Sorry for over a year's delay, the upcoming arc of my story was written in conjunction with another writer and has been an amazing experience in honing my craft as a writer. Over the last year not even 10 more chapter have been written yet, however the quality of my writing has improved as well as how much is in a single chapter. I honestly fear some of the chapters to come will hit the text cap if there is one here on fanfiction. Recently some of my fellows at MAL have begun to post their stories here as well. With this chapter the start of a cooperative writing effort begins and has gone on much longer than I had anticipated, and gratefully so I might add. While I know most of you reading this have come to me through my sister, fanfiction net/u/5378079/ AmbertheCat and have likely been suggested to this writer as well, I feel obligated to share his name and mention that he is a much better writer than I. fanfiction net/u/6585045/ dcw2021
Also while I am at it, might as well inform you of the current admin of our little world we've been writing as he too has been posting here as of late. fanfiction net/u/6699136/ emeraldtryst
dcw2021's story here on fanfiction is still playing catch up to the version on MAL and to mine as he is posting 1 chapter a day til he catches up. emeraldtryst is also posting his 1st story and will be posting the sequel eventually as well which has been concluded on MAL and as we speak is planning the 1st chapter of his 3rd story, yet another sequel to which he informed me will be the final story to this trilogy. I can not implore you enough to read the piece he has written, if you think you have read a top tier story from an un-professional source before I'd be willing to bet emeraldtryst's story would make reconsider that idea or at the very least add his to the list.
Anyone who wishes to be linked to the MAL forums we write these stories to read everyone else's who has feel free to message me in review or pm for the link and I shall be happy to oblige.
Thank you for being patient with my slow pace and all feedback is welcomed as I know I can always become better, no matter how high I manage to climb.
With that out of the way please enjoy this chapter and the rest that I shall be posting weekly over the next 9 weeks. And from now on I shall be posting the newest chapters here as I post them on my MAL as well.
Later that day Ione helped me to the bathroom to allow me to wash up, but I was quick to realize I was yet able to comfortably stand on my own. The result being Ione lending me her shoulder and guiding me the entire way, unclothed on top of that. Thankfully we did not meet anyone on our short trip.
After an unsuccessful attempt to convince Ione to allow me to bathe myself. Ione pointing out how I helped and cleaned her when we first met among other reasons along the lines of not over exerting myself, I reluctantly resign to the treatment most average men would probably jump at the chance to get.
The bath was very reminiscent of what I had come to understand old Japanese baths to be like through anime, an area for cleaning one's self separate from the actual bath. The room was not very large but was in no way small or a single residence standard, let alone a dwarf like Cleena.
Using a small towel, I covered myself and take a seat, something Ione also needed to help me with as my legs would try to fall out from under me when bent too much. Lathering some soap in a rag, Ione had begun to work on my back. The sensation felt weird to me, but was not unpleasant. After my back Ione moved to my shoulders and arms. Then to my chest, but instead of moving in front of me, she opted to gently press against my back and reach around from behind to do so. Resting her head on my shoulder as she continued. Eventually Ione was satisfied with my cleanliness and helped me into the bath, to which she chose to stay out of sitting on the ledge.
After finishing, Ione helped me out, get dressed and led me to what looked like a dining room where Cleena was having some kind of drink that smelled like tea.
"So up an about hm? Ye stuff is in the corner, I took the sword and blood's worth of gold however, the stuff ain't cheap. Though with how much ye have on hand it shouldn't matter."
"Sword?" I asked as I looked at the indicated corner, along with my basic supplies and the few sacks of gold I stole, there were two sheathes, but only one with a sword in it.
"The pup asked me to forge a new blade like ye old one that was snapped. Still, even after all the costs and a discount out the kindness of my wee heart, ye wallet should still be twelve thousand or so. However, can't say I'd advise walking around with that sum openly."
"Where is Silvia by the way?" I asked realizing I had yet to have seen the white werewolf since waking.
Taking a sip of her tea before replying Cleena answered, "Trying to find ye lot a boat that'll ferry ye to Ethelyn. That's where ye were going before getting all fucked up in an unfortunate way, correct?"
"Ethelyn is my home town, I told you about it before... the night before you were..." Ione chimed in before trailing off, recalling that I had no memory of that night.
"I see."
"We do need to replenish our supplies though before we head out. Do you want to come shopping with me Ryan?" Ione asked as she quickly tried to change the subject at hand.
Not particularly interested in sitting in bed all day, I agreed and headed out with a sum of gold with Ione. Using my now swordless sheathe as a walking stick to alleviate some of my weight from my legs, I managed to move about somewhat independently from Ione. The fact I was using a sheathe as a walking stick seemed to gather the glances of more than a handful of mamono but as far as I could tell there was no rubbernecking. The city, Bestalion as I recalled it, was adorn with many mamono that reminded me of my limited eastern mythological knowledge. Oni, Raccoon-Dogs, Kitsune, and Kappa being the ones that immediately caught my attention. Then there were the ones I was less familiar with, one was looked like a human woman through and through until I saw her using her hair as though it was a limb, the name of the species escaping me. I would also occasionally see a lamp girl like the one I had met running a hidden inn in Kaori.
Throughout the city all I could see was what I'd expect from an anime set in feudal era; dirt roads, basic one story wood and straw houses, some with a stone fence that looked like more décor than anything considering what most mamono were capable of.
Ione taking the lead we made our way through the various shops gathering basic necessities while, by my suggestion, price checking everything to make the most of our funds. Eventually we happened upon a 'health and fitness' type store, a lot of products for grooming were lined up for sale ranging from brushes to ointments to files. Ione had taken to browsing by herself leaving me feeling somewhat awkward as I was coincidentally left by the more 'sexual health and fitness' section. My curiosity getting to me I looked at the items, but with the lack of descriptive packaging that I was used to from Earth I was literally looking at unmarked bottles and containers with the occasional fancy written name.
Having apparently caught the eye of who I assumed was the shop owner, a fox girl approached me with more than subtle seductive smile. "Are we finding everything well?" The tone she took, definitely seductive. She could at least try not to come off a girl in heat but from what I had come to learn from the encyclopedia, the mamono I normally associated with were the odd ones for not being horny at all times.
"Yeah, I'm with my companion," motioning towards Ione who was still looking through items "though I'm just window shopping since I have no idea what I'm looking at here."
"Oh?" the fox girl's smile changed from seductive to slight disappointment to a sudden slightly eerie business smile, "Well I'd be more than happy to help you make an educative choice. No one likes wasting money. What are you looking for in particular?"
"Nothing in particular, mostly just for the girls."
Taking an analytical expression upon me and then Ione, the fox girl picked up one of the jars with a fancy scribble on it, I assumed a brand name, one I had happened to notice in more than a few shops. "Well going off my intuition, neither of you are very... experienced in the bedroom," pausing for what I can only assume to be gauging my reaction the fox girl continued her pitch, "This one here is specially known for it affects as a relaxant. Well it relaxes most muscles but all the 'important' ones will still tense up they way they should, albeit a little more than normal. Also should either of you be interested in S&M this little one is perfect for that as well as the one on bottom will be put in a temporary state of vulnerability. It easy to apply, ingesting it is not dangerous as long as its not the entire jar, but it will have a much faster and greater effects. Normally it is just applied to the skin, especially for men. Your love bird there was eyeing the products here before making her way to the brushes so I do not believe I am mistaken that at least one of you is interested in it."
Pausing again to size me up, I was not initially interested but it didn't take long for me to start having ideas for how it could be fun to have such a thing around.
Apparently satisfied with my expression, the fox girl concluded by giving me a price, "It's a pretty new item on the market so pricing by demand is not possible at the moment so how does 300 sound?"
Even with my lack of knowledge about the economy in this world I still payed attention to price tags and this scribbled item was more than the quoted price in the other stores I had noticed it. Not missing my hesitation the fox girl kept her smile as she continued, "Well it is expensive and I am not particularly sure if it is worth that price despite being from a trustworthy producer, so how bout this as a get better bonus and hopes for continued patronage? 200?"
"Sorry but I don't think I will. I thank you for the information but we are mostly comparing prices at the moment and I have seen this product on the self of a raccoon-dog's store for less."
"That little bitch... She is always doing this! I knew she was up to something when she wanted to 'chat'."
The sudden exclamation had gotten the attention of Ione who came over quickly as the fox girl attempted to quickly compose herself and began pitching a new deal, "Two for 200 and I'll match anything here with her price. My prices aren't all that different for most of the stuff and I even sell some things cheaper, that I guarantee. If you tell me what else you might need, we could definitely come to an arrangement..." The girl had at some point taken to biting her thumb nail as she began looking over her merchandise.
Part of me felt bad for tricking the girl but the fact she did try to scam me did not stop me from taking her proposed deal. In the end Ione took over and began see what we could get and what we may need with the remaining cash we had on hand.
"My name is Lelia, I do hope you will continue to buy from me."
As we left the shopping district we had begun to head towards the docks, deciding we should see about maybe buying a ride to Ethelyn. But as it turned out there were no public transport ships currently scheduled to set sail to our destination any time soon. The sun now beginning it's set, Ione and I begin to head back to Cleena's home when I was cut off by a small, as in unnaturally small, timid girl with long hair, small wings, horns, and a tail wearing nothing but a ribbon.
"Uh um... ex-exuse me but would you like to have sex?" She sounded like she was forcing herself as she avoided looking at me directly waiting for my response.
"Um sorry but I'm not interested, thank you for the offer though..." This was too awkward for me, her timid disposition made rejecting her pretty difficult as well.
"O-ok s-sorry to bother you!" and with that she flies off, though it couldn't have been far because not three steps later I hear,
"No no! What was that!? You've gotten worse!" A second small voice shouted. "You gotta be assertive! You gotta make them want you! Here watch me. It'll be over in seconds. I'll have him begging me for sex!"
In front of me was yet another girl like the last, except this one was much different in many aspect. Clearly the same species, maybe even a twin, except she wore her hair shorter. Her chest, or what counted for it, was slightly bigger. She very clearly held herself as high as possible. Taking a very... suggestive pose, the girl gave me a similar line, "Hey big guy want to..."
"No thanks." Being more than prepared this time I cut her off with my reply without breaking stride as I passed her. Ione still remaining silent as we went.
Being cut off a third time by the second girl, this time all pretenses dropped, she yells "Hey what makes you think you can just ignore..." Once again just walking past the girl I start feel a slight smile as begin to recall days in I helped my mother run a neighborhood daycare.
And once more cut off by the second girl but this time she did not stop in front of me but was charging towards me with the intent to... crash into me? She definitely did not have the mass to do much to me. Still not wanting to hurt the kid, I sidestep her as she flew past but as she did she made some glancing contact, I start a bit at a sudden unexpected sensation but could not figure out what it was, it was just… odd. Barely catching it out the corner of my eye, I see her circle behind me into my blind spot. Ione had moved out of the way against a building at this point not sure what to do. Turning I was able to put the girl back in my line of sight as she rushed for me again to which I side stepped before and losing sight of her again. She made contact again and the sensation was… a poke?
Looking around I am quick to realize she is not charging me anymore, but rather making an effort to remain in my blind spot occasionally zipping past my line of sight in opposite direction my head is turning to disorient me. The longer it went on the more it was looking like it was not going to end. Deciding to catch her was the only option aside from submitting but I wasn't particularly interested in doing so.
Looking around to try and get her in my line of sight again I catch a glimpse of her but she does not make an effort to move. This confuses me for a moment until I realize what I was looking at was a mirror on display. It did not seem the girl had realize I had located her nor that I was now using a mirror to watch her as she stayed where she assumed I was completely blind.
Now having her in my sights I began trying to think of ways to catch her, but her size and agility made chasing completely out of the question. As I began to give up on it and maybe simply outrun her or something, someone approached her from behind. "Tiki, what are you doing?" The small girl was startled when she was grabbed from behind but didn't struggle.
"I was just helping Abigail ask for sex." She answered as she crossed her arms in a huff as the man gently held her.
"Y-you were huh?" The man nervously chuckled, seeming not sure how to respond to that.
"Sorry Big Bro, I couldn't ask properly." The first girl flew up to the man, seeming far less timid than she did before.
"I don't think that's a problem." The man laughed as he patted the girl's head with his free hand. He then looked at me, from behind because I was still watching this through the mirror. "Sorry about that ma'am, imps you know."
"Ma'am?"