Here it is, Advent of the Soul, for your reviewing and critiquing pleasure.
Summary: Drake, confused and slumped in a land he doesn't know, must find some way to return home. Yet dark forces follow his steps, hoping to use him for their own ends. Will Drake find the answers he seeks, or will he forever remain a stranger in a strange land?
Chapter 1
Spoiler: show
It was the sound of water that awoke him. Rousing from the darkness of slumber he slowly turned, lying on his back as awareness crept upon him. As the man opened his eyes, all that met him was the black expanse of a moonless sky. It was little brighter than his closed eyes, despite the stars that greeted him. As he fully rose to consciousness, he noticed the dampness of his clothes and of what little remained.
Rousing fully, he could feel his shoeless feet were submerged in water. He could tell the ends of his pants were in tatters, as the slips of material slid up and down his shins as the water ebbed.
Slowly sitting up, damp soil slid between his fingers as he braced himself. Looking out at the dark waters, he could see the vague silhouettes of aquatic flora. Standing to his feet with no small amount of alarm, he tried get his bearings but stumbled. He was quick to regain his balance and, once assured he wouldn't fall, tried to see through the darkness to find out where he was.
This proved to be fruitless as he recognised nothing, the darkness of the night doing nothing to help. From what little he could tell, he was on the edge of river or lake. It was only thanks to the light from the stars that he was able to see the vague shapes of aquatic plants. He thought they looked to be a mixture of aquatic ferns and lily pads, but couldn't tell for sure without more light. Looking up, the stars twinkled kindly at him as he watched them disappear behind the clouds that traveled across the sky, only to reappear moments later.
The man closed his eyes, and explosively sighed as he tried to calm down. He knew nothing would get done in panic so, he tried to get the feel for the area; might give him a clue as to where the hell he was. The water his feet laid in prior had been surprisingly lukewarm. He merely reasoned that being in the water for however long made him accustomed to it. With the soft lull of the water moving to and fro from the bank, he surmised he was near a large body of water, rather than a river.
A light breeze flew across the water, passing over the stranger on the bank. He gave a light shiver, as the winds passed through his shirt and touched his face like a soft caress. The trees behind him rustled in the wind, sounding like the whispered sweet nothings of a lover. However confused he may have been, he could still tell that this area was quite tranquil.
He turned his attention to his state of dress. Feeling about he found that his shirt had multiple holes and tears, his left sleeve was gone and the right was mere tatters like the hem of his shirt. Surprisingly, only a pair of holes was present at his back, though he imagined it was stained brown from the dirt he had laid in. It was also a surprise to find that his belt and jeans remained relatively intact. The ends on both legs were reduced to slips of material, but only past the knees.
He found it remarkable that aside from his cloths, he was mostly unharmed. At least until he felt the ache on his right, the side he laid on in the mud. It wasn't as bad as he thought, however; just some bruises, and nothing broken. He moved cautiously towards the water, where he washed off what mud he could get.
He thought as he worked, his mind burning with questions that needed answers. Such as why he couldn't remember how he got here. He could remember where he was before of course, but not how he arrived... where ever this place was. He resigned himself for the moment, knowing that until morning, there really wasn't much he could do. Once done he dried his hands on his jeans and stood back up, gazing at his surroundings once more.
This place was special, he could feel it. There was something... calming here, something spiritual, magical even. Something that made a person want to let go of their problems and not worry. He didn't know what made this place so special, and at the moment, he didn't really care. All he wanted was to rest for the night, then he would start in the morning anew.
Moving away from the water he found himself a dry spot of soft grass. He laid back on the soft ground which cushioned and seemed to cradle his weary body. Resting his hands over his stomach he closed his eyes, wondering not for the first time where he was, and how he would get home. He closed his mind from such thoughts, and instead tried to sleep.
He just began to dose when a light splash wrenched him from slumber's embrace. Slowly rising, another splash whipped him to his feet, all thoughts of sleep forgotten. As the stars appeared again, he caught movement to the right. Turning only his head, he caught the sight of...something flowing into the water. It was like...like a...
'A tail...A fish tail...' That got the gears in his head turning. Something was here, in the water, and he was glad he had the foresight to move away from the edge. He scanned the water slowly, trying to move as little as possible.
'Every aquatic animal is sensitive to vibration. My waking up is probably what awoke whatever is in the water. It probably noticed when I arrived, but since I wasn't moving, it may have thought I was a stay piece of wood, and not something edible...
Whatever it is, it's got to be big. The tail I saw was short and thin, but the ripples don't seem to match it. They were too large; it's gotta be long then, judging by the shape of the tail.' He tried to keep as calm as possible, somehow finding the strength to keep his imagination in check, if only just. He took a quick glance behind him, finally noticing the wall of trees that stretched into the darkness on either side. He made a mental note that the trees could help cover his escape, if need be.
He caught movement again, to his left, and caught an arch making large ripples in the water. He counted the seconds as he watched the arch move. As soon as he hit 5, the same tail from before flicked in the air before quickly submerging once more. His eyes were wide at this development.
'I was right.. damn that is long. That must have been what...nearly 15 feet, and almost a foot thick. The only fish I know to get that long are eels, but eels don't live in such shallow waters last I checked. So that leaves...a snake!' With that thought, he immediately took a few steps further from the waters' edge.
As his heart raced, he no longer heard the soft rustle of the trees, his pulsing blood drowned it out completely. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, preparing him to fight or take flight. What little light his eyes took from the stars helped clear the darkness, if only just. What used to be simply dark shapes on the water turned into large ferns and lily pads just as he thought earlier. As the man took in all he could see, he never noticed a fern ahead of him that rustled a little more than the others in the wind. Soft amber eyes took in his form as he turned, ever alert, bouncing lightly from foot to foot on the balls of his feet.
His breaths were deep, yet quick as his lungs took in the needed air. His mind raced as he tried to keep himself from panic.
'Shit, it just had to be a large snake. Alright, get yourself together and settle down, panicking won't help anything. What do I know? It's an aquatic snake, so it IS venomous, but they suck at moving on land.' He calmed slightly as he noticed the distance between himself and the water.
'Usually such snakes have specialized diets, although...with how big the damn thing is, it either feeds on the larger local fish or...' He gulped. 'Ambushes anything that gets too close to the water's edge. Either way, I'd be safer... in...' His thoughts halted as his gaze met that of a pair of glowing yellow orbs. The soft glow entranced him, as if placed under a spell, grabbing his full attention.
Like a pair of perfectly sun ripe lemons, the contrast in colour was too difficult to ignore, the orbs watching his every movement. As he gazed into these hauntingly beautiful eyes, for they could be nothing else, he found wariness, curiosity, and most startling of all...intelligence.
He blinked as the eyes slowly dipped into the water, the light dimming which allowed him to make out the humanoid head the eyes belonged to. As the world was plunged back into near darkness once more, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding.
'Well, that's... damn. I knew something was odd about this place. If the moon was out I would have just chalked the glow to reflecting moonlight. But only the night of a New Moon could bring a night like this. Then...'
He sucked in his gasp as the realisation hit. 'Then that means the glow came from those eyes! Which would mean that… that tail belongs to... whatever this thing is.' His body began to tense as other factors became clear. He watched the water intently, whilst he strained his hearing for...anything really.
'Everything still seems...calm? This is weird, there’s just the wind rustling the trees, and the ripples in the water, nothing that screams danger. Does this mean that thing in the water could be...peaceful? It didn't try to attack me earlier, it just watched me, probably wanting to know what I am, or what I'm doing here no doubt.' Everything in his logic told him he'd be safer in the woods, away from the water. Sure, whatever was in the water hadn't acted hostile in any way. Yet, his logic also found that, in order to keep living from what could be a threat, running now was in the best interests of survival.
Despite this, his body was relaxing, and he had no clue as to why. He was no soldier, trained in ways to keep the body primed and the mind sharp regardless of the situation. He was a civie, a regular Joe that stayed at home mostly and kept himself glued to his computer. Looking back on this, he would assume that this was due to a mixture of things, like the weariness of his body, and the calm atmosphere where he stood.
But it was something else. Something that he barely listened to except on rare occasions that he later chalked up to luck. It was his instinct, that small voice that told his mind what his body could feel, more than his eyes could see. Because he was tired, that small voice was just a little louder, his subconscious taking heed while the conscious remained blissfully unaware. Oblivious to the fact that his body was telling him that he was safe, as strange as it may be.
There was another part of the man that was, unknowingly, helping his instinct. It was his curiosity, the part of him that wanted to know what was out there, for better or for worse. As his body relaxed, his mind shifted from thinking of how to run, to instead, thinking of what he could discover and learn.
A plan began to form in his mind, a risky and possibly stupid plan, but the only thing he knew he could do besides run. He could feel the nervousness grow, natural to not knowing what might happen. Without pause he pushed it down, it wouldn't help any. All he could do was move forward, and never look back. He took a deep breath, slowly breathing out to further calm his nerves. Slowly moving forward, he stopped at the waters' edge, peering into the darkness beyond.
His footsteps covered what little the being made as its head rose out of the water once more, hidden within the darkness. The stranger took one last look around, secretly hoping the being was watching. Not finding anything to prove or deny his hopes, he cleared his throat. The being perked at this; this man was trying to communicate!
"Well, here goes... Hello. I know you're out there, somewhere, and you know I'm here. So far you have yet to bring harm to me, and for that I am grateful. In return, to my knowledge, I have brought no harm to either you or your home, nor do I wish to cause any harm. I was hoping that you could come out so we could speak civilly to each other." As he looked into the darkness around him, the last echoes of his voice faded into the background, until there was silence once more.
Sure speaking aloud like this made him feel silly, and he sure as hell wished he could have thought up something better. I know you're out there somewhere. Geez, that didn't sound creepy at all. He didn't know if it was listening really, but what was done was done, all that was left to do was wait.
A small bead of sweat rolled down his chin, before plunging into the calm water below with a soft splash. He quelled the growing nervousness that grew in the pit of his gut. The waiting game always stimulates the nerves. Just as much as he was nervous though, he was excited. Whatever this being was, it wasn't human, and the prospect of meeting let alone speaking with what could be another sentient being was actually quite thrilling; just as long as this didn't prove harmful to his health. Before his mind could drift at the possibilities, a soft white glow appeared in the tranquil water.
Shaped as round as the moon, and as large as he was tall, the light intensified as ripples broke the stillness of the water. As the light grew to a blinding concentration, water surged into the sky far above his head. The man held an arm to shield his face and braced himself, not knowing if this was an attack or merely an entrance.
As the waters calmed and the light faded to a bearable luminescence, he lowered his arm and opened his eyes. His breath hitched in his throat as his eye widened, afraid to close should the figure before him disappear.
Surrounded by a faint white aura, the being floated mere inches above the water's surface. Looking at the figure, he could tell instantly that it was female as his face flushed a light crimson. How could he not, with the soft features of her serene face? The pale complexion of her skin? Or that fact that she bared so much cleavage yet covered enough to be considered decent? Sexy and sensual yet refined, as the quality of her clothing proved to him. The style was definitely oriental in style, as her billowing sleeves and tassels of the obi tied around her thin waist fluttered in the breeze.
The colours were of blues mostly, such as the sky blue for her sleeves and the near teal colour for the main part of her customised kimono. He couldn't remember what the name of the outer coat was called, but it was a dark pine green with no obvious accents in the material itself. Red was definitely the accent of the entire outfit, as he could see hints at the end of her sleeves, on the edges of her outer coat and the sash that wrapped around her waist was nothing but red.
He almost jumped when he realised, again, that she wasn't entirely human. Below her waist stretched out a serpentine tail, green as shining emeralds, with a line of long red hair trailing her spine. He knew now with certainty that the tail from earlier belonged to the glowing eyes, her glowing eyes. Moving his eyes up once more, and resisting the urge to simply stare at the bountiful flesh practically bare before him, he looked at her face.
Her eyes were closed, with a serene smile on her lips. A cute nose was nestled between her high cheek bones, which were perfectly smooth. A pair of green marks on either side of her face were resting just beneath her eyes. Remembering her tail he deduced that they must be scales. Atop her head sat her hair, long enough to trail past her hips, and possibly the most beautiful shade of light lavender that he could not help but acknowledge was natural. It moved easily in the wind, and he felt if he ever had the privilege to stroke it, her hair would feel as soft if not softer then silk.
Bangs covered her forehead and yet, not a single hair passed over her eyes. A large lock framed each side of her face as it passed before her 'ears' and looped back behind her head. The rest of the hair was evenly split the sides, held by a pair of golden pins, shaped like the Japanese magatama. Now that he thought of it, another one sat on her chest, nestled between the nape of her collar and the top of her cleavage. Also, the symbol was used to emblazon the one side of her kimono, this time in red.
Aside from the marks on her face, her ears weren't human at all, but reptilian instead. Where human ears would have been now sat a pair of green fins that twitched as the breeze flowed. Above them rested a pair of short, pronged antlers. This of course, when he looked at them, made him realise a very startling fact.
'I'm looking at... at a... honest to God Dragoness!' His eyes widened a little more, as they trailed to her arms. Her bare shoulders were human-like, but the arms coming out of her sleeves were fully draconic. Covered with overlapping emerald scales, they looked tougher than any full plate armor. Her large hands had only 3 fingers with an opposable thumb, yet each digit ended with a sharp looking talon. Between them she held what looked like a ball, about the size of an orange, coloured the purest of gold, matching her pins. Fluttering lightly in the wind at her sides, were a pair of long antennae, seemingly connected to the ends of the locks that framed her face. This completed the look of a Chinese dragon, in humanoid form.
What might have felt like an age was, in reality, only a few seconds as he studied this figure a raw draconic beauty given form. Her eyes opened then, revealing a pair of stunning orange amber irises. Not the yellow he expected but he couldn't care less. He didn't care if she wasn't human; this woman was the most beautiful creature he could have ever laid eyes upon. She suddenly giggled, the sound making his skin tingle hearing it for the first time. He realised he must have spoken his last thought aloud as she smiled demurely, an appreciative gleam in her soft amber eyes.
He gave her a wide grin in return, and took a step forward, back into the water. Her presence was just so calming, not to mention inviting. He walked closer, until he was knee-deep in the shallows. Walking in water at night always had a slight risk, however. In the dark you can't see what lies beneath the surface. Thankfully he didn't step on anything sharp. But he did step on something slick.
She watched as, with one leg in the air and arms spinning wildly beside him, he slowly stepped back, trying to keep his balance. His face was contorted from surprise and nervousness. Unfortunately, after his fourth step, it was no use.
"UWAHH!!!" With a great splash he fell into the water. She floated closer as he sat up in the shallows, coughing up what little water may have gone down the wrong way. Wiping away the spit on his arm, he slicked back his hair as he looked at her as she floated there. She blinked at him, and he blinked back to her. As one their lips slowly curved up, shoulders shaking as they burst out laughing. The air rang with their joined voices, hers soft and distinctively feminine with her higher octave; his loud and characteristically male in a mid-range, yet they could hear each other over their own laughter.
As their laughter dimmed to chuckling and giggling, she looked him over. She immediately noted his piecing green eyes, as rich as pure jade, yet a different shade altogether, with a small ring of yellow in the center. His face was angular and defined, with a strong jaw and high cheek bones. He was young, but didn't have any baby fat at all, possibly in his early 20's by her guess.
His hair was a pleasing shade of brown, which seemed to shift shades in the light as the breeze tussled his short locks. It was medium length, equal all around, and it looked as if when dry it would be just shy of his shoulders. She also took note of the short stubble on the lower half of his face. It looked evenly spaced to her, with little spots here and there where the hairs had yet to properly darken.
His nose fit perfectly to her, being a good medium size. With dark eyebrows and well-rounded ears, she saw a very handsome face before her. It was not without blemish of course, a small round mark here and there, and a small scar under his bottom lip. All in all however, it did nothing to mar his looks. She continued her silent assessment as he stood in the water and took off what remained of his once-white shirt, and rung out what water remained.
Her cheeks gained a rosy hue as she drank in his form. He was an impressive 6 feet in height, and well proportioned, with wide shoulders and long arms. He was a little thin, though she guessed he was simply built as such. Although, she did question whether he was eating well for the past while, noting the barest hint of his ribs as he moved. She found that he had a strong grip, despite his looks, as he rung out his tattered shirt.
'He might be of noble birth, given his stature and looks. Though I wonder, how long has he been here for his stubble to have grown as such? Also his clothes are in tatters, and what remains look quite different from the styles I've seen before.' She pondered as her eyes traveled from the now mostly dry shirt he slipped back on, down his chest and abdomen, to the leather belt that held his oddly styled pants. She smiled lightly at the slight bulge between his legs, knowing that he liked her figure as much as she liked his. Trailing back up, she met his gaze once more, giving him a kind smile.
"I do hope you're not hurt from the fall." She came ever closer, nearly within arms' length now. A small shiver raced up his spine, the rich yet soft timber of her voice was like honey to his ears. Nothing seemed wrong to him, besides, how could a being with such a beautiful laugh be harmful in any way to him? Something was nagging at him, however. He just couldn't remember what it was. He'd think about it later, it didn't seem that important anyway.
"Thank you. I'm alright though. It takes a bit more than a light slip to keep me down." He smiled at her. With a hand at his hip, he rapped his chest lightly, as if proving his good health. She giggled at the action, finding it slightly odd, yet natural for the man before her.
She locked eyes with him once more. "I'm glad; it wouldn't do for my newest visitor to be hurt while under my care."
He chuckled. "Yeah. So, like I mentioned before, I don't mean to cause any trouble. I didn't actually mean to barge into your home like this.” 'Though I have no flippin clue as to how I came here in the first place...'
"It's quite alright. While I don't get many visitors, you are perfectly welcome into my home." She gave small gasp. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Mer’ndra; it is a pleasure to meet you." She bowed deeply before him. A stray thought passed through his mind, wondering how she doesn't fall out of her clothes at such an angle. He shook his head as she came back up.
"The pleasure is all mine Merendra; I hope I said it right, my name is Drake. It's an honour to meet you." He gave her a deep bow of his own as his mind whirled.
'Ok, either her name shows a facet of her kinds language, or that of the people here. Either way, my real name would make me stand out too much. I can't be in the spotlight if I want to find a way home. I just hope this'll pass on well enough for the time being.' He arose from his thoughts as the dragoness halved the distance between them. Holding the orb to her chest she gave another small, sweet smile.
"I too and most honoured to meet you Drake, and don't worry, you were very close with my name. It's Mare-nin-dra. I'm what is known as a Ryu." With her eyes closed, she didn't catch the slight look of alarm on Drake's face. That's what had been nagging him; he recognised what she was but couldn't think of it thanks to her natural charms keeping his focus.
'Hoh boy, I don't know whether to call this good fortune or misfortune. I somehow end up in the Monster Girl world, or a version of, and was found first by a Ryu of all things.' He would have continued further, had the Ryu before him looked at him expectantly.
He scratched his cheek as he nodded, copying her as a parrot would, making her beam widely at his success. She seemed easily pleased by such a relatively small accomplishment, but he wasn't going to voice that aloud. Besides, the innocent smile and sweetness she exuded was disarmingly beautiful. She continued on.
"You're the first man I've properly spoken to. The others either ran or collapsed once they saw me. I don't know why they did. I hope I did nothing wrong..." She looked at him, eyes uncertain with a small measure of hurt. This shocked Drake, truly it did. The sight of Mer'ndra's face, looking as if she were nearing the verge of tears, made his heart ache. Damn him for his kind nature and like of helping others!
The emotions running through those eyes couldn't be faked, and something told him, screamed to him that she was telling the truth. Looking with compassionate eyes, he tried to ease her troubles.
"Hey now, I don't think you did anything wrong. I think they acted like that because they got scared. Not of you of course!" He added hastily, so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. "It would have to do with how they knew nothing about you, nothing about this area. They didn't understand any of it; they feared the unknown." Drake was pleased to see the look of hurt replaced by understanding. She gave a small sniff while taking a sleeve to her eyes, even if there were no tears to catch.
"Yet you stayed." She stated simply, as if speaking a small revelation. He nodded, giving her a confident smile while standing tall. He didn't notice the small glint in her eyes as she looked at him.
"Yeah, I stayed. Not because I lacked fear, but because I pushed past it, because I wanted to understand. And thanks to that choice, I got to meet you; I can honestly say that I will never regret it." Drake kind yet confident grin widened ever little at the rosy hue that crossed her cheeks. It was a heartfelt smile that she returned without hesitation.
As well as a hug. "I knew it!"
"Eh?" He blinked in utter confusion as she pressed herself fully against him.
"I knew it; I knew this day would come! The day when I would find you my dearest husband!" She cried out as she cradled his head to her neck, pressing as much of herself to him as she physically could. She was just so overjoyed!
"Wha-find-wai-Husband?!" His mind tried to work desperately, despite the mixed signals being sent to his brain. She held him quite firmly, and yet knew to hold back enough not to crush him. Part of him marveled at the hidden strength he could feel within her. Another focused on the warmth of her body and the sheer joy that her voice exuded. It also didn't help that her mounds were pressed wonderfully against his partly bare chest. She wriggled as she held him, exhilarated with elation.
Finally after all this time, she found him, just like her mother told her! If she waited here long enough a man would come to her. Oh she knew her husband-to-be wouldn't just fall into her lap, she had to see his character first.
Once she began to talk with him though, her heart began to beat harder. After he looked at her with those compassionate green eyes, and eased her worries about the others, a chord struck her very being. She just knew then without a doubt that he was the one. Her heart raced with joy as she held him close. It was as if the Demon Lord herself had blessed her for her patience. She promised herself then and there she would do everything in her power to care for this man, to repay the Demon Lord for such a gift.
Drake on the other hand didn't have a clue as to what was going on. Well, in a way he did but the shock of his current situation made him slow. She gave his mind a small reprieve as she moved back to look him in the eye, though she still held him firmly. He could still feel her strong heart beat within her chest as his confused eyes met her loving ones.
He soon got a grip on himself. "W-wait, hold on. What do you mean, husband?" He didn't mean to stutter, but hell, who could blame him? He remembered what she was supposed to be like from her 'profile', but realised that the profile was a more general look at all Ryu as a whole, rather than individuals. She grabbed his focus once more as she stroked his cheek.
"It's just like I said. I've been here this whole time, waiting for the one man that would become my husband. It seems my diligent waiting has finally paid off!" She giggled as she pressed herself to him once more. Knowing he'd have to speak now or forever hold his piece, he struggled to grip her shoulders. Thinking he wanted to embrace her his own way, she loosened her hold just enough for his arms reach out. She blinked in confusion as he pushed her to just within an arms' length.
"Now hold on. How can you just choose me as your husband? We don't know anything about each other!" His eyes begged her to understand his reasoning. She smiled as she gave her answer.
"I chose you because I've already learned a great deal about you. You're a man with a kind soul, Drake." At his bewildered face she couldn't help but giggle again.
"You're a man that keeps himself from panic, as you calmed yourself on the bank. You have a sharp mind as you surveyed you surroundings with what little light was provided after you gained consciousness. You're quick to react when you feel something is wrong..." His jaw continued to drop as she described all his good points from just watching him for the first time. He knew her eyes held intelligence but man.
"...overall you have all the things I could ask for in a husband. You have courage in spite of fear and doubt, you're confident in the choices you make, and you have a kind heart. How could I not choose you? I find it fortuitous that you're so handsome at the same time." She laughed at his flabbergasted face. Drake shook his head to regain what composure he could get. Even so he couldn't help the red tinge that covered his cheeks at her praise. Still, he pushes forward trying to make her understand.
"But we've only just met! There's no way that was enough time to make such a big choice." Despite the fact that he made a good point she just continued to smile lovingly at him.
"I know. Yet my intuition told me, screamed at me that you were the correct choice. Besides, we have the rest of our lives to learn everything about each other, don't we dear?" She countered him with as good a point as he made. She drew in close, smiling as she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.
He just blinked silently at her, his mind reaching for something, anything to counter her argument and make her see that she couldn't make this choice so easily. His mouth moved as he tried to form words, but nothing came, just as his mind drew nothing.
He closed his mouth with an audible clack as he tried to 'measure' the situation. On the one hand, he was far from home and needed some way to get back, he was alone with nothing to his name but the tattered clothes on his back. He still had to find a job to pay for school back home, and he couldn't do that while stuck here. What of his family and friends? He knew they'd be worried about what had happened to him.
On the other hand, he was being held by a Goddess made sexually draconic flesh. One who had just announced that she just became his wife after just being himself. She was a beautiful woman, with a charming voice, stunning eyes and such a luscious body, one that would make any woman envious. She was warm too; his chest felt perfectly warm as it was nuzzled by her bosom, while his feet were chilled as the wind blew between his toes. Also she-Wait...
"Huh?" He blinked a couple times as he used his feet to feel out anything below him. Oh he felt her strong and powerful tail as it twisted almost lazily below her body. He felt it twitch as his feet brushed her sides, her giggle telling him she was slightly ticklish there. He moved his feet to the sides, trying to feel the ground. Yet, he felt nothing but air. How was this possible? He looked at her, she giggled back. He looked down.
"YIPE!" Only to find that they were floating almost 30 feet in the air. He grabbed hold of the only thing available in his shock, which was Mer'ndra. His legs locked around her waist as his arms locked around her neck, all the while her strong arms continued to hold him to her firmly, all the made easier by Drake's actions. He looked at her as his shock faded and his heart rate slowed. She just giggled at him all the while.
Looking back at his reaction, he would think Lady Luck herself were with him since his legs somehow missed the reverse scale on her back. If he had, he'd be screwed both metaphorically and literally.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He questioned with a deadpanned look.
"My, whatever do you mean?" She shot back as she look into his eyes, where he found a mischievous glint in her amber orbs. He sighed explosively. Yup, definitely a mischievous one.
"Never mind." he muttered quietly to himself. He thought for a quick moment before coming to a decision.
"Alright, since we're already in the air, might as well continue this conversation back at your home." Her gasp in excitement surprised him, even though he felt it shouldn't have. She turned around fully as she rose only a little higher.
"Of course now, hold on tight dear." It was all the warning Drake got before she rocketed across the water. As the wind rushed past them, he looked to her as they flew. She smiled happily at him before focusing on the path ahead. Looking up as the clouds and stars passed by, only one thought passed through his mind.
’What in the world have I gotten myself into?'
Rousing fully, he could feel his shoeless feet were submerged in water. He could tell the ends of his pants were in tatters, as the slips of material slid up and down his shins as the water ebbed.
Slowly sitting up, damp soil slid between his fingers as he braced himself. Looking out at the dark waters, he could see the vague silhouettes of aquatic flora. Standing to his feet with no small amount of alarm, he tried get his bearings but stumbled. He was quick to regain his balance and, once assured he wouldn't fall, tried to see through the darkness to find out where he was.
This proved to be fruitless as he recognised nothing, the darkness of the night doing nothing to help. From what little he could tell, he was on the edge of river or lake. It was only thanks to the light from the stars that he was able to see the vague shapes of aquatic plants. He thought they looked to be a mixture of aquatic ferns and lily pads, but couldn't tell for sure without more light. Looking up, the stars twinkled kindly at him as he watched them disappear behind the clouds that traveled across the sky, only to reappear moments later.
The man closed his eyes, and explosively sighed as he tried to calm down. He knew nothing would get done in panic so, he tried to get the feel for the area; might give him a clue as to where the hell he was. The water his feet laid in prior had been surprisingly lukewarm. He merely reasoned that being in the water for however long made him accustomed to it. With the soft lull of the water moving to and fro from the bank, he surmised he was near a large body of water, rather than a river.
A light breeze flew across the water, passing over the stranger on the bank. He gave a light shiver, as the winds passed through his shirt and touched his face like a soft caress. The trees behind him rustled in the wind, sounding like the whispered sweet nothings of a lover. However confused he may have been, he could still tell that this area was quite tranquil.
He turned his attention to his state of dress. Feeling about he found that his shirt had multiple holes and tears, his left sleeve was gone and the right was mere tatters like the hem of his shirt. Surprisingly, only a pair of holes was present at his back, though he imagined it was stained brown from the dirt he had laid in. It was also a surprise to find that his belt and jeans remained relatively intact. The ends on both legs were reduced to slips of material, but only past the knees.
He found it remarkable that aside from his cloths, he was mostly unharmed. At least until he felt the ache on his right, the side he laid on in the mud. It wasn't as bad as he thought, however; just some bruises, and nothing broken. He moved cautiously towards the water, where he washed off what mud he could get.
He thought as he worked, his mind burning with questions that needed answers. Such as why he couldn't remember how he got here. He could remember where he was before of course, but not how he arrived... where ever this place was. He resigned himself for the moment, knowing that until morning, there really wasn't much he could do. Once done he dried his hands on his jeans and stood back up, gazing at his surroundings once more.
This place was special, he could feel it. There was something... calming here, something spiritual, magical even. Something that made a person want to let go of their problems and not worry. He didn't know what made this place so special, and at the moment, he didn't really care. All he wanted was to rest for the night, then he would start in the morning anew.
Moving away from the water he found himself a dry spot of soft grass. He laid back on the soft ground which cushioned and seemed to cradle his weary body. Resting his hands over his stomach he closed his eyes, wondering not for the first time where he was, and how he would get home. He closed his mind from such thoughts, and instead tried to sleep.
He just began to dose when a light splash wrenched him from slumber's embrace. Slowly rising, another splash whipped him to his feet, all thoughts of sleep forgotten. As the stars appeared again, he caught movement to the right. Turning only his head, he caught the sight of...something flowing into the water. It was like...like a...
'A tail...A fish tail...' That got the gears in his head turning. Something was here, in the water, and he was glad he had the foresight to move away from the edge. He scanned the water slowly, trying to move as little as possible.
'Every aquatic animal is sensitive to vibration. My waking up is probably what awoke whatever is in the water. It probably noticed when I arrived, but since I wasn't moving, it may have thought I was a stay piece of wood, and not something edible...
Whatever it is, it's got to be big. The tail I saw was short and thin, but the ripples don't seem to match it. They were too large; it's gotta be long then, judging by the shape of the tail.' He tried to keep as calm as possible, somehow finding the strength to keep his imagination in check, if only just. He took a quick glance behind him, finally noticing the wall of trees that stretched into the darkness on either side. He made a mental note that the trees could help cover his escape, if need be.
He caught movement again, to his left, and caught an arch making large ripples in the water. He counted the seconds as he watched the arch move. As soon as he hit 5, the same tail from before flicked in the air before quickly submerging once more. His eyes were wide at this development.
'I was right.. damn that is long. That must have been what...nearly 15 feet, and almost a foot thick. The only fish I know to get that long are eels, but eels don't live in such shallow waters last I checked. So that leaves...a snake!' With that thought, he immediately took a few steps further from the waters' edge.
As his heart raced, he no longer heard the soft rustle of the trees, his pulsing blood drowned it out completely. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, preparing him to fight or take flight. What little light his eyes took from the stars helped clear the darkness, if only just. What used to be simply dark shapes on the water turned into large ferns and lily pads just as he thought earlier. As the man took in all he could see, he never noticed a fern ahead of him that rustled a little more than the others in the wind. Soft amber eyes took in his form as he turned, ever alert, bouncing lightly from foot to foot on the balls of his feet.
His breaths were deep, yet quick as his lungs took in the needed air. His mind raced as he tried to keep himself from panic.
'Shit, it just had to be a large snake. Alright, get yourself together and settle down, panicking won't help anything. What do I know? It's an aquatic snake, so it IS venomous, but they suck at moving on land.' He calmed slightly as he noticed the distance between himself and the water.
'Usually such snakes have specialized diets, although...with how big the damn thing is, it either feeds on the larger local fish or...' He gulped. 'Ambushes anything that gets too close to the water's edge. Either way, I'd be safer... in...' His thoughts halted as his gaze met that of a pair of glowing yellow orbs. The soft glow entranced him, as if placed under a spell, grabbing his full attention.
Like a pair of perfectly sun ripe lemons, the contrast in colour was too difficult to ignore, the orbs watching his every movement. As he gazed into these hauntingly beautiful eyes, for they could be nothing else, he found wariness, curiosity, and most startling of all...intelligence.
He blinked as the eyes slowly dipped into the water, the light dimming which allowed him to make out the humanoid head the eyes belonged to. As the world was plunged back into near darkness once more, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding.
'Well, that's... damn. I knew something was odd about this place. If the moon was out I would have just chalked the glow to reflecting moonlight. But only the night of a New Moon could bring a night like this. Then...'
He sucked in his gasp as the realisation hit. 'Then that means the glow came from those eyes! Which would mean that… that tail belongs to... whatever this thing is.' His body began to tense as other factors became clear. He watched the water intently, whilst he strained his hearing for...anything really.
'Everything still seems...calm? This is weird, there’s just the wind rustling the trees, and the ripples in the water, nothing that screams danger. Does this mean that thing in the water could be...peaceful? It didn't try to attack me earlier, it just watched me, probably wanting to know what I am, or what I'm doing here no doubt.' Everything in his logic told him he'd be safer in the woods, away from the water. Sure, whatever was in the water hadn't acted hostile in any way. Yet, his logic also found that, in order to keep living from what could be a threat, running now was in the best interests of survival.
Despite this, his body was relaxing, and he had no clue as to why. He was no soldier, trained in ways to keep the body primed and the mind sharp regardless of the situation. He was a civie, a regular Joe that stayed at home mostly and kept himself glued to his computer. Looking back on this, he would assume that this was due to a mixture of things, like the weariness of his body, and the calm atmosphere where he stood.
But it was something else. Something that he barely listened to except on rare occasions that he later chalked up to luck. It was his instinct, that small voice that told his mind what his body could feel, more than his eyes could see. Because he was tired, that small voice was just a little louder, his subconscious taking heed while the conscious remained blissfully unaware. Oblivious to the fact that his body was telling him that he was safe, as strange as it may be.
There was another part of the man that was, unknowingly, helping his instinct. It was his curiosity, the part of him that wanted to know what was out there, for better or for worse. As his body relaxed, his mind shifted from thinking of how to run, to instead, thinking of what he could discover and learn.
A plan began to form in his mind, a risky and possibly stupid plan, but the only thing he knew he could do besides run. He could feel the nervousness grow, natural to not knowing what might happen. Without pause he pushed it down, it wouldn't help any. All he could do was move forward, and never look back. He took a deep breath, slowly breathing out to further calm his nerves. Slowly moving forward, he stopped at the waters' edge, peering into the darkness beyond.
His footsteps covered what little the being made as its head rose out of the water once more, hidden within the darkness. The stranger took one last look around, secretly hoping the being was watching. Not finding anything to prove or deny his hopes, he cleared his throat. The being perked at this; this man was trying to communicate!
"Well, here goes... Hello. I know you're out there, somewhere, and you know I'm here. So far you have yet to bring harm to me, and for that I am grateful. In return, to my knowledge, I have brought no harm to either you or your home, nor do I wish to cause any harm. I was hoping that you could come out so we could speak civilly to each other." As he looked into the darkness around him, the last echoes of his voice faded into the background, until there was silence once more.
Sure speaking aloud like this made him feel silly, and he sure as hell wished he could have thought up something better. I know you're out there somewhere. Geez, that didn't sound creepy at all. He didn't know if it was listening really, but what was done was done, all that was left to do was wait.
A small bead of sweat rolled down his chin, before plunging into the calm water below with a soft splash. He quelled the growing nervousness that grew in the pit of his gut. The waiting game always stimulates the nerves. Just as much as he was nervous though, he was excited. Whatever this being was, it wasn't human, and the prospect of meeting let alone speaking with what could be another sentient being was actually quite thrilling; just as long as this didn't prove harmful to his health. Before his mind could drift at the possibilities, a soft white glow appeared in the tranquil water.
Shaped as round as the moon, and as large as he was tall, the light intensified as ripples broke the stillness of the water. As the light grew to a blinding concentration, water surged into the sky far above his head. The man held an arm to shield his face and braced himself, not knowing if this was an attack or merely an entrance.
As the waters calmed and the light faded to a bearable luminescence, he lowered his arm and opened his eyes. His breath hitched in his throat as his eye widened, afraid to close should the figure before him disappear.
Surrounded by a faint white aura, the being floated mere inches above the water's surface. Looking at the figure, he could tell instantly that it was female as his face flushed a light crimson. How could he not, with the soft features of her serene face? The pale complexion of her skin? Or that fact that she bared so much cleavage yet covered enough to be considered decent? Sexy and sensual yet refined, as the quality of her clothing proved to him. The style was definitely oriental in style, as her billowing sleeves and tassels of the obi tied around her thin waist fluttered in the breeze.
The colours were of blues mostly, such as the sky blue for her sleeves and the near teal colour for the main part of her customised kimono. He couldn't remember what the name of the outer coat was called, but it was a dark pine green with no obvious accents in the material itself. Red was definitely the accent of the entire outfit, as he could see hints at the end of her sleeves, on the edges of her outer coat and the sash that wrapped around her waist was nothing but red.
He almost jumped when he realised, again, that she wasn't entirely human. Below her waist stretched out a serpentine tail, green as shining emeralds, with a line of long red hair trailing her spine. He knew now with certainty that the tail from earlier belonged to the glowing eyes, her glowing eyes. Moving his eyes up once more, and resisting the urge to simply stare at the bountiful flesh practically bare before him, he looked at her face.
Her eyes were closed, with a serene smile on her lips. A cute nose was nestled between her high cheek bones, which were perfectly smooth. A pair of green marks on either side of her face were resting just beneath her eyes. Remembering her tail he deduced that they must be scales. Atop her head sat her hair, long enough to trail past her hips, and possibly the most beautiful shade of light lavender that he could not help but acknowledge was natural. It moved easily in the wind, and he felt if he ever had the privilege to stroke it, her hair would feel as soft if not softer then silk.
Bangs covered her forehead and yet, not a single hair passed over her eyes. A large lock framed each side of her face as it passed before her 'ears' and looped back behind her head. The rest of the hair was evenly split the sides, held by a pair of golden pins, shaped like the Japanese magatama. Now that he thought of it, another one sat on her chest, nestled between the nape of her collar and the top of her cleavage. Also, the symbol was used to emblazon the one side of her kimono, this time in red.
Aside from the marks on her face, her ears weren't human at all, but reptilian instead. Where human ears would have been now sat a pair of green fins that twitched as the breeze flowed. Above them rested a pair of short, pronged antlers. This of course, when he looked at them, made him realise a very startling fact.
'I'm looking at... at a... honest to God Dragoness!' His eyes widened a little more, as they trailed to her arms. Her bare shoulders were human-like, but the arms coming out of her sleeves were fully draconic. Covered with overlapping emerald scales, they looked tougher than any full plate armor. Her large hands had only 3 fingers with an opposable thumb, yet each digit ended with a sharp looking talon. Between them she held what looked like a ball, about the size of an orange, coloured the purest of gold, matching her pins. Fluttering lightly in the wind at her sides, were a pair of long antennae, seemingly connected to the ends of the locks that framed her face. This completed the look of a Chinese dragon, in humanoid form.
What might have felt like an age was, in reality, only a few seconds as he studied this figure a raw draconic beauty given form. Her eyes opened then, revealing a pair of stunning orange amber irises. Not the yellow he expected but he couldn't care less. He didn't care if she wasn't human; this woman was the most beautiful creature he could have ever laid eyes upon. She suddenly giggled, the sound making his skin tingle hearing it for the first time. He realised he must have spoken his last thought aloud as she smiled demurely, an appreciative gleam in her soft amber eyes.
He gave her a wide grin in return, and took a step forward, back into the water. Her presence was just so calming, not to mention inviting. He walked closer, until he was knee-deep in the shallows. Walking in water at night always had a slight risk, however. In the dark you can't see what lies beneath the surface. Thankfully he didn't step on anything sharp. But he did step on something slick.
She watched as, with one leg in the air and arms spinning wildly beside him, he slowly stepped back, trying to keep his balance. His face was contorted from surprise and nervousness. Unfortunately, after his fourth step, it was no use.
"UWAHH!!!" With a great splash he fell into the water. She floated closer as he sat up in the shallows, coughing up what little water may have gone down the wrong way. Wiping away the spit on his arm, he slicked back his hair as he looked at her as she floated there. She blinked at him, and he blinked back to her. As one their lips slowly curved up, shoulders shaking as they burst out laughing. The air rang with their joined voices, hers soft and distinctively feminine with her higher octave; his loud and characteristically male in a mid-range, yet they could hear each other over their own laughter.
As their laughter dimmed to chuckling and giggling, she looked him over. She immediately noted his piecing green eyes, as rich as pure jade, yet a different shade altogether, with a small ring of yellow in the center. His face was angular and defined, with a strong jaw and high cheek bones. He was young, but didn't have any baby fat at all, possibly in his early 20's by her guess.
His hair was a pleasing shade of brown, which seemed to shift shades in the light as the breeze tussled his short locks. It was medium length, equal all around, and it looked as if when dry it would be just shy of his shoulders. She also took note of the short stubble on the lower half of his face. It looked evenly spaced to her, with little spots here and there where the hairs had yet to properly darken.
His nose fit perfectly to her, being a good medium size. With dark eyebrows and well-rounded ears, she saw a very handsome face before her. It was not without blemish of course, a small round mark here and there, and a small scar under his bottom lip. All in all however, it did nothing to mar his looks. She continued her silent assessment as he stood in the water and took off what remained of his once-white shirt, and rung out what water remained.
Her cheeks gained a rosy hue as she drank in his form. He was an impressive 6 feet in height, and well proportioned, with wide shoulders and long arms. He was a little thin, though she guessed he was simply built as such. Although, she did question whether he was eating well for the past while, noting the barest hint of his ribs as he moved. She found that he had a strong grip, despite his looks, as he rung out his tattered shirt.
'He might be of noble birth, given his stature and looks. Though I wonder, how long has he been here for his stubble to have grown as such? Also his clothes are in tatters, and what remains look quite different from the styles I've seen before.' She pondered as her eyes traveled from the now mostly dry shirt he slipped back on, down his chest and abdomen, to the leather belt that held his oddly styled pants. She smiled lightly at the slight bulge between his legs, knowing that he liked her figure as much as she liked his. Trailing back up, she met his gaze once more, giving him a kind smile.
"I do hope you're not hurt from the fall." She came ever closer, nearly within arms' length now. A small shiver raced up his spine, the rich yet soft timber of her voice was like honey to his ears. Nothing seemed wrong to him, besides, how could a being with such a beautiful laugh be harmful in any way to him? Something was nagging at him, however. He just couldn't remember what it was. He'd think about it later, it didn't seem that important anyway.
"Thank you. I'm alright though. It takes a bit more than a light slip to keep me down." He smiled at her. With a hand at his hip, he rapped his chest lightly, as if proving his good health. She giggled at the action, finding it slightly odd, yet natural for the man before her.
She locked eyes with him once more. "I'm glad; it wouldn't do for my newest visitor to be hurt while under my care."
He chuckled. "Yeah. So, like I mentioned before, I don't mean to cause any trouble. I didn't actually mean to barge into your home like this.” 'Though I have no flippin clue as to how I came here in the first place...'
"It's quite alright. While I don't get many visitors, you are perfectly welcome into my home." She gave small gasp. "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Mer’ndra; it is a pleasure to meet you." She bowed deeply before him. A stray thought passed through his mind, wondering how she doesn't fall out of her clothes at such an angle. He shook his head as she came back up.
"The pleasure is all mine Merendra; I hope I said it right, my name is Drake. It's an honour to meet you." He gave her a deep bow of his own as his mind whirled.
'Ok, either her name shows a facet of her kinds language, or that of the people here. Either way, my real name would make me stand out too much. I can't be in the spotlight if I want to find a way home. I just hope this'll pass on well enough for the time being.' He arose from his thoughts as the dragoness halved the distance between them. Holding the orb to her chest she gave another small, sweet smile.
"I too and most honoured to meet you Drake, and don't worry, you were very close with my name. It's Mare-nin-dra. I'm what is known as a Ryu." With her eyes closed, she didn't catch the slight look of alarm on Drake's face. That's what had been nagging him; he recognised what she was but couldn't think of it thanks to her natural charms keeping his focus.
'Hoh boy, I don't know whether to call this good fortune or misfortune. I somehow end up in the Monster Girl world, or a version of, and was found first by a Ryu of all things.' He would have continued further, had the Ryu before him looked at him expectantly.
He scratched his cheek as he nodded, copying her as a parrot would, making her beam widely at his success. She seemed easily pleased by such a relatively small accomplishment, but he wasn't going to voice that aloud. Besides, the innocent smile and sweetness she exuded was disarmingly beautiful. She continued on.
"You're the first man I've properly spoken to. The others either ran or collapsed once they saw me. I don't know why they did. I hope I did nothing wrong..." She looked at him, eyes uncertain with a small measure of hurt. This shocked Drake, truly it did. The sight of Mer'ndra's face, looking as if she were nearing the verge of tears, made his heart ache. Damn him for his kind nature and like of helping others!
The emotions running through those eyes couldn't be faked, and something told him, screamed to him that she was telling the truth. Looking with compassionate eyes, he tried to ease her troubles.
"Hey now, I don't think you did anything wrong. I think they acted like that because they got scared. Not of you of course!" He added hastily, so she wouldn't get the wrong idea. "It would have to do with how they knew nothing about you, nothing about this area. They didn't understand any of it; they feared the unknown." Drake was pleased to see the look of hurt replaced by understanding. She gave a small sniff while taking a sleeve to her eyes, even if there were no tears to catch.
"Yet you stayed." She stated simply, as if speaking a small revelation. He nodded, giving her a confident smile while standing tall. He didn't notice the small glint in her eyes as she looked at him.
"Yeah, I stayed. Not because I lacked fear, but because I pushed past it, because I wanted to understand. And thanks to that choice, I got to meet you; I can honestly say that I will never regret it." Drake kind yet confident grin widened ever little at the rosy hue that crossed her cheeks. It was a heartfelt smile that she returned without hesitation.
As well as a hug. "I knew it!"
"Eh?" He blinked in utter confusion as she pressed herself fully against him.
"I knew it; I knew this day would come! The day when I would find you my dearest husband!" She cried out as she cradled his head to her neck, pressing as much of herself to him as she physically could. She was just so overjoyed!
"Wha-find-wai-Husband?!" His mind tried to work desperately, despite the mixed signals being sent to his brain. She held him quite firmly, and yet knew to hold back enough not to crush him. Part of him marveled at the hidden strength he could feel within her. Another focused on the warmth of her body and the sheer joy that her voice exuded. It also didn't help that her mounds were pressed wonderfully against his partly bare chest. She wriggled as she held him, exhilarated with elation.
Finally after all this time, she found him, just like her mother told her! If she waited here long enough a man would come to her. Oh she knew her husband-to-be wouldn't just fall into her lap, she had to see his character first.
Once she began to talk with him though, her heart began to beat harder. After he looked at her with those compassionate green eyes, and eased her worries about the others, a chord struck her very being. She just knew then without a doubt that he was the one. Her heart raced with joy as she held him close. It was as if the Demon Lord herself had blessed her for her patience. She promised herself then and there she would do everything in her power to care for this man, to repay the Demon Lord for such a gift.
Drake on the other hand didn't have a clue as to what was going on. Well, in a way he did but the shock of his current situation made him slow. She gave his mind a small reprieve as she moved back to look him in the eye, though she still held him firmly. He could still feel her strong heart beat within her chest as his confused eyes met her loving ones.
He soon got a grip on himself. "W-wait, hold on. What do you mean, husband?" He didn't mean to stutter, but hell, who could blame him? He remembered what she was supposed to be like from her 'profile', but realised that the profile was a more general look at all Ryu as a whole, rather than individuals. She grabbed his focus once more as she stroked his cheek.
"It's just like I said. I've been here this whole time, waiting for the one man that would become my husband. It seems my diligent waiting has finally paid off!" She giggled as she pressed herself to him once more. Knowing he'd have to speak now or forever hold his piece, he struggled to grip her shoulders. Thinking he wanted to embrace her his own way, she loosened her hold just enough for his arms reach out. She blinked in confusion as he pushed her to just within an arms' length.
"Now hold on. How can you just choose me as your husband? We don't know anything about each other!" His eyes begged her to understand his reasoning. She smiled as she gave her answer.
"I chose you because I've already learned a great deal about you. You're a man with a kind soul, Drake." At his bewildered face she couldn't help but giggle again.
"You're a man that keeps himself from panic, as you calmed yourself on the bank. You have a sharp mind as you surveyed you surroundings with what little light was provided after you gained consciousness. You're quick to react when you feel something is wrong..." His jaw continued to drop as she described all his good points from just watching him for the first time. He knew her eyes held intelligence but man.
"...overall you have all the things I could ask for in a husband. You have courage in spite of fear and doubt, you're confident in the choices you make, and you have a kind heart. How could I not choose you? I find it fortuitous that you're so handsome at the same time." She laughed at his flabbergasted face. Drake shook his head to regain what composure he could get. Even so he couldn't help the red tinge that covered his cheeks at her praise. Still, he pushes forward trying to make her understand.
"But we've only just met! There's no way that was enough time to make such a big choice." Despite the fact that he made a good point she just continued to smile lovingly at him.
"I know. Yet my intuition told me, screamed at me that you were the correct choice. Besides, we have the rest of our lives to learn everything about each other, don't we dear?" She countered him with as good a point as he made. She drew in close, smiling as she placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.
He just blinked silently at her, his mind reaching for something, anything to counter her argument and make her see that she couldn't make this choice so easily. His mouth moved as he tried to form words, but nothing came, just as his mind drew nothing.
He closed his mouth with an audible clack as he tried to 'measure' the situation. On the one hand, he was far from home and needed some way to get back, he was alone with nothing to his name but the tattered clothes on his back. He still had to find a job to pay for school back home, and he couldn't do that while stuck here. What of his family and friends? He knew they'd be worried about what had happened to him.
On the other hand, he was being held by a Goddess made sexually draconic flesh. One who had just announced that she just became his wife after just being himself. She was a beautiful woman, with a charming voice, stunning eyes and such a luscious body, one that would make any woman envious. She was warm too; his chest felt perfectly warm as it was nuzzled by her bosom, while his feet were chilled as the wind blew between his toes. Also she-Wait...
"Huh?" He blinked a couple times as he used his feet to feel out anything below him. Oh he felt her strong and powerful tail as it twisted almost lazily below her body. He felt it twitch as his feet brushed her sides, her giggle telling him she was slightly ticklish there. He moved his feet to the sides, trying to feel the ground. Yet, he felt nothing but air. How was this possible? He looked at her, she giggled back. He looked down.
"YIPE!" Only to find that they were floating almost 30 feet in the air. He grabbed hold of the only thing available in his shock, which was Mer'ndra. His legs locked around her waist as his arms locked around her neck, all the while her strong arms continued to hold him to her firmly, all the made easier by Drake's actions. He looked at her as his shock faded and his heart rate slowed. She just giggled at him all the while.
Looking back at his reaction, he would think Lady Luck herself were with him since his legs somehow missed the reverse scale on her back. If he had, he'd be screwed both metaphorically and literally.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He questioned with a deadpanned look.
"My, whatever do you mean?" She shot back as she look into his eyes, where he found a mischievous glint in her amber orbs. He sighed explosively. Yup, definitely a mischievous one.
"Never mind." he muttered quietly to himself. He thought for a quick moment before coming to a decision.
"Alright, since we're already in the air, might as well continue this conversation back at your home." Her gasp in excitement surprised him, even though he felt it shouldn't have. She turned around fully as she rose only a little higher.
"Of course now, hold on tight dear." It was all the warning Drake got before she rocketed across the water. As the wind rushed past them, he looked to her as they flew. She smiled happily at him before focusing on the path ahead. Looking up as the clouds and stars passed by, only one thought passed through his mind.
’What in the world have I gotten myself into?'
Spoiler: show
The trip back to Mer'ndra's home didn't take long. Not surprising given the speed in which she flew; the flight took little over 10 minutes. While the trip wasn't unpleasant, Drake knew he had to move his legs to a different position when they started to cramp up. One wrong move and he'd touch the scale, sending them both into the water due to pleasure induced overload. What would follow would be him being literally screwed till unconscious, should he survive the impact with the water that is.
So with great care, he inched each leg till he looked like he was straddling her upside down. It was good that she had such a good grip on him else it would have been much more difficult to move. Once that had been taken care of, Drake tried to think what to do next. He knew what Mer'ndra planned to do once they made it to her home, and he didn't have clue what he would do really. While coupling with her sounded wondrous, he had his reservations. Nothing against the Ryu that held him, he had his own reasons.
One being that he still had no knowledge as to why he was here in the first place. Why was he dragged from his home and unceremoniously 'dropped' into the MGE world exactly? He wanted answers, and come hell or high water, he would get them. Another reason was that, he wished to explore the world, plain and simple.
Yeah, he knew of the dangers that existed in this world, but that was the point: It was a whole-new-world! Unlike the stories he read or the theories of trans-dimensional travel he heard about, he actually did it. He had traveled to a different world than his own! It was all he could do to keep from squirming in excitement, but that didn't stop the wide grin from plastering itself to his face.
Moving on, he knew it would take time to find the answers he sought. Ergo, he'd be on one hell of an adventure along the way; kill two birds with one stone. He knew that so long as he kept his wits and the situation didn't go FUBAR, Drake felt it wouldn't be so bad. His train of thought circled back to the situation at hand, and he was right back where he started, mostly.
His other reasons were a bit more... personal in nature, and knew that he might have to reveal them to Mer in order to keep his pants on, literally. He didn't like it though; Mer'ndra was a nice girl, despite being a Mamono; though it was probably because she was a Mamono that he might have to take drastic steps in order to find a way home.
Before he could continue this line of thought, he realised that they were slowing down, and was soon brought upright.
"Here we are dear; our home." She held him close, a happy smile gracing her lips as she turned just enough for Drake to see. He didn't miss how she spoke, the tone of affection near palpable in her voice. Turning to place in question, he gave it a quick once over.
Rising near 10 feet above the water on stilts, the house looked like a modest single-floor abode. From his angle Drake couldn't tell the exact shape, but thought it to have the basic rectangular form. The area was lit by oriental styled lamps which hung on each corner of the small home. What he found surprising was that the actual design of the home looked western than anything else. Especially the pair of large, western style doors that remained wide open as they approached.
Even if he held no knowledge on different kinds of wood, he figured only quality wood would be used to fabricate Mer'ndra's current dwelling. The lamps gave off a warm orange glow, which reflected by smooth walls, broken only by the corner supports, and the frames for the door and windows.
With how the lamps were situated he couldn’t really tell what the roof looked like, only that it stretched enough to cover the home's only outside path. Which as Drake soon discovered, was wide enough for 2 people to walk side-by-side comfortably as Mer’ndra placed him down gently. The boards felt smooth and solid under his feet, and didn't make a sound as he tested his weight. A simple guard-rail stood resolutely to his right, stretching from corner to corner.
Looking behind, he found Mer'ndra placing her tail over the railing, before closing the wooden gate they had flown through. With a soft click, it locked into place. She then turned to face him, gracing him with a warm loving smile, eyes looking expectantly at him. Drake gave another quick once-over as he gripped the railing, testing its strength.
"The outside looks pretty good. Simple and modest, but strong; it looks like it'll last quite a while but I'm no expert. Won't know how good it really is till I see the inside."
She blushed softly at his kind, if rather blunt, assessment. "I'm glad you approve dear. Come, why don't we go inside?"
Before Drake could open his mouth, the Ryu was already beside him ensnaring his left arm, pressing her bountiful flesh against his bare skin. She giggled at the rosy hue of his cheeks before resting her head on his shoulder. Absentmindedly scratching his head, he walked slowly towards the open doors, the girl latched to his side keeping up effortlessly. Casting a quick glance behind them, he found her coils moving from side to side, like that of a snake. Behind her head he found the small golden globe simply floating in mid-air; he wondered where it had gone. Now he knew.
Before him stood the gaping entrance of Mer'ndra's home. With startling clarity, he realized the full scope of the situation at hand. As soon as he crossed over the precipice, he had no guarantee of the freedom he desired in order to satiate the questions that burned within his very soul. He didn't have much choice though, not if the dragon at his side had any say.
He could feel the apprehension churn within him. The man still didn't have a decisive plan in mind, instead finding himself flying by the seat of pants so to speak. He slowly looked over the threshold, using curiosity to mask his true thoughts; exactly what was he going to do once they entered?
To Mer'ndra, everything was going the way she envisioned it. She had brought her husband back to his new home, they would enter, talk for a moment, and then...
Her face grew steadily redder till one would think steam would rise off her face at a moments' notice. She willed the thoughts away as she felt her body react, there would be time for that later; the night was still young after all. She rubbed her cheek on Drake's shoulder; she would admit that it was rather bony. Some good food and plenty of exercise would fix that right up, especially once she served him the special drink her mother gave her before she came here...
She glanced at him when they stopped before the open entrance. Watching as his eyes scanned over every inch of the doors and frame, she couldn't wait until he scanned every inch of her body with that piecing gaze of his. She felt her core inflame at the thought, yet she held her lust at bay, settling to tease her husband by massaging his arm within the cleavage of her firm breasts. She smiled happily in success as she watched his face flush scarlet and felt his back stiffen ever slightly.
As the seconds passed and Drake's face returned to its natural color, her smile turned into a curious frown; he had yet to lead them into their new love-nest. He seemed hesitant which seemed odd to her, given his earlier confidence. She could feel it though, the tenseness in his arms, the rigidity in his shoulders.
Her mother had told her that this might happen; explaining that her father had acted the same way Drake was now before their first time together. Considering that her father had been a virgin at the time, her mother stated that it was natural to be nervous having never experienced the wonders of sex before. All he needed was a bit of assurance, and a little incentive to get moving.
So all she needed to do was get him to relax before he'll lead them in. The Ryu grinned as she executed her plan...
"Drake honey?" Said man heard the whisper in his ear and turned his head in her direction, though he still looked at the doors, lost in his thoughts. He was brought back to reality when a clawed digit turned his head to face her fully.
"Dear, it's perfectly alright." He could see understanding in her eyes. "I know you're nervous, and that's okay; this is my first time too. But we can't let that discourage us, we're husband and wife now. We'll experience everything about each other, together, every step of the way." Bewildered green peered into loving amber as she turned him to face her fully, before draping her arms around his neck.
Since Mer'ndra hadn't leveled herself with Drake, he had to gaze downward in order to meet her eyes. As she pulled herself closer, he could both feel and watch as the mounds of her bosom slid, slowly, up his chest. His eyes caught a small flash of pink as her tongue moistened her lips. His hands placed themselves on her hips without command.
His answer was the most intelligent response he could think of. "Huh?"
"It's alright my husband." She was level with him now. "I'll do everything together with you." Mere inches away. "Always..." Her eyes closed. "Together..." She whispered as she closed in. Drake watched, feeling as if moving at a snails' pace. His mind tried to come up with something, anything as his body reacted on its own. He needed something to stop him... before he-
*Grrrroooowwwwllllll!!!* They froze at the sound, eyes wide. Moving to an arms' length they blinked at one another. They looked down, specifically at Drake's stomach. Another sound rumbled into the air. Looking back up Drake scratched the back of his head.
"I guess... with all the excitement, I forgot that I haven't eaten anything yet." He laughed nervously, mentally thanking his luck for his rescue. 'Saved by natural function!'
Mer'ndra nervously laughed with him, internally cursing and lamenting the ruined moment. She sighed as she shook her head, before hugging him close once more. After a moment, feeling that her motive was more innocent this time, Drake returned the embrace. Feeling he had a small chance to relax, he noticed unlike before the smell of her hair. He couldn't pinpoint what the scent was exactly, but it was light and tickled his nose pleasurably. She tightened the embrace before moving back, hands locked behind his neck.
"It can't be helped can it? No matter, I'll cook you a warm meal that'll satiate your hunger." 'Where after, you'll satiate mine...' Turning to the doors, she led him over the precipice, Drake following along without resistance. Her tail was quickly pulled inside, as the doors closed silently behind them, with nary a whisper to their movement.
Fire-lit lamps flickered before illuminating the inner rooms, growing brighter until they settled on a warm luminescence. He could smell the light scent of spices that lingered in the air, while his eyes adjusted to the light. Mer'ndra stood before him, loving smile ever present with her hands held in front of her, pronouncing her bountiful cleavage.
"Welcome home." For a moment he just stared at her. The way she looked at him, so loving and- dare he say it -innocent, for a split second he actually thought that she wasn't a lust driven Mamono. To be fair, he knew lust wasn't the only thing, but it was a major part or it, of this entire world even. He was just surprised by how natural it suited her. He blinked when he realised she was waiting on him.
"Uh… thank you, it's good to be umm...home?" He scratched his cheek idly with an index finger as he chuckled nervously. She seemed to accept his response, giggling before turning and moving to the right. She looked to him over her shoulder.
"If you could please sit at the table dear? It'll only take a moment to heat the dinner I had earlier..." Her look gained some uncertainty. "I hope you'll be satisfied with stew, it's the quickest meal I can serve you, since all the other meals I know will take some time to prepare..." Her worry was for naught as Drake smiled.
"It's quite alright. Stew sounds amazing right now." He reassured her as he placed himself at the table to the left of the door. The doubt vanished from her visage with a brilliant smile. With a nod she turned to the pot that he reasoned held the stew, helping the dwindling embers regain their former strength.
Sitting cross-legged, he took a moment to get a better look at his surroundings. The interior appeared quite spacious for the most part. From the doorway the room looked to be about 25 square feet, or something around that size. Other than the closed off corner on the far right from the door, the home was pretty open-concept.
The home looked to be split into 4 even sections. The table which he sat was huddled in the lower left corner, with shelves covering the walls. Each one was little above waist-height, on Drake at least, and contained a mixture of scrolls and tomes. A variety of colours, age and sizes met his gaze as he scanned over them. He was surprised to find that, despite being in a different dimension, he could read the spines of each tome held on the shelf.
Sure, he could understand if he couldn't read them, even if the inhabitants spoke a rather close dialect compared to his own. And yet, even if there were words that he didn't know, he could still read them! It truly made him wonder about how crazy this whole situation was. Even stranger, he recognised some of the characters on the scrolls to be from Japanese Katakana. Trying to think how this was possible was beginning to make his head spin, so he put it from his mind and moved on.
Above the shelves were a pair of drawn curtains, covering closed windows. They were an off-white colour and were somewhat plain in design, besides a little frill on the ends. The same could be found in the other 2 open corners. Gazing to the floor he found it covered by multiple mats, the same kind he'd seen in multiple anime and other such shows from Japan. The only area not covered, other than the walled off corner, was the kitchen area where Mer'ndra was currently warming him a quick dinner.
Humming a nameless tune, she slowly stirred the contents of the pot, periodically making sure the fire was the right size and temperature. Surrounding her on 3 sides were an assortment of cupboards, drawers, a large pantry and counter tops. In the middle stood the large pot which held the stew she was currently trying to warm for him. Drake could smell the warm aroma that lazily drifted in the air, filling the home with its scent. He again tried to focus on something else, but instead of doing it for his head, he was doing it for his stomach.
Turning to the last open corner he saw a large changing divider, decorated by the image of a lone fisherman among the waves of the ocean. It looked to be about his height as well, so with him seated as he was, he could only see what the divider didn't cover. On the left of the divider, he caught what looked to be a dresser under the window, which held a couple potted plants that he couldn't recognise. Moving on, he caught sight of a low-lying futon on the floor, seeing the corners past either side of the divider. As he had guessed, it was the 'bedroom', and his last destination if he didn't think of something.
Or rather, how to go about it. He had a rough idea, but continued to mull it over in his mind. He wanted to make sure he acted with tact, but he might not have any choice but to be completely upfront, if rather blunt. Sure, all she wanted was for them to live peacefully, with a copious amount of sex of course. He'd live a long life filled with pleasured happiness before and after she turned him into an incubus, and help her bare a number of healthy Ryu daughters.
Looking at it, the idea didn't seem really all that bad. A beautiful and loyal wife, no shortage of sex, and a life of happiness. Yet to accept that future, he felt he would have to give up looking for the answers he sought, which wasn't really an option for him. He had to find out what was going on, he had to travel, and he couldn't do that staying here. He sighed through his nose, stopping his circular thought pattern on his dilemma. Many people would think him crazy, but he had to make the right choice for himself.
Before Drake could continue, he caught sight of his, unofficial, new wife coming towards him with a steaming bowl in each hand. She set a bowl and a spoon in front of him before setting her own on the table. He watched curiously as she seemed to slide her tail under it, without jarring the table at all. He blinked owlishly as he looked at the table with its low height, before raising a brow. He shuffled forward, putting his legs under, and began feeling rather stupid when he found a large space underneath.
Shifting focus, he turned to the Ryu beside him and thanked her, to which he received a happy nod. The stew smelled pleasantly, and he'd bet the taste was just as pleasing. It looked like your average stew, mixed with beans, carrots, potato, even little chunks of beef all floating in a warm broth. He grabbed the spoon in hand, surprised that he wasn't using chopsticks considering the land Mer'ndra's home was based on. He wasn't going to question that now though, he had a meal to try, and his starving gullet demanded it!
Dipping into the meal, he gave it a slight stir, before picking out a nice tender piece of meat. He waited for the excess broth to drip before engulfing it into his waiting mouth.
On her part, Mer'ndra waited patiently, yet was somewhat anxious. She hoped Drake would enjoy her cooking, this kind of meal was rather new to her, compared to the stir-fries she usually made. She watched his face as he chewed slowly, waiting for his verdict. He swallowed, before looking at her with an unreadable expression. She began to doubt her skill before a wide grin appeared.
"This is good, really good."
"You mean it?" He gave her a nod as he gleefully ate another spoonful, speaking once he had swallowed.
"Yeah, it has a rich taste but isn't overpowering, nor is it too filling at the first bite. The beef just brakes apart and is very succulent. The vegetables are soft, but not so soft to be considered mush, they're just right. You're a good cook Mer, don't let anyone tell you differently." He greedily scooped another spoonful, releasing a sound of content at the back of his throat as his taste buds tingled.
Drake knew that giving her such complements, while truthful, were going to bite him in the ass later on. He couldn't help it though, he was a glutton for good food, especially filling foods like stews and such. For the moment he was content to just let his taste buds dance and fill his yearning gullet.
"I'm glad you like it so much, though I haven't had much practice with the recipe to be honest." She blushed faintly, not use to the praise from someone who, by all accounts, is still somewhat a stranger. She was happy though, stranger or not, this man was her husband, and hearing his praise warmed her heart. She kept a tight leash on her desire for the moment though, wanting him to be comfortable and not rush anything.
"The taste of the food says otherwise, but eh. The food is delicious and it'll end my current hunger, that's all that really matters." He gave her an encouraging smile as he continued to eat. She smiled back as she returned to her own food, hot blush on her cheeks. By all that is lustful, she wanted to wrap herself around him so much at his smile. She continued to hold back as she watched him, he looked so content as he ate, and she didn't want to disturb anything that made him happy. That didn't stop her from using her tail to rub his leg teasingly. However, Drake noticed it all too well as he continued to eat.
'Man, all this is doing is making her randy. She's using her tail to rub my leg like a human would her foot. This really isn't getting me anywhere; I need a game-changer. Something to get her mind off sex, if only for a little while... That's it!' He would have pumped a fist into the air, but that would have been too awkward to explain. Instead he hid his exuberance with a small grin. He just hoped it worked.
"By the way, I didn't really get a chance to thank you yet." He looked at her with appraisal as he took another bite of his stew. The woman to his left gazed at him, a puzzled look on her on her beautiful face.
"What do you mean? I don't see a reason for you to be thanking me dear." She blinked confusedly at him, taking another bite of stew absentmindedly.
"I mean for you finding me. Something else could have been in the forest that wouldn't have shown me the same kindness and courtesy you did." He scooped up the last bit of stew from his bowl, distracting himself from the blushing smile she gave him.
"You're welcome, though in truth I didn't really do all the much." She replied with a humble tone.
"Still... regardless, what's done has been done. Also, just out of curiosity, did you find me when I arrived, or sometime after?" Truthfully, he actually was curious about that. The man knew the dragoness wouldn't have the direct answers he wanted; it was the feeling he got from the entire situation. On the other hand, she might provide some clues that could help confirm a slight suspicion he had running amok in his head.
"Well, I found you just lying on the shore line; I didn't see how you arrived there. After all, I was sitting in bed when I caught a bright blue light outside the window." He nodded, understanding her words before doubling back.
"Wait, a blue light?" He blinked, interest clear in his eyes.
"Yes, a pillar of blue light appeared right where I found you. It was the strangest thing; I don't know what kind of spell that was, but whoever cast it was powerful. It felt like something my mother could do with the help of my father." She watched as his look of amazement turned to one of contemplation. Crossing his arms, he turned to stare at the table to collect his thoughts.
Now this whole situation made just a little bit more sense to him. It wasn't some freak accident of nature that brought him here, but rather a teleportation spell of sorts that was used. He couldn't begin to guess who performed the spell, since he really didn't know any other big players besides the Demon Lord and her husband, the Chief God of the Order, and the Fallen God of Pandemonium. Her admission about the amount of power, however, did refine the search criteria. Not many people could utilise the power a Ryu contained, and considering what age Mer'ndra's mother probably was... Yeah, whoever brought him here, their power had to be monstrous.
Although, it could also have been a large group of people pooling together, it didn't have to be just one person after all. As for the reasons why... he could only begin to speculate. Until he gained more information, there wasn't much that he could do.
He felt he should have been surprised, if not outright denying the existence of magic. Then again he was somewhat tired and for the moment, merely chalked it up to the shock of the entire situation not fully sinking in yet.
Even if he denied it, he had all the proof he needed right in front of him. Where he was, the woman sitting beside him, it was more than enough for him to believe that magic could exist, especially the world he was in. He also wondered though, why exactly was he not conscious during the trip? He could remember what was going on beforehand without issue. Sitting at home on his computer, surfing the net, listening to music, the usual for him. Then there was a blank in his memory before his awakening on the lake shore.
He reasoned that his mind couldn't handle whatever turbulence the trip had, shutting down for his own safety. It would also explain the state of his clothes, what with how ragged they were. Given enough time, he might remember it naturally, or something could trigger it for him, he didn't know. All he could do for the moment was wait until he found the person or persons responsible and question them.
The next issue he focused on was whether to tell the Ryu beside him the truth or not. Either option had an upside and downside. If he lied to her it would allow him to keep his secrets, he could pretend the ever cliché notion of having amnesia and searching for answers was what he wished for. It wasn't far from the real truth in fact. This way he could secretly gain crucial knowledge and make plans on what to do as he traveled. Besides, he needed a cover story. Should the knowledge of his origins reach the wrong circles, it could bring no end of trouble.
But was it really wise to lie to Mer'ndra? So far she had done nothing to actually harm him in any way. Sure she dearly wanted to shag him morning, noon and night, but other than pressing her voluptuous body to his, she hadn't anything outright malicious. No spell work or charms to muddle his mind then take advantage of him. No aphrodisiacs were present in the stew, he felt no different besides the warm feeling of being full after a warm meal. So far it seemed that she didn't want to take a very easy route to get in his pants, for the moment. He took it as a sign that she wanted this to be fully consensual, which made his respect for the Mamono rise a couple of notches.
Also, when the truth finally did come out, as such things did, he'd bet the fallout wouldn't be pretty. Another thing was that since he lacked crucial knowledge of the world he was in, any story he came up with would blow up in his face without fail.
Telling her the truth on the other hand would undoubtedly show the trust he was placing in her, should she believe him of course. Having her at least know the truth meant he wouldn't have to stress about keeping secrets from one of the few people he might grow close to. Besides, it's relieving when you can confide in someone. It also meant that she wouldn't be as suspicious of him, if at all, when he reveals what knowledge he does have of the various Mamono that walk this world.
Of course, he wouldn't tell her everything right off the bat, there wasn't any need to really. Much of the practical knowledge he had was ill suited for this world, which lacked the technology his world did. Some things he knew could be helpful, just not where at the moment. That and even trying to explain how he learned everything about the Mamono world would be... troublesome. Again, it didn't really matter right now; he'd cross those bridges when he came to them...
The whole time his mind worked, Mer'ndra simply watched. She looked at his face, nearly unreadable, barely a twitch as he remained deep in thought. His eyes moved randomly across the table, yet weren't focused on what was in front of them. She wondered what he was thinking about, beyond how he arrived here.
Mer'ndra wasn't a dumb Mamono; she could tell when she conversed with him that he didn't know what his part in that strange spell was, and that it troubled him. He tried to hide it of course, it was to be expected; as a man he wanted to figure things out himself, it was practically in their blood. However, she was observant, especially towards him. How could she not, he was to be her husband; she needed to be in order to know exactly what he needed, and be able to serve him the way he desired. She would be the perfect wife, and regardless of what he wished, she would help him in every way she could.
This was why she knew he wouldn't want to stay here very long. It pained her a little as she realised this, since she like plenty of other Mamono in the world, simply wished to be with their husbands and live with plenty of love, consummated as often as possible of course. She also knew that once he drank the potion her mother gave her, he'd be more than willing to consummate the love of their marriage as often as they'd want. She even planned to have him drink it once she got him comfortable.
Watching him now though, after meeting him, she began to rethink that choice. Talking to him, getting to know him a bit, she was starting to understand who this man is. But something just felt...wrong, having him drink the potion, as if getting him to fall in desire was too easy...
No, that wasn't it. She was missing something, it was there she knew it was, but like mist she couldn't grasp it. As if she was missing some sort of connection to him, but couldn't for the life of her figure it out. There was just, something about this man, something that made him different from all the other men she had met. Mind you, she wasn't in the land of Zipangu at the moment so the men of these lands would feel different. But even then, she felt that wasn't quite right.
When she had arrived in these lands she had felt the people here, faintly, and she was right. The men here gave off a signature that was different then the men of Zipangu, and yet were very similar. It was hard to describe the difference. She would akin it to colour, such as different shades of green for example. Sure, at the bottom of it they're all the same basic colour, but changed in such a way they have a profound difference.
Drake's signature on the other hand, his energy, it was different in an odd way. It did have the distinction that proved he was a human male and yet, it was so different, so unique that it threw her mind for a spin. Going back to the colour example, if the men of Zipangu and the men of the west were shades of green, Drake would be a shade of Royal Blue!
Of course the colours were merely for example, and had no real significance. This was the best way she could explain it to herself, and even then she didn't fully understand everything. Why did he feel so profoundly different compared to everyone else? What was it about him that gave her this feeling? This was another reason why she thought it might not be such a good idea to have him drink that potion. She didn't know what might happen; it could work just as designed, it could prove harmful to him, there was even a chance that it wouldn't work at all.
If there was a chance that it could harm him, however, she wouldn't risk it. What kind of wife would she be if she did that to him, all for the sake of enhanced sexual stamina and endurance? A selfish one, that's what. She would have no right to call herself his wife if she gave such disrespect to his free will. So she decided then, unless he chose to drink it of his own free will, she would never use it on him. If that meant she would have to go without being fully satisfied by him until the time came, then so be it. It would be hard, but she would bare it, for him she would...
"Hmm, well that does explain some things..." Hearing the voice of her dearest brought the Ryu out of her thoughts.
"What do you mean?" She looked at him, catching that he had shifted his position while thinking. Still seated to her right, balancing the chin on the fist he braced himself on the table top. His other arm remained still in his lap. He turned to look at her.
"That spell, it was a teleportation spell, one that took me from my home then placed me on that lake shore." His face had taken a serious turn.
"A teleportation spell? What makes you say that?" She asked curiously.
"A couple of things really; the state of my clothes for one. Sure they've been shredded, but they're still intact for the most part. Heck, you'd think that my pants would have been shredded more, if not gone all together." She gave a light giggle at that. He chuckled with her, but it sounded drier than anything. He shook his head.
"Anyway, the rips and tears don't look like they were made by hands or claws. Another reason has to do with my memory." Her eyes grew in slight alarm at this. Was he hurt? Did he hit his head before coming here?
"Are you all right dear? Is there anything you need?" She made to get up from the table but a hand from Drake stopped her.
"I'm alright, I'm not hurt or anything. What I meant was, there's a blank in my memory between what happened from before the spell started, till when I woke up on the lake shore." She looked at him, a look of worry still in her features. After getting an encouraging smile, she relaxed some.
"If you're sure. Your memory should come back naturally in time." His smile grew a little at her words.
"Yeah, that's what I figured too, all I can really do is wait." She giggled again; did he ever forget to mention how beautiful it sounded to him?
"Well, we are husband and wife, so we are bound to think alike." And with that, his cheer vanished. She became confused when his shoulders slumped, sighing almost dejectedly. Damn it all, he didn't want to look like the bad guy here! He just knew this was going to hurt her.
"Is there something wrong dear? We're husband and wife, you can tell me anything." She caught his gaze for but a moment, before he looked away. Why did she see such regret in those eyes?
"That's the thing Mer, I can't..." He stopped mid-sentence, finding it difficult to speak.
"You can't... what?" He was beginning to worry her. What couldn't he do?
"I can't...I can't be your husband."
So with great care, he inched each leg till he looked like he was straddling her upside down. It was good that she had such a good grip on him else it would have been much more difficult to move. Once that had been taken care of, Drake tried to think what to do next. He knew what Mer'ndra planned to do once they made it to her home, and he didn't have clue what he would do really. While coupling with her sounded wondrous, he had his reservations. Nothing against the Ryu that held him, he had his own reasons.
One being that he still had no knowledge as to why he was here in the first place. Why was he dragged from his home and unceremoniously 'dropped' into the MGE world exactly? He wanted answers, and come hell or high water, he would get them. Another reason was that, he wished to explore the world, plain and simple.
Yeah, he knew of the dangers that existed in this world, but that was the point: It was a whole-new-world! Unlike the stories he read or the theories of trans-dimensional travel he heard about, he actually did it. He had traveled to a different world than his own! It was all he could do to keep from squirming in excitement, but that didn't stop the wide grin from plastering itself to his face.
Moving on, he knew it would take time to find the answers he sought. Ergo, he'd be on one hell of an adventure along the way; kill two birds with one stone. He knew that so long as he kept his wits and the situation didn't go FUBAR, Drake felt it wouldn't be so bad. His train of thought circled back to the situation at hand, and he was right back where he started, mostly.
His other reasons were a bit more... personal in nature, and knew that he might have to reveal them to Mer in order to keep his pants on, literally. He didn't like it though; Mer'ndra was a nice girl, despite being a Mamono; though it was probably because she was a Mamono that he might have to take drastic steps in order to find a way home.
Before he could continue this line of thought, he realised that they were slowing down, and was soon brought upright.
"Here we are dear; our home." She held him close, a happy smile gracing her lips as she turned just enough for Drake to see. He didn't miss how she spoke, the tone of affection near palpable in her voice. Turning to place in question, he gave it a quick once over.
Rising near 10 feet above the water on stilts, the house looked like a modest single-floor abode. From his angle Drake couldn't tell the exact shape, but thought it to have the basic rectangular form. The area was lit by oriental styled lamps which hung on each corner of the small home. What he found surprising was that the actual design of the home looked western than anything else. Especially the pair of large, western style doors that remained wide open as they approached.
Even if he held no knowledge on different kinds of wood, he figured only quality wood would be used to fabricate Mer'ndra's current dwelling. The lamps gave off a warm orange glow, which reflected by smooth walls, broken only by the corner supports, and the frames for the door and windows.
With how the lamps were situated he couldn’t really tell what the roof looked like, only that it stretched enough to cover the home's only outside path. Which as Drake soon discovered, was wide enough for 2 people to walk side-by-side comfortably as Mer’ndra placed him down gently. The boards felt smooth and solid under his feet, and didn't make a sound as he tested his weight. A simple guard-rail stood resolutely to his right, stretching from corner to corner.
Looking behind, he found Mer'ndra placing her tail over the railing, before closing the wooden gate they had flown through. With a soft click, it locked into place. She then turned to face him, gracing him with a warm loving smile, eyes looking expectantly at him. Drake gave another quick once-over as he gripped the railing, testing its strength.
"The outside looks pretty good. Simple and modest, but strong; it looks like it'll last quite a while but I'm no expert. Won't know how good it really is till I see the inside."
She blushed softly at his kind, if rather blunt, assessment. "I'm glad you approve dear. Come, why don't we go inside?"
Before Drake could open his mouth, the Ryu was already beside him ensnaring his left arm, pressing her bountiful flesh against his bare skin. She giggled at the rosy hue of his cheeks before resting her head on his shoulder. Absentmindedly scratching his head, he walked slowly towards the open doors, the girl latched to his side keeping up effortlessly. Casting a quick glance behind them, he found her coils moving from side to side, like that of a snake. Behind her head he found the small golden globe simply floating in mid-air; he wondered where it had gone. Now he knew.
Before him stood the gaping entrance of Mer'ndra's home. With startling clarity, he realized the full scope of the situation at hand. As soon as he crossed over the precipice, he had no guarantee of the freedom he desired in order to satiate the questions that burned within his very soul. He didn't have much choice though, not if the dragon at his side had any say.
He could feel the apprehension churn within him. The man still didn't have a decisive plan in mind, instead finding himself flying by the seat of pants so to speak. He slowly looked over the threshold, using curiosity to mask his true thoughts; exactly what was he going to do once they entered?
To Mer'ndra, everything was going the way she envisioned it. She had brought her husband back to his new home, they would enter, talk for a moment, and then...
Her face grew steadily redder till one would think steam would rise off her face at a moments' notice. She willed the thoughts away as she felt her body react, there would be time for that later; the night was still young after all. She rubbed her cheek on Drake's shoulder; she would admit that it was rather bony. Some good food and plenty of exercise would fix that right up, especially once she served him the special drink her mother gave her before she came here...
She glanced at him when they stopped before the open entrance. Watching as his eyes scanned over every inch of the doors and frame, she couldn't wait until he scanned every inch of her body with that piecing gaze of his. She felt her core inflame at the thought, yet she held her lust at bay, settling to tease her husband by massaging his arm within the cleavage of her firm breasts. She smiled happily in success as she watched his face flush scarlet and felt his back stiffen ever slightly.
As the seconds passed and Drake's face returned to its natural color, her smile turned into a curious frown; he had yet to lead them into their new love-nest. He seemed hesitant which seemed odd to her, given his earlier confidence. She could feel it though, the tenseness in his arms, the rigidity in his shoulders.
Her mother had told her that this might happen; explaining that her father had acted the same way Drake was now before their first time together. Considering that her father had been a virgin at the time, her mother stated that it was natural to be nervous having never experienced the wonders of sex before. All he needed was a bit of assurance, and a little incentive to get moving.
So all she needed to do was get him to relax before he'll lead them in. The Ryu grinned as she executed her plan...
"Drake honey?" Said man heard the whisper in his ear and turned his head in her direction, though he still looked at the doors, lost in his thoughts. He was brought back to reality when a clawed digit turned his head to face her fully.
"Dear, it's perfectly alright." He could see understanding in her eyes. "I know you're nervous, and that's okay; this is my first time too. But we can't let that discourage us, we're husband and wife now. We'll experience everything about each other, together, every step of the way." Bewildered green peered into loving amber as she turned him to face her fully, before draping her arms around his neck.
Since Mer'ndra hadn't leveled herself with Drake, he had to gaze downward in order to meet her eyes. As she pulled herself closer, he could both feel and watch as the mounds of her bosom slid, slowly, up his chest. His eyes caught a small flash of pink as her tongue moistened her lips. His hands placed themselves on her hips without command.
His answer was the most intelligent response he could think of. "Huh?"
"It's alright my husband." She was level with him now. "I'll do everything together with you." Mere inches away. "Always..." Her eyes closed. "Together..." She whispered as she closed in. Drake watched, feeling as if moving at a snails' pace. His mind tried to come up with something, anything as his body reacted on its own. He needed something to stop him... before he-
*Grrrroooowwwwllllll!!!* They froze at the sound, eyes wide. Moving to an arms' length they blinked at one another. They looked down, specifically at Drake's stomach. Another sound rumbled into the air. Looking back up Drake scratched the back of his head.
"I guess... with all the excitement, I forgot that I haven't eaten anything yet." He laughed nervously, mentally thanking his luck for his rescue. 'Saved by natural function!'
Mer'ndra nervously laughed with him, internally cursing and lamenting the ruined moment. She sighed as she shook her head, before hugging him close once more. After a moment, feeling that her motive was more innocent this time, Drake returned the embrace. Feeling he had a small chance to relax, he noticed unlike before the smell of her hair. He couldn't pinpoint what the scent was exactly, but it was light and tickled his nose pleasurably. She tightened the embrace before moving back, hands locked behind his neck.
"It can't be helped can it? No matter, I'll cook you a warm meal that'll satiate your hunger." 'Where after, you'll satiate mine...' Turning to the doors, she led him over the precipice, Drake following along without resistance. Her tail was quickly pulled inside, as the doors closed silently behind them, with nary a whisper to their movement.
Fire-lit lamps flickered before illuminating the inner rooms, growing brighter until they settled on a warm luminescence. He could smell the light scent of spices that lingered in the air, while his eyes adjusted to the light. Mer'ndra stood before him, loving smile ever present with her hands held in front of her, pronouncing her bountiful cleavage.
"Welcome home." For a moment he just stared at her. The way she looked at him, so loving and- dare he say it -innocent, for a split second he actually thought that she wasn't a lust driven Mamono. To be fair, he knew lust wasn't the only thing, but it was a major part or it, of this entire world even. He was just surprised by how natural it suited her. He blinked when he realised she was waiting on him.
"Uh… thank you, it's good to be umm...home?" He scratched his cheek idly with an index finger as he chuckled nervously. She seemed to accept his response, giggling before turning and moving to the right. She looked to him over her shoulder.
"If you could please sit at the table dear? It'll only take a moment to heat the dinner I had earlier..." Her look gained some uncertainty. "I hope you'll be satisfied with stew, it's the quickest meal I can serve you, since all the other meals I know will take some time to prepare..." Her worry was for naught as Drake smiled.
"It's quite alright. Stew sounds amazing right now." He reassured her as he placed himself at the table to the left of the door. The doubt vanished from her visage with a brilliant smile. With a nod she turned to the pot that he reasoned held the stew, helping the dwindling embers regain their former strength.
Sitting cross-legged, he took a moment to get a better look at his surroundings. The interior appeared quite spacious for the most part. From the doorway the room looked to be about 25 square feet, or something around that size. Other than the closed off corner on the far right from the door, the home was pretty open-concept.
The home looked to be split into 4 even sections. The table which he sat was huddled in the lower left corner, with shelves covering the walls. Each one was little above waist-height, on Drake at least, and contained a mixture of scrolls and tomes. A variety of colours, age and sizes met his gaze as he scanned over them. He was surprised to find that, despite being in a different dimension, he could read the spines of each tome held on the shelf.
Sure, he could understand if he couldn't read them, even if the inhabitants spoke a rather close dialect compared to his own. And yet, even if there were words that he didn't know, he could still read them! It truly made him wonder about how crazy this whole situation was. Even stranger, he recognised some of the characters on the scrolls to be from Japanese Katakana. Trying to think how this was possible was beginning to make his head spin, so he put it from his mind and moved on.
Above the shelves were a pair of drawn curtains, covering closed windows. They were an off-white colour and were somewhat plain in design, besides a little frill on the ends. The same could be found in the other 2 open corners. Gazing to the floor he found it covered by multiple mats, the same kind he'd seen in multiple anime and other such shows from Japan. The only area not covered, other than the walled off corner, was the kitchen area where Mer'ndra was currently warming him a quick dinner.
Humming a nameless tune, she slowly stirred the contents of the pot, periodically making sure the fire was the right size and temperature. Surrounding her on 3 sides were an assortment of cupboards, drawers, a large pantry and counter tops. In the middle stood the large pot which held the stew she was currently trying to warm for him. Drake could smell the warm aroma that lazily drifted in the air, filling the home with its scent. He again tried to focus on something else, but instead of doing it for his head, he was doing it for his stomach.
Turning to the last open corner he saw a large changing divider, decorated by the image of a lone fisherman among the waves of the ocean. It looked to be about his height as well, so with him seated as he was, he could only see what the divider didn't cover. On the left of the divider, he caught what looked to be a dresser under the window, which held a couple potted plants that he couldn't recognise. Moving on, he caught sight of a low-lying futon on the floor, seeing the corners past either side of the divider. As he had guessed, it was the 'bedroom', and his last destination if he didn't think of something.
Or rather, how to go about it. He had a rough idea, but continued to mull it over in his mind. He wanted to make sure he acted with tact, but he might not have any choice but to be completely upfront, if rather blunt. Sure, all she wanted was for them to live peacefully, with a copious amount of sex of course. He'd live a long life filled with pleasured happiness before and after she turned him into an incubus, and help her bare a number of healthy Ryu daughters.
Looking at it, the idea didn't seem really all that bad. A beautiful and loyal wife, no shortage of sex, and a life of happiness. Yet to accept that future, he felt he would have to give up looking for the answers he sought, which wasn't really an option for him. He had to find out what was going on, he had to travel, and he couldn't do that staying here. He sighed through his nose, stopping his circular thought pattern on his dilemma. Many people would think him crazy, but he had to make the right choice for himself.
Before Drake could continue, he caught sight of his, unofficial, new wife coming towards him with a steaming bowl in each hand. She set a bowl and a spoon in front of him before setting her own on the table. He watched curiously as she seemed to slide her tail under it, without jarring the table at all. He blinked owlishly as he looked at the table with its low height, before raising a brow. He shuffled forward, putting his legs under, and began feeling rather stupid when he found a large space underneath.
Shifting focus, he turned to the Ryu beside him and thanked her, to which he received a happy nod. The stew smelled pleasantly, and he'd bet the taste was just as pleasing. It looked like your average stew, mixed with beans, carrots, potato, even little chunks of beef all floating in a warm broth. He grabbed the spoon in hand, surprised that he wasn't using chopsticks considering the land Mer'ndra's home was based on. He wasn't going to question that now though, he had a meal to try, and his starving gullet demanded it!
Dipping into the meal, he gave it a slight stir, before picking out a nice tender piece of meat. He waited for the excess broth to drip before engulfing it into his waiting mouth.
On her part, Mer'ndra waited patiently, yet was somewhat anxious. She hoped Drake would enjoy her cooking, this kind of meal was rather new to her, compared to the stir-fries she usually made. She watched his face as he chewed slowly, waiting for his verdict. He swallowed, before looking at her with an unreadable expression. She began to doubt her skill before a wide grin appeared.
"This is good, really good."
"You mean it?" He gave her a nod as he gleefully ate another spoonful, speaking once he had swallowed.
"Yeah, it has a rich taste but isn't overpowering, nor is it too filling at the first bite. The beef just brakes apart and is very succulent. The vegetables are soft, but not so soft to be considered mush, they're just right. You're a good cook Mer, don't let anyone tell you differently." He greedily scooped another spoonful, releasing a sound of content at the back of his throat as his taste buds tingled.
Drake knew that giving her such complements, while truthful, were going to bite him in the ass later on. He couldn't help it though, he was a glutton for good food, especially filling foods like stews and such. For the moment he was content to just let his taste buds dance and fill his yearning gullet.
"I'm glad you like it so much, though I haven't had much practice with the recipe to be honest." She blushed faintly, not use to the praise from someone who, by all accounts, is still somewhat a stranger. She was happy though, stranger or not, this man was her husband, and hearing his praise warmed her heart. She kept a tight leash on her desire for the moment though, wanting him to be comfortable and not rush anything.
"The taste of the food says otherwise, but eh. The food is delicious and it'll end my current hunger, that's all that really matters." He gave her an encouraging smile as he continued to eat. She smiled back as she returned to her own food, hot blush on her cheeks. By all that is lustful, she wanted to wrap herself around him so much at his smile. She continued to hold back as she watched him, he looked so content as he ate, and she didn't want to disturb anything that made him happy. That didn't stop her from using her tail to rub his leg teasingly. However, Drake noticed it all too well as he continued to eat.
'Man, all this is doing is making her randy. She's using her tail to rub my leg like a human would her foot. This really isn't getting me anywhere; I need a game-changer. Something to get her mind off sex, if only for a little while... That's it!' He would have pumped a fist into the air, but that would have been too awkward to explain. Instead he hid his exuberance with a small grin. He just hoped it worked.
"By the way, I didn't really get a chance to thank you yet." He looked at her with appraisal as he took another bite of his stew. The woman to his left gazed at him, a puzzled look on her on her beautiful face.
"What do you mean? I don't see a reason for you to be thanking me dear." She blinked confusedly at him, taking another bite of stew absentmindedly.
"I mean for you finding me. Something else could have been in the forest that wouldn't have shown me the same kindness and courtesy you did." He scooped up the last bit of stew from his bowl, distracting himself from the blushing smile she gave him.
"You're welcome, though in truth I didn't really do all the much." She replied with a humble tone.
"Still... regardless, what's done has been done. Also, just out of curiosity, did you find me when I arrived, or sometime after?" Truthfully, he actually was curious about that. The man knew the dragoness wouldn't have the direct answers he wanted; it was the feeling he got from the entire situation. On the other hand, she might provide some clues that could help confirm a slight suspicion he had running amok in his head.
"Well, I found you just lying on the shore line; I didn't see how you arrived there. After all, I was sitting in bed when I caught a bright blue light outside the window." He nodded, understanding her words before doubling back.
"Wait, a blue light?" He blinked, interest clear in his eyes.
"Yes, a pillar of blue light appeared right where I found you. It was the strangest thing; I don't know what kind of spell that was, but whoever cast it was powerful. It felt like something my mother could do with the help of my father." She watched as his look of amazement turned to one of contemplation. Crossing his arms, he turned to stare at the table to collect his thoughts.
Now this whole situation made just a little bit more sense to him. It wasn't some freak accident of nature that brought him here, but rather a teleportation spell of sorts that was used. He couldn't begin to guess who performed the spell, since he really didn't know any other big players besides the Demon Lord and her husband, the Chief God of the Order, and the Fallen God of Pandemonium. Her admission about the amount of power, however, did refine the search criteria. Not many people could utilise the power a Ryu contained, and considering what age Mer'ndra's mother probably was... Yeah, whoever brought him here, their power had to be monstrous.
Although, it could also have been a large group of people pooling together, it didn't have to be just one person after all. As for the reasons why... he could only begin to speculate. Until he gained more information, there wasn't much that he could do.
He felt he should have been surprised, if not outright denying the existence of magic. Then again he was somewhat tired and for the moment, merely chalked it up to the shock of the entire situation not fully sinking in yet.
Even if he denied it, he had all the proof he needed right in front of him. Where he was, the woman sitting beside him, it was more than enough for him to believe that magic could exist, especially the world he was in. He also wondered though, why exactly was he not conscious during the trip? He could remember what was going on beforehand without issue. Sitting at home on his computer, surfing the net, listening to music, the usual for him. Then there was a blank in his memory before his awakening on the lake shore.
He reasoned that his mind couldn't handle whatever turbulence the trip had, shutting down for his own safety. It would also explain the state of his clothes, what with how ragged they were. Given enough time, he might remember it naturally, or something could trigger it for him, he didn't know. All he could do for the moment was wait until he found the person or persons responsible and question them.
The next issue he focused on was whether to tell the Ryu beside him the truth or not. Either option had an upside and downside. If he lied to her it would allow him to keep his secrets, he could pretend the ever cliché notion of having amnesia and searching for answers was what he wished for. It wasn't far from the real truth in fact. This way he could secretly gain crucial knowledge and make plans on what to do as he traveled. Besides, he needed a cover story. Should the knowledge of his origins reach the wrong circles, it could bring no end of trouble.
But was it really wise to lie to Mer'ndra? So far she had done nothing to actually harm him in any way. Sure she dearly wanted to shag him morning, noon and night, but other than pressing her voluptuous body to his, she hadn't anything outright malicious. No spell work or charms to muddle his mind then take advantage of him. No aphrodisiacs were present in the stew, he felt no different besides the warm feeling of being full after a warm meal. So far it seemed that she didn't want to take a very easy route to get in his pants, for the moment. He took it as a sign that she wanted this to be fully consensual, which made his respect for the Mamono rise a couple of notches.
Also, when the truth finally did come out, as such things did, he'd bet the fallout wouldn't be pretty. Another thing was that since he lacked crucial knowledge of the world he was in, any story he came up with would blow up in his face without fail.
Telling her the truth on the other hand would undoubtedly show the trust he was placing in her, should she believe him of course. Having her at least know the truth meant he wouldn't have to stress about keeping secrets from one of the few people he might grow close to. Besides, it's relieving when you can confide in someone. It also meant that she wouldn't be as suspicious of him, if at all, when he reveals what knowledge he does have of the various Mamono that walk this world.
Of course, he wouldn't tell her everything right off the bat, there wasn't any need to really. Much of the practical knowledge he had was ill suited for this world, which lacked the technology his world did. Some things he knew could be helpful, just not where at the moment. That and even trying to explain how he learned everything about the Mamono world would be... troublesome. Again, it didn't really matter right now; he'd cross those bridges when he came to them...
The whole time his mind worked, Mer'ndra simply watched. She looked at his face, nearly unreadable, barely a twitch as he remained deep in thought. His eyes moved randomly across the table, yet weren't focused on what was in front of them. She wondered what he was thinking about, beyond how he arrived here.
Mer'ndra wasn't a dumb Mamono; she could tell when she conversed with him that he didn't know what his part in that strange spell was, and that it troubled him. He tried to hide it of course, it was to be expected; as a man he wanted to figure things out himself, it was practically in their blood. However, she was observant, especially towards him. How could she not, he was to be her husband; she needed to be in order to know exactly what he needed, and be able to serve him the way he desired. She would be the perfect wife, and regardless of what he wished, she would help him in every way she could.
This was why she knew he wouldn't want to stay here very long. It pained her a little as she realised this, since she like plenty of other Mamono in the world, simply wished to be with their husbands and live with plenty of love, consummated as often as possible of course. She also knew that once he drank the potion her mother gave her, he'd be more than willing to consummate the love of their marriage as often as they'd want. She even planned to have him drink it once she got him comfortable.
Watching him now though, after meeting him, she began to rethink that choice. Talking to him, getting to know him a bit, she was starting to understand who this man is. But something just felt...wrong, having him drink the potion, as if getting him to fall in desire was too easy...
No, that wasn't it. She was missing something, it was there she knew it was, but like mist she couldn't grasp it. As if she was missing some sort of connection to him, but couldn't for the life of her figure it out. There was just, something about this man, something that made him different from all the other men she had met. Mind you, she wasn't in the land of Zipangu at the moment so the men of these lands would feel different. But even then, she felt that wasn't quite right.
When she had arrived in these lands she had felt the people here, faintly, and she was right. The men here gave off a signature that was different then the men of Zipangu, and yet were very similar. It was hard to describe the difference. She would akin it to colour, such as different shades of green for example. Sure, at the bottom of it they're all the same basic colour, but changed in such a way they have a profound difference.
Drake's signature on the other hand, his energy, it was different in an odd way. It did have the distinction that proved he was a human male and yet, it was so different, so unique that it threw her mind for a spin. Going back to the colour example, if the men of Zipangu and the men of the west were shades of green, Drake would be a shade of Royal Blue!
Of course the colours were merely for example, and had no real significance. This was the best way she could explain it to herself, and even then she didn't fully understand everything. Why did he feel so profoundly different compared to everyone else? What was it about him that gave her this feeling? This was another reason why she thought it might not be such a good idea to have him drink that potion. She didn't know what might happen; it could work just as designed, it could prove harmful to him, there was even a chance that it wouldn't work at all.
If there was a chance that it could harm him, however, she wouldn't risk it. What kind of wife would she be if she did that to him, all for the sake of enhanced sexual stamina and endurance? A selfish one, that's what. She would have no right to call herself his wife if she gave such disrespect to his free will. So she decided then, unless he chose to drink it of his own free will, she would never use it on him. If that meant she would have to go without being fully satisfied by him until the time came, then so be it. It would be hard, but she would bare it, for him she would...
"Hmm, well that does explain some things..." Hearing the voice of her dearest brought the Ryu out of her thoughts.
"What do you mean?" She looked at him, catching that he had shifted his position while thinking. Still seated to her right, balancing the chin on the fist he braced himself on the table top. His other arm remained still in his lap. He turned to look at her.
"That spell, it was a teleportation spell, one that took me from my home then placed me on that lake shore." His face had taken a serious turn.
"A teleportation spell? What makes you say that?" She asked curiously.
"A couple of things really; the state of my clothes for one. Sure they've been shredded, but they're still intact for the most part. Heck, you'd think that my pants would have been shredded more, if not gone all together." She gave a light giggle at that. He chuckled with her, but it sounded drier than anything. He shook his head.
"Anyway, the rips and tears don't look like they were made by hands or claws. Another reason has to do with my memory." Her eyes grew in slight alarm at this. Was he hurt? Did he hit his head before coming here?
"Are you all right dear? Is there anything you need?" She made to get up from the table but a hand from Drake stopped her.
"I'm alright, I'm not hurt or anything. What I meant was, there's a blank in my memory between what happened from before the spell started, till when I woke up on the lake shore." She looked at him, a look of worry still in her features. After getting an encouraging smile, she relaxed some.
"If you're sure. Your memory should come back naturally in time." His smile grew a little at her words.
"Yeah, that's what I figured too, all I can really do is wait." She giggled again; did he ever forget to mention how beautiful it sounded to him?
"Well, we are husband and wife, so we are bound to think alike." And with that, his cheer vanished. She became confused when his shoulders slumped, sighing almost dejectedly. Damn it all, he didn't want to look like the bad guy here! He just knew this was going to hurt her.
"Is there something wrong dear? We're husband and wife, you can tell me anything." She caught his gaze for but a moment, before he looked away. Why did she see such regret in those eyes?
"That's the thing Mer, I can't..." He stopped mid-sentence, finding it difficult to speak.
"You can't... what?" He was beginning to worry her. What couldn't he do?
"I can't...I can't be your husband."
Spoiler: show
Silence. Everything seemed to freeze in time for the pair. Drake didn't meet her gaze, he couldn't. With what he just uttered, the woman must be shell-shocked. If he looked at her now, his will would break as guilt and shame would overpower him. He didn't know how long the silence stretched, but it felt like an age. The silence was broken by the solid thud of her golden orb dropping to the floor. It made him flinch.
"W-Wha..." Her voice was soft, shock permeable. What was going on? Her mind just couldn't process his words, too shocked at the moment to think properly. She didn't notice her hands beginning to shake.
"I'm sorry Mer, I never meant to look like I was pulling you around, only to let you down like this." He was quiet, guilt clearly in his voice. He flinched when he heard a sniff; dammit, did he have to make her cry too!?
"But, but why? Did *sniff* did I do something wrong? Is it because I haven't let you take me yet? Or is it... is it because I'm not... human?" She was trying to think of something, anything to reason out why he would do this. She felt a pain in her chest, right where her heart was. She didn't understand any of this, why was this happening? She felt something wet slide down her face, but paid it no mind. He whipped around to face her.
"What?! NO! ...No. It's not like that. The reasons why are more to do with my side of this, rather than what you're thinking. It's...complicated." He looked down at the table as voice grew soft, unable to look her in the face. He just felt so frustrated with himself, and ashamed. How could he make such a beautiful and innocent woman like her so upset?
"Then why...why can't I be your wife?*sniff* I'd do anything for you, anything you'd ask of me!" Which was true, she would have done anything he asked. Her mind just couldn't comprehend all this, couldn't think of anything else to reason it out. Her chest just hurt so much.
"I know that. It's...difficult to explain." Now he just felt lower than dirt, how could he just babble out excuses at a time like this?
"Then at least try, please! I have to know why! If I don't..." If she didn't, she didn't know what she would do with herself. Drake felt a tug on his very soul, the anguish so evident in her voice. He looked at her, trying to use her sleeves to catch her falling tears, only for more to replace them. Her eyes were red and puffy, crying silently as her shoulders trembled. He looked away, eyes closed, trying in vain to shut the image from his mind. His conscience wouldn't allow that, as he could hear the sounds of her sadness. He sighed in resignation. He would tell her the truth, he owed her that much.
"...Alright, I'll try. You deserve that much of me." He'd never rest easy again if he didn't make up for the pain he caused her. He never meant for tonight to go like this, but it was too late now. All he could do was square his shoulders, take it like a man and move forward.
He took a moment to collect his thoughts, thinking of where to start. Taking a deep breath, he pushed away his guilt and shame for the moment, if only so he could focus. He turned to Mer'ndra, watching as her crying slowed. Her shoulders had stopped trembling and had grown quiet, sniffling every now and again. Tears still fell, but were slow enough now that she could wipe them all away with one hand. She turned her attention to him, her puffy red eyes meeting his guilt filled orbs. Drake closed his eyes as he took another deep breath.
"Before anything else I... just want to apologise. I never meant to hurt you like this, and I truly am sorry for doing this to you. I just wanted to make sure you knew this before anything else."His lips formed a thin line after he spoke, watching her reaction. She sniffed, but made no other sound, and gave him a slow nod. He was glad that she acknowledged his words at least.
"Alright. Now my... hesitance at becoming your husband has more to do with that I can't become your husband, rather than not wanting to." She looked at him, slightly confused.
"Can't become... does that mean you're *sniff* already married?" Her amber orbs began to water once more at such a thought; to have taken a man when his heart already belonged to another...
"No, I'm not married to anyone right now, human or Mamono." His guilt lifted a tiny margin when he caught the relief in her eyes when he mentioned he was single, but returned when her eyes widened in slight shock at the word Mamono.
He sighed. "Before you ask, yes I know you're Mamono; I've known this ever since you first revealed yourself to me, although, I didn't fully recognise what kind you were until you mentioned that you were a Ryu." He folded his hands together on the table, straightening his back. He did let the barest hint of a smile appear when he noticed that she was becoming more focused on his words rather than the pain. He quickly hid it, feeling that he shouldn't be smiling at all.
"Not only do I know you're Mamono, but I know what happens to men that copulate and are infused with the Mamono's power; they become incubi." Despite what he had said earlier, Mer'ndra couldn't help but be a little impressed at the knowledge he displayed. Yes, it was common knowledge to nearly all Mamono, but for an unclaimed human to know this much... who WAS he? Not privy to her thoughts, Drake continued.
"Which brings me to the biggest reason why I can't become your husband. I can't become an incubus, I won't, because if I do...I can't ever go home..." His voice grew quiet once more, staring at only his hands. Now, he didn't fully know anyone on the forums, being new and all, but Drake knew some of them would call him nuts. A chance like this was practically a miracle in of itself, laid out on a silver platter. Still, it didn't mean that he didn't miss his home, his family.
"Can't go...home? But de... Drake, I'd never...oh." Her head bowed as she made the realisation, with a hint of guilt. Even if she allowed him to go anywhere he pleased, after becoming an incubus, all Drake would care about would be staying with her and sating their desires.
"Yeah, I know. But even if I was immune to becoming an incubus, just by marrying you here would mean giving up the life I once knew." By now her tears had slowed considerably, some still fell but were so few that she had stopped wiping them away altogether. Her eyes were still slightly red, and sadness could still be seen in her body language.
"Drake, I know that humans don’t seem to like Mamono in these lands, but I'm sure if you talked to your parents..." She was stopped by Drake shaking his head.
"No, it's nothing as simple as just talking to them; I'd have to get back over to them first." He sighed as he looked at her, amber eyes blinking in confusion. He couldn't blame her; she didn't have all the needed clues to piece it all together.
"Look, I know you don't understand, what with me being so vague." He breathed through his nose before shaking his head. "Ah, to hell with it. Here's the short of sweet version: thanks to that spell I'm now stuck here in this world without a reason as to why or a way back home." He sincerely wished he had a different approach to this, but felt that he would just drag it on unnecessarily. Nevertheless, he still spoke rather bluntly, in his opinion. The dragoness blinked as she processed his contrite explanation.
"You said 'this world', what did you mean by that?" He gave the girl a weak chuckle.
"Exactly as it sounds Mer'ndra, simply put I'm not from your world. I was somehow, for whatever reason, brought here against my will to perform the will of the unknown caster." There was a small treble of sarcasm in his voice at that last bit. He knew it sounded silly, crazy even, but it was the truth. And so the die had been cast, there was no turning back, for better or worse. He never noticed the contemplative look she gained.
"You know... that does make a little sense." She contemplated aloud, holding a hand to her chin.
"I know it'll take some time to- wait, what?" He stared at her, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just say what he think she said?
"I said it makes a little sense." She gave him a small smile, if a rather weak one. To think that she could still give him a smile at all, even a weak one, made Drake feel all the more guilty. Taking note of what she said, he blinked.
"Ok, you've lost me." She elaborated at his confusion.
"There are some things about you that I've noticed are a little odd. The most apparent of course are your clothes. Torn as they are, they're of a make that I've never seen before, even among the people here; more so with your pants than your shirt." Blinking, he reflexively gave his current attire a once over, reminding himself of the various tears and rips they carried. He shrugged as if to explain his state of dress. Her smile held a little more amusement.
"Next would be your interactions with me. There's nothing wrong with the way you've spoken to me..." 'Aside from the obvious.' Drake added to himself with guilt. Mer'ndra continued, eyes closed as she placed her hands in her lap.
"You have been both kind and respectful to me, if somewhat wary and bewildered." Looking at her as her eyes reopened, a weak half smile formed.
"You've got to admit, it's not like I don't have a good reason for that." She gave a nod.
"True. My point is, instead of acting like those I know back home or the humans in these lands you've treated me just as one would another person." Her smile held a bit more of her previous warmth. Drake quickly adverted his gaze.
"I wasn't exactly kind with the... latest exchange." The past part was muttered, more to himself than anything. She heard it nonetheless, her face taking on a sad tone.
"Your words... I won't lie and say they didn't hurt. But I guess I am part of the cause to your reaction." He faced her in confusion as her cheeks gained a slight blush of embarrassment.
"I will admit, I was acting a bit presumptuously. I was just so thrilled at the prospect of finally finding my husband. I guess I got a bit-"
"Now just wait a minute!" The interruption stopped her cold. "I'm not going to just sit here and let you take any responsibility for my actions. I was the one who chose to deny your advances and it was my choice on what words to use. I could have used more eloquent words to lessen the impact, but you would be hurt my them either way. Fact is, I made the choice, so I hold sole responsibility. End of discussion." His serious eyes gazed into her shocked ones. After a moment his shoulders slumped as he gave a rough sigh. Rubbing the back of his neck, he spoke with a softer tone.
"Sorry, didn't mean for it to come out so rough. Still, I won't take those words back, I meant what I said. You presented me with a choice, and I made the one you didn't think I would make. You did nothing wrong." Recovering from her shock, Mer'ndra tried to speak, yet she couldn't think of how to carry on the previous topic. Another uncomfortable silence engulfed the small home, the discomfort however was noticeably less than previously.
Drake had to admit though, Mer'ndra's speedy recovery was remarkable, if not a little unsettling. He had to remind himself though, as a Mamono her thought process was different from a human's; that and he didn't really know the girl. Then again, it still seemed most likely that she was putting aside the feelings for now before dealing with them. He could still see a bit of sadness in her eyes, even if she tried to hide it behind her renewed warmth when their eyes met.
Shifting in his seat, Drake noticed how much his pant legs had ridden up. Straightening the sides of his torn jeans, he noticed a small lump around where his left pocket would be. Intrigued he reached in, wondering what it was. His hand soon closed around the object in his pocket; a small but very familiar object.
Grasping it in his hand, he pulled it out…
Mer'ndra was going through a whole range of emotions, sadness, guilt, acceptance, curiosity, and many others. She had thought of how events would play after she had found her husband, starting off sometimes with a bit of foreplay or a nice meal and conversation as tonight had began. Or completely skipping that, going straight to coiling around one another, kissing and groping and feeling every single inch they could, screaming to the heavens above of their love as they copulated.
Yet none of that happened tonight, to her befuddled disappointment. She wondered where it had all gone wrong, when they had just met or during the talk during dinner, she didn't know. And it wasn't like Drake hadn't been interested in her. She had noticed all the little signs; the glances to her and her body, the ease of comfort in her presence, and how could she forget the bulge in his pants that grew every time they touched? Yet even then, he had declined her 'offer'.
This both confused and intrigued her at the same time. His actions, his speech, everything about Drake was just so different from what she knew, just who was he? Sure his explanation did make a crazy kind of sense, if only on the basic level. But it still didn't explain everything about him, and that peaked her curiosity. Before her was an enigma, a mystery that had yet to be solved.
It would take time of course; you can't learn everything about someone in one day. And she had the perfect opportunity to give her the time needed to unravel this mystery. Maybe it was better this way. Yes, she had wanted to wrap herself around him and let them both bask in the pleasures of sex, she still does, but the thought had drifted to a little corner in her mind for the moment. The heat of her passion had simmered down, thanks to the past conversation. Yet she still wanted him, which confused her somewhat.
She knew why she wanted him; he was roguishly handsome, with a piercing gaze and strong build despite the lack of muscle mass at the moment. He was also intelligent, perceptive and held a good sense of humour. Yet that wasn't what confused her, what did was the simple fact that as she thought over his good qualities, sex didn't come roaring into the forefront of her mind, not at first. It was the strangest thing for her as a Mamono, feeling a warmth in her heart but not her core at the same time. Mer'ndra was truly at a loss, understanding this no better than she understood Drake. She wondered what this could mean, giving the man of her thoughts a quick glance.
She paused as she caught Drake's movements. Seeing him fish for something in one of his pockets, she questioned what it could be. She was surprised by the glazed look he directed to his hand, smiling as if seeing an old friend after a long absence. As he fiddled with the object in hand, she found that it turned out to be a necklace of strange design.
She first noted that the band was made of a type of grey metal she couldn't identify. Also, the chain itself was most intriguing; it was small, with the links rectangular in shape, as if the chain was made of interlocking cubes. A style that was simple in design yet perplexed her as to its fabrication.
As Drake fastened the clasp behind his neck, Mer'ndra noticed a small pendent-like object which hung from the chain. It was quite peculiar, as it looked similar to some of the characters of her home language, yet it was a symbol that she had never encountered before. She wondered what it could mean.
Made of a different metal from the chain, which again she could not identify, it was a duller grey and bore small scratches here and there. Ignoring the ring that held the pendent to the chain, the symbol started with a straight line moving from right-to-left, turned straight down, then back across left-to-right. Inside the little three sided box, a line went straight down between the two main lines, bisecting another pair of lines that followed the main pair. It looked like the letter 'E' but with a fourth line across and a second straight down.
From the lower corner was a line that curved down, hooking inward to the center of the symbol. Between the bottom line and the hook were what looked to be four tear-drop like shapes; three pointing in the same direction as the hook and the forth on the far left of set pointed in the opposite direction.
All in all, it was an odd yet simple piece of jewellery, one that held a hint of masculinity; which seemed odd since most if not all metallic necklaces of that size were worn primarily by women. It was strange that he would have something like that on his person this whole time. Regardless, even if she didn't know what it meant she had a feeling it was an item of great importance to Drake, possibly something from his home.
"I didn’t even realise it wasn’t around my neck..." The words left his mouth just above a whisper. He smiled softly as he held the pendent between his thumb and index finger, rubbing it lightly.
"Might I ask what it is?" Mer'ndra had never seen anything like what Drake now carried around his neck. Holding the pendant in hand, he gave a wistful smile while gazing at it.
"...it was a gift from my sister to commemorate the day of my birth a couple years ago." Her head bobbed slowly, acknowledging his words.
"It must be something of great importance to you, being a gift from family." He gave an absentminded nod.
"It is, more so now that I know I have it. If I were to ever lose this..." He closed his eyes, gripping the pendant in a firm fist. Shaking his head, he turned to the dragoness with serious eyes. His posture alone told Mer'ndra that she would have to wait to find out what that symbol meant.
"This just further cements the fact that I'm not from here; a stranger in a strange land so to speak, that I don't really belong here..." He paused as the Ryu reached over and placed a comforting hand over his. She understood, now wasn't the right time for trivial inquiries.
"Just because you're different doesn't mean you can't belong here." He shook his head as a small smile graced his lips.
"I appreciate that, truly I do, but it isn't that easy. There are things about me that stand out too much. Sure I can change my clothes and hide my necklace, but my lack of knowledge will paint a giant target on the back of my head. I don't know the names of the current rulers, towns, their histories and various landmarks. What most people here would find as common knowledge is completely new to me. It's like someone from Zipangu traveling here without learning any knowledge of the area beforehand, whereas for me, it's your entire world instead." Mer'ndra's eyes widened as she began to comprehend the full scope of Drake's issue. However, where he saw a problem, she saw a solution. Hiding her growing excitement with a small smile, she caught Drake's attention.
"I believe I know a way to help you Drake." Arching a brow, he couldn't hide his curiosity.
"Really? What do you have in mind?" She smiled as she composed herself once more, back straight, chest out and hands in her lap. She took a little pleasure at Drake's quick glance at her presented cleavage, and the flushed look he bore when he realised he had been caught. He rubbed the back of his head as he released a nervous laugh, Mer'ndra giggling despite herself but made no comment on it.
"Simple, I'll accompany you on your search for answers." Before he could answer she continued. "It'd be a good thing for the both of us. You get a traveling partner that can help you understand this world, and as an added benefit my presence will help ward off many Mamono as we travel. No one likes to travel alone, and through you I get to learn more about humans in general." He stared at her, mouth moving without words coming out. He gave up before releasing a mirthful chuckle.
"You're completely set on this aren't you?" She seemed much more cheerful now, to which he was thankful for. He received a nod in return.
"That's right. Besides, you need me if you want to get back to shore unmolested." She spoke about it so casually that it put him off a bit. A shiver went down his spine at the 'unmolested' bit, knowing that what she spoke of was true.
In all actuality though, it didn't sound that bad of an idea. Okay, so she only brought up three points, but they were excellent points. He desperately needed someone that could help him learn about this world, the territories, the people, etc, and here was Mer, the first being he meets, ready to go out of her way to help him out. Her last two points were just as important, being that truly, he didn't want to travel this world alone; adventures were always better with someone with you. The second of the 2 was even more important. With Mer around, Drake wouldn't have to worry so much about some random Mamono trying to rape him in his sleep.
Mind you, Drake wasn't a complete fool. Despite her readiness to help, Mer'ndra was a Mamono herself, and she had shown plenty of interest in him. Sure it was meant in a good way for him, Ryu's are supposed to be very kind and loving Mamono, though they do have a libido to match their power. And that threw a small wrench of sorts into the works. Yeah, Mer would help drive off almost every Mamono they encounter, but what about the more powerful ones, including herself?
Well, putting her into that lot wouldn't be completely fair. She had been both kind, civil and showed self-restraint, considering she held more than enough power and magic to force herself upon him, and he wouldn't be able to stop her. With that, he believed he could trust her enough to not take him forcefully, heck he already trusted her with the truth.
That was another issue, though not really a problem, yet. Besides her power, she held important knowledge on him, although not everything, she held enough that it could be used against him. But that was just his slight paranoia talking. It was quickly tempered by the fact that one, so far she had shown a very kind nature, a little mischievous but hardly malicious, and two, the fact that practically no-one would believe her should she talk about it.
No, Mer would keep his secret safe, besides, he couldn't speak about it either lest people throw him in the loony bin. Drake would come up with a cover story later, he'd need one when asked questions, that and he would have to start learning how to speak but not give answers.
It was a consequence of his choice and he's got to live with it from now on. The only other possible issue he saw was that he didn't know how extensive her knowledge of these regions was. Although this would make an excellent opportunity for them both, the fact remained that until they got a fully reliable source of Intel, they might run into trouble when approaching towns. Which brought on a question Drake had no problem brining up.
"Hey Mer, I've got to ask you something." Seeing he had her attention he continued. "Considering the fact that we'll have to enter towns for information and supplies, my question is how well do you know the towns in these regions?"
"Well, I only know the names of a couple towns near this lake; I don't know all the others. I do however have a couple maps that I brought with me, though I never thought I'd use them after coming here." For a moment he just sat there, blinking.
"That's...that's great! That'll be really helpful. Do the maps show which regions are Mamono friendly and which are not?"She nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, but only the main map as it shows all the different regions. Wait... you said 'we', that means...!" Watching as the hope welled in her eyes, he nodded at her with a smile.
"That's right, might as well considering both the situation and my lack of options." Drake stopped speaking to release a low yawn. He tried to stem it with a hand, but it was in vain. Mer'ndra giggled lightly before moving back, slithering out from under the table. Just before her tail came out fully, she grabbed the leftover dishes in hand, and then moved toward the kitchen area. Drake meanwhile, moved back from the table himself, mentally thanking however came up with the pit below the table. Else he'd be massaging his legs in order to wake them up from sitting for so long.
Nevertheless, his rear did feel somewhat sore from sitting on the floor, despite the mats. Stretching out, another yawn escaped without his consent. Looking to his hostess, he found her placing the used dished in a bucket of water, most likely to let them soak for the night. He briefly wondered how she got the water without going outside, since there wasn't anything that recognised as a sink, but soon let it go. It had been a long night and he was tired. Her golden orb was floating behind her again, he noted. It was probably tied with her emotions. Seeing as she was preoccupied, Drake made his way to the 'bedroom'.
Standing on the right of the divider, he finally got a look at this corner of the home. To the left he saw, as before, a low dresser just underneath the window with a couple plants on top. On the wall that was blocked by the divider, there was a shelving unit beneath the other window of the corner. It held a mixture of shelves and cubby holes, with at least a third filled with various knickknacks and small scrolls. The third wall was bare, so he turned to the floor. Even with his tired mind he could make out one startling fact.
There was only one bed.
He blinked. "Ho boy..." This is going to get awkward. The bed itself was a larger futon, low to the floor. A pillow and comforter completed the set, both a deep forest green. Feeling a clawed hand on his shoulder, he turned to find the resident Ryu looking at him, golden ball floating lazily behind her.
"Is there something wrong Drake?" He hesitated for a moment, but then chose to spit it out.
"There's... there's only one bed..." Blinking owlishly, she turned to the futon, then back to Drake. Looking at her, he watched the realisation dawn, before it was replaced by a modest blush.
"Well I, I didn't expect company over so..." Mumbling off, she looked down, trying to hide her flushed face. Letting out a mirthful chuckle, a look of amusement formed on Drake's face. He couldn't help but find her flustered look incredibly cute; he blamed it on being as tired as he was.
"That's pretty easy to fix. Just need another pillow and blanket right? I don't want to impose but, since there is only one bed..." He was stopped by another yawn. Hearing a soft giggle he turned back to Mer'ndra, finding the dragon girl laughing into her hand, a soft blush still present on her cheeks. Looking at him with a sweet smile, she said nothing as she motioned to move past him. Understanding he complied, watching as she made her way to the cubby-cupboard across the futon.
She bent over for a moment to rummage in one of the lower cupboards. Tired as he was, he had to admit, despite her lower anatomy not being the same as a humans, she had a finely shaped rear. Realizing where his train of thought led he turned away, shaking his head as Mer'ndra released a cry of triumph, before 'standing' back up. She turned around just as he did, the last hints of blush leaving his face. Held in her arms was a single pillow atop a pale white sheet.
"Here." She told him simply, holding out the pillow and sheet for him to take. To which he did so graciously.
"Thanks." He replied with a tired smile, which earned another sweet one in return. They moved in a comfortable silence as they remade the futon. Bringing the rest of her coils around her, she then pulled off the comforter while absentmindedly using the end of her tail to close the cupboard. Once the futon was clear, Drake went to a knee, shifting the blanket and pillow to one arm. With his free arm, he moved Mer'ndra's pillow to the left, leaving enough room for his own pillow.
Grabbing the thin blanket in both hands, he shook it out twice, and then placed the one end near where he thought the center of the futon would be. Nodding to himself once he was sure, he let the sheet pool a little before draping the rest across his side of the futon. Taking the outside corner, he folded it across, allowing him easy access to enter.
Looking up he found to his tired surprise, that apparently Mer'ndra had been copying him move for move, mirroring his actions near perfectly. Feeling his eyes on her, the girl looked up, and giggled at his expression. Drake soon joined in with a light chuckle, too tired at the moment to really care. All he wanted to do right now was sleep.
"Umm... Drake?"
"Hmm?" He was just about to grab the sheet when Mer'ndra spoke. He looked up, only to find her beside the dresser with a light blush.
"I'm going to change into my sleep ware." She slowly turned her back to him as she undid the red sash around her thin waist. Letting it pool in a pile on the floor, she then grabbed her shirt. Before removing it she looked at him demurely over her shoulder.
"You're welcome to watch, if you'd like..." Eyes wide, his mouth impersonated a gaping fish for a moment, before finding his voice once more.
"N-no no, I'll-I'll be f-fine. A-a-I'll just...g-get behind the di-divider and wait. Yeah that's right." He mumbled incoherently a moment before moving to the other side of the divider. Sitting down he blushed in embarrassment. Man, he'd never been that tongue tied since...well ever! Hearing her soft laughter made his face flush redder. He shook his head as he tried to calm himself down. He must really be tired if he reacted like that, it was just so unexpected, and he wasn't prepared at all for it.
Hearing the sounds of shifting cloth, he was reminded of what she was doing. Blush born anew, he was thankful that he soon heard the sound of a closing drawer.
"Alright for me to come back around?" His question was answered by the sound of her giggles.
"Yes, it's alright." Releasing his own soft chortle, Drake stood up and came back around the divider. He stopped once he laid eyes on Mer'ndra, or to be more precise, what she was wearing.
He wasn't surprised by it being a kimono and sash combo. What did surprise him was how sensual it was. Hugging her glorious curves, the top went from her shoulders all the way past her hips, like the shirt she previously wore. Her shoulders weren't bare this time, only a triangle area, from her neck and collar down to show all her bountiful cleavage, was open to the air. Speaking of which, it seemed her bosom was more pronounced, as if the kimono was pushing her breasts together.
Moving on despite his primal protests, he took note of the kimono itself. Coloured a darker shade of lavender compared to her hair, the material was laced with a pink floral design, possibly of a flower native to Zipangu he guessed. The sleeves, hemmed in a blushing pink, flared out around her mid forearms.
The sash was the simplest piece; a solid band of royal blue hemmed the same as the sleeves.
What drew his attention most was not the tantalizing view of her cleavage, but that the top was partly see-through! He could just see her creamy skin beneath the floral pattern, and where it was once hidden yet eluded to, now he could even see the perfect shape of her breasts.
Yet as arousing as the piece was, it was somewhat conservative also. The inner edgings of the top itself were hemmed just like the sleeves. The band of solid colour was large enough to just cover her nipples, hiding them perfectly. Her most sacred place was hidden just as strategically, as when the flaps were crossed over, a mass of flowers converged. Being more solid than the material between them, the flowers created a natural cover.
All of this zipped though his tired mind as it tried to both reboot, and commit the image to memory. Needless to say it was proving difficult. His attention returned to the woman's face by her soft laughter. Her reaction to his wasn't that surprising; she couldn't help but be amused by his wide-eyed, gaping visage. Holding a clawed hand to her face to stem her amusement, she gave him a teasing smile.
"I take it you approve?" Not trusting himself to speak for the moment, Drake simply nodded, closing his jaw with a loud clack. She seemed content with this, as she then climbed into the futon, orb at her side. Facing him, she looked at his unmoving stance with amusement.
"Well, aren't you going to get changed and join me Drake?" Face flushing heavily; he gave her a tired, half-hearted glare as he removed his tattered shirt.
Giggling at his look, she observed him with no small surprise as he unclasped the belt of his pants. Her surprise turned to intrigue she found that instead being bare before her, he wore a pair of odd, short grey underpants. With a small amount of disappointment, she watched as Drake climbed in beside her.
Throwing her another half-hearted glare, it was soon replaced by a tired smile as he got comfortable, a yawn escaping his mouth.
"G'night Mer." Pulling the sheet up to his chest, he laid his arms over his stomach. He gave Mer'ndra one final glance and a nod before looking to the ceiling, eyelids drooping heavily. The last thing heard was her soft voice, before finally succumbing to sleep's inviting embrace.
"Goodnight, Drake." She spoke softly as she watched his eyes close, his body relaxing as he quickly fell asleep. She looked at him with more of a loving gaze as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall. Mer used a claw to gently move a lock of hair from his forehead, smiling as he slept on undisturbed.
She didn't know how long she simply watched him sleep, his face calm and serene. Gathering her courage she brought her face close to his, holding her hair to one side so it wouldn't bother him. Mer'ndra traced the lines of his features with her eyes, following every line and mark. For a time she gazed at his parted lips, wondering what it would be like if she softly pressed her own lips to his.
She wetted her pink lips as she moved closer, enough to feel his soft breath on her face. She noted that even asleep, he breathed through his nose. Her heart began to hammer in excitement; she wanted so much to just kiss him, at least once...
With regret she drew back, knowing that now wasn't the right time. Instead, she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, as softly as she could. She pulled back, watching as he mumble nothing to himself for a moment, head shifting before resting once more, this time facing her.
Mer'ndra smiled lovingly as she lay down on her side, facing him. She positioned the uncovered part of her tail around Drake's side of the futon, fully encircling yet not touching him. She would never deny it, how she was enamoured with this man. She knew him for less than a quarter of a day, and yet already she desired to stay beside no other.
The pains in her heart returned as her mind drifted back to the earlier conversation. However, she couldn't find it within herself to fault him for it, despite the truth that his words were the direct cause. She firmly believed in his reasons, however ludicrous they sounded; the evidence more than justified him.
Heat had risen in her chest when he vehemently refused her any responsibility, those serious green orbs of his made her heart flutter.
Looking at him once more, she placed a clawed hand close to his shoulder, merely an inch away. With the other she cradled her golden orb close. The lights dimmed as her eyes closed, welcoming the darkness of the night. Her thoughts briefly turned to the necklace he wore. That odd yet unique piece of jewellery helped her learn a little bit more about Drake. She understood that it would take time to really understand him, which was the main reason why she would travel with him on his journey. It would give her the perfect chance to figure out the mystery that was Drake.
So sure, their first meeting didn't go exactly as she thought it would. But that didn't mean she would give up on him, oh no. This may have been a small bump in the road, but she would push on, knowing there would be many more ahead of her.
'And maybe...' She thought to herself. 'Just maybe, I'll find a way to be with him... as his wife.'
"W-Wha..." Her voice was soft, shock permeable. What was going on? Her mind just couldn't process his words, too shocked at the moment to think properly. She didn't notice her hands beginning to shake.
"I'm sorry Mer, I never meant to look like I was pulling you around, only to let you down like this." He was quiet, guilt clearly in his voice. He flinched when he heard a sniff; dammit, did he have to make her cry too!?
"But, but why? Did *sniff* did I do something wrong? Is it because I haven't let you take me yet? Or is it... is it because I'm not... human?" She was trying to think of something, anything to reason out why he would do this. She felt a pain in her chest, right where her heart was. She didn't understand any of this, why was this happening? She felt something wet slide down her face, but paid it no mind. He whipped around to face her.
"What?! NO! ...No. It's not like that. The reasons why are more to do with my side of this, rather than what you're thinking. It's...complicated." He looked down at the table as voice grew soft, unable to look her in the face. He just felt so frustrated with himself, and ashamed. How could he make such a beautiful and innocent woman like her so upset?
"Then why...why can't I be your wife?*sniff* I'd do anything for you, anything you'd ask of me!" Which was true, she would have done anything he asked. Her mind just couldn't comprehend all this, couldn't think of anything else to reason it out. Her chest just hurt so much.
"I know that. It's...difficult to explain." Now he just felt lower than dirt, how could he just babble out excuses at a time like this?
"Then at least try, please! I have to know why! If I don't..." If she didn't, she didn't know what she would do with herself. Drake felt a tug on his very soul, the anguish so evident in her voice. He looked at her, trying to use her sleeves to catch her falling tears, only for more to replace them. Her eyes were red and puffy, crying silently as her shoulders trembled. He looked away, eyes closed, trying in vain to shut the image from his mind. His conscience wouldn't allow that, as he could hear the sounds of her sadness. He sighed in resignation. He would tell her the truth, he owed her that much.
"...Alright, I'll try. You deserve that much of me." He'd never rest easy again if he didn't make up for the pain he caused her. He never meant for tonight to go like this, but it was too late now. All he could do was square his shoulders, take it like a man and move forward.
He took a moment to collect his thoughts, thinking of where to start. Taking a deep breath, he pushed away his guilt and shame for the moment, if only so he could focus. He turned to Mer'ndra, watching as her crying slowed. Her shoulders had stopped trembling and had grown quiet, sniffling every now and again. Tears still fell, but were slow enough now that she could wipe them all away with one hand. She turned her attention to him, her puffy red eyes meeting his guilt filled orbs. Drake closed his eyes as he took another deep breath.
"Before anything else I... just want to apologise. I never meant to hurt you like this, and I truly am sorry for doing this to you. I just wanted to make sure you knew this before anything else."His lips formed a thin line after he spoke, watching her reaction. She sniffed, but made no other sound, and gave him a slow nod. He was glad that she acknowledged his words at least.
"Alright. Now my... hesitance at becoming your husband has more to do with that I can't become your husband, rather than not wanting to." She looked at him, slightly confused.
"Can't become... does that mean you're *sniff* already married?" Her amber orbs began to water once more at such a thought; to have taken a man when his heart already belonged to another...
"No, I'm not married to anyone right now, human or Mamono." His guilt lifted a tiny margin when he caught the relief in her eyes when he mentioned he was single, but returned when her eyes widened in slight shock at the word Mamono.
He sighed. "Before you ask, yes I know you're Mamono; I've known this ever since you first revealed yourself to me, although, I didn't fully recognise what kind you were until you mentioned that you were a Ryu." He folded his hands together on the table, straightening his back. He did let the barest hint of a smile appear when he noticed that she was becoming more focused on his words rather than the pain. He quickly hid it, feeling that he shouldn't be smiling at all.
"Not only do I know you're Mamono, but I know what happens to men that copulate and are infused with the Mamono's power; they become incubi." Despite what he had said earlier, Mer'ndra couldn't help but be a little impressed at the knowledge he displayed. Yes, it was common knowledge to nearly all Mamono, but for an unclaimed human to know this much... who WAS he? Not privy to her thoughts, Drake continued.
"Which brings me to the biggest reason why I can't become your husband. I can't become an incubus, I won't, because if I do...I can't ever go home..." His voice grew quiet once more, staring at only his hands. Now, he didn't fully know anyone on the forums, being new and all, but Drake knew some of them would call him nuts. A chance like this was practically a miracle in of itself, laid out on a silver platter. Still, it didn't mean that he didn't miss his home, his family.
"Can't go...home? But de... Drake, I'd never...oh." Her head bowed as she made the realisation, with a hint of guilt. Even if she allowed him to go anywhere he pleased, after becoming an incubus, all Drake would care about would be staying with her and sating their desires.
"Yeah, I know. But even if I was immune to becoming an incubus, just by marrying you here would mean giving up the life I once knew." By now her tears had slowed considerably, some still fell but were so few that she had stopped wiping them away altogether. Her eyes were still slightly red, and sadness could still be seen in her body language.
"Drake, I know that humans don’t seem to like Mamono in these lands, but I'm sure if you talked to your parents..." She was stopped by Drake shaking his head.
"No, it's nothing as simple as just talking to them; I'd have to get back over to them first." He sighed as he looked at her, amber eyes blinking in confusion. He couldn't blame her; she didn't have all the needed clues to piece it all together.
"Look, I know you don't understand, what with me being so vague." He breathed through his nose before shaking his head. "Ah, to hell with it. Here's the short of sweet version: thanks to that spell I'm now stuck here in this world without a reason as to why or a way back home." He sincerely wished he had a different approach to this, but felt that he would just drag it on unnecessarily. Nevertheless, he still spoke rather bluntly, in his opinion. The dragoness blinked as she processed his contrite explanation.
"You said 'this world', what did you mean by that?" He gave the girl a weak chuckle.
"Exactly as it sounds Mer'ndra, simply put I'm not from your world. I was somehow, for whatever reason, brought here against my will to perform the will of the unknown caster." There was a small treble of sarcasm in his voice at that last bit. He knew it sounded silly, crazy even, but it was the truth. And so the die had been cast, there was no turning back, for better or worse. He never noticed the contemplative look she gained.
"You know... that does make a little sense." She contemplated aloud, holding a hand to her chin.
"I know it'll take some time to- wait, what?" He stared at her, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just say what he think she said?
"I said it makes a little sense." She gave him a small smile, if a rather weak one. To think that she could still give him a smile at all, even a weak one, made Drake feel all the more guilty. Taking note of what she said, he blinked.
"Ok, you've lost me." She elaborated at his confusion.
"There are some things about you that I've noticed are a little odd. The most apparent of course are your clothes. Torn as they are, they're of a make that I've never seen before, even among the people here; more so with your pants than your shirt." Blinking, he reflexively gave his current attire a once over, reminding himself of the various tears and rips they carried. He shrugged as if to explain his state of dress. Her smile held a little more amusement.
"Next would be your interactions with me. There's nothing wrong with the way you've spoken to me..." 'Aside from the obvious.' Drake added to himself with guilt. Mer'ndra continued, eyes closed as she placed her hands in her lap.
"You have been both kind and respectful to me, if somewhat wary and bewildered." Looking at her as her eyes reopened, a weak half smile formed.
"You've got to admit, it's not like I don't have a good reason for that." She gave a nod.
"True. My point is, instead of acting like those I know back home or the humans in these lands you've treated me just as one would another person." Her smile held a bit more of her previous warmth. Drake quickly adverted his gaze.
"I wasn't exactly kind with the... latest exchange." The past part was muttered, more to himself than anything. She heard it nonetheless, her face taking on a sad tone.
"Your words... I won't lie and say they didn't hurt. But I guess I am part of the cause to your reaction." He faced her in confusion as her cheeks gained a slight blush of embarrassment.
"I will admit, I was acting a bit presumptuously. I was just so thrilled at the prospect of finally finding my husband. I guess I got a bit-"
"Now just wait a minute!" The interruption stopped her cold. "I'm not going to just sit here and let you take any responsibility for my actions. I was the one who chose to deny your advances and it was my choice on what words to use. I could have used more eloquent words to lessen the impact, but you would be hurt my them either way. Fact is, I made the choice, so I hold sole responsibility. End of discussion." His serious eyes gazed into her shocked ones. After a moment his shoulders slumped as he gave a rough sigh. Rubbing the back of his neck, he spoke with a softer tone.
"Sorry, didn't mean for it to come out so rough. Still, I won't take those words back, I meant what I said. You presented me with a choice, and I made the one you didn't think I would make. You did nothing wrong." Recovering from her shock, Mer'ndra tried to speak, yet she couldn't think of how to carry on the previous topic. Another uncomfortable silence engulfed the small home, the discomfort however was noticeably less than previously.
Drake had to admit though, Mer'ndra's speedy recovery was remarkable, if not a little unsettling. He had to remind himself though, as a Mamono her thought process was different from a human's; that and he didn't really know the girl. Then again, it still seemed most likely that she was putting aside the feelings for now before dealing with them. He could still see a bit of sadness in her eyes, even if she tried to hide it behind her renewed warmth when their eyes met.
Shifting in his seat, Drake noticed how much his pant legs had ridden up. Straightening the sides of his torn jeans, he noticed a small lump around where his left pocket would be. Intrigued he reached in, wondering what it was. His hand soon closed around the object in his pocket; a small but very familiar object.
Grasping it in his hand, he pulled it out…
Mer'ndra was going through a whole range of emotions, sadness, guilt, acceptance, curiosity, and many others. She had thought of how events would play after she had found her husband, starting off sometimes with a bit of foreplay or a nice meal and conversation as tonight had began. Or completely skipping that, going straight to coiling around one another, kissing and groping and feeling every single inch they could, screaming to the heavens above of their love as they copulated.
Yet none of that happened tonight, to her befuddled disappointment. She wondered where it had all gone wrong, when they had just met or during the talk during dinner, she didn't know. And it wasn't like Drake hadn't been interested in her. She had noticed all the little signs; the glances to her and her body, the ease of comfort in her presence, and how could she forget the bulge in his pants that grew every time they touched? Yet even then, he had declined her 'offer'.
This both confused and intrigued her at the same time. His actions, his speech, everything about Drake was just so different from what she knew, just who was he? Sure his explanation did make a crazy kind of sense, if only on the basic level. But it still didn't explain everything about him, and that peaked her curiosity. Before her was an enigma, a mystery that had yet to be solved.
It would take time of course; you can't learn everything about someone in one day. And she had the perfect opportunity to give her the time needed to unravel this mystery. Maybe it was better this way. Yes, she had wanted to wrap herself around him and let them both bask in the pleasures of sex, she still does, but the thought had drifted to a little corner in her mind for the moment. The heat of her passion had simmered down, thanks to the past conversation. Yet she still wanted him, which confused her somewhat.
She knew why she wanted him; he was roguishly handsome, with a piercing gaze and strong build despite the lack of muscle mass at the moment. He was also intelligent, perceptive and held a good sense of humour. Yet that wasn't what confused her, what did was the simple fact that as she thought over his good qualities, sex didn't come roaring into the forefront of her mind, not at first. It was the strangest thing for her as a Mamono, feeling a warmth in her heart but not her core at the same time. Mer'ndra was truly at a loss, understanding this no better than she understood Drake. She wondered what this could mean, giving the man of her thoughts a quick glance.
She paused as she caught Drake's movements. Seeing him fish for something in one of his pockets, she questioned what it could be. She was surprised by the glazed look he directed to his hand, smiling as if seeing an old friend after a long absence. As he fiddled with the object in hand, she found that it turned out to be a necklace of strange design.
She first noted that the band was made of a type of grey metal she couldn't identify. Also, the chain itself was most intriguing; it was small, with the links rectangular in shape, as if the chain was made of interlocking cubes. A style that was simple in design yet perplexed her as to its fabrication.
As Drake fastened the clasp behind his neck, Mer'ndra noticed a small pendent-like object which hung from the chain. It was quite peculiar, as it looked similar to some of the characters of her home language, yet it was a symbol that she had never encountered before. She wondered what it could mean.
Made of a different metal from the chain, which again she could not identify, it was a duller grey and bore small scratches here and there. Ignoring the ring that held the pendent to the chain, the symbol started with a straight line moving from right-to-left, turned straight down, then back across left-to-right. Inside the little three sided box, a line went straight down between the two main lines, bisecting another pair of lines that followed the main pair. It looked like the letter 'E' but with a fourth line across and a second straight down.
From the lower corner was a line that curved down, hooking inward to the center of the symbol. Between the bottom line and the hook were what looked to be four tear-drop like shapes; three pointing in the same direction as the hook and the forth on the far left of set pointed in the opposite direction.
All in all, it was an odd yet simple piece of jewellery, one that held a hint of masculinity; which seemed odd since most if not all metallic necklaces of that size were worn primarily by women. It was strange that he would have something like that on his person this whole time. Regardless, even if she didn't know what it meant she had a feeling it was an item of great importance to Drake, possibly something from his home.
"I didn’t even realise it wasn’t around my neck..." The words left his mouth just above a whisper. He smiled softly as he held the pendent between his thumb and index finger, rubbing it lightly.
"Might I ask what it is?" Mer'ndra had never seen anything like what Drake now carried around his neck. Holding the pendant in hand, he gave a wistful smile while gazing at it.
"...it was a gift from my sister to commemorate the day of my birth a couple years ago." Her head bobbed slowly, acknowledging his words.
"It must be something of great importance to you, being a gift from family." He gave an absentminded nod.
"It is, more so now that I know I have it. If I were to ever lose this..." He closed his eyes, gripping the pendant in a firm fist. Shaking his head, he turned to the dragoness with serious eyes. His posture alone told Mer'ndra that she would have to wait to find out what that symbol meant.
"This just further cements the fact that I'm not from here; a stranger in a strange land so to speak, that I don't really belong here..." He paused as the Ryu reached over and placed a comforting hand over his. She understood, now wasn't the right time for trivial inquiries.
"Just because you're different doesn't mean you can't belong here." He shook his head as a small smile graced his lips.
"I appreciate that, truly I do, but it isn't that easy. There are things about me that stand out too much. Sure I can change my clothes and hide my necklace, but my lack of knowledge will paint a giant target on the back of my head. I don't know the names of the current rulers, towns, their histories and various landmarks. What most people here would find as common knowledge is completely new to me. It's like someone from Zipangu traveling here without learning any knowledge of the area beforehand, whereas for me, it's your entire world instead." Mer'ndra's eyes widened as she began to comprehend the full scope of Drake's issue. However, where he saw a problem, she saw a solution. Hiding her growing excitement with a small smile, she caught Drake's attention.
"I believe I know a way to help you Drake." Arching a brow, he couldn't hide his curiosity.
"Really? What do you have in mind?" She smiled as she composed herself once more, back straight, chest out and hands in her lap. She took a little pleasure at Drake's quick glance at her presented cleavage, and the flushed look he bore when he realised he had been caught. He rubbed the back of his head as he released a nervous laugh, Mer'ndra giggling despite herself but made no comment on it.
"Simple, I'll accompany you on your search for answers." Before he could answer she continued. "It'd be a good thing for the both of us. You get a traveling partner that can help you understand this world, and as an added benefit my presence will help ward off many Mamono as we travel. No one likes to travel alone, and through you I get to learn more about humans in general." He stared at her, mouth moving without words coming out. He gave up before releasing a mirthful chuckle.
"You're completely set on this aren't you?" She seemed much more cheerful now, to which he was thankful for. He received a nod in return.
"That's right. Besides, you need me if you want to get back to shore unmolested." She spoke about it so casually that it put him off a bit. A shiver went down his spine at the 'unmolested' bit, knowing that what she spoke of was true.
In all actuality though, it didn't sound that bad of an idea. Okay, so she only brought up three points, but they were excellent points. He desperately needed someone that could help him learn about this world, the territories, the people, etc, and here was Mer, the first being he meets, ready to go out of her way to help him out. Her last two points were just as important, being that truly, he didn't want to travel this world alone; adventures were always better with someone with you. The second of the 2 was even more important. With Mer around, Drake wouldn't have to worry so much about some random Mamono trying to rape him in his sleep.
Mind you, Drake wasn't a complete fool. Despite her readiness to help, Mer'ndra was a Mamono herself, and she had shown plenty of interest in him. Sure it was meant in a good way for him, Ryu's are supposed to be very kind and loving Mamono, though they do have a libido to match their power. And that threw a small wrench of sorts into the works. Yeah, Mer would help drive off almost every Mamono they encounter, but what about the more powerful ones, including herself?
Well, putting her into that lot wouldn't be completely fair. She had been both kind, civil and showed self-restraint, considering she held more than enough power and magic to force herself upon him, and he wouldn't be able to stop her. With that, he believed he could trust her enough to not take him forcefully, heck he already trusted her with the truth.
That was another issue, though not really a problem, yet. Besides her power, she held important knowledge on him, although not everything, she held enough that it could be used against him. But that was just his slight paranoia talking. It was quickly tempered by the fact that one, so far she had shown a very kind nature, a little mischievous but hardly malicious, and two, the fact that practically no-one would believe her should she talk about it.
No, Mer would keep his secret safe, besides, he couldn't speak about it either lest people throw him in the loony bin. Drake would come up with a cover story later, he'd need one when asked questions, that and he would have to start learning how to speak but not give answers.
It was a consequence of his choice and he's got to live with it from now on. The only other possible issue he saw was that he didn't know how extensive her knowledge of these regions was. Although this would make an excellent opportunity for them both, the fact remained that until they got a fully reliable source of Intel, they might run into trouble when approaching towns. Which brought on a question Drake had no problem brining up.
"Hey Mer, I've got to ask you something." Seeing he had her attention he continued. "Considering the fact that we'll have to enter towns for information and supplies, my question is how well do you know the towns in these regions?"
"Well, I only know the names of a couple towns near this lake; I don't know all the others. I do however have a couple maps that I brought with me, though I never thought I'd use them after coming here." For a moment he just sat there, blinking.
"That's...that's great! That'll be really helpful. Do the maps show which regions are Mamono friendly and which are not?"She nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, but only the main map as it shows all the different regions. Wait... you said 'we', that means...!" Watching as the hope welled in her eyes, he nodded at her with a smile.
"That's right, might as well considering both the situation and my lack of options." Drake stopped speaking to release a low yawn. He tried to stem it with a hand, but it was in vain. Mer'ndra giggled lightly before moving back, slithering out from under the table. Just before her tail came out fully, she grabbed the leftover dishes in hand, and then moved toward the kitchen area. Drake meanwhile, moved back from the table himself, mentally thanking however came up with the pit below the table. Else he'd be massaging his legs in order to wake them up from sitting for so long.
Nevertheless, his rear did feel somewhat sore from sitting on the floor, despite the mats. Stretching out, another yawn escaped without his consent. Looking to his hostess, he found her placing the used dished in a bucket of water, most likely to let them soak for the night. He briefly wondered how she got the water without going outside, since there wasn't anything that recognised as a sink, but soon let it go. It had been a long night and he was tired. Her golden orb was floating behind her again, he noted. It was probably tied with her emotions. Seeing as she was preoccupied, Drake made his way to the 'bedroom'.
Standing on the right of the divider, he finally got a look at this corner of the home. To the left he saw, as before, a low dresser just underneath the window with a couple plants on top. On the wall that was blocked by the divider, there was a shelving unit beneath the other window of the corner. It held a mixture of shelves and cubby holes, with at least a third filled with various knickknacks and small scrolls. The third wall was bare, so he turned to the floor. Even with his tired mind he could make out one startling fact.
There was only one bed.
He blinked. "Ho boy..." This is going to get awkward. The bed itself was a larger futon, low to the floor. A pillow and comforter completed the set, both a deep forest green. Feeling a clawed hand on his shoulder, he turned to find the resident Ryu looking at him, golden ball floating lazily behind her.
"Is there something wrong Drake?" He hesitated for a moment, but then chose to spit it out.
"There's... there's only one bed..." Blinking owlishly, she turned to the futon, then back to Drake. Looking at her, he watched the realisation dawn, before it was replaced by a modest blush.
"Well I, I didn't expect company over so..." Mumbling off, she looked down, trying to hide her flushed face. Letting out a mirthful chuckle, a look of amusement formed on Drake's face. He couldn't help but find her flustered look incredibly cute; he blamed it on being as tired as he was.
"That's pretty easy to fix. Just need another pillow and blanket right? I don't want to impose but, since there is only one bed..." He was stopped by another yawn. Hearing a soft giggle he turned back to Mer'ndra, finding the dragon girl laughing into her hand, a soft blush still present on her cheeks. Looking at him with a sweet smile, she said nothing as she motioned to move past him. Understanding he complied, watching as she made her way to the cubby-cupboard across the futon.
She bent over for a moment to rummage in one of the lower cupboards. Tired as he was, he had to admit, despite her lower anatomy not being the same as a humans, she had a finely shaped rear. Realizing where his train of thought led he turned away, shaking his head as Mer'ndra released a cry of triumph, before 'standing' back up. She turned around just as he did, the last hints of blush leaving his face. Held in her arms was a single pillow atop a pale white sheet.
"Here." She told him simply, holding out the pillow and sheet for him to take. To which he did so graciously.
"Thanks." He replied with a tired smile, which earned another sweet one in return. They moved in a comfortable silence as they remade the futon. Bringing the rest of her coils around her, she then pulled off the comforter while absentmindedly using the end of her tail to close the cupboard. Once the futon was clear, Drake went to a knee, shifting the blanket and pillow to one arm. With his free arm, he moved Mer'ndra's pillow to the left, leaving enough room for his own pillow.
Grabbing the thin blanket in both hands, he shook it out twice, and then placed the one end near where he thought the center of the futon would be. Nodding to himself once he was sure, he let the sheet pool a little before draping the rest across his side of the futon. Taking the outside corner, he folded it across, allowing him easy access to enter.
Looking up he found to his tired surprise, that apparently Mer'ndra had been copying him move for move, mirroring his actions near perfectly. Feeling his eyes on her, the girl looked up, and giggled at his expression. Drake soon joined in with a light chuckle, too tired at the moment to really care. All he wanted to do right now was sleep.
"Umm... Drake?"
"Hmm?" He was just about to grab the sheet when Mer'ndra spoke. He looked up, only to find her beside the dresser with a light blush.
"I'm going to change into my sleep ware." She slowly turned her back to him as she undid the red sash around her thin waist. Letting it pool in a pile on the floor, she then grabbed her shirt. Before removing it she looked at him demurely over her shoulder.
"You're welcome to watch, if you'd like..." Eyes wide, his mouth impersonated a gaping fish for a moment, before finding his voice once more.
"N-no no, I'll-I'll be f-fine. A-a-I'll just...g-get behind the di-divider and wait. Yeah that's right." He mumbled incoherently a moment before moving to the other side of the divider. Sitting down he blushed in embarrassment. Man, he'd never been that tongue tied since...well ever! Hearing her soft laughter made his face flush redder. He shook his head as he tried to calm himself down. He must really be tired if he reacted like that, it was just so unexpected, and he wasn't prepared at all for it.
Hearing the sounds of shifting cloth, he was reminded of what she was doing. Blush born anew, he was thankful that he soon heard the sound of a closing drawer.
"Alright for me to come back around?" His question was answered by the sound of her giggles.
"Yes, it's alright." Releasing his own soft chortle, Drake stood up and came back around the divider. He stopped once he laid eyes on Mer'ndra, or to be more precise, what she was wearing.
He wasn't surprised by it being a kimono and sash combo. What did surprise him was how sensual it was. Hugging her glorious curves, the top went from her shoulders all the way past her hips, like the shirt she previously wore. Her shoulders weren't bare this time, only a triangle area, from her neck and collar down to show all her bountiful cleavage, was open to the air. Speaking of which, it seemed her bosom was more pronounced, as if the kimono was pushing her breasts together.
Moving on despite his primal protests, he took note of the kimono itself. Coloured a darker shade of lavender compared to her hair, the material was laced with a pink floral design, possibly of a flower native to Zipangu he guessed. The sleeves, hemmed in a blushing pink, flared out around her mid forearms.
The sash was the simplest piece; a solid band of royal blue hemmed the same as the sleeves.
What drew his attention most was not the tantalizing view of her cleavage, but that the top was partly see-through! He could just see her creamy skin beneath the floral pattern, and where it was once hidden yet eluded to, now he could even see the perfect shape of her breasts.
Yet as arousing as the piece was, it was somewhat conservative also. The inner edgings of the top itself were hemmed just like the sleeves. The band of solid colour was large enough to just cover her nipples, hiding them perfectly. Her most sacred place was hidden just as strategically, as when the flaps were crossed over, a mass of flowers converged. Being more solid than the material between them, the flowers created a natural cover.
All of this zipped though his tired mind as it tried to both reboot, and commit the image to memory. Needless to say it was proving difficult. His attention returned to the woman's face by her soft laughter. Her reaction to his wasn't that surprising; she couldn't help but be amused by his wide-eyed, gaping visage. Holding a clawed hand to her face to stem her amusement, she gave him a teasing smile.
"I take it you approve?" Not trusting himself to speak for the moment, Drake simply nodded, closing his jaw with a loud clack. She seemed content with this, as she then climbed into the futon, orb at her side. Facing him, she looked at his unmoving stance with amusement.
"Well, aren't you going to get changed and join me Drake?" Face flushing heavily; he gave her a tired, half-hearted glare as he removed his tattered shirt.
Giggling at his look, she observed him with no small surprise as he unclasped the belt of his pants. Her surprise turned to intrigue she found that instead being bare before her, he wore a pair of odd, short grey underpants. With a small amount of disappointment, she watched as Drake climbed in beside her.
Throwing her another half-hearted glare, it was soon replaced by a tired smile as he got comfortable, a yawn escaping his mouth.
"G'night Mer." Pulling the sheet up to his chest, he laid his arms over his stomach. He gave Mer'ndra one final glance and a nod before looking to the ceiling, eyelids drooping heavily. The last thing heard was her soft voice, before finally succumbing to sleep's inviting embrace.
"Goodnight, Drake." She spoke softly as she watched his eyes close, his body relaxing as he quickly fell asleep. She looked at him with more of a loving gaze as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall. Mer used a claw to gently move a lock of hair from his forehead, smiling as he slept on undisturbed.
She didn't know how long she simply watched him sleep, his face calm and serene. Gathering her courage she brought her face close to his, holding her hair to one side so it wouldn't bother him. Mer'ndra traced the lines of his features with her eyes, following every line and mark. For a time she gazed at his parted lips, wondering what it would be like if she softly pressed her own lips to his.
She wetted her pink lips as she moved closer, enough to feel his soft breath on her face. She noted that even asleep, he breathed through his nose. Her heart began to hammer in excitement; she wanted so much to just kiss him, at least once...
With regret she drew back, knowing that now wasn't the right time. Instead, she placed a chaste kiss on his forehead, as softly as she could. She pulled back, watching as he mumble nothing to himself for a moment, head shifting before resting once more, this time facing her.
Mer'ndra smiled lovingly as she lay down on her side, facing him. She positioned the uncovered part of her tail around Drake's side of the futon, fully encircling yet not touching him. She would never deny it, how she was enamoured with this man. She knew him for less than a quarter of a day, and yet already she desired to stay beside no other.
The pains in her heart returned as her mind drifted back to the earlier conversation. However, she couldn't find it within herself to fault him for it, despite the truth that his words were the direct cause. She firmly believed in his reasons, however ludicrous they sounded; the evidence more than justified him.
Heat had risen in her chest when he vehemently refused her any responsibility, those serious green orbs of his made her heart flutter.
Looking at him once more, she placed a clawed hand close to his shoulder, merely an inch away. With the other she cradled her golden orb close. The lights dimmed as her eyes closed, welcoming the darkness of the night. Her thoughts briefly turned to the necklace he wore. That odd yet unique piece of jewellery helped her learn a little bit more about Drake. She understood that it would take time to really understand him, which was the main reason why she would travel with him on his journey. It would give her the perfect chance to figure out the mystery that was Drake.
So sure, their first meeting didn't go exactly as she thought it would. But that didn't mean she would give up on him, oh no. This may have been a small bump in the road, but she would push on, knowing there would be many more ahead of her.
'And maybe...' She thought to herself. 'Just maybe, I'll find a way to be with him... as his wife.'
Spoiler: show
Sunlight slowly began to shine through the small spaces between the inner curtains as morning crept forward. On a large futon below said curtains a lone pair of occupants rested peacefully. While one was fully content to stay within the confines of the subconscious, the other was beginning to awaken. Without any other movements, a pair of green eyes opened groggily.
'...time to get up...' Running a hand though his hair, Drake propped himself up with his free arm.
"...haa..." '...gotta admit, I haven't slept that good in a while. Now where's that damn clock...' Looking about, he could only make out dark shapes with the lack of light. What light he could see came from the curtain drawn window before him.
'...odd, could've sworn the window was behind my bed...' Dropping his hand, it soon came to rest on something warm. Blinking, he turned to his hand, wondering what he was touching. He would have thought it was one of his cats, but the smooth texture obliterated that notion. Vision clearing as he woke further, Drake began to notice features that he had earlier missed.
A scaly, clawed hand rested peacefully under his own, positioned as his, ready to shake together. Eyes trailed up the arm, soon coming to rest upon the body. Even in the low light, Drake could make out the curves of the body, very feminine curves. Between the figures arms rested a healthy pair of breasts, pressed firmly together to create quite the tantalizing view of cleavage. Casting a quick glance further left, he found a dipping waist and flaring hips that few women could ever hope to have.
Moving back, he gave this 'valley of heaven' another appreciative glance, before looking further right. While the body was certainly pleasing to his eyes, it was the face of this sleeping beauty that made him pause. Breath caught in his throat, he made no sound or movement, as if doing otherwise would disturb the goddess before him.
Eyes closed and face relaxed, the woman before him looked completely at peace. Gazing at her parted lips, he could just pick up the soft sound of her breathing, slow and methodical.
Despite her beauty something was bothering Drake, yet with his mind half-awake, he couldn't figure it out. He gazed over her other features, hoping they would give him a clue. Thankfully the light had only grown brighter, making Drake's task much easier. At the sight of the horns atop her head, and the luscious lavender hair that flowed across her frame, it all came to him.
Mer'ndra, the Ryu that had found him on the bank of the lake last night; the mamono that had taken him into her home and fed him a warm meal, and the woman that attempted to seduce and coerce him to become her husband.
His hand clenched at that last part, but relaxed when he remembered the events after. His refusal, her tears, his reasoning, her understanding... It boggled his mind still, how she seemed to recover so quickly last night. His eyes trailed over her tail absentmindedly, slowly following the curve as it went around his side of the bed.
Drake turned back when he felt a pressure on his hand. He found her clawed hand gripping his own, soft murmurs accompanying it as she ruffled slightly. Her mouth opened as she released a cute yawn, bleary eyes blinking open slowly. Once in focus, she turned her soft amber orbs to him, smiling sweetly.
"Hmm, good morning Drake." He gave her as half-grin.
"Heh, morning to you too Mer." Amber looked into Green before a small squeeze gave Drake a reminder.
"Ah, um, Mer? Suppose I could have my hand back?" Blinking as her mind tried to break down what he said into something she could understand, she looked to her own hand. Her right hand held the gold orb as it always did, her left...
"Oh, hahaha ha..." She quickly released his hand from hers, laughing nervously as her face gained a healthy flush; a bit more awake now. He chuckled good-naturedly, letting her know he was more amused than upset. Face still red, Mer'ndra removed the covers and got up from the futon, moving to the windows. Feeling he knew what was coming, Drake closed his eyes as he stretched. His forethought proved correct for when the Ryu moved the curtains aside, morning sunlight streamed through the windows.
Even with his eyes closed, Drake still winced at the abrupt change in light. Opening them gradually, he allowed his eyes to adjust as Mer'ndra opened the window wide, before moving to the other. As she busied herself with the second window directly in line with the futon, Drake stood as he finished stretching.
Sighing in content Drake had to admit for the second time, if only to himself, of how well he had slept. He wasn't a pro by any means in terms of telling time without a clock, but if the days were anything like back home in the mid-summer, he'd guess it was around 7AM. Not that it really mattered much, but he was still amazed; while not much of a morning person, he'd usually be fully awake in about half an hour. Yet here, the same had happened in less than 10 minutes... must have been the food.
Putting those thoughts aside, Drake noted absentmindedly that the room had grown brighter, seeing as his draconic hostess had opened the other curtains. Looking out the open window, a relaxed smile appeared on his face. The clear blue waters glittered in the morning sunlight, and were very calm. In the distance he could just make out a line of deep green; he surmised it was the surrounding forest. A large mass loomed beyond the tree line, which Drake was surprised to recognize were mountains.
A soft breeze came through the window suddenly, making him release sounds of contentment as the air seemed to caress his face and torso. His eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensation, feeling it pass through his ruffled hair. Hearing the sound of hinges moving to his left, Drake opened his eyes as he looked to Mer'ndra, her back to him as the girl released her own sigh of contentment while her golden orb floated beside her. Eyes still closed she turned to face the only male in the house with a smile.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" She never noticed the look of shock that crossed his face, nor the blush.
"Y-Yeah it is..." How could he think otherwise? It seemed that her top had loosened during the night, for before Drake were Mer'ndra's breasts in full view. Larger than a mere handful, they looked full and firm under his gaze, moving almost hypnotically as she breathed. That became more apparent as she stretched, her hands reaching above her head, puffing out her chest as if reflexively. He couldn't help but stare, even if he knew it wouldn't help his current situation at all. Thanks to her top still tied well enough at the waist, her full modesty was still safe while at the same time bringing the pair of globes closer together.
Memories of last night shook him from his stupor. Yes, her breasts were large and marvelous, but they were only one part of her body. Looking up to her face, his eyes soon met hers as she finished her stretch. He gave a nervous smile in return for her own.
"Uh Mer? I think you might need to do a little... re-adjusting." He idly scratched his cheek with a finger as she tilted her head to one side.
"Ara?" Blinking, she wondered what he meant before feeling a soft breeze across her chest. Glancing down, her face turned nonplussed.
"Mou, not again. This happens every morning." Hands on her hips, she huffed in annoyance with a pout. Drake, on his part, was thoroughly confused by her reaction. Wasn't she supposed to freak and try to cover her modesty? Or hit him instead? With that tail of hers she could - wait. He reminded himself, not for the first time, that the woman before him wasn't human, but mamono. For them anything sexual in nature they openly welcomed and encouraged.
Eyes closing, he sighed as his hand went through his hair, straightening it a little. It was too early for this kind of excitement as far as Drake was concerned. Chuckling ruefully, he looked upon the dragoness, thankful that she was covered once more, just finishing the readjustments to her attire. Not that he wasn't enjoying the view but realistically this wasn't going to help any. A giggle interrupted his thoughts.
Focusing on his hostess, he found her giving him a very amused look of coy, her hand failing to hide her sly smile. She looked him up and down multiple times, he wondered what she could be thinking...
"Looks like I'm not the only one in need of some... readjusting." Another burst of giggling escaped her as Drake gazed at her, somewhat confused. Turning to the floor to think, he caught sight of something rather large, and pointing straight towards Mer'ndra. His reaction was instantaneous.
"GAH!" Reaching forth with both hands to cover his still clothed member, he spun on his heel to cover his embarrassment. But luck just wasn't with him that morning. Standing on loose sheets, the momentum of his spin, and having both arms close to the body essentially made Drake spin like a top before falling onto the futon in a heap.
There was a moment of silence before the sound of crystal clear laughter resounded within the residence. Drake laid there on the futon, partly wrapped in the sheets, frowning as his face flushed a deep red from embarrassment. While his blush was slow to disperse, the frown had readily changed into exasperation. He knew she wasn't laughing at him but at his actions; it didn't make it any less embarrassing. Untangling himself from his cocoon, Drake stood without further issue, facing away from the dragoness.
Her laughter had subsided into giggling, wiping away the unbidden tears from her amusement. If every day turned out like this morning, she wouldn't have any complaints. She watched as he pulled on his tattered pants, buckling his belt soon after. He then held his shirt, or what was left of it, for inspection. He turned it around, to see all sides of the ruined garment. With a resigned sigh, he shook his head before slipping the shirt on.
Mer'ndra was immediately reminded of Drake's situation, her earlier good cheer subsiding. Stuck in a world not his own with no knowledge to its purpose, carrying only a personal trinket and the clothes on his back of which even those wouldn't last long. Coming to a decision, she slithered close behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Turning to face her, he found her round eyes filled with kindness and something he couldn’t discern.
"Hey. What do you need?" He frowned in confusion when she shook her head.
"It isn't what I need Drake, but what you need." At his questioning glance she elaborated. "Your clothes are both dirty and in tatters. You won't be traveling anywhere dressed as you are now."
He gave her a weak chuckle. "Yeah well, it's not like I have a spare change of clean clothes to switch with." She smiled as she guided him around the divider.
"Maybe you don't, but I do." She stopped him before he could speak. "Why don't you get cleaned up while I make us some breakfast? When you're done I'll have a fresh set ready for you." With that she gave him a nudge towards the bathroom door; his protests left unheard as she moved passed the divider, golden orb following soundlessly.
Blinking as her form moved once more to the kitchen, Drake chuckled with light mirth. Knowing he wouldn't get anywhere by arguing, he made his way to the bathroom door. Strangely, the entry to the washroom was a sliding door, and not a hinged one. Giving a light shrug, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Drake immediately found himself in the ‘changing room'. To his left were cubbies to put ones clothes, and on his right was a pair a shelves; one with towels, the other with a number of soaps. Looking at the soap bars curiously, he picked one up. Fitting in the palm of his hand, the bar was lime green in color and giving a cursory sniff, he found it to have the hint of maple. Placing the bar back down, he rubbed his fingers together, surprised to find no residue present.
'Now that's odd. Even when dry, a bar of Zest back home would leave something on your hands, even if it came right out of the package. Then again, with the lower level of technology everything here would be 100% natural...not to mention the use of magic…' Turning from the odd soaps, he placed a hand on the doorway before him, using the other to part the flaps above him.
He gazed about at the one thing he knew for sure would connect Japan and Zipangu, if nothing else. Cool grey stone tiles covered the floor, surrounding a bathtub that covered near three quarters of the entire room. It was currently empty at the moment, allowing Drake to see the soft marble that layered the tub. The walls were covered in a rich tan hardwood, a few shades darker than the rest of Mer'ndra's home. The same was used for the lip of the tub, which gave the room a rich, earthy scent; Oak if he guessed correctly.
Drake had never actually used a Japanese bath before or had been to Japan for that matter, much to his chagrin. But now it looked like he'd get the chance after all.
Feeling something hit his head, Drake looked up to find a riveted ceiling. Each side converged to a center grate that released some of the steam he surmised. Shifting his gaze he looked over the rest of the bath. In the small area surrounded by the tub sat a single wooden stool and a pair of wooden buckets.
This he wasn't surprised by; seeing plenty of anime that featured bath scenes Drake knew how different the bathing habits of Japan were, compared to the rest of the world.
Looking once more to the tub all he found was a single wooden faucet that would let water pour in, and nothing else. No taps, no levers, not even a bell cord. Looking over the walls for any telltale sign, his eyes noticed a large knot in a wood panel that didn’t seem to fit to his immediate right. Feeling with his fingers it sunk into the wall with a muffled click. Instantly, water gushed forth from the faucet, soon covering the bottom of the bath within seconds.
For a moment he simply stared, listening as the hot waters filled the tub. Soon however, he left the bath; he still needed to ask about the soaps after all.
Coming through the doorway, Drake emerged to the sound of Mer'ndra's soft humming. She had yet to leave the kitchen area, surrounded by an assortment of pots and bowls. Her back was facing Drake as he approached, where he noticed she was wearing an outfit identical to yesterday. Raising a fist, he cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the morning air. The Ryu's soft humming came to a halt, her head perking in an instant.
"Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder, amber eyes soon landing on Drake. Giving a soft smile she turned to him, drying her large hands in her apron.
"Is there something you need Drake?" She cocked her head to the side, causing a slight heat to flare on the man's face.
"Uh... N-no, there's nothing wrong. Just, I was trying to figure out which of your soaps I could use but..." He trailed off with a nervous chuckle, feeling the fool.
She blinked at him, before her smile grew. Releasing a giggle into her clawed hand, she grabbed his arm with her other arm and hugged the limb close. Unlike last night, his arm wasn't immediately sandwiched between her breasts as he expected, but rather, simply pressing against him. He blinked owlishly as another fit of giggles escaped her.
"It's alright Drake, with how many there are it’s not surprising.” She moved forward, Drake offering no resistance as they soon stood in the ‘change’ room once more. Letting go of his arm Mer him the green bar, the one that smelled like maple. Holding it up at eye level Drake again took note of its plane features; no distinguished markings to speak of and lime green with speckles of a darker shade.
“This bar here is that I use for my hair.” Brows raised in surprise he blinked at the little bar as Mer placed it in his hand. He turned it over with his fingers again, marveling still at the lack of residue.
“You probably go through a lot of these little bars with how long your hair is.” He quipped with a half-smile. She sighed in exasperation while placing her hands on her hips.
“I know! Each one lasts about a month until I need to grab another; I’ve still got plenty in storage but still!” Mer had the cutest pout on her face which made Drake chuckle aloud; her face flushed with her embarrassment. Taking pity on the woman he decided to changes things up.
“So if this one’s for you hair, what do you use for your face and body?” She immediately picked up on the change and sent a small smile his way. Reaching over she grabbed another bar and placed in his other hand; this time a light pink.
“This is the one I use; I don’t know how they make them but it almost feels like you’re washing yourself with a cloud, it feels so smooth. “ Nodding he took her word for it, feeling the different textures each bar hand in his hands. The green one felt almost creamy to the touch, like those back home. The pink one instead felt almost like gel and reacted like rubber from a cursory squeeze. While he felt it was weird, he didn’t say anything about it.
“Water’s probably near done in the bath. I just press the button again to make it stop right?” She gave him a nod.
“Mhmm, just once. I’ll leave you to it while I make us some breakfast. I’ll call when it’s ready.” He made a sharp nod with a smile.
“Alright, wouldn’t miss it.” With a smile of her own she turned and left, leaving Drake by himself. Shrugging off what used to be a plain white shirt he rolled it up and placed it in an empty bin. Putting the soap bars on the shelf he freed his hands to finish undressing. Placing them in the bin with his shirt he grabbed a free towel, the bars and then reentered the bath.
True to his word the tub was nearly filled, steam wafted lazily from the hot waters instantly dampening his hair and face as he walked through it. Pressing the button halted the waters flow from the tap, and with it the bath became near silent; small droplets fell from the ceiling making small splashes as it met the larger body of water below.
It didn’t really take Drake all that long to wash himself but he still took his time with it, knowing that this would probably be the last time he’d have the luxury in a long while. It felt good to get all the dirt and grime off; he felt more refreshed pouring another bucket of water over himself than when he first got up this morning. After returning the soap bars where they belonged, Drake lowered himself into the bath proper with a sigh of content.
Closing his eyes he let himself drift, letting his mind go blank as he idly ran his hand over the top of the water. His small moment of peace was interrupted by a small water drop hitting his already wet hair. Opening his eyes he laughed lightly as another fell onto his head. He moved to another spot and tried to relax once more as he stared at the ceiling.
This…..just felt all too surreal. He still couldn’t believe it, hell Drake half expected to close his eyes and reopen them only to find himself at his desk. Yet when he closed his eyes and reopened them, that same riveted ceiling was all that greeted him. The man didn’t know how long he laid there, staring at the ceiling but for just a moment, he was at peace.
His surrealist peace was interrupted once more, but not by a water droplet.
“Drake? Breakfast is ready.” Blinking a moment he shook his head while smiling.
“I’ll be right out, ok Mer?” He heard what sounded like a soft giggle before it drifted off.
“Alright, but don’t take too long else the food will get cold.” Chuckling he remained in place for a time then stood from the water none too silently. Grabbing the towel from the stool Drake dried himself off, secretly relishing the feel of the soft towel to himself before wrapping it around his waist.
Sure, last night he felt exhilarated at the thought of where he was, but at the time he was still in shock over everything. The sleep helped wear some of it off and let him think with more clarity. If he were to be completely honest with himself; the truth of it all made him apprehensive as hell.
Stepping into the change area once more he found another of the drawers ajar, to the left of the one he first used. Pulling the drawer out further Drake found not his torn and ragged shirt and pants, but a new set of clothes cleaned and ready for him. Smiling despite himself, he pulled out the new clothes which were a pair of burgundy draw-string pants and a white long sleeved shirt that sported a collared v neck.
Both articles felt light in his hands, the material breathable yet smooth to the touch. He briefly wondered how this was possible with cotton but quickly dismissed the thought; he was holding a new set of clothes and he had yet to put them on. Draping the clothes over one shoulder he placed the towel in what looked like the dirty hamper, before looking in the drawer to see if he missed anything. Surprisingly enough he found a simple leather belt with an iron buckle and his boxer shorts, which much like the top part of his jeans were unscathed. Shaking his head at such luck he quickly got himself dressed.
After putting on the shirt the warrant question of what to do with the belt passed through his mind, there weren’t any loops on the pants so that wasn’t the reason. So why- The answer came to him as he batted at the lower length of his billowy white shirt. Smiling sheepishly to himself for not noticing sooner, Drake looped the belt around his waist and made it tight enough so it hung from his hips. After some minor adjusting he walked into the main area to find Mer putting the last of the dishes on the table.
The Ryu turned at the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing, only to gain a very healthy blush on her face as she gazed at Drake. Everything fit perfectly on him which was a pleasant surprise; Mer was a little worried about whether they would fit or not. Sure both the pants and shirt were loose but she could better see his frame from a glance and did he ever look handsome to her eyes. Stopping her train of thought before it went too far south, she addressed him pleasantly.
“I see the clothes fit well, how do they feel?” Drake stretched out, both to test his mobility and just to stretch in of itself.
“They feel pretty good actually; smooth against the skin and not irritating at all.” He held a pleasant smile on his face as he rolled a shoulder, liking the feel of the material. Mer giggled a little, pleased with Drake’s assessment. She idly noted that he still wore his necklace, the v-cut of the shirt leaving it out in full view. Turning back to the counter she picked up a set of bowls.
“I reheated some of last night’s stew again; there wasn’t much left so why waste it.” He gave her a nod as they walked over to the table once more.
“Smart thing to do really. Besides, I’m never one to turn down leftovers, especially a stew like this.” Mer smiled at the hidden compliment to her cooking, placing the bowls down before sliding her tail under the table once more. Drake followed her example and slid his legs into the hidden space below, sitting comfortably.
There was a comfortable silence for a time as the pair dug in, the hearty meal both warm and satisfying. Mer’ndra gazed at Drake from the corner of her eye, watching as he took his time with every mouthful, relishing the taste. Sure he would probably look better after a shave due to those uneven patches on his cheeks, but to her it did nothing to hide or deter how handsome he was. Mentally shaking her head again, she tried to think up something that wouldn’t lead her to throwing the table aside and ravishing him then and there. Memories of last night came forth, cooling her off and giving her the perfect topic to speak about.
“So Drake, do you have any idea as to where you’ll go?” Pausing as he just took in another mouthful of stew, he turned to her, blinking. Taking the spoon from his mouth he began to chew thoughtfully, taking a moment before swallowing.
“Well… not really...” He gave her a helpless shrug. “Like I said, I don’t know anything about these lands or the people, so I don’t know who exactly to speak with nor how to get there. Whoever I do speak to, I’ll have to be sure they have knowledge on powerful teleportation spells, or might know someone who does first. To find my way home I have to figure out who brought me here in the first place, the why I’ll figure out as I go.” Placing her spoon down for the moment Mer held a clawed digit to her chin in thought.
“And then once you discover who the culprit is you’ll venture to find them.” He gave her a small smile with a nod, eyes closed.
“Exactly. Once I find them, I do whatever I can to get them to send me back.” Not noticing her flinch or the golden orb stopping in midair for a moment, he continued on with another bite of stew, enjoying the taste.
“Don’t get me wrong, being here probably wouldn’t be that bad, but I don’t belong here. I belong in my home, in my own world.” This time he looked up at her, noticing the faint trace of sadness in her eyes before she looked down at her bowl once more, the orb now bobbing in a somewhat solemn fashion. Drake looked back to his stew as well, holding back a sigh as he took another bite.
The silence was wholly uncomfortable as there was a noticeable awkwardness in the air. Mulling through his thoughts Drake tried to think up a new topic to distract them both…that’s it!
“So Mer, after we leave the lake where do we head first?” His eyes met hers as she looked up, a bit of surprise found in those amber orbs.
“Oh! Ah… well, there’s a small town nearby, to the north of here. There we can grab what supplies we need but after that, well…that depends if you’ve got a destination in mind.” He gave a light snort.
“Which I don’t have yet.” With pursed lips and crossed arms Drake stared at the table, as if it held the answers it held. Mer’ndra looked at him before releasing a silent sigh, back to square one it seemed. Knowing where they were going first before anything was good, for the short term. What they needed was more long term, an end goal of sorts that they could strive towards but what could it be? Her mother had told that when sear-
“That’s it!” With a gasp her eyes lit up with excitement.
“Wha- what’s it?” The Ryu’s sudden exclamation had ripped him from his inner thoughts with a great jolt. As his heart steadied Drake could see Mer nearly as excited as when they met face to face last night.
“My mother, Drake! She’s someone you can ask about last night and how you got here!” Blinking, his mind was quick to process what the mamono was saying.
“Wait, your mo- but she’s-”
“Like me, she’s a Ryu but she’s lived for at least a century Drake if not more, think about it! She’d definitely know a thing or two about powerful spells and those that could use them.” Her face held a smile that Drake felt could be infectious. He held it off though as he rested an elbow on the table, scratching the side of his jaw with the opposite hand.
“I don’t want to bust your bubble Mer but, wouldn’t your mom find it odd that you’ll be travelling with a guy for who knows how long, and you aren’t married yet?” The question caught the Ryu flat footed a moment, blinking before idling scratching her cheek with a claw.
“Well… I-I’m sure we’ll think of something by the time we get there, hehe.” She gaze a nervous laugh before pointing at him. “Anyway, it’s the only lead we’ve got, right? Could be worse couldn’t it?” Drake looked to the table again, moving his head from side to side. Grasping his chin with a hand Drake turned pensive to hide his thoughts.
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Mer’s idea held merit. If her mother was as old as Mer made her sound, then there was a pretty big chance that meeting the elder Ryu could prove fruitful. And it wasn’t as if they couldn’t take smaller leads on the side right? Who knows what they might stumble across?
Truth be told however, Drake had his reservations about seeing Mer’s mother. This was Mer’s Mom they were talking about after all. The young Ryu may have been a bit understanding if sad to the whole ‘I can’t became your husband’ shtick, but her mother? Odds are she wouldn’t be as understanding.
So yes, on the one hand meeting the mother whose daughter’s heart you broke is not something Drake would like to face thank you very much. As pessimistic as it sounded he was sure the elder Ryu wouldn’t take no for an answer even with his reasons.
On the other hand though, during however long it’ll take to reach Mer’s mother they might figure out a way to make the eventual meeting not so nerve racking on Drake’s part. Hell, might even find a way home before then!
He gave himself a nod; like Mer said it could be worse. He could have been found by a slime or even worse a Dark Elf! Drake held back a shiver at that thought and turned to his mamono host.
“Well, you got a point. Since it’s the only lead we have we might as well take it and see where it goes.” He quickly finished the last of the stew before focusing on the Ryu once more.
“Alright, so what’s our path? If your mother is in Zipangu how are we going to get there?” He watched as she finished the rest of her own stew before putting her bowl down. Raising a finger to her cheek she hummed before perking up.
“I’ve got it, we’ll retrace the steps I made to get here. Give me a second and I’ll show you.” With that she turned from the table to the shelf behind her, scanning the scrolls and tomes with contemplating eyes. Drake meanwhile had moved back from the table and stood up, stretching his legs a little before wordlessly picking up the empty bowls and taking them to the sink. Mer caught this from the corner of her eye just as she came upon the tomes she needed. When Drake came back he got a thankful smile.
“You didn’t have to do that Drake.” He gave a shrug.
“I don’t mind, personally. Besides, it gives you more room on the table to work with.” Sitting back down he looked at Mer with an expectant look, one that she returned with a confident smile. Opening the tome in her scaled hands she flipped a few pages, stopping at what looked like a folded piece of parchment wedged between the pages. Pulling it out she closed the tome before setting it aside, taking the parchment and begun unfolding it with care.
To Drake the map looked like something straight out of a fantasy novel, like Lord of the Rings or something. While the parchment wasn’t frayed or damaged, it was far from the white coloured paper back home with its mix of yellow and brown hues. As he expected, the black lines running across the parchment formed a land mass he didn’t recognize, accentuated by the list of words of places he’d never heard of. The Iron Mountains? Moranath? Cold Breach? Yeah, this definitely wasn’t home.
His eyes were all over the map until he spotted a large circle on the lower right of the map, which appeared somewhat close to the eastern coast if he read it right. Inside the circle was what looked like a lake alongside a rough square somewhat above it. The small block had a name written above it, it was overlapped slightly by the penned circle but Drake felt he could make it out well enough. He tapped the area with a finger.
“This area here is where we are, right? And the village you spoke about earlier to the North is this place here, Daruune, right?” Looking at Mer he received a smile and a nod.
“Yes, that’s right. You were close with the city though, it is called Daruumed.” Drake gave a nod as Mer tapped the area lightly with a claw. “Daruumed isn’t that large but it does lie on the main road we need to take to reach the port on the coach.” She trailed her claw along the parchment before reaching another block, this one nestled right on the coast.
“This is Water’s Gate, the port I arrived at when I finished my voyage across the ocean from my homeland of Zipangu to this land here, called Malaven. It’s about a 3 days walk between Water’s Gate and Daruumed, at least that’s how long it took me.” Drake gave an understanding nod.
“Alright. So once we get to Water’s Gate, and say we get a ship going to Zipangu that very day, how long would we be at sea for?” The Ryu bobbed her head from side to side as she pondered the question.
“Well, if good weather holds like it did on my voyage here, about a week and a half, give or take.”
Drake blinked. “That’s… quite a bit of time on the water. Lot of time to think.”
Mer gave a nod. “Mhmm. By the time we get to Zipangu we should be able to figure something out. Speaking of, once we get to Zipangu it’ll take us about another week to reach my mother’s temple.” ‘And another week to make things work between us.’ Don’t get her wrong, Mer wasn’t unkind by any means but that didn’t mean she was just going to give up after her first attempt failed. Drake was the one, she war sure of it; Mer just had to find some way to help him see it too. The man beside her released what sounded like a mix between a grunt and a sigh while scratching the back of his head.
“So it’ll be about 3 weeks at the least before I can meet your mother, if our luck holds out.” He shook his head ruefully. “Well, nothing to help it I suppose. Might as well get started then.”
Mer was a little confused over his wording but she still beamed at him at his want to cooperate.
“Great! I’ll get our packs set for the trip. Why don’t you wait out on the veranda while I get everything ready?” Mer saw his face become unreadable while he blinked.
“You sure? I mean, is there nothing I can do to help out?” The Ryu felt her heart warm at the question but shook her head, giving the man a compassionate smile while placing her hand over his own.
“It’s sweet of you to offer, and I appreciate it, but for right now I’ll get it done faster on my own.” Drake wasn’t offended by the refusal, not really. He gave a nod and once Mer released his hand from her grasp he stood from the table, stretched, then wordlessly made his way outside.
Mer watched him go, a small frown occupying her visage once Drake closed the door behind him. Folding up the map she stood from the table before grabbing a blue scroll from the shelf, her golden ball floating beside her. Unraveling the scroll revealed a series of sigils and symbols, forming many circular designs. Mer would have to thank her friend for teaching her how to use these seals, otherwise she wouldn’t have ever been able to leave home with all she needed on her own. They were so invaluable, she could see why her Kunoichi friends used them.
She turned to her thoughts as she began to store away all her other scrolls and tomes, her body on autopilot.
She’d admit, if only to herself, that last night most certainly did not go the way she thought or wanted. The ache in her heart didn’t abate despite the smile she put up, and wasn’t likely to leave anytime soon. She just couldn’t wrap her mind around it; Drake was certainly interested but he still pulled away. Why? It wasn’t because of her looks that much she knew, that bulge in those strange pants of his wouldn’t be there otherwise. Maybe she came across too strongly? This was the first night they had met after all…
She sighed. Looking at the now empty book shelves she moved across the room to the kitchen. She thought back to last night, the reasons he gave for refusing her advances. To be honest, if this were in any other circumstances she would have been sure Drake needed some help upstairs. Coming from another world? Unheard of. Then again, her mother did say that Lord Poseidon and the other gods lived apart from this world…
Mer shook her head, she was getting off topic. What helped Drake was that he had proof to back up his claim, that and she believed him. As crazy as it sounded what he said made sense, she could feel it. That and something about him just seemed…different, she couldn’t her talon on it but there was something about him that drew her attention.
Nearly done with her packing she turned her thoughts to changing Drake’s mind on staying, and quickly to her frustration she was drawing blanks. With a huff and puff of her cheeks she cleaned out the last cupboard to distract herself only to come across a familiar bottle. Holding it in her scaled hand Mer, for a moment, just stared at the bottle filled with the Succubus potion her mother had given her as a gift before leaving home.
Inside this bottle rested an answer to her troubles. Drinking this, Drake would become an incubus, his mind filled with lewd thoughts and would desire the mamono before him. Mer’ndra would then use her body to fulfill his every desire, helping him pour all his love into her and on her. It’s what she wanted, want any mamono wants but, why did she get she get a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach just thinking about this? Nothing made any sense. Mer released another sigh before looking at the door to her home away from home. She looked back and forth between the door and bottle, unsure of what to do…
Drake let out a breath after stretching his arms above his head. He looked over the waters as it glistened in the morning sun, resting his arms on the wooden guardrail. Closing his eyes he took in a deep breath, taking in the clean air and forest scents carried on the wind. For a time he let his mind go blank, the sound of moving waves and the feel of the breeze gave a very peaceful atmosphere. He didn’t know how long he just rested like that, but he wished he had a lawn chair to sit on.
Green eyes opened as a small frown appeared. 3 weeks. 3 weeks out there in a world where taking one wrong turn meant becoming the husband to one of the many sexually inclined denizens on the world for the rest of his natural life. Sighing he looked down at the waters below, catching sight of the necklace dangling to and fro from his neck. Grasping it he rubbed it pensively, thinking on the world full of challenges that lay ahead. The sound of a door opening pulled him his thoughts, turning to the source. He found his Ryu hostess moving through the door with a rucksack in each hand, a somewhat troubled look on her face.
“Everything alright Mer?” His voice snapped her out of whatever musings had held her.
“Ara? Oh! No, nothing’s wrong, just thinking about the trip.” He looked at her a moment before giving a nod. He didn’t want to prod her and make things possibly worse.
“Alright then, if you say so. Everything secure for the trip?” Here he got a smile.
“Yes, I’ve got everything we need aside from food for the trip, we’ll grab some in Daruumed then grab the rest we need at Water’s Gate.” A small grin crept on his face unbidden, a strange giddiness starting to bubble up.
“Cool, so which bag’s mine?” Again Mer gave him a look, confused on his choice of words before passing it off as one of his mannerisms. She passed Drake the bag in her left hand which he took with a nod of thanks before wordlessly throwing it over a shoulder. The action drew a giggle from the Ryu before a question of her own.
“How about you, do you have everything?” Drake gave her a nod.
“Yup, got my necklace and my-” He paused a moment before perking up, as if he suddenly realized something. Without a word he placed his pack on the ground before moving past Mer back into the house, leaving the Ryu to tilt her head in confusion. She watched as he went straight to the bathroom before quickly coming back out, a bundle held in his hand. Mer looked with some surprise as Drake came out, opened his pack and began stuffing in what remained of his strange pants. Once done he turned back catching Mer’s look of surprise. He gave her a somewhat sheepish shrug before slipping his pack back on. He gained a confident smile.
“Now I have everything.” That seemed to snap Mer from her trance, where she gave him a smile in return. Closing the doors behind her, Mer moved to the side gate, her golden orb following dutifully. Drake turned back to the lake, giving the lake one last look trying to commit it to memory. He felt a tap on his shoulder, turning to find Mer had used the tip of her tail to get his attention. Giving her a sheepish chuckle, Drake strode towards Mer, taking his true first steps on the journey through this strange and wondrous world…
'...time to get up...' Running a hand though his hair, Drake propped himself up with his free arm.
"...haa..." '...gotta admit, I haven't slept that good in a while. Now where's that damn clock...' Looking about, he could only make out dark shapes with the lack of light. What light he could see came from the curtain drawn window before him.
'...odd, could've sworn the window was behind my bed...' Dropping his hand, it soon came to rest on something warm. Blinking, he turned to his hand, wondering what he was touching. He would have thought it was one of his cats, but the smooth texture obliterated that notion. Vision clearing as he woke further, Drake began to notice features that he had earlier missed.
A scaly, clawed hand rested peacefully under his own, positioned as his, ready to shake together. Eyes trailed up the arm, soon coming to rest upon the body. Even in the low light, Drake could make out the curves of the body, very feminine curves. Between the figures arms rested a healthy pair of breasts, pressed firmly together to create quite the tantalizing view of cleavage. Casting a quick glance further left, he found a dipping waist and flaring hips that few women could ever hope to have.
Moving back, he gave this 'valley of heaven' another appreciative glance, before looking further right. While the body was certainly pleasing to his eyes, it was the face of this sleeping beauty that made him pause. Breath caught in his throat, he made no sound or movement, as if doing otherwise would disturb the goddess before him.
Eyes closed and face relaxed, the woman before him looked completely at peace. Gazing at her parted lips, he could just pick up the soft sound of her breathing, slow and methodical.
Despite her beauty something was bothering Drake, yet with his mind half-awake, he couldn't figure it out. He gazed over her other features, hoping they would give him a clue. Thankfully the light had only grown brighter, making Drake's task much easier. At the sight of the horns atop her head, and the luscious lavender hair that flowed across her frame, it all came to him.
Mer'ndra, the Ryu that had found him on the bank of the lake last night; the mamono that had taken him into her home and fed him a warm meal, and the woman that attempted to seduce and coerce him to become her husband.
His hand clenched at that last part, but relaxed when he remembered the events after. His refusal, her tears, his reasoning, her understanding... It boggled his mind still, how she seemed to recover so quickly last night. His eyes trailed over her tail absentmindedly, slowly following the curve as it went around his side of the bed.
Drake turned back when he felt a pressure on his hand. He found her clawed hand gripping his own, soft murmurs accompanying it as she ruffled slightly. Her mouth opened as she released a cute yawn, bleary eyes blinking open slowly. Once in focus, she turned her soft amber orbs to him, smiling sweetly.
"Hmm, good morning Drake." He gave her as half-grin.
"Heh, morning to you too Mer." Amber looked into Green before a small squeeze gave Drake a reminder.
"Ah, um, Mer? Suppose I could have my hand back?" Blinking as her mind tried to break down what he said into something she could understand, she looked to her own hand. Her right hand held the gold orb as it always did, her left...
"Oh, hahaha ha..." She quickly released his hand from hers, laughing nervously as her face gained a healthy flush; a bit more awake now. He chuckled good-naturedly, letting her know he was more amused than upset. Face still red, Mer'ndra removed the covers and got up from the futon, moving to the windows. Feeling he knew what was coming, Drake closed his eyes as he stretched. His forethought proved correct for when the Ryu moved the curtains aside, morning sunlight streamed through the windows.
Even with his eyes closed, Drake still winced at the abrupt change in light. Opening them gradually, he allowed his eyes to adjust as Mer'ndra opened the window wide, before moving to the other. As she busied herself with the second window directly in line with the futon, Drake stood as he finished stretching.
Sighing in content Drake had to admit for the second time, if only to himself, of how well he had slept. He wasn't a pro by any means in terms of telling time without a clock, but if the days were anything like back home in the mid-summer, he'd guess it was around 7AM. Not that it really mattered much, but he was still amazed; while not much of a morning person, he'd usually be fully awake in about half an hour. Yet here, the same had happened in less than 10 minutes... must have been the food.
Putting those thoughts aside, Drake noted absentmindedly that the room had grown brighter, seeing as his draconic hostess had opened the other curtains. Looking out the open window, a relaxed smile appeared on his face. The clear blue waters glittered in the morning sunlight, and were very calm. In the distance he could just make out a line of deep green; he surmised it was the surrounding forest. A large mass loomed beyond the tree line, which Drake was surprised to recognize were mountains.
A soft breeze came through the window suddenly, making him release sounds of contentment as the air seemed to caress his face and torso. His eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensation, feeling it pass through his ruffled hair. Hearing the sound of hinges moving to his left, Drake opened his eyes as he looked to Mer'ndra, her back to him as the girl released her own sigh of contentment while her golden orb floated beside her. Eyes still closed she turned to face the only male in the house with a smile.
"Beautiful view, isn't it?" She never noticed the look of shock that crossed his face, nor the blush.
"Y-Yeah it is..." How could he think otherwise? It seemed that her top had loosened during the night, for before Drake were Mer'ndra's breasts in full view. Larger than a mere handful, they looked full and firm under his gaze, moving almost hypnotically as she breathed. That became more apparent as she stretched, her hands reaching above her head, puffing out her chest as if reflexively. He couldn't help but stare, even if he knew it wouldn't help his current situation at all. Thanks to her top still tied well enough at the waist, her full modesty was still safe while at the same time bringing the pair of globes closer together.
Memories of last night shook him from his stupor. Yes, her breasts were large and marvelous, but they were only one part of her body. Looking up to her face, his eyes soon met hers as she finished her stretch. He gave a nervous smile in return for her own.
"Uh Mer? I think you might need to do a little... re-adjusting." He idly scratched his cheek with a finger as she tilted her head to one side.
"Ara?" Blinking, she wondered what he meant before feeling a soft breeze across her chest. Glancing down, her face turned nonplussed.
"Mou, not again. This happens every morning." Hands on her hips, she huffed in annoyance with a pout. Drake, on his part, was thoroughly confused by her reaction. Wasn't she supposed to freak and try to cover her modesty? Or hit him instead? With that tail of hers she could - wait. He reminded himself, not for the first time, that the woman before him wasn't human, but mamono. For them anything sexual in nature they openly welcomed and encouraged.
Eyes closing, he sighed as his hand went through his hair, straightening it a little. It was too early for this kind of excitement as far as Drake was concerned. Chuckling ruefully, he looked upon the dragoness, thankful that she was covered once more, just finishing the readjustments to her attire. Not that he wasn't enjoying the view but realistically this wasn't going to help any. A giggle interrupted his thoughts.
Focusing on his hostess, he found her giving him a very amused look of coy, her hand failing to hide her sly smile. She looked him up and down multiple times, he wondered what she could be thinking...
"Looks like I'm not the only one in need of some... readjusting." Another burst of giggling escaped her as Drake gazed at her, somewhat confused. Turning to the floor to think, he caught sight of something rather large, and pointing straight towards Mer'ndra. His reaction was instantaneous.
"GAH!" Reaching forth with both hands to cover his still clothed member, he spun on his heel to cover his embarrassment. But luck just wasn't with him that morning. Standing on loose sheets, the momentum of his spin, and having both arms close to the body essentially made Drake spin like a top before falling onto the futon in a heap.
There was a moment of silence before the sound of crystal clear laughter resounded within the residence. Drake laid there on the futon, partly wrapped in the sheets, frowning as his face flushed a deep red from embarrassment. While his blush was slow to disperse, the frown had readily changed into exasperation. He knew she wasn't laughing at him but at his actions; it didn't make it any less embarrassing. Untangling himself from his cocoon, Drake stood without further issue, facing away from the dragoness.
Her laughter had subsided into giggling, wiping away the unbidden tears from her amusement. If every day turned out like this morning, she wouldn't have any complaints. She watched as he pulled on his tattered pants, buckling his belt soon after. He then held his shirt, or what was left of it, for inspection. He turned it around, to see all sides of the ruined garment. With a resigned sigh, he shook his head before slipping the shirt on.
Mer'ndra was immediately reminded of Drake's situation, her earlier good cheer subsiding. Stuck in a world not his own with no knowledge to its purpose, carrying only a personal trinket and the clothes on his back of which even those wouldn't last long. Coming to a decision, she slithered close behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Turning to face her, he found her round eyes filled with kindness and something he couldn’t discern.
"Hey. What do you need?" He frowned in confusion when she shook her head.
"It isn't what I need Drake, but what you need." At his questioning glance she elaborated. "Your clothes are both dirty and in tatters. You won't be traveling anywhere dressed as you are now."
He gave her a weak chuckle. "Yeah well, it's not like I have a spare change of clean clothes to switch with." She smiled as she guided him around the divider.
"Maybe you don't, but I do." She stopped him before he could speak. "Why don't you get cleaned up while I make us some breakfast? When you're done I'll have a fresh set ready for you." With that she gave him a nudge towards the bathroom door; his protests left unheard as she moved passed the divider, golden orb following soundlessly.
Blinking as her form moved once more to the kitchen, Drake chuckled with light mirth. Knowing he wouldn't get anywhere by arguing, he made his way to the bathroom door. Strangely, the entry to the washroom was a sliding door, and not a hinged one. Giving a light shrug, he opened the door and stepped inside.
Drake immediately found himself in the ‘changing room'. To his left were cubbies to put ones clothes, and on his right was a pair a shelves; one with towels, the other with a number of soaps. Looking at the soap bars curiously, he picked one up. Fitting in the palm of his hand, the bar was lime green in color and giving a cursory sniff, he found it to have the hint of maple. Placing the bar back down, he rubbed his fingers together, surprised to find no residue present.
'Now that's odd. Even when dry, a bar of Zest back home would leave something on your hands, even if it came right out of the package. Then again, with the lower level of technology everything here would be 100% natural...not to mention the use of magic…' Turning from the odd soaps, he placed a hand on the doorway before him, using the other to part the flaps above him.
He gazed about at the one thing he knew for sure would connect Japan and Zipangu, if nothing else. Cool grey stone tiles covered the floor, surrounding a bathtub that covered near three quarters of the entire room. It was currently empty at the moment, allowing Drake to see the soft marble that layered the tub. The walls were covered in a rich tan hardwood, a few shades darker than the rest of Mer'ndra's home. The same was used for the lip of the tub, which gave the room a rich, earthy scent; Oak if he guessed correctly.
Drake had never actually used a Japanese bath before or had been to Japan for that matter, much to his chagrin. But now it looked like he'd get the chance after all.
Feeling something hit his head, Drake looked up to find a riveted ceiling. Each side converged to a center grate that released some of the steam he surmised. Shifting his gaze he looked over the rest of the bath. In the small area surrounded by the tub sat a single wooden stool and a pair of wooden buckets.
This he wasn't surprised by; seeing plenty of anime that featured bath scenes Drake knew how different the bathing habits of Japan were, compared to the rest of the world.
Looking once more to the tub all he found was a single wooden faucet that would let water pour in, and nothing else. No taps, no levers, not even a bell cord. Looking over the walls for any telltale sign, his eyes noticed a large knot in a wood panel that didn’t seem to fit to his immediate right. Feeling with his fingers it sunk into the wall with a muffled click. Instantly, water gushed forth from the faucet, soon covering the bottom of the bath within seconds.
For a moment he simply stared, listening as the hot waters filled the tub. Soon however, he left the bath; he still needed to ask about the soaps after all.
Coming through the doorway, Drake emerged to the sound of Mer'ndra's soft humming. She had yet to leave the kitchen area, surrounded by an assortment of pots and bowls. Her back was facing Drake as he approached, where he noticed she was wearing an outfit identical to yesterday. Raising a fist, he cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the morning air. The Ryu's soft humming came to a halt, her head perking in an instant.
"Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder, amber eyes soon landing on Drake. Giving a soft smile she turned to him, drying her large hands in her apron.
"Is there something you need Drake?" She cocked her head to the side, causing a slight heat to flare on the man's face.
"Uh... N-no, there's nothing wrong. Just, I was trying to figure out which of your soaps I could use but..." He trailed off with a nervous chuckle, feeling the fool.
She blinked at him, before her smile grew. Releasing a giggle into her clawed hand, she grabbed his arm with her other arm and hugged the limb close. Unlike last night, his arm wasn't immediately sandwiched between her breasts as he expected, but rather, simply pressing against him. He blinked owlishly as another fit of giggles escaped her.
"It's alright Drake, with how many there are it’s not surprising.” She moved forward, Drake offering no resistance as they soon stood in the ‘change’ room once more. Letting go of his arm Mer him the green bar, the one that smelled like maple. Holding it up at eye level Drake again took note of its plane features; no distinguished markings to speak of and lime green with speckles of a darker shade.
“This bar here is that I use for my hair.” Brows raised in surprise he blinked at the little bar as Mer placed it in his hand. He turned it over with his fingers again, marveling still at the lack of residue.
“You probably go through a lot of these little bars with how long your hair is.” He quipped with a half-smile. She sighed in exasperation while placing her hands on her hips.
“I know! Each one lasts about a month until I need to grab another; I’ve still got plenty in storage but still!” Mer had the cutest pout on her face which made Drake chuckle aloud; her face flushed with her embarrassment. Taking pity on the woman he decided to changes things up.
“So if this one’s for you hair, what do you use for your face and body?” She immediately picked up on the change and sent a small smile his way. Reaching over she grabbed another bar and placed in his other hand; this time a light pink.
“This is the one I use; I don’t know how they make them but it almost feels like you’re washing yourself with a cloud, it feels so smooth. “ Nodding he took her word for it, feeling the different textures each bar hand in his hands. The green one felt almost creamy to the touch, like those back home. The pink one instead felt almost like gel and reacted like rubber from a cursory squeeze. While he felt it was weird, he didn’t say anything about it.
“Water’s probably near done in the bath. I just press the button again to make it stop right?” She gave him a nod.
“Mhmm, just once. I’ll leave you to it while I make us some breakfast. I’ll call when it’s ready.” He made a sharp nod with a smile.
“Alright, wouldn’t miss it.” With a smile of her own she turned and left, leaving Drake by himself. Shrugging off what used to be a plain white shirt he rolled it up and placed it in an empty bin. Putting the soap bars on the shelf he freed his hands to finish undressing. Placing them in the bin with his shirt he grabbed a free towel, the bars and then reentered the bath.
True to his word the tub was nearly filled, steam wafted lazily from the hot waters instantly dampening his hair and face as he walked through it. Pressing the button halted the waters flow from the tap, and with it the bath became near silent; small droplets fell from the ceiling making small splashes as it met the larger body of water below.
It didn’t really take Drake all that long to wash himself but he still took his time with it, knowing that this would probably be the last time he’d have the luxury in a long while. It felt good to get all the dirt and grime off; he felt more refreshed pouring another bucket of water over himself than when he first got up this morning. After returning the soap bars where they belonged, Drake lowered himself into the bath proper with a sigh of content.
Closing his eyes he let himself drift, letting his mind go blank as he idly ran his hand over the top of the water. His small moment of peace was interrupted by a small water drop hitting his already wet hair. Opening his eyes he laughed lightly as another fell onto his head. He moved to another spot and tried to relax once more as he stared at the ceiling.
This…..just felt all too surreal. He still couldn’t believe it, hell Drake half expected to close his eyes and reopen them only to find himself at his desk. Yet when he closed his eyes and reopened them, that same riveted ceiling was all that greeted him. The man didn’t know how long he laid there, staring at the ceiling but for just a moment, he was at peace.
His surrealist peace was interrupted once more, but not by a water droplet.
“Drake? Breakfast is ready.” Blinking a moment he shook his head while smiling.
“I’ll be right out, ok Mer?” He heard what sounded like a soft giggle before it drifted off.
“Alright, but don’t take too long else the food will get cold.” Chuckling he remained in place for a time then stood from the water none too silently. Grabbing the towel from the stool Drake dried himself off, secretly relishing the feel of the soft towel to himself before wrapping it around his waist.
Sure, last night he felt exhilarated at the thought of where he was, but at the time he was still in shock over everything. The sleep helped wear some of it off and let him think with more clarity. If he were to be completely honest with himself; the truth of it all made him apprehensive as hell.
Stepping into the change area once more he found another of the drawers ajar, to the left of the one he first used. Pulling the drawer out further Drake found not his torn and ragged shirt and pants, but a new set of clothes cleaned and ready for him. Smiling despite himself, he pulled out the new clothes which were a pair of burgundy draw-string pants and a white long sleeved shirt that sported a collared v neck.
Both articles felt light in his hands, the material breathable yet smooth to the touch. He briefly wondered how this was possible with cotton but quickly dismissed the thought; he was holding a new set of clothes and he had yet to put them on. Draping the clothes over one shoulder he placed the towel in what looked like the dirty hamper, before looking in the drawer to see if he missed anything. Surprisingly enough he found a simple leather belt with an iron buckle and his boxer shorts, which much like the top part of his jeans were unscathed. Shaking his head at such luck he quickly got himself dressed.
After putting on the shirt the warrant question of what to do with the belt passed through his mind, there weren’t any loops on the pants so that wasn’t the reason. So why- The answer came to him as he batted at the lower length of his billowy white shirt. Smiling sheepishly to himself for not noticing sooner, Drake looped the belt around his waist and made it tight enough so it hung from his hips. After some minor adjusting he walked into the main area to find Mer putting the last of the dishes on the table.
The Ryu turned at the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing, only to gain a very healthy blush on her face as she gazed at Drake. Everything fit perfectly on him which was a pleasant surprise; Mer was a little worried about whether they would fit or not. Sure both the pants and shirt were loose but she could better see his frame from a glance and did he ever look handsome to her eyes. Stopping her train of thought before it went too far south, she addressed him pleasantly.
“I see the clothes fit well, how do they feel?” Drake stretched out, both to test his mobility and just to stretch in of itself.
“They feel pretty good actually; smooth against the skin and not irritating at all.” He held a pleasant smile on his face as he rolled a shoulder, liking the feel of the material. Mer giggled a little, pleased with Drake’s assessment. She idly noted that he still wore his necklace, the v-cut of the shirt leaving it out in full view. Turning back to the counter she picked up a set of bowls.
“I reheated some of last night’s stew again; there wasn’t much left so why waste it.” He gave her a nod as they walked over to the table once more.
“Smart thing to do really. Besides, I’m never one to turn down leftovers, especially a stew like this.” Mer smiled at the hidden compliment to her cooking, placing the bowls down before sliding her tail under the table once more. Drake followed her example and slid his legs into the hidden space below, sitting comfortably.
There was a comfortable silence for a time as the pair dug in, the hearty meal both warm and satisfying. Mer’ndra gazed at Drake from the corner of her eye, watching as he took his time with every mouthful, relishing the taste. Sure he would probably look better after a shave due to those uneven patches on his cheeks, but to her it did nothing to hide or deter how handsome he was. Mentally shaking her head again, she tried to think up something that wouldn’t lead her to throwing the table aside and ravishing him then and there. Memories of last night came forth, cooling her off and giving her the perfect topic to speak about.
“So Drake, do you have any idea as to where you’ll go?” Pausing as he just took in another mouthful of stew, he turned to her, blinking. Taking the spoon from his mouth he began to chew thoughtfully, taking a moment before swallowing.
“Well… not really...” He gave her a helpless shrug. “Like I said, I don’t know anything about these lands or the people, so I don’t know who exactly to speak with nor how to get there. Whoever I do speak to, I’ll have to be sure they have knowledge on powerful teleportation spells, or might know someone who does first. To find my way home I have to figure out who brought me here in the first place, the why I’ll figure out as I go.” Placing her spoon down for the moment Mer held a clawed digit to her chin in thought.
“And then once you discover who the culprit is you’ll venture to find them.” He gave her a small smile with a nod, eyes closed.
“Exactly. Once I find them, I do whatever I can to get them to send me back.” Not noticing her flinch or the golden orb stopping in midair for a moment, he continued on with another bite of stew, enjoying the taste.
“Don’t get me wrong, being here probably wouldn’t be that bad, but I don’t belong here. I belong in my home, in my own world.” This time he looked up at her, noticing the faint trace of sadness in her eyes before she looked down at her bowl once more, the orb now bobbing in a somewhat solemn fashion. Drake looked back to his stew as well, holding back a sigh as he took another bite.
The silence was wholly uncomfortable as there was a noticeable awkwardness in the air. Mulling through his thoughts Drake tried to think up a new topic to distract them both…that’s it!
“So Mer, after we leave the lake where do we head first?” His eyes met hers as she looked up, a bit of surprise found in those amber orbs.
“Oh! Ah… well, there’s a small town nearby, to the north of here. There we can grab what supplies we need but after that, well…that depends if you’ve got a destination in mind.” He gave a light snort.
“Which I don’t have yet.” With pursed lips and crossed arms Drake stared at the table, as if it held the answers it held. Mer’ndra looked at him before releasing a silent sigh, back to square one it seemed. Knowing where they were going first before anything was good, for the short term. What they needed was more long term, an end goal of sorts that they could strive towards but what could it be? Her mother had told that when sear-
“That’s it!” With a gasp her eyes lit up with excitement.
“Wha- what’s it?” The Ryu’s sudden exclamation had ripped him from his inner thoughts with a great jolt. As his heart steadied Drake could see Mer nearly as excited as when they met face to face last night.
“My mother, Drake! She’s someone you can ask about last night and how you got here!” Blinking, his mind was quick to process what the mamono was saying.
“Wait, your mo- but she’s-”
“Like me, she’s a Ryu but she’s lived for at least a century Drake if not more, think about it! She’d definitely know a thing or two about powerful spells and those that could use them.” Her face held a smile that Drake felt could be infectious. He held it off though as he rested an elbow on the table, scratching the side of his jaw with the opposite hand.
“I don’t want to bust your bubble Mer but, wouldn’t your mom find it odd that you’ll be travelling with a guy for who knows how long, and you aren’t married yet?” The question caught the Ryu flat footed a moment, blinking before idling scratching her cheek with a claw.
“Well… I-I’m sure we’ll think of something by the time we get there, hehe.” She gaze a nervous laugh before pointing at him. “Anyway, it’s the only lead we’ve got, right? Could be worse couldn’t it?” Drake looked to the table again, moving his head from side to side. Grasping his chin with a hand Drake turned pensive to hide his thoughts.
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Mer’s idea held merit. If her mother was as old as Mer made her sound, then there was a pretty big chance that meeting the elder Ryu could prove fruitful. And it wasn’t as if they couldn’t take smaller leads on the side right? Who knows what they might stumble across?
Truth be told however, Drake had his reservations about seeing Mer’s mother. This was Mer’s Mom they were talking about after all. The young Ryu may have been a bit understanding if sad to the whole ‘I can’t became your husband’ shtick, but her mother? Odds are she wouldn’t be as understanding.
So yes, on the one hand meeting the mother whose daughter’s heart you broke is not something Drake would like to face thank you very much. As pessimistic as it sounded he was sure the elder Ryu wouldn’t take no for an answer even with his reasons.
On the other hand though, during however long it’ll take to reach Mer’s mother they might figure out a way to make the eventual meeting not so nerve racking on Drake’s part. Hell, might even find a way home before then!
He gave himself a nod; like Mer said it could be worse. He could have been found by a slime or even worse a Dark Elf! Drake held back a shiver at that thought and turned to his mamono host.
“Well, you got a point. Since it’s the only lead we have we might as well take it and see where it goes.” He quickly finished the last of the stew before focusing on the Ryu once more.
“Alright, so what’s our path? If your mother is in Zipangu how are we going to get there?” He watched as she finished the rest of her own stew before putting her bowl down. Raising a finger to her cheek she hummed before perking up.
“I’ve got it, we’ll retrace the steps I made to get here. Give me a second and I’ll show you.” With that she turned from the table to the shelf behind her, scanning the scrolls and tomes with contemplating eyes. Drake meanwhile had moved back from the table and stood up, stretching his legs a little before wordlessly picking up the empty bowls and taking them to the sink. Mer caught this from the corner of her eye just as she came upon the tomes she needed. When Drake came back he got a thankful smile.
“You didn’t have to do that Drake.” He gave a shrug.
“I don’t mind, personally. Besides, it gives you more room on the table to work with.” Sitting back down he looked at Mer with an expectant look, one that she returned with a confident smile. Opening the tome in her scaled hands she flipped a few pages, stopping at what looked like a folded piece of parchment wedged between the pages. Pulling it out she closed the tome before setting it aside, taking the parchment and begun unfolding it with care.
To Drake the map looked like something straight out of a fantasy novel, like Lord of the Rings or something. While the parchment wasn’t frayed or damaged, it was far from the white coloured paper back home with its mix of yellow and brown hues. As he expected, the black lines running across the parchment formed a land mass he didn’t recognize, accentuated by the list of words of places he’d never heard of. The Iron Mountains? Moranath? Cold Breach? Yeah, this definitely wasn’t home.
His eyes were all over the map until he spotted a large circle on the lower right of the map, which appeared somewhat close to the eastern coast if he read it right. Inside the circle was what looked like a lake alongside a rough square somewhat above it. The small block had a name written above it, it was overlapped slightly by the penned circle but Drake felt he could make it out well enough. He tapped the area with a finger.
“This area here is where we are, right? And the village you spoke about earlier to the North is this place here, Daruune, right?” Looking at Mer he received a smile and a nod.
“Yes, that’s right. You were close with the city though, it is called Daruumed.” Drake gave a nod as Mer tapped the area lightly with a claw. “Daruumed isn’t that large but it does lie on the main road we need to take to reach the port on the coach.” She trailed her claw along the parchment before reaching another block, this one nestled right on the coast.
“This is Water’s Gate, the port I arrived at when I finished my voyage across the ocean from my homeland of Zipangu to this land here, called Malaven. It’s about a 3 days walk between Water’s Gate and Daruumed, at least that’s how long it took me.” Drake gave an understanding nod.
“Alright. So once we get to Water’s Gate, and say we get a ship going to Zipangu that very day, how long would we be at sea for?” The Ryu bobbed her head from side to side as she pondered the question.
“Well, if good weather holds like it did on my voyage here, about a week and a half, give or take.”
Drake blinked. “That’s… quite a bit of time on the water. Lot of time to think.”
Mer gave a nod. “Mhmm. By the time we get to Zipangu we should be able to figure something out. Speaking of, once we get to Zipangu it’ll take us about another week to reach my mother’s temple.” ‘And another week to make things work between us.’ Don’t get her wrong, Mer wasn’t unkind by any means but that didn’t mean she was just going to give up after her first attempt failed. Drake was the one, she war sure of it; Mer just had to find some way to help him see it too. The man beside her released what sounded like a mix between a grunt and a sigh while scratching the back of his head.
“So it’ll be about 3 weeks at the least before I can meet your mother, if our luck holds out.” He shook his head ruefully. “Well, nothing to help it I suppose. Might as well get started then.”
Mer was a little confused over his wording but she still beamed at him at his want to cooperate.
“Great! I’ll get our packs set for the trip. Why don’t you wait out on the veranda while I get everything ready?” Mer saw his face become unreadable while he blinked.
“You sure? I mean, is there nothing I can do to help out?” The Ryu felt her heart warm at the question but shook her head, giving the man a compassionate smile while placing her hand over his own.
“It’s sweet of you to offer, and I appreciate it, but for right now I’ll get it done faster on my own.” Drake wasn’t offended by the refusal, not really. He gave a nod and once Mer released his hand from her grasp he stood from the table, stretched, then wordlessly made his way outside.
Mer watched him go, a small frown occupying her visage once Drake closed the door behind him. Folding up the map she stood from the table before grabbing a blue scroll from the shelf, her golden ball floating beside her. Unraveling the scroll revealed a series of sigils and symbols, forming many circular designs. Mer would have to thank her friend for teaching her how to use these seals, otherwise she wouldn’t have ever been able to leave home with all she needed on her own. They were so invaluable, she could see why her Kunoichi friends used them.
She turned to her thoughts as she began to store away all her other scrolls and tomes, her body on autopilot.
She’d admit, if only to herself, that last night most certainly did not go the way she thought or wanted. The ache in her heart didn’t abate despite the smile she put up, and wasn’t likely to leave anytime soon. She just couldn’t wrap her mind around it; Drake was certainly interested but he still pulled away. Why? It wasn’t because of her looks that much she knew, that bulge in those strange pants of his wouldn’t be there otherwise. Maybe she came across too strongly? This was the first night they had met after all…
She sighed. Looking at the now empty book shelves she moved across the room to the kitchen. She thought back to last night, the reasons he gave for refusing her advances. To be honest, if this were in any other circumstances she would have been sure Drake needed some help upstairs. Coming from another world? Unheard of. Then again, her mother did say that Lord Poseidon and the other gods lived apart from this world…
Mer shook her head, she was getting off topic. What helped Drake was that he had proof to back up his claim, that and she believed him. As crazy as it sounded what he said made sense, she could feel it. That and something about him just seemed…different, she couldn’t her talon on it but there was something about him that drew her attention.
Nearly done with her packing she turned her thoughts to changing Drake’s mind on staying, and quickly to her frustration she was drawing blanks. With a huff and puff of her cheeks she cleaned out the last cupboard to distract herself only to come across a familiar bottle. Holding it in her scaled hand Mer, for a moment, just stared at the bottle filled with the Succubus potion her mother had given her as a gift before leaving home.
Inside this bottle rested an answer to her troubles. Drinking this, Drake would become an incubus, his mind filled with lewd thoughts and would desire the mamono before him. Mer’ndra would then use her body to fulfill his every desire, helping him pour all his love into her and on her. It’s what she wanted, want any mamono wants but, why did she get she get a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach just thinking about this? Nothing made any sense. Mer released another sigh before looking at the door to her home away from home. She looked back and forth between the door and bottle, unsure of what to do…
Drake let out a breath after stretching his arms above his head. He looked over the waters as it glistened in the morning sun, resting his arms on the wooden guardrail. Closing his eyes he took in a deep breath, taking in the clean air and forest scents carried on the wind. For a time he let his mind go blank, the sound of moving waves and the feel of the breeze gave a very peaceful atmosphere. He didn’t know how long he just rested like that, but he wished he had a lawn chair to sit on.
Green eyes opened as a small frown appeared. 3 weeks. 3 weeks out there in a world where taking one wrong turn meant becoming the husband to one of the many sexually inclined denizens on the world for the rest of his natural life. Sighing he looked down at the waters below, catching sight of the necklace dangling to and fro from his neck. Grasping it he rubbed it pensively, thinking on the world full of challenges that lay ahead. The sound of a door opening pulled him his thoughts, turning to the source. He found his Ryu hostess moving through the door with a rucksack in each hand, a somewhat troubled look on her face.
“Everything alright Mer?” His voice snapped her out of whatever musings had held her.
“Ara? Oh! No, nothing’s wrong, just thinking about the trip.” He looked at her a moment before giving a nod. He didn’t want to prod her and make things possibly worse.
“Alright then, if you say so. Everything secure for the trip?” Here he got a smile.
“Yes, I’ve got everything we need aside from food for the trip, we’ll grab some in Daruumed then grab the rest we need at Water’s Gate.” A small grin crept on his face unbidden, a strange giddiness starting to bubble up.
“Cool, so which bag’s mine?” Again Mer gave him a look, confused on his choice of words before passing it off as one of his mannerisms. She passed Drake the bag in her left hand which he took with a nod of thanks before wordlessly throwing it over a shoulder. The action drew a giggle from the Ryu before a question of her own.
“How about you, do you have everything?” Drake gave her a nod.
“Yup, got my necklace and my-” He paused a moment before perking up, as if he suddenly realized something. Without a word he placed his pack on the ground before moving past Mer back into the house, leaving the Ryu to tilt her head in confusion. She watched as he went straight to the bathroom before quickly coming back out, a bundle held in his hand. Mer looked with some surprise as Drake came out, opened his pack and began stuffing in what remained of his strange pants. Once done he turned back catching Mer’s look of surprise. He gave her a somewhat sheepish shrug before slipping his pack back on. He gained a confident smile.
“Now I have everything.” That seemed to snap Mer from her trance, where she gave him a smile in return. Closing the doors behind her, Mer moved to the side gate, her golden orb following dutifully. Drake turned back to the lake, giving the lake one last look trying to commit it to memory. He felt a tap on his shoulder, turning to find Mer had used the tip of her tail to get his attention. Giving her a sheepish chuckle, Drake strode towards Mer, taking his true first steps on the journey through this strange and wondrous world…
EDIT: Forgot to place this here before, but this story is AU. There will be aspects that are canon, yet there will be changes to fit my needs for this story.
EDIT EDIT:Replaced the first chapter with major and minor fixes, and thanks agin to Helios for a slendid job in critique. Can't wait to read the rest of your thoughts.
Pierce Edit:
Okay, I've done about roughly three dozens of typos and grammatical cleaning, though forgive me if some of the words have been spelt into british english, Just a particular canadian trait I have.
As for the facts on aquatic snakes, I did indeed. I looked it up as I was writting this portion.
I've read stories that would knock mine off the internet if it were possible. I consider myself between beginner and intermidiate level when it comes to this. 
