Spoiler: show
Siren that she was, Kyouka loved singing. She loved to let her voice carry for as far as the wind would take it. A voice like hers just couldn't be contained, and she knew this. She only wished that others shared this passion she felt, this burning in her soul, so to speak. As a Siren, her voice was naturally a pleasure to have caress ones ears, but that shouldn't mean others shouldn't be humbled to silence! How amazing it would be if Kyouka could sing together with another, be it another monster girl, or her future lover.
Alas, for now, she was to be content with solo acts, but this deterred her very little. So long as she had a passion for music, she was still happy. And she had recently found the perfect spot for her to be heard, too! Every day she would fly to this spot, a high ledge upon a beach shore, between the ocean and a forested area, and put whatever she was feeling at the time into song. Today was no exception.
Spying her usual ledge, Kyouka came in for a landing, enjoying the last bits of wind blowing through her bright red hair and plumage. Ah, what a wonderful day to sing! Ocean to her right, forest to her left, and a long stretch of sandy beach in front of her, how could she not? She closed her eyes, and let her voice go free, her voice rising above the oceans movement and the rustling of the trees.
In the early days when she had first discovered her song spot, she kept her eyes closed all through her song, as she always used to, to better concentrate on singing. However, a new development had recently arisen, and Kyouka would occasionally open an eye and glance towards the forest during her song, today being another of the times. Sure enough, on the third glance, the development was there amongst the trees, watching her intently. A human male, who seemed to be entranced by her song.
Kyouka found him to be a rather cute human. He appeared young, perhaps in the upper teen years, though his face seemed younger than the rest of him. Short purple hair adorned his head, and from the glances Kyouka had gotten, he had rather adorable green eyes. Currently, those green eyes seemed to be locked on Kyouka as she continued to sing.
She wanted to know more about him, but she knew from the first time she approached him that it would be difficult. As she continued to sing, her mind thought back to the first time she approached him...
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Kyouka sighed after finishing another of her songs. "Such a beautiful day for music." she mused to herself, spreading her wings and letting the ocean breeze caress her.
Just then, she heard a rustling off in the direction of the trees. Surprised, she turned her head to see what had made the noise, and was even more surprised to see a young human male watching her from behind the trunk of a tree. He was a rather cute one, so Kyouka decided to approach him. Maybe she had finally attracted her love! Taking to the air, she glided over and landed in front of the tree he was currently hiding behind.
"Hello there!" she had said, waving a wing in a friendly gesture. "Did you enjoy my song?" She got no answer from the human, only a continuous stare. It was so difficult to read that stare. Interest? Fear? ....Sadness? Deciding to press on, Kyouka attempted to further the conversation. "What's your name?" she asked. The boy simply stared back at her a few seconds, looked down, expression unreadable, before running away into the forest, leaving Kyouka standing confused at this behavior. "I wonder what was wrong? I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"
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Three days had passed since their first meeting. Kyouka had returned and sang each day since then, and each day the boy had returned and watched her as she sang. But there had been no progress since then. This didn't bother her, as she was just happy someone liked her singing enough to come by every day.
Today, however, as she sang her final song for the day, she noticed during her glance that the human had decided to move outside of the forest this time. Deciding against stopping mid-song and approaching him, she decided to see what he was up to, while not making it obvious. Continuing her song, she watched as the human seemed to be doing something in the sand across a large area. She wasn't sure what he was up to, but supposed that it was just something the human needed to do. As soon as he was finished, he headed straight back to the forest, and continued to watch her from its haven. Once Kyouka had finished her song, he turned and disappeared back into the forest.
Kyouka, curiosity overflowing, took to the skies soon after he was gone, and flew over the area where the human had been conducting his activities. As she flew, she realized what it was and smiled to herself. In the sand, viewable from her airborne height, he had wrote something in the sand for her to read...
Kouji
Kyouka examined this word for a few more seconds, committing the name to memory. "Well, it's progress." she said happily, returning to her usual path home, a new bounce in her step....or flight path, rather.
Alas, for now, she was to be content with solo acts, but this deterred her very little. So long as she had a passion for music, she was still happy. And she had recently found the perfect spot for her to be heard, too! Every day she would fly to this spot, a high ledge upon a beach shore, between the ocean and a forested area, and put whatever she was feeling at the time into song. Today was no exception.
Spying her usual ledge, Kyouka came in for a landing, enjoying the last bits of wind blowing through her bright red hair and plumage. Ah, what a wonderful day to sing! Ocean to her right, forest to her left, and a long stretch of sandy beach in front of her, how could she not? She closed her eyes, and let her voice go free, her voice rising above the oceans movement and the rustling of the trees.
In the early days when she had first discovered her song spot, she kept her eyes closed all through her song, as she always used to, to better concentrate on singing. However, a new development had recently arisen, and Kyouka would occasionally open an eye and glance towards the forest during her song, today being another of the times. Sure enough, on the third glance, the development was there amongst the trees, watching her intently. A human male, who seemed to be entranced by her song.
Kyouka found him to be a rather cute human. He appeared young, perhaps in the upper teen years, though his face seemed younger than the rest of him. Short purple hair adorned his head, and from the glances Kyouka had gotten, he had rather adorable green eyes. Currently, those green eyes seemed to be locked on Kyouka as she continued to sing.
She wanted to know more about him, but she knew from the first time she approached him that it would be difficult. As she continued to sing, her mind thought back to the first time she approached him...
---------------------
Kyouka sighed after finishing another of her songs. "Such a beautiful day for music." she mused to herself, spreading her wings and letting the ocean breeze caress her.
Just then, she heard a rustling off in the direction of the trees. Surprised, she turned her head to see what had made the noise, and was even more surprised to see a young human male watching her from behind the trunk of a tree. He was a rather cute one, so Kyouka decided to approach him. Maybe she had finally attracted her love! Taking to the air, she glided over and landed in front of the tree he was currently hiding behind.
"Hello there!" she had said, waving a wing in a friendly gesture. "Did you enjoy my song?" She got no answer from the human, only a continuous stare. It was so difficult to read that stare. Interest? Fear? ....Sadness? Deciding to press on, Kyouka attempted to further the conversation. "What's your name?" she asked. The boy simply stared back at her a few seconds, looked down, expression unreadable, before running away into the forest, leaving Kyouka standing confused at this behavior. "I wonder what was wrong? I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"
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Three days had passed since their first meeting. Kyouka had returned and sang each day since then, and each day the boy had returned and watched her as she sang. But there had been no progress since then. This didn't bother her, as she was just happy someone liked her singing enough to come by every day.
Today, however, as she sang her final song for the day, she noticed during her glance that the human had decided to move outside of the forest this time. Deciding against stopping mid-song and approaching him, she decided to see what he was up to, while not making it obvious. Continuing her song, she watched as the human seemed to be doing something in the sand across a large area. She wasn't sure what he was up to, but supposed that it was just something the human needed to do. As soon as he was finished, he headed straight back to the forest, and continued to watch her from its haven. Once Kyouka had finished her song, he turned and disappeared back into the forest.
Kyouka, curiosity overflowing, took to the skies soon after he was gone, and flew over the area where the human had been conducting his activities. As she flew, she realized what it was and smiled to herself. In the sand, viewable from her airborne height, he had wrote something in the sand for her to read...
Kouji
Kyouka examined this word for a few more seconds, committing the name to memory. "Well, it's progress." she said happily, returning to her usual path home, a new bounce in her step....or flight path, rather.
Spoiler: show
Kyouka smiled as she soared through the skies, on her way to her usual singing spot. It had been a week since the human boy Kouji had finally given her his name, and since then, their relationship, if you could call it that, had made some nice progress since then.
The day after having learned his name, Kyouka tried talking to him again, asking him his age this time, only to be met with the same reaction of hiding behind the trees before quickly vacating the area. The next day, however, Kouji had written in the sand for her to see on her way home. 17, he was. The fact that he had only taken a day to respond instead of three was a good sign, though, so Kyouka was hopeful. She became even more hopeful after what happened the day after, however.
She had just arrived at her spot that day, and after singing a few songs, she was surprised to see that Kouji wasn't watching her from the forest. She felt a little disappointment, thinking he had gotten tired of her songs, when she realized that she was only half-right. Kouji wasn't watching her from the forest, it was true....he was standing in the middle of the beach, looking up at her, and smiling. Kyouka thought he had an adorable smile, and was doubly motivated to impress the boy with her songs. When she had finished for that day, she waved at him from up high, hoping he wouldn't run away from her gesture if she stayed where she was. Kouji didn't react at first, then shyly raised a hand and waved back at her. Then he bolted back into the forest.
Even better was the next day Kyouka came by to sing, however. When she drifted down to her usual spot, she spied a pretty red rose laying there. Perplexed at first, she saw that next to the rose, someone had been drawing in the dirt. The drawing was of an arrow that pointed to the rose, and also pointed to what appeared to be a drawing of her. It was a little crude, but one could tell the artist tried hard to make it look good. Little arrows pointed at the drawing of Kyouka's hair and wings, so the artist's message was clear: the rose reminded them of her hair and plumage.
It was pretty obvious it must have been Kouji who had prepared this present for her, and Kyouka was certainly flattered. She was reluctant to grab the rose, though, as grabbing a rose without thinking was a quick way to nasty cuts. On closer examination, though, Kouji had apparently rid the rose's stem of any and all thorns. "How sweet!" Kyouka had said, grasping the flower with her taloned foot and holding it closer. It had a wonderful fragrance, and so as not to part with it, Kyouka placed the flower within her hair. She hoped it made an attractive ornament to her appearance. That day was yet another day where she found herself enjoying her songs more than usual.
Kyouka couldn't help but smile as she neared her destination. She had to admit, she was falling for Kouji and his adorable attitude. She laughed a little at how strange it was that she was falling for a man, one whom she hadn't even heard a single word from! Still, she had come to anticipate the time when she would sing and he would watch and listen as the most important time of the day for her. Today was going to be an important day for her, too....
"Hmm?" Something had caught her eye as she drifted into place on her usual ledge. The dirt that was drawn in to present her with her rose (which she had taken to wearing whenever she went to sing) had been dusted away, and something new had been drawn there. "Well, what have we here?" Kyouka wondered aloud, moving to examine closer.
It appeared to be some kind of map. Towards a corner was a drawing of the ledge Kyouka was currently standing at, with a cute little happy Kyouka face to emphasize that point. Then an arrow pointed to a patch of trees. The patch of trees was in the shape of a circle, with a wide space in the center. In that open space was an X, obviously marking a destination. At first, Kyouka didn't quite understand, then it hit her.
Kouji had given her directions to where he lived.
Kyouka almost leaped with joy. Finally, she would get a chance to truly meet with the young human who was rapidly capturing her heart! This was such a big deal that she even decided to cancel today's singing session, at least on her usual ledge. Today, she could give Kouji a private concert! Taking to the skies, she headed off above the forest, in the direction the little dirt map had pointed out. Sure enough, after flying some distance, she came to an open clearing in the forest, and there lay a house in the center of it all.
It was an old house, but it had been taken good care of, apparently. Small, but cozy-looking would perhaps be a better description for it. Kyouka wasn't focused so much on the house, though, as standing in the front yard was a familiar (and cute) young man, apparently waiting for something. Kyouka let out a single note of joyous song, so as to make her presence known, and Kouji looked up in her direction, and smiled a small smile. He shyly made a gesture for her to come down, and she took upon that invitation gladly.
'This is going to be just great!' she thought, almost bursting with joy.
The day after having learned his name, Kyouka tried talking to him again, asking him his age this time, only to be met with the same reaction of hiding behind the trees before quickly vacating the area. The next day, however, Kouji had written in the sand for her to see on her way home. 17, he was. The fact that he had only taken a day to respond instead of three was a good sign, though, so Kyouka was hopeful. She became even more hopeful after what happened the day after, however.
She had just arrived at her spot that day, and after singing a few songs, she was surprised to see that Kouji wasn't watching her from the forest. She felt a little disappointment, thinking he had gotten tired of her songs, when she realized that she was only half-right. Kouji wasn't watching her from the forest, it was true....he was standing in the middle of the beach, looking up at her, and smiling. Kyouka thought he had an adorable smile, and was doubly motivated to impress the boy with her songs. When she had finished for that day, she waved at him from up high, hoping he wouldn't run away from her gesture if she stayed where she was. Kouji didn't react at first, then shyly raised a hand and waved back at her. Then he bolted back into the forest.
Even better was the next day Kyouka came by to sing, however. When she drifted down to her usual spot, she spied a pretty red rose laying there. Perplexed at first, she saw that next to the rose, someone had been drawing in the dirt. The drawing was of an arrow that pointed to the rose, and also pointed to what appeared to be a drawing of her. It was a little crude, but one could tell the artist tried hard to make it look good. Little arrows pointed at the drawing of Kyouka's hair and wings, so the artist's message was clear: the rose reminded them of her hair and plumage.
It was pretty obvious it must have been Kouji who had prepared this present for her, and Kyouka was certainly flattered. She was reluctant to grab the rose, though, as grabbing a rose without thinking was a quick way to nasty cuts. On closer examination, though, Kouji had apparently rid the rose's stem of any and all thorns. "How sweet!" Kyouka had said, grasping the flower with her taloned foot and holding it closer. It had a wonderful fragrance, and so as not to part with it, Kyouka placed the flower within her hair. She hoped it made an attractive ornament to her appearance. That day was yet another day where she found herself enjoying her songs more than usual.
Kyouka couldn't help but smile as she neared her destination. She had to admit, she was falling for Kouji and his adorable attitude. She laughed a little at how strange it was that she was falling for a man, one whom she hadn't even heard a single word from! Still, she had come to anticipate the time when she would sing and he would watch and listen as the most important time of the day for her. Today was going to be an important day for her, too....
"Hmm?" Something had caught her eye as she drifted into place on her usual ledge. The dirt that was drawn in to present her with her rose (which she had taken to wearing whenever she went to sing) had been dusted away, and something new had been drawn there. "Well, what have we here?" Kyouka wondered aloud, moving to examine closer.
It appeared to be some kind of map. Towards a corner was a drawing of the ledge Kyouka was currently standing at, with a cute little happy Kyouka face to emphasize that point. Then an arrow pointed to a patch of trees. The patch of trees was in the shape of a circle, with a wide space in the center. In that open space was an X, obviously marking a destination. At first, Kyouka didn't quite understand, then it hit her.
Kouji had given her directions to where he lived.
Kyouka almost leaped with joy. Finally, she would get a chance to truly meet with the young human who was rapidly capturing her heart! This was such a big deal that she even decided to cancel today's singing session, at least on her usual ledge. Today, she could give Kouji a private concert! Taking to the skies, she headed off above the forest, in the direction the little dirt map had pointed out. Sure enough, after flying some distance, she came to an open clearing in the forest, and there lay a house in the center of it all.
It was an old house, but it had been taken good care of, apparently. Small, but cozy-looking would perhaps be a better description for it. Kyouka wasn't focused so much on the house, though, as standing in the front yard was a familiar (and cute) young man, apparently waiting for something. Kyouka let out a single note of joyous song, so as to make her presence known, and Kouji looked up in her direction, and smiled a small smile. He shyly made a gesture for her to come down, and she took upon that invitation gladly.
'This is going to be just great!' she thought, almost bursting with joy.
Spoiler: show
Kyouka could hardly contain herself as she came in for a landing in the clearing that Kouji had apparently set up his home at. Here in front of her, the young boy waited for her, smiling softly as her feet touched the cool grass beneath her. Kyouka eyed him once more, examining his short purple hair, and those soft, adorable green eyes. Said green eyes met her own pink ones, but Kouji turned red and looked away, adjusting the thick blue scarf he was wearing around his neck.
"A little warm to be wearing a scarf, though, isn't it?" Kyouka asked happily. Kouji seemed to tense up slightly at that remark, but perhaps Kyouka just imagined it, because he simply smiled an light smile and shrugged his shoulders. Gesturing towards her to follow him, he led her to the front door of his home. "It's a very nice place!" she said, trying to find the right words to say to charm the boy as much as he had charmed her. Kouji nodded as he turned the knob and gestured for her to move inside.
The interior of the house was better furnished than the outside, but still kept relatively simple. A kitchen towards the back, a living room to step into, containing a shelf full of books, and a large couch to with a fireplace in front to read quietly to oneself.
"You must really like to read. I've never seen so many books in one place!" she exclaimed. Moving closer, she examined some of the titles of the books. Alongside some adventure novels and several mysteries, Kyouka noted that many books seemed to be devoted to various Mamono-related subjects. Kyouka grinned slyly, looking back at Kouji. "I bet you've been reading up on Mamono just so you could charm a cutie like me, huh?" she joked. Kouji blushed heavily and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, waving one hand in a gesture that plainly said that wasn't reason. How cute he was when he blushed! 'I bet he's even cuter when he laughs!' Kyouka thought, determined to hear Kouji's voice by the end of the day.
Before she could implement that plan, however, a tantalizing aroma wafted her way. She couldn't help but jerk her head in the direction of the smell, exclaiming "Something smells delicious!" Kouji headed into the kitchen, and tended to a metallic pan atop a brisk flame from which the smell was drifting from. Adding some spices and stirring the delicacies around, Kouji had obviously planned ahead for this night (which made him even sweeter in Kyouka's eyes). The dish he had prepared for the two of them was an expertly cooked fish. A large one at that. "Fish! My favorite!" Kyouka cried, nearly digging in before Kouji had set the plate on the table. She stopped herself just beforehand, though. Not very charming for a woman to eat like an animal, after all. She looked at Kouji sheepishly, but the boy just smiled and gestured for her to go on.
The meal was absolutely delicious, as Kyouka was eager to let Kouji know all throughout. Kouji ate calmly and quietly while Kyouka ate fast, yet savored every bite. She could certainly get used to eating a meal like this every day. Once they were both done, Kouji got up and disposed of the food scraps, then moved into a back room, gesturing for Kyouka to stay where she was. She did so, mildly perplexed as to what Kouji must have had planned this time.
A few minutes later, a beautiful sound filled the air, and Kyouka looked up, wondering where it came from. The noise grew louder, as the source approached back into the room. Kouji had walked in, a shiny silver flute held to his lips. Kyouka was mesmerized as she watched his fingers dance across the instrument, bringing forth music that caressed Kyouka's ears.
Kyouka couldn't contain herself any longer, and began to sing along with Kouji's music. She worried at first that she might be interrupting what Kouji had intended to be a show for her, but one look and smile from him, and she knew she was doing exactly as he had hoped. Worried no more, she continued to sing along with Kouji's wonderful melodies, the songs and her voice matching up as if they were made to be. It was as if this was the moment that the day had led to, as time seemed to stand still, as Kouji played song after song, and Kyouka matched each song to lyrics with perfect harmony.
'Ah, this is absolute bliss!' Kyouka thought to herself, twirling about in Kouji's living room, where the concert of sorts had relocated. The joy she felt just couldn't be expressed in song alone. She had to dance as well! Twirling and moving about, Kyouka had no more doubt in her mind or heart. Kouji was the one. Her future lover, her musical equivalent, the maestro of her heart! Together, the two would make beautiful music, in every sense of the phrase!
Night had begun to fall all too soon. As the light from outside began to dim, Kyouka felt disappointment that this wonderful time must end. Drawing close to Kouji, she placed her wings around him and embraced him.
"Thank you for the best day of my life!" she said earnestly, gripping him tightly. Kouji was startled by this affection, and Kyouka could feel his body shaking slightly, as he gently, nervously returned the hug. After staying close for several seconds, she reluctantly separated, and decided to voice her last request for the night. "Hey, Kouji...?" she started, causing Kouji to tilt his head questioningly. "Before I go....can we sing a duet together?" she said, smiling at her.
She expected a smile and nod back, but what she got was completely different. Kouji was smiling lightly a second before, and now that smile was completely gone. It had now been replaced by a nervous look, as Kouji looked away, fidgeting with the scarf around her neck. He refused to look back at Kyouka.
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked. "It's just a little duet together. I know our voices will work perfectly together!" she said happily, spreading her wings wide in a joyous gesture. Kouji shook his head furiously and waved his hands nervously, backing away slightly. Something was seriously off with him...Walking closer, Kyouka tried to close the gap between them, but Kouji continued to back away. "Kouji...please?" Kyouka pleaded, reaching out to him. Kouji just looked down, teeth gritted. He looked like he was about to cry! "Kouji...is something wrong? If there is...tell me." Kyouka said, walking a little closer to me. "Why won't you talk to me?" she asked sadly.
Kouji looked back up, and made eye contact with her for several seconds. After that, he got a resigned look on his face, and reached up to the blue scarf he wore. Moving slowly, he pulled the cloth away, and let it fall to the ground, looking at Kyouka again, causing Kyouka to gasp at what she saw.
The scars on Kouji's throat told her all she needed to know.
"Oh, my...." she whispered in shock. 'It's not that he won't talk to me....it's that he can't!'
"A little warm to be wearing a scarf, though, isn't it?" Kyouka asked happily. Kouji seemed to tense up slightly at that remark, but perhaps Kyouka just imagined it, because he simply smiled an light smile and shrugged his shoulders. Gesturing towards her to follow him, he led her to the front door of his home. "It's a very nice place!" she said, trying to find the right words to say to charm the boy as much as he had charmed her. Kouji nodded as he turned the knob and gestured for her to move inside.
The interior of the house was better furnished than the outside, but still kept relatively simple. A kitchen towards the back, a living room to step into, containing a shelf full of books, and a large couch to with a fireplace in front to read quietly to oneself.
"You must really like to read. I've never seen so many books in one place!" she exclaimed. Moving closer, she examined some of the titles of the books. Alongside some adventure novels and several mysteries, Kyouka noted that many books seemed to be devoted to various Mamono-related subjects. Kyouka grinned slyly, looking back at Kouji. "I bet you've been reading up on Mamono just so you could charm a cutie like me, huh?" she joked. Kouji blushed heavily and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, waving one hand in a gesture that plainly said that wasn't reason. How cute he was when he blushed! 'I bet he's even cuter when he laughs!' Kyouka thought, determined to hear Kouji's voice by the end of the day.
Before she could implement that plan, however, a tantalizing aroma wafted her way. She couldn't help but jerk her head in the direction of the smell, exclaiming "Something smells delicious!" Kouji headed into the kitchen, and tended to a metallic pan atop a brisk flame from which the smell was drifting from. Adding some spices and stirring the delicacies around, Kouji had obviously planned ahead for this night (which made him even sweeter in Kyouka's eyes). The dish he had prepared for the two of them was an expertly cooked fish. A large one at that. "Fish! My favorite!" Kyouka cried, nearly digging in before Kouji had set the plate on the table. She stopped herself just beforehand, though. Not very charming for a woman to eat like an animal, after all. She looked at Kouji sheepishly, but the boy just smiled and gestured for her to go on.
The meal was absolutely delicious, as Kyouka was eager to let Kouji know all throughout. Kouji ate calmly and quietly while Kyouka ate fast, yet savored every bite. She could certainly get used to eating a meal like this every day. Once they were both done, Kouji got up and disposed of the food scraps, then moved into a back room, gesturing for Kyouka to stay where she was. She did so, mildly perplexed as to what Kouji must have had planned this time.
A few minutes later, a beautiful sound filled the air, and Kyouka looked up, wondering where it came from. The noise grew louder, as the source approached back into the room. Kouji had walked in, a shiny silver flute held to his lips. Kyouka was mesmerized as she watched his fingers dance across the instrument, bringing forth music that caressed Kyouka's ears.
Kyouka couldn't contain herself any longer, and began to sing along with Kouji's music. She worried at first that she might be interrupting what Kouji had intended to be a show for her, but one look and smile from him, and she knew she was doing exactly as he had hoped. Worried no more, she continued to sing along with Kouji's wonderful melodies, the songs and her voice matching up as if they were made to be. It was as if this was the moment that the day had led to, as time seemed to stand still, as Kouji played song after song, and Kyouka matched each song to lyrics with perfect harmony.
'Ah, this is absolute bliss!' Kyouka thought to herself, twirling about in Kouji's living room, where the concert of sorts had relocated. The joy she felt just couldn't be expressed in song alone. She had to dance as well! Twirling and moving about, Kyouka had no more doubt in her mind or heart. Kouji was the one. Her future lover, her musical equivalent, the maestro of her heart! Together, the two would make beautiful music, in every sense of the phrase!
Night had begun to fall all too soon. As the light from outside began to dim, Kyouka felt disappointment that this wonderful time must end. Drawing close to Kouji, she placed her wings around him and embraced him.
"Thank you for the best day of my life!" she said earnestly, gripping him tightly. Kouji was startled by this affection, and Kyouka could feel his body shaking slightly, as he gently, nervously returned the hug. After staying close for several seconds, she reluctantly separated, and decided to voice her last request for the night. "Hey, Kouji...?" she started, causing Kouji to tilt his head questioningly. "Before I go....can we sing a duet together?" she said, smiling at her.
She expected a smile and nod back, but what she got was completely different. Kouji was smiling lightly a second before, and now that smile was completely gone. It had now been replaced by a nervous look, as Kouji looked away, fidgeting with the scarf around her neck. He refused to look back at Kyouka.
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked. "It's just a little duet together. I know our voices will work perfectly together!" she said happily, spreading her wings wide in a joyous gesture. Kouji shook his head furiously and waved his hands nervously, backing away slightly. Something was seriously off with him...Walking closer, Kyouka tried to close the gap between them, but Kouji continued to back away. "Kouji...please?" Kyouka pleaded, reaching out to him. Kouji just looked down, teeth gritted. He looked like he was about to cry! "Kouji...is something wrong? If there is...tell me." Kyouka said, walking a little closer to me. "Why won't you talk to me?" she asked sadly.
Kouji looked back up, and made eye contact with her for several seconds. After that, he got a resigned look on his face, and reached up to the blue scarf he wore. Moving slowly, he pulled the cloth away, and let it fall to the ground, looking at Kyouka again, causing Kyouka to gasp at what she saw.
The scars on Kouji's throat told her all she needed to know.
"Oh, my...." she whispered in shock. 'It's not that he won't talk to me....it's that he can't!'
Spoiler: show
Kyouka was still in shock from the surprise she had seen. This sweet, adorable boy before her couldn't speak, the scars on his throat a testament to that fact.
"I....I'm sorry..." she managed to squeak out. "I...I had no idea that you....you...." Kyouka looked down, too apologetic to even look at Kouji.
She soon felt a hand grip her wing, and looked up as Kouji placed her wing in his hand, and began moving a finger across her wing. Watching his finger flow across her wing, Kyouka quickly realized that he was writing words for her to read, the closest to communication he could get. Kyouka read intently as Kouji spelled out each letter.
How could you? You're the first one I've let know.
"I...I see." Kyouka said, nodding and looking back at Kouji. Kouji was smiling, but there was a definite melancholy touch to it. Kyouka was touched. "So...that's why you never..."
Never talked to you? Well, yeah. That, and I'm just shy.
Kyouka let a small laugh escape her, and Kouji's smile brightened a little. Kyouka raised her other wing and gently brought it to Kouji's face. Knowing what Kyouka apparently wanted to do, Kouji tilted his head and allowed Kyouka to brush against the scars on his throat. "They look old...." she mused.
Five years.
"Umm...." Kyouka began fidgeting in place, wondering if she should go ahead with the obvious question that plagued her. "I....do you mind if....I mean....could you....?" she faltered, fumbling over her words (a rare occurrence for her). Fortunately, Kouji got the message.
You want to know how it happened.
Kyouka nodded, looking down, and Kouji rubbed his palm gently across her wing, soothing her.
It's all right. You deserve to know. I'm fine with whatever happens afterwards.
"What do you mean by that?"
....Nevermind. It's nothing. Well, it all happened because of my relationship with Mamono.
"What? Have you had other relationships with Mamono before?"
Nothing like that. See, I treated Mamono a lot different than the rest of the town.
"What do you mean?"
I grew up in a town that HATED Mamono. Hate like I've never seen before. The way they talked and treated you Mamono....
Kouji's hand began to tense up, and Kyouka placed her free wing against him, and Kouji calmed down, if only slightly.
But I never saw anything wrong. Sure, you were all different than us, but...that just made you all the more interesting! I was so interested in all of you. In fact, a lot of those books over there are ones I snuck as a child to learn more about you.
"Oh, a little bookworm, were you?" Kyouka said, smiling at the thought of a younger Kouji neck-deep in books.
Yeah, but the fact that I had to sneak them is the problem. Mamono weren't welcome in the village, obviously. Day after day, I'd see the other townspeople drive Mamono away...by force if necessary. I think they might have preferred it that way. I couldn't understand everyone's attitudes, so I snuck out every so often to try to meet Mamono.
"Did you ever meet one?"
Once. I met a really nice Crow Tengu. I tried to be friendly with her, and I think she knew that....but she was too scared of the rest of the town to really socialize me, and she flew off. Never saw her again. I could have finally had a friend, but the town made that impossible.
"So, then...How did it come to that?" Kyouka asked, eying Kouji's scars.
Well...one day everything came to a head, when I came to the town square one day and found a mob ready to lynch a Mamono. Literally! Some had makeshift weapons ready, everyone was yelling...
"What had happened?"
A poor, lost Mamono took some food. A single piece of fruit. She was starving! Easily forgiven, right? No, not in that town. A Mamono stealing food from the great humans? Blasphemy! She'll pay the price of the food with her life!
Kouji's hand was tensing up, but Kyouka didn't think she would be able to calm him down until the story had reached a conclusion.
She was a Holstaurus! Kind, gentle, no threat to anybody! But they were acting like she was out to destroy them! I couldn't control my body when it happened. One townsperson raised this makeshift spear he had made, and I...
Kyouka gasped. "And that's how...?" To reply, Kouji pulled back a sleeve and showed her a scar on his shoulder.
I managed to jump in the way and got a nice cut for it, but I didn't care. I stood in front of the poor girl and finally let those people know what I thought. Monsters? Who're the real monsters? These creatures who simply do what's necessary to survive, or the ones in front of me, so sure of their superiority that they'll kill them just to cleanse their town? They were the real monsters! ......Well, they didn't exactly take too well to that.
Kyouka's eyes widened. "You don't mean...?"
They turned on me. Monster Lover! Freak! Brother of Beasts! You get the idea. I knew it was high time to get out of there, so I took the Holstaurus girl and ran, finding my way to an old dead patch of forests. I told the girl to head off a different way. The group was out to beat on something, and if they were after me, it was best for her to be gone so that she wouldn't be targeted after.
"But that's...!"
Crazy? Yeah, that's what she thought. Still, I convinced her. I was right, too. I wasn't fast enough, and what part of the mob was still chasing me caught up with me. They beat me all over, but paid special attention right here.
Kouji pointed at his throat to emphasize his point.
I guess they figured that words protecting Mamono would be the last words I ever speak. They stomped my throat repeatedly, then left me there. Good thing I was strong enough to move. I limped my way through the woods, and found another town, with a doctor. They fixed up my wounds, but the said it was unlikely, considering the damage, that I'd ever speak again. Well, that's what I get for speaking my mind there, huh?
"What about your parents?"
Oh, them? I think Mom was the third one to stomp on me. Dad was the sixth.
Kyouka couldn't even articulate her horror at that statement.
What? You expect them to protect their little Monster Lover son? He's no son of theirs.
Kyouka looked down. "So, ever since then..."
I worked for a little while. Odd jobs and such. Eventually, I moved over here. Been here three years.
"And you haven't had any contact with anyone?"
I go into town for supplies and such. I don't really talk to anyone, though.
At that statement, Kouji rolled his eyes at his own irony.
Anyway, you were the first one I've actually had to nerve to approach. I love music, so when I first heard your song....Well, I was captivated.
Kyouka smiled and blushed. "Thank you." she said.
It's kind of a good thing I don't have my voice, though.
"What?" Kyouka said, shocked.
Well, I wouldn't want my voice bringing down the quality of your songs. Hey, I'll understand if you go and find someone out there who can actually sing with you.
"Don't even think that!" Kyouka exclaimed, surprising Kouji as she tightly gripped his hand. "It doesn't matter what your voice would sound like! If you sang with me, our voices would meld together just fine! And even if others didn't think so, what would it matter! The only thing that would matter is that we would be expressing our emotions together! That's all that would matter!" she said earnestly, staring Kouji straight in the eyes. Kouji stared back, obviously not expecting her to say such a thing. Then he smiled, not just his usual kind smile, but the earnest smile of someone whose heart had been touched after a long time of solitude.
....Thanks.
A clock upon the wall chimed out loudly, bringing the two back to reality.
Ah. It's really gotten late. You should be heading back. Here, I'll walk you to the door.
Kouji moved to walk away, but Kyouka refused to let go of his hand. Noticing his lack of movement, Kouji looked back, tilting his head in confusion.
"...I...don't want to..." she said softly. Kouji still looked confused, so she repeated herself, firmly expressing herself as she usually would. "I don't want to go! You've been alone in all this silence for so long, I'm going to break that silence. I'll stay with you, and sing enough for the both of us!" she said, drawing closer to Kouji. Wrapping her wings around him and placing her head upon his shoulder, she pleaded to him quietly. "I'll stay with you...and sing as much as you want. So....please....I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you alone...." Kouji didn't react for a long time. He simply stood there, lost in thought. Eventually, he raised an arm and took her closer, gently embracing her. His other arm wrote his answer on her wing.
All right. If that's what you want....will you please stay with me?
"I....I'm sorry..." she managed to squeak out. "I...I had no idea that you....you...." Kyouka looked down, too apologetic to even look at Kouji.
She soon felt a hand grip her wing, and looked up as Kouji placed her wing in his hand, and began moving a finger across her wing. Watching his finger flow across her wing, Kyouka quickly realized that he was writing words for her to read, the closest to communication he could get. Kyouka read intently as Kouji spelled out each letter.
How could you? You're the first one I've let know.
"I...I see." Kyouka said, nodding and looking back at Kouji. Kouji was smiling, but there was a definite melancholy touch to it. Kyouka was touched. "So...that's why you never..."
Never talked to you? Well, yeah. That, and I'm just shy.
Kyouka let a small laugh escape her, and Kouji's smile brightened a little. Kyouka raised her other wing and gently brought it to Kouji's face. Knowing what Kyouka apparently wanted to do, Kouji tilted his head and allowed Kyouka to brush against the scars on his throat. "They look old...." she mused.
Five years.
"Umm...." Kyouka began fidgeting in place, wondering if she should go ahead with the obvious question that plagued her. "I....do you mind if....I mean....could you....?" she faltered, fumbling over her words (a rare occurrence for her). Fortunately, Kouji got the message.
You want to know how it happened.
Kyouka nodded, looking down, and Kouji rubbed his palm gently across her wing, soothing her.
It's all right. You deserve to know. I'm fine with whatever happens afterwards.
"What do you mean by that?"
....Nevermind. It's nothing. Well, it all happened because of my relationship with Mamono.
"What? Have you had other relationships with Mamono before?"
Nothing like that. See, I treated Mamono a lot different than the rest of the town.
"What do you mean?"
I grew up in a town that HATED Mamono. Hate like I've never seen before. The way they talked and treated you Mamono....
Kouji's hand began to tense up, and Kyouka placed her free wing against him, and Kouji calmed down, if only slightly.
But I never saw anything wrong. Sure, you were all different than us, but...that just made you all the more interesting! I was so interested in all of you. In fact, a lot of those books over there are ones I snuck as a child to learn more about you.
"Oh, a little bookworm, were you?" Kyouka said, smiling at the thought of a younger Kouji neck-deep in books.
Yeah, but the fact that I had to sneak them is the problem. Mamono weren't welcome in the village, obviously. Day after day, I'd see the other townspeople drive Mamono away...by force if necessary. I think they might have preferred it that way. I couldn't understand everyone's attitudes, so I snuck out every so often to try to meet Mamono.
"Did you ever meet one?"
Once. I met a really nice Crow Tengu. I tried to be friendly with her, and I think she knew that....but she was too scared of the rest of the town to really socialize me, and she flew off. Never saw her again. I could have finally had a friend, but the town made that impossible.
"So, then...How did it come to that?" Kyouka asked, eying Kouji's scars.
Well...one day everything came to a head, when I came to the town square one day and found a mob ready to lynch a Mamono. Literally! Some had makeshift weapons ready, everyone was yelling...
"What had happened?"
A poor, lost Mamono took some food. A single piece of fruit. She was starving! Easily forgiven, right? No, not in that town. A Mamono stealing food from the great humans? Blasphemy! She'll pay the price of the food with her life!
Kouji's hand was tensing up, but Kyouka didn't think she would be able to calm him down until the story had reached a conclusion.
She was a Holstaurus! Kind, gentle, no threat to anybody! But they were acting like she was out to destroy them! I couldn't control my body when it happened. One townsperson raised this makeshift spear he had made, and I...
Kyouka gasped. "And that's how...?" To reply, Kouji pulled back a sleeve and showed her a scar on his shoulder.
I managed to jump in the way and got a nice cut for it, but I didn't care. I stood in front of the poor girl and finally let those people know what I thought. Monsters? Who're the real monsters? These creatures who simply do what's necessary to survive, or the ones in front of me, so sure of their superiority that they'll kill them just to cleanse their town? They were the real monsters! ......Well, they didn't exactly take too well to that.
Kyouka's eyes widened. "You don't mean...?"
They turned on me. Monster Lover! Freak! Brother of Beasts! You get the idea. I knew it was high time to get out of there, so I took the Holstaurus girl and ran, finding my way to an old dead patch of forests. I told the girl to head off a different way. The group was out to beat on something, and if they were after me, it was best for her to be gone so that she wouldn't be targeted after.
"But that's...!"
Crazy? Yeah, that's what she thought. Still, I convinced her. I was right, too. I wasn't fast enough, and what part of the mob was still chasing me caught up with me. They beat me all over, but paid special attention right here.
Kouji pointed at his throat to emphasize his point.
I guess they figured that words protecting Mamono would be the last words I ever speak. They stomped my throat repeatedly, then left me there. Good thing I was strong enough to move. I limped my way through the woods, and found another town, with a doctor. They fixed up my wounds, but the said it was unlikely, considering the damage, that I'd ever speak again. Well, that's what I get for speaking my mind there, huh?
"What about your parents?"
Oh, them? I think Mom was the third one to stomp on me. Dad was the sixth.
Kyouka couldn't even articulate her horror at that statement.
What? You expect them to protect their little Monster Lover son? He's no son of theirs.
Kyouka looked down. "So, ever since then..."
I worked for a little while. Odd jobs and such. Eventually, I moved over here. Been here three years.
"And you haven't had any contact with anyone?"
I go into town for supplies and such. I don't really talk to anyone, though.
At that statement, Kouji rolled his eyes at his own irony.
Anyway, you were the first one I've actually had to nerve to approach. I love music, so when I first heard your song....Well, I was captivated.
Kyouka smiled and blushed. "Thank you." she said.
It's kind of a good thing I don't have my voice, though.
"What?" Kyouka said, shocked.
Well, I wouldn't want my voice bringing down the quality of your songs. Hey, I'll understand if you go and find someone out there who can actually sing with you.
"Don't even think that!" Kyouka exclaimed, surprising Kouji as she tightly gripped his hand. "It doesn't matter what your voice would sound like! If you sang with me, our voices would meld together just fine! And even if others didn't think so, what would it matter! The only thing that would matter is that we would be expressing our emotions together! That's all that would matter!" she said earnestly, staring Kouji straight in the eyes. Kouji stared back, obviously not expecting her to say such a thing. Then he smiled, not just his usual kind smile, but the earnest smile of someone whose heart had been touched after a long time of solitude.
....Thanks.
A clock upon the wall chimed out loudly, bringing the two back to reality.
Ah. It's really gotten late. You should be heading back. Here, I'll walk you to the door.
Kouji moved to walk away, but Kyouka refused to let go of his hand. Noticing his lack of movement, Kouji looked back, tilting his head in confusion.
"...I...don't want to..." she said softly. Kouji still looked confused, so she repeated herself, firmly expressing herself as she usually would. "I don't want to go! You've been alone in all this silence for so long, I'm going to break that silence. I'll stay with you, and sing enough for the both of us!" she said, drawing closer to Kouji. Wrapping her wings around him and placing her head upon his shoulder, she pleaded to him quietly. "I'll stay with you...and sing as much as you want. So....please....I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you alone...." Kouji didn't react for a long time. He simply stood there, lost in thought. Eventually, he raised an arm and took her closer, gently embracing her. His other arm wrote his answer on her wing.
All right. If that's what you want....will you please stay with me?
Spoiler: show
Kouji pushed open a door towards the back of the house, and turned on a light near the entrance, and gestured to Kyouka. Kyouka edged into the room, and began looking around. As expected, next to Kouji's bed was another shelf full of books, and the other side contained a chest for assorted personal items, Kyouka assumed. Next to the chest was a small closet. Other than the essentials, though, there wasn't much furnishing the room. It was just a simple bedroom, meant to fulfill its purpose and little else.
Kouji walked past her and began fidgeting with the bed. When the two had entered the room, the bed was is disarray, and Kouji was obviously trying to assemble some semblance of order (and he wasn't doing to well, either.) Kyouka laughed softly and put a wing on Kouji's back. Kouji stopped and looked at her, then turned away, embarrassed. Kyouka sat down on the bed, feeling how soft it was. It was very comfortable, so much so that she decided to lay down on her side, sighing contently as she stretched out.
"This is nice." she said, looking up at Kouji.
Kouji smiled back, then went over to his closet. Kyouka watched as he searched through the closet's deeper reaches, eventually coming back out with a pillow and blanket. Kyouka tilted her head as Kouji dropped the pillow on the floor, then lowered himself to the pillow, placing himself under the blanket, and settling in.
"And what do you think you're doing?" Kyouka asked. Kouji just looked back at her, confused. "I didn't say I'd stay in your bed. I said I'd stay with you. So, get up here." she insisted. Kouji's face turned red at the prospect, and he stayed firmly where he was. Kyouka smiled slyly. "Okay, then how about this?" she said, sliding off the bed and situating herself on the floor next to Kouji, eventually sliding right next to him. "And if you get up and move somewhere else, I'll follow you there. I told you I don't want to leave you alone, okay?" she said, looking at him earnestly. Kouji stared back for a while, before nodding in defeat. Kyouka giggled. "Good. Good night, Kouji." she said, closing her eyes, and within minutes, drifting off to sleep.
Kouji, however, wasn't so lucky. He had been close to Kyouka before, but that was part of a date, of sorts. This was completely different. She was laying next to him in bed! Well, his makeshift bed on the floor, anyway. Kouji couldn't take his eyes off of Kyouka, and he could feel the heat emanating from his face. That pretty red hair, that wonderful red plumage, and (though they were closed right now) those adorable pink eyes. They complemented her smooth, slender body so well. Kouji was getting increasingly certain that he would get no sleep if he continued to stare at her, so he decided to turn around and try to remain calm.
A pity his body initially disobeyed him. Slowly he found himself edging closer to Kyouka. He brushed a few strands of her hair with his hand, before moving his face closer....closer.....and placed a small kiss upon her forehead. Well, at least he had kept himself in some control.
"Is that all you're going to do?" Kyouka's voice made him freeze mid-movement, and his gaze slowly lowered to see Kyouka looking up at him, smiling sweetly. "A kiss on the forehead's nice..." she said, sliding closer to him while he was still frozen from getting caught. "...but, personally, I'd like a little more." she said. Closing the distance between them, Kyouka planted a firm kiss on Kouji's lips. Kyouka could feel Kouji's entire body stiffen from the sudden action, but after a little bit, he calmed down, if only slightly. Kouji reached across to her, and gently pulled her closer. Kyouka responded by deepening the kiss, her tongue working its way into Kouji's mouth. Kouji began responding in kind, as the two began feeling the rest of the other's body. Finally, Kyouka broke the kiss, panting slightly. "I...I want....more...." she breathed. Her eyes pleaded with Kouji, and Kouji could tell that she was trying to tell him that it was his decision on whether or not this continued.
Kouji responded by moving to gently remove Kyouka's light clothing, which she moved to assist him, although mild embarrassment set in as she covered her admittedly small breasts with her wings. Kouji just smiled and kissed her again, gently moving her wings away, and placing his hands there instead. Kyouka moaned as Kouji fondled them, and gasped as one of his hands moved from her breasts to her pussy, lightly rubbing her before inserting a finger in her. Kyouka embraced Kouji as he continued his little assault with his finger. Before long, she couldn't take anymore. She pushed away from him. "I can't wait....anymore." she panted. "I need the real thing...."
Kouji nodded, removing his own articles of clothing. He had barely removed the last bit of clothes before Kyouka embraced him, placing herself on top of him, and readying herself. Kouji held her, and Kyouka slowly descended, before pushing down and forcing all of him inside her. The intense sensation caused Kyouka to cry out, and Kouji gasped at the feeling as well. Taking a moment to savor their current unity, Kyouka began moving, steadily shifting upwards and back down, plunging Kouji as far within her as possible. Kouji quickly began matching her movements, thrusting deep within her whenever she pulled away, causing Kyouka to feel even more amazing than before. Kyouka's lyrical voice rang out within the room, her gasps and moans encouraging Kouji to keep going, as if her voice was boosting his energy.
Before long, these sensations were beginning to hit the high point. Kouji gripped Kyouka's arms tightly, and she looked in his eyes and could read within them the reason for this sudden grab. Embracing him while continuing their love-making, Kyouka whispered to him. "It's okay. Don't hold back." She then kissed him passionately, and that was all that Kouji could take. His body stiffening, he released everything he had deep within Kyouka, and she cried out in ecstasy as she felt it pour into her, causing her to reach her own orgasm. Once it was all over, she lost her energy and sagged against Kouji. Before falling asleep, she managed to whisper one heartfelt declaration to him.
"I love you, Kouji..." And with that, she was asleep.
Kouji lie awake a few minutes more, thinking about how much had changed in such a short while. Scratching his cheek idly, he then smiled, looking down at the adorable Siren that lay with him. Then, although he knew she was actually asleep this time, he decided to write out another little message before he fell asleep himself.
Music to my ears. I love you, Kyouka.
Kouji walked past her and began fidgeting with the bed. When the two had entered the room, the bed was is disarray, and Kouji was obviously trying to assemble some semblance of order (and he wasn't doing to well, either.) Kyouka laughed softly and put a wing on Kouji's back. Kouji stopped and looked at her, then turned away, embarrassed. Kyouka sat down on the bed, feeling how soft it was. It was very comfortable, so much so that she decided to lay down on her side, sighing contently as she stretched out.
"This is nice." she said, looking up at Kouji.
Kouji smiled back, then went over to his closet. Kyouka watched as he searched through the closet's deeper reaches, eventually coming back out with a pillow and blanket. Kyouka tilted her head as Kouji dropped the pillow on the floor, then lowered himself to the pillow, placing himself under the blanket, and settling in.
"And what do you think you're doing?" Kyouka asked. Kouji just looked back at her, confused. "I didn't say I'd stay in your bed. I said I'd stay with you. So, get up here." she insisted. Kouji's face turned red at the prospect, and he stayed firmly where he was. Kyouka smiled slyly. "Okay, then how about this?" she said, sliding off the bed and situating herself on the floor next to Kouji, eventually sliding right next to him. "And if you get up and move somewhere else, I'll follow you there. I told you I don't want to leave you alone, okay?" she said, looking at him earnestly. Kouji stared back for a while, before nodding in defeat. Kyouka giggled. "Good. Good night, Kouji." she said, closing her eyes, and within minutes, drifting off to sleep.
Kouji, however, wasn't so lucky. He had been close to Kyouka before, but that was part of a date, of sorts. This was completely different. She was laying next to him in bed! Well, his makeshift bed on the floor, anyway. Kouji couldn't take his eyes off of Kyouka, and he could feel the heat emanating from his face. That pretty red hair, that wonderful red plumage, and (though they were closed right now) those adorable pink eyes. They complemented her smooth, slender body so well. Kouji was getting increasingly certain that he would get no sleep if he continued to stare at her, so he decided to turn around and try to remain calm.
A pity his body initially disobeyed him. Slowly he found himself edging closer to Kyouka. He brushed a few strands of her hair with his hand, before moving his face closer....closer.....and placed a small kiss upon her forehead. Well, at least he had kept himself in some control.
"Is that all you're going to do?" Kyouka's voice made him freeze mid-movement, and his gaze slowly lowered to see Kyouka looking up at him, smiling sweetly. "A kiss on the forehead's nice..." she said, sliding closer to him while he was still frozen from getting caught. "...but, personally, I'd like a little more." she said. Closing the distance between them, Kyouka planted a firm kiss on Kouji's lips. Kyouka could feel Kouji's entire body stiffen from the sudden action, but after a little bit, he calmed down, if only slightly. Kouji reached across to her, and gently pulled her closer. Kyouka responded by deepening the kiss, her tongue working its way into Kouji's mouth. Kouji began responding in kind, as the two began feeling the rest of the other's body. Finally, Kyouka broke the kiss, panting slightly. "I...I want....more...." she breathed. Her eyes pleaded with Kouji, and Kouji could tell that she was trying to tell him that it was his decision on whether or not this continued.
Kouji responded by moving to gently remove Kyouka's light clothing, which she moved to assist him, although mild embarrassment set in as she covered her admittedly small breasts with her wings. Kouji just smiled and kissed her again, gently moving her wings away, and placing his hands there instead. Kyouka moaned as Kouji fondled them, and gasped as one of his hands moved from her breasts to her pussy, lightly rubbing her before inserting a finger in her. Kyouka embraced Kouji as he continued his little assault with his finger. Before long, she couldn't take anymore. She pushed away from him. "I can't wait....anymore." she panted. "I need the real thing...."
Kouji nodded, removing his own articles of clothing. He had barely removed the last bit of clothes before Kyouka embraced him, placing herself on top of him, and readying herself. Kouji held her, and Kyouka slowly descended, before pushing down and forcing all of him inside her. The intense sensation caused Kyouka to cry out, and Kouji gasped at the feeling as well. Taking a moment to savor their current unity, Kyouka began moving, steadily shifting upwards and back down, plunging Kouji as far within her as possible. Kouji quickly began matching her movements, thrusting deep within her whenever she pulled away, causing Kyouka to feel even more amazing than before. Kyouka's lyrical voice rang out within the room, her gasps and moans encouraging Kouji to keep going, as if her voice was boosting his energy.
Before long, these sensations were beginning to hit the high point. Kouji gripped Kyouka's arms tightly, and she looked in his eyes and could read within them the reason for this sudden grab. Embracing him while continuing their love-making, Kyouka whispered to him. "It's okay. Don't hold back." She then kissed him passionately, and that was all that Kouji could take. His body stiffening, he released everything he had deep within Kyouka, and she cried out in ecstasy as she felt it pour into her, causing her to reach her own orgasm. Once it was all over, she lost her energy and sagged against Kouji. Before falling asleep, she managed to whisper one heartfelt declaration to him.
"I love you, Kouji..." And with that, she was asleep.
Kouji lie awake a few minutes more, thinking about how much had changed in such a short while. Scratching his cheek idly, he then smiled, looking down at the adorable Siren that lay with him. Then, although he knew she was actually asleep this time, he decided to write out another little message before he fell asleep himself.
Music to my ears. I love you, Kyouka.
Chapter 6
Spoiler: show
When Kouji woke up, his chest felt much lighter than it had before. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, it quickly became apparent to him why. Looking around, Kyouka was nowhere to be found in the room. Sitting up and still trying to fully wake up, Kouji could at least tell it wasn't because last night was a dream. His lack of clothing was a testament to that. Finding some clothes for himself, he dressed and left his room. Once out of his room, he heard some sounds coming from outside his house. Opening is front door, squinting in the bright light that greeted him, Kouji found the source of the noise.
Of course, "noise" was not the word one used to describe Kyouka's voice. The siren was standing in the center of Kouji's yard, singing proudly and divinely to the morning sun. Closing the door behind him, Kouji smiled and enjoyed this beautiful start to the day. Once Kyouka had finished her song, she turned and noticed Kouji watching her. Kouji applauded her performance, and Kyouka smiled widely, gliding closer to him, and giving him a kiss on his cheek.
"Good morning! I take it you liked my song?" she asked. Kouji nodded earnestly. "If you like, I'll sing for you every morning. Would you like that kind of a wake-up call?" Kouji just smiled and ran a few fingers tenderly through Kyouka's red hair. Kyouka closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation, sighing lightly. "I'll take that as a yes, then." she said when he had finished. "And I'll sing you to sleep every night, and sing before meals, during chores....whenever you want me to sing, just let me know, OK?" she said, leaning her head against his chest, as he embraced her, running his hand through her hair again. "Our life will be full of music...and full of love." she said softly, and Kouji placed a kiss on her forehead.
And so, with that declaration on their hearts, the two began their new life together.
Admittedly, Kouji's life had not been one of massive excitement before, so he was initially worried that Kyouka would find living with him to be far less grandiose than she had made it sound, but Kyouka adapted quickly and happily to life with him. True to her word, every morning he woke with her voice to serenade him, and at night she would lull him to sleep (provided they had not "exhausted" themselves beforehand). His menial tasks such as gathering wood for his fireplace and fishing for a meal were infinitely more enjoyable, so long as he had Kyouka and her musical prowess alongside him.
Naturally, Kouji did what he could to augment her enjoyment. As much as she would sing for him, he would use his flute and play music for her. Often times a solo performance would turn into a duet between the two, and a majority of their time was spent in song. Occasionally, while Kyouka would sing, Kouji would mime her actions, and the two would pretend that a duet between them was happening. Kyouka appreciated the sentiment the first time, but worried it might depress Kouji to keep acting like that, but Kouji insisted that even pretending was fine with him. After all, it was her songs that gave him a better life. Kyouka was deeply touched. Truly, her songs had led her to the lover she had been waiting for.
And one day, her songs led to something else....
Several months after being together, Kyouka began another song, after Kouji had placed a new pile of wood for future use by the fireplace. Kouji smiled at the beauty's song, and stood next to her and began mimicking her gestures and singing. Having a little fun, he decided to put a little more emphasis into his imitation, actually exerting himself, and doing reasonably well at the mimic, making it look like it was two performers rehearsing before a stage show. In time, it came for the finale of the song, and both gestured grandly as Kyouka let the final lyric of the song rise through the air.
"Love~~!" she sang majestically.
"....love....!"
Kyouka turned sharply, as Kouji was seized by a fit of rough coughing, falling to his knees as he covered his mouth to control himself. Kyouka rushed to his side and tried to comfort him as best as she could, until Kouji's coughing subsided. Kouji looked at Kyouka, eyes wide with surprise and confusion, and Kyouka returned the look with just as much surprise, but with confusion replaced by wonder.
"Kouji...!" she cried out, tears welling in her eyes. "You....You spoke!"
Of course, "noise" was not the word one used to describe Kyouka's voice. The siren was standing in the center of Kouji's yard, singing proudly and divinely to the morning sun. Closing the door behind him, Kouji smiled and enjoyed this beautiful start to the day. Once Kyouka had finished her song, she turned and noticed Kouji watching her. Kouji applauded her performance, and Kyouka smiled widely, gliding closer to him, and giving him a kiss on his cheek.
"Good morning! I take it you liked my song?" she asked. Kouji nodded earnestly. "If you like, I'll sing for you every morning. Would you like that kind of a wake-up call?" Kouji just smiled and ran a few fingers tenderly through Kyouka's red hair. Kyouka closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation, sighing lightly. "I'll take that as a yes, then." she said when he had finished. "And I'll sing you to sleep every night, and sing before meals, during chores....whenever you want me to sing, just let me know, OK?" she said, leaning her head against his chest, as he embraced her, running his hand through her hair again. "Our life will be full of music...and full of love." she said softly, and Kouji placed a kiss on her forehead.
And so, with that declaration on their hearts, the two began their new life together.
Admittedly, Kouji's life had not been one of massive excitement before, so he was initially worried that Kyouka would find living with him to be far less grandiose than she had made it sound, but Kyouka adapted quickly and happily to life with him. True to her word, every morning he woke with her voice to serenade him, and at night she would lull him to sleep (provided they had not "exhausted" themselves beforehand). His menial tasks such as gathering wood for his fireplace and fishing for a meal were infinitely more enjoyable, so long as he had Kyouka and her musical prowess alongside him.
Naturally, Kouji did what he could to augment her enjoyment. As much as she would sing for him, he would use his flute and play music for her. Often times a solo performance would turn into a duet between the two, and a majority of their time was spent in song. Occasionally, while Kyouka would sing, Kouji would mime her actions, and the two would pretend that a duet between them was happening. Kyouka appreciated the sentiment the first time, but worried it might depress Kouji to keep acting like that, but Kouji insisted that even pretending was fine with him. After all, it was her songs that gave him a better life. Kyouka was deeply touched. Truly, her songs had led her to the lover she had been waiting for.
And one day, her songs led to something else....
Several months after being together, Kyouka began another song, after Kouji had placed a new pile of wood for future use by the fireplace. Kouji smiled at the beauty's song, and stood next to her and began mimicking her gestures and singing. Having a little fun, he decided to put a little more emphasis into his imitation, actually exerting himself, and doing reasonably well at the mimic, making it look like it was two performers rehearsing before a stage show. In time, it came for the finale of the song, and both gestured grandly as Kyouka let the final lyric of the song rise through the air.
"Love~~!" she sang majestically.
"....love....!"
Kyouka turned sharply, as Kouji was seized by a fit of rough coughing, falling to his knees as he covered his mouth to control himself. Kyouka rushed to his side and tried to comfort him as best as she could, until Kouji's coughing subsided. Kouji looked at Kyouka, eyes wide with surprise and confusion, and Kyouka returned the look with just as much surprise, but with confusion replaced by wonder.
"Kouji...!" she cried out, tears welling in her eyes. "You....You spoke!"
Hollie's Tale
Chapter 1
Spoiler: show
How fast life changes for some. Indeed, Hollie was one person who could attest that life can change fast, and change often. One need only listen to her tale to see that.
Hollie's mother gave her life while living amongst a small farm area, headed by an aging couple, who treated them with all the kindness one could ask for, which only augmented the love Hollie's mother would heap upon them. Hollie was a little on the small side for most Holstaurus, but one need only look at her short blue hair and her innocent blue eyes, and they would know that she was a beauty.
It was a simple life, but one that Hollie was content with. The days past amongst the fields, beneath the sun, and all that was asked of them was for Hollie's mother to supply the couple with her milk, which was the farm's primary source of income. Hollie was not of milking age, of course, yet she wondered when they day would come that she could be of help.
The years past, and Hollie grew taller, and, as Holstaurus do, bigger. Excitable girl that she was, she was anxious to be able to help in the farm's monetary matters.
Unfortunately, that time would be forced to wait, as the inevitability of time and age rapidly took the couple's life. Hollie and her mother found themselves to be owner-less, as it were. As Hollie had none, and her mother very little, contact with those outside of the farm, they were at a loss. It would have been useless not to act, so Hollie followed her mother down the path their former owners would travel, when the time had come to sell their wares. Hollie was young, and, saddened though she was by the loss of these two kind people, she still had her mother, and together they would find something and somewhere to continue living.
She would have cherished this time much more, had she known it was to be fleeting....
===================
Hollie and her mother eventually made it to town, but were at a loss as what to do. Both of them having been farm animals all their lives had led them to be uninformed of how to live otherwise. The townsfolk seemed friendly enough, but perhaps more from pity than actual kindness. It seemed there were very little farm owners in this area, but still they continued their search for some place to live. In the meantime, they were able to survive via small food vendors, who would donate the merchandise they had that, as Hollie heard it, about to expire. Still, this was not always enough for both of them, and Hollie's mother, no matter how much Hollie would push against it, give up her portion of the meal, so that Hollie may be full. It was a tough living, but at least it was living.
One day, however, they were approached by a young man, who offered them a place to stay.
"'S not really a farm, but I make do wit what I got, y'know?" he had said. "But one day, I'm gonna make it big, and then they'll all know what's what!"
Hollie didn't really understand, and confidentially, she didn't think her mother did, either, but it was an offer that was hard to refuse. So it came to be that they moved into this man's humble (and that was perhaps being kind) livings. And life began anew once again. It was somewhat similar to the farm Hollie grew up in, although the grass was more unkempt and the food quality lower, but still, Hollie was getting used to it.
Fate had yet to finish with her, however.
As Hollie aged, she became more aware of her new "owner's" monetary issues. What little money he earned seem to quickly vanish amidst many frivolous matters, the least of which were, as he had said, "triple my money in a week!" This habit of spending only seemed to get worse with time, and Hollie could see the worry on her mother's face that they may once again be in trouble.
"Don't worry, Hollie. Just enjoy they day, and let Mother think about these things." she would say, hugging Hollie tightly. "The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark, they will brighten." Hollie wondered how deeply her mother believed that saying.
Things finally came to a head when one day, a pair of rough-looking men arrived at their home, seeking out the man, calling him out and demanding money. The man had stuttered that he hadn't the money to give them, and begged for more time. More time was the one thing he was no longer getting, and these two men said that if he had no money, they would simply take one of his possessions as "compensation, and to show you we mean business."
Turning their backs on the man, the two made a straight line for Hollie, who froze in fear, realizing that she was the possession about to be taken away!
"No! Hollie!" cried out Hollie's mother as the two men grabbed Hollie by the arms and dragged her away.
"Mother!" Hollie cried, trying to squirm from the men's grips, to no avail. Hollie's mother tried to go after her, but their owner pushed against her, looking on with a mixture of sadness, shame, and resignation.
Hollie was pushed into the men's transportation, and Hollie's mother was able to push away from her owner, only in time to see the men speeding away with her daughter. She sank to her knees, and her tears would not cease flowing...
...much like her daughter's tears, as Hollie silently cried from a mixture of fear and sadness at being torn from her mother. While she cried, she could make out some of the men's conversation.
"...too young....can't make anything...Shoulda grabbed the other....no point in...." The words drifted in and out, and all these sudden events had taken their toll on Hollie, who drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
-------------------
When she awoke, Hollie had expected to see the two men in front of her, leering at her, before forcing her somewhere dark and depressing, but instead she was greeted by a verdant green. Looking up, surprised at this strange turn of events, she wondered if she had been returned home.
But no, this area was much too different to be her home. A small open field, a dirt path, some trees....Hollie was at a loss as to why she was here, but then an idea dawned on her. For whatever purposes the men had taken her, she hadn't been up to the task. They had dropped her off at this field while she slept, and simply left her there.
And so, it came to be, that Hollie was completely alone, in an unfamiliar locale....
=================
Hollie was at a loss. She had been following the dirt trail in hopes of finding a town for quite some time, with no end in sight. It had been a few days, and without a ready food source, Hollie was growing weak, her stomach constantly voicing its cravings.
Loneliness was having an effect on her, as well. This area seemed all but devoid of any Mamono other than herself. Although this meant she wasn't threatened in any way, she wished she had someone to talk to, even a passing Slime or Harpy would have been nice.
As Hollie continued her traveling, she finally found a destination. A small town lie in front of her, and right at the entrance to it, was a fruit stand! Fruit, glorious fruit! Hunger taking the place of better judgment, Hollie made rapid movement towards the town, that stand in particular. As if a sign, one piece of fruit fell from the stand and rolled in her direction. Hollie bent down to pick it up...
...And cried out as a hand grabbed her arm with incredible force. Looking up, Hollie was greeted by a very muscular, and now very angry, man.
"The hell do you think you're doing?" the man demanded.
"I...I just...I'm so hungry, and...." Hollie stammered, still gripping the fruit tightly.
"That fruit is for selling to other people. It ain't for a buncha damn monsters to just take whenever they feel like it!" he said, angrily pushing her to the ground.
"But, I..."
"You monsters think you can just waltz in an' take everything, don't ya? Our food, our wives..."
"N...No, I..." Hollie began scooting away as the man kept advancing on her. Hollie was aware that more people were starting to crowd around an stare at her, but no one was helping her.
"Ya just act like it's nothin'! Where do you monsters get off?!" the man yelled, and the rapidly increasing crowd shouted their consent with this opinion. Hollie dropped the fruit she was holding, her hunger completely replaced by rapidly-growing fear.
"Know what? I'm sick of it!" the man shouted, pulling out a knife. A knife! Terror replaced fear in Hollie, as she locked up at the sight of this metal gleaming in the sunlight. Worse still was the crowds reaction...one of agreement with the implied methods. "I'm about to reduce the scum population her by one!" the man said, grinning with some kind of dark glee.
'Mother...is my day not going to brighten?' Hollie thought, before shutting her eyes in preparation of the strike that would end her life, as the man swung his knife....
....And Hollie was pushed out of the way, and fell to the ground as a young voice cried out in pain. Shocked, Hollie opened her eyes, and saw a boy, perhaps close to her age, with purple hair and green eyes, gripping his shoulder, holding his hand against a rather bad wound, while the man sneered at the boy, gripping his now bloody knife.
"Kouji? The hell are you doin', boy?" the man demanded.
The boy named Kouji didn't answer immediately, instead standing up and moving in front of Hollie, shielding her. "That's what I should say! What the heck is wrong with you people?! She didn't do anything wrong!"
"She tried to steal some food from me. I can't let her get away with that. Bad for business" the man said coldly.
"Even though you let your son take as many pieces he wants, whenever?"
"Sh-Shut up! Don't talk like you know business!"
"She's a monster! Why should she get anything of ours?" a voice in the crowd demanded.
"Don't get involved in things you don't understand, Kouji!" another interjected.
"Oh, I understand perfectly!" Kouji said, raising his voice over the crowd. "You guys....you guys are the real monsters!" That single statement silenced the entire crowd. "If a starving person comes over to you and begs for food, you're supposed to give it to them! If an animal does the same, you do the same! Why should they be any different?! Whose the monsters here, the ones that try to survive, or the ones that just keep want to hurt and kill?! Huh?!" Kouji demanded, looking defiantly at the crowd, whose faces began to darken.
"Little brat..."
"You dare compare us to them?!"
"Monster Lover!"
"Friend of Freaks!"
"Brother to Beasts!"
The crowd was rapidly becoming even more violent than before, and Kouji was apparently aware of that, because the next thing Hollie knew, he had grabbed her by the hand and began running away with her, and before long, the mob of people had begun pursuing them. Hollie followed Kouji into a dismal forest area, diving and darting between tree, trying to find the best way to escape from these people. Kouji's grip on Hollie was firm, and she responded with one just as strong. The mob stayed on them, however, and with hunger resurfacing inside Hollie, she was weaker than usual, and was beginning to lose speed.
Kouji must have noticed, and as the two came across a clearer area, Kouji gestured towards a pack of bushes.
"Go that way. I hear there's a pretty nice big town if you keep going straight that way." he said.
"But what about you?" Hollie asked.
"The way they are, they just want to hurt something and go back home. Doesn't matter which of us."
Hollie gasped. He was going to be a distraction! "But that's crazy! They'll kill you!"
"Maybe not. But if they get to you, they will! Now go!" he said, pushing her a little to get her to move. Hollie stared back at him, a savior she had only known for a few minutes, before quickly rushing off into the bushes, and pushing forward.
It wasn't long before she heard Kouji cry out, obviously having been knocked down by the crowd. The crowd's shouts of "Monster Lover!" and other insults was easily heard over the rustling foliage, and Hollie was certain she even heard "You are no son of mine!" from the crowd. Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to focus on making good of Kouji's sacrifice.
--------------------
Hours passed as Hollie continued trudging forward through the forest. Still no sign of this town Kouji had mentioned, but Hollie trusted his words.
Although they had long since been gone, the mob's shouts and Kouji's cry of pain were still ringing in Hollie's ears. Tears continued threatening to form, blurring her vision. Combined with the hunger she still felt, it was all too much to continue with. Hollie sank next to a tree, and finally let the tears fall, weeping for herself, for her mother, and for Kouji.
Before long, her crying subsided, as she fell into an exhausted slumber.....
Hollie's mother gave her life while living amongst a small farm area, headed by an aging couple, who treated them with all the kindness one could ask for, which only augmented the love Hollie's mother would heap upon them. Hollie was a little on the small side for most Holstaurus, but one need only look at her short blue hair and her innocent blue eyes, and they would know that she was a beauty.
It was a simple life, but one that Hollie was content with. The days past amongst the fields, beneath the sun, and all that was asked of them was for Hollie's mother to supply the couple with her milk, which was the farm's primary source of income. Hollie was not of milking age, of course, yet she wondered when they day would come that she could be of help.
The years past, and Hollie grew taller, and, as Holstaurus do, bigger. Excitable girl that she was, she was anxious to be able to help in the farm's monetary matters.
Unfortunately, that time would be forced to wait, as the inevitability of time and age rapidly took the couple's life. Hollie and her mother found themselves to be owner-less, as it were. As Hollie had none, and her mother very little, contact with those outside of the farm, they were at a loss. It would have been useless not to act, so Hollie followed her mother down the path their former owners would travel, when the time had come to sell their wares. Hollie was young, and, saddened though she was by the loss of these two kind people, she still had her mother, and together they would find something and somewhere to continue living.
She would have cherished this time much more, had she known it was to be fleeting....
===================
Hollie and her mother eventually made it to town, but were at a loss as what to do. Both of them having been farm animals all their lives had led them to be uninformed of how to live otherwise. The townsfolk seemed friendly enough, but perhaps more from pity than actual kindness. It seemed there were very little farm owners in this area, but still they continued their search for some place to live. In the meantime, they were able to survive via small food vendors, who would donate the merchandise they had that, as Hollie heard it, about to expire. Still, this was not always enough for both of them, and Hollie's mother, no matter how much Hollie would push against it, give up her portion of the meal, so that Hollie may be full. It was a tough living, but at least it was living.
One day, however, they were approached by a young man, who offered them a place to stay.
"'S not really a farm, but I make do wit what I got, y'know?" he had said. "But one day, I'm gonna make it big, and then they'll all know what's what!"
Hollie didn't really understand, and confidentially, she didn't think her mother did, either, but it was an offer that was hard to refuse. So it came to be that they moved into this man's humble (and that was perhaps being kind) livings. And life began anew once again. It was somewhat similar to the farm Hollie grew up in, although the grass was more unkempt and the food quality lower, but still, Hollie was getting used to it.
Fate had yet to finish with her, however.
As Hollie aged, she became more aware of her new "owner's" monetary issues. What little money he earned seem to quickly vanish amidst many frivolous matters, the least of which were, as he had said, "triple my money in a week!" This habit of spending only seemed to get worse with time, and Hollie could see the worry on her mother's face that they may once again be in trouble.
"Don't worry, Hollie. Just enjoy they day, and let Mother think about these things." she would say, hugging Hollie tightly. "The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark, they will brighten." Hollie wondered how deeply her mother believed that saying.
Things finally came to a head when one day, a pair of rough-looking men arrived at their home, seeking out the man, calling him out and demanding money. The man had stuttered that he hadn't the money to give them, and begged for more time. More time was the one thing he was no longer getting, and these two men said that if he had no money, they would simply take one of his possessions as "compensation, and to show you we mean business."
Turning their backs on the man, the two made a straight line for Hollie, who froze in fear, realizing that she was the possession about to be taken away!
"No! Hollie!" cried out Hollie's mother as the two men grabbed Hollie by the arms and dragged her away.
"Mother!" Hollie cried, trying to squirm from the men's grips, to no avail. Hollie's mother tried to go after her, but their owner pushed against her, looking on with a mixture of sadness, shame, and resignation.
Hollie was pushed into the men's transportation, and Hollie's mother was able to push away from her owner, only in time to see the men speeding away with her daughter. She sank to her knees, and her tears would not cease flowing...
...much like her daughter's tears, as Hollie silently cried from a mixture of fear and sadness at being torn from her mother. While she cried, she could make out some of the men's conversation.
"...too young....can't make anything...Shoulda grabbed the other....no point in...." The words drifted in and out, and all these sudden events had taken their toll on Hollie, who drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
-------------------
When she awoke, Hollie had expected to see the two men in front of her, leering at her, before forcing her somewhere dark and depressing, but instead she was greeted by a verdant green. Looking up, surprised at this strange turn of events, she wondered if she had been returned home.
But no, this area was much too different to be her home. A small open field, a dirt path, some trees....Hollie was at a loss as to why she was here, but then an idea dawned on her. For whatever purposes the men had taken her, she hadn't been up to the task. They had dropped her off at this field while she slept, and simply left her there.
And so, it came to be, that Hollie was completely alone, in an unfamiliar locale....
=================
Hollie was at a loss. She had been following the dirt trail in hopes of finding a town for quite some time, with no end in sight. It had been a few days, and without a ready food source, Hollie was growing weak, her stomach constantly voicing its cravings.
Loneliness was having an effect on her, as well. This area seemed all but devoid of any Mamono other than herself. Although this meant she wasn't threatened in any way, she wished she had someone to talk to, even a passing Slime or Harpy would have been nice.
As Hollie continued her traveling, she finally found a destination. A small town lie in front of her, and right at the entrance to it, was a fruit stand! Fruit, glorious fruit! Hunger taking the place of better judgment, Hollie made rapid movement towards the town, that stand in particular. As if a sign, one piece of fruit fell from the stand and rolled in her direction. Hollie bent down to pick it up...
...And cried out as a hand grabbed her arm with incredible force. Looking up, Hollie was greeted by a very muscular, and now very angry, man.
"The hell do you think you're doing?" the man demanded.
"I...I just...I'm so hungry, and...." Hollie stammered, still gripping the fruit tightly.
"That fruit is for selling to other people. It ain't for a buncha damn monsters to just take whenever they feel like it!" he said, angrily pushing her to the ground.
"But, I..."
"You monsters think you can just waltz in an' take everything, don't ya? Our food, our wives..."
"N...No, I..." Hollie began scooting away as the man kept advancing on her. Hollie was aware that more people were starting to crowd around an stare at her, but no one was helping her.
"Ya just act like it's nothin'! Where do you monsters get off?!" the man yelled, and the rapidly increasing crowd shouted their consent with this opinion. Hollie dropped the fruit she was holding, her hunger completely replaced by rapidly-growing fear.
"Know what? I'm sick of it!" the man shouted, pulling out a knife. A knife! Terror replaced fear in Hollie, as she locked up at the sight of this metal gleaming in the sunlight. Worse still was the crowds reaction...one of agreement with the implied methods. "I'm about to reduce the scum population her by one!" the man said, grinning with some kind of dark glee.
'Mother...is my day not going to brighten?' Hollie thought, before shutting her eyes in preparation of the strike that would end her life, as the man swung his knife....
....And Hollie was pushed out of the way, and fell to the ground as a young voice cried out in pain. Shocked, Hollie opened her eyes, and saw a boy, perhaps close to her age, with purple hair and green eyes, gripping his shoulder, holding his hand against a rather bad wound, while the man sneered at the boy, gripping his now bloody knife.
"Kouji? The hell are you doin', boy?" the man demanded.
The boy named Kouji didn't answer immediately, instead standing up and moving in front of Hollie, shielding her. "That's what I should say! What the heck is wrong with you people?! She didn't do anything wrong!"
"She tried to steal some food from me. I can't let her get away with that. Bad for business" the man said coldly.
"Even though you let your son take as many pieces he wants, whenever?"
"Sh-Shut up! Don't talk like you know business!"
"She's a monster! Why should she get anything of ours?" a voice in the crowd demanded.
"Don't get involved in things you don't understand, Kouji!" another interjected.
"Oh, I understand perfectly!" Kouji said, raising his voice over the crowd. "You guys....you guys are the real monsters!" That single statement silenced the entire crowd. "If a starving person comes over to you and begs for food, you're supposed to give it to them! If an animal does the same, you do the same! Why should they be any different?! Whose the monsters here, the ones that try to survive, or the ones that just keep want to hurt and kill?! Huh?!" Kouji demanded, looking defiantly at the crowd, whose faces began to darken.
"Little brat..."
"You dare compare us to them?!"
"Monster Lover!"
"Friend of Freaks!"
"Brother to Beasts!"
The crowd was rapidly becoming even more violent than before, and Kouji was apparently aware of that, because the next thing Hollie knew, he had grabbed her by the hand and began running away with her, and before long, the mob of people had begun pursuing them. Hollie followed Kouji into a dismal forest area, diving and darting between tree, trying to find the best way to escape from these people. Kouji's grip on Hollie was firm, and she responded with one just as strong. The mob stayed on them, however, and with hunger resurfacing inside Hollie, she was weaker than usual, and was beginning to lose speed.
Kouji must have noticed, and as the two came across a clearer area, Kouji gestured towards a pack of bushes.
"Go that way. I hear there's a pretty nice big town if you keep going straight that way." he said.
"But what about you?" Hollie asked.
"The way they are, they just want to hurt something and go back home. Doesn't matter which of us."
Hollie gasped. He was going to be a distraction! "But that's crazy! They'll kill you!"
"Maybe not. But if they get to you, they will! Now go!" he said, pushing her a little to get her to move. Hollie stared back at him, a savior she had only known for a few minutes, before quickly rushing off into the bushes, and pushing forward.
It wasn't long before she heard Kouji cry out, obviously having been knocked down by the crowd. The crowd's shouts of "Monster Lover!" and other insults was easily heard over the rustling foliage, and Hollie was certain she even heard "You are no son of mine!" from the crowd. Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to focus on making good of Kouji's sacrifice.
--------------------
Hours passed as Hollie continued trudging forward through the forest. Still no sign of this town Kouji had mentioned, but Hollie trusted his words.
Although they had long since been gone, the mob's shouts and Kouji's cry of pain were still ringing in Hollie's ears. Tears continued threatening to form, blurring her vision. Combined with the hunger she still felt, it was all too much to continue with. Hollie sank next to a tree, and finally let the tears fall, weeping for herself, for her mother, and for Kouji.
Before long, her crying subsided, as she fell into an exhausted slumber.....
Chapter 2
Spoiler: show
A voice drifted amongst the void of Hollie's slumber...
"There, there, little one..." Hollie felt something touch her, and she shivered in her sleep. "It's okay..." the voice replied. "Everything's all right now..." Hollie couldn't place the voice, but the sensation was bringing back memories.
'Mother...' Hollie thought, her eyes slowly drifting open. She was aware that someone was standing over her, and the blurry vision she had from just waking up made her initially think she was with her mother, all the events having been a dream.
"Ah. Are you waking up now?" this woman asked, and Hollie rubbed her eyes to clear her vision.
The woman she saw was not her mother, but she was another Holstaurus, one with a dull silver color of hair, indigo eyes, and a gentle smile. As Hollie sat up, a blanket slid off her body, and Hollie became aware that she was on a very fancy bed, and quite a fancy room. A far cry from where she had fallen asleep.
"Where...?" she began to ask, before the lady pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh...You need to rest, darling." she replied. She had a very gentle voice to go with her smile. Moving to a door at the back of the room, she opened the door and called out into the adjacent area. "Master Leo! She's awake now!" Soon after she had called out, an elderly man walked into the room.
He was tall, even while slightly hunched, and had kind gray eyes that matched is aging hair, and an almost fluffy looking beard, that looked like it had been grown for the express purpose of twisting and pulling during moments of contemplation. Now was one of those times, apparently, as the man looked over Hollie!
"Oh ho. So she is. Hello, there, little one. They call me Leo." Hollie didn't immediately reply, eying this man warily.
"There's no need to be alarmed, darling." the lady Holstaurus insisted. "Master Leo is as kind as they get."
Leo laughed at this. "Now, now, Sailee. Considering which direction she was coming from when we found her, it makes sense that she would act like this. The village that despised Mamono, yes?" he asked, and Hollie nodded. "Terrible place, that. To think that no-good son of mine lives there, too....Bah, no matter."
"So...where am I?" Hollie asked.
"You're in the home of Master Leo, leader of this town." Sailee announced. "And friend to all Mamono." she added, with a blushing admiration. Leo just laughed at that.
So, after resting up, and having finally been fed after so long, Hollie began to catch up on things. Apparently, the direction she was taking towards the town had brought her to the edge of the forest, which was also, incidentally, located in the back yard of Leo's mansion. While enjoying the weather, and apparently attending to their garden, (and checking on a Mandragora that Leo was currently housing) they had come across Hollie while she slept, and seeing the state she was in, took her in.
"I don't know what to say..." Hollie said. A single word of thanks wouldn't be enough.
"There's nothing to say, Hollie, my girl." Leo replied. "If a starving person needs food, you give it to them. It's human nature. Or at least, I like to think so." Those words resonated within Hollie. "I take it you probably don't have anywhere to go, do you?" Leo asked, and Hollie shook her head. "Well, you're welcome to stay with us."
"W...What?" Hollie stammered.
"Provided you can handle living with an old coot, and his merry band of Mamono. Ho ho ho ho!"
Hollie didn't know what to say. She simply cried tears of joy.
-----------------------
And so it came to be that for years after that, Hollie lived alongside Leo and his Mamono. These were fun times, and Hollie smiled often. Finally, she was together with a family of sorts, and it was a great time. She was even finally able to help with material matters, and Leo commented that her milk was the best he had tasted in a long time. This made Hollie blush, and Leo would laugh, and Sailee would comment "Ah, to be young again..."
Hollie had made friends with Sailee and the other Mamono, as well. There was a Red Oni who would pop in at any time and start drinking contests with Leo (the current standing was 63-57, in Leo's favor), the Mandragora amongst the garden (she often complained about growing right next to the onions), a Minotaurus who apparently used to be a part of Leo's old fighting circle (she would often say that Leo's strength hadn't changed since then, despite his appearance), and others. Never a dull day.
Still, at night, Hollie would lay in bed, and her thoughts would wander...and she often found herself thinking about that boy from so long ago. Kouji. When her day had gotten darkest, he was a ray of light that shone towards a brighter day. What had happened to him since then? Was he still living in that horrible village, now tainted with the "Monster Lover" label?
One night, Hollie stood outside, stargazing, when Leo approached her.
"Looking for answers amongst the stars, Hollie?"
".....Just thinking."
"About a lost love?"
"W...What?"
"Ho ho! They say the stars often bring thoughts of romance to a young lady's mind. Perhaps you've got a tale you wish to share?"
"Well...." Hollie decided it couldn't hurt to share, and told Leo the story about when she had arrived in that village, and Kouji's timely arrival.
"Hmm...I see. And you're wondering what's become of the boy?"
"I just hope he's all right. I'd love to see him, of course, but even if I can't, so long as he's okay..." With that, Hollie sighed, and retreated back into the house, leaving Leo out there to stargaze instead.
"Hmm....purple hair, green eyes? Sounds an awful lot like that no-good son of mine. He did have a kid, didn't he? ....Ho ho ho ho! Fate, you are a twisted little being, aren't you? Perhaps I should look into this..." Leo said, twisting his beard in thought.
"There, there, little one..." Hollie felt something touch her, and she shivered in her sleep. "It's okay..." the voice replied. "Everything's all right now..." Hollie couldn't place the voice, but the sensation was bringing back memories.
'Mother...' Hollie thought, her eyes slowly drifting open. She was aware that someone was standing over her, and the blurry vision she had from just waking up made her initially think she was with her mother, all the events having been a dream.
"Ah. Are you waking up now?" this woman asked, and Hollie rubbed her eyes to clear her vision.
The woman she saw was not her mother, but she was another Holstaurus, one with a dull silver color of hair, indigo eyes, and a gentle smile. As Hollie sat up, a blanket slid off her body, and Hollie became aware that she was on a very fancy bed, and quite a fancy room. A far cry from where she had fallen asleep.
"Where...?" she began to ask, before the lady pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh...You need to rest, darling." she replied. She had a very gentle voice to go with her smile. Moving to a door at the back of the room, she opened the door and called out into the adjacent area. "Master Leo! She's awake now!" Soon after she had called out, an elderly man walked into the room.
He was tall, even while slightly hunched, and had kind gray eyes that matched is aging hair, and an almost fluffy looking beard, that looked like it had been grown for the express purpose of twisting and pulling during moments of contemplation. Now was one of those times, apparently, as the man looked over Hollie!
"Oh ho. So she is. Hello, there, little one. They call me Leo." Hollie didn't immediately reply, eying this man warily.
"There's no need to be alarmed, darling." the lady Holstaurus insisted. "Master Leo is as kind as they get."
Leo laughed at this. "Now, now, Sailee. Considering which direction she was coming from when we found her, it makes sense that she would act like this. The village that despised Mamono, yes?" he asked, and Hollie nodded. "Terrible place, that. To think that no-good son of mine lives there, too....Bah, no matter."
"So...where am I?" Hollie asked.
"You're in the home of Master Leo, leader of this town." Sailee announced. "And friend to all Mamono." she added, with a blushing admiration. Leo just laughed at that.
So, after resting up, and having finally been fed after so long, Hollie began to catch up on things. Apparently, the direction she was taking towards the town had brought her to the edge of the forest, which was also, incidentally, located in the back yard of Leo's mansion. While enjoying the weather, and apparently attending to their garden, (and checking on a Mandragora that Leo was currently housing) they had come across Hollie while she slept, and seeing the state she was in, took her in.
"I don't know what to say..." Hollie said. A single word of thanks wouldn't be enough.
"There's nothing to say, Hollie, my girl." Leo replied. "If a starving person needs food, you give it to them. It's human nature. Or at least, I like to think so." Those words resonated within Hollie. "I take it you probably don't have anywhere to go, do you?" Leo asked, and Hollie shook her head. "Well, you're welcome to stay with us."
"W...What?" Hollie stammered.
"Provided you can handle living with an old coot, and his merry band of Mamono. Ho ho ho ho!"
Hollie didn't know what to say. She simply cried tears of joy.
-----------------------
And so it came to be that for years after that, Hollie lived alongside Leo and his Mamono. These were fun times, and Hollie smiled often. Finally, she was together with a family of sorts, and it was a great time. She was even finally able to help with material matters, and Leo commented that her milk was the best he had tasted in a long time. This made Hollie blush, and Leo would laugh, and Sailee would comment "Ah, to be young again..."
Hollie had made friends with Sailee and the other Mamono, as well. There was a Red Oni who would pop in at any time and start drinking contests with Leo (the current standing was 63-57, in Leo's favor), the Mandragora amongst the garden (she often complained about growing right next to the onions), a Minotaurus who apparently used to be a part of Leo's old fighting circle (she would often say that Leo's strength hadn't changed since then, despite his appearance), and others. Never a dull day.
Still, at night, Hollie would lay in bed, and her thoughts would wander...and she often found herself thinking about that boy from so long ago. Kouji. When her day had gotten darkest, he was a ray of light that shone towards a brighter day. What had happened to him since then? Was he still living in that horrible village, now tainted with the "Monster Lover" label?
One night, Hollie stood outside, stargazing, when Leo approached her.
"Looking for answers amongst the stars, Hollie?"
".....Just thinking."
"About a lost love?"
"W...What?"
"Ho ho! They say the stars often bring thoughts of romance to a young lady's mind. Perhaps you've got a tale you wish to share?"
"Well...." Hollie decided it couldn't hurt to share, and told Leo the story about when she had arrived in that village, and Kouji's timely arrival.
"Hmm...I see. And you're wondering what's become of the boy?"
"I just hope he's all right. I'd love to see him, of course, but even if I can't, so long as he's okay..." With that, Hollie sighed, and retreated back into the house, leaving Leo out there to stargaze instead.
"Hmm....purple hair, green eyes? Sounds an awful lot like that no-good son of mine. He did have a kid, didn't he? ....Ho ho ho ho! Fate, you are a twisted little being, aren't you? Perhaps I should look into this..." Leo said, twisting his beard in thought.
Chapter 3
Spoiler: show
Hollie thought little of her conversation with Leo for weeks after that. Life returned to normal amongst his household, though Leo seemed to leave the house more often.
"It's a little project I'm working on. I'm just doing some research to move it along." he claimed. Satisfied with that answer, Hollie returned to her daily life.
Her nightly life, however, had been changing. As the years went by from when she first joined Leo's "family," many a nightly sleep were taken over by dreams of Kouji. Initially, they had simply been replaying of memories, repeating their first and only meeting every night. As the years passed, the dreams slowly took a new form, to more desired scenarios for first meetings. Naturally, these dreams were quickly becoming romantically inclined, and lately, the scenarios were becoming more...."adult." Time and time again, Hollie would be unable to sleep soundly unless she achieved a manner of physical release, thinking of Kouji as she did so. This was rapidly becoming a nightly occurrence, too.
Hollie had to admit to herself: she had fallen for Kouji. She only wished she knew where he was...
-------------
Some weeks later, Leo approached Hollie as she relaxed in the yard.
"Well, Hollie, though any more about the love of your life?" he asked.
Hollie turned red. "L-Leo!"
Leo just laughed. "I kid, I kid. ....Thought about approaching him?"
"Of course I have. But, I don't know where he is..." Hollie mused, before Leo held out a piece of paper to Hollie. "Huh? What's...?" she said, before taking a closer look. It was a map, although crudely drawn, showing a "You Are Here" over a drawing of Leo's home, then a line leading to a drawing of the town square, then off into a forest, then to a gap in the forest, and a small house, drawn with a big heart around it. Slowly it dawned on Hollie exactly what she was looking at. "Is this...?"
"It took a little while to track him down, but it turns out he's made a livin' not far from here. It'll take a little while to get there, but...Oof!" his words were cut off when Hollie gave him a crushing hug, and began running to follow the map to where Kouji was now living. "Ho ho! Ah, young love..." Leo mused as he watched the Holstaurus fade into the distance.
"You're so kind, Master Leo." Sailee, who had been watching nearby, commented. "Some would say too kind."
"Poppycock! There's no such thing as too kind!" Leo asserted.
-------------------
Although ordinarily, one would pace themselves on a trip like this, the prospect of seeing Kouji once again thrilled Hollie to no end, and so she ran the entire trip, gripping tightly to the map that led the way. In what seemed like no time at all, she had already made it to the forest marked on the paper, and she wasted no time pushing bushes and branches out of her way. She was a Holstaurus on a mission!
'It shouldn't be much longer...' Hollie thought, before noticing light escaping from between the tightly-clumped trees. 'There! This must be it!' Her excitement was beginning to peak, as she pushed through the forest to the clearing ahead.
It was a circular clearing, and amidst the short grass was a small, modest house, standing proudly despite its appearance.
And standing some feet in front of the house, was a familiar patch of purple hair, attached to a young man with familiar green eyes.
"K...K..." Hollie tried to speak, but her overwhelming emotion made it so difficult. Finally, she re-discovered the ability of speech. "Kouji!!" she cried out, racing towards the young man, who glanced over in time for his eyes to widen as a Holstaurus rapidly closed in on him, before embracing him so hard that the two fell to the ground. "I...I'm sorry!" Hollie cried, regaining at least some of her senses after hitting the ground. "It...It's just, after so long, and seeing you....I....I..." she stammered, while Kouji only stared back. "All those years ago....you helped me find the way to brighter days, and...."
"Kouji? I heard a noise, is everything OK?" came another voice, as the door to Kouji's house opened up. Hollie turned in time to see a Mamono, specifically a Siren, step out of Kouji's home. She had rather pretty short red hair and soft-looking red feathers, but Hollie was concerned with her pink eyes, currently looking over at Hollie and Kouji, still entangled in each other. Hollie couldn't discern the emotion behind the Siren's eyes, but she did understand the situation.
"I...I...I'm sorry!" Hollie blurted out, before standing up and running back the way she came, pushing her way back into the forest. Tears streamed from her eyes while she ran, and before long, she couldn't run anymore, and sank to her feet, still crying. 'I should have known...' Hollie mentally chastised herself. 'After this long, of course he'd already be taken. Why should I have thought otherwise?' Sniffling and wiping her tears, she sighed. "I'm such a selfish girl..."
"I don't know, you seem kinda nice to me." Hollie looked up, and saw the Siren descending down to her. "Though you didn't give me much of a chance to get to know you." she said, smiling slightly.
"I...I'm sorry, it's just...I didn't want to make you mad..." Hollie trailed off.
The Siren laughed a little bit. "I was surprised to see Kouji on the ground with a Holstaurus all of a sudden, but I'm a good enough person not to jump to the worst conclusion. Kouji asked me to come get you, anyway."
"He did?"
The Siren nodded. "Considering the way he looked, and you acted, I'd bet there's a story involved, and I want to hear all about it. Why don't you come back to the house, and we can get to know each other?" the Siren asked.
Hollie was surprised at this, but if at least meant she could see Kouji a little longer, she was happy. "OK. That's sounds nice."
"Then it's settled! Come with me...uh...?"
"Oh! Hollie."
"Nice to meet you, Hollie! Call me Kyouka!"
"It's a little project I'm working on. I'm just doing some research to move it along." he claimed. Satisfied with that answer, Hollie returned to her daily life.
Her nightly life, however, had been changing. As the years went by from when she first joined Leo's "family," many a nightly sleep were taken over by dreams of Kouji. Initially, they had simply been replaying of memories, repeating their first and only meeting every night. As the years passed, the dreams slowly took a new form, to more desired scenarios for first meetings. Naturally, these dreams were quickly becoming romantically inclined, and lately, the scenarios were becoming more...."adult." Time and time again, Hollie would be unable to sleep soundly unless she achieved a manner of physical release, thinking of Kouji as she did so. This was rapidly becoming a nightly occurrence, too.
Hollie had to admit to herself: she had fallen for Kouji. She only wished she knew where he was...
-------------
Some weeks later, Leo approached Hollie as she relaxed in the yard.
"Well, Hollie, though any more about the love of your life?" he asked.
Hollie turned red. "L-Leo!"
Leo just laughed. "I kid, I kid. ....Thought about approaching him?"
"Of course I have. But, I don't know where he is..." Hollie mused, before Leo held out a piece of paper to Hollie. "Huh? What's...?" she said, before taking a closer look. It was a map, although crudely drawn, showing a "You Are Here" over a drawing of Leo's home, then a line leading to a drawing of the town square, then off into a forest, then to a gap in the forest, and a small house, drawn with a big heart around it. Slowly it dawned on Hollie exactly what she was looking at. "Is this...?"
"It took a little while to track him down, but it turns out he's made a livin' not far from here. It'll take a little while to get there, but...Oof!" his words were cut off when Hollie gave him a crushing hug, and began running to follow the map to where Kouji was now living. "Ho ho! Ah, young love..." Leo mused as he watched the Holstaurus fade into the distance.
"You're so kind, Master Leo." Sailee, who had been watching nearby, commented. "Some would say too kind."
"Poppycock! There's no such thing as too kind!" Leo asserted.
-------------------
Although ordinarily, one would pace themselves on a trip like this, the prospect of seeing Kouji once again thrilled Hollie to no end, and so she ran the entire trip, gripping tightly to the map that led the way. In what seemed like no time at all, she had already made it to the forest marked on the paper, and she wasted no time pushing bushes and branches out of her way. She was a Holstaurus on a mission!
'It shouldn't be much longer...' Hollie thought, before noticing light escaping from between the tightly-clumped trees. 'There! This must be it!' Her excitement was beginning to peak, as she pushed through the forest to the clearing ahead.
It was a circular clearing, and amidst the short grass was a small, modest house, standing proudly despite its appearance.
And standing some feet in front of the house, was a familiar patch of purple hair, attached to a young man with familiar green eyes.
"K...K..." Hollie tried to speak, but her overwhelming emotion made it so difficult. Finally, she re-discovered the ability of speech. "Kouji!!" she cried out, racing towards the young man, who glanced over in time for his eyes to widen as a Holstaurus rapidly closed in on him, before embracing him so hard that the two fell to the ground. "I...I'm sorry!" Hollie cried, regaining at least some of her senses after hitting the ground. "It...It's just, after so long, and seeing you....I....I..." she stammered, while Kouji only stared back. "All those years ago....you helped me find the way to brighter days, and...."
"Kouji? I heard a noise, is everything OK?" came another voice, as the door to Kouji's house opened up. Hollie turned in time to see a Mamono, specifically a Siren, step out of Kouji's home. She had rather pretty short red hair and soft-looking red feathers, but Hollie was concerned with her pink eyes, currently looking over at Hollie and Kouji, still entangled in each other. Hollie couldn't discern the emotion behind the Siren's eyes, but she did understand the situation.
"I...I...I'm sorry!" Hollie blurted out, before standing up and running back the way she came, pushing her way back into the forest. Tears streamed from her eyes while she ran, and before long, she couldn't run anymore, and sank to her feet, still crying. 'I should have known...' Hollie mentally chastised herself. 'After this long, of course he'd already be taken. Why should I have thought otherwise?' Sniffling and wiping her tears, she sighed. "I'm such a selfish girl..."
"I don't know, you seem kinda nice to me." Hollie looked up, and saw the Siren descending down to her. "Though you didn't give me much of a chance to get to know you." she said, smiling slightly.
"I...I'm sorry, it's just...I didn't want to make you mad..." Hollie trailed off.
The Siren laughed a little bit. "I was surprised to see Kouji on the ground with a Holstaurus all of a sudden, but I'm a good enough person not to jump to the worst conclusion. Kouji asked me to come get you, anyway."
"He did?"
The Siren nodded. "Considering the way he looked, and you acted, I'd bet there's a story involved, and I want to hear all about it. Why don't you come back to the house, and we can get to know each other?" the Siren asked.
Hollie was surprised at this, but if at least meant she could see Kouji a little longer, she was happy. "OK. That's sounds nice."
"Then it's settled! Come with me...uh...?"
"Oh! Hollie."
"Nice to meet you, Hollie! Call me Kyouka!"
Chapter 4
Spoiler: show
"Hmm...so that's the story." Kyouka mused, after Hollie had finished the tale of what had happened to her over the past few years.
"Yes." Hollie replied, looking down.
"Our little hero." Kyouka said, grinning as she patted Kouji on the back. Kouji simply smiled in embarrassment. "Seems like you really made an impact."
"It's...more than that." Hollie said. "My mother would tell me, 'The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark, they will brighten.' When I was in that town, my days were at their darkest. Once Kouji found me and help me, things looked like they would get darker...but instead, they became the brightest they'd been in years. All thanks to you, Kouji. You....you were a ray of hope that lit my way." she finished, adoration in her voice. Kouji stared at her for the longest time, before turning red and looking away. "But to think, that...because of me, you can't...." Hollie's voice fell.
Kouji reached over and took her hand in his. Hollie looked up and met Kouji's gaze. Kouji smiled back at her kindly, and squeezed her hand firmly, and Hollie found herself smiling back.
"I'd say he doesn't want you to worry about it. He's accepted it for a long time now." Kyouka observed, and Kouji nodded in agreement.
Kouji took Hollie's hand, put it palm-up, and began tracing words with his fingers.
I'm just glad you're OK.
Overwhelmed, Hollie rose up, moved over to Kouji, and embraced him tightly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you." she whispered. "If only I had found you sooner..." she mused out loud.
"What are you talking about?" Kyouka said.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Hollie said, releasing Kouji from her hug, looking a little worried that Kyouka had overheard.
"'Found him sooner?' Do you think, after hearing a story like that, I'm going to put a monopoly on him?" Kyouka asked, crossing her wings. Now it was time for both Kouji and Hollie to stare at Kyouka in confusion. "You love him, don't you?" Hollie blushed, but nodded. "And I love him, too. Kouji, you like both of us, don't you?" Kouji seemed taken aback by this line of questioning, but reacted as Hollie did, nodding and blushing. "Then it's settled! You'll stay with us and we'll all be one big, loving family!" Kyouka declared joyfully.
"W...What?!" Hollie said, shocked.
"It's just like music. When you feel it, you need to express it, with those you want to express it to. We all feel love for each other, so let's go express it!" Kyouka said, and without waiting for further input, took hold of Hollie and Kouji, and pulled them into the bedroom.
-----------------------
Once in the bedroom, Kyouka shut the door behind them, and began snuggling up to Kouji. Hollie just stared as Kyouka nuzzled against Kouji neck, kissing him there.
"It's OK with you, isn't it, Kouji?" she asked. Kouji hesitated, then nodded, but then looked over at Hollie. Hollie realized he was wondering about her approval.
Hollie blushed, and looked back at Kouji. "S...So long as my f...first is you...I...I don't mind." she stammered.
"There you go." Kyouka said, and then moved to remove Kouji shirt from him, to which he complied. Hollie admired the sight of a shirtless Kouji, with muscles nice and lean, and began fidgeting. The atmosphere was beginning to get to her. "Go to her." Kyouka said, gesturing toward Hollie.
Kouji stood in front of Hollie, and gently brushed her cheek with his finger. "Hollie..." he whispered. Kyouka had told Hollie that Kouji was regaining his voice slowly, but this was the first time she'd heard it in so long. Hollie closed her eyes and leaned forward, and Kouji did the same, their lips finally meeting.
Hollie was ecstatic, finally kissing the man of her dreams, and the kisses just got deeper, and deeper, until Hollie reluctantly pulled away, and pulled her shirt off, letting her massive breasts free. Hollie turned red as Kouji ogled them. "Must be nice..." Kyouka mused, having removed her own shirt, and brushing her wings against her own mediocre bust.
"Ah...I don't usually pay much attention to them...ah!" Hollie breathed, as Kouji began fondling her breasts, squeezing them and teasing her nipples. Before long, the build-up was too much, and another squeeze from Kouji, and Hollie cried out as milk came out from her breasts, splashing on Kouji's chest a little. 'Milking feels good....but never that good!' Hollie thought. Breathing heavily, she decided to take the initiative. She pushed against Kouji lightly moving him to sit on the bed, while she hastily undid his pants. She was nervous, this being her first time ever seeing a man this way, but once she started, she couldn't being herself to stop. With a single motion, she took him into her mouth, causing him to inhale sharply. Hollie bobbed her head up and down, her tongue flicking across his shaft all the while. After a few minutes, Hollie released him, and decided to use the technique that she was told all men enjoy.
Sidling closer, she placed her breasts on both sides of Kouji's dick, and slowly began sliding them against it, and pressing against it. Kouji let out a moan of pleasure, encouraging Hollie further. Meanwhile, Kyouka, who at this point had stripped down and was rubbing her wings against her pussy, moved closer to Kouji. "How about helping me out, Kouji?" she whispered, kissing him. Kouji laid back, and Kyouka placed herself above him, and Kyouka yelped out as Kouji serviced her with his tongue, sliding it across her pussy.
Before long, Kouji tensed up, and as Kyouka cried out from an orgasm, so, too, did Kouji groan, and Hollie squealed as stream after stream of semen shot from Kouji, landing on her face and breasts. Completely overcome by the atmosphere, Hollie scooped up and swallowed each drop, before quickly removing the last bits of her clothing.
"I...I can't take anymore!" she moaned. "Please, Kouji...make me yours!" she said, sitting on the bed. Kouji moved to her, and Hollie laid back while Kouji positioned himself above her, and placed his shaft at her entrance. Kouji gave her a quick glance for confirmation, and Hollie nodded, and cried out when Kouji thrust himself inside her. She'd never felt anything like this before, and nothing she did by herself could ever compare. Kouji continued to thrust away at her, gently at first, then, at her request, faster, harder...she reached up and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. While she embraced him, he took one of her nipples into his mouth and began to suck, causing Hollie to cry out in ecstasy. She could feel milk flowing from her again, and Kouji lapped it up, which filled him with more energy, as his continuous thrusting took on an even more powerful edge.
"Kouji..." Kyouka said, holding him from behind while he continued to skewer Hollie. Kouji held Kyouka, then moved her beside Hollie, and thrust his finger inside Kyouka, causing her to cry out in sync with Hollie. The two were in complete rapture, as Kouji pleased them both immensely, never stopping, always working towards their pleasure. In the heat of the moment, Kyouka and Hollie moved closer to each other, and began kissing each other, their tongues entwining while they moaned and screamed out their cries of pleasure.
Finally, the moment came, and Kouji tightened up and began speeding up even more inside Hollie. Hollie broke away from Kyouka, and looked up at Kouji. "Go ahead...fill me up!" she cried out, and no sooner than she said that, that Kouji couldn't contain himself, and released burst after burst of cum inside her, filling her up so completely that her body rocked in another, final orgasm. Kyouka moaned loudly as well, having reached another orgasm of her own. As Kouji pulled out of Hollie, Hollie smiled dimly, and fell into an exhausted sleep.
The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was Kyouka's whisper of "My turn..." to Kouji.
------------------------
Later, as Hollie lay to one side of Kouji, Kyouka to the other, Hollie snuggled up closer to Kouji, exhausted from what they had just finished.
'This is a dream come true...' Hollie thought, smiling to herself. 'Today's the happiest day of my life...'
Little did she know, however, that that wasn't true...
-------------------------
So it came to pass that Hollie did indeed begin to live alongside Kouji and Kyouka. Living together, eating together, sleeping together (in all senses of the phrase)....Hollie was enjoying the days even more than ever.
After a few weeks, though, she noticed something odd. Kyouka and Kouji would be discussing things in secret, and would quickly change subjects once Hollie was in earshot. Many days, Kouji or Kyouka would head off to do some "errands" by themselves, and wouldn't return for a long time. They seemed to be conspiring for something...
Ordinarily, one would be suspicious as to why they left Hollie out of all these plans, and one might get angry or confrontational. Not Hollie, however. She trusted the two completely, and knew that if they weren't telling her something, they had good reason to. During the weeks that this took place, Hollie continued on as normal.
Then the moment came.
One day, Kyouka had returned from an errand, excited and eager, and rushed to inform Kouji about it. The next day, Kouji disappeared into town, heading in the direction that Hollie had originally arrived from, towards Leo's town.
Hollie thought nothing of it while Kouji was gone, as she enjoyed the grass beneath her feet, while Kyouka sat on the roof of the house, enjoying the fresh breeze. After some time, Kyouka called out to Hollie.
"Hey, here comes Kouji! ...Well, it looks like he brought a friend, too! Look at that, Hollie!"
Hollie, complied, looking in the direction that Kyouka pointed out....and froze when she saw who Kouji was walking towards them with.
That familiar silver hair, and the blue eyes Hollie had known so well...
"...M...MOTHER!!" Hollie said, running at full speed towards her maternal parent, who stood next to Kouji, smiling beautiful with her arms open, into which Hollie dived, embracing her mother and sobbing openly. "Mother! Mother!" Hollie repeated, each time more joyous than the last.
"My dear, sweet, Hollie." her mother replied, hugging her tightly. "It's been so long...you've grown so beautiful. I can hardly believe this is real."
"Mother...you were right, Mother!" Hollie said, looking up. "Remember what you always said?"
Hollie's mother smiled. "The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark..."
"...They will brighten. And now, they can't get any brighter!" Hollie exclaimed, burying her face into her mother's chest, still crying tears of joy.
Kouji watched on and smiled, as Kyouka soared over and landed next to him.
"Weeks or scheming, searching, stubbornness, and working together with that Leo guy...it was all worth it, huh?" she said, and Kouji nodded. "Doing all this stuff for people, though...You're too nice, Kouji." she said, grinning.
Kouji just shook his head, then traced a little message on Kyouka's shoulder.
No such thing as too nice.
"Yes." Hollie replied, looking down.
"Our little hero." Kyouka said, grinning as she patted Kouji on the back. Kouji simply smiled in embarrassment. "Seems like you really made an impact."
"It's...more than that." Hollie said. "My mother would tell me, 'The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark, they will brighten.' When I was in that town, my days were at their darkest. Once Kouji found me and help me, things looked like they would get darker...but instead, they became the brightest they'd been in years. All thanks to you, Kouji. You....you were a ray of hope that lit my way." she finished, adoration in her voice. Kouji stared at her for the longest time, before turning red and looking away. "But to think, that...because of me, you can't...." Hollie's voice fell.
Kouji reached over and took her hand in his. Hollie looked up and met Kouji's gaze. Kouji smiled back at her kindly, and squeezed her hand firmly, and Hollie found herself smiling back.
"I'd say he doesn't want you to worry about it. He's accepted it for a long time now." Kyouka observed, and Kouji nodded in agreement.
Kouji took Hollie's hand, put it palm-up, and began tracing words with his fingers.
I'm just glad you're OK.
Overwhelmed, Hollie rose up, moved over to Kouji, and embraced him tightly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "Thank you." she whispered. "If only I had found you sooner..." she mused out loud.
"What are you talking about?" Kyouka said.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Hollie said, releasing Kouji from her hug, looking a little worried that Kyouka had overheard.
"'Found him sooner?' Do you think, after hearing a story like that, I'm going to put a monopoly on him?" Kyouka asked, crossing her wings. Now it was time for both Kouji and Hollie to stare at Kyouka in confusion. "You love him, don't you?" Hollie blushed, but nodded. "And I love him, too. Kouji, you like both of us, don't you?" Kouji seemed taken aback by this line of questioning, but reacted as Hollie did, nodding and blushing. "Then it's settled! You'll stay with us and we'll all be one big, loving family!" Kyouka declared joyfully.
"W...What?!" Hollie said, shocked.
"It's just like music. When you feel it, you need to express it, with those you want to express it to. We all feel love for each other, so let's go express it!" Kyouka said, and without waiting for further input, took hold of Hollie and Kouji, and pulled them into the bedroom.
-----------------------
Once in the bedroom, Kyouka shut the door behind them, and began snuggling up to Kouji. Hollie just stared as Kyouka nuzzled against Kouji neck, kissing him there.
"It's OK with you, isn't it, Kouji?" she asked. Kouji hesitated, then nodded, but then looked over at Hollie. Hollie realized he was wondering about her approval.
Hollie blushed, and looked back at Kouji. "S...So long as my f...first is you...I...I don't mind." she stammered.
"There you go." Kyouka said, and then moved to remove Kouji shirt from him, to which he complied. Hollie admired the sight of a shirtless Kouji, with muscles nice and lean, and began fidgeting. The atmosphere was beginning to get to her. "Go to her." Kyouka said, gesturing toward Hollie.
Kouji stood in front of Hollie, and gently brushed her cheek with his finger. "Hollie..." he whispered. Kyouka had told Hollie that Kouji was regaining his voice slowly, but this was the first time she'd heard it in so long. Hollie closed her eyes and leaned forward, and Kouji did the same, their lips finally meeting.
Hollie was ecstatic, finally kissing the man of her dreams, and the kisses just got deeper, and deeper, until Hollie reluctantly pulled away, and pulled her shirt off, letting her massive breasts free. Hollie turned red as Kouji ogled them. "Must be nice..." Kyouka mused, having removed her own shirt, and brushing her wings against her own mediocre bust.
"Ah...I don't usually pay much attention to them...ah!" Hollie breathed, as Kouji began fondling her breasts, squeezing them and teasing her nipples. Before long, the build-up was too much, and another squeeze from Kouji, and Hollie cried out as milk came out from her breasts, splashing on Kouji's chest a little. 'Milking feels good....but never that good!' Hollie thought. Breathing heavily, she decided to take the initiative. She pushed against Kouji lightly moving him to sit on the bed, while she hastily undid his pants. She was nervous, this being her first time ever seeing a man this way, but once she started, she couldn't being herself to stop. With a single motion, she took him into her mouth, causing him to inhale sharply. Hollie bobbed her head up and down, her tongue flicking across his shaft all the while. After a few minutes, Hollie released him, and decided to use the technique that she was told all men enjoy.
Sidling closer, she placed her breasts on both sides of Kouji's dick, and slowly began sliding them against it, and pressing against it. Kouji let out a moan of pleasure, encouraging Hollie further. Meanwhile, Kyouka, who at this point had stripped down and was rubbing her wings against her pussy, moved closer to Kouji. "How about helping me out, Kouji?" she whispered, kissing him. Kouji laid back, and Kyouka placed herself above him, and Kyouka yelped out as Kouji serviced her with his tongue, sliding it across her pussy.
Before long, Kouji tensed up, and as Kyouka cried out from an orgasm, so, too, did Kouji groan, and Hollie squealed as stream after stream of semen shot from Kouji, landing on her face and breasts. Completely overcome by the atmosphere, Hollie scooped up and swallowed each drop, before quickly removing the last bits of her clothing.
"I...I can't take anymore!" she moaned. "Please, Kouji...make me yours!" she said, sitting on the bed. Kouji moved to her, and Hollie laid back while Kouji positioned himself above her, and placed his shaft at her entrance. Kouji gave her a quick glance for confirmation, and Hollie nodded, and cried out when Kouji thrust himself inside her. She'd never felt anything like this before, and nothing she did by herself could ever compare. Kouji continued to thrust away at her, gently at first, then, at her request, faster, harder...she reached up and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. While she embraced him, he took one of her nipples into his mouth and began to suck, causing Hollie to cry out in ecstasy. She could feel milk flowing from her again, and Kouji lapped it up, which filled him with more energy, as his continuous thrusting took on an even more powerful edge.
"Kouji..." Kyouka said, holding him from behind while he continued to skewer Hollie. Kouji held Kyouka, then moved her beside Hollie, and thrust his finger inside Kyouka, causing her to cry out in sync with Hollie. The two were in complete rapture, as Kouji pleased them both immensely, never stopping, always working towards their pleasure. In the heat of the moment, Kyouka and Hollie moved closer to each other, and began kissing each other, their tongues entwining while they moaned and screamed out their cries of pleasure.
Finally, the moment came, and Kouji tightened up and began speeding up even more inside Hollie. Hollie broke away from Kyouka, and looked up at Kouji. "Go ahead...fill me up!" she cried out, and no sooner than she said that, that Kouji couldn't contain himself, and released burst after burst of cum inside her, filling her up so completely that her body rocked in another, final orgasm. Kyouka moaned loudly as well, having reached another orgasm of her own. As Kouji pulled out of Hollie, Hollie smiled dimly, and fell into an exhausted sleep.
The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was Kyouka's whisper of "My turn..." to Kouji.
------------------------
Later, as Hollie lay to one side of Kouji, Kyouka to the other, Hollie snuggled up closer to Kouji, exhausted from what they had just finished.
'This is a dream come true...' Hollie thought, smiling to herself. 'Today's the happiest day of my life...'
Little did she know, however, that that wasn't true...
-------------------------
So it came to pass that Hollie did indeed begin to live alongside Kouji and Kyouka. Living together, eating together, sleeping together (in all senses of the phrase)....Hollie was enjoying the days even more than ever.
After a few weeks, though, she noticed something odd. Kyouka and Kouji would be discussing things in secret, and would quickly change subjects once Hollie was in earshot. Many days, Kouji or Kyouka would head off to do some "errands" by themselves, and wouldn't return for a long time. They seemed to be conspiring for something...
Ordinarily, one would be suspicious as to why they left Hollie out of all these plans, and one might get angry or confrontational. Not Hollie, however. She trusted the two completely, and knew that if they weren't telling her something, they had good reason to. During the weeks that this took place, Hollie continued on as normal.
Then the moment came.
One day, Kyouka had returned from an errand, excited and eager, and rushed to inform Kouji about it. The next day, Kouji disappeared into town, heading in the direction that Hollie had originally arrived from, towards Leo's town.
Hollie thought nothing of it while Kouji was gone, as she enjoyed the grass beneath her feet, while Kyouka sat on the roof of the house, enjoying the fresh breeze. After some time, Kyouka called out to Hollie.
"Hey, here comes Kouji! ...Well, it looks like he brought a friend, too! Look at that, Hollie!"
Hollie, complied, looking in the direction that Kyouka pointed out....and froze when she saw who Kouji was walking towards them with.
That familiar silver hair, and the blue eyes Hollie had known so well...
"...M...MOTHER!!" Hollie said, running at full speed towards her maternal parent, who stood next to Kouji, smiling beautiful with her arms open, into which Hollie dived, embracing her mother and sobbing openly. "Mother! Mother!" Hollie repeated, each time more joyous than the last.
"My dear, sweet, Hollie." her mother replied, hugging her tightly. "It's been so long...you've grown so beautiful. I can hardly believe this is real."
"Mother...you were right, Mother!" Hollie said, looking up. "Remember what you always said?"
Hollie's mother smiled. "The sun sets, and the sun rises. Even if the days grow dark..."
"...They will brighten. And now, they can't get any brighter!" Hollie exclaimed, burying her face into her mother's chest, still crying tears of joy.
Kouji watched on and smiled, as Kyouka soared over and landed next to him.
"Weeks or scheming, searching, stubbornness, and working together with that Leo guy...it was all worth it, huh?" she said, and Kouji nodded. "Doing all this stuff for people, though...You're too nice, Kouji." she said, grinning.
Kouji just shook his head, then traced a little message on Kyouka's shoulder.
No such thing as too nice.
===================
Mana's Story
Chapter 1
Spoiler: show
Often throughout life, we make connections to others. Our actions, our words...any of these could have a profound effect on those around us. But sometimes, connections are made without one realizing. Actions are taken that go unnoticed, and words spoken that take new meaning. This is one such time...
------------------
A young Kouji explores the woods near his town, bouncing around happily and hoping to spot a Mamono to befriend. Naturally, he does this in secret, as the others in his town all hate Mamono, though he does not know why.
As Kouji's bright green eyes search through the foliage, down from a tree branch flies a woman of cool beauty, black hair, and black plumage. Kouji remembers from reading that he has just come face to face with a Crow Tengu. The woman surveys him with her pink-colored eyes, as if expecting him to make the first move. So he does.
"Hi, Miss. Umm...My name's Kouji! Umm..." After introducing himself, Kouji is unsure of what else to say.
The Crow Tengu continues to observe him, before finally speaking. "You are from...that village, aren't you? Why are you talking to me?"
"Well...I like Mamono. I think they're cool! And...really pretty, too! I don't know why everyone else doesn't."
The woman smiles at the young boy, an innocent amongst a town full of hatred. "I see." she says, drawing closer.
"So, can we be friends?" the boy asks.
The woman still smiles, but now seems sad. Taking a wing and brushing the boy's cheek with it, she says "I'm afraid not. Were someone from your town to see me, I'm afraid they would do terrible things....to both of us."
"But...I want a friend..."
The woman's wing brushes through Kouji's unkempt purple hair. "...Perhaps when you are older. Indeed, you will make a fine man one day. Until then...." the woman then placed her lips against the boy's forehead, giving him a quick kiss before backing away to take to the sky.
"Wait! At least tell me your name, Miss!"
The woman hesitated for a few moments, then smiled. "...Mana." And with that, she was gone.
"Mana..." the boy mused. At the time, the boy believed he would never again see the Crow Tengu he had met that day.
Little did he know that she has a deeper connection to his present life....
------------------
A young Kouji explores the woods near his town, bouncing around happily and hoping to spot a Mamono to befriend. Naturally, he does this in secret, as the others in his town all hate Mamono, though he does not know why.
As Kouji's bright green eyes search through the foliage, down from a tree branch flies a woman of cool beauty, black hair, and black plumage. Kouji remembers from reading that he has just come face to face with a Crow Tengu. The woman surveys him with her pink-colored eyes, as if expecting him to make the first move. So he does.
"Hi, Miss. Umm...My name's Kouji! Umm..." After introducing himself, Kouji is unsure of what else to say.
The Crow Tengu continues to observe him, before finally speaking. "You are from...that village, aren't you? Why are you talking to me?"
"Well...I like Mamono. I think they're cool! And...really pretty, too! I don't know why everyone else doesn't."
The woman smiles at the young boy, an innocent amongst a town full of hatred. "I see." she says, drawing closer.
"So, can we be friends?" the boy asks.
The woman still smiles, but now seems sad. Taking a wing and brushing the boy's cheek with it, she says "I'm afraid not. Were someone from your town to see me, I'm afraid they would do terrible things....to both of us."
"But...I want a friend..."
The woman's wing brushes through Kouji's unkempt purple hair. "...Perhaps when you are older. Indeed, you will make a fine man one day. Until then...." the woman then placed her lips against the boy's forehead, giving him a quick kiss before backing away to take to the sky.
"Wait! At least tell me your name, Miss!"
The woman hesitated for a few moments, then smiled. "...Mana." And with that, she was gone.
"Mana..." the boy mused. At the time, the boy believed he would never again see the Crow Tengu he had met that day.
Little did he know that she has a deeper connection to his present life....
Chapter 2
Spoiler: show
Mana was an introspective Mamono. Her home was the inner reaches of her mind, where she would lose herself in thought for hours at a time.
Currently, her thoughts flicked back to that boy of purple hair and green eyes...
It had been years since she had seen that little one, but her thoughts would occasionally return to him. Such a sweet child, he seemed like. A lover of Mamono amongst the town of rabid Mamono-haters....such irony. By now he would be approaching human teenage years. By now, he would be starting to grow into a fine-looking man....No! She shouldn't start thinking like that. She was a Crow Tengu, not a Succubus! Thinking of corrupting a minor...it wasn't Mana's kind of thing. But still, he was rather cute...Mana's thoughts continued in such a manner.
As she roamed the skies, as she often did, Mana's thoughts were interrupted as she bore witness to a strange little drama taking place below. Two burly human men, the kind who looked to have expended most brain cells in favor of muscles, were standing outside their mode of transportation, talking amongst themselves about something. Mana perched upon a tree as they continued to talk, until one of them made a move for their vehicle, and out from the vehicle he pulled a Holstaurus, sleeping, though perhaps not peacefully. Mana dropped in closer to see what was happening.
"If we can't make anything off of her, what can we do with her?"
"....."
"Not like we can exactly go back and get the other one. Wouldn't look right."
"...Yeah. This stuff leaves a bad enough taste in my mouth as it is."
"So, what do we do?"
"Excuse me." Mana piped up, interrupting the conversation. The two men turned, surprised to be not alone her, but Mana paid that no mind. "If you don't wish to keep her any longer, than might I suggest you place her...gently, mind you...onto that open patch of grass over there?" she proposed, gesturing a single black wing in that direction.
The men, perhaps just susceptible to any suggestion at this point, did as they were told, and let the Holstaurus down easily into the field. Humorously, after they did so, they looked back to Mana as if they were lost children in need of directions. Mana simply made a gesture that signified they were done here, and after that, the men were gone.
Mana flapped over to the sleeping Holstaurus girl. She was young, perhaps 13 years, Mana surmised, with very pretty blue hair. She slept softly, but Mana saw the tear streaks on the girl's cheeks. Bringing a wing through the girl's blue hair, Mana whispered to her. "I cannot do much for you, little one. But I will watch and see you to safety."
Mana had no idea that, the next day, when the Holstaurus would be in immediate danger, it would not be Mana who saw her to safety...
================
Mana perched on a tree, watching over the sleeping Holstaurus girl, waiting for the time when she would awaken. She wasn't sure what exactly she would do once she did, but she did say that she would help the girl somehow, and that was a promise Mana intended to keep. Her thoughts were interrupted once the girl began to stir.
The girl got up, looking around, obviously confused as to why she was suddenly in an unfamiliar area. Mana was formulating a plan to indicate to the girl where she should go, but the girl had already noticed the weathered trail, and had begun to wander on her own. Mana followed, but kept herself out of sight and notice, as the Holstaurus gave of an air of timidity, and one wrong move would probably send her running off at speeds to which Mana could not follow.
Eventually, the girl (and subsequently, Mana) made it to the outskirts of a town. The Holstaurus looked joyful, but something resonated wrongly within Mana. Something felt bad about this area, but before Mana could figure it out, the girl was making a quick dash into the town, chasing after a piece of fruit that had fallen to the ground. Mana took flight and perched upon a nearby tall tree, hiding amongst the leaves, still trying to figure out what was wrong.
She got her answer when a rough-looking man grabbed hold of the girl before she could take the fruit, and began yelling at her. That's when Mana realized what was wrong.
'Oh, no...' she thought. 'It's that village. The one inhabited solely by those with a grand hatred of all things Mamono! I...I have to do something, or she'll...!' But no matter how much Mana tried to psyche herself into heroics, it didn't work, as a crowd of angry townspeople flocked around the girl, all of them getting angrier and rowdier with each second. And then Mana saw one pull out a weapon.
The sight of the blade locked Mana in place, and locked her vision on scene. Despite her promise, Mana knew what it was that kept her from acting; her only weapons were words, as she had no truly great physical strength or gifts. What could she do against a group of people so motivated by hatred that words would never reach them? Mana could only watch as the weapon made a sharp descent....
...But was stopped by a young boy that looked very familiar. Mana instantly recognized him as an older Kouji, the young boy she had met years before, and who had occupied her thoughts ever since.
She watched as the boy passionately defended the Holstaurus before the momentarily passive mob, only for his words and actions to incite further rage, causing them to lash out at both of them. The boy quickly responded by grabbing the girl and running, and it was then that Mana finally seemed to regain control of her body, and took off after them.
They traveled fast. Once Mana had caught up, Kouji and the girl had apparently just finished a discussion, and although she seemed reluctant, the girl hugged Kouji before hiding in the shrubbery, while Kouji ran in a different direction. Mana wanted to follow Kouji, but remembering her unheard promise to the Holstaurus, she stayed with her. As the girl pushed through the bushed and trees, Mana heard Kouji cry out, and realized that he must have sacrificed himself to let the girl escape. Mana cringed alongside the girl as they both heard the sounds of the mob pummeling the poor boy. Still, the girl pressed on...
...But after long she seemed too tired from these recent ordeals to go on, and collapsed against a tree, falling into an uneasy sleep. Mana watched over her sadly, these recent events leaving a bad taste in her mouth, before looking up and seeing a house in the distance. Instantly, Mana recognized the house.
"Of course." Mana mused to herself. "I may not be able to do much for her, but he can..."
With that, Mana took to the skies and flew to the almost-absurdly large home. As she arrived there, a Holstaurus with a dull-silver head of hair and indigo eyes looked up from her current tending to the garden, to greet her.
"Why, Miss Mana, it's been so long."
"Yes, indeed it has. But, I cannot simply chat right now. Sailee, I need to speak with Leo...now."
Currently, her thoughts flicked back to that boy of purple hair and green eyes...
It had been years since she had seen that little one, but her thoughts would occasionally return to him. Such a sweet child, he seemed like. A lover of Mamono amongst the town of rabid Mamono-haters....such irony. By now he would be approaching human teenage years. By now, he would be starting to grow into a fine-looking man....No! She shouldn't start thinking like that. She was a Crow Tengu, not a Succubus! Thinking of corrupting a minor...it wasn't Mana's kind of thing. But still, he was rather cute...Mana's thoughts continued in such a manner.
As she roamed the skies, as she often did, Mana's thoughts were interrupted as she bore witness to a strange little drama taking place below. Two burly human men, the kind who looked to have expended most brain cells in favor of muscles, were standing outside their mode of transportation, talking amongst themselves about something. Mana perched upon a tree as they continued to talk, until one of them made a move for their vehicle, and out from the vehicle he pulled a Holstaurus, sleeping, though perhaps not peacefully. Mana dropped in closer to see what was happening.
"If we can't make anything off of her, what can we do with her?"
"....."
"Not like we can exactly go back and get the other one. Wouldn't look right."
"...Yeah. This stuff leaves a bad enough taste in my mouth as it is."
"So, what do we do?"
"Excuse me." Mana piped up, interrupting the conversation. The two men turned, surprised to be not alone her, but Mana paid that no mind. "If you don't wish to keep her any longer, than might I suggest you place her...gently, mind you...onto that open patch of grass over there?" she proposed, gesturing a single black wing in that direction.
The men, perhaps just susceptible to any suggestion at this point, did as they were told, and let the Holstaurus down easily into the field. Humorously, after they did so, they looked back to Mana as if they were lost children in need of directions. Mana simply made a gesture that signified they were done here, and after that, the men were gone.
Mana flapped over to the sleeping Holstaurus girl. She was young, perhaps 13 years, Mana surmised, with very pretty blue hair. She slept softly, but Mana saw the tear streaks on the girl's cheeks. Bringing a wing through the girl's blue hair, Mana whispered to her. "I cannot do much for you, little one. But I will watch and see you to safety."
Mana had no idea that, the next day, when the Holstaurus would be in immediate danger, it would not be Mana who saw her to safety...
================
Mana perched on a tree, watching over the sleeping Holstaurus girl, waiting for the time when she would awaken. She wasn't sure what exactly she would do once she did, but she did say that she would help the girl somehow, and that was a promise Mana intended to keep. Her thoughts were interrupted once the girl began to stir.
The girl got up, looking around, obviously confused as to why she was suddenly in an unfamiliar area. Mana was formulating a plan to indicate to the girl where she should go, but the girl had already noticed the weathered trail, and had begun to wander on her own. Mana followed, but kept herself out of sight and notice, as the Holstaurus gave of an air of timidity, and one wrong move would probably send her running off at speeds to which Mana could not follow.
Eventually, the girl (and subsequently, Mana) made it to the outskirts of a town. The Holstaurus looked joyful, but something resonated wrongly within Mana. Something felt bad about this area, but before Mana could figure it out, the girl was making a quick dash into the town, chasing after a piece of fruit that had fallen to the ground. Mana took flight and perched upon a nearby tall tree, hiding amongst the leaves, still trying to figure out what was wrong.
She got her answer when a rough-looking man grabbed hold of the girl before she could take the fruit, and began yelling at her. That's when Mana realized what was wrong.
'Oh, no...' she thought. 'It's that village. The one inhabited solely by those with a grand hatred of all things Mamono! I...I have to do something, or she'll...!' But no matter how much Mana tried to psyche herself into heroics, it didn't work, as a crowd of angry townspeople flocked around the girl, all of them getting angrier and rowdier with each second. And then Mana saw one pull out a weapon.
The sight of the blade locked Mana in place, and locked her vision on scene. Despite her promise, Mana knew what it was that kept her from acting; her only weapons were words, as she had no truly great physical strength or gifts. What could she do against a group of people so motivated by hatred that words would never reach them? Mana could only watch as the weapon made a sharp descent....
...But was stopped by a young boy that looked very familiar. Mana instantly recognized him as an older Kouji, the young boy she had met years before, and who had occupied her thoughts ever since.
She watched as the boy passionately defended the Holstaurus before the momentarily passive mob, only for his words and actions to incite further rage, causing them to lash out at both of them. The boy quickly responded by grabbing the girl and running, and it was then that Mana finally seemed to regain control of her body, and took off after them.
They traveled fast. Once Mana had caught up, Kouji and the girl had apparently just finished a discussion, and although she seemed reluctant, the girl hugged Kouji before hiding in the shrubbery, while Kouji ran in a different direction. Mana wanted to follow Kouji, but remembering her unheard promise to the Holstaurus, she stayed with her. As the girl pushed through the bushed and trees, Mana heard Kouji cry out, and realized that he must have sacrificed himself to let the girl escape. Mana cringed alongside the girl as they both heard the sounds of the mob pummeling the poor boy. Still, the girl pressed on...
...But after long she seemed too tired from these recent ordeals to go on, and collapsed against a tree, falling into an uneasy sleep. Mana watched over her sadly, these recent events leaving a bad taste in her mouth, before looking up and seeing a house in the distance. Instantly, Mana recognized the house.
"Of course." Mana mused to herself. "I may not be able to do much for her, but he can..."
With that, Mana took to the skies and flew to the almost-absurdly large home. As she arrived there, a Holstaurus with a dull-silver head of hair and indigo eyes looked up from her current tending to the garden, to greet her.
"Why, Miss Mana, it's been so long."
"Yes, indeed it has. But, I cannot simply chat right now. Sailee, I need to speak with Leo...now."
Chapter 3
Spoiler: show
"I see." Mana mused, sitting across a table from Leo. "So, you've taken her under your metaphorical wing, have you?"
Leo smiled as he stroked his beard. "Yup. Poor thing, she's had a rough time, I can tell."
Sailee stopped by and placed drinks for the two of them. Gripping her cup with her talons, Mana took a sip and sighed. "...I trust you remembered to honor my request?" she said.
"Of course. As far as the girl is concerned, we just happened across her while she was laying there. You haven't been mentioned at all."
"Thank you. I think it would be best if that is how she believed it."
"And why do you think that?" Mana placed the now-empty cup on the table and looked down, not saying anything. Leo, clever old boy that he was, seemed to read her mind, almost. "I don't think she'd blame you for not helping out there." he said.
"....It was my fault. My own weakness and fear stopped me from helping her..."
"Considering the people there, crippling fear is something it would be strange not to feel. I'm ashamed to say, my son was probably somewhere in that crowd...." Leo said, his eyes gaining a distant look. Mana had seen that look before. Having known Leo for years, she knew that Leo and his son had vastly different views on Mamono. A pity Leo's son couldn't share Leo's compassion for them.
"....In any case, I should perhaps take my leave." Mana said. "I'll stop by a few times, perhaps to check on the girl."
"The door is always open, Mana."
"Thank you."
--------------
True to her word, Mana did stop by every now and then throughout the next few years. Leo's house was always a fine place to visit, often hosting a bevy of other Mamono to interact with. Indeed, this was where most of Mana's social interaction took place.
The girl, whom Mana learned was called Hollie, was growing up nicely, it seemed. The two would occasionally run into each other, and Mana could see that she was a wonderfully kind soul, which made Man simultaneously happy and sad, for someone so kind to be forced through such trouble. And, within her eyes, Mana could tell that Hollie was thinking deeply of something, or perhaps someone.
Of course, Mana was no different. She still thought of Kouji, that kind and brave little boy, who she had lost sight of after he and Hollie were separated. Oftentimes, Mana would stand upon Leo's roof, looking out into the distance, as this was the position she took when deep in thought. Her mind was once again on the boy one day, when Leo called her down for an unusual request.
"I'd like you to take a look at this area." Leo said, showing Mana a crudely marked map that Leo had made. "Hollie's got something real important on her mind, and I think this is where it is." he explained.
Mana acquiesced, wondering what this was all about. The area she was pointed to fly to was an open clearing in the middle of a forest, and Mana could see a house down within. Perching atop a tree, she made a mental note about this simple home, when the door flew open. A rather cute Siren hopped out, and being pulled behind her...
....was him. Kouji. He had grown up to be a fine looking young man, Mana immediately noted. Purple hair as unkempt as ever, but bright green eyes as kind as ever. The pink-haired Siren with him had obviously made a fine choice in a man, as their relationship was obvious.
Mana decided to return to Leo, though her heart weighed heavier on the return trip...
-----------------
As it turned out, Leo had asked her there to see if Kouji had indeed made a home there. Mana learned this after she told him, but a few weeks later, was told that Leo had sent Hollie over there, as Kouji was what Hollie had been thinking of for so long.
"I did make mention of his Siren lover, did I not?" Mana had asked.
"Yes, yes. I just thought the little girl needed some closure, is all." Leo replied.
"And how did it go?"
"I don't know. Haven't heard from her since. Maybe she's taken up residence with the boy, too! Oh ho ho!"
"You are a strange one. You understand that?"
"You ain't the first one to say so. And anyway, wouldn't you like to be living there, too?"
Mana froze up. "W...What do you mean?"
"Oh, come now. I see the way your eyes look when you talk about the boy. You got a thing for him, too!"
"I...I am much too..."
"If you say 'too old,' I'll have to bonk you. No such thing as too old for love, just like there's no such thing as too kind!" Leo declared. "Now, be honest with yourself. If you wanna at least go see the boy again, then go!"
Mana stayed silent, but Leo's words sounded so appealing to her at this point.
--------------------
Later that day, Mana decided to bite the bullet and visit the area, though perhaps not Kouji himself. As she neared, she noticed that something seemed to be going on, so she took cover amongst the treetops to hide and watch. Kouji was coming in from the forest, walking alongside a Holstaurus, though not Hollie. The Siren girl brought this to Hollie's attention, and as soon as Hollie saw the other woman, she froze. Then, she ran to her and embraced her tightly, and Mana could hear her cry out "Mother!"
Mana couldn't help but smile seeing the girl reunited after so much hardship. She seemed to be fine with Kouji and the Siren girl, too, who were watching the scene and smiling. After a short while, Hollie and her mother walked inside the house, undoubtedly to catch up, while Kouji gestured for the Siren to go inside. Mana continued watching as Kouji headed in her direction, then walked right past her. After a certain distance, he stopped, and looked around.
Then he pointed and looked up at her, smiling. "Mana."
Leo smiled as he stroked his beard. "Yup. Poor thing, she's had a rough time, I can tell."
Sailee stopped by and placed drinks for the two of them. Gripping her cup with her talons, Mana took a sip and sighed. "...I trust you remembered to honor my request?" she said.
"Of course. As far as the girl is concerned, we just happened across her while she was laying there. You haven't been mentioned at all."
"Thank you. I think it would be best if that is how she believed it."
"And why do you think that?" Mana placed the now-empty cup on the table and looked down, not saying anything. Leo, clever old boy that he was, seemed to read her mind, almost. "I don't think she'd blame you for not helping out there." he said.
"....It was my fault. My own weakness and fear stopped me from helping her..."
"Considering the people there, crippling fear is something it would be strange not to feel. I'm ashamed to say, my son was probably somewhere in that crowd...." Leo said, his eyes gaining a distant look. Mana had seen that look before. Having known Leo for years, she knew that Leo and his son had vastly different views on Mamono. A pity Leo's son couldn't share Leo's compassion for them.
"....In any case, I should perhaps take my leave." Mana said. "I'll stop by a few times, perhaps to check on the girl."
"The door is always open, Mana."
"Thank you."
--------------
True to her word, Mana did stop by every now and then throughout the next few years. Leo's house was always a fine place to visit, often hosting a bevy of other Mamono to interact with. Indeed, this was where most of Mana's social interaction took place.
The girl, whom Mana learned was called Hollie, was growing up nicely, it seemed. The two would occasionally run into each other, and Mana could see that she was a wonderfully kind soul, which made Man simultaneously happy and sad, for someone so kind to be forced through such trouble. And, within her eyes, Mana could tell that Hollie was thinking deeply of something, or perhaps someone.
Of course, Mana was no different. She still thought of Kouji, that kind and brave little boy, who she had lost sight of after he and Hollie were separated. Oftentimes, Mana would stand upon Leo's roof, looking out into the distance, as this was the position she took when deep in thought. Her mind was once again on the boy one day, when Leo called her down for an unusual request.
"I'd like you to take a look at this area." Leo said, showing Mana a crudely marked map that Leo had made. "Hollie's got something real important on her mind, and I think this is where it is." he explained.
Mana acquiesced, wondering what this was all about. The area she was pointed to fly to was an open clearing in the middle of a forest, and Mana could see a house down within. Perching atop a tree, she made a mental note about this simple home, when the door flew open. A rather cute Siren hopped out, and being pulled behind her...
....was him. Kouji. He had grown up to be a fine looking young man, Mana immediately noted. Purple hair as unkempt as ever, but bright green eyes as kind as ever. The pink-haired Siren with him had obviously made a fine choice in a man, as their relationship was obvious.
Mana decided to return to Leo, though her heart weighed heavier on the return trip...
-----------------
As it turned out, Leo had asked her there to see if Kouji had indeed made a home there. Mana learned this after she told him, but a few weeks later, was told that Leo had sent Hollie over there, as Kouji was what Hollie had been thinking of for so long.
"I did make mention of his Siren lover, did I not?" Mana had asked.
"Yes, yes. I just thought the little girl needed some closure, is all." Leo replied.
"And how did it go?"
"I don't know. Haven't heard from her since. Maybe she's taken up residence with the boy, too! Oh ho ho!"
"You are a strange one. You understand that?"
"You ain't the first one to say so. And anyway, wouldn't you like to be living there, too?"
Mana froze up. "W...What do you mean?"
"Oh, come now. I see the way your eyes look when you talk about the boy. You got a thing for him, too!"
"I...I am much too..."
"If you say 'too old,' I'll have to bonk you. No such thing as too old for love, just like there's no such thing as too kind!" Leo declared. "Now, be honest with yourself. If you wanna at least go see the boy again, then go!"
Mana stayed silent, but Leo's words sounded so appealing to her at this point.
--------------------
Later that day, Mana decided to bite the bullet and visit the area, though perhaps not Kouji himself. As she neared, she noticed that something seemed to be going on, so she took cover amongst the treetops to hide and watch. Kouji was coming in from the forest, walking alongside a Holstaurus, though not Hollie. The Siren girl brought this to Hollie's attention, and as soon as Hollie saw the other woman, she froze. Then, she ran to her and embraced her tightly, and Mana could hear her cry out "Mother!"
Mana couldn't help but smile seeing the girl reunited after so much hardship. She seemed to be fine with Kouji and the Siren girl, too, who were watching the scene and smiling. After a short while, Hollie and her mother walked inside the house, undoubtedly to catch up, while Kouji gestured for the Siren to go inside. Mana continued watching as Kouji headed in her direction, then walked right past her. After a certain distance, he stopped, and looked around.
Then he pointed and looked up at her, smiling. "Mana."
Chapter 4
Spoiler: show
"I must admit, I'm surprised you found me." Mana explained, taking a drink from a cup Hollie poured her. "But...I'm even more surprised you remembered me."
"First crush.....never forget..." Kouji spoke. His voice was obviously still in it's recovery stages, quiet and rough. Mana could tell there was a lovely, gentle voice to be found once it had healed, though. She blushed from his words, and couldn't help but smile.
"I see. So I left an impression on you."
"I think you did more than that." Kyouka interjected. "Kouji once told me that it was because of a Crow Tengu he met was the reason he started wanting to leave the town in the first place. Looks like you inspired him to do what's right!"
"I...see...." Mana replied. 'So that means...it's my fault he was injured, isn't it?' she thought, looking down. The other girls had explained Kouji's story of what happened to him after Mana had last seen him. She had felt so bad for him, and now....guilty for something she could have prevented.
Kouji seemed to notice something, and drew Kyouka close to whisper in her ear. Kyouka nodded back to him. "I just remembered, we have some errands to run!" she exclaimed. "Come on, Hollie!"
"But, I don't--"
"Oh, yes, you do!" Kyouka interrupted, taking Hollie by the hand and leading her away.
"My, I better follow them, and make sure my daughter doesn't get into any trouble." Hollie's mother said, before following in the direction the two girls had fled.
Once alone, Kouji looked at Mana and smiled his innocent smile. "You....told them to do that, didn't you?" Mana said, stating the obvious. Kouji nodded back, and Mana sighed ruefully. "I...take it you noticed my attitude change." Another nod. "I must admit....I feel guilt. I was there when it happened." Mana admitted. "I could have stopped them...somehow. I could have kept them from doing....that to you. But I didn't, and..."
Kouji moved over and placed his hands on Mana's shoulders, making her look up. Kouji smiled back at her. "Not your fault..." he said.
"But, if I had been stronger...braver..."
"Shh...." Kouji interrupted. "Don't want anything....to have happened...to you...."
Mana stood up and faced him. "How can you be so forgiving?" she asked.
"First crush....first love....still....love...." Kouji admitted, turning red a little.
Mana returned the blush, and looked away. "You...can't be serious. I...I'm much too old for you. You'd much rather have a younger woman, like Kyouka and Hollie, wouldn't you? I'm past my prime..." she mused.
Kouji placed a hand to her cheek, and gently caressed it, and Mana looked into his eyes, as Kouji uttered a single word. "Beautiful...."
At that point, Mana did something she had never done in her life: she lost control of herself. Overcome with emotion, she flung herself forward and kissed this young man she had met when he was a child, and embraced him, losing herself in the kiss. Shocked at first, Kouji returned the favor with an equal passion, possibly forgetting himself as well. After the two separated, a small little cheer could be heard around the corner.
"See, I told you they would!" Kyouka called out.
"My, my...such passion." Hollie's mother mused. Hollie was just blushing red. All the girls hadn't really left, but were instead just observing from what they must have thought was an appropriate hiding place.
Mana turned red, having regained herself. "I...I apologize!" she said, letting go of Kouji and turning away. "I...I should have restrained myself. I did not mean to attempt to steal him from you, Kyouka." she explained.
"What are you talking about?" Kyouka asked, taking Mana aback. "He's not just mine, you know. Me and Hollie share him."
"'Share him?' A...polygamous relationship?"
"Is there a rule against it?" Kyouka asked. "Maybe elsewhere, but way out here, nobody's complaining. Right, Hollie?"
"R....Right..." Hollie whispered, red-faced.
"And...." Kyouka continued, grinning. "...We don't mind sharing him again! So long as we all love him!"
"W....What?" Mana asked, taken completely by surprise. Kyouka refused to answer, but instead took hold of her, while Hollie took hold of Kouji (also looking a little surprised) and the four where led into the bedroom together.
As the door shut, Hollie's mother listened in.
"Wait...I don't think I'm ready!" (Mana.)
"Oh, don't worry so much about it!" (Kyouka.)
"Kouji..." (Hollie.)
"Ah...don't rub me like that...!" (Mana.)
"I'm just glad I'm not the only flat-chest around anymore!" (Kyouka.)
"They're...they're not that great..." (Hollie.)
Hollie's mother sighed. "Ah, such energy and love they share. Well, I can't say I blame them. He's such a good person. ....And he is rather handsome...."
A few minutes later, the four within the bedroom heard a knock upon the door.
"...Is there....room for one more?" (Hollie's Mother.)
----------------------
And so the chain of connections and events had finally come to a singular end. Mana finally revealed to Hollie her involvement in her story, and expected her to shun her, but instead got an embrace from her and her mother, thanking her for watching over her. Kyouka insisted that Mana take up residence with them, and invited Hollie's mother as well. Hollie's mother was receptive to the idea, but Mana took some convincing, but eventually gave in. Mana called in a favor to Leo, and the house was expanded to adequately fit more than just two people. Mana hadn't expected such a good job.
"Pish posh, Mana, it's for love! Of course I'll do it, and I'll do it with full force!" Leo had replied.
Kouji was happy to be with all the women he loved, and that loved him back. Over time, his voice began to recover more and more, and he was able to speak full sentences without overexerting himself.
There was, however, one day when he completely lost his ability to speak.
....It was the same day when several female voices rang out at the same time, saying, "I'm pregnant!"
"First crush.....never forget..." Kouji spoke. His voice was obviously still in it's recovery stages, quiet and rough. Mana could tell there was a lovely, gentle voice to be found once it had healed, though. She blushed from his words, and couldn't help but smile.
"I see. So I left an impression on you."
"I think you did more than that." Kyouka interjected. "Kouji once told me that it was because of a Crow Tengu he met was the reason he started wanting to leave the town in the first place. Looks like you inspired him to do what's right!"
"I...see...." Mana replied. 'So that means...it's my fault he was injured, isn't it?' she thought, looking down. The other girls had explained Kouji's story of what happened to him after Mana had last seen him. She had felt so bad for him, and now....guilty for something she could have prevented.
Kouji seemed to notice something, and drew Kyouka close to whisper in her ear. Kyouka nodded back to him. "I just remembered, we have some errands to run!" she exclaimed. "Come on, Hollie!"
"But, I don't--"
"Oh, yes, you do!" Kyouka interrupted, taking Hollie by the hand and leading her away.
"My, I better follow them, and make sure my daughter doesn't get into any trouble." Hollie's mother said, before following in the direction the two girls had fled.
Once alone, Kouji looked at Mana and smiled his innocent smile. "You....told them to do that, didn't you?" Mana said, stating the obvious. Kouji nodded back, and Mana sighed ruefully. "I...take it you noticed my attitude change." Another nod. "I must admit....I feel guilt. I was there when it happened." Mana admitted. "I could have stopped them...somehow. I could have kept them from doing....that to you. But I didn't, and..."
Kouji moved over and placed his hands on Mana's shoulders, making her look up. Kouji smiled back at her. "Not your fault..." he said.
"But, if I had been stronger...braver..."
"Shh...." Kouji interrupted. "Don't want anything....to have happened...to you...."
Mana stood up and faced him. "How can you be so forgiving?" she asked.
"First crush....first love....still....love...." Kouji admitted, turning red a little.
Mana returned the blush, and looked away. "You...can't be serious. I...I'm much too old for you. You'd much rather have a younger woman, like Kyouka and Hollie, wouldn't you? I'm past my prime..." she mused.
Kouji placed a hand to her cheek, and gently caressed it, and Mana looked into his eyes, as Kouji uttered a single word. "Beautiful...."
At that point, Mana did something she had never done in her life: she lost control of herself. Overcome with emotion, she flung herself forward and kissed this young man she had met when he was a child, and embraced him, losing herself in the kiss. Shocked at first, Kouji returned the favor with an equal passion, possibly forgetting himself as well. After the two separated, a small little cheer could be heard around the corner.
"See, I told you they would!" Kyouka called out.
"My, my...such passion." Hollie's mother mused. Hollie was just blushing red. All the girls hadn't really left, but were instead just observing from what they must have thought was an appropriate hiding place.
Mana turned red, having regained herself. "I...I apologize!" she said, letting go of Kouji and turning away. "I...I should have restrained myself. I did not mean to attempt to steal him from you, Kyouka." she explained.
"What are you talking about?" Kyouka asked, taking Mana aback. "He's not just mine, you know. Me and Hollie share him."
"'Share him?' A...polygamous relationship?"
"Is there a rule against it?" Kyouka asked. "Maybe elsewhere, but way out here, nobody's complaining. Right, Hollie?"
"R....Right..." Hollie whispered, red-faced.
"And...." Kyouka continued, grinning. "...We don't mind sharing him again! So long as we all love him!"
"W....What?" Mana asked, taken completely by surprise. Kyouka refused to answer, but instead took hold of her, while Hollie took hold of Kouji (also looking a little surprised) and the four where led into the bedroom together.
As the door shut, Hollie's mother listened in.
"Wait...I don't think I'm ready!" (Mana.)
"Oh, don't worry so much about it!" (Kyouka.)
"Kouji..." (Hollie.)
"Ah...don't rub me like that...!" (Mana.)
"I'm just glad I'm not the only flat-chest around anymore!" (Kyouka.)
"They're...they're not that great..." (Hollie.)
Hollie's mother sighed. "Ah, such energy and love they share. Well, I can't say I blame them. He's such a good person. ....And he is rather handsome...."
A few minutes later, the four within the bedroom heard a knock upon the door.
"...Is there....room for one more?" (Hollie's Mother.)
----------------------
And so the chain of connections and events had finally come to a singular end. Mana finally revealed to Hollie her involvement in her story, and expected her to shun her, but instead got an embrace from her and her mother, thanking her for watching over her. Kyouka insisted that Mana take up residence with them, and invited Hollie's mother as well. Hollie's mother was receptive to the idea, but Mana took some convincing, but eventually gave in. Mana called in a favor to Leo, and the house was expanded to adequately fit more than just two people. Mana hadn't expected such a good job.
"Pish posh, Mana, it's for love! Of course I'll do it, and I'll do it with full force!" Leo had replied.
Kouji was happy to be with all the women he loved, and that loved him back. Over time, his voice began to recover more and more, and he was able to speak full sentences without overexerting himself.
There was, however, one day when he completely lost his ability to speak.
....It was the same day when several female voices rang out at the same time, saying, "I'm pregnant!"
