Chapter 118:
– Haru –
When I woke the next morning, Daenerys's naked body was pressed warmly against mine, her soft leg hooked lazily over my thigh as though she never wanted to let go. Her silver hair spilled across my chest, strands catching the faint morning light that filtered through the palace curtains. For a long moment I just lay there, staring at her flushed, sleeping face, watching the way her smaller breasts rose and fell in steady rhythm.
I couldn't stop the low chuckle that escaped me. Gods, we had really gone at it all night. For hours until dawn hadn't been an exaggeration—if anything, I had underestimated her determination. She had been relentless once she gave herself over to me. Now she was sprawled out across my sheets, thoroughly wrecked, her lips parted slightly as she breathed.
Careful not to wake her, I slipped free of the bed. My body ached pleasantly, that was always the weird thing with supernatural creatures. Most of us could shrug off bullets with ease but we still got sore from sex…
Maybe it was just the rules of this lewd DxD universe.
I padded across the room, tails swaying lazily behind me, and made my way to the shower. The hot spray beat down against my skin, washing away sweat and the lingering scent of sex. I leaned forward against the tile, closing my eyes as the steam filled the stall.
Daenerys was still passed out when I came out of the bathroom, steam rolling from my skin after a long rinse to scrub away the smells of last night. I even made sure my tails were clean, every strand of golden fur free of the scents that clung stubbornly after hours tangled in bed. She didn't stir when I leaned over her and brushed my lips against her cheek. Her breath came soft and even, her chest rising and falling gently. She looked almost fragile like that, and I let myself linger for a second before heading for the door.
The palace halls were quiet, save for the muffled chatter of servants further down. Morning light spilled through the tall windows, painting the tatami floors with strips of gold. I padded barefoot toward the dining hall, tails swaying lazily behind me, and soon caught the scent of fresh rice, grilled fish, and miso.
Sure enough, my mother was at the low table, her long silver-gold hair catching the light like liquid fire. Yasaka's twelve tails fanned behind her in a casual arc, each one swaying slowly as she laughed at something Kunou had said. My little sister's bright fox ears twitched happily as she argued animatedly with Tanya, who was seated on her other side in that sharp little uniform she always seemed to favor.
And there between them, as though she'd always belonged there, was Princess Myrcella. She was sandwiched comfortably between the two girls. She smiled faintly when she noticed me in the doorway, the same way she always did, as if seeing me appear made her feel safe.
"Good morning, Haru," Yasaka said smoothly, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly in that way only mothers manage. "You look… well-rested."
I felt my ears twitch. Well-rested wasn't the phrase I would have used, but I managed a lazy grin anyway as I slid into a spot at the table. "Morning, Mom. Kids."
Kunou looked up at me with her big golden eyes and a sly grin. "You're late!" she chirped with her nine tails flicking playfully.
Yasaka's gold eyes flicked up from her cup, and I caught the subtle curve of her lips before she spoke. "Slept in, did you?" Her tone was sweet, but there was no mistaking the sly undertone. "I wonder what could've kept you up until sunrise."
My fox ears twitched, and I sighed inwardly. Of course, Yasaka always knew anything that went on in her palace. There wasn't a damn thing that happened here she didn't have eyes and ears on.
Hell, I wouldn't have been surprised if she'd been the one whispering in Sansa's ear—who then ended up whispering in Dany's ear, nudging her toward my room last night.
I gave her a dry smile. "You already know the answer, Mom… I was busy… Exercising…" Terrible excuse, but what else was I supposed to say in front of my little sister?
She chuckled softly, tails swaying in that smug rhythm of hers. "Oh, is that what they call it now"
Kunou tilted her head, blinking innocently between us. "What are you two talking about?" she asked, her ears perking. She was sharp as always, but she hadn't quite picked up on her mother's layered teasing yet.
Before I could dodge the question, Tanya gave a short, derisive scoff from across the table as she was stabbing at her grilled fish with a pair of chopsticks. "He was having sex last night. Half the palace heard Daenerys moaning all night long. It's a good thing we just stocked up on coffee after she kept a lot of us up."
Oh gee, I wonder why the silencing wards which were supposed to be up in every room decided not to work last night? I shot a small glare at mom who just gave me a foxy grin right back.
Kunou gasped, her golden eyes going wide. "Eh? What—? Nii-chan was doing what last night!?"
Yasaka's tails fanned wider, and she hid her laugh behind her sleeve. "Ara Ara, you're still too young for those details, dear," she told Kunou playfully. Of course she kept the silencing wards up around Kunou's room at the very least.
I didn't miss the way Myrcella stiffened beside the girls, lowering her gaze quickly and focusing on pouring more tea, but her pale cheeks betrayed her, flushing bright pink. Her hands trembled just a little as she set the pot back down. And then her eyes flicked toward me. Just for a heartbeat, but I caught the soft, nervous glance, the way she looked at me like she wasn't supposed to, before jerking her gaze away again.
My nose picked it up too, the faintest edge of jealousy and arousal clinging to her scent, buried under embarrassment.
Damn it. Not this again. Not another Enri situation.
This one was worse. Myrcella was even younger than Enri had been when that awkwardness started, and I had no intention of going anywhere near that minefield. Nope. Not happening.
I forced my expression into lazy amusement, but my tails flicked restlessly behind me. I already knew Yasaka had seen it too. My mother noticed everything—the blush, the stolen glance. Thankfully, I at least trusted her to step in and shut it down before it grew worse from the girl who may or may not end up another little sister instead.
When the girls finished eating, Yasaka waved them off with a gentle smile. "Kunou, Tanya, Myrcella—why don't you three head out to the garden? The koi fish are most active at this time of day."
Kunou perked up instantly. "Oh, I want to feed them!"
Tanya rolled her eyes but stood anyway, muttering something about "wasting her morning playing with fish." Myrcella lingered for a heartbeat, her eyes flicking once more toward me before she quickly followed the other two out.
The room quieted when the sliding doors shut behind them. Only my mother and I remained. Yasaka folded her hands neatly on the table and fixed me with that sly, knowing smile of hers. "Well, Haru," she said lightly, her tone dripping with mischief, "after last night, should I be preparing to expect more grandchildren? From the dragon queen of Westeros, perhaps?"
I sighed, leaning back with my arms crossed. "I have no idea," I admitted bluntly. "Dany told me she's sterile. Apparently, she's known about it for years."
Yasaka's tails swayed, amusement flickering across her golden eyes. "Sterile, hm? You're a budding demon lord, Haru. A little thing like infertility isn't going to be enough to stop your magic swimmers."
I snorted, giving her a dry look. "That's what I figured. I've already knocked up a fox mother and her daughter at the same time. If there's one thing I'm sure about, it's that my seed isn't ordinary."
Yasaka laughed softly, covering her mouth with delicate fingers. "You're not wrong. I know gods and goddesses who've routinely had children with the strangest things—trees, rivers, animals. The divine is rarely limited by mortal definitions of fertility."
"Yeah, the Shinto gods are kind of freaky," I said with a smirk. "Though nothing beats the Greeks. They'll screw anything that moves. Or doesn't move."
She chuckled at my joke, tails brushing lazily against the tatami floor. Then her smile faded, her expression settling into something more serious…
"Speaking of those damn Greeks…" she started off.
…
The important conversation I'd just had with Mom was still turning over in my head as I made my way back down the quiet hall toward my room…
When I slid the door open, the scent of Daenerys still hung in the air. She was sitting up on the edge of the bed, silver hair falling in wild tangles around her face as she rubbed her eyes like a drowsy cat. The silk sheets pooled around her waist, leaving her upper body completely bare. That gave me the perfect view of her breasts again—small, firm, pale as snow with soft pink nipples that stood out just enough in the cool air.
Even though I'd spent the entire night touching, kissing, and tasting every inch of her, I still found myself staring. Could a man ever really get tired of the sight? The answer was a clear no. My lips twitched into a faint grin.
She startled briefly when she realized I was standing there, her back stiffening. Then she saw it was just me, and her whole body relaxed again. Her lips curved into a fond, almost shy smile.
"Good morning, Dany," I said casually, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm heading to my restaurant for the day. If you want to get cleaned up first, I'll cook for you there. A proper breakfast."
Her violet eyes softened at that, and she gave a small, regal nod. "That would be… acceptable," she said carefully, choosing her words like she was still sitting on a throne instead of stark naked in my bed after a night of screaming herself hoarse.
The contrast almost made me laugh. This was the same woman who had clawed at my back and begged for more until her voice broke, now trying to sit prim and proper like nothing had happened. The act was cute—charming, even—and for a moment I just watched her stand. The sheet slipped away, leaving her completely exposed as she padded across the tatami toward the bathroom with all the regal poise she could muster.
I shook my head and muttered, "Still a queen, even like this."
A second later, I heard her voice call out from behind the bathroom door, uncertain and a little annoyed. "Haru… how does one work this contraption you call a shower?"
Before I could respond, a sharp yelp followed, echoing out into the hall. I winced in sympathy, already knowing what had happened. Sure enough, I could practically picture her flinching under a blast of freezing water.
"Damn it all!" she cursed, her voice high and indignant.
I chuckled and stepped inside. "You turned it the wrong way," I explained, reaching past her to adjust the knob. "Left for hot, right for cold. Don't worry—it gets everyone the first time."
"Thank you," she muttered stiffly, trying to recover her dignity.
Dany slid open the shower door, steam curling around her pale body as water streamed down her skin. Her silver hair clung wetly to her shoulders, and drops ran down the smooth curves of her breasts before dripping from her pink nipples. Thin rivulets traced her stomach, gliding between her thighs and down her long legs until they splashed against the tile.
She blushed faintly but held my gaze. "I heard that couples in this world sometimes bathe or shower together. Would that be… acceptable?"
I grinned, baring my fangs slightly. "Well, I already took one shower this morning, but I could use another."
Before she could react, I stepped inside, my tails pushing past the door. I reached out immediately, seizing her soft tits in both hands, squeezing them roughly as water poured over us.
She yelped in surprise. "H-Haru—!"
I ignored her protest and bent down, wrapping my mouth around one of her nipples, sucking hard until she arched her back. My other hand grabbed her firm ass, lifting her easily off her feet. Her wet thighs clamped around my waist on instinct, her slick pussy pressing against my stomach as I pinned her back against the shower wall.
The warm spray beat down on us, mixing with the heat of her body. Her nails dug into my shoulders as I switched to her other breast, biting the tip just enough to make her moan.
"Gods—your mouth…" she gasped, voice breaking under the sound of water splashing against tile.
I growled into her skin, groping her ass with both hands now, spreading her cheeks apart as I pulled her closer. My cock throbbed, already hard again, the head sliding against her dripping slit. The water made everything slippery, her folds rubbing perfectly against me.
"You wanted to shower together, right?" I said with a low chuckle. "Then we'll do it properly."
She nodded quickly, cheeks flushed red despite the steam. "Yes… please."
…
A bit later…
After I'd cooked a very late breakfast for Dany and a few other early-morning customers, I watched her leave through the restaurant's front door. She'd be heading back to Westeros to gather up her likely bewildered army, sailing them home to Essos to retake control. No doubt she planned on kicking out that useless mercenary she'd left in charge of Meereen. She needed to consolidate power swiftly for Sansa and Catelyn's carefully laid plans to fall into place.
All their scheming wasn't really my business, though. I leaned against the doorframe and simply waved goodbye as she stepped outside, offering a casual "good luck," while silently wishing that all those political webs didn't end up entangling me.
They would…
As the door swung closed, my easy smile faded. My thoughts darkened, returning to the serious conversation I'd had earlier with Mom. It hadn't involved Dany at all. Instead, it was about something far closer to home.
It circled back to Nurarihyon's visit and the fact that Yokai had been disappearing from his territory. And now it wasn't just his as Yasaka's spies got a few more reports closer to home on the outskirts of Kyoto. That was of course completely unacceptable.
My mother's spies—those few yokai whose skills in stealth and espionage surpassed even the most cunning ninja—had begun uncovering hints about what might be going on.
It wasn't just the supernatural forces, but human forces as well were starting to move for the first time in—a very long time.
Human governments getting involved in the Supernatural World never ended well for anyone involved. And sadly we figured that they had a way in, it was no secret that the Five Principal Clans of Japan had never enjoyed the fact that it was pretty much Yasaka the Yokai Queen who ruled over them. They have hated yokai pretty much since the inception of their clans.
Sometimes you needed humans to hunt down other humans—especially when dealing with governments and shadowy organizations creeping where they didn't belong. My mind briefly wandered to Aela, my fierce werewolf huntress from Skyrim. Gods knew that girl loved a good hunt. She'd been my first girlfriend, my first experience with a truly wild woman who thrived on tracking down prey through untamed forests and snowy hillsides. Still, I doubted Aela would find much joy hunting her prey in the modern, mundane world I called home now, a world that tended to frown upon murder and bloodshed—at least publicly.
But I did know two badass women who were perfectly suited to handle the problems of modern human warfare and politics. Jane Shepard and Alice.
Just the thought of them was enough to make my ears twitch restlessly, my tails swaying slowly behind me. How long had it been since I'd last seen them? Weeks, perhaps even more than a month at this point. My lips curled into a pout at the thought. They'd probably been having all sorts of adventures aboard the Normandy, fighting off space pirates or evil alien robots. Part of me felt a bit jealous that I'd missed out on all the fun, but I didn't enjoy long adventures myself.
Then, just as I was beginning to wonder what sort of trouble my two space adventurers might've stumbled into this time, I felt the sudden, cool presence of Ranni's voice slipping into my mind, whispering urgently.
"You should go to them immediately, Haru. Now. I sense something troublesome brewing around your girls."
My ears perked up straight. If Ranni herself was reaching out to warn me, then it was definitely serious.
I took a breath and made my way toward my restaurant's front door. With a quiet hum of magic, I stepped through the threshold, instantly transported into the cold, metal hangar of Shepard's spaceship—the Normandy.
The moment my bare feet touched the chilled metal decking, I knew I'd arrived smack-dab in the middle of a shitshow.
Red emergency lights flashed wildly. Alarms wailed at a pitch that pierced straight into my skull, causing me to grimace sharply, my sensitive fox ears flattening against my hair. I cursed loudly, covering my ears briefly.
Damn future tech and its ridiculously loud sirens.
Even worse was the sensation that the Normandy itself was trembling beneath me, lurching unsteadily like a small boat being battered by storm waves.
Probably under enemy fire.
The Normandy was fast as fuck and the hull had been reinforced with magical runes courtesy of Irene, but that didn't mean this ship was a warship. It could take a couple of strong shots but it wasn't meant for heavy space combat.
I dropped to a knee, spreading my palm flat against the floor. I closed my eyes, and a rush of dark-blue demonic magicules surged out of my body, flowing directly into the Normandy's metal structure. My magic pulsed through her alloys, reinforcing every inch of her hull and inner framework.
I could feel my energy weave itself around the ship like invisible armor, fortifying every wall, sealing minor damage, and stabilizing every component of the craft from stem to stern. Magicules were OP as fuck when you figured out they could pretty much be used for anything. A tiny cute girl like Milim could enhance herself with them to the point where she could destroy entire planets with a single punch.
The alarms, though, continued their irritating screech. Magic could do a lot of things, but apparently silencing these god-awful klaxons wasn't one of them.
Standing quickly, I headed swiftly toward the Normandy's elevator, my tails twitching irritably behind me. But the moment I stepped inside and pressed the glowing button marked "Crew Deck," I instantly remembered why I usually just teleported straight into Shepard's quarters. The damn elevators in this universe were slower than hell frozen over.
"How the hell do they manage to build spaceships faster than the speed of light, but can't engineer elevators faster than a lazy sloth climbing uphill?"
After a small eternity, the elevator finally pinged open, and I stepped out into the main crew deck—straight into a chaotic scene.
Crew members scrambled back and forth, shouting urgent orders at each other. Sparks shot from control panels where technicians hurriedly worked, patches of smoke drifting across the corridor. And standing right in the center of all the chaos—barking orders and looking as effortlessly badass as ever was Jane Shepard.
Her flaming red hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. It looked like she'd grown it out a bit. She wore her full combat armor, N7 insignia proudly emblazoned on her chest. Beside her stood Alice.
….
Alice looked incredible, standing there in sleek black space armor that hugged every curve perfectly. The futuristic design was clearly tailored specifically for her, emphasizing the generous swell of her fantastic breasts and highlighting the irresistible curve of her toned ass. The dark suit gleamed subtly beneath the flashing emergency lights, accentuating her athletic physique and reminding me exactly why I found her so damned alluring.
My eyes swept lower, noting with approval the two new pistols strapped securely to her shapely thighs—high-tech weapons that looked right at home in this advanced universe. Clearly, she'd been adapting well to her life here aboard the Normandy with Jane, leaving behind the nightmare of her own zombie-infested world. Her posture was confident, poised, her expression cool and determined even amid the chaos that surrounded us.
As the two women caught sight of me stepping out of the elevator, a visible wave of relief flooded their tense expressions.
Alice's eyes softened instantly, and her lush lips curved into a genuine, welcoming smile.
Shepard let out a long breath, her rigid shoulders loosening slightly. She flashed me a relieved smirk, shaking her head slightly as if to say, "About damn time."
"Haru!" Alice called urgently, striding toward me without hesitation. Before I could say a word, she reached up, pulling me into a fierce, relieved kiss. Her lips were warm, hungry, insistent as they parted beneath mine. I tasted the urgency and relief in the way her tongue brushed against mine. "Damn," she breathed when she finally pulled away with her gorgeous face flushed. "We could've really used you about ten minutes ago, Haru…"
"So what did I miss?" I couldn't help but ask with a chuckle.
Both of my girlfriends gave me matching adorable pouts. Then Alice simply shook her head, half-smiling in exasperation.
All around, crew members were frantically moving through the ship's corridors. Some were putting out electrical fires with handheld extinguishers, and others desperately rerouted energy from overloaded systems. Acrid smoke wafted through the air, stinging my sensitive nose, while red emergency lights pulsed rhythmically overhead, bathing everything in ominous scarlet hues.
Jane stepped forward, her posture snapping quickly back into commander mode, even as she sighed heavily. "We responded to a random distress signal that popped up on our radar," she explained quickly, voice firm yet edged with clear frustration. "The Normandy isn't heavily armed, as you well know, so we approached cautiously to offer assistance if needed. Unfortunately, as soon as we got within range, some unknown alien vessel decloaked and immediately opened fire. Our kinetic barriers just went offline seconds before you popped in." She folded her arms, her expression growing grave, eyes hardening with the seriousness of our situation. "We were just debating if abandoning ship was our best option. Escape pods were being prepped—but then you showed up. Pretty good timing, I'll admit."
I chuckled, smugly folding my arms as I flashed both women a confident smirk. "Hehe, your boyfriend just has awesome timing like that," I teased playfully, wagging my fox tails.
Jane's expression softened slightly, and she glanced away, embarrassment coloring her usually stoic features. She looked faintly sheepish when she muttered under her breath, "Actually—no, you don't. I may have… prayed to Ranni for some divine backup…"
Huh…
I had to admit that it was weird that some of my girlfriends were now praying to Ranni. But then again, it looks like Ranni actually answered Shepard so that makes her a far better Goddess anyway. My blue-eyed tsundere Goddess of the Moon was amazing like that.
Joker's anxious voice suddenly crackled over the Normandy's internal comm system from the cockpit. "Uh, Shepard—sorry to interrupt your tender moment back there, but the enemy ship is charging weapons again! They're preparing another volley of those crazy kinetic beams right now!"
The crew went pale, fear and tension creeping visibly across their faces as many braced themselves against consoles or bulkheads, waiting for impact.
I wasn't about to let these assholes destroy Shepard's pride and joy. She loved this ship.
I dropped smoothly to one knee again, pressing my palm firmly to the cool metal decking of the Normandy's crew deck floor. I summoned forth another enormous surge of my dense, dark-blue demonic magicules, letting my power surge out of my body and into the Normandy's hull once again.
Just as I finished enhancing the Normandy's defenses, the entire ship violently rocked beneath us. A powerful, deafening impact reverberating through the decks. I grimaced slightly under the strain of absorbing the kinetic energy coursing against my magical barrier, holding it firm until the blast's power dissipated harmlessly around the Normandy, leaving us completely unscathed.
A stunned silence fell across the deck as the crew exchanged bewildered, incredulous looks with each other. One human crew member standing near me, a young technician with grease smeared across his face and wide eyes filled with disbelief, muttered shakily under his breath, "That…that breaks so many laws of physics…"
Shepard spun around swiftly, barking sharp, crisp orders.. "Joker! Get us the hell out of here, right now!" she commanded. "We're not sticking around to give them another shot at us."
I frowned, watching crew members hurriedly securing equipment and locking down panels as they prepared for a rapid jump. A restless irritation twitched through my tails, making the fluffy golden fur ripple slightly. I stepped quickly to Shepard's side, catching her firmly by the shoulder to gain her attention.
"Hold on, Jane—why don't we hit back now that I'm here? Give me a couple minutes and I'll shred that attacking ship to pieces," I said confidently.
I wouldn't mind blowing off some steam—and that smug alien ship seemed like the perfect target.
Shepard hesitated, meeting my eager gaze for a brief moment before she shook her head "no."
"No, Haru—we can't risk it," she replied seriously, glancing quickly at the tactical readouts displayed on a nearby holo-terminal. "This ambush was far too precise, almost surgically executed. The enemy knew exactly when and where we would respond. We flew right into their carefully laid trap. You saved us thankfully, but this still feels off. Whoever orchestrated this attack would absolutely have backup contingencies in place. I'm not about to gamble with my crew's lives, or yours. We're outmatched and likely about to be outnumbered." Shepard's instincts in battle situations were usually impeccable.
Almost on cue, Joker's voice crackled urgently over the comm system again. "Commander! We have multiple new contacts just dropped out of lightspeed! Sensors show three—no, make that five additional vessels inbound and moving rapidly into attack positions around us!"
Shepard cursed under her breath. Damn, she was right.
I growled softly, frustration and anger rippling through me as my tails thrashed sharply behind me.
Some people would probably wonder why a couple of spaceships would be a threat to me, and the truth is they really wouldn't be.
A threat to ME, that is…
But the second I stopped protecting the Normandy and went for a jaunt, through the void, to go destroy them one by one—they would fire on the ship, blowing it to pieces in the void of space. Of course everyone could escape into my restaurant and let me handle it, but then Shepard would still lose her ship all the same.
"Joker—emergency evasive maneuvers now!" Shepard ordered without hesitation, snapping back into her role as Commander with practiced efficiency. "We need full speed ahead—plot a course directly away from this sector, whatever direction gives us the fastest escape vector."
"Yes, Commander. Diverting power from non-essential systems!"
"Everyone strap in! Brace yourselves!" Shepard shouted urgently to the crew, motioning rapidly with her hand toward the harness seats built into the walls around the crew deck. She turned back to me sharply. "Haru, do you think you can keep your shields up through a rapid escape? We're going to be pushing the Normandy hard. It'll be rough as hell."
I flashed her a confident smirk, baring my fangs with relish as magicules crackled eagerly around my fingertips, dark-blue energy dancing along my knuckles. "Don't underestimate your boyfriend, Shepard. I've got you covered."
Although, I knew it would take a fair bit of my power to do so. Guns in this universe were bullshit. Massive Kinetic Projectiles were fired at one percent the speed of Light and yet they still hit with the same mass when they made contact. If any of these shots hit a planet, they would be wiping out entire continents every single shot and I was blocking shots like this back to back to back. It had been a while since I'd genuinely pushed myself, even if I was annoyed this was all defensively.
The Normandy suddenly lurched violently beneath my feet, Joker rapidly accelerating the ship as Shepard had ordered. A few seconds later, the entire ship jolted again as enemy fire began relentlessly hammering against my barrier from multiple directions.
Like I thought, it wasn't easy to hold an entire starship together under constant, repeated assault that would have blown multiple large chunks out of a planet by now, but there was no way in hell I'd let these assholes lay a single scratch on Jane's beloved Normandy—or any of the people she cared about aboard it.
"You're doing great, Haru! Just hold on!" Shepard called out as explosions continued erupting against my invisible shield outside.
"I've got it!" I snarled back fiercely.
Slowly but surely, the relentless impacts faded behind us as Joker expertly piloted the Normandy clear from the attackers' effective range.
A heavy silence filled the crew deck for several heartbeats, broken only by our labored breathing and the distant rumble of the ship's powerful engines.
Finally, Joker's relieved voice broke through the comm again, sounding almost euphoric. "Commander, we're clear! Enemy vessels falling back—they're not pursuing. Holy shit… that was way too close."
Shepard released a long-held breath, slumping back against her seat harness as relief visibly washed over her tense features. She looked up at me, gratitude and admiration clear in her green eyes. "Incredible work, Haru. You saved our asses twice in less than ten minutes."
I gave her an exhausted yet cocky grin, standing up slowly as I flexed stiff muscles. "Yeah… remind me to bill you double for today's rescue," I teased her. "I take payments in the form of sexual favors."
That one got me a smack on the back of the head by Alice.
"Ok, but I actually could use a real favor from you both, although now I figure you'll both be really busy…" I said, glancing around the ship as everyone else started to calm down.
Shepard shook her head and corrected me. "We won't be that busy. It'll take a few days to get back to the Citadel. We're all the way on the edge of the Galaxy right now. What do you need from us?"
"Who do you need me to shoot?" Alice asked while touching both her guns on her thighs.
Ah, my girls knew me so well, didn't they…
Still despite the fact that they both had overpowered superpowers, I didn't know if I was fully comfortable pitting two of my mortal lovers against the Special Forces of multiple foreign governments. Of course, we Yokai would be handling the supernatural enemies leading those forces, but that still left a lot of humans my girls would be facing down if our Yokai ninja had their numbers right.
The reason I wanted Shepherd and Alice specifically, was because despite having superpowers that they could use to protect themselves, they did most of their combat with guns. A lot less questions would be asked if our enemies were slain with regular—high-tech—guns. They were still guns at the end of the day.
I wondered if I could get them some back up? Preferably, human back up who didn't mind doing lots of shooting either.
My thoughts drifted to possibly stopping by the Rig in Brockton Bay. They had a Hero called Miss Militia who apparently had "all of the guns." But I'm pretty sure they frowned on killing…
I wasn't really a big fan of it either. But if these people were capturing and killing Yokai, then they would get what was coming to them.
…
– Chief –
"Wake me… When you need me…"
Master Chief opened his eyes slowly beneath his helmet, the fog of deep cryo-sleep rapidly fading as his consciousness sharpened with trained precision. He watched through the frost-coated visor as the cryo-pod's sealed glass slowly hissed open.
"How long was I under?" he asked, voice gravelly from disuse, as he flexed armored fingers experimentally, testing the responsiveness of his muscles and reflexes. Even freshly woken from cryo, the Spartan was always ready for combat—decades of training and countless battles had ingrained that instinct deeply.
The holographic image of Cortana materialized swiftly on a nearby projection pad. Her luminous blue figure shimmered briefly as data streams cascaded around her slender, feminine form. "Only a few days, Chief," Cortana said, her voice soft but tense, unusually hesitant. "I apologize for waking you so soon. But something… odd has appeared nearby. Something my processors are having considerable difficulty comprehending."
Her normally playful and confident tone now had an unmistakable note of uncertainty. Something that instantly placed him on high alert.
Master Chief climbed from the pod, his massive, armor-plated boots hitting the cold metallic deck with a resonant thud. He reached instinctively toward his side, retrieving the battered, well-worn assault rifle he'd relied on heavily during the recent grueling campaign against the Monitor and the threat of 343 Guilty Spark. The weapon had seen better days, the casing dented, scorched by plasma fire, and scarred from countless battles.
Still, it remained operational, dependable. Good enough for killing.
His visor's internal display flickered to life, rapidly updating him with his current suit diagnostics and environmental readings. The HUD showed green lights across all systems—shields, motion trackers, armor integrity.
He was ready, just in case.
He scanned their surroundings of the broken ship they were adrift in. Nothing looked particularly different, except…
Directly in front of him stood—a wooden door?
He blinked, momentarily unsure if the residual effects of cryo-sleep were playing tricks on his vision.
The door was large, easily two meters tall, carved from what appeared to be solid mahogany. Its surface was intricately etched with meticulous craftsmanship—depicting the elegantly detailed carving of—a fox.
"What…is that?" Master Chief asked carefully. It certainly wasn't Covenant in origin. Nor was it anything resembling the Forerunner technology he was accustomed to dealing with.
"I genuinely have no idea," Cortana admitted with a touch of frustration in her voice. Her holographic form shimmered anxiously, data streams cascading around her faster now as she struggled to analyze the anomaly. "It appeared spontaneously several minutes ago. Sensors can't even verify that it physically exists, yet clearly you and I are both seeing it. I'm detecting… some kind of anomalous quantum event. Possibly dimensional? It defies conventional physics. My processors haven't encountered anything like this before…"
XXX
Haru helped stop the beginning of Mass Effect 2, and now they've got a new bro for boys night. Assuming the chief doesn't try killing him first thinking Haru is an evil alien. Meh, they'll work it out.
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Right now, this story is on Chapter: 122 over there!