Seeing how easily Usalia was able to deal with her opponent, a frown marred Mikoto's expression as she remarked, "The Little Garden must really hate her..."
Though Karyou was far from the level of Wu, she was still one of the Seven Great Sages. As strong as Usalia was, it was a little difficult to imagine her defeating someone of such renown in as little as two strikes.
Showing no change in expression, Fenrir, wearing uncharacteristically modest clothes that consisted of a fur-lined parka and dark blue leggings flatly replied, "That is none of our concern. If she is truly suffering, Master is bound to intervene. Our mission is to ascertain the owner of each planet before regrouping with the others."
Restraining a sigh, Mikoto gave Fenrir a glance out of the corner of her eye before shaking her head and choosing to remain silent. She wanted to argue that Vahn would want them to do their best to help others, but, understanding there was very little she could do to change the public's opinion of Karyou, Mikoto decided to follow Fenrir's example by placing her trust in Vahn...
"Fire is annoying, plip. I feel like my whole body has been roasted..."
After defeating Karyou with her Usagi Punch, Usalia took a moment to regenerate her outfit before returning to Fenrir and Mikoto. She actually didn't mind people seeing her naked, but, now that she was a mother, she intended to set a better example for her children.
Extending her paw, Fenrir casually generated a cooling aura around Usalia's body as she said, "We should leave. That woman doesn't strike me as the type to stay down for long..."
Feeling a pleasant chill surrounding her body, a grateful smile developed across Usalia's face as she said, "Thank you." before casting her gaze over the fiery planet below and adding, "Leaving is easier said than done, plip. I don't see any teleportation nexi..."
Emulating Usalia's actions, Fenrir's expression promptly morphed into a grimace. Karyou was unable to attack and defend her planet at the same time. With no use for the planetside teleportation nexi, she hadn't hesitated to set the entire surface on fire. This not only trapped the people who dared to invaded her planet; more importantly, it prevented them from using said nexi to reach her core...
Fearing that Fenrir might do something drastic, Mikoto placed a placating hand on her shoulder as she said, "Hey, no need to get upset. Did you forget that I'm here? Vahn isn't the only one familiar with the Laws of Space and Time. Before we departed, I made sure to memorize the coordinates of our homeworld. I might not be able to teleport us to worlds we haven't visited but I can easily take us home."
Though she didn't always get along with Mikoto, Fenrir breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the presently petite brunette's words. If they hadn't been able to return via conventional methods, she was prepared to dig and tear a path all the way to the core of the planet...
Just as Fenrir was prepared to tell Mikoto to transport them, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a cube-shaped barrier of light manifested around them. In the very next moment, a man with wild, dark-brown hair and pale golden eyes appeared outside the barrier, hand scratching the back of his head as he stated, "Sorry about this, ladies. I don't normally attack women but I couldn't help overhearing you mention you possessed the means to teleport off this rock. I'm gonna have to ask you to take me and my friend along..."
Reacting to the fashionably dressed man's words, the seemingly ordinary black cat lounging on his shoulders issued a lazy meow. As for Fenrir, a bluish-black aura manifested around her right paw as she swiped towards the barrier with her Severing Claws.
Seeing Fenrir attack his barrier, an ostensibly teasing smile developed across the dark-haired man's face. This didn't last long, however, as, the moment her attack met the anti-magical membrane, a frightful sound reminiscent of metal being torn apart could be heard echoing throughout the Little Garden. At the same time, almost as if his barrier had been made of tissue paper, Fenrir's blades of energy seamlessly cut through it.
"Gimme a break..."
Though he was more than a little surprised by Fenrir's ability to cut through his barrier, the look on the man's face appeared more disinterested than anything. In response to the attack, he drew what appeared to be a hunting knife from the holster at his waist. Golden runes lit up across its otherwise pitch-black surface, and, though it consumed significantly more mana than he anticipated, the man was able to cut through the four blades of energy with apparent ease.
Following her initial attack, Fenrir smashed through the remnants of the barrier, claws extended as she intended to slice the man to ribbons. Her claws were exponentially sharper than the blades she was capable of producing, so, without even considering whether or not the man could cut through her attack, she charged toward him with a fierce expression on her face.
Seemingly in an effort to protect its master, the black cat on the man's shoulder promptly jumped forward. In moments before Fenrir's attack struck, its form quickly transitioned to that of a dainty, 144cm tall girl with medium-length black hair, cat ears, and a tail. Her outfit vaguely resembled the style of an old school mobster, but, rather than focusing on her attire, Fenrir locked eyes with the resolute woman as she exclaimed, "Cat Scratch Fever...!"
Similar to how Fenrir was attacking with her claws, the petite cat girl lunched forward with a pair of prolonged, razor-sharp nails. The disparity between her and Fenrir was like Heaven and Earth, but, so long as she could inflict even a grazing injury on her opponent, the effects of her attack would take hold...
Noticing the resolution in the cat girl's eyes, Fenrir simultaneously activated her Queen of the Pack and Koku Shundo. She wasn't even remotely afraid, but, having been taught to never underestimate her opponents, she elected to play it safe by flickering behind the duo and surrounding them with the shadow wolves representing Altria, Atalanta, and Gareth.
Though she deadpanned the moment she was summoned, Altria managed to evade the claws of her opponent. At the same time, Atalanta and Gareth took advantage of their speed to snap at the man's ankles. This ultimately proved unsuccessful, but, the moment he stepped back to evade the duo, he found Fenrir waiting for him, teeth bared and surrounded by illusory projection resembling her giant wolf form.
"Shion is going to be piss-"
Unable to finish his statement, the dark-haired man found the upper half of his body 'erased' as the massive, illusory wolf closed its jaws around him. Part of never underestimating your opponents was going all out from the start. The man had dared to imprison her, so, while she would have normally left him frozen in a column of ice, Fenrir decided on a more decisive course of action.
Nobody sealed or restrained her without permission...
...
..
.
As her true identity was that of a familiar, the black-haired cat girl promptly vanished the moment her Master was defeated. Shortly after that, Mikoto, with a wry smile on her face, placed her hands on Fenrir's and Usalia's shoulders. The truth of the matter was that she could have easily teleported them away even with the barrier up, so, while she understood Fenrir's reasons for attacking, Mikoto couldn't help thinking he had gone overboard.
Instead of voicing her thoughts out loud, Mikoto made a mental note to discuss it with Vahn once the Gift Game had concluded. The only people Fenrir sincerely listened to were Vahn, Eva, and, to a lesser extent, Artoria. Her [Queen of the Pack] Innate hadn't helped. Instead, it had seeded in her an almost oppressive sense of duty and pride. Thus, unless you were her Master, one of his children, or one of her mentors, Fenrir didn't have time to deal with you.
In Fenrir's mind, time spent talking was time that could have been spent performing her duties or growing stronger...
"..."
"..."
"..."
As the coordinates recorded by Mikoto were set within the throne room rather than the adjacent antechamber, the trio was gobsmacked by the scene presented to them upon their arrival.
Vahn was seated upon his throne. This was completely normal. What surprised them was the fact that there were several ashen-skinned women present, many with equally incredulous expressions on their faces as they observed him caressing the head of an oversized, partially-clothed cat.
While the scene of Vahn petting something wasn't particularly abnormal, the state of the person he was petting left even Fenrir at a loss for words. She was one of the few people to experience the full effects of her Master's petting, so, seeing the feline figure lying limply atop his lap, an absurdly loud purring emanating through the hall, a hostile gleam flashed across her carmine eyes...
Noticing the trio's arrival, the amused grin on Vahn's face softened into a sincere and affectionate smile as he retracted his palm from Attutyaptish's furry, upturned belly and mused, "Fenrir, Mikoto, Usalia...welcome back..."
Asking the question on all three of their minds, Mikoto eyed the half-conscious figure drooling atop Vahn's lap as she inquired, "What's going on here? Who's the cat...?"
Poking said cat in the cheek, Vahn answered, "This is Attutyaptish, the Great King of Wisdom. He's a bit of a schemer, but, as you can see here, he's also quite cute once he lets his guard down. He kind of reminds me of a monochromatic version of the second and third generation of Companions..."
Retracting his finger from Attutyaptish's cheek, Vahn used Telekinesis to levitate him over to where the aforementioned's daughters were enjoying a light lunch. The 'educational' petting session had been going on for the better part of an hour and a half hours, so, rather than forcing them to stand around, he manifested a low-lying table and a few snacks for them to enjoy.
Though she was a little surprised, Shaanti, the Sage with a Gift related to photography, accepted her father's half-conscious body with a curious expression on her face. She was the only person with animalistic ears to not have her head patted, so, seeing her father with a silly yet contented look on his face, she couldn't help wondering what it was like to be on the receiving end of Vahn's caress...
Unfortunately, Vahn followed the turn-over by saying, "I suppose that about wraps up our little rendezvous. Feel free to stop by the Sage Dragon's Hearth once the Gift Game has concluded. So long as you're willing to pay the price, there is very little we can't provide."
Without waiting for the group's response, Vahn teleported them to the antechamber. He hadn't missed the ostensibly murderous glimmer in Fenrir's eye, so, as much as he enjoyed teasing the peculiar group of six-armed individuals, their value didn't equate to a single hair on his beloved companion's tail...
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Coming to his senses nearly an hour later, Attutyaptish first observed his surroundings before setting his gaze on Eshavi and asking, "What happened? The last thing I remember..."
Recalling the feeling of comfort that had invaded his mind the moment Vahn began kneading the space between his eyes and ears, an imperceptible, dark-grey hue spread through Attutyaptish's cheeks. Were it not for his fur, the entire Little Garden would have been able to see him blushing.
Deciding he would rather review the recording rather than hearing his daughters recount what would invariably become his most embarrassing moment, Attutyaptish directed his gaze to the nearby teleportation nexus. He was originally planning to destroy them so that Vahn wouldn't be able to escape. Now, realizing Vahn had no intention of moving from his spot, he decided it would be best if they simply returned.
"We're leaving. By now, our fellow tribesmen and women should be placing the finishing touches on the ritual magic formation. I don't mind going out in a blaze of glory but I'd much rather assist in the destruction of whichever planet follows this one..."
Though it was too late to take back his previous decision, Attutyaptish was confident he could save some face by demonstrating his prowess against other Communities. Preventing his brothers from teasing him would be impossible but he could at least change how the general public viewed him...
With this in mind, Attutyaptish directed his daughters to stand atop the nearest platform before personally activating the teleportation array. This immediately brought them to the surface, but, instead of finding a planet-wide formation awaiting them, the group was stunned when one of the nearest Rakshasa asked them if something had gone wrong with the initial teleportation. After all, while several hours had passed since their first encounter with Vahn, a mere thirteen seconds had passed since their departure...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Good mommies don't streak (U w U)...','Only Master is allowed to confine Fenrir...!','*deep breath*...Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh-')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
Sensing no trace of her opponent, a plume of steam escaped Caulifla's throat in the form of a sigh. At the same time, the silvery hue of her fur gave way for a bright, pinkish-red coat that continued to exude an intense amount of heat. Her instincts were telling her the danger had yet to pass, so, while the Super Saiyan Sage Transformation greedily consumed her mental and physical energies, Caulifla ignored the throbbing in her temples as she called over Kale and said, "You're up next. Make sure to give them hell."
"Nee-san..."
Seeing how exhausted Caulifla was, Kale reached up to the golden locket dangling from her neck. It was a gift forged by Vahn that had been gifted to her by her beloved Aneue. The interior displayed pictures of her and Caulifla, but, as Vahn was the one that brought them together, Kale allowed him to engrave his Familia Crest on the surface. She might never love him in the same way as her Aneue but Vahn was still the most important man in her life...
More importantly, the locket also served as a storage device.
Retrieving a glistening golden bean from the locket's storage space, Kale practically forced it into Caulifla's hand, saying, "Eat." in an uncharacteristically firm tone.
As she had no reason to refuse, Caulifla accepted the Avalon brand Senzu Bean. Instead of eating it, however, a teasing smile developed across her face as she said, "The muscles in my jaw are feeling kind of weak. Chew it up for me, mama bird."
Taking advantage of the fact Kale had opened her mouth to protest, Caulifla effortlessly flicked the golden senzu into her mouth. Then, despite an unnervingly ticklish sensation spreading across her skin, almost as though billions of eyes had spontaneously focused their intention on her, she linked her arms around Kale's neck and uttered a teasing, "Tweet tweet..." before opening her mouth and extending her dazzlingly red tongue...
Swallowing both the senzu bean and the knot in her throat, Kale hurriedly retrieved a replacement before linking her hands around Caulifla's exposed back and sealing her lips. Though the majority of people assumed she was a bashful and shy woman, the truth of the matter was that Kale simply felt it was a waste of time to speak with most people. She disliked pretenses and deceit, so, from a very young age, she had always gotten along better with animals than people. It was her Aneue's 'wildness' that had first attracted her, so, while others might be afraid to exhibit their affection in front of others, Kale didn't mind in the slightest. In her mind, humans, Saiyans, and even the Gods were just animals. Being roundabout with their desires was simply denying their true nature...
Feeling Kale's hand slip into her pants, firmly grasping her right buttocks, Caulifla's back promptly straightened as she used her tail to grasp the aggressive Saiyaness's wrist. She actually liked it when Kale was bold, but, as they were currently in the middle of a battlefield, she swallowed the remnant senzu bean in her throat, saying, "Save it for later. Right now, we still need to conquer this planet. If we're going to 'play', I'd rather do it atop a throne..."
Spurred by Caulifla's words, Kale's previously obsidian-black eyes gained a golden luster as she snapped her gaze toward the planet below. The silver band keeping her hair in a ponytail promptly gave way, but, instead of falling under the influence of gravity, her raven-black locks flared outward to form a number of spiky clumps as ruby-red fur began spreading across her body.
Though she was quiet and reserved at most times, Kale was quick to anger when things got in the way of her spending time with Caulifla. She couldn't have cared less about the planet a few minutes prior, but, now that the Community protecting it was prohibiting her from spending time with the person she loved, the only thing she wanted more than their destruction was her Aneue's affection.
With one hand wrapped around Caulifla's waist and the other pointed towards the planet below, a feral grimace developed across Kale's face as she ruthlessly muttered, "Extinction Beam..."
Starting off as a highly compressed, marble-sized ball of fiery green energy, the Ki in Kale's palm promptly erupted to form a veritable column of destruction more than three meters in diameter. This might not sound particularly impressive when she was capable of producing moon-sized balls of death, but, as her goal was creating a path to the core, not destroying the planet, Kale was doing her best to control the output as much as possible...
Sensing the amount of energy contained in Kale's single-handed ki blast, an inaudible sigh escaped Caulifla's throat. She would be lying if she said it didn't bother her how effortlessly Kale was able to exert her strength. Instead of complaining about it, however, she took advantage of their proximity to rest her head against Kale's pillowy breasts. This caused the output of the blast to spontaneously skyrocket, as, even compared to love, 'horniness' was an extraordinarily powerful motivator...
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..
.
Staring at the spot where Kojiro had been standing moments prior, a pensive glimmer illuminated Musashi's eyes even as a trace of a smile adorned her face. Kojiro was simultaneously stronger and weaker than she had expected. This made her excited for the battles to come, but, at the same time, she couldn't help thinking her time would have been better-spent training in one of the Actualized Worlds...
"Well...no matter. I can always start a new journey once I settle things with Black. No way in hell I'm letting someone else parade themselves around as the 'original'..."
With that in mind, Musashi took a moment to make sure her red and blue bikini top was properly fastened before directing her attention towards the fortress-like building's entrance. She had half-expected someone to appear during her fight with Kojiro. Now that several minutes had passed, a small part of her was tempted to go and test her skills against Amaterasu...
"Hmm...nah..."
Deciding she would rather avoid a sunburn, Musashi reached her fingers into her cleavage before manifesting Gōenjin in its Shikai form. This was completely unnecessary, but, as she was going out of her way to put on a performance, a bit of fan service wouldn't hurt.
Though her original intention was to slice the entire fortress in half, Musashi promptly changed her mind when the Spirit of Gōenjin muttered, "You should dodge..." in a flat yet child-like voice.
Trusting her Zanpakuto Spirits completely, Musashi appeared to fade from existence as countless beams resembling golden lasers tore through the area where she had been standing. Amaterasu had been observing her since the moment she appeared in front of Kojiro. She wasn't particularly bothered by the latter's defeat. There were moments she didn't approve of, but, as the fight was ultimately a fair exchange, she was willing to let Musashi walk away. She wasn't, however, going to let her destroy one of Kotoamatsukami's teleportation nexi.
Appearing at the top of a cliff more than seventeen kilometers away, Musashi directed her gaze towards the fiery orb illuminating the sky, a faint smile on her face as she said, "Fine, fine. I'm not gonna break your toys. In exchange, I'd like you to pass along a message for me. Tell your Musashi I'll be here waiting for her. If she doesn't appear before the competitions' end, she only has herself to blame when people begin recognizing me as the True Musashi..."
In response to Musashi's words, the sun overhead briefly increased in luminosity. At a glance, many would have assumed it was preparing an attack. Instead, a much finer beam of light struck the area in front of Musashi's feet. When it faded away, a message stating that Musashi would appear within three days could be seen...
Reading the immaculately engraved kanji, the corners of Musashi's smile curled upward. Instead of calling Amaterasu out, however, she directed her gaze towards empty space and asked, "Hey, Vahn. Mind providing me with a lounge or something? Looks like I might be here for a while."
To the surprise of many a spectator, a fully furnished Japanese-style cottage promptly appeared a few meters away from the remarkably beautiful swordswoman. More importantly, at least from the perspective of Musashi, a low wooden table and an adjustable chaise lounged manifested near the cliff's edge. The former had numerous glass and ceramic containers arranged atop its surface, so, with glistening purple eyes and a massive grin on her face, Musashi directed her gaze into the void and asked, "Have I ever told you how much I love you...?"
...
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.
Seeing the various items appearing within her domain, the amused smile Amaterasu had adopted in response to Musashi's challenge gradually gave way for a far more serious expression. One of the first things she had done following the commencement of the Gift Game was spread her Divinity to cover the entire planet. She couldn't prevent people from trespassing via the teleportation nexi, but, for all intents and purposes, she had sealed the surrounding space and claimed it as an extension of her territory.
"How hateful...that man must have implemented some kind of bypass that allows him to exploit the teleportation network with impunity. He's treating this like some kind of game..."
Disregarding the irony of resenting others for treating a Gift Game as a game, Amaterasu began to rhythmically tap the tips of her nails against the metallic surface of her armrest. A growing part of her wanted nothing more than to manipulate the sun to crash into Vahn's planet. She couldn't even begin to describe the fury she experienced when Kenshin came to her with Vahn's words of caution. Thus, seeing the apparent disregard he showed for his own Gift Game, the amethyst purple color of her eyes gradually gave way for a fiery, progressively golden hue...
Inhaling a deep breath, Amaterasu took a moment to herself that another person's brazen behavior wasn't an excuse to disregard propriety. As the Leader of the Kotoamatsukami and one of the most famous Goddesses in all of creation, she needed to set the example for others to follow. Losing her cool was the same as giving a Poet ammunition to harm her reputation, so, despite the metal of her throne turning white-hot beneath her nails, Amaterasu did her best to appear calm and composed as she focused on the actions of Ahirani and her children. She doubted they would be successful in their endeavor, but, knowing Indra was on her side in this matter, Amaterasu was gradually able to restore her calm...
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.
Sensing a fiery intent attempting to bore a hole into his skull with the sheer intensity of its gaze, the corners of Vahn's amused smile curled upward. He could always tell when Amaterasu was observing him as she didn't even try to keep her presence concealed.
Ignoring said intent completely, Vahn continued to caress the heads and bodies of Fenrir, Mikoto, and Usalia. They had gone out of their way to return, so, before sending them off to continue their mission, Vahn elected to help them recharge. As a result, he ended up with Usalia nestling against the left side of his body while Fenrir and Mikoto snuggled up to him in their wolf pup and Pikachu forms.
Though the spectators might assume Vahn's primary responsibilities were protecting their planet and throne room, the truth of the matter was that he was here to support the girls. With the power he had obtained during his time in the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, showing off was as simple as breathing. Thus, while their penultimate goal was to secure the lowest possible Gate, the primary objective of everyone participating was to show off and make a name for themselves. Establishing a legend was of paramount importance within the Little Garden, so, for the sake of his family, friends, and loved ones, Vahn didn't mind acting as the girls' recharge station. After all, once he got serious, no forces currently at play could prevent him from annihilating every other planet with a thought...
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..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Caulifla knows how to push Kale's buttons (U w U)...','I was kind of hoping for some hot, MusashixMusashi action...','I can practically feel the stonks radiating off of him...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh