Moments of Epsilon

[Creator_Drake]

Already dressed Drake simply chuckled not feeling at all surprised, Niri having joined him with a giggle.

"No need to apologize Mary, it would make sense that you'd have to give your wings just as much attention as the rest of your body, it is apart of you after all." Adjusting the straps for his partners he gave the girls a smile.

"Now then once Mary has dressed we can be on our way. Seeing through time Chronos is probably the most patient of Primes so we don't have to worry about being late or anything, really."

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Mary nodded, blushing a little as she finished preening her wings, throwing away a small pile of damaged and loose feathers. She put on her dress, and followed Drake and the others back up to Chronos's balcony.

Most of the rubble had been cleaned up, save for some scattered dust. A wireless vacuum cleaner, along with three brooms and dustpans, lay where the shattered pillar once was. Chronos floated near the top of the balcony, looking up at the gears that comprised the main clockwork of the tower.

And surprisingly, Natsume was there as well, a thoughtful expression on her face.

[Creator_Drake]

Drake raised a brow at the number of brooms and dustpans but put it out of mind for the moment as they approached Chronos and the thoughtful Natsume, mindful of the spots of dust.

"Lady Chronos, Natsume-san. I hope you both had a pleasant night. Gotta ask though, what's with the extra brooms and dustpans? I was the one who made the mess, the girls don't have to be included in this."

[Fanfic Fetishist]

"They are there merely if they wish to help," Chronos said, walking down towards them on an invisible stairway, her impressive bust bouncing with each step. "And the cleaning can wait, this place weathers worse damage and worse messes."

As she reached the floor, Elohim and Pestilence came out from behind pillars. Mary smiled, running over to hug her mother, as Pestilence just nodded impassively in greeting.

"So. I understand you will be seeking out Donovan Brode," Chronos said, the Legendary clad in a simple coat that showed off her ample cleavage, her feet covered by flat-heeled boots. Around her neck was a small bow-tie. "A dangerous thing. You're right to come seek us out."

[Creator_Drake]

Drake gave a nod of understanding at that, before greeting Elohim and Pesitilence when they appeared. Depsite his flat look he couldn't help the slight ting of pink on his ears from the movements Chronos made, but he quickly shut the thoughts down. He smiled at the scene between Mary and her Mother, before turning to Chronos with a much more serious stance.

"You'd be right on that. Considereing how you all would have either the most experience or at least knowledge about him, it seemed prudent to come speak with each of you. Whether you think me foolish or not, I am going to take what time I can with this; strategem must be made, and both the girls and myself must train in order to face him and his team. There's no way I'm going to rush into this blindly, that'll just get the girls killed or worse." Placing his hands on his hips, his shoulders slumped as he exhaled a sigh.

"But I know that's not the only thing you wish to speak to me about. I bet Elohim wants to chew my ass out for what happened to Mary yesterday, not that I could blame her, so we might as well get it over with first."

[Fanfic Fetishist]

"If I wanted to punish you for my daughter coming to harm," Elohim said, her expression dark, "I would have shoved you and your Leviathan in my Heaven's Gate last night." She sighed, gently stroking Mary's hair, the young DemiElohim looking up at her worriedly. Elohim kissed her. "As it stands... she is alive and relatively unharmed. I can take a makeover..." the Legendary Prime said, sighing.

Pestilence seemed disinterested in this mildly touching makeover. She formed an arrow in her hands, which bubbled with toxic energy, and began examining it.

Chronos just smiled. "Ask your questions of us. We will answer what we can."

[Creator_Drake]

Shaking his head, Drake held his face with one hand, propping the elbow with the other. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before giving a small nod to himself.

"Alright, other than the fact that he apparantly grows stronger to match whoever faces him, what other abilities has he shown?"

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Chronos sighed. "His very presence has a madness-inducing effect," she said. "Just being around him can slowly cause dementia. It's so intense that an Ingenue's adaptability tends to be weakened whenever they face him. He also has the ability to make you forget out talents he's shown if both of you manage to live through a fight."

A troubled look crossed Chronos's face. "Even I, the Mistress of Time, find myself befuddled by that ability."

She sighed, unconsciously making her impressive bosom jiggle, "At any rate, he seems to have trouble if there are more than one opponents, and they have mystical weapons. The closest he's come to death is when Eric Marcus, leader of the Tech Hunters, Mao Shin Mao, leader of the Limbec Knights, and the Commander, leader of the Purification Society, put aside their differences and fought against him three on one. Eric had Mjolnir, Mao Shin Mao wielded Excalibur, and the Commander wielded the heavily modified Brahmastra."

[Creator_Drake]

Drake gave a nod as he began to pace, staring off into space as he thought. "That is befuddling..." Niri remained silent, knowing that this was Drake's area and that she really wouldn't have any input to give. So instead she made her way over to Natsume, sitting on her knees beside the girl as she gazed at Drake.

"Penny for your thoughts, Natsume?"

Drake meanwhile had stopped pacing, head making little tilts from side to side.

"Mjolnir, huh? As in the great hammer of Thor from Norse mythology?" He didn't sound surprised at all, sounding more like he was asking about the weather but with a serious tone.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Drake gave a nod as he began to pace, staring off into space as he thought. "That is befuddling..." Niri remained silent, knowing that this was Drake's area and that she really wouldn't have any input to give. So instead she made her way over to Natsume, sitting on her knees beside the girl as she gazed at Drake.

"Penny for your thoughts, Natsume?"

Natsume frowned. She wore her full armor and sword, hovering at a respectful distance away from the Legendaries. She stared at Drake, frowning deeply. "It's... strange. I have felt lost for so long, without a purpose. I thought that bringing my sister here and protecting Chronos's Clocktower would bring me the purpose I long for, but I still felt... empty. Without meaning." She quirked her head to the side, a bemused expression on his face. "But now, hearing that you seek the Human Apocalypse..." She shook her head, unable to fully articulate her thoughts.

Drake meanwhile had stopped pacing, head making little tilts from side to side.

"Mjolnir, huh? As in the great hammer of Thor from Norse mythology?" He didn't sound surprised at all, sounding more like he was asking about the weather but with a serious tone.

Chronos nodded to Drake. "Many mystical artifacts were uncovered in the years following the Reawakening of magic," she said. "Eric claims ignorance of the hammer's location, but he always seems to have it when needed."

[Creator_Drake]

Niri gave the girl a nod as she listened, a bemused smile of her own taking shape.

"You feel as though you need to do something yourself maybe, where staying here in this clock tower training day-in, day-out and seeing almost no result for it isn't enough?" She gave Natsume a quick glance before turning her gaze back to Drake.

"Would it surprise you to know that he does this sort of thing on a regular basis?"

Drake gave Chronos an amused smile.

"Course he would; one of the main abilities of Mjolnir is to always heed its masters call. I've seen Thor do it enough times himself to know this to be true." He tapped his chin in thought.

"If this Eric can weild the hammer, then he's got to have a good character about him, might be willing to help or at least strategise..."

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Natsume blinked, looking surprised. "...To face such devils," Natsume said softly. She sighed, and said, "But still... I cannot help but think that this is the answer I've been looking for. To go and face the darkness in life, and put it to the sword... I find myself wanting him." She blushed, realizing what she said. "Wanting THAT! The facing the darkness thing. I mean." She facepalmed.

"Eric's a good sport," Chronos said. "He should be willing to cooperate is if the cause is good enough."

"He's also hung like a God," Pestilence said, drooling a little. Even Elohim had to grin at that.

Chronos blushed. "Yes, well, I don't think this young man appreciates hearing about the size of other men."

[Creator_Drake]

Niri grinned like the cat that caught the canary. She giggled as she came closer, leaning into Natsume's ear.

"Don't worry, it's understandable to want a man like Drake....to feel those cords of muscle tense beneath the skin...turning into putty as his fingers discover every part of your body...to feel his length deep within you....yes~, my Master is a very desireable one..." She enjoyed every second of this, it wasn't everyday she got to tease someone like this and brag about Drake at the same time.

Drake merely shrugged with the good-natured smile of his.

"Eh, so I'm not the biggest guy in town, my girls are happy with what I've got and that's good enough for me. So long as we don't talk of other men with my girls I'm good. Besides, its not like I don't have other skills to bring a woman over the edge, as they can attest to, despite the obvious bias."

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Niri grinned like the cat that caught the canary. She giggled as she came closer, leaning into Natsume's ear.

"Don't worry, it's understandable to want a man like Drake....to feel those cords of muscle tense beneath the skin...turning into putty as his fingers discover every part of your body...to feel his length deep within you....yes~, my Master is a very desireable one..." She enjoyed every second of this, it wasn't everyday she got to tease someone like this and brag about Drake at the same time.

Natsume blushed brightly, squirming a little, the metal plates of her haidate clanking a little as Niri extolled Drake's physical virtues to her. She had only been interested in his cause before, but increasingly, the Yami Bake Samurai was finding herself becoming aroused by Drake's mere presence. She had heard of this happening, but never quite believed it, other men she had taken in the past having had to seduce her...

Drake merely shrugged with the good-natured smile of his.

"Eh, so I'm not the biggest guy in town, my girls are happy with what I've got and that's good enough for me. So long as we don't talk of other men with my girls I'm good. Besides, its not like I don't have other skills to bring a woman over the edge, as they can attest to, despite the obvious bias."

Chronos smirked. "A good way of looking at things. But go ahead and ask your other questions. I will answer them to the best of my ability."

[Creator_Drake]

Niri held in a laugh as Natsume's face grew brighter the more she spoke. She decided to take pity on the poor girl and went a different direction.

"So, aside from wanting to wrap your legs around his waist and ride him till next month... what do you feel when you look at him?" Her tone became increadibly firm, though it wasn't harsh. She was a little surprised by how quickly she was becoming accustomed to Drake having Mary and Myriad around, but she was starting to accept them. Partly due to their connections to Drake and the feelings he held for them...but also due to the fact that he already made his choice before she had a chance to test them herself.

Natsume on the other hand was new so to speak, and Niri could plainly see the desire, but did she have the strength of will? Was she just going to be a Yes-Maiden and do nothing but follow orders, or would she have spirit and think for herself? Niri wasn't going to let just any girl join them, useful power or no. Mary might have the Recognition bond over her, but Niri had the experience dealing with Drake and the way he thought, so unless Natsume had what was needed Niri wouldn't let her come.

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Shaking his head Drake began pacing once more, slowly losing the smile as his thoughts became more serious. He suddenly perked up, snaping his fingers.

"Chronos...when did this all start? And..." He gave Pestilience a quick glance, who still seemed to be off in her own litle world, drooling a little.

"Did he have his full harem at the start, or did it grow over time?"

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Niri held in a laugh as Natsume's face grew brighter the more she spoke. She decided to take pity on the poor girl and went a different direction.

"So, aside from wanting to wrap your legs around his waist and ride him till next month... what do you feel when you look at him?" Her tone became increadibly firm, though it wasn't harsh. She was a little surprised by how quickly she was becoming accustomed to Drake having Mary and Myriad around, but she was starting to accept them. Partly due to their connections to Drake and the feelings he held for them...but also due to the fact that he already made his choice before she had a chance to test them herself.

Natsume on the other hand was new so to speak, and Niri could plainly see the desire, but did she have the strength of will? Was she just going to be a Yes-Maiden and do nothing but follow orders, or would she have spirit and think for herself? Niri wasn't going to let just any girl join them, useful power or no. Mary might have the Recognition bond over her, but Niri had the experience dealing with Drake and the way he thought, so unless Natsume had what was needed Niri wouldn't let her come.

Natsume coughed a little, composing herself. She looked at him, thinking about last night and what she had overheard, frowning. "He's... good. There's a blatant, overall 'goodness' about him," she said. She shook her head, sighing. "I can't really think of a better word for it." Her expression became thoughtful. "He's powerful. I can sense that immediately. Powerful to the point where I worry that any Pokegirls who join him would be little more than window dressing, even though I feel he'd do everything to avoid that outcome." Her eyes narrowed. "And if what I heard is to believed, then he foolishly believes that he has to take on the strongest burdens by himself. I'm not sure whether to call it arrogance or naivete, but it will hurt him badly one day." She shook her head. "He needs someone, or many someones, to try and stop him from killing himself. Or at the very least be willing to die alongside him..."

Shaking his head Drake began pacing once more, slowly losing the smile as his thoughts became more serious. He suddenly perked up, snaping his fingers.

"Chronos...when did this all start? And..." He gave Pestilience a quick glance, who still seemed to be off in her own litle world, drooling a little.

"Did he have his full harem at the start, or did it grow over time?"

Chronos looked uncomfortable. "I... am not sure. Donovan is an anomoly. His very existence is baffling. He showed up with his entire harem in his first attack, made his mad proclamations about the 'beauty of annihilation,' and started to kill people. As for his harem..."

She snapped her fingers, and images of all his Pokegirls appeared, showing images of the past. The Chaotic, named Abyssinian, ironically, looked the most normal, with the usual fairly streamlined mish-mash of animal-type body parts that the breed has. Drake was already familiar with the grim, stringy-haired appearance of the Alicorn, Holocaust. But it was the DemiLegendaries that were the most disturbing. The DemiFamine, Ruin, looked almost skeletal. Malnourished but still seemingly powerful, with long, claw-like fingers and a twisted grin on her face. The DemiPestilence, Desolation, looked disease-ridden, with several tumors and boils at random points on her body, several infected wounds on her face. She looked liked she should be dead or dying, but she was out on the battlefield, laughing and fighting alongside Conquest, the DemiWar. Conquest's body was bulging with muscle to the point where her skin had torn in several places, showing the muscle underneath. Terror, the DemiDeath, wore a cloak over her humanoid body, not even her hands visible, the only thing seen of her being her eyes, which glowed with an oily gray energy...

Pestilence looked visibly uncomfortable upon looking at Desolation and couldn't face the image of her.

Chronos sighed. "As you can see, to be around Donovan is to be rotted..."

[Creator_Drake]

A delicate brow was raised; Niri was actually a little impressed by Natsume's deductions, much of it she would agree with.

"Honey, you have no idea. I've only been with him for 5 months and I can tell, despite how he looks, he's been doing this for a very long time which helps explain why he deals with most things himself. He not above working with others however, Master isn't so arrogant to ignore the chance if it'll improve the odds of success. The main thing to understand about Master is that he didn't just choose to do this, he was chosen to." Niri took a moment to take a breath, looking back to Drake as Chronos brought forth the echos from the past, it made her face sour a little.

"As for the Window Dressing comment you'd be right, though he'll be training us as much as he can for what's to come. LIke he himself just said, he's not going to rush into this with proper preperation. As for getting hurt badly...he already has in some ways..." She gazed at him with care and worry, remembering when he told her his stories, of the phyrric victories, the times when he was too late, when he couldn't stop-

Niri shook her head, stopping the memories from flowing, now wasn't the time.

"A great deal of his confidence doesn't come from knowing what victory is like, but from knowing what it's like to fail utterly when it seemed like he and his would win. And considereing the fact that his memory is near photographic, if not is completely, he can remember every failure as if they happened 5 minutes ago. As for killing himself, that'll be very hard to do conventionally..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, a Nihilist of the highest order...." He mused aloud as he gazed at the images of the past. His face was stony as the echos moved, but his eyes held no hatred or even anger, merely sadness and pity. To see these girls reduced to such states left a very bad tasts in his mouth, and he knew that when the battle was joined it was very well possible that they would have to be....put down, to end this needless suffering.

"Chronos...I think that's enough..." He turned to Pestilence who couldn't face the image of what one of her daughters had become. As if insinctually, he appeared before her human half, standing in the hair to meet her shoulder to shoulder. He said nothing but did something that probably surprised the Prime to no end; he embraced her. He exuded as much a comforting aura he could; Drake didn't care how she reacted. This was a mother who lived each day knowing that one of her daughters was out there defiled by this monster. Even if she ignored it herself, any mother needed comfort at times like this.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Natsume frowned. "So his power is greater than what I've already sensed," she said softly. "...Still, perhaps it would be easier for him with more there to protect him in times of need." She turned to Niri.

"You are clearly the Alpha," she said. "What can you tell me of his training style, his ways?"

----------------------------------

Pestilence went stiff, almost reflexively unleashing a virus before Chronos put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. Pestilence shuddered a little, unused to someone other than her sisters being so openly affectionate towards her. But after a moment, she relaxed into the embrace, sighing wearily.

"It is... a difficult thing..." Pestilence admitted.

[Creator_Drake]

A bemused smile grew on Niri's face, for she knew how much power Drake was holding back and truthfully couldn't wait to see the looks on the other's faces when it came to light.

"Master takes training very seriously, always pushing others to what limits allow then blasting through them without mercy. His style is meticulous and possibly sadistic at times; it depends on the area of focus. He will test you in a variety of ways, many of which you won't understand exactly why until a proper time." She took a pause as she remembered some of her own past lessons that Drake had taught her, many that had helped her grow to be the woman she was today.

"Of course, he isn't psychic; he may be able to read people well and catch on to things quickly but unless he witnesses what you can do himself he won't have much to go on. And when he tests you the first time he does so thouroughly meaning he tests you physically, mentally, even spiritually, often at the same time. His methods may seem strange and confusing at times but at the heart of it all his focus is on helping you grow and improve. My Master was and is my first and only tamer, what does it tell you when he can take a Feralborn Leviathan from the wild and helps her grow into what she is today in only 5 months time?" She looked at Natsume with an arched brow, waiting for an answer.

------------------------------------

Drake felt the Prime go stiff as soon as he touched her, but felt some relief when she calmed, in no small part from Chronos.

"It is... a difficult thing..." Pestilence admitted.

He tightened his embrace a little. "I can only imagine, Lady Pestilence; no mother should have to watch any of her children live with such a fate." Calmly he pulled back just enough so he could look the Prime face to face. With a hand he gently turned her face to meet his own, gazes resting upon one another's. While Drake still did not smile, his eyes held a surprising amount of empathy with no shred of pity; that wasn't what Pestilence needed, but support and acceptance.

"It is for reasons like your own that I face the horrors I have, so that people like your daughter, and the daughters of your sisters no longer have to suffer the blight that ailes them. Donovan will die, and your daughter will be freed from his grasp." He spoke without breaking eye contact, his gaze piercing deep but without judgement, merely a supportive calm that was surprizingly soothing.

[Fanfic Fetishist]

Natsume's eyes widened. The Yami Bake Samurai was clearly impressed. "It means that he has high standards. And that he doesn't give up on his girls until they live up to them," she said, smiling. "I can respect that. Even admire it."

She turned back to him and sighed. "The more I hear about him, the more I wish to go with him," she said. "But whatever he decides, I will respect his wishes."

---------------

Pestilence cringed a little. "...And therein lies the conundrum, Drake," she said. "You saw how badly off Desolation, the DemiPestilence was. She shouldn't have been, even under his rotting effects. My descendants and I are immune to any and all form of disease, engineered, magical, or otherwise. She shouldn't have been that badly warped physically."

Pestilence put a hand to her head, looking confused. "In addition... In addition, we can sense the presence of our daughters at all times, save for when they die. It's how we're able to seek them out when we sense they have a lover. But from this one... I... I feel NOTHING!" Despite Drake's efforts, Pestilence was starting to become more and more agitated. "I... When I see her with my eyes, I feel a mother's agony, but otherwise I feel nothing, not her presence, not her mind, not her soul, I... I..."

She staggered, Chronos and Elohim both supporting the centauric Pokegirl and helping her over to a place she could rest on. Chronos sighed. "War, Death, and Famine report the same thing. The very existence of Donovan's Pokegirls is... puzzling, to put it in the lightest manner possible," the time traveler said. "Even my own research efforts have yielded nothing on them."