feeling like death warmed over today so...

Taking a few steps back towards the center of the arena, Shivara had to admit, if only to herself, that her husband's Master…The man was far more impressive, and scary than he might seem to at first glance.

It would seem that this was one of those cases where her instincts and the guidance of Mother Earth both had steered her wrong.

For the man's suppressed strength…The strength that she had difficulty perceiving at the end there for it seemed to be…thinner. Or, perhaps, dense enough that it more than likely was on a higher realm entirely, lowered to her and foolish Da'nir's level with some difficulty.

She gulped.

"My lady?"

At the sound of Yuha's voice, she turned and flashed a pale grin towards her husband to be.

For the memory of that grin baying for blood and the aura radiating death and promising erasure? It would haunt her nightmares for years to come.

With a teacher like that as well so strong a defender of the overworld, no wonder Zero felt no fear challenging her entire race and her late husband back then.

For even if he lost…that monster was no doubt on his way to join the fight, cackling as he did.

She shivered.

"I-it's n-nothing!" she said and fought the urge to whimper, for it was not befitting of a Queen. "L-let's get on with the fight, shall we?"

Yuha frowned and crossed his arms in confusion.

"Sure, but…the swords?"

She grinned and, focusing on her husband's face and not on the monster's grin, she flashed him a wink as she raised her arm and snapped her fingers.

And as the ground next to them begun to part, Shivara felt once again thankful to Metal-knight for accepting her selfish request and agreeing to wait for her signal both.

At least something seems to be going according to plan today…

His words died in his throat, and, watching as, from the parted floor and the depths below, thick metallic tables rose on either side and upon which rested rows after rows of swords of varied shapes and sizes, a small squeal of excitement left Yuha's lips and his eyes widened in excitement.

For what young boy, what man, did not love a good sword or a giant robot and still dare to call themselves a man?

As the tables finished their ascent, Shivara, let out a hum and approached one of the tables to Yuha's left and, inspecting a set of blades, nodded, and with her hands wrapping around their leather-bound hilts, raised them to inspect them further.

Giving them a few test swings and nodding, a small pleased smile on her face.

For his part, Yuha's face burned, and pants of excitement escaped his lips.

Cause the blades the Queen had lifted, they were too big to be called swords, too thick, too heavy and too rough.

He barely resisted the urge to whimper and ruin his image by rubbing his thighs like a properly trained hentai elf.

Greatsword, my beloved~!

Indeed, the blades held an uncanny resemblance to the Black Swordsman's blade, but more importantly to Yuha, to the Greatsword of Dark Souls 2 as well.

His neck swiveled left and right, worry gnawing in his gut as he searched the various tables, hoping, fearing, but, to his luck, another trio of blades just like the ones held by the Queen glinted against the midday sun in a table not too far off behind the woman.

The only weapon is Greatsword!

"Mmh, you will do," the Queen said, looking her weapons over one last time, before turning and smiling at Yuha. "As for you, my husband—"

Yuha who ignored the woman entirely, and all but run towards the table. Grabbing his twin-loves with his trembling arms and the spare with his teeth, and after scowling momentarily at their weight, boosted his strength with his technique and lifted the trio with a demented giggle through his clenched teeth.

Ah, my loves, reunited in the real world at last~!

Making to rub his cheek against one of the blades, only for the one in his mouth to 'clank' against its sibling in protest, Yuha frowned and gazed with a perplexed frown, struggling to find a solution before at last, inspiration struck and he let go of the blade in his mouth, tucking it underneath one of his elbows, holding it flush against his body as he started rubbing his cheek against the dark steel of each of the blades in his hands in an alternating manner, cackling like maniac.

The only coating is Greatsword!

"You, I shall call, Tatsumaki, and you'll be, Fubuki. As for you, little one, how does Lily sound?"

"Ahh…err…my husband?"

Blinking at the sound of worry in the Queen's voice, he paused and glanced behind himself to find the woman looking at him with wide eyes.

His cheeks felt warm, and he coughed, without letting go of his twin-loves or the spare, of course.

"Err, I'm a big fan of Greatswords?"

"I can tell…" the woman sighed, "If you are sure of your choice—"

"YES!"

"Then, shall we?"

"Let's!"

The woman nodded and Yuha moved back into position, a small giggle escaping his mouth here and there as he looked longingly at his blades.

Such triflesome details like the fact that said blades were technically property of the association were ignored by Yuha. They could take his honeys from his cold, dead hands!

He planted the spare blade into the sand behind him and sunk into a combat stance, his traditional half Roshi with a mere times one kaio-ken, enough to barely boost him past a powerlevel of 200. And thus, allow him to lift the blades with ease.

The smile on his lips dimmed for an instant and his eye twitched.

Dammit, computer! How many times must I tell you? I don't care about the decimals! It's either 50 or 51! Round it up if you have to and stop bothering me about it!

With a tiny nod, coupled with scarcely a second to prepare himself, Shivara launched towards him with a fearsome cry.

And Yuha's twin blades rose in a frantic set of motions, the one in his left hand slashing upwards at a slight angle, so as to deflect the Queen's downward thrust with the burning sun behind it, while the other arm and its blade, performed a horizontal slash, both to stop the woman's own slash from completing and to hopefully, score a hit.

The battle was afoot and his blood roared in his head. A grin spread across his lips. But, despite the ape demanding he let go and enjoy himself, Yuha refused, for he was in control, for now, at least.

"Why…why did he have to be a sword nut?"

Groaning, palm over her face and no doubt wishing for the earth to swallow her. Lily's mistress, cheeks flushed, refused to glance at their surroundings.

And in part, Lily, could understand, for as Yuha's slightly manic words echoed through the various speakers placed around and near each audience group, the people all around them broke into excited murmurs.

The mere hint of some juicy new gossip agitating the civilians like fresh blood in a shark pool.

Not that Lily cared.

Let them gossip.

After all…

She smacked her lips against one another again and her tongue explored the inside of her mouth.

And a flush spread across her cheeks. For she tasted cherries again. Cherries like the ones that could be found in her mistress' bowl atop the table in the woman's living room.

Cherries that her mistress—F-Fubuki, had tasted, before, with a wicked smirk, suggested they have some…practice.

A whimper escaped Lily's lips, and she rubbed her thighs together.

"Please…someone wake me from this nightmare…" Her mistress continued to murmur with shame as below the battle raged on. "Oh…and he's not simply a blade nut, but skilled with the darn things as well. Of course. Why wouldn't he be…"

Lily shook her head with a fond smile.

Silly, mistress.

"Mistress," she said, causing the older woman to look at her. "Look on the bright-side! The fact that he named his blades after us means he cares and we now know what to get him for his birthday. Greatswords!"Lily said with a beaming smile, before blinking and chewing on her lip.

Below, near the center of the arena a tremendous explosion took place, sand flying left and right as the two fighters, caught in a blade-lock, tried to overpower the other.

"Err…When is Yuha's birthday again?"

But her question seemed to break whatever small calming effect Lily's prior words had, and Fubuki begun mumbling to herself again as she took stock once more of the surrounding crowds' excited murmurs. The woman, no doubt wondering how this would affect her image.

Lily snorted.

Her mistress was usualy wise, but in this case it was too little too late to worry about such things, for that ship had sailed once they decided to go on the hunt for the rare species known as 'Zero the dense himbo'.

She shook her head.

Really, Fubuki should have known better. After all, even if their time with him together so far had been brief…That was still enough to form an accurate enough image as to what sort of man Yuha was.

Strong warrior with a seemingly limitless capacity for growth? Yes.

A true hero fighting for all? Apparently so.

Serious? When the time called for it.

Hot? Oh most definitely! After all, his muscles had muscles!

But all that aside…

A giggle escaped Lily's lips at the memory of some of the man's dad jokes and his overall silliness and over the top persona when it came to interacting with normal people.

Let's just say, a member of nobility, Yuha was not. Nor was he someone to accompany you in stuffy rich people party, or rather, as last night had showed, the man could function and hang perfectly well in such an environment, but, he didn't belong.

But then again, neither did she and Fubuki, if Lily was honest with herself. For her mistress tried to project such an image, yes. But a mere liking for slightly more expensive things and the desire to always look sharp, a stuffy old coot did not make.

And speaking of her mistress, as the green-eyed brunette raised her arm, her thump and its nail aiming for her mouth, Lily had to intervene!

More out of instinct than anything, the young woman's arms sought the promotional flier handed out in drones outside the arena, the piece of paper still half folded and in-between her thighs dark trousers below her popcorn, and with swift, precise movements, she rolled it up and—

Gently booped Fubuki on the nose with it.

"B-Bad m-mistress!" Lily said. Eyes wide, heart beating a mile a minute and yet…and yet her breath came in short, excited gasps.

What…what is this?

She had no answer. And yet…

Fubuki let out a startled 'eep!' that only caused Lily's unconscious smirk to widen as Fubuki's eyes went cross-eyed for a moment, her head jerking back a tad as the woman struggle to process what'd just happened while at the same time, continuing to stare at the center of the visible portion of the rolled up paper…and Yuha's dark crotch.

Down in the arena below, the man actual, let out an excited roar, one answered by the Queen as their blades clashed again and again, the clanking of tortured steel filling the whole stadium.

"L-lily!" Fubuki said, turning towards her. "W-what? Why—"

Lily 'booped' Fubuki again, causing her heart to beat even faster.

I…I could get used to this~

And then, letting the paper drop and before the older beauty could react, reached out with an arm, grasping Fubuki's forearm.

Eek! Am I…Am I really—

"Don't worry about what may come or what others say,," Lily said, her eyes growing lidded as she leaned closer towards the wide-eyed Fubuki, whose cheeks burned and her mouth hung open. "Just enjoy the moment, ~mistress~"

And then their lips touched.

Lily gasped, Fubuki whimpered and the bucket of popcorn resting precariously atop Lily's thighs slipped and tumbled to the floor, rolling and joining many others of its kin from all around.

But the girl cared little.

There! Gossip about that, will you?!