HoloJourneys

by vanderblast

A fateful encounter with a fluffy sheep inside a castle dungeon, begins a journey that will change the world. In a world of magic, swords, magical spirits and endless possibilities, Anon, sets forth on a journey with his friend Watame to see everything this world has to offer and to find their origins. The journey won't always be easy, but together, they can always make it through.

57. A Beach Day

You awake with a heavy fog that slowly lifts from your mind, your limbs only register the most miniscule of tingles as you try to move them, and your eyes take almost a half minute of blinking to wipe away the sand and regain focus, but when your vision becomes clear, you are greeted by a glorious sight. Directly in your line of sight are creamy, and captivatingly thick thighs that belong to none other than Polka. With one of your brains on full alert, your body registers that your cheek is currently resting on the flats of those magnificent legs, and you can almost see an even greater point of interest beyond the multi-layered frills of the fennec's clownish attire. You widen your eyes as far as they can go, as if it could somehow magically bring them closer to the hidden treasure you wish to get a mere glimpse of. The memories of last night start rushing back to you, which makes the inner calls of your body all the more understandable. You try to turn your face just a little bit downward. There's a small gap that appears at the height of Polka's breathing, if you can just get a slightly better angle.

A hand finds its way onto the back of your hair, and strokes its way back lazily, making your entire body release a shuddering wave of comfort. You can't keep yourself from letting out a pleased sigh, and your breath hitting the bare skin of your pillow makes her begin to reboot back to life. Polka yawns and moistens her dry mouth with a few audible plops of her mouth, and you turn yourself over so you have a good view of that beautiful face of hers.

"Morning." Your smile stretches when you are met with those eyes that seem to sparkle with the sunlight peeking in from the window.

"Morning." She replies back, her own smile starts to shine, but it quickly upturns after another second of keeping your gaze. Her ears droop, and her face becomes riddled with what looks to be guilt with a splash of embarrassment. "You uhhh….sleep okay?"

"I slept great actually." You answer honestly; it was such a deep sleep that you didn't even dream. "I think it was this special brand of pillow I just started using. I don't think I could ever go back to something made of feathers and cloth."

"That isn't going to be an every night thing ya know?" Polka retorts playfully, but the way her hand flattens more against your head tells you the compliment more than hit its mark. "Sleeping sitting up isn't the best for me. I need a nice bed; queen sized at least, room to stretch my tail, my legs, and my ears need something nice and soft to lay on. Last night was a rare treat for you, since well…"

"It's alright." You say, reaching up and placing your hand onto Polka's cheek, bringing her smile back, at least somewhat. "Was that as much of a surprise for you as it was for me? Since that time, I was NOT trying to give you some of my soul to sink your teeth into."

"Of course it was!" Polka snaps, her face getting more red. "Why would I start to do that when we were…."

"Getting frisky?" You grin, and like lightning, you turn to give a soft peck to one of Polka's supple thighs, making the skin bubble in goosebumps.

"Oi! Oi! Knock it off! Stop! Cease!" Polka hisses, trying her best to control her voice. When you meet her demand with another toothed grin, she gives your head a soft smack. "Do you want another nap? Since that's what you'll get if you rile me up again."

"Is that really what did it?" You ask, taking her words to heart and doing the gentlemanly thing and raising yourself off from her lap. You shift yourself into the open cushion next to her and turn to face her.

"I think so." Polka nods, still looking as though eye contact with you might shatter her like glass. "When we started getting….wild, I lost control. I wanted to bite you, and then bite you. I needed it. The next thing I knew, you were passing out. I'm sorry."

"Again. No apologies needed." You reach and take one of Polka's hands, letting your thumb gently caress her palm. "This is obviously just something we'll need to adjust to, that is, if you want to do that again sometime."

"Of course I do!" Polka nods frantically, and then catches her enthusiasm and tries to reel it back. She takes a deep breath and shrugs off the sly smirk you fire her way. "Of course I want to be like that with you, but we can't if I'm just going to devour you every time. That won't be safe. I could really end up hurting you."

"Then we'll take it slow. We'll both learn as we go. Me learning how to withstand getting my soul bit, and you learning to control your bites. If it helps to know, the first couple seconds I could feel you forcing your way in, they felt really good. That's not weird to say, is it?"

"A little…" Polka blushes, but her lips finally curve back to that natural point you adore. "But I'm happy to hear you say that. I liked it too."

"Yeah, I could tell." You scoff, making the fennec snicker with you. "And I don't think I need to even ask if you liked the part where I rubbed your ears. Although, the word 'like' might not do it proper justice."

"Do NOT tell anyone about that part." Polka demands, her face now as red as her bell-pointed shoes.

"I won't, I won't." You zip your lips shut. "You should know by now that while Watame and Flare don't mind sharing the juicy details with each other, I want you all to have as much or as little privacy with each other as you want. I'm kinda navigating through this completely blind, so I figure it's just better to let you guys sort out things like that."

"Good. That attitude will take you far." Polka gives your head a soft pat before bringing her mouth to your ear. "I'm going to need you to massage my ears again at some point, but only when we have absolute alone time, okay?"

"It will be my pleasure." You seal the agreement with a quick peck on Polka's forehead, and both silently agree that it is time to move on with your day. "Speaking of alone" you take a quick look around Kukai's home where the air is unexpectedly quiet. "Where is everyone?"

"They all left for the beach about an hour ago. I told Flare we would catch up when you were ready. You are okay, right? Legs and arms working like they should? What about your head?" Polka asks, putting her palm to your forehead with the other on her own.

"I'm fine, really." You remove the hand and give Polka an assuring smile. When that doesn't seem to be enough, you give your arm a firm flex, which still doesn't fully convince the concerned fennec. Sighing, you spring yourself off the couch cushion and stand at your full height. Knuckles pressed to your hips, you do a full ten set rep of squats in front of Polka, She wears an unamused look to match yours, so you continue your isometric exercises. You start to get more into the routine than you intend, enjoying how your twists and stretches wake up your body and make every joint feel more limber and in your control. Polka is also enjoying your showcasing, as she wears potentially the worst poker face you've ever seen; eyes narrowed in cold analysis, but her smirk could not be more obvious about what she was really focused on, and then there is the subtle way her tail taps the lip of the seat next to her. You allow a few more minutes of her ogling, mostly because it feels good to stretch after a night of having your soul munched on, but also because you may secretly love the attention.

"Anything else I can do to prove I'm just fine?" You twist your upper body back and forth, and Polka lets out a pleased hum in response.

"Can we see a few of those mana coats you were working on with Flare the other night? Don't you want to practice a little more before your next magic lesson with her? How about on the legs?" Polka watches your movements intently with her chin resting on her hands.

"Alright, that's it. Show's done." You scoff, letting your body loosen and turning to make your way towards the guest room. "Weren't you the one telling me not to rile you up?"

"It'll take more than a good show to get me that riled up." Polka scoffs as she gets up to follow you, but then her playful grin recedes, becoming softer and warm. "It's good that you aren't having any…aftereffects. I really bit into you too."

"And we should do it again sometime, but I'm starting to get anxious to hit the water. I haven't had a good swim in days, so let's go get changed." You open the guest room door for Polka and motion her to go in first, but she stops pensively in her tracks.

"We better change separately, at least when we got places we need to be." Polka remarks, avoiding sustained eye contact with you, and you are inclined to agree. Watching the fennec change out of her normal attire that seems attached to her skin would be more than dangerous for you right now. Taking this slow is going to be harder than you thought.

Taking the invitation, you change in the privacy of the guest room, putting on the swim trunks Polka specifically made for you. You leave your dirty clothes in a messy pile in the corner, and switch spots with Polka so she can change. While you wait, you try to entertain ideas of what your fennec might be changing into. Come to think of it, she could have an entire wardrobe all her own within that hat of hers. As thoughts about the inner workings of Polka's magical storage start to weigh heavily on your mind, the guest room door creaks open.

Polka steps into view, her hand against the doorframe, looking to the side to not meet your initial gaze. A red frilled bikini top patterned with white polka dots,covers and pushes her breasts up so they are comfortably snug against one another. The thick straps stretch behind her neck, and the charcoal outline of the fabric completes the color palette in a way that perfectly compliments Polka's natural complexion. The bottom part is of the same style and pattern, but nonetheless encapsulating; the single layer of frills just barely covering her hips, and the garden of polka dots concaves into her natural valley, allowing you to see more of this fennec's natural beauty than you ever have before.

Your stomach drops, all attempts at coherent thought end in utter failure. The only thing your brain is using its power for is to burn the image of this beautiful fox into your memory. Polka's eyes come back to you for a few seconds, then snap away, she needs you to say something. Say something, now.

"You look incredible." Is the first thing that rolls off your tongue, which is fortunately a correct answer. Polka's smile softens and she leaves the protective support of the door frame, and steps closer to you.

"Thanks. I think I'm still more proud of how yours turned out, but this didn't come out half-bad, huh?" Polka replies, her hand brushing her hair and braid out of the way to let you see both her bare shoulders, the feminine gesture causes you to clear your throat with a very unattractive cough.

"You're gorgeous, Polka. I'm also not surprised you made something that suits you perfectly. Yours doesn't glow in the dark too, does it?"

"Nah, that's a special feature exclusive to my favorite star studded human." Polka chirps. "There's no way I would be able to add that sort of thing to the dots on my bathing suit AND make sure everyone else's came out okay. I'm getting pretty good at this, but I'm not that good."

"You made suits for everyone else too?" You ask, your brain already trying to conjure images of what colors Watame and Flare might be wearing.

"Well not everyone. Flare, Pomu, and Marine all had their own already. Everyone else though, they needed something to swim in. I wasn't going to let Nenechi go off half-naked again. Marine pitched in too. The designs are mostly her ideas. The girl has a real eye for these things. C'mon! I wanna see your face when you get a load of Watame's suit." Polka takes you by the hand and leads you out of the house into that bright, tropical sunshine. As soon as its rays hit your skin, you feel like a new man; ready to live life to fullest, and finally give your body and soul the break it deserves.

Each step along the hot sand delights and tickles the soles of your feet, and the smell of the morning seashore stretches the smile all the way across your cheeks. Ahead lies the sparkling expanse, and the shapes of those who have already gotten a head start on your beachside vacation. The two of you begin to hurry, anxious that you might miss out on something grand if you don't get there within the next few seconds, and your impatience is doubled when you sense the presence of Undine close by. You have not gotten to spend nearly enough time with her and the wind spirit since the battle ended, and you're more than looking forward to just swimming and enjoying the gift she bestowed upon the world.

"Hey everyone! Look who finally decided to wake up!" Polka lets out a loud greeting as she skips ahead of you, and several heads whip in your direction.

You start to build up a breath to refute the fennec, but it gets caught in your throat when Watame and Flare come into focus.

Watame begins to beam at the sight of you, lifting up her pink sunglasses to rest on her forehead and bounces her heels on the sand in a hearty wave. The top piece of her swimsuit is of a pure cotton white, and the clear struggle to maintain her generous and supreme bosom within its cups, almost distracts you from how the fabric is sewn to have the appearance of fluffy sheep's wool around its edges. Your eyes trail downward, finding the same style of fabric tied at both Watame's hips to keep her lower sheepy back and front side hidden and protected.

Flare rolls onto the stomach on the spread out blue and white striped towel she lays on, lifting herself up by her elbows which shows you the more simple, but in no way less deadly, white bikini top that hides very little from your sight at this pleasing angle. When you manage to look past those amber eyes that soften and sparkle at your arrival, you see a matching white piece that only manages to cover the natural middle curve of her rump, that is held to her body by a pair of metal rings at each side.

Despite having seen both girls fully bare before and enjoying that to the fullest way two people can, seeing them both in attire meant to showcase their best assets makes both your heart melt at their beauty, and your hormones yearn to rage unrestricted. When the sounds of others snap your brain out of its lovestruck stupor, you are reminded that someone very close by would be more than privy to the less savory thoughts and feelings you might have. You subtly recollect yourself, promising to find a chance to woo all three objects of your affections at some later point. Hopefully while you are both in your current wardrobes. For now, and most of today, you are in public, and you should act accordingly.

"Hey guys, you both look amazing." You say to greet Flare and Watame specifically.

"Hi, Anon!" Watame chirps, trotting right up to you to give you a big hug, her bare skin feels warm to the touch. After releasing you from the fluffy embrace, she makes a show to twirl around to show you the entire piece of her newest outfit. "Didn't Polka do a nice job with mine? It's perfect for me, and she even made a hole for my tail to go through, see?!" Watame then juts her ass toward you, giving you a close up view of how her tail wags through a small circular opening.

"It looks perfect on you." You say with cheeks that are heating from not just the sun.

"Thank you!" Watame says with an equally bashful smile. "How did you sleep? We were surprised when we woke up this morning and you and Polka were passed out on the couch. I bet you both took a nice long walk, I know it's hard not to get distracted by how pretty the ocean is here."

"Waking up before Anon was definitely a first." Flare rises and joins the three of you, her eyes flickering with a playful spark that is already setting off alarm bells. "I only know a few things that seem to keep him from waking up with the sun." Her eyes dart to Polka, who does her best not to shirk from her gaze. "Alone with Anon at night? I can come up with a few guesses about what they were up to."

You and Polka share a quick glance, but don't dare hold it a second longer in fear of incriminating yourselves. A thought then crosses your mind when you look back to Flare and Watame standing in front of you both; What are you both so embarrassed about? How you feel about each other is clearly no secret at this point, and the more Polka tries to keep it hidden from these two, the more Flare will tease her.

"We were talking." You decide to tell the truth, or at least some of it. Polka's eyes widen at your admission, but she doesn't open her mouth to intervene. "She was explaining more about kitsune feeding to me. There's a lot of things I need to know, and before we knew it, we both could barely keep our eyes open."

"Th-That's right!" Polka joins in. "I've been keeping a lot of this stuff in like it was some big secret for too long. Anon still had to help me open up a little more. I promise to explain it to you both soon too. Anon and I still need to learn some stuff as we go."

Flare says nothing for a few seconds, letting you both stew in the suspense of your gambit, but then a bright smile flashes across the half-elf's face, and she brings you both in for a quick hug.

"I'm really glad you're both moving forward on this. If there's anything Watame and I can do to support you, just say the word. We're all gonna be there for each other on whatever crazy ride Anon has put us on. That's a promise for life."

Watame joins your group hug, making the unexpected moment one of pure bliss and harmony. The sounds of the crashing waves accompanied by joyful play then breaks up your joint cuddle. You look over Flare's shoulder and see a group of familiar faces already waist deep in the ocean.

"Now come on." Flare takes you by the hand and leads you closer to the shoreline. "It's about time you started relaxing, and there's a whole rowdy pack of lions waiting for you!"

"W-Wait! How does that last part sound relaxing?" You continue to get pulled along, and your stomach drops at the realization that there are half a dozen hungry lionesses who have been chomping at the bit to spend more time with you. Time that will not allow your body the rest it needs.

Your protests are short lived when you are brought within fifteen feet of where the tide rolls in and out over the glimmering sand; where the rest of your party has set up their lounging arrangements for the day.

"Ahoy, Cabin Boy." Marine calls from her laid out beach chair. The Houshou captain was now clad in a black bikini top sporting the crew's emblem on the right cup, and white shorts that cut off at her upper thighs. Pomu lays in her forest-green one piece on the chair next to her, with Kiara to her right whose own choice of swimsuit looks to be about a size too small on the chest and covers about the same as that sorry excuse for a skirt she normally wears.

"Anon's finally here?" Pomu lowers the bold black sunglasses she wears and looks over at you, and over those tinted specs you can see her pale rubies light up. "Check us out, Anon, we're kicking back Houshou Style. This is great. I had no idea the sun could feel so good. You should really try this."

"Of course it does." Kiara snorts. "The sun is the only reason we're able to survive."

"The sun does do a lot for us." You muse as a potential opportunity presents itself to you. "I'm sure an expert like you would be able to shine some light on just how much it does. Wouldn't you?"

"Nice try." Kiara chuffs. "I'm on holiday, so I ain't teaching you a damn thing about sun magic. Besides, you still haven't paid me back yet. You are actually going to pay me, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." You snap and cross your arms. "I just haven't had a chance to really sort out what I've scored from those pirates yet. You'll get your money."

"Yeah, don't worry, Kiara. Anon's good for it." Pomu comes to your defense, giving you some much needed assurance of yours and fae's friendship when it comes to that prickly orange woman.

"Yeah whatever. I'm only gonna say this once, so listen closely, summoner." Kiara holds up a stern finger at you. "Until I have all three-hundred gold coins in my purse, do not talk to me about magic, spirits, summoning, or fighting. In fact, try not to even look at me while I am trying to relax. Got it?"

"Should I stay fifty feet away from you at all times too?" You try not to let Kiara's attitude spoil your mood, but damn does she make it easy to frown when she's talking down at you like that.

"That would be great. Take your cats with you." Kiara lets out a pleased sigh and continues to lounge.

"You're such a kidder, Kiwawa." Pomu snorts, mistaking Kiara's scorn for you as dry humor. "How would Anon even give you the money if he can't get close to you? That's a good one."

"Don't care. That's his problem. Remember my rules, summoner, and I just might help you out. After I get paid. Now I'm officially going back to my vacation, so no talkie. " Kiara retorts, and just like that you can tell she is doing everything she can to mentally shut you out. Which irks you, but there are worse things you suppose. It's a shame though, you thought you and her had made some progress the other day, but now it seems like she's back to bitch-square-one. Oh well. You can worry about that after you get her the money you promised her…however you plan to do that, that is.

"She's got the right idea." Marine stretches and falls more into her seat. "I feel like I'm finally sweating off months of stress. Take it easy, Anon. There's nowhere to be but here today. Senchou's orders."

Taking the woman's advice to heart, you do what she says, and plop your butt on a space of open sand. You dig your feet into that darkened earth, letting its texture exfoliate your pores, and the constant come and go of the tide cools your skin with its shocking touch, leaving behind an after effect of pure relief and comfort. Flare, Polka, and Watame are already resituating themselves closeby, and you can't help but think how lucky you are.

"Hey! Packleader's here!" Bransha's voice cuts through the bluster of the seabreeze, pulling your attention back to the water, where she, the rest of the pack, Nene, and even Undine all play within its current.

"Yo! Anon! You're late!" Frala calls out, currently mid arc of throwing Bree further into the ocean, and she makes it look as effortless as a child throwing the biggest rock they could find into the lake.

"He needed his rest, he's been working harder than any of us." Riki snaps, and continues what appears to be a free for all by spearing Frala's torso so hard that she actually manages to take the brawny lioness down with her.

"Who cares? He's here now, that's all that matters, since now he gets to watch this!" Bransha brings her arms close, and conjures a burst of water that flies out like a whip, sweeping the ground right from under Korla, Nula, and even Botan. "How was that? Anon? Impressive, right?"

The shorter lioness' boasting is then cut short when her wrist is snatched by a Nene whose eyes shine with a competitive and unrestrained drive. A simple flex and swing of her arm is all it takes to send Bransha skipping across the water like she was a flat stone. Her back hits the peak of a cresting wave, and her choppy surf is brought to an end.

Nene then spots you, giving you a welcoming wave combined with that adorable fanged smile of hers. From the rise and fall of the waves, you are gifted with views of the orange bikini that Nene wears that holds her dynamite body in snug, and perfect place. You wave back, and from behind Nene, Bree rises out of the water and ensnares her in a playful headlock, and the oceanic wrestling starts all over again.

The rippling of what promises to be a large swell then catches your eye, and within seconds a ten-footer comes rolling in, carrying a very happy water spirit in its cresting lip. You watch in awed amusement as Undine carves up, down and along the speeding wave, and the exhilaration she feels almost overwhelms your senses. It was as if you were right at the height of that wave with her, and when she makes that breath catching dip, and you clench the sand at your sides to keep you from falling into the sky. The roar of the waves flows into your eardrums, and the shocked cries of those who swim in it become muffled and distorted. All you can do is smile as that magnificent wave curls to mark its final descent, poised to cover and engulf you.

The water slaps you down from above, and the next few things are a whimsical, shocking, and very wet blur. The tide recedes and leaves you sticking against the sand on your back only a few feet away from where you sat, your tongue and throat are awash with the sharp taste of seawater. After spitting out a mouthful, you take a much needed gasp of air, and then use it to bellow in laughter from the thrill that still lingers at the pit of your gut. Your laughter becomes contagious, infecting Nene who had just plucked her head out of the sand closeby, and Botan who lays on the flat of her stomach on the sand in front of you.

Some of the other innocent bystanders are a little less amused. Marine wipes the water from her face and wrings her hair out of the excess before laying back down as if nothing happened. Pomu does pretty much the same, but sits forward and flutters her wings to shake the droplets off, while Kiara flicks her wrist over her body, and a hot flash of sparking flame rolls over her to dry it instantly. The three go back to sunbathing, and the woman who caused the mini tidal wave that had interrupted them comes floating to you using the next small breath of the tide.

"Good morning, summoner!" Undine chirps, her tail shimmering away in bright blue lights to be replaced by her land legs. "I am sorry if I splashed you a little. The waves seem to have a mind of their own today. Even with just a gentle prod, they end up bigger than I anticipate."

"She's said that every time." Kiara scoffs, and her frown does not invite additional input or argument.

"Are you sure it's not just you falling more into your title of Tide Mistress?" You tease as you step forward to give Botan a helping hand up. Your eyes just mildly, and not so subtly glance at the black bikini the alpha lioness wears, and how the bottom piece is thinly strapped and curves more into her pelvis to showcase her smooth, creamy hips that glisten in the sunlight.

"Well if the people of this land know me as such, I should try to live up to their expectations." Undine fires back with calm confidence that tries to hide that playful smirk of hers.

"It makes playing in the water much more exciting!" Nene joins in, and the eagerness in her eyes to get back in the sea starts to overflow into you. "Are you gonna play with us, Anon? It lots of fun! Nene needed good exercise after days of parties."

"You bet I am, Nene. What kind of games have you guys been playing?"

"I don't know if you could really call it a 'game'. They've just been throwing each other around in the water." Flare answers, flattening her towel to her new, more dry spot that stands just beyond the tide's reach. "Whatever you decide to do, I'm going to need you all to start controlling your magic a little. Especially you, Undine."

"You got some balls, Flare." Marine giggles. "The Tide Mistress can churn or flatten the waters as she sees fit. Besides, it's hot enough where a little spray never hurts. It's good for the skin anyway."

"I'd like to stay dry for at least ten minutes." Flare retorts. "You also don't want to hear Polka whine when her tail gets drenched."

"Hey! I'm in a suit ain't I? I can handle my tail getting wet when it's supposed to be, ya know?!" Polka snaps, and Flare stares her down with palpable disbelief, making the fennec buckle in her own skin. "A-And when I can get dry easily…"

"I got an easy solution anyway to all this tidal wave business." Sylph announces, making eye contact with you and pointing two thumbs to herself. "Sorry sis, but it's my turn for some fun in the sun."

"Hold that thought." Flare interjects before you can mediate between the two spirits. "Anon will definitely summon you today, Sylph, but can you wait just a little longer? I want Anon to try something. Once he's had a little time to relax first."

Sylph let's out a high pitched "oooo" at the concept, easily ensnared, you however…

"Flare." You groan. "You're not honestly going to try to put us through magic practice today, are you?"

"Oh knock it off. It's gonna be a piece of cake for you." Flare fires back and waves you away. "Besides, don't you trust me enough to make a plan that is your type of relaxing? Now go play with your lions and we'll try what I have planned for you after we eat."

"Guess you get a few more hours, big sis." Sylph shrugs. "I guess someone has to keep an eye on you anyway. If I see you getting too carried away, it's out of the water for you."

"The one time Sylph decides she wants to be a responsible sibling. Yup. The world might be doomed." You deadpan, making the lioness and water spirit hold in a mild snicker.

"Well if you two are out, that's fine. What about you, Watame?" Botan asks, interrupting the sheep as she was mid-squat to sit down next to Flare. "Now that Anon's here, we can all swim as a pack."

"Oh? Me?" Watame answers in slight surprise, making you raise an eyebrow. "I don't know…you guys were getting pretty far out into the ocean."

The apprehension on your sheep's face is perplexing. You expected her to jump at the chance for some playful sport with the pack. You, Undine, Nene, all swimming together just having fun is practically a dream come true for her, and you yourself for that matter.

Swimming.

It hits you like a hammer. Watame does not know how to swim. You've never seen her get more than knee deep in the water before. The poor thing never had a chance to learn when she was growing up. Well that all changes now.

"Watame, would you like to learn how to swim as well as Undine and I can?" You word the question without judgment or pressure, simply holding out your hand towards the sheep. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Undine's expression light up with the realization, while Botan and Nene both share a surprised, but unbothered look.

"You'll teach me? Are you sure?" Watame asks, standing to her full height and seeing the answer already in your eyes. "But what about playing with the pack?"

"The pack isn't complete without you. Right, everyone?" You grin, and the lioness women nearby give their resounding agreement and encouragement towards the sheep as they race back into the sea. "We did promise each other we would make it back to the ocean. Let's enjoy it together."

Watame smiles, putting her trust and hand in yours, you walk joined together into the refreshing blue that stretches forever. The waves come to meet you, caressing more and more of your bodies as you trek forward. You look at your sheepy beloved, her soft face wearing a thin layer of nervousness, but you give her hand a soft squeeze to reassure her. The tension drops from her shoulders, and she takes a relieved sigh. Another wave comes, bringing the water just above both your chests for a moment, and sweeping the shorter sheep off her feet.

"Eeep!" She squeals, and by instinct she clings herself to you, her soft, wet mounds press against your bare chest, sending a shock all the way down your spine.

"No need to be scared. I'm not gonna let you drown." You hold Watame close and give her a few soothing strokes. "Remember who we have with us." You nod to where Undine floats only a few feet ahead of you, basking in the sunshine as she floats on her back.

"I know. I know I shouldn't be frightened, but…what if I can't figure out how to swim?"

"With myself and Undine to help teach you? Impossible." You grin and release Watame to let her stand on her own again. "You're already doing much better than I did when my dad taught me?"

"Really?" Watame asks wide-eyed. "But when you're swimming you always look so natural. I can't believe-"

"He threw me in during low tide as a toddler." You say, your face vacant of any hints of jest or exaggeration. Watame's face contorts to show how every ounce of brain power she can spare is being used trying to either picture the man she briefly met doing something like that to a child, or what you looked like at the time. Her lips do a back and forth between a smitten smile, and a pensive frown. "My dad was a very 'experience is the best teacher' type of person."

"In his defense, you did come to him from the ocean. He probably thought it was natural for you." Undine offers.

"That's exactly what he told my uncle…" You remark, digging through the memories of your upbringing, and remembering the harsh scolding your uncle gave your dad. "Turns out that theory wasn't as sound as he thought. I sorta just flailed until the tide brought me ashore. Anyway, the point is that you're already in the water, so you're halfway to learning how to swim, Watame! And Undine and I will be with you the entire way. Now let's work on your floating first."

You spend the next hour helping Watame master her comfort in the water, first leading her by the hands as she lets her body fully extend and bob along the surface. Undine tries to demonstrate how to properly kick within the water, but imitating a mermaid tail was a little too advanced for Watame, so you trade places with the water spirit; allowing her to keep the sheep safe and in place, while you showcase the proper movement for one with legs. Watame then follows Undine's unconditional encouragement, and tries to swim to you, using all the courage she can muster to doggy paddle over the gentle bumps that appear to challenge her. You keep yourself afloat and outstretch your arms to welcome her in, and Watame begins to paddle faster. A slight tingle somewhere along your back, you can't pinpoint where or why, but as your senses became closed off to everything but Watame and the ocean around you, something made itself known to you. You glance behind you to see an abnormally large wave for low tide begin to roll in. While it wouldn't get higher than five feet, it would for sure knock the earnest sheep back. Watame sees the ripple grow and hurry towards her, making her freeze in panic.

"Come on, Watame! Just a little closer. You can do it!" You beckon your sheep, snapping her out of her indecision. She looks only at you as she begins to flail her feet, and dig through the depths with her pawed hands like her very life depended on it. The wave rolls ever nearer, building speed, height, and strength as it begins to curl. With a final determined cry, Watame propels herself into your arms, her eyes clamped shut as the wave casts a small shadow over both of you.

"Way to go, Watame!" You beam, and hold your sheep close to take things from here. "Next lesson is what to do when you don't want to take a wave head on. Hold on tight, take a deep breath, and open your eyes in about, hmmm four, five seconds."

Watame nods into your chest, and you meet the coming swell with eager eyes. With protective and steady hands on the sheep's head and back, you spearhead the two of you into the mouth of the wave just as it begins to fall.

You drift through the serene blue, and the shimmering ceiling ripples above you. The five promised seconds have passed, and Watame opens a single eye, showing her a whole new world. A world not constrained by gravity or walls, the expanse underneath the waves shimmers with the morning sun casting its rays from above. Everything is so clear; the pale brown sand of the seabed that releases a small, fleeting cloud at the slightest touch, the seashells that decorate it like the most extravagant gown, the shoots of grass that sway in a never ending dance, and the life, so much life lives just underneath the azure veil that Watame never allowed herself to venture past before. Fish of bright blues, yellows, greens, and even purples swim in tightly knit schools from where the sand dips further down.

At Undine's invitation, the marine life comes to greet the three of you. To your astonishment, they barely give you a second glance, even coming so far as to brush the skin of your arm with their tail fins as they pass by and inspect the sheep next to you. They are pensive of the horned creature at first, but as if they were given a formal introduction, their apprehensiveness vanishes, and they greet the sheep with a display of aquatic acrobatics; their swift movements are like a brush spreading its palette across a canvas. Watame's spirit is enthralled, and she starts to attempt to swim herself forward to follow the fish that leave to return to deeper depths.

Undine intervenes with a gentle hold on Watame's hand, and you both share a mental conversation on what to do next. You motion to Watame to return up to the surface, forcing her to realize that even her strong lungs have their limits. Her cheeks puff up and she nods as calmly as possible, but you can see a twinge of urgency in her eyes. You all come up for a quick breath of air, but before Watame can begin to burst about all that she saw, Undine motions for her to hold her words, for now.

"You have seen nothing yet, my little sheep." Her pursed lips smooth to a smile. "Take a deep breath you two. We're going a little deeper this time."

Watame nods with a big eager smile, and inhales as much air as she can into her chest. When you take your own deep breath, Undine dives backwards, taking you both with her. With Undine's tail propelling you all forward, the push of the tide is unable to keep you from reaching the first dip of the undertow in a matter of seconds. The three of you dive down further, and a more expansive world reveals itself to you. Kelp and seaweed streak along the ocean floor to create an aquatic forest that all matter of smaller life uses for shelter, food, and leisure. Undine continues to lead you both by the hand at a quicker pace, knowing your time deeper beneath the surface is short. Watame beholds jellyfish, crabs, even a manta ray, and the wonder on her face makes your heart feel lighter than how your body feels right now. What might be almost as amazing is how your senses are somehow in tune with the life and natural state of the world around you. Almost like an itch or a muscle moving without your knowledge, you can somehow feel parts of the underwater ecosystem. It feels natural.

As you ponder upon the fresh, but familiar senses, Watame is closely inspecting an open clam that holds a pearl that shines with unrivaled purity. The clam then shuts its mouth before Watame can reach the jewel it protects, making her reel back in shock. The shellfish may not recognize the sheep as a threat to its life, but that doesn't mean it wants to willingly part with its own treasure. The interaction brings a content smile to your face, and an idea for later.

Undine brings you both back to the surface, where Watame is about to burst at the seams from all she just experienced.

"That was so beautiful!" She exclaims. "All those cute little fish, and the grass that grows in the water, and those funny see-through things with their stringy feet! There's so much down there!"

"Indeed. The ocean is home to many wondrous life forms that can only survive within its depths. There are even some that only make their homes even deeper; where the light of the sun can't even reach." Undine goes on to say, tickled pink at how enthusiastic Watame is over their impromptu tour.

"Can we go there someday?!" Watame splashes the water in front of her in unbridled excitement. "I want to see everything you've helped make, Undine!"

"Perhaps someday, my little sheep. You are still getting used to your sea-legs after all."

"Aww, I guess you're right. It is a little less scary to be in the ocean now, but I'm still not anywhere near as good a swimmer as you or Anon."

"Watame, have you noticed that you're floating on your own?" You bring up, making the sheep look down at how her legs are kicking back and forth beneath the water to keep her afloat.

"Eh?! I am? I really am!" Watame gasps, marveling at how she isn't sinking like a stone. "I didn't even know I could do this. Now I can swim with Undine and Anon in all sorts of places. I wanna go to the biggest lakes, the longest rivers, the deepest bathtubs, and, and-"

You and Undine share a prideful glance as your sheep continues to make grand plans for your future. It was not entirely unexpected that showing Watame the splendors of the sea would erase some of the fear she once felt, but the mini excursion had helped her take to swimming like, well, a fish to water.

"Hey Watame! Anon! Over here!" Frala waves from a little further inland, where she and the rest of the pack, plus Nene, are floating in a loose circle. The three of you then paddle yourselves forward, using the coming waves to speed you along. The lionesses congratulate their horned packmate on her swimming lessons, and are eager to play as lions do.

Splashing, dunking, wrestling, and even a little biting, horsing around in the water with Watame and your pack fills you with a kind of joy that had been missing from your life up till now. Friends. Playing with friends that make you feel like you truly belong, and in a place where time feels inconsequential. The only things you have to worry about is if the sun is still up, if you're hungry, or if you're sleepy. There is no where you need to travel to. No enemies to battle. No thoughts of even future enemies or responsibilities. Just you, your friends, the blazing sun, the vast ocean, and some of the best eye candy man may ever lay eyes on.

Frala wears a blood red tube top that allows every chiseled detail of her physique to be on proud display. Bransha and Bree wear matching black one-pieces, where the former is easily stretching it to its limits. Riki wears an icy blue bikini and thong that showcases her hourglass figure. Nula 's suit is something more than what you expected; a black two-piece that pushes up her chest to produce a very modest, but alluring valley, and a bottom that bites just a few inches across her backside. Korla's suit is a delightful white one-piece that hugs every curve, and makes her voluptuous form look all the more enticing.

This must be what paradise is made of.

When the sun rises high overhead and the act of catching your breath between elated laughter starts to become a conscious effort, it is time to leave the waves for a small break. Most of your time spent eating the refreshing fruits that Marine had so thoughtfully packed was filled with conversations between the pack about their island, and their increasingly grander plans for returning it to its former glory.

It'll be back to its former glory sooner than you all think. You can't help but let a small smirk form upon your lips before putting thoughts of your secret and beneficial alliance back into its hiding space. Instead you focus on how each of the lionesses might react when they see the results of your bargain, especially Botan's. You look at the alpha's relaxed smile from across the circle, finding yourself daydreaming about spending more time with her, getting to know her, and learning about the history of her people. Thoughts of those fancies and their results are quickly brought to a halt when you feel someone's gaze weigh down on you. Watame stares at you with that mischievous, smug, and painfully adorable smile of hers, as if she caught you in an inescapable trap.

She says nothing, but the way she wiggles her eyebrows as her eyes go between you and Botan begs the question, "What?" You ask, softly enough not to interrupt the other pockets of conversation going on.

"Nothing~" She hums, only adding to your confusion. "I just can't wait to see Botan's home again. You even got to see her house before I did. She told me the pirates messed it up, but it was still in a really pretty spot. Is that true?"

"Is it in a nice little nook within their forests now that you mention it. I am looking forward to walking around there again now that I won't be looking over my shoulder every two seconds."

"Make sure to invite Botan to go along with you." Watame gives your cheek a playful prod with her finger. "I think she would really like that. I think you would too."

"Well of course I would. It's not as fun if I'm all on my own." You say matter of factly, and you snatch the sheep's hand midair, leading your interlocked fingers back down to the sand in a tender meeting.

"Good! I'm glad you want to." Watame chirps. "I'll make sure to tell Botan later. Don't you worry about a thing. Your combat sheep has you covered."

Watame's enthusiasm raises your eyebrow once more, but before you can try to find the root of it, Flare calls out for you and Undine. Seeing how you both finished your meals and the group is taking their own cues to sprawl themselves out along the sand, you rise up, and let that tropical sun that is a few precious feet closer now, envelop you in its warming rays.

"We'll continue our lessons another time. You are getting very good, Nene." Undine says as she does the same and moves a few feet to join you in front of Flare.

"Is this about that thing you said you wanted me to try?" You cut right to the point, to which Flare nods.

"Sure is. I want to know more about that special resonance you and Undine did. Even from the ship I could tell it was stronger than anything you two have done before. So how does it work? Did you discover it through your memories, Undine?" Flare questions you both, but one is just as clueless as the other. You and Undine share a glance, unsure who should take the lead on a mystery that has no real leads to speak of.

"We don't really know." You say, making Flare sigh like you knew she would. "It just kinda happened."

"Indeed. At least in the moment, I was not intentionally doing anything different." Undine joins in, and Flare's head begins to turn and turn with thoughts and theories.

"That's very the two of you." Flare remarks, lifting some of the guilt from your shoulders. "No problem. That's why we're gonna take it from the top. I want you two to resonate and see if it happens again. Since you haven't done that since the battle, we don't even know if it'll be your default state or not, so there might not even be anything different you have to do."

"That is sound thinking." Undine nods, then looks to you. "I am ready if you are, summoner."

"I guess so." You shrug. "It feels kinda weird to resonate when we're not in the middle of a battle. Would this be considered irresponsible?"

"Of course not, you dork." Flare snaps. "Sure your resonance gives you both an edge when you fight, but who knows what else it can be used for. If Undine can influence the tides on her own, the two of you together can probably do even more. You DID do more during your battle with Chacu didn't you? What if as a summoner you're meant to do things like help Undine create new bodies of water? Revive lakes or rivers that have run dry? Or even direct water to flow to where people need it?"

"That's…" You mull over Flare's words with a fresh perspective that suddenly widened the scope of your unique undertaking even more. "That's a really good point."

"I know it is." Flare tuts, and motions for you to slow your thoughts and listen to her. "Now I want you to both resonate like normal, and we'll go from there."

With a mutual desire, you and Undine join hands, and spark your resonance. When your souls converge, your sixth sense becomes acutely aware of water's life that surrounds you. The ocean mere feet away, and the small pockets of trickling fresh water through the mainland, their ever moving life feels as though it can be touched if you only reach out. Undine floats beside you, radiating in her incorporeal form. From across you Flare inspects you, and by her quizzical expression, it is clear that you are not at the same level as when you fought Chacu. You and Undine share a curiosity to see if it is indeed within your control. You both try spiking your mana, bringing it to the brim, but everything stays the same. The overwhelming surge of nautical power, the life force of the marine life shining a light in your mind, and the slight change in your appearance to make you more akin to the ruler of the waters herself, it was all absent.

"Alright, you can relax now." Flare sighs. "Are you sure you didn't do anything specific to trigger the super resonance?"

"Sorry, Flare. We were kinda in the middle of a pretty intense and life or death thing." You snort. "I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to what our resonance was doing on its own."

"Sorry, sorry." Flare apologizes. "I didn't mean it like that. I know you and Undine had to make an impossible choice. I'm not sure how I would have kept it together."

"I almost came apart actually." You say downcast, almost ashamed of how indecisive you were at such a critical moment. "But lucky for me, I had someone that knew just what to say to set me straight."

"We are lucky to have each other." Undine replies, and Sylph shares a similar familial smile from her ringside seat to your lesson.

"I think that's the secret." Watame says with simple, but steadfast certainty. Everyone, including you, looks to the sheep to see what discovery she had made. "Anon and Undine were able to resonate higher because they had to."

"Watame…" Flare groans, running a hand along her face, but her exasperation dissipates when she gives the sheep's simple explanation more thought. "Considering that it's Anon, that might be all there is to it for now. I don't really like the idea of your progress being locked behind life or death scenarios."

"So exactly what's been happening to me this whole time?" You smirk, but the half-elf just scowls at you.

"We need to work on you improving your abilities as a summoner before you're put into a life or death situation. Now since we can't figure out how your heightened resonance works, you're going to summon Sylph now. You need to be more mindful of how much mana you have left, and you need to be able to summon her or Undine in the middle of battle."

"I guess that means we should use a little of our mana up first." You say eagerly. "Who wants to do a little surfing?"

"No! No!" Flare points a finger at you. "You're going to start by ending your resonance and summoning Sylph right away. No tidal waves, whirlpools, or splashing! We need to start from the top."

"Aw c'mon." You whine.

"If you ever want to master dual summoning, you need to start shifting from water to wind in a big way. It's not enough that you can cast spells from both. You need to start feeling both elements as you do your summonings."

"Flare has a point." Polkas speaks up. "You're getting good at using wind and water, but summoning is a whole different bag. None of us really know the best way to help you improve, so you should just keep rolling with what Flare comes up with. Your sessions have made you magically stronger. She may not have anything to go on, but she knows you, and she knows magic."

Flare gives the fennec a thankful, but smug nod that you feel more than inclined to agree with. While you want to flex your magic and see what kind waves you can make, Polka and Flare raise a good point. You haven't actually performed a summoning directly after a resonance yet, and you are reasonably curious of how feasible it is. How do you even end your resonance early? Your internal question is answered by Undine's cool smile, and you feel a strange pulse within your mind. In what can only be called to the recesses of your soul, the image of intertwined lights of blue and silvers burns brightly. It feels as though you can reach out and touch it, and then the image changes; another's hand pinches the blue end of the thread between her fingers, and you see your own hand doing the same with the opposite line. A conscious desire by two becomes one, and the threads become untied, your breath feels as though it has slid right through your belly, and your shoulders become heavy. The resonance was over, and Undine was floating beside you in her incorporeal form.

You dig your heels into the sand to secure your balance, and catch your breath. Having Undine's power separate from your body in one fell swoop still leaves you with lingering sensations of water, so you need to shift yourself completely if you are going to summon Sylph in a timely manner. You close your eyes and try to focus. The gathering of your mana, the emotions that fuel the essence of wind, and the tie you have to their orchestrator. All those things are easy enough to align, but your magical reserves are another story. Despite not having used much of your conjoined power, the resonance ending has you feeling drained enough where mustering the mana to summon Sylph is strenuous. Even so, you persist. You take a deep breath through your nose, and make one final push, willing with all your might to allow Sylph to enjoy the tropical air you've been basking in all morning.

A flash of verdant green blinds your senses, and your body slumps with your gasping breath. From your close up view of the ground, where your hands planted against the balls of the knees are the only thing keeping you from seeing just how far gravity would dig your face into the sand, you can hear the excited flutter of fairy wings just a few feet away. Your lips curve to a small smile as droplets of sweat slide off your face and darken the sand below you. As you continue to catch your breath, a tanned pair of feet come into view.

"I'm good." You say to the sand. "I just need a sec."

"Take all the time you need." Flare says in a comforting tone laced with pride. She then squats down to be at eye level with you, and the sight of that beautiful face, combined with her other forward facing features, puts you on the fast track to recovery. You take her offered hand and let her lift you both up, letting your palms linger for a few seconds before letting go.

"Great job, summoner!" Sylph flutters above you. "I'm all here in one piece! No see-through fingers or nothing!"

"How do you feel?" Flare says directly to you, and you try to formulate a reassuring, but also truthful answer.

"Like I could probably only manage a few balls of starlight with my magic." You say, and to put that to the test, you force a small orb to appear over your palm, but only a few flickers of wind dance along your skin. "And I guess my mana is a little harder to shape correctly. Lovely."

"Try not to worry too much. The point of the exercise was to be able to summon Sylph after a resonance with Undine. You passed that test with flying colors." Flare gives your head a reward pat, which feels patronizing, but all so delightful at the same time. "We'll try to practice this once every few days or so, but I think I have a better idea of how to make this easier for you."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"I'll tell you during our next lesson." Flare smiles. "But you've distracted everyone long enough. Let's get back to our vacation."

"She said it! Big Sis has gotten to play with everyone for two whole days while I've been stuck on the sidelines. I gotta make up for lost time. Hey Pomu!" Sylph then shouts over to the lounging fae, making her sit up in her chair. "Wanna take a quick soar to the port? We should see if that baker we talked to yesterday had a chance to make any snacks."

"Cheyaaa! I've been waiting for this." Pomu exclaims and her wings flutter rapidly to launch her from her seat. "I've been dying for something sweet. A fairy can't live off of booze and fish alone. They'll lose their cuteness that way."

"We can't have that! Let's go!" Sylph snaps her fingers. "You coming, summoner?"

"Sorry, I'll have to pass. I'd just slow you both down. No wings."

"Suit yourself." The wind fairy shrugs. "We'll be back in a flash, and hopefully with a chest stocked with goodies. Don't have too much fun till I get back!"

Both women fly off over the coast, and while you shudder to think of what mischief those two might plan or cause on their own, you can't bring yourself to want to do much about it right now. You're magically exhausted, and there's still a whole beach and afternoon to enjoy. The only question is, what should you do next?

The answer comes almost instantly when you are seized by Nene's shining emeralds. The next thing you want to do is share some more time with this free spirited woman. Using only the lights from your eyes and the curve of your lips as an invitation, the two of you race to what will be your construction site. As you gather clumps of sand and Nene digs the perimeter, you compare past seafront projects together, and it comes as no surprise that the children of Bjornholm consider it a favored pastime. The two of you find a natural rhythm with one another; her molding the surrounding walls in place, and you using a very sparse amount of magic to dampen the surface and cement it together. The foundation starts to become more impressive as Nene carves in the detail; shaping the ramparts, edging the roofs, and even decorating the walls with small coin-sized shells. The more your castle comes together, the more attention it garners.

Polka comes barring colorful miniature flags and banners that she creates with a mere snap of her fingers, and Botan adds a wooden drawbridge complete with chains, and tiny metal suits of armor to guard the fort. Before you know it, Polka and Nene are creating an entire backstory to your castle, complete with a princess, a queen, and an evil vizier. Botan begins work on a second structure, one she wants to be taller, wider, and even more armed.

Unfortunately, you and Botan do not have the talent for sand-masonry that Nene has. Your second castle is more like a portly tower with disproportionate floors than it is a bastion of power and strength. The fact that it doesn't hold a candle to the other structure doesn't seem to bother Botan in the slightest. She made what she set out to make, and once you filled the moat she dug at your request, that cute smile of hers gleams brighter than the sun.

Once the construction had officially come to a close, it was time for maybe the best part. You, Nene, and Botan all share an evil smirk, while Polka seems to be in the dark about what is to come. Then with mock roars and battle cries, the three of you kick your feet through the heart of your creations, sundering them as though you all had the power to make the earth quake beneath them. Polka gasps, and her stuttered protests are not enough to keep the three of you from demolishing those royal strongholds back to the tiny grains they came from, in fact, it only makes you all double your efforts. The fennec's surprise at the sudden choice of violence has the three of you snickering like idiots.

"What the heck did you do that for!?" She whines, kneeling down and trying to recover the work of art from the wreckage, but the grains just slide through her fingers. "Now Princess Dusklight will never get to marry the captain of the guards…their future was taken from them."

"It was gonna get washed away by the tide anyway." Botan remarks. "Better that we have fun and do it ourselves."

"You never smashed sandcastles before, Omarun?" Nene tilts her head with the question.

"There isn't even a beach anywhere close to where I'm from, so no." Polka huffs, her shock now ascending to pure annoyance with your antics.

"Sorry, Polka, that's just the way the castles crumble." You chuckle, and your joke earns you a firm jab from the fennec into your chest. "Okay okay, I'm sorry!" You rub the spot, but it's hard to sound apologetic through how your stomach bubbles with laughter. "If you really want to see a princess love story come to life, why don't we try to make one happen?"

"While I'm not entirely opposed to finding you a princess someday, since that would mean I also get a princess, it might be a hard sell. Our lifestyle and everything might make things a bit…complicated for a woman of royalty. Not to mention her parents might not exactly approve of her suitor's other commitments."

"Not with me!" You snap, giving the fennec just the reaction she was hoping for, that sneaky girl.

"Why not?" Botan joins in before you recover. "You would probably make a good pick for a princess. You would definitely produce strong children, and isn't that what most human kingdoms care about?"

"Anon would make very strong children." Nene nods. "He very strong, and very kind. Princess would be happy to have him."

"I am not on the market for any princesses!" You stomp. "The idea of being cooped up in some stuffy castle makes me sick to my stomach. Besides, I'm definitely not royal suitor material."

"But what if Watame is the princess of where she comes from?" Polka asks with a grin. "And for all you know, I could be a princess."

"One, if Watame was royalty, someone would have probably busted down Hector's gates way before he came to Rosso. Two, if you're a princess, I'm the future king of wherever the hell I'm actually from. Three! Princess or not, that doesn't change who you are to me. That doesn't change who the Polka Omaru I'm in love with is."

"J-Just getting real loud and proud with the L-Word huh?" Polka's ears flatten as she averts your gaze with flushed cheeks. "I…guess you got a good point though. A sappy one, but I guess I'm in the same boat. I l-love you too, even if you were some kind of king or whatever." She mutters, twirling her braided lock of hair around her finger. The honest declaration from Polka has your own heart aflutter. The promise that no matter who or what you may be, she will love you is not only reassuring, but makes you feel like you're falling for this fennec even faster. Those heart studded eyes of hers look even more entrancing than they did last night.

"Nene likes how Omarun and Anon are with each other now. Much more honest. That's how Ursoc and Ursol teach us to be." Nene states, tapping her heart twice with her closed fist.

"They are cute, and the idea of Polka and him sharing a princess someday, I didn't know you both were that adventurous." Botan adds with a dry grin, reeling the atmosphere back from the lavender haze that almost overtook it.

"I am not getting involved with any princesses." You groan and put a hand to your face.

"But what if pretty princess needs our help?" Nene asks.

"Of course we'll help her." You reply, and Botan's lips curve with the promise of her next words delivering a strike you could see from a mile away. "As long as it doesn't involve me getting romantic, frisky, overly friendly, or doing anything that would get me either shackled to her for life, or locked in her dungeon. It's not only a bad idea, but it would be plain irresponsible."

"But what if she-" Botan starts, clearly eager to find some sort of hypothetical weakness in your convictions.

"But nothing." You interrupt. "If whatever royalty we find is having love trouble, we'll find them someone actually suitable. Someone who isn't me. Agreed?"

"I'm cool with that." Polka nods. "Playing matchmaker for a princess is about as good as it gets for a clown. If you can make her laugh and fall in love, you'll have made it. Soooooo, Anon. Is there a princess in the kingdom you grew up in?"

"Nice try." You deadpan and you decide to not give the fennec an opportunity for a follow up by walking back towards where the rest of your family is currently relaxing.

"I haven't even begun to try!" Polka laughs after you, and she plays her next card when she stands directly over where Flare lays down on her towel, blocking her sun and forcing the half-elf to acknowledge her. "Sooooo, Flare. You got a princess in the place you grew up, right?"

"Wha?" She mouths, looking over at you for answers, but you can only shake your head and sigh. "I mean, yeah, the king and queen have a daughter, several actually. Why do you want to know?"

"Any of them still single?" Polka asks next, making Flare look at her with increasingly dubious eyes.

"All of them, but only one is of age; Princess Dahlia. Why?"

"Polka wants to see a princess love story happen in real life." Nene answers, and then thinks on the prospect for a few good seconds before adding on. "Me too. It sound cute."

"And who were you proposing would be her royal highness' suitor? Dare I ask?" Flare sits up and glares at both blonds, giving the fennec instant regrets about her decision.

"It could be anyone! Honest!" Polka stammers. "I didn't have anyone in mind, but if we were ever in the neighborhood, we could swoop in, solve some impending crisis, and watch her have her happily ever after. Sounds nice, right?"

"A crisis that would likely have Anon front and center. So no. Not nice. I would not let that pompous little bitch even make eyes at Anon. If she did, I would likely end up disgracing my father's name, and possibly be wanted for treason and murder." Flare says with no exaggeration or jest.

"You're cold, Flare." Marine laughs from the seat next to the half-elf. "You can't blame a gal for lookin' can ya?"

"In the case of her royal cuntness, I most certainly can." Flare huffs. "She would be no good for him anyway. She's so sheltered and up her own ass."

"I already said 'no princesses'." You feel the need to voice.

"Well if you find a princess that I actually like and if you truly love her, then it's fine." Flare shrugs, tossing the conversation in such a drastic fashion that your stomach drops. "Just not Dahlia. Never, Dahlia. She's such a two-faced brat that I doubt we could even find a real match for her with anyone."

"So we'll just try our luck with the next monarchal kingdom we come across. Got it!" Polka gives the okay-sign with her hand and finally backs down.

"It would be romantic to see something like that play out though…" Flare begins to muse. "A royal wedding is something I'd like to go to at least once in my life."

"And if we help some forlorn princess find her true love, I will be your plus-one and we'll enjoy all the delights her kingdom's money can buy." You offer a hand to Flare, who shakes it to seal the deal.

"Good answer." She giggles, and you take the pact further and bend down and give the top of that caramel colored hand of hers a small kiss. "We'll have to try not to show off too much. It will be that lucky princess' special day after all."

"I think your clear modesty will be the least of your worries." Marine joins the conversation with a show of her teeth. "Even if you're guests of honor, I doubt they'll tolerate your brand of fun for very long. Or more likely, you'll get bored out of your minds and start making your own fun."

"And like a pirate would last any longer." Flare huffs, making you chuckle at the quick response. "And for your information, I know how to conduct myself within higher society."

"But I don't think my cabin boy has much experience in that department." Marine leans back and rests her arms behind her head. "Or Watame. Or Pomu. Or…" Marine trails, letting her points settle before her eyes shift to where Nene and Botan stand, putting Flare in checkmate.

"We'll just cross that bridge when we get there." Flare concedes. "It's not like we have any idea when or where this will happen anyway. It's just daydreaming. A daydream Polka has about princess romance."

"Princesses? Are we talking about princesses?" Sylph's ears catch the tail end of your conversation, and the wind spirit flutters herself away from the circle of lionesses and sheep that munch on the treats she and Pomu returned with. "I'd love to meet one someday. I mean, there's a chance I met some before my memory went all *poof, but who knows how long ago that was. Do you know where we can find one? Ya know, fairies have their own royal bloodlines too! I think I can remember the ones that hang out in a crystal forest, not made by me mind you, though I wish I thought of it, and they were ruled by a fairy queen named-"

"Shale'shalo everyone!" Sammy's upbeat greeting comes as a surprise as he approaches with light footed strides with Kukai at his wing.

"Shale'shalo!" You wave. "How are you both doing today?"

"Excellent, and now that I found you without a board on your shoulder, or a task in your mind, even better." Sammy laughs. "I was beginning to think you didn't know how to relax on your own."

"I think the Shallah air is finally getting to him. Not even the biggest workaholics can resist it for long." Kukai adds all too seamlessly.

"And I assume you're both here because you're done breaking your own backs for the day?" You retort. "Or should I just head to the port and see who needs another set of hands?"

"He's bluffing, don't listen to him." Flare spurts out, catching the attention of Watame, whose ears were twitching at the new arrivals.

"That's right!" Watame exclaims, quickly joining the conversation's proximity, with such speed and a short stop that it makes her chest bounce with such grace that you will instantly agree with whatever words came out of this sheep's mouth next. "We decided this morning that Anon's hands are for us only today." You will more than agree with that. "No more work. We promised we would just play and relax for a while."

"And that's just what I'll have to do." You shrug sarcastically. "So what brings you guys over here? Did you actually need something?"

"Well, besides the fact that I kinda live here" Kukai starts, and you are suddenly stricken with a sense of guilt that you have basically commandeered the man's home for almost a week. "We have one last little thing on both our checklists before we can put our feet up for the day."

"Second to last little thing." Sammy corrects, and clears his throat before turning his voice directly at you. "We have a little surprise for you all just north of the port. If you'd rather wait till later though, we can always-"

"Well if it's on a beach, I say we go now." You put the idea out in the open, to which no one seems to have any issue with.

"That was meant to be part of the surprise, but if it makes you want to see it sooner, that's fine with me." Kukai lets out a soft chuckle. "Just grab anything you might have left at my place and we'll head there now."

Intrigued by what this surprise might be, everyone gathers their things and begins to follow Sammy up the coast while you, Polka, Kukai, and Botan make a quick stop to the native's home to retrieve your group's belongings.

"So I bet you and Polka had an interesting talk this morning. Did it go well?" Botan suddenly asks, and the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

"Wh-What do you mean?" You ask in a lowered voice, your eyes fixated straight ahead where Kukai and Polka make light conversation while you make your way along the beach. "I mean why would it be any different from any other morning?"

"You don't need to hide it. I saw the aftermath of that midnight 'conversation' you two had." Botan smirks, and her tail gives an involuntary flick in amusement. "I woke up and when I didn't smell you or Polka around, I came looking, and then saw her trying to load you into a wheelbarrow."

"Geez, I don't remember that part at all. Not that I was even awake for it." You rub the back of your head.

"You were out cold in a way I've never seen. You also had the goofiest smile on your face, so I figured you weren't hurt. Polka though, when she saw me" Botan purses a drawn out whistle through her lips. "She looked ready to grab you by the scruff of your neck, and find herself a hole to burrow into."
"I believe it…last night kinda ended as a surprise for both of us." You still try to keep your voice down, but it looks like Polka has not heard you, or more likely, is not letting it show that she can hear you, those adorable ears of hers could definitely pick up on your whispering.

"It seems like it was good for you two though, so I didn't say anything. I just threw you over my shoulder and carried you back. This might become a habit for us at this rate." Botan's sincere smile takes away most of the anxiousness you had felt, and her presence in this moment is both calming and warm.

"Sorry, and thank you." You say, to which the lioness pats the small of your back with her tail.

"Don't mention it. Seriously, don't. I promised Polka I wouldn't bring it up with anyone besides you two. Yours and Polka's trust means a lot to me. You both mean a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me too." You say without hesitation, and the womanly upturn of Botan's smile makes your heart hiccup. "I-I couldn't have made it through this whole ordeal with you and the pack. Fighting alongside you was pretty great."

"Right back at ya. I know we were in it to help the people here and get my home back, but you also helped me find something I went my whole life not even knowing it was missing." Botan says, and the glint in her eyes along with the way the wind gently passes along the edges of her wild mane, has you completely enthralled.

"Oh yeah? What was that?" You don't even wait for her to take a breath for you to ask.

"That's a secret." She puts a finger to her lips and grins at you, and before your face can become stuck in the sour spot it dropped to, she gives you another light swat from her tail. "For a few more days at least. It's kinda fun watching you try to guess."

"A habit of teasing you picked up from Flare no doubt." You scoff.

"With any luck I'll pick up something else of hers too~" Botan hums under her breath, and before your brain can catch up to fully process what she said, the clamoring of familiar voices pulls your attention forward, where Kukai announces that you have arrived, and steps to the side to present the surprise aforementioned.

Only three-quarters of a mile from the shoreline, sits a long two-story building that backs up to a scattered forest of palms and tropical brush. It looks set up similarly to an inn, each floor has four dark brown doors looking outward, but there is no "main" entrance to speak of. The wood that composed its foundation was ripe with age and the marks of heavy use, but the sun bleached exterior is inviting you closer with open arms. A staircase sits on the right side corner, and you can estimate from your frontal view that there might be space for two or three more rooms along the side.

"Anonnnnn!" Watame leans over the second floor balcony, waving at you with unbridled excitement. "Sammy says we get to stay here! Isn't that great!?"

"Wha?" You half-breathe in bewilderment. "Is she serious?"

"Yup! Surprise!" Kukai stops and turns to you with a full toothed grin. He takes a second to adjust the white cap he wears to and clears his throat. "You all have done more for us than we can ever truly thank you for, and the pillars and I decided that you should spend the rest of your stay here as honored guests do in Shallah."

"Not to mention, Kukai's place sounded like it was getting cramped." Sammy bellows, meeting your group halfway along the sand.

"Sorry about that by the way." You rub the back of your head as you apologize to the younger man, who waves your sentiment off.

"Hey, having you and your friends around makes the place pretty lively, and that's part of Shallah is all about; feeling free, relaxed, and at a home where you can make some unforgettable memories." He proudly extends his arms to the world around him where the warm ocean breeze brushes along the nearby leafage, and the roll of the waves harmonizes with the serenity of this tropical paradise. "And now you can keep making memories…in a place that isn't my house."

"T-Thank you!" You swallow, trying desperately to keep your face from reddening and giving your guilt to your generous host on a silver platter. "Is this really alright though? No one else lives here? Or needs to?"

"What you're looking at is the private guest lodge that's belonged to my family for generations. When I retired from wandering the seas, Morgan, myself, and other foreign guests would all stay here where we would discuss business." Sammy crosses his arms and his eyes shine with a pride that makes you almost need to turn away. "Yup, it was in pretty rough shape, but there's nothing a few helping hands and some elbow grease can't take care of. We were even able to fix the plumbing, so it's all yours to enjoy, but if there's a specific room you wanted" he then makes a slight nudge with his chin towards the abode, where you can spot Flare, Marine and Nene as they finish poking their heads into a few of the rooms along the first floor, seemingly already staking their claims. "You better hurry up."

"No need to worry about if there's enough beds though," Kukai adds, "while each room has a decent sized bed, we also made sure to bring some cots over. You'll have everything else you could need; places to put your stuff, towels, pots and pans. We wanted to make sure this can really feel like a home to you all."

"We really appreciate this. Thank you both." You gingerly shake the hands of both men. "I think I would definitely call Shallah one of my homes." You look around at the people closest to you, already feeling in place with your surroundings.

"Guess your room is gonna be a sea of blankets, eh Anon?" Polka remarks, her wry smile curls towards the lioness next to you, and the tip of her tail flicks behind her at the other likely roommates.

"Nah, no need to worry about us cramping your space." Botan corrects, and her relaxed delivery makes you even more curious about what she means by this. "We got somewhere else we should be, which by the way" she makes a few steps closer to the building where the other members of the pack casually rest themselves against its walls and railings, but you can trace her eyes that seem locked on to Marine. "Yo! Marine! Want to make a few coins?"

"Huh? Coins? How?" Marine's attention is caught and she waits for Botan's approach, with you and Polka close behind.

"My sisters and I need to get back to our island." Botan states, and the idea of the alpha leaving so suddenly makes your heart drop like a rock in your chest, but she doesn't give you any openings to object or interrupt her. "You're the only sailor we know, so how about it? I swiped some gold off some of the pirates I defeated."

"Sorry, Botan. Like I said earlier, I'm on vacation." Marine shrugs. "Besides, we'd have to borrow a boat, which we should pay for, then it's more than a few hours there and back and-"

"I got fifteen doubloons. They're all yours if you do us this favor." Botan counters, and the cat now has the captain by the tongue, but you can't stay quiet any longer.

"Hold on." You demand. "What's this about you guys going back so soon? We got more than enough room here to share."

"Told ya he'd be upset if we sprung this on him." Frala scoffs, and she presses off from the wall she leans against and unfolds her arms. "Honestly, Botan."

"He's not that upset." Botan shrugs so nonchalantly that you almost feel hurt. Did she really not think suddenly cutting her time with you short was important enough to bring up beforehand? "Are you?"

"I mean, maybe?" You answer. Today was such a blast. You were already making plans for another beach bonfire with your pack. To have those plans uprooted so suddenly was annoying to say the least. "Can you at least tell me why you're going back already?"

"There's a lot of cleanup we have to do." Botan simply says, leaving you in silence for a few seconds to try and catch up with what she thinks as a simple fact.

"Our land is ours to live on again, but it's a total wreck." Bransha says, lending her voice to help make things more clear for you. "Our favorite spots and houses were trashed. It's kinda been bugging me that it's just waiting there for us."

"Yeah," Bree joins her sister, "while it sucks that we gotta go back now, if we don't the work will never get done."

"Besides, we made a promise to you, didn't we?" Korla's voice melts some of your anxiety away with its warm and calming tone.

"We are going to show you the best things about our island." Nula cheers, and the pieces quickly find their place within one another.

"Your home…" You say, almost ashamed at how selfish you were being. You had to try and make this right. "Let me come with you. We could move our vacation there, and we can-"

Your offers are silenced by Riki, who places a firm finger on your lips, and once she seems content with the result and even letting it linger a second longer, she releases you. "Nuh uh. You're going to stay here and relax. It won't be any fun if you're spoiled on all the surprises. A girl needs her secrets…at least for a while."

"It's not like we'll be apart for long anyway." Botan shrugs, and to your surprise, puts a hand on your shoulder. "Just three days. Give us three days to get it to be just a little presentable to a packleader. Then you, and whoever else wants to come, can stay with us for as long as you want. Deal?"

It may not be what you planned, but you can't really argue with Botan's wishes. Eventually the lionesses would want to go to their true home, and Botan is absolutely right; you will see them again soon. You look at Watame who had come down to join you, the drop in her face shows that she is equally opposed to the idea of separation, but she stays silent.

"Fine." You nod. "Three days. Once three days are up, ready or not, I'll make my way over to your island."

"Me too!" Watame exclaims, ensnaring both Bransha and Bree by their necks and pulling them in for a fluffy hug.

"You better count me in too. Someone responsible will need to keep an eye on the two of you." Polka grins, which makes Botan grin in turn.

"Sounds good, we'll see ya all in a few days." The lioness smirks, but there is one more party who still has some reservations about the topic.

"Hold on!" Marine shouts. "While you're all free to go back to your island whenever you want, you'll need to find someone else to take you. Clara has been looking at my ship, and it's not getting so much as fifty feet from the docks until she gives the okay. Why am I the first person you come to with this anyway?"

"Because you like the sea. You're dying to get back out there at least for a little bit, aren't you?" Botan asks, and while Marine's glower tries to mask her admittal, it quickly vanishes as the captain lets loose a heavy sigh.

"Okay okay, fine, you're right about that." She huffs. "But that still doesn't mean I want to drop everything else I'm doing to be your chauffeur."

"Please, Marine." You plead, and your stare seems to make the pirate captain buckle where she stands. Press the attack. "As a favor to me? Your cabin boy?"

"N-No! Nuh uh." She snaps. "You can't just give me those puppy dog eyes and expect to always get your way with me. Not in this type of situation!"

"What about as a favor to the tide mistress?" You unleash your strongest play. "This would mean a lot to her and I. We can promise you fair tides and smooth sailing. Today, and even in the future. And-"

"Oi! Fine! I get it!" Marine shouts and runs her hands through her hair. "I'll get your lions back to their home, but listen up!" She leans in close and points a stern finger at you. "I want my room primed and ready for me to take a load off after I get back. Drinks, food, clean sheets. All fixed together by my cabin boy. Deal?"

"You got it, captain." You smile, and Botan gives you an appreciative nod.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road." Marine huffs, and the lioness packs moves to follow her lead.

"Later, Anon. See ya in a few days." Botan waves. "With any luck, you won't even recognize the island the next time you see it."

If my little bargain with Fauna turns out to be real, we won't need luck at all. You think as you smile and give the lioness a heartfelt wave in farewell. Then with spoken goodbyes from the rest of your pack, Marine leads them off.

"I'll be back probably a little after nightfall," she calls behind her. "So I expect my pillows to be nice and fluffed for me to rest this sexy head of mine down on."

You can do nothing but breathe a sigh of relief, but also one of exasperation for your upcoming tasks. Oh well. The pack having their preferred guide across the water is more than worth it to you. Frankly, you wouldn't trust anyone else besides Marine to get them there safely and swiftly. It won't matter what kind of boat she's given. You know that woman will steer it with the hands of a master.

Then, with that momentary interruption concluded and your group now significantly smaller, you take Sammy and Kukai's invitation to claim your own room that will act as your home for the rest of your stay in Shallah. When all was said and done, Watame, Flare, and Marine had the first three rooms on the first floor that face the ocean, leaving the last one for you. Pomu, Kiara, Nene and Polka took the four on the second floor. Sylph and Undine would share one of the rooms along the side of the building, giving you some much needed independence.

After unpacking, organizing, snacking, cooking, and then cleaning and making sure the room of a certain captain is in pristine condition, your official first day of vacation comes to a close. You emerge from the washroom and take a seat on the plush bed that is snugly pressed against the back corner, and it finally hits you how empty the room feels. A single mana-stone lamp sits on the three-tiered dresser that rests against the opposite side wall where the entryway is half obscured by the corner that begins the narrowing hall to the door. Even basking in a cozy illuminance, you feel completely alone. While you may have your spellbook and Shining comet resting on the wooden nightstand next to your bed, they are only small comforts. To have full walls separating you from everyone else, after all you've been through it feels…strange, and a little worrisome.

Koyori…Your mind says, recognizing that the dreamlike replica of that deranged scientist still lives in your subconscious. She may be subdued for now, but would the result of your latest battle and what you learned from it change that? The more you learn about Koyori's terrifying capabilities, the stronger the phantom you host may become. You look over at your weapons, and a splash of relief washes over you.

"Well, if that's the case, I have to become capable of more too. All three of us will." You distract yourself with promises of improvement, and you cross your legs as you grab your trusted tome and begin flipping through its pages. "You're definitely tied to my celestial magic somehow, and the better I get with it, the more tricks we can figure out." You talk to the air to make the room feel a little more full, but the same legible pages can only distract you for so long, as a new avenue for your focus becomes clear. "Sana" you say aloud. You haven't had a chance to talk to her again since she taught you the Leo constellation. You HAVE to tell her in person how well it worked, and how thankful you are for it, and for her.

Closing your book with a loud "thump", you put it back on the nightstand and eagerly begin getting ready for sleep. It may be a little early, but that might mean more time you spend talking to your celestial tutor. Even if Koyori decides to make an unwanted appearance tonight, you will deal with it. The prospect of going over your latest conquests with Sana is too inviting to pass up. You cannot wait to see the look on her-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

You halt your bedtime preparations and answer the door, revealing Flare; hair down, and garbed in a plush, white bathrobe that tightly hugs her figure. She doesn't say anything, and her eyes smirk in the satisfaction of what they see, making you realize that you had answered the door half naked. She prods you back with a gentle finger, and when she clears the threshold, her foot lifts behind her to close you both off to the world.

So much for going to bed early.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The thump of knuckles against wood stir you from your bliss-induced slumber, and your mind slowly tries to rise from its lulled state. Your body on the other hand becomes acutely aware of the need to rise, using the awakening of your mind to receive the proper signals to enjoy the sensation of Flare's naked body on top of yours. The half-elf groans at the sudden disruption of her sleep, and tightens the hold of her arm over your bare chest, pressing her form into yours and bringing you great delight as your lower half quickly begins to stand at attention.

Perhaps it was just your mind playing tricks on you. Any excuse will do as you wrap your arm around Flare's back, inviting her more into your embrace, making her sigh with comfort. You were both ready to pass out by the end of last night's activities, but with the morning comes a brand new you, filled with vigor, and a sight that more than brings the blood pumping back into your-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Groans harmonize as you both are forced to accept that someone is at your door and is not going to leave at this point.

"It's probably Polka." Flare mutters, digging her face into your chest and taking a deep inhale. "We made plans to go check out a few places today with Watame.

"Alright, I'll let her in." You give your half-elf a tender kiss on the forehead and force yourself out of bed. You thread your legs through your pants as you walk to the door, and when you are fully adjusted, you open it. Instead of fluffy ears and the face of your beloved fennec, is someone who makes your mouth hang agape.

An elf stands in greeting, a familiar one. Short brown hair that parts in the middle, large spectacles over her green eyes, small in stature, but will probably carry an imposing presence to you for as long as you may live.

"Hello, Anon." Lena; Flare's aunt, greets with a polite wave of her hand. Her composed and courteous expression quickly shifts to one of mild dissatisfaction. "Still quick to find any excuse not to wear a shirt, I see. How have you been?"