Today is the final day before we go back to Shinto Teito. It's an odd sensation to spend several days knowing what world it will open to. Not really a good or bad one, as I've been spending just as much time thinking about possible scenarios and trying to plan ahead, and there's still so much doubt about the conditions and time we'll arrive at that my feeling of uneasiness is just as strong. But knowing the approximate level of danger we'll face is both comforting and anxiety inducing. I know it won't be as bad as the last portal, but I also know it'll be a lot more dangerous than something like Pokemon.
I'd love for another trip to a Pokemon like world.
Still, at the end of the day, there are more advantages than disadvantages to it. We know the potential threats, and we can prepare for them.
And preparing for them is why I didn't write a journal entry for yesterday. Because all I did the entire day was spar with Kyouko. From sun-up to sundown, stopping periodically for short breaks to recover my aura, shove some food down my gullet, and get healed by Kusano.
Between being exhausted afterward and there just not being much to say about the training, I decided to save it for today. The end result? Well, it was worth it, I think. I'm still a far way away from matching Kyouko, but by the end of the training her speed wasn't quite as intimidating as it was before.
Concentrating my aura into my eyes turned out to be worth it. Kyouko was strong enough that my aura only did so much to blunt her blows, and she showed a remarkable amount of control by being able to always cut me up right before the point of serious injury no matter how much aura I put into defense, sensing it and adjusting her strength for it. Even Bisky praised her for that.
So I decided the best defense was not getting hit in the first place, and concentrated on using Gyo in my eyes so I could perceive her movements and focus on dodging. And it worked, albeit barely. Using Gyo like that didn't make me any faster, but it did let me react sooner, which was enough to reduce how often she landed hits on me.
By the end of yesterday, I was fairly proficient in dodging her attacks. That was the only way I could match her though. I had to sacrifice any hope of landing an attack of my own in exchange, and even then I couldn't keep it up for long. My aura ran out long before she even started to get fatigued. In fact, I'm pretty sure she can't get fatigued at all, at least not fighting at that level. She was transformed, and was using her magic to fuel her abilities, and I was fairly certain it was replenishing faster than she was spending it.
So inevitably I would get tired and slip up and then we'd have to take a break for me to recover. She's also just a lot more skilled and experienced than I am, so even at full stamina she sometimes feinted in a way that caught me off guard or pulled a maneuver that had my spear being ripped from my grip and leaving me open.
Still, progress is progress. Part of me wanted to keep training today, since Bisky's massage was a pretty good rest and reset, but I decided against it. The mental rest was more important, I think. I was starting to get too worked up. Now… well, we're just a few hours from the portal opening back up so I'm starting to get anxious again, but today was a good emotional reset.
This morning started as usual. A group morning workout of running laps, lifting weights, and exhausting ourselves with Ren, followed by a nice breakfast of the various magical and non-magical fruits we grew. And by we, I mean Kusano.
But as Kyouko made to leave after quickly eating her food, Bisky called out to her.
"Kyouko, come back, we're not done yet."
Kyouko stopped before clicking her tongue and turning around. "I thought you said today was a free day?"
"A rest day," Bisky corrected. "And it is. There's just one minor thing to take care of. It's a little early, but you girls have been progressing through your Nen training fairly well," she shot a smile at Mami when she said that, "and I think it's time we figure out what type of Nen users you are."
Bisky had already lectured the both of them extensively on the types of Nen during one of the times where I was recovering my aura, so both knew what that meant. Mami sat up straighter with interest and even Kyouko seemed a little less annoyed.
"Alright, fine, let's get it over with," Kyouko said as she sat back down at the table, a little way aways from everyone else.
Bisky sighed but didn't comment. She just got up to fill a glass with water and to snatch a leaf off one of the walls. Then she put the glass in front of Mami. Kyouko clicked her tongue in annoyance again, but when Bisky looked at her she didn't say anything.
Bisky turned back to Mami with a smile. "Place your hands on either side of the glass and pour your aura into it," she instructed.
"Okay," she said, both a little nervous and excited. We all watched with interest as she concentrated her aura around the glass of water. It's always fun to find out these kinds of things, like doing a horoscope or unwrapping a present. The mystery and following answer grabs your attention.
After a few moments of nothing, I finally spotted something. "Conjurer," I declared, eyes locked on the glass. Little bits of something yellow-ish gold were appearing within the glass, like glitter was spontaneously growing out of the water.
"Indeed," Bisky agreed as she spotted it as well. "Just like Levy. You remember the explanation for Conjurers I gave you?"
Mami nodded. "Yes. Actually… I was already thinking I might be a Conjurer. All Magical Girls can summon their weapons, and I don't want to brag, but I feel like I'm better at it than most."
"Of course you fucking are," Kyouko cut in, sounding aggravated even as she paid Mami a compliment. "I haven't met another Magical Girl that could turn fucking ribbons into muskets."
Mami beamed at Kyouko. "Thank you, I worked very hard on that."
Kyouko clicked her tongue again and looked away. "Whatever," she said. But I spotted it. The hint of a blush on the tip of her ears, near impossible to see if you weren't looking for it. Honestly, I was glad. Kyouko and Mami have some serious baggage, but they both want to like each other, even if Kyouko has trouble admitting it. If Kyouko is being tsundere like that towards Mami, then that's a good step in the right direction.
"Magical talent and inclination isn't necessarily an indicator of Nen inclination," Bisky said. "The factors that influence that aren't the same, as far as we know at least. Which gets into the issue of us not knowing much about either. Personality seems to play a part, but do both systems interpret those personality traits similarly? Or differently? It's entirely possible that your talent as a Magical Girl matching your Nen type is a complete coincidence."
I didn't speak up at the time, but I don't think that is the case. I think it's a little harder for the others to fully understand, all of them having come from worlds that follow a more narrative structure. But I was more of an outsider in that regard, able to look at all of their worlds and more to see the patterns.
In my opinion, what it came down to for both is that Mami was lonely, and was defined by that loneliness for a long time. I took advantage of it myself to recruit her, though I don't think she'd agree with the negative implication behind that phrase. Still, it's a fact that her lack of connections was, to put it bluntly, a defining character trait for her. Which feels weird to say when I now know her as a living and breathing person and not a character in a story, but on some level it still applied.
Her magic expressed that loneliness as ribbons, things that could reach out and connect her to others. Her Nen expressed that loneliness as a Conjurer, able to create things. I expect her Hatsu to reflect that as well… but maybe not, on second thought. Her type might have been influenced by her past, but her technique would emphasize who she is now, and loneliness is not something she suffers from anymore.
Still, I kept those thoughts to myself at the time. It's still just a theory based on nothing more than genre savviness. Technically speaking, Bisky is right in that we don't know enough about how either of them work to say for sure.
"Still, your experience in creative conjurations and magic should help you come up with a good technique," Bisky continued. "Me, you, and Levy will discuss some ideas when we get some time. Probably the day after tomorrow, when we get back from Shinto Teito."
Mami nodded. "Yes, sensei."
Bisky dumped the water, filling it again, and then placing it in front of Kyouko. "Your turn," Bisky said.
"About time," she groused, but she copied Mami and started pushing her aura into the glass.
There wasn't any noticeable change at first, even when we passed the time it took for Mami to show results, something that visibly annoyed Kyouko. But, just as I was about to ask her to stop so we could check the taste of it, Levy spoke up.
"Is it changing color?" she asked.
We all leaned in closer to get a better look, and sure enough the water had the slightest pink hue to it. It took me a moment to figure out what that meant, going through the checklist of results we've already seen and eliminating those types, but Bisky came up with the answer before I finished.
"Congratulations, you are an Emitter," Bisky said. "Our very first one, actually. You'll excel in Nen techniques that involve separating your Aura from your body and using it at range. This can range from simple bullets of aura and other aura constructs to things like teleportation and other ranged or area of effect techniques."
Kyouko's normal expression of annoyance was replaced by vague thoughtfulness as she tried, and failed, to hide her expression while she considered that. Even Kyouko's bad mood wasn't a match for being told you could unlock new powers.
If I'm being honest, Emitter is the type I would choose, I think. It's not quite as versatile as being an Enhancer, but Enhancement and Manipulation are the secondary types for an Emitter, and having a nice ranged option would be good.
Also I want to fire giant fuck off laser beams. Sue me, I grew up watching Dragon Ball. Nothing gets the heart pumping like a beam of ki that can ravage a planet being directed at a hated enemy and obliterating them down to their last cell, or more.
"I'll also take some time with you after tomorrow to go over more information and help you think of some ideas," Bisky continued.
"I don't need help," Kyouko protested.
"Oh?" Bisky asked, her tone innocent. "You've already figured out a good idea for a technique? One that doesn't require types you're not good at? And you already know all the best ways to train the effectiveness of emitting your aura? Or how to emit your aura at all? That's very impressive."
Kyouko grimaced, but stayed silent. Bisky took that as a win and smiled. "Two days from now, during the rest day, after I finish with Mami and Levy. It's part of the personal training you agreed to. Understood?"
"Fine," Kyouko admitted. "Can I go now?"
Bisky sighed. "Yes, you can go now. But if you want to stay-"
Kyouko was already up and leaving, heading back to her room. There was an awkward silence as she left.
"...how much longer is she going to act like that?" Chiho said in a quiet voice.
"She just needs time to adjust," I said. "She was practically forced into joining us."
"Because she tried to jump us!" Chiho argued, whisper-yelling so Kyouko couldn't hear us from her room. "We did her a favor by getting her out of there even after she attacked us, hurt you, and was responsible for trapping the others in that barrier!" Kusano nodded in agreement.
"Kyuubey was responsible for that," Levy pointed out. "She was a victim of his manipulations."
"She still made the choice," Kusano said quietly. "And she made the choice to join us. But she hasn't, not really."
"Matsu is surprised she hasn't," Matsu admitted. "She thought that Roland's super Ashikabi powers were meant to make sure she would."
"I'm pretty sure I've repeatedly said they're not that strong," I said. "And Kyouko's a tsundere. It's hard to read her actual emotions, because she hides them behind a prickly exterior. The Stamp doesn't change that."
"That's not what is happening though," Levy pointed out. "I've known people like that. There's more going on here."
Bisky shrugged. "She's scared. It's not surprising really. From what you've told me about her past, I honestly think she's taking it quite well."
Chiho frowned. "Just because she was unhappy in the past doesn't mean she can take it out on us."
"No, that's not what she meant," Uzume said, surprising me by speaking against Chiho. Chiho looked surprised as well, so Uzume reached over and placed her hand on her Ashikabi's. "I mean… I get it, you know? Despite me being the one who asked Roland to take us in, I was in a similar spot. My options were to let you stay sick, and keep being blackmailed by Higa until he forced me to do worse and worse things… or to consign our fates to a strange man who barged in, knowing things he shouldn't have. It felt like choosing between the lesser of two evils at the time. And when we got here and we saw how things were, as the countdown on the Stamp he put on you ticked downward… that wariness never went away."
Chiho's gaze softened. "Uzume…" she whispered.
But Uzume shook her head. "It's fine. I spent a couple days imagining the worst. Scenarios of Roland forcing himself on us playing through my head. I was on guard. But then we became his and…" She trailed off for a moment. "I already experienced what it was like to become yours, and that was the best decision I ever made. Becoming Roland's as well… it was like that, and I took comfort in that. But Kyouko doesn't have that. All she has is her past."
"Her past, where her wish controlled the minds of hundreds, and the guilt of it drove her father to the murder-suicide of the rest of her family," Bisky picked back up. "She's literally traumatized by mind control. She agreed to it, but that was because her other choice was effectively death."
"I thought you would be more upset with her," Kusano said to Bisky. "You've been the one most annoyed with her."
Bisky shrugged. "Oh, I am. But I understand it too. Roland doesn't want to force things, and I think that's fine, so I'm just playing the role that helps her the most. One of us needs to be a hardass, and it can't be Roland." Bisky frowned. "Except for the training thing. I'm legitimately annoyed by that. This is Roland's life we're talking about. That comes before her happiness."
Everyone nodded at that, even VV and Tinks, who had been watching silently.
"So we just sit back and let her keep acting so ungrateful?" Chiho asked.
"We give her time to realize what you and Uzume did, that I'm not so bad and the effects aren't that strong," I say. "We can tell her that all we want, but she needs to confirm it for herself. I remember it taking the two of you a week and a half after the stamp finished."
"Just a week," Uzume clarified. "But it took us a couple of days to work up the nerve to approach you." Chiho blushed, presumably remembering the two of them seducing me.
"It's only been three days since her stamp finished," Levy said. "And she's in a much worse headspace. We can be patient for a while longer."
Neither Chiho or Kusano looked very happy about that. As I write this I'm realizing that both of them are the ones I 'saved'. Chiho I healed, and Kusano I found after a traumatizing experience and helped her escape the fighting. I've aided the others, but not to the same extent. Except for one.
I turned to Mami, who hadn't spoken up. She met my eyes while wearing a complicated expression. "Mami?" I asked.
"I- I don't know," she said, eyes dropping to the table. "As you know, Kyouko and I haven't exactly been close for a while now. Her acting like this… it makes sense, I think. I get it. But…" she trailed off.
"But?" Kusano urged her on.
"But I still consider her the best friend I ever had," Mami admitted. "And it makes me so sad to see her reject you. I've never been happier than when I came with you guys to this place. And I want her to experience that happiness too. I just don't know how to make her see it."
"That's what we all want," Levy agreed. "But I agree with Roland. We should keep giving her time. If nothing changes, we'll change our approach. But we shouldn't try to rush her either. That will hurt more than it helps." Bisky and Matsu nodded in agreement.
Chiho grimaced, and Kusano frowned, but both nodded as well. Uzume and Mami remained more neutral and didn't really react. I sighed, and then decided it was time to move on.
"Enough about that though. Who's ready for our next D&D session?" I asked.
"D&D?" Mami asked. "That's some kind of game, right?"
"Oh, you'll love it," Matsu said. "Matsu will help you make a character!"
"No, please, I don't need another Candi," I said. "Bisky, could you help her instead? Actually, no, I don't need another one of your character either. Levy, you're up."
Matsu giggled and Bisky looked mock offended, but Levy just gave me a warm amused smile and got up to move closer to the other girl.
I won't detail our session this time. I've already got it in my notes in another file, maybe I'll compile it later. It kind of has my future notes in it though, so none of my players can look at it. You know who you are.
It was a shorter session though. We've been busy this week and I haven't had much time to prepare. Most of it was catching Mami up to speed and introducing her character. She chose to play as an Elf Paladin, and she was a little uncertain at first, but she got into it by the end.
Chiho and Uzume also decided to continue playing their same character, Uzume as a sorcerer and Chiho as the ancient ancestor that sometimes took control of her body. It was originally something I suggested back when Chiho was in a bad mood because of not having anything to do just to encourage her to actually play, but by the end of last session the two of them had really started to have fun with it and neither wanted to separate.
Though managing this many players is starting to become a real headache. Going to have to figure something out soon, for when Kyouko decides to join us and we get more people. Maybe Levy will be willing to DM a second group… I'll talk to her about it later.
After that we watched more Hunter x Hunter. To be honest, it wasn't strictly necessary. Bisky taught us enough about Nen that it wasn't that educational, and if we ever go there me and Bisky know enough to get around. But seeing a bunch of different Nen techniques was useful to us, to help us figure out what we could do.
We actually started the Greed Island arc, which is notable for two reasons. First, it's when Nen is really explored and explained past the basics. The arc before it has some interesting Nen users, but it doesn't stop to explain much. The Greed Island arc does, as well as detailing the more advanced techniques that every Nen user could do as well as how to train them effectively.
The second notable thing is related to that training, because it's when Bisky is introduced. That was certainly a surreal experience. Sure, seeing her in this arc of the anime and watching her train the two main characters was 100% why I chose her and purchased her as soon as I got the chance. But since then I've gotten to know her personally, not as a character on the other side of the screen, so seeing her again as that character was… odd. I don't really know how to describe it other than that.
Bisky took it in stride though. She actually responded like Levy did upon reading the Fairy Tail manga, taking interest in the alternate version of herself.
Some of the explanations that the Bisky in the show offered about Nen were a little different than how she explained things to us. They were also slightly different from what I remember. Not enough to be wrong, just emphasizing different parts, or omitting information I thought was mentioned.
Bisky was of the opinion that that version of her had chosen to focus on what she thought was most important for the two main characters. Gon wasn't very bright after all, and tossing too much information at him at one time was a bad idea. It was a different situation for us, who were a large group of varied types of users who had the time, and some supernatural boosts, to learn things properly.
Still, even aside from the practical benefits, I'm glad we were watching it together. It was one of my favorite anime, and all my experiences interacting with things I once thought were just fiction hadn't changed that feeling in the slightest.
We had to stop eventually though, so Kusano could start on dinner and we could go take care of a few daily chores and whatnot. Not that there were a lot of those, but we all went off and did their own thing. The others did at least, I just relaxed and started organizing my D&D notes a bit more to come up with some stuff for next week.
But before I got very far, I heard Levy call out from our bedroom. "Hey Roland? Could you come here for a sec?" she said.
"Coming," I replied, getting up from the couch and excitedly heading her way.
There wasn't really any privacy on the Skyblock. We had too many people in much too small a place for that. And on top of that, we all had aura and could feel the aura of everyone else. Mami and Kyouko might not have the range to always feel everyone, but I was positive the others did. So sneaking around and hiding what you were doing was difficult.
But there was something of an unspoken rule. If it wasn't night, then the bedroom was private. You weren't barred from entry, but if one of the girls pulled me in for a bit of one on one fun, the others wouldn't try to jump in as soon as they noticed. It was our current way of making sure everyone got some time with me besides the nightly orgies, which were honestly starting to become something of a chaotic pile of nude flesh and bodily fluids.
So I knew that when Levy was calling me into the bedroom, chances were good that it was for a bit of fun. It was possible it was something else, but not terribly likely, not with her calling me in like that.
But I wasn't quite prepared for what she had in store for me.
"What's up-" I started as I opened the door, only to stop short when I caught sight of her.
She was dressed up in what I can really only describe as a succubus cheerleader. Her top was little more than a black and purple sports bra with a low neckline, but with a raised collar around her neck and a purple bow between her breasts. Nothing covered the rest of her torso, leaving her stomach exposed until it got to her waist, where she was wearing a frilly purple skirt. Purple garters that ended in hearts snaked out from underneath her skirt to attach to thick black thigh high socks. Finally, on her feet was a pair of simple purple heels.
But she had accessories as well, and it was them that sold the 'succubus' part. Two black and purple bat wings sprouted from her blue hair, she wore a thin strap of a choker with a small pendant hanging from it, a band of studded metal on her upper left arm, fingerless gloves with a heart shaped hole on their backs, and best of all, a leathery tail that ended in a spaded tip poking out from underneath her skirt.
"...oh," I finished dumbly. You would think that since I was used to seeing her naked, seeing her in more clothes would be less exciting, right? Well, that was dead wrong. Sometimes less is more, and teasing is more erotic than showing it outright.
A grin split Levy's face at my reaction, mostly pleased but with a hint of amusement. "How do you like it?" she asked, spreading her arms and swaying her hips a bit so her skirt fluttered. The tail shook side to side as well. "Uzume made it for me the other day when she made Chiho's new witch outfit. I've been waiting to show it off to you."
"It's, it's good, yeah," I said, admittedly stammering a bit. Can you really blame me for being caught flat footed by such a wonderful mix of sexy and cute? I couldn't tear my eyes off of her. "Really good."
Her smile widened. "I'm glad you like it," she said as she started to slowly saunter towards me, hips swaying. She came to a stop right in front of me, less than a foot separating us, looking up into my eyes. Her smile had shifted to exude confidence and amusement.
Without looking, she reached down to gently grasp my semi-stiff cock, which was in the process of hardening from the sight of her. She shifted her grip, not quite stroking it, but still moving enough to stimulate me and speed up how fast I was getting hard.
"This guy seems to like it as well," she purred. "Why don't I give him some appreciation?"
She led me over to the bed, or the large thick pillow that covered four-fifths of our bedroom that acted as our bed, where she had me sit down on one of the benches that Kusano grew out of the wall pretty much exactly for this purpose. Levy then spread my legs and knelt between them, locking eyes with me while wearing a sultry expression.
She didn't break eye contact as she placed her hands on my thighs and brought her face close to crotch. I was fully hard now, my erection standing tall. Levy looked at me from underneath my erection, practically pushing her face against the underside of it.
My cock twitched, revealing just how hot I found the sight of it, and Levy's smile widened.
She pulled back and up, just barely grazing the sensitive underside of my shaft with her face as she moved, so she could place her lips on my tip. She gently kissed it, her lips soft and warm, and a shiver passed through me at the sensation.
"You're such a tease," I grumbled, but there was no heat in my words.
"Well, if you want more, all you have to do is ask," she teased with a whisper, her breath brushing against my sensitive skin.
"Please, Levy," I said. "Show me your appreciation."
She winked. "Yes, my love." Then she opened her mouth and took my tip into it. I sucked in a breath through my nose as I felt her tongue and mouth wrap around the tip of my dick. Her mouth was warm and wet and I wanted more of it.
She obliged, maintaining eye contact with me as she slowly took more and more of my length into her mouth, her tongue sliding down the base of my shaft inch by inch as I felt my tip breach into the tightness of her throat.
I let out a groan as she stopped, half of my cock in her mouth, and reached down to place a hand on her head. I didn't grab her or anything, I just pressed my fingers into her hair. I felt the band of the headband she was wearing that had the bat wings sticking out of them, but I ignored that and focused on her.
She looked up at me with love and amusement twinkling in her eyes, and then she started moving. In the nearly seven weeks it's been since we both arrived here, Levy has given me head quite a few times. Enough that she's starting to get very good at it.
She started slowly, bobbing her head up and down rhythmically. But that wasn't all she was doing. Her tongue was constantly moving as well, at a similar pace, shifting side to side or up and down to add an extra layer of friction. And to top it all off, whenever my cock reached her throat, she constricted it unevenly, undulating it in waves to add even more sensations.
When she pulled back, she never went far enough that my tip left her mouth. And each time she lowered herself again, she got just a little further down, taking more of me into her, and she did so a little faster.
And not once did she stop looking me in the eyes.
Each time she took me into her mouth, a wave of pleasure washed through me, originating from my groin and spreading through my entire body, filling me with a tingling warmth that caused my heart to beat faster and my skin to grow hotter. My breathing grew more labored as Levy sped up, the gentle waves of pleasure turning into sharp jolts that arced through me. Each jolt added to the pressure that I felt in my core.
By the time her lips reached the base of my shaft, that pressure was threatening to burst like a dam. She bobbed up and down rapidly on my cock, her saliva coating every inch of it and causing it to glisten in the dim light of the bedroom.
She finished me off by reaching up and cupping my balls in her hand, gently massaging them. The action instantly spiked the pleasure I felt and it tipped me over the edge. I burst, my balls churning in her hand, as I let out a moan while shooting my seed deep into her throat.
She made sure to take my cock as deep as she could, her eyes still locked with mine. Her throat undulates as she swallows my cum fast enough to keep up with my orgasm. Each of her gulps were audible, though I barely noticed them due to the white hot pleasure wracking my body as I came.
But I eventually slumped down as my orgasm subsided. Levy pumped her head up and down a few more times, making sure she got everything, and then finally pulled my cock out of her throat. It sprung free from her mouth, still hard, and once again positioned herself beneath it, letting the now wet appendage rest on her face as she looked at me.
"How was that, dear?" she asked, grinning smugly.
I didn't answer with words. Instead, I reached down, grabbed her under her armpits, and then stood up, picking her up off the ground as I did. She wasn't surprised at all, and in fact her smile widened and she wrapped her arms and legs around me. Then I was pressing my lips against hers and kissing her, and I couldn't see what expression she was making
I then found a sturdy and blank patch of wall and pressed her back against it so I could better support her weight as my hands explored her body. They moved down from her armpits to her breasts, still covered by her cheerleader-like top. I gave them a squeeze as best as I could, but my access was limited because of how they were pressed against my chest.
Then my hands moved down her side, gliding against the bare skin of her midriff before reaching the fabric of her skirt. I didn't waste any time pushing it up, revealing her complete lack of panties as I grabbed her ass to better support her.
I broke off our kiss briefly. "You're such a naughty girl," I said, voice husky.
"I'm your naughty girl," she whispered back.
"Damn straight," I growled. I shifted her in my grip until my erection made it's way between her legs. Levy reached down between us and grabbed my shaft, lining it up with her lower entrance. The tip of my cock parted her lips, dripping with arousal, and once I was lined up I plunged into her, sheathing inside of her in one go.
She let out a loud cry of pleasure and her grip on my tightened, her legs pulling me closer to her despite already being pressed against her. "Oh gods, yes!" she cried out.
I started kissing her again, muffling her moans with my mouth as I started pounding into her. My thrusts were short, barely pulling out of her before I pushed back in and hilted inside of her. And unlike her earlier blowjob, there was no slow start that ramped up. I started off strong and kept up that pace, balls slapping her ass as the whole wall shook as I fucked her.
Sure, I had cum from her blowjob, but mostly it had just turned me on and filled me with a deep hunger to take her fully.
Levy was, as always, tight and hot as I thrust into her. We knew each other's bodies inside and out at this point. I knew exactly what angles to thrust into her to reach the spots that got the best reactions out of her, and she knew just how to clamp down on me and adjust herself with my movements to draw out maximum pleasure for me.
Our lips separated again, both of us breathing heavily, panting in each other's faces. "Roland," she gasped as I felt her tense in a familiar way. She was close, so I started thrusting into her even harder. "Roland, Roland, Roland!"
She cried out my name as she came, her inner walls clamping around my intruding member like a vice. I kept thrusting, even as she came, causing her voice, which had shifted smoothly from her calling out my name to an extended moan of pleasure, to hitch and increase in pitch.
And with the incredible tightness caused by her orgasm, I reached my climax as well, thrusting one last time as deep into her as I could before cumming a second time, filling her belly with my seed. Her moan, which had been tapering off, transitioned once more into a vague noise of contentment.
The tension between both of us eased as my climax ended, and Levy leaned forward again to kiss me, gently this time. After a moment, her legs unwrapped from around my waist and I let her stand on her own feet, pulling out of her in the process.
Still kissing, we both laid down on the bedding, side by side. Eventually we stopped kissing and just relaxed, cuddling together. Sometimes I like to just keep going and going, but taking a breather between rounds is also nice, especially when it's one on one with one of my girls.
And once I was over the shock of her outfit and had gotten some of my lust out of my system, a question occurred to me.
"That tail…" I started. "Is that…?" I trailed off.
Levy giggled. "It's attached to a butt plug, yes," she answered. "Uzume said it was the best way to do tails for cosplay like this, and it feels pretty good now that I'm used to it."
"Truly Uzume is wise," I joked with a chuckle. I reached down and grabbed the false appendage. It was stiff and leathery in my hands, and Levy squirmed as I grabbed it and the base shifted inside of her. "But maybe I should replace it with the real thing…" I grinned at her, ready to start round two.
But Levy shook her head, even as she smiled. "Next time. I think it's been long enough." She pushed herself up and to her feet. "Come on, we've got something to show you."
I laid there for a moment, blinking in confusion as I parsed her words. "Long enough?" I asked. But even as I did, I cast out with my senses and realized that everyone, sans Kyouko, who I had vaguely noticed fleeing her room once Levy and I had gotten started, was around the dining room table. "You were distracting me," I realized, sitting up as well.
"Just a little," she admitted as she got to her feet. She held out a hand to help pull me up, which I took. "We've got something of a surprise for you, and the others needed a few minutes to finish up."
"Oh?" I asked, starting to feel a little excited. "Well then, let's not keep the others waiting." I followed her out of the room and a few steps down the hall to the dining room, where everyone else was sitting around the table. They were already looking in our direction as we entered, and there was excitement in the air.
Uzume let out a whistle. "You busted that outfit out?" she said as she caught sight of Levy. "Nice."
"I thought it would be the most distracting," Levy said with a grin.
I opened my mouth to agree with her, but then I caught sight of what was on the table and the words died in my mouth.
On the table were three boxes made of yellow ribbons, clearly Mami's. She was even in her Magical Girl form, rather than naked. Two of them were short and squat boxes with a square base, a bit over two feet on each side. The other one was about six feet long and skinny.
"It's too early to be my birthday," I commented. Though keeping track of time was weird on the Skyblock. Note to future self, devise a new calendar.
"Maybe, but Tinks wanted to give you something," Chiho said.
I raised an eyebrow and looked at Tinks, who was standing on the bench next to Chiho, barely tall enough to see over the top of the table. She looked nervous, but she nodded and let out a tinkling warble.
Levy put a hand on my shoulder. "We know you've been working hard after last week's portal. I think it was a wake up call for all of us just how dangerous things can get. Tinks wanted to help in her own way, and she asked the rest of us if we could help her help you. So, working together, we made these for you."
Uzume picked up the long package and handed it to Levy, who presented it to me, held flat. Mami snapped her fingers and the ribbons retracted into nothingness, revealing what was contained inside.
My eyes widened as I took in the sight of it. It was a spear, a beautiful but still relatively simple one. The center of the shaft was made of some kind of white wood, but it was straighter and more uniform than any other kind of wood I'd ever seen. On either end of the shaft were golden metal sections, providing a solid base on the butt and a sturdy neck that connected to the head.
The head of the spear was decently large, somewhere between a dagger and a short sword in length and appearance. It was longer and skinnier than what I was used to with Kyouko's spear, but that suited my preferences more. It was a pretty simple two-sided straight blade, though the bottom of it curled out to make small decorative wings. The metal of the head was an especially pale steel of some kind with a gold inlay. And at the bottom of the head was a small pink gem, inset into the metal and visible from both sides.
"You made this, Tinks?" I asked in wonder as I picked it up. It felt good in my hands. It was a little lighter than Kyouko's spear, but better balanced, and it felt more solid, probably because it wasn't designed to come apart in extended chain sections.
Tinks let out another warble, this one a little hesitant, but she nodded. Then she pointed to Mami and then the others and made another noise.
"We all pitched in a bit," Levy translated. "Bisky was the one to come up with the design, I helped Tinks forge the metal parts and to put it all together, Kusano provided the wooden parts, and Mami enchanted it."
My eyes widened. "So this is a magic spear then?" I looked it over again and realized that the coloring and aesthetic matched Mami's style.
"Only a little bit," Mami said. "Bisky said I shouldn't give it too much power, so mostly it's just tougher and sharper, and can probably hurt things that can't be hurt with just physical strength. Though aura might already do that."
"This is your first proper weapon," Bisky continued. "I don't want you relying on special magical effects. You need to use it to hone your own skills, both in fighting and with Nen. Once your foundation is more solid, we can talk about adding more to it."
I nodded. It was a little disappointing, but Bisky knew what was best for my development and growth, and I trusted her on that.
"Thank you, all of you," I said, hefting the spear a bit. I liked how it felt in my hands. "I know it's a rest day, but I'm going to need to swing this around later and get used to it."
"That's probably a good idea, but there are two more things for you first," Bisky said.
"This one next!" Matsu said, picking up one of the other two packages. I propped the spear up against the table, butt against the ground, and turned to Levy, who was presenting the second one to me. Another snap from Mami and the ribbons disappeared to reveal a round shield.
It wasn't a very big shield, nor was it complicated. It was a bit under two feet in diameter and largely made of the same white wood that the shaft of the spear was. Golden metal rimmed the edges of it, and in the center of the shield was my emblem, inlaid with that same golden metal.
I picked it up and it was lighter than I expected. I turned it over to look at the other side. There was a single arched handle in the center of it, large enough for me to grip comfortably or stick my arm though. And on either side of the handle were leather straps, presumably so I could either hold it or strap it to my arm.
"A shield?" I said. "I see. Yeah, this would have been useful against the Witch." I grab hold of the handle and try it out, repositioning it to cover different parts of my body. "Wow, it's really light."
"It's mostly made of our experimental wood," Kusano explained. "We've started a few projects with the upgrade you got the other day, and one of them is making a wood that is as tough as possible while being lightweight."
"It's not as straightforward as just telling the app to do it though," Chiho said. "And Bisky pointed out that just toughness isn't the only thing to consider, so we've been doing research on that as well."
"But the wood we made is pretty good!" Kusano continued earnestly. "VV helped test it! We can make it better, I think, but it stood up pretty well to his attacks, even before Mami enchanted it."
"I'm surprised you guys have something usable already," I replied. "I was going to wait until next week to ask you for an update on what you've been doing."
"We can still do that. It won't be until then, at the minimum, that I can start making potions," Chiho said. "It's a little tricky."
I nodded. "I'll wait until then for you to explain it then. Thank you for making this for me though. Especially you, Tinks."
Tinks gave me a smile and let out a happy tinkling sound.
"We're not done yet though!" Matsu says, shoving the last package into Levy's hands. Mami snaps her fingers once more as I put the shield down on the table and the ribbons disappear to reveal neatly folded clothes.
I tilted my head. "What's this?" I asked, even as I reached out to grab the top one from Levy's hands. It unfolded as I lifted it, and a bit of twisting revealed it was a black leather jacket. It was pretty standard- a few pockets on the outside, zip up part in the center, a nice collar. The only unique part was the shoulders had small straps on them studded with short black spikes that almost blended in.
"You've been seriously lacking in fashion," Uzume said with a pleased smile as I quickly put it on. It felt weird to wear it shirtless, but it was still comfortable. "The others were all working on their projects to help you out, so I decided to grab some of the leather we bought to make something useful."
"Matsu helped too!" Matsu said. "It was her idea to make a leather jacket. Ashikabi-tan is cool, so he should dress cool too. And Chiho helped as well."
"Only a little, just helping Uzume while she made it," Chiho said. "How does it fit?"
I flexed my arms, bending them and rotating my shoulders. "Feels good," I said. I twisted my torso, making sure it didn't impede my movement at all. "It's the perfect size. Not too warm either."
"There's a bit of extra room so you can throw on a sweater underneath it if we end up going somewhere cold," Uzume said. "But I wanted to make sure you could wear it wherever. That's some high quality leather too. It's not armor, but it should help against low level stuff, like falls and small knives."
"Unfortunately I can't enchant clothes," Mami said. "I could weave an underlayer of my ribbons, but that would require constant upkeep from me."
"It's fine, that's what my aura is for," I waved away her concerns. Then I turned to everyone and spread my arms. "How does it look?"
They all pause, except for Bisky. "Without pants on you just look silly," she said bluntly.
I looked down, then back up. "Right. Yeah."
"Thankfully, Uzume made a pair of pants for you as well," Levy said, offering the other piece of folded cloth I had gotten distracted from, which turned out to be a pair of jeans.
I took them from her and started putting them on. "Anything special about these? Are they Kevlar infused or something?" I vaguely recalled reading once about jeans for bikers that had Kevlar in them, so it made sense in my head for that to be paired with my new leather jacket.
"No, they're just normal jeans," Uzume said, deflating my hopes. "Maybe a little nicer than what you normally wear, but nothing fancy. Aside from being perfectly tailored to you, that is."
I finished buckling them, being especially careful with the zipper due to my current lack of underwear, and shifted around. "Huh, they are," I noted. I've only worn pants tailored to me once, when I was a teenager and my aunt was getting married. I had loved wearing the suit I had gotten for the occasion, but being a teenager, I had outgrown it before long.
"Now how do I look?" I asked when I was no longer imitating Winnie the Pooh.
"Pretty good Ashikabi-tan!" Matsu said with a grin.
"Onii-san is very cool," Kusano agreed.
Most of the others just nodded in agreement. I decided to pick up the shield and spear as well, and posed with them.
"Hmm," Uzume considered me for a moment. "It's not bad, actually. The aesthetics are totally different, but in a way that contrasts well. It's a little odd, but still cool. Though I think something black and red would look cooler."
"I'm afraid anything I enchant will end up looking like that," Mami said. "Though… Kyouko's color scheme might be closer to that."
There was a moment of awkward silence as Kyouko was brought up and we all shared the thought of 'too bad she won't agree to do that', but I pushed past it. "Well, as much as I do appreciate the fashion upgrade, function comes first, so I'm not too worried about it. But really, thanks. I feel much better about tomorrow having my own equipment." I looked around. "Who's got my phone?"
Kusano lifted it up and then handed it over to me. I grabbed it, awkwardly hanging the shield on my left forearm as I navigated the menus, and in a flash of light both the spear and the shield disappeared. "There, now I can access them whenever."
"Now," Bisky said, clapping her hands. "You're officially armed with a weapon of your own and you are headed down the path of the spearman. It's time for an important lesson- Nen and weaponry." She cast her gaze around to the others. "Most of you won't need to know this, but all of you stay as well. Uzume, can you please fetch Kyouko? This is just as important for her as it is for Roland."
Uzume nodded and headed to the bathroom, where Kyouko had fled. As she did that, Bisky turned back to me. "Now, how many Nen users are you aware of that use weaponry?"
I furrowed my brow as I cast my thoughts to the show. "Almost none," I admitted. "At least, not what I would traditionally call weapons. Tools used as weapons, sure. Stuff like swords… less than a handful."
I heard some cursing from the bathroom, but a moment later Uzume returned to the group with an annoyed looking Kyouko in tow.
"While I would personally count some of those 'tools' as proper weapons due to being in the hands of a Nen user, you are very correct in that Nen users who use weapons beyond their body are in a minority, and of those that do, most don't use traditional weaponry. So pop quiz time- Why?"
I stopped to consider that, actually trying to figure it out. I had been training to use a weapon alongside my Nen for the past few days, so whatever the reason was, I concluded it was something that was either not an issue for me due to our unusual circumstances compared to your average Nen user, or at least the issue was diminished enough to be worth the benefits.
"It's inefficient?" I guessed. "Aura spent covering a weapon is aura that could be spent reinforcing your body, making you stronger, or protecting you."
"Bzt, incorrect," Bisky shot down my answer. "For one, your assumption is only partially true. While yes, a large part of aura's destructive power comes from the way it strengthens you, the rest of it comes from the aura itself, which can damage an opponent even without any physical force behind it. Recall the initiation for the Heaven's Arena upper floors."
I nodded slowly, taking in her points. Heaven's Arena was a glorified battle tower, a series of escalating fights that anyone could walk in off the street and join, climbing their way up the ranks and earning money. Past a certain floor, Nen was all but required, enforced by an initiation ceremony where veterans of the floor would flood newbies with their aura. Either the newbies would die, or they would have their aura awakened. Even in the latter case, doing it that way would often leave them disfigured or crippled.
But it was proof that Nen bereft of any physical component could still be deadly. It was also why the method Bisky used to awaken our auras was considered dangerous. A skilled user with good intentions could do it safely. An unskilled or malevolent user could kill or cripple you. That wasn't a danger for me though, since I knew Bisky was both loyal and skilled, so it had slipped my mind.
"But you still spend more aura," I said.
"And you spend more energy swinging a sword than your fist," Bisky countered. "Of course you spend more aura. But that's been the cost of weapons for as long as mankind has used them. Weapons are tools to transform the energy of your movements into more deadly forms, usually focusing that energy into a smaller edge that can cut, or by providing a blunt shape that can withstand the forces without injury, at the cost of extra weight that must be swung and thrust. Benefits such as centrifugal force and reach are also important considerations. Even when you add aura to that, that trade off doesn't change."
Several of the others nodded, but they didn't comment. This was a lesson primarily meant for me, they were just observers. So I focused on the question Bisky had asked me… but I was forced to give up.
"I don't know," I admitted after a few moments of silence. "Why don't Nen users use weapons more often?"
Bisky smiled. "Because most Nen users are Hunters," she says. She must have seen the confused look on my face because she chuckled. "I admit, it was a bit of a trick question. But the fact that most Nen users don't use weapons has nothing to do with Nen. Tell me, of all the weapon users you thought of earlier, how many of them were in the Phantom Troupe?"
I paused. The Phantom Troupe was a group of international bandits, one of the most wanted groups of the Hunter x Hunter setting, and all of them were powerful Nen users. "A good chunk of them," I answered. Two of them used swords, one used a gun, and another had used clubs at one point.
"And how many Hunters?" she asked.
"Less," I admitted. "Just Kurapika, if you count his chains. The others either aren't official Hunters, or use untraditional weaponry."
"The truth of the matter is, weapons are inconvenient in the modern world," Bisky says. "Sure, a Hunter License will let you get away with just about anything. But weapons that can't be concealed are often more trouble than they're worth. People get nervous around those that are visibly armed. And even for a Hunter, there are situations where going armed isn't an option. Criminals like the Phantom Troupe don't have to worry about that."
I frowned. "That seems like far too small of a reason to pass up an advantage like that," I said.
"Not really," Bisky argued. "Don't forget, Nen is something that takes a lot of training. You have to focus on developing your Hatsu to the point where it can keep you safe. If your Hatsu needs a sword, and you are attacked at a fancy dinner party where you didn't bring your sword, then your combat effectiveness is drastically reduced. The alternative would be to have a Hatsu that you can use without a sword as well, but at that point you are developing two different techniques, splitting your time between them. It would be far more efficient to instead focus on the one you can always use, the one that doesn't require a weapon."
"Unless you're a Conjurer," I said as I started to understand what she was getting at. "In which case you can have your weapon on hand at all times." Like Kurapika.
"Precisely," she said, pleased. "Or, as I mentioned, those who use weapons they can conceal, and of course those who use weapons that aren't considered weapons when not in the hands of a Hunter, such as Gon's fishing rod or Killua's Yo-Yos. There are also those willing to put up with the risks or downsides simply because a certain weapon naturally suits them and their techniques."
"I still feel like 'fuck you I'm a Hunter' could solve a lot of those downsides," I said.
"It could, but Hunters with that attitude generally don't last long," she said. "It's difficult for them to find work. Depending on the type of Hunter they are, it can be difficult for them to complete their work as well. Most people aren't fond of dealing with someone who has a sword strapped to their waist, or that carries around a spear taller than they are." Her eyes flicked over to my new spear when she said that.
"So why is that not an issue for me?" I asked before realizing the answer. "Pocket Space."
"Correct," Bisky said with a nod. "Similar to a Conjurer, your weapon is just a moment away at any time. The effort required to take it out can be dangerous if you are suddenly ambushed, but that's why a large part of your training has been focused on ensuring your ability to dodge attacks and buy time. Against any opponent you could stand a chance against armed, you should be able to last long enough to arm yourself if they suddenly ambush you. Assuming they don't get you in a sneak attack that is."
"Right…" I said, trying, and failing, not to picture that. "But what if I lose it? Or I'm disarmed?"
"We'll make sure you know how to fight unarmed as well, even if it's just the bare minimum," Bisky said. "But as a Specialist, it's unlikely that your Hatsu will require the use of your weapon. In fact, there's a chance that your technique will end up incompatible with a spear and shield." She shrugged. "But there's not much we can do about that until you figure it out. Once you do, we can rework your combat style if needed. So the sooner you figure it out, the less time you'll waste."
"Well, what about the shield?" I asked. "I don't think I've ever seen a Nen user with a shield, Hunter or not."
"Well, that's because a shield is usually useless," she says. "Nen will shred through any mundane protection and can only be defended against with Nen. It makes no difference if that Nen is covering you or a shield, the cost is the same."
She tapped on the shield, rapping on it with aura infused knuckles. A loud thunk echoed through the room. "But that's only with normal materials. This shield is magic, thanks to Mami. It can withstand Nen techniques without the use of Shu. Besides, you aren't primarily facing other Nen users. You will face users of a variety of abilities that I know nothing of, with different rules. But many of those would be blocked perfectly fine with a shield. So while it's not worth it for most Nen users in my world, it's perfectly acceptable for you and your circumstances. Just never use Shu on the shield."
I almost opened my mouth to ask why before I took a moment to think of the reason myself. Shu would make the shield tougher… but only physically. There was no conceptual reinforcement to aura, it was just a source of energy. It didn't make a shield better at being a shield, it just added to it. And I could add that same aura to my own body for the same benefit at a slightly reduced cost.
Additionally, it would just be a waste of aura most of the time. If I blocked an attack while using Shu on the shield, it would hit my aura first, and aura would be spent reducing its power before it hit the shield. However, if that attack was weak enough that the shield would block it completely even without aura, then the result was the same whether or not my aura was used. And of course, it was always better to not spend aura if I could avoid it.
Especially because the shield was disposable. It was hard to think of at first, because it was a gift from my retinue. But I knew they'd all smack me, individually, if I treated the shield as something that needed to be protected and preserved. If it shattered taking a hit that would have injured me, then that was exactly why Tinks had made it, and she would be relieved. So there was no point in putting aura over it. Even for an attack that I had no choice but to defend that could break the shield, it was still better to use the shield alone as the first line of defense, and stack my aura on the point of impact directly on my body, rather than the shield.
"I understand," I said.
Bisky smiled, pleased, and then turned to Kyouko and Mami. "It's pretty much the same for you two. You can summon your weapons so it's fine for you to keep using them. As for defense… Well, you being Magical Girls makes that more complicated, since you have access to magic. For now, just keep doing whatever you normally do. I need to experiment a bit myself, and you need to improve your Nen control."
Mami nodded. "Understood."
Kyouko just clicked her tongue. "I would have done that anyway."
Bisky turned back to me. "Anyway, just keep that in mind. You shouldn't have a problem really, just don't use Shu on the shield, otherwise keep doing what you normally do." I nodded. "Now, go get used to the weight of your new spear and shield. Don't go crazy, just do some jabs and sweeps for a bit until it doesn't feel weird."
"Yes, Sensei," I said.
After that we broke up to go do our individual things. I practiced for a bit, making sure not to do more than work up a light sweat, stopping when Kusano finished dinner. After that I started writing this entry.
Now it's only a couple hours until the portal opens. Bisky has started giving people her massages already, since there are quite a few of us and each one takes 30 minutes. Soon we're going to have to start only going into the portals in teams, but then again, we won't know what the world is most of the time, so we'll need everyone ready just in case. Maybe Chiho can make a potion or something.
I'm a little nervous about the trip. I don't know what to expect. Has it been a month for them as well? How pissed off is MBI? How much did we butterfly things? I don't know. All I know is that we're mostly there for Shiina. I'd be fine if we arrived, got her, and then left for good. Anything else is just a bonus.
But the others will want more. Matsu and Uzume want to stop by and see Miya and Matsu wants MBI's Jinki research, and maybe some more Jinki's. I'd like that as well, truth be told. Knowing the Sekirei can access their full power without being attached to my hip would be nice.
I don't know. There's too much that's uncertain, leaving me with no choice but to wait and see. But I won't have to wait much longer.
I'll leave it here for now so I can rest my eyes for a bit. Bisky's massage helps physical fatigue, but I could use a mental break after writing this.
See you in the next entry, after the trip. Wish us luck.
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AN: Still going strong on this. Though I had to take some time to plan out the Shinto Teito trip before I planned this chapter, just to make sure there wasn't anything I needed to address first before the trip. And of course, this chapter was intended to be much shorter but… Shifty Effect.
Mami and Kyouko Nen types were revealed! The talk about Mami's suitability to be a Conjurer was actually a de facto realization, I decided it ages ago based loosely on Hisoka's personality test. So that was mostly just me rambling. Kyouko was figured out in the same way, but going into the thematic appropriateness of the girl who keeps people at arm's length being specialized in ranged Nen didn't flow as well.
Instead, it flowed into another unplanned look at everyone's feelings about Kyouko. This was something I briefly explored in the last chapter, but with a bit more time passing and a perfect chance like this, I decided to express some more thoughts. I more or less already figured out how everyone felt, this was just a good chance to show you guys. Kinda wish I hadn't included that bit last chapter, to avoid repeating stuff, but oh well. Such is the nature of serial fiction.
I'm sure there are going to be a lot of opinions about Kyouko's actions. Some of you will empathize with her. Some probably are against her. Some of you are probably annoyed that I'm exploring the idea of an unwilling waifu in a Catalog fic of all things. But this is the kind of nuanced situation that I enjoy exploring, and trust me, there's a planned resolution. I don't want to rush getting there, but I promise not to drag it on too much.
As much as I enjoyed the whole D&D bit I did last time, and I enjoyed it a lot, I won't be repeating it, at least not often. So just a mention here and then moving on. Maybe I'll do a side thing later detailing their shenanigans. Probably not though. That's time I could be progressing the story.
It's been a bit since the last Levy focus lewd, so she was chosen as the distraction here. She's still the first and main waifu after all. Though I really gotta get a scene with Mami in her Magical Girl form done soon. But she got a nice long smut scene in the last portal trip, so she can wait a little longer. For readers not on QQ, her outfit was pulled directly from some fanart by an artist named Rusky(Levy's biggest fan tbh). Check out all of their stuff if you like Levy.
Roland has his own weapon now! Originally it was going to just be the mundane spear and shield, but then I remembered Mami could enchant stuff and I decided to make it a big group project, everyone working to support and protect Roland after his near death experience. The outfit doesn't help as much, but eh, it's something. I'm also choosing to believe that, for whatever reason, Mami can't enchant clothes as well, or she would have done it for Sayaka and Madoka instead of just enchanting Sayaka's bat.
And finally, Bisky's talk of Nen users and weapons. None of that is canon, and tbh I'm not super confident in the logic, but it makes sense to me. I mean, the real reason weapons aren't used often is to focus on the cool Nen abilities instead of weapon fighting. Creativity and interesting fights instead of Anime Sword Fight #2,301. But the topic needed to be addressed of how Roland should use his new equipment, and the conclusions I reached are based on my understanding of fighting and Nen.
