Asrel
"A deal?"
Kevin nodded. "Indeed. I want to make a deal with you, one that I feel will positively impact us both if you accept."
A deal, not exactly the way I had imagined repaying him, but a welcome respite nonetheless, as the ideas I previously had all felt stale and very... odd, almost weird.
"Alright, I accept," were the words that left my throat as I extended my hand to seal the deal.
Thankfully, this didn't seem to shock him too much as he quickly shook his head before taking my open palm in his own, a firm shake sealing me into a fate of unknown; it was honestly kinda fun to think about.
"Right, even if the dealing part is complete, I feel it's best to go over what was neglected, such as what you'll be doing and receiving."
I nodded, "Ah, yes, that would probably be the smart thing to do."
He chuckled, "Indeed, we'll also have to work on fixing that 'Yes' flaw, or else it might leave you in a position you'd likely hate quite a bit; I can speak from experience."
Huffing dismissively, I spoke, "I have no clue what you're talking about."
Another chuckle on his part.
"Right, it's not like you just accepted my deal that could have you doing handstands naked while I jerk off to you, totally not a 'Yes' flaw."
We were both interrupted when Ms. Thavels' voice leered at him. "And I can hope that's not what you're making a deal for because if so, you and I are going to have a conversation that I can't trust not to get more... lethal."
The threat was immediately heard, but not taken too seriously, as Kevin smiled while waving her off.
"Sorry, 'Apate.' The example was in poor taste, and I will be sure to neglect it when using examples in the future."
At the response, two things made themselves known to me, with the first being Kevin's way with words; they felt fancy, almost too fancy, but maybe that's just me admiring his way of speech.
The next was the way Ms. Thavel reacted to the odd name he used for her, 'Apate'. She didn't outright show it, but I saw how her fingers twitched with lethality and her eyes narrowed into near splits for a mere fraction of a second.
However, both were dropped just as fast, as a sigh escaped her lips.
"Right, I'm just going to ignore how the magic boy knows my name and instead focus on the more prominent problem. What are your intentions for, Asrel?"
'Ah, she addressed it, not going to lie, not something I'd expect from someone of her caliber.'
'Kane?'
My companion quickly elaborated.
'Right, I suppose you wouldn't be able to see it because of being a physical and spiritual entity.'
My brow twitched. 'Stop micro-stalling.'
Kane giggled. 'Ya, ya, don't get your cunt in a twist, I was getting to it.'
I blushed but listened nonetheless.
'Anyway, from the very moment back in the forest, I could tell something was off, and not just the obvious like her extra features or horns and stuff, no, there was something deeper, more closed off, almost like something was locked up, but I couldn't come to anything conclusive until just now when that name the boy used triggered whatever was being kept locked up.'
'You mean 'Apate?'
She mentally nodded. 'Yep, 'Apate.' I don't know why it's a trigger for whatever's down there, but I do know that whatever it is, it's likely the key to letting it out, and I don't know if that would be a good thing or not.'
'What do you mean? Isn't it best not to suppress things like that?'
Shaking her head, she continued. 'I don't think your daddy's words come into effect with this one, Asrel, because whatever she has isn't something safe; it's hostile, downright murderous. Even from the brief moment it poked its head out of its cell, I could feel my soul quake in fear as if I'd be killed for even glancing at it.'
'It's that bad?'
Kane chuckled. 'It's worse, but let's just move on from the topic, as I get the chills just thinking about it.'
Looking at the tail hanging over my shoulder, I could tell she was telling the truth, as every hair on it was standing on its end.
'Alright, so no speaking of the topic, and I suppose that means the name too; we'll just throw them in the vault of other things we refuse to speak of.'
'Agreed, but not everything in there is taboo; I mean, we can always talk about the time we had a little fun with each other.'
The blush on my face at the mention was tried and true. 'Impossible. We will talk of nothing of that atrocity.'
Kane laughed. 'But Asrel, you were so... Happy, when we did it, and I'm honestly surprised you don't want to do it again.'
My brow twitched, but I did nothing as I turned my attention back to the ongoing conversation between Kevin and Ms. Circle, both seemingly forgetting about me as they heatedly talked about something I couldn't follow, no, wrong term, it's more of I was really lost.
"Yes, Ms. Thavel, I promise it's not anything like that. In fact, if it makes you feel any better, we can sign a year-long non-disclosure pact stating I will withhold any activity of that nature. Then you wouldn't even have to worry about it."
Ms Thavel huffed but nodded. "That would make me feel a bit better. But still, why do you want to study her? It's not like she's any different from you or me; I mean, sure, she has a few oddities like a sentient tail and space-warping flames, but those aren't that unusual in today's day and age."
I couldn't see Kevin's face, but I had a sneaking suspicion he was shocked to hear about the two other features I had neglected or forgotten to mention, the flames were neglected, and Kane was forgotten.
'Rude.'
'You mean deserved?'
She huffed. 'One of these days I'm going to bite you in the ass, and your going to like it you pervert.'
"I'm not a pervert!"
Kane raised a metaphorical brow. 'Really? Because last time I checked, my tongue nearly drove you up the wall in pleasure.'
My face was starting to resemble that of a strawberry as I all but shouted.
"Shut up, Kane! I should never have let you talk with Auntie Lily!"
'Ah, but you did, and thanks to her, I got a swath of knowledge that has aided me in my erotic endeavors; also, don't think I don't see you when you use those techniques on yourself, you're a squirter."
That was once again another straw broken, as my palm dislocated the tail for a deserved time-out, subsequently shoving the pestering voice of Kane back into my mind, locking her away as only the faint chuckles of victory could be heard in the distant fog.
With my mind quiet again, I was left alone while realizing I had two pairs of eyes on me, and in that moment of respite, I had come to find that my last few responses were a little more voiced than I'd have liked them to be.
Blushing, yet keeping a very blank face, I looked away in shame.
It was Kevin who broke the silence.
"Anyway, disregarding your... interesting conversation with what I assume is your mind partner, 'Kane,' you'll likely be subjected to strenuous physical tasks, things that will test your physical as well as your will, as most of the tasks will be nigh impossible until certain things are done. You can also expect your extra appendages to be examined, such as your tail, ears, tongue, skin, horns, and eyes. Any one of those could be the key to your unique mana, and thus needs to be studied and noted; however, in return for my expedition across your body, you will receive this book."
My head tilted because while I had noticed the book when he first walked up, I had discarded it not long after, my favor going toward him.
"That's neat, but I don't know if I should accept it or not, simply based on my own principles."
Kevin's brow rose. "Principal?"
I nodded. "Indeed, you've already helped me out once, and I have yet to repay the favor, so by accepting this deal without exchange, I'd be repaying you; that's the reason for my withholding."
There were a few nods and hums of acceptance from Kevin's side as he thought about my words, however, they soon ceased as his dark blue orbs snapped open with haste, revealing something only he could understand brewing on its surface.
"Right then," he said, snapping his fingers, "if your problem is that you have yet to repay me, then I'd like to ask you to do something other than accepting the deal."
I nodded. "Alright, but the deal has already been struck, so the exchange will continue in equal."
He nodded, "Perfectly reasonable. Now, what I want you to do is to tell me about yourself; give me a picture to the story that is you, and after that, I'd say we're all square."
My brows knitted. "Are you sure that's what you want? Doesn't that just seem a bit boring? If not too easy?"
The response I got was laughter.
"Asrel, my dear, what I did for you is nothing special, and can be done by anyone with enough knowledge of basic biology and magic; though I appreciate the glazing, as it really strokes my ego."
There was a faint click of teeth from the front of the classroom, one that most definitely originated from Ms. Thavel, who had since gone back to doing the papers piling on her desk; it was honestly like there was a portal of some kind that just stacked more on top of the already huge mountains of paperwork.
However, when nothing was said, I went back to the conversation with Kevin.
"Okay then, if that's what you really want, I suppose I wouldn't mind sharing."
He clapped his hands. "Great! But we have plenty of time to do that later. First, let me tell you what's in this book and what opportunities it will unlock for you."
With that, we both took a seat, moving the desk I was previously sitting at and the one next to it closer as he began pointing at pages and telling me of what was on them, or what they did; each was unique, and almost unreal, but I didn't focus too much on what he was saying as I was busy enjoying his company; being depressed as I am does a number on the social skills, and that's not even mentioning self-worth.
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Nyx
/Entry Log One.\
'Claire's advanced well into the beginner's stage and is even going as far as to start in the Intermediate section, stopping short of body mutation; it's impressive, and has had me considering completely moving on from her current course, however, that is unlikely to happen, as knowing the basics can save your life in times of crises.'
'That being said, should she become even just a bit more proficient in the categories that I have deemed a necessity, we will move up a level; I have neglected to tell her this information as it would have a high risk of pushing her to move faster than she was already going, and while not the worst thing, it could have deadly consequences to her body, not lethal enough to kill her, but still enough to put her out of commission for a few months.
/End Of Entry Log One\
Dodging a well-placed kick to the skull, I struck out with a palm, barely missing Claire's gut as she leaped back with proficiency only gained through experience, or in Claire's case, being a Tomboy; Yes, not genes nor magic, but a Tomboy, a type.
It's stupid, downright idiotic, but it was true, and the only reason it was working was due to the two holes in her palms; the two holes were something comparable to a bump on a road, as even if I had a vague understanding of what iteration they were from and what they did, I still chose to do some touching up on it, and what I found did not disappoint.
They gave Claire the ability to 'Create Themes', such as her 'Type Theme'.
To break down the logic in that, I'll use that as an example. Basically, with Claire's tomboy theme, she's proficient in most things physical, not to a major degree, but enough that it makes a difference; she can also put themes on others, like me, for example.
I've been given what she calls the 'Tsundere Theme', which, after research, had me running up the trees in denial, but that's not the main focal point of why I was bringing it up.
Bearing the theme of Tsundere, everything that has to do with damage has been slightly amped, and I've also noticed how I'm quicker to anger than before; it was the same for embarrassment, where I once could keep a straight face, now I couldn't stop sputtering and going red like a tomato: it was annoying, but bearable due to the trade-off.
Alice, on the other hand, got the 'Yandere Theme,' what that was should be ingrained into the hearts and souls of all, as it has been deemed the most problematic type.
But putting that aside, Alice had noted its effects, causing her to be more lustful and possessive, and I could vouch for the second one, as when she was sitting in on one of our training sessions, she'd gotten pissed when I struck Claire and this led to her attacking me with lethal intent.
It was only thanks to Claire's quick reaction that I was saved from what would have been a very painful duel, and one that would have likely been my end.
However, after that little fit, Alice recalled that during her rage, she felt stronger, almost like her anger was acting as fuel for what little power she had on hand; that was a terrifying prospect, as Alice's power was already near insurmountable, and to even cause a notable change in its volume was like a miracle done by 'Eko' herself: it was truly impressive.
Dodging another swipe at my head, I successfully landed a hit with a knee strike, its form most definitely breaking her nose as it sent her flying high into the sky, and knowing she'd be somewhat okay when she landed again, I turned away, dictating the session over.
However, as usual, she never landed, or at least not from what I heard. Instead, I again found her in the kitchen of my manor with Alice. Both were eating snack cakes, with Alice preferring Cherry Pies and Claire munching on nutty bars. However, I couldn't denounce them for their food choices, as I've been indulging myself with plenty of the same treats, my preferred snack being Danishes.
"Oh! Nyx! We were about to head out for a hunt. Care to join us?" Claire called over when she noticed me.
Looking at the odd pair for a few seconds, I couldn't help but smile.
"Sure, I suppose my hunting skills could use a touch-up."
This, like any other event, made Claire jump up and down in enthusiasm.
"Great! I'm going to get on something more appropriate, so you two try not to rip each other's heads off while I'm gone, please."
""Can't promise anything!"" were the ununionized voices of Alice and me as we shouted after the jogging form of Claire.
My smile lingered after she went off, and I enjoyed the comfortable silence between Alice and me; however, that reality wasn't destined for a future, as Alice quickly broke it.
"Can I ask you something, Little brother?"
A bit surprised, I could only nod in curiosity.
She sighed. "I... What... How do I... love?"
I blinked, confused about what she meant, before quickly voicing that confusion.
"I'm sorry, sister, I don't think I follow. What do you mean by how do you love?"
Her coal orbs narrowed in what looked to be sadness as her brows furrowed in dismay before she elaborated.
"It's just that, I don't think I know how to love, or at least properly, sure, I have my own in the form of sex, but it's starting to feel..." she sighed, "it's starting to feel lacking like I don't care enough, and it's really grinding my gears."
I chuckled as I realized what was playing out before me.
Her orbs of black glared.
"What's so funny?"
Waving off the gaze, I spoke while using magic to make two cups of wine appear, both made out of potent mana that could theoretically bypass our powers.
"Oh, nothing, sister, it's just I would have never thought I'd see the day when you, of all people, would go into the doubting stage."
Her head tilted as she repeated. "The Doubting stage?"
I nodded. "Indeed, it's a term in human culture that represents how a pair can start to feel lacking, as if they weren't good enough for each other. If you're feeling it now, I can only imagine Claire's starting to feel it as well; no, actually, I'm certain she's feeling it, as she had no real reason to want to change: I'd imagine she's doing it to look good for you."
The coal orbs of hers looked down at the countertop she was sitting at in contemplation.
"So..." she paused, "you're saying it's a faze?"
I could hear the pleading in her voice, but just like her, I didn't like sugarcoating things, so I answered with the truth.
"In all honesty, sister, it's the part of a relationship that breaks most, ending budding love before they could even get to the claim."
Alice, in her defense, did an excellent job quieting her whine of dismay, but even that was strained as the ass end of it leaked out and echoed into my ear.
Smiling, I pulled my clearly saddened Eldrich sister into a hug before continuing.
"Don't whine, sister it doesn't suit you, plus, it's not like the stage will be able to break your love," I chuckled, "I mean, come on, your Alice for 'Eko's' sake; you have the power to reshape reality itself, there's no need to fear something so small and insignificant."
She huffed before accepting my hug.
"It's only insignificant because you don't have someone the same as Claire."
I chuckled before pulling away and lifting her head by the chin, letting her coal orbs stare into my silver ones.
"That's the thing, sister, I have had someone just like Claire, but the difference is, I wasn't able to keep mine."
There was shock in her charcoal gaze before she questioned.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for starters, there were many complications to our relationship, with the main focal point being that of taboo on your list of things you hate."
The orbs of darkness narrowed as she thought of what I could only assume to be her long list of creatures she hated, specifically the section underlined as taboo or kill on sight.
I'd been given a copy of that list decades ago, but I had no idea if it had stayed the same, so I gave her a little hint.
"She was a little more 'holy' than you might think."
Like a rubber band, her thoughts snapped back while her mouth went agape.
"You're kidding."
Shaking my head, I went on. "Nope, she's exactly what you're thinking of."
The shock lingered for a bit before eventually falling away into something far more playful, if even accepting, and that made me happy, as she hadn't outright rejected my choice in women.
"And here I was calling you a stuck-up prick, but no, turns out my rebellious little brother had the balls to date a 'Divine' behind my back. I'm honestly shocked, but please do tell, who is this Divine? And, where could I find them?"
I rolled my eyes before responding.
"Please, sister, we both know I wouldn't tell you on my life, and besides," my smile dimmed a bit, "hard to tell something you don't know yourself.".
And just like that, the atmosphere plummeted again, shoving the once-growing mood into dismay.
Alice didn't seem to mind the plummet as long as it was a decent distraction from her own problem.
"So, she's dead?"
I chuckled, "Who knows at this point? I've searched every nook and cranny of this country and a few others, but I have yet to find anything substantial, that is, except this," I said while pulling out a key, its form encased in pure white that looked to hide a deep black underneath, given the cracks in it.
"A key?" She questioned.
Nodding, I went on.
"Indeed, it's one of the only things I found that had her array on it, and I have a feeling it means she's been sealed somewhere, where that may be is beyond me."
"Damn, sounds tragic."
I snorted, and just like that, the mood returned in full force, with its first act having me jab her in the side for being a sarcastic bastard.
However, that quickly dissolved into a fight that ended with her getting me in a headlock on the floor, something that was quickly broken when Claire walked back in, fully decked in a fancy dress that clung to her folklore-like body, which also did well in highlighting her abs.
Alice, for her part, froze, a noticeable blush blooming on her cheeks.
Coming up with an idea, I tapped the one arm still wrapped around my neck to catch her attention.
When she turned to look at me, I quickly whispered, "Just trust me, sister, being yourself is key to getting over this blockage, and I'm sure a few sickly sweet compliments would go a long way from your unnatural heart."
"Huh?" was all she got to say before my body vanished into a mist that took me somewhere far enough away that I was sure none could find me without great effort, and from there, it was a brief moment of recall to better times with my own love.
The two would be fine; I had faith.
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Engel
"Dumbass," was the word that left my fragil and embaresed form as I ponitdly ignored Oliver, his own visage trailing behind me as we walked the halls toward our next class.
Lightly chuckling, he responded.
"Ok, I'll admit that I might have escalated things past what you agreed with, but you can't say you didn't enjoy it; I saw your face as well as heard your voice: you were practically begging for it."
I clicked my teeth while barely ignoring the truth in his statement.
"I agreed to one kiss for the right to not have you tied to my side twenty-four seven, and last I checked, molesting me does not count towards that."
Oliver huffed. "Why not? It's essentially the same as a kiss, only way more upscaled plus, at the ass end of our impromt makeout session was almost entirely on you; I can still feel your sweet tongue washing through my mouth as I carressed your-"
I didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence as I slapped him, my palm leaving a bright red mark on his pale face, however, this did nothing to dull the victorious smile painted on it, nor the meschivous glint that lit up in his pink-tented orbs.
The sight should have ignited my string of cation, but it didn't; why? Well, that's simple: I was way too embarrassed to care at the moment, as I could feel the pair of eyes lingering on our forms, the point of origin being the random student that we passed during his unnecessary dive into the details of the unseen sexual activity we indulged in not even ten minutes ago.
That fact was something Oliver seemed to either ignore or discard, as even after the slap, he remained unperturbed as if nothing in the known world could affect his mood; the sight made me somewhat jealous, as that was the type of attitude I yearned for since entering the stressful world of leadership. Though given the fact that both groups had been dismantled, I suppose that leadership is unnecessary now.
However, even then, being able to just act like nothing was wrong and everything was going to be okay was something I still strived for.
I glanced back at the still-smirking form of Oliver as he hummed a tune foreign to me while blindly following my lead, as if I had all the answers and destinations in mind.
'Maybe I should ask him for help...'
I quickly shook my head at such a foolish thing.
'No, he'd probably just tell me it was simple and give me a dumbed-down definition of the words composed or uncareing; I knew what both meant already, and I didn't need a touch-up on them.'
Sighing, I turned my gaze back to my front while shoving the rest of the embarrassment down my throat; however, in doing so, I missed the very narrow gaze of Oliver's ruby eyes as he looked at my back with curiosity and dissecting understanding.
After a moment of time, we made it to the class we'd be participating in today, our forms welcomed by the sight of Ms. Thavel scribbling away at her desk while Kevin and a new girl chatted near the back.
However, I didn't let my attention linger on them for too long, as I had my own problems to deal with. The fact that Oliver was currently forcing me to sit on his lap was the main one; the choice I should have had in the matter was null and left me with my arms crossed and face red.
I thanked 'Eko' for the fact that none of the room's current occupants seemed to care, but I knew that was just a brief stall until the more mob-focused and gossip queens piled in; boy, were they going to have a field day with me if I didn't find a way to get Oliver to let me sit in a seat of my own.
So, still embarrassed about my current position, I leaned closer to his ear before speaking.
"Please tell me you're not going to make me sit like this for the entirety of class."
He chuckled without suppression, really showing the lack of care for the minuscule audience around us before speaking clearly for anyone with decent hearing to interpret.
"Alright, you're not going to sit here for the entirety of class."
I sighed in relief, "Good, I don't want to star-"
"You'll be sitting just like this for the entirety of the school's curriculum," was the set of words that echoed so proudly from his vocals that it physically hurt me.
My forest colored orbs twitched in frustration and sheer anguish as I realized the fate I was going to be subjected to, one filled with lap sitting and stares of shock and second-hand embarrassment; I could just see it now.
'School pet and nutritious delinquent hook up in class? So bold!'
Whining, I leaned a bit more back before shoving my head into his chest to see if it could open a wormhole to anywhere that wasn't here; however, as unfortunate as it is, that wasn't a known phenomenon, so all it left me with was my face buried into his chest as I groaned in dismay.
The feeling was only made worse when Oliver began stroking my long, white hair while whispering words a sweetness and comfort into my ear.
This also seemed to be the final straw for Ms. Thavel as she spoke up.
"Right, I wasn't going to say anything out of respect for your privacy, but now I have to know; what the hell is up with you two? Last I checked, you two were at each other's throats."
I groaned harder while Oliver laughed his teasing laugh before speaking in both our steds; thank 'Eko'.
"Well, I can give you the full version or the dulled-down one; which one do you want to hear first?"
There was a short pause in everything in the classroom as I could just feel the glare of curiosity aimed at our cuddled pair, with Ms. Thavel being the driving factor behind that feeling, however, the silence also gave me a moment of realization as I shot up from my place on Olivers chest before all but yelling an answer for her.
"Dulled Version! You are not telling anyone, and I mean anyone, what happened; I refuse to allow it!"
With my piece spoken, the silence returned, leaving me to go beet red as I shrank back into Oliver's chest.
'Maybe if I go back down the east wing, I'll die to a monster for less terrifying than embarrassment.'
At first, silence reigned supreme, but said reign was eventually toppled by a soft laugh from Oliver as he wrapped me in a hug.
"Right then, it seems you weren't quick enough on the draw, sensei, and as my lovely birdy had dictated the short version."
I couldn't see it, but I had a feeling Ms. Thavels' eyes twitched in annoyance, which was further cemented when she spoke.
"Right, I'll just stop you there as I find my sudden lack of curiosity more appealing than listening to whatever freaky shit you've done, and given Engels reaction, I'd say whatever you did was pretty fucking freaky."
Oliver audibly pouted at the dismissal, but said nothing further as he nuzzled my pale head of hair, a preferable outcome than him spilling the beans on how our lit-.
"Actually, if you wouldn't mind, friend, my partner and I would love to catch the details, matter of fact, she's currently in the middle of talking about something similar, if you want to join our little group."
And just like that, I whined hard into Oliver's chest, knowing full well what the idiot would say next.
"Alright, but I can't spill too much, as I don't want my little birdy to die of embarrassment."
My fist met his gut softly before he stood with me in a princess carry, our visages taking a seat next to Kevin and his friend.
Peeking out, I was met with teal and a small smile as the new student waved.
I returned it, albeit half-heartedly.