Mitsumi was napping lightly on Saitama's chest when Inichi brought over four heroes instead of three. Sneck walked in with a wave. Then it was Tanktop Master. Puri-Puri Prisoner was extremely curious when he was able to squeeze into the doorway and directed to a couch seat. Now Zombieman was looked at with curiosity. "I heard good stuff. I wanted to check it out for myself."
"That's fine. Just keep it down," Saitama said and drank his soda. "Eh…if you want something to eat then you can ask Orotsu. He's in the kitchen. Unless he's still outside preparing a place for food."
"Hey!" Child Emperor waved. "I have the cure ready for Kianna!"
"Mitsumi," Saitama gently whispered to rouse her.
"Hmm?" she smiled and kissed him.
"Kianna's cure is ready," he grinned softly and watched her gasp with delight. "Let's cure her. Then we'll dress and go to the temple."
"Okay!" she beamed and yawned before sitting up to stretch. "Should we call everyone in?"
"Inichi can handle that," he said and rose up slightly to let her rest against him a bit more. "Are you sleeping okay?"
"The cramping does wake me up now and then. Most of the pain is gone now, so I know I can sleep better tonight. I should be okay now. As I said outside, I just need to keep an eye on the bleeding," she sighed and let him cradle her. He frowned at this, but he looked over at the other four heroes in the room.
"A monster is about to become cured. I don't think it's an issue for you all to witness it. Just don't get in the way. Or I'll get in your way," Saitama said with a blank stare at them. "You don't want me to get in your way."
"Oh! I hope he'll be gorgeous!" Puri-Puri Prisoner beamed.
"It's a female," Saitama said.
"Oh…" he pouted. Zenchu smirked and leaned back on the couch. Orotsu came back inside with several trays and buckets of deer meat with the blood. The bones, antlers and hide were neatly set in a makeshift shed for now. The hide was stretched over a rack to fully dry it out and cure the skin.
"What's the blood for?" Zombieman asked.
"It's deer blood. I can use it to flavor enhance various soups and sauces," Orotsu chuckled and began to sort the blood and meat into bags, containers and pans to simmer down.
"Huh. The only one that I knew that liked to do that was a chef named Joben. But…he vanished a few months ago. Around the turn of the year," Zombieman mused. "It's a good thing he left something in a will to leave his restaurant in the hands of his sous chef."
"Ah! I'm glad they found that will," Orotsu sighed. "I miss those days. But I do a lot more with more arms. I wouldn't be accepted now."
"WHAT?!" Zombieman gaped at him. "That was you?!"
"Yes," Orotsu nodded. "A weird octopus bit me. I turned into this. Lady Mitsumi woke me up. I now serve her. I'm happy doing so."
"I might be able to make a cure for him, but he said he likes being able to cook better like this," Child Emperor said and prepared a shot. Tsuruga soon charged in and tossed his horns lightly with relief when he sat down. Puri-Puri Prisoner just gaped at the glowing red eyed bull monster.
"What? Is there something on my horns?" Tsuruga snorted.
"How did you become that?" Puri-Puri Prisoner asked.
"I don't know. I fell asleep watching cattle and woke up like this. Lady Mitsumi woke me up from the monster haze. I've been serving her with gratitude ever since," Tsuruga shrugged.
"How did you look as a human?" he asked. Saitama rolled his eyes and kissed Mitsumi's forehead.
"I was decent enough. I heard enough about your…likes. So, I'll put it bluntly. If you're not into commitment with one person, then I'm not interested. It's that simple. And even then, I need to actually care about that person in order for anything to work. A passing fancy is a waste of time to me. Even a one night stand. Right now, I'm honestly not interested in anyone. All I want to do is protect my family," Tsuruga grunted and yawned.
"Commitment?" Puri-Puri Prisoner asked with confusion.
"Sorry, but I'm going to be the sharp knife. Do you have the balls to only stick your dick in one man and not a harem of them?" Zenchu asked. Child Emperor's jaw dropped. Saitama cringed and buried his face into Mitsumi's neck when she died laughing. The others in the room coughed and were quick to look away to try to find something else to do. Saitama noticed this and was quick to grab the remote and switch the television on to cartoon shows.
"What?!" Puri-Puri Prisoner gaped at Zenchu.
"Seriously. Now, I'm not into men. I do like women. A lot. Men? Not so much. But, I find it a major turnoff personally if the gal I chose to be with decided that she didn't want just my dick and mine alone. Saitama and Lady Mitsumi are a perfect example of a couple in love. They don't need or want anyone else messing up their relationship or trying to join it. From what I've seen and heard about you, though…will you ever be happy with just one person?" Zenchu had to ask now.
"My love needs to be shared with many!" Puri-Puri Prisoner said.
"With or without their consent?" Zenchu countered. "Because if it's without consent, then that's not very heroic to me. Would it be like that to you? That's as bad as rape."
"Ah…" Puri-Puri Prisoner gaped with shock.
"Lady Mitsumi was on that short end of the stick against her will. Constantly. And she was drugged up from it!" Zenchu spat.
"Shut up!" Saitama hissed at him from Mitsumi's soft whimper. "We don't need to remind her of that!"
"Sorry…" Zenchu muttered quickly.
"He harvested my heart, too…" she trembled. "Everything…"
"Shit! No! No, no!" Saitama said quickly and bolted with her into the bedroom to calm her down.
"Fuck…" Zenchu sighed out and twitched his tail.
"That…really happened to her?" Puri-Puri Prisoner asked.
"Her heart was removed?!" Sneck gaped. Inichi was quick to appear and he gave over the visions.
"Okay. That's disgusting," Zombieman said with a narrowed gaze.
"Even more so that there have been crates of her found in other locations. We destroy them the moment we see them," Inichi said softly. "She was trapped for thirty days. Every time she turned old to young, her organs came back from the venom blueprint. Her virginity did, too."
"Ah…that's right. I saw that last one with the crate…" Tanktop Master shook his head. Puri-Puri Prisoner was beside himself and lost in his thoughts. In the bedroom, Saitama was doing everything he could to keep Mitsumi calm again.
"It's okay," Saitama whispered and continuously rocked Mitsumi in his arms. "I'm here. Nothing's gonna happen to you. Do I need to punch another building to make you feel better?"
"No," she smiled and nestled against him in his protective embrace.
"Do you want me to slap Zenchu for opening his mouth?" he asked with a touch of hopefulness. That got her laughing and shaking her head. "Damn."
"I honestly don't know what there is," she admitted. "Every time I think I'm finally over it…it gets mentioned again. Something new happens. Then I get messed up again. I just don't know…" she winced and got hugged tightly by him. "And so many say they wish they were there. But they weren't there! Either because they didn't know, were too scared of that fat thing of a fake mother, or just didn't give a flipping damn about me until it was too late!"
"Mitsumi," Saitama grimaced and scooped her up to carry her. "Screw it. I'm leveling more buildings."
"Why?" Mitsumi frowned. "What will that prove?"
"Then please. Tell me. What can I do for you? Right now?" he asked. "I know. I wasn't there. I didn't know anything. Just like you said, if I was there I would have stopped it. Instead…I killed the one that did it. And I killed the one who helped start it."
"Saitama…" she whimpered and clung to him now.
"I will protect you against everything," he muttered to her. "I don't care what it is. Who it is. I have one golden rule. If you are not happy, then I get mad. I only want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. You've been through so much crap! I've always said it! Because it's true! I don't mind telling you this over and over again, either. And I know that people are gonna talk about stuff. I can't control that. But I can help keep you happy. And that can only be done if you tell me how to help you be happy again. Of course…eh…I'm seriously not impartial to slapping Zenchu. That would always make me happy…"
"Stop!" she gasped with laughter when Zenchu gave his usual protesting outburst from the other room. Saitama smiled softly and ran his thumb under her jaw to press a gentle kiss to her mouth.
"What can I do to make you happy again? Right now?" he asked softly and continued to hold her close.
"Let me snuggle you on our couch and watch Kianna get cured," she said.
"Done," he chuckled.
"I also wouldn't mind you reading to me later on after we visit the temple. Zenchu had the book before I went outside without you," she smiled.
"I'll have him set the book somewhere nearby," he nodded. "Inichi is having him do that now."
"And I want a zipper in a few of your shirts so I can play with them. I'll have Tacki work on that," she said. Now he looked at her with a raised brow.
"Seriously?" he had to ask.
"I thought you liked it when I played with your zipper…" she mused. "It helps keep me happy…"
"Pick out some shirts for me," he said and pointed at the drawers. He set her down and let her find some plain colored t-shirts of various colors. After that, she jumped back into his arms to hug him tight.
"I love you!" she said and got hugged tight back.
"I love you," he smiled and squeezed her. "I take you as my wife."
"I accept you as my husband," she whispered. A branding kiss was given to her now as he always did before.
"The next time someone starts to say something, let me handle it," he said and kissed her forehead tenderly. "Press yourself into me. I'll cup my hands over your ears and whisper softly that I'm going to slap Zenchu, too."
"Stop!" she grimaced and cringed with laughter.
"In fact, I'll go offer him a choice," he grinned and carried her out of the bedroom. "Hey! Zenchu! Since you did this to her, I'll let you choose a punishment. I slap you hard. Or we have Wind Crane peck at you."
"Where's Wind Crane?" Zenchu said quickly to get the other heroes coughing with laughter. He opened the door to shriek at her intense, yet light pecking from being right there to show she was ready.
"That's one way to keep him a bit hen-pecked, eh?" Kamikaze grinned from where was now sitting on the couch with Tacki in his lap.
"That's…gonna bruise…for an hour…" Zenchu grimaced and sat down on the couch. "She nipped my tail, too!"
"Tacki, can you put zippers in the tops? The same ones that match his costume?" Mitsumi said and gave over the shirts. "I like playing with his zippers."
"I can do that! Did you want an overlay? Or have the zippers open the shirts, too?" Tacki asked and was handed a crafting kit by Fumio.
"Working zippers so I can expose his chest a bit," Mitsumi blushed. Saitama chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"Wouldn't you like the ones on his pants better?" Zenchu had to ask.
"If I had them on my pants, then probably," Saitama said and moved to recline on the couch with Mitsumi again to snuggle into him. King and Kianna were sitting with them, and the rest of the family was present. Richoo was helping Orotsu keep the kitchen clean from the deer meat and organs being processed. Genos and Kamiko were sitting next to each other and eager to see Kianna get her cure. Fubuki was reclining slightly and sipping tea next to Rendor and Tatsumaki.
Shenjou was peeking in from a window with Wind Crane with a touch of excitement. Fumio was lightly fidgeting with his hands while waiting to see how it would go. Masaki was standing by Tsuruga to see how this would work as he still wanted to be cured. The other four heroes were still there and quite curious to witness the event. Suiryu, though, was doing Saitama's training regime. He would see Kianna later on when he got back.
"Okay," Child Emperor said and showed the syringe. "As it's a venom, just like Mitsumi's case, it has to be injected. Kianna, where were you bitten?"
"My arm," she said and got up to expose her right arm. She pointed to where the scars were from the teeth marks under the fur. Child Emperor nodded and proceeded to carefully inject her in the same spot. Kianna looked away and winced at the pinching sensation. King was watching her intently the whole time.
"Okay!" Child Emperor said. "Is she properly dressed?"
"She is," Kamiko said, but she made herself ready to help her sister. Even Tacki was on high alert while stitching zippers into the shirts. Kianna sat there for a moment before coughing and clutching at her chest and gut from the sharp pains that suddenly hit her. King rushed to her side to hold her.
"I know this!" Zenchu said. "King! Do as I tell you! This is the same crap that Lady Mitsumi went through during her change!"
"What?!" King gaped. Mitsumi's jaw dropped and she whimpered with sadness. Saitama was quick to keep her close and whisper to her to keep her calm. King was able to hold Kianna's form close and help work with her through the intense pains that wracked her body. When she cried out with pain at last, her body went limp. Then the fur simply fell from her skin. Tacki and Richoo were quick to clean it up. Fumio brought over a bag to store it for Tacki in case something could be done with it for a keepsake.
King watched Kianna's tail shrink back in. Her face became almost petite in form with a button nose, rather large, closed eyes and a dainty mouth. Her chin was slightly pointed, and her hair went from ash-brown in color to a honey gold. Then it shortened a touch to be just around her neckline from all the traveling she did for easy maintenance. Her body was hard, lean, slender and tough from all the hiking and survival means she did. She was just under six feet tall when everything was done.
"Is she okay?" Fumio frowned.
"She'll be fine. She's waking up now," Inichi said and gently coaxed her to wake up. Deep green eyes with flecks of gold flicked open when she gasped for air, and she sat up trembling from the shock of what happened. Then she looked at her hands and burst into tears of gratitude.
"I'll never forget that feeling," Tacki said and rushed forward to hug her with Kamiko. Fumio was next before Mitsumi was able to join them.
"Wow," Zombieman said. "So…who's next?"
"I think it depends on who wants to be next," Child Emperor sighed and cleaned out the syringe.
"King," Kianna said in her reformed dulcet tone. "Thank you for helping me. I couldn't fight that pain."
"Anytime," King smiled and pulled her fully into his lap to cradle her. She was absolutely stunning to him now, and he knew he would be glaring at anyone that stared at her for too long.
"You'll still let me help piss off players, right?" she grinned to get him laughing at her. He nodded and felt intense relief that she was cured and still the same girl he came to care about and adore.
"I actually think I should stay as a monster for now," Shenjou said from the window. "My venom really helps us."
"I wouldn't mind being next," Masaki said from where he was sitting with Tsuruga. Tsuruga looked at Child Emperor and seemed to shrug.
"You're not sure?" Mitsumi asked Tsuruga.
"I'm not. Someone has to help Zenchu be a bouncer," he grinned a touch ruefully. "I can't let him have all the fun!"
"True!" Rendor chuckled and let Tatsumaki snuggle into him.
"We wanted to see the Wind Crane Clan temple in the desert. So, eh…did any of you want to come along?" Saitama asked.
"I actually do," Kianna smiled.
"Really?" King frowned. "I thought you would want to stay home and adjust? I mean…if you think so…"
"I'll be fine. Sometimes, the best way to get better is to jump in!" she smiled. He nodded and rose up with her. "See? I can walk around. It's just…the shock of relief to be human again. Although…it does feel weird not having a tail."
That got them all chuckling, and Saitama was soon carrying Mitsumi into the bedroom to change into their hero suits. He pulled her close after they dressed and she checked herself. She looked at him when he rested his head over her shoulder. "What is it?"
"Hmm? Not much. Just…how much I absolutely love you to pieces," he smiled and kissed her cheek. She blushed at him and he muttered, "You really wanted zippers on my shirts? Really?"
"I thought you liked it when I…played with zippers…" she smiled and turned to loop her finger in the zipper on his hero costume. "Like when I…tug it…? Like this…?"
"You know that just distracts me," he grunted and kissed her heavily.
"Why do you think I like it?" she grinned softly.
"You're still bleeding. This isn't fair," he growled and kissed her even more. "Damn…"
"What?" she asked. Now he moved to put a towel on the bed to get her laughing at him.
"There. The bed is protected," he grinned and was quick to scoop her up into his arms. Just as he set her on the bed to press himself onto her, the door was knocked on. "Give me five minutes!"
"Why?" Zenchu asked.
"She played with my zipper!" he snapped to get the monster dying with laughter and moving away from the door.
"Five minutes?" she mused and groaned softly when he worked his hands over. He moved to swiftly undress before moving to shift her dress aside.
"Maybe ten," he grinned and kissed her right after her panties were removed to claim her despite her condition. He wanted her and simply didn't care. Maybe another five minutes to clean up. Worth it.