by Tj Dixon
“I’m not convinced that she’s suitable.” The Kuroneko purrs. “A miko must submit to her god. This girl seems more like a companion.”
“I’m not like that stuffy old Ikarus you imitate. I will do things my way. What matters is the connection between our souls.” Peter tells the Kuroneko.
“That may be true, but it is risky to make a girl that has not submitted to you a miko. She may drain your power rather than replenish it.” The Kuroneko replies.
“Peter, I will submit to your will as long as you don’t plan to have me abandon you.” I declare.
“Then prove it.” The Kuroneko tells me with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
“How?” I ask.
“Bare yourself completely to Peter, soul, mind and body. Then allow him to do as he wishes with them.” The Kuroneko answers.
“Here?” I ask in shock.
“If that is Peter’s wish.” The Kuroneko laughs.
“It isn’t.” Peter quickly tells me.
“It doesn’t sound like she would have been willing anyway. That’s why I say she isn’t suited. She could be trained but training takes time and if you have to train her it would be better to use someone you have no attachment to.” The Kuroneko tells Peter.
“I would do it if Peter asked me to.” I tell the Kuroneko angrily.
“That’s easy to say now you know he isn’t going to.” The Kuroneko growls.
“Midori, show the Kuroneko your scar.” Peter says and I gulp. I can feel the Kuroneko’s watchful eyes on me as I look into Peter’s fiery eyes. I stand like that for a few moments building up my courage.
“If that is your wish.” I eventually reply with a small smile. I turn my back to the Kuroneko and pull my emerald green dress up over my head revealing my plain white underwear and more importantly my ugly green scar.
“Dirty half goblin!” The Kuroneko yells angrily. “She is definitely not suited to be a miko. A miko must be pure.”
“Kuro, you’re just stuck in the past. I don’t care about her goblin blood. Her soul is pure and strong so she will make a great miko. She passed your test so I will hear no more complaints. Midori, put your dress back on.” Peter says calmly. I rush to throw my dress over my head and back on again. It is a bit of a mess but once my scar is covered I breathe a sigh of relief as I put it back into place properly.
“In many ways you have changed, but I see you are just as single minded as ever.” The Kuroneko sighs.
“What next?” I ask Peter.
“We continue this in private. The bond will be stronger that way and it should be easier for you without Kuro watching. Come with me and prepare yourself.” Peter says and walks towards the throne that the Kuroneko is sitting on.
I follow Peter but am confused as to why we are approaching the Kuroneko if we are meant to be going somewhere private. As he reaches the wall just this side of the throne though he continues on and walks through the wall. I suppose it makes sense to have an escape route right next to a throne. I follow Peter through the wall. On the other side is a long grey stone corridor but just a few feet along on the right Peter walks through another wall. I follow him through the wall.
We are in a brightly lit room with a large comfy looking red bed. There’s also a small round red wooden table and four comfy red padded chairs made from the same red wood. The walls, floor and carpet are also red. There’s a red wooden bookcase with five black leather bound books in it, but room for perhaps a couple of hundred books. There’s also a black stone chest beside the book case.
“How old did you say you were?” Peter asks me.
“About twenty. I think I’m twenty one, but I could be twenty two.” I answer nervously.
“I’ve been around since just after this world was formed. My father was around before the world was formed.” Peter tells me. I gulp. “It’s not too late to turn back but once the connection between our souls is formed there is no turning back. Will you still submit to my will?”
“Yes.” I answer nervously. I look at the bed and ask the question that has been in my mind a while now. “Are we going to have sex?”
“Do you want to?” Peter asks. I gulp but Peter stares firmly into my eyes. “Answer honestly.”
“In your current body it might be painful.” I admit.
“And if I was still in a human body?” Peter asks.
“Yes, though I was planning to wait until you were an adult for that. I wouldn’t want you getting the wrong idea about me.” I explain quickly.
“Well, I can’t afford to change back to a human body right now. You won’t be allowed to have sex with anyone else either, because you need to be completely devoted to me and only me. Even knowing this are you still prepared to submit to me?” Peter asks still staring into my eyes with those burning blue eyes of his.
“Yes.” I answer nervously.
“Then take off your clothes. All of them.” Peter says. I pull my emerald green dress over my head yet again and place it on the floor. I take off my emerald green shoes and socks. I then reach behind my back to undo my bra strap.
My hands are trembling from nerves. I’ve imagined having sex with Peter many times but always as a human. I never really thought it would happen. Even if it had happened I knew it would be when he was older, so it was always something a long way away. The closest I came to this was that one time in the caves on our date, but I wasn’t going to have sex with Peter. I was ready to expose my body and to allow Peter to touch it, but that was all.
“We’re not going to have sex. I’m going to start by teaching you how to form spirit armour. You still need to be naked though, so carry on.” Peter tells me.
My bra falls to the ground exposing my flat chest. I look down regretfully at my body. At least it isn’t as flat as Rin’s, but hers may still grow. My body may look a little immature but I’m an adult and my body will only age when I become an old lady. That isn’t the sort of aging I want!
“What do you think of your body?” Peter asks.
“What do I think?” I ask confused.
“Are you happy with it?” Peter asks.
“You’re being mean.” I grin. “No. I don’t like it. It’s pathetic. It’s all yours though.”
“Actually I like it. If I had sex with a human though, it wouldn’t simply hurt them, it would kill them. So at least whilst I’m in this form, there’s no possibility of my having sex with you or anyone else down here. I can still tease you though. Now, you’re still wearing one last thing. I’m sorry, I know it’s embarrassing, but your efforts so far would be meaningless unless you take that off too.”
“This is more embarrassing than I expected.” I admit going a little red as I bend forwards and pull down that last item of clothing. I step out of my plain white panties and stand there stark naked not trying to cover myself.
Peter unexpectedly walks towards me and puts his arms around me, embracing me tightly. He summons a pure white gown over my body. It is made of Peter’s soul. In it I can feel his kindness and the teasing playfulness that he seems to have developed. It is incredibly intimate and makes the physical contact between our bodies and even my nudity seem as trivial as a handshake. I simply bared my body to him but Peter is baring his soul to me.
“You can sense my soul, but can you sense your own soul?” Peter asks.
Feeling Peter’s soul I look within myself for something similar. I quickly find it but mine feels like a pair of candles whereas Peter’s is like the sun. One half of my soul is in my head and the other half is in my barren womb with a thin strand connecting both parts. Even though I can’t have children half of my soul rests in my womb?
“Yes. It’s as pathetic as my body though.” I answer.
“A mortal’s soul is far smaller and weaker than that of an angel or a god. Yours is no smaller or weaker than most humans.” Peter assures me. “Now try to expand your soul a little. To make spirit armour you need to cover your entire body with your soul.”
“Is this ho
w the Kuroneko taught her followers?” I ask.
“Of course not.” Peter laughs. “They had to learn the hard way. There’s no way that the Kuroneko would expose her soul to her followers. To be honest there aren’t many people that I would be comfortable exposing my soul to either.” Peter tells me.
“Then I’m really privileged.” I grin.
“More so than you know.” Peter tells me. “Now expand your soul.”
“I’ll try.” I say and tug at the edge of the top half of my soul. It gradually expands but it is hard work.
“Try to expand the thread.” Peter tells me.
“Oh, ok.” I say and tug at the edge of the thread of my soul. It expands easily and soon I have covered my entire body with it.
“I’m going to link our souls. Don’t resist.” Peter tells me seriously.
“Don’t worry. I won’t resist. I can’t think of anything better than connecting our souls together like this.” I tell Peter blissfully.
“It will hurt and not just a little.” Peter warns me.
“I’ll be fine.” I tell him a little nervously. A moment later waves of intense pleasure pulse through my body from my womb. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“It will.” Peter warns. A moment later my head starts to pound. Then the waves of pleasure turn to pain. I gasp. “Hang in there. It’s almost over.”
“It hurts!” I cry out but then the pain is gone. I look down and the spirit clothes are gone too.
“It’s all over. Your scar is healed too.” Peter tells me still embracing me.
“What?” I ask, unable to comprehend what he just told me.
“Your scar is healed and your body now has a weak regenerative power. You are also immortal now.” Peter tells me adding further incomprehensible assertions.
“That’s impossible. That scar was given to me by the gods.” I tell him.
“Have you forgotten that I am a god now?” Peter asks me.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to remove the scar?” I ask.
“Did you want to keep it?” Peter asks.
“Of course not.” I reply.
“So don’t complain. If I had told you about all of this it would have been like offering a trade or a bribe. I wanted you to choose to become mine without the need to bribe you. Besides, if you chose to become mine purely for this you would have soon regretted it. Immortality, regenerating and removing a scar are all trivial compared to what you have given me.” Peter tells me.
“It isn’t trivial!” I protest.
“Now lie down on the bed and rest.” Peter tells me and releases me from his embrace.
“But I want to help you.” I insist.
“Then lie down on the bed and rest.” Peter says firmly.
“Ok.” I agree reluctantly. I walk over to the bed and lie down. To my surprise Peter lies down beside me.
“To be honest I need to rest too. I suppose you were right. It is a bit like marriage. Of course you knew from the start that it could never just be you.” Peter says.
“Even before you became a god I was ready to share you.” I remind Peter.
“That’s true actually. I doubt the others will be so willing though and I have no intention of forcing anyone to become mine. Your power is actually more than I expected. Even though it is weak in comparison to a god or an angel, your soul really is strong for a miko. For now you should be enough to sustain me as long as I don’t have to fight.” Peter tells me.
“I have to admit though, now that I’ve gone through with this I am a little jealous that other girls are going to do the same thing with you.” I say.
“Sorry Midori, but I have no choice.” Peter tells me and strokes my hair gently.
“I know. Keep doing that please. It feels good.” I say.
“Your hair feels nice too.” Peter tells me. I feel so happy lying here like this beside the man I love.
“Are Yu Kii and Haru Kii immortal?” I ask.
“No. Kuro always was stingy. I doubt that will ever change.” Peter says.
(Rin)
I will always be grateful to the Kuroneko for saving my mother’s life, but I do wonder how long she plans to keep us down here in this dungeon. I suppose it isn’t really a dungeon but it feels like one. There’s only a little light from a few dim light stones embedded in the grey stone ceiling and the wooden door is guarded by a muscular grey furred catman.
The room isn’t small but there isn’t much space in it. There are ten large stone workbenches and sitting on each workbench is a round green bamboo basket filled with herbs. There’s also a chopping board and a variety of knives and spoons. Underneath the worktop is a cupboard filled with glass vials and beakers.
Along with nine other girls I am chopping the herbs in preparation for use in potions. The other girls have the same green eyes and white hair as Yu Kii and Haru Kii. Their skin also has the same golden tint to it. Beside me my mother is busy mixing healing potions. Beside each of the other girls is a black catman or catwoman mixing potions. My mother and I are focusing on healing potions. I recognise some of the potions the others are making as healing potions too but the rest of their potions I am unfamiliar with.
“We’ve been at this for hours. How long do you think they plan on keeping us at this?” I ask.
“I don’t know, but if it’s just making potions this is a small price to pay for saving our lives.” Mother answers as she carefully crushes a small pile of leaves in the bottom of a glass beaker.
“I know, I know, but aren’t you getting tired?” I ask.
“I’m used to working for a lot longer than this.” Mother laughs.
“We never had this many herbs though.” I remind her.
“There’s always something to work on even without herbs.” Mother tells me.
“Are you Rin and her mother?” A black catman asks from right behind us. I didn’t even notice him approach.
“Yes.” I answer quickly.
“Both of you come with me. The gods wish to see you.” He tells us.
“Do you mean Peter and the Kuroneko?” I ask happily following him as he leads the way to the door.
“Yes.” He says with a glare. All around the room the cat people mutter quietly and glare at us. The human girls seem to focus extra hard on their work as if eager to avoid attracting anyone’s attention.
“Rin, let’s just follow him.” Mother whispers to me.
“Ok.” I whisper back.
The catman leads us out of the room and along a long grey stone corridor. At the end of the corridor is a shiny black stone door in front of us. It looks out of place in this dreary grey stone corridor. The catman knocks on the black stone door and turns back the way we came. He glares at us and says. “Don’t keep the gods waiting.”
I look at mother nervously but she smiles reassuringly and leads the way towards the black stone door. It opens on its own revealing a black stone room with a large black stone throne. There are large fiery torches on the wall every ten feet or so lighting the room well.
Peter is sitting on the throne with a black cat sleeping on his lap. Midori stands calmly on his right and Hermes stands nervously on his left. They are both wearing a plain white dress with a side slit from the shoulder all the way down. You might even call it a tabard rather than a dress, but if it was a tabard they would be wearing more underneath it than they are. Their dress is tied together with a red silk sash just above the waist. Under the dress instead of shorts or panties they are wearing white cloth wrapped repeatedly around them like a bandage.
“What the hell are you making Hermes and Midori wear?!” I yell at Peter.
“Nobody’s making us wear anything.” Midori answers.
“I let Midori decide on the miko uniform since she was my first miko. I was surprised when Hermes agreed to become a miko too.” Peter tells me.
“Miko? Like Yu Kii?” I ask.
“Yes. Yu Kii was Kuro’s miko.” Peter says stroking the black cat affectionately.
“Is that cat the Kuroneko?” I ask.
“Yes and if you weren’t Peter’s friend I would kill you for being so disrespectful.” The cat tells me.
“Kuro, there’s no need to be rude.” Peter says.
“But she was rude to me!” The cat protests childishly.
“I hope you’re not planning on making my daughter into your miko.” Mother tells Peter.
“Don’t worry, I’m not.” Peter says quickly. I’m not sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.
“So what do you plan on doing with us?” I ask.
“I need your mother’s help as an alchemist and I’m sure she will need an assistant. Hinata can help you too, though you’ll need to train her.” Peter tells me.
“Are we still friends now that you’ve gotten your memories back?” I ask nervously. It feels like I’ve been abandoned.
“Of course.” Peter assures me.
“I don’t know about this whole miko thing, but I want to stay by your side.” I tell him.
“Right now that will be too dangerous.” Peter says.
“But not too dangerous for Hermes and Midori?” I ask accusingly.
“They will both be staying behind too. Their job is to supply me with the power I need to survive.” Peter declares.
“Does the power of two girls make that much difference?” I ask.
“That depends on the bond, but the bond between us is very strong. Of course their power alone is nowhere near enough to defeat my enemies. I need to get in contact with Sakura and Dairon. We left a faery with the dwarves so Sakura should be able to contact the dwarves through her. If my plan is to work the help of the dwarves is absolutely essential.” Peter tells me.
“What is your plan?” I ask.
“To restore my full power and limit my enemies’ power.” Peter answers.
“How will you do that?” I ask.
“Sorry but that’s a secret.” Peter says with an annoying grin.
“You don’t look very sorry, but fine. I’ll just have to trust you. So how do we contact Dairon?” I ask.
