Michael Collins and the Magic Coin

by Br44

Michael Collins is a lonely college student who was given a magic coin by a mysterious woman. Rubbing the head of the coin, it grants him the one wish in the deepest part of his heart. "I wish I had a girl just like out of Fallen Maidens. One who would love me and allow me to love her without any concern for appearance or money."

17. Chapter 12 Part 2

ATTENTION READER!

This is PART 2 of a TWO PART chapter. It has been broken up for your viewing pleasure. If you are reading this without having read Part 1, STOP! You WILL be confused! Otherwise, ENJOY! :D

---

~The Next Morning~

.

..

...

Michael woke up alone. The kraken was nowhere to be seen. Rolling out of bed, he immediately began to shiver as soon as he left the blankets. It was extra cold that morning. The reason for the cold was immediately apparent when he looked out the bedroom window. Everything was frozen solid. A cold snap had blown through and iced over everything.

"What the hell is happening to the weather in Oklahoma?!" Michael thought.

He showered, shaved, and got dressed as usual. As he headed out of the bedroom, the kraken was there waiting for him with a heaping plate of food in her human hands.

"Good morning cutie pie! I made breakfast!" The kraken said.

He reached for it, but she pulled it out of his grasp.

"Uh uh... not yet. You have to pay me first." The kraken said.

"Pay you? For my own food?" Michael asked dryly.

"Not your food, my food. I used my own money to purchase all that food at the market yesterday. Your friend Akia had a rather... unique... idea of what constitutes a breakfast." The kraken said.

"So what if it was a little strange? I appreciated the fact she made it for me, and I appreciated not being hungry! So don't judge her!" Michael said harshly.

"Peace, I meant no offence. I just think a big man such as yourself needs lots of delicious food to keep working hard. Wouldn't you agree?" The kraken suggested.

Michael's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, I would." Michael said evenly.

"Good. Now this whole plate of food could be all yours, for the measly price of one kiss." The kraken said.

"You want..." Michael hesitated.

"A kiss. On the lips. For at least the count of five." The kraken said.

He eyed the plate of food, and his mouth started watering. It looked delicious.

"You've been kissing me this whole time." Michael said.

"Yes, I have been kissing you. Now I want YOU to kiss ME. It's an important distinction." The kraken countered.

...

She waved the plate in front of him.

"Eggs, buttered toast, hash browns, cheese...~" The kraken teased.

"Fine!" Michael exclaimed.

A smile as wide as the ocean formed on her face. One of her squid arms took away the plates, and she held out her human arms.

"I'm waiting~" The kraken said.

So Michael stepped forward, and she gracefully drooped her arms over his shoulders. Her hot breath rushed past his face, and her violet eyes peered deep into his soul.

"I'm ready... for you to curl my tentacles." The kraken breathed.

*Smoooooch...

The instant their lips met, that same electric jolt shot through Michael's body. He quickly drifted away in the sensation of kissing those lovely warm lips.

"One... two... three... four... five..." The kraken thought.

*oooooooooooooch...

"Wow, he's still going! I guess he really needed a kiss!" The kraken thought.

*ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooch...

"It's been at least a few minutes by now. Maybe I should break this off before something bad happens. Or should I push my luck?" The kraken thought.

*Pwah~

"That... was five. Right?" Michael breathed.

"Yes cutie pie, you earned your breakfast." The kraken breathed.

"Oh thank god!" Michael exclaimed.

She handed him the plate, and he started shoveling like a starving person. As thankful as he was for Akia's efforts, that food the kraken made looked delicious. He didn't even bother sitting down to eat. He polished off the whole plate while standing.

...

..

.

"Is there any more?" Michael asked, returning the empty plate.

"I'll get it for you. Why don't you sit down? Your automaton friend wanted to speak with you." The kraken said.

Michael spun his head around, and spotted Akia sitting on the couch with the PSP in her hands. It was a typical sight at that point, that girl was almost CONSTANTLY playing games when she wasn't doing something else. So he took a few steps towards her.

*SNAP

Her head snapped up, and her crystal blue eyes inspected him with something akin to surprise.

"Master! You're up?" Akia blurted.

"... uh yeah. Didn't you notice?" Michael asked.

"My sensors indicated you were still in bed. I have no record of you leaving that location." Akia said.

"I was standing right there, talking to th..." Michael started to say.

*POP

The kraken stepped forward, and Michael felt the distinctive tingle of a spell being dispelled. Akia's eyes immediately latched onto the kraken.

"She doesn't know because I used a spell to fool her senses. She has no idea that you just kissed me in exchange for your breakfast." The kraken said, grinning.

Akia immediately jumped up off the couch, and deployed her blaster.

"Stand down Akia." Michael commanded.

"But master!" Akia protested.

"It's just a kiss. It doesn't matter. I've even kissed you at one point or another." Michael said calmly.

She lowered her blaster.

"Yes master. I understand." Akia said.

"Now that that's solved, I'll make you another helping." The kraken said.

...

She disappeared into the kitchen, and left Michael alone to sit with Akia on the couch.

"Master, I'm concerned about the temperature outside. I don't think it would be good for you to work today. You may get frostbite." Akia said quietly.

"I was thinking the same thing. How are we doing on the financial warfront?" Michael asked quietly.

"We have achieved the minimum required." Akia said quietly.

Michael did a double take.

"Wait what? When did that happen?" Michael asked quietly.

"Do you remember that sniper that attempted to kill you and entity Searraigh? Remember how I destroyed their arms importer ring, and stole all their weapons?" Akia whispered.

"Yeah. Did you take their money too?" Michael whispered.

"I did. They were going to pay the arms dealer in cryptocurrency. I still have it." Akia whispered.

Michael's eyes lit up.

"I did a market analysis, and have carefully bought and sold at the correct times. This has netted a substantial profit, which would be sufficient to allow our plan to continue." Akia explained quietly.

She slid a little closer.

"I wanted to convey this information, so that entity meatbag cannot manipulate you with money like entity Searraigh did." Akia said softly.

Michael nodded and gave her a light hug on the shoulder.

"How come you didn't tell me about it earlier?" Michael asked softly.

"It seemed that you wanted to earn your own way. I did not want to manipulate you like entity Searraigh did." Akia whispered.

"You're wonderful. Is it on a paper wallet, or on a stick drive?" Michael whispered.

"Neither. I downloaded the wallet data to my central core, and destroyed the actual hardware wallet." Akia whispered.

She tapped the side of her head.

"All of the private keys are here. Would you like me to proceed with the sale?" Akia whispered.

"If we cashed out right now, we would still have to deal with the kraken. She could ruin everything." Michael whispered.

"Yes master. Our defensive measures seem completely ineffective. I was not able to protect you last night." Akia whispered.

"It's okay. She didn't do anything. She asked if I wanted to screw around, and I said no. That was the end of that." Michael recounted quietly.

"Error. That does not fit the personality profile of an inma." Akia whispered.

Michael looked over to the kitchen, where he could see a little of her shoulder.

"Yeah. It threw me off balance too." Michael whispered.

...

~Later~

...

The kraken came out of the kitchen, and found Michael hard at work with a sewing needle and a very damaged pair of pants.

"What are you doing cutie pie?" The kraken asked.

"I'm fixing the clothes you destroyed yesterday. Clothes are expensive, and I can't afford to get new ones." Michael explained.

As he spoke, his voice had a hint of bitterness inside.

"Did you not think to ask me to fix them? After all, it was my fault as you said. It's a woman's duty to do any sewing." The kraken said.

"Well! How very unenlightened of you! Didn't you know, this is 2019 in the United States. Men and women are equal. Which means I can sew my own damn pants, thank you very much." Michael shot.

Akia formed her iconic faint smile, but said nothing. It just made her happy to hear her master tell off their home invader.

"Ugh... now you're just being intolerable. I have a great deal of patience for you, but not when you say ridiculous things like that." The kraken said.

*SNATCH!

She yanked the clothes out of his hands with her multitude of squid arms. He tried to snatch them back, but she held him at bay while she used a couple of well placed spells to mend the tears.

"Aaaaand done! I even put an enchantment on them so they'll mend by themselves if they ever get torn again. See, wasn't that helpful? All you have to do is be nice, and good things could keep happening to you." The kraken said cheerfully.

She patted him on the shoulder.

"I know it's hard for you, but I know that deep down you can be a good man. I want to see that man once again." The kraken said, smiling.

...

"Thank... you." Michael forced.

"You are quite welcome. Now how about that second helping of breakfast?" The kraken suggested.

She placed a tray of food down on his lap. It was just as delicious looking as the first plate.

"I hope you actually enjoy it this time, and not inhale..." The kraken tried to say.

*Sluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp

"Nevermind." The kraken said.

*Clink

The empty plate ended up on the little side table, next to Michael's guitar case. She wordlessly took it and put it in the sink. When she returned, Michael was already working on the next chore. His guitar needed cleaning, tuning, and polishing.

"Do you not ever pause and relax?" The kraken asked.

"Not when I have to pay the bills." Michael said.

"I put several gold coins in your lute case. Is that not enough to handle your debts?" The kraken asked.

Michael's expression became mournful.

"Sherry gave me money too." Michael murmured distantly.

...

"I know thinking of her causes you pain, but you must understand that virtually every single inma that has ever existed and ever will exist has given or will give her loved one a sum of money." The kraken said.

"Why?" Akia asked.

"Every inma spends her youth planning her future. We build homes, collect a savings, and dream of our future with a husband. I'm sure even you've done it dear." The kraken said.

Akia didn't react outwardly, but the kraken was telling the truth. That's exactly what Akia had been doing with her crypto, even if she hadn't been aware of it.

...

Michael fished around inside the guitar case, and collected up the little bit of money he had made the previous day. The kraken's gold coins were mixed in with the dollar bills, pennies, and quarters.

"I believe humans have a similar concept in their own culture. A dowry... if I recall correctly." The kraken said.

She formed a warm smile.

"Of course I have more to give than a few paltry gold coins, but it's a start." The kraken said.

Michael's hard expression softened ever so slightly. The worst thing she had done up to that point was force herself into his life without permission. Which to be honest... was part of the appeal of monster girls in the first place. Suddenly it felt very wrong to be mean towards someone who was just trying to give him money, and who had also just made him a delicious breakfast.

...

"May I sit down next to you cutie pie?" The kraken asked.

Michael slid over, and made room for her. The couch was just barely large enough for the three of them. The kraken's squid arms rested lightly on Michael's lap, and she cuddled up against his shoulder.

"I'm worried about the weather outside. It much too harsh to go out and play music. You'll get turned into an iceberg for sure!" The kraken said.

His stomach fluttered. Suddenly he felt terrible for treating her the way he had.

*Wipe

She wiped at his cheek with one of her squid arms.

"You're crying!" The kraken remarked, surprised.

Michael reached up and wiped his eyes with a shaky hand. Sure enough, he was crying.

"What's wrong with me? Why am I..." Michael asked, confused.

The next thing Michael knew, he was sandwiched between two women. Akia hugged him from behind, and the kraken hugged him from the front. A symbolic gesture, above and beyond just an act of love.

"Don't fight it. Just let it out. It's okay for an incubus to cry. Just let it out." The kraken said softly.

...

..

.

Eventually Michael's surprise outpouring of emotion calmed down. The kraken raked her slender fingers through his hair multiple times.

"There, that's better. Now would you like to talk about whatever made you cry?" The kraken asked.

"I never used to be such a whimp. What happened to me?" Michael murmured.

"You're an incubus, which means you're closer to inma than humans. All our emotions are amplified. Happiness turns into extreme happiness, sadness turns into deep depression. So if you feel sad, surely you will cry." The kraken explained.

"So... it's just another way my body is ruined." Michael said bitterly.

"Don't think of it like that. There are so many positive feelings we can have, but there are only a handful of negative ones. Just wait until you fall in love, and you'll understand how I feel." The kraken said softly.

Her kraken limbs and human arms all started moving at the same time, slipping under his clothes to caress his skin directly. Michael couldn't help but moan.

"See? Now that you're in the right mindset, being touched sure does feel good. Doesn't it?" The kraken asked.

*Taptaptap

Akia tapped the kraken on the shoulder.

"If you molest my master, I will blast you." Akia warned.

"Must you say that right now? Can't you see your master needs help?" The kraken shot.

"I am fully aware that my master requires assistance, and you're in the way." Akia said calmly.

"Fine. As you wish. For the record, I detest leaving him in such a state." The kraken said.

And with that, she got up and left Michael alone. He panted and squirmed uncomfortably.

"You know where I am if you wish to go the rest of the way. I'll be in the bath, moisturizing my skin. I'll be naked~" The kraken said, emphasizing the last part.

*clickCREEEAK

...

"Master, my chassis is fully capable of relieving your sexual needs. Please do not let entity meatbag coerce you with her body." Akia pleaded.

"You shouldn't call her that. It's wrong." Michael countered.

...

"I need to be really careful, or my incubus body is going to betray me." Michael thought.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom.

"I sure hope his incubus body betrays him, because I'm dying to get him in bed. Deny it all he wants, I can see how much he wants me." The kraken thought.

She slid her hand between her 'legs' and played with herself, while daydreaming of Michael railing her.

...

~Much Later~

...

"It's time to eat your dinner, cutie pie. My price this time is another kiss, to the count of ten." The kraken said.

"Ten seconds? Didn't you want five seconds last time?" Michael asked

"I did. Now I want ten." The kraken said.

Michael hesitated, but the sight of that food looked so delicious. As it would turn out, Akia's penny pinching was backfiring in a big way. He was DYING for good food, and lots of it. So Michael agreed without thinking.

"Excellent! He agreed easier than last time! Progress!" The kraken thought.

Her arms draped over his shoulder, and their lips met.

...

"Seven... eight... nine... ten... and there he goes over time again." The kraken thought.

...

"When an incubus is born, the first few months of his new life are very important. It's up to the inma to help him learn about his new body. They're not used to the idea of needing mana to survive." The kraken thought.

*Smooooooch~

"This poor man. Becoming an incubus is supposed to be a joyous occasion. That succubus should go to prison. If she didn't break any laws, it's only because no one thought to make laws for something NO ONE WOULD EVER DO!" The kraken thought.

*Smoooooooooch~

"His mana reserves are dangerously low. He might die if I don't do something soon. But kissing will only do so much. I need to get him into bed. But if I force him, he will hate me. And it won't just be any ordinary hate, but the inflated hate of an emotional incubus. I must let him come to me." The kraken reasoned.

*Smooooooooooooch

"This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! He's right here in my arms! He's kissing me! I just want to do it, why can't I do it? Why can't I just push him over and... and... and..." The kraken thought.

Her breathing increased, and her heart pounded in her chest.

"Nonononono! I'm losing it! I'm... I'm going to end up raping him, and then he'll hate me, and then I'll be no better than the succubus... please no... cutie pie... stop... I'm losing control..." The kraken thought.

*Squeeeeeeeeze

*SHOVE

She pushed him away forcefully.

"Dinner is in the kitchen! I need a bath!" The kraken exclaimed.

"Wh... what? Didn't you just have one?" Michael asked distantly.

"I need another!" The kraken exclaimed.

And she practically fell over herself hurrying into the bedroom. The nanosecond she got the water running in the bathtub, she shoved her hand deep between her hips and finger blasted herself into oblivion. Meanwhile Michael was left standing in the living room, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Master, you exceeded the required time." Akia noted.

"I did?" Michael asked.

"Yes master, by fifteen minutes." Akia noted.

*Smacksmack

Michael smacked himself on the cheeks.

"Get it together self! What am I doing?!" Michael exclaimed.

...

~Later~

...

The kraken came stumbling out of the bathroom. Michael was sitting on the couch, finishing up the polish job on his guitar while pecking at his dinner.

"You look a little green around the gills." Michael quipped.

"Hehe, that's funny~" The kraken chuckled.

The kraken settled down on the couch, right between Michael and Akia. She produced a pen and pad.

"Did you swipe that from my closet?" Michael asked sharply.

"In my defense, I didn't know it was a closet. I thought it was another room. Now surely you don't begrudge me some paper?" The kraken asked.

"No, I suppose not." Michael grumbled.

...

The kraken started scribbling all over that paper with Michael's favorite Parker pen. Michael could just about see what she was doing from his angle, but he had no idea what any of it meant. It was in that strange language the inma used.

"Are you interested in magic?" The kraken asked suddenly.

"I was interested in what you were doing with my favorite pen." Michael said dryly.

She held the pen up.

"What a marvelous invention! A pen that doesn't require a bottle of ink to use! And it writes so smoothly!" The kraken remarked.

"Yeah sure it's great. What are you doing?" Michael asked bluntly.

She held up the pad and faced it towards him so he could see the strange glyphs she had written. It was arranged in clusters around a small circle in the middle. As he stared at it, he felt a strange tickle in the back of his brain. He was reminded of a time long ago when Sherry and all the volunteers were constructing the portal magic circle.

"Do you like it?" The kraken asked.

"Uh...sure?" Michael said, uncertain.

"I think it's a clever little spell. What do you think of this part?" The kraken asked.

She gestured to a cluster of symbols in the bottom right hand corner of the paper.

"It's... nice?" Michael said, uncertain.

...

"You don't know how to read, do you?" The kraken asked.

"I can read just fine." Michael said.

"There's no shame in admitting if you can't. Many humans on my world cannot read." The kraken reassured.

"And I'm telling you that I can! I just can't read whatever monster girl language you're using." Michael said.

The kraken blinked several times in confusion, before she figured out what he was talking about.

"There's no such thing as a language of mamono." The kraken said.

"What?!" Michael blurted.

"I said there's no such thing. It doesn't exist. This paper here... is written in the common tongue." The kraken said.

She held it up and showed it to him again. Just like before, it was covered in all sorts of crazy looking magical runes.

"Yeah sure it is." Michael said dryly.

"I'm not lying. You just can't read it because these words were written with power. Typical people can't comprehend such words, so it appears to be gibberish. I assumed you could read them because I assumed your former wife taught you how." The kraken explained.

"Well she sure didn't." Michael said.

"It was her duty to do so. Perhaps it's not a formal law written down somewhere, but it is an unspoken law. Those inma who have any magical skill are supposed to teach their husbands." The kraken explained.

"You mean..." Michael started.

"She likely did it on purpose. As long as she knew magic and you didn't, she had the ultimate power over you." The kraken suggested.

Michael's face twisted up in rage.

"That bitch! I did everything I could to teach her about my world... and she fracking short changed me!" Michael spat.

"Indeed, that bitch." The kraken agreed.

"That meatbag." Akia interjected.

...

..

.

Michael took a few minutes to calm himself, rubbing his fingers through his increasingly long hair. He sighed, collected himself, and brought his tone of voice down to normal levels.

.

..

...

"The world... is like a ladder. Do merfolk know what ladders are?" Michael asked calmly.

"Yes. Of course." The kraken said.

"Everyone has a place on the ladder. Some are higher up, with lots of money or a greater education. Some are lower down, living in poverty or dumb as dirt." Michael said.

The kraken nodded in understanding.

"Every person born into this world starts with absolutely nothing. When we leave this world, we'll leave with nothing. What you make of your life is what you choose to do, by the grace of god we're born with free will. Good, bad, or indifferent... we all climb the ladder from the very bottom." Michael said.

...

"There are two kinds of people in the world. The kind who climb the ladder with hard work and determination, and the kind who pull everyone else down below their level so they're higher up in relation to everyone else." Michael continued.

"Searraigh is the kind who kept you down so she could be higher on the ladder than you." The kraken reasoned.

"Exactly!" Michael said.

She reached out and placed the palm of her hand against his chest.

"Hey what are you..." Michael started to say.

"I'm pulling you up to my level on the ladder." The kraken said.

*pfft

A limp fart sound came from her hand.

"There. All done." The kraken said.

"Done? What's done?" Michael asked.

"I removed the blocker that keeps you from reading magic imbued words. See?" The kraken explained.

She held up the sheet of paper again, and Michael stared at it. The words slowly warped, twisted, and shifted around until it was something legible. He could not only read it, but he could understand it perfectly. Sure enough, it was written in perfectly legible English, with just a hint of a glow betraying their nature as anything other than ordinary handwriting. The meaning of the formulas and letter groupings were still foreign to Michael, but at least he could read it.

"That's it?! That's all it took?!" Michael exclaimed.

"Yep, that's it. That's all she had to do this whole time. Although to be fair, it's sliiiiiiightly harder to do it for a human. And I mean VERY slightly." The kraken explained.

"How much more slightly? Would it have made a louder farting sound?" Michael asked.

"More or less." The kraken said with a straight face.

Michael was completely speechless.

"Think about it. Many humans learn how to use magic. It's not hard to overcome the restriction. If you tried hard enough, I'm sure you could have done it on your own." The kraken explained.

"Does it have anything to do with the chains that bind?" Michael asked.

"Ah~ You know about that~ The answer is yes and no. Yes, the chains do hold back your magical abilities. The bigger the chain usually means the greater the magical potential." The kraken explained.

Michael nodded in understanding.

"But this little restriction is different. It's like... you're swimming in a powerful current. You're straining all your muscles, pushing against that current, and the current pushes back. Equilibrium has been found... until someone comes along and pushes you from behind." The kraken explained.

"Once you get going, it's easy to keep going?" Michael reasoned.

"Correct! I have effectively given you that push. Welcome to the world of magic~" The kraken said cheerfully.

*Smooch

She gave his cheek a kiss.

"Although, I'm afraid your potential for magic might still be difficult to reach. I don't sense a chain holding it back, which means you're likely not very powerful." The kraken said.

"I've had chains ripped out before. Maybe that was one of them?" Michael asked.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Ripped out you say? That takes an exceedingly powerful person to do. Who would bother themselves to help you?" The kraken asked.

"Well... Druella did a bunch." Michael recalled.

The eyebrow raised even higher.

"You know Princess Druella!" The kraken asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, that's a long story." Michael said distantly.

She dropped everything, and turned her entire body towards him.

"This I simply must hear. I once requested audience with princess Druella, and I was denied. And that was before she became mistress of Lescatie." The kraken said.

"Well... I might have... well..." Michael hesitated.

"Yes? Well? Confess you darned man, confess!" The kraken pressed.

"I might have saved her life... just a little. During the second battle of Lescatie." Michael admitted reluctantly.

The kraken nodded, eager to hear the rest. So Michael sighed, and conveyed the story in its entirety. She gasped as she listened to some of the more... gory details.

...

..

.

"After we got into the walls again, we just held on as long as we could until help arrived. It wasn't pretty. The Order wasn't going to give up, they fought to the last man." Michael recalled.

He sighed. The memories of that battle made his heart hurt.

Eventually we got reinforcements, and that was the end of that. We sent the Order packing. For saving her life, and for saving the city, Druella made me Earl Marshal." Michael recalled.

"Oh my! So you are of royalty!" The kraken exclaimed.

"Yeah, I suppose. Not that it's done much for me. I couldn't care less for the title." Michael said.

...

"Although, it did get me the chance to go to the Royal Makai and meet Lilith. That was a fun experience. I also got to meet the gods there, including your Poseidon." Michael recalled.

If her eyebrows were to have gone any higher, they would have flown off her forehead.

"Did you... get along with Poseidon?" The kraken asked softly.

"Sure, I think so. She was a little hard to read, but I don't think I did anything she would dislike. Her emotions seemed to vary a lot. In fact..." Michael trailed off.

He rubbed his chin in thought.

"She was hard to read and unpredictable... just like the sea." Michael conjectured.

"That alone proves you have met her. Incredible!" The kraken said, shaking her head.

She gave his knee a good squeeze.

"I've heard rumors of a new Earl Marshal in Lescatie... but to think it would be you! What are the chances?! And you've met so many important people! I'm impressed!" The kraken marveled.

"Yeah... those were the days. I guess it's all over now." Michael said quietly.

Michael raised his guitar, and started calmly strumming 'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin.

"Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance, forever and a day. We'd live the life we chose, we'd fight and never lose. For we were young, and sure to have our way~" Michael sang.

...

..

.

"Okay, my nostalgic moment is over. What were you saying?" Michael asked.

"What do you think of my spell?" The kraken asked.

Michael surveyed the sheet of paper.

"It has a bunch of what looks like X/Y/Z coordinates?" Michael asked.

"Not coordinates, it's dimensions. Here... let me show you how it works." The kraken said.

She laid the sheet of paper on their small television, and tapped her finger on the corner. A beautiful starburst of colors and light appeared hovering over the paper, like a perpetually exploding firework.

"You looked a little sad with the weather outside, so I made this to cheer you up!" The kraken explained.

"It's beautiful!" Michael exclaimed.

"And very cheap. We don't even need to power it. So long as a creature of magic lives in this home, this spell will live off the normal mana shed from our bodies. And our bodies do shed quite a lot." The kraken said.

"We do?" Michael asked.

"Yes we do, every waking moment of our lives. I believe the wandering scholar described us as high performance but low efficiency beings." The kraken explained.

"Yeah... I remember that. Now that you mention it." Michael murmured distantly.

Leaving the magical fireworks on the TV, she came back over and settled down on the couch again. Her mission was accomplished. She planted the seed of knowledge in Michael's head. That had been her whole plan from the very beginning.

...

"Cutie pie... did Searraigh cast a lot of spells on you while you were with her?" The kraken asked.

"Yeah, she cast a few." Michael said.

"Is there a chance she might have done something... bad... to you?" The kraken asked.

"Knowing what I know, I wouldn't put it past her." Michael said.

She placed her glowing magical fingers on his knee, and he immediately pushed her away.

"Stop it! I don't want that!" Michael blurted.

"Stop what? I was just trying to help by detecting what spells she might have put on you. Is that so bad?" The kraken asked.

"Yes! I don't need you prying into my insides! I don't need help!" Michael exclaimed.

A knowing smile formed on her face.

"Don't you though? Are you so prideful that you think you're better than everyone else? Do you think you're better than me?" The kraken asked.

"Wh... what? No!" Michael stammered.

"You mentioned god earlier. If you're a religious man, you must know the danger of pride." The kraken said.

Michael relaxed a little.

"I know. I'm not the greatest person in the world, and well..." Michael trailed off.

"Sometimes you make mistakes. We all do. Your pride is one of them. You mentioned that we all enter this life with nothing, and we leave this world with nothing. Other than god, who is there to help us other than each other?" The kraken asked.

Michael remained silent.

"Maybe god sent me to help you. Have you ever considered that possibility?" The kraken asked.

"Why bother." Michael muttered.

"Why bother? Are you now proclaiming to know better than god?" The kraken asked.

"...no." Michael whispered.

...

Her glowing hand gently lay on his knee again.

"I'm definitely sensing quite a lot of spells on you. Many of them seem positive in nature. Did you use to have a weight problem?" The kraken asked.

"...yes." Michael answered reluctantly.

"And you used to have poor eyesight?" The kraken asked.

"Also yes." Michael said.

"I sense those kinds of spells, but I'm also sensing a lot of the usual succubus detritus." The kraken said.

"Detritus?" Michael questioned.

"Yes, how do I explain? Succubii are not known for being... clean." The kraken tried to explain.

"Are you trying to tell me she gave me some sort of disease?!" Michael exclaimed.

"Nono! Nothing like that! All mamono can use magic, and each species has their own specialties. Succubii are known as prolific users of nymphomancy." The kraken explained.

"Sure, it's lewd magic." Michael said.

"Correct. It's cast by emotions, not by incantations or runes. And as it turns out, succubii are known as very emotional beings. Perhaps one of the most emotional of all mamono. Far more emotional than incubi, or krakens, or automatons." The kraken explained.

"Uh huh?" Michael said.

"So what ends up happening is succubii cast lots of little spells on everyone they touch, or everyone they make love with. They're out of control." The kraken explained.

"And you call those little spells detritus." Michael reasoned.

"Exactly. They're walking, talking, spell factories... walking around schluffing off spells everywhere they go. Most of them do nothing at all, but many of them are quite intrusive." The kraken explained.

"I want them gone. All of them. Every single last spell. I don't want anything to do with that woman anymore!" Michael insisted.

"Would you like me to replace the good spells with my own versions? I'm sure you would like to keep at least a few basic wards in place. And I'm sure you wouldn't like to be fat again." The kraken suggested.

"That's a white lie. He's an incubus, he won't ever get fat again. Nor will he lose his eyesight. But whatever it takes to ensure he's healthy..." The kraken thought.

...

"I suppose..." Michael said.

"If you harm him meatbag, I will string you across the power lines outside." Akia warned.

"Thank you for that very helpful comment." The kraken said dryly.

"You're welcome meatbag." Akia said.

"Don't mind her. She's been playing Knights of the Old Republic on that craptastic laptop of mine." Michael explained.

The kraken didn't even know how to respond to that, so she chose to ignore it.

"Now... this might feel a little strange. Just try to sit as still, and I promise to make this as quick as possible. Are you ready?" The kraken asked.

"Yeah. Rip the band aid off." Michael said.

Her hand on his knee started to glow intensely.

"Ohhhhhh..." Michael moaned.

His head flopped back against the couch. It seemed like the whole world was turning upside down. His senses all freaked out, left was right, up was forward, light was dark, and his whole body tingled. His hand twitched, and it twitched in the wrong way from how he thought it should have twitched. And then... a crushing weight he didn't even realize he had was lifted off his chest.

"That's it, they're gone." The kraken said.

A new warmth flowed into his body, accompanied with a sensation unlike anything he had felt before. Instinctively he knew... it was the kraken's mana pouring into his body. She placed spells on him that were both light weight and very efficient. They didn't drag on his spirit, or sap his mana to function. The weight was reduced so much from his body, he felt ready to do a somersault over a semi truck. And as an extra bonus, the kraken made sure to pour in extra mana so Michael would realize a lot of his fatigue was due to mana depletion. It was exceedingly effective.

"And there you go, a normal array of wards and quality of life spells. How do you feel?" The kraken asked.

"Lighter." Michael said distantly.

"That's a good way to describe it. You don't have all that trash weighing you down. Look at all that mess she left!" The kraken said.

Michael looked down, and found a heaping pile of glowing crimson dust scattered everywhere. It looked like someone dumped a twenty five pound bag of radioactive bread flour on his lap. It was even on the couch, and on the floor.

"I was carrying around all that shit inside me!?" Michael asked.

"Correct. All that... shit. Let me just take care of this mess. One moment~" The kraken said.

She wiggled her fingers, and all the crimson dust flew up into the air. It formed a dense ball of sadness, which crossed the room and landed squarely in the trash can.

"Right where it belongs. What a rank amateur. I suppose she promised to teach you magic, but never got around to it?" The kraken said.

"That she did." Michael agreed.

"How are you supposed to teach someone magic that just works with feelings? You can't teach someone how to feel. Nymphomancy mages are pretend mages." The kraken said.

"Oh... feel the burn." Michael quipped.

"And it's well deserved too. Now, would you like me to teach you magic? Real magic?" The kraken asked.

"Would it help me stop Sherry when she shows up at my door someday?" Michael asked.

"It would certainly help." The kraken said.

"Then the answer is yes." Michael said.

She straightened to her full height, and started crawling for the bedroom.

"I need a lot more paper. Excuse me a moment." The kraken said.

...

*Click

She closed the door behind her.

...

"Wow." Michael murmured.

"Master?" Akia whispered.

"She's nice. I had no idea. She's actually trying to help me out. She's really different from Sherry." Michael murmured.

He rubbed his chin in thought.

"She reminds me of Reina from Dimension of Monster Girls. She comes on way too hard, and she's creepy... but actually a good person deep down. And she's intelligent too. Damn... she's hitting all my check boxes." Michael murmured.

"I thought you disliked this entity." Akia whispered.

"I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure. She's starting to grow on me. It's hard to see the best girl standing here in the flesh. They're that similar. Even the body proportions are similar." Michael whispered.

"She raped you." Akia whispered.

Michael hesitated.

"I... know. And I'm not pretending that didn't happen. Sherry raped me too, and she kept doing it even after I begged her to stop. This kraken stopped when she realized I didn't like it." Michael whispered.

Akia tilted her head.

"All I'm saying is... maybe I was wrong about inma. You're not like Sherry, and she's definitely not like Sherry. If someone hasn't hurt me, they don't deserve for me to hurt them back. And for all I know, Sherry goaded her into raping me the first time. You and I both know how manipulative she is." Michael reasoned quietly.

"Confirmed. Entity Searraigh was manipulative." Akia agreed quietly.

"There's something about this kraken. I can't put my finger on it, but she's special somehow. I don't want to kick her out anymore." Michael whispered.

"You are aware that your opinion of this entity has completely reversed within the short span of one day. This is unusual." Akia noted quietly.

"So what? My opinion of you completely reversed within a few minutes, back in that damn truck stop. Don't I have the right to change my mind?" Michael asked softly.

...

..

.

The kraken came back out of the bedroom with a typical college ruled spiral notebook in hand.

"Now cutie pie, I'd like to teach you some basics. The very first thing... channeling mana into the written word." The kraken said.

She sank onto the couch next to Michael, and laid the pad on his knee.

"It will help you control your power. If you write out a spell, the paper serves as a buffer between you and the action. You can control exactly how much mana goes into the desired effect by limiting the mana in the word." The kraken explained.

"That sounds like a good safe first step. But before we start... I have a question." Michael said.

"What is it cutie pie~" The kraken asked sweetly.

"What's your name?" Michael asked.

A devilish smile formed on her lips.

...

"It's Reina." The kraken said casually.

...

"You overheard us talking." Michael said dryly.

"To be fair cutie pie, the neighbors probably overheard you talking. At least if the neighbor is an inma. We have very sharp ears." The kraken said.

"So... have you been listening in every time Akia and I are talking?" Michael asked.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not." The kraken said evasively.

"Ugh, whatever. So what's your real name then?" Michael pressed.

"Reina." The kraken repeated.

...

"That name is taken. You can't have it." Michael argued.

"So what if it's taken? Are you the only person in the world who is named Michael?" The kraken asked.

"No but..." Michael tried to argue.

"So your name is taken, that means you can't have it." The kraken reasoned.

Michael wilted before the strength of her argument. Especially since he was technically named after an astronaut.

"Why Reina though? You're ripping off the name of a fictional kraken character." Michael asked.

"Because I'm the best girl. And if it's the name of a kraken, then it's all the more fitting that I adopt it." The kraken argued.

"It doesn't work like that." Michael said dryly.

"Would you humor me if I told you my real name?" The kraken asked.

"I'll consider it." Michael said evasively.

...

The kraken leaned in and whispered in Michael's ear. Almost immediately, his eyes glossed over. The kraken had struck a fatal blow against his greatest weakness, trying to pronounce things.

"Well?" The kraken asked.

"Okay you win, Reina it is." Michael relented.

"Yay! Thank you cutie pie!" Reina cheered.

She hugged him, and smooched him on the cheek. He didn't resist in the slightest.

"What did she say master?" Akia asked.

"I'm not even going to attempt to pronounce it. I've read things on the back of pill bottles that were easier to pronounce." Michael said.

"Why do you think I mostly go by the great kraken queen, or her majesty, or even the witch of the eastern sea?" Reina suggested.

"It's because your parents had a sick sense of humor?" Michael quipped.

"Quite." Reina said.

...

..

.

"Thus begins your first lesson in magic. I would like you to write down the word AIR on the paper, and pour a small amount of mana into the word." Reina said.

"And how do I do that?" Michael asked.

"Focus on the word you wish to write. You must have at least some understanding of the thing you wish to create for it to work. An understanding of how the world works is required for you to make any progress in magic." Reina said.

"So... air... a combination of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gasses. Different altitudes have that gas at different pressures. Differences in pressure create wind. That kind of understanding?" Michael asked.

"Yes exactly that. I must say, I'm impressed you know such things already. Here I was getting ready to explain what air really is. With that information in mind, write your first magical word." Reina said.

Michael took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and relaxed. The Parker pen smoothly slid across the paper as he wrote the word while thinking of the meaning of air.

"Excellent! Now... this is the result of your efforts!" Reina said cheerfully.

Reina reached out and touched the corner of the paper, thus activating the spell.

...

..

.

*Fwoop!

*SHATTER!

Every single window in the house blew out. Every single car alarm on the street started going off.

.

..

...

When the dust cleared, Reina was already frantically crawling around the house, repairing all the damage.

"Hold fast! No one will *crunch ~OW~... No one will ever know!" Reina insisted.

...

She repaired all the damage, and cleaned up the mess. When she returned to the couch, Michael gave her a meek shrug. She put her hands on her hips.

"So... out of all the things you are, a liar you are not. Your chain was DEFINITELY removed by someone powerful!" Reina exclaimed.

"Well, what can I say?" Michael asked softly.

"How big was it? How many links? Did it take the form of a very large chain, or a small one?" Reina asked.

"I'm not sure." Michael said.

"What did it feel like? Was it very pleasurable, or did it feel like nothing at all?" Reina asked.

Michael's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed, just tell me. I won't judge." Reina reassured.

"I'm pretty sure my eyes rolled back into my head, and I came so hard it blew a hole in the floor." Michael recounted.

She took a sharp breath.

"That is... stunning to hear. There is the very real possibility that your magical aptitude is quite high. It would be a crime for me to not share every piece of knowledge I have!" Reina said shakily.

She took another deep breath to compose herself.

"Clearly you have some sort of affinity to air magic. Perhaps we'll try water magic this time? Surely a daughter of the sea could teach you how to better control it." Reina suggested.

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. We wouldn't want to have any more accidents." Michael agreed.

...

..

.

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

And once again, Michael blew out every window in the house. Reina swam around and fixed them all, while Michael did his best to hold his breath underwater. Akia glanced at Michael with a dejected expression, the PSP had gotten wet right in the middle of a boss battle in Megaman 5.

...

~Late That Night~

...

"Good news cutie pie. The landlord was busy with a bottle, so he didn't notice the river outside. I've repaired all the damage, including Akia's little game toy thing. Bad news is, most of the water outside is frozen now. So the house is half encased in an ice cube." Reina said.

"Is the bedroom dry?" Michael asked softly.

"Why yes it is. I dried that out first, and made it nice and cozy~" Reina purred.

"Great. Then I'm going to bed. I'm super tired for some reason." Michael said sleepily.

"You were casting spells. That drains your mana, as does just living day to day. Fatigue and weakness are signs of mana depletion." Reina explained.

That explanation caught Michael's attention.

...

"So I'll have to keep spell casting to a minimum, or I'll be too tired to do anything." Michael reasoned.

He got up and staggered off to the bedroom, and closed the door behind him.

"Entity meatbag." Akia said.

"You're still calling me that?" Reina asked, eye twitching.

"You knew master's energy levels would deplete if he practiced magic." Akia reasoned.

"To be perfectly honest... yes. Even the smallest mamono child knows that. What I didn't expect was for him to do such powerful spells. All I wanted him to do was flutter the piece of paper into the air, or condense a few drops of water into a cup. Just enough for him to associate mana use with fatigue." Reina explained.

"Do not harm my master." Akia warned.

"Or what? I'd like to hear what your threat is this time." Reina said, fake smiling.

"I will cook you, and feed you to him for dinner. I believe master may enjoy calamari for dinner." Akia said coldly.

"While I applaud your undying loyalty to your master, I warn you that I am the only one who can help him right now. Eating me would provide a very small relief compared to what I truly could do." Reina said.

"Master does not require you. He has me." Akia said bluntly.

"And you're unable to do the one thing he so desperately needs, due to the very same loyalty that causes you to so adamantly protect him." Reina argued.

"I am well aware of what he needs. He does not require you." Akia said.

"If that's the case, please enlighten me on exactly how you're planning on helping him?" Reina asked defiantly.

"Master has refused all my offers to provide him sexual relief. Therefore, his organic body will eventually drain of energy and fail. When it does, I will download his database into a special partition I have created in my core. There he will be preserved until I can construct him a new chassis." Akia explained in depth.

"You were... waiting for him to die?" Reina asked, shocked.

"Negative. My programming does not permit me to allow my master to die. I must preserve him to the best of my abilities. Master has made it clear on multiple occasions that he detests organics, and prefers entities of a mechanical design. I can grant that wish." Akia explained.

...

"Currently master's organic chassis is an extension of his existence. The process of downloading his data and constructing a new chassis would destroy his old one. I cannot harm my master, including his organic chassis." Akia explained.

She rose up off the couch and faced Reina directly.

"Once master has a mechanical chassis, I will be able to interface directly with him. We could exchange information very rapidly. His unique organic style of data processing would be preserved, and would be of great use developing new technologies alongside my automaton analytical core. We would become the perfect machine." Akia explained.

Reina seemed frightened and appalled by Akia's very blatant description of her plans. But after she thought about it for a few moments, she realized what Akia was REALLY trying to say.

"You want to become closer with your master, don't you? This is your way of expressing love, isn't it?" Reina asked.

"I do not understand the query." Akia said.

"I think you do, and you're evading my question. You talk about interfacing with him and creating new technologies. Are you perhaps talking about... children? Making love?" Reina asked.

"It would be logical to construct additional units." Akia said.

"Of course it would. You want to make children, so they can go out and experience the world like you have. So they can find love like you have." Reina reasoned.

Akia tilted her head, and said nothing.

"You speak of becoming the perfect machine. Don't you mean a perfect couple? After all, that's what a relationship is supposed to be, a pair of people who work off each other's differences and makes each other stronger in the process. Organic thinking, automaton thinking... your differences." Reina argued.

"Your statement seems logical." Akia noted.

"Tell me... if you put Michael's mind inside yours, what would the negatives be? Surely there must be a cost for having two minds in one body." Reina asked.

"I have developed a specialized algorithm to delete unneeded information to make space." Akia explained.

"So you would give up a little of yourself, just so you could save your master. How selfless!" Reina said, smiling.

Reina reached out and hugged Akia.

"Of course you know I must preserve him as he is, right now. If you want to get closer to your master, you will have to find another way. I am not going to allow his body to deteriorate that far." Reina said softly.

...

"Let's see how much she loves her master. It would be better for him if he stayed the way he was. Will she selfishly want to continue her plan anyways?" Reina thought.

...

"Do not harm my master. You may proceed... with caution." Akia warned.

And that was that. She didn't say anything else.

...

..

.

Reina went into the bedroom later that night, and found Michael laying in bed with his back to the door. She crawled up, and slid under the blanket. Almost immediately, her squid arms went places they shouldn't have gone.

"Do you want to have sex?" Reina asked.

"...no." Michael stuttered.

She squeezed in close, and smooched him on the cheek.

"Good night. I can't wait to see you again in the morning." Reina said softly.

"Yeh...yeah." Michael stammered.

Her squid arms didn't stop their ministrations. Michael couldn't help but moan softly from the sensation of her soft arms sliding around on his sensitive skin. He didn't resist whatsoever.

"I'm tired... please let me sleep." Michael pleaded softly.

"Do you know why you're tired?" Reina asked.

"Mmm...mhhh... was just casting spells." Michael moaned.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how weak and frail you've gotten from when you were first reborn as an incubus. Do you understand why this is happening?" Reina asked.

*Smooch~

"It's because you're an incubus. Your strength also has a price. Surely I need not explain it, after you lived with a succubus for so long." Reina whispered in his ear.

"I knew it. Somewhere deep down, I knew I could never go back to the way I was." Michael said softly.

"Why should you? Being an incubus is far better than being a human. Don't think for a moment that your life has been ruined. At the bare minimum, look at this divine bitch breaker you've been blessed with." Reina said.

She slid her hand between his legs and started stroking his newly erect cock.

*Schlikschlikschlik

"This is just an extension of what we discussed earlier. You cannot live without a woman, and we cannot live without you. We help each other. Do not be so prideful and think you can do everything yourself. It's the nature of the world for us to be together. Unless you're willing to allow yourself to perish, and everything that makes you unique be lost." Reina explained.

"Dying is easy. It's living that's hard." Michael said.

"What?!" Reina exclaimed.

He rolled over and faced her directly.

"I always known I'm dying. I've known for a while. I just kept working so I could build a future for Akia. This whole time I knew I'd never get to enjoy the fruits of my labor. It's just that, well, Akia came from a really bad place. I wanted to build her a home so she wouldn't ever go back..." Michael confessed.

"Cutie pie... no..." Reina said mournfully.

"If I am going to die, I want my last days to be peaceful. I want to die in my sleep, not kicking and screaming. I don't want another Sherry around to torment me." Michael said.

"That's one thing I can assure you, I will never be another Searraigh. Will you allow Searraigh to win? To rule your life until the bitter end? Or will you move on, and live the life you always wanted?" Reina asked.

She pulled his body so close, they were practically glued together.

"You wish to live in peace. Then live in peace with me! Give me a chance to prove that I'm not the bringer of new torments. Let me prove that I'm better than her. Cutie pie... please... make love with me. Let me help you live!" Reina pleaded.

...

..

.

~The Next Morning

.

..

...

"Master?" Akia called, muffled.

*Knockknockknock

"Master, this is your pre-established alarm. It is time to wake up." Akia called, muffled.

"Michael isn't here right now. Please leave a message after the beep." Michael called, muffled.

"Beep~" Reina called, muffled.

Akia hesitated for several moments before speaking.

"Master, is that meatbag harming you?" Akia called, muffled.

"No, now could you please leave us be for a while?" Michael called, muffled.

"Yes master, I will obey." Akia said, muffled.

*Giggle

"She's an obedient little one, isn't she?" Reina whispered, muffled.

"Yeah." Michael whispered, muffled

*Gasp~

"Oh yes, you're so deep~" Reina purred, muffled.

Akia returned to the couch, well aware of what was happening inside that bedroom. For several long moments she did nothing, not even touching the PSP sitting at her side. She sat there... and a little sadness crept into her eyes.

...

~Shortly Later~

...

When Michael and Reina came out of the bedroom later, their faces were practically glowing. Michael looked completely healthy and normal again, and all his energy had returned with a vengeance. Reina looked like the happiest woman in the world.

*SNAG

Akia came out of nowhere, snagged Michael's wrist, and made a beeline for the front door. Reina made no moves to stop her, she simply smiled as the automaton forced Michael to go outside into the cold. The next thing Michael knew, he was seated in the driver seat of the Duster. Akia handed him his keys.

"What in the world are you doing? We've been through this song and dance." Michael asked.

"You must escape! That meatbag has raped you again!" Akia insisted.

"No she didn't. I boinked her." Michael said.

...

"Please repeat that information. I believe my audio receptors malfunctioned." Akia said.

"I said that I boinked her. It was entirely consensual." Michael repeated.

Akia genuinely looked angry. It wasn't often that emotion crossed her face. And it was especially rare to see it expressed so plainly.

"Error. Personality inconsistency. Entity master would not agree..." Akia said.

"No there's no inconsistency here. I made a mistake treating her the way I did. She was right and I was wrong." Michael said.

Akia shook her head.

"Deny it all you want, but this is what I'm going to do. I want to live Akia. If nothing else, I have to keep you out of that glass box." Michael said.

"Master, no!" Akia pleaded.

Michael gently squeezed her hand.

"Nothing's changed. We're still going to do the plan, but now she's going to be a part of it. She's going to help me stick around for a long time, so... I get to spend more time with you. It's worth it." Michael said.

"Has your data core has been compromised again?" Akia questioned.

Michael narrowed his eyes.

"I know you're looking out for me, but don't just go around saying that unless you have proof." Michael said dangerously.

And with that, he popped the door handle on the Duster and stepped out. Akia followed behind him.

...

~Later~

...

"Cutie pie, your breakfast is ready!" Reina said cheerfully.

"Aw nice, that looks delicious!" Michael exclaimed.

He tried taking the plate, but she pulled it away.

"Ah ah, you know how this goes. You have to pay me first." Reina chastised lightly.

"We're still playing this game?" Michael asked.

"We most certainly are. Now today I want you to grope my titties, firmly but gently." Reina said.

Michael's eyes flicked down to her impressive rack, and then back up to her face.

"I applaud you for being able to look me in the eye most of the time instead of down there. Most men would just fixate on my most obvious feature. Of course... I don't mind." Reina quipped.

"Now why would you want me to do that? Can't I just kiss you again?" Michael asked.

"As much as I love kissing, I want to feel a man's strong hands fondling my body, just like you did last night~" Reina purred.

She jutted her chest out in his direction, and her boobs wobbled enticingly.

"Go ahead, don't be afraid. I'm all yours now. You can do whatever you want to me." Reina said softly.

"Anything I want, huh?" Michael asked, grinning mischievously.

"Absolutely anything." Reina confirmed.

...

*THUD!

Reina found herself face planted on the kitchen table, while getting railed from behind. All she could do was gasp and squeal in pleasure as Michael did whatever he wanted.

...

~Three Hours Later~

...

A very raggedy and unstable Reina served up some reheated bacon and eggs to a patiently waiting Michael.

"You earned this, every bite!" Reina exclaimed.

"Thanks." Michael said smoothly.

And for good measure, he gave butt a nice slap when she turned around to leave. She hopped in surprise, and whirled around with a devilish grin on her face.

"Oh my! You're quite the beast when you get going!" Reina purred.

"Is that a good or bad thing to you?" Michael asked.

She redirected, and landed firmly in his lap. As soon as she was in range, Michael unleashed a two pronged attack of boob groping and kissing.

"You're... wonderful... I love... every part of you..." Reina said between kisses.

They kissed for a while, until eventually Reina decided it was enough. So she put a finger on his lips to give pause to the incubus kissing machine.

"I don't think you should go outside today. It's still terribly cold. Wouldn't you rather stay here with me?" Reina asked.

Michael turned his eyes towards the living room window, and then back to Reina.

"Yeah." Michael said.

...

~Later~

...

So just like that, Michael was talked out of working. It didn't take much effort. Michael wound up spending most of the day with his ass in the couch, watching movies on their newly dried out TV set. Akia co-opted the seat next to Michael, so Reina was forced to sit on the floor with her head resting against his knee.

"Aren't you uncomfortable down there?" Michael asked.

"Not in the slightest. Don't worry, I am perfectly comfortable." Reina reassured.

...

"So here I sit with a new woman in my life. She seems to care about what I want or feel, and she wants very little from me. Last night wasn't a one sided cowgirl ride, it was mutual. She even let me go on top. That's something Sherry hardly ever did." Michael thought.

His fingers gently stroked through her violet hair. She looked up at him, smiled, and nuzzled her cheek into his leg some more.

"It's pretty obvious what happened. I'm an incubus. All my emotions are screwy. Of course not everyone is like Sherry. Akia sure isn't. And this kraken... doesn't seem to be. I was betrayed, and I overreacted. What if this is my revenge against Sherry? What if that's the way I get payback? I'll live a happy life, and she doesn't get to be a part of it." Michael thought.

...

"Reina is doing what Sherry never did. She's teaching me magic. She's literally teaching me the ultimate power, the one thing Sherry always held over me. What was it she said? She's bringing me up to her level? Can I imagine Sherry ever saying that? No way." Michael thought.

He wasn't even paying attention to the movie anymore. His eyes were focused entirely on Reina.

"I was pretty frightened of her at first, but now I'm not. Sure she's very strong, but so am I. That doesn't mean I'm a bad person, or I'm dangerous to be around. So the same thought should apply to her. And besides, I watched her get beaten to an inch of her life and still not hurt anyone. Sherry would have killed them with a smile on her face." Michael thought.

...

"Between Akia and Reina, I feel like I'm getting bludgeoned on the head with a stick named 'captain obvious'. For whatever reason, these people seem bound and determined to be my friend, despite everything I did to treat them horribly. Is that... love? Do I love Reina?" Michael thought.

...

"What is love anyways? Have I ever experienced true love before? I thought Sherry loved me, but that was false. Maybe my dream of a monster girl world could still come true. Maybe everyone else is getting loved, and I just got unlucky." Michael thought.

He shifted his position on the couch, and sank backwards.

"I wish I could ask Eros about it. I can still trust her... I think. No, I definitely can trust her. She had nothing to do with Sherry. She's independent." Michael thought.

...

..

.

~Meanwhile, Elsewhere~

.

..

...

"Aha, there you are. You invoked my name." Eros thought.

Some time passed. Miranda the cupid appeared before Eros, dropped to her knee, and bowed her head.

"You summoned me, my goddess?" Miranda asked.

"I have. Michael Collins has been found." Eros said with a smile.

"What?! Where?! Is he okay?!" Miranda blurted.

"He is well. It seems he's managed to discover what Searraigh had done to him, and has escaped her." Eros said.

She swished her hand through the air, and a pink glowing orb appeared. Inside that orb was the image of Michael sitting on a couch, with Reina leaning against his leg, and Akia to his left. They were watching the 1996 movie 'Twister' on their little VHS combo TV.

"I have heard his music distantly, but it was weak and without focus. It was not until I heard my name invoked that I could locate him." Eros said.

"Who is that kraken?" Miranda asked.

"His new wife. Her name is Reina. At least, that is what she calls herself." Eros said.

Miranda recoiled. It looked like she had just been gut punched.

"Considering what has happened with Searraigh, I spent some time peering into this kraken's heart. She is good, and her love is true. Michael has realized this, although his own love is uncertain." Eros recounted.

"I am... glad he has found someone good." Miranda said evenly.

"I command thee to travel to this City of Oklahoma, and help their love grow. It's important that Michael fall deeply in love with Reina." Eros commanded.

"Yes my goddess." Miranda said.

"You are not to tell anyone what you're doing, and you are not to let anyone see you. Go there, do your duty, and return immediately." Eros instructed.

"Why do we not simply capture him and bring him to heaven?" Miranda asked.

"I have my reasons, in which I shall not explain quite yet. Now go." Eros commanded.

...

As soon as Miranda left the room, Eros turned the floating pink bubble towards herself. Images flashed across the orb quicker than any mortal could possibly handle.

"Good... this stream leads where I want it to lead. He will seek work, and then encounter the trio." Eros said, smiling.

...

~Later~

...

"Are you sure you must go out into this awful weather?" Reina asked.

"I know I said I was going to stay home, but I'm too anxious. I need to go do something. And besides, Akia left for the library. I need to work." Michael said.

"You could stay home and play music for me. It's very strange... it's power draws me in. I quite like it." Reina suggested.

"Thanks. It's nice to know I'm appreciated. I still have to go though." Michael said.

"Well, if you must go... *smooch... good luck~" Reina said lovingly.

"Thanks. Take care. I'll pick up Akia from the library on my way home." Michael said.

And with that, he turned and walked out of the small house.

...

*twang

...

Reina stood there, blinking, completely unaware that a golden arrow had just pierced her back.

"Cutie pie! Come back!" Reina called.

She yanked open the door and shouted after Michael, who quickly rushed back.

"What? What's wrong? Did I forget something?" Michael asked.

She grabbed him, and planted a deep kiss on his lips. When she pulled away, his eyes were lidded.

"Wh... was that a goodbye kiss?" Michael murmured.

"Take me with you. Please? I don't want to be here alone!" Reina pleaded softly.

*twang

Little did Michael know, a golden arrow had just embedded itself in his leg. A massive change came over him. He already liked Reina, but suddenly that like had just turned into full blown raging love. It wasn't fake love, it was very real love that had just barely sprouted over the previous couple of days. That golden arrow did nothing but make it grow, like sprinkling Miracle Grow on his heart.

*Smooch~

"Okay, that's a good idea... I don't want to be alone either." Michael said honestly.

He felt that way before the arrow, but it made him tell the truth. He was sick and tired of spending his whole day wandering around trying to earn money without anyone to keep him company. He would have had Akia join him on his many excursions outside, if it weren't for her Automaton appearance. She tended to draw bad attention.

"Can you disguise yourself like you did before, but with shoes this time?" Michael breathed.

"Anything you ask. What should I make them look like?" Reina answered.

"Make them look like the shoes you saw in the movies we watched." Michael suggested.

Her body shimmered, and her squid arms faded from existence. In their place was a pair of lovely womanly legs, complete with a pair of simple black pointed-toe slippers with modest 2 to 3 inch heels. From the outside, Reina looked like an ordinary mature human woman with very fair skin. Her eyes and hair were the only parts that made her look unusual, but they weren't bad enough to cause trouble. Michael stepped back and looked her over.

"You're so beautiful." Michael marveled.

"Thank you cutie pie. I hope you like me this way, and in my true form." Reina said.

"I do. I love you." Michael said truthfully.

He took her by the arm, and walked out of the house together. Reina was just about ready to leap over the moon in joy. One, she managed to convince Michael to take her with him. Two, he said 'I love you' for the very first time.

...

Miranda's invisibility spell faded, and she stepped out of the shadows of the kitchen.

"May you live a long and happy life together." Miranda said softly.

...

~Later~

...

*clink

"Thank you for your business! Come again!" A pawn shop owner said cheerfully.

Michael and Reina made their way out of a pawn shop with a wad of cash in their hands. They had just exchanged Reina's gold for good old dollar bills.

"See cutie pie? It wasn't that hard. I know you didn't want to take my money, but it's better this way." Reina said cheerfully.

She pressed her body up against his, planted a kiss on his lips, and smoothly stuffed the money in his pocket.

"After you confessed your plans to me, I knew I simply had to contribute." Reina whispered.

Michael felt a shiver of excitement up his spine. The way she said that had all sorts of lustful undertones to it. He envisioned that cabin with Reina in it. He envisioned all the lewd things they would do to each other in their little paradise away from society. Perhaps they could find a nice island to live on, that nobody knew about other than the merfolk. The more he thought about it, the more excited he got. Perhaps they would build more than just a cabin. Maybe they would build a full house. Or maybe a mansion! Or perhaps a mansion with a mage tower! And they'd screw in every single room, in every single position, every single day!

"You're grinning like a fool." Reina noted, smiling.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming. What were we doing?" Michael asked.

She squeezed his arm against her chest.

"Why don't we go to a nice restaurant." Reina suggested.

"Uh... I'm supposed to be working." Michael said.

Reina glued herself to him even more, staring deep in his eyes as she pecked at his lips.

"Just a little while. Please?" Reina begged.

Michael's expression softened, and he nodded in agreement.

...

The next thing he knew, he was sitting at a table in a moderately nice restaurant. It wasn't a 50s diner like he was used to, but it wasn't a tuxedo level restaurant either. Not that it didn't stop Reina from ducking into a ladies restroom to change. When she returned, she was wearing a scandalous dress with slits on either side that showed off her hips, and a plunging neck line that went past her belly button.

"Hey, you look like a Dark Mage. The only thing missing is the pointy hat." Michael quipped.

"I have that too. Want me to put it on?" Reina said with a straight face.

"Er... no. That might stand out too much." Michael said.

"As you wish. If you change your mind, let me know." Reina said casually.

"Why do mages and other magic users have pointed hats?" Michael asked.

"Why? Oh well... it's because it's our school uniform." Reina explained.

"Um, so every mage went to one single school?" Michael asked, confused.

"Not exactly. There is one college in particular, Havencove School of the Arcane, that is known as the greatest of all colleges. Other colleges wish to be as good as Havencove, so they copy many of the things we did. Including the hats." Reina explained.

"Things you did..." Michael noted.

"Ah yes, you caught that. I was a student at Havencove. Ah... I wish you could have been there in those days. It was the best time of my life!" Reina recalled fondly.

Michael smiled faintly, and nodded his head.

"What's that look? Are you one of those types that dislikes studying?" Reina asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that. I love studying." Michael said honestly.

"Then what, if I might ask?" Reina asked.

"I went to college too. Not a mage's college, but a regular college. I didn't exactly have a swell time." Michael said.

"Were your grades acceptable at least?" Reina asked.

"I had a 4.0 GPA. That's uh... as high a score as you can get." Michael explained.

"Then you would have done well at Havencove. Assuming you passed the entrance exam of course." Reina remarked.

"It's pretty exclusive huh?" Michael asked.

"It's just that so many wonderful mages want to attend, and there are only so many instructors and classrooms. If they took too many students at once, it would degrade the quality of the education. They prefer quality, not quantity." Reina explained.

"How did you get in? Was there a trick?" Michael asked.

"I uh... well..." Reina trailed off.

She fell silent as the waiter came by to take their order. Reina went first while Michael turned his attention to actually deciding what he wanted to eat. What Reina actually ordered went unnoticed by Michael while he did a quick cost analysis compared to calories.

"What would you like sir?" The waiter asked.

"I'll have the budget special burger." Michael said.

Reina gave him a funny look.

"What?" Michael asked.

"Is that truly what you want?" Reina asked.

Michael shrugged. He didn't particularly care one way or another. So Reina looked up to the waiter who was taking their order.

"Make his the same as mine." Reina said.

"Yes ma'am." The waiter said.

And that was that. The waiter took off towards the kitchen to get their orders started.

"What did you order anyways?" Michael asked.

"Nothing too exotic. Just some fish." Reina said.

"Heh, you sure like fish. I hope it wasn't too expensive." Michael said.

"Not at all." Reina said, smiling.

She smoothly stood up out of her seat and started to round the table. Michael followed her with his eyes as she slid in the booth to his left. He was up against a wall on his right, so Reina had free range to cuddle up as close as she wanted. And she wanted to be close.

"Hmn, what a handsome young man~" Reina purred.

"Thanks I guess." Michael said, blushing.

"Consider it payback for calling me beautiful earlier." Reina purred.

"It wasn't a lie." Michael said softly.

"Neither was mine." Reina said, smiling.

She crossed her legs, draping her left leg over Michael's knee. Her foot gently caressed his thigh.

"I want to discuss something very important with you. It's about your future." Reina said.

"What about it?" Michael asked.

"Do you have any plans? Surely you've thought of what you want to do with your life." Reina asked.

"Well... I originally wanted to be an electronics technician. That was before Sherry came. Now that half the world wants me dead, and the other half hates my guts, I don't know how I can make that happen. There's lots of job opportunities, but they're just inaccessible to me." Michael explained.

"Then let's leave this world. If they won't accept you for who you are, then why bother with them?" Reina suggested.

"Yeah..." Michael said softly.

Reina leaned in a little closer.

"What if... you enrolled in the magic school?" Reina suggested quietly.

"What? For real?" Michael asked, surprised.

"Of course! You're intelligent enough to pass the entrance exam, and you're powerful enough to skip a grade... though I don't recommend it." Reina suggested, murmuring the last part.

She laid her head on his shoulder.

"I could teach there while you're attending. They begged me to teach, but I refused them every time. I bet could even convince them to drop the entrance fee if I took a position there." Reina suggested.

"Is it an underwater school, or an above water school?" Michael asked.

"It is both. It's meant to be a place of learning for the world's finest mages. Land, air, or sea." Reina explained.

Michael's eyes twinkled. The idea was admittedly appealing.

"There's one more thing. I know of a small island not far from the school. No one owns it, the place is entirely abandoned and unknown. We could build that dream house you told me about earlier." Reina suggested.

Michael's face lit up. The idea was sounding better and better by the minute.

"It is truly a wonderful school. You could study any aspect of magic you so desire. And their library is amazing, on par with the library at the Royal Makai!" Reina said excitedly.

"I've been to that library! I wanted to stay there and read a while, but I didn't get the chance." Michael recalled.

"Now you could! I spent many years in those book halls, and I have nothing but good things to say." Reina recalled.

"What about Sherry? She's going to come after me someday." Michael asked.

"Hopefully you will have grown more powerful by then. Of course I'll stand by your side, as will Akia. The school will as well, once they learn what Searraigh did to you." Reina insisted.

"Why would the school bother?" Michael asked.

"Well let me put it another way. Only the finest sorts of people can go to Havencove. They will do a personality screening to weed out dangerous or reckless people. Many of us who are magically inclined have been persecuted in our homelands, especially former humans. So you will be surrounded by people of the highest quality, many of whom would never abandon a mage like they were abandoned. We're a family." Reina explained.

She smiled warmly.

"If I ever met a former classmate of mine, I would certainly do everything I could to help them in their hour of need. And I know they would help us. I need not even think twice about it." Reina said.

Michael nodded slowly.

"As a side, I'm sure the researchers there will be very interested in your power of music." Reina suggested.

"Maybe. I'd sure like to learn more about it." Michael said, nodding.

...

"Of course all of that will take time, so until then we'll stay in my home in the lovely city of Tythas. You'll enjoy living there!" Reina said cheerfully.

"Wh... wait a minute! I can't live there! What about Akia?" Michael asked.

"What about her? She can live there as well. I would like to get along with her." Reina said.

"It'd kill her! If salt water got inside her circuitry..." Michael trailed off.

"Oh dear! I hadn't considered that." Reina said softly.

...

"I had counted on visiting Tythas at least a little while, so I could retrieve the rest of my funds and formally choose my successor to the throne." Reina said quietly.

...

"Then maybe Akia and I could go to that island while you visit your home." Michael suggested.

"I'm loathe to leave you alone for even a moment. What if Searraigh came and I wasn't there?" Reina asked.

"Then maybe we could camp out on shore while you duck under the waves really quick and do what you need to do." Michael suggested.

"Or perhaps I could think up some sort of spell that temporarily would shield Akia from the water." Reina countered.

...

"We must think on this." Reina added.

"Yeah." Michael said.

...

"Let's think positive. If we live close to the sea, we could go swimming every day." Michael suggested.

Reina immediately perked up.

"I would love that very much! You wouldn't be frightened?" Reina asked.

"Nah. I love the sea, and I love you." Michael said.

...

When the waiter returned with their meals, he found Michael pinned against the wall with Reina plastering his face with kisses. He also caught a glimpse of Reina groping him under the table cloth, although he wasn't a hundred percent sure of what he saw.

"Here's your... eh... meal." The waiter said, uncertain.

He deposited the food and hauled ass out of there, leaving the two lovebirds in peace.

"I have it all planned out cutie pie. You won't have to worry about a thing." Reina said.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked softly.

"We'll leave for the other world immediately. After we get to Tythas, I'll quickly close up affairs there. Then we'll get you enrolled with Havencove, and homestead that island." Reina said.

She paused, and a concerned look crossed her face.

"That is of course... if you agree. I don't want to be pushy." Reina added softly.

"No that's fine. But maybe we won't leave IMMEDIATELY. I'd like to gather up some supplies first." Michael said.

"As you wish." Reina said, nodding.

"Do you know how to shrink and enlarge things with magic?" Michael asked.

"Of course! What kind of mage would I be if I couldn't do such a simple thing? I can also get us through the guards at the portal without being detected." Reina said, smiling.

"Then I'd better put together a shopping list of things we'll need before we leave. Shrinking things down will make it easier." Michael said.

...

"Our food is here. Let's eat, before it gets cold." Reina suggested cheerfully.

For the first time in several minutes, Michael averted his eyes away from Reina and towards the table. What he found there was eye opening.

"What in the world?!" Michael exclaimed.

The food was decadent in its display, and massive in its quantity. There was a huge array of delicious looking fish filets swimming in creamy lemony sauce, shrimp cocktail with sauce, roasted veggies with oil drizzled on top, and a bottle of wine to wash it down with.

"I thought this was some sort of cheap thing! Where in the world did this come from?" Michael asked.

"Were you expecting fish and chips?" Reina asked.

"To be honest... yeah." Michael said.

She snuggled up against his arm.

"I wanted you to have something a little bit better today. We can have fish and chips any old time, but I think you deserve a treat. Don't you like it?" Reina said.

"You... I... heck yeah I do! Thanks~" Michael said, smiling.

He took a bite and hummed in satisfaction.

"I love seafood~" Michael hummed.

"I love you too. Now do you think you could eat me?" Reina quipped.

"Hehehehe~" Michael chuckled.

...

..

.

Time passed them by. It wasn't a quick lunch by any means, with them having pleasant conversation in their private little booth. Before long, the restaurant started getting crowded with people coming for the dinner menu. So much time had passed, Reina and Michael wound up ordering again for dinner. The whole day had evaporated. And then... something miraculous happened.

"Look you fucking assholes, I've had it up to here with your shit! I'm done! I quit!"

Michael, Reina, and a dozen other patrons all turned their heads towards the noise. There were four younger guys having an argument at the front of the restaurant. The one who had just said he 'quit' shoved a box into another guy's hands, who coincidentally was holding a hard guitar case.

"Go find someone else to sing your shit!"

And with that, the guy stormed out. The other three guys looked at each other, wondering what they were going to do.

"Did you hear cutie pie? They need a singer! Go! Go talk to them!" Reina whispered.

"Are you crazy? I can't just..." Michael whispered.

*prodprodprod

The next thing Michael knew, Reina was out of her seat and dragging him out with her. She shoved him towards the strangers, then sat and watched the aftermath.

...

"Hey fellas, I overheard a little of what happened." Michael started nervously.

"Yeah, that guy was always a fat head." The guitarist said.

"He never did like our style of music." The drummer said.

"We were supposed to play here tonight." The bass man said.

"What do you guys usually play?" Michael asked.

"Ehh... older stuff. You know..." The drummer said evasively.

"The good stuff. Fifties and sixties, some seventies when we feel like it." The bass man said.

"Eighties if it's good... like Queen." The guitarist said.

*Ding~

A light bulb went off in Michael's head.

"Well gentlemen, you're in luck. It just so happens that you just hit all my music preference check boxes. I'll sing for you." Michael said, smiling.

...

~Shortly Later~

...

Michael wound up on a stage, in front of the crowd he had just been a member of a few moments before. He could see Reina out there, smiling at him while sipping on a glass of wine.

"Hey man, you sure you know how to sing?" The guitarist asked.

"As long as you play something I know, I'll sing it." Michael said.

"Just as long as this doesn't turn into amateur karaoke night." The drummer said.

"What do you know?" The bass man asked.

"Why don't you do the Unchained Melody? That's always a safe bet." Michael said.

They stared at him, blinking. They didn't expect him to pick a difficult song right at the start.

"Are you SURE you want to do that?" They all asked.

"Yeah. Hit it fellas." Michael said, confident.

He flipped the switch on the microphone, and the lights dimmed.

"Good evening everyone. I hope you're all having a wonderful meal. We're going to play something we hope makes your evening just a little bit better." Michael said.

...

And with that, the music started. Michael swayed in his boots, timing himself with the music. When he started singing, it didn't take much more than three words before a truck load of clue hit the musicians. Michael did indeed know how to sing, there was no question about it. Their eyes went wide like hubcaps, and they smiled at each other. Meanwhile, Michael was up in front doing things with his voice that would have made Bobby Hatfield proud.

...

Meanwhile, in Eros's heaven, Miranda was just returning when she discovered the majority of heaven was all seated in front of Eros's throne. A massive pink orb was showing Michael on stage singing his heart out. She stood in the back, letting Michael's voice wash over her.

...

*WHOOOOOO!

The whole throne room erupted in cheering and clapping as the song ended. The image of Michael continued on, singing timeless tunes from the 50s-80s. Meanwhile, Miranda approached Eros and dropped to a knee.

"I have done as you asked, my goddess. The kraken witch Reina and Michael Collins are now deeply in love." Miranda said.

"You have done well. I know that must have been painful, but I wanted you to be the one to do it. Fear not, all of this will be over soon and you will be with him again in the land known as Arizona." Eros said.

"How... do you know that for sure?" Miranda asked.

"I am a god. All that has happened and all that will happen is open for me to see. I knew the kraken would insist on going with him if you made their love grow. I knew she would take him to that restaurant, where he would meet the trio of musicians. Now... love drunk and having little control over himself, watch what happens now that he has revealed himself." Eros said.

...

~Later~

...

Michael, Reina, and Akia all arrived home at the same time. Michael had picked up Akia from the library, since it was on the way from that restaurant. As they walked through the door, Reina was STILL raving about Michael's singing.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard! Sirens have nothing on you! Neither do mermaids! I'm completely addicted now!" Reina raved.

She wouldn't stop clinging to him, to the point where it concerned Akia.

"Master? Is she hurting you? She's squeezing very hard." Akia asked.

"No it's fine. I just let a little bit too much oomf slip out into my singing earlier." Michael said.

"A little bit?! You mean you can do more?!" Reina exclaimed.

"Yeah. I try to hold back, because it can cause no end to trouble.

Reina started vibrating excitedly, like a soup pot that was about to boil over.

"OOOOOOOHHHHHH! Please please please play something for me! I want to hear it!" Reina squealed.

"That's a very bad idea." Michael said flatly.

"So what? Please do it! Just once! Pretty please?" Reina pleaded.

She planted a kiss on his lips, and sealed the deal. There's no way Michael could refuse after that.

...

Michael wound up sitting on the couch with his ocarina in his hand.

"I'm telling you, this is a very very bad idea. But I'll do it if you really want." Michael said, uncertain.

"Perhaps you don't understand this about me... but I am a slut for all forms of magic. I knew your music was magical, but I want to know your full capabilities." Reina said.

Michael sighed, and steeled himself internally. Glancing at Akia, he nodded.

"You know what to do." Michael said.

She turned and locked the door, and shoved a chair under the knob. Then she locked all the windows, and drew the blinds. Reina watched with an amused smirk on her face. She believed Michael was making a big deal over nothing.

...

The ocarina felt so good in his hands. By that point, it felt more like an extension of his fingers than a separate object. Closing his eyes, he let the music bubble up from the very depths of his soul. His lips gently pressed against the mouthpiece, and the sound of the "Merry Go Round of Life" from Howl's Moving Castle echoed hauntingly in the room.

"Wh... wha?" Reina muttered, surprised.

That's all she managed to say before she fell hopelessly under Michael's spell. She swayed lightly side to side in time with the music. Akia immediately went into overload and shut down. The music echoed out of the house, down the street, and across several city blocks. Nothing could stop it, not walls, windows, or wards. Then they came... the several hidden inma who were living in that part of Oklahoma City. They clustered around the house and listened.

...

When the ocarina fell silent, and the last note echoed away into history, Michael smiled to himself. He hadn't realized how pent up he was from not playing to his full potential. It made him very happy to hear the beautiful sounds of the ocarina unleashed. Then he saw Reina snap out of her trance, and he knew what was coming.

"Cuuuuuutie pie~" Reina purred seductively.

Her squid arms wiggled through the air towards his body. In the last moments before being captured, Michael made sure to secure his ocarina safely in its case. After all, he wouldn't want it to get broken in the coming chaos.

*YANK!

He was ripped off the couch and pushed to the floor. Reina was completely spaztastic, like a kid after eating a pound of sugar.

*beepbeepbeep

*niiirrrrooow

"Rebooting, please stand by. Transmitting. Receiving. Data acquisition complete. Online." Akia droned.

She raked her eyes around the room, and found Michael flat on his back on the floor. Reina was plastering his face with kisses while lewdly fondling his body with her squid arms. Then Akia turned her crystal blue eyes to the door, where a multitude of people were knocking and pleading to be let inside. The window rattled violently from all the people pushing and banging on it.

...

..

.

Eventually the landlord next door discovered what was going on. He called the cops. Akia's sensors detected the phone call from the landlord's cell phone.

"Master, the landlord just called 911! The police are on their way!" Akia warned.

Michael couldn't do anything about it. Reina had him pinned. He could barely turn his head enough to speak without her trying to jam her warm tongue in his mouth.

"Load the car!" Michael blurted.

"Master, I need to open the door to get to the car." Akia noted.

"Just do it, I don't care how!" Michael blurted between kisses.

"Yes master, I will comply." Akia said obediently.

As it so happened, the Duster was still mostly loaded up from earlier. All she had to do was grab a couple of things from the master bedroom and bathroom, which would only take a couple of minutes. Unfortunately for Michael, that involved letting the golden horde inside. So with a blanket wrapped shotgun under one arm, and some toiletries in the other, Akia opened the front door.

*CRASH

A dozen people all burst through the door. It was an eclectic collection of several succubii, a couple of werewolves, a minotaur, and a thunderbird. Akia recoiled violently away from the thunderbird.

"That entity could disrupt my power system. I must avoid her at all costs." Akia thought.

She carefully slipped past, and worked her way through the crowd of people to get to the Duster. The goods were safely deposited inside. One of the visitors even took a moment to help her when she dropped something.

...

Meanwhile, Michael was in quite the conundrum. He made the call to let the inma inside, because he knew the police would be a far bigger problem. But that didn't change the fact that Reina was twiddling his body and wasting a bunch of precious time. The last thing he wanted was for the cops to show up and find him in the middle of the living room floor with an overgrown squid clinging to him. So that meant he had to take the initiative. Which was hard to do when he suddenly had a dozen strange inma all trying to do the same thing Reina was doing. As best he could figure, he only had one dick. Which meant the best way to keep some random monster girl from sticking it somewhere he didn't want it to go was to stick it somewhere he DID want it to go. So that's how he wound up spinning Reina around and screwing her in front of a dozen people. To her credit, Reina used her squid arms to service the peanut gallery.

...

..

.

~Later~

.

..

...

A police cruiser pulled up to the house, and two deputies stepped out. The front door was hanging open, and the driveway was empty. The officers called inside, and nobody answered. So they carefully stepped through the door... and found the place completely empty. No people, no possessions, just an empty house. They checked around a while, and then left to visit the landlord.

...

"They're gone. You can cancel the spell."

*POOF!

Michael, Reina, and a dozen other people all appeared in the living room. The screw fest had never ended. They kept right on going through the police inspection.

"Reina, we got to go." Michael said.

"Just a little more sweetie, I'm so horny!" Reina pleaded.

"Do us next!"

"Hey wait, those cops are coming back!"

Reina quickly cast another spell, and made everyone invisible again. The cops showed up at the door, that time with the landlord in tow.

"Reina this is stupid, let's get out of here! They're going to bump into us eventually!" Michael whispered.

"Isn't that exciting though? The thought of getting caught is making me wetter~" Reina whispered lustfully.

Right around then, one of those inma had a mischievous idea. The thunderbird was getting annoyed waiting so long, so she positioned herself in the perfect place to bumped into. The landlord walked right into her, and tripped flat on his face.

*POOF!

She appeared in a flash of crimson, and quickly shocked all three men. The collapsed to the ground, and were immediately pounced by the other inma.

...

Some more time passed, and eventually more cops showed up to the scene. Reina finally had to admit it was time to go. Mostly when more cops showed up than there were inma to go around. So they wound up exiting out a back window, and teleported several blocks away to where Akia was waiting with the Duster. Michael expected to land in the driver seat, but he wound up in the back seat with Reina.

"You steer this strange horseless wagon Akia dear, I must spend time with Michael." Reina said.

And it was so that Michael, Akia, and Reina moved out of their home. Just as the Duster pulled away, Michael looked out the back window towards the house one last time. He would never see it again.

...

They drove through the town, and Michael saw all the places that he had played music. It felt nostalgic, and he felt mixed feelings. The work had been hard and miserable, but he had enjoyed seeing the faces of the people smiling at his music. He watched as the Duster rolled down the icy streets, past the mall where he had first played his music for money. They passed the various little stores and cheapy marts he had worked at. It felt as if he had done a great deal, but got nowhere for his effort. The very last place they passed on their way out of town was the store where Reina had found him playing the guitar. He smiled faintly at the memory of Reina standing there in the snow without shoes.

...

~Later~

...

Akia pulled up to a truck stop gas station, and let the engine sputter silent. They were parked a little away from the station, on the edge of the parking lot. Once there, Akia turned in her seat and focused on Michael and Reina. They were cuddling.

"So now what do we do? We don't have a home anymore." Michael asked.

"If there were ever a good time to enact the plan and move to the other side of the portal, now it would be." Reina said.

"I agree with entity meatb... I mean entity Reina." Akia said.

"We have enough money. Suggestions?" Michael asked.

"I say we travel somewhere warmer... post haste." Reina suggested.

"That may be wise master. We need time to gather the needed resources, and it wouldn't be beneficial if you get sick while sleeping in the Duster." Akia said.

"That will most certainly NOT happen! How do you expect the three of us to live in this cramped little box for the foreseeable future? We must find lodging, and somewhere warmer! I will not back down from this! It's for his own good!" Reina insisted.

"Well... we are over our funding goal. I suppose it couldn't hurt to get a hotel room or something. Maybe one of them rental houses people keep talking about all the time." Michael said.

"I believe it's called Airbnb master." Akia said.

"Yeah that thing. Maybe we can do that. After all, we just need a few days. Maybe a week at most." Michael said.

...

"So I take it from everyone's silence that we all agree. Let's go get some gas, get some snacks, and hit the road." Michael said.

...

~Meanwhile~

...

On the other side of town was a police station. Inside that police station was an officer heading towards his immediate superior's office with a wad of papers in his hand. He knocked on the door, and a voice beckoned him inside. The superior was seated at his desk, twirling a pen in one hand while shuffling papers around with the other.

"Hey chief, got a minute?" The officer asked.

"Yeah, what you got?" The chief asked.

"Possible big time perp running around town. Name's Michael Collins." The officer said.

The chief immediately sat upright, and snatched the papers out of the officer's hands. His eyes raked quickly across the information.

"One of our units responded to a call, and the landlord there said he had been renting to a guy named Michael Collins. Described him down to a tee." The officer explained.

"Did they bust him?" The chief asked.

"No sir, he wasn't there. The place was cleared out. So we gathered evidence, and dusted for fingerprints. The results are in the back." The officer said.

The chief flipped the wad of papers over, and looked at the back sheet. It had positively matched Michael's prints, all the way back to when he got his first driver's license in California. There were other prints, some of which didn't come up in any records.

"Yep, that's as clear as it gets. I assume you already put out an APB on this fucker." The chief said.

"I was about to, but it seems another department has a hold on his record. Something about wanting him as a non-suspect person of interest?" The officer said.

*Criiiiinkle

The chief crushed the papers in his hands, and a vein popped out on his forehead.

"I don't give a FLYING FUCK what they say! You get your RAGGITY ASS out there and CATCH THAT PERP! RIGHT FUCKING NOW! HE'S ON THE FBI MOST WANTED LIST YOU STUPID FUCK!" The chief bellowed.

Throughout the office spaces outside the police department, people stopped working and turned their heads. That particular police chief was a little paunchy man with a deep booming voice. People started losing their jobs when he was pissed, and he was known for getting pissed VERY often. When he said jump, people jumped.

...

~Meanwhile, Elsewhere~

...

"We got him. He's in Oklahoma City." Serena said.

*PLAP

She threw a wad of papers onto a long conference table. She was standing at the head of the table in the War Room, inside the theater at 5th and B. It was the very same place that Michael had first met Sakia the intelligence officer. Of course said intelligence officer was present at that table, along with several other very important people. Specialist Stavish, Mackenzie the radioman, Alistair Gray and all his girls, Miranda the cupid, the danuki banker, and of course... Druella.

"So they arrested him?" Stavish asked.

"Nope. He was gone by the time they showed up. They're scrambling the whole department looking for him." Serena said.

"Then how do we know for sure he was even in Oklahoma City? Maybe they're just chasing bloody ghosts." Alistair asked.

"I can answer that. Look what I found." Sakia said.

She pulled out her phone, and tapped the screen so a video would play. Everyone around the table leaned in and watched as an amateur video showed Michael playing music on stage at the restaurant. Someone in the audience had filmed him singing and posted it on youtube. The date of the video, the description, and the title all backed the story up.

"This was actually a private video, I had to hack someone's youtube account to view it." Sakia explained.

"If it was private, how did you find out about it?" Desdemona asked.

"Someone tweeted about it. I hacked twitter, and used one of their own search bots to find it. " Sakia explained.

...

"I'll hack the city street cameras to verify Collins-san is still there." Sakia added.

...

"Riiiiiiight... anyways, moving on." Serena said.

"Did this police report you speak of... did it describe his physical state? What of his living conditions?" Druella asked.

"They didn't say much, but they did mention the house was in a seedier part of town." Serena explained.

"Seedier?! Unacceptable! I demand that my Earl Marshal be treated according to his position! We must retrieve him with all haste!" Druella insisted.

"Relax, we'll get him. We..." Desdemona tried to say.

*Scrrcht!

Miranda pushed her chair back, stood up, and walked out without saying a word. The door shut behind her.

"What's her problem?" Mackenzie muttered.

"I think she's been taking this rather badly." Alistair guessed.

"NOT AS BADLY AS I HAVE!" Druella exclaimed.

She pounded her fist on the table.

"My own creation caused this! She was forged by my hand! That means I'm responsible, and I will NOT accept this blemish on my honor! Especially when that blemish is my own dearest friend!" Druella exclaimed.

"Well it sure sounds like you're volunteering to go get him." Alistair quipped.

Desdemona put a hand on Alistair's shoulder to silence him.

"Druella can't drive, so she's out. Anyone else?" Serena asked.

"Wait a moment! I do not need your earth automobiles to get to this city! I want Lord Collins back!" Druella exclaimed.

"Well you still can't go. Out of everyone here, he probably hates you the most right now." Stavish said.

"Wh...whatever for?" Druella asked, surprised.

"It's just as you said. You made Searraigh. Don't you think he'll blame you for that?" Stavish asked.

She furrowed her slender eyebrows.

"No, I refuse to accept that." Druella said flatly.

"Is there anyone in this room that he DOESN'T hate right now?" Desdemona asked.

They actually paused and thought about it for several long moments.

...

"I'm out. He definitely hates me. It's always copper this and copper that, so safe bet he hates police." Serena said.

"He cut me off, and I don't know why. So I guess he's cheesed off over something." Alistair said.

"I don't know why he would be mad at the girls, but maybe we'd better not take the chance." Desdemona said.

"I might have suggested Miranda if she didn't leave. I don't think she's pissed him off yet. Though I'm out... for reasons." Stavish mused.

"I still say I would be the best choice." Druella muttered.

"I have a bank to run. I've already wasted too much time tracing him after he hit that bank up in New Mexico." The danuki banker said.

...

Eventually everyone's eyes settled on Sakia.

"Ehhh?! Me?!" Sakia exclaimed.

"Yeah, why not? At worst you're neutral, and at best he likes you. And you weren't even here when Searraigh did most of the shit she did." Stavish reasoned.

"And you're small and cute. Who could hate someone small and cute? Definitely not Mike." Alistair interjected.

Sakia stammered. Just the thought of wandering around the United States highway system terrified the hell out of her. She hadn't even gotten used to the backwards flow of traffic yet. And then there was the fact she wasn't used to American culture. She frantically shook her head side to side. It was a lot to ask someone who was essentially a long term tourist.

"I know you're nervous about it. I'd be nervous too if I someone here asked me to wander around Japan without a clue. The US is a foreign land to you." Stavish said.

"Think about Mike. God knows what he's going through right now. I know you haven't known him a long time, but he's an okay guy. He doesn't deserve this." Desdemona said.

"I'll go with her. I don't think Mike hates me. The worst thing we've ever done is argue which burger place is better." Mackenzie said.

Sakia breathed a deep sigh of relief, and then nodded.

"Great! You can leave whenever you're ready. Take a hmmwv if you want, or take Mack's personal car if you like it better." Stavish said.

"If you don't mind... I'd like to go." Zellie interjected.

The whole table turned to face Zellie. She was sitting quietly near Alistair, using several books as spacers so her head would reach over the table. Most of the people there hadn't even noticed she was present until she spoke.

"Who were you again?" Stavish asked.

"Griselda Gray, although I prefer to go by Zellie. I'm Alistair's newest wife." Zellie explained.

"Congrats. How many does that make Al?" Stavish asked.

"Five lovely ladies." Alistair said cheerfully.

"It was one of the last things Michael did for us, which was to hook Zellie up with Alistair." Desdemona explained.

"I feel like I owe the man something. I wasn't around for any of that Searraigh stuff, so he should be fine. I have a nice car too. Michael gave it to me, so it'll be a good memory." Zellie suggested.

Several silent moments passed.

"Hmm... work it out amongst yourselves. Just get Mike back. Meeting adjourned." Stavish said

So the room was filled with the sounds of chairs scraping on the floor. People filed out of the room, one by one.

...

Once Druella got outside, she hurried off to the portal to her world. Once she stepped through, she hurried to a quiet corner of Fort Chell, where she had been given quarters for the duration of her stay. Inside those quarters were four people, three dark knights and a certain familiar looking second in command.

"The Americans are sending someone to retrieve Lord Collins, but I want you to go instead. Sneak through the portal, and use teleportation magic to reach this City of Oklahoma. Bring him back at all costs." Druella instructed.

She slipped them a piece of paper that detailed exactly where Michael was last seen.

"By your command, mistress Druella." Opal said.

...

~Meanwhile~

...

*Thud~

"My goddess, I have returned with news. The mortals have found Michael Collins." Miranda said.

"As I have foreseen. They intend to send ones named Sakia, Mackenzie, and Zellie to retrieve him, correct?" Eros asked.

"I don't know. I walked out as soon as I heard the news." Miranda said.

"It matters not. They will fail. The more worrisome news is that Druella intends to search for Michael with her dark knights. If she succeeds, then all shall be lost." Eros said.

"What must I do?" Miranda asked.

"You must travel to the City of Oklahoma once again, and intercept the three dark knights Druella has sent. Ensure they do not capture Michael." Eros instructed.

"Yes Eros, I shall leave with all haste." Miranda said instantly.

She turned and hurried out of Eros's throne room. Another angel walked in, and bowed.

"You summoned me, my goddess?" The angel asked.

"Yes I have. I want you to gather as many of your fellow healers as you can find, and send them to Fort Chell. If anyone asks, you and your sisters are there to visit the new world. Pretend to be harmless tourists. Once there, you are to remain until told otherwise." Eros instructed.

"Yes Eros, I shall obey." The angel said.

"One other thing. I command you to heal anyone who needs to be healed while you are there." Eros added.

...

~Later~

...

*CrackleWHOOSH~

Michael's spine stiffened. He was browsing the drink section of a truck stop, when he heard the distinctive sound of teleportation magic somewhere on the other side of the store.

"I sure hope that was just Reina getting impatient. I told her I would be right back." Michael thought.

He grabbed the last couple of drinks from the shelves, and headed for the checkout while casually looking around. Over by the coffee machines was a trio of dark knights talking to one of the employees. He could sense them with his incubus nose long before he ever laid eyes on them.

"Ah shit! Okay self, play it cool. Don't look at them, and maybe they won't notice you." Michael thought to himself.

...

They noticed him. As he was checking out, the three dark knights hurried over and clustered around behind him.

"Lord Collins..." A dark knight said.

Michael pretended that he didn't hear them. They tapped on his shoulder.

"Lord Collins, mistress Druella has summoned you." The dark knight said.

"I think you've got the wrong person." Michael lied.

"Why are you trying to deceive us Lord Collins? We know who you are." The dark knight said.

"I think you're mistaken." Michael lied.

"We fought side by side with you at the second battle of Lescatie." The second dark knight argued.

"And we saw you enter and exit mistress Druella's throne room many times." The third dark knight argued.

"You're still wearing the same boots. The ~lignes paralleles~." The dark knight observed.

"That man is dead. I killed him and took his place." Michael said evenly.

Michael handed over the cash to the cashier, as if nothing was happening. The dark knights seemed to get impatient, so they moved to plan b.

*Glomp~

The all squeezed up against him, with one on each shoulder and one on his back. Immediately Michael could feel the creeping sensation of demonic magic engulfing him. Those three women were some of Druella's finest dark knights, which meant they were some of the most powerful succubii. They were trained specifically to seduce uncooperative men.

"Here's your change." The bored cashier muttered.

Michael struggled to even reach out and take his change, much less escape the three dark knights. One of the dark knights took it for him.

"Do not worry Lord Collins. We're going to take you back to you belong. To your birthright." The dark knight whispered in his ear.

"Mistress Druella will be quite pleased to see you again. I suspect you will spend the majority of the rest of your life in her bed chambers~" The second dark knight whispered.

It looked bleak for Michael. Those dark knights were very good at what they did. He was just about to fall under their spell, when three very familiar faces came strolling into the truck stop door to his left.

"I swear, you're an idiot. How could you forget to fill the damn gas tank?" The drummer asked.

"I did fill it! I don't know what happened!" The guitarist insisted.

"Whoa guys, check it out! It's Mike! And check out those babes he's got with him!" The bass man exclaimed quietly.

"Schwiiiiiing!" All three of them said in unison.

The dark knights froze with wide doe-eyed expressions. Each one was an experienced warrior, who had fought and defeated every sort of weapon imaginable. Swords, lances, bows, charging calvary, powerful Order mages, the works. But there was one weapon they never encountered in all their years of fighting the Order. Their one greatest weakness... horny uninhibited men. How was someone supposed to seduce someone that didn't need to be seduced? Or more specifically, how was the seductress supposed to resist being seduced? They were never taught that by the Sabbath.

"Hey babe, how ya doin?" The guitarist asked seductively.

"Can I borrow a kiss from you? I swear I'll give it back." The bass man said smoothly.

"I'm a drummer, and you rock my world." The drummer said.

Michael facepalmed. They were the most cheesy pickup lines he had ever heard in his life. And... they worked. He had never seen women's clothes hit the floor that fast in his life. They dropped Michael like a bad habit. After all, Michael was already taken. If they DID seduce him, they would have to share with Druella, Reina, Akia, and maou knows who else. Why not take the three unattached men in front of them? One on one. No sharing required.

"Peace, I'm out." Michael said.

...

..

.

Shortly later, Michael practically dove into the Duster. Akia and Reina both looked at him in surprise.

"What's the hurry?" Reina asked.

Michael cranked the engine over, and pulled out of that parking lot as quickly as he could manage without causing a massive car pileup.

"I sense other inma on you." Reina noted.

"Yeah. I ran into three of Druella's dark knights. If those rocker friends of mine hadn't have walked in at the right time..." Michael said.

"They were here!?" Reina exclaimed.

"Yeah. What are the odds they would show up just at the perfect time?" Michael noted.

...

~Meanwhile, Nearby~

...

"Ich! My hands smell of gasoline now!" Miranda complained.

...

..

.

After Michael got to a safe distance away from that truck stop, he pulled over on the side of the road and fished his phone out of his pocket. He dialed up the musicians, and it took several tries before anyone answered the phone.

"Hello?" Michael said into the phone.

"Hey man, we're a little busy right now. Please leave a message after the beep." The phone said.

A feminine giggle came over the line, just before the call ended. He redialed, and it was answered again.

"What's going on over there? Are you guys okay?" Michael asked over the phone.

"Party foul man. Can't you see the panties?" The phone said.

"You idiot, you hung the panties on the rear view mirror! He can't see shit!" The phone said.

Michael's head clunked against the steering wheel. His thumb pressed the 'end call' button on his Nokia.

"Well! It sounds like someone is having fun!" Reina remarked.

"Sure." Michael said.

"Would you like to join them?" Reina asked.

"What does that mean?" Michael asked.

Reina teasingly pulled on the hem of her top, which slowly pulled down to reveal one of her nipples.

"Oh. Maybe when we're not so public." Michael said.

"I'm ready and waiting, whenever you are~" Reina purred.

...

~Much Later~

...

*Squeak!

Mackenzie, Zellie, and Sakia arrived at Michael's old granny flat. The door was open, and the landlord was going in and out with various cleaning tools. They got out of the car and approached him.

"Excuse me sir, did a man named Michael Collins live here?" Mackenzie asked.

The man turned and glared at Mackenzie with a look that would have terrified a Navy Seal. Then he unleashed a tirade of non English curse words, interspaced with angry gestures. The three women had no choice but to quickly get in the car and run like hell. And since they had no idea where else to look, they had no choice other than to get a hotel room that night, and head home in the morning.

...

..

.

~Several Days Later~

.

..

...

Once again, the war room was populated with all the major players. Mackenzie, Zellie, and Sakia had come back bearing news.

"Druella pulled a fast one. We found these three wandering around in Oklahoma City." Mackenzie explained.

She gestured to three dark knights standing against the wall to her left. The people around the table all glared at Druella. She calmly sipped from a mug of tea before speaking.

"As much as I appreciate your efforts to return Lord Collins, I could not stand idly by and wait for your knights to travel such a distance. He must be returned immediately." Druella explained casually.

"Well you blew it." Stavish said flatly.

"I would argue that by sending my knights, I increased the chances of returning Lord Collins safely. He is a slippery one, as he has proven once again. My knights will be punished appropriately for their failure." Druella countered.

Stavish worked her jaw, keeping herself from blurting something inappropriate.

...

"The next time you want to send people to this side of the portal, please ask me first. End of subject." Stavish said dangerously.

"As you wish." Druella said.

"So what's our next move?" Alistair asked.

"Maybe Sakia has some input?" Desdemona suggested.

"Yah. A traffic camera saw Collins-san driving south on Interstate 44." Sakia said.

People started pulling out their phones to look up maps. Druella leaned over to look at Alistair's phone.

"That bypasses the Dallas Fort Worth area, and goes... straight to San Antonio. Do you suppose that's where he's heading?" Serena asked.

"He could be skipping over and going to Austin." Mackenzie said.

"No way. He'd never go to Austin. That's not his style." Stavish said.

"Why not?" Alistair asked.

"Politics. San Antonio isn't great for him either, but I don't know where else he could be going." Stavish said.

"He could just disappear into the wilderness." Druella noted.

"Now that... is exactly the kind of thing he might do." Stavish said.

"I don't think he will." Sakia said.

"Why not?" Everyone asked.

She raised her phone and showed a picture on the screen. It was the traffic camera footage of the Duster on the 44. Akia could clearly be seen in the passenger seat, and someone else could be faintly seen in the back seat.

"Who's that in the back seat?" Alistair asked.

"I can't tell. It's too blurry. That's definitely Akia with him though." Desdemona said.

"If he has to care for someone other than himself, Collins-san will do the honorable thing and work to earn a living. He cannot do that easily in the wilderness." Sakia explained.

"How do you know that?" Mackenzie asked.

Sakia smiled and said nothing. She wasn't about to reveal the personality dossier she was creating on Michael in her spare time. All for purely innocent reasons of course.

...

"Well... she's right. Michael's the kind of guy who doesn't care how he lives, but he does have a sense of honor. He won't drag down someone with him. He'll do what he needs to do to take care of people who take care of him." Alistair said.

Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.

"He wouldn't have to earn a living if he came home to Lescatie. He would live according to his title." Druella grumbled.

"I don't think he ever enjoyed that title, nor did he ever enjoy that kind of living." Stavish said.

"What a hard life, with all those awful gold coins, massive house with maid, and thousands of adoring subjects. My heart bleeds for him." Druella mocked.

"You paid him?" Stavish asked, surprised.

"Well... I offered to pay him. That's not the point! He's being very childish about it!" Druella insisted.

"He's well within his right, considering..." Desdemona said.

...

..

.

At that moment, every single VHF military radio in the room came to life with a frantic voice.

"We've got a problem! Shit! Coming throu.. *tssssssss..." The radio hissed.

*KABOOM!

The whole building shook violently. Stavish, Mackenzie, Sakia, and every other military member in attendance immediately jumped to their feet and started heading for the door. Druella's face turned deathly pale.

"It's Searraigh! She has returned!" Druella exclaimed.

...

People were running every which way in the theater, trying to escape from the succubus shaped tornado ripping through the building. A hmmwv went flying through the row of windows in the front, followed shortly by a 5 ton M939 truck. Druella was the first to arrive at the scene.

"Oh my goodness!" Druella murmured, shocked.

Searraigh looked like hell. Most of her clothes were destroyed, and she was covered in countless deep cuts and scrapes across most of her body. It looked like she had been in near constant combat for as long as Michael had been away. Clenched in her left hand was her magic sword, and her right hand was bathed in violent crimson energy. But the most shocking thing was her eyes. They were filled with pure insanity. Searraigh was completely gone, and a beast had taken her place.

"Searraigh! Stop what you're doing! You are hurting your own people!" Druella commanded.

"GIVE HIM TO ME!" Sherry demanded.

*KAWHOOSH!

Druella was shot into the air, and a large chunk of the theater evaporated with her. When she landed, she barely had enough time to gasp before Sherry was all over her. She grabbed her former mistress by the neck, and pinned her to the floor.

"WHERE IS HE? TELL ME!" Sherry demanded.

"No!" Druella choked.

*CRASH

*CRASHCRASHCRASH

Sherry pounded Druella's head into the concrete until she stopped moving. She straightened, looming over the newest victim of her rampage. All the soldiers and all the civilians who were witnesses gaped in horror. They all knew the story of how Searraigh and Druella fought once long ago, how it had been an epic battle that took days to finish. To see Searraigh so angry that she could totally dominate her mistress in five seconds was terrifying. People backed away in fear, and several ran for their lives. Searraigh's next victim, who was also the next nearest person, was a very terrified Sakia.

*WHOOSH

She lunged at the intelligence officer, who yelped and turned to run away.

*SLASHSLASHSLASH!

She cut her down with the magic sword, the demon realm silver passing through her flesh without leaving any wounds. Her rage blinded her to anything and everyone, all people who stood in her way was an enemy. As Sakia collapsed to the ground, her thumb brushed against the screen of the smart phone she had forgotten she was holding. It started playing that same video of Michael singing on stage.

*SKID

Sherry came to an abrupt halt. Her crimson eyes shot downwards, to the phone still clutched in Sakia's hand. She could see Michael singing on stage. His voice was instantly recognizable. Even removed from his presence, the voice made her spine shiver. She saw the title of the video, describing the bar in Oklahoma City...

*CrackleWHOOSH!

In a flash of crimson, Sherry teleported away. People began crawling out of their hiding places in the rubble.

"Mistress!" Opal cried.

She ran to her fallen leader, and applied as many healing spells as she could. Stavish walked up, sporting some fresh wounds of her own.

"Is she..." Stavish choked.

"She still lives, but I know not for how long! I need healers! Now!" Opal cried.

Out of the ruins of the theater appeared a petite angel wearing white and pink silken clothes. She knelt down before Druella, and gently placed her hands on her exposed stomach. White magic gently flowed from her fingers, into Druella's injured flesh.

"A white mage! Where did you come from?!" Opal exclaimed.

"I am of Eros. Fear not, my sisters and I will care for your wounded. Please rest at ease." The angel said softly.

"Thank you! We are in your debt!" Opal exclaimed tearfully.

Stavish backed away from the scene, and found herself standing over the unconscious Sakia. Another white mage was attending to the JSDF officer. A third angelic white mage came from nowhere, took Stavish's hand, and healed her as she stood. Her eyes raked around the theater, where countless angels were coming out of the woodwork to heal people.

"Where did all these angels come from? Oh who cares. If Searraigh did this to us, what will she do to Michael when she finds him?" Stavish thought.

...

~Meanwhile, Elsewhere~

...

"Is something wrong cutie pie?" Reina asked.

"I just got a chill." Michael murmured.

Reina reached over and placed a squid arm against his forehead.

"You don't feel chilled. I wonder if you caught a demon realm fever?" Reina mused.

"It's good we have a place to stay master." Akia said.

Michael raked his eyes over the temporary house they had rented for a week. It wasn't too shabby at all. At least it wasn't as bad as sleeping in the Duster. They had just arrived, and they hadn't had a chance to do much more than unload a single arm full of stuff from the Duster before Michael felt that strange shiver.

"I'm okay. I'm probably just tired from driving all day. Let's haul in another load or two, and take a break..." Michael suggested.

*Knockknockknock

The three of them turned to face the door. Michael instantly felt a familiar scent tickle his nose, and his face blanched. He knew, Reina knew, and Akia knew.

"It's her." Michael whispered.

...

Akia immediately went into the bedroom, and took cover behind the door frame with her blaster at the ready. Reina took cover in the kitchen, and readied her spells. Michael took a deep breath, and answered the door. Sherry was standing on the other side, looking like the grapes of wrath.

"Hello sweetie." Sherry said evenly.

She seemed oddly calm, which threw Michael off balance. He had expected her to attack the moment she laid eyes on him. While she did have a reaction to seeing him, with a huge smile appearing on her dirty and bloodied face, she didn't immediately lash out at him.

"What do you want?" Michael asked gruffly.

"I think we both know the answer to that." Sherry said.

She went to grab him, but immediately recoiled when her fingers encountered a ward blocking the door.

"I see you've been busy! Care to let me in? We need to talk." Sherry asked.

"No. If you want to talk to me, you can do it right where you are." Michael said defiantly.

"Very well. It's time you came home. You had your fun, now I want my husband back." Sherry said evenly.

"Nothing doing. We're done Sherry. Finished. Kaput. Finito!" Michael insisted.

"Aww but sweetie, I miss you! Pretty please? Things would be different this time, I promise! Wouldn't you like to make up?" Sherry said nicely.

Michael answered with the snippet of a song.

"~Don't come a-hangin around my door, don't wanna see your face no more! I don't need your war machines! I don't need your ghetto scenes! Colored lights can hypnotize, sparkle someone else's eyes! Now woman, get away from me~!" Michael sang.

"NO! I demand you come back RIGHT NOW!" Sherry exclaimed.

She punched the ward, and it warbled as it repulsed her attack. Changing tactics, Sherry instantly switched from an angry face to a very sad face.

"Just come out... please... it hurts... I need you... why are you so mean..." Sherry choked.

"You're crying in the rain, pally." Michael shot.

Her expression switched right back to anger again.

"You can't live without me! You're an incubus, and you'll die unless you give yourself to me! So you have no choice!" Sherry argued.

Right on cue, Reina appeared behind Michael. Sherry's eyes flicked up past Michael shoulder, and they filled with unbridled rage.

"Traitor!" Sherry spat.

"I'm no traitor. I promised to protect him from harm. As it so happens, that means you!" Reina shot.

Akia also appeared behind Michael, and handed him the Mossberg 590. Sherry's eyes darted left and right, looking at both the weapon... and the shotgun. Her hand started slowly creeping for her sword.

"There's no room left in my life for abusive bitches like you, so get lost!" Michael barked.

*SHICK SHACK

He pumped his shotgun. Her hand stopped it's movement towards the hilt of her sword.

"You haven't seen the last of me! I shall return!" Sherry exclaimed.

"Go ahead! Make my day!" Michael spat.

"Return if you wish to meet your end!" Reina shot.

"Lethal force is authorized." Akia said simply.

Sherry turned and quickly marched away, her heels clacking as she made her way down the driveway past the Duster.

*THUNK

She kicked the car, caving in the driver door sheet metal. Then she disappeared down the street. Michael shut the house door.

...

"Alright, decision time. We know she's here, and we know she's coming back. Do we give up on the plan and hit the road, or do we stand our ground?" Michael asked.

"There's nowhere to run. She'll find you no matter where you go. I suggest we stay." Reina said.

"Akia?" Michael asked.

"Traveling away from danger is a logical tactic." Akia said.

"So one vote for leaving, one vote for staying. Which means... I'm the deciding vote. Thanks for that." Michael said dryly.

...

"In warfare, it takes three times as many attacking soldiers as it does defending soldiers to overtake a defensive position. That's just an accepted fact of warfare." Michael said.

"Then that is what we shall do." Reina said, nodding.

Suddenly she grabbed Michael's shoulder. Her eyes looked towards the front door.

*Knockknockknock

They all looked at each other, and resumed their defensive positions. Michael placed his hand on the doorknob, and opened it. Sure enough, Sherry had returned.

"I had to come back." Sherry said.

"I know." Michael said.

...

..

.

*SHIIIING!

Michael slammed the door in her face.

*SLASH!

Sherry cleaved the entire door in two horizontally. She raised a hand, and fired a destruction spell at the spot Michael had just stood before diving for cover. A blast rocked the remains of the house, and blew the entire roof off. Bits of drywall and lumber landed in the neighbor's yard several blocks down the road. Walls crumbled in, and the house lay in ruins. The only thing left standing was a shoddy car port which shielded the dented Duster. A geyser of water shot into the air from the destroyed plumbing.

*Crunch!

*Crunchcrunch!

She walked through the ruins of the house, casually flicking her sword left and right. The heel of her shoe punctured the fuzzy yellow blanket Akia had given Michael.

"Oh sweetie~ Come out and play~ Sweetie~" Sherry taunted.

Reina popped up from under some rubble, and cast a quick spell. Roots came up from the floor, and bound Sherry's arms and legs. She simply laughed, and countered by using magic to catch her own body on fire. The roots burned away, and caught the destroyed house on fire at the same time. Some more of her clothes were also destroyed in the process.

"Begone cretin! You cannot match my power!" Sherry exclaimed.

She threw a ball of light, which blasted straight through Reina's wards. Only a quick nullification spell saved her from being burned by the overwhelming power Sherry possessed.

"This is not succubus magic! You're using spells of an Order hero!" Reina exclaimed.

"HAHAHAHAHA! YEAH!" Sherry laughed insanely.

Reina threw several water darts at her enemy, which Sherry didn't even try to block. They hit her, and didn't even leave a scratch.

"You irk me!" Sherry exclaimed.

*WHOOOSH!

The ground erupted under the partially pinned kraken, sending her shooting high into the air.

...

..

.

*Ding~

Reina disappeared far into the distance.

.

While all that was going on, Michael was recovering from the knocks and bruises he got from the house collapsing. It made him remember why soldiers always wear helmets. A falling 2x4 had nearly knocked him out.

"There you are!" Sherry exclaimed.

Michael raised the muzzle of the shotgun, and squeezed off a shell.

*KABOOM!

The shotgun rocked in his arms, and a swarm of buckshot flew downrange. For all intents and purposes, it should have hit her square. But a spell that he helped her develop long ago caused the buckshot to curve off to one side and impact the remains of the kitchen stove. Natural gas started to leak out. One shot was all he had time to fire before she was right on top of him.

*CLANG

He blocked an overhead swing with his shotgun.

"HYYYyyyyYYYYrrrrGGG!" Michael strained.

"HEHEHEHahahahHHAHAHHHHAHHAHAAAHHAHAHA!" Sherry laughed insanely.

He let the muzzle of the shotgun droop, which made the blade slide down the coated barrel and into the ground. With his arm free, he nailed her in the jaw with his elbow. Her head rocked back, and she spat out blood.

"Curse you!" Sherry sputtered.

Something hit his wards and sapped at his strength. Evidently she had just actually tried to curse him for real. In the moment while he was distracted, she twisted her wrist and slashed clean through Michael's body with the demon realm silver sword. He collapsed as every muscle in his body gave out. Sherry kicked him as he hit the ground.

"I shall punish you for this! If you thought a slap was bad, just wait for what I have planned for you now! You shall know a torment worse than that of the damned!" Sherry barked angrily.

*ClickWhiiiiiiiiiirrrrr

Sherry whirled around and curb stomped Akia's arm before she could fire her blaster. Most of her body was pinned under some rubble, and had gone unnoticed while Michael had been defending himself.

"Enough of you! After all this time, I learn you are quite useless!" Sherry exclaimed.

She raised her sword, and fire appeared along the edge. It came down like a superheated surgical knife, and severed Akia'a arm from her torso. She kicked the arm into the ruins of the house. Michael's paralyzed body couldn't muster anything other than a stream of enraged tears.

"Remain still, or I shall chop chop chop your worthless body!" Sherry laughed insanely.

She grabbed Michael by his shirt, and lifted him up out of the debris. With the house in ruins and starting to burn, she would need to move quickly to secure her prize. Just before she could cast her teleportation spell, Michael's right arm limply flopped over onto her shoulder.

*BZZZZZZT!

Sherry gasped and dropped him. She looked at her own hand, and clenched her fingers a few times.

"Wh...what did you do to me you fool!?" Sherry exclaimed.

She watched as he stood, tall and proud, his paralysis completely gone. His crimson eyes flashed menacingly.

"I just stole half of all your power! Surprise, I learned magic!" Michael said, smirking.

"Shit!" Sherry exclaimed.

She raised her sword, and swung it with all her remaining strength. Michael dodged, moving with the speed of greased lightning.

*CRACK!

He punched her with a left hook while simultaneously wrenching her sword out of her hand. The punch blew her clean across the length of the house, through the remains of the bedroom door. Michael took a moment to pull a huge chunk of wood off Akia so she could crawl to freedom.

"Get out of here! I'll deal with her!" Michael growled.

He hefted the magic demon realm silver sword, and marched towards the bedroom. Before he got there, Sherry came striding out on her own. In her hand... was a holy sword. Not just any holy sword, but her sword from when she was a hero. Michael remembered it from when he stayed at the Lescatie family mansion, where Sherry kept it in a display case in her room. The sight of that blade sent a shiver of fear up Michael's spine.

"She's completely lost it! This isn't about a crazy succubus anymore! This is something else!" Michael thought.

*CLANG

Their swords met, and she forced his blade down so she could nick his shoulder. The moment that holy sword so much as touched him, his entire body was filled with searing pain. He shoved her away, and clutched his wound.

"No way! If I were still human, I'd be dead! I felt that all the way down into my chest! It's like I just touched a mains power line!" Michael thought.

*CLANG!

He expertly parried another blow aimed for his neck. Stealing half of her power meant also stealing a smattering of swordsmanship. It was the only thing that was keeping him alive at that point.

"This is it! It's her... or me!" Michael thought.

He leapt backwards, jumping completely clear of the burning house. She lunged after him with a maniac smile on her face. Her sword slashed for his belly, and just barely missed. Instead her slash took out a street light, which collapsed on someone's car. He counterattacked with a flurry of blows that not only forced her to retreat, but it also cut deep slashes into the concrete and asphalt. The battle between them had far exceeded the mortal, and entered the supernatural.

...

..

.

The battle raged on, with massive destruction following them everywhere they went. Entire houses were leveled. Streets were upturned, and covered in fire and wreckage. The air filled with smoke and clouds of demonic energy. People screamed and ran for their lives as two literal monsters ripped through their city. Cars were thrown back and forth. Pieces of the city were used as weapons, everything from mail drop off boxes, telephone poles, chunks of asphalt, and even a street sweeper. Searraigh didn't seem to care about capturing Michael anymore. She was trying to hurt or kill him. It seemed as if she didn't even recognize him as anything other than an enemy. Her rage had blinded her to anything other than the urge to crush.

*KAWHOOOSH!

She punched him with the force of a thousand pound bomb, sending him flying into the air and leaving a crater where he had stood. If it weren't for the magical power he had stolen, and a healthy dose of Reina's wards, he would have certainly died. Instead, all that punch marked was the next stage of a battle that would scar the state of Texas.

...

The whole state shook. Tremors could be felt as far away as New Orleans, and detected on seismic sensors as far away as the RSSD seismic station in Black Hills, South Dakota. Lightning bolts flew every which way, blanking out radio communications all up and down the radio spectrum. Panic ensued across the country. The military officials in Washington D.C. wondered if a foreign country was attacking up through Mexico. Never before had they seen such a destruction of their communication networks. They even had to resort to using old Cold War era copper and fiber optic lines to communicate between the east and west coasts. The nation's nuclear forces went on high alert. Fighters were scrambled. Soldier's leaves were cancelled, and every remaining US soldier went on high alert. The fleets were scrambled and sent out to sea, and the submarine force went silent and deep. And the president was taken to the security of a bunker under the White House.

...

When the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptors arrived in San Antonio, they found two beings of unimaginable power fighting to the death. The power was such that the pilots had to lower specialized tinted visors over their eyes to prevent blindness. It was akin to looking directly at the sun. Little did anyone understand the true power of Searraigh Fontaine. Not even Druella had understood what she had accidentally created. Perhaps the only woman who did understand was safely tucked away in the Royal Makai, blissfully unaware of what was unfolding outside her domain. Indeed, that woman was none other than Lilith, the supreme leader of all mamono in the world... but ONLY her world.

...

Searraigh Fontaine was the mistress of all mamono on earth. At face value, that didn't seem too terrible. She had only held that position for a short few months. Compared to Lilith, her power shouldn't have been much greater than a well-to-do Lilim. After all, that's how much power Lilith had the first few months after she gained the monster lord throne. But this line of reasoning had a problem. Nobody in their world truly comprehended the scale of Earth. Not even Searraigh did, and she had spent the most time there. Nobody could comprehend a world with a population measured in billions. If someone were to count the entire population of Lilith's demon realms, they would come up with a number somewhere in the vicinity of 113 million, which was similar to the population of Medieval Europe at its peak. The population of the ENTIRE WORLD would be somewhere in the vicinity of 350-400 million. Just the population of the United States rivaled the population of her ~ENTIRE~ world.

...

No one could comprehend the fact that Searraigh had already corrupted a third of Earth, or two and a half billion people. Searraigh had at her disposal twenty two times the power that Lilith had. The power that could literally evaporate Texas off the map. The power that could create entire dimensions. The power of a goddess.

...

And the only thing that had ever held that power in check... was Michael himself.

...

The man that Searraigh was trying to kill.

...

By complete accident, Lilith and Druella had created a super weapon that could and would destroy them. All because of the wish of a lonely man who just wanted somebody to love.

"I have to stop her, or she'll destroy the world!" Michael thought.

Searraigh powered up a devastating attack, which would have popped Michael like confetti if it had landed. Her sword arched down, and narrowly missed his head by a fraction of an inch. Hairs were cut off as the sword whizzed by. Instead, the blade continued down and impacted the ground.

*Grrrrrwhwhwhwhwhwh

*WHWHWHWHHWHW

*WHOOOOOOOOSH!

A small nearby mountain, named Vogels Peak, evaporated in a geyser of dirt and rocks. Massive fissures belching fire formed where the mountain once stood. Meteors rained down, and lightning crashed to the ground all around. Hell had truly come to earth, all due to a glancing blow from that succubus shaped nuclear bomb.

"RAAAAAH!" Sherry shouted.

*TING

*Whizzzzzzzz...

The demon realm silver sword flew off into the distance. Michael's whole arm went numb from the impact. Using his other hand, he twirled his Mossberg 590 around from behind his back. The only thing that had kept it attached to his body was a very singed and threadbare sling.

"HahahahaHAHAHAHA! Your little human toy cannot stop me!" Sherry laughed manically.

*ShiiinkCLICK

Michael fixed a bayonet on the end of the shotgun, and raised it to the classic infantry bayonet fighting stance. There was no need to answer her jeering laughter, his weapon did all the talking.

"HAAAAA!" Michael bellowed.

He lunged for her throat, and she parried. The parry sent a shockwave to the south east, which carved a new river path to the sea. Michael pivoted around and whacked her in the jaw with the Mossberg buttstock, which evaporated a nearby lake. Sherry hit the ground screaming in pain, which finally gave Michael all the opportunity he needed to end that fight once and for all.

*STAB!

*TWIST!

*RIP!

*KABOOM!

He stabbed her in the belly, twisted, and ripped the bayonet out. Then he shot her in the chest, turning her lungs into hamburger. When it was over, Michael spat on her.

"I loved you, fucking bitch! How could you do this to me?! I might have even forgiven you if you hadn't lost your damn mind! I was happy, and you took it all away!" Michael shouted.

Her mouth gaped, trying to draw air into her nonexistent lungs. A tear ran down her cheek, as she slowly lost consciousness. Michael stood there and watched, with the muzzle trained on her face. A second shell wasn't needed. Sherry gurgled one last time... and went still.

...

..

.

Michael rushed back to the house as quickly as he could, but it was completely engulfed in flames by the time he got there. The natural gas had ignited and created a fire geiser.

"AKIA! REINA!" Michael shouted.

There was no answer. The house was far too engulfed to go inside. Just being near it was singing his skin. He dropped to his knees in shock.

...

After a moment, he realized that he needed to save as much as he could. So his eyes turned towards the Duster. It was still intact, but the fire was getting way too close. Already the grill was getting a warped appearance from all the heat, and the paint was bubbling up. So Michael frantically yanked the driver door open, and threw it in neutral while popping the parking brake. He threw the shotgun on the passenger seat so he could use his hands.

*SHOVE!

The Duster rolled backwards down the driveway, across the street, and into the neighbor's lawn. With the car safe, he turned his attention back to the house.

"AKIA! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Michael shouted.

He circled all around the house, but he couldn't find any sign of his girls.

"WHERE ARE YOU TWO?! REINA!" Michael shouted frantically.

...

..

.

It was hopeless. Michael eventually had to leave. There was no sign of the girls, and all the smoke and fire was plugging up his nose and keeping him from tracking them down. So he ran across the street and tried to drive away, but realized he didn't have the keys to the Duster. And since he didn't have his own keys, the only thing that would turn on was the stereo. Akia was the last person to have the keys, and god knew where she was. Reina never gave back the hide-a-key. So Michael got out of the driver seat, with the intent of popping the hood and hotwiring his own car. Just as he passed the driver fender, a strange red liquid splattered across the hood.

*CRACK!

Michael lurched, and looked down at his own chest. A bleeding hole had appeared. Turning, Michael saw several dozen police officers a dozen paces behind him. He had been in so much shock that he hadn't even noticed them. He presented his empty hands to them.

"Why? I'm not even armed." Michael asked, coughing.

He staggered, and that was all the excuse the cops needed. One of the more trigger happy officers opened up, which made all the other officers open up.

*CRACKCRACKCRACK!

*BRAAAAAAAAT!

*BOOMshickshack!

They riddled his torso with bullet holes. Gurgling, Michael coughed out some blood and collapsed to the ground. It took all their firepower to finally put that incubus down.

"Move in!" A police officer shouted.

The police marched closer, keeping their formation cohesive the whole way. While keeping their weapons trained on Michael's body, they carefully scanned their surroundings for other threats. The only sound was of their footsteps, their breathing, and the radio in the Duster.

*CrackleWHOOSH!

A blood covered woman appeared in front of them. Their weapons flicked from Michael's body to the newcomer.

"Freeze! Don't move!" A police officer commanded.

Sherry coughed, and spat out a clot of blood towards the police. Even as she stood there before the officers, her body was slowly healing. Michael hadn't killed her. Not even close. It would take a lot more than a point blank shotgun blast to the chest to stop that rampaging succubus. In one hand was her holy sword.

"It's Searraigh Fontaine!" A police officer exclaimed.

"PUT HER DOWN!" Another officer shouted.

Sherry raised her slender hand, and the police all lifted up off the ground telekinetically. They went higher and higher, until she flicked her wrist and shot them off into the distance. They landed a hundred and fifty miles away in the Gulf of Mexico, just a little ways off shore from Corpus Christi.

...

Her eyes trailed downwards. Michael was already dead. With his death came a sense of devilish satisfaction from Sherry.

"That will teach you for refusing me! Fool! Don't expect me to bring you back this time!" Sherry spat.

She paused a moment, and an evil grin formed on her face.

"Let's play a game shall we? It's called... how long can you burn for eternity before you start screaming?" Sherry giggled insanely.

She raised her holy sword high, with the point aimed at what was left of Michael's heart. If that sword were to touch him in any way while he was in the state of death, his soul would be instantly transported to the flaming pits of the chief god's version of hell. Once there, he would endure the torments of the damned for all eternity. There would be no rescue.

*Creeeeeak

Her hand clenched the grip of the sword. She inhaled deeply, and the muscles in her shoulder tensed up.

...

..

.

.

.

When the truth is found
To be lies
And all the joy
Within you dies

Within seconds of the song starting, Sherry froze like a statue. The tip of her sword quivered in the air above Michael's perforated body. Her eyes darted up to the Duster, where the stereo had been left on and forgotten.

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love, love

When the garden flowers
Baby, are dead, yes
And your mind, your mind
Is so full of red

Her arms hung limp at her side. No longer did the sword threaten Michael. She looked around in confusion as the rage filling her mind started fading away. After a few moments, a sizzling sound emanated from her side. Looking down, she saw that the holy sword was burning her succubus flesh. She cried out, and cast the sword aside. The music continued.

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

Your eyes, I say your eyes
May look like his
Yeah, but in your head, baby
I'm afraid you don't know where it is

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

Tears are running
They're all running down your breast
And your friends, baby
They treat you like a guest

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

She finally came to her senses just as the song finished. Collapsing to her knees, she cradled his head in her slender arms and looked into his dead crimson eyes. She watched as the crimson drained away, and returned his eyes to the brown they once were. Just like in the song, tears ran down her breast as she realized what she had done. She realized that she had been the architect of her own demise. Her own lust, greed, and desire for conquest had sent her on a path away from the most important thing to an inma.

...

A traditional romantic relationship.

...

Michael hadn't listened to that song every morning because he thought it was cool. He listened to it because he believed in the message. In the sixties when Somebody to Love was written, the concept of 'free love' was very popular. Moving from partner to partner with no attachment was normal. Michael didn't want that. He believed it to be the cause of a lot of the evil in the world, with people abusing other people without true love in their hearts. He didn't want to live in a world without love. He didn't want to live in a world where money, or having the biggest pecker, or societal status dictated someone's relationships. Those relationships were hollow, and without form. It's why he loved monster girls so much, because the advertisement sold them as a return to traditional love, even if their dating practices were a little questionable. And that's why he was as tolerant with Sherry as long as he was. He didn't want to just quit when the going got tough. That belief stuck with him up to the very end. And in that moment, as she cradled his dead body in her arms, Sherry finally comprehended the full implications of Michael's beliefs.

"Please... wake up! Please! I beg thee!" Sherry sobbed.

...

..

.

~The Next Morning~

.

..

...

*GASP!

*Wheeeeeeeeeeze

*Coughcoughcough

It was a long slow crawl for Michael to come back to the world of the living. His body had been dead for too long. He was deathly cold, and his blood was thickened in his veins. None of his limbs worked. All he could do was lay there for hours, unable to even open his eyes to look around. Then morning came, and the sun rays beamed down on his aching body. It was a long slow crawl, but eventually his body warmed up.

...

The first thing he discovered was a familiar scent. He was surrounded by the scent of Sherry, of dusty bed sheets, and the familiar scent of the apartment. His eyes opened, and confirmed what his nose was telling him. He was once again laying on the bed in the master bedroom of his old apartment, back in Arizona. His tattered shirt was ripped open, and his chest was bare of all wounds.

"Someone healed me? Who? Sherry? Why would she do that?" Michael thought.

He took stock of his situation. Besides being healed, he found that most of the power he had stolen from Sherry was gone. He wasn't tied up or otherwise restrained, but he also didn't have any weapons.

"...Silence! I'll kill you!" Someone screeched.

Michael strained his ears, and picked up the sound of people talking in the next room.

"... cast the two of you out of our home! You are forever outcast!" Sherry shouted.

"You seem to forget that my magical skill is greater than yours! I challenge you to TRY to cast me out!" Reina shouted.

Michael's eyes went wide.

"Reina! She's okay! I... I need to get out there!" Michael thought.

He rolled out of bed, and staggered to the bedroom door. His legs barely wanted to work, and he nearly passed out after taking a few steps. As he leaned against the dresser to steady himself, the idea popped into his head that maybe he didn't stand a chance against Sherry in another fight. He needed an ace up his sleeve. So he reached around under the dresser, and retrieved said ace. After slipping it in his boot, he powered on through the bedroom door.

...

Sherry was standing by the big window at the front of the apartment, Reina was near the Zenith television, and Akia was closest to the kitchen island and second hallway. The nanosecond Michael showed his face in that living room, all three woman twirled their heads in his direction.

"Sweetie! You're okay!" Sherry exclaimed.

She rushed across the room, her arms stretched out towards him.

*CRACK

He punched her with a sharp left hook, completely arresting her frenzied charge. She clutched her newly bleeding nose.

"I... suppose I deserve that, don't I?" Sherry said, muffled.

"You deserve far worse than that!" Reina shot.

"Stand back from master, or I shall destroy you!" Akia warned.

Sherry sullenly retreated back over to the window area at the front of the apartment. Michael sank down on the couch, clutching his head as a dizzy spell came and went. He noticed a holy sword leaning up against the wall behind Reina, near the Zenith television. It glimmered sinisterly, as if mocking him and his misery. He briefly wondered what that meant, but the thought was quickly shoved to the back of his mind when Sherry started talking again.

"I never meant for any of that to happen, honest! I..." Sherry tried to say.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH! I DIDN'T ASK YOU!" Michael barked.

He clutched his forehead. Another dizzy spell came and went, lasting just a few moments longer than the previous one.

"Master?" Akia questioned.

"Never mind me, how the hell did I get here?" Michael demanded.

Reina and Akia both pointed at Sherry.

"She teleported you here." Reina recounted.

Sherry formed an optimistic smile on her face, as if that small thing would earn her some sort of forgiveness or praise. None was forthcoming.

"And what happened to you?" Michael asked.

"I wound up in a place called Utah. By the time I made it back to San Antonio, the battle was over. She didn't know I was near, so I was able to hijack her teleportation spell and appear here right alongside you two." Reina explained.

"Who healed me?" Michael asked.

Reina and Akia both pointed at Sherry again.

"She did. It seemed as if she knew what she was doing, so I allowed it. A truce was struck until you were revived." Reina explained.

Michael nodded in understanding. He immediately regretted nodding when his headache flared up again.

"Oh and something you should know... I took your power away so I could fight her in your stead. We've been arguing ever since." Reina said.

"Entity Reina alerted me to your location, so I used the Duster to drive from San Antonio. I arrived thirty minutes ago." Akia added.

"What about all our stuff?" Michael asked.

"I gathered up what survived the fire. The VHS tapes were all destroyed." Akia said, dejected.

She pulled his wallet, keys, and Nokia out of the front pocket of her hoodie.

"These items survived." Akia said.

"What about you? Are you okay? What about your arm?" Michael asked.

"NOP." Akia said simply.

It took Michael a few moments to work through the brain fog enough to understand what she had said. Instead of coming out and saying her status in the presence of an enemy, Akia was trying to convey the information secretly. NOP was a common op code in machine language, which was something Michael understood to a limited degree. Simply put, it meant No Operation. Which meant Akia was non operational. She couldn't do anything to help with the standoff happening in the living room. All she could do was talk big and threaten, with nothing to back it up.

*Sigh...

"I'm just glad you two are alive." Michael said quietly.

"I'm okay too by the way." Sherry interjected.

Michael shot her a withering glare.

"Reina... get her the hell out of this house." Michael said sharply.

"I've been trying cutie pie. This whole time, I've been trying." Reina said through gritted teeth.

"I thought you said you were arguing." Michael said.

"An argument between a mage and another mage has a different meaning." Reina said.

"One in which I intend to win. Once I do... much will change around here. Much indeed!" Sherry said darkly.

His eyes raked over the two mages, who were stiffly standing there with no outward signs of conflict. Regardless, even he could sense the tingle on his skin. There was a lot of magical power on the air. A person could cut it with a knife for how thick it was. The two mages were fighting an invisible battle of sheer magic. Whoever won would certainly obliterate the loser.

"Don't worry cutie pie, she won't win. I have your power, and I have a formal education in magic. She cannot hope to best me." Reina said.

"Except my darling boy toy used a lot of that strength fighting me, and my strength continues to grow every waking moment! Your time grows short!" Sherry countered.

...

Michael slipped his fingers between his pants leg and the top of his boot, and came up with a Tokarev TT33. Thus ending the argument once and for all.

"Scanning. Moderate power projectile weapon. Threat level... high." Akia noted quietly.

"Where the blazes did that come from?!" Reina exclaimed.

"Surprise! I've got a second firearm!" Michael mocked.

Sherry put her hands on her hips.

"Well aren't you just full of surprises lately. I'm sure you're proud of yourself." Sherry said dryly.

*ClickCLACK

He racked the slide of the pistol, and leveled it on her chest. She didn't flinch.

"You couldn't do it. I know you, I know you couldn't kill your own wife." Sherry argued.

"Are you mental? I already killed you once." Michael shot.

"...when did that happen?" Sherry asked, confused.

"You don't remember? I freaking shot you with a 12 gauge!" Michael shot.

"That's silly. I would remember such a thing." Sherry denied.

Reina shot Michael a concerned glance.

...

While Michael and Sherry talked, Akia dumped the contents of her pockets onto the coffee table. Michael's wallet bounced, popped open, and ejected a coin.

*Tink~

Michael's head whirled around towards the sound of a golden coin hitting the table. The coin glimmered with a shiny gold sheen, which dazzled their eyes.

"What... is that?" Sherry murmured, enthralled.

"Is that..." Reina hesitated.

"Oh shit!" Michael mouthed.

...

Everyone lunged for the magic coin at the same time. Sherry had it for an instant, before Reina's squid arms overwhelmed her. Sherry countered with a swift curb stomp to her tentacle, which caused Reina to cry out in pain. The coin landed on the carpet, and Michael's finger brushed against it very briefly, but he lost track of it when he was wracked with a severe bout of dizziness and pain. Reina snatched it up. Sherry's tail nearly stole it, but instead knocked it through the air and Michael caught it. Sherry quickly attacked with everything she had, batting aside the Tokarev while trying to grab the coin from his left hand.

*BANG!

The Tokarev discharged, sending a little thirty caliber pill zipping through her forearm at supersonic speeds. Both Michael and Sherry both cried out in pain at the exact same time. Sherry because of the bullet hole, and Michael because the concussion of the pistol made his head feel like it was in a vice. He collapsed with blood coming from his ears and nose. Akia caught the coin when it flew from his limp fingers and slid across the carpet.

...

Reina cradled Michael against her breast, and tried to tenderly sooth his pain wracked body with a few gentle caresses. Sherry picked up the Tokarev that had landed on the carpet, and held everyone at gunpoint. It was odd to see Sherry with a firearm, considering her only marksmanship experience consisted of stitching a line of pock marks up their bedroom wall with an M4. However, she knew just enough to be dangerous. She knew which end was the dangerous end, and she knew where the blammo switch was. She wasn't stupid, she had watched Michael very closely over the previous few months. So there she stood, with the muzzle of the Tokarev wavering unsteadily between Akia and Reina. Akia was roughly in the center of the room, Sherry was in the corner by the window, and both Michael and Reina were by the couch.

"Akia..." Michael groaned.

"Ready." Akia said.

He reached out with his hand, wincing in pain as he did.

"Give it... to me." Michael forced.

"No you don't! Stay still! If you give that coin to him, he will wish me to die! I cannot allow that!" Sherry warned.

"If you fear that, then you should especially fear what I shall do to you if I get that coin! He would certainly kill you, but I would ensure you stay alive so that you may live an eternity never being near him again!" Reina shot.

"Just like you tried to do to us." Akia added.

The muzzle of the Tokarev hovered over Reina.

"I care not for these earth weapons, but I know it will do the job! No one moves!" Sherry warned.

"If you discharge your weapon against me, I will toss the coin to them before my core goes offline." Akia warned.

...

"It's a Mexican standoff." Michael thought.

...

Reina focused her attention to Michael, who was still actively bleeding from his ears and nose. There was nothing she could do about disarming the succubus, so she could at least try to alleviate her loved one's pain.

"Why is this happening to you?" Reina asked softly.

"Please make it stop." Michael shuddered in pain.

Reina gently stroked the top of his head.

"I can't. I'm using all my power to keep Searraigh at bay. If I try to heal you, she'll kill me." Reina said mournfully.

"Don't be a sissy. He's complaining over nothing." Sherry shot angrily.

"Nothing?! He's bleeding from his ears!" Reina shot angrily.

"It's because he used his weapon! Obviously! Fool." Sherry spat.

She waved her left arm through the air, which was actively bleeding all over the carpet due to the bullet hole.

"I'm bleeding, and you don't hear me whining!" Sherry shot.

"You are truly insane! No wonder he left you!" Reina exclaimed.

"First off, he hasn't left me! I won't allow it! Second, he's a big whining baby who can't handle the fact he's gotten everything he ever wanted!" Sherry shot.

"He never wanted pain and misery!" Reina shot.

"I have him a hot body and all the sex he ever could want, and he's still whining!" Sherry countered.

Akia moved towards Michael during the argument, and Sherry leveled the Tokarev on her. Several tense moments passed. Nobody could move without running the risk of getting attacked by someone else. Michael was on the verge of passing out. With a burst of sheer will, Michael once again reached out to Akia.

"Please confirm. This action will result in this unit's destruction. Do you wish to proceed?" Akia asked calmly.

"No. I... want you... to use the coin..." Michael forced.

...

Sherry started laughing.

"Fools! I'm surrounded by fools! That technological terror of yours has no soul, she cannot use a magic coin!" Sherry mocked, laughing.

"I'm afraid she's right. A magic coin grants the wishes found in the depths of the heart. Akia has neither a heart nor a soul." Reina said softly.

"SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU! SHE HAS A... " Michael bellowed.

Blood streamed from his nose, and a trickle formed from the tear duct of his left eye. Michael made a pained choking sound.

"SHE HAS A SOUL!" Michael forced.

For the very first time ever, Akia formed a full smile. It wasn't a half smile, or her usual hidden automaton expression of happiness. It was a full human smile. Michael had just insisted at great pain to himself that Akia was a living person, equal to him and everyone else in the room. Maybe she didn't fully understand what that meant, but could anyone claim differently? All she knew was it made her happy. And that made her want to return that happiness back to Michael. She looked into his eyes, and she saw fire there. She saw light. She wondered if that light was the human soul, and whether Michael saw the same light in her optical sensors. She wondered... if that was why he insisted she stay with him, so long ago in that lonely snow covered truck stop parking lot.

*rub

*rubrub

Akia rubbed her thumb on the head of the magic coin.

"I wish for my master to be happy." Akia said.

Everyone took a breath at the same time, and looked towards the coin for some sort of reaction. They didn't have to wait long.

*SHIIIIIIINE

Everyone was instantly blinded with a bright white light. They used their hands to shield their eyes, squinting desperately so they could see a little of history being made. Never before had an automaton used a magic coin.

"SHE DID IT! SHE ACTUALLY DID IT! AKIA HAS A SOUL!" Reina exclaimed over the din.

*GRRRRRRHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOAAAAAHHHHHHSSSSSS

"AAH! WHAT THE HELL IS IT DOING?!" Reina shouted over the din.

"HOW OLD IS THAT COIN?!" Sherry shouted.

"TEN THOUSAND YEARS!" Michael shouted.

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted at once in a panicked tone.

The whole room vibrated with power. Akia wasn't even holding onto the coin anymore, it was floating in the air above her palm. And then... the light disappeared. A narrow beam of energy shot out from the coin, and scanned Michael from head to toe. Then it scanned Reina, and then finally Sherry. The tone and pitch of the energy changed, and Sherry screamed.

"It's actually killing her?!" Michael exclaimed.

"I don't know! I don't think so!" Reina exclaimed.

Sherry's scream changed pitch, becoming sinister and devilish like a banshee. She clutched at her chest, screaming in agony as a strange black shape flowed out. It lashed out at Michael, but the energy of the magic coin stopped it from reaching him.

"YOU'VE WON THIS TIME BOYO, BUT YOU HAVEN'T WON THE WAR!" The demon boomed.

"I know that voice! It's the doppelganger!" Michael exclaimed, shocked.

The blackness twisted and warped under the energy of the magic coin, first taking on the form of Michael's doppelganger, before settling on it's true form. It was Searraigh. Or more specifically, it was the holy ordained knight known as Searraigh Fontaine. She was a thin wiry woman with almost nonexistent curves, battle scars, and piercing jade green eyes. The only thing she held in common with the woman Michael knew was a mane of raven black hair, which was cut short and tied into a militaristic knot in the back. Otherwise she looked harsh and cruel as she glared at him with pure hatred. It was the very same hatred Michael had seen not long ago during the battle of San Antonio. And that laugh... it twisted his stomach in fear. That was no human woman, she was a demon. A literal demon of the biblical type. Evil incarnate. Spawn of Satan. Any number of things could describe what Michael saw in that moment.

"It's evil! I'm looking at true evil!" Michael thought.

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEE

*poof

...

The succubus known as Sherry collapsed to the floor. The holy ordained knight Searraigh Fontaine disappeared in a puff of black smoke. At the same time, Reina sagged and sighed in relief. Whatever invisible mage battle she had been waging against Sherry had finally come to an end. The holy sword in the corner of the room dissolved into nothingness.

"Master! Look!" Akia interrupted.

His eyes turned back to the magic coin, which was glowing increasingly brighter once again. The room shook with power, as if it were building up some sort of charge.

"Shield your eyes!" Reina warned.

Michael covered his eyes just in time. Another powerful pulse of white light shot out of the coin, and passed through their bodies. Michael could feel his hair stand on end from the charge of magic. It went through the walls, across the city, and across the whole state of Arizona. It crossed state lines, and quickly consumed the entire United States. It also passed through the portal, and started crossing the entirety of the other world. Nobody escaped it. Not even those flying in jets, or deep underground. Even astronauts experienced the power wave as it passed the International Space Station and into deep space.

...

The whole world was changed. As the white pulse of magic passed through Arizona, the theater on 5th and B was instantly restored. Vehicles were repaired, injuries were healed, and everything was as if had been before Sherry destroyed it. Then the pulse passed through San Antonio. City blocks were restored as good as they had ever been. Huge gashes in the streets were melded together like two pieces of wet clay. Lakes were refilled. Mountains were rebuilt. Bits of ruined houses flew together like an explosion played in reverse. Dead people suddenly woke up standing or sitting wherever they had been before they had died. And finally... the Airbnb poofed back into existence. Everything that had been damaged was restored to brand new.

...

Back in the apartment in Arizona, Michael and the others were seeing their own world warp and change as well. The pulse of light saw fit to restore Akia to full working order. Her battle damage was entirely undone, and her arm was functioning perfectly once again. The Tokarev disappeared from Sherry's hands, and reappeared in its hiding place under the dresser in the bedroom. Her demon realm silver sword appeared on her back, alongside the Apache style sheath Michael had made for her. The dent in the Duster where Sherry had kicked the door was undone, as was all the paint damage and warpage of the grill from the fire. And as an extra bonus, the last thing to change was the reappearance of Akia's gift blanket, which blinked into existence on the couch.

...

The magic coin once again reverberated with power. Reina covered Michael's eyes and shielded herself as the coin flashed and pulsed white light. A beam shot out, and it scanned everyone in the room for a second time. It settled on Michael, and changed pitch like it had done with Sherry. A great wind filled the room, and Michael's body was caught up in the current. Reina hooked onto his leg, and coiled her squid arms around the couch. Bits of paper, pillows, the yellow blanket, the television, and other random items all spun around in the center of the room as if there were a black hole, and the magic coin was the event horizon. Even with Reina's mighty kraken strength, she couldn't hold onto Michael. He slipped from her grasp, and disappeared into the white light of the coin.

*FLASH!

The coin flashed one last time, blinding everyone in the room. Once the spots cleared out of their eyes, they looked to find nothing but an ordinary room. Nothing was out of place, other than one missing Irishman.

...

..

.

~Later~

.

..

...

"Ohhhh... my head." Sherry moaned.

Sherry held her head and slowly sat upright. Slowly looking around, she took survey of the room and everyone in it. Reina was sitting on the couch with her face shoved into the yellow blanket, and Akia was standing in the center of the room staring into empty space.

"What happened?" Sherry asked.

Reina peeked over the edge of the blanket, which revealed a pair of wet and puffy eyes. She clearly had been crying.

"He's gone." Reina said, muffled.

"Who?" Sherry asked.

"Michael." Reina said, muffled.

...

"Who's Michael? And for that matter... who are you?" Sherry asked.

...

Reina didn't answer. She just covered her face again and sobbed into the blanket. There was no point in wasting any more time with that succubus as far as she was concerned. So Sherry turned her eyes to Akia.

"Excuse me... um... whoever you are. Could you tell me what happened here?" Sherry asked politely.

"Do not disturb me. I am scanning for master's location." Akia said curtly.

"I'm sorry." Sherry said out of reflex.

She stood up and wandered out of the living room.

...

*Knockknockknock

Reina peeked over the blanket at the door, but didn't feel like answering. Akia remained motionless as she continued her scans with machine like precision.

*Knockknockknock

*KNOCKKNOCK

*THUD!

The door kicked open, and a whole swarm of people rushed inside. At the very head of the column was none other than Druella herself. Following close behind was Specialist Stavish, Sakia, Mackenzie, Opal, Alistair, Desdemona, and several other people that Michael had met in passing. The line of people went clean out the door, down the stairs, and to the parking lot outside. Reina jerked in surprise.

"Princess Druella!" Reina exclaimed.

"Greetings. Please forgive us, but our mission is urgent and doesn't allow for pleasantries." Druella said.

"Where's Searraigh?" Stavish asked.

"We've come to haul her off to the pokey." Alistair said.

"She's in the bedroom." Reina said.

*CLACK

Stavish smacked the side of her M4, chambering a round as she strode into the master bedroom. Druella was close behind her. Nobody moved a muscle to stop them.

"No! I don't want to go with you!"

"Get up! Right now!"

"NO! I said..."

*THUD

A pained moan echoed out into the hallway. A pair of dark knights went into the bedroom, and carried out Sherry. She had a bloody gash on her forehead, shaped more or less like the butt plate of an M4. She also had glowing crimson shackles around her wrists. Druella exited the bedroom after them, followed by a very angry Specialist Stavish.

"Alright, now that the bitch is taken care of... where's Mike?" Stavish asked.

"I don't know. He was taken by a great magical power." Reina explained.

"A great magical power? Like the one that covered the city?" Druella asked.

Reina nodded.

"What does that mean?" Alistair asked.

"I don't know." Druella said.

She turned and walked out the door with her dark knights. Several people followed her, leaving just Stavish and a handful of Michael's closest friends.

"If you find him, could you give him a message for me?" Stavish asked.

"I shall." Reina said.

Stavish unslung her M4 service rifle, and tossed it on the ground in front of Reina. It was snapped in two, right where the buffer tube met the lower receiver. In essence, the rifle was destroyed.

"Tell him Specialist Katariina Stavish broke that over his ex wife's head. Also tell him I'm stepping down as commanding officer of Fort Chell, and I'm reporting to the brig. Tell him... I'm sorry about the mindflayer." Stavish said.

And with that, she turned and marched out the door. There were a couple of MPs waiting for her, which she immediately surrendered herself to their custody.

.

..

...

...

...

~Meanwhile, Elsewhere~

...

"Excellent! Wonderful! Everything worked out just as I had hoped!" Eros exclaimed.

She was surrounded by a swarm of pink glowing orbs, each one showing her an image of what was going on down on Earth. Many of them involved Michael, or people who associated with Michael.

"What happened down there? What was that white light that consumed both the mortal and heaven realms?" Miranda asked.

"That... was the power of an ancient magic coin. It's effects will be wide spread, and we will not truly comprehend it's full effects for many years. But some of the immediate effects are quite obvious." Eros said.

She flicked her hand, and a pink orb showed the city of San Antonio.

"What was once a war torn wasteland is now restored to better than its former glory. The houses are flawless, and the people are full of health and vitality. All of which would be quite pleasing for a man like Michael." Eros said.

She flicked her wrist again, and the orb changed to show images of the theater at 5th and B, as well as the people who work there.

"The undead solder who calls herself Stavish found the courage to submit herself to judgment for her actions. While I don't agree with her decision to beat Searraigh over the head, I must confess to a personal desire to clonk some sense into that succubus." Eros said.

"And what of Searraigh herself?" Miranda asked.

"Searraigh Fontaine... was a weapon. She was immaculately conceived by the power of the chief god, with the sole purpose of killing as many mamono as possible. Druella thought she had purged this monster, but she was wrong." Eros said.

"So what is she now?" Miranda asked.

"Hmm... a shell perhaps? A shoddy clone of Druella? Or perhaps she'll bloom into something new, there's no telling. The important thing is Searraigh is no longer a threat. Now we must focus our efforts on building strength for the next battle." Eros said.

Her wrist flicked once again, and hundreds of pink orbs showed images of Michael. Past, present, and future.

"Come Miranda. Do you see? Do you understand why everything happened the way it did?" Eros asked.

Miranda tried to understand the images flashing before her, but it was just a jumbled blur. It moved so fast, there was no hope of comprehension. Entire years passed in seconds, only to be repeated slightly differently in a different time stream.

"Michael had to leave Searraigh the way he did. If he hadn't, then he would never have naturally learned some important life lessons. He would never have allowed himself to fall in love with the kraken Reina, and he would never have grown closer to Akia." Eros explained.

"What of the love arrows, and the three musicians?" Miranda asked.

"It was important that Michael fall in love with Reina and go to that restaurant. His time of toil had come to a close, and it was time to reveal himself. Otherwise Searraigh would have destroyed a dozen towns searching for Michael, instead of just one." Eros explained.

She showed images of several ruined cities and towns, each one a stop that Michael had made on his journey northeast away from Arizona. A possible future that never came to pass.

"Druella was a wild card. I had to send you to stop her dark knights, because if they had succeeded in their mission to bring Michael to Lescatie... that time strand ended with Searraigh murdering her former mistress." Eros explained.

Miranda gasped.

"Yes, shocking I know. Druella would have forced Michael to marry her, and Searraigh would have arrived right in the middle of the act of lovemaking between them. Druella died, and Michael lost the fight. Bad ending." Eros explained.

...

..

"So as convoluted as it was, this was the only way where he could have a hope for a bright future." Eros said.

Eros's eyes surveyed Miranda's face for several moments.

"A question burns in your mind. Speak." Eros commanded.

"Why are you helping Michael so much? There are many mortals who could use as much help as he is getting. Why is he so special? It cannot possibly be because of his music." Miranda asked.

"No it's not because of his music. While that is exceedingly important, and it did draw my attention to him to begin with, it is not why I watch his future like a harpy." Eros said.

"Why then do you watch him?" Miranda asked.

Eros's smile faded.

"You'll learn soon enough. For now, dedicate yourself to following my word. Prepare yourself for what may come, for time is ever fluid and changing." Eros said.

"Yes my goddess." Miranda said.

Eros leaned back into her great throne.

...

..

.

"Only time will tell what comes next. Time will tell." Eros murmured distantly.