Kana's Manakete Mates

by PR0F.GMK

Uncertain of how to deal with his feelings for his friend Chiki in Askr, Kana seeks guidance from his mentor, Tiki on this endeavor. She agrees, though unknown to Kana, Naga's Voice on how to bring the Dragons' Spawn and Scion together would be something he never would've expected. And change the relationship between all three of them irreversibly.

4. Dance of Dragons

If there was a single, simple aspect many in the Order of Heroes found rather impressive, it was their rooms. They weren't the most lavish of lodgings, but they were surprisingly efficient in function. They offered all one would need while still being comfortable enough that most would enjoy their stay regardless of their upbringing.

This was all made even more impressive by just how many rooms there were, with the Order's castle capable of housing thousands of rooms for the heroes individually. Sure there were some differences in areas, such as size, amenities, etc… Still, they all had a certain level of quality that made quite a few wonder just how the Order accomplished such a feat.

Even so, some things, such as the furniture, had limits in its qualities, limits that were being tested in the form of one hero's bed as it creaked in protest.

*Creak

"Ha! Ah! He!"

Chiki's gasps and cries rang throughout the room. Her voice bounced off the stone walls while she herself was bouncing atop Kana's lap. Her wings had already sprouted, leaving them to sway from her movements. Her face and wide eyes showcased her increasingly slipping concentration as she lost herself to the immense pleasure threatening to cause her knees to collapse under her as she struggled to lift her hips.

Something her counterpart made sure to point out.

"Do not falter, little one," Tiki advised her younger self as she herself sat atop her pupil's face while her own was slightly flushed. Small pants fell from her lips as his lengthy tongue eagerly squirmed within her passage. The elder manakete could suppress a smirk at how far her student's budding skills had progressed, rolling her crotch over his face and urging him to continue with greater vigor.

Tiki almost chuckled when she felt his fingers dig into the soft, firm flesh of her ass-cheeks.

It'd been hours since the trio had started their current session within Tiki's chambers after the younger pair of mates had desired an opportunity to spend time with the one responsible for helping to bring them together. Truthfully, they'd been feeling somewhat guilty, as ever since the harvest festival, they hadn't had the chance to properly bed with the elder manakete, not when they now had to contend with both Myrrh and Nowi's needs as well.

Thankfully, the Voice hardly faulted them for it. Nevertheless, she'd been touched by their concern and was willing to ease their guilt by indulging their antics. Not to mention, she'd been somewhat curious to see how they've improved since their previous intimate sessions together.

So there they rutted in her room, clothing scattered, furniture knocked over, bedding ripped and stained, with them all appearing disheveled from the toll of their antics. Tolls that weighed heavily on Naga's younger daughter.

"Huh~ Hah~" The dragon scion frantically panted through shut eyes as her mate's cock greatly stretched out her tight, divine passage. Her hips lost strength to the point she needed to plant her hands atop her mate's chest to compensate.

Seeing this, Tiki naturally felt a greater urge to aid her. Leaning forward, she gently cupped the girl's cheek, making her stiffen up as her older self spoke. "Remember, little one, do not think. Allow instinct to guide your actions, give in to the pleasure, but do not let it drown you. No, instead use it to spur you on," She instructed with a soft, firm tone, continuing to expertly roll her crotch atop her student's face and against his thrusting tongue.

Luckily, Chiki seemed to heed her advice. Relaxing into her touch, the girl began to recompose herself by slowing down her movements, allowing her breathing to start evening out once more. Her concentration began to return in the form of her eyes straining. Her hands shifted over Kana's chest front so that her fingers could curl around his sides for a firmer grip to better steady herself. She even adjusted her wings to slightly spread out.

And after one more moment to ready herself, she resumed her efforts.

"Oh! Uh! Ah!"

Chiki's gasps and moans came in tandem with her swaying hips, back and forward, side-to-side, both. She gave her legs a break while still keeping the pleasure flowing, with Kana's member comfortably stuffed in her snatch as it roughly rubbed against her walls. The sensation was enough to make them both shudder, with the dragon spawn moaning into his teacher's loins, the vibrations causing her to sigh and shudder as well.

Though after that sigh, a chuckle followed as Tiki's lips curled into a grin. She found herself rather pleased by Chiki and Kana's skill, showcasing admirable control in applying their instincts to grant them greater pleasure while not completely letting loose.

She was considerably impressed by her pupil's ability to handle both versions of herself, knowing when to switch focus between them and satisfy both their needs. In fact, the skills he used were good enough that there were moments Tiki needed to briefly act seriously to keep her student in check, lest she lose control over this session.

Then again, she supposed it was natural he'd reach this state by now. Barring her own personal, intimate lessons, he had three younger, close manaketes he could better hone his skills with. Sure, he had enough talent to ensure they'd be given a good time, but to truly keep up with the trio, to meet and surpass their needs, his skills had to improve.

As such, not only was she delighted to experience these skills put to use on herself, but she also wasn't surprised to see him making use of some new ones as well.

"H-Huh!?"

Chiki's shocked gasp was prompted by the feeling of something scaly wrapping around her waist. Her eyes fluttered open to find none other than Kana's tail responsible, having snaked up and out between his legs behind her to grasp her.

Reflexively, the dragon scion squirmed due to his hold. Her head released his stomach to grip his draconic appendage. Such movements caused his cock to rub more roughly against her tight wall, spiking her the sensation only to melt into it thanks to the relaxing pleasure born from his tail helping to keep her swaying on his lap. Instantly, she forgot her reason for struggling, instead mewling and moaning in delight, her breathing starting to falter as well.

Tiki could not help herself from chuckling at the display, leaning down toward her younger self before asking, "It feels good, doesn't it?"

Her tone was laced with some light sarcasm, meant to merely tease the younger divine manakete as she was well aware of how she felt. Even so, Chiki provided an honest answer all the same. "Y-Yea…" She practically babbled, her fluttering eyes revealing their glazed state, deepening her counterpart's smirk as she too agreed with the sentiment

" Mhhmm~ Same here, " The Voice commented, sounding pleased by the lad's efforts before playfully adding, "He seems to be growing impatient, though. I think he's on edge like us."

"Eh?" The younger version of Naga's daughter could merely squeak, sounding almost excited to hear such a thing.

However, that allowed Tiki the chance to lean closer enough till her lips were mere inches from her pointed ear and seductively whispered, "Why don't we make these last moments even more enjoyable?"

Before Chiki could ever gasp at the suggestion, her elder self's lips seized hers. Her body stiffened, her eyes briefly widening in shock, only to flutter back shut due to the euphoria spreading through her body. Her mind went blank due to the pleasure enrapturing her entire being, causing her hips and mouths to move instinctively in tandem with Kana and Tiki's actions and enhance the sensation, with her even reaching out to grasp the latter.

The Divine Voice smiled into the kiss, almost chuckling at how naturally she did so despite the absurdity of the situation of locking lips with her younger self whilst sharing a mate. In any case, she shuddered upon feeling the leaf-like ends of Kana's tails brush against her chest. Adding onto that, his fingers dug further into the firm flesh of her ass, with his tongue thrusting even deeper into the depths of her loins while his hips began to buck up into Chiki's snatch.

His attempts to draw them each other to the edge were admirable to Tiki, and when she felt Chiki tense up into their kiss, she knew her student had succeeded in bringing his mate over the edge.

"MHHhhrrrawwhh!"

The dragon scion's cry was muffled by her mature self's lips as she came with the intensity only a manakete such as herself could. Her walls fiercely clamped down around Kana's shaft, unleashing a divine flood of her juices all over it.

This was easily enough to bring her already weary mate to a climax along with her. Unable to resist her holy demand for his release, he unleashed a torrent of his seed into her passage that mixed with her own cum. The warm, fulfilling sensation within her core brought overwhelming bliss to Chiki, with her cry dying into a moan as her entire body relaxed.

The young, silver-haired royal himself released a deep, primal roar, one which vibrated through his teacher's loins. That, along with his tongue managing to bump against one of her more erogenous spots was enough for Tiki to come as well. Her moan was far more relaxed than the others as she offered her pupil the honor and privilege of lapping up her divine juices, which he eagerly did.

"Mhhhmm~" The elder manakete delightedly mewled as euphoria washed over her, making her body feel blissfully numb. Her orgasm may not have been as potent as her partners, but considering they'd managed to draw out quite a few in the last couple of hours was an impressive feat.

Not to mention, she had to admit that the moments they went all out, she occasionally found her mind blanking in waves of white, if only briefly.

In any case, that was not now, and as such, Tiki was the first to recover her senses, having hardly lost them. Gracefully, she removed herself from her Kana's face and in effect, ended her kiss with Chiki. She briefly shuddered at the disconnect between their lips as her juices dripped from her folds. The sounds of their deep breathing and pants filled her ears, with the pair staying in place while she sat down on the bed's edge beside them.

" Mhhmm~ Well, that was quite the enjoyable session, wouldn't you both say?" The older manakete playfully asked the two while readjusting her ponytail after it'd come loose during all their fucking. Her sounded the tiniest bit strained, emphasizing just how much better she'd been able to handle herself compared to the younger pair of manaketes, who were in no state to offer to respond to her remarks.

Kana lay on the bed with a tired expression, arms spread out and chest rising and falling with deep breaths, clearly worn out after attempting to keep up with both his teacher and mate. Chiki herself looked ready to collapse with her glazed eyes and open mouth, barely able to stay up due to Kana's cock still embedded within her loins and his tail wrapped around her waist.

Though despite their inability to respond with words, their bodies provided a vocal response.

"Grrr~"

A deep rumble caused the trio to blink, with Kana and Chiki's eyes instantly clearing up as they all turned to gaze at the source of the noise, the silver-haired royal's stomach. They were initially silent before it was broken by Tiki's soft chuckle.

"And here I thought you'd had plenty to eat just now," The elder woman teased with a knowing glint, prompting her pupil to blush profoundly while bashfully looking away. His mate, though, gave a hearty giggle at her lover's embarrassment.

Only for her stomach to produce a similar noise.

"Grrr~"

The Dragon Scion's eyes widened, her giggles ceasing, with an embarrassed blush settling in. Now it was Kana's turn to laugh at the karma his mate had encouraged, with Tiki watching from the sidelines with an amused grin.

" Hmm~ I'm feeling rather peckish myself, truthfully," She expressed to the pair, taking pity on them both by attempting to dispel some of their embarrassment before suggesting, "The mess halls should still be serving dinner by now, why don't we cleanse ourselves with a quick bath before heading there?"

Her younger partners were quick to nod in agreement, whatever fatigue they'd previously showcased quickly fading as the thought of nourishment seemed far more appealing than rest. Seeing this, Tiki smiled at them both. "Very well, don't take longer to join me than you two," She told them with a smile before standing on her face, heading off to her washroom with dignity despite her current appearance.

One could say she seemed to express it with honor, considering how she walked with a rather seductive strut, each step emphasized with a bounce of her chest and sway of her hips.

Naturally, such sights caught Kana's attention, speaking to his primal desires. It was enough to make his loins ache and throb within Chiki's own, causing the small girl to lightly gasp in shock and prompt her mate's gaze to her. However, when he did so, he found her expressing a somewhat jealous pout due to his previous gazing.

Luckily, she was quick to accept his apology in the form of a kiss when he leaned up to embrace her, the pair taking a moment to indulge with the other before pulling back with open, joyful smiles that morphed into toothy grins. And in their newfound excitement, they headed off to join Tiki in the bath.

One that took far longer than if they'd just gone in individually.

---

"Mhh-Mhglp!"

"Kan-Kan, slow down before you choke yourself!" Chiki playfully admonished her feasting mate as the two sat in one of the castle's mess halls. Despite the silver-haired royal's messy consumption, she could not suppress a bright grin, only for it to fall with a warning look when he paused mid-eating to turn to her with stuffed cheeks.

*Gulp

Kana tipped his head to swallow the meat down his gullet, taking a sip of his drink to help smoothen the journey. "S-Sorry, I'm just…really hungry," He apologetically told her with a sheepish look, scratching his cheek when adding, "S-...Training with you two took a lot out of me."

Tiki chuckled from the other side of the table before joining the conversation and drawing the pairs' attention. "It was quite intense," She agreed, lips curling into the smallest, impish grin when adding, "So it's rather fortunate we all kept refreshed, correct?"

The wink she shot the young couple prompted a wave of recent, vivid images to rush within their minds. Deep blushes spread over their faces as they embarrassedly glanced at one another while lightly squirming in place.

Once again, Naga's voice chuckled at their reaction. But before she could further tease them, something, or rather someone caught her eye.

" Ahh~ Ninian," The divine manakete called out to her icy brethren walking past a table a few rows from theirs. She managed to catch the blue-haired dancer's attention, and prompted Kana and Chiki to turn towards her as well while Tiki added, "Come, join us."

Despite the friendly tone, Ninian seemed to briefly hesitate. Her face flashed with uncertainty before making her way towards the trio.

"Hey, Ninian!"

"Hi Nin-Nin!"

" Hehe~ Hello to you both as well. I see you're as inseparable as always," The Elibe dragon greeted the bashful couple with a warm smile before taking a seat beside Tiki who he turned to, "And hello to you too, Tiki."

"It's good to see you, Ninian, how have you been?" The green-haired woman asked, having not conversed with her fellow manakete in some time and was interested in catching up.

Once more, her face flashed with nervousness before it was replaced with a more friendly look. "Ah, truthfully, not that eventful," She answered, sounding honest, except her voice was a tad strained, as if she was hiding something.

Kana and Chiki didn't seem to catch that, and if they did, they seemed to not look much into it. Tiki, however, instantly noticed something seemed to be up with her friend, considering there was a glaring omission of one particular event. Yet despite feeling an urge to point this out, she stopped herself, not wishing to put her friend on the spot so suddenly and instead take a chance to talk to her later in private to ensure she was fine.

Though while Naga's eldest daughter was wise to decide this course of action, her younger daughter was less tactful.

"Huh, but isn't there supposed to be a concert in a few weeks?" Chiki curiously asked with a tilted head, Ninian stiffening up from her question while Tiki could only inwardly sigh as the topic was now forced to be discussed.

"Oh yeah, Mama told me Aunt Azura was going to participate!" Kana joined in, recalling briefly discussing the event with his mother when the topic of the blue-hair songstress came up. "It's apparently themed around winter itself!"

Such a fact piqued Chiki's interest with how her face lit up before she turned to the blue-haired dancer with curious, hopeful eyes wishing for confirmation.

"Yes, it's true," Ninian confirmed, suppressing the urge to sigh as she was unable to resist indulging her young friends as they turned their full focus on her while she further detailed the event. "It'll be the first of several concerts this year themed around the seasons themselves. And for this one, Lady Nifl and some of the Nifl royal family will attend."

"Whoa!" The young divine dragon exclaimed, her mate similarly excited as they each thought of what such events could bring. While the dancer was pleased to see this, it also came with a sense of dread in the form of one specific question she was anticipating, finally asked by the green-haired girl herself. "What are you going to do!?"

Ninian flinched at the question, feeling the excited attitude of the younger manaketes fade away into increasing confusion by her strange silence, especially when she looked away. The Elibe manakete inwardly sighed in frustration, knowing she was causing her friends to increasingly worry by not simply revealing the truth. So with a moment to prepare herself, she spoke it. "Actually, I'm not going to participate in it."

The blue-haired dancer could not help but wince as clear disappointment washed over Kana and Chiki's faces. It was enough to leave them each stunned, prompting Tiki to ask the obvious question herself, more calmly than the other two most likely would.

"Would you like to reveal why?" She asked with a soft though serious tone and expression, offering her friend a chance to decline to do so if she did not wish to.

Ninian, however, chose not to, deciding to be honest about her troubles regarding the upcoming event to those she considered close companions. "You all know about my brother, yes?" She asked, to which the trio nodded.

"Nils is his name, and he hasn't been summoned to Askr yet, am I mistaken?" Tiki replied for confirmation.

The Oracle nodded. "Yes, I actually recently ran into him on a mission," She revealed, drawing varying expressions of surprise. "Well, I suppose it wasn't him exactly, more so a version of him from another world," She clarified, reminding herself of the strange mechanics of Askr while her voice became somewhat livelier as she elaborated on the event.

"It was a strange reunion, one that initially confused him quite a bit initially," She revealed, face softening as she almost chuckled at the memory. "And though it was shorter than I would've liked, it was still enjoyable seeing him again." She stated, her lips curling into a smile while her cheeks tinted a light pink as she recalled some more…intimate moments of the reunion.

Though not as intimate as she would've hoped.

Her joy faded away as she adopted a more forlorn face. "But then I returned, and I realized just how much I'd truly missed him. We've never been apart like this for so long, and seeing him again so suddenly…and so briefly…"

Ninian paused her speech, recomposing herself with a deep breath. "Honestly, it took quite a bit out of me, and with our nature being so close to the theme of the winter concert, well, it just didn't seem right." She stated, disheartened.

Silence followed after her explanation, with her audience concerningly gazing at her, some more intently than others yet all equally worried. Noticing this, the dancer was compelled to address their fears. "I-I know it sounds bad, but I just need some time to myself," She attempted to assure them with a strained smile while adding, "It's just…Until then, I'm mentally in no state to practice for such a performance."

Unfortunately, her friends weren't quite convinced.

Tiki was the first to speak afterward. "That's completely understanding, Ninian," She sympathetically stated, placing her palm over her friend's to help comfort her.

To her relief, her efforts did seem to have some effect as the dancer offered the voice a grateful smile. "Thank you, Tiki."

Her Divine smile deepened as she could tell just how uneasy her friend felt about the current issue, and thus, attempted to make her comfortable. "Why don't we move on and discuss other topics while enjoying our meals?" She suggested, though it sounded more like a firm request to the younger pair of manaketes on the other side of the table.

Kana and Chiki were both concerned for Ninian's well-being, yet each desired to continue the conversation, not feeling right to leave it as it was. However, both were unsure and conflicted on how to do so and thus obliged Tiki's request to let the topic rest for now.

For the rest of their meals, the group did just while discussing other topics. Regardless, even when the conversation started to become lively, there was an unmistakable tension from what had come before, and unfortunately, it became too much for one manakete to bear.

*Ding

The sound of a utensil hitting the wooden table interrupted the group's conversation after it'd slipped from Chiki's hands as she held a downcasted look.

"Chiki?" Kana called out with mild concern, her silent, still reaction worrying him enough to lean closer.

"Little one?" Tiki joined in, also growing concern for her younger self as neither the dragon's voice nor spawn elicited a response from the scion. Her continued silence thickened the tension between them until she finally broke it.

"I think you should still do the concert!" The divine girl shouted, taking the others aback with the convection in her voice as she lifted her gaze towards Ninian to expose a firm, determined look in her eyes.

"Ch-Chiki?" The oracle stuttered as she was once more put on the spot.

Her inability to properly respond gave the younger manakete the chance to exclaim, "You're too amazing of a dancer to let a concert that's as fitting as this pass you by without taking part!"

"Little one!" Tiki scolded with a stern tone in an attempt to stop her. While she did understand where the younger girl was coming from, sharing such feelings, she didn't approve of how they were being expressed.

Unfortunately, as the elder woman predicted, the girl was hardly deterred. "But Big-Sis Ti-Ti, how can we just sit back and let Nin-Nin do this when she looked so sad saying it!? We're her friends, we should encourage her to do what she loves!" The dragon scion practically shouted as her strong emotions and beliefs empowered her voice.

Such a firm stance shook the others, enough for one's hesitation to finally faller and allow them to speak up.

"I-...I agree with Chiki," Kana spoke, unable to hold back expressing his similar beliefs as he joined his mate, albeit with far more restraint yet similar determination. "I think Ninian should be in the concert as well."

Their statements naturally left Ninian stunned as she saw their eyes reflecting their belief so passionately that she felt like a pillar of ice melting under the bright sun's heat. Tiki, however, sternly gazed back at the pair of mates. "That's enough you two, Ninian already explained her stance on the matter. You should respect that," She firmly told them, knowing she needed to push back even if that wouldn't stop them. Conversely, it seemed to only motivate them.

"But she loves dancing!" Chiki cried, almost slamming her hands down on the table as she stood up.

Kana also rose alongside his mate, offering a more elaborate defense for their belief. "I understand she feels weird about this because of her brother, but wouldn't he want her to perform even if he couldn't be there?" He questioned, believing the non-present sibling would be supportive of his sister considering what he'd heard about him.

That question shook Ninian from her stunned state. What would Nils do? What would he want for her?

As she pondered that, Tiki sent a final, stern look towards the younger manaketes, ordering them not to speak until Ninian had a chance to properly think this over, something they did so reluctantly. So there the trio sat silently, waiting for the oracle to rethink the matter with Kana and Chiki's statements taken into account.

And to their delight, it seemed to affect her how they wished.

"I think…I think you two are right," Ninian softly stated, bringing gleeful reactions to the young couple's faces.

Tiki, meanwhile, was a bit hesitant to celebrate. "Are you certain?" She gently asked, ignoring the small glares from the other side of the table, focusing on making sure her friend chose this decision due to her own desires and not peer pressure.

Luckily, the Elibe manakete assured her those fears were unnecessary. "Yes, Kana and Chiki made some solid points. I do love dancing, I do want to participate, and most of all, I'm certain my brother would encourage me to do so," She expressed with a calm and certain tone.

That was enough to ease the divine dragon's worries, as her smile relaxes. Though a pair of giggles did prompt her to shoot a glare towards the younger duo, still not quite approving of their actions despite the positive outcome.

In any case, she attempted to keep the conversation flowing with a simple question. "So what do you plan to do now? Do you have any performances in mind for the concert?"

Such a question caused Ninian's face to falter in uncertainty and shift into deeper thought. "I…I'm not quite sure," She revealed, sounding at a bit of a loss.

"I'm not interested in doing a solo dance, however last I checked, most if not all the other performers had either partnered up or committed to a solo act. It'd be rude and troublesome to approach one of them and potentially rethink the entire performance. Not to mention, whatever ideas I can think of involve…well, my brother. I can't help wanting to recreate some of our performances together, but I'm unsure who to turn to."

Her friends joined in pondering this predicament, each thinking of a potential solution to offer, with Tiki being the first to do so.

Though what she had in mind caused her lips to curl into a faint grin.

"Why not partner with Kana?" She suggested to the surprise of the rest of the group, especially the young prince.

"M-Me!?"

" Mhhm~" His mentor reaffirmed with a nod. "You've taken lessons from your aunt and cousins, correct?"

Kana took a moment to reply, still processing this sudden possibility. "Y-Yeah, but they weren't really proper lessons, just me joining in to have fun while they taught me a thing here and there," He clarified.

"It's still a valuable experience considering their skill level. And from what I've seen you display, you're more than proficient enough to at least attempt to help Ninian?" Tiki calmly responded, not allowing her pupil to downplay his abilities.

"W-Wait, you're suggesting Kana be my partner?" Ninian interrupted in disbelief despite how clear her friend's intentions were.

"I would hope that to be the case," The divine manakete replied with a light, playful voice while further elaborating on her suggestion. "He may not be your brother, but based on your descriptions of him, Kana should be a similar statute, is he not? He also already has some experience in dancing, so I'm certain you two could work something out in time for the concert."

Her explanation was spoken with such a composed and certain tone that left little to doubt her reasoning. Even so, doubts continued forming in Kana and Ninian's minds as they glanced at each other. But before they could attempt voicing their uncertainty, they were interrupted.

"That sounds amazing!" Chiki exclaimed with a beaming face. "It'll be a dance of dragons unlike anything else in the concert! Hah, it sounds so fun I wanna join in too!"

Before she could even attempt to request to do just that, Tiki cut in. " Hehe~ Perhaps next time, little one. It might be too much to ask for those two to teach you beyond the bare basics while also coming up with their own routine in just a few weeks," She pointed out, prompting the girl to pout.

"I-I'm not that bad at dancing!" She defended, albeit not sounding quite so sure of herself.

Something her older self took advantage of. "Little one, we both know that's far from the truth. It'll take at least a decade for you to properly control that second left foot before you can perform a waltz without kicking your partner's toes," She pushed back, drawing on personal experience that brought just a tint of embarrassment to her face.

"I-I do not! I didn't step on Mar-Mar's toes last festival!"

"Little one, you were so excited you were practically jumping about. He couldn't bring himself to sorrow the mood as he hid his discomfort," Tiki calmly stated, recalling how she'd watched that particular display with Caeda, along with her own embarrassed reaction when the queen had revealed to the grown manakete just how long it'd taken her to properly dance with the king without incident.

As the two counterparts of Naga's daughter argued about their skills on the dancefloor, Kana and Ninian gazed at them in mild disbelief at how they'd been paired up without themselves agreeing to it. Glancing at one another, they each silently understand that no matter what arguments they attempt, they'd be put down by the two same-named manaketes. As such, they had little choice but to relent to their whims.

Still, when they caught each other's eyes once again, they shared another silent understanding, one that made them feel more relaxed as they couldn't help smiling with small chuckles. This may not have been what either had imagined, though, for some reason, there was hope this experience could turn out rather fun, enough that they should at least give it a chance.

---

After finishing their meal, the group headed into the forest around the castle so Kana and Ninian could start practicing with Chiki and Tiki spectators. Or at least, that was the idea till the younger divine manakete pulled her older self onto another part of the clearing in an attempt to prove her dancing skills.

"Don't focus your eyes on your feet so intensely, little one," Tiki advised the girl who looked down at the ground between them, so careful not to step or bump her partner she made the tempo of their dance quite the slow one.

"I-I know!" The dragon scion insisted, still not raising her gaze even as her frustration started to show. It felt as if the more she concentrated, the worse she performed, and it was made worse by the older, wider dragons' next words.

"You're also becoming much too tense."

"Mhhgghh!"

Chiki's annoyed, muffled groan prompted Ninian to glance at the girl's struggle, her adorable pout and TIki's grin making her chuckle. " Hehe~ Chiki seems quite determined," The dancer playfully commented in amusement and respect for how determined the green-haired was to improve, even if it seemed it'd be slow progress at best.

"Y-Yeah," His partner agreed with a slight stutter, more focused on his own steps as he did his best to lead her along with one hand on her hip and the other clasping her own. She turned to find his downcasted gaze focused on the former, seemingly watching how it reacted to their current motions and pace.

"You're doing quite well yourself," She complimented, prompting him to look up and see her soft, encouraging smile directed towards him. "Azura's taught you well."

The silver-haired prince bashfully smiled in response. " Huh~ I didn't make it easy. Aunt Azura says I like to dance to my beat, so it took a lot of work before I could slow down with someone like this." He embarrassedly admitted.

" Hehe~ Well I'm pleased to say that work paid off," She expressed so genuinely and comfortingly that the reassuring squeeze she gave his shoulder made him relax. Her hips swayed with his hand while her steps seemed to slide over the grass as she found a simple enjoyment in this admittedly barebones dance.

It reminded her of the joys she'd been missing due to her recent sorrow, and so with this opportunity, she wished to further indulge herself.

"Why don't you show me what else Azura taught you?" She suggested, curious as to what else he could do. He gazed up at her in response, eyes blinking under her expecting gaze as he thought about her request.

"Hmm?" The older manakete hummed as his hand released her hip, with the silver-haired prince taking a step back, causing her to release his shoulder, leaving them connected with just their clasps, only for his grip to tighten.

"Ohh!?" Ninian softly gasped as Kana pulled her across the clearing with surprising strength. The slow tempo they'd been building now turned into a messy wave with the great strides he took. Yet despite his unpolished motions, he didn't let them stop him from having fun at the moment in a way that was so infectious that she went with the flow before long.

What could've been seconds or minutes seemed far longer in the pair's minds, with the dragon spawn growing more confident in his skills with how the oracle's feet skipped and shifted alongside the encouraging looks she flashed at him. The moves he continued to display were so fun for his partner to partake in that for a few moments, it was like she was dancing with her brother again.

" Huh~ Huh~ So?" He hopefully asked after settling down, hunched a bit over and a little out of breath after being too caught up in the moment.

"It was wonderful, Kana," Ninian expressed to him with a smile, causing his own to brighten at how pleased she sounded. She chuckled at the sight, but before she commented on his skills or the dance itself, they were interrupted.

"Wow, you two looked like you were having a lot of fun!" Chiki exclaimed while hopping over the pair. Tiki walked behind her, nodding her head in agreement before adding, "Yes, seems there's little to worry about in compatibility."

"It does ease the mind. Still, we're left with the issue of what exactly we should do for our performance," The blue-haired manakete replied, reminding them of the main problem they still needed to face. While the dance she and Kana performed could work for a festival, it lacked quite a bit in regards to being a performance to be spotlighted.

Luckily, Chiki appeared to have an idea. "Uh! Uh! I got it!" She declared, lighting up like a lantern had been lit above her head before elaborating. "Why not make it around dragons? You're both manaketes, imagine how cool it'd be to use that!? A literal dance of dragons!"

It was clear just how much the prospect excited her, and to her group, they couldn't deny the idea did conjure up an exciting image. However, there were a few issues with it, something Tiki pointed out. "Little one, I'm not so sure it'd be safe for them to transform on stage?"

The Voice's warning caused the scion's face to drop with disappointment. However, she wouldn't be deterred. "What about partial transformations!?" She quickly countered, stunning the other three.

"That's….actually more reasonable," Tiki replied, unable to push back against the far less outlandish idea. Still, she wanted the opinion of someone with more expertise in the field and thus turned to Ninian. "Your thoughts, Ninian?"

The dancer cupped her chin while pondering the idea. "Well, while I don't recall it ever being done before, magic and animals have been brought in for performances before, so I suppose it wouldn't be out there," She told them, seeming rather interested in the idea, except for one small issue. "Unfortunately, partial transformations are hardly my strong suit, so such an approach would be more reliant on Kana himself."

Her statement prompted the girls to turn towards the lone prince. "Uhhh…" He stuttered in response, somewhat intimidated by the sudden attention, unsure of what to think, let alone respond.

Chiki, however, was far more certain. "Think about it! You could spread your wings while skipping about! Do a twirl with a tail! Oh! Oh! What if you shot water into the sky to rain down on everyone!?" She exclaimed, listing off the possibilities.

Her excitement was infectious to her mate, his eyes lighting up as his mind began mirroring hers. But before their imagination could run rampant and blind them to reality, Tiki stepped in to remind them. "Don't get ahead of yourselves, you two. While I won't deny the idea's potential, it'll take quite a bit of work to make it safe."

Her wary tone took the wind right under the young manakete's wings, making them slump in disappointment. Luckily, the divine voice wasn't going to just let them sulk. "I guess that means we'll have to practice quite a bit to ensure its safety, don't we, Kana?" She told her student, revealing her own excitement in the idea, something she'd be remiss to let go to waste.

Her words brought a spark of hope to the silver-haired prince, who glanced at Chiki bearing a similar look. Their eyes locked, and together, their lips breaking out into bright, excited grins. Grins they soon directed towards Ninian as the Kana asked, "Well, Ninian, can we do that, please?"

"Yeah, Nin-Nin, please!" The younger divine dragon joined in.

Such pleas took the dancer aback, less so out of resistance and more so due to just how hopeful and determined their faces were. It was clear just how much they wanted to pursue the idea, and truthfully, Ninian felt similar.

"Alright, let's do it!" She agreed with her own resolve.

Her answer prompted cheers from the young manakete couple, making their older companions softly smile. They may only have a few weeks till the concert to practice, but they'd make use of that time as best they could.

---

"Whoa!"

"Uhh!"

Ninian just barely stepped out of the way of a stumbling Kana, who managed to regain his footing before completely tumbling.

"Perhaps we should slow down?" The more experienced dancer offered, well away he was struggling to keep up with the brisker pace they were practicing with increasingly complex steps.

However, Kana firmly denied that with a shake of his head. "Nah, that was fun! I wanna try it again!" He exclaimed, unwilling to let his mistakes slow him down.

His enthusiasm was powerful enough to wash away Ninian's worries. Her concerned smile softened along with her eyes as she gazed with increasing fondness towards the Vallite royal as he extended his hand towards her before she took it.

---

Before long, a week had passed, yet there was quite a bit for Kana and Ninian to practice, far more so for the former.

*Splash!

Kana watched as the ball of water he'd hurled into the air exploded into a shower a distance away, with him turning towards his mentor and eagerly asking, "How was that!?"

Tiki, for her part, was unaffected by her student's enthusiasm. A critical look on her face and arms crossed while she offered honest remarks. "Your control is better, able to make the attack consistently explode after some time rather than simply breaking apart when colliding with something or going too far." She commented rather approvingly, making her pupil light up from her praise, only for her to remind him of some remaining shortcomings.

"However, the timer you've managed to set is still too varied to be reliable. We'll need to make it far more consistent before you can even think of using it in such a closed-off and densely populated area like a theater," She firmly told him, a wave of disappointment briefly overtaking the silver-haired royal before he popped back up with greater determination to overcome the dilemma he was faced with.

And he wouldn't be facing it alone, considering he had more support than just his mentor beside him.

"You can do it, Kana!" Chiki encouraged her mate with a bright face that made him feel quite bashful when glancing at her, managing to shoot her a thankful smile before focusing on charging his next attack.

Her blue-hair companion, meanwhile, chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm. " Hehe~ Kana's lucky to have you supporting him," Ninian commented as they sat together on a log a safe distance away from the dragon's spawn.

Her statement prompted the divine scion to turn to her with a cheerful grin. "Yep! If I didn't do that, I don't think I'd be a good mate or even a good friend!" She stated, looking back at said mate before adding, "Besides, it's pretty cool watching Kana train like that. I don't see many dragons that can fight like him or his mama do!"

"Yes, they're unique in that regard," The dancer agreed with a nod. "It's always quite the sight on the battlefield. Still, I think this is the first time I've seen him train like this, at least under Tiki's guidance."

"It's pretty cool, right?" Chiki asked with a smile, one that Ninian returned before responding.

"Yes, quite the impressive pair of master and student," She commented with a praising tone at how much improvement Kana gained with Tiki's advice. However, she couldn't help noticing that when Tiki offered another set of helpful words, she leaned down in a manner that potentially exposed him to a generous view of her bosom.

"Perhaps a little too close…" The Oracle muttered, unaware of the jealousy that'd seeped into her low voice.

"Hmm? Did you say something?" Her green-haired companion asked.

"O-Oh, nothing important!" Ninian assured, a bit flustered in her reply and making Chiki tilt her head in mild confusion. Not wanting the divine dragon to pry, she quickly attempted to switch the topic. "What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Chiki repeated, confused about her meaning, prompting her companion to elaborate.

"Well, I mean, another older version of you is teaching Kana. Isn't that strange?"

"...Yeah, I guess so," The dragon scion answered after taking a few moments to ponder the question, sounding quite casual as she continued. "I guess I never really thought much about it. Even though she's me, I always considered Big-Sis Ti-Ti as well…a big sister. Besides, it was because of Kana training under her that we became such close friends!"

"Really?" Ninian asked with some surprise.

To which the divine manakete nodded. "Yeah! Kana was one of the first friends I made in Askr, but when Big-Sis Ti-Ti took him as a student, I saw a side of him different from when we played together. The way he worked so hard to do his best, it made me want to work harder too!" She exclaimed, revealing a sense of pride of admiration for her mate to Ninian who listened on intently.

"Yet despite working hard, he always made time to hang out with me. It got to the point where he was like he was either with me or Big-Sis Ti-Ti! And before I knew it, I couldn't imagine what it'd be like without him, until I eventually realized I liked him…a lot."

The way her tone briefly shifted rather endearingly sounded quite sweet to the dancer, with Chiki regaining a joyous voice for her next statement. "Honestly, if I didn't fall in love with him, I would've thought of him like a little brother! And he would've been better than Xane, who just annoys me!" She playfully joked at the shapeshifter's expense.

Ninian chuckled due to her words, going with the flow when asking, "What about Marth, would Kana be a better brother than him?" She questioned lightheartedly, prompting her divine companion to ponder a comparison before offering a blunt, simple answer.

"Nah."

The Oracle had to suppress her laughter from the reply. "Goodness, that's a bit harsh?" She stated sympathetically towards the silver-haired prince who was currently struggling with his next attack as it exploded in his palm.

Chiki, though, didn't budge on her answer and instead elaborated on it. "Mar-Mar's more reliable as a big brother. I think I might get too annoyed looking after Kana as a big sister," She expressed before offering him some leeway when adding, "Besides, I prefer him more as a mate. I'd never want that to change!"

Her surefire tone was commemorable to the dancer. "I see," was her simple reply, feeling like she'd gained a better perspective on the young, manakete couple.

"What about you and Nils?" Chiki suddenly asked, flipping the focus and catching Ninian off-guard as she continued. "You've talked about him a bit, but I've never really heard you say much other than you two being siblings and you both traveled and performed together."

The elibe-native blinked at her archanea brethren, needing a few moments to process the request before responding. " Hmm~ Where to begin," She mused, thinking about what aspects of her brother to reveal before eventually deciding on one. "I suppose I could start with how he was a bit hesitant to get close to humans due to…well, negative experiences while traveling from our heritage."

She briefly paused, wondering how to explain her sibling's stance on mankind. "It wasn't due to any disdain for them, it was just that he was well aware of the differences between our species. I believed he tried to keep them at a distance to lessen the risk of any potential issues time would cause," She finished somewhat solemnly to an attentive Chiki.

However, Ninian was hardly going to leave things at that and thus switched to speaking about Nils' more positive traits. "Still, despite that, we eventually made many human friends, and in that regard, Nils was one of the most selfless and kind people I've ever known. He was always willing to help, and so understanding. It didn't matter who someone was, if Nils had no reason to distrust them, he'd aid them as best he could."

"Wow, he sounds really nice," The dragon scion commented, impressed by the sheer praise in the oracle's voice.

"Yes, he was." Ninian affirmed, sounding rather embarrassed when adding, "Truthfully, despite being his older sibling, I sometimes felt like I was leaning more on him for support instead of the other way around."

Despite her joke, there was a clear fondness and longing in her voice, something made more evident with her next statement. Those times where he'd play me a tune to dance to or join me himself occurred frequently enough to seem like a ritual. Never did they fail to lift my spirits, and never did I imagine they'd eventually come to an end…"

Her smile and face had lost some of their joy, now tinged with a forlorn expression that made Chiki's heartache. Unable to see her friend like that, she did her best to cheer her up. "M-Maybe you can't dance with your brother anymore, but dancing helped bring you both together right?" She asked, prompting her blue-haired companion to lift her gaze at her, wondering where she was going.

"Kana may not be your brother, but maybe dancing with him could remind you of him just a little bit?" She hopefully suggested. "And even if not, you can connect with Nils by having fun dancing with the moves you did with him, right?"

Her words themselves didn't quite have a profound effect on Ninian. Still, the emotions and intent behind were something she was grateful for. "Yes, that's one way to look at it," She replied with a small smile that seemed to relieve the younger manakete just a bit.

The two proceeded to turn back towards the teacher-student pair in front of them, with the latter expressing joy at a much more successful attempt at his technique, with the former rewarding him with a playful, encouraging ruffling of his head.

'He may not be quite like Nils, but still, the joy and kindness Kana exudes at times reminds me of him,' The ice-dragon fondly thought as she looked a bit more forward to practicing with her water dragon brethren than before.

---

*Thump!

"Ehh!

Ninian yelped as she tripped over Kana's tail, their attempts to start practicing with one of his draconic appendages in effect threatened to send her to the ground. Yet despite almost panicking, the silver-haired prince was able to prevent them by reaching out to catch her not with his arms, but another limb entirely.

"Mhhm!?"

The oracle gave a surprised gasp upon feeling a firm, somewhat scaly sensation wrap around her waist. Her eyes flickered before recognizing the very tail responsible for her mishap had also saved her. Turning to Kana, she saw him giving a bashful smile, one that she eventually returned with a grateful one, helping him to relax as they took a moment to simply gaze at each other and calm down.

Though Ninian couldn't help noticing one thought sprouting in her mind. And that was believing the feeling of his tail wrapped around her wasn't entirely unpleasant.

---

Days of practice eventually became weeks, yet despite not being part of the performance, Chiki insisted on learning as well, even during moments when Kana should've been resting.

"D-Don't move too fast!" Chiki all but barked, prompting her mate to tense up as they waltzed around the clearing.

"S-Sorry!" Kana apologized, slowing his pace as he carefully led the girl as best he could. He was so focused that he didn't notice how firmly he was grasping her hip, nor how much she enjoyed his touch as she leaned against him.

From afar, Ninian and Tiki watched on with soft smiles, amused by the love dragons' antics.

" Ahh~ To be young and in love. Not quite like it, wouldn't you say?" The divine dragon playfully commented, prompting her companion to lightly nod in agreement, along with briefly glancing at the green-haired woman beside her and the girl just a bit away. These glances were noticed by Tiki, and in her great wisdom, knew what it was her friend wished to say though too hesitant to.

"You wish to know how I feel watching another, younger version of myself courting someone like Kana?" The Voice of Naga simply stated, surprising the dancer enough to make her eyes widen.

"Y-Yes…" Ninian bashfully admitted, taking a moment to gather some more composure before adding, "You've joked about it before, but I haven't heard your in-depth thoughts on the matter."

"There's not much to it, truthfully," Tiki calmly replied, briefly pausing before elaborating. "She may be a younger version of myself - allowing me to have a better understanding of her thoughts and feelings in most situations - but she's still her own person. She had her own unique experiences with Kana that led them together."

"I-I see…" The blue-haired manakete spoke, having expected a little more despite her friend's logical explanation.

Luckily, Tiki was willing to provide her a little more to chew on. "Then again, I shared the little one's interest in Kana, considering I took him under my wings as a student." She stated with a rather prideful tone.

"Why did you choose to become his mentor, anyway?" Ninian curiously asked.

"It's just how things turned out," The divine dragon calmly stated. "I came across him training while looking for somewhere to nap, and I saw him struggling to better hone his draconic abilities. So, I offered him some advice, and after that, he began coming to me for aid. Before long, our infrequent meetings became routine, and I was actively planning on ways for him to improve even when we weren't together."

"I was already familiar with him due to some previous encounters, not to mention how often Chiki would speak of him. Still, during our sessions, I learned more about him, better experiencing the infectious joy and kindness others would pray for. However, I also saw something else, his determination to improve, to better himself. Not for himself, but others." She expressed, her voice shifting from calmly recalling their meetings to proudly speaking of his traits.

"He had just the right amount of talent, intellect, and stubbornness that I felt compelled to help him grow to his fullest potential." She stated those last words quite fondly, a tone that continued with her next statements when they gained a playful air. "Still, I'll admit to being rather surprised when he revealed his feelings for Chiki to me. I already knew how close the two were to each other, of course, even so, I hadn't expected him - or her - to come to me for advice."

"Then again, I suppose it was only natural, and perhaps a bit of fate, considering I may have been nudging them together beforehand. Along with perhaps molding him to better suit her," She finished with a mischievous tone that Ninian couldn't resist chuckling at.

"I'm sure you weren't the only one. Not many could've missed how close those two were beside themselves," The oracle replied, gazing at the young couple who'd forsaken a formal dance for a more jovial one with how they spun and hopped together.

"Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if some heroes had placed bets on when the two officially got together," Tiki joked, only to then be reminded of some jests by a certain, divine goddess. "Then again, I could've gone without my mother's teasing remarks towards me in the matter." She huffed.

She understood her mother was only attempting to make some lighthearted conversation, but did she have to insinuate a need for her to court Kana before Chiki sunk her claws into him? They weren't even mates at that point!

And things had only become more tiresome afterward.

Ninian, for her part, couldn't suppress a chuckle at how her friend gained a small pout and even crossed her arms when recalling her annoyance. Still, Tiki wasn't going to let that keep her down, keeping the lighthearted and relaxed atmosphere when more saying, "Still, I suppose my mother wasn't completely mistaken. Had I been in my younger self's shoes, I would've grown quite fond of Kana as well, more so than I already am."

She proceeded to flash a grin towards her friend before adding, "But you're well aware of that, aren't you, Ninian?"

"Heh?" Her sudden remark took the dancer off-guard, causing her to stutter in her response. "Wh-What are you talking about?" She asked, surprised and confused about her companion's meaning despite having an inkling, one she hoped wouldn't be confirmed. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case.

"Come now, Ninian, must we dance around the topic?" The divine dragon asked, seeming unamused if it weren't for her tone and the small curl of her lips. "I've noticed how you've been acting somewhat off around us these last few weeks. It's becoming so blatant I believe Kana and Chiki will eventually notice. So, be honest and ask your questions, and I will attempt to answer them."

Her statement prompted the ice-natured manakete to blink in disbelief. Yet the unflinching, calm expression Tiki wore and spoke with made her more easily accept the fact she was apparently found out. And so clenching her eyes, she couldn't help blurting out, "Y-You and Kana, why have you mated with him as well!?"

"!"

Ninian's eyes shot open upon realizing what she'd just said, however, knowing there was no taking back her words forced her to adopt an unflinching gaze towards her friend, even if it looked a bit weak. Still, no matter how strong she'd made it, it would've fallen apart with the simple, unexpected response Tiki gave, "Ah, so you know that much."

Her words initially confused the dancer, only for another realization to come over her. " Huh? Wait, you mean you-!?"

"Wasn't sure how much you knew and had you revealed it yourself? Yes," The divine manakete interrupted with a small grin and smug tone, leaving Ninian both aghast and dumbstruck while she added, "Though I already had my suspicions that were the case, so thank you for confirming them."

"..."

Ninian could only stare in disbelief towards her friend, comprehending what had just occurred. She wanted to act flustered, shouting her embarrassment or even some anger at being so easily tricked. Except in truth, such emotions were lacking, with her instead feeling a sense of acceptance, albeit a reluctant one as she sighed and asked, "How did you figure that out?"

"Like I said, you were making it obvious," Tiki simply told her with a calm tone. "Besides, we dragons have quite potent senses of smell, more so than other similarly enhanced heroes. And despite my attempts to hide the lingering scents between myself and Kana after such activities, along with him and Chiki still being unaware of it, I understand the risk of it being detected by more experienced manaketes."

"Though if you wish to know how it started, well, simply put, Kana and Chiki's affection for one another was starting to reach a tipping point. You know the one, where our primal urges start to stir enough to risk losing control, and due to their inexperience in such matters, I felt a need to step in and guide them through it."

She spoke her explanation rather matter-of-factly, though a bit of bashfulness seeped into her expression and tone. "Though to my surprise, those two were rather insistent in making sure I felt involved. It got to the point where I caved in and - to my embarrassment - got slightly carried away," She paused for a brief chuckle with a mild red tint on her cheeks before finishing. "Afterwards, I continued to be involved with them. Honestly, it's been rather pleasant."

Letting a few moments pass for Ninian to process her words, Tiki turned to the wide-eyed dancer and asked, "I assume you originally thought the scent of myself lingering off Kana was simple from Chiki?"

The oracle nodded, unable to speak any words.

"And I'm assuming your discovery was in part upon realizing Kana took on other mates as well?" Naga's voice questioned, receiving another - more embarrassed - nod from the now blushing dance, prompting her to push, "How?"

"...I stumbled across them in the act during the harvest festival…" The dancer eventually revealed, looking away.

Her answer caused the divine dragon to sigh, holding onto her face as she muttered. "I warned those two to be more careful…"

Ninian felt a strange sense of unease and calmness, one that didn't unnerve her, but wasn't quite pleasant either. Honestly, she was surprised at how well she was taking all this, having expected to be far more flustered at this conversation. Unfortunately, that expectation was soon fulfilled upon recalling one of Tiki's earlier remarks.

"W-Wait, lingering scents!?" She repeated, eyes widening as a fearful thought crossed her mind, making her tense when shakingly adding, "D-Does that mean…?"

She couldn't finish her words, alas, Tiki still knew them and responded in a playfully smug tone. " I was curious when you returned from your mission with such a similar yet distinct scent lingering off you weeks ago. And after what you revealed about that mission, I suppose it's pretty apparent who it belongs to."

Ninian's blush went scarlet, an urge to deny such an accusation was hidden, except her friend's knowing grin would only fluster her response and add to her embarrassment. "Oh gods…" Was all she could mutter behind her palms.

She'd always noticed her keen sense of smell had been rather useful, yet she never considered it could've been used against her in such a matter.

Tiki was amused by her reaction, enough to continue her teasing remarks. "It must've been quite the passionate sibling reunion, considering how heavily his scent lingered off you for those following days."

"Ehhmm!" The ice dragon cried into her hands, her cheeks so red she wanted to encase herself in a block of ice to cool down and hide herself from this conversation.

Sensing this, her green-haired companion pitied her friends. "Would you like to compare mates?" She asked.

It took a few moments for Ninian to process the question, her previous embarrassment suddenly vanishing as pure confusion and shock replaced it. Her eye peaked out from her palm to gaze at her friend in disbelief.

"I mean, we're both in rather unorthodox relationships, why not bond over it a little?" Tiki reasoned, continuing to stun her friend before understandingly adding, "Though naturally, if you truly wish, we can end this conversation here."

Ninian's eyes blinked, wondering why she didn't immediately accept the offer. This conversation had already gone farther than she would've ever liked - let alone expected - learning and revealing far more than she was comfortable with. Yet for some reason, she found some strange solace in this. Perhaps it was due to no longer needing to hide the truth, or a chance to converse about her treasured sibling bond with someone who could sympathize.

So, to part of her inner self's dismay, she eventually agreed. "You first," She shyly though firmly states, making Tiki's lips settle into a satisfied smile.

"Very well," The divine dragon agreed. "Just tell me if I'm being too descriptive."

And with that, she began going into detail about her and Kana's relationships. Nonetheless, no matter how in-depth she went, or how brightly Ninian's blush shined, the dancer never told her to stop.

Nor did Tiki miss the occasional way Ninian's thighs squirmed against each other.

---

"Hya!"

"Haa!"

Kana's cry was mixed with Ninian's shout as she maneuvered around his tail. The sound of water exploding high above echoed in her ears. This was a new experience for the dancer, one that'd been quite difficult to grow accustomed to. Yet she couldn't deny how exciting and satisfying it'd been to practice these past few weeks.

Lining up with Kana, she noticed his flushed face, mouth open and chest heaving from his pants as he was doing his best to keep up with her in what was surely the most complex dance he'd ever done. Even so, he'd never complained about it once during their sessions, always improving to make it increasingly polished.

Such effort touched Ninian's heart, still, she felt quite worried for him. But that worry lessened as, despite his struggles, she could see his enjoyment with his face lit up when she came closer. So when they clasped hands, her smile spread across her face as the rough draft of their performance devolved into a messy display.

Regardless, she couldn't stop herself from feeling so much joy in the moment with him.

---

" Huh~ Huh~ Huh~ "

Kana collapsed on the ground, arms spread to his sides as the consequences of a long day of intense training settled in. While he was aware his act wasn't that hard in comparison to some of his Aunt Azura's dances, it didn't lessen the mental gymnastics of performing it. It took a larger toll on his body and mind than expected, especially on the former.

Beside him, Ninian remained standing, naturally far more accustomed to such activities. Still, she couldn't deny being left a little short of breath, face slightly flushed and limbs a tad tired. Regardless, she kept rather composed as she gently dropped onto her knees and sat beside her fellow manakete.

"I think that's enough for today," She stated, looking at the dimming sky as she recalled how the setting sun hadn't even reached its highest point when they'd begun practice. Yet despite her reasonable suggestion, Kana protested.

"I-I can keep going…" He is insistent, albeit weakly.

Ninian suppressed a sigh at his stubbornness. "We've made a lot of progress today, Kana. It'd be a shame to risk that by overexerting ourselves with the convert so soon. Trust me, I know from experience," She emphatically warned, managing to get through to the prince as he finally relaxed on the ground.

Silence settled over them while they rested, with Kana eventually feeling his aching limbs and heavy breathing easing up. For a bit, he held his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of simply lying atop the nice, soft grass while a cool breeze blew over him, no doubt partly influenced by the ice-dragon beside him.

He glanced at said dragon, whose eyes were closed too as she basked in the calm atmosphere. The way she sat with her legs folded out to the side, one hand planted on the ground beside her while the other combed her swaying hair, made her look rather…captivating. It was a subtle beauty, the sort that best stood out in the quiet moments, the same way he'd describe Myrrh.

However, unlike his recently acquired mate, the dancer beside him still prominently held other attributes that highlighted another type of attractiveness.

Her dress emphasized such attributes, for while it covered most of her body and appeared modest, was quite the snug fit. From her puff of her chest, her slim waist, or her round hips, the fabric showcased them. And while he was hardly unfamiliar with such curves due to how prominently some of his aunts' outfits showed them off, it was something else to watch them roll and sway so closely, thanks to these last few weeks.

Recalling such movements, he realized how different they were from the bolder acts his Aunt Azura performed, similar to waves in an ocean. In contrast, Ninian appeared more like softly falling snow that twirled and fluttered. And he had to admit, being lucky enough to hold some of those curves himself, has been rather…lovely.

Kana felt something stir towards Ninian within him, something he'd been attempting to suppress in her presence these last few weeks. It'd gotten to the point where these pent-up urges were eventually released on - to their delight - a pair of divine manaketes.

The thought of them reminded him of their absence, suddenly asking "Do you think Chiki and Tiki are doing ok?"

"Hmm?"

His question took Ninian aback, her eyes flickering open to find him staring up to the sky as they both thought of their missing spectators, who'd recently been tasked with aiding Myrrh and Nowi to help end their month-long mission.

He'd initially wanted to also take part, only for his green-haired mates to convince him to stay behind and continue practicing with Ninian to ensure they'd be ready in time for the concert. And despite the promise they'd all return in time for the concert, he couldn't help worrying, visible enough that Ninian was prompted to reassure him it'd be ok.

"I'm sure they'll all be fine," She honestly stated to him initially, prompting him to look at her as she held a small undertone of concern for their friend that was held back by her greater belief in them, emphasized by her next words. "Those two, along with Nowi and Myrrh? They're quite the force to be reckoned with. And with Tiki leading them, there's little to worry about. So let's make sure they have something amazing to watch when they return?"

Her uplifting tone was too much for Kana to resist as the unease he'd previously felt faded away in moments, allowing his mind to relax and lips curl into a small, soft smile. "Yeah, you're right," He agreed.

The oracle's smile softened too as the relaxing atmosphere around them was allowed to continue. It was peaceful, enjoyable, something she could've basked in till the sun had finally set and they were forced to head back to the castle for dinner.

At least, that should've been what happened, if a certain, sudden thought hadn't entered her mind. Yet despite its intrusive nature, this relaxing setting lowered her guard enough to let it slip past her lips. "You truly care for those four, don't you?"

Ninian's inquiry brought a wave of mild confusion over the silver-haired prince's face. "Yeah, of course?" He simply answered after a few seconds, unsure of why she needed to ask. "They're all really dear to me, after all."

"Of course," The dancer agreed, only to tuck her hair back and glance away from the prince as another intrusive thought was starting to slip through her lips despite her better judgment. "I mean, they are your mates."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Silence, deafening silence was what followed after her words. The passing moments seemed like minutes to hours as Ninian awaited Kana's response, which eventually came exactly as she expected.

"...HUH!?"

The young manakete didn't notice his companions flinch despite how wide his eyes went with his shocked shout. He couldn't think of anything else that could make it seem like he'd misheard her, leaving him staring at her in disbelief, barely able to stutter out, "H-How…?"

The blushing dancer turned a bit closer to him, yet couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes while bashfully revealing, "Th-The harvest festival. I ran into Chiki earlier, she seemed somewhat troubled, so I talked to her for a bit. Later, I noticed her scent and went to check on her, only to stumble onto…well, you and her and…Myrrh and Nowi…"

The longer her explanation ran, the more Kana's hearing deafened to the point where all he could pick up was his rapidly beating heart. His face was a deep shade of crimson as vivid images from that passionate, intense night flooded his mind along with their cries of his names as he unleashed his desires over them without restraint.

Just recalling the things they did made his body tense and throat dry, especially now that it'd been revealed there'd been an unknown spectator to it all. With that very spectator sitting right beside him. It was too much for the royal, whose mind blanked as a result.

"K-Kana?" Ninian called out concern as he continued staring silently and blankly at her. She gently waved a hand in front of his face, to no reaction. She had to shake his shoulders to finally snap him from his trance.

"Huh?" His eyes fluttered wildly, glancing around him as he returned to his senses before recalling the situation, prompting him to panically shout, "Y-You're not going to tell anyone, right? Especially Mama!"

His desperate tone shocked the oracles, especially since he suddenly moved closer toward her, making her stutter in her reply. "N-No! Of course not!" She assured, having no plans for such a thing.

Her words seemed to calm Kana as the terrifying thought of his mother finding out about his multiple relationships dissipated. His body relaxed as he let out a relieved sigh, eyes fluttering shut as well while he took a moment to recompose himself. And in that moment, he realized something that confused him.

"Wait, you said all four of them were my mates, how did you know about Tiki and I?" He asked, somehow losing his previous shock as it was replaced with simple confusion.

His question prompted Ninian's eyes to flicker away from his gaze, uncertain how to best answer it. Honestly, she didn't know why she'd revealed all this to begin with. Regardless, hiding the truth wouldn't do much good at this point. As such, she finally managed to look at him and gestured to her nose, tapping it lightly until his eyes widened in realization, prompting him to bashfully look away in silence.

"So, why tell me all this?" He eventually asked, still confused about the reasoning for her actions.

"I'm not sure," She honestly replied, the two not looking at one another as she spoke her truth. "It just…didn't seem right keeping it to myself. Especially after Tiki confronted me about it."

"Huh?" His last remark caught Kana's attention, prompting his eyes to glance. "Tiki confronted you?"

"O-Oh yes!" The blue-haired manakete replied almost enthusiastically, attempting to keep the conversation from becoming too awkward with a lighthearted tone. "She figured out I already knew and well, told me. Honestly, it was similar to this, just that, well, Tiki kept her composure far better than I ever could," She emphatically told him, being able to relate to her partner's current struggles.

Such a revelation seemed to relax Kana just a bit as he imagined how such a conversation between the two would go based on his own experiences. It gave him enough composure to eventually ask, "So, now what?"

His uncertainty of how to proceed was shared by Ninian, who attempted to think of a solution. "Uhh…If you don't mind, perhaps you could tell me a little about your relationships?" She bashfully suggested, unable to help her curiosity. "It's just…Well, quite the situation. I never would've expected you to be involved in something like it."

"...Does that mean you're disappointed in me?" The silver-haired royal questioned, sounding rather saddened, well aware of the potential negative views one could have on his situation and assuming Ninian held them.

Luckily, the dancer was quick to clarify. "N-No, not at all!" She assured him rather firmly, enough to slightly surprise him as she added, "Tiki already clarified things, and even then, I know you'd never misled any of the girls! You're too kind and honest for that! So I know this is something that only happened because you all agreed to it."

His words briefly stunned Kana. "...Oh…huh." He eventually replied, his gaze drifting downwards towards the ground as he tried figuring out how to exactly answer her next inquiry.

"I guess…It still feels kinda…unbelievable," He stated with a low yet clear voice for the dancer to intently listen to while he continued. "I thought things were already too amazing to be real, getting to call Tiki and Chiki mates. But for Myrrh and Nowi to be that too? Well, I can't really describe it, let alone wonder why I'm lucky enough for it."

The slightly uncertain, worried tone he spoke with in his last statement worried Ninian, though he soon shook it off for his preceding remarks. "But whatever the case, I care about them all in different ways, and they care about me a bit differently too. It makes me…well, really happy to be with all of them! So I want to do my best to make them all happy too! Because, well, they're my mates, and I have to be a mate worthy of them!"

The determined tone he spoke stunned Ninian, her eyes blinking as she'd witnessed his once bashful face shift into something with far greater resolve. It seemed like his words had reminded him of an important goal, so when he turned to look at her, despite his gaze appearing soft, she still saw a firm desire underneath.

"Do you think it's greedy thinking that?" He suddenly asked her with a small smile, sounding composed albeit yet both still held a tinge of uncertainty that revealed a bit of fear towards his belief.

Noticing this fear, the oracle responded honestly. "Kana, those girls chose to be with you 'cause they wanted to. The fact you want to do your best for them is commendable. Is it greedy? Perhaps, but that's not a bad thing. It proves how much you care, and that alone is what I believe is most important to them."

Kana couldn't help feeling quite bashful of her answer with how his small blush spread across his cheeks. " Hehe~ Yeah, Tiki told me that too," He replied with a small grin.

" Heh~ Well if Tiki also told you that, there's little reason to doubt it," Ninian replied, reaching out to affectionately ruffle his hair in a way that had him giggling. Despite the awkward situation they'd just gone through, for some reason, both felt rather relaxed. Sure the atmosphere was still a bit strange, but was far more pleasant than before.

And in this pleasant atmosphere, Ninian felt compelled to make an offer.

"Would you like to hear my own secret?" She asked, with him tilting his head in confusion and prompting her to elaborate. "It's just, well, it wouldn't be fair for only me to know so much about something you'd like to keep hidden. So, I can tell you something personal to…keep it even…?" She timidly ended.

"O-Oh…" Was all the silver-haired royal could initially say to her offer. "I guess, only if you really want to?" He stated, not wanting the dancer to feel forced into revealing anything, yet unable to help his curiosity

"It's fine, I trust you enough to keep this private," She honestly expressed, easing his worries while readying her mind and heart for what she was about to say. "The truth is…me and my brother are well…somewhat together."

The oracle's cheeks were tinted a bright blush, eyes flickering away from Kana as she couldn't stare at him for long while awaiting his reaction. Still, she noticed his eyes widened a bit as he realized her meaning. "Oh..."

Ninian squirmed lightly at his voice, only to notice she didn't hear any more. "T-That's it? You don't have anything else to say?" She eventually asked in disbelief, finding herself surprisingly more embarrassed by his lack of a reaction.

Now it was the dragon spawn's turn to look away. "Well, I mean, I never met your brother and don't know all that much about him so…I'm not quite sure what to think," He truthfully expressed, uncertain of how to respond to such things. "Besides, I can't really act more than surprised considering what I'm doing…"

The dancer's eyes blinked at him, unable to believe how things were playing out. "Huh~ Maybe I shouldn't have spoken about our relationships at all," She muttered louder than intended, unintentionally allowing her partner to hear.

"N-No!" He shouted to both their surprise, their wide eyes gazing at one another as the young manakete was prompted to explain himself. "I-…I'm glad you told me! It's weird, yeah, really embarrassing too, but it also made me feel kinda…closer to you?"

His words touched Ninian enough to place a hand atop her chest, her previous embarrassment fading away for a more grateful expression. The sight brought Kana some joy as he continued. "I mean, even though we're both in kinda weird relationships, they're so important to us we wouldn't trade 'em for anything, right?"

"Y-Yes!" The oracle quickly agreed, even nodding her head as she was taken by his hopeful smile. It was infectious, to the point she was smiling softly along with him, causing his own to brighten while he giggled joyfully. Ninian couldn't resist chuckling along as the two shared another profound moment of understanding.

"You know, if you want to learn more about Nils, I could tell you a little of what he was like in our relationship?" She light-heartedly offered, recalling his earlier remark about his lack of knowledge of her brother.

" Hmm~ Really?" he replied, a bit surprised and intrigued.

" MMhmm~ " She reaffirmed with a nod, gaining a playful smile when adding, "Just so long as you reveal a little of what Tiki's like as a mate, and perhaps some traits of Myrrh and Nowi as well. Though I won't deny I'm a bit more interested in how you see Tiki with how fondly she spoke of you when we discussed this."

Kana bashfully blushed at the mention of his mentor's view towards him. Still, he was more than willing to oblige his partner's request. "Sure!" He accepted, giving into the urge to continue floating down the current flow this conversation led them in after all the strange twists, turns, and drops they'd already experienced.

His excitement deepened Ninian's smile, her eyes shining as she gazed down at her companion in a new light. She felt the bonds between them strengthening, and in turn, her fondness for him grew quite a bit. More than she ever would've expected.

---

The fateful day of the concert arrived before Kana or Ninian knew it. With performances well underway to a filled-out crowd, there was a clear buzz in the air backstage. Even so, the silver-haired manakete wasn't quite ready to go out despite his turn becoming increasingly closer.

"Don't fidget, this knot needs to be extra tight, lest you risk it coming undone during your performance," Azura advised her nephew as he stood in front of her. His arms were spread out to the side while she kneeled to tighten a ribbon of his attire, one she'd been preparing for him with the aid of a certain seamstress since he first informed her of his participation in the concert weeks ago.

It was reminiscent of her and Shirgure's gowns, as per his request to pay some sort of tribute to those who introduced him to dancing along with showcasing his Valla heritage. Azura herself felt rather touched by it. Oh, if only she wasn't wearing a different outfit for the concert as well, she could've convinced Anna to use one of those picture tomes to snap a shot of them together. Oh well, she supposed she could rectify the loss in the future.

"Alright, that should do it," The songstress stated, standing back up and stepping back as she gave the royal a once-over. Even under this dim lightening, her keen eyes glanced over the details, ensuring nothing was out of place. As such, she took the opportunity to defuse some budding tension with some playful teasing. "You know, as happy and proud I am for you to take the stage, I can't help feeling a little jealous it's not with me or Shigure."

Her comments had the intended effect with how Kana's previously stiff posture relaxed due to his bashful reaction. " Huhu~ Sorry, it was sudden," He sheepishly apologized, scratching the back of his head while his dragonstone swayed against his necklace.

"Cleary," Azura replied, leaning in to ruffle his hair, eliciting a giggle as she added, "Though if you ever wish to make it up to me, Shigure and I would be delighted for you to join in a future performance. Maybe your mother could join us as well?"

The idea greatly appealed to her nephew and he eagerly nodded in response. Though before they could potentially discuss it further, a familiar voice called out to them.

"Ah, there you are," Ninian said somewhat relieved.

"Hey, Ninian. I'm ready!" Kana cheerfully greeted with a matching smile, his excitement reflecting his determination for their performance in a way that made his partner chuckle.

"Goodness, I see you aren't letting any nerves get to you," She complimented, finding some of her own pre-stage fright faded a bit as well. Still, she'd be remiss to ignore their other companion as she turned to greet her partner's aunt and her friend, "Azura, it's wonderful to see you."

"The sentiment is mutual, Ninian," The Vallite native replied, gesturing to the Elibe manakete's attire when adding, "I see we had similar ideas."

The blue-haired performers were both wearing dresses gifted from those of Nifl, their usual gowns besides their color scheme and detail reflecting the nation. Which also very nicely matched the concert's theme.

" Hehe~ It was just too good to simply pass up," Ninian replied, with Azura nodding in agreement.

"Well, in any case, your presence is delightful. I was a bit fearful you wouldn't participate after your initial reluctance," The Songstress expressed with a relieved tone that made the dancer's smile tinge with some guilt until her friend lighten-heartedly added, " Though I never would've expected my wonderful nephew to be your partner."

Kana sheepishly looked away as his aunt shot him a wink while Ninian herself gained a light, bashful blush. "Well, Tiki and Chiki instituted, and neither of us could deny them," She playfully stated while expressing her gratitude. "Still, it's thanks to them that I was able to get on my feet, and I won't misuse this opportunity they gifted me!"

Her convection softened Azura's smile along with her gaze as any lingering worries for her friend were taken care of. But before their conversation could continue, they were interrupted by the sound of applause signaling the end of the current performance.

"Ahh, that's my cue to find Leanne and make sure we're both ready." The songstress stated, indicating her departure from the pair. However, she still had some parting words for them, starting with her nephew as she leaned down at him and said, "Remember, the most important thing is to have fun, not just for yourself, but your partner as well. Do that, and I'm sure all those watching will also have fun."

" MMhmm! " Kana hummed and nodded in acknowledgment, prompting his aunt to turn to his partner.

"And Ninian, this may be a lot to ask you, but please help ensure my nephew's first performance is a memorable one. His mother's already heartbroken she can't attend, so it'll be some comfort for her to hear things went smoothly when she returns."

"I will," Ninian assured, nodding her head as well.

Satisfied with their responses, Azura bid them both a final farewell before walking off, eventually disappearing in the chaos backstage as she searched for her partner. This left the pair of manaketes to themselves to wait for their own turn to head out.

Unfortunately for Kana, despite his earlier excitement, he started to feel a rush of nerves. It was enough for him to pace over the wooden floor, the creaking planks joining the ruffling of clothes and muffled conversations. For her part, Ninian watched him, noticing his increasing tension in a way she could empathize with.

The difference was her brother could usually comfort and calm her down before they went out, though looking at Kana seemed to hold a similar effect. Perhaps it was her experience, or maybe a need to be the calmer one in this situation? Probably both. Whatever it was, it allowed her to reach out and comfort him.

"Huh?" The young prince hummed when she grasped his shoulder as gently as she smiled at him.

"Let's take a seat while we wait," She told him before leading him to a nearby crate. Her elegant motion to sit was contrasted by how he hopped his butt atop the wooden box beside her.

"It's surprising just how nervous you can suddenly get just before heading out on stage?" The oracle empathetically asked him in an attempt to ease his worries.

"Oh…yeah! Honestly feels a little like before going to battle, so excited and scared at once," The silver-haired manakete stated, freely speaking his thoughts and eventually asking a question, "Do you feel like this a lot?"

"Constantly," Ninian honestly replied, surprising Kana a bit while she elaborated. "The nerves never truly go away, you just learn to deal with it better. While it's scary to think how all your practice could be ruined by a mistake, when you're on stage in the midst of a performance, something comes over you. Nothing else matters, and it just feels… right."

The impassioned tone she spoke in her ending statements captivated Kana along with how she held her chest and closed her eyes like she was recalling those very moments. "Whoa, you're amazing, Ninian," Was all he could say.

" Hmm? " His sudden compliment caught the ice dragon off-guard, her eyes fluttering open to reveal a bashful and somewhat confused face. "What? Why say that?"

"Because it's true," The Vallite royal replied without hesitation, reaffirming his belief and even elaborating on it. "I mean, you're shy at times, but you don't let that stop you from doing what you love! It's incredible watching you dance, and the fact I'll somehow do it with you is honestly kinda unbelievable."

Ninian's eyes flickered while processing his words. The urge for a bashful reaction was lost in the face of his bright, encouraging smile, one she eventually returned. "Goodness, you're gonna make me blush," She sheepishly stated, her already lowly tinted cheeks deepening a shade by his widening smile.

"That doesn't sound bad, you look really cute with a blush," Kana grinningly expressed in a way that made his partner squirm and even giggle to the point she had to shake her head to calm down.

"I should be counting myself lucky getting to perform with you," The dancer countered, needing to shake her head to calm down while adding, "I'm going to perform in a way I never would've dreamed of before thanks to you. And the hard work you put in for this inspired me to do even greater than my best for us both," She gratefully expressed, resting both her palms atop his closer hand.

Now it was his turn to bashfully blush, his heart fluttering due to her soft smile and touch, along with how close she was. Despite their weeks of practice, their… intimate discussion earlier this week had him beginning to see his partner in a different light, one he was still getting used to.

It was made even more difficult with the absence of all four of his mates, making it more difficult to take care of these pent-up urges slowly stirring within him. As such, he looked away, hand shaking under hers.

Ninian, unaware of such thoughts, wanted to ensure he truly felt relaxed and at ease. However, she wasn't quite sure what else she could say, so she recalled earlier situations with Nils for inspiration. One tactic, though, stood out, in a way eliciting red cheeks in how he'd use his lips without speaking a word.

Hesitantly glancing at the manakete beside her, Ninian debated on if it was worth a shot. It would be a strange gesture, no doubt, but perhaps it'd aid herself as much as him considering her nerves were starting to fizzle. And well, maybe it was also a way to repay all his hard work for her these last few weeks…

As she continued to mentally debate the act, her eyes also glanced around to check if anyone was watching - which no one was - and noticing this chance, the oracle's instinct took over. Before she knew it, she reached up to cup Kana's cheek, turning him towards her as her eyes fluttered shut while she leaned in for a gentle kiss.

"Mhhm?"

Kana's muffled hum was one of subtle surprise, his blinking eyes slowly widening upon realizing what was occurring. Ninian's face was so close his nose was mere hair away from her skin, her gentle, soft palm holding his head, and the cool, plush touch of her lips ripe. He thought he was imagining it, but it became too nice for that. And just when he realized it was real, she pulled away.

The older manakete's eyes fluttered open to find Kana's dumbstruck face directed at her, making her feel both embarrassed and a bit proud. " Hehe~ Think of that as a wish for good luck?" She suggested, with Kana still unable to answer as he merely sat there stunned by what he'd just experienced while she came to terms with what she'd done.

*Clap! *Clap! *Clap!

The sound of applause snapped them both from thoughts, their backs straightening and minds clearing as their ears picked up those calling their names. Realizing it was almost their turn to perform, they instantly hopped off the crate, but before they headed off, Kana turned to Ninian and offered his hand.

The act stunned the dancer initially, eyes flickering between his outstretched palm and his face. It was clear he was a bit bashful due to what'd just occurred, even so, it seemed as if his earlier nerves were gone. So, not wanting his hopeful smile to break apart, she soon accepted his gesturing, brightening his grin as he eagerly them backstage,

"Ohh!?" The oracle yelped as they weaved past the other people and props. Despite this, her mind continued recalling the nice, brief exchange she'd had with her partner's lips, sending a cool, gentle breeze over her heart. It made her lips curl into a smile as she felt reinvigorated by their performance, determination spreading across her face as she firmly grasped Kana's hand.

She'd given Azura her word to make Kana's first performance memorable, but little did she or him no, their performance tonight wouldn't just be limited to the stage.

---

"Oh! Oh! I think I see them!"

"Huh , where!?"

"There!"

*Clap! *Clap! *Clap!

Nowi gestured past the the performers bowing performers on stage to the curtains off to the side, allowing Chiki's eyes to notice the familiar hints of blue and silver hair. The sight of which excited her at what it most likely meant.

A clapping Tiki noticed how Nowi, Chiki, and even Myrrh's faces lit up at the thought of their friends being next on stage. The Voice of Naga's smile widened in anticipation as well after they'd all just barely managed to make it back in time for the concert. Not to mention, she was rather curious to see what the duo had in store after what she'd last seen before her leave a week ago.

However, she wasn't expecting to be surprised by what her student was wearing when they finally walked out.

"Oh my goodness," Nowi couldn't help chuckling in playful disbelief. A wide, amused smile stretched across her face while Chiki and Myrrh appeared more taken in by Kana's attire. Tiki, for his part, looked on approvingly to Valla's young manakete paying homage to his family, even if it looked a little strange on him if she had to admit...

Not that it looked bad, just quite the change from his usual appearance. And glancing down at her fellow, younger spectators, two of them looked to find it quite appealing by how entranced they seemed.

" Uhh~ Looks as if you two want a private dance from him, huh?" Nowi teased her friends with a knowing grin, prompting flustered responses and blushing faces.

"N-No!" Myrrh almost squeaked, making the youthful dragon giggle while her fellow mates pouted. Though before the conversation could continue and possibly get out of hand, Tiki interrupted them.

Quiet down you three, they're about to start," She firmly ordered with a hushed tone as the audience grew quiet, drawing their gazes towards their fellow manakete brethren walking out on stage. The duo made their way to the center, their sides to the crowd while they faced each other and reached out to grasp one another.

After another moment of silence, they began.

Kana led Ninian along with simple steps at a slow, subtle pace to set the mood. But with each step, his stride increased in length and tempo, with the occasional pivot and swerve on his heel. His partner followed along, swaying her hips as she gracefully trailed behind him as if he were a stream and she was floating down it.

Regardless, compared to the other acts the crowd has seen so far, their opening was quite dull, enough to make a few onlookers worry. Luckily, the pair had far more planned as they began to shift gears.

When Kana took a step back, everyone expected Ninian to follow. However, she did the opposite, firmly pulling her partner towards her as she now led their exchange. What had previously seemed like a leaf floating downstream now shifted into an ice rink with how the blue-haired manakete seemingly slid over the floor. The vallite royal, meanwhile, now appeared like a torrent of water in how he followed her path, somewhat messily, honestly

It was a stark contrast from how elegantly the oracle had maneuvered before. Yet despite being far from polished, something was intriguing about the dragon spawn's movements. Each act was a wave crashing against a dam, straining it till it was ready to burst, emphasized by how his dragonstone shook in a way even Tiki felt.

And just as Naga's voice guessed, that dam eventually broke to reveal something surprising.

Many in the crowd, including Kana's tiny mates, went tense as he stumbled back after a surprisingly firm push from Ninian. However, their fear soon shifted into shock as the silver-haired prince leaned back towards the floor. But before he could fall atop it, a tail suddenly sprouted from his lower back to prop him up.

Kana heard the "Whoa~" and "Oooo~" from the crowd with a slightly strained face as he supported most of his weight on his tail, doing his best to hold his current pose for the audience to take in. After those moments passed, he used the leverage to push off the floor toward his blue-haired partner, who took a step back in anticipation of his next move.

Pivoting on his heel, the royal manakete swung his tail at his partner who gracefully twirled out of the way before repeating the act when with another swerve of his foot, he snapped the scaly appendage back at her. Such acts instantly changed the mood of their dance as Ninian elegantly dodged Kana's strike to the audience's awe.

She fluttered like a snowflake as she traveled around the stage, hips swaying and jutting to dodge as her partner followed her, appearing to be attacking more so than dancing. And just when their repetitions risked seeming stale, they switched things up as instead of simply dodging Kana's tail, Ninian extended her arm right beside it, allowing its end to hook and draw her in.

The ice-dragon spun towards her water brethren as his scaly appendage wrapped around her waist, closing the distance between them and stopping before she crashed into him. The more experienced dancers in the audience could tell it'd been a bit closer than either of the two had prepared, but they didn't let it slow them down as Kana extended his arm to the side as his dragonstone began to glow.

The dragon spawn ignored the sensation of her chest brushing against his face, instead focusing on calling the power within him that resulted in his outstretched hand transforming into a large, claw-like appendage. He ignored some of the shocked gasps from the crowd as he pointed the draconic limb's palm upwards, using his regular hand to grip his arm as water began to form within his palm.

His concentration in keeping the energy stabilized gave Ninian the chance to reach around and grasp his dragon hand, allowing her to add some of her power into the attack, making the dark blue glow lighten in its shade. And after that was done, he shot an orb of water into the air with enough force for some in the crowd to feel it. Regardless, they all watched as it hurled towards the ceiling, only for it to burst apart just before reaching it.

"Oooo~"

The audience was stunned as a cascade of snow descended onto the stage, instead of a shower of water like some expected. The snowflakes glimmered from the stage lights, sparkling beautifully to those watching, almost captivating enough for them to miss the manakete duo's next acts.

Carefully, Kana whipped his tail outwards for Ninian to twirl out of, spinning around behind him as he arched forward, throwing her arms to the side in tandem with his wings suddenly sprouting. Their almost violent appearance made some onlookers jump in their seats, with draconic appendages spreading out in an almost breathtaking sight with how the duo posed underneath the snowfall.

Snowfall the two were keen to make further use of as the young prince began flapping his silver wings, producing winds that swayed the snow around. They fluttered around in his breeze, the snowflakes almost seeming to dance, with the oracle herself soon joining.

She seemingly slid across the stage as her icy gown beautifully blended with the falling snow. Her hair and veil swayed with her bouncing hips as for the first time since they began, Ninian had the opportunity to go all out. She didn't need to worry about leading Kana along or following his pace, only needing to take advantage of the setting he provided.

And she intended to do so as best she could to an awe-struck crowd.

What'd started as a rather dull performance quickly transformed into one of the most memorable of the night. And the manakete pair was ready to end it.

With a final, powerful gust from his wings, Kana turned the snowfall into a chaotic blizzard, fuzzing the view for the audience. Behind this white curtain, he curled inwards, his wings and tails coiling around him as a bright glow began shining out. But it wasn't the only glow illuminating, with Tiki herself raising a brow towards the oracle.

A fountain of water encased the young prince before he burst out in the form of a silver-scaled dragon with Ninian herself standing in front of it. His new appearance naturally shocked many of the now silent crowd as the creature's long neck stretched over his partner, who raised her palms towards it.

The reason was soon clear as a blue aura illuminated his mouth, water starting to spill out before he dropped his jaw and began spewing it above the crowd. Except before it could soak the crowd, Ninian transformed it into snow by pouring her power through her open mouth, freezing the water.

And if one squinted, they could make out a green tail and its fin end poking out underneath her dress' back edge.

However, most of the crowd was left too stunned in amazement to notice as they stared up at the falling snowflakes up close with wide eyes and open mouths. They were so entranced that their attention only returned to the stage when a bright, aqua light shined bright enough to briefly blind them.

When they finally managed to look back on stage, they were met with the sight of Ninian kneeling in front of a still-standing Kana, his wings spread while both their trails met and lightly wrapped around their ends for a light embrace.

Their pose indicated an end to their performance, but it took the audience a few seconds to realize that with how captivated they'd been. However, when their reaction finally came, it was in the form of roasting applause and cheers.

Such deafening yet joyish noise brought smiles to the manakete's faces, their faces flushed and bodies rather heated after such an intense performance. Luckily, the cool air around them helped, and their deep breathing started to even out as they experienced the result of their practice.

Even in the dim light, they could see most of the audience's faces with their keen eyes. The smiles and waves of friends, family, and lovers brought a sort of triumph that couldn't begin to describe. Yet what made the pair smile brightest was when they glanced at each other, looking into their eyes as they wordlessly shared a sense of joy and relief so great they wanted to embrace one another.

But while on stage, they kept composed enough to just break out into grins and giggles, holding hands as Kana helped Ninian back on her feet before they offered the crowd one final bow and walked off stage.

Though once they made it behind the curtains, the oracle instantly fell onto her knees and threw her arms around her partner for a grateful embrace, one which he earnestly returned.

---

The concert held a little over a dozen performances before coming to an end, with all its participants coming together on stage for one final bow for a standing ovation. The positive reaction instilled confidence in the performers for future season-themed concerts. But for now, most were content to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and for many, that meant mingling with the crowd for their opinions, especially those they held dear such as family, friends, and lovers.

And in Kana's case, his mates.

"Kana!"

Out in one of the hallways surrounding the theater, the vallite manakete and his elibe partner reacted to the call of the former's name. His eyes widened at the flash of green and red that all but leaped at him, with him barely managing to catch it in his arms, stumbling back as the form of a girl clung onto his tightly.

"That was amazing!" Chiki exclaimed, her bright, astonished face leaving him a tad stunned.

"Ch-Chiki…" He spoke her name in apparent disbelief, caught off-guard by her presence despite seeing her in the crowd earlier. As such, he failed to notice the other approaching manaketes until they announced themselves.

"What she said," Nowi honestly and cheerfully commented with a matching smile, walking towards the silver-haired royal before glancing at the purple-haired manakete beside her and adding, "Ain't that right, Myrrh?"

"O-Oh, yes!" The great dragon quickly agreed, taking a moment to offer her mate a more friendly and heartfelt smile while complimenting, "It was very beautiful, Kana."

The trios' words and appearance had the vallite royal's eyes briefly blinking while he processed a sort of unreal joy in his heart. Eventually, though, it settled in for him, allowing his lips to curl into a soft, grateful smile to his mates. "Thanks, guys, I appreciate it," He expressed a tad bashfully due to their praise and tinting his cheeks.

However, before the group of young manaketes could continue their conversation, a new voice cut in. "Now, don't you three have someone else to compliment as well?" They asked, prompting the group to turn towards a smiling Tiki who gestured at the blue-haired performing they'd all spectated earlier and was quietly standing to the side.

"Oh, yeah, sorry Ninian," Nowi quickly stated, being the first to rectify her mistake and offering her friend an apologetic look quickly mirrored by Chiki and Myrrh, with the youthful dragon adding, "You were amazing as always! Also, that part where you turned Kana's attack into snow was so awesome and pretty!"

"Mhhm~" The great dragon and scion both hummed and nodded in agreement, with the former speaking further. "It was really surprising."

"I'd say so!" Chiki declared, looking at her mate and oracle with a faint pout when saying, "You two never told me you were going to do something like that despite seeing you practice for weeks!"

Her pout came out in full force towards Kana, with the dragon spawn leaning slightly away with a nervous smile, glancing at his dance partner for assistance, to which she luckily intervened.

" Hehe~ Well, we wanted to surprise you, Chiki," Ninian stated after a small chuckle, reaching out to softly ruffle the girl's hair in a manner that lessened her pout, only for the ice-dragon risking it returning when timidly adding, "Though we did require a bit of help…"

The Voice of Naga noticed the oracle's glancing eyes, prompting her to speak. "Please, I merely offered you two a few tips before I took my leave. The effort and drive to make it work came from you two alone." She insisted, revealing her involvement in their act's special feature before adding, "Still, I wasn't expecting you both to go so far in the end."

Her reference to her pupil's transformation was emphasized in how she turned to him. Her eyes expressed a critical glint that had him shrinking away, worried she'd scold him for such a potentially reckless move. However, the soft, gentle pressure atop his head had him looking back to find his mentor squatting down, bringing her face to his level while softly saying, "You practice hard, didn't you Kana? You did well."

Her proud tone and smile stunned Kana, his cheeks tinting red and his jaw slightly dropping as he struggled to respond. If it weren't for him ruffling his head, it might've taken him longer to do so as he eventually replied with a relieved and bashful tone. "I had a good teacher."

Tiki chuckled at his words. Her smile deepened in fondness towards her student. But before she could offer him any more words, she was interrupted by Nowi.

"We should go celebrate at the mess hall!" The light-green-haired dragon cheerfully suggested.

"Oh! That sounds fun!" Chiki excitedly agreed, the thought of food making her mouth water a bit considering she hadn't eaten much today in their rush to make it in time for the concert.

"I could go for some food as well," Kana joined in with a toothy grin, rubbing his stomach as the idea of a hearty meal shared with those dear to him seemed like a great way to end the night.

The trio's excitement soon spread to the other three, who each saw little reason to go against the idea. "Very well, let us be off," Tiki stated, ushering the group to the castle's late-night mess hall to celebrate.

---

Unsurprisingly, Nowi's idea was hardly unique, with several other groups of performers and their friends coming to the mess hall. Safe to say, their combined presence made the environment more than lively, eventually resulting in some pushing away some tables to make room for an impromptu dance floor.

"O-Oh!"

Myrrh softly gasped as Kana joyfully led her around as they and some other pairs danced to the beat of a cheery song sung by Azura and some others as a backdrop. Many in the room cheered and laughed, spirits high in what'd become a full-blown afterparty. And at one of those tables,

Tiki and Ninian sat by the sidelines, already having their fun on the dancefloor and content to merely watch for now.

Their smiles widened seeing Myrrh begin to ease into Kana's motions, getting a proper waltz with the young royal. They also chuckled at how enthusiastically Nowi led Chiki along, her messy, excited movements pairing well with the dragon scion's skills in hiding her flaws and allowing her to just have fun.

Yes, that was what this afterparty was all about. After weeks of intense preparation, there was no greater relief than simply having fun without worry. Still, the Voice of Naga wondered if that held true for her blue-haired friend, for while she gazed fondly at their fellow manakete, her eyes appeared to stare somewhat longingly towards the silver-haired one she'd partnered with.

"Did something happen between you and Kana?" Tiki bluntly asked, speaking frankly without fear of being overheard due to their separation from those around them, with the noise also helping to mask Ninian's response.

"W-What!?" She initially replied, confused about the divine dragon's meaning, with her stoic gaze eventually causing her flustered mind to come up with an outlandish idea. "N-No! We haven't done anything like that! " She embarrassedly with a bright blush at the mere thought that Tiki may have assumed such a thing.

However, the green-haired manakete remained stoic in tone and gaze. "Not what I was implying," She clarified, further embarrassing her friend in making her realize she'd jumped the gun. With Tiki teasingly adding onto that. "Though perhaps such a notion isn't too far off considering your reaction. So spill, what happened while I was away?"

The Oracle could tell by her friend's voice and face she wasn't going to allow her to downplay or ignore her question. " Huh~ " She sighed, left with little option but to reveal the truth, taking a moment to gather her thoughts and where to begin. "Well, I suppose we became… open to one another."

" Hmm~ I see," The Divine Dragon replied, instantly understanding the squirming dancer's meaning, sounding unsurprised though somewhat intrigued and asking, "There's more to it, isn't there?"

Ninian's gaze dropped as she paused with her companion silently awaiting her response. "I kissed him before we went out on stage," She confessed, making Tiki's eyes widen ever so slightly.

"That's…somewhat unexpected," The Voice of Naga eventually replied, a tad surprised yet still composed as she allowed her friend time to elaborate.

"He was getting nervous right before the sure, so thinking of ways to calm him down, I thought back to what my brother did for me. And well, next thing I knew my lips were touching his," She quickly stated while fidgeting, almost starting to babble, "I really don't know what's coming over me. He's not Nils, but…being with him, our performance, it just…it felt so familiar except so different at the same time."

Her forlorn tone with her ending statements had Tiki sympathetically gazing towards her. Reaching out, she comfortingly placed a hand atop Ninian's own when asking. "Did that feeling feel mostly nice?"

"...Yes," The Oracle eventually replied with bashful honesty.

"That's what's most important," The green-haired manakete stated, reassuringly squeezing her friend's hand before adding, "Kana may not be your brother, but there's little doubt he cares for you quite a bit, especially with how you two have grown closer these last few weeks. So instead of thinking about what you lack, focus on what you currently possess."

Her words carried a deep, almost vulnerable tone Ninian could tell came from personal experience. Such empathy managed to reach her heart, helping to calm the worries stirring it. It allowed her to smile, and while it was a small one, it was still genuine as she looked at her friend and gratefully said, "Yes, that's probably the best way to look at it."

Her low yet firm voice was a relief to Tiki, making her believe the dancer had taken a vital step forward in addressing her troubles. So, wanting to help her make further progress, she suggested, "You know, I think Kana would be delighted to have another dancer with you~"

The divine dragon gestured to said manakete who had joined up with all three of his mates for a group dance, holding hands and swinging and spinning around each other around other similar groups to the cheers of spectators. The small, knowing grin Tiki shot Ninian almost made the latter pout at her suggestion. Still, the ice dragon couldn't claim the idea as being unpleasant.

However, she also thought it could've been better, so long as it was done somewhere else.

"Focus on what you currently possess."

Tiki's advice rang in Ninian's head, and with it came a realization. She had a chance, an opportunity. So, deciding to seize this opportunity, she leaned in to whisper them to her companion, whose grin widened as she agreed to aid her.

---

Kana was mildly confused as Ninian led him through the halls, the silence between them being neither unpleasant nor comforting.

He was initially surprised by her request to join in a private discussion, regardless, the vallite royal saw no reason to deny. Still, was there a reason to do so far away from the others? There were a few balconies they'd already passed that could've provided enough privacy, he assumed.

Not to mention, he'd found it somewhat odd how she'd approached him just when he separated from Chiki, Myrrh, and Nowi as Tiki had swooped in to grab the trio's attention.

"We're here," The Oracle declared before his thoughts could delve deeper, his eyes glancing around.

"Huh, is this…?"

" Hehe~ Sorry, but could we talk inside?" She interrupted him with a shy, apologetic smile, holding the door to her room open and gesturing for him to enter. Which he did after a moment.

"So what's this about?" The silver-haired royal curiously questioned after making his way inside, taking in the room's appearance with only the moonlight shining in to illuminate it.

Ninian's smile turned somewhat timid as she carefully closed the door behind her, her tone reflecting her face as she said, "Well, truthfully, it's less of a discussion and more so…a dance…"

Her admission confused Kana. "A dance?" He repeated with a tilted head, prompting her to clarify.

"Yes," She reaffirmed, becoming a bit bashful in how she brought her arms to her chests, squirming in place and looking away when explaining, "It's…a bit embarrassing, so I don't want to perform it in front of others. Still, I want to share it with you, because it's special."

The convection that slipped into her final remark took the prince aback, his flickering in disbelief until he managed to recompose himself just in time for the squirming dancer to motion him towards her bed to take a seat. A sense of excitement quickly started filling him as he watched Ninian make her way to the room's center in front of him.

A special, private dance from her was no doubt a rare opportunity, and he'd be foolish not to experience it. Especially when the mere sight of her illuminated under the moonlight had her appearing so beautifully, he could only wonder how that'd change once she began to move.

Taking a peak, the dancer saw Kana patiently waiting for her to start, with his lightly swinging legs and knee-patting hands establishing his eager anticipation. For a moment, doubt washed over her, making her hesitate and threatening to undo her plans as she once again came to terms with what she was about to do.

There was no denying how outlandish this was. Regardless, part of Ninian's heart compelled her to continue, overpowering the part of her brain urging her to stop. She wouldn't allow any worries to slow her down, instead listening to her feelings and desires, just as she did during her dances.

So, after another moment of preparation, she began.

Closing her eyes, she raised her hands over her head before swinging and twisting her hips. The bold motion caught Kana's full attention as he noticed her hair and accessories bounce, though he was more focused on the noticeable jiggle of her chest as she'd managed to captivate him without taking a single step.

Eventually, she started making her way towards him, planting one foot forward and leaning in with her swaying hips before mirroring the act with her other foot. Such movements showcased her prominent curves, spotlighting her beauty in a dance he never would've expected to see her perform, especially from him. It left his eyes wide and breath bated, his hands clenching his knees as he watched each movement intently.

He almost gasped when she suddenly twirled on a single foot to turn her back to him, repeating the same movements as before only now at a different angle. Naturally, his gaze drifted downwards towards her rear as he realized just how snuggly her dress fit her.

Though as he watched her swing her hips and roll her rear, he noticed a strange bounce of her hair, as if it'd snapped away. Flickering his eyes up, he was stunned to see her looking at him over her shoulder with a single, lidded eye in an almost seductive manner. Almost instantly, he fell into a deeper trance, unable to notice her coming closer, nor did he catch her eyes timidly glancing at his lap. Regardless, he most certainly didn't miss her sitting down atop him.

"Ohh!"

"Huhh!?'

The silver-haired manakete gasped as his blue-haired counterpart plopped her plush rear right against his tenting erection, with the dancer having to suppress a squeak at how his firm, hard appendage prodded her butt. His current attire had done little to hide its apparent large size, yet making contact with it was something else. It made Ninian's thighs instantly squirm and planted her hands on the bed to Kana's side to support herself.

The vallitie royal, meanwhile, quickly succumbed to his instincts as his hands moved to grasp her round hips, making the dancer bite her lower lip to stiffen her moans and gasps, shuddering as his eager hands roamed over her curves.

It'd become abundantly clear a line had been crossed, one leading the pair to a very specific destination. Regardless, for now, the two did not hold back, with Ninian rolling her ass atop Kana as the young prince greedily squeezed her flesh, already understanding the situation and his teacher's part in setting it up. As such, he didn't hesitate to indulge in it, and in turn, allowed something primal to slip out.

"Ahh!" The Oracle yelped as the prince reached around her waist to grope her tits, pressing their bodies together. His shaft was wedged into the fabric between her soft lower cheeks while he buried his face in her light-icy blue hair. His fingers eagerly dug into her chest as he bucked his hips, unable to resist the temptation after weeks of holding back.

Ninian's face was set aflame with her blush as her plans for a seductive lap dance to rile him up had completely fallen apart. At this point, she was practically grinding her butt against Kana's crotch with far less rhythm and grace than she would've liked. Yet she couldn't care less at the moment with how hungrily he yearned for his body, setting it aflame with his touch alone to the point her core was practically melting.

Little did she know, Kana's patience had also all but melted away.

"Ohh!"

*Pomf!

The dancer gasped upon suddenly being thrown onto the bed with surprising strength, wide eyes flickering in disbelief at the occurrence. Those eyes mirrored her partner as he loomed over her, hands on either side of her head and tail draped over her waist as he realized what he'd just done.

For a moment, the two looked at the other in silence, their lust briefly settling down for a moment of clarity to settle in their minds. And for Kana, that clarity soon gave way to shock.

"I-I…" He shuttered, snapping Ninian from her trance as she noticed the subtle shake in his voice reflected in his body. "I didn't…I didn't mean to…"

'Oh…' Ninian quickly realized he was being troubled by the fear of potentially going too far by throwing her onto the bed with such force. Fortunately, she was willing to assure him it was alright, albeit doing so somewhat bashfully.

"It's…ok…" She shyly stated with a voice so low valla's manakete almost missed it. Though he most certainly didn't miss her next words. "You…can be rough if you want…I don't mind…" She embarrassedly admitted with a bright blush, turning away her head and gaze, unable to see his shocked face, especially with what she did next.

Noticing her shifting arm, Kana's eyes were prompted further down her body as he was met with the sight of her gently lifting the front edge of her dress, exposing luscious, white-stocking-clad thighs and panty-covered loins, with one of the strings keeping it in place appearing loose.

The silver-haired manakete was left stunned by the sight, her cheeks now brightly lit by his blush. Still, he managed to pry his eyes back at Ninian, who was sheepishly looking away until she noticed his gaze. And in turn, she gave him a lidded look, an expecting one.

Kana gulped, instantly understanding her meaning. His body shivered at the sheer anticipation of such an act that made his cock throb underneath his gown. So with a nod, he expressed his desire to accept her offer. Not as if he needed much convincing at this point.

Making his way to her legs, the young manakete carefully pried them apart, briefly enjoying touching her soft, thick thighs before kneeling in between them in front of her covered loins. With slightly shaking hands, he reached down to grasp the strings of her panties to pull them down, only to stop just upon recalling her earlier words, or permission for him to be rough. It made him wonder how she'd react if he did that, so curiously, he tested it out.

*Snap!

"Ohh!"

A sudden tug of her panties had Ninian gasping as she felt it snap apart. Her eyes widened not with pain, but surprise and confusion at just how unexpected that act had been. Still, she couldn't deny it left her loins quivering in response.

Tossing aside the now useless fabric, Kana's eyes set squarely on the treasure they'd been protecting. A small patch of bluish snow rested right over her loins, with those ripe lips dripping in juices so enticing it had the manakete licking his lips. Especially when he took in its cool, vanilla scent.

The urge to simply lean in and indulge in her taste was tempting. Except after a week without a proper release, he was sorely in need of one. So not taking his gaze off her loins, he began undoing the ribbons of his gown, somehow managing easier than he would've thought as the fabric eventually slackened around him.

He hopefully hadn't torn or ripped it, Aunt Azura would give him an earful. Actually, who'd she gotten to make the gown? It had to have been either Forest or Oboro, and the thought of either learning of him damaging their creation in less than a single night made valla's royal shudder.

In any case, that was a potential problem for later. For now, his attention was solely focused on performing this special duet with the beautiful dancer in front of him. With that in mind, he unwrapped and pulled around the front of his outfit, exposing his tenting small clothes just as Ninian glanced at him, her lidded, curious, and envious eyes widening.

Her eyes threatened to pop from her head in disbelief as he unceremoniously tugged down his trousers, allowing for his aching, throbbing dragon to be released. Its size and shape were musked under the shadows, yet even then it appeared far too imposing to the oracle.

Was the dim lighting tricking her eyes? She wished to believe so, for the thought of Kana's possessing just an intimation member seemed a bit too outlandish. Then again, recalling what she'd managed to glimpse at the harvest festival, it would make sense why the three girls seemed to have plenty to share around. So perhaps it was her mind trying to trick herself?

Especially since her brother had been similar in size.

Regardless, the silver-haired manakete didn't notice or care about her anxious reaction, instead grasping his cock and lining it up to her entrance. With a small nudge, his tip rubbed against her folds, making the pair hiss and gasp respectively. After another moment of preparation, Kana pushed forward, allowing his engorged nub to pop right into Ninian's icy cavern.

"Hiii!" The blue-haired dancer sharply inhaled, throwing her head back with clenched eyes. She faintly heard Kana's muffled grunt, with the two taken aback by how tightly her walls clung to his shaft, so similar to their favorite, most frequent visitor that'd been long absent.

Ninian's fingers dug into the sheets as the dragon's spawn pushed further into her passage at a slow steady pace. Each inch he added, made her knees bend closer to the ceiling while her toes curled against the bed.

It was…intense, in a sort of blissful sense. Her shoulders rubbed against the fabric while her back arched slightly off the mattress in response as she felt the urge to let out a deep, long moan. That last urge was quickly forgotten when he finally hilted inside of her, drawing a sharp, "Oh!" and a spasm of her limbs.

Her eyes flickered open towards him to expose a somewhat glazed look as to her, everything seemingly felt somewhat numb. That was until she was left tensing up with clenched eyes as Kana pulled his hips back before slamming back in, knocking the air from her lungs and shaking her entire body.

"Hya!" Ninian cried as she was filled back to the brim with a single thrust, her reaction far more intense than his as the young royal shuddered through gritted teeth and strained eyes. He held one of the dancer's hips while his other hand dug into the sheets beside her for support as he slammed in and out of her twat.

Kana increased the force in his thrusting hips, each slap rang out alongside her voice. Her legs twitched and bounced by his sides as her feet started to lift off the bed. Such rough motions naturally had her voice rising and starting to creak the bed as he watched on with an entranced gaze.

The dancer's flesh jiggled in a manner different in comparison to Tiki's, for while the divine dragon's body was firm and sturdy, able to take the dragon spawn's pounding and meet him blow-for-blow, the ice dragon was different. No, her body was far more akin to dough, cushioning against his thrusts before returning to its original shape or rippling

The way Ninian's flesh jiggled was so different from what he'd seen compared to Tiki, for while the divine dragon's flesh was firm and sturdy, able to take his pounding and even meet him blow for blow, the ice dragon was seemingly far more akin to dough as it cushioned from the blow before going back to its original shape, similar to how her breasts bounced under her dress or her stomach rippled from his rough impacts.

He normally wouldn't have acted so forcefully, but an inner urge had him continuing without hesitation, with the sounds the oracle made spurring him on. Her moans, gasps, and pants, he couldn't hear a hint of displeasure within them, and even then, he trusted that she'd voice any discomfort she would.

But for now, he wanted to see how high he could make her voice go.

*Slap

"Hya!"

Ninian's cry came in response to Kana's hefty balls sharply striking her ass, her thighs squeezing his hips while her feet bounced in the air past him. Her toes curled as she struggled to keep her legs open for him, fighting the desire to simply wrap them around his waist in an instinctual need to keep him and his thick cock embedded within her.

Gods, how long had it been since she felt like this? To experience such an exotic heat that left her lightheaded and numb in the best manner possible? To satisfy those primal cravings that were also building up deep within her no matter how much she tried to suppress them, a task initially made far more difficult since arriving in Askr due to the loss of her usual lover.

As shameful as it was to admit, Ninian had taken on several heroes as partners, though none of these relationships had borne fruit to something long-lasting, at best remaining as one-night stands or the occasional mutual meetup.

Kana, however, was different, for unlike anyone else she'd taken before. Perhaps it was because she hoped for this result since leading him to her room instead of it being a simple case of high emotions and indulgence of lust and need for a release.

No, with him, she'd already formed a deeper bond, a close bond, one that while nowhere near the same scale as with her brother, still managed to warm her heart. He elicited feelings she so dearly missed, and helped to sprout new ones as those old, familiar sparks and delights she'd shared with Nils returning with a new flare.

Little did she realize, he was about to share quite a bit more passionate intensity.

"Huh?"

A confused hum slipped out from the dancer when she felt something underneath her legs, prompting her to lift her head. Her hazy vision had her eyes flickering till it cleared up enough to see Kana's arms hooking her thighs and her hands grasping her knees, and just before the realization hit her, he acted.

"Ahh!" Ninian shouted as he leaned forward, shifting the angle of his thrusts, allowing gravity to aid him in reaching greater depths and sending her head snapping back to the bed. A mixture of delight and pure overstimulation overwhelmed her as her entire body shook from the force. Perhaps even the entire bed had shaken?

Whatever it was, it left her reeling as the silver-haired manakete now loomed over her, keeping himself suspended with her thighs and pushing her legs far enough back for her toes to point at her face. His toes, meanwhile, curled against the mattress as he rammed down against her, drawing yelps and shouts at this sudden shift in intensity.

The Oracle was unable to handle it, especially when she thought he'd been going decently hard before.

*Slam

"Ha!"

*Slam!

"Ah!"

*SLAM!

"Hya!"

In mere seconds Kana's hips morphed into a blur as he now plowed the dancer without restraint. His fingers clenched her silky white and delicate skin hard enough to leave marks. Yet if she found any discomfort in his grip, she didn't - or couldn't - voice it as she continued shouting out her delight while her body shook underneath him.

It had to have only been minutes since they'd first started, no less than a dozen. Even so, the two already felt the knot within that'd been tightening during their session on the verge of coming undone. And after days of subconsciously, desiring the other, neither were willing to delay such an appealing climax.

Though before that, Kana still had one last act he wanted to accomplish.

Looking over the oracle, Kana's hazy gaze wasn't directed at her bountiful bust jiggling enticingly underneath her gown - not that it wasn't tempting - but instead her flushed face. Her wincing, clenched shut eyes while her mouth was agape in a steady stream of pants, moans, and shouts. In fact, the latter was his focus, especially her ripe lips.

So indulging his desire, the young prince pushed down, further bending her surprisingly limber legs and increasing the depths his cock plunged. Such increased intensity had Ninian's shaking body squirming, only to go tense when he suddenly slammed his lips against hers.

"MHHMM!?"

The blue-haired manakete was wide-eyed as Kana's passionate liplock contained enough hunger to make it difficult to tell whether it was fueled more by lust than love. Regardless, it overwhelmed her and combined with the intense sensations of his thrusts, it helped to finally set her off the next time he buried his shaft within her passage.

"MHHGGHH!" Ninian's cry was deafened by her partner's lips, her walls clamping down around him and drawing a muffled grunt from the vallite royal. And while the raw strength of her embrace wasn't quite the same level as his other mates, there was something distinct about it. It was like her loins weren't just pleading for his seed, but needed it. And in the face of such a tempting demand, Kana could do nothing except erupt a torrent inside her.

"Mhhmm~"

The ice dragon's red eyes blissfully rolled back as hot, thick cum flooded her icy cavern, instantly filling it up and drenching her melting core, somehow cooling it down and granting her the relief she so desperately needed. Her body trembled as he continued unloading within her overflowing pussy, their mixed juices seeping out between the gaps of their sexes and trickling down her ass.

However, her mind was too far gone to even notice that, as if she were an iceberg aimlessly drifting away in a vast white sea. She didn't initially feel the shifting weight around her, instead shuddering at the loss of something thick and firm, only to then register a sudden pressure atop her.

Her eyes flickered, clearing up her vision bit by bit until she could make out a blurry mess of silver and white as the dim lighting made it difficult to note any other features. At the very least, she could tell they were straddling her waist and was eventually able to focus in on their gray eyes, expressing an almost primal lust he was barely holding back.

It was then that she finally noticed the firm hold on her tits.

Despite her mind starting to recognize the situation, she was still too lost in a daze to truly understand it. Or at least she would've been, had there not been an imposing shadow looming over her and capturing her full attention.

"Huh?" Was all the oracle could say upon realizing her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, for what she'd initially assumed to be some strange, blurry shadow was in actuality Kana's cock. No matter how many times she blinked, the sight did not change, his shaft was long, hard, and intimidating as its juices coated and dripped from it.

Whatever daze previously lulled her mind instantly faded, replaced with pure shock as she struggled to process the dragon in front of her. It was bigger than she initially assumed, so much so that she worried about her ability to deal with it despite having already taken it in.

Though just when the dancer was left with a case of stage fright, the potent, musky scent of his shaft mixed with her juices seeped into her nostril and left her lightheaded. A faint fog returned to her mind as one single, simple thought managed to remain clear.

Kana and his cock had made her feel good, very good. So good in fact, she was more than willing to indulge her partner's desire so long as she could experience that euphoria. So in an act of utter submission, she gently raised her hands over her head and arched her chest against his palms. Those motions and her lidded eyes silently permitted him to do as he wished.

Honestly, such an act would've had her blushing profoundly, yet her tinted cheeks came more so from a blushed face than any embarrassment. Still, no matter what she felt, she would've had the same reaction to the royal's response.

*Rip!

"Eh?"

Ninian blinked as in a single moment, she felt the fabric keeping her breasts in place suddenly loosen. Her bountiful bosom was left exposed for all to see as she could only look with a dumbfounded expression at how quickly it'd occurred. Though her face soon shifted when Kana got to work squeezing her tits.

"Ha!" She sharply gasped as his fingers dug into her sensitive flesh with greater strength than one would think from such small hands. Instead of simply groping her chest like she expected, he instead pulled them apart to insert his dick in between.

"Mhhmm~" The manakete softly growled when pushing her breasts back together, enveloping his loins in a soft, cool embrace. It was like sinking into a sea of pillows as her tits molded around his hands and cock, far less firm than Tiki's chest which could feel like he was being squeezed in a tight hug. Both were pleasurable, yet very distinct.

As such, the young manakete tipped his head back, simply enjoying the sensation as he rolled and groped the dancer's breasts against his loins. It causes Ninian to squirm underneath, biting down on her lower lip while enduring the many sparks shooting throughout her body from having his hard, hot loins pressed against her flesh.

And those shocks only intensified when he started moving his hips.

*Thump!

"Ahh!"

The impact of Kana's hips shook Ninian's chest, making them jiggle against his palms. The hot, almost scalding heat of his member sliding against her bosom's cool skin created a unique contrast in temperature for them each. As the prince's warmth spread throughout Ninian, making her feel increasingly hot and passionate. Her chill, meanwhile, managed to to calm him down somewhat, helping him to concentrate on his lust.

For the next few minutes, the silver-haired manakete continued thrusting in and out of his icy-blue-haired partner's chest. The coating of mixed juices from their shared orgasm acted as a lubricant, making it slide easier against her silky smooth flesh as he kneaded her shaking tits with increasing curiosity. He pushed, pulled, and rolled them against his cock, seeing how the differing pressure and motions affected his pleasure.

He growled hungrily at how amazing each attempt felt, feeding an urge to repeat them all and do more.

"Hiii!"

Kana's increased ferocity had Ninian hiss through panting breaths. Her hazy eyes winced, not that she minded. Whatever tinges of discomfort she felt were greatly outweighed by the delightful sparks coursing through her. Even his own, lustful gaze was affecting her with his intently he focused on her breasts, making her feel a strange sense of pride and bashfulness by how greatly her body seemingly captivated him.

Altogether, it had the oracle's already leaking loins dripping uncontrollably to the point she rubbed her thighs together to quell the itch. She shivered as his palms rubbed against her stiff icicle-like nipples, watching the prince's cockhead repeatedly poke out from her chest and at her face.

Gods, it looked so engorged, so large and intimidating all on its own. The small trickle of precum licking from its slit appears so enticing with its potent, musky scent mixed with her own juices tempting her to lean in and sample it.

Something she eventually did by sticking her tongue out.

"Agh!" Kana gasped at the slick sensation brushing over his loins, his eyes flickering at her darting tongue as it clumsily yet eagerly attempted to lick at his engorged head whenever it poked out. Sometimes she managed to run up it to tickle his sensitive flesh and leave him shuddering, other times she could only flick it, making in wince as a sharp, though hardly painful, sensation shot through him.

Already her breasts had felt amazing, but watching her flushed face attempting to lick his cockhead added another layer of pleasure for Kana to enjoy. This wasn't anything like his teacher's mischievous acts where she would appear to give up control only to have him squirming with ease. No, Ninian had completely given herself over to him in a manner that had something within him swell and surge as before he knew it, instinct took over.

"Eh!?"

Ninian's confused hum came from her squirming arms now being held in place. Her eyes flickered in the realization that her vallite partner was now leaning over her, having released her breasts to pin her wrist. Yet despite his continued thrusting, her tits weren't flopping about, causing her to look down to see his tail applying its own pressure to keep her chest's soft, cool embrace around his dick.

Raising his hips slightly, Kana's hips were given more freedom as instead of simply bucking them against her tits, he could let loose and passionately fuck them. The slaps of skin that rang out came faster than the oracle could process, though soon enough, her gasps and shouts started echoing along with them as she was left to endure his intense assault.

Her arms squirmed, unable to fight against his superior strength - not that she would've. Also, his tail squeezed her tits quite a bit harder than his hands, with their rough texture rubbing against her sensitive skin. Even so, the pleasure of it all was more than enough to distract her, her thighs rubbing together with the increasing need to scratch that desperate itch within her core.

The dancer glanced between the cock thrusting within her bosom and the face looming over her. Her eyes pleaded with him to quell the heat in her loins, to cool it down and satisfy her needs if only for a bit. Luckily, the silver-haired manakete was more than willing to provide it with a flood of his seed.

"RWWAARR!" The water dragon roared, burying his member deep within her tits with one final thrust, his tip poking out and pointed straight at the ice dragon's face before it erupted like a geyser.

The first wave took Ninian off-guard, her initial shock face flinching from the heavy splotch now sticking to her forehead. His next shot plastered her cheek and had her shuddering from the force behind it. However, she'd managed to face the third wave head-on, and her jaw dropped to catch as much of the torrent of his seed as she could.

Needless to say, she didn't quite manage to get all of it or perhaps even half. For by the end, the blue-haired dancer's face was heavily masked in Kana's cum. The vallite royal was left panting atop her, eyes somewhat glazed as he recovered from a rather intense orgasm.

*Glup~

"Haaaa~"

Ninian took a deep breath after swallowing the load that'd bloated her cheeks, with the salty snack's flavor lingering. It wasn't the most tasteful seed she'd ever taken, though it was far from unpleasant. Truthfully, she found it enjoyable enough that she was willing to drink up the white mask on her face before it could go to waste.

Unfortunately, her tongue could only lick around her mouth, leaving the cum over her eyes untouched with Kana still pinning down her hands, with his grip seeming a tad tense. Even so, she eventually managed to crack a single eye open, just barely peering past the white texture to the dimly lit face above her.

She expected to see a flushed, painting face with hazy eyes that dulled slightly in their potent lust after calming down. However, what she saw instead were those silver eyes staring down at her intensely as their desire for her didn't appear to have lessened, instead perhaps having grown!

That realization, along with the noticeable throbbing within her bosom reminded Ninian just who she was mating with. Despite his small appearance, this was a manakete who'd been able to take on several other dragons at once and somehow manage to satisfy them all. In fact, he seemingly was capable enough that even a grown, experienced mate like Tiki was fond of laying with him.

And here Ninian was, attempting to do it all by herself.

She almost whimpered as a small bout of fear washed over her. Instead, she merely gulped in anticipation for what was to come as her loins trembled with excitement while the fainted trickle of milk leaked from her nipple.

---

"Man, this blows…" Now grumbled while walking through the halls alongside her fellow manaketes, leaving the celebration in the mess hall, not in high spirit, but a slumped one if her posture was anything to go by. "Was really hoping to end this night with a literal bang…"

Her clear disappointment had Tiki sighing. " Huh~ Come now, surely a single, uninterrupted night for Kana and Tiki to unwind after the work they put in for tonight is so unreasonable?"

Her words did little to the youthful dragon. "It's not that, it just.… I worked hard too! For weeks on such a boring mission…" She whined, prompting Chiki and Myrrh to glance at her with varying sympathy as they walked in front of the other two. Neither one desired to interrupt Nowi amid her complaints as she continued to voice them. "I mean, is it too much to ask for a reward like a good ol 'pounding when I got back?"

"Plus…I may be a bit jealous of Ninian getting some one-on-one time with Kana, I suppose…" She shyly added, prompting a chuckle from the younger green-haired girl and a playful eye roll from the elder. However, it was Myrrh's bashful glance away and brief squirm that caught Nowi's attention.

"Ohh, empathizing, Myrrh?" The eternal manakete teased, seizing this chance for fun and distraction as she pushed, "Surely you wanted some special time with him after so long apart, huh?"

Her words flustered the great dragon. "Th-That's-! I mean…!...Maybe..." She mumbled with a blush as her companion grinned knowingly towards her. Still, Myrrh kept mostly composed and was able to add some more in depth thoughts on the matter. "B-But…I'm ok waiting a little longer if it helps Ninian."

"Yeah, I don't mind either," Chiki joined in, aiding Myrrh by expressing her similar stance and cutting Nowi off before she could continue her teasing remarks. "I know I was a little jealous before with you and Myrrh, but I've gotten a better handle on myself. I also trust Big-Sis Ti-Ti saying they should be left alone since I want Ni-Ni to be happy."

"Also, I trust Kana to come back to me when it's all over. If it means making other people happy, I can wait a little longer till he makes me happy too!" She confidently ended with a bright grin towards Nowi, who was left somewhat dumbfounded.

"Huh … " was her initial response as she found herself a bit alone in her desires, leaving her with no choice but to join them, albeit a tad reluctantly. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Guess I was being a bit too dramatic…"

Her acceptance seemed to satisfy the two manaketes in front of them, with the dragon scion turning to her great dragon brethren when suggesting. "Hey, want to sleep with me tonight, Myrrh? We can keep each other company!"

The purple-haired girl was caught somewhat off-guard, though it wasn't as if such a thing wasn't already a somewhat frequent occurrence recently considering their shared mate. As such, she was quick to accept the offer. "T-That sounds nice," She agreed with a small nod and smile that held an undertone of excitement that Chiki expressed more openly in her bright grin and even reaching out to grasp her hand.

Nowi couldn't help smiling at the pair, though just when she thought to ask to join them as well, she was cut off by Tiki. "In that case, you two should head off now. I still need to discuss some things with Nowi here," The elder divine dragon stated, placing a hand on her youthful companion's shoulder as she looked at her in confusion.

"Alright, have a good night, Big-Sis Ti-Ti, Nowi!" Chiki replied without questioning, waving goodbye at the two along with Myrrh as the latter was led down the halls by the former until the eventually left the remaining pair alone.

" Uhhh… So, what do you need?" The shorter manakete eventually asked her taller companion after some initial silence, confused as to why they needed to speak in private.

Unfortunately, the elder dragon's reply didn't help. "Oh, it's not what I need, Nowi, but what you seem to want."

" Huh? " The thousand-year-old girl was confused by the three-thousand-year-old woman's remark. "What I want?"

"Yes," The Voice of Naga reaffirmed with a nod before elaborating. "You seemed so disappointed at not getting to let loose tonight, correct? So why don't I help you with that myself?" She suggested in such a calm, plain manner that it took Nowi a moment to process it. However, the impish undertone in her last sentence caused her eyes to widen as she saw Tiki's lips curl into a familiar grin, one that brought back memories of a specific event in their world.

She shuddered at the memory.

"W-Wait…" The manakete tried to speak with a nervous smile, stuttering as she said, "I mean…I can wait like Chiki and Myrrh. In fact, why don't I go join them for a little sleepover…?"

Her suggestion was immediately shot down. "Oh no no, that won't do. I understand the difficult cravings of a dragon's lust very well, and as your friend, it'd pain me not to help you through them," The Divine Dragon expressed in a mockingly polite and sincere tone, mischievously adding, "So please, allow me to keep you sated, and give you an important remind in why such cravings should be kept in check~"

Nowi was left paralyzed as Tiki loomed over her with a hungry, playful look in her eyes that made the youthful dragon feel as if she were some sort of prey, especially when the latter licked her lips. Despite the urge to run, her shaky legs refused to move, nor could she further voice any sort of resistance.

Instead, all she could do was curse a single person in her mind.

'Dammit Kana, you better make Ninian's night worth it, 'cause if I survive this, you're gonna pay me back.'

---

"Ahh! Haa!"

Ninian lay on her side, her voice ringing out as Kana continued driving his cock in and out of her loins. Straddling her sizable thigh and hugging her other one, his member fiercely grinded against her passage and churned it up her insides. The force behind his rough movements made the dancer's chest rub against the sheets, staining it with the trickles of white that'd come to seep out of her nipples during their session.

---

"O-Ohhh!"

The oracle was left squealing and crying with her head withered against the bed as she was held upside down by the vallite royal. Her lower back pressed against his stomach as he leaned over her raised rear as he vigorously ate her out, fingers digging into her passage to stir up the mixed juices within. He slurped them up without hesitation for his own lingering cum, focusing on the cool, icy treat that helped to revitalize him.

---

*Slap!

"Ugg~"

The blue-haired dancer's partner's thrust shook her entire body. Her head and chest hung low with her breasts smearing against the chest she laid atop. Her rear was raised high for the young silver-haired manakete thrusting behind her.

He firmly held her hips as he slammed his against her ass, which cushioned around it. Her tail lazily swung around like a pendulum, occasional twitching from his thrusts after finally sprouting from countless mind-numbing orgasms that left her mind like a puddle.

---

"Ohhh~"

The ice dragon moaned while lazily rolling her hips atop the water dragon's lap, her legs and his arms were wrapped around the other's waist respectively, with their tails draped over each other's backs. He suckled her milk, switching between her two breasts without hesitation as he lapped it up to revitalize herself, or perhaps he simply enjoyed the taste.

Whatever it was, it had Ninian's glazed eyes looking down at him fondly as she pulled his head closer, intent to back into this blissful sensation for as long as she could. And despite how long they'd gone, the icicle that was her cravings still hadn't fully melted, nor was the river of Kana's lust run dry.

---

"Mhmm~"

Ninian lowly moaned as her lips dragged along Kana's member, the vallite manakete carefully holding her head as she sloppily cleaned his of their mixed juices after the countless orgasms they'd shared that night. They'd gone so long, it was almost morning, evident by the stray lights managing to peek through her curtains.

What they illuminated was an exhausted, sweaty elibe dragon on her back atop a heavily stained bed while her partner kneeled beside her head. Her lidded eyes held a glazed expression, so tired from all they'd done, yet still holding the faintest glimmer of passion evident by how her tongue hungrily curled around the prince's messy cock.

Ninian could hardly recall the events leading up to this passionate night, let alone her reasonings for even doing so. All she was certain of was that it'd been a blissful blur she wouldn't soon forget. And as Kana's tail wrapped around hers, fondly gazing down at her while encouraging her submissive head, it seemed as if he felt similar.

---

Author's Note: It's back!

After a year long break, finally picked this story back up. And the next mate Kana landed was good ol Ninian. Hmm, this the 2nd year in a row she's been been the centerpiece of a winter themed smut fic.

Anyway, I plan to work on this story more, with hopefully another chapter or two next year. So look forward to that! And thanks for reading my smut this year!