Step 1/Forget
I arrived at Celeste's HQ still abuzz with the excitement brought on by the last hour's events. Kyu's success alone would have been enough but combining it with the thrill brought on by Aiko and Lola's video delivered a whole new sense of elation. I barely noticed the normally noxious smell of the sewer while making my way through the tunnel.
Before I reached the base I could already hear the sounds of a machine toiling away but it wasn't until stepping into the main area that I recognized it stirring from Celeste's ship. I prepared to step onboard before catching myself, deciding to instead announce my presence rather than risk sneaking up on the highly trained off-world bounty hunter.
"Celeste? You here?"
There was no verbal response but the door of the ship popping open showed that she had at least heard me. I moved toward where the staircase would extend, watching as Celeste stepped down with a soft smile on her lips.
"You came quickly. The pheromone is still being prepared and will be complete shortly. You may speak to Kyu if she's awake. Last I left her she was asleep beside my workbench."
"How'd it go? Honestly I had expected this to take a bit longer?"
Celeste giggled in response and motioned for me to follow her. I walked behind as she led me inside her ship where she began to type away on a small holographic keyboard. She looked to be in unusually high spirits. While it was not out of character to see her smile I had rarely seen her express her feelings so obviously.
"You look like you're in a good mood."
She turned to look at me even with her fingers still deftly typing away on the keys. It was impossible to say if the work she was doing was complex or not given I had no way of making out the alien symbols constantly appearing on the monitor in front of her but the feat was impressive nonetheless.
"Do I? Well yes I suppose I am. To be honest this has all been quite the nice change of pace from working on repairs. Not to mention I am looking forward to the opportunity to place my abilities to the test. I have been idle for far too long."
It hadn't occurred to me that asking for her help would be doing her a favor as much as Kyu and I. Her enthusiasm was comforting given that I already felt dirty for having to lie to so many of the women in order to ensure that things would go smoothly. Before I could comment her face suddenly went serious and her hands stopped moving over the keyboard.
"But that is not to say that I take this mission lightly. I will treat it as if it were any other bounty I was being paid to collect."
I couldn't help but smile at her sudden need to reiterate her earnestness.
"I never doubted it."
Her modest grin returned while she faced the screen again before sitting back in her seat.
"Take a look. The cage I use to store the Sirenian possess a multitude of cameras in the unlikely attempt the creature would attempt to escape. They captured the entirety of Kyu's efforts."
She began to play the footage just as I was about to question why recording the ordeal was necessary at all. Celeste, who I knew was much better at reading my emotions than I was hers, must have sensed my discomfort and paused the footage only a few seconds in.
"I should have mentioned that this recording was Kyu's idea initially. She made the request about an hour into the process so that is where this log begins."
I breathed a small sigh of relief as Celeste turned back around to begin playing the recording once again. It never ceased to surprise me how understanding Celeste could be of human norms and emotions. It was impossible to say whether it came from her extended time spent hiding on earth or if was just skilled at adapting to different cultures.
She was definitely the most unusual of all the people I had run into working with Kyu but in spite of that she was also one that I felt the closest too. Since she knew about the Kyu's existence as well as not being an employee at the studio our relationship carried none of the strangeness that came with the rest of the women. It was a shame to know that, regardless of the success of our mission and what might occur after, she would still be leaving permanently once her starship was repaired.
Those wistful thoughts didn't stay for long however, as once Celeste began to play the footage it immediately demanded my full attention. The display showed Kyu bound in by the alien's many appendages. At the moment they wrapped around her wrists, holding them above her head, while another pair spread her legs into a dramatic split. Unlike when I left her there were none in her mouth which hung open with her tongue dangling out from the corner of her lips. No sound played but it was safe to assume she'd be crying out thanks to the thick tentacle that easily penetrated between her spread legs.
The recording had begun in real time before Celeste typed on a few keys and the speed increased dramatically. From the looks of things the creature had held the position and slow rhythm of thrusts for some time before finally reaching its limit, adding an additional layer of thick goo to the layer that had already built up on the floor of the cell.
"The climax of a Sirenian serves a multitude of purposes, including both lubrication and a chance to regain its energy. Though its most important role is the numbing agent it releases onto its prey. This, in tandem with the aphrodisiac that it naturally produces into the air, ensures that the victim can be used far beyond their usual sexual capacity. Not that our friend was in danger of that."
Her explanations only made the situation feel more surreal than before. Listening to an alien explain the biology of a horny space parasite while watching a fairy getting railed by tentacles was more than my brain could process at the moment. So rather than focus on the display I turned my attention back to Celeste who's gaze still remained on the tape, looking as though she was studying it carefully. Given she hunted creatures like the Sirenian for a living it was no wonder that she was interested in learning whatever she could about their behavior.
"That seems kind of merciful for a parasite. She sounded a bit more… vicious the last time we spoke."
"It would be best to forget whatever threats she told you. There are almost no accounts of Sirenians actually killing their prey for either food or pleasure. Rather when they are satisfied they simply adopt a new form and vanish. They are normally quite timid and I imagine this one's angst stems from its inability to escape your world."
"So they get cranky when they can't smash and dash?"
"I'm not familiar with the term…"
I shook my head and turned my attention back to the display where Celeste had increased the speed of the footage even more. The cycle repeated itself over and over again. A few minutes after climax the tentacles would attack again, this time assuming a new position while Kyu gave herself over willingly. It would then enter her body where the appendages would build up speed before spewing their goo and the process would repeat once she had recovered.
With the initial shock of seeking the encounter passed I was able to focus more on Kyu's expression rather than the action. For the most part she seemed to have been actually enjoying herself although that could just have been due to the pheromones themselves keeping her motivated. Though regardless her mood waned towards the end as her body eventually gave away to exhaustion. By the final round the Sirenian was basically playing with a toy that could do nothing to resist its advances.
The footage reached its conclusion right after the final climax. Celeste must have been waiting for the opportunity for the creature to tire itself out since as soon as Kyu dropped from the tentacles grasp the walls of the cell opened, showcasing the bounty hunter's speed as she dashed in and out with Kyu in hand. The walls were closed a moment later which left the creature alone within its cell. As Celeste walked out of the camera's view the mass of tentacles disappeared and turned back into the human form that the Sirenian typically wore.
"As you can see Kyu handled herself quite well. I already examined her thoroughly and found no sign of any lasting effects. A very pleasing outcome."
"Well don't get too excited. This was only the first step."
Celeste nodded her head just as the whirring of the machines operating behind us stopped. She rose up to her feet quickly and headed back towards the collection of computers and gizmos.
"If you wouldn't mind this next part is best conducted alone. It should only take a moment so you may feel free to wait outside."
I was already headed towards the door as she spoke. Once I stepped outside from the ship I began to make my way towards the workshop area where Celeste said she had brought Kyu to rest.
"Yo! Where you been?
After watching the recording I had expected to find her passed out, or at the very least too exhausted to even move. But she was the exact opposite. The second she came into view Kyu was already dashing towards me, her butterfly-like wings beating rapidly behind her.
"Whoa! It's good to see you too. You seem…"
"Energized?"
She spoke with such vigor that each word seemed to fly out from her lips.
"That's one way to put it. Celeste just showed me the footage."
Kyu giggled and gave a playful spin, shedding a collection of sparkling glitter into the air around her. In all the time we had spent together I had never seen her in such a gitty state.
"Lucky you. That crazy alien sure knows how to give a girl a good time."
Her giggles returned while I could only muster a slight chuckle in return. She took notice of my confusion almost immediately, calming down significantly and floating gently down to her feet.
"Sorry but I've never felt like this before. I feel… amazing. And not just regular post sex amazing like, really really amazing. When Celeste first took me out I was tired as fuck. But a few minutes ago it just went away!"
She wrapped her arms around her body as spoke while her wings continued to flutter behind her. Though it was difficult to put into words I could see what she was talking about. Beyond her obvious excitement her body radiated with a pinkish glow. It probably wouldn't even have been visible outside but with the darkness of the sewer the aura was as clear as day.
"Well it looks good on you. I'm happy to hear it went well."
"Hey if all your plans start with me feeling this bitchin then you can forget about me doubting them again."
We laughed but the exchange was cut short by Celeste's arrival with a small glass beaker in hand. Within its walls sat a small collection of purplish liquid that looked like it could have come from a can of grape Fanta.
"I too am glad to see that you are alright. It seems I somewhat underestimated how capable you love fairies are."
"Whenever you'd like to test those capabilities yourself just ask."
Kyu winked and I could have sworn Celeste's blue cheeks turned a shade lighter as she looked away while thrusting the vial into my chest.
"Yes well… here it is. A dosage of one of the most powerful pheromones in the galaxy. Simply remove the cap and the contents within will revert to their gaseous state."
Examining the vial more closely revealed that there was less within than I initially guessed.
"Are you sure this is going to be enough?"
"As I said, it is extremely potent. Whoever breaths it in will become completely overcome with lust for a bare minimum of a half hour. Around the end of the time the exhaustion of their efforts will likely render them unconscious, with most writing the experience as a dream."
It was odd to think that just a few drops could have such a powerful effect but it would be enough for the task at hand. I quickly placed the substance in my pocket and turned to face Celeste with Kyu floating beside me.
"Again I appreciate your help with all of this. So you know what happens next right?"
"Yes. I will begin preparations immediately. Once he is secured I will activate my defense systems and wait for your call."
"Sounds good. Even though Faye won't be there that doesn't mean the place will be unguarded. Be careful."
Celeste smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Thank you for your concern."
Before I could respond she suddenly pulled me toward her, planting her lips against mine while her unexpectedly powerful grip held me in place. The kiss lasted for a few seconds before she pulled away with the same casual expression. I shot Kyu a wide eyed look that sent the fairy into a fit of laughter and when my attention returned to Celeste confusion had finally dawned on her face.
"Is that not how humans express their gratitude?"
"It's well...um… well not exactly. We should be getting out of here anyway…"
I nearly had to drag Kyu towards the exit as Celeste watched as leave with her head cocked to the side in naive puzzlement. It wasn't until we were standing beneath the docks that led into the sewers that her amusement finally subsided.
"Goddamn… she's just full of surprises huh?"
"Guess so. Think anyone's gonna believe me when I tell them my first kiss was with an alien?"
Her laughter returned and this time it was echoed by my own. By the end the two of us had stumbled out from beneath the boardwalk and collapsed onto the cool sand, the giggles slowly fading away into content silence. Neither of us spoke once we had both gone silent and the reason was obvious.
The last time we talked alone had been our fight. It had only happened that morning but with the total of the day's events behind us it felt like an eternity ago. The business had kept the guilt at bay but the moment I saw Kyu again it all came crashing back down. Spending the day talking to Tiffany, Kyanna,Momo, Nikki, Audrey, Beli, and Celeste while getting a chance to meet Lola and Aiko made me realize how much Kyu had really done. It was hard to say how many of them I could consider 'friends' given the circumstances but I knew one thing for certain. My life would have been far worse without them in it. And it was all thanks to Kyu.
"Hey I-"
"Shut up okay? I'm going first."
I turned to the side to see that Kyu's attention was up towards the sky. Even with her manic energy absent the glow was still being maintained, making her seem even more otherworldly laying on the beach beside me.
"You were right saying that I manipulated you. I convinced myself that this was nothing more than a usual job. That I'd be doing you a favor by wrapping you up in this mess. Normally when we work with a human our job isn't to get as...close. Just give them the skills they need and send them on their way."
She sighed and sat up, tucking her knees into her chest but still keeping her attention on the horizon.
"It never even occurred to me that you might not want any of this. Maybe you would have been happier in your old life. Everyone thinks I'm hot shit because my old partner turned out to be so damn desirable but really all that charm was already there. All I did was teach him how to use it."
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because I lied when I said that all I saw in the bar that night was a pathetic guy needing to be saved. I saw a spark in you. The same one I've seen in every single other man and woman I've helped in the last 300 years. Everything you've done so far has been you. Which is why I have to do this."
"Do what?"
She turned to look at me but before I questioned further I felt something wrapping around my leg. Looking down I could see it was a vine with two more sprouting by my wrists. I tried to pull against them but they only grew tiger, binding me with frightening speed until I was completely immobilized. Kyu watched silently, making it clear that somehow she was behind this.
"Kyu! What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry but this is the only way I can know that you'll be safe."
Kyu reached down and removed the vial from my pocket, tucking it into her dress.
"Your plan was great. What made it even better was when I realized you don't need to be a part of it. I'll be there at the party tomorrow night to drop the pheromone. Once Faye takes the bait I'll make contact with Celeste and make sure he's safe. Venus and I should be able to handle things from there."
Even as she spoke I resisted against the constraints to no avail. She was wrong. We were still missing a girl for the party. Someone had to be there to intercept Faye once she arrived. And what if something happened to Celeste during the escape? Adrenaline pumped through my veins while those thoughts raced in my mind.
"You're not thinking straight!"
"This is just the way it has to be. I'm done putting you at risk."
She kneeled beside me and brought a hand over my head. A moment later a collection of pink strings descended from the tips of her fingers and rested gently against my forehead.
"Wh...what are you doing?"
"Erasing your memories of all this. I can't take the chance you'll break free before tomorrow night and try to get involved."
"You can't!"
The rage burning inside me changed into despair as I realized I was powerless to stop her. I wanted to scream for help but I knew that nobody would hear me. And even if they did, what could be done? Whatever power Kyu had harnessed from her time with the Sirenian had made her even stronger than before.
"I can and I will. I should never have let this get so far. I'm thankful for everything you've done. And just remember…"
She leaned in close to my forehead, whispering with her lips lightly brushing against my skin.
"It was within you the whole time."
I opened my mouth to try to say something, anything, that would get Kyu to change her mind but no words came out. Instead the pink lines that fell from Kyu's fingers disappeared, shimmering away into nothingness. And with them the world went dark.