Three days later, at Hell's headquarters.
Price was unhappy, why? Well, he opened his eyes while a dozen tongues were trying to get access to his face.
Large, canine tongues of wolves as big as ponies.
So yes, Price was unhappy.
-Damn it! Stop it! You idiots!- He shouted angrily, shoving the wolves forcefully, but this only seemed to excite them even more, they barked and wagged their tails while covering him in saliva.
-All day long! It's like this all day! Why?!- Price shouted in frustration.
Half an hour later, Price was seen walking to class looking tired and exhausted. Who said taking care of dogs was easy? No, nobody said that.
Price just wanted it to be true.
He ran into Bane along the way, the boy smiled at him but didn't say much, looking at him with a mixture of laughter and pity.
-Not a word.- Price said.
Bane shrugged. -I wasn't going to say anything, man.
Price groaned, annoyed. -But I bet Oscar will say.
Bane chuckled lightly, just as they had expected, when Oscar saw him, he burst into laughter.
-Boss! You look great!- he said in an excited tone.
Price ignored him, pretending he didn't exist. Oscar didn't really want to upset Price, so he stopped teasing him, instead putting his arm around Bane's neck and saying. -Bane, have you seen that new recruit? The freckled redhead? She's gorgeous! I think I'll ask her out.
Bane snorted, unconvinced. -She looked like she wanted to tear a piece off whoever talked to her, good luck with that. Besides, if coach Eva finds out, she'll probably say something like: 'If you two have time to date, you should train more!'
As soon as Oscar heard Eva's name, he trembled all over, a look of panic spreading across his face as he looked around, afraid that simply saying the woman's name would attract her.
-Don't bring me bad luck!!- Oscar whispered.
Price gave a slight snort of derision in front of him, pleased that he wasn't the only one with problems.
Among them, Oscar was the most playful, which didn't quite mesh with Eva's sense of humor, so she teased him even more, especially when she saw Oscar eyeing the girl's behinds, that day he practiced three times as hard!
Oscar sighed, his face bitter, mirroring Price's, Bane could only shake his head at those friends of his.
//-//
-Sis! We're going on a field trip today!- Aurora, with her short hair, jumped around excitedly. Jack and Will, who were still pony-sized because Ringo wouldn't let them grow any longer, followed her with their tails wagging excitedly. -Can I take Jack and Will?
Hila was training in her personal gym, she pursed her lips as she looked at the pair. Jack pretended not to care whether he went or not, but his sidelong glance made it clear that he hoped Hila would let him.
Will wagged his tail rapidly with the best pleading look he could muster, tongue hanging out and ears drooping, his throat releasing soft whimpering whines.
Along with Aurora trying to copy Will, Hila sighed, shook her head and stroked the girl's head with a loving look.
-Okay, but if they make a mess, don't come asking me for help.- Hila didn't refuse anymore.
Aurora let out a soft little squeal and jumped onto Hila, hugging her excitedly.
Will wanted to jump on Hila and lick her too, but looking into her cold eyes promising pain if he tried, he quickly hid behind Jack, whimpering softly.
Aurora heard and saw Will looking scared and glanced at Hila with feigned anger. -Sis, don't be mean to Will!
Hila sighed and put the "dogs" aside, then began to warn Aurora of all the precautions she had to take when going out, but Aurora quickly realized that this would never end, jumped on Will, who quickly ran away. The girl quickly disappeared, laughing excitedly.
Jack's eyes widened in betrayal. He glared at Hila angrily, then ran even faster, he didn't want to be alone with the sinister woman.
Hila's lips trembled, but finally a soft smile appeared on her face, just in time for a pair of hands to encircle her from behind, pulling her close.
The smile faded as quickly as it had appeared, but she didn't fight the embrace.
-Well, well... was that a kind smile I saw?- Ringo asked playfully.
Hila snorted slightly, struggling weakly to get out of his arms, but without success.
Ringo nibbled at her neck while Hila froze, biting her lips. She thought she knew what would happen next, but Ringo let her go. Hila took the opportunity to quickly move away, looking at him with that hard stare.
Ringo laughed, he knew Hila hadn't distanced herself because she didn't like it or didn't want to, she was just too proud.
She wouldn't stay there in his arms, embracing him like a gentle maiden.
No, Hila only accepted being forced to submit, literally. Except in rare moments when she opened her heart, otherwise she remained the tough Hila.
-When will you hug and kiss me tenderly?- He asked with a gentle smile.
Hila scoffed without replying, as if it were too idiotic to waste her words on.
Ringo shook his head, amused, but finally spoke about what he had come here to do. - Lend me your hand.
Hila looked at him confused, a little curious and a little wary, she "reluctantly" offered him her hand.
The next moment, Ringo's evolutionary energy enveloped her.
But while Hila was thinking that Ringo would help her evolve again, her eyes widened, her esper energy vanished!
-What did you do?- Hila didn't pull her hand away, she still trusted Ringo. Instead of going into combat mode, she asked what was happening.
-Ever since I last evolved, I felt my Esper ability had progressed a bit more, just like I gained the Degenerate ability when I reached Grade B, but I didn't realize it until recently while training.- Ringo commented, raising his free hand and squeezing it lightly.
Hila didn't speak, she just kept listening.
-I tried to focus on my Esper Gene by practicing advanced Esper knowledge. It was at that moment that I felt I could... lock the Esper gene, literally lock my genes so they wouldn't emit any energy.
He looked into her eyes and continued. -At first I was confused, what was the point of this ability? That's when I thought, if I can lock my genes, why can't I do it to others?
-That's why I came to you.- Ringo smiled.
Hila was surprised, Ringo had stopped emitting energy towards her. She didn't recover her energy immediately, but she felt that if the restraint had previously been like dozens of heavy steel chains coiling around her, preventing the slightest movement, now they were like ordinary handcuffs. Slowly, the sealing power became so weak that she simply broke it outright.
-Five seconds.- Ringo said thoughtfully, then shrugged. -I don't have much control over this yet, but I probably won't be able to permanently lock a super gene anytime soon.
Hila looked at him with a mixture of shock and exasperation, this was her boyfriend, a monster.
The next moment, Hila became excited, without saying anything more, she jumped on him, much to Ringo's surprised gaze, the pair were soon consumed by passion.