He blinked then gently moved his hands forward to embrace her. He wrapped her in his arms and she slipped her arms around him as well. The surprising and tender moment continued for quite a while.
Finally, Alexis broke contact. She looked into Scott’s eyes and it became apparent that she'd started to cry, “Do you really mean that, Scott?”
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?” The hunter was confused about her sudden aggression, but he saw no reason to avoid making friends with her.
She smiled tenderly at him then moved her hand so that she could place it against his cheek. “I believe you.”
Scott nodded slightly. He was not sure what to say to that. She had obviously not had much luck with making friends in the past. His heart went out to the girl a little. She possessed everything but the one thing she actually needed most, simple human contact.
Alexis sighed in a gentle way then looked down and shook her head. She looked him in the eyes once more. “I know I seem weird and probably a little clingy, or something. But would you like to be my official boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend? Alexis, you barely know me... and we’re both hunters...” said Scott.
“I know that! I know... I don’t have a problem with you being a hunter. Hello, I’m one too! I just... need you to be my boyfriend. Is that, OK?” She looked at him with soft pleading eyes.
“Why me? I have no problem with spending time with you, but why me?” The very idea of her asking him that sort of question was bizarre. She did not know him, well. They had only just met. Hell, the only real communication they originally had between each other was his time spying on her with a flying eyeball.
Alexis winced slightly then sniffled a little. It was obviously an emotional moment for the girl. She fought back the tears that seemed to be on the verge of falling and smiled sweetly.
She spoke in a measured manner. It was as though she had rehearsed what she would say next. “Your resonance matches mine... If I do awaken, I need to have someone readily available who I can trust to take care of me. That’s my only requirement.”
Scott understood her purpose then. He did not know if she actually liked him, or even how she determined that he had a proper resonance pattern to match with her if she awakened. However, he could understand it when someone wanted to secure their future.
“Will there be cuddling?” he asked curiously.
“Frequently,” said Alexis with a smile.
Scott rubbed his chin like he was thinking it over. He glanced over to the girl and she tilted her head to the side, a curious and hopeful expression on her face. “Ms. Rantez, you have yourself a boyfriend.”
She cried out happily then pulled him close for another kiss. Scott did not resist her affections in the slightest. How could he? She was his girlfriend, now.
They continued their special moment for a time then drew apart once more. Alexis’ face was bright red but she looked like she was happy with the outcome. However, there was much more to discuss. Even easily agreed upon relationships did not come without their concerns.
“So, what are my boyfriend duties?” asked Scott. He smiled at her in a friendly way before brushing the hair back out of his eyes.
Alexis kissed him on the chin then clasped his hands. “Just be nice to me. If I need help and you’re nearby, help me. I do want to journey on my own though, is that OK?”
“Sure, we can get together whenever,” said Scott. This courtship was more like a business transaction than an actual relationship at any rate. Making such a promise would not be hard, and even less difficult to keep at the moment.
“Great! Hey, I know... Do you want to be spotters?” She squeezed his hands happily and shared a hopeful smile.
“That does sound like a good idea. I have not chosen one, yet.” said Scott. A spotter was not absolutely necessary. It was more of a convenience really. When a hunter captured a Crystallim, they would not always be able to bond with the girl.
That forced them to find the newly freed girl a better situation. Typically, that would mean that the girl would need to be sold, or sent to a sponsor. Her fate would no longer be in the hands of the hunter.
However, a spotter was someone who could help with that issue to some extent. If they spotted and captured a Crystallim who was not compatible with them, they could send them to their partner through the system. They shared liability, but it provided rapid access to a wider variety of Crystallim if they hunted in different areas. Of course, only close friends or people with contractual obligations would enter into such an agreement. If a Crystallim was sent to someone else, she became that person’s property under law due to liability issues.
“Great! Where do you intend to hunt first? I’ll make sure we don’t go to the same area,” said Alexis.
“I thought that I would try the grasslands at the national park. I have to finish gaining Crystallim for my team,” said Scott.
Alexis nodded. “I planned to head to the lake myself.”
“Ah, I just came from there earlier,” he said.
“Really! How did it go?” Alexis leaned in excitedly.
Scott lifted his arm and showed her the blue Crystallim core slotted to his bracer. “I only found one Crystallim during the entire trip, but it worked out well.”
“Oh? Did you form a new bond?” Alexis’ eyes widened slightly and her lips parted in a gentle way. She seemed to be hanging on his every word.
“Yep! I found and partnered with a Caesg,” said Scott. He left out the part where she was not ready to even speak to him properly, yet. The mermaid seemed like she would be a nice girl to get to know.
“Caesg... Caesg... Oh, that’s a mermaid, right? She’s a mermaid?” asked Alexis excitedly.
Scott laughed at her enthusiasm. “Yes, I distracted her with a rock and Flora dragged her out of the water and took her down.”
“Flora... is that your starter?” asked Alexis, a strangely edgy tone in her voice.
“Ah, yes. I ended up choosing to partner with a very nice Alraune girl,” said the hunter. He studied her face carefully. He had probably imagined it, but it seemed that a strange look crossed his companion’s face when he mentioned Flora. That had to be a trick of the light in the dimly lit room, he decided after a while.
“An Alraune? Interesting... Do you think I might be able to catch a Caesg with an Alraune?” asked Alexis. She gazed into his eyes in a penetrating manner that caused the man to become slightly uncomfortable.
“Worked for me, though you would probably be better off with a lightning or water type Crystallim,” said Scott. He laughed a little then drew back from the excited girl and her strangely intense gaze. He was not shy around women. He'd seen many intense gazes, but the vibe Alexis gave off at the moment reminded him of the eye of a storm. All was calm at the moment, but there was devastation on the horizon.
“Well, that’s true. Wow, a Caesg. If you find another one and you can’t take her on, please send her to me. I love water types. My new partner is a water type,” said Alexis.
“Oh, sure. If I find someone I don’t think will fit with my team, I’ll trade with you,” said Scott.
“Wonderful! I will do the same. I would rather send a Crystallim to someone who I have met than to strangers. Though, I can also send them to my mother’s breeding center. She’s my sponsor,” said Alexis.
“You’re lucky to have someone you know as your sponsor. I was picked up by a research institute. I should probably bother to remember the name of it soon,” said Scott. He was slightly dismissive at the end of his statement. He knew the name of the place, but he had never heard of it before.
“Well, as my boyfriend you can ask my mother to be your sponsor. Though, she would probably want to test your skills...” said Alexis. She made a disgusted face then snorted.
Scott was a little surprised at her reaction until he realized what she actually meant. Yes, that would be an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved. He decided to change the subject by asking another quest
ion.
“So, who’s your new partner?” asked Scott. He was curious about who she had chosen. She was a sweet and energetic person; it would be nice to learn more about what manner of Crystallim she prefers.
She blushed gently then said, “I purchased and bonded with a type of Scylla, an Octina...”
“Scylla? She is the octopus girl, right? Doesn’t she have tentacles for legs?” Scott immediately envisioned a beautiful girl with the upper body of a goddess and the lower body that was a mass of tentacles.
Alexis nodded and her blush deepened. “Yes... tentacles.”
Scott grinned at her and she pulled away from him a little. She tilted her head to the side and eyed the man carefully. “What’s with that look mister...?”
“What? A boyfriend can’t have thoughts about his girlfriend bound in tentacles without having questions asked?” he asked in a pleasant tone of voice.
Her face turned bright red. “Hey... Just what kind of thoughts are you having about me and those tentacles?”
“Do you really want to know?” Scott smiled at her sweetly then quirked one of his eyebrows upwards.
Alexis shook her head. “Yes.”
Scott blinked at her then laughed. “I think I like you.”
“Good. That was the plan.” She leaned in and sweetly kissed him on the lips.
“So, I was a pawn in your sexy game?” asked Scott. He wrapped her bottom lip gently between his lips then drew them back slowly.
She nodded slowly then kissed him once more. It was not long before they ran their hands around each other once more then held each other close.
Alexis moaned softly while she pressed herself tightly to him. Scott released a masculine moan in response, but it soon turned to a startled effeminate squeak of surprise.
"Oh, sorry!" cried Alexis before she pulled away from him.
Scott gasped for air then waved her off. "My fault, my fault..."
"I... You aren't going to faint are you?" she asked, her face flush with shame and arousal.
"Nah, I upped my vitality a bit since last we met," admitted Scott.
"Thank goodness... I thought that I might have seriously hurt you when my succubus power kicked in..." she said.
Scott waved her off again. During the middle of their intimate cuddle time, she'd inadvertently lost herself and tried to suck the life out of him. "It happens. We'll work on it."
"Really... You're not mad?" she asked, her face alight with a hopeful expression.
"How can I be mad at that face?" asked Scott playfully, before he reached up and tweaked her nose.
Alexis giggled softly and shook her head. "I don't know what's more dangerous, my inner succubus, or your goofiness."
"We shall see," said Scott before waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Her giggle turned into a bright and happy laugh. "Were you always this ridiculous?"
"It's my passion," he admitted in a friendly sort of way.
His admission brought another burst of laughter from her and she patted him on the cheek. "That's good to know... I really am sorry for before."
Scott placed his hand atop hers while it rested against his cheek. "If I was the kind of guy who held grudges when a girl did something to him by accident, I would not be a good fit for this line of work."
"Am I just one of your girls then?" she asked him petulantly.
He waggled his eyebrows once more. "We shall see."
"Oh!" she pushed him away with a laugh. "I was right! You are dangerous."
Before he could respond, she slipped in and kissed him sweetly once more. This time, despite her obvious enjoyment of the moment, she managed to keep her inner succubus in check. Nothing more intimate than a kiss happened that night, but they did take a while to come up for air.
Eventually, the sweet meeting ended and Scott made his way home. He took his time and thought about his situation. He had a girlfriend now, of a sorts. It was more of a business thing than a true relationship, but its initiation was a pleasant experience.
He hoped that they would keep in touch after this. While they were supposedly together, there was no real way for either of them to know what the other one was up to most of the time unless they told each other.
On the way back, he checked the time. It was three hundred hours. He should get a little sleep. Scott reached his temporary home then walked inside. It was a small place, but he did not need much room at the moment.
He flopped down onto his bed and then sighed. Had he made the right choice? He doubted that being her boyfriend would amount to much besides having a cute female friend to occasionally spend time with. That sort of outcome would not change his lifestyle at all.
Uncertainty about his recent decision caused him to lose track of time. An hour passed. It was not until he heard his alarm go off that he realized that he almost missed his window of opportunity. Scott called up his log screen and viewed the information. He had nothing to hide, so he clicked the option, yes to all.
There was a certain aspect of his job that he'd put off until now. However, after the events of the previous day, it was obvious that he had something to report.
Scott filed a hunter's log report with the American City Council as a review of his previous events. It was an automated thing. The system scanned his memories of recent events in order for the council staff to review it. The purpose was for keeping a watchful eye on hunters, but also for the purposes of dispensing proper rewards based on work performance.
His report of the day’s events were logged. They would be reviewed by dawn. Soon, he would see just what he earned for his recent exploits. Scott did not think he would receive much for his efforts, but having a new partner was the best reward. Hopefully, she would be coherent and ready to start developing a working relationship in the morning.
The hunter drifted off to sleep, or rather he tried to do so. His mind was conflicted. His senses were filled with the heady perfume of a girl who wanted to be more than friends, and of a certain mermaid who he would meet properly for the first time in the morning.
Episode 3: Yes, Please No.
Sleep was wasted on those who had time to spend on it. Scott, for all his exhaustion was unable to rest for long. His eyelids cracked open the moment that a certain tell-tale tingle began to skitter through his body like a tiny spider made of lightning. Soon, the enterprising spider started to dance along his spine. For a brief moment he was concerned by that surprising sensation. However, as his sleep-deprived mind began to piece things together, he slowly revealed an excited smile. It was happening!
Scott checked the time then grinned. “Only a few minutes until dawn? Sweet.”
The dancing lightning spider tip-toeing along his spine was a sensation he anticipated ever since he'd begun his training to become a hunter. Unlike the experience he gained after completing his basic course work, normal experience upgrades by the system took several minutes to update.
The so-called one thousand experience points that he received before was actually a partial-release of what he'd earned throughout the two years of studying that he'd performed. A lot of potential EXP remained stored inside his body, still. It would be released as he met certain career milestones in his early probationary period.
However, the energetic feeling coursing through his body right now was new EXP energy entering his system. The council accepted his recent report and granted him a status update. Had he gained enough EXP directly during his encounter with the Caesg girl, he would have felt this same sensation.
Several minutes passed before the dancing spider grew tired and the energetic sensation died down. Scott watched the countdown to sunrise then smiled. A soft dinging sound echoed inside his mind. A message screen popped up.
<<< Dawn Report >>>
[Congratulations Hunter. Your most recent report has been logged and vetted. The American city council has granted you the following rewards for your meritorious service to our nation and its people.
- Experience
and Augmentation Points
- General experience upgrade: + 12 EXP
- First Capture Bonus: + 3 EXP, + 1 Augmentation Point
- First Bond initiation Bonus: + 10 EXP, + 1 Augmentation Point
- New Bond Initiated: [Caesg: F-Rank, Level 1] + 4 EXP
- Spotter Selected: + 1 EXP
- Awakening Probability Liability Agreement Accepted: +25 EXP, + 1 Augmentation Point
EXP Total Upgrade: 55
Augmentation Point Upgrade: 3
MONETARY REWARDS
- Capture Bonus: [F-Rank, Level 1] +25 copper credits]
<<< * >>>
“Hey, not bad! I even got a little EXP for becoming Alexis’ boyfriend,” he said.
Scott laughed at his little joke. The boyfriend bit was not why he received bonus experience. He was now liable for Alexis and would be designated as an emergency contact in case she awakened.
The government would move at all possible speed to collect him and bring him to her if he was outside of the city without a means to return quickly. Otherwise, he would need to go to her at a moment’s notice, and under his own power.
He rubbed his chin. He had not received many credits for his efforts, but that was to be expected. The still unnamed Caesg girl was about as low-end as a Crystallim could be. She would become stronger in short order, but that was the future and the report focused on the present.
Scott liked how eagerly she seemed to want to get to know him, despite her overall shyness. That girl needed a friend, badly. Luckily, she was also a member of a breed and family of Crystallim who could become very powerful water types over time.
“I’ll see how we mesh, and if we work out as a team I’ll refine her up to C-grade like Flora.”
Refinement would be expensive, but it would be worth it. The extra points for all stats per level would drastically increase her capacity. When she awakened a higher form, she would probably upgrade in rank at least once. There was a chance that she would at least be S-Rank by the time she was fourth-tier, if he refined her prior to her first advancement.
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