Ailurophilia

A Mana Khemia snippet collection fic

1: Stalking

Al-Revis Academy… Nikki still couldn't believe she got an invitation to this place. She didn't know about the other beastmen of her village, but she couldn't see herself as an alchemist. But for every other student like her that got accepted here, there would be very smart and handsome men that would make great husbands. She wasn't going to blow this chance.

So, she took it upon herself to do some early scouting of all the male students. Many were very easily smitten by her looks and alluring voice when she sung, but she wanted someone more fun to hang out. She also considered the upperclassmen Flay who invited her to his workshop, but he was still in the potential list.

Every guy she saw she made a mental note. Either cute, handsome, or one a scale of one to ten. With so many to chose from, and most of what she saw being rather bland in her opinion, she was starting to think this wasn't going to be easy.

Until she saw a lone boy hanging behind everyone else in assembly. Silver hair, a thin body, having the confidence of a rodent the way he shuffled his feet. She thought his face to be kind of cute, a 7 tops, and would have overlooked him if not noticing what was standing by his legs.

Because there was one important thing about this boy that changed everything in her opinion. He had a pet cat.

Possibly a unique cat mana at that, but still a cat. That meant he was a cat lover.

Nikki smiled. He was perfect.

2: Feet

Vayne didn't quite remember what happened. One moment he was reaching for an ingredient dangling from a branch, the next he was falling off the cliff edge.

He heard a jump, a crash against earth, and felt a strong hairy arm catch him before he fell any further. And then they landed safely on the ground feet first.

Still holding onto him, Nikki gave him a bright smile. "Watch where you step, silly!"

3: Tail

"Be gentle," she urged him, almost begging. "Just like that…"

Vayne stroked her tail somewhat gingerly and slowly. He had taken care of Sulpher for years, so he felt he had a general idea how to take care of cats. He didn't know why Nikki suddenly asked him for "tail training", but he assumed it had to do with the weakness beastmen all had… and how Jess squeezed it roughly. As far as he knew, Jess wasn't allowed to touch it again after Anna showed disdain of her exploited weakness.

He was worried he might be hurting Nikki the same way, but she would always look at him with a flushed face asking for "more".

4: Feral

"It's okay," Nikki cooed to the beast monster she had just pummeled down. "I'm not going to hurt you anymore. See? No more hammer."

The monster stirred, warily regarding the girl. But as she moved closer with a beckoning hand, just close enough to stroke its fur, it didn't attack. In fact, it purred when her hand did stroke it.

Most students wouldn't treat Owl Bears with kindness and patience. They would either run from them in a panic or kill them for ingredients. Nikki always treated other types of monsters as fair game, but she always preferred to fight the beasts herself.

Flay assured them it was a part of their beastmen blood that they could interact freely with similarly natured monsters. Her culture was still confusing to Vayne and Jess, but they at least knew that they grew to like seeing this gentler side to Nikki.

5: Whiskers

She kissed him.

It was on the cheek, deliberately meant to discourage her fan club from pestering her and their workshop. It only happened once, on top of all the chasing, flirting, and hand holding, and it was so quick no one else would have noticed.

But she kissed him. She actually kissed him.

And all Vayne could think about was how ticklish her whiskers were.

6: Collar

"Here ya go, Vayne!" Nikki smiled with her hands outstretched. "I made it myself!"

"It" was a jeweled collar that she had spent all her spare time, Col, and resources to make. Because Sulpher was Vayne's shifting weapon, whatever the cat mana wore transferred into his weapon form. And she wanted to make sure it was the best weapon Vayne could get.

The silver haired student flinched, thinking back to a similar event he was offered a collar. By Roxis, of all people. "I... appreciate it Nikki, but that looks rather tight to fit around my neck."

Nikki blinked. "It's not for you, it's for Sulpher. Why would you think otherwise?"

"…don't ask."

Well, as weird as it was, it gave her an idea. "Well, between beastmen, it's customary to give collars as a betrothal. Maybe we can matching sets for each other later?"

The betrothal was a lie, but he didn't need to know it yet. She just wanted to see him act cute and flustered if only for a moment.

7: Hiss

"Just promise me you'll be careful around that guy!"

Vayne stared between Nikki and Muppy, the latter unaware of their eavesdropping watching him tinker his hover pot from behind a desk. On the one hand, the alien had been a boon since joining their workshop. He was helpful in battle and had so much to share with them about his life and home world.

On the other hand, Nikki didn't trust Muppy for some reason, and was outright hostile towards him. He knew Nikki longer than Muppy, so he was certain that she wouldn't act this way without good reason.

"I'll keep an eye out," he said neutrally. As much as he wanted to give Muppy the benefit of the doubt, the beastgirl deserved it more.

8: Meow

Vayne loved her singing and her apology song was easily her best.

In the beginning Nikki sang with fun and playfulness in mind, as if teasing the boys into falling for her. For a time she just saw it as fun, without regarding the consequences. But it was what ostracized her from the rest of the school, as they decided she was nothing more than a poser. It was fortunate she realized this before it was too late to fix everything.

Now she was singing her earnest feelings.

9: Lives

There were no words exchanged since their fight against Isodole.

Everyone kept their distance from Vayne; the gossiping students and teachers out of fear, and his friends and comrades out of respect for the startling revelation.

He was actually a mana created by his father. He was a mana that can grant wishes and had been responsible for every miraculously, unexplainable thing that happened over the last few years at Al-Revis Academy.

Sulpher and Nikki were proof of that. He had brought both of them back to life, but was it really worth it?

For her part, Nikki was just as shocked having been dead and then resurrected, but said nothing. Rather, she stayed behind after everyone had gone to their rooms, slipped into his bed and slept with him.

Vayne hugged her close, torn. She returned it. He didn't want to lose her again, but he wasn't sure if he could make his "wish" anymore…

10: Fur

After graduation, Vayne lived up to his promise by visiting Nikki's home, and only with minimal dragging. Since Vayne had no real home or guardian before Al-Revis, the villagers eagerly accepted him as one of their own. Mostly on the pretenses that he was to be Nikki's husband. Although he repeatedly denied the idea, he wasn't opposed to seeing Nikki in that light after years of working together as both colleagues in alchemy and comrades in battle.

It only took a week later of living in the village before he saw Nikki's natural fur underneath her clothes…

11: Home

Years have passed since accepted in the village, and before Vayne knew it, the new house he lived in with Nikki was crowded and full of little beast-children. Every time a baby was born, Nikki would "celebrate" with him and get pregnant again. Sometimes she would get lucky and have multiple children in one go; their best record was four.

And so, it grew to the point that both parents failed to find time for each other now. They always asked to play games, sing songs, and even practice alchemy. A few of their children even have plans of attending Al-Revis to become alchemists as well.

True, as a big family, no one got along truly well, and ended up fighting a lot for attention. But it was their family. They both wanted this. Nikki, who's only goal in attending an alchemy school was to find an ideal husband and procreate her race. And Vayne, a now sterile mana who deep down wanted to be surrounded by the people he loved.

Their wishes came true, and they couldn't be happier for that.

Fin