’m ready.” She glanced down at Lyn. “I’ll see you later.”
Lyn let off her attempts to check the weaving target next to her and nodded. “See you.”
“So what’s new?” Andrew asked the Shadowcat, tagging along as she exited the mess hall.
“Um... can you answer a question for me, first?” Lucina nervously glanced back at him. “Was I... was I really supposed to be left on the combat team, or did you just not want to demote me?”
Andrew slowed, forcing Lucina to turn and walk back to him. “Lucina, you’ve been one of my bodyguards for a long time. I would never have assigned that to you if I didn’t think you could protect me.”
Lucina blinked, blushing slightly before glancing down at her feet. “But I lost the tournament.”
“So did everyone except Aella. What does it matter?”
Lucina shook her head. “I mean I really lost. I didn’t win a single round. I’m weak.”
“You have your weaknesses.” Andrew corrected her. “You are not weak. Even if you were an average member of your breed, you were interesting enough to receive Macavity’s blessing.”
Lucina blinked. “I heard that. Even if I was average? You don’t think I am?”
“No, I don’t.” Andrew replied. “I think you’ve got a ways to grow, but you’re not average. I wouldn’t keep an average Shadowcat in my life.”
Lucina grinned, leaning forwards to kiss his cheek. “Thank you. Does this mean you won’t be surprised when I show you what I’ve been able to do?”
“That depends on what it is.”
Lucina nodded absently. “Cristina... she tried to protect me, from Ae- from what she thought was going to be an excuse to judge me.” She grinned. “I wasn’t going to break though. So I did this.”
Andrew watched her begin to fade. “Fade?”
Lucina shook her head and suddenly she was gone. “Teleport while faded.” Andrew rolled his eyes. “That’s...”
He trailed off when he felt Lucina across their bond. She hadn’t teleported. She was still in front of him. He slowly reached out, his eyes widening when his hand encountered her body. “That’s not just invisibility. I can’t even hear you.”
Lucina reappeared, letting out her breath. “Nope.”
“What in the world?”
“I took everything I’ve seen and learned about stealth techniques.” Lucina’s smug smile was radiating her contentment. “It isn’t perfect yet, but I fooled Cristina with it. She couldn’t see me, even with her blindsight. Maybe a Psychic type could find me, but I’m a Dark type. So that’s unlikely.”
“You’ve created something incredible.”
Lucina grimaced. “It’s not done yet. I haven’t figured out how to breath while doing it yet.”
Andrew snickered. “That’s an important piece.”
Lucina grinned. “A little. But that’s just what I was doing to keep myself here. The other piece is what I’ve done to show I belong.”
Andrew nodded. “And that is?”
“I’ve heard rumors about what you’ve started doing.” Lucina’s tail flicked, mirroring her excitement. “Will you spar with me? I want to test you and show you at the same time.”
“I suppose I can.” Andrew cocked his head. “What’s gotten you so worked up?”
“She promised me excitement.” Lucina stared up into his face. “And there are rumors. So, so many rumors. I want to see if they’re true.”
Andrew leaned down so his nose was touching hers. “What kind of rumors?”
“You’re faster.” Lucina whispered. “Stronger. Better.” Her fangs glinted when she smiled again. “I want to be excited. To see the Master I was promised finally come to be.”
Andrew chuckled. “I’m not your Master.”
“No.” Lucina agreed. “You’re something much, much more.”
She leapt back when he lunged for her, a playful smile on both of their faces before she bolted for the gym, Andrew in hot pursuit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I noticed that turned into more than just a spar.”
Andrew hissed when Cristina dabbed at the bloody streaks across his back. “I swear if she hadn’t been as convincing as she was I would already be in Gale’s room getting healed.”
“You conquered her.” Cristina chuckled. “She marked you in return. I watched you enjoy it, don’t lie.”
“She’s a slippery little thing.” Andrew muttered. “Yes, I enjoyed finally catching her and pinning her down. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her feisty. She said you had something to do with it?”
“I don’t intend to start clawing you during sex, no.” Cristina replied. “If she’s referring to what she did during Aella’s exhibition challenge, then sure, I can take some credit for that.”
“Everywhere I look there’s signs of what you’ve been doing to keep everyone satisfied.” Andrew sighed. “Anyways. You wanted to talk to me. I’m not going anywhere until I can put my shirt back on. Talk.”
Cristina stepped away from him, taking a seat across from where he was laying. “This may take longer than it takes for those scratches to scab.”
“Then it takes longer.”
Cristina nodded. “Do think that I’m submissive?”
Andrew stared at her. “This is one hell of a landmine for a first question.”
“Is that a no?”
“If I say yes, you’ll hurt me. If I say no, you’ll hurt me. One for telling the truth, and one for telling a lie.”
Cristina watched him. “You didn’t specify which was which.”
“Fuck.”
“Please answer the question.” Cristina slid back. “I promise not to hurt you for telling the truth.”
Andrew waited a moment before responding. “I believe that you are not a submissive woman.”
Cristina nodded. “But I’m a submissive pokegirl.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“Was that it?” Andrew asked hopefully.
“No, that was to see if I was thinking about some things correctly or not.” Cristina replied mischievously. “The other questions are worse.”
“Great.”
“Andrew… What do you think of us as?” Cristina shifted so she was closer to his eye level. “I don’t mean human or pokegirl. I mean our relationships with you.”
“That landmine brought friends.”
Cristina cracked a smile. “It did, but knowing you, you’re going to be able to work your way around them.”
“This is my punishment for acting smart around you, isn’t it?” Andrew sighed. “Fine. I’ve already admitted it to you, so it doesn’t hurt to say it again.” He shook his head. “My first thought for many of you is still of the pokegirl you are, not the person you are.”
“Who are the exceptions?”
“You.” He replied without hesitation. “And this is something that I’ve been working to change for almost two years. I can’t list the others without more than the time we have to really think about it.”
“But you could list me.”
Andrew was silent. “I also don’t want to say any other names because that would be yet another way you all force worth on yourselves.”
“You think I’d use that to lord over them?”
“I think that at the end of the day, you care about your status as much as any of them.” Andrew replied carefully. “You may not do it intentionally, but you would use my list to further categorize them.”
“Is Kuu one of them?”
Andrew made a noncommittal grunt. “If I said yes or no I’d be giving you the information I just said I wouldn’t give.”
“That’s more than I needed.” Cristina giggled when he sighed. “Yes.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.” She teased. “Because she does.”
“She what?”
“Landmine.” Cristina replied. “Andrew, why did you manipulate me into leaving the harem for a few weeks? Why did you publicly destroy Aella’s ego?”
“That’s not a landmine.” Andrew whispered back. “You’re asking me to drop a whole bomb.” He continued before she could react. “That is an extremely pointed question that infringes on privacy rights. I won’t answer it.”
“Bullshit.” Cristina replied. “You don’t want to answer it.”
“You’re damned right I don’t.” Andrew snarled. “I made a decision that turned a woman I love into a broken wreck. And for what? What reason did I have? Because she was acting like a child? She IS a child, for god’s sake. She’s barely nineteen. I forced a job on her that she had no way of understanding until it was too late. I. Failed. Aella. She did not fail me. I failed her. I will live with that for the rest of my life.” He slid upright, ignoring as two of the scabs broke open and began to drip blood down his back. “I was so caught up trying to bring order to the petty squabbles that I turned them into a terrible war within my family. It isn’t enough for me to destroy my own life, I had to start destroying hers as well. She didn’t deserve it. She didn’t deserve any of it. I need to apologize to her and I still don’t know how.”
Cristina nodded slightly. “I think that was pretty good.”
Andrew swore when the door swung open to show Aella. “I think so too.”
Andrew slid over when she joined him on the couch. “Was this all a set up?”
“I asked my question.” Cristina replied. “And she wasn’t ready to ask hers, so I asked it for her.”
Aella curled her fingers around his arm, absentmindedly running her other hand across his body. “I couldn’t understand why you would do this to me.” She sniffed, quickly rubbing at her wet cheeks. “I needed to know why.”
“Aella, you’re a mess.” Andrew gently dabbed at her puffy, bloodshot eyes. “You shouldn’t be here, Cristina said I needed to talk to you,” he glanced at the Ophanim, “alone.”
“I lied.”
Andrew sighed. “Of course you did.”
Cristina stood, walking over and firmly shutting the door. “I think she deserves some answers.”
Andrew gazed at her before turning his attention back to Aella. “You understand that you weren’t being a good Alpha.”
“I do, now.” Aella whispered. “I wasn’t letting Cristina do her job. I wasn’t helping everyone where they struggled. I wasn’t leading. I was abusing your trust.” A new sob shook her body. “She- the sergeant called it a switch. Do you have one?”
Andrew stared at her in confusion. “Do I have a what?”
“The thing that lets you act like a regular person until you’re not.”
Andrew nodded slowly. “I understand what you’re saying. Yes, I have something like that, but it’s not just a switch. It’s an entire mindset, a way of action. You can’t possibly have it.”
“I don’t.” Aella agreed. “Now that I know what it is, I realize what I was doing wrong. I had my switch stuck on. I’ve always had it stuck on.” She giggled, the action quickly turning into a cough. “I’ve always been stuck up.”
Andrew stroked her back until her coughs subsided. “I shouldn’t have punished you for that.”
Aella sniffed. “Thank you. But it doesn’t matter, because no matter how you may feel,” Andrew raised an eyebrow when he recognized his own words, “that doesn’t change the facts.”
“What facts?” Andrew parroted.
“I’m not a leader.” Aella clenched her hands, causing Andrew to grunt when the grip she still had around his arm got painful. “I’m not. I’m not an Alpha.”
“Aella, it’s only been a day since I even considered that.”
“It doesn’t change the facts.” Aella repeated. “I am admitting that I was the wrong choice. For the good of the harem… for the good of your family, I resign.”
Andrew looked at where Cristina stood. “Is this your fault?”
“I talked to her about it last night.” Cristina admitted. “But I didn’t pressure her to do this, no. I wouldn’t do that. It would make me the Alpha, and I really don’t want that job.”
“It’s my decision.” Aella said firmly. “I want- I want you to love me.” She looked up at him. “I don’t want to continue like this. If we do you’ll actually start to hate me. Please. I… I just want to fight with you. To protect you, to be yours without worrying about whether my actions will alienate me from you again.” She shook her head to banish her tears so that when she opened her eyes again, her gaze was steady. “Can I do that?”
“I really wanted to believe you could do it.”
“I can’t.”
“I don’t want to hurt you either.” Andrew said quietly. “Alright. I accept your resignation.”
Aella’s body crumpled as she began to sob again, burying her face in his chest and releasing the pent up emotions she had been fighting for a week.
Andrew grimaced when he felt liquid begin to spread across his skin but didn’t protest, instead looking to where Cristina still stood. “You do know that this makes you more than just the ‘acting’ Alpha.”
Cristina shook her head slightly. “I refuse the position. I will remain as the acting Alpha until you designate someone, who is not me, to the role.”
“I don’t have anybody.”
“I think you do,” Cristina replied, “you just don’t see her yet. You will.”
Andrew stared at her quizzically, receiving only a blank look in return. “Alright?”
“Since Aella is here, you can answer my question.” Cristina nodded at the Shinryu. “Why did you do what you did? It wasn’t done out of malice. You’re better than that.”
“You have a rather high opinion of me.”
“You don’t hurt us without reason.” Cristina replied. “Even this, where you were lashing out, wasn’t done without reason. What was it?”
“Can I ask a small question first?”
Cristina blinked. “Maybe.”
“Why did you ask me about what I saw you as?”
Cristina glanced at Aella. “With her here?”
“She was listening at the door for her question. She had to have heard some of what I said.”
Cristina shifted nervously. “I’ve realized that I haven’t been doing my job as Beta for you. I’ve just been following your wishes.”
Andrew watched her for a few seconds. “Your time with Camiel really has changed you.”
“I’m more willing to stand tall.”
“The reason is a bit embarrassing.”
“We won’t laugh.”
“I meant for you.” Andrew smirked.
Cristina blushed. “Say it.”
“I intend to get you very pregnant. You’re not going to be at a hundred percent while you are, and even less when the children are born.” He grinned when he saw Cristina’s blush begin to cover her entire face. “If Aella couldn’t handle a few weeks without you, she was never going to be able to handle the months you would be out of commission.”
Aella was giggling and finally peeled herself away from his chest to grin at the mortified Ophanim. “He’s right. And it is.”
“Shut up.” Cristina mumbled.
“We need to have the ceremony. Soon.” Andrew chuckled.
“That’s a conversation for another time.” Cristina cleared her throat. “I asked you here today for her, not that.”
“What else is there to say?” Andrew looked down at Aella. “I made a mistake. I can’t fix what it’s done.”
Aella shook her head. “I don’t want you to fix it. It’s taught me things I never considered.” She gazed off into the distance. “I thought all there was was fighting. Strength. I thought if I was stronger everything would work out. If they were stronger, it would be fine.” She craned her neck to look at him. “It’s been painful, but I’ve learned that I was wrong, too. I wish… I wish I hadn’t had to have this happen to learn it, but what has happened happened. That’s all there is to it.” She laughed quietly. “You tested me. I failed.”
“Can you forgive me?”
Aella kissed his hand. “I forgive you.” She smirked. “I’m still unhappy with you, but I forgive you.”
“I’m glad.”
“Cristina.” Aella turned. “Did I hear you declared yourself the training officer?”
“Nobody else was doing the job.”
Aella’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
“Before you try to kill each other,” Andrew interjected, “Aella, you’re still upset. Take a few days. Relax. Cristina can handle herself, and I’ll-“
“No.” Andrew stopped, his mouth popping open in surprise when Cristina shook her head. “You said this would need to happen.”
“What are you talking about?” Aella’s eyes flicked between the two.
“I was gone for a while, Aella. I’ve realized that with you, I need to take instead of ask.” She crossed her arms. “You’ve apologized to him. Now apologize to me.”
“I thought you were my friend.”
Cristina cocked her head. “And what does that have to with anything?”
“I’m already upset, I don’t need you coming after me too.”
“But I do.” Cristina scowled. “Aella, I’ve gotten my answers from him. You’ve gotten yours, and your apology. What I haven’t gotten is your apology for treating me like your bitch.”
Andrew barely dared to breathe when Aella lunged off his lap. “I thought you were better than this. You do not show harem politics around your Master.” She glanced back at Andrew. “Leave.”
“Stay.” Cristina retorted. “You’re still thinking of him as your Master. Something he has tried to curb because it leads to situations like this.” She unfolded her arms to point a finger directly at Aella’s heart. “You’ve stopped thinking with that,” she slowly lowered her arm so she was pointing at Aella’s groin, “and started thinking with that. He is NOT the kind of man, the kind of ‘Master’ who we need to hide from.”
“Do I get a say in this?” Andrew asked weakly.
“NO.” Aella snarled.
“You need to release your anger.” Cristina said. “In your heart you are angry, not depressed or embarrassed. You are angry at him, you are angry at me, but most importantly you are angry at yourself for backing into this situation with no way out. There is a way out. But you have to change to find it.”
“I have half a mind to-“
“So try it.” Cristina interrupted. “Beat me, Aella. That’s how you solve all your problems, by fighting them. I will gladly take your blows if it helps you to move forwards.”
Aella calmed slightly. “You said that. In the gym.”
“And you did not apologize to me then, either.”
Aella’s eyes narrowed and she hissed. “I have nothing to apologize for.”
“Then I have nothing more to say.” Cristina replied calmly. “As of a few minutes ago, you are no longer my Alpha. You are an unruly pokegirl mouthing off to her Beta.” She gave Aella a grim smile when she began to retort. “Yes, the woman you thought was unimportant has suddenly become your better.”
“You will never be better than me.” Aella snapped.
“I wish you would say something else.” Cristina said sadly. “You are acting exactly as I knew you would.” She looked at Andrew when Aella began winding up to continue arguing. “I told you she would do this. I’ll be back later.”
“I don’t care what you think you-“ Aella started before Cristina’s hand shot out to grab her arm and they teleported. “-are now, you’re still-“ Aella froze, looking around at the trees that had appeared. “What the hell?”
“What was it Andrew said?” Cristina began pulling off her casual clothing to reveal a tight black combat outfit underneath. “That you haven’t been training with the rest of us? That you’ve been living in your own little world? People change, Aella. Some of us are living in the real world, where we understand that strength is relative.”
“Where the fuck are we? How did we get here?” Aella stared around, noticing the pit nearby but ignoring it for now. “You can’t teleport.”
“I guess we’re still back in the lounge, then.” Cristina replied with a curt snap. “Prepare yourself, Aella. Win or lose, I will be showing you why you still need someone to train you.”
Aella glanced back at her and her eyes narrowed. “What in the world is that?”
Cristina had summoned her armor. “You’ve never seen the new one, have you?” Her golden armor was gone, replaced with a deep black set that barely reflected the light hitting it. “I have grown, Aella. I have embraced my strength to survive. Something you have never had to do.”
Aella growled, stepping back a pace. “I don’t like it.”
“You’re a smart fighter. I would be disappointed if you didn’t respect the unknown.” Cristina’s wings flared to life behind her and she settled into a ready stance, one hand on her scabbards. “I will give you one last chance. Apologize for your treatment of me, and acknowledge that I am at least your equal.”
“I will not.”
“So be it.” Cristina dashed forwards, her sword whipping out in a blur that Aella frantically dodged. “If you were the strongest there was,” Cristina sliced again, a tiny snap echoing from the void her slashes were cutting through the air, “then how would Mary Lou defeat you?” She stepped forwards, chasing Aella as the Shinryu retreated.
Aella’s jaw set and she teleported, shifting in midair and charging an attack. Cristina slid to a halt, casting a spell before raising her blade as Aella fired a Thunder attack directly at her.
Aella sneered when the electricity impacted, her smile fading when Cristina flipped her sword around, plunging it into the ground to allow the electricity to discharge with no effect. “Try again.”
“What did you just do!”
“I’ve learned to counter my weaknesses.” Cristina replied. “If I am weak at range, then I must negate my opponent’s ranged attacks.”
Aella levitated higher, her breathing growing labored as she built power. Pure rage filled her thoughts, focused solely on the armored figure below her. Lightning crackled around her, a brilliant corona that rivaled the sun in Cristina’s vision. As the power swelled Aella opened her mouth but words had left her and she screamed, the full force of her power flashing to a point above her horns.
“You think I’ll let you?”
Aella gasped when the voice came from behind her. Cristina roared, the lightning around them playing across her armor before she swung her sword. She had taken Aella completely by surprise by teleporting and the blade struck true. As it bit into the Shinryu’s horns the gathering electricity found a new path, flashing to the break before the energy lost cohesion.
Both were blasted away when the technique exploded. Aella had her mass to protect her when she plowed into the ground but Cristina could only rely on her armor when her path intersected with one of the largest trees around them.
She winced when she felt the impact, bracing and drawing her limbs closer to her body when she rebounded. Behind her the great tree cracked, a massive gouge showing where the human-shaped cannonball had hit. Cristina slowly got to her feet, ignoring the screaming protests her body gave and summoning her Dark Cocoon to begin healing.
A bolt of lightning took her in the chest, the attack imparting as much energy as Aella could muster and sending Cristina blasting back into the tree again. The trunk shattered, slowly slumping to the side before falling, knocking two other, smaller trees with it and kicking up a massive cloud of dirt that Cristina vanished into. Aella slowly rose, her dragon body curling up underneath her. “Gotcha.” She growled.
Aella screamed when a spear of darkness returned the favor, cutting into her body before vanishing into the trees behind her. Cristina slowly came into view as the dust settled, whatever damage she had sustained impossible to determine thanks to her unblemished armor.
“You can’t do more than tickle me now.” Cristina called, gesturing at the sparking stumps that had once been Aella’s horns. “What say we drop the bullshit and I bludgeon you unconscious.”
Aella glared at her. “I can still fight!” She raised a hand, lightning forming in it before she hurled the Thunderbolt.
Cristina raised her sword again but dropped it when she saw the trick Aella was pulling and simply raised a gauntleted hand. The hidden Energy Blade vanished when it hit her absorption field, the Thunderbolt doing little damage when it played out across her body. “Nice try.”
Aella’s eyes were wide. “How- how did you-?”
“If you’re not sustaining it, it’s easy to disperse.” Cristina replied. “I’ve trained to defeat you, Aella. Try to do something I don’t already know.”
Aella bolted forwards, looking more like a Thundnaga than a Shinryu as she attempted to get in range without levitating. Cristina let her, her wings flapping once to get her out of the way of Aella’s bodyslam before she turned. With a single motion she drew her second sword, a command falling from her lips as she slashed through the air.
Aella was turning when the phantom attack connected, great bloody streaks cutting through her tail and sending blood spurting across the forest floor. She didn’t scream, blocking out the pain and pursuing Cristina. Cristina flapped again, picking up speed before turning on a dime to avoid Aella’s claws.
Aella started to turn and finally screamed when Cristina swooped back in and began slicing strips down her body. She pulled up when her target vanished, glancing over to see Aella in her human form. “Had enough?”
“I am going to cut you.” Aella snarled. “TO PIECES!”
Cristina flipped her stance, axing down with her blades when Aella rushed in. Aella had to block, her arms growing her draconic scales before the technique covered her whole body. Cristina flipped away when Aella struck, the Dragon Claw scoring a streak down Cristina’s arm before she could get away.
“So you can hurt.” Aella taunted, stalking forwards with her hands at the ready. “You. Will. Bleed.”
Inside her helmet Cristina grimaced. She had forgotten how much punishment the Shinryu could take, and she was starting to feel the fatigue of battle with her constant attacks. Thankfully she still had tricks up her sleeve.
Aella struck, spinning back when Cristina countered. The two exchanged blows for a few seconds before Cristina abruptly dropped a sword, reaching up in an attempt to grab hold of Aella’s arm. Aella immediately dodged, turning up and breathing energy into Cristina’s face as her second hand came around.
Cristina dropped her second sword, both vanishing before they hit the ground and blocked the incoming strike. Aella started to wind back up when she felt something wrap around her striking arm, looking down to see the Rune Chain slithering its way up her body.
“What?” She watched it in confusion for a moment before glaring at Critstina and jerking her arm away. “You can’t hold-“ She stopped, staring at the links that continued wrapping her. “Hold…”
Cristina winced when Aella’s arm exploded with light, her Rune Chain shattering. “Hold what?”
“I don’t understand.” Aella shoved away, gaining distance and staring at Cristina, her chest heaving. “You shouldn’t know any of these techniques.”
“You shouldn’t know how to create a Hyperbeam, either.” Cristina pointed out. “But you learned.”
They circled each other, Aella watching carefully as Cristina changed her stance to match her movement. Eventually she feinted in, energy wreathing her limbs before she struck.
Cristina jerked back, avoiding a kick and countering with a flurry of blows that crashed against Aella’s defenses. She fell away again when Aella snuck in a few solid hits, waiting for Aella to throw out a random strike before exploiting the opening to step past her guard and hammer Aella’s back.
Aella crashed to the ground, bouncing slightly before laying still. Cristina watched her, walking over and offering her hand to the motionless Shinryu. “Why are you going easy on me?”
Aella rolled over, staring up at her. Cristina had dismissed her helmet, her tired eyes questioning Aella.
“I’m not.” She whispered.
“You have barely used a dragon technique since we started fighting.” Cristina took Aella’s extended hand, pulling her to her feet. “You were serious when you fought Fu. Why not me?”
Aella blinked back tears. “I don’t want to fight you.”
Cristina smiled, gently patting her shoulder. “But you can’t help it, can you?”
Aella sniffed, rubbing at her eyes and shaking her head. “No. No, I can’t.”
“Are you afraid that I’ll beat you when you’re holding nothing back?”
Aella remained quiet, staring at Cristina. Finally she nodded slightly.
“Will you acknowledge me, Aella?” Cristina gazed at the young girl. “Will you acknowledge that I deserve your respect?”
Aella wiped at her eyes. “I don’t have much of a choice. I haven’t hurt you at all.”
Cristina smiled, dismissing her armor. Aella hissed when the terrible bruising across Cristina’s body was revealed and glanced up at her face. “How?”
“How what?”
“How can you still be standing?”
Cristina chuckled. “Because I refuse to fall.” Her eyes shone bright. “I am better for the things that I have endured. You are not weak. But you can be stronger.”
Something in Aella’s expression changed and she nodded. “I can.” She almost smiled when she embraced Cristina. “Thank you.” She waited for a moment before giggling. “I’m sorry, Beta.”
Cristina laughed back, kissing the top of her head. “Let’s get back to the caves. Get us healed up.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Col. Andrew Ranger |
||||||||||
|
(Tech Ops) Maj. Cortney |
(Strike) Maj. Aella |
(Logistics) Maj. Lyn |
||||||||
|
(Advisor) Cpt. Nevaeh |
(Defense) Cpt. Kuu |
(Beta) Cpt. Cristina |
(Medic) Cpt. Gale |
(Council) Cpt. Rein (Ret.) |
||||||
|
GySgt. Constance |
1stSgt. Fu |
GySgt. Ishara |
||||||||
|
SSgt. Nami |
SSgt. Shamira (Ret.) |
|||||||||
|
Sgt. Lucina |
Sgt. Ann (Ret.) |
Sgt. Melody |
Sgt. Yang (Ret.) |
|||||||
|
Cpl. Furia |
Cpl. Nova |
|||||||||
Aella – (Hunter) Shinryu – Alpha
Cristina – (Blessed, Fiendish) Ophanim – Beta
Cortney – (Upgraded) Videogirl
Fu – Warvern
Lucina – Shadowcat
Nami – Sharptits
Constance – Tank Vixxen
Gale – Night Nurse
Shamira – Goldina
Nevaeh – (Blessed, Fiendish) G-Splice
Melody – Wet Queen
Ann – Ice Empress
Nova – Blazicunt
Furia – (Fiendish) Wolf Queen
Rein – Myobu
Ishara – Romanticide
Kuu – Elfqueen
Lyn – Archmage
Yang – Nereidame
Daria – Vampire
Camiel – (Paragon) Archangel
Albia – (Hunter) G-Splice