Garrick finds he gets a little more than what he bargained for... But
then, I'm the sort to bounce back from this sort of setback. After all,
it could be worse - they could all be yanderes!
I can say without hesitation that hang gliding with Achika was an
absolute blast. So much so that I resolved to start taking lessons
when we got back to Earth. I was pretty certain that I could get
some amazing ridge lift and mountain wave lift out in Okayama.
Achika and I had landed the glider and we were on our way back into
Tenju, giddy and warm together despite the sharp chill of the outside
air. Suddenly, she darted into a deeply shaded cranny, pulling me in
with her, and then her lips were on mine as she kissed me hungrily,
her breath heavy against my face.
The sheer immediacy of her passion caught me completely off guard and
all I could do was just go with it, holding her firmly to myself as I
kissed her back and waited for her to calm down.
Eventually she pulled away and I got my chance.
“Is something wrong?” I whispered.
“No, not really,” she replied a bit sheepishly. “I really did
want to do that... but it doesn't help that I just saw two of those
girls that were chasing you earlier.”
I smiled at her gently as I cupped the side of her face in one hand.
“I see... looks like this is something I need to nip in the bud
once and for all.”
“Garrick... can't we just stay here like this?”
“They'll find us soon enough,” I countered. “Don't worry,
though. There'll be plenty of time for us after I take care of this.
You have my word, my precious little princess.”
Achika gave me a glare. “That 'princess' thing is a mere
technicality.”
I grinned back at her. “Oh, if I gotta do the whole 'Royal Duty'
thing, then so do you.”
Achika then grinned with saccharine sweetness. “Okay then, duty
boy. Go do your duty.”
And just like that, she shoved me out of the cranny, and I couldn't
help but laugh. Of course, this meant I was spotted by the two
scouts. And soon enough, the rest of the horde was on my tail.
I have to admit, this was exhilarating like nothing else I had ever
experienced. It's one thing to be chased down by the horror-terrors
of the universe out for your blood. It's another to be running from
about three-dozen girls who want you in only the most primal way
imaginable.
Now I know how The Beatles must have felt sometimes as they ran with
grins plastered on their faces from screaming girls.
What's kind of a shame, though, is that I'd feel safe placing good
money on the odds that at least half of these girls would have no
idea what to do with me if they ever got their hands on me. It's
like a dog hounding someone for being too close to their home. If
they ever do get out, all the do is run up to the person and just
keep right on barking. They have no real direction, which is kinda
sad in a ways.
In fact...
I pause for just a moment and get a good look at all the girls
pursuing me.
Just as I thought. Not one of them looks older than eighteen.
Grandmother is certainly a very naughty woman.
It was time to end this. I slapped my C-Pod and called out,
“Two-count Type-1 Goobers!”
They were really called personnel-class restraining plasmoid nanite
colonies. I like to call them goo bombs, or goobers for short. I
cooked up a variety of these things with Washu's help. She cackled
wickedly at some of the ideas I had, like the Type-6 which had
irritant properties similar to poison ivy, or the Type-17 which
dissolves clothing and armor of all types.
The Type-1, though, was the kindest. It merely glued everyone in
it's explosive radius into place with transparent strands of goo. It
wouldn't hurt anyone, although it would hold a person as effectively
as the GP's full body restraint device.
Two grenade-like devices dropped into my hands and I thumbed the
buttons. They began making a series of electronic clicks that sped
up in frequency at a geometric rate. Just before it reached a steady
whine, I turned and threw the two Goobers into the midst of the girls
hunting me.
They never had a chance.
With a pair of concussive pops, a mass of sticky strands shot out
from where the goobers landed and rooted every single girl into
place.
An uproar of feminine shock and surprise died down to ruefulness and
revulsion.
“That's enough, all of you!” I called out and the girls suddenly
fell silent, save for a few isolated whimpers. “I know that you've
all heard stories of me from someone, somewhere. I know that you
must all be unattached and marriageable... and I can definitely tell
that you're all attractive in one style or another.” That last
line got a myriad of reactions all across the emotional spectrum.
“But the thing is, I'm not really looking for anyone else right
now. I already have two wonderful girls that I intend to marry, and
two more that I am closely investigating. I'm sorry... I don't like
hurting anyone... but I'm content with what I have.”
I looked over them all as they all made depressed sounding cries of
regret.
Suddenly, one of them piped up – a young girl with green hair. “I
don't care! I just want to serve under you!”
“Yeah!” cried out an ebony haired woman. “It's so hard to find
a good position in the already established households!”
I blinked and looked out over all the faces once more... they all
looked so hopeful.
“Let me get this straight... you all want to pledge fealty to me
and be invested as my vassals? This has nothing to do with becoming
engaged to me?”
There were a lot of blushes and sheepish looks at that.
“Well... You seem like a really nice guy,” said one particularly
small woman with platinum hair. “There's not enough of those to go
around. But if you're happy with what you have... Then I have no
qualms about swearing fealty to you!”
An uproar of agreements went up at that. Bringing up the tail end of
that, though, was one woman saying, “You never know, he might
change his mind!”
“oooo-kayyeee,” I drawled... “I can see the attraction...
Fine. I'll speak with Lady Seto, but I'm pretty sure she'll go for
it. Fire up your resumes, girls. I want them in the study of my
guest suite after I am instated into House Masaki.”
One by one, I set the girls loose, exchanging brief pleasantries with
each one before sending them on their way. Although there were
definitely a few that were memorable.
“Aren't you a little young to be declaring your fealty?” I asked
a platinum-haired, purple-eyed girl that looked no older than
fourteen years old.
“I'm actually forty-five,” said the girl nonchalantly as she
straightened out her clothes. “Don't worry, I'm used to it. It's
a genetic condition triggered by the bond to my tree. My name is
Mimi Tatsuki Jurai.”
I blinked. “You're bonded?”
Mimi nodded. “To a Third-Generation Tree. But just because I have
that doesn't mean anything much in the grand scheme of things. If
I'm gonna get any recognition around here, I gotta bust my chops
working for someone that gets noticed. Someone like you.”
I grinned at the girl. “Okay, I can definitely see that. I'll
look forward to seeing your resume.”
“Sure. Just one more thing.”
“What's that?” I asked.
And without warning, Mimi jumped at me, hooking an arm over my neck,
and pulling herself up to my face to give me the most surprising
french kiss I have ever had at that time in my life. She then
giggled at the shocked look on my face when she dropped back down to
the floor.
“Just because I'm stuck with this body doesn't mean that I'm not a
woman. Believe me, I've had everything looked at. I can definitely
make babies. So don't ever treat me like a kid. Got it?”
“Couldn't be clearer,” I said, still giving her a look of
wide-eyed surprise.
“Great!” she said as she began to walk off, her hips swinging
evocatively as she did so. “See you later, Mr. Grimm.”
I blinked at that, then turned to the other girls I had yet to free.
“Don't get any ideas.”
They all only giggled hysterically.
I knocked at the door to Seto's chambers in the Kamiki family branch
of Tenju. I heard a stentorian voice within bid me to enter.
Opening the door, I was greeted by the sight of a large, powerfully
built man bearing a set of 'friendly' mutton chops and moustache.
“Ah!” said the man as he smiled at me. “The elusive Garrick
Grimm of Earth! I am Utsustumi Kamiki Jurai – Seto's husband. I'm
glad to meet you at last, young man. Come in, come in, please! Seto
is away for the moment, and I would like to take what little time we
have alone to talk with you.”
I entered the posh looking suite. It was about the same size as
Ayeka's... which made sense in a ways. While Seto was indeed highly
powerful, Ayeka was very highly ranked as well. Though that would
certainly change once Tenchi finally decides to ascend the throne.
At that point, he'll need an entire branch of Tenju just for his
wives.
Utsutsumi offered me a seat on a couch and I accepted, while he took
a seat in a large armchair.
“Well, I have to admit that I was surprised when Seto told me that
she was taking an Earthman under her wing. Of course, millennia of
knowing her have taught me that she certainly knows what she is
doing. I shouldn't have been surprised. But somehow, you managed to
do so.” The older man then leaned in closer, and said in a very
serious tone, “So what are your intentions here, son?”
That was a very good question, and something that I had been giving
some thought to. Even so, I still had to think about it before I
could answer Utsutsumi.
He was already giving me the 'I am waiting here' look by the time I
spoke up.
“Well, I owe a lot to everyone here. Everyone has done so much for
me... it's a phenomenal debt to be repaid, but I do intend to repay
it.” I then looked Utsutsumi in the eyes. “As soon as Yuki-chan
is old enough, I'll marry her and then move here to Jurai. Then I'll
do whatever it takes to pay back the debt I owe.”
“And how will you pay that debt back, son?” asked Utsutsumi.
“I'll probably serve in the defense forces. I already have my
tree, so having a ship is a foregone conclusion. In fact, I may
already have a staff.”
“Oh?” replied Utsutsumi.
I nodded. “Those girls Seto-sama set after me? Turns out they'll
settle for working under me.”
Utsutsumi burst out laughing. “You do realize that unmarried women
in your employ are automatically your concubines so long as they
consent?”
EPIC DOUBLE FACE-PALM! “Sweet Tsunami, you are not kidding, are
you?”
“Oh dear, no,” replied Utsutsume as he wiped tears of mirth from
his eyes. “Of course, you can always say 'no' to their advances –
that is your right. But so long as they are in your employ, they can
insist on bearing the title of 'Concubine of Lord Grimm'.”
“Argh,” I grumbled. “But why would they do that?”
Utsutsumi shrugged. “Garrick, the Women of Jurai do as they
please. They are capricious creatures given to whims that are beyond
my understanding. Perhaps this is because of our ancestry as pirates
– given our historical records, the behavior of our women has not
changed much since those chaotic days. However, one thing that I can
say for certain... once they fall in love with a man, they tend to
stay in love with him no matter what happens.”
“So, I'm stuck with them.”
“For certain.”
“... I think I need a drink.”
Utsutsumi laughed as he got up and went to pour some drinks for us.
By the time Seto showed up, Utsutsumi was already teaching me several
very bawdy drinking songs exclusively of Juraian origin –
specifically, ones about the gorgeous women of Jurai and how they are
never to be crossed.
Within a few minutes of Seto showing up, we settled to business and
soon enough I was duly authorized to take on my retinue. Granted, I
hadn't been adopted quite yet, but I had inherited a title from
Yakage and that gave me the leeway I needed to get started right
away.
Fortunately, I hadn't drank very much. Just enough that I felt...
lubricated. Even so, after dinner a quiet dinner taken with my
adoptive grandparents, I was completely sobered up.
So, imagine my surprise when I went to my suite and found Yume
sitting on my bed...
… completely nude.
“Close the door, Garrick. It is only us tonight.”
I frowned in puzzlement but did so regardless. “Where are the
others?” I asked.
“Minagi felt it would be a good idea for Yuki and Achika to get to
know each other better, so they are staying in Achika's suite
tonight.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And you?”
Yume gave me a small, slightly wicked smile. “It has been
forty-eight hours since Washu gave you that treatment. Tell me,
handsome... how are you feeling?”
I froze where I stood and took stock of myself... and bit my lip in
frustration.
“Aroused,” I admitted grudgingly. “And a bit irked.”
Yume chuckled indulgently. “Yes. It is a hard thing to ignore,
isn't it? But you will live with it. It is not impossible for you
to do. You, as a species, simply forgot how to do so. But you have
the capability within you still. Now, if I ask you to come here to
the bed with me so I can teach you how, will you?”
I sighed as I mulled it over. Washu said Yume is a schemer, not a
liar. So, even if she had every intention of doing as she said she
would... But even so, I needed to learn to deal with this. And if
that meant that I had to take a chance with Yume... Well, I suppose
I have to start trusting her at some point in time.
Without a word, I went to the bed and sat down on the edge.
“Good boy,” Yume said, as in one slow, fluid movement, she
reached over and caressed my face as she straddled my lap, wrapping
her legs around my waist. I can't describe how it felt to smell her
in the state I was in.
“Hmm,” said Yume thoughtfully. “You certainly weren't making
any exaggerations in your choice of words.” I gave her a pained
look but she only grinned back at me. “Don't worry. Just close
your eyes and trust in me. I promise that I am not going to take
advantage of you.”
I sighed deeply and nodded my head, closing my eyes as I did so.
“Good. Now, lay on your back.”
I followed her instruction and Yume shifted with me, unwrapping her
legs and laying herself against my torso.
“I know what I am doing to you,” she said, her voice a seductive
bedroom tone. “I am having you breathe in my essence, thus setting
your blood on fire. You can feel it, can't you? Like molten metal
flowing in your veins, burning with every beat of your pulse – your
heart itself feels like a blast furnace in your chest, pumping pure
fire throughout your body.
“Now... imagine yourself someplace cold. You rest upon a stone in
the midst of a river. There is ice around you, save near the stone
itself, for your heat has melted it away. You must calm your fire,
otherwise, even in this cold place it will consume you.
“So, my own... Breathe in the cold air. Breathe it in slowly,
carefully. Bank your fires and let it cool the furnace in your
heart. And then, once you have taken in all the cold you can,
breathe out again. Slowly release the heat inside you, like steam
from a boiler. Let it go, my own.”
I followed her directions, taking the deep breaths, imagining the
cold air cooling my body from the inside out, and letting the heat go
with each exhalation. Yume helped me by setting the cadence, gently
correcting me as I went, instructing me as to exactly how I should be
breathing, and all the while coloring it all so it fit in with the
imagery she had provided. Eventually, though, she had no more to
say. She simply let me continue the breathing exercise.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, she finally spoke.
“Open your eyes, my own.”
Slowly, my eyes opened almost of their own accord. Yume was looking
down at me with a pleased expression on her face.
“Tell me now, how do you feel?”
“...Better,” I said after a moment, surprised that I actually did
feel a lot better. “I feel... warm. Content. The fire is still
there, but... it's like it calmed down... just hot coals and
embers... How did you learn this?”
Yume smiled as she stroked my face. “It is an ancient meditative
exercise taught to all young females by our shamans. We must first
learn to control our own desires, lest we make a poor choice in a
mate by acting prematurely. Then, we females teach the males once we
are bonded, because until a male is bitten by a female he has no need
of such things.
“There are other things as well, but this is the most important one
– as we have the power to stir the fire within each other, we must
also have the power to calm the fires lest they consume us. And
trust me, there have been times where a pair lets their fires grow
out of control... and they kill each other in the act of mating.
“Finally, understand this, my own. I do not teach you this lightly
– it is a sacred act between mates, and it is symbolic of our
bonding together. Do not speak of it with others unless they come to
you in honest pursuit of truth and knowledge. To do so otherwise is
to sully what I share with you.”
“I understand,” I replied. “I swear I won't ever speak lightly
of this.”
“Thank you, my own,” Yume whispered as she reach up with her face
and began to nibble carefully at my ear.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
Yume paused, then laughed softly. “Silly boy. We do what all
males and females have done together since the beginning of time: we
create our progeny.”
“Yume,” I said, gently stopping her before she could get carried
away. “I understand you want children... I do too... but do you
really want them now? I'll support you if you do, but...”
Yume chuckled again. “I suppose that now is a good time to tell
you.
“Minagi is with child.”
I couldn't say anything. I just kept looking up at Yume's slightly
smug expression – it was so weird that she was smiling like it was
her own accomplishment.
“She really is?” I finally managed to say.
“Washu and I both verified it. She conceived the night before you
arrived on Ryuten.” Yume then nipped my neck affectionately.
“Congratulations, my own. You are going to be a father.”
“Wha... whoah...” I said helplessly. “Wait... why wouldn't
she tell me first?”
“We just found out today,” murmured Yume between kisses. “And
Minagi... asked me to tell you... as a show of solidarity... between
us... as sister-wives.”
“But... I didn't think she would let this would happen so soon...
if the wrong person finds out...”
“Don't worry,” Yume whispered in my ear. “We can slow the
process. No one will be the wiser. So, now my own... you no longer
have any excuse. You are already a father once. Satisfy me and make
yourself a father twice.”
Being with Yume that night was an experience like none other. For
one thing, it was remarkable how well our anatomy paralleled –
pretty much everything important was in the right spot. Although,
there were still subtle differences, and it was a learning experience
for us both.
In fact, Yume was learning a lesson as she woke up the next morning.
“Oooohhh...” she moaned.
I sat up right away at the sound and gave Yume a concerned look.
“You alright?”
“I think so,” she grated out. “I just wasn't expecting... so
much! Is it weird to say that I'm hurting and it feels good?”
“I guess this was never covered with you when you were young,” I
said with a smile. Sometimes you never learn about some things until
you come across them yourself. “It's a natural thing. We got
carried away last night and you're a bit bruised down there. So, in
addition to all the other feel-good chemicals your glands have pumped
into your system, you're also getting an extra helping of endorphins
to take the edge off that pain.”
“Wonderful,” grunted Yume as she rolled her eyes. “If this
keeps up between you an me, I'll be a drug addict in no time.” She
looked so adorably petulant that I carefully scooped her up and
planted a kiss on her lips.
“You'll be fine. We'll just have to be careful... and figure out
if this is something you like or hate.”
Yume grunted. “I suppose that a bit of pain is to be expected...
this being my first time.”
I blinked at that. “I guess you're right. I never really thought
of you as a virgin now that you mention it... though I guess it
doesn't apply now.”
Yume gave me a smile that would not have looked out of place if she
were tearing a bloody strip of meat out of a carcass. I guess she
was feeling victorious.
“Well of course not. We don't place such an emphasis on it...
after all, my kind mate for life so there is no real value on
virginity. Although I'm glad that you don't really seem to care
either way.”
I shrugged. “Well... in a way it's kinda fun... You get to show
the other person the... well, if you'll pardon the pun, the in's and
out's of sex.”
“I think I know what you mean,” she said as she slipped carefully
out of my lap and onto the floor. “The look on your face when my
entrapment organ snared you was priceless.”
I sighed at that. “I should have realized you'd be equipped with
something like that when you mentioned you don't ovulate until after
the act.” I have to admit, when it happened images of vagina
dentata flashed through my head for a brief moment.
Yume grimaced as she performed some stretches, undoubtedly having a
few kinked core-muscles.
“Well, at any rate I'll be surprised if it doesn't take.” She
then flashed me a more genuine smile. “Looking forward to it,
papa?”
I smiled at the thought. Children! You honestly have no idea how
much I have wanted my own. Teaching, playing, and roughhousing,
helping them to help themselves, and making sure they grow to become
forces of awesome.
“I can hardly wait,” I replied as I pulled Yume into a hug.
“This family is going to have some absolutely epic kids, isn't it?”
Yume chuckled. “That's exactly why I wanted to join your family,
Garrick.” She then pulled me down and gave me a slow, sensuous
kiss.
“So, what now?” I asked after our lips parted.
“Well,” said Yume in that bedroom voice of hers, “I am going to
find that communal bath and have myself a nice, long soak. You are
gonna go find Minagi and tell her what a wonderful person she is for
bearing your child and worship the ground she walks on like a male
ought to.”
I chuckled at the thought. “Yes ma'am!”
Coming up next, the Royal Bureaucracy starts to budge, Washu gives spoilers for whats to come, and the Emperor gets to know his new son.
then, I'm the sort to bounce back from this sort of setback. After all,
it could be worse - they could all be yanderes!
I can say without hesitation that hang gliding with Achika was an
absolute blast. So much so that I resolved to start taking lessons
when we got back to Earth. I was pretty certain that I could get
some amazing ridge lift and mountain wave lift out in Okayama.
Achika and I had landed the glider and we were on our way back into
Tenju, giddy and warm together despite the sharp chill of the outside
air. Suddenly, she darted into a deeply shaded cranny, pulling me in
with her, and then her lips were on mine as she kissed me hungrily,
her breath heavy against my face.
The sheer immediacy of her passion caught me completely off guard and
all I could do was just go with it, holding her firmly to myself as I
kissed her back and waited for her to calm down.
Eventually she pulled away and I got my chance.
“Is something wrong?” I whispered.
“No, not really,” she replied a bit sheepishly. “I really did
want to do that... but it doesn't help that I just saw two of those
girls that were chasing you earlier.”
I smiled at her gently as I cupped the side of her face in one hand.
“I see... looks like this is something I need to nip in the bud
once and for all.”
“Garrick... can't we just stay here like this?”
“They'll find us soon enough,” I countered. “Don't worry,
though. There'll be plenty of time for us after I take care of this.
You have my word, my precious little princess.”
Achika gave me a glare. “That 'princess' thing is a mere
technicality.”
I grinned back at her. “Oh, if I gotta do the whole 'Royal Duty'
thing, then so do you.”
Achika then grinned with saccharine sweetness. “Okay then, duty
boy. Go do your duty.”
And just like that, she shoved me out of the cranny, and I couldn't
help but laugh. Of course, this meant I was spotted by the two
scouts. And soon enough, the rest of the horde was on my tail.
I have to admit, this was exhilarating like nothing else I had ever
experienced. It's one thing to be chased down by the horror-terrors
of the universe out for your blood. It's another to be running from
about three-dozen girls who want you in only the most primal way
imaginable.
Now I know how The Beatles must have felt sometimes as they ran with
grins plastered on their faces from screaming girls.
What's kind of a shame, though, is that I'd feel safe placing good
money on the odds that at least half of these girls would have no
idea what to do with me if they ever got their hands on me. It's
like a dog hounding someone for being too close to their home. If
they ever do get out, all the do is run up to the person and just
keep right on barking. They have no real direction, which is kinda
sad in a ways.
In fact...
I pause for just a moment and get a good look at all the girls
pursuing me.
Just as I thought. Not one of them looks older than eighteen.
Grandmother is certainly a very naughty woman.
It was time to end this. I slapped my C-Pod and called out,
“Two-count Type-1 Goobers!”
They were really called personnel-class restraining plasmoid nanite
colonies. I like to call them goo bombs, or goobers for short. I
cooked up a variety of these things with Washu's help. She cackled
wickedly at some of the ideas I had, like the Type-6 which had
irritant properties similar to poison ivy, or the Type-17 which
dissolves clothing and armor of all types.
The Type-1, though, was the kindest. It merely glued everyone in
it's explosive radius into place with transparent strands of goo. It
wouldn't hurt anyone, although it would hold a person as effectively
as the GP's full body restraint device.
Two grenade-like devices dropped into my hands and I thumbed the
buttons. They began making a series of electronic clicks that sped
up in frequency at a geometric rate. Just before it reached a steady
whine, I turned and threw the two Goobers into the midst of the girls
hunting me.
They never had a chance.
With a pair of concussive pops, a mass of sticky strands shot out
from where the goobers landed and rooted every single girl into
place.
An uproar of feminine shock and surprise died down to ruefulness and
revulsion.
“That's enough, all of you!” I called out and the girls suddenly
fell silent, save for a few isolated whimpers. “I know that you've
all heard stories of me from someone, somewhere. I know that you
must all be unattached and marriageable... and I can definitely tell
that you're all attractive in one style or another.” That last
line got a myriad of reactions all across the emotional spectrum.
“But the thing is, I'm not really looking for anyone else right
now. I already have two wonderful girls that I intend to marry, and
two more that I am closely investigating. I'm sorry... I don't like
hurting anyone... but I'm content with what I have.”
I looked over them all as they all made depressed sounding cries of
regret.
Suddenly, one of them piped up – a young girl with green hair. “I
don't care! I just want to serve under you!”
“Yeah!” cried out an ebony haired woman. “It's so hard to find
a good position in the already established households!”
I blinked and looked out over all the faces once more... they all
looked so hopeful.
“Let me get this straight... you all want to pledge fealty to me
and be invested as my vassals? This has nothing to do with becoming
engaged to me?”
There were a lot of blushes and sheepish looks at that.
“Well... You seem like a really nice guy,” said one particularly
small woman with platinum hair. “There's not enough of those to go
around. But if you're happy with what you have... Then I have no
qualms about swearing fealty to you!”
An uproar of agreements went up at that. Bringing up the tail end of
that, though, was one woman saying, “You never know, he might
change his mind!”
“oooo-kayyeee,” I drawled... “I can see the attraction...
Fine. I'll speak with Lady Seto, but I'm pretty sure she'll go for
it. Fire up your resumes, girls. I want them in the study of my
guest suite after I am instated into House Masaki.”
One by one, I set the girls loose, exchanging brief pleasantries with
each one before sending them on their way. Although there were
definitely a few that were memorable.
“Aren't you a little young to be declaring your fealty?” I asked
a platinum-haired, purple-eyed girl that looked no older than
fourteen years old.
“I'm actually forty-five,” said the girl nonchalantly as she
straightened out her clothes. “Don't worry, I'm used to it. It's
a genetic condition triggered by the bond to my tree. My name is
Mimi Tatsuki Jurai.”
I blinked. “You're bonded?”
Mimi nodded. “To a Third-Generation Tree. But just because I have
that doesn't mean anything much in the grand scheme of things. If
I'm gonna get any recognition around here, I gotta bust my chops
working for someone that gets noticed. Someone like you.”
I grinned at the girl. “Okay, I can definitely see that. I'll
look forward to seeing your resume.”
“Sure. Just one more thing.”
“What's that?” I asked.
And without warning, Mimi jumped at me, hooking an arm over my neck,
and pulling herself up to my face to give me the most surprising
french kiss I have ever had at that time in my life. She then
giggled at the shocked look on my face when she dropped back down to
the floor.
“Just because I'm stuck with this body doesn't mean that I'm not a
woman. Believe me, I've had everything looked at. I can definitely
make babies. So don't ever treat me like a kid. Got it?”
“Couldn't be clearer,” I said, still giving her a look of
wide-eyed surprise.
“Great!” she said as she began to walk off, her hips swinging
evocatively as she did so. “See you later, Mr. Grimm.”
I blinked at that, then turned to the other girls I had yet to free.
“Don't get any ideas.”
They all only giggled hysterically.
I knocked at the door to Seto's chambers in the Kamiki family branch
of Tenju. I heard a stentorian voice within bid me to enter.
Opening the door, I was greeted by the sight of a large, powerfully
built man bearing a set of 'friendly' mutton chops and moustache.
“Ah!” said the man as he smiled at me. “The elusive Garrick
Grimm of Earth! I am Utsustumi Kamiki Jurai – Seto's husband. I'm
glad to meet you at last, young man. Come in, come in, please! Seto
is away for the moment, and I would like to take what little time we
have alone to talk with you.”
I entered the posh looking suite. It was about the same size as
Ayeka's... which made sense in a ways. While Seto was indeed highly
powerful, Ayeka was very highly ranked as well. Though that would
certainly change once Tenchi finally decides to ascend the throne.
At that point, he'll need an entire branch of Tenju just for his
wives.
Utsutsumi offered me a seat on a couch and I accepted, while he took
a seat in a large armchair.
“Well, I have to admit that I was surprised when Seto told me that
she was taking an Earthman under her wing. Of course, millennia of
knowing her have taught me that she certainly knows what she is
doing. I shouldn't have been surprised. But somehow, you managed to
do so.” The older man then leaned in closer, and said in a very
serious tone, “So what are your intentions here, son?”
That was a very good question, and something that I had been giving
some thought to. Even so, I still had to think about it before I
could answer Utsutsumi.
He was already giving me the 'I am waiting here' look by the time I
spoke up.
“Well, I owe a lot to everyone here. Everyone has done so much for
me... it's a phenomenal debt to be repaid, but I do intend to repay
it.” I then looked Utsutsumi in the eyes. “As soon as Yuki-chan
is old enough, I'll marry her and then move here to Jurai. Then I'll
do whatever it takes to pay back the debt I owe.”
“And how will you pay that debt back, son?” asked Utsutsumi.
“I'll probably serve in the defense forces. I already have my
tree, so having a ship is a foregone conclusion. In fact, I may
already have a staff.”
“Oh?” replied Utsutsumi.
I nodded. “Those girls Seto-sama set after me? Turns out they'll
settle for working under me.”
Utsutsumi burst out laughing. “You do realize that unmarried women
in your employ are automatically your concubines so long as they
consent?”
EPIC DOUBLE FACE-PALM! “Sweet Tsunami, you are not kidding, are
you?”
“Oh dear, no,” replied Utsutsume as he wiped tears of mirth from
his eyes. “Of course, you can always say 'no' to their advances –
that is your right. But so long as they are in your employ, they can
insist on bearing the title of 'Concubine of Lord Grimm'.”
“Argh,” I grumbled. “But why would they do that?”
Utsutsumi shrugged. “Garrick, the Women of Jurai do as they
please. They are capricious creatures given to whims that are beyond
my understanding. Perhaps this is because of our ancestry as pirates
– given our historical records, the behavior of our women has not
changed much since those chaotic days. However, one thing that I can
say for certain... once they fall in love with a man, they tend to
stay in love with him no matter what happens.”
“So, I'm stuck with them.”
“For certain.”
“... I think I need a drink.”
Utsutsumi laughed as he got up and went to pour some drinks for us.
By the time Seto showed up, Utsutsumi was already teaching me several
very bawdy drinking songs exclusively of Juraian origin –
specifically, ones about the gorgeous women of Jurai and how they are
never to be crossed.
Within a few minutes of Seto showing up, we settled to business and
soon enough I was duly authorized to take on my retinue. Granted, I
hadn't been adopted quite yet, but I had inherited a title from
Yakage and that gave me the leeway I needed to get started right
away.
Fortunately, I hadn't drank very much. Just enough that I felt...
lubricated. Even so, after dinner a quiet dinner taken with my
adoptive grandparents, I was completely sobered up.
So, imagine my surprise when I went to my suite and found Yume
sitting on my bed...
… completely nude.
“Close the door, Garrick. It is only us tonight.”
I frowned in puzzlement but did so regardless. “Where are the
others?” I asked.
“Minagi felt it would be a good idea for Yuki and Achika to get to
know each other better, so they are staying in Achika's suite
tonight.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And you?”
Yume gave me a small, slightly wicked smile. “It has been
forty-eight hours since Washu gave you that treatment. Tell me,
handsome... how are you feeling?”
I froze where I stood and took stock of myself... and bit my lip in
frustration.
“Aroused,” I admitted grudgingly. “And a bit irked.”
Yume chuckled indulgently. “Yes. It is a hard thing to ignore,
isn't it? But you will live with it. It is not impossible for you
to do. You, as a species, simply forgot how to do so. But you have
the capability within you still. Now, if I ask you to come here to
the bed with me so I can teach you how, will you?”
I sighed as I mulled it over. Washu said Yume is a schemer, not a
liar. So, even if she had every intention of doing as she said she
would... But even so, I needed to learn to deal with this. And if
that meant that I had to take a chance with Yume... Well, I suppose
I have to start trusting her at some point in time.
Without a word, I went to the bed and sat down on the edge.
“Good boy,” Yume said, as in one slow, fluid movement, she
reached over and caressed my face as she straddled my lap, wrapping
her legs around my waist. I can't describe how it felt to smell her
in the state I was in.
“Hmm,” said Yume thoughtfully. “You certainly weren't making
any exaggerations in your choice of words.” I gave her a pained
look but she only grinned back at me. “Don't worry. Just close
your eyes and trust in me. I promise that I am not going to take
advantage of you.”
I sighed deeply and nodded my head, closing my eyes as I did so.
“Good. Now, lay on your back.”
I followed her instruction and Yume shifted with me, unwrapping her
legs and laying herself against my torso.
“I know what I am doing to you,” she said, her voice a seductive
bedroom tone. “I am having you breathe in my essence, thus setting
your blood on fire. You can feel it, can't you? Like molten metal
flowing in your veins, burning with every beat of your pulse – your
heart itself feels like a blast furnace in your chest, pumping pure
fire throughout your body.
“Now... imagine yourself someplace cold. You rest upon a stone in
the midst of a river. There is ice around you, save near the stone
itself, for your heat has melted it away. You must calm your fire,
otherwise, even in this cold place it will consume you.
“So, my own... Breathe in the cold air. Breathe it in slowly,
carefully. Bank your fires and let it cool the furnace in your
heart. And then, once you have taken in all the cold you can,
breathe out again. Slowly release the heat inside you, like steam
from a boiler. Let it go, my own.”
I followed her directions, taking the deep breaths, imagining the
cold air cooling my body from the inside out, and letting the heat go
with each exhalation. Yume helped me by setting the cadence, gently
correcting me as I went, instructing me as to exactly how I should be
breathing, and all the while coloring it all so it fit in with the
imagery she had provided. Eventually, though, she had no more to
say. She simply let me continue the breathing exercise.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, she finally spoke.
“Open your eyes, my own.”
Slowly, my eyes opened almost of their own accord. Yume was looking
down at me with a pleased expression on her face.
“Tell me now, how do you feel?”
“...Better,” I said after a moment, surprised that I actually did
feel a lot better. “I feel... warm. Content. The fire is still
there, but... it's like it calmed down... just hot coals and
embers... How did you learn this?”
Yume smiled as she stroked my face. “It is an ancient meditative
exercise taught to all young females by our shamans. We must first
learn to control our own desires, lest we make a poor choice in a
mate by acting prematurely. Then, we females teach the males once we
are bonded, because until a male is bitten by a female he has no need
of such things.
“There are other things as well, but this is the most important one
– as we have the power to stir the fire within each other, we must
also have the power to calm the fires lest they consume us. And
trust me, there have been times where a pair lets their fires grow
out of control... and they kill each other in the act of mating.
“Finally, understand this, my own. I do not teach you this lightly
– it is a sacred act between mates, and it is symbolic of our
bonding together. Do not speak of it with others unless they come to
you in honest pursuit of truth and knowledge. To do so otherwise is
to sully what I share with you.”
“I understand,” I replied. “I swear I won't ever speak lightly
of this.”
“Thank you, my own,” Yume whispered as she reach up with her face
and began to nibble carefully at my ear.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
Yume paused, then laughed softly. “Silly boy. We do what all
males and females have done together since the beginning of time: we
create our progeny.”
“Yume,” I said, gently stopping her before she could get carried
away. “I understand you want children... I do too... but do you
really want them now? I'll support you if you do, but...”
Yume chuckled again. “I suppose that now is a good time to tell
you.
“Minagi is with child.”
I couldn't say anything. I just kept looking up at Yume's slightly
smug expression – it was so weird that she was smiling like it was
her own accomplishment.
“She really is?” I finally managed to say.
“Washu and I both verified it. She conceived the night before you
arrived on Ryuten.” Yume then nipped my neck affectionately.
“Congratulations, my own. You are going to be a father.”
“Wha... whoah...” I said helplessly. “Wait... why wouldn't
she tell me first?”
“We just found out today,” murmured Yume between kisses. “And
Minagi... asked me to tell you... as a show of solidarity... between
us... as sister-wives.”
“But... I didn't think she would let this would happen so soon...
if the wrong person finds out...”
“Don't worry,” Yume whispered in my ear. “We can slow the
process. No one will be the wiser. So, now my own... you no longer
have any excuse. You are already a father once. Satisfy me and make
yourself a father twice.”
Being with Yume that night was an experience like none other. For
one thing, it was remarkable how well our anatomy paralleled –
pretty much everything important was in the right spot. Although,
there were still subtle differences, and it was a learning experience
for us both.
In fact, Yume was learning a lesson as she woke up the next morning.
“Oooohhh...” she moaned.
I sat up right away at the sound and gave Yume a concerned look.
“You alright?”
“I think so,” she grated out. “I just wasn't expecting... so
much! Is it weird to say that I'm hurting and it feels good?”
“I guess this was never covered with you when you were young,” I
said with a smile. Sometimes you never learn about some things until
you come across them yourself. “It's a natural thing. We got
carried away last night and you're a bit bruised down there. So, in
addition to all the other feel-good chemicals your glands have pumped
into your system, you're also getting an extra helping of endorphins
to take the edge off that pain.”
“Wonderful,” grunted Yume as she rolled her eyes. “If this
keeps up between you an me, I'll be a drug addict in no time.” She
looked so adorably petulant that I carefully scooped her up and
planted a kiss on her lips.
“You'll be fine. We'll just have to be careful... and figure out
if this is something you like or hate.”
Yume grunted. “I suppose that a bit of pain is to be expected...
this being my first time.”
I blinked at that. “I guess you're right. I never really thought
of you as a virgin now that you mention it... though I guess it
doesn't apply now.”
Yume gave me a smile that would not have looked out of place if she
were tearing a bloody strip of meat out of a carcass. I guess she
was feeling victorious.
“Well of course not. We don't place such an emphasis on it...
after all, my kind mate for life so there is no real value on
virginity. Although I'm glad that you don't really seem to care
either way.”
I shrugged. “Well... in a way it's kinda fun... You get to show
the other person the... well, if you'll pardon the pun, the in's and
out's of sex.”
“I think I know what you mean,” she said as she slipped carefully
out of my lap and onto the floor. “The look on your face when my
entrapment organ snared you was priceless.”
I sighed at that. “I should have realized you'd be equipped with
something like that when you mentioned you don't ovulate until after
the act.” I have to admit, when it happened images of vagina
dentata flashed through my head for a brief moment.
Yume grimaced as she performed some stretches, undoubtedly having a
few kinked core-muscles.
“Well, at any rate I'll be surprised if it doesn't take.” She
then flashed me a more genuine smile. “Looking forward to it,
papa?”
I smiled at the thought. Children! You honestly have no idea how
much I have wanted my own. Teaching, playing, and roughhousing,
helping them to help themselves, and making sure they grow to become
forces of awesome.
“I can hardly wait,” I replied as I pulled Yume into a hug.
“This family is going to have some absolutely epic kids, isn't it?”
Yume chuckled. “That's exactly why I wanted to join your family,
Garrick.” She then pulled me down and gave me a slow, sensuous
kiss.
“So, what now?” I asked after our lips parted.
“Well,” said Yume in that bedroom voice of hers, “I am going to
find that communal bath and have myself a nice, long soak. You are
gonna go find Minagi and tell her what a wonderful person she is for
bearing your child and worship the ground she walks on like a male
ought to.”
I chuckled at the thought. “Yes ma'am!”
Coming up next, the Royal Bureaucracy starts to budge, Washu gives spoilers for whats to come, and the Emperor gets to know his new son.