Day 164 / Annika
As the last succubus fled, Garret's strength finally failed him and his legs began to collapse. Seeing this, Annika wasted no time in tightening her grip and moving to hold him up. Despite her confident movements, feelings of panic were quick to rise within her. The crusade was a long ways off, if he'd overexerted himself like when he first fought the slime queen,… she tried not to think about it.
When Garret's head lolled to the side, Annika fumbled her way out of an armoured gauntlet and pressed her fingers to his neck. His pulse throbbed weakly, faltering, but eventually stabilized, causing her to breath sigh of relief. He wasn't doomed. So long as he had time to recover, her partner would survive. The screams, shouts, and sounds of distant combat didn't let her relax, though. That survival was contingent on their safe return…
"Come on, y'all, lets get movin'! One of you, help me carry Garret, the rest of ya, keep an eye out for trouble!"
Given her relationship to their actual leader, or perhaps because she was the first to show initiative, no one objected to Annika taking over command. She got their rag-tag group organized and sent them hurrying through the woods.
"Shit! Run for it! Stay close to the trees! Kate-!"
The woman Annika was shouting to turned, but in an instant, some sort of flying mamono dove through the trees, seized her, and carried her off before anyone could react.
"Damn it! Everyone, stick together! If ya scatter, you're dead!"
Two hours into their frantic retreat, their rag-tag squad was, unluckily, spotted by other marauding monsters… and this time they had no mage to stop them. A testament to their discipline, their soldiers didn't rout, allowing Annika to maintain some semblance of control, but as more and more got picked off, her grip on the situation rapidly loosened. A dark thought crossed Annika's mind as she surveyed their options. Each succubus, demon, whatever they were could only lift one person. Sooner or later, the attacks would end… if only because their assailants had snatched everyone they could carry. She just had to make sure Garret wasn't one of the taken…
Suddenly a monster swooped down from an odd angle and grabbed the man helping her drag their exhausted sorcerer. The impact sent the lot of them tumbling into the dirt, succubus included, but Annika managed to get her bearings and scramble to her feet before the monster could take off. With no time to draw her sword, she lunged at it, grabbing a wing, and then slammed an armoured fist into the mamono's jaw.
To a human, the force behind that punch might have been enough to knock them out, but monsters were naturally stronger. The same rules didn't apply. The blow only stunned it just long enough for the man it'd attacked to scramble away, and for Annika to grab her sword. Desperate to keep the momentum, she made a powerful, overhead slash, which the succubus blocked with the spike on the end of her wing.
"Go! Grab Garret and get out of here!"
As she shouted to her soldiers, retaliation came in the form of long claws, magically sprouting from the monster's fingers. The attack was so quick that Annika barely had time to raise her arm. From a combination of reflex, luck, and training, she managed to pivot just in time. The claws bounced off the edge of her shield and made a glancing blow as they skated off her breastplate. Despite not punching through the metal, though, they left a strange wound on Annika's skin. Just under where they'd hit, she felt… something. The mark left behind throbbed like a wound, but it didn't hurt. Quite the contrary, somehow it felt good…
Annika froze as she realized what had happened. What?! These succubi could hit her through her armour?! How was she supposed to defend against that?! In a split second she found her solution and lunged forward. If defense wasn't an option, she just had to kill them first!
The succubus, with her superior speed, had no trouble fitting another attack in, but Annika managed to parry. She got another strange wound on her arm for her trouble, but more importantly, managed to push as the claw bounced off her shield. With the succubus' arm batted to the side, a gap in her defenses was opened, an Annika thrust her sword forward as hard as she could.
As nice as it would have been, the succubus didn't just stand around to take the blow. She twisted, reducing what would have been a mortal wound to 'merely' a serious, deep cut along her side. Annika was about to move to make a follow-up attack, when behind her, she heard the tell-tale snap of branches breaking. Instinctively flinging her arm back, she made a panicked slash at the newcomer, but the speed of the second succubus was too great. She crashed into Annika, wrenching her arm at an odd angle, and sending her sword flying as the two crumpled into the dirt.
This new succubus wrapped her arms around her and was about to take off, but by some miracle, the impact didn't stun Annika as it had her comrades. Maybe it was her armour, or maybe it was pure luck, but she didn't stop to think about it. Before she could be lifted airborne, Annika grabbed a knife from her belt and jammed it between the monster's ribs.
The mamono screamed and recoiled, but this time, Annika clung to her, stabbing repeatedly as she refused its retreat. Only when the monster lifted off the ground with frantic flapping did she let go, dropping the half dozen feet to the ground. When she landed, she heard the first succubus chant something from behind her, and turned to charge her remaining adversary.
She never made it.
A single step into her run, a bolt of dark magic materialized between the succubus' hands and shot forward, impacting Annika square in the chest. Overwhelming feelings of pleasure flooded her body, causing her to convulse as she collapsed to the ground. Unable to handle the sudden, impossibly strong sensations, Annika barely had time to 'enjoy' them. Within seconds, she had blacked out.
The sweet scent of perfumed soap, the plush softness of a luxurious pillow, the calming warmth of a quilt… a very groggy Annika awoke in an unfamiliar, but exceptionally comfortable bed. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the stone ceiling above her came into focus, and she began to realize her situation. Cozy bed aside, she was locked in a sparsely furnished cell, dimly lit by the torchlight filtering through door's barred window.
Panic set in as she recalled how she'd got here. The retreat, her fight with the succubi, the impossibly strong surge of pleasure they'd hit her with… Her fear was quickly followed by rage as she recalled her failure and the horribly wonderful sensations she'd been subjected to. Damn demons…! Those strange marks she'd received were bad enough, but the feelings that bolt of magic had assaulted her with were seared into Annika's brain… and some part of her longed to feel them again…
No! Fuck off! Get out of my head! Pieces of shit… she'd kill them all once she got out of here! Throwing the blanket off her, she sprung to her feet, only realizing then that she was naked. Indignantly, she crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked around. On a small stool in the corner, her gambeson, trousers, and undergarments lay, washed and neatly folded. Well they were 'nice' enough to do her laundry at least…
Once she'd dressed herself, Annika headed to the door. There was no handle on this side, but maybe… She threw herself against it, merely bouncing off. Though old, the wood held firm and barely moved, despite the force of her charge. The loud thud did something, though. When she picked herself back up, Annika heard hurried footsteps echoing down the hallway.
"Ah, you're awake! Sorry, you just missed dinner, but uh… I-I'm sure you're hungry! I'll get you something!"
A young, and far-too-energetic lesser succubus was what came running to investigate. Clothed in a simple, purple dress, she bounded into Annika's view from her door, speaking a mile a minute. Almost immediately after, the sprinted off again, pigtails bouncing as she moved. Annika watched as she left, glowering. She seemed friendly enough, but her horns and tail just reminded Annika of her failure against the other succubi, pissing her off even more. Damn it, what could she have done differently?! Left alone, she simmered in her anger, as she replayed the fight over and over in her head.
After agonizing for a while over what could have been, she eventually pulled herself together. She was down, but not out! She just had to think! Turning that anger into a cold, focused rage, she began to work on the situation at hand. The 'guard' looked like she'd just barely entered adulthood, and her monster features seemed underdeveloped… If she could just get her hands on her…
"SorrySorrySorry! I… Ah…"
Almost an hour later, the same monster returned, sweaty and out of breath. After wheezing for a few moments, she recovered and explained the reason for her tardiness. It seemed she'd run across half the city in her search for food.
"Almost everyone's closed up shop, but I found a baker, aaaand…"
With an expression that clearly displayed pride in her accomplishment, she grinned and thrust a tray holding a loaf of bread and several pastries before the cell's window.
"They gave me today's leftovers!"
When Annika saw them, her stomach growled. The bread was nondescript, but the pastries… fruit tarts with sugar glaze, liberally iced strudel, a heart-shaped cinnamon roll… The sight of them set her appetite ablaze. Their masterful craftsmanship put the bakers of Northreach to shame, and might've given the best of Naton a run for their money. She couldn't imagine how good they must ta- No! Stay focused, Annika, she's your enemy. Who knew how much demon energy had soaked into those…
Refusing to give any indication of weakness to the monster before her, Annika kept her severe expression, but the succubus didn't seem to mind. She fiddled with the meal-slot on the door, unlocking it, and slid the tray through… only for the bread to get snagged. She tried from a few different angles, before sighing and removing the loaf.
"Sorry, I guess this is going to be a bit squashed. That's ok, right?"
The mamono glanced up at Annika, but she didn't respond. She just flicked her eyes to her for a moment, before taking the pastry tray and setting it on the floor inside the her cell without a word. Her jailer looked a little dejected at this, but kept up her cheerful façade.
"You don't talk much, do you? I'm Lila. What's your name?"
"… Annika."
Her face lit up when she finally got a response.
"Annika, eh? Where'd you-AUGH!"
After she squeezed the loaf through the slot, Lila kept hold of it, waiting for Annika to grab it… but that meant her hand was now inside the cell. Instead of reaching for the loaf, Annika wasted no time in seizing that hand and pulling. She slammed her jailer into the door, then wrenched her arm at an angle so it would be difficult to pull back. With an uncharacteristically venomous voice, she shouted her demands.
"Listen carefully you little slut! You're gonna unlock this door, or I'm gonna break your fingers! Got it?!"
"N-No! I can't-AAAGH!"
Annika didn't hesitate. She snapped a finger back, and though the girl thrashed and screamed, she managed to keep a hold of her.
"Open the fucking door!"
"I don't have a-AAAHHH!"
Infuriated at her situation, Annika snapped another finger, refusing to show any mercy. Lila tried to free herself with a spell, but it was impossible to aim when she couldn't see her attacker and was distracted by the pain. The knowledge of what those dark bolts of magic would have done to her, though, just provoked Annika further. In her fury, Annika broke every finger she could, then moved on to whatever extra damage she could do, by biting, clawing, or pummeling.
All this brutality turned out to be pointless, however. In the end, Lila was telling the truth, the door was never opened, and the monster's pained screams just attracted unwanted attention. From the end of the hall, someone started running, frantically asking what was going on. Between sobs and cries of pain, Lila managed to shriek "HELP ME!", and that marked the end of Annika's brief struggle.
A pulse of invisible force pierced through wall and door alike, breaking Annika's grip and tossing her back, onto the floor. Stars danced before her eyes as she knocked her head against the stone, but when her vision cleared, Annika spotted the source of the magic. An older and much more mature looking monster stood on the other side of the door, comforting Lila.
"Sick bitch…"
The proper succubus glared daggers at Annika as she shepherded Lila away, no doubt to whatever passed as a priest around these parts. That again left her alone, nursing her bruises from the impact. While other monsters sometimes came and went, no one else stopped by Annika's cell that night.
Day 165
Voices in the hall woke Annika the next morning, and the smell of food caused her still-empty stomach to growl. Glancing from her bed to the pastries sitting in the corner, Annika shook her head. She was hungry and thirsty, but she'd fasted before. No need to eat or drink the poison they were serving…
Getting up, she peered out the window and spotted Lila again, this time accompanied by the proper succubus from before. She bounced down the hall, stopping to have a friendly chat with every prisoner she met, before sliding a bowl of porridge and a squat pitcher of water through their meal slot. Why were people being so chummy with her? They were crusaders, and she was a monster! They should be mortal enemies! Maybe her disarming personality was why she was working here… a gregarious person like herself probably had no trouble making friends out of foes.
When Lila made it to Annika's door, she froze at the sight of her attacker, and the succubus who was with her had to take over, passing the meal tray through the slot. Annika just crossed her arms and glared at the mamono. The purple-haired succubus met her gaze with an icy one of her own. For a minute, neither of them moved, but eventually the succubus huffed.
"Fine. Be that way."
She flicked her hand forward, tossing the tray into the cell and splattering the water and porridge across the floor as their containers were upset. Annika didn't say a word as she kicked it into the corner with the other untouched food, continuing to coldly stare at them as they moved to the next cell. They might have fooled the other prisoners, but they weren't tricking her. Too late, she realized she probably could have hit them with her chamber pot's contents when they were close like that. Next time.
Monsters came and went over the next few hours, occasionally taking captives from their cells, but always returning them a short while later. Annika had watched with suspicion the first few times this had happened, but the men and women who returned showed no signs of mistreatment or transformation. What were the monsters playing at? And what even was the point in keeping them prisoner? Shouldn't they just have turned them and been done with it? As Annika lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, she pondered these thoughts. Eventually, someone came for her.
The jingle of keys in her door's lock caused Annika to start and she sat bolt upright in her bed. When she saw who opened the door, she immediately sprung to her feet, preparing for a fight. In the hall, stood that same monster who'd saved Lila. This time, though, she had a book under her arm and was wearing a pair of reading glasses, giving her an intellectual look that contrasted strangely with the typical clothing of a succubus.
"It's time for a recess."
It was a trap. Especially coming from the monster who'd seen what she'd done to Lila. Annika crouched slightly, but didn't move, preparing for the attack she was certain would come. This just caused the succubus to huff, annoyed.
"Look. You don't like me, and I certainly don't like you, but if you want to stretch your legs a bit, here's your chance. If I wanted to hurt you, I'd have fired a spell through the door."
She did have a point… but that wasn't enough to make Annika trust her. Especially with her constant, icy tone. Still, it would be nice to get out a bit… Continuing her stubborn refusal to even speak with the enemy, Annika took a deep breath then nodded once and took a step closer. The succubus looked, well, not happy, but marginally less annoyed when she did this and stepped aside to make room for her.
"Follow me… and a word of advice: Don't try to run or attack anyone. The city is full of mamono, you'll be caught before you go three steps."
The way out of the dungeon was a multi-leveled maze of cell-blocks and spiral stairs. As they traversed its depths, Annika glanced down halls and into the occasional cell door. Most of the other Order soldiers who'd been captured were alone, but those who's partners had also been snatched seemed to have been stuck in the same cell together. Regardless of their situation, however, none of them looked particularly distressed. A bit worried, maybe, but most were relaxing on their beds or chatting with their partners. None of them were chomping at the bit like she was.
"This was an Order dungeon, centuries ago… I guarantee our administration is far kinder than theirs was."
Spotting Annika looking around, the succubus leading her made that comment. It was true, The Order was far harsher on criminals and prisoners… but this kindness didn't matter. It was a mask. A trick. They were trying to get them to lower their guard!
Once she'd been lead back to the surface and out of a massive, cathedral-like building, Annika found herself being taken to a nice little garden park near the city center. There, her handler sat down on a bench, flipped open her book, and began to read, leaving Annika to her own devices. As she wandered about, Annika spotted the occasional mamono-incubus couple strolling through the field, arm in arm. In the distance, children's laughter rung through the air as a small group of young monsters booted a ball around. Scanning the area, Annika recalled that Naton had similar gardens (as did Nothreach, during the summer months) where the common citizenry relaxed in their spare time. If she closed her eyes or ignored the inhuman parts of some of the women, it almost felt like being back home. … But why had she been brought up here?
Day 166
The next morning, Annika awoke with a parched mouth and a dry throat. She'd been thirsty the day before, but having gone without water for almost two days now, she was rapidly approaching her limit. When she heard the familiar sound of her jailers distributing breakfast, she slowly pushed herself upright and tried to shake the dizziness from her head. Maybe just a little would be fine… just the water…
This time, the older succubus was no where to be found, and Lila alone was delivering the meals. As usual, she stopped and chatted a bit with each prisoner, but when she got to Annika, she froze, the memory of their scuffle clearly fresh in her mind. Careful to keep her hands out of grabbing range, she gingerly slid the tray through the door slot. This time, Annika took it, and didn't bother waiting for her to move on before gulping down the water.
When she was finished, Annika slumped against the wall. That pitcher had helped, but not entirely quenched her thirst. Out of curiosity, she glanced at the food she'd been provided – porridge again, accompanied by some strange looking fruits. Her empty stomach urged her to eat, but she ignored it and pushed the tray into the corner with the rest of the untouched food. Lack of sustenance was making her weak, but she'd manage. She had to.
An hour later, someone knocked on her door, and when Annika stood up to look, she spotted Lila there again.
"You looked thirsty, so um… Here."
The young woman timidly slid another pitcher of water through the door, though with no tray this time, she was forced to hold the handle. Annika glanced at her, then at the pitcher. The lesser succubus was being more careful, but her hand was still a little inside the cell. If she was quick, she could…
Annika pushed that thought aside, gently took the pitcher, and sat back down. As she slowly sipped from it, she heard Lila exhale a sigh of relief from the hall. Maybe she wasn't just acting if she came back like that…
"… Thanks."
Breaking her own, self-imposed rule, Annika quietly spoke. Still nervous, Lila nodded, but didn't leave. Instead, she looked through the door, surveying the interior of the cell, and commenting on the pile of soiled food in the corner.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Annika shook her head and steeled herself.
"I'm fine."
"You won't be able to keep your strength up if you starve yourself…"
"I said I'm fine…"
"If you don't like the food we've been serving, I could-"
"Fuck off! Just leave me alone!"
Irritated at her jailer's persistent, maternal demeanor, Annika cut her off with a sharp remark. Lila's expression immediately dropped to a saddened one again, and she mumbled "… Sorry." before walking away. Once more alone, Annika concentrated on her water. She was a prisoner and Lila was her jailer. They weren't supposed to be friends.
Like the day before, the intellectual succubus came just after lunch to let Annika out of her cell. This time, there were many more children playing in the garden.
"Lotta kids here today…"
Looking up from her book, Annika's succubus handler nodded.
"Mmm, their parents probably sent them to play while they pack."
"Pack?"
"Yes, packing their belongings into the caravan."
Annika shot her a questioning look, and the mamono elaborated.
"We're evacuating the city. Eri isn't taking any chances, so everyone is leaving. That's why we attacked the crusade first – to buy time."
Something bumped against Annika's calves as a ball interrupted their conversation. Annika glanced down at it, then to the group of children who, while curious, kept their distance from her. After a moment's pause, she booted it back.
"I'm surprised you're not gonna stand and fight. Ya've got the magic to try."
When she referenced the sky-covering illusion and the swarms of magical succubi, her handler shrugged.
"Some wanted to, but Eri shut that down. She thought there was no point in risking everyone's lives when we have the resources to move."
The woman smiled a bit as she glanced back at the cathedral.
"She's changed a lot since becoming a Lilim."
Another ball interrupted their talk, though Annika didn't have much else to say. If they were evacuating, there was hope! She just had to last long enough for The Order to retake the city. When she picked up the ball and tossed it back, though, it was almost immediately returned. Glancing up at the mamono children, she saw many of them had inched a bit closer, looking at her expectantly. When the succubus spotted this, she laughed.
"Go ahead, I won't stop you. Just be gentle."
With her permission, Annika took a few steps forward and returned the ball to play. Suddenly drafted into their game of kickabout, she spent the next hour or so chasing the children around as they giggled and shrieked. Skimpy outfits aside, she mused, they were acting just like the kids back home. It was almost like… The ball shot past her feet bringing Annika's focus back to the game. Running after it, she decided to not worry and just enjoy herself while she could. It wouldn't last forever.
Day 167
A knock on her door roused Annika from that night's slumber. Was it already morning? It certainly felt earlier than usual, but time was impossible to tell underground… She rolled out of bed and tried to ignore the fatigue and residual muscle-soreness from yesterday's exertions… and her empty stomach. Running around for an hour, even if it was only light exercise, clearly wasn't a smart choice. Not when she hadn't eaten in half a week.
Lila turned out to be the source of the knocking, and once Annika approached, she whispered to her in a low voice.
"We're preparing breakfast. What would you like to eat?"
Annika very nearly told her to 'fuck off', but caught herself at the last moment. She really had been… kind of a bitch to Lila ever since she got here. What was the point in being so aggressive?
"Nothing… Thanks."
As she turned and trudged back to her bed, Lila called out to her again.
"Annika, are you… are you alright? You haven't eaten anything since we brought you here."
Flopping down on the mattress, Annika shrugged.
"I'm fine…"
Lila didn't take that as an answer, protesting in a clearly concerned voice.
"But you've got to eat something!"
"I'll be ok. I don't want anythin'."
"… But why?"
The woman's annoying persistence was back, but instead of cussing her out, Annika just waved her away. Her jailer was worried, and that empathy didn't deserve a harsh response.
"… Sorry, Lila, I don't want to talk anymore. I'm going back to sleep."
Lila sighed as Annika rolled away from her, but finally gave up and walked away. As the lesser succubus left, Annika whispered something to herself, quiet enough to be imperceptible.
"I just… can't let myself become like you."
Perhaps because she'd only slept lightly before being woken again, Annika's nap was filled with strange dreams. In one, she was lounging on a pristine, white sand beach, sunning herself at the waters edge. When she'd had her fill, she dove into the surf and used her powerful tail to propel herself through crystal-clear waters as she returned to an undersea city.
In another, she galloped through endless plains, arms spread wide as she enjoyed the feeling of speed. Thundering hooves propelled her towards the horizon, as she continued her great journey.
The final one was different, still. In it, she climbed one of the mountains of Northreach, using her powerful claws to grab handholds or carve new ones as she went. Once she reached the top, she took a moment to survey the snowy expanse that lay before her, before leaping off and soaring through the skies on wings spread wide.
The sound of breakfast being served pulled Annika back to reality, but the sensations from her dreams remained stuck in her head for a while longer. After she'd retrieved her meal and again, deposited the food portion of it into the corner, she was left to ponder them as she slowly sipped away at her water. She was clearly a monster in those dreams, that much alone should have turned them into a nightmare… but at the same time, somehow it felt good. Peaceful. Like a quiet restfulness she hadn't felt in years had settled over her soul. Was that really what it felt like to be a monster? Being liberated from the duties and expectations of the crusade… It didn't seem so bad…
She pushed those thoughts out of her head when the intellectual succubus arrived at her door for her daily excursion. That was just wishful thinking, she shouldn't be glorifying the life of a mamono like that… this place was getting to her.
Back in the park, Annika wandered around aimlessly as she stretched her legs, though she didn't go far, owing to her lack of energy. She was quite literally starving, after all…
Not many children were around today, and the few she did see were soon called for by their parents. Come to think of it, there was almost no one here at all. Maybe they'd evacuated by now. Heading back to her handler, Annika sat down on the bench across from her and cast a curious glance at the book she'd been reading. 'Advanced Spellcraft for…' the final word was obscured by the succubus' hand, but the contents still surprised Annika.
"Never expected to see a succubus studying…"
The monster gave Annika a strange look as she glanced up from her book.
"What, you thought we just flew around all day, drooling at the mouth as we searched to satisfy an insatiable lust for cock?"
… Well kind of…
"I just thought you'd be readin' a romance or somethin'."
Shrugging, she folded a corner to mark her page, then closed the book to focus her full attention on Annika.
"Those are popular, but I'm more interested in magic right now. That's why I came to Eri's city. She's one of the most talented Mage-Lilims out there. I can learn a lot just by being around her."
Personal development… that was something Annika never thought she'd hear about from a mamono. It was so out of character from what The Order taught about the monstrous races, that all Annika could do was puzzle at the idea.
"Don't you have a husband?"
The succubus cracked a sly grin.
"No, but you're wanting to know what I plan on doing when I do find one, aren't you?"
The woman was right on the mark.
"Kind of."
"Well that depends. I'll definitely have less time to myself after I find someone, but I'll probably still try to keep up my studies. There's so much interesting stuff to learn."
Her suddenly eyes gleamed, and she leaned a little closer.
"And you're surprised to hear that from a succubus of all mamono, aren't you?"
Having her exact thoughts voiced twice in a row, Annika immediately suspected foul play, and glared at the monster.
"… Get out of my head."
The succubus just laughed when she said that.
"No, I'm not in your head or using magic, I assure you. I've just had this discussion… a lot. I know how The Order expects succubi to act, but we aren't all like that. Sure, I love sex as much as every other succubus, but there's more to life out there."
Annika's increasingly perplexed expression seemed to bring no end of amusement to the mamono, who laughed again.
"Not at all what you expected from a 'monster', right?"
"No…"
"Well it's not that unusual. Lots of mamono have interests outside of their husband. Just because he's the most important part of our life doesn't mean we're lost without him… though it does get lonely."
Thinking back to what they faced on the crusade, Annika struggled to rationalize what she was hearing. Most of the mamono they'd fought in the wild were completely driven by animalistic lust. Maybe this was the difference between them and 'civilized' mamono? The civilized life didn't sound so bad… After a moment of silence, the succubus conjured a magical pocket watch with a quick spell, checked it, then stood up.
"… It's getting to that time again. Unless you want to talk more, shall we head back?"
"Sure."
Author's Notes: Guess I've been keeping y'all waiting for a long time. Part of this was because of life, like usual, but also because I wrote way too much to comfortably put in a single chapter and needed to split it. The next chapter has actually already been written, it's just in dire need of editing, so it should come out pretty soon. Hopefully that'll make up for the... three (almost four) month gap in chapters... uguu.
Alright, so. What was the main point of this chapter? Well, first of all, more characterization for Annika. I've hit on this a little in previous chapters, but her two biggest flaws are 'hating losing', and 'having a terrible temper'. The first bit of this chapter should cement that. Secondly, I also wanted to flesh out the monsters and their society a little. I'm not a huge fan of the rewrites the setting has gone through to take away all the downsides of mamono life (only sex, constant rape, no life besides your wife, etc.), because it feels like they've become too much of a Mary-sue faction... but taking parts of those bits and incorporating them into my story helps balance things out and work towards that grey-on-grey-morality conflict I wanted. This'll continue to get fleshed out in the next chapter with some (non-sexual) arguments for why someone might want to live with monsters instead of The Order.
I've noticed a few,... enthusiastic reviews from people on The Order's side, but I want to stress that this is not meant to be a 'humanity, fuck yeah!' story of glorious genocide. It's about Garret's journey, and as part of that, everyone gets their fair shake, monster and human alike. I'm not going to go out of my way to demonize a particular side because, well, there are arguments that can be made for both sides.
This gives me a good segue into the IRL fandom drama going on. First of all, don't worry about this story disappearing forever, I've got it backed up six ways from Sunday. Worst comes to worst, just shoot me a message and I'll be more than happy to send the PDF your way. Secondly, I read the thread on spacebattles and a few other places about what's going on, and I'm extremely unconvinced that anyone demanding take downs is actually KC. This is fanfiction. Written in English. I'm pretty sure the dude only speaks Japanese, and I guarantee that he has better things to do with his time than to chase down random fan-writers. So long as y'all don't start spamming him with gore images referencing this story, like what happened with Monster Girl Unlimited, I think I'll be fine.
Alright. Chapter done. I'll see what I can do about getting the second part uploaded soon, and will try to write the third part ASAP.
Until next time, Sayonara!