On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Three Hundred And Ninety-Eight – R18/Contains S*x *Contains Status – Eri ?*

“Hyacinth, can you help me take this dress off?” Eri said, a touch embarrassed. “I don’t want Akio to see me struggling like some idiot.” She looked at me then, her face red. “This dress is really expensive apparently, so I don’t want to get it dirty. Besides, it was a present from Hinata. And you, I suppose…”

“It’s a nice dress. I thought that this morning.” I admired her as Hyacinth cheerfully helped her undress, Eri’s pale skin and white underwear coming into view. “It’s not something you normally wear, it’s fresh on you. The same goes for you, Hyacinth, Daiyu.”

As Hyacinth giggled and Daiyu’s expressionless face changed a little, I continued. “Besides, Eri, I’d never look down on you for your struggles. After all…”

“No, it’s as much my fault as yours. We’ve been through this.” Eri said, as Hyacinth pulled the dress free, before carefully hanging it up. “I was overconfident, and I paid a much smaller price than I should have.”

The swirling spirit light of Ginneka agreed with her, her amusement plain. Setting that and my lingering guilt aside, I nodded. “Yes, we can’t dwell on the past, other than to learn from our mistakes. We need to focus on the now, and in this moment…”

“Now I want to make love to you.” Eri finished for me, hobbling to her bed and lying down, arms out invitingly. “I’m sorry if it’s not going to be exciting, I’m not feeling very energetic, but…” I moved to the bed rapidly, stopping her mouth with my own. Her eyes widened in surprise, before she responded passionately, her tongue darting into my mouth and tangling with mine, the taste of her saliva on my lips. I entwined my fingers with hers, holding hands, and for a long minute all I could hear was her breath and the quiet giggles of Hyacinth, before we parted.

“I don’t think there’ll ever be a time where it isn’t exciting with you, Eri. Just think of how many men in Japan dream of a relationship with their cute childhood friend. I’m living that dream.”

“Not just that. Who else has their own personal maid?” Eri smiled, looking at Hyacinth, fresh in her jeans and fluffy jumper which highlighted her slender figure and large chest beautifully. “And an exotic foreign beauty.” Daiyu shrugged at that.

“Yes, I’m the sort of Riajuu that Yasu-san, Shugo-san and I used to curse frequently, but I’m not sorry.” I kissed Eri again. “So don’t worry about it. Whatever we do will feel good, and I do feel sad I’ve not been able to hold you recently.” In my arms, Eri’s skin was warm, and I grinned, my hand slipping behind her to unfasten her bra. Her breasts popped free, her nipples already hard, and I used my free hand to fondle them, gently at first, but rougher when Eri’s eyes were pleading for it. As she shivered and writhed under my touch, Daiyu addressed Hyacinth.

“It is quite different watching others. Was it like this with me?” she asked.

“Yes, I dooo love seeing the mistresses be happy. It reminds me ooof other times.”

“I believe others would say the same about you, Hyacinth.” Daiyu continued. “You have to be happy yourself, do you not?”

Well said. Daiyu’s fit right in with everyone. She’s still a bit self-conscious about her lacking Japanese, but she’s putting in a hard effort to learn, and a lot of us can speak Chinese, through various means. I buried my head in Eri’s breasts, my tongue sliding over slightly sweaty flesh, licking all around until I finished with her nipples, and Eri moaned.

“I’m sensitive there. More than usual. It’s been too long…”

My free hand traced her belly, before gently caressing her body over her white panties, my finger vibrating gently. “It has…” I muttered, still licking her nipples, sucking and biting them, a fun game, finding ways to make Eri moan in pleasure. “…but compared to how long we’ll have in the future, it’s just a blink of an eye.”

My hand now slid into her panties, touching her skin directly, gently toying with her pussy and the ruby bean of her clitoris. Her breathing sped up, her skin sweaty and her eyes moist, and for a moment I was concerned that the strain might be too much on her recovering body, but she urged me to go on, her neck tilting up so she could bite my ear playfully.

“You know, it feels a little strange…” Eri gasped, her body starting to tremble as my ministrations aroused her. “… here you are with me, but you’re also… ahn… in the Boundary too, right?”

I agreed, pulling her panties down, the fabric transparent and heavy with her leaking love nectars, and I began to slurp at her trembling pussy, tasting the sour tang. My tongue slid inside and she groaned. I gently placed my lips around her clit and sucked it, and she let out a damp squeal.

“Yes, I’m currently there as well. I’m talking with Shaeula and her brother right now, as well as Shiro.” Feeling a bit mean, I used my tongue, polishing the ruby bean of her clit, and teased her. “They don’t know I’m making love to you even as we talk…” My fingers were in her pussy and she tightened up, her shivers becoming more intense.

“Hyacinth thinks this is called Exhibitionism, nooo?” she laughed. “Mistress Shirooo mentioned it. I wooould love to be used to satisfy your lusts Akio, whenever and wherever! Talking tooo important people, your family, even in ooone of those trains…” she giggled madly, Eri looking at her exasperated, Daiyu fortunately not able to understand most of it.

“Shiro learned too many bad things hanging out with us guys all these years.” I complained. “And there’s no way I’m going to let your lewd self be seen by a load of random people, Hyacinth. You are mine!” I then pulled away from Eri’s dripping pussy, tugging at my trousers, my dick popping free. Eri eyed it damply, her lips open, tongue lolling, and I kissed her. “That goes for you too, Eri. And you, Daiyu. I’m a selfish, sinful man, but one thing I will never compromise on is that you’re all mine!”

As if to prove my point, I pushed my cock to Eri’s pussy. It slid in, slowly opening her up, her juices easily lubricating us. Once it was all in, Eri reached down with her good arm, touching her belly happily. “I feel so… cherished. So safe.” She muttered. “So aroused. I guess girls can be perverts too.”

“I don’t think it’s perverted.” I kissed her, giving her body time to settle while keeping the fires of her lust high. “We’re just meant to be.”

“We are. And I’m happy. You’re finally honest to yourself!” She turned to the other girls, and since it was a bit complicated, I translated for Daiyu, even as Eri’s body clamped around my dick. “At first, he was saying stupid stuff like I wouldn’t blame you if you cheated on me or it’s not fair only I get to have multiple partners. So very, very annoying.” She complained. “I get it. I learned most of my behaviours from Akio, and I’m not confident. Even Aiko, despite her looks and her sporting talents, she felt inferior to others. But there’s a limit to how pathetic one can be.” Her irritated expression turned gentle, and she touched where we were connected, her fingers a whisper on our skin. “Now though… he’s finally declaring he’ll never let us go.”

“Akio. No, master.” Hyacinth said solemnly, her eyes intense. “The moooment you gave me a name, washed away the old me that I had wished tooo forget, I was yours. I ooonly want you and the other mistresses. Nothing  and nooobody else.” She paused, and for a second looked rather regal, glaring down at me as I lay entangled with Eri. “Be proooud, Akio. After all, you have captured many hearts, and any whooo wish to leave are nooot worth your tears. You chose us, but we… we alsooo chose you!”

“She is right. I did not see my Dao Companion as someone to share, but I was aware of your many others. I did not go in blind. I am no child. Not by any definition. To resent it now is simple foolishness.”

“See? Everyone else thinks the same. Even me.” Eri gasped. “I’m the only one who could make that argument, as I was first. But I wanted you to accept Shaeula, and I’ve not opposed your other choices so… ugh, ahn…”

They’re all such kind, good girls. But they’re right. I’ve changed. I may still feel bad on occasion, but I’m no longer wracked with guilt and self-loathing over it. Why would I be? It may be arrogant, but I know I can make them happier than anyone else, protect them, nurture them. As I began to thrust, gouging out Eri’s sucking insides, Eri’s arms clumsily snaked around me. I could feel the difference in grip strength and stability between her good and bad arm, and it pained my heart, but I was just happy enough she had some control. Her lips sought mine, and I constantly shifted my thrusts, alternating between deep and shallow, some thrusts playing around her entrance, others slamming into her deepest parts as our bodies slapped wetly together. Soon she was flushed a bright red, and her moans were erotic and passionate.

“I… Akio, it’s been so long. Give it me inside.” Eri whispered, and my body felt as if hot lava was building within. “Make me remember what it is to be your first love!”

“Together then. But…”

“Nooo problem. I shall help!” Hyacinth said, and her hand grabbed my balls, fondling and rubbing, even licking and kissing them, her hair tickling my thighs and Eri’s belly. That stimulated my desires, and I had to admire her skill, as even as I drove my dick repeatedly into Eri, rubbing her pussy walls, bringing her ever closer to her orgasm, Hyacinth’s mouth and hands kept pace elegantly, yet the lascivious look on her face was a sexy juxtaposition.

“I… Akio, I’m going to fly! Up to heaven, knowing I’m yours! That we’ll always be together!”

“Master, gooo now!” Hyacinth’s hands tightened, and she sucked on my balls fiercely, triggering the hot magma of my ejaculation. Eri shuddered and cried out, shedding tears of joy, and as I ground my dick into her deepest parts, knocking on the entrance to her womb, waves of pleasure flooded us both. Hyacinth rolled back, her hair and cheeks splattered by Eri’s love nectar and my cum, but she merely wiped it off and started licking her fingers seductively.

Just to be safe… My Eye flashed amber, and I watched as aether poured into Eri too, swirling around her tangled, messy and imperfect Chakra network. That’s what I’ve been afraid of… Lovers’ Link and Kin Bonding were invaluable skills, but they did put a strain on ordinary and damaged bodies. As Eri sank down onto the bed, her expression blissful yet somehow lustful, I pulled free, rapidly working Chirurgery and Ether Healing to prevent damage.

Seeing that, Daiyu expressed a wish she could see what I was doing, as it might have bearing on her own Dual Cultivation, and more importantly, she thought she might be able to offer me some advice, so I considered it. I think… maybe if I do this? My Light Manipulation has increased recently, so… It was hard going in the Material, even with the slightly high ether density here, but light was one thing that the Material world had everywhere, so there was less resistance to working it. Like a hologram, I began to map out Eri’s malformed and patched network, appearing as a collection of glowing golden and silver rivers, stars and constellations, a rainbow flow travelling through her body.

“Pretty.” Eri managed, exhausted from her orgasm. Ordinarily she’d be eager to go again, but…

“Yes, this is most enlightening. I wonder, next time you should do this with us.” Daiyu said. “Here…” she pointed out a few places that she recognised. “The energy, the Qi, it should be diverted…”

Something else was illuminated by my light element, the soul light of Ginneka glowing visible to the naked eye. It was now rather large and burning vividly, and as it bobbed closer to Eri, it dipped, floating near the heart chakra, making a strange motion. Wait, you want me to adjust it here? But how?

The flame bobbed again, moving in a strange, sinuous pattern. I frowned, and it repeated it, faster, with more urgency. Doing it again, I directed my thoughts towards her. Do you mean you want me to create a pathway that way? I didn’t receive a solid answer, Ginneka’s emotions, while sometimes clear, didn’t contain concrete thoughts, but I imagined a happy, affirmative nya sound. Fine then. Daiyu does agree we need to divert the flow.

I was confident Eri’s body was healed enough to withstand sex without taking much damage now, but I didn’t want to set back her burgeoning recovery. Aether flashed, and Eri groaned as I made a new pathway, following the bobbing light, cutting a snake-like trail around her heart, lunar, throat, third eye and crown chakras. The aether I had poured in followed, and since I was significantly stronger since the last time Eri and I had made love, it was quite the dazzling flow. At that thought I couldn’t help but look down at Eri, where sticky white cum was dripping from her pussy in a steady stream to the bed below. I’m glad we took off that dress. I guess I pump it out in both senses.

“Akiooo is grinning creepily…” Hyacinth giggled, still licking on her fingers erotically. I made the final incision into Eri’s Astral subtle body, and suddenly all the errant flow dispersed, heading towards her eight chakras, and also…

Did you expect this? I questioned the spirit light, which bobbed happily, and this time I was certain I could hear it purr in satisfaction, as somehow energy was flowing back into me, and up into her spirit light, which became brighter and denser.

“I feel better.” Eri said, wiping at her sweat, before smiling sweetly at me. “It’s true. Girls need to feel well loved. I have to say, I’ve been a bit jealous.”

“I am sorry. I have come in and taken up much of his time…” Daiyu apologised, but Eri shook her head wearily.

“I don’t mean to make you apologise. When I’m better, I’ll make up for lost time. But… I’m a girl who wants to do everything she can for her lover. After all, Akio’s already done everything for me.”

“Speaking ooof…” Hyacinth said, unbuttoning her jeans, revealing a set of rich purple panties, cut quite lewdly too. On seeing my gaze she grinned, her cheeks red. “Eri tooooook Hyacinth shopping. She said it wooould please you. Doooes it?”

“Yes, it’s a fresh look for you. But you were saying?”

She slid down her panties, exposing her already damp slit, which was completely the wrong order to undress, but as she was doing her own thing and it was still damn hot I let it slide. “Mistress Eri was thinking. Recently…”

“Hyacinth, it’s all right…” Eri began, but as Hyacinth pulled off her woolly jumper to reveal a matching purple bra wrapping her ample mounds, she shook her head.

“It is nooothing to worry about. I just thought we should ask Akiooo’s opinion.” She said, and continued. “Eri, she is trying tooo find her role. You knooow she wants to work at the Ministry, do you not?”

I nodded, my eyes transfixed as Hyacinth unclasped her bra, and her breasts popped into view. Yeah, thinking about it, she’s a good couple of cup-sizes larger here on the Material. She’s hardly small in the Boundary, but even so, the variation is interesting… “Yes, I’m aware.” I said, stroking Eri’s hair, keeping my Eye on her as the remaining aether ran out of her. “I think it’s good she’s considering what she wants to do with her future.”

“I know. But Eri… she must not try toooooo hard.” Hyacinth said, gently kneeling down beside me and taking my cock in her hands, licking the mixture of cum and Eri’s juices off it, polishing it with her tongue lasciviously but carefully, not missing a spot. Her mouth full with my dick, she continued speaking. “Eri will also wooork for mistress Hinata’s company, it seems. She wants to be a help, but…” her violet eyes met Eri’s onyx ones, while Daiyu watched on, listening as best she could. “… does mistress Eri not already have a precious role?”

“I do. I’m first wife, but that isn’t all I want to be…” Eri said firmly. “Seeing Shaeula and Aiko, Daiyu and Hinata, the others too. Even you, Hyacinth…” she said softly. “… I feel I’m lacking ambition. It makes me feel bad.”

“It shouldn’t.” I said, patting her head. “When it counts you have too much ambition.”

“I agree. There, all dooone.” Hyacinth sucked at my glans, and I felt my lust spiking. She turned to Daiyu, grabbing my dick and pushing it to her slit. “Hyacinth will nooot go too far today, Akio is tired.” She kissed me, which made her blush far more than giving me a blowjob, probably because it seemed more affectionate to her. “We can tell. Yooou have a lot on your mind, and now work twice as hard. So just sit back and let Hyacinth take care ooof you. Mistress Daiyu, it will be good to learn hooow to relax him.”

As the Chinese girl nodded, Hyacinth began to slide up and down my shaft, her ass smacking against my thighs, her hot gasps and splattering love nectar smelling of cut grass and lemon. With the hand that wasn’t stroking Eri, I reached out, grabbing a handful of Hyacinth’s firm breasts, teasing her nipple. Her gasps intensified, but she didn’t forget to continue her lecture.

“Akio, what do you think mistress Eri shooould do? Hyacinth thinks…” she managed in between her moans, shifting position so that my dick was softly stroked by her writhing walls. “… yooou know what your heart desires. Dooo not lie to yourself.”

“Yes, but… I have to be more than just his wife!” Eri insisted.

“Yes, yooou do. But… someone has to be the ooone who manages. Mistress Shaeula knows that well. In the Seelie Court, it is nooot unusual for there to be many wives and concubines.” Her eyes were distant, perhaps remembering her long-buried past. “There are many who clash, whooo do not gel. If that happens and they fight, then it is the master whooo suffers, and it becomes horrible for the ooother mistresses. Sooomebody has to mediate, to prevent troubles.”

“Yes, Shaeula gave me that role, and I’ve tried. The rules we all agree to, not letting Shaeula grab every girl going… keeping out trash.” Eri said. “… but that’s not something that will take up all my time, not like what Shaeula does, or even you.”

“Wrooong!” Hyacinth moaned, drool leaking from her mouth as she rode me frantically. “Already there are many ooof us. Worthy of one of the Lords of the Seelie.” She giggled and gasped, her body moving in figures of eight, her ass clamping, forcing her pussy to squeeze me in an irregular rhythm, making it hard for me to resist. On seeing my face of concentration, her lips met mine and we kissed deeply, before she pulled away, giggling. “So cute. Ooour Akio.” She touched her lips softly. “It will get wooorse, I think. Do you not agree?”

“I can’t say otherwise. There’s Tsukiko-san at least. And like I said before, Princess Eleanor and Princess Mikasa, as well as the two unknown ones… it just seems like destiny.” She conceded. “It worries me. Shiro’s not really a Princess, and Shaeula’s so easy-going. Too easy-going at times.” She pouted. “But how can I stand up to someone like Princess Eleanor? I’m sure she’s thinking of you, Akio. You did save her life and the lives of her friends, as well as potentially her country. Girls find that hard to ignore. Especially since she wasn’t nice to you at first.”

“Guilt makes the heart grooow!” Hyacinth agreed. “But looooook. Is this not all the more reason you should be the one whooo manages?”

“But all I know is Akio.” She said. “I’m a shallow, sheltered girl.”

“Yes, sooo learn.” Hyacinth panted, her movements speeding up. My hand reflexively dug into her soft breasts as the feeling of pleasure intensified, and she yelped in arousal.

“If you keep that up, I’ll…” I groaned.

“Let it out. Hyacinth can gooo any time. I am always lustful when with you!” She giggled happily.

“Fine then.” I said, suddenly moving my own waist, piercing her deeply. She gasped in surprise, but didn’t stop, working with me, and moments later she let out a cry, orgasming, and I poured out my semen in a warm tide, filling her insides.

“Such joooy.” Hyacinth muttered, falling down on top of me, her tongue out, seeking a kiss. For a little while we cuddled, until the fires of her orgasm died down, and then, Hyacinth in one arm, Eri in my other, Daiyu watching, pink faced and envious, Hyacinth finished her argument.

“I think you shooould work at this Ministry Eri. The company tooooo.”

“But you just said that I didn’t need to…” Eri said, exasperated and confused.

“Nooo, you misunderstand. You should do a little. A little of everything. Be a shrine maiden, accompany mistress Shaeula tooo the Spring and meet powerful, important Fae. Learn how mistress Hinata operates, learn martial arts with Mistress Natsumi and Mistress Moootoko. Maybe even serve Akio with me sooometimes.” Hyacinth giggled bashfully. “Dooo not fix yourself to any one role but learn enough to understand all the others. You say you knooow Akio. That is a great advantage. So knooow us all as well, and what we do, and you can be the one who keeps us all hooonest and prevents misery.”

“The first wife, the one who runs the household.” Daiyu agreed after a translation. “It is usually the highest-ranking, most influential woman. At least it was such in the olden days, of Kunlun and our past glory. Now, most powerful Cultivators merely seek a sole Dao Companion. Though some… like that bastard Chong Gui, are profligate and lustful. Uh, I mean no offense. Your situation is different…” she apologised, to some laughter from us all.

“I get it.” I nodded. “Eri, I’m happy you have ambitions, but if they are for the sake of needing to feel ambitious… all you need to do is be happy, stay by my side. Hyacinth, Shaeula, Shiro and Daiyu, they all respect you. The others too. So… as my first wife, the first girl I ever kissed, the girl who has known me the longest… I think it’s a role that suits you. But only if you want it.”

“Yes, yes I do. I want to spend as much time with you as possible!” she admitted tearfully. “But it’s hard to justify it to myself, when I see the others. I’m just ordinary…”

Before I could answer, the spirit light of Ginneka bobbed up and down, trying to indicate something. Her feelings were still a mystery, but when taking irritation as me thinking the wrong thing, and amusement and happiness when I was closer to her meaning, I was able to discern she wanted me to pour aether into Eri and the carved pathway. Doing so, I addressed Eri sincerely. “Ordinary? Hardly. How many ordinary girls have swung an axe at a Prince of the seelie, slain a Kijo in battle despite being maimed horribly, have a sexy cat ear and tail combination in the Boundary, and is the first fiancée of the Chosen who represents Japan? Seriously, Eri, you’re not ordinary at all. So Hyacinth is right, and your intentions aren’t entirety wrong. Learn. I think it’ll be good for you to expand your horizons, and you might even find something you genuinely want to do. But until then… learn with the intent to be the one everyone comes to when there’s a dispute, or they want to understand the other girls? Can you do that?”

She nodded. “I can. For you. No, for me too.” She shifted uncomfortably. “I feel hot inside. What are you doing?”

“I’m filling you up with aether. That cat was right about the Chirurgery helping relieve you, so it seems a good idea to…” I trailed off, eyes wide, as the spirit light vanished with a pop, the aether scattering, and I felt the connection change…

“I have returned, nya!” I stumbled, Aliyah and Trey both managing to land a blow on my body when I was distracted, and as Aliyah raised her fist, letting out a cry of triumph and satisfaction, her eyes widened at the naked, silver haired and furred catgirl that appeared from above my Astral body.

“Who the fuck is she? Sister to your other cutie?” Aliyah exclaimed, remembering Eri’s new cat-like appearance in the Boundary. “Damn, she’s naked! Brings back bad memories…”

“Ginneka is alive again!” she purred, leaping onto my back and I felt the softness of her chest. As she did so, another sensation assaulted me, one I had never expected. Then that was driven from my mind, as Ginneka licked me. “You’re cruel, nya! Not only did you kill this beautiful me, but you made me witness so much fun sex, nya. I’m so horny. But… you have a tasty thing inside you, I want it, Nya! If you give it to me, you can play with Ginneka’s sexy body all you want. I can be whoever you want too…” she grinned, shifting form on my back to look exactly like princess Eleanor, just with silver cat ears and writhing tail. “It’s not as if it hurts them, nya. Go on, indulge yourself…”

“Fuck, Trey, my hatred for this guy is rising up again. I can’t watch this, I’m going.” As she stormed off, jealous, her brother trying to console her, I urged Ginneka to cover herself, as weaselkin and some more of the Black Wolf Company were watching open-mouthed. She sighed and silver fur covered all her bare skin, while in the Material I fielded questions from Eri and the others.

“Ginneka’s been reborn through Kin Restoration.” I said. “And while she’s being annoying, there’s something important… no, two important things. Eri, you’re coming to the Boundary. Now we can talk to an expert, the chances of getting you fully healed are greater.”

“What is the other thing?” Daiyu asked me, curious.

“The Divine Favour of Laverna, it reacted. I think it likes thieving cats…”

********

“So, we meet again.” Shaeula was saying to Ginneka, having returned hurriedly on feeling her leave our Kin Bonding. “I can not-not say it is a pleasure, considering your crimes, but…”

“Nya, forgive me!” she prostrated, shifting into a smaller, childlike form to appear more harmless. “It was simply that your skill was too delectable to pass up, nya. Can you blame me? I’m alive again because of it, oh noble Seventy-First! Forgive me!”

“You murdered my maids. Traitors though they were, I can not-not easily forgive! Worse, you continue to slobber on Akio, you worthless cat!” She glared, her eyes glittering with malice. “A loose female who only thinks of her own pleasure is far from suitable a match for him!”

“I am sorry, nya, sorry! But he’s handsome and his aura is strong! Far more powerful than even before, nya! It makes me itch inside, so hot, nya! Besides…” she purred soothingly, trying to diffuse Shaeula’s justified rage. “… it is not my fault! As my consciousness grew brighter, I could sometimes sense what you were all doing. Orgies, nya, it was cruel to show poor little me that! Now I crave it, more than ever. And not just that, nya!” She rubbed herself on my foot, licking me. “That power, that skill. As the thieving cat, it calls to me, the smell so sweet, nya!”

“Off you get, or else-else I shall kill you again, cat!” Shaeula gestured, and Hyacinth wrapped her in vines, pulling her off me, while she yowled, irritated. “Now, I have no intention of forgetting your attempts on our life, but…” she looked at Eri, who was bemused at the anger Shaeula displayed. “… you did save Eri’s life. So I suppose I can-can be grateful for that. Enough to spare you.”

“I’d appreciate it. I made her a promise, when she helped me. I’m happy for you.” Eri said. “I don’t think what you did can be forgiven just for one good deed, but… we both survived.”

“Speaking of that, can you fix what is wrong with Eri’s body?” I asked, and Ginneka changed form again, now a match to Eri, just with silver fur instead of black. Seeing the pair of Eri’s, one of them naked except for a blanket to cover her body I had brought over, I shook my head. Damn, shapeshifting powers sure are dangerous…

“I can, nya. Though you have made quite the mess.” She pouted, ears twitching. “Now I can’t get back what I gave her. I can still shift my shape, nya, but now it’s limited to certain sizes and forms. Worse, that will always be a part of her, nya.”

“I see. That’s a relief. I’m not exactly human, so I don’t care if Eri isn’t either if she’s well.” I said, and Eri nodded.

“Please, Ginneka. I’d appreciate your help.”

“Nya, it was part of the agreement, no? That we shared. But…” she looked at me pleadingly, and with Eri’s face it was hard to turn down. “My brother, nya? We were foolish and wrong, but…” She prostrated herself on the floor, grinding her head against the ground.

“A life for a life.” Shaeula said. “Repair Eri’s spiritual body and I will consider forgiveness, cat. Seeing as I am your kind superior in the Hyakki Yagyō. As for your brother, I slew him because he was aiming for our lives. I see no-no need for mercy. But what say you, Akio?”

There’s something I want, but Eri comes first. “Help heal Eri and you’ll win my favour. I’ll definitely be more amenable to your requests if I’m pleased. Though considering all the bad things you’ve likely done in the past…”

“Nya, I died. The old Ginneka is dead and gone. Starting afresh! Nya, that’s it! I was already punished with death, it would be cruel to continue to mistreat me!” Her eyes sparkled with that sophistry, but it hit too close to Chen Na’s situation, which also gave me the inklings of an idea.

“Damn this cat is noisy.” Shiro said to Asha, who smiled gently, before speaking up herself.

“Akio, I too did terrible things in my madness. Can you have some compassion?”

“Yes, but you had no choice. Ginneka and her brother, they did. They enjoyed it. My mom always said cats were cruel bastards, killing weaker animals for sport, but…” I’ve done my share, if for better reasons.

“Look, you have great skills, nya. Follow my lead and…” Ginneka asked me to observe her side by side with Shaeula.

“I see. That’s Eri’s, and Shaeula’s…” I muttered.

“Yes, nya. You can’t just put her back to the way she was before. It won’t work, nya. By the way, thanks for listening to me and making that branch in her body. We are linked by my gift of shapeshifting, so I could collect much purer aether than I could from your ability. It pushed me over the top, nya. No, she will need to have this…” she changed form into a mirror of Shaeula, merely with silver hair and blue eyes. Shaeula growled, irritated, but as her own eyes glowed, she paused, thoughtfully.

“Yes, I see. Your Chakra network is a hybrid between Fae and Yōkai, Shaeula. Eri’s is a mess, but there’s elements of both…” I mused.

“If she was an ordinary mortal, nya, she never would have been able to receive my gift.” Ginneka pursed her lips, amusing using Shaeula’s face. “This thieving cat has had so much stolen. Much of my shapeshifting, my Void Motion…” she looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “My life and my brother. My Number in the Parade. But in exchange, I want that lovely thing you hold!” she purred, moving to hug me again, but the other girl dragged her away, ignoring her cries.

“Help me fix Eri first, and we can talk about it.” I said, back in a single body, as I would need all my concentration for this, and mistakes would not be tolerated.

********

“Careful, nya!” Ginneka said, her eyes glowing amber. Shaeula was sitting there, scowling brutally, her own amber eyes dull and dark.

“If I do not-not have my Mystic Eyes returned unscathed, I shall send you straight to your grave, cat, and there shall be no-no second chances!” she warned, and Ginneka laughed.

“I wouldn’t be so foolish, nya. Without Void Motion, there is no way I can escape. I am trying to earn forgiveness here, so be quiet, this is hard, you understand, nya?”

“I could have done this.” Shaeula pouted, but I shook my head and ruffled her hair soothingly.

“It’s wisest to leave it to the expert. She knows her own body, and by extension Eri’s now, best.”

Eri, Shaeula, Ginneka and I had moved to one of the apartment buildings in the Territory for some privacy. Shiro and the other girls were outside, along with a veritable army of weaselkin and ratkin armed with a number of nasty weapons designed by the Mortal Engineers. We’re taking no chances.

“I suppose that is true. I can not-not be selfish and risk your safety, Eri.” Shaeula conceded. “But my liking for you is non-existent, cat. Be warned.”

“Harsh, nya! Make the correction here. Just as mine is.” Ginneka told me, and as I did some very invasive Chirurgery, even more complicated than creating a perfected Eight Moons Chakra network in a person, I had a realisation.

“So, Ginneka, you were saying that you could sometimes sense what we were doing. Does that… apply to all the spirit lights?” I winced, imagining the worst. Ginneka left me hanging for a moment, teasingly, before pointing out another spot to dig into and allaying my fears.

“Hardly, nya. One would have to be powerful and have great perception to do more than feel some murky emotions, nya. I have keen senses, for me it was not so hard. The only other, perhaps…” she grinned, fangs showing. “… that poor dead girl. You disturbed her sleep several times with your mating. Nya, I miss the pounding, the heat, sweat and…” As she launched into a lament about missing sex, I offered my silent thoughts of apology to Tsukiko-san, sorry for showing such a pure woman lewd things. Though I’m ultimately grateful we weren’t showing off to the Kamaitachi and weaselkin. Nor her brother, as I’ve starved him of aether, only recently allowing him a trickle. Wait…

“That’s going to make it very hard to bring your brother back. I’ll not have him watching my girls. I’m not into exhibitionism, they’re mine!” I said, and Eri laughed, remembering the discussion before all this.

“You could always abstain, nya… or perhaps not…” she shuddered under the glares of Shaeula and Eri. “… I shall think of something, nya. Now, the hard part begins. I am in awe of your skills, nya. No wonder my brother and I were defeated. I’m not sorry to see that insufferable fox boy and the old hag Kijo die. When you think about it, nya, we come off with the most credit. We were only Ninetieth, of course we’d lose!”

“Enough, just guide us! Eri is waiting patiently, but I am not-not patient myself, cat!” Shaeula said, and Ginneka sighed, her tail and ears drooping.

“You don’t have to be so cold, nya. I get it. I’m a bad kitten, I tried to steal what was yours and kill you. But that was business… and a bit of pleasure, nya. Didn’t you try to kill your man, when you first met?”

She must have picked up those thoughts at some point, I see. Not willing to interfere, I began at Eri’s root chakra, and it required all my Spilt Thoughts working in parallel. Yeah, no way I could do this while running both bodies at once. Training, more training. That’s what I need… Before I could create the strange orbiting sub-chakra, I needed to understand it, so I released a stream of aether into Ginneka, feeling out the way she was set up, as well as into Shaeula, to see the comparison with her network which was closer to Eri’s.

As Ginneka shivered and twitched from the feeling, Shaeula glowered at her, but ultimately said nothing, merely taking Eri’s hand to reassure her. Moments later Eri cried out in great pain, as my Chirurgery started the delicate, three-dimensional process of carving her body a new sub-chakra and the orbiting, complex path it needed, while injecting enough energy to make it kindle…

********

“This is the last one, hang in there!” I told Eri, clutching her hand. Other girls had come and gone, offering her reassurance when they heard her anguished cries, but they had all decided to leave her to us, since she looked so pained that they thought it would be a mercy to let her recover first.

“The lunar chakra is the most-most complicated, I can feel it.” Shaeula said, as my probing aether surrounded her, making her shiver. “It is quite-quite erotic, as well.”

“Lucky, nya.” Ginneka sighed, finally free of my aether, as she had no lunar chakra to inspect. “Now, this is the most delicate work. If the girl did not have the strange spiritual body that is hardly human, she never would have been able to receive my gift, but in exchange, it is much harder to make functional, nya!”

“I’m … all right!” Eri groaned, all her strength spent fighting pain she claimed was nearly as bad as being dismembered by the Kijo in the first place. I tenderly mopped her sweating brow and gave her a gentle kiss. When we parted, she grinned weakly, trying to cheer us up.

“It’s probably a well-deserved punishment.” Eri whispered. “I was a fool and got myself killed, or I should have died, but for this miracle. So this pain, I’ll always remember it, and never be so foolish again. Otherwise…” she grinned weakly. “… if this somehow makes me stronger, I’ll forget, grow complacent and just get into trouble again. And miracles don’t happen twice, otherwise they aren’t miracles.” Saying all that exhausted her, and she squeezed shut her eyes, prepared for the final Chirurgery.

“Miracles, huh?” Ginneka said, eyeing me, her eyes no longer glowing amber, having returned them to Shaeula now that I was preparing for the final work. “This is nothing but miracles, nya. You shouldn’t be able to just make Bakaneko, even with half of my power absorbed into her. Your ability is too unfair as well, nya.” She glared at Shaeula accusingly. “I am the thieving cat. If I am not taking things, I am not fulfilling my role, being who I am! Blame yourself for being so damn delectable, nya!” she eyed me again. “But that… that is even better!” She licked her lips and looked as if she wanted to jump on me again, but with a glance at the suffering Eri, she held herself back.

“Quiet please, I’m concentrating.” All of my Split Thoughts were active, directing multiple cutting streams of aether. The pathways were so complicated around the lunar chakra, that to match Shaeula’s would require precision that would strain me to the utmost limit. Fortunately, Shiro had squeezed out enough aether to buff me, giving me the edge. But the longer this drags on, the more Eri suffers, and the more likely I am to screw up the delicate work. Best to get it over with quickly…

Eri’s screams were heartrending, and I wanted to shut my ears, but these screams were also my penance. I was to blame as much as Eri. I wasn’t strong enough to refuse her, and I made mistakes. People died. Eri should have been among them. Miracles don’t happen twice, she’s right. So… I glanced at Ginneka. I don’t hate her as much as Shaeula does. The maids who died were those who betrayed her. But I also can’t forgive her fully either. Not so easily. But… the world is a cruel place. The golden-eyed devourer is a threat that both the Hyakki Yagyō and Japan as a whole must face, so…

“One last push…” I grunted, and Eri, who was unable to even scream now, her face pale, eyes wide, silver sweat rising, blood tricking from her bitten lips, merely blinked at me. With a final surge of aether, exhausting even my impressive reserves, I kindled the final orbiting sub-chakra, and withdrew my scalpels of aether as they faded, spent.

“It is done.” Shaeula said, her eyes observing the Chirurgery. “Eri…”

“Give me a minute. I have…” she croaked. “… to look presentable. After all, I’m the first wife. If I’m not always composed, how can… I do my… role?”

Shaeula looked at her fondly, conjuring some water and wiping her down, before rearranging her clothes and combing her hair. “There. You are most-most pretty again, Eri. Now, one last matter…” She placed a hand on her belly and allowed her own aether to flood Eri, washing out the piles of debris my Chirurgery had generated, as well as recharging her spent reserves.

“The true test is now, nya.” Ginneka said. “Girl, can you stand?”

“My name isn’t girl, it’s Eri.” She insisted, getting up on shaking legs. Her cat ears and tail had disappeared during the reconstruction, and she looked her old self again. “And again, thank you for saving me.” Taking a deep breath, she banished the last remnants of pain she was feeling, before moving, her arms, legs, neck, fingers, toes and more all responding to her normally, as she got more and more excited.

“It’s still too early for celebrations…” I warned, and she nodded.

“I’m going back. Akio, come with me.”

“I’ll send my other body.” I said wearily. “The hard work is hopefully done now, and everyone will want to know the good news as soon as possible.” As Eri disappeared, my consciousness separated for a moment, resolving into two connected versions of myself, both of which were me at the same time. One of me was leaving the room, talking to the waiting well-wishers, followed by Ginneka and Shaeula, while the other…

“I can walk…” Eri was tearing up. “No crutches. And…” she moved her hands, fingers responding to her commands. “Akio, I think… I think I’m finally better!” Sobbing she threw herself into my arms, still naked after our lovemaking earlier, tears soaking my neck and shoulder where she was crying. My other self was delivering the good news, and Hyacinth and Asha were preparing honey mead and Faerie wine for the celebration, Ginneka eyeing the treats eagerly, only to be rapped on the head by an annoyed Shaeula.

As Eri cried herself out, she looked me in the eyes. “Should we tell our family?” she asked. “I’d… actually like to keep it a secret.”

“Why?” I asked, and she answered that since they would be moving to Tokyo any day now, she’d like to greet them as herself, showing that we had kept our promise to them.

“If that’s what you want. My sis is going to be really mad though…” I said, and Eri giggled, wiping the last of her tears away.

“I know, and we’ll take the scolding. And be happy about it.” She kissed me, and for a moment we enjoyed this happiness, before Eri smiled at me, elated.

“So, it’s been a while. I wonder how I’ve changed. Can you tell me?”

“Yes, now that you’re back to full health, I’m afraid your relaxation is over. You’ll have to train as hard as everyone else!” I joked, my Eye flaring amber, my dregs of aether just enough to run it. Let’s see…

On seeing her new status, I was lost for words. Half-Bakaneko, Shapeshifter, Maneki-Neko? There’s way too much to retort on here…