I stand there with a hand on the cool stone counter to steady myself as the other one comes to rest against my beating chest. What is it with people spooking me today?! First Ios and now Akiko, the sneaky fox! I manage to get my breath back under control pretty quickly, eventually voicing out shyly to the still overly amused kitsune leaning against the bathrooms doorway with her arms crossed and smile deep. “H-how much of that did you see…”
“Hmm~.” The sultry fox hums out pleasantly, her soothing timbre bouncing off the stone and tile here in the room as she saunters seductively towards me. I get lost in the wave of those hips and swish of her tails for a moment, nearly missing her true answer that sends flicks of fire up my neck and to my face, “I dare say I was witness to all of that wonderfully adorable event, my love~. You still remain the absolute cutest creature in existence, hehe~.”
“Nooo…” I moan out pitifully, hiding my hands behind my face just before I feel myself get scooped up into a princess carry, those warm and cozy fluffy tails playfully kissing my skin as Akiko raises me up and locks our lips together between my shielding hands. Those same hands reflexively part away from my half lidded eyes, flying to her hair and cheek as I moan out between sparks of rosy lust and sheepish shame, the latter at being caught in such an embarrassing moment.
The devastatingly beautiful Akiko chuckles a bit into the tangle of our lips, pulling back to rub our noses together as she rearranges things so that her hand can come to cup my cheek. “Even if it was only for a short time, I have missed you, my dear~. You are always such a joy to witness, to say nothing of your immensely charming antics~. I heard you accomplished much today, especially considering it is the first sunrise since your recovery in full.”
I feel the last vestiges of the lingering embarrassment fade away as she rubs her face cutely against mine, our cheeks smushing together as I giggle out playfully between little pecks or ticklish nips she likes to give~. I wrap my arms around her neck as I give her a wide smile of my own before responding back, “I missed you too, Aki~. Even if you and Ios are being mean today and sneaking up on me to give me heart attacks!” We both humorously laugh for a few moments, Akiko taking the both of us back out of the bathroom before setting me down on the bed and fetching my storage bag. She takes out a pair of socks from its insides and starts to put them on my feet, the familiar heat once again rising to my skin as I try and defuse some of the slowly building arousal as she stares back up to me with a twinkle in her eye from her kneeling position.
“*Cough* U-uhm! Right! Yeah, Sam and I really went through the paces today! We spent most of the day training downstairs, getting me started and past most of the initial quests for the melee weapon stuff. There was also some… craziness that happened with the exotic weapons, but honestly at this point what else is new. At least I can twirl around like a murderous ballerina now.” Akiko likely doesn’t even need the bond to feel the little wash of unease about that statement, but I’m sure it helps.
She finishes putting on the long, knee-high socks, her fingers continuing to trail up my pant legs before coming to rest on my knees as she hops into bed with me, pulling my head to her chest while her fingers begin stroking my hair. “Yes,” She begins softly, “I heard from dear Samantha about that event, at least her perspective of it. While I do share your opinion that it would likely be beneficial to not have to pay mind to such occurrences happening while you advance, to not have that specter stalking your every elevation in power, I cannot deny that the boons you receive from such things seem to more than outweigh the emotional weight they burden you with. A weight that you seem to be able to bear more and more as time progresses and your mind acclimates, which I am also glad to see.”
I just nuzzle in between her chest, soaking in the lovely fresh carpet scent and pillowy softness of my heavenly sanctuary for a bit. A handful of ticks on the clock in the room fill the comfortable silence before I emerge from my shelter, cheeks pink but calmness behind my eyes. “Yeah, I think I’m starting to adjust to it somewhat. Still kind of sucks that it’s so random, and the fact that it can knock me out for hours, or days, sometimes isn’t exactly a great outcome either. Hopefully once the ball really starts rolling on me getting stronger, moments and events like those will be fewer and far between and I can just focus on growing, healing Sandra, and living my life with you guys~.”
Akiko gives me a kind look, her tails wagging happily behind her as she leans down and kisses the tip of my nose. “I pray for that outcome as well, love~. And I am beyond proud of your growth and journey regarding such issues. Now come, let us finish dressing your voluptuous body and share a meal with the others before I have to return to the dreaded quill and pen that awaits me in the Sect Hall.” She straddles over me, giving me a playful nibble on my lower lip before finishing the maneuver and landing outside of the bed frame. I can’t help but coyly giggle, taking her hand as she offers it to raise me up from the comfortable mattress before she twirls me a couple times to the peal of laughter from the both of us. With relaxed air, I go to fetch the riding boots to complete the getup, and we both make our way toward the bustling and conversation filled kitchen.
Once inside, I run up and give some hugs to Gerra and Jun Li who are both very receptive to the action if their wriggling tails are any indication, Samantha coming in from outside to receive her turn on the Amelia Hugging Express (TM). Jun Li and Gerra continue their explanations of what they had been up to today, briefly catching me up as we all make our way to the already set table waiting for us plated high with food and drink. Apparently, Jun Li was sent to oversee some matters on re-establishing trade between a few sects that got disrupted with the kerfuffle outside a couple weeks ago, something Elder Julian would typically see to as he is the nominal head of the civilian government here in the Village.
For Gerra’s part, she chipped in at the food banks and kitchens down in the poorer parts of town. When I gave her a curious look as to why she was even needed there, she simply responds with, “It was either that or help the Madam with paperwork~. Hehe~.” to which a snowy white tail somehow crossed the large distance between where Akiko and her were sitting and bops her on the head. I blink, not trusting my eyes for a few moments as I look back over to see Akiko calmy sipping some wine with a playful arch to her eyebrows, directed at Gerra.
I guess I’ll ask her about magic stretchy tail powers later, because doesn’t that give me some ideas~, but something else crosses into my mind at the mention of food banks and the like. “So… I don’t mean this in like, a judgmental way or anything, but why do you guys even have poor districts or food banks? Isn’t everything here all centralized around the Village, which you technically run right now Akiko? As far as I’ve seen or understood, the Village isn’t hurting financially. Or at least it hasn’t been brought up at all yet.”
Akiko sets her cup down as she adopts a complicated look, letting loose a heavy sigh before answering, “You are correct that the Village is indeed prosperous enough to guarantee no one lives in squalor, which we ensure does not happen. When we reference the poorer districts inside our walls, you must remember that any soul who lives there has good, well-built housing, free access to food and Village sponsored amenities, and if disease or illness begins to spread we are quick to send relief in the form of healers or medicinal pills. Likely both. However, this concept is a new idea still among the general populace of Mara.
I have spoken with spirit Ios about this a time here or there, while you were either resting or in a deep sleep of recovery, and from what she tells me, you would understand the vast majority of Mara to be based in what is technically a ‘feudal’ society. The sects outside of this valley function in form to lords who answer, nominally, to the ‘king’ of the capital sect, the largest and strongest on Mara. Each continent has a chief sect, the strongest for their region, that is then subdivided and broken up between various weaker, intermediary sects. Do you understand so far?” She pauses and asks, which I appreciate~. Lore dumps are fun, but trying to absorb a non-stop stream of information is not fun. Take notes Ios~.
I feel a pinch on my cheek that I rub away, already knowing it was Ios’ response to my own snark, but I do give a nod over to Akiko to signal her to keep going. “Very well~. As things stand, the conditions for most of the general populace that are not enrolled or affiliated with a sect directly and are merely being governed over them or their land by a sect, is quite poor. They are left alone for the most part unless they become drafted for forceful cultivation to bolster war ranks, but no aid or attempts to uplift or improve their conditions are made, the thought being that if they simply wished to improve their lives then they should abandon everything and cultivate harder. And while it is true that dedication, grit, and strife can indeed make fine cultivators, the reality is not so plain and simple as the heralds and town criers across the land wish to portray in their role as mouthpieces.
Someone who is starving is never going to focus on bettering themselves, only their next meal. Someone who loses their parents at a young age to beast attacks is not going to survive to become the next genius. Someone who passes from an easily preventable illness or infected wound will never make the breakthrough in a field of study that a sect has been waiting on for centuries. These are all thoughts and ideas that I have held on to even before Tyler pointed them out with fiery passion, his words merely reinforcing the idea that such a system was inherently cruel and only beneficial to those who rule, pillaging the populace and land of its life and resources to ensure their comfortable realities remain the same.” She takes a pause as she sips her wine cup again, looking down into the red liquid as she swirls it before looking back up to me and continuing on.
“To get back to the matter you posited, the Village does its best to ensure those immediate and crucial concerns are never in the mind of our inhabitants, but there are limits to what we can achieve by being so gregarious still. If we rob an individual of their agency, we are just as culpable to the inevitable failure of the next generation of cultivators than those who leave them to their fates to begin with. I am never for careless loss of life, where it can be avoided unless the times require drastic actions, but in that same breath we cannot hand feed a person their whole life and expect them to excel and thrive when that same hand pushes them out the door to begin their journey. Some hardships and trials must be overcome on one’s own, and that is the cruel reality that we are faced with in running the Village.”
I look down at the half eaten delicious food in front of me, the sound of dinner silent as the girls have stopped to listen and watch our exchange. I mean… I guess that makes sense. It’s obvious that the Village is leagues above what even the US was doing back when I was on Earth. People either demonized or weaponized the poor, healthcare was a shit show, and the economy for everyone but the giants at the top of the hill was awful. Sure, I didn’t go out to see the world much, or even the state, but it’s kind of hard not to be informed when you have a little electronic brick in your hand that holds the totality of human knowledge and news in it, so even I know how backwards my country was as compared to other developed nations. Arguably even some that we didn’t classify as ‘developed’. Still, it just seems kind of… fucked up that Akiko could technically make a little utopia, or more of one, and yet she can’t or won’t because of how this universe operates…
I lift my face back toward Akiko, a complicated expression resting on my features as I ask back, “What about people who don’t want to cultivate? Just want to live out their natural lives as mortals and do mortal things?”
She hums as she takes another sip, her smooth and gentle voice responding back, “Those are mostly the inhabitants of the poorer districts and thus receive the most aid, namely the quick and free distribution of food and relief during crisis, sturdy and long lived shelter, and no restrictions or levies on their crop or product provided neither breaks any of our laws. And, of course, we do not infringe on their freedoms and levy them for war. They can see to the menial tasks that they can perform, and while obviously not as powerful or intricate, many mortal craftsman can find honest work in trade. However, the unfortunate truth is that their options are limited if they so choose to remain mortal. While each person’s path is their own to walk, I would always encourage those who can do so to take up the path of cultivation, as it improves not just your outlook on life and the opportunities one can avail themselves of, but also your health and longevity in general.
A 1st Realm 1st Rank human cultivator would see their lifespan increase by 10 years, going up to 20 by the time they reach the peak of that Rank. The effects of such renewed vigor expand and extend the further one goes in cultivation, and a human Peak Apogee Ranked cultivator would have a lifespan that numbers into the hundreds, if not a thousand years. Not to mention that those mortal concerns of illness and hunger are all but dispelled by the time one reaches the peak of the 3rd Rank, growing less and less impactful as someone advances. You yourself may not have noticed this, but it has been well over a month since your time on Mara began and you have yet to have the menstrual cycle that mortal human women contend with. Not only that, but I would wager that although you have been eating regularly, not once have you felt the need or pull of hunger since your second tribulation, even after waking from your days of slumbered recovery.”
Oh shit, she’s right! I totally forgot that was a thing, and I’ve been so concerned with healing Sandra and getting stronger that I didn’t even notice that part of it! I do my best not to break into a happy little jig at never having to worry about cramps, heat flashes, mood swings, heavy flows, or body aches ever again~! Not to mention she’s also spot on about the hunger thing, I don’t think I’ve actually heard my tummy rumble in annoyance since I woke back up from cratering the doppelganger. I mean, it certainly has rumbled after smelling Gerra’s food, but that felt more like happy groanings than ‘feed me now’.
I put that delightful news away for now, returning back to the conversation and its topic, “I get it now, and again, sorry if I made that seem like I was judging the Village or you, Aki. The place I was from was the wealthiest nation on the planet, at least on paper, but your society here does more for its people than my old one ever did. Ugh, I could go on and on about that, but I’d rather not bum myself out talking about the politics of a world a universe away… So, with all of that being said, I take it that not everyone is keen to adopt or take these new-fangled ideas of not letting the general populace starve to death to heart?” I jokingly deflect away from the touchy subject, at least to me.
Akiko gives a clipped laugh as she mirthfully says, “Very much so. I believe the first century of the Village’s foundation was naught but a time of war and bloodshed, the lingering powers left here in this region seeing such enlightened ideas as secure housing and medicinal support to the people as villainous and weak actions. But, they are dead and we are not~. And it would be untrue to say that no one saw our change in a positive light, as the sects that we are aligned with in trade have adopted or coopted several tenants of our foundations in their own ways and means. However, we can discuss things like this later when the aroma of lovely Gerra’s cooking is not calling to us. Come, let us resume our meal in glad hearts~.”
The girls raise their cups in a little cheer which I follow, lifting my own stone cup full of much tamer mortal wine with the rest of them as light conversation resumes and we all just exist together for the majority of the evening. We all finish our respective plates, me getting a second helping of course~, before its my turn to hold the room in a captive audience. “The little pup here~,” Samantha says as she lounges on Gerra’s lap, the cat woman’s hand scratching her scalp absentmindedly while Samantha lowers her eyes down to me, cheeks flushed with the burn of alcohol and pride, “is quite the warrior~. Especially with the scythe of all things! I summoned a [Pack Leader] bear towards the end of the day, and she twirled and danced around it like a composer of music, the flowing touch of her feet equal to the notes on a sheet~.”
Jun Li, who I’m sitting next to now, leans over and gives me a hug, nearly stuffing my head between her ample breasts as she coos out, “Oh~? How marvelous! I am gladdened to hear that you are becoming more comfortable with such things, Miss Amelia! And with such an interesting weapon! I had assumed you favored the spear and the variety of ranged weaponry as well?”
I grin nearly lewdly at the pleasant give of her soft and comforting body, wiggling myself deeper into her as I say back, “I just kind of went with the spear first since it’s easy to use, and the ranged stuff just came super quick ’cause of the system~. Well, I guess that’s kind of true for the scythe too, but in a different way… Oh!! Did Sam tell y’all what I bought before we started training today??” I say out animatedly even though I refuse to yield my grip on Jun Li.
Seeing a various round of confused looks from Gerra and Jun Li, I take it that Sam informed Akiko but decided to let me have a bit of fun like she hinted at~. I look over to see her smirking viscously, sending me a wink which I return before giving Miss J a smooch on the cheek and then dashing off semi-drunkenly towards my room. Once there, I collect the two silver bands that I had removed when I took a shower and then dash back to the even more confused looks of the two girls. It also helps that Jun Li has a cute little blush across her cheeks~.
“So,” I say as I hide my hands behind my back, “Sam had mentioned that there was a tool that’d make it way easier for me to learn all the weapons and stuff, and after talking with Akiko and Ios, we all decided to wait until after my second tribulation to get it. Well~! I went ahead and did just that~! Introducing… Thelma and Louise!” I say out with fanfare as I mold the two weapons onto my wrists, dangling them forward for the girls to see~!
Gerra’s eyes go wide as Jun Li just stammers for a few seconds wordlessly, but between the pleasantly burning drink sitting in my stomach and wanting to impress them, I go ahead and put the cherry on top~. “And that’s not all! I found a nifty little trick I can do with them! Watch this!”
In an instant everyone who’s sitting bolts upright with astonished faces, poor Samantha rolling to the ground while she groans out in annoyance as I remake the heat seeking missile from earlier, cackling like mad at their stunned expressions. I eventually reform the pair back to their bracelet forms and then dive back into the cushy embrace of Jun Li still giggling like crazy as Akiko’s voice finally breaks their stupor. “Dear Heavens…”
