Ch 7: Team Building

Julian

{Divide!}

I'll give Vallian credit, she's nothing if not a woman-possessed when it comes to increasing her strength.

In the isolated training room beneath my home she's hard at work using her Gear as constantly as she can, in as many ways as she can.

On fish, plants...and rocks, almost a carbon-copy of the methods I was having Valerie use. It's mostly a method of seeing what she can Divide, or how she can Divide it. Can she make the rocks structurally weaker? Cause specific parts of the flower to wilt as it's energy is drained? Because if I remember correctly in canon it was always just the energy that was halved, never anything more specific than that…

Well, that and the complete bullshit that was physically shrinking the world around the Gear.

I have NO fucking clue how that would work…

"Hey, Vallian. You know some people would at least take a day off every now and then, especially to show the new kids around."

She doesn't turn around, distractedly replying, "I'm pretty sure Miss Valerie is older than both of us. And well, you know..."

She pauses to wipe sweat away from her brow, finally facing me and gaining a cute blush.

"It-it would be too embarrassing...I mean, they saw you and me when we were...were..."

"Having hot, passionate sex? It doesn't bother me, I was showing them around fine a few minutes ago."

She pouts before mumbling, "Yes, well, you're a pervert..."

I smirk before taking a few strides in her direction, letting my eye freely run over her damp body.

I'm not sure why she thought a pitch-black dance leotard was the best of work-out clothing...but fuck if I'm complaining. The way it highlights her continuously growing breasts, taut and damn fine ass?

Let's just say I appreciate it~!

"So how's the practice been going?"

"Slow. I managed to finally activate Divine Dividing...and I can't seem to get it to do anything more than just Divide something's energy. And I can't even get it to work on the rock at all! It's like there's some sort of block on my ability to sense it..."

I chuckle and pull her into a hug, amusedly saying, "Queen, you only activated your Gear yesterday. As quick of a learner as you are I think there's a limit to how awesome you can be."

That causes her to go silent and wordlessly lean into my embrace, muttering, "It's still annoying..."

A quick squeeze of her ass-made all the more enticing by the soft fabric hugging it-causes her to yelp and slap my hand away, a smirk adorning my face.

"Do I need to do something more 'drastic' to take your mind off of things, my lovely little Queen?"

Her skin turns a dark crimson as she sputters, "N-no! I mean, maybe later-no, I meant-gah! You're the worst!"

I leave the room, laughing at Vallian's distress.

Mission accomplished, she's back in action.

My own training seems to have hit something of a plateau.

I can summon up an incredible variety of mechanized, biological and cybernetic creatures...but there are limits to both the size and number of what I can manage.

I'd first hoped that maybe I could do something utterly insane, like think of creatures or machines that could build other machines (Pit Droids, SCVs, Xenomorph Queens…that sort of thing) and more or less create an unstoppable army. Unfortunately, the strain of actually keeping more than a few hundred independent creations is enough to leave me bleeding from the ears and nose with a headache that could kill a rhino.

So that's out.

The second hope that's been thus far dashed is the ability to create BIG hunking monsters.

The nerd inside of me had wanted to create Gundams, Jaegers, Kaiju...and thus far I haven't really been able to do it.

It either has something to do with the mental image of the desired object not being clear or detailed enough or-more likely, in my opinion-the Gear (and by that I mean me) just isn't powerful enough right now to properly create these things.

Case in point, I have to heavily exhale and drop the idea of the Garde (a mech from Knights of Sidonia) from my brain, the half-formed shadowy shape drifting into nothingness as exhaustion keeps me from properly manifesting it.

Shit...I wonder if I have to do something like talk to my Gear in order to properly access it's powers, such as Balance Breaker.

Does Annihilation Maker even have a soul inside of it? I thought that's how Sacred Gears worked in the first place but I'm pretty sure canon played it fast and loose with that rule…

I put those thoughts aside for the moment and instead head back to the mansion, done for the day. There's not much I can do with my Dragon form-I've pretty much mastered that-so I think it's time for that movie right about now…

Laima, Kārta and Dēkla must have had a real appreciation for modern cinema, because the movie room is-like the bathroom-clearly where the majority of their talents went.

An honest-to-god flatscreen the size of a freakin' truck is the centerpiece, raised seating that can comfortably sit at least forty people on a variety of chairs, sofas and beanbags completing the movie-theater image while soft lighting and Dolby Atmos surround sound make this place a thing of beauty.

"Whoa..."

A sentiment both Dhampires completely agree with, if the starry-eyed expressions they're sporting are anything to go by.

"I-is this how movies are watched?"

I chuckle at Valerie's question and cheekily reply, "Only if you're very lucky, or pay admission. My clan was rather well off and decided that if all of us are going to be saving the world, we might as well do it in comfort."

Close enough to the truth.

We ascend to the middle row and I drag Vallian into my lap, the girl only giving a half-hearted squirm of protest before leaning into my shoulder. Valerie and Gasper take a seat next to us...and Gasper, in an adorably failed attempt to be subtle, tries to shift a little so that she's closer to me.

SO damn cute!

My tail snakes around both Dhampire's waists, dragging them closer as both yelp in surprise.

"A shame you only got wings from the turning, let me tell you, having a tail is pretty awesome-pfft hahaha! S-stop that!"

Valerie giggles as she lets her fingers dance across the underside of my appendage comfortably wrapped around her torso, maddening little tickles that holy Hell are just awful!

"Julian, are you by any chance ticklish~?"

"N-no, I'm just-hehe-laughing because of the air. N-now can you please stop?!"

The Dhampire temptress gives one last tinkling laugh before ceasing her assault on my sensitive skin, Vallian giving me a smirk as she no doubt takes note of that sore spot.

Crap.

"Ok, now that that is over and done with...can we start the movie?"

"Oh, I guess~."

A roll of my eyes and I hit power on the remote, the lights dimming and the screen switching on...as well as starting the opening credits of Blade.

Yeah, I'm a cruel person...but consider this payback for Valerie molesting my tail with her fingers.

Yeah...I think I shot myself in the foot there.

Instead of being unsettled or frightened by Wesley Snipes going on a Vampire killing spree…

"That was so cool! Julian, can we watch that again?!"

"Can I have sunglasses like those?! Or how about that sword?! It was incredible!"

Vallian-from where she's resting her head against my shoulder-looks up at me with a look of unadulterated smugness, enjoying my practical joke backfiring in the most spectacular of manners.

Because the two Dhampires actually liked the damn thing.

I decide to bite the silver bullet head on.

"There's...actually two more movies after this one."

Two stunningly beautiful woman practically tackle me-despite the fact that I'm sitting down-and Gasper has a sightly manic glint in her eyes.

"When can we watch them?!"

…

Well…

Their introduction to movies worked.

Almost a little too well…

Oh the sweet sweet irony of having Vampires loving Vampire movies.

...

Well if Blade is their cup of tea, Twilight would probably be pretty boring in comparison. Likely dig Hellsing though...

Next chap is the Yumi Rescue 'saga', stay tuned!