Tammi's pencil tapped nervously on the edge of her opened textbook. She had supposedly come here to the public library to get some studying done. She didn't consider herself a particularly good student, but Kaiser insisted that it would be unbecoming for a member of the Empire to not have a basic education when one was available to them.
So, even if Winslow was a shithole with a degree barely worth the paper it was printed on, she was expected to graduate. It wasn't a herculean feat, but it did require her to actually do homework and study on occasion. And while she usually did that at home, at school, or in one of the Empire headquarters while waiting for some meeting or mission, it wasn't too strange for her to visit the public library.
But she was finding it difficult to focus today. Because as normal as it was for her to come here for schoolwork, today it was just a cover for a meeting that she absolutely could not let anyone else know about. One she was rather nervous for.
As if drawn by her thoughts, someone suddenly sat down at her table, sitting in the chair right next to her. Her heart did a strange flutter as she glanced over to see who it was. Of course, it was Raven, as she expected. Or whatever his name was out of costume. He hadn't bothered telling her. He didn't look back at her, instead pulling a textbook of his own out of his backpack and pretending to study next to her.
She insisted on their meetings happening in public places, not wanting to risk being alone in private with him, but as she glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to them, she noticed that they were a bit more alone than she thought. She could see a few others, but none of them were facing her direction, and none of them were particularly close. The library wasn't exactly packed most days, and today it seemed particularly quiet.
She's brought out of her musings by the asshole pushing a piece of paper towards her. 'Turn off your phone' it read. She looked at him, brow furrowed, but he just put a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.
She wasn't sure what this was all about, but she obeyed his order, taking her phone out and powering it down.
"Much appreciated," the jackass said in a low voice, quiet enough that there was no risk of anyone else hearing them.
"Why?" Tammi asked, her voice equally quiet. "You never cared before."
"Things aren't quite the same as they were before, are they?" he replied, still not looking at her. She wasn't sure if she was glad or annoyed by that. "They've become rather heated."
"And that's why you insisted on a meetup?" Tammi asked.
"I need to know what the Empire is up to," Raven said. He finally looked at her, giving her a sidelong glance. "So, of course, I came to you."
She glared back at him. "Well, tough shit asshole. That's not part of our deal. 'Runes and charms' are all you care about, remember? Oh, and being a pervert."
"Consider this official notice that I'm changing the deal," he shot back, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "If you're lucky, I won't change it any further."
She snorted. "And a nerd too, unless that mangled Star Wars quote was on accident."
"Says the girl who recognized it anyway," he replied easily. Her jaw clenched. Shit, she had walked into that one.
"Whatever," she shot back sullenly. "It's not like I can tell you much that you probably can't figure out on your own."
And she honestly didn't really care much about revealing the Empire's secrets. They were a bunch of assholes, and it wasn't like Raven could do much with the information. He was just trying to avoid the fallout, which was something she wished she could do. Brad had been the biggest asshole of them all, and outside of being pissed off at those chinks for thinking they could get away with striking at them, she didn't really mourn his loss and was more concerned with the many late nights she'd have for the next few weeks.
"That's the spirit," he said. "So, the big bad wolf is dead at the hands of the Asian devil. The Empire has officially declared war, but what's going on internally?"
"Pretty much what it looks like," Tammi started explaining, once again scanning the room to make sure no one was close enough to overhear them. "Most of them are pissed. Hookwolf was a lieutenant after all. Things are a mess too, as responsibilities and chains of command are restructured. None of the capes under him have been promoted to fill the gap. Kaiser says it's because he doesn't want to replace Hookwolf, not until we get revenge. In my opinion, he doesn't know who to pick."
The prick sitting next to her snorted. "Great, that means a lot of them are gonna be motivated to show off to try to get the position themselves," he complained. "That's going to increase collateral damage all by itself."
Huh. She hadn't paid attention to it before, but now that he mentioned it, she could recall some people sitting up straighter, and Victor especially had seemed a little more gung ho after Kaiser's announcement. He had seemed genuine, but he was also a near-perfect actor, so that didn't mean anything at all.
Annoyance twisted her face into a frown. She didn't like the fact that a newbie who had less information than she did had figured out what was almost definitely Kaiser's plan before she did. "Keep the commentary to yourself until the end," she snapped at him. The bastard had the gall to grin, practically radiating smugness as if he could read her mind.
"Unfortunately for you, there's not much more I can tell you," she continued. "I don't know if Kaiser suspects a mole or if he just doesn't have any plans, but all he's said is to always be ready to go on a mission at the drop of a hat. The best I could do for you is tell you when I'm told."
"No, don't," he said immediately, surprising her. "Too much of a risk. If you hear of anything really big, let me know as soon as you can, but if you're just gearing up for a strike against the ABB, then it's not worth risking you getting caught. The Empire is worked up enough as is, there's no telling what they'd do to you if they find out."
His words sent a mess of emotions shooting through her. Dread and fear were big ones as she realized just how badly that would go. But there was also an irritating sense of a pleasant surprise and appreciation that he was worried for her.
She shoved those feelings down as hard as she could as she turned away from the bastard. He didn't deserve those feelings, he was just worried about his source of intel, and his source of nudes. He was just like Victor. A skilled actor and manipulator who enjoyed using his good looks to-
She froze. Good looks? No no no! She was not attracted to him! There's no way she could fall for a jackass like him and his stupid manly jaw and his stupid sexy arms that she swore were a lot more muscular looking than the last time she saw him. There was no way.
Just like there was no way she hadn't spent more than one night masturbating while fantasizing about him jacking off to her pictures, right? Her traitorous mind reminded her. She felt her face grow hot.
"Tammi," she heard him say, his voice unexpectedly commanding. Out of reflex, she turned to face him-
"Tammi?" she heard him say again, the tone of his voice suddenly different. Almost as if he was confused and…concerned? Her vision was blurry, but a blink brought everything back into focus, including the strange look he was giving her.
"Huh?" she said dumbly, her mind a little clouded.
"Get a little lost in your fantasies?" he asked her, a teasing tone entering his voice.
She felt her face flush. There was no way she just zoned out remembering masturbating to him, right? She wouldn't do something so embarrassing, would she? The look of amusement on his face said otherwise though.
"Shut up," she snapped at him. "I got distracted thinking about how much trouble I'll be in if they find out." She realized she must have been more pent up than she thought if she was zoning out like that. It was all his fault.
"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen then," he said smoothly. "Anything else you can tell me? Any areas in particular you know that are in danger?"
"No," she said. "Like I said, they aren't telling most of us anything at all. We're just expected to be ready to put our entire fucking lives on hold so we can come like trained dogs when Kaiser snaps his fingers."
"Sounds irritating," Raven mused sympathetically. "I certainly don't envy your position."
She snorted. "Fat load of good that does me," she complained. "Don't suppose you could kidnap me until this all blows over?" She regretted the joke even as she was saying it, but couldn't stop herself.
His face split into an aggravating grin that definitely did not excite her. "As much as I would love to have you tied up in my home and at my mercy for a few weeks," he replied, voice dripping with implications, "I'd rather not draw the entire Empire on my head when they're already worked up."
She blushed but clenched her mouth shut and looked away, not trusting herself to speak or look at him. Why had she said that? There was no way he wasn't going to twist her totally innocent desire to have a legitimate reason not to participate in the Empire's little pissing match with the ABB.
"Pervert," she accused him, her eyes glued on her textbook.
"Never denied it," he answered, unruffled. "But I don't think I'm alone in that either." She carefully didn't respond to that, keeping her face expressionless. "Not going to say anything to that?" he asked, amused. "Well, I don't really need to confirm it."
He placed a hand on her leg, and it was all she could do to not flinch. She hated how good it felt, how satisfying even a simple touch like that was. How much it made her want more.
"The pictures you've continued to send me without any word of complaint have made it more than clear that you're starting to enjoy our little arrangement," he continued, leaning in to whisper in her ear. A wave of arousal washed over her, followed by shame when she was unable to hold back the shiver of enjoyment at the feeling.
"Don't think I haven't noticed it," he said, breath tickling her ear. "The contented look on your face. The sheen of sweat. The way your lower lips have been raw and red and your thighs wet with arousal." With every word, his hand traveled further up her leg, getting closer and closer to the pit of heat that was quickly growing in her gut. She held herself still, not even breathing, both dreading and hoping that he'd continue all the way up.
But he stopped just short, his fingers hot against her jeans, pressing against her thigh just millimeters from her crotch. "You've been masturbating before taking the pictures, haven't you?" he asked. Tammi bit her lip but didn't reply. He squeezed her thigh. "That wasn't a rhetorical question. I expect an answer."
"Yes," she admitted, her arousal and hunger for more stronger than her shame.
"And you wanted me to notice," he continued. "You were trying to entice me into doing more with you, weren't you?"
Was she? She didn't think that was her motivation…but it fit. It fit her true desires, the ones she hadn't been able to admit until now. It was shameful, but having him in a position of power over her, being at his mercy and an object of desire for him? It was turning her on like nothing she had ever experienced before.
"Yes," she answered after finally admitting it to herself. "I want more."
"Good girl," he whispered in a low and husky voice that sent another spike of pleasure through her. "Now here's your reward." With that final word, he finally moved his fingers all the way up, and she involuntarily let out a gasp as they pressed against her crotch. Even through her jeans and panties his touch was like fire, igniting her arousal.
"This would be easier with a skirt," he mused, though she was barely able to pay attention as he pressed his fingertips straight down on where her clit was. She wasn't sure if he could tell, or if he had just gotten lucky, but he was focusing on exactly the right spot to make her lose her mind. She clenched her teeth, every iota of her being focused on not making a sound as he touched her.
After a few moments, he stopped, and she was able to breathe again, having been unconsciously holding her breath. Her chest heaved, but she missed his touch, not at all satisfied with what he had done to her, and in fact, she was only more worked up.
But he wasn't done yet. While she had been catching her breath, his hand had been working the button of her jeans, undoing it. Her heart hammered in her chest as his touch became bolder, his hand pressing against her stomach, sliding down until his fingers pushed their way under the elastic band of her panties, where they paused.
It took her a moment to realize that he was giving her a chance to stop him. Did she want him to stop? Her immediate reaction was a big fat no. Stopping here would be torture, and she was already past the point of admitting she wanted him, so she had no reason to make him stop.
So, with a growl of frustration, she grabbed his arm and yanked it downward. Only for her to forget her annoyance as his finger brushed past her clit and parted her lower lips. The start of a moan escaped her lips before she clamped them shut, her free hand shooting upwards to cover her mouth.
"So eager," Raven whispered in her ear. "I like it." His hand pushed more fully into her panties, changing position so he could play with her better. The grip she still had on his arm tightened and she shivered as his finger traced a slow path between her suddenly sodden lower lips, teasing her.
"We've barely begun and you're already so wet," he commented as his finger moved up and down, gently parting her folds and teasing her entrance. "Were you hoping this would happen, maybe? Fantasizing about it?"
"N-no," she denied, but it sounded weak even to her own ears.
His fingers stopped. "You know, I don't like girls who lie to me," he whispered in her ear, the playfulness gone from his voice. "Girls who lie to me aren't good girls, and they don't get rewards. But I'm a nice person; just tell me the truth and I'll forgive you."
For a moment, her pride warred with her desire, the deep craving inside of her that insisted that he kept going. He couldn't just stop like that, it wasn't fair. But was it worth degrading herself like that?
Seconds passed, stretched out into what felt like eons, and the itch deep in her gut only grew stronger. She bit her lip, trying to contain her desires, but she could feel her will crumbling to pieces.
She clutched at his arm. "I-I'm sorry, sir," she whispered, the words springing to her lips before she could stop them. "The truth is that I've fantasized about you a lot."
"Oh?" he replied, and even without looking up at his face, she could tell how smugly satisfied he was. Annoyance and hope warred inside of her, knowing she had given in to his demands. "And what do you do when you fantasize about me?"
"I touch myself," she admitted in a quiet voice. "I imagine you pleasuring yourself using the pictures I send you, and I can't stop myself from masturbating."
"Is that so?" he asked, still smug. "I'm flattered to hear it, and I appreciate you telling me the truth. So I forgive you for lying to me." At those words, his finger finally moved again, sliding into a new position, the tip of his finger pressing against her entrance. She tensed but didn't move, or even breathe.
She felt him lean closer to her, bringing his mouth millimeters from her ear, where she could feel his breath. "Good girl," he praised her, and then he pushed his finger inside of her.
She had to bite down on her finger to stop the moan that tried to escape her mouth as he entered her. She wasn't totally successful either, merely muffling the moan of pleasure. But she couldn't gather her wits enough to look around to see if anyone noticed. All she could focus on was his touch.
His finger felt so big inside of her, bigger than anything else she had ever inserted into herself. Her own fingers were much smaller than his, and when masturbating she usually just focused on her clit, using either her fingers or a vibrating wand. And she was still a virgin, so his middle finger was definitely the biggest thing she'd ever had inside her.
But even then, it felt too good. It eclipsed even her best masturbation sessions. He was like a fire inside of her, spreading waves of warm pleasure that resonated through her entire body. She could feel herself heating up in turn. And all he had done so far was insert it.
"Ooh, you're pretty tight, aren't you?" he commented, seemingly amused by the fact. "I'm going to have to work hard to loosen you up a bit." He started moving his finger inside of her, pressing against her inner walls as he changed the angle at which he was inserted.
Another muffled squeak of a moan escaped her lips as his actions stoked the flames of arousal burning inside of her. Each of his movements was like throwing fuel on the fire, causing it to burst with a flash of pleasure and burn ever hotter.
He started thrusting his finger inside of her, nearly pulling out of her before pushing back inside at a slightly different angle. If he made any comments after that point, she didn't hear him. Her pleasure was all-encompassing, pushing all other thoughts out of her mind. All she was aware of was her attempts to muffle her moans, the arm she was still clinging to, and the rising ecstasy his fingering brought her.
He slowly increased his speed, each thrust of his finger pressing against a different point. Suddenly, her pleasure doubled as he pressed the bottom part of his palm against the top of her pussy, pressing against her clit as he fingered her.
Her breathing grew heavy under the dual assault of pleasure, both individually better than anything she had ever experienced, and in a span of time that felt like seconds and hours at the same time, she felt herself reach her limits.
She bit down hard on her finger, nearly drawing blood, as she climaxed, a strangled yet muffled moan making its way past her lips. But she barely registered either of those as the fire burning in her core exploded into a fiery storm, causing her entire body to shudder and shake as she was assailed with pleasure.
When it ended, it took all of her energy with it. She slumped forward, her head down and resting on the arm she placed on the table in front of her, chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. She could still feel the lingering embers of ecstasy spread through her body, and her pussy sometimes spasmed, still feeling the aftershocks of her orgasm.
She grunted as Raven pulled his finger out of her, and again when his hand brushed against her clit as he pulled it out of her pants. She turned her head to look at him, noting the pleased look on his face as he brought his hand up to examine it. All of his fingers were wet, but especially his middle finger. He pressed them together before spreading them again, and a thin strand of her arousal connected two of his fingers.
He grinned and turned to face her. "Open your mouth," he ordered her as he moved his fingers towards her.
Before she could even process what he had asked, and more importantly, the obvious reason why he had asked it, her mouth was opening, obeying his command on reflex. Before her tired mind could protest it, he put his fingers entirely in her mouth. "Clean them," he ordered.
She could feel some part of her recoil at being told to degrade herself by licking her own fluids off of his fingers. But that part was summarily ignored and pushed to the side by her desire to obey. She closed her mouth around his fingers and started licking them. The salty-sweet taste of her girl cum filled her mouth, but she didn't hate it as much as she expected.
She watched his face as she cleaned his fingers. His expression was pleased and satisfied and filled with a dark enjoyment. And seeing that made her happy, as fucked up as that was.
But she was long past the point of caring about how fucked up their relationship was. She had been blackmailed into silence, then into betrayal, and now into degrading sexual acts. And she knew it wouldn't end with just this.
She should be mad. She should be looking for a way out, a way to reverse this situation and get rid of the blackmail he had on her. And a part of her was mad.
But, with every picture she took, every command she obeyed, that part got smaller and smaller, replaced by an expected pleasure. She was enjoying being blackmailed and forced to do these things. She hadn't wanted to admit it at first because of how humiliating it was. But she couldn't deny it any longer. The dynamic between her and Raven was something she got off on, and she was loath to give it up.
Even her allegiance to the Empire felt like it paled in comparison to the importance of indulging more in the play between them. Who cared about beating up undesirables when she could be receiving the best orgasm of her life?
Before she knew it, she had finished 'cleaning' Raven's fingers and he pulled them from her mouth. They were still glistening though, just covered in saliva now instead. She swallowed, the absence of his fingers in her mouth suddenly feeling strange.
She sat up and he closed the textbook he had opened and started packing his things. "This was definitely a productive meeting," he said cheerfully. "But I think we should leave it there for now." She nodded, more to show she was listening than actually agreeing with him. She was torn between wanting him to stay, to do more to her, and an urge for him to leave so she can relax for a second.
"Don't forget what I said," he told her as he got up. "Let me know if something big is happening, but don't risk being caught. That's more important, got it?"
"Yes sir," she replied in a quiet voice.
"Good," he said, with a satisfied nod. And then he winked at her. "I'm looking forward to tonight's picture." Before she could reply to that, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and left, not even glancing back.
Tammi sighed and slumped over in her chair. She glanced around. None of the few people she could see from here were looking at her, so they probably hadn't been noticed, despite her poor attempts at remaining quiet.
She also looked at the clock hanging on a nearby wall, noting the time. Their meeting had taken longer than she thought it had, though she did lose her ability to keep track of time once his hand had entered her pants.
Speaking of which, she remembered then that her pants were still undone, exposing her panties to anyone who might have looked under the table. She hurriedly did them back up, ignoring the thrumming ache in her core, and turned her attention back to her textbook.
She read the same paragraph eight times before giving up on focusing any further on her studies. All she could think about was Raven's parting words. How he was expecting something good for the daily nude she had to send him.
She sighed and packed up her own things. There was a lingerie shop only a little out of her way, she would stop by there on her way home.
She left the library and headed for the bus stop, mind filled with visions of how Raven would react to some sexy underwear, and how many different kinds she should get.
Once again I found myself in front of Leblanc, looking at a sign on the door that declared the store closed. But this time the lights inside were on, and I could see the blurry outlines of people through the glass panes. I rapped my fingers against the door, causing the outlines to turn to face me, and one of them got up and approached the door.
The door swung open to reveal Makoto, dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and tight black pants with brown boots that reached all the way up to just below her knees. It looked damn good on her.
"Thanks for coming," she greeted me in a polite tone as she stepped back, giving me room to enter. "Come on in, we've got coffee."
"Coffee does sound pretty good," I replied, stepping into the cafe. Makoto closed and locked the door behind me. The others turned to look at me, and it struck me then how off they seemed.
Makoto, Haru, Ann, and Futaba. With the three boys dead and Morgana seemingly not even a thing in the first place, I was looking at only half the Phantom Thieves. But they were all that were left. Down so many members, they barely felt like the Phantom Thieves at all.
It also didn't escape my notice that it was only the girls that were left. Coincidence? Or were the Empire capes holding back, not wanting to kill the women but uncaring about the men? If it was the latter, was it born out of some twisted sense of chivalry, or did they have other reasons for keeping them alive?
Either way, it was convenient for me. I wasn't going to lie to myself and deny the fact that I found all four girls pretty attractive. I had no idea what their powers were here, but at the very least I would hop at the chance of getting in any of their pants. So them all still being alive was something I was thankful for.
"Heya!" Ann cheerfully greeted me from behind the counter. "Oh man, now that I'm properly meeting you, I totally recognize you from the gym!"
"Me too," I replied. I had definitely noticed her at the gym. Especially whenever she was on the treadmill. "It makes sense. Akira was the one to recommend it to me."
"Ah," Ann said, but her smile was suddenly sad as I brought up their fallen leader. "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It was just like him to help people out like that."
I didn't really know how to reply to that, and the atmosphere quickly became awkward. I glanced over at Haru and Futaba, who were sitting next to each other in a booth, a laptop in front of Futaba as she tapped away at it.
Makoto was still standing behind me, and thankfully she soon broke the awkward silence. "Ann, could you get Cain some coffee?"
"Sure thing, coming right up!" Ann replied, snapping out of her mood. She turned around and started making it. Makoto stepped past me to slide into the booth across from Futaba and Haru, and I grabbed a seat by the counter, my back to the door so I could see all of the others.
"How have things been?" I asked. It had been a couple weeks since I had seen any of them besides Futaba.
"They have been as well as can be expected," Haru replied. "That is, I don't think any of us can say we're doing okay, but we're managing."
"We've finished making arrangements, as well," Makoto said. "Their funerals will be next week. If you could let Dr. Takemi know, I'd appreciate it. And you're welcome to come as well, of course."
I nodded noncommittally. I'd decide later whether or not I'd go.
"And this place is gonna remain open," Ann said as she moved to the counter, putting a steaming mug next to me and leaning over the counter a bit to join the conversation. My eyes flicked to her exposed cleavage before I grabbed the offered cup. "I'm gonna take over for Akira, keep this place running. That way Futaba doesn't have to move out, and we don't lose all the memories we made here."
I sipped the coffee she gave me. It was fine, roughly the same as you'd get from any other cafe. I wasn't exactly a coffee connoisseur though. "It's good," I told her, which seemed to cheer her up, a big smile quickly growing on her face.
She walked around the counter to join us. "My modeling career has been kinda slow lately. They don't call me for shots as often anymore, so working here is actually kind of a godsend. Especially since Futaba takes care of the money stuff."
Futaba rolled her eyes. "I've seen your high school records, I wouldn't trust you with basic arithmetic, much less running the books for Leblanc."
"That's just mean!" Ann protested as the others chuckled. She sat down at the counter next to me, her back to the counter and facing the table the others were sitting at. I shifted slightly to match her orientation.
"What about your secret identities?" I asked. "Are you guys okay on that front?" Three boys die the same night three male members of the Phantom Thieves are killed by the Empire? There's no way no one noticed that.
"Mostly," Futaba answered, not looking up from her laptop. "I'm pretty sure at least a few people suspect. I saw some deleted posts on PHO, with a mod saying they were deleted for speculation about identities. The deletion happened really quickly though, too quick for anyone else to see what they said. Or if they did see it, they didn't bring it up. And most people seemed more concerned about Hookwolf's death, and the war brewing between the Empire and ABB."
"Which is something I wanted to talk to you about, actually," Makoto said, turning to me. "I know things were…messy that night, and none of us were in a headspace to discuss much. But now…I think we need to know what happened that night."
I sighed, but I had expected this. I didn't plan on keeping it a secret after all, not from them. "As you almost certainly suspect, it wasn't Oni Lee that killed Hookwolf. It was me."
Reactions to that were mixed. Makoto kept her face blank and just nodded as if I had confirmed something she already knew. Futaba didn't react at all beyond a small stutter in the sound of her typing. Haru, surprisingly, almost looked pleased, as if I had just delivered her news that one of her plans succeeded. Then again, Haru was a little bloodthirsty underneath that sweetness, so maybe it shouldn't have been surprising. And I couldn't see Ann's face well from this angle, but I saw her fists tighten in her lap.
I sighed again. "Let me explain. That night Futaba directed me to the warehouse you guys raided. When I got there it was Hookwolf still on the scene and a bunch of his men."
"That was when you cut the comms with Futaba," Makoto said, a slight edge in her tone.
I shrugged. "I'd say that it was too risky for me to talk out loud and that I also couldn't risk being distracted, and both are true. But mostly it's that I saw the bodies, and wanted to push off reporting it. It wasn't exactly something I was eager to tell you, not when you still had hope."
Everyone looked uncomfortable at that, remembering their emotional state that night. "I guess I can't blame you for that," Makoto said with a little less energy in her voice than before. "But how did that lead to Hookwolf dying?"
I took a moment to mull over how to respond, how to present the information in a way that would lead to all of them accepting it. "I've researched all of the big names in Brockton Bay you know," I started. "Tell me, how much do you know about Hookwolf's past?"
"He was a pit fighter before he joined the Empire," Futaba answered. "Him and two of the others. They did parahuman underground fights, often lethal ones. He ended up killing the guy who ran the ring and was hunted down. That's when he joined the Empire. The guy he killed was black, and they offered him protection."
I nodded. "And since then, his career with the Empire has been, to put it lightly, bloody and brutal. He was sentenced to the Birdcage years ago and has almost been sent there twice. But he was broken out en route both times. The only reason he was still on the streets is that he's too tough to be taken out in a straight-up fight, and the PRT isn't willing to escalate to a kill order and push hard against the Empire."
Again I gauged their reactions. Ann was tensed up more, but not saying anything. Futaba didn't react, likely already having known all of that. Haru grimaced, a hint of frustration in her expression. But Makoto was looking at me with steel in her eyes. "So you decided to take things into your own hands," she said. It wasn't a question.
"When I saw him standing in front of the burning building and over the corpses of your friends…yes, I decided to take it into my own hands," I said. "Hookwolf was a mad dog, and he needed to be put down. I determined that, with him un-transformed and my teleportation, I could do it. So I made the call, and I don't regret it at all."
The others exchanged looks, complicated expressions on their faces. Their hesitance made sense. They were, in essence, a band of small-time vigilantes, almost playing Robin Hood. Murder, even justified, wasn't something they were used to encountering.
I badly wanted to hypnotize all of them and force them not to worry about it, to accept what I had done. Initially, I had planned on trying to arrange one on one meetings with them. But that plan failed before it could even start. With Futaba likely keeping an ear on basically everything they did, hypnotizing them was too risky without securing her complete loyalty first. And I imagined that most of them would be averse to meeting me one on one in a place without other people around.
So I'd wait for my chances, all while whittling down Futaba. She didn't have anyone to watch over her, and she was likely to meet with me one on one.
As if reacting to my thoughts, she glanced over at me, giving me a long look. I kept eye contact with her, not willing to back down or feel any guilt over killing Hookwolf. I'd make that call every single time. As far as I was concerned, even with kicking off the war between the gangs, I did Brockton Bay a fucking favor.
After a few moments, Futaba's eyes dropped back down to her laptop. "Good," she said. "I'm glad the bastard's dead."
"Futaba…" Makoto said, her voice filled with concern. But she grimaced and didn't say anything more.
"I agree," Haru said, her voice confident and firm. "From the sounds of it, he was just a bully, and we were only his most recent victims." She shook her head. "No. Bully isn't a strong enough word. He killed people for entertainment. He killed our friends, our family. He needed to be stopped, and putting him in jail was already tried. Twice. It didn't work, and quite frankly, I don't have enough faith in the PRT to be successful on their third attempt."
Makoto winced but didn't disagree. Ann, on the other hand, spoke up. "I- I'm not sure. But…I think I might agree as well. Even putting aside the personal part of it, if what Futaba and Cain say is true…then I think that maybe that was the best way to handle him…"
Makoto sighed. "I don't like it," she said. "We've done a lot of judging, and a lot of punishing, but never anything like this. To play the part of an executioner…it doesn't sit right with me." She turned to me. For all that her voice was unsure, her red eyes were filled with steel. "But the selfish part of me agrees with the others. I can only see his death as a good thing, even if I don't like the fact that you did it."
I shrugged. It was honestly a better reaction than I expected overall, so I'd take it. "I didn't like having to do it either," I lied. "I only did what I thought was best." That part was the truth. Dealing with him in combat, when he was transformed, was near impossible for my skills and abilities. He could have been a major obstacle for me if I didn't take him out then. It was in my best interest to take the chance I could get.
"But that doesn't explain why they think Oni Lee did it," Ann added.
"Well, I needed to put down Hookwolf, but there was no way I could do it without being noticed," I explained. "There were too many Empire goons around. But my own teleportation power, something I've tried to not advertise too much, looks kind of similar to Oni Lee's in that it leaves a small amount of ash-like particulates in the air. When I noticed that, I bought an outfit similar to Oni Lee's, just in case I needed a disguise. And I needed one there if I wanted to avoid having the entire Empire after me. I wouldn't survive that kind of attention."
"And in the process, you kicked off a gang war," Makoto pointed out unapprovingly.
"The ABB is just as bad as the Empire," I replied. "And the more they're busy fighting each other, the less focused they are on innocent civilians. And I plan on doing what I can to weaken both of them, and reduce collateral damage."
"I see," Makoto said. "It's risky, but perhaps that would be better. And it's definitely better than you being hunted down just because you were helping us." She sighed again. "Once again, I don't like it, but I can't disagree with your decision."
"I think it's a great idea," Haru added. "With them distracted, it should make our job a lot easier!"
"So you girls are gonna keep going?" I asked, curious. I half expected them all to retire. Or at least try to.
"We talked it over," Ann explained. "We didn't think any of the others would have wanted us to stop. We owe it to them to keep helping people."
"We'll have to change how we operate, of course," Makoto continued. "We have fewer people, and our previous strategies won't work. But…we've decided to change our targets a bit anyway."
"Oh?" I asked, curious.
"Before, we mostly focused on individuals," Futaba explained. "We stole resources from the gangs, weakening them to a degree, but we used that to fund our missions to make corrupt and evil individuals pay, either exposing them, forcing them to admit to their crimes, or punishing them directly."
"And we'll still do that when we can," Makoto said. "But we've decided that the gangs are a much bigger problem, and they're not one we can ignore. We want to focus on weakening them enough that they can be removed from their entrenched positions, either by the PRT or other independent heroes."
"Ambitious," I commented. "And dangerous. Wasn't it an increased focus on the Empire that led to the escalation between your two groups?" To the death of her friends.
"That's exactly why we have to do it," she said, conviction clear in her voice. "The fact that they were so angry over what we were doing was proof that we were doing damage to them. It's proof that we can make a difference."
"Fair enough," I replied casually. "I'm not gonna try to talk you out of it. In fact, that lines up with my goals fairly well. The Empire, ABB, Coil, and even the Merchants all need to go." Mostly because they were a potential threat, barring the Merchants. Also because I wanted their stuff.
"Futaba mentioned that," Makoto said. "She also mentioned you were interested in working together?"
I sat up straighter. This was the important part of today's conversation. "I am," I confirmed. "I've been hitting the limit of what I can do on my own. I can gather information, get around quickly, maybe sneak in and steal some stuff, but there's only so much I can do with that."
In truth, I wasn't too concerned about hitting my limits. I knew they would grow, and I wanted to draw as little attention as possible for as long as possible. But having a reliable team at my back outweighed the downsides, especially if it's a team filled with attractive women such as this one.
Operating alone forever would be inefficient, and most likely too slow. It was better to start now. I'd have to use [Hypnotic Gaze] on them eventually though, so they wouldn't complain about the things I needed to do to prepare for taking down Scion. But that would come in time, once it was safe to do.
"So, since you guys are…operating at a lower level than before, and because we're already kind of tied together, what with our secret identities being revealed to each other, I figured it made sense for us to join forces," I continued.
Makoto exchanged glances with the others before looking back at me. "We discussed that as well. And we are willing to ally with you, working together for specific jobs. But, to be clear, it would only be an alliance. We're not inviting you to become a Phantom Thief."
"Sorry," Haru apologized. "It's just…there's a lot of history with our group, and we're really grateful for you helping us and sorry for outing you, but we're not really ready to accept new members, not when we don't really know them very well."
That was…not as good as I wanted. Ideally, I wanted our groups to merge, with me as the head. Which, perhaps, was asking for way too much. I would have been okay with Makoto being the leader. It would've been temporary until I gathered enough influence and control to become the leader.
Not even officially being on their team, just an ally, would make things difficult. I'd have fewer chances to influence and gain authority over them, and I wouldn't get as much experience in leading and managing a team.
But it was better than nothing, and it left the door open for improvement, so I'd have to take it. I made sure not to let my disappointment show on my face. "No worries, I understand completely," I said in a friendly tone. "An alliance is more than enough for each of us to help the other out."
Makoto and Haru seemed to relax a bit at my reassurances. Futaba didn't react though, focused on her laptop as she was. And if Ann had a reaction, I couldn't see it without looking at her more directly, something I'd have to turn to do.
"In that case, we'll let you know when we have a plan of action," Makoto said. "Futaba volunteered to be your point of contact. She'll update you on whatever we find and are preparing to do, and you can report any useful information to her. She's always been the one to organize us and gather information."
I looked over at Futaba. Her eyes flickered up to mine for only a moment before they dropped back down to her screen. "I'll make sure to keep you up to date," I told her.
"Good," she said. "Now, if we're done here, I've got to finish up this update to our communication software." She started scooching out of the booth, forcing Haru to get out so she can as well.
"Futaba," Makoto said, tone equal parts concerned and stern. "Don't you think that's a little rude?"
"It's fine," I said with a shake of my head. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I've got somewhere I need to be soon anyway."
Makoto hesitated and Futaba used the chance to slip away and head upstairs. She sighed and then turned to me. "Still, I'm sorry for her. She's taken Akira's death even harder than the rest of us."
"It's fine," I repeated. "I'm not gonna hold it against her. Just keep me updated, and let me know if you guys need any help with anything else. I'm close by after all."
"Thank you," Makoto replied with a small smile. "We won't be doing anything until after the funeral though, so don't expect to hear from us until then."
"Got it," I said. I finished my cup of coffee, which I had been sipping on throughout the conversation, and put the mug down on the counter. "Thanks for the coffee."
"Come back for more anytime!" Ann said cheerfully as I stood up. "Well, during business hours, obviously. Don't come expecting coffee at midnight when no one is here."
I chuckled. "Damn, there goes my plans for late-night caffeine," I joked back. The other chuckled, and I made my final goodbyes before leaving.
Saying I had something to do wasn't just a way to ease a potentially awkward situation, I actually did have plans. Melissa had invited me over to her place for 'a surprise and a date'. With the chaos that had been going on in the past couple of weeks, I hadn't been able to make time for her, so I was looking forward to visiting her.
"Cain!" Melissa exclaimed cheerfully as opened her front door before greeting me with a hug.
"Hey there," I replied, returning the hug. There were few things nicer than an enthusiastic hug from a busty girl, and most of the things that were nicer involved that same busty girl, but with fewer clothes.
"Come in, come in!" she said excitedly as she let go of me and started dragging me into her house, barely taking time to make sure the door was closed and locked behind me. "I've got something really cool I've been working on that I want to show you!"
"Oh? What is it?" I asked as she dragged me to the stairs that led to her basement. She was pretty cute when she was all excited.
"You'll see!" was her only reply. I took a chance to look her over. She was wearing a short white ruffled skirt that showed off a lot of leg and a tight t-shirt that emphasized her figure. I distracted myself by watching the way her skirt bounced as she quickly descended the stairs.
We didn't come to a stop until we were in front of a workbench cluttered with tools, wires, and other miscellaneous parts. And in the center of it was a piece of rough cloth that had been placed over something.
She turned to me, beaming. "So, since our date, I've been thinking a lot about you being a cape. And I decided that I wanted to help you with that. I know how bad Brockton Bay is, and even if I only spend half my time here, I consider it my home. So helping you is how I want to contribute to making my home better."
"That's very admirable of you," I said with a smile. "I'll gladly take any help I can get."
"Then I hope you'll find this very helpful," she replied, grabbing the edges of the cloth on the workbench. She yanked it off with a flourish, revealing the hidden item below it.
I recognized it immediately. "A wristbow," I said out loud, shocked. It was another item from Dishonored, a small crossbow that could be mounted on the wrist. The mask was given to me by the Outsider himself, but the coat was made by Parian, and now a wristbow made by Melissa?
"Well, technically calling it a 'bow' would be a misnomer," she said as she picked it up. "While some of my early designs did resemble a crossbow in that it used gears and the tensile strength of some steel wire as a launching mechanism, I decided to use other methods, as it would have required too much maintenance and part replacement." She held it out for me so I could take a closer look.
Now that I was paying more attention to it, I could already see that it wasn't the same as I remembered. It had the same general shape, but as she said, it wasn't really a crossbow at all.
"How does it work then?" I asked.
"Electromagnets," she said. "I've made some bolts designed to balance their weight and magnetic properties." She offered it to me. "Here, try it on and I'll show you how it works."
The wristbow, as I was still going to call it, had two parts to it. The first was a sort of bracer made of some sort of tough cloth material. It had small straps on the top part of my arm so I could securely fasten it to my forearm. The underside had a solid block at the edge closest to my elbow and a long metal track running parallel to my arm.
"Here, you attach it like this," she said, and she slid the crossbow onto the track of the bracer. There was an audible click as it locked into place. "Push this button here to unlock it so you can take it off," she said, demonstrating. The button she pressed was so well disguised I wouldn't have recognized it as one if she hadn't pointed it out.
She slid it off the track smoothly and then handed it back to me. "Now you do it," she instructed me. I took it from her, looked it over to make sure I understood how it latched onto the track correctly, and slid it into place. I then unlatched it and repeated the process a couple times, making sure I could do it easily.
But I couldn't help but notice something. "How do I fire it?" I asked. I could see the tube that would hold the dart, and what looked like it would hold a few more. Some bulky parts near the top and bottom of the barrel were probably related to how it was fired. But I didn't see a firing mechanism at all. And there was another issue. "For that matter, how is it powered?"
"That's the neat part!" Melissa explained excitedly. "The answer to both is the same. The bracer!" She pointed to the bulky part of the bracer. "This is actually a battery, a pretty good one too. There's a charging port here, it should use the same cord as your phone to charge it. It connects to the track, and it provides the launcher with the power it needs to work."
"Why design it like that?" I asked. "I mean, it's pretty neat, but wouldn't it make sense to make it all one part?"
"Well, I had a couple different reasons," she said. "For one, including a sufficiently large battery that was part of the device either made the design too bulky or off-balanced. Second, it's so you can charge it without having what is obviously a dart launcher out in the open on your nightstand or whatever. I mean, sure, charging what looks like a wrist brace is weird too, but not nearly as suspicious."
I nodded. Both those made sense. "But thirdly and most importantly," she continued, "Is that it makes it easier to upgrade in the future. Short of using tinker tech, which would be a headache neither of us want, there's not really anything I can do to improve the battery. That part is cutting edge and can hold a lot of charge for its weight and size. But the launcher itself still has a lot of room for improvement, and the parts for it are actually pretty cheap. With them separate, I can work on creating better versions without having to invest another battery in it."
"That's a pretty good reason," I replied. "And, in that same vein, I could even keep a backup on me, in case it breaks mid-fight or something."
"I hadn't even thought of that," she admitted. "But yeah. Your hammerspace works pretty well at eliminating the downsides of carrying extra equipment. I know your space isn't infinite, but the crossbow is pretty small, you can definitely afford to keep at least one more in there. When I make you a new one, you should keep the second latest model as a backup, unless it needs repairs."
I nodded in agreement. It was a sound plan. If one broke, I could swap it out in seconds. "But you still haven't explained how to fire it," I pointed out.
"Oh, right. That's easy. See the bit of the bracer that extends to cover the butt of your thumb a little?" she asked, pointing towards the part. It was a little different from the rest, with a small black metal plate instead of just plain cloth. "Just press against that."
I pointed it at the floor and did so, and heard a tiny click as the unloaded launcher tried to fire. "I hope that's not pressure sensitive," I said, thinking of all the ways that it could accidentally fire.
"Please give me a little more credit than that," she replied dryly. "It's touch-sensitive, but only to bare skin. With how it's positioned, that should only happen deliberately. Or I guess if you decided to clap or something."
"What if I want to help someone up?" I asked.
"Use your other hand," she answered. "Which I would recommend anyway, so they don't grab the launcher under your sleeve."
"Fair enough," I replied. "I'm a righty anyway." With the wristbow going on my left wrist, I wasn't too worried about something like that happening.
"And just in case there's a situation that calls for it, there's a safety here," she said, pointing to yet another mechanism that I would never have guessed was a switch if she hadn't pointed it out and flicked it. I pointed the wristbow at the floor again and tried firing it. No clicks.
"You sure didn't cut any corners," I noted, impressed. "This is amazing."
"I just felt really inspired," she said. She was blushing, but she had a pleased look on her face. "Oh, right! Your ammo!" She opened a drawer on the workbench and pulled out a box that rattled as she moved it. She placed it on the workbench before pulling two darts out, one in each hand.
"The plain one is just a bolt," she said, showing it to me. It was a plain rod of metal, with one tip sharpened to a dangerous-looking point, and the other end flaring out into three stabilizing fins. "Unfortunately, I couldn't fit too much force in this first version launcher, so I wouldn't expect to do all that much damage with these bolts. They'll penetrate unarmored clothes and costumes and still have enough force to get deep enough to stick, but they're not gonna do any real damage unless you hit a particularly sensitive area, such as an eye."
"Hmm," I mused, imagining it. "Not that I'm eager to be using a lethal weapon, but that amount of damage doesn't seem terribly useful except as a deterrent."
She nodded. "Yeah. I'm working on improving it, but I wanted you to have this version at least, which has enough force to make these useful." She presented the other bolt, which looked exactly the same except for the band of green paint on it.
"These are sleep darts!" she said. "On contact, they'll inject the target with a drug that should knock them out. I'm only so-so at chemistry, so I don't know exactly how it works, but it's apparently pretty fast-acting, and should be safe to use on anyone."
"How did you get your hands on something like that?" I asked. "It's not tinker tech, is it?"
"No, no, it's mundane," she reassured me. "But umm," she paused, looking a little sheepish. "I might have raided my father's supplies for it. He has access to all sorts of stuff, both through Toybox and the PRT."
I frowned. "Isn't that risky? Won't he notice?"
"Not if it's just this much," she said. "He's kinda scatterbrained when it comes to the supplies he keeps at home. Even if he notices it, he'll just think he misremembered. It happens all the time. But…I probably can't make too many of these. Just a few a month. More than that and he'll definitely notice, yeah."
"I'm probably going to need more than that," I commented. "But I've got a better idea. I know someone who's pretty good with drugs like this. I'll give them a sample and see if they can't figure out a way to recreate it. If it's mundane, they should definitely be able to." I'd have to convince her most likely, but between the sex and [Hypnotic Gaze], convincing her of things was pretty easy these days.
"That would be super helpful!" Melissa replied. "Oh, and before I forget. The bolts are specifically designed so that they're weighted just the same as the sleep darts. That way they'll have the same flight path and you won't have to learn to aim two different weights."
"Smart thinking," I said. "I wouldn't have thought of that until after I tried firing both."
"Ah, well, me too," she admitted. "I redesigned them after doing some firing practice and noticing the difference. But it was before I made more than a handful, so it was fine. Here, let me show you how to load it."
Loading it was pretty simple. The barrel opened up and I just had to shove darts in it. It could hold up to three; two in the magazine and one in the barrel. After that, Melissa set up a firing range, one she apparently used to test it in the first place, and I practiced with it for a couple hours.
The range on it wasn't great. Past thirty or so feet the penetration and accuracy really fell off. But within that range? It was silent, fast, and accurate. It took a bit to get used to the hand movement of pressing the trigger without throwing off my aim, but after practicing for a couple of hours, I was pretty consistently hitting the target. I still had room for improvement- the target was about a foot in diameter, and hitting somewhere inside of it was the best I could manage. Hitting a specific part of the target was still a crapshoot.
The battery finally ran out of juice after several hundred shots, and we called it there. I took off the wristbow and then the bracer before putting both into my [Pocket]. Then, I turned to Melissa and gave her a hug.
"Thank you," I told her. "This is going to help me a lot." I hadn't expected my relationship with her to develop like this. Sexually? Absolutely. But to get a useful tool out of it? It made it worth spending time with her. Part of me had been worried about wasting time. I had other girls I could satisfy my lusts on after all, ones that offered me a practical benefit too. Melissa lacked that. Or she had, until today. Now I could satisfy my greed and lust while also not feeling guilty about it.
"Of course," she replied, returning the hug. "I'm happy to help." She pulled back from me and looked at me shyly. "Would you…like to stay for a bit? Maybe watch a movie?"
Speaking of satisfying my lust. "Spend more time with you? Absolutely." She blushed but nodded, and the two of us headed up the stairs. I didn't even have to be subtle with my flirting. We hadn't talked about it or made it 'official', but we had gone on a date and there was something between us. The lack of a label on that something wasn't important, for now at least.
We went back upstairs where she led me to the living room. She had a surprisingly large selection of DVDs. I didn't recognize most of them, reminding me that I wasn't a native of this world, so I let her pick one. She ended up choosing a superhero movie, which struck me as pretty amusing, but I was interested in seeing what a superhero movie looked like in a superhero setting, so I didn't protest.
We settled onto the couch, Melissa leaning against me, her back on the side of my stomach and her head on my chest. I wrapped my arm around her so my hand was resting on her stomach. It felt nice, having her in my arms like that.
The movie was interesting, at first. In some ways, it wasn't much different from superhero movies back home. But if I had to point at one big difference, it was the volume of other super-powered characters. Despite being a standalone film, it had a ton of other powered individuals, and the setting seemed to take that as a given. In fact, very few of the on-screen characters weren't superheroes or villains.
But other than that, it was pretty standard fare. An antagonist that vaguely mirrored the protagonist, a plan that would hurt or kill a lot of people, and the hero's desperate attempt to uncover and stop it. A tried and true formula even in this world it seemed.
So my interest began to wane in the movie and instead drifted toward Melissa. My fingers started tracing circles on her stomach, lightly brushing against the fabric of her shirt, pressing just hard enough for her to feel it. Through her back, I could feel her heartbeat and breathing, and I was acutely aware of how thin the cloth was that separated our skin.
She stirred slightly in my grasp, but she kept her eyes on the television and didn't say anything. I decided to take that as tacit permission to continue. I reached down with my other hand and put that on her stomach too. I lightly moved my fingers up and down, stopping just a small distance from the bottom of her boobs and the top of her skirt.
After a few moments of this, I could tell her breathing and heartbeat were both getting heavier, and she was squirming ever so slightly. And as I was contemplating whether I wanted to then move up, to start blatantly groping her, or pull her shirt up so I could touch her stomach directly, she made the decision for me by grabbing my hands and guiding them to her chest.
I grinned as I squeezed, my grip filling with the wonderful sensation of her boobs. She sucked in her breath, and her chest pushed out as her lungs expanded. I couldn't see her face from my angle, but I could tell she was definitely enjoying it.
I groped her like that for another few moments, enjoying the sensation, even if her shirt and bra were in the way. She was bustier than Tae, and their weight was satisfying in my hands. Melissa squirmed against me, her breathing heavy, but she didn't make any other noise.
And then she turned her head to look at me, straining her neck. Her face was flushed and she looked at me with a nervous hunger, like she wanted more but wasn't sure how to ask. Luckily for her, she didn't need to do anything more than that.
I let go of her boobs to her momentary disappointment, but she followed my lead as I lifted her, turning her so she was facing me, and positioned her on my lap, straddling me. Her legs were over mine, spread out and pressing against my thighs. The way they were split pushed her skirt up to dangerous levels, showing me most of her legs and almost more than that. Her boobs were now on eye level with me, putting her head above mine, a reversal of our previous position.
She looked unsure about what to do next, but that expression faded as I reached up to grab her boobs again. She bit her lip and leaned her head back as I squeezed them. I felt her hips jerk, pressing her crotch against mine, and I started to harden.
She quickly leaned forward again, bending down to bring her face to mine. There was no hesitation from either of us as our lips met, nor as our lips spread and our tongues met, skipping the gentle kisses and jumping straight to intense making out.
Her body felt hot against mine, even through her clothes. Her hair draped down on either side of my head like curtains, blocking the light as we kissed. Her lips and tongue were sweet on my own, and she rhythmically swung her hips, grinding against the growing tent in my pants.
My hands let go of her breasts and moved down to the bare skin of her thighs. I lavished in the feeling of her smooth skin under my fingers as my hands glided up them, coming to rest on her plump ass cheeks. I gripped them tightly, my fingers sinking into the soft skin, and she made a small noise into my mouth and pressed her whole body against me.
We had lost all sense of control, neither of us even thinking about holding back. Melissa's grinding increased its pace, and I could feel the vague pressure of her mound dragging along my erection over my pants, sending tingles of pleasure through me. I shifted my grip on her, my fingers feeling the fabric of her panties. I pressed my finger under the elastic band of them, fingers slipping under-
Click.
Both of us immediately froze at the sudden unexpected noise. Then we heard the sound of metal sliding against metal, and realized the sound was the front door unlocking. Someone was coming in, and there was only one person that could be.
As the front door opened, thankfully not in direct line of sight of the living room, Melissa scrambled off of me and sat back down on the couch, a respectable distance from me. I could only assume her heart was beating as hard as mine.
"I'm home!" the voice of a middle-aged man called out, followed by the sound of a door closing. Melissa and I scrambled to make sure our hair or clothes weren't messed up and that my boner wasn't obvious as his footsteps approached the living room. "I wasn't sure if you ate already or not, so I picked up some takeout on the way home. If you have, you can just put it in the fridge-"
He stopped as he came into view of the living room and saw me and Melissa standing on the couch. I recognized him, of course. Standing there was Melissa's father, David Shield. In this world, he was a decently well-known Tinker, mostly for his lack of a secret identity. He was somewhat plain-looking, truth be told, with scruffy brown hair, a small goatee, and a pair of glasses. Even his clothes weren't anything special, just normal office wear, as if he worked in a cubicle rather than in a lab.
"Ah, you have company," he said after a moment of looking at us, eyes flicking between us. "Izuku, right? Well, I got a little extra, so you can join us too if you want." He hefted the bag of what looked and smelled like Chinese food.
Melissa paused the movie. "He isn't Izuku," Melissa said. "You've met Izuku, they don't look anything alike. This is my new friend, Cain. We met at that arcade on the Boardwalk."
"Nice to meet you, sir," I greeted him a little nervously, standing up and sticking my hand out for a handshake.
"Cain? That's a rather unfortunate name," he commented absentmindedly as he shook my hand.
"Dad!" Melissa protested.
But I played it off with a laugh. "Yeah, I get that a lot." I didn't, but that was more due to the fact that I had only been in this world for a few months. But I had slipped into playing a role to hide my nervousness when faced with the rather famous Tinker with ties to the PRT and Toybox, two groups I did not want to tangle with, whose daughter I had nearly fucked right in his living room.
"And I appreciate the offer, but my guardian said she wanted me to be home for dinner with her," I continued. "So I really should be going now."
David raised an eyebrow, looking at the television briefly. "In the middle of the movie?"
"Yeah, it's later than I thought it was," I lied.
"It's okay, we can just finish it next time," Melissa said, standing up as well. "I didn't realize it was so long when I picked it. I remember you saying you had to be home by a certain time."
I mentally thanked her for playing along and helping me get out of here. She was probably just as nervous about her father figuring out what was between us.
Fortunately, that seemed to be enough for him. "Well, if that's the case, then I won't hold you up," he said with a shrug. "I'll go set the table for us while you walk him out, Melissa."
He continued on into the kitchen and Melissa and I exchanged looks before heading to the front door. "Sorry about him," she said quietly. "He almost never comes home, but when he does it's without warning."
"No, it's fine," I said as we stopped in front of the door. "I'm sorry for suddenly bailing like this."
She shook her head. "No, no, I get it. Being interrupted like that made the mood all weird." She paused. "But you have to come back over soon, okay? We need to finish our movie." She gave me a playful smile that promised more as she emphasized that last word.
I grinned, before quickly glancing back down the hall. Seeing that the coast was clear, I leaned in and kissed her before pulling back. "It's a promise," I said.
A short while later, as I was on the bus back home, I reflected on my plans for Melissa. If I followed the patterns of the other girls I was getting close to, [Hypnotic Gaze] would be the next step, ensuring her interest and loyalty to me.
But I didn't think that was the right move in this situation. For one, it was already risky to get so close to the daughter of such an influential hero when I knew I'd most likely clash with the PRT in the future. It would just be idiotic to Master her. I didn't know exactly what options the PRT had for detecting that kind of thing, if any, but it was safer to assume that Mastering her recklessly would be noticed sooner or later.
And secondly, I didn't seem to need it. Just based on what I knew about Melissa and the brief moment earlier, she didn't seem particularly close to him. He thought I was Izuku, for crying out loud. If that didn't indicate a lack of meaningful time spent together, nothing did. And she had been rather proactive when it came to the physical part of our relationship, not really holding back at all. She didn't really need encouragement there.
So I wouldn't mind-control her. I was fine with that. While I was definitely self-aware enough to admit that the control I was exerting over both Tammi and Tae was exciting in and of itself, I didn't feel like I needed to do it. For now, our relationship could continue as normal horny teenagers. Relatively speaking, at least.
My mind flashed back to Melissa on my lap. Just remembering it was enough to reignite my arousal. If we hadn't been interrupted I was pretty sure we would have crossed the line. I sighed, disappointed. Oh well, I was willing to wait a bit longer. Besides, I had Tae at home, and she was perfectly capable of taking care of my blue balls.
I spent the rest of the bus ride trying to distract myself from fantasizing by taking stock of my plans. I had several irons in the fire. Rune's intel, Tae's drugs, my own growing power, the Phantom Thieves, Tooru looking for more runes and charms, and now Melissa with her gadgets. It wasn't enough, not yet, but I was making progress.
My gaze turned to the window, viewing the city as we drove through the darkened streets. Time was ticking down, but not faster than I could manage. I was in a good position for when the next pieces would fall into place. I just needed to keep preparing until the time was right.
One way or another, I'd save this world. And I'd even have a little fun along the way. I deserved that much, at least.
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AN: So uhh. Welcome back? Sorry this dropped off so suddenly. But I came to the realization that I couldn't keep updating like I was before, not if I wanted to finish Gamer of the Void anytime in the next five years. And this was always more of a side project, so I let it fall by the wayside. Since then, I've been experimenting with different ways to balance writing GotV and other things.
If you read all of my stuff, you'll have seen the announcement that my current plan is to separate my works into two categories: my Main fic and my Side fics. My Main fic is GotV, and I'll work on that most of the time, releasing a chapter whenever it's done. My side fics are everything else, and on the first of every month I'll either update one, start a new one, or do a one-shot.
This fic is now in that list of Side fics. Which means, unfortunately, updates for this will be sporadic and spread out. But on the bright side, it means it'll actually get updated. This new system lets me focus on finishing GotV, which is important to me, while also giving me the flexibility to write whatever my muse demands, which is important to my motivation.
The Rune scene! This is one I've been looking forward to. Showing what it's like from the perspective of Cain's victims. It's a little more seamless than I showed here because I wanted to make the breakpoint obvious and the few seconds before the trance are retroactively blurred. I actually have a list of all the commands he's given her, and the ones he did this time were added as well. Most of it was simple, either breaking down her loyalty to the empire bit by bit from as many angles he could think of, hoping to make up for in breadth what he can't accomplish in-depth, and also making her more attracted to him. He was able to do both of those a lot more precisely than before, now that he upgraded the skill so people he puts in a trance will answer his questions truthfully. He can dig for information and then leverage it.
The meeting with the Phantom Thieves was to set up his future relationship with them as a whole, rather than just Futaba. Futaba is the most important of them, for several reasons, but his dynamic with them as a group is different.
And Cain finally gets a weapon upgrade, while also having some fun with Melissa. Too bad it got interrupted. It's an important moment for how Cain will handle his relationship with her going forward, and we'll see more effects of that in this arc.