She began to pant a little once more, but managed to ask, “W-what are you doing?”
“Reminding you that you are not alone,” said Scott softly.
Her eyes widened completely for a moment then closed tight. Her face screwed into an agonized expression once more. The tears came harder than before. Her entire body became racked with sobs and violent trembling.
Scott held her and said nothing. He did not try to tell her that it would be alright. He did not try to analyze her pain. He simply held her.
Every Crystallim who was rescued from the Nightmare state had a different method of coping with her memories. Some repressed them. Some became depressed. Other girls might be angry, or become openly sexual, as a means of trying to avoid their old lives altogether. This still unnamed girl became sad and emotionally distressed.
She hiccup sadly then rolled over and hugged Scott tightly. She pressed her face against his and made little sniffling noises as she clung to him for emotional support.
Scott rearranged his hug and then lightly caressed her back. Several minutes passed in that tender embrace before either of them spoke again.
“Thank you...” she said softly, almost too softly for Scott to hear.
The soft sound of gentle kisses trailing along a man’s chin did not echo far, but the sound still existed. The beat of a girl’s heart might not be heard by a human ear at a distance, and yet that heart did still beat. When that girl was the one who so gently kissed that man’s chin was the possessor of that beating heart, it might beat just a little faster. Such a thing occurred now inside a small rented room.
Two lips kissed one chin; two hearts beat a little faster than they normally might beat. Someone with the ears to hear it might be able to pick out the rapid patter of those beats. Each of them certainly heard and felt their own heart beating in that moment.
A sweet few minutes passed as the girl gently kissed the face of the strange man who'd come into her life. Her delicate fingers clutched at him as she tried to become as close to him as physically possible.
Eventually, Scott brought up a subject that he'd wanted to discuss. It was time to give her more than a shoulder to lean on. She needed an identity. He told her of the name that he felt would be appropriate for her.
“So, my name is Shaia?” asked the girl sweetly. The Caesg clutched at her new master, as though she was fearful that he might suddenly disappear.
“Is that a name that you would like?” Scott had been uncertain what to call her if she did not have a name of her own. He had decided that since she was a shy sort of person, a name that sounded similar to that would be best. Also, it sounded like a pretty name for a mermaid in general.
“It sounds pretty...” said the girl. She spoke the name a few more times, tasted it on her soft pink lips. The more she said it, the happier the word seemed to make her.
She pressed her head to his neck once more and snuggled close to him. It was a trying time for the girl. Crystallim handled recovery from the Nightmare state differently. Shaia was a girl who needed to know that there was someone solid and stable there for her. At the moment she could be seen as the definition of dependent.
Scott ran the back of his hand gently along the side of her face and she made a cute little noise. He did it again and she kissed the side of his neck then clutched at his side with her fingers. She was far too innocent. In her presence, the hunter felt like he was a dirty sort of person.
After a few minutes passed, Shaia softly asked, “Who is the other girl on your arm?”
“Ah, you noticed her?” asked Scott.
“Yes, right away...” said Shaia. She glanced down at his arm and chewed on her bottom lip a little.
Scott kissed her on the forehead. She made a sweet noise and clutched him a little tighter.
“Her name is Flora. She is an Alraune and she is your new sister,” he said.
“Sister...?” asked Shaia. She nuzzled his neck and then a timid smile crossed her lips. “Will she like me?”
“I’m sure she will. Are you ready to meet her, yet?” asked Scott.
Shaia was quiet for a moment, and then she slowly nodded. Scott felt her acquiescence. She was shy, but ready to meet her new sister.
Scott concentrated on the green Crystallim core for a moment then called out, “Flora!”
A green flare of light was all it took for the room to gain a third occupant. Flora, as beautiful as ever, turned quickly toward her master, her eyes bright and a warm smile upon her lips. That smile cooled slightly when she saw him wrapped in the arms of a fishy new lover.
“Hello, master,” said Flora softly.
Scott smiled at her and stretched out a hand to her. “Hi Flora. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes,” she said, before muttering something Scott chose to pretend that he had not heard. In a way her mildly jealous sounding retort was cute. He did not want to set a bad precedent by acknowledging it, though.
“Flora, meet Shaia. She’s your new sister.” Scott gestured to the mermaid clutching at his torso.
“Hello, Shaia,” said the Alraune gently. She held tension in her shoulders, but otherwise she attempted to sound pleasant.
Shaia sniffed a little then nodded. “Hi Flora...”
The Alraune tilted her head to the side and then allowed her mild jealousy to wane a little. She noticed the body language and the overall timidity of the girl clutching her master. “It is nice to meet you.”
“It is?” asked Shaia gently. She looked at Flora properly for the first time. A small smile threatened to rise up on her lips. Her uncertainty in that moment was palpable.
“Yes... Is there room for me on the bed? I am a little cold,” said Flora.
Shaia nodded but did not move. Flora would have to make do with the other side for the moment.
Scott said nothing as the girls began to get to know each other. It was important for them to work things out for themselves.
Flora slipped into bed on her master’s right side then cuddled up next to him. Her vines slowly crept up and began to wrap around him in a gentle, but possessive, manner.
Shaia noticed what was happening. She was confused at first but then she realized what was happening in a flash of insight. “You are like me, aren’t you Flora?”
“Hmm?” asked the Alraune as she tightened her vines slightly then tugged on Scott just a little.
“You want to curl around Scott and never let go...” said Shaia.
Flora did not speak immediately. She slipped a leg over the top of Scott’s legs and then slid as closely to him as she could. When she did speak, she said, “I feel better when my vines are clinging to something supportive.”
Shaia giggled softly then nuzzled the side of Scott’s neck. Her eyelashes brushed against his cheek slightly, giving him little butterfly kisses. “Me too.”
Flora grumbled a little then leaned forward a bit further and tried to work her head into the space between Scott’s neck and right shoulder. Upon achieving success, she nuzzled him there as best she could.
Scott smiled and slipped one arm around to hug Flora close. She smiled softly in response then kissed him on the neck.
Shaia noticed the favorable attention and a small pout appeared on her lips. She kissed him on the neck as well and then tugged him toward her just a bit.
Flora noted what the shy girl was doing, and waited a moment. She did not tug or pull on him. Instead, after everyone stopped moving and the room became quiet, Flora boldly proclaimed, “He ate me out.”
Shaia’s eyes widened. Slowly her face turned bright red and she buried it against Scott’s neck. The victory had gone to the Alraune, this time. Such a brazen statement! If Scott ever did that to her, why she'd positively explode into little bright red chunks of embarrassment.
Scott glanced over at Flora and she snuggled against him again. He realized that he would not be getting much done for a while. Shaia might have lost the battle, but she still clung to him. The war for his attention was
in full-swing.
He had to admit that the Alraune girl had a good head for tactics and strategy. Her ability to unleash a one-shot sure kill strike with precise accuracy was quite commendable. Though, if he were honest he would also have to admit that Shaia was a particularly soft target. It would be interesting to see how they would interact in the future.
***
It was mid-afternoon, but beneath the shadows of the gigantic buildings the brightly burning sun might have been nothing but a myth. Scott, free of the luscious prison that held him for most of the day, steadily made his way toward a new destination.
Earlier, after the girls finished their sweet power play, Scott discussed the future with them. They both decided that it would be worthwhile to be with him and to hunt down Nightmares. A life spent in service of freeing other girls such as Shaia from their nightmare was a good life. At least that was what was said.
Though sentiments regarding other girls being rescued were bandied about, he knew that it was more out of a desire to spend time with him. They both desired to be looked on favorably more than they desired to help the other girls. Yet, he did suspect that they both did want to help the Nightmares as well. So, for him it was an acceptable arrangement.
Due to their desire to help him in his work, he decided that it would be best to take them for official training. Hunting was dangerous, but training could help them gain a few quick levels and to develop their special abilities. Honestly, Scott could use a bit of training as well.
He stopped in front of the Heartspire Gymnasium, a place that he frequented during his off-hours while in the military. In some ways it was like his other home. Scott walked inside and a round of greetings were sent his way.
“Hey, long-time no see!” called an overly muscular man with close-cropped hair. The massive man-slab wore a friendly smile on his face and a curious expression.
“Jack! Man, how are ya?” called Scott.
The owner of the Heartspire Gymnasium was a retired hunter who specialized in training the younger generation and their Crystallim. While Scott learned most of his textbook information during classes, he learned about far more important things from Jack. The fact that he could maintain his calm and centered sense of self when confronted by crying girls and sensual power plays could be attributed to the training undertaken in this gym.
“Great as always. I see your arm has that special glow, and bright at that,” said the gym owner. Jack strolled over to Scott and clapped the younger man on the shoulder.
“Yeah, finally got my license and started working to build a few friendships,” said Scott.
“Right, good. Remember that in the future. Even the most heartless and sadistic bitch you meet in the wilds will basically just be a lonely girl looking for a friend. You’ll go far, or die trying,” said Jack.
“I’d rather do the first one,” said Scott.
Jack squeezed Scott’s shoulder in a show of overtly masculine friendship then dragged him through the room. “You know Eina has missed you.”
“I bet... She probably just missed tormenting me for hours on end.”
“With her it’s pretty much the same thing,” said Jack.
Out of a nearby doorway, a loud feminine voice cried out, “Harder! Faster! You’ll never get there if you don’t give me more!”
Scott glanced at Jack and the man shrugged. They walked through the gym lobby and entered the side room.
A beautiful blond haired girl wearing a skin-tight latex uniform shouted at several Crystallim who were engaged in various types of training. She walked over to a blue-skinned girl with a set of antennae growing from her forehead. “Faster! Pedal faster! Your master is going to die if you don’t get your fat blue ass over to him in time!”
“Yes, Mistress Eina!” cried the girl. She pedaled as fast as she could but her stationary bike went nowhere.
"Move it!" exclaimed Eina aggressively.
The blue girl cried out an affirmative and tried her best to pedal faster. The bike still went nowhere, but at least the wheels spun quickly in place.
“You!" cried Eina after spotting another girl who was slacking off. "Pink slut! If you can lift your uselessly fat tits, you can lift more weight than that!”
The girl with the bright pink hair seemed to be on the verge of tears but she sucked it up and cried out, “Yes, Mistress Eina!” before she chose a heavier weight to lift. She continued to cry, but did manage to work with the heavier weight without further incident.
“She hasn’t changed,” said Scott.
“You expected her to? It’s only been a few days,” said Jack.
Scott laughed at the man. That was true. It seemed like a life-time ago, but it had only been a few days since his last visit.
Eina happened to glance their way and she frowned. She moved quickly to stand in front of them, her twin blond pig-tails fluttering behind her like a battle flag. “So, you finally return you lazy bastard.”
Scott grinned at her in a mischievous manner. “Calm your tits woman. I’m just visiting.”
“My tits are calm!" she proclaimed haughtily. She noticed another slacker out of the corner of her eye then said, "Wait one moment.”
She turned to the side and casually strolled over to a black haired girl who had scythe-like protrusions coming out of her elbows. She snatched the girl by the hair and yanked her head back, forcing her breasts to arch into the air. “Climb faster, or I’ll climb you!”
“Y-yes, Mistress Eina,” said the girl. Once she was released the girl pumped her legs up and down rapidly against the gravity pads that she was using as a stair climbing surrogate.
Eina returned to Jack and Scott. She started to say something loud and authoritative, but she stopped just as soon as she started. Her eyes locked onto Scott’s forearm and her mouth closed.
After a moment her lips puckered a bit and her eyes began to shimmer softly. She looked up at him with an expression that made her seem a little hurt. “You’re a hunter, but you didn’t come for me?”
“I can’t afford your contract yet. You know that,” said Scott softly.
Eina jumped forward and grabbed Scott by his shirt. She pulled him close and then said, “Work faster,” before kissing him hotly on the mouth.
Jack rolled his eyes then shook his head. “Eina, you’ll give the poor guy a heart attack.”
“If this useless fatty has heart issues, he should do more cardio,” said the girl.
She leaned forward and whispered into Scott’s ear, “I’ll be off work in a few hours. Please tell me you want a private training session.”
Scott smiled at her. “Sure, but can I be the man this time?”
“We’ll see,” said the girl. She smiled warmly at him. It was the first friendly gesture she made toward anyone for most of the day.
“Is that her boyfriend?” one brave soul whispered near the back.
Eina’s left eyelid twitched and she turned toward the gossiping girl in the back. “If you have time to gossip, you have time for push-ups! Now. Push!”
The bat winged girl cried out in panic and then dropped down and started to do push-ups. Eina surveyed her domain and snorted. “Lazy! Lazy! Lazy!” she cried while strolling around the gym. She slapped girls on the ass or pulled their hair to get their attention when their form was wrong.
“Did you know that she recently took up baking?” asked Jack in a conspiratorial whisper.
Scott looked to the man and shook his head. “No. Did she? I wonder why?”
Jack looked at him with a disbelieving expression. “Come on, man. We both know why.”
Eina glanced over at a girl who was struggling to do a pull-up. She strolled over to the girl casually and said, “Is this all you’ve got you weak waste of space?”
“I’m sorry...” said the girl before she started to cry. She'd given it everything she had inside, but she could not find the strength to go on.
“You'll be truly sorry when you’re hanging onto the side of a cliff wh
ile some Nightmare takes your master by force,” said Eina casually.
The girl shook her head, but she tried to do another pull-up. It was too hard. Her body was at its limit.
Eina snorted, “You’re too weak to do anything about it aren’t you? You’re just a flabby little girl with saggy tits.”
The girl sniffled then looked down. She did not say anything in response.
“It’s fine, you weak little lazy sow. When your master cries out in ecstasy a few times while all you can do is listen in, you’ll understand the truth,” said Eina.
“Y-you’re just being mean...” said the demotivated girl.
Eina leaned forward and softly said, “When your master has been violated dozens of times, she’ll make him say who he loves most and he’ll cry her name because it will be the best and most erotic moment of his life.”
The girl shook visibly. That had struck a nerve.
“She’ll make him forget you even exist, all because you’re a weak little blob of goo and tit-fat that can’t do a simple pull-up,” said Eina.
The girl threw her head back and cried out, “Uu-ooh! The hell she will.” Immediately afterward, she surged upward and dropped downward three more times before hanging limply.
“Good...Good. Run laps now,” said Eina.
The girl dropped to the ground and her body collapsed in upon itself. Where there had been a girl, there was now a blue puddle of slime.
“If you’re just going to lie there like a little puddle of goo, then do push-ups!” cried Eina.
The goo flexed a little in an almost imperceptible up and down motion. She was exhausted but she still tried her best.
Such was the methods of training at the Heartspire Gymnasium. Eina put the girls through their paces, and those girls were determined to do their best for the sake of their masters and the life they wished to live at their side
Scott watched the twin-tailed terror boss her way around the room for a while. He could not help but smile at her antics. A girl who most would mistake for being constantly angry, he knew her as a sweet and warm person. Her pride got in the way frequently, and her specific breed issues also came into play quite often. Still, they were practically family.
Galataea Crystallim Core 1 Page 19
