Chapter 14: Expedition (5)
"...craft not typical of…"
"...ease, child. He will…"
"-ack away, he's stirring."
Resisting the urge to scowl as he was now familiar enough with awakening from a state of extreme exhaustion or other health deficiencies to recognize that's precisely what had just happened to him Nanashi peeled open his eyes-
-and came face to face with none other than a visibly worried Manaka, staring down at him with clear concern.
A concern that was quickly reciprocated as the homunculus realized the normally unflappable and indomitable magus looked bad.
Sweat matted her once pristine dress, flawless lips were cracked and dry while her shining eyes were sunken deep into their sockets, silken pale-blonde hair a matted mess.
"Manaka, what happened, are you-"
His attempt to rise - which probably wouldn't have worked even if a pair of strong hands hadn't kept him restrained - was stymied as a calm and regal voice stated, "Be at ease, child. Your friend is in no immediate danger. In fact, I do believe you owe her your life."
Cloudy red eyes focused on Manaka's own, a tired sigh escaping the homunculus as he murmured, "Sure wouldn't be the first time…" before belatedly realizing the hands on his chest weren't his companions.
Rather, they belonged to that of the Fae queen herself, ethereal features looking down on him with fair amusement as her palms glowed with a soft, golden light.
"Your companion acted remarkably swiftly. Your control over your intake of mana from the Reverse failed the moment you lost consciousness and would have caused your body to immolate rather spectacularly had she not injected you with mana from her own body."
Nanashi turned to face the girl, eyes wide at her still silent and sullen expression, asking with clear awe, "How did you manage that? All while carrying me back here, I assume?"
Manaka's normally soft and melodic tone was raspy and cracked, words clipped as she replied, "Not easily. It was...trying. I myself am surprised at just how difficult a process it ended up being."
Viviane smiled, removing her limbs from the boy's chest as he slowly and gingerly sat back up, figuring she must have done something that allowed him to exist without needing to circulate mana throughout his own body.
"She must truly treasure you, to go through such an arduous process and quest. Transferring mana to your body without the benefit of a familiar's connection or tantric bridge would be no small feat. It is actually quite impressive, even considering her...unusual nature."
Nanashi looked at Manaka, at how exhausted and - even if it was quickly fading - how worried she had been, feeling as if he was truly seeing her for the first time.
The first hint had been when they encountered both Merlin's barrier and that strange boundary not too long ago, the magus admitting to not being able to break through them despite her arguably infinite knowledge...and now this, the strain of trying to supply both him and herself with mana while returning to the Fae borders visibly exhausting the girl to the point of near collapse, if her current condition was anything to go by.
...She was no all-powerful god, the homunculus came to finally and truly realize.
Coughing briefly he affixed his companion with the most genuine look of honesty and transparency he could manage, stating, "Thank you, Manaka."
Her eyes blinked in rapid succession, as if unsure of what to make of his words...and a fairly cute blush adorned her pale cheeks, gaze averting itself as she crossed her arms, imperiously stating, "But of course, Nanashi. You are obviously too weak and prone to trouble to take care of yourself, thus the duty falls to me."
Recognizing the half-true nature of her response for what it was he grinned, turning to Viviane and a couple other Fae - Mortin included - as they stood nearby, stating, "I think we have some sort of idea of what that thing is that you asked us to investigate."
"Oh? Then do tell, we're quite curious to hear of your findings, as well as what you might believe them to be."
Nodding in acceptance the homunculus stated, "We found out that the barrier or whatever that thing is definitely comes from older times, Manaka is pretty sure it's Age of the Gods level stuff, if not even earlier. More curiously, looking at it with my Mytsic Eyes didn't reveal any concrete details...hell, it didn't reveal anything at all, it was like looking at empty air."
Viviane and the rest didn't move so much as a muscle at the explanation, clearly waiting for him to continue as he said, "More to the point, from what Manaka felt the whole thing seems...massive. Like whatever lies beyond it is of incomprehensible scale, never mind the bevy of protections it resides under that got us wondering how we would even get in, assuming we wanted to."
"But that was not all you sensed, was there? Else why would you have lost control of yourself?"
Hesitating for a moment before nodding the boy slowly explained, "After a while, when I kept staring at the thing with no real other information that we could make use of...I heard singing. I don't know from what or where, but...it was strange. And kind of haunting. Also Manaka said she couldn't hear it."
The Fae turned their attention to the pale-blonde, her expression turning mildly suspicious as she replied, "I heard no such noise whatsoever. Whatever Nanashi experienced was directed at him and him alone."
The gathered Fae sent each other significant looks, as if some kind of special or hidden knowledge had been confirmed as Viviane rose to her feet, stating, "The pair of you have accomplished the task we set before you remarkably well, confirming a rather serious matter for us as well as raising an interesting avenue of further pursuit. Young man, is there anything else you may tell us of this song? Or any other perception of it you may have experienced?"
Pausing for a moment as he gave the Fae queen's words the consideration they were due he eventually replied, "Before I went under, the singing voice? It sounded...ocean-like. Like what a dragon-whale would sound like while a woman added her own chorus to it. And that presence felt...warm. And massive, at least in the brief glimpse my eyes got of whatever that thing is residing within before the collapsing bit. Massive like Manaka and the other girl I met are."
He saw the pout coming before it arrived.
"I'm not calling you fat, Manaka. Just that you carry a great deal of conceptual and worldly weight to your existence. This was just like that."
A few of the other Fae chuckled, Mortin remarking, "Good save, young one," while Viviane's gaze went distant.
"Yes...yes it does seem like it is she…but how has her prison manifested in this land?"
About to ask just what that meant Viviane suddenly pulled a sapling from within her clothes, Nanashi and manaka blinking as they recognized it as the root Mortin had asked him to identify upon first arriving in the Fae lands.
"Your payment for completing this task for us."
"Huh? But we already have one back home that we used to-"
"We are well aware of that...but Mortin sympathized with your plight and took the sapling you identified to us, suggesting that we modify it in a manner that would suit your needs, should you succeed in the task we set before you."
A tap of the Fae queen's finger sent the hair-thin roots spiralling and searching outwards with smooth movements before retracting a moment later, the woman stating, "As a nervous system for your future body I believe it will work rather sufficiently...and there are some more passive effects also allocated to this sapling that will cause your body to heal itself more effectively."
Nanashi dumbly accepted the gift, even Manaka seeming surprised by the generosity displayed by the Fae as the homunculus stammered, "But, wait, I don't...isn't something like this, I dunno...insanely valuable?"
"All the more reason you should treasure it, no?"
At the pair of youth's disbelieving stares the Fae woman elaborated with, "We would not deny a child's wish to grow up strong and healthy...especially when that child would be better served as a friend of the Fae as opposed to a foe."
Still giving the relic a wondrous expression Nanashi suddenly stiffened, giving Mortin a suspicious look as he warily asked, "I'm not using your ballsack as a nervous system, am I?"
The Fae erupted into raucous laughter, a sour expression appearing on Vivane's features as Mortin gave the youth a playful wink.
"Merely a visual joke, young Nanashi. Rest assured, whatever my other vices or defects putting my genitalia inside of a young child - metaphorically or not - isn't one of them."
Relaxing at the Fae's words Nanashi more quietly said, "Then, thank you."
"It was my pleasure, young one. Store it in a place where it gets plenty of sunlight and perhaps a handful of soil and mana-infused water and it will survive for many years, until you have need of it."
Mentally filing away those instructions for later Vivane clapped her hands, authoritatively stating, "Our current business is henceforth concluded, you should return home as quickly as you can, young ones. The mana I infused you with will only hold so long and neither of you are in any condition to remain in the Reverse for much longer."
Nodding in acceptance of the offer Nanashi turned to Manaka, unable to help smiling as he said, "See? No murder or violence required."
Pinching his cheek at his snark the girl nonetheless focused, tearing open a pathway home even as she grimaced at the strain, the homunculus offering the Fae a parting bow before they vanished into the portal home, leaving the clearing oddly quiet the moment they were gone.
"...It seems we have rather tumultuous events on the horizon, Beast of Gaia."
Trotting out of the trees Cath Palug gave an affirming yip, Vivane sighing as the rest of her people quickly dispersed, returning to their individual tasks and hobbies as she turned to the calmly sitting Beast.
"And the Magus of Flowers believes those two are intrinsically tied to it?"
"Fou!"
A sigh escaped the Fae queen.
"I cannot decide if that bodes well or not for us. The innocence, love and malleability of a child burdened with the powers even the greatest of us would have difficulty wielding with any sort of consistent responsibility."
"Fou?"
Shaking her head the Fae queen quickly responded, "Nothing, just idle musings. Have you visited the other communities of the Reverse yet?"
A snort escaped the fluffy quadruped, Viviane's lips quirking briefly as she amended, "Those that didn't bar you entry out of fear, I mean."
"Fou…"
"Well the Yokai have always been wary of strangers, it's no small wonder that they would be cautious of such unknown factors...and the sudden appearance of what is now undoubtedly the Primordial Mother's prison in this realm will have left quite a number in various states of panic."
"Fou, fou~!"
The Fae shook her head, dryly responding, "Then you and your master have greater faith in her mental state than I...but perhaps those two are just the oddities that can heal the heart of a Goddess long gone mad."
Cath Palug merely gave the woman a reproachful look that she ignored, instead turning back to her home while parting with, "Continue spreading the word, please. It's not just the Fae that I believe will benefit from being friends rather than enemies with young Nanashi and Manaka."
"Sister, Nanashi! You're back!"
Ayaka eagerly greeted the pair as the bounded fields announced their arrival, Haruki setting down the paper he had been perusing-
-and the brown-haired girl felt her eyes widen at the sight that greeted her, that of her sister looking fairly exhausted as she supported a quickly fading Nanashi, real nervousness pooling in her gut as the girl's father felt his eyes narrow.
"Sister? Are you...alright?"
Ayaka wasn't sure how to feel, for the second time in her life now confronted with the sight of a visibly exhausted Manaka struggling to even stand, the indomitable and all-knowing sister she had simultaneously looked up to and been eclipsed by appearing worryingly fragile, doll-like beauty not doing her any favors as it seemed she might crack at any given moment.
"Apologies, Ayaka...but it's been a busy time, for certain. May I bother you to prepare the bath for us? We are both fairly filthy with the day's excursions...father, can we perhaps regale our adventures in the morning, rather than now?"
Hesitating only a moment - the magus side of him desperately wanted to know of their travels to the Reverse - the male quickly acquiesced with, "Of course, Manaka. Are either of you hungry? Dinner is in the refrigerator if you so desire it."
A tired smile appeared on the pale-blonde's features.
"Thank you, father. But I think we shall skip on dinner for tonight."
Nodding her thanks the magus guided her quickly fading and delirious charge towards the main washroom, Ayaka looking as if she wanted to ask something before thinking better of it, turning to her father as he shook his head.
"I'm worried too...but I doubt she would stop now, not when so much of this is a life she never knew existed. Remember, Ayaka...to be a magus is to walk with death."
Miserably nodding at the reminder the girl instead turned to watch where the pair had vanished too, praying that they wouldn't end up walking too close to that fine line.
A calming, comforting warmth seemed to suffuse every pore of Nanashi's being, his mind drifting in and out of coherence as he mechanically and slowly washed his body, distantly aware of Manaka right beside him as she reciprocated the action with stiff movements, only the same school swimsuit as last time keeping her modest while he was...less so.
In any other circumstance he might have been tense and keyed to the nines...but inbetween the first real new piece of his body that was earned, the whole experience with the Fae and the strange melody he'd heard from that strange void-prison-thing his mind was fairly well occupied and far away from the current proceedings.
"Nanashi?"
"Hmm?"
"We need to form a tantric bridge."
"Hmm...wait, what?"
Snapping out of his fugue state the homunculus snapped his eyes towards Manaka, the girl averting her gaze even as she continued to carefully shampoo and condition her hair. Turns out his body was still perfectly capable of receiving bursts of adrenaline, go figure.
"I-isn't that the thing where you, uh, you know...have sex?"
Face still averted the magus explained, "It's about creating an emotional and spiritual bridge between us, so that I may directly inject mana into your body with no worries of energy being lost in the process like so much heat waste."
Feeling his cheeks flush red the boy stammered, "Can't...isn't there something you can do with your blood or something? Isn't that a great way of doing mana transference?"
Slim fingers nervously curled a lock of blonde hair, Manaka mumbling, "It is, but...it's only useful for swift injections of significant amounts of mana, it's not practical for long term usage. This will solve that issue."
Scarcely able to believe what he was hearing Nanashi tried one more time to head off his friend's apprehension as he protested, "Aren't you really nervous about stuff like this, Manaka? You get embarrassed when we hold freakin' hands and now you want to...you know? Isn't the first time supposed to be special for a girl-"
"You almost died, Nanashi."
The calm, clinical words caused the youth to snap his jaw shut.
"You almost died and I was mostly powerless to help you, you would have died had the Fae not been there to keep you stable, I could not have both provided us with the proper amount of power to stay alive in the Reverse and gotten us home."
The homunculus blinked, Manaka's fingers caressing his cheek with possessive motions even as she blushed scarlet, finally facing him directly.
"I want you to live long enough to fulfill our agreement, Nanashi. And this will be special for me."
Irritation now joined embarrassment, the blonde chewing her lip before whispering, "Now let us begin, I did some, erm...research from a book Ayaka possesses."
Still reeling at how this whole scenario came about the boy dumbly nodded, asking with all the tact of a brick wall, "So...how are we going to do this?"
Tucking a lock of damp hair behind her ear Manaka wordlessly kneeled before him, the boy swallowing nervously at her submissive posture, of how the swimsuit clung to her thin body and how her shining hair plastered across pale skin...his heart practically felt like it was going to leap out of his chest at this rate.
"W-well I learned that it usually helps the boy and girl if he is fellated before beginning, it's more, umm...pleasurable that way."
Dumbly nodding as Manaka reached out with trembling hands towards his manhood Nanashi stayed absolutely still, not daring to move so much as an inch as he tried to keep his cool...and failed miserably.
A startled gasp left his lips as Manaka's skin caressed his sensitive own, a completely foreign feeling that he instinctively rejected, that such a perfect and flawless girl would be so intimately touching a failed cripple like him.
But it was no mere fantasy, brief groans escaping his throat as his junk was clumsily but innocently handled by Manaka, the magus blushing up a storm as she protested, "Nanashi, can you not control yourself?! It's...it's embarrassing for a maiden such as myself!"
"S-sorry, but it just feels so damn good-guh?!"
Evidently taking his words a tad too personally Manaka had darted forward, taking his length into her soft, virgin mouth as a cute and shy tongue lightly lapped at his glans, the boy deeply moaning at the ensation, heat rising in his body as he felt like he could drift off in a cloud of bliss-
"Erm...Nanashi?"
"Y-yeah?"
Snapping out his bliss long enough to answer Manaka as she removed herself from his crotch he was briefly confused by the uncertain expression she wore.
"Should...should a boy's penis not grow larger when excited?"
"Yeah, why? Is there...a…"
Nanashi glanced down and, after a moment of sheer disbelief, felt a deep, all-encompassing shame settle in his body.
"Nanashi...are you awake?"
The boy laid on his side, in no mood to talk with anyone or anything as he rested in one of the guest rooms, unable to decide if he was more ashamed or furious at his body's failure to do anything right.
...The worst part was the disappointment that had shown itself on Manaka's face as she stared at his flaccid and useless dick, an expression that had hurt so badly that he'd simply left the bathroom without a backward glance.
"Of course, I can't even fuck her properly. Not enough that I need to rely on her for practically everything but now I can't even be a good man and do what they're supposed to stereotypically be really good at."
He still made no move as, with slow and tender motions, Manaka slipped underneath the covers with him, gently taking his hand into her own that he tried to ignore...and sighed, returning the gesture with a light squeeze.
"We're going back to the Reverse tomorrow morning. I hate being like this. Useless in practically every way that matters."
He rolled over slightly, ironically feeling more comfortable around the girl now that he knew he'd never have a chance of scoring given how crippled this body of his was. For her part Manaka seemed to be intently focused on his words, cerulean eyes not so much as blinking as he continued with, "I will succeed in getting my new body...and when that happens I promise I'll be able to treat you right, as a real woman."
Their gazes continued to meet the other's without so much as a single blink to break the tension...and Manaka blushed, flipping onto her side away from the homunculus as she muttered, "Only you would sound like a noble knight and lustful beast all in one, Nanashi...but yes, I look forward to that night as well. I suppose in the meantime you will just have to rely on blood and other less than efficient means."
"Yeah, I guess I will. Thank you anyway, Manaka."
Exhaustion both physical and emotional hit the boy like a truck, eyes slowly drifting closed as he let his hand remain locked in his friend's, the pair quickly and silently slipping away into the realm of dreams.
The amount of original MILF reviews made me genuinely laugh. Never change, people.