Ch 18: Have a Little Faith, Would Yah?
Caine
(19 weeks after arrival in Kalichi)
I let my back stretch out with a series of pops after a hard day of training with a grunt of satisfaction.
Man, the girls really don't know how to hold back at all, do they?
Chuckling to myself I shuck my clothes and step into the shower before the water kicks on and let my accumulated grime wash away.
That reminds me, tomorrow evening I have to meet up with Chow, so in the morning I'll probably just focus on practicing with my Shades and-
"Am I imposing on you Caine~?"
I almost jump halfway to the ceiling when the door closes behind me and I see-
-a stark naked Kuroka, a satisfied smile on her face as she saunters over to me, hips and breasts swaying gently as she-
-wait what the heck?!
"Ok what's your game this time Kuroka?"
She just throatily purrs and whispers, "Oh there's no 'game' being played you cute little boy…this is as real as it's going to get."
"Kuroneko you're freaking me out her-"
My sentence is abruptly cut off as she suddenly leans forward and kisses me, my lips being smashed against hers and just like that her tongue is in my mouth.
I'm struck dumb by the sudden action…and also by how good it feels, the warmth and aggressiveness she's displaying making me respond in kind, despite not knowing exactly what it is I'm supposed to do.
A startled gasp travels up my throat and into Kuroka's throat as my rear is suddenly fondled by a feminine hand, the bizarre sensation causing a pleasant sort of numbness.
Just as I'm really getting into it the Nekoshou suddenly pulls back from our kiss with an audible pop and I gasp for breath, finally getting a good look at her face as we separate.
Her raven hair is soaking wet and plastered erotically across her shoulders and back, ears twitching occasionally to shake off the water and her eyes…there's something primal in them that has my body tingling with some sort of unidentifiable emotion.
"Do you like what you see?"
I just wordlessly nod and she grins before grabbing my hand and sticking it onto her heaving breast, my palm rubbing up against her nipple and she gains a salacious grin.
"I've caught you staring at these a few times, you naughty boy…are they to your liking?"
"I uh…yah…"
I give a small squeeze, marveling at the way the flesh just flows around my hand and Kuroka lets out a needly little pant before reaching down and grabbing my penis-
-which is hard for some reason, and insanely sensitive since my breath catches once I feel the Yokai's hand grab it.
Why is-
She suddenly gives a small tug and I moan at the motion, for a reason I don't really understand but quite frankly don't care about.
"Oh, did that feel good~?"
The older girl slowly works her hand back and forth and all of the sudden there's a surge of pressure in my groin-
-And my eyes pop open, breath coming in ragged gasps.
WHAT. THE HECK. WAS THAT?!
A frantic glance to either side of me reveals Kuroka and Shirone peacefully sleeping, the younger sister curled up into a ball with her head resting on my shoulder while the older one has her left leg and arm sprawled out across my body, a goofy grin on her face.
…
Why is my leg wet and sticky?
Moving slowly so I don't wake the cats I lift up my pants rim and…and…
Oh Hell.
I know what this is.
It's a friggin' wet dream.
…
…Ok, time to read through Mom's book very carefully!
I gently try to extricate myself from the sisters without waking them up…which proves impossible as they're both pretty well entangled with my limbs and they both blearily open their eyes, still a bit groggy.
"Huh? Whazit Kid? Why are you-" Kuroka has to stop talking for a moment to let out a tremendous yawn, "-getting up so early?"
Now frantic to escape I just hastily reply, "Bathroom!" and get the heck out of there.
Kuroka
Well that was weird…
I groan and let my head plop back down onto one of the Church's borrowed pillows, Shirone scooting next to me in place of the Kid and groggily mumbles, "Where's he going?"
I shrug as best I can without moving a single muscle more than necessary and respond, "Dunno, although he seemed nervous about…something…"
Huh? Why does it smell like someone jizzed their pants?
…
A perverted smile crosses my face as I suddenly figure out why the Kid was in such a panicked hurry.
Although I think I might have to start calling him a man now…heh heh…
Caine
A quick dash outside and a rapid use of [Water Burst] has my underwear and leg mostly cleaned off and I waste no time in busting out The Guide to a Fucking Great Sex Life and jumping to the part that talks about puberty.
Thankfully Mom had written that book with a large demographic in mind and there's a small portion of it's content geared towards those who are…maturing.
Ok here's the good news…I'm gonna start gaining more muscle mass and my height will probably start shooting up like crazy, courtesy of all these newfound hormones.
Guess I can go ahead and start really hitting the physical routines now.
But what the heck is the rest of this? Wet dreams, erections, hair growth…
This is gonna take some getting used to.
"Whatcha reading?"
"GAH!"
I almost jump halfway to the ceiling as Kuroka suddenly whispers in my ear and I frantically shove the book back into it's box and paste my best 'nothing's wrong' smile on my face.
A little too late though, as the playful swaying of her tails and massive grin let me know I'm in for some Kuroka-style teasing.
"You seem a little…stiff this morning Kid. Did something good happen in a dream you had or something?"
…SHE KNOWS.
"I…I just want to eat breakfast."
This morning has already been weird enough without all the extra innuendo.
She just chuckles and suddenly licks my ear causing me to shiver as she whispers, "Not a bad idea, you probably need to eat after…expending all your, shall we say…pent up energy?"
…
Kill me.
"Again, Little Bastard. Just inanimate object, yah? Won't fight back."
I groan and shake out my stinging knuckles, sore from repeatedly punching the metal plate over and over again.
Chow's 'training' is deceptively simple, but I'd learned pretty damn quick that simple doesn't mean easy.
"How flexibility? Like rubber man yet or still like rock man?"
Before I can respond he promptly grabs my arm and yanks it behind my back, twisting it so far that I'm surprised the limb doesn't just detach itself.
I grit my teeth and bear it.
"Hmm…getting better Little Bastard. Still need work though."
He lets go and I silently massage the appendage, glad that I no longer have to deal with a broken arm during the 2 hours of practice I spend with Chow.
The first time he hadn't even told me what he was going to do before breaking the limb in what felt like 20 places, only saying, "Need to be more flexible, Little Bastard."
Which makes sense I suppose.
Weiji-Do has nothing to do with hitting the other person as hard as you can, it's all about sneaking past their defenses, so flexibility and ease of movement is critical.
…Doesn't mean I didn't privately curse him for hours after that before Lisa healed my injuries.
"So limb bendy-power improving, how about Magic moving?"
He gives me an expectant stare and I take a deep breath before squaring off against the metal plate again, cocking my fist behind my ear.
The first step in Weiji-Do is learning how to properly manipulate your raw Magic into a weapon that can reach out and physically hit your opponent. The first exercise consisted of a ball placed on a stand about 5 feet away and Chow instructing me to use my Magic to knock it off without relying on stuff like wind pressure.
Thankfully my Senjutsu training, especially Toki manipulation, translated fairly well into Weiji-Do.
Since Toki is essentially coating your body in your own life-force or life-energy, the principal of using Magic in a similar manner wasn't too hard to get the handle on.
It's the control that's more than a little confounding.
Having your Magic slip past physical obstructions in order to strike at your target isn't an easy thing to pull of, hence the goal of this exercise.
On the other side of the metal plate is a simple egg, my objective being to shatter it with Weiji-Do techniques before Chow will start showing me actual moves of the style.
Taking a moment to concentrate I slowly breathe out, focus my power on my fist and lash out-
DONG.
…Ow.
Chow just sighs and mutters, "So depressing…"
I scowl as I shake out my hand and glare at the metal plate, now decorated with a bit of blood from my skinned knuckles.
"Ok Little Bastard we speed things up. If you don't at least move egg in next 5 tries, I throw random piece of cutlery into random piece of your body, yah? Best of luck I don't choose butthole, yah?"
Say what?!
Forget Kalichi, Chow is gonna be the death of me first…
Vallia
"[Shock Bolt!]"
I have to stop myself from gritting my teeth as Caine's spell narrowly misses me, instead impacting on the ground as I jump to the side.
I roll once to bring me to my feet while perfectly balanced-
-and don't see any sign of the Devil at all.
[Vallia, behind-!]
Instantly reacting to Albion's shout I spin around just in time to see Caine jump out of a nearby shadow and barely get my arms up in time to block his attack-
-and I blanch as I realize my mistake.
He quickly grabs my arms and forces them to my side before bodily throwing me to the ground and then yanking my limbs to the side.
I lose.
"You feeling ok Val? You've seemed kinda off your game today."
He let's me go and I can't help but feel utterly useless.
For the past few weeks he's been growing tougher and faster at a rate that way exceeds my own, and where we used to be evenly matched in our spars he's quickly winning every single bout.
Albion had said not to worry about it, that given a few years I would be the one most likely overpowering him, but…
…I feel like Father was right, that I really am weak unless I rely completely on Albion.
And even that I can't do very well, I've only been able to decrease the time between Divides by fractions of a second, not nearly good enough.
I jump as Caine lightly taps my forehead with his finger and asks, "Underworld to Val, you in there?"
"Oh, um…sorry, I was just…lost in thought."
"Well obviously," he chuckles, "But that doesn't answer my earlier question. Are you feeling alright?"
I'm about to reply that no, I'm not feeling alright, how could I be when I'm so useless, but I stop as I realize I have no idea how to tell him that without sounding like a weak complainer.
[She'll never be able to bring herself to tell you this, but my host is rather frustrated by her perceived lack of progress, especially when she compares herself to your standards.]
I feel a wave of depression hit me as Albion goes ahead and tells my sparring partner about my failings…only for said partner to confusedly ask, "Seriously? Val, you've been getting better at hand-to-hand, increasing your control over you're already pretty massive level of Demonic energy and if my math is correct you've also been decreasing the time you need between Divides. I mean come on, I know you have confidence issues but this is ridiculous."
…I'm pretty sure my face is a bright crimson by now.
How does he manage to always embarrass me so easily?! Ugh!
I bring my attention back to the present as Caine sighs and asks, "Hey Albion, what's the fastest time anyone has been able to use Divides while the Gear is in its base state?"
[25 seconds, although I imagine Vallia will be able to drop that to 20 seconds, given her talent.]
"Hmm…is there a limit to what you can divide in terms of power?"
[Yes, attempting to divide anything that has 16 times more power than Vallia's current level of energy would cause severe Magical backlash, resulting in a form of internalized explosion as the excess power has to be released somehow. It's happened before, with rather messy results.]
Both Caine and I wince, despite being told this before, and he thoughtfully says, "Ok, it sounds like the real crux of the problem is simply that during the interim of these Divides you would have trouble facing off against someone faster or stronger than you. Haven't Kuroka and Shirone been teaching you Senjutsu? That'd go a long way in solving these problems."
I instantly stare at the ground, unable to meet his gaze and even Albion sounds hesitant as he replies, [While we had initially considered it…after the Yokai sisters explained the risks, most especially the potential madness, I decided against it. The hard truth of it is, well…my host has had a difficult past, no thanks to her accursed family, one that would make the sensing of such volatile energies…risky. Once I explained this to the Nekoshou, they agreed with me as well.]
…What they're saying is that I'm too unstable and weak to handle Senjutsu training.
And he's right.
I slowly look up, shame coursing throughout my system-
-and find Caine looking completely confused.
"Wait, so you didn't want to teach her Senjutsu because she might lose control of herself? And you did so because you're worried about her personal hangups?"
[…Yes.]
And then to both Albion and myself's utter shock, Caine laughs.
An eerie, derisive laugh.
"Are-are you kidding me?! I never took the Vanishing Dragon for a blind fool. You think Vallia is somehow less mentally stable than Kuroka or Shirone? Or myself?"
I feel Albion's indignant anger through our link and he frustratedly retorts, [You imply that I have somehow missed-]
"Let me break things down for you Albion, because apparently you need me to. Kuroka and Shirone watched their parents slaughter innocent civilians while all they could do was watch, before their Dad was killed by their Mom no more than 5 feet away from them. Then they spent weeks borderline starving to death in Kalichi's streets, all the while being beaten or worse by it's residents. They've spent the better part of their lives living in this shithole and if you think that doesn't leave scars then you're an idiot. As for me? Well my entire family was killed in the space of a few hours, and I got to watch some of them die just as an added bonus. Then I was booted halfway across the Underworld, bleeding to death, where I had to learn to survive in a city where death is one of the more pleasant things that can happen to you. Not to mention that one of my life's ambitions is to track down and kill in the most painful way possible one of the strongest beings in existence. Does that sound like someone with a healthy mind?"
…
For the first time ever, I find Albion struggling to find something to say.
Caine's eyes suddenly lock on mine and I'm shocked at how bitter they look.
He shakes his head, breaking our gaze, and acidly finishes with, "Despite all that, you think Vallia is the more unstable of us 4? What exactly is wrong with her? A lack of confidence? A lack of worthwhile moral support? She's already been making strides on both fronts Albion. I think she's more of a safe bet than us 3 ever will be…"
Albion finally finds his tongue, although his frustration is evident.
[It's still a risk! Or do I have to remind you of what happened to Asphodel?! 700,000 dead because myself and Ddraig's hosts activated their Juggernaut Drives in a fit of madness! Or should I tell of how I had to watch it all happen, unable to stop the carnage due to merely being a shade of my former self?! Now imagine the damage a Juggernaut Drive enhanced by your Senjutsu powers could cause, and tell me that such a catastrophe is worth the gamble!]
I…I've never heard Albion this upset before. Angry, yes…but not upset.
Caine merely sneers and replies, "I was raised by a Pillar Family, Vanishing Dragon. I know better than most what sort of damage can be caused by an out of control Sacred Gear, especially one that contains a Heavenly Dragon. But then…"
He turns to me and I freeze at the intensity of his gaze, feeling like an insect nailed to an examination table by that dual-colored stare.
"…It's not up to either your or me, now is it Albion? Vallia, the decision is yours. I can teach you the basics of Senjutsu right now if you want me to, but it's your call to make."
"M-my decision?"
"It is."
I…what do I do?
Albion is broadcasting his frustration and annoyance clearly…but he's not saying anything, likewise Caine is completely silent, content to just watch me decide.
I decide to not panic and instead start considering what it is that I actually want to do.
Either way one of them will be disappointed so…yeah.
'She's already been making strides on both fronts Albion. I think she's more of a safe bet than us 3 ever will be…'
And just like that my decision is made.
If Caine believes in me that much, then I can't let him down, especially not after everything he's done to help me.
"I want to learn Senjutsu. As soon as possible."
Caine gently smiles before nodding and quickly standing up.
"I'll pack us some supplies and stuff, we'll travel outside of the city for a few days and work on your intro lesson. Kuroka and Shirone will probably find us out there sooner or later as well."
With that he runs inside, leaving me alone with Albion.
[Albion, I…I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you wanted, but…I don't want to keep being weak.]
He's silent for a few seconds and just as I'm beginning to worry I hear him resignedly sigh.
[When I told you to start being more independent, I didn't think your first act would be to so thoroughly disregard what I've warned you not to do…]
I'm about to apologize yet again when, with a note of pride in his voice, he concludes, [About damn time, if I do say so myself…]
Caine
Making our way to the forest that surrounds Kalichi had been surprisingly easy.
Dohnaseek and Kalawarner had both been outside of the Church along with David, while Kuroka and Shirone are already in the forest practicing with their powers. All I'd had to do was drop off a note with Lisa and run away before she could ask me too many questions and just like that we were gone.
Chow had been weirdly easy to deal with as well.
After I'd explained that I'd be busy teaching someone else for a few days he'd simply shrugged and said, 'Already been paid Little Bastard, your neck, not mine. Never come back if feel like it.'
So yah…that'd been simple.
"Um…are we sleeping on the ground?"
I shoot Val a grin and cheekily reply, "Not if I have anything to say about it. Here's a small demonstration of what Senjutsu can really do for outdoor camping."
With that I kneel down on the ground and close my eyes, reaching out with my senses for the ever-present signs of life energy. Within seconds I find it, and a far more usable form than the rotten stuff that permeates Kalichi to boot. Slowly channeling the power through my body I direct it towards the ground and ever so slowly small branches and shoots start growing from the forest floor.
The 2 cats can speed through this whole process in minutes, but then again I'm nowhere near as skilled as they are. Matter of fact I'm not even really 'guiding' the energy, I'm just letting it do it's own thing for the most part.
After almost 20 minutes of intense concentration I heave a content sigh and observe my handiwork, which while shoddy, is still perfectly usable.
I mean, the branches and leaves form an airtight roof where they gently slope together, so that's all we really need.
"Whoah…that was incredible Caine!"
I sheepishly scratch the back of my head at Vallia's awestruck exclamation and modestly reply, "If you think that's impressive you should see how the 2 cats get it done…"
She doesn't seem to hear me and instead explores inside, the 4 meter long floor covered in soft grasses and mosses that make a natural carpeting.
"Want to get started Val? We can work on this for a few hours then go ahead and eat once we're hungry."
She simply nods but hesitantly asks, "Um…should we wait for the sisters? N-not that I think you're a bad teacher, it's just, uh, well…"
I chuckle at her frantic attempt to needlessly mollify me and reply, "I wouldn't worry about it, they're pretty good at sensing people's auras. They'll probably track us down within a day, since we'll be standing out pretty heavily compared to the rest of the forest."
With that we each take a seat outside the temporary housing and I ask, "Hey Albion, do any of your emotions bleed over into Val or can you keep them to yourself?"
Thankfully there's no sign of tension despite our fairly recent disagreement as he calmly answers, [No, I can deliberately separate our consciousness and it would take a strong emotion indeed to overwhelm said barrier.]
"Ok, that's one less thing to worry about then."
Settling into a more comfortable position I begin with, "Kuroka and Shirone said that the hardest part of learning Senjutsu is actually figuring out how to access that power in the first place. It took me months before I got the hang of it, not to mention it's a tough discipline for us Devils to learn in the first place. To sense life energy you have to be utterly at peace with yourself and sensitive to the eddies of power around us, going with the flow so to speak."
[Hmm…that certainly sounds like a difficult task, given your species' powers often are activated by strong emotions and feelings.]
I nod agreeably before cheerfully finishing with, "But given how quick you are to learn stuff, Val, I'm willing to bet you can beat my record."
She gains another one of her way-too-cute blushes at my praise, but I'm not just blowing sunshine in her ears. She's one of those rare few that is blessed with both great amounts of power and the intellect to use it properly.
"The first step is to find a meditation pose that'll work for you, since you're going to be spending a lot of time using it. Figure out what kind is suited for you for the next hour or so, I'll be around getting some of the beginnings of dinner."
Vallia
A good meditative pose…I wish I knew anything about meditation though.
It's a good thing I have a knowledgeable Dragon inside my soul.
[Albion, do you know what might work best for me?]
[Unfortunately, no. While I know of a great many styles and can explain them to you, finding the correct one is something you will have to discover on your own. Even after all this time spent residing in you bipedal types, your physiology is still bewildering to me…and I don't think curling up like a Dragon will work for you.]
His amused tone causes me to smile briefly before I start trying out different poses that Albion suggests to me.
After a bit of trial and error I finally find one that seems to be somewhat comfortable and natural, what Albion called the 'Burmese' pose and begin attempting to 'center' myself.
"Seems like you found a good one."
I open my eyes and see Caine dropping off a collection of plants and other things inside the hut before heading back over to me and dropping bonelessly into a seated position.
"I did, although Albion did most of the work…"
Caine just winks and says, "Well he's an incredibly ancient repository of knowledge and life advice, be a shame not to use that…"
[That was a rather thinly-veiled attempt at calling me old. And that bothers me.]
I try hard not to smile but fail miserably and Albion just grumbles before retreating to the recesses of my mind, leaving the 2 of us alone.
Caine quickly switches back to his business-like persona and asks, "So any luck in finding inner peace?"
I shake my head and quietly reply, "I didn't try for too long, but…I don't think it'll be as easy for me as you said it might be. I'm having trouble…setting it all aside."
To my surprise Caine doesn't look surprised or even dissapointed, instead he merely looks thoughtful for a moment before replying with, "I know what you mean, funnily enough, mostly because I felt the same way at first. Here, hold out your hands."
Curious about what he has planned I do as he asks-
-and promptly turn scarlet as he gently takes my hands in his own and starts moving my fingers around.
W-w-we're holding hands?! W-w-what do I do?!
His hands…they're rough, but not unpleasantly so. Like a well-used towel almost, with noticeable callouses on his knuckles and palms. So different from Father's…in fact they suddenly remind me of Shirone's a little bit, at least in regards to the callouses, if not texture.
"Hey Val, you in there?"
"H-huh?! Oh! Um, yes, I am!"
…
Dammit, why can't I ever respond like a normal person?! He must think I'm such a creep…
Thankfully he seems more amused than anything else as he cheekily replies, "Well if you say so…anyway, try to keep your hands in this position while you meditate, it helped me so maybe it'll work for you as well."
I look down and see that he's maneuvered my thumb and pointer finger so that they're lightly touching, with my other fingers splayed outwards while resting on my legs.
This is supposed to help?
I turn my attention back to Caine once more as he stands up and brushes off his pants, all the while saying, "I'll take off for a few hours and work on some stuff of my own. I know from experience that having other people around can be distracting when first learning this stuff…especially if said person's name is Kuroka. I won't be too far, so just holler if you need me."
With that he flies off and I can't help but agree with his words.
If he was around watching me, I would be far too distracted.
A few hours go by and, similar to what Caine said, nothing much had happened. Mostly I'd just tried, and failed, to sufficiently calm myself.
Everytime I had tried to relax my memories and anxieties related to my family had come back full force, causing all of my attempts to end with me gasping for air and covered in a cold sweat.
…How do Caine, Kuroka and Shirone deal with this?
I heave a sigh and Albion suddenly interrupts with, [I think that's enough for today Vallia. For now, why don't you find an area to bathe in? No offense meant, but you're more than slightly filthy…]
I can't resist chuckling at Albion's obsession with cleanliness, something that apparently bothers him even though he no longer has a physical body.
[It's not that bad Albion, it's just some sweat and dirt…]
[I won't have my host walking around like some homeless ragamuffin, cleanliness is of the upmost importance! I'm not like Ddraig where dirt was of little consequence, I was pure white in coloration! The slightest smudge and it showed up like some sort of malignant growth on my scales! Do you have any idea how many hours a day I spent having to groom myself?!]
I can't resist one last smile at the Dragon's rant before acquiescing and replying, [Ok Albion, you don't have to worry so much, I think there's a river nearby…should I let Caine know? He might worry if he comes back and we're missing…]
[I wouldn't worry, we won't be gone long and if there's no sign of a struggle he'll likely assume we just left for a moment.]
I inwardly shrug and do as Albion suggests.
Caine
Umm…where'd the Dragon Girl go?
Fighting back my initial reaction of panic I instead take a deep breath and reach out with my passive Senjutsu senses. While I'm nowhere near Kuroka, or even Shirone's, level of aura sensing I can do a rudimentary search.
Not to mention Val gives off energy readings like a damn signal flare…
Sure enough just a few seconds later I spot her aura maybe a kilometer or 2 away, it's pale wing-like fluctuations immediately identifiable.
She's not moving and her aura is pretty darn stable so I assume she and Albion just decided to move someplace else for a change of scenery or something.
Well, dinners ready so I might as well let them know.
I quickly manifest my wings and leisurely fly over to where I last saw them, coming in for a smooth landing and to my surprise I hear the gentle gurgling of a small creek.
I guess they came to get a drink?
I walk out from behind the line of trees I landed behind-
-and feel my eyes widen so much that I'm surprised they don't pop out of my head.
Reason being Vallia is completely naked.
And Maous above she's beautiful…
Soft looking pale skin that's completely unmarred except for a small stripe of scar tissue across her right shoulder, a slim build with long legs that stops just short of being undernourished looking…and her hair, now that it's wet and catching the red sunlight, looks far more silver than it does grey.
But that's, uh…not what really catches my eye.
Her chest has just the slightest signs of curves, but cherry red nipples stand out starkly against her alabaster skin, an erotic color that leaves my mouth oddly dry.
But perhaps most… new to me, is her lower half. Her, uh…vagina is completely hairless, perfectly nestled in the valley created by her long legs and shapely hips…
…
She's staring directly at me.
And now I'm staring directly at her.
…
The moment is broken as she let's out a high pitched shriek and covers her privates before turning around and ducking underneath the shallow water as best she can.
Which only covers up to above her ankles.
Putting her small, but tight and rounded, butt on full display for me.
…
"CAINE! STOP STARING!"
…
Oh HELLFIRE what am I doing?!
"Oh, uh-crap I didn't mean to-I mean, I,uh, uhhhhhh…dinner's ready whenever you want it! I'm sorry!"
I turn tail and just fucking bolt.
After a minute of frantic sprinting I stop to catch my breath (more out of what I just saw than any physical exertion) and…wow.
Just…wow.
My pants are really tight right now.
I groan at my newly acquired bodily functions and pinch the bridge of my nose in exasperation.
…I better apologize properly to Vallia later tonight or she might just get over her shyness and stab me in the face.
…Her hair was so pretty though-no! Bad pervert!
Vallia
…
…
…HE SAW ME NAKED!
Nononononono…noooooooo!
I, he, we, what…GAH!
Matters aren't helped by the uproariously laughing Dragon inside my head.
[Haha! Ahh, it never ceases to amuse me how you fleshy creatures become so vulnerable without your clothing…]
[It's not funny Albion! Oh no…d-do you think he was disgusted by me?! He ran off so quickly that-]
[Vallia, let me assure you of one thing. Caine very much appreciated your appearance. I've seen holy men with less awestruck faces when finally meeting their gods…]
…If anything, that makes me feel even more uncomfortable…ugh, dinner is going to be so awkward later tonight.
…
So Albion said that he thinks I'm beautiful, right?
That particular thought heats my body up even more than it was before.
Dinner was, like I predicted, a rather...tense affair.
Neither of us had said much aside from some basic comments on the food, a mix of canned tuna and berries Caine had found, as well as the weather.
Things hadn't been made any better by Albion's playful suggestion that I ask to Caine to strip so that I could see him naked and make us 'even'.
I'd almost dropped my food at that suggestion and blushed yet again.
Stupid Lizard…
"So, uhh…Val, we've talked about your plans and past a bit, but…I never really asked about your hobbies."
"Oh! Well, uh…do you have any Caine?"
Our relief is almost palpable at the change into a more easy topic to cover and he playfully smiles at me.
"Nuh uh Val, I asked first…but I don't mind sharing, sure."
Heh…no one has ever asked me about what I like to do in my spare time before…although then again I never really had friends in the first place…
"Well…I really like to read. My family estate had a huge library with all sorts of books from both Devils and Humans in it, and whenever I had spare time I'd look through whatever caught my eye!"
I have a smile on my face as I remember the few times Mother would show me around the massive bookshelves when I was younger, pointing out to me the enormous amounts of novels, short stories, self-help manuals, non-fiction textbooks…it was overwhelming, in a good way.
"By the look on your face you have pretty good memories of it. What books did you like the best?"
I'm about to open my mouth-
-and blush slightly before deciding to only tell part of the truth.
"I-I really liked fiction…all the imaginative stories people come up with…it's incredible…"
No way am I telling him I liked romance novels of all things, especially after our, er…encounter earlier today.
Caine just chuckles and replies, "Fiction? Even though we basically live lives that most Humans would consider to be said subject?"
A pout I have no control over appears on my face which makes Caine laugh even harder.
"Relax Val, I wasn't making fun of you. I actually think it's kinda awesome that you can appreciate all that imaginative stuff. A lot of the older Devils from Pillar Families just ignore Human literature, thinking that it's somehow beneath their interest…buncha dumbasses."
His crass way of putting it causes my mouth to twitch slightly in amusement before I ask, "So what about your hobbies? What did you like to do before…all of this?"
He looks thoughtful, cupping his chin and furrowing his brow in concentration before suddenly grinning.
"Stealing and pranks. Without a shadow of a doubt. And yes, that was a pun."
I can practically hear Albion rolling his eyes, a sentiment I actually agree with, but instead ask, "What sort of stealing and pranks did you actually do? Kuroka and Shirone always refer to you as a thief…"
I almost regret asking as a supremely smug expression crosses his face and he purrs out, "Oh I have a story for you Val…you know about the Leviathan Tower in the Devil Capital of Lilith?"
"Of course! A lot of what you call the Old Satan Faction weren't happy about it being constructed actually…"
Standing almost 915 meters tall The Leviathan Tower was, predictably, funded and constructed according to the Satan Serafall Leviathan's wishes after she saw some of the Human's skyscrapers and was, in her words, 'magically inspired'.
Construction had only finished about 2 years ago with a great amount of fanfare, the building serving as a sort of nexus for all of her foreign affairs work…what did Caine have to do with it?
He continues as he suddenly starts snickering uncontrollably.
"So, it being a brand new modern building with all sorts of appliances and such things, me and my Brother had stroke of creative brilliance…"
…He had a Brother? He never really mentioned that to me…I guess he must have also been killed…
"We and a few other Pillar Families were invited to tour the building the night before so we decided to raid a Crocell controlled warehouse in the city beforehand and shall I say, liberated, several hundred 'Voice Activated' stickers."
…
Oh no…I can see where this is going.
"So during the party we just went to the bathroom, as people will do, and slipped away to carry out our work on the higher levels once people started leaving."
I fight down my own slowly forming smile and ask, "Weren't you caught? It's a large building after all…"
"Oh we were caught in like 2 minutes. Sirzechs and Serafall were keeping a close eye out for sabotage what with the grand opening and all."
"So…"
He merely smirks.
"They were actually the ones who added several security cameras in the bathrooms and break rooms so that we could watch the recordings later…several thousand Devils, Reincarnated or not, most of them unused to the concept of voice activated technology, all shouting at appliances that wouldn't listen to them? Oh it was glorious…"
…
It starts out as a small giggle…and before I know it I'm laughing so hard that my sides start to hurt.
When…when was the last time I laughed this hard?
Caine chuckles alongside me and fondly says, "To think that in a single day me and Jonah managed to piss off several thousand government workers with just some stickers…man I miss those days…"
I finally calm down a bit, although I have to wipe a few tears away, and gasp out, "That does sound like fun…maybe next time you can invite me along, I wouldn't mind participating…"
Caine just smiles brilliantly and happily replies, "You bet! And maybe after a successful heist you can introduce me to some of your favorite novels to round off a perfect day!"
I just shake my head in bemusement before suddenly yawning, sheepishly smiling at Caine as he knowingly looks at me.
"Maybe something to consider tomorrow, I'm pretty tired too."
…I always thought Kalichi could be pretty cold, but now I know how wrong I was.
The areas away from the city are freezing. Even with the heavy blanket Caine provided and the insulation provided by the roof overhead I can still see my breath, never mind that outside much of the vegetation is slightly frosting over.
I glance over at Caine and find him peacefully breathing, eyes closed and seemingly at ease wearing only a t-shirt and shorts…that Phoenix Heart he got from his betrothed must be incredibly useful.
…Betrothed.
Gah! Why does that word bother me so much?!
I shift deeper into the blanket and accidentally let some cold air in through a gap, causing me to shiver violently.
This is going to be a long night…
"You still awake Val?"
I startle at Caine's voice and find him peacefully staring at me, dual-colored eyes shining a bit brighter in the darkness.
"I was, uh…yah, I guess I am."
I shift over on my side to face him-
-and shiver again.
"Crap, sorry Val, sometimes I forget that not everyone has one of these necklaces…"
I'm about to say that it's fine when he suddenly rolls over and puts an arm around me and the blanket, the warmth of his necklace quickly permeating the air and, just in case my face wasn't already warming up fast enough, causing me to blush furiously.
W-w-what do I do?!
…Ugh, forget it.
"Caine?"
"Hmm?"
"…Thank you for always helping me."
He quietly chuckles and muses, "Sheesh, you sound just like the sisters…you don't have to thank me Val, this is a 2-way street after all. At the end of the day we're helping each other."
"…Yah, I guess we are…"
I close my eyes and in seconds I'm fast asleep.
Albion
…It's at times like these that I can't help but wonder if this is what a Father feels like when his daughter takes her first independent steps away from his aegis.
Not that my protection ever afforded her much more than a miserable existence among her own family…but I'd like to think I made the best choices I could given the circumstances.
From my tentative link with my host I can feel the fabric of her dreams begin to take shape and, as they often have these past few weeks, focus on her newfound comrades and-dare I say it-friends she's found.
I honestly can't decide if Vallia is more unlucky than she is lucky, or vice-versa.
Born to the 1-in-a-billion chance of being host to myself, then ostracized and hated by her own family due to that hosting, cast out by a conniving bastard and his machinations…and then being picked up by Azazel of all people, the master manipulator himself.
And yet that whole series of events was probably the best thing that could have happened to her, since it lead her to a few select people that have, slowly but surely, been encouraging her to grow, to become more self-assured in herself as both Vallia and as the host of the White Dragon Emperor.
Although I never would have expected it to be such a motley assortment of personalities and races…
The Fallen Dohnaseek, Kalawarner, especially Mittelt and Raynare, have been providing the self-assurance and promiscuous confidence that is defining of their race, acting as eccentric guardians.
That Priest at the Church, David, has been the most surprising to me. Apparently holding no ill-will toward Devils, or any species for that matter, he's been a sort of distant but approachable figure of sage advice for my host, a role I've come to believe he plays for all who reside in that Church.
And then there's the Elf and Yokai sisters, each with their own unique personality but providing the same thing: people of roughly the same age and same sex that she can simply talk to, a necessity she was lacking in her previous life.
…And then, to use Vallia's ridiculous obsession with those overgrown mammals, there's the elephant in the room.
Caine.
…
Goodness, my host never really stood a chance, did she?
A male her age of comparable strength, who takes time to talk to her about subjects other than training? Who takes an interest in her personal life and hobbies? Who shares the same ultimate goal as her?
And, as best I can tell of these things, is considered attractive despite his lack of desirable features like scales, fangs or a tail.
…First loves are always a confounding thing.
And I guess it's my duty as Vallia's surrogate Father to put the boy through the wringer, to ascertain whether he really is worthy of my daughters affections.
A Human practice I approve wholeheartedly of.
I chuckle as Vallia's dreams suddenly take a, shall we say, more amorous turn?
Something that involves a lot of kissing and gentle caresses of a certain someone's rear.
And it's not the boy doing the caressing...
Devil's are such randy creatures.
Something to absolutely tease her about later.
I chuckle and 'lay down' in the recesses of my hosts mind, thoughts unwittingly returning to my first love.
…What would you have done in my position, Zenithia? Would you have made the same choices, or would you have taken a different path?
Sighing at the sudden melancholy that overtakes me I close my eyes and will myself into a slumber.
Those are memories I prefer not to dwell on.
Oh puberty, what a confusing and traumatic experience you were...
But yah, that stage of life has arrived for Caine and Kuroka knows it, will his balls survive? Will he keep his cherry for more than a week? Should he invest in a chastity belt? Will Vallia eventually declare her love of his butt?
Find out next time on DRAGONBALL Z!
...
In case it's not obvious, I don't really put a filter on when writing the AN section :D
Aside from that there's the obvious changes made to Divine Dividing's powers and limitations, although it's based mostly on the idea of making the Gear be more of a tactical one than just a 'spam divides' kind of idea.
Also a quick shout-out to LunarOdyssey, who's been a great aid in helping me refine or even come up with original ideas for this fic, one of whom was mentioned by a certain White Dragon. While there will be hints at some of these original tiwsts and such they won't be occurring till a bit later in the story and I'd like to give credit where credit is due, thanks for the help as always man (woman? Lunar if you're reading this I apologize for never asking if you're boy or girl, please don't hurt me XD).
Till next chapter!