Chapter Text
Deep in the wastelands of Tharsis were the two most important people in all the empire. It was rare to see both of them outside the capital at the same time. After all, if one was absent, it was only natural that the other would be responsible in their stead.
One was Viasmos, the most powerful warrior in all the world who heralded the Tharsian Empire. His power was so legendary that he'd taken control of his clan at the tender age of 13, killing the former leader and taking his place. It took hardly more than a decade before his territory swallowed nearly all the planet. As Tharsians valued power above all else, it was only sensible that such a majestic force of nature would be placed at the top of their hierarchy. Yet, the truth was that Viasmos had little interest in the clerical duties that came with leadership. He much preferred to play around and carry out his whims.
That's where Filotim came in. His best friend and second-in-command, Filotim was also a sensational warrior. However, his true value came not in his combat prowess, but in his tolerance threshold. Filotim was essentially the de facto administrator of Tharsis, with Viasmos effectively rendered a figurehead. All the administrative responsibilities fell on him, though Viasmos still had final say over everything. In any event, it stood to reason that one or the other would be necessary at all times.
But today was special. Viasmos wanted to test out Filotim's new weapon, and they'd need space for that. Magic of the caliber that Viasmos wanted to experiment with would be far too destructive in a city environment. While they had just suffered an attack from outsiders beyond their dimension, Viasmos was not particularly concerned about opportunists looking to take advantage of the pandemonium. The few remaining territories beyond Tharsis would never make it to the capital without alerting other cities, and it was highly unlikely that anyone else would be capable of opening a dimensional portal near the capital so soon after one had. Even in the event of a worst-case scenario, Viasmos fully trusted his children to take care of such a dilemma.
Filotim, on his part, could hardly protest. While he was known to chastise Viasmos for his callous disregard of their safety, he was still a Tharsian at the end of the day. He also wanted to know what new powers were at his disposal, now that he had a new sword – the sword that had absorbed the Meido Zangetsuha.
This was the power that enabled the interlopers to travel to their world. Viasmos had stolen it, and gifted this power to Filotim. In its original incarnation, it manifested as a sphere, akin to a black hole. It would suck in everything around it, casting them into oblivion. In its next form, it acted more like a slicing weapon, emitting blades that could cut through matter in all forms. Now, in Filotim's possession, it was something new.
Filotim had no ranged ability for this technique. It was entirely constrained to the sword, which appeared as a thin sliver of cosmic space. However, as a melee weapon, it was profoundly dangerous. It showed both an ability to cut through all known forms of matter, and an ability to suck in all types of magical energy. He'd discovered the latter himself when he cast off the invaders back to their world, sucking up the portal they'd manifested with the sword that had been imbued with that same ability. It was both an unstoppable offensive weapon, and an invaluable defensive tool.
The final test had just been completed. Could Filotim's sword really cut through anything, or were there limits? It was hard to be certain without testing literally every conceivable substance, but Viasmos could approximate it as best he could. He created something new, a crystallized version of his aura. As magical energy, it could be negated by the sword. But if it was manifested as a physical substance, he could test out the sword's other ability, as well. If Filotim could cut through even this, a substance borne of the raw, unrivaled magic at Viasmos's disposal, then it was difficult to conceive of anything that would be able to resist this blade, save for perhaps another one like it.
The test had proven successful, and with that, Viasmos felt satisfied. If there were limits to the sword's abilities, they were difficult to imagine. It sliced cleanly through the crystallized aura he'd conjured, and it had managed to devour every form of magical energy he'd thrown at it. This weapon was, indeed, a valuable asset.
“Well done, Filotim,” applauded Viasmos. “You now have both a blade that can cut anywhere and a blade that can cut anything. I daresay, even I might be pressed against you in close range.”
Filotim took a knee instantaneously, abhorred at the thought that he'd turn his blade against him. “My lord, I assure you, this sword and all else in my possession will only ever be used in your service.”
Viasmos smiled and arched an eyebrow. In truth, the whole display made him a little uncomfortable. “Geez, buddy... I know I've got an ego, but even I can only take so much grovelling.”
He'd been this way every since the battle at the capital. The most impossible thing had happened: Viasmos had been killed. It devastated Filotim, who considered Viasmos the emblem that defined Tharsian qualities. He was the ideal to which they all aspired. Then something else happened, every bit as impossible as before: Viasmos had cheated death. His magic was so great that it would regenerate his body even after he'd been killed. It was now demonstrated to be effectively impossible to kill Viasmos without disrupting his magic, of which there was only one known way to do so. That method had only proven possible for those from other dimensions, and even then, only a select few were capable. Tharsians, and even others from long-dead territories, were far too corrupted in their lust for battle to channel such sacred magic.
Few from other realms could stand toe-to-toe with a Tharsian. The thought of one possessing that kind of power and purification abilities was hard to imagine. But even if it did occur, Viasmos would probably still win. That's how Filotim saw it, anyway. He'd already respected him greatly as the strongest warrior on the planet, but when he saw Viasmos manifest before him after having his body ripped asunder, something cracked in him. Viasmos was not merely a god in the facetious manner. The people of this planet, although certain myths had passed on, did not develop any meaningful religious belief. The concept of deities was generally only meant in the most hypothetical of terms... but Filotim had been struck with a touch of religious zeal. He now viewed Viasmos as a god in a very literal sense. Human, yes, but one who had obtained empyrean status through the irrepressible majesty of his overwhelming power.
Thus, he could not help but be provoked into the occasional embarrassing display of fealty. Viasmos quite enjoyed the deepened loyalty exhibited by Filotim, but he could do without the excessive prostration. Filotim stood up after the minor scolding, and Viasmos instructed him to return without him.
“Oh?” asked Filotim. “Are you planning to travel already?”
“Already!?” Viasmos shouted sharply in disbelief. “I've been ready! I've had to waste time here with all the bullshit fallout from the invasion, but I've been amped up ever since. I'm not sure I've ever had so much fun in my life! I still can't believe that guy managed to actually kill me for a couple minutes! Just the thought that there are others out there who can challenge me like that has my blood surging. The new mother-to-be made for a good outlet for a while, but my battle thrill is pulsing. I've got to get back in the game!”
“I see. And just where will you be going?”
“Ha! I don't even know! I'm gonna go in blind. Not my usual M.O, but I can't help myself. I want to challenge myself as much as possible!” Back when Viasmos had first developed dimensional magic, he'd had to imbue it with a sort of artificial awareness. He needed the magic to seek out dimensions of value to him. Many dimensions possessed no life, and even if they did, they possessed life either without sexual evolution, or only possessed species that lacked the feminine charm he was interested in. Such realms were of no interest to him, who used this thrilling, profound power for the noble purpose of abducting women and turning them into sex slaves.
Since he'd trained his magic to only go to dimensions that fit his criteria, he could technically use it as a sort of randomizer. He generally preferred to glance into dimensions first, see if they struck his fancy, and then go in. But today, he was going to go wild. Perhaps he'd been hindering himself by being so selective and deliberate before? Today, he'd try being a little more adventurous.
“Then I will await your return, Lord Viasmos.” With that, Filotim flew off, and Viasmos opened a portal. To where, he knew not.
Viasmos appeared in the sky of this newest realm. He was a little bothered that he couldn't sense any meaningful magical presence, but that didn't mean anything on its own. Superman's world was the same way, and that world had been a blast. Magic in that world had a tendency to be more biological than technical, so it didn't have the same pressure that magic, as he was accustomed to, generally did. There was another world of heroes he'd been to that had the same quirk.
Hope swelled within him as he looked downwards. He was over some kind of city, one that looked to have comparable technology to the majority of worlds he'd visited. What excited him, however, was the park square on the ground under him. He could hardly believe his eyes. He cloaked his presence and descended to get a closer look.
His eyes were not lying. Surrounding him were people with massive swords, heavy cannons, mystical staffs, plated armor, and all manner of fearsome equipment. And they were just walking around, living out their day! It struck him as similar to his own world, where even the civilians were outrageously powerful compared to the majority of humans he'd encountered.
That spoke to their cultural attitude, but it didn't necessarily indicate their power. It was hard to tell, since he couldn't sense magic coming from them. He would normally take things slow, pick out a target, and plan out his attack. But he was so excited from the battle in the previous week that he had no sense of caution. He didn't mind fighting every one of them en masse if it came to that. It was reckless, but that only made it more fun.
So he deactivated his stealth magic and stepped into the fray. He was prepared to take attacks from all kinds upon sensing his presence, but contrary to his expectations, nobody reacted. It was business as usual. One would think that nothing had changed at all. As he saw it, this could only mean one thing.
Wow! These people are so strong, they're not even fazed by me!
Truly, this world's humans might just be able to contend with his own. He really wanted to start a brawl, but as long as they were giving him the time, he figured he may as well look around for a target. Not that he wanted to be chained down by the first girl who caught his eye, as he was sure there'd be plenty of beautiful women joining the fray once he caused a stir, but it'd be nice to at least have someone in mind at the start.
He scanned the park, turning 360 degrees for anyone of note. One purple-haired woman in a frilly, black outfit immediately grabbed his attention – not because of her wardrobe, but rather, because of the behavior she was exhibiting. Namely, she was looking directly at him. Staring, in fact. Her eyes were wide like she'd just witnessed a murder, boring a hole into Viasmos. Was this girl weaker than the rest of them, so she was more intimidated? No, that didn't make sense. Shouldn't she be afraid of everyone around her, if that was the case? No, it must be the opposite. She was perceptive enough to recognize that Viasmos was a threat even to warriors of this caliber. That made her an excellent candidate.
She certainly didn't look like much of a threat, but the fact that she could pick out Viasmos did seem to indicate that there was some kind of magic present in this world. It meant he was basically guaranteed to enjoy a good fight. He was shocked, however, when she came sprinting towards him before he could even think about his next move. Although she seemed fearful of his presence, she wasn't trying to get away, but instead coming straight for him. Those eyes that had been so wide with shock before were now filled with determination and passion. He smirked as he prepared himself for the battle ahead.
However, his expectations were disrupted again, when she came to a sudden stop just a few feet in front of him.
“OH EM GEEEEE! Are you Viasmos!?”
...What?
How did this woman know his name? And why was she so... gleeful? She was grinning at him like she'd just opened a birthday present.
“Holy heck, dude! Is this hair for real? Like, for real for real!? How long did it take to grow out? Ooh, can I touch it? Can I can I can I!?”
She was literally jumping in place with excitement. To say Viasmos was baffled was an understatement. Maybe this was part of her ploy? She'd try to subvert her opponents to make them let down their guard? He wasn't sure what was going on, so all he could think to do was observe and assess. He played along with her for now.
“Um, sure? I guess.”
“Thaaaaanks!” she exclaimed, sliding her fingers through his raven-black hair. “This is so cool! Most people would just use wigs, but this is definitely way more awesome if you have the commitment!”
While Viasmos tried to decipher what the fuck she was talking about, a male voice called out from afar. “Kitagawa! You can't just play with someone's hair like that!”
“Relax, goober! He gave me permission!”
This man – Goober, apparently – probably assumed otherwise due to the uncomfortable posture Viasmos was presenting. It wasn't because he cared if someone touched his hair or not, but because he felt utterly bamboozled by this woman. The unassuming young man, dressed in an indigo samue, looked to Viasmos and then back at Kitagawa, lowering his head in apology.
“I see... sorry! So, um... is this a friend of yours?”
“Nope! Just met him! I just had to! I mean like, he's going as one of my all-time FAVES!”
“Oh, neat. And who's that?”
“This is Viasmos! From The Inconquerable!”
Viasmos just listened in for now. He was still stunningly confused, but he suspected he could learn what she was talking about if she just let her hash it out with Goober here.
“Is that some kind of anime?”
“No, it's an online story. It's totes the best! You should sooo check it out, Gojo!”
“Sure. What's it about?”
“It's about this super-powerful badass named Viasmos who breaks into the dimensions of other popular universes from anime and games and comics and all sorts of stuff! Then he kidnaps the women from that universe and rapes them!”
Gojo – was that his actual name? - looked like he'd been petrified. His skin was pale as a ghost, his eyes glazing over as though he'd been knocked into another plane of existence and couldn't process where he was.
The girl sighed as though this were a regular occurrence. “Aw man, I thought I kept that pretty brief. Okay, where did I lose you?"
“Oh! No!” responded Gojo, choking on every word. “I! Just! Thought! You! Said! He! R-! Rrr-! Rapes them!”
“That's riiiiight!”
Gojo stuttered aimlessly in this flustered state for a few more seconds before suddenly switching gears, putting his hand to his chin as he contemplated things. A more acceptable explanation had occurred to him. “Oh, so... is it kind of like Slippery Girls? Where the non-consensual stuff is more like role play, and they're really doing it for love?”
This was going off the rails, and Viasmos felt the need to interject before he became so lost that there was no coming back. “Uh... Slippery Girls?”
The girl turned around in excitement. Viasmos had no idea what Pandora's Box he'd just opened. “Oh! You don't know it!? That's what my costume is from! It's a super-popular ecchi game where the protag gets enrolled in an all-girls school because reasons, and he's ordered to join the Humiliation Club, andthereareabunchofingameemotionaleventsthataresoooobeautifulandthere'sonepartwhereifyoupickthelastoption-”
“Kitagawa! Um... I think he's got the picture.”
“Oh, sorry! I get a little excited with these kinds of things. I'm Marin, by the way!”
By no means had Viasmos “gotten the picture”, but he was happy to let them think so. That girl could go on a fucking tirade.
“Aaaanyways... no Gojo, it's not exactly like that. The girls Viasmos picks out are defeated in combat, violated on the battlefield, and tragically torn from their homes and everyone they know and love so he can turn them into his sex slaves!”
“I see. Well when you put it that way, that sounds,” Gojo sharpened his pitch and yelled, “LIKE SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER READ!”
“Oh Gojo!”
“People read that stuff!? Girls read that stuff!?”
“Well no DUH, of course we do! Literally everyone does!”
“B-b-b-b-but that's... it's... that's one of the worst things that can happen to a girl!”
“Don't be silly, it's just fantasy! It's perfectly normal. Nobody's actually going out there and stealing girls from other dimensions,” she explained, albeit with a slightly inaccurate qualifier.
Viasmos thought he was starting to get the picture... but it was a little hard to believe. The girl had read a story about him, and from her description, it was fairly accurate. But how could that be? More importantly... he suspected he would be horrifically disappointed by this world. The Marin girl had said something about her “costume”, and a lot of things fell into place from there. The people around them weren't holding weapons, they were holding props. What he thought was a civilization of powerful warriors was actually just a gathering of nerds.
Needless to say, it was quite the disappointing revelation.
“Here, lemme show you,” Marin told Gojo, pulling out her phone. “You'll totally get it once you start reading! It's got way more than just sexy stuff! It's got super-cool action sequences, interesting worldbuilding, and its even pretty funny!”
Gojo, who looked about ready to faint, did not seem convinced. “It's funny... about... r... r... rrrr-”
“Geez, you don't have to say it if it makes you uncomfortable, goofball! And yes, it's got tons of great humor! Real talk, it's the best story on the whole internet!”
“Excuse me,” cut in Viasmos. “Mind if I read over your shoulder?” He wasn't normally one to ask permission for things, but he was in investigation-mode right now, not battle-mode. Although it conflicted with his original intentions, now was not the time to cause a scene.
“Totes McGotes!”
Did that mean yes? Hopefully. She pulled up the story and the two of them skimmed through it on their phone. As Viasmos read through it, it all seemed like too much to be a coincidence. Not only was his name used in this, but his world and other characters were all featured, too. Filotim, Chlorida, they were all here. Everything described in here was entirely accurate, with even the timeline and specific dialog being correct. He couldn't be 100% sure when it came to the inner thoughts of other people, but given how precise it was elsewhere, he imagined it had to be true there, as well.
The first thought Viasmos had was that someone here could peer into his dimension. A person like that would definitely be of interest, but... no, it didn't make any sense. Someone would have a power that amazing, and they'd use it to write smutty fanfiction? That was a hard sell for him. More concretely, Marin seemed to indicate that the girls he kidnapped were from other properties she was aware of. That would mean those series also existed in this world. So what? Were there multiple people who could peer into other dimensions, all using them for the same purpose of making stories based on them? It was too much of a stretch.
It seemed impossible, but the more Viasmos thought about it, it actually seemed inevitable. Yes, there was a very simple solution that would explain all of this: luck. When one is talking about infinite dimensions, there are also infinite possibilities. Therefore, it stands to reason that he'd eventually happen upon a world that had a story written perfectly about him, because that reality had to exist somewhere. In fact, it would have to exist infinitely. He was certainly surprised to discover such a realm so soon, but it was definitely the most sensible explanation for this.
“See? SEE!?” exclaimed Marin, as she scrolled through some of her favorite parts. “The characters' emotions are so perfectly encapsulated! It really makes you feel for them and their circumstances, doesn't it!? And oh man, this last chapter was nuts! A whole freaking epic battle with a crazy plot twist and then a crazy plot twist to that crazy plot twist and EEEEEE!” She squealed with excitement at her own description, as if she was reliving the chapter all over again. “I tell ya', the author's a real genius! Oooh, I can't wait to see who's next!”
Viasmos was quite certain he could answer that for her. Marin Kitagawa might not have been the battle-hardened foe he'd hoped for, but that was never a sticking point for him. Sometimes he took girls who didn't really have any capacity for combat. The girl did seem quite cute, but he couldn't tell for sure since she was in costume. What did sell him on targeting her was what she'd just said. He was a sucker for irony, and the idea of her being so excited to find the next victim – only to discover that it was her - was really amusing to him.
“I... I suppose I can see how it's written competently, but... I'm not s-sure it's for me...” Gojo nervously stated, feeling chills from reading that. Despite Marin's best efforts to explain it to him, he just couldn't comprehend how anybody could enjoy that sort of content.
“Ah, well, if it doesn't hit, it doesn't hit,” said Marin in resignation.
Still, Gojo was always interested in new techniques for cosplay, and he wondered if there was something to be learned from here. Stylistically, there wasn't much to it. No shirt, black pants, black boots, nothing that couldn't be purchased at any discount clothing store. What was unique about this guy was that he'd morphed his body to match Viasmos. He'd seen shades of that before, but not to this extent.
“So, uh... is that hair real?”
“Omigosh! That's what I said! It's totally freaking real! And how about these abs?” she said, knocking on them with her fist. “You could grate Parmesan on these! Is this total fire or what!?”
It wasn't often that Viasmos was made to feel like a background character with his subjugating presence, but somehow that's exactly how he felt around these two. Particularly the girl, who just had an energy that seemed to overwhelm the entire space.
“Wow... so, how did you get your muscles like that.”
“I trained. A lot.” he answered bluntly. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh, Gojo here is the one who makes all my outfits. He likes to ask about new things. See this? This one here was the first one he ever did for me!”
“Ki-Kitagawa!”
Gojo stammered nervously as Marin said that so nonchalantly. He was very sensitive about revealing that part of himself. It wasn't what one would call conventionally masculine, and after being made fun of about it from his friend as a child, he mostly just kept to himself. Marin had never judged him about it. She was the kind of person who thought something was automatically interesting just because the person was passionate about it. But with a masculine-looking guy like this Viasmos cosplayer, Gojo feared he would be judged, and derisively so.
“I see. Not bad. I don't know a lot about making clothes, but I can tell there's a lot of detail.”
Gojo gazed at the man with appreciation, surprised that he had virtually no negative reaction to the fact that he made and designed clothing. The truth of the matter was that while Viasmos certainly had his own sense of masculinity, he wasn't particularly bothered with whether or not other men lived up to it. He had no reason to care.
“Oh man, Gojo's the best!” praised Marin. “He makes the best outfits! But hey, it's getting a little late, so I'm gonna go change. We've gotta pick up that thingamajigger. Yo Gojo, tell him about your doll shop! Laters!”
And just like that, Marin was off, leaving Gojo slack-jawed at the mention of his hina dolls. Viasmos could have just left, but he was curious to see what the girl looked like without her costume on. So he figured he may as well chat with Gojo like she suggested.
“So... what's this about a doll shop?”
“Uh... my grandpa runs with a store that sells hina dolls. That's how I got my start making clothes, see...”
It took Viasmos a second to figure out what he was talking about. “Oh! So you make the clothes for the dolls?”
“R-right... I only started doing clothes for people recently. My dream is to become a kashirashi... a craftsman who makes the heads of hina dolls. I'm good at clothes, but I'm not quite there with makeup and that kind of stuff yet, so...”
Viasmos couldn't help but smile. For all his shyness, the boy's passion still managed to shine, and that was something he could relate to. “You'll get there. Just keep moving forward, and you'll get there eventually.”
“Y-you really think so?”
“Heh, I know a thing or two about having dreams,” he said with a touch of melancholy. His dream didn't have a proper conclusion to it. There was no way for it to be fully realized, as it was all about the journey. The one thing he was sure of was that dreams required passion, and even having just met him, it was clear that Gojo had that in abundance. Because of that, he felt certain of his path, and wasn't just offering empty praise. “Just keep caring like you do, and you'll find your way to where you want to be.”
Gojo struggled to not tear up at the man's kind encouragement. What a gentle man. “A-and what about you? Have you realized your dream?”
Viasmos put his hands in his pockets and looked longingly at the sky. “It's a process. Just taking it one day at a time. What more can we do but keep pushing?”
Gojo nodded warmly to his sentiments, though he probably would not have felt so peaceful had he known the details of Viasmos's dream – which was to rape and enslave as many beautiful women as possible. The unfortunate truth, from the warlord's perspective, was that “as many as possible” was equivalent to no conceivable limit. He was immortal, and he could now access worlds beyond his own. There was literally no end to the amount of potential slaves at his fingertips. It saddened him to think that with eternity came a certain amount of monotony. One day, even this might become boring to him. He was eons away from such an age, of course, but it was tempering to think about a day where he could not even enjoy his slaves.
“So what's this thing you're picking up?” asked Viasmos, recalling what Marin mentioned they were off to do.
“Oh, it's a backdrop stand.”
“And what's that?”
“It's something that lets you hang different backgrounds that you can slide between. You know, for cosplayers who want to take pictures in their homes instead of going to events like this. Real locations are always better, of course, but they're good for a casual photo, and they make for a good testing ground when you want to see which environment goes best with your outfit.”
“I see, interesting.”
With that Marin came back, and Viasmos could happily report to himself that she passed the looks test with flying colors. She was drop-dead gorgeous. Her wavy, blonde hair had these peachy highlights near the bottom that gave her some extra flair, she seemed to have no problem showing a little extra skin with that miniskirt of hers, and her white blouse added a touch of tenderness which he found most appealing. But perhaps most of all, her face possessed a youthful exuberance that made her overwhelmingly cute. He couldn't wait to see what happened to that saccharine expression once he had his way with her.
“Well, thanks for indulging us!” she told Viasmos. “I always love meeting fans of the same stuff I'm into. Hope we get to see you again!”
Gojo bowed and Marin waved, and Viasmos waved back. “Oh don't worry, I'm sure you will.”
Viasmos was certainly capable of patience, but it wasn't his go-to strategy. So why was it that he was stealthily tracking Marin and Gojo instead of just taking his desired woman? This world clearly didn't have any actual fighters worth his time, so he could take Marin without any concern of being interrupted.
It was an option, to be sure, but Viasmos did not opt for that. The fact was that Viasmos kind of liked Gojo. He was rather timid for his tastes, but he felt like he related well to the young man. He felt just a sliver of guilt about taking his woman, and figured it would be better to pounce on his prey when he was elsewhere. No need to rub his face in it. By the standards of Viasmos, this was actually extremely generous.
That said, it was maybe a little dubious if she could be called “his woman”. It was clear from watching them that Marin was head over heels for Gojo, but Gojo himself was surprisingly hard to read. He had trouble believing that any guy could see a woman like Kitagawa and not be interested in her, but he couldn't just assume that. Based on his limited observation of him, Viasmos suspected that Gojo simply lacked the confidence to even consider it a possibility. If he confessed his love to Marin, she'd unquestionably accept it... not that it would make a difference after tonight.
So he kept track of the two all throughout the day... and all throughout the night. This was taking forever. They'd picked up their backdrop stand and brought it home, even attached some basic environment curtains they'd bought with it, so Viasmos knew where she lived. He could just lie in wait there if he wanted, but it didn't particularly matter. He'd be bored regardless, he may as well be bored in a way that kept an eye on his target.
This whole adventure had been a mistake. In his excitement following the previous battle, he'd gotten this idea to go rolling blindly into a random dimension and enjoy the fight that came with it. In retrospect, that was a poorly-conceived plan. Most worlds didn't have warriors who could meaningfully contend with him, so picking a world at random was a stupid way of starting a fight. It was less flashy than going with the flow, but obviously, the best way to find interesting challengers was to do the legwork of finding an appropriate dimension. It was something he'd have to bear in mind for the future.
Marin was walking Gojo to the train to go home. Finally, he'd be gone and out of their hair... or so it seemed. Upon reaching the station, they discovered the trains weren't running due to some kind of accident. Well damn, now what?
“Hey Gojo,” suggested Marin. “Wanna stay over?”
WHAT!?
This was about the worst possible direction things could go. There was some hope, as Gojo himself seemed rather disturbed by the idea. No doubt, given that Marin lived alone, he felt beyond awkward about spending the night with a girl. But Marin talked him into it, and that was that. Was Viasmos going to have to wait the entire night before he'd have a chance at Marin?
No, the more he thought about it, it wasn't a huge deal. A guy like Gojo would certainly sleep in a different room. He'd just assault her at night and put up a sound barrier or something to keep him from waking up. He was still delayed somewhat, but it wasn't quite the worst-case scenario. He just had to be patient, and his time would come.
He silently moved along with them in a market where they'd gone to pick up some things. Marin and Gojo briefly split up, but they were obviously still surrounded by people. There was no point in the stealth approach if he struck now. She found Gojo crouching by the energy drinks.
“You find everything you needed, Gojo? Whatcha got there?”
Marin suddenly froze, her eyes like beads. It was the first time he'd seen the overbearing, energetic girl put into such a stupor. Once he tracked her gaze, he could see why. What the hell were these drinks he was looking at?
Super Viper!
Ruler of the Night!
King of Eros!
Premium Night-time Horsepower!
This section of the shelf was for energy drinks, and they were clearly marketed for a very particular type of activity. What in the hell was a nervous wreck like Gojo doing looking around here?
“G-Gojo, you're... buying this stuff?”
“Yes,” he said curtly, not an ounce of the nervousness and innocence he'd been displaying to this point present in his tone.
“Huh? Uh... w-why?”
“Because,” he explained with steely resolve, “I don't plan on sleeping tonight.”
Viasmos was floored. That sneaky piece of shit! Was his whole “perpetual panic attack” demeanor just an act he put on? Was this his plan from the start? Viasmos thought he was being friendly by waiting to rape his girl, but now this the situation was different. This man wasn't a hapless bystander, he was a rival. He had half a mind to take Marin on the spot and completely disregard his original plan, but that seemed like cheating to him. It went without saying that Viasmos would be the winner in a head-to-head brawl, so just taking her now after he'd laid out his intentions just seemed like a coward's move. No, he would somehow have to keep these two from getting together until he could get Marin alone.
Speaking of whom, she looked to be in a catatonic state. She could hardly believe what Gojo was saying. Her mind was split between two states of mind. On one hand, it was exciting to know the one she wuvved so much felt so strongly about her. On the other hand, weren't they skipping a few steps? They hadn't even properly gone out yet. Were they really going all the way tonight?
Back at the house, Marin was seesawing between getting herself dolled up and clean versus panicking about how quickly things were moving. Gojo, on the other hand, seemed utterly unfazed. He was just playing some video game, with no sign of tension from making his move on Marin.
Look at this guy, cool as a fucking cucumber. Viasmos was hovering near the ceiling, amazed at his poise. I seriously misjudged this guy. I had no idea he had this in him.
Marin came out of the bath and sat on the couch, taking the far end away from Gojo. She was clearly nervous about what they were about to do.
“Kitagawa.”
“Oh! Huh? Uh... w-what?” Marin responded in a state of fluster.
“Why are you sitting all the way over in a corner?”
Viasmos could see that she was shaking. She hardly had any wits about her in this situation. “Huh? Uh... am I?”
“Yes.”
He spoke so assertively, a far cry from the tepid boy Viasmos had met at the park square. Even without outright saying the words, he was telling his girl to get closer – and she was listening, too.
“O-okay... I'll come over there... by you...”
“Please do.”
He was walking a tightrope between boldness and chivalry. It wasn't exactly Viasmos's cup of tea, for whom the process of courtship was a rather simple and one-sided affair, but he could appreciate the technique. Gojo was moving faster than he'd had expected, and he wasn't really sure what to do to split them up. His best hope for now was that Marin would still be far too nervous to get started.
That is... as long as Gojo didn't make a move first.
In her trembling state, Marin fell off the couch, and nary a second passed before Gojo was on top of her. “Kitagawa! Are you okay?” But Viasmos certainly recognized the significance of this position. He was domineering, completely trapping Marin with the frame of his body. She'd surely be entranced by him in such a state.
Son of a bitch!
Viasmos could no longer play nicely. He was prepared to grab Gojo and hurl him to the opposite hemisphere if that's what it took to separate them. However, something stayed his hand. Just before grabbing Gojo, Viasmos caught sight of Marin underneath him. As Gojo reached out towards her, she had her face covered, as if protecting herself.
“Kitagawa?”
“Gojo, wait! I... need a minute. Let me... c-calm down first... Can we... eat something... before we...?”
Marin was clearly not ready for this, which meant Viasmos didn't need to take such drastic action. Although he'd underestimated Gojo's zeal, he doubted he was the type who would force himself on a girl. He was probably safe, at least for the moment.
“Oh, sure,” Gojo answered her.
“Sorry about this... really, really sorry...”
“Why? It's fine.”
Well, he was certainly taking it well. While Marin went and steamed up a cup of noodles with Gojo, Viasmos caught sight of Gojo's bag. With not much else to do, he felt a tinge of curiosity, and went to see which of those sex-fueling energy drinks he'd gone with. When he picked it up, he was dismayed at what he saw.
The fuck!? This is just a regular energy drink! At least, he was pretty sure that was the case. They didn't have these things in his world, after all, but there was nothing on the can to indicate it was marketed towards guys looking to last for the night. Was... this all just a misunderstanding?
That did make some sense, once he thought about it. Particularly his unbothered reaction to being shot down by Marin just now. He and the girl had just assumed he'd gotten one of the lusty drinks in front of him, and then perhaps let their imaginations run wild. Gojo seemed so serious not because he had suddenly become suave and assertive, but because he didn't perceive any sexual tension.
But why was he so adamant about not sleeping tonight? What was the point? Assuming that Gojo's original personality really was his real one, then the best guess Viasmos could come up with was that it somehow rationalized his staying over at a female's house. It was a way of calming his nerves. Personally, Viasmos questioned the logic that staying up all night while a girl slept alone nearby was so somehow more ethical and less creepy than just going to sleep, but who could say how cultural context might be different over here.
In either case, Viasmos had nothing else to stress about. Marin would eventually go to sleep, Gojo would stay up and do something else, and Viasmos would have his moment. If he could just stay a little more patient everything would fall into place.
Shortly after eating, Marin fell asleep while sitting, and Gojo helped her to her bed before quickly skedaddling out of there. While he was off playing some video game, Viasmos made his preparations in Marin's room. Gojo would almost certainly not dare enter her room, so it didn't really matter if he stayed awake or not. Viasmos had a couple spells to ensure that he'd have no idea what was going on in here.
The other thing to figure out was Marin. She was fast asleep, and this wouldn't be as fun if she was so drowsy. He wanted the energetic, vivacious Marin. Just waking her up would be insufficient, so he parted some of his energy to her. He had plenty in excess, after all. She was still asleep, but once he woke her up, she'd be quicker to transition to alertness.
He lightly jostled her until her eyes groggily opened. The first thing she saw was a man's chest above her, and as the events of last night began to worm their way back into her pysche, she internally shrieked.
OH EM GEE, THIS IS CRAAAY! I really did it with Gojo!
But then she realized something was amiss. She'd never seen Gojo without his shirt on, but as hot as she found him, he was almost definitely not this ripped. Was he even hotter than she'd already suspected? Or, the alarming possibility occurred to her only after she looked up, was this somebody else?
“WHAT!?” she screamed, realizing even through the moonlight that this person was not Gojo. “Who are you!?” She stumbled out of bed and hurriedly ran to the door, only to find that the door would not budge. She shook the knob as hard as she could, but she couldn't get it to turn.
“Don't bother,” Viasmos calmly explained as he sauntered over. “I've ensured that the door is staying locked. You can't even break through it, let alone open it.”
He grabbed her waist from behind and pulled her back over to the bed. “Gojo!” she cried out as loudly as she could, “Gojo, help me!”
“Sorry, that won't work either. He can't hear you.”
“Y-you!” she yelled in a mix of rage and despair. “Did you hurt him?”
Viasmos actually looked mildly offended. “What!? No! I'd have taken care of business a long time ago if I wanted to do that.” He threw his palm against his face, shook his head, and sighed. “Man, you try to be considerate, but does anyone appreciate it? No.”
Marin was relieved to hear Gojo was okay, but was otherwise still alarmed at the situation. She relaxed slightly, if dubiously, upon realizing she recognized this man. It had been hard to tell in the night, but after listening to his voice, she realized who he was. “You're... you're that guy from before! The one who was cosplaying as Viasmos! W-what are you doing in here?”
“Ah, okay, so here's the deal. I wasn't cosplaying. I actually am Viasmos.”
He threw her on the bed. He tried to do so lightly, but there was only so much delicacy that could be taken when tossing a human being. He climbed over her, not too dissimilarly from how Gojo had earlier by the couch, and she realized just what his intentions were. She tried to smile as if to ease the tension, but the fear was still evident on her face.
“Hehe, uh... I'm all for getting into character and all, but I think you might be a little too devoted.” As she saw it, this guy was clearly a nutcase. He was trying to live like Viasmos, and of course, that mostly entailed one thing. But on the bright side, if he was crazy instead of malicious, maybe she could talk her some decency into him.
Viasmos sighed. “I guess I can't blame you for thinking that way. I was pretty surprised too. I mean, to see a story written about myself in a completely different world? Crazy, I know. But it really is me.”
“Uh... if you say so! Hey, uh, why don't you tell GOJO! GOJO! GET IN HERE!”
She'd started screaming again, trying to get Gojo's attention, but it wouldn't work. It was just as Viasmos had stated. “I told you, that won't work. I placed a sound barrier around the room, so nobody outside can hear us.”
“Oh, just like when he goes into stealth mode... I mean – please, just get off of me!”
Her fangirl commentary aside, she only interpreted his claim as an extension of his derangement. She had no reason to believe his claims. Realizing she wouldn't understand her situation until he proved his identity, he sprung into action.
“Goddamn it, hold on. Let me get a light in here.” He snapped his fingers, and a sourceless light shined from the ceiling.
“How did you do that?”
“With magic. I told you, I'm Viasmos.”
“Ah, uh... of course...” she said, not wanting to anger him.
“Look, whatever, that wasn't what I was going to show you. I just wanted you to be able to see clearly when I did this.” He held his arm out, and it coursed with scarlet-black lightning that was unique to him, and a known signature of his. More importantly though, it was something that had no naturalistic explanation in this world. It was clearly magic, so Marin would have to believe this much. “Get it now?”
Indeed, Marin wasn't entirely unwilling to believe him after that. It could be some kind of magic trick, but it was like nothing she'd ever seen before. Still, it was such a stretch to believe. I mean, a fictional character was real?
“Y-you really are Viasmos?”
“Yes.”
“Then... have I really been Shizuku-tan this whole time!?”
“...what?”
“And Black Lobelia, and Liz, and Izayoi, omigosh omigosh OH-MY-GOSH! Are all of them real, too!?”
“Huh? No! Or... well... huh... I guess they are, actually.”
He assumed she was talking about her “cosplays”. Technically, by the same logic with which there could be a perfectly-accurate narrative about his life in this world, other works of fiction were accordingly lived out in other dimensions. In fact, now that he thought about it, this was all the more reason to make Marin his slave. If he brought along her outfits, she could act out the role of other women he had yet to encounter. He could rape two birds with one stone, as the saying goes. Or it was something like that, he couldn't always remember the Earth humans' idioms.
“That's FREAKING AWESOME! But uh, hey... you don't actually need to come after me, right? I mean, you like girls who are tough and give you a good fight. I'm just a regular girl.”
“Yeah, sure, but it's not like it's a dealbreaker. A pretty girl's a pretty girl, and I ain't one to look a gift whore in the mouth.”
“Hmm... I suppose that's true. Sometimes you go after people who can't really fight back even a little, like in chapters 15 and 33.”
Well, she was certainly a fan. “Great. Glad you understand. Anyway... let's get started.”
“W-wait!”
She turned away as Viasmos approached her face, and he then licked up her neck and cheek. The fangirly side of Marin was starting to subside as the reality of her situation sent a chill through her. She was in a unique position compared to other victims of Viasmos, in that she knew everything there was to know about him. His power, his intentions, and the futility of trying to counter either. Even if she really was one of the heroines she liked to dress up as, she'd never be able to fight him off; nor could he be reasoned or argued with. He sought to not only have her, but possess her. She'd be torn from this life, and forced to live as one of his slaves.
A tear rolled down her cheek as Viasmos ripped open her blouse, her bouncy, bra-clad breasts springing out. She'd been so nervous earlier, but in retrospect... she wished she really had done it with Gojo. She loved him so much, wuvved him even. It was all a bit fast... but she'd much prefer to have her first time with someone she cared about. She liked The Inconquerable, and got off to the fantasy of being dominated by a powerful man, but getting assaulted for real was not quite as fun. Although Viasmos was a fun character as a fictional concept, she always considered him to be a terrible person all the same. The thought of him being the one who got to claim her, instead of the guy she wuvved, was too painful.
After briefly massaging her tits, Viasmos tore off the bra that kept them housed, exposing her well-endowed chest. Marin threw an arm over her face, unable to watch. “No! Why...” That question was pounding away at her mind. As she'd said earlier, Viasmos usually went after strong women. How had this happened? Usually, when he went after non-fighters, there was at least something to connect them to something else. Kagome had sacred powers and traveled with a group of fighters, C.C. was attached to the engimatic Zero, and Traynor had knowledge he sought.
She didn't have anything like that, unless he was really into cosplay. She was just a normal girl, living her best life. So how had she ended up like this? Was it really just happenstance? Could it be... was this all because she came running to see him when she thought he was just a Viasmos cosplayer? Had she ignored him, would she have been spared from his lust?
Is this... all my fault?
She knew it was wrong for girls to blame themselves for this kind of thing, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was her own enthusiasm that had brought her to this point. She began to cry profusely – not just because Viasmos was slobbering over her boobs, but because she knew where this all ended: with her in Tharsis, enslaved to him.
“What's the matter, girlie? You've gone awfully silent. If you're embarrassed, don't worry. Sound won't escape from here, remember?”
She glared at him with narrowed eyes and hissed, “I'm not exactly in a talkative mood, you jerk.”
“Ah, well that's disappointing. I rather enjoy chatting with my victims while I rape them. You're really not gonna do any 'Please no' or 'How dare you' chatter? Ah, but I suppose it makes sense if you already know there's no point.”
Exactly right. As an avid reader of The Inconquerable, her favorite online story, she knew there wasn't anything to be said or done. All she could do was feel sorry for herself. That, and she also knew the thing Viasmos had just mentioned. He got off to this kind of thing, and she had no desire to please him insofar as she could help it.
Viasmos lifted up her upper body and pulled off the rest of her blouse. As her face was brought closer, he simultaneously went in for a kiss. She turned away, but he was happy kissing her cheek all the same. Once he'd removed the sleeves and tossed her clothing to the side, he grabbed her face and forcefully turned it towards him, helping himself to her lips.
Marin was technically a chaste girl, though one wouldn't have necessarily thought it. She could be a tease, had no trouble showing skin, and was generally very interested in sexy stuff. However, love was still an important factor for her, so she'd never really done anything particularly intimate. The only one she'd ever loved was Gojo, and he was still a little too clueless for a proper relationship to have formed. Thus, this was her first kiss, and it mortified her to know it was being taken like this. She'd always imagined a lover's kiss to be something heated and passionate, but she didn't feel that way at all right now. His tongue was slimy and invasive, none too different from how she imagined the girls must feel in some of the tentacle hentai she'd seen. It was revolting, and felt like such a betrayal to Gojo, even if they hadn't actually gone out together yet.
Viasmos pushed her back down to the bed and pulled out his dick. Marin gasped, this was her first time seeing a penis – well, one that wasn't drawn, anyway. It really shot home just how real this whole thing was. There was something extra intimidating and aggressive about it in-person, even if it ultimately looked the way she understood dicks were supposed to look. He straddled her chest and placed it between her breasts.
“Alright, press your tits together for me,” he instructed.
“And why should I?”
This surprised Viasmos, as Marin had been quite docile to this point. “I thought you said there was no point in fighting me?”
“There's not... but that doesn't mean I'm just going to do what you say!”
Marin knew she was playing a dangerous game. Viasmos always got what he wanted. Women who had shown defiance were all forced to submit in the end. Still, the idea of going along with his orders without protest was unacceptable to her. Even if it was pointless, it was worth doing.
“Alright then, guess we're doing this the hard way.” He slapped Marin across the face. She clutched her reddened cheek and cried out in pain, but Viasmos was quick to slap her the other way before she could even complain.
“Ow! Please, stop!”
Another slap, and another. And nearly a fifth, though Viasmos stayed his hand. Marin let out an “Eep!” and covered her face with her arms, gritting her teeth and breathing heavily in anticipation of being struck. Viasmos thought he'd see if she'd relent once she got a reprieve, but she didn't. Even with her eyes sealed tight in fear, he could see the determination behind them. He was surprised, and rather impressed. He'd slapped far tougher girls into submission. Marin was not accustomed to pain, she was just a regular girl who'd never known such abuse. Yet, she had the willpower to resist his violence.
“Hmm... well then, guess I'll have to up the ante. Tell me, do you recognize this little trick?”
Marin opened her eyes, and saw his finger approaching her forehead. She panicked and yelled, “Wait! I'll do it! I'll do it!”
Again, Viasmos was surprised. Considering how determined she'd been to endure his hands, she was backing off quite suddenly. “What changed your mind, girlie?”
“That... you were going to do that thing, weren't you? The thing you did to Chun-Li in chapter 38?”
She sure knew her stuff. It was in one of the “gaiden” chapters – a type of chapter where Viasmos didn't collect a new woman, and other stuff happened instead. Chun-Li tried to resist an order from Viasmos, and he responded by touching her forehead and stimulating every pain receptor in her body. When Marin had read about it, just imagining it had seemed excruciating. As soon as she recognized him preparing to do it to her, she lost her fight. She didn't want to have to experience that for herself.
“Alrighty then, good girl. Glad you remembered your place. Now, go on and squeeze your tits.”
Marin reluctantly sandwiched her bosom and pressed it against the warlord's cock. He started thrusting between them, savoring the softness and elasticity of her breasts. She took some solace in the fact that he was still doing most of the work, but she still felt awful about having to aid her soon-to-be rapist. Her disgruntled face only turned him on all the more, however. He was thrusting faster and faster, heating up Marin's melons even more from the friction. She was thankful for the boob sweat that helped keep it somewhat lubricated, though it was a small consolation.
Before Marin could even react, Viasmos pulled up off her chest, shifted forward, and slammed his cock into her mouth. Marin was wide-eyed with shock. She would have been fine with giving a blowjob. Not that she wanted to, but she knew to expect it, so she'd already been working herself up towards it. Viasmos almost always helped himself to some oral before he took the grand prize. But he hadn't even given her a chance to prepare for it, he just forced it down her throat in an instant.
It was really hard, and really rough. His formidable size certainly didn't help matters, but having never had a penis in her mouth before, it would have been a tough thing to adjust to regardless. She was on her back getting her maw stuffed like a roast pig – not an easy position with which to acclimate to one's first oral sex.
He briefly pulled out and repeatedly slapped his member against her revolted face. She gasped for air and hacked before regaining the capacity for speech, turning away from his savage manhood. “Jerk! I would have serviced you if you just told me to! You didn't have to force it down like that!”
“Ah, sorry. Your tits just felt so great, I was in the zone and wanted to use your mouth. Get used to it. As my slave, you'll have to be ready for use at a moment's notice.”
Unsurprisingly, he cared zero for her position. There was a small part of her that still hoped this was just some nutcase who knew a few magic tricks, but even if that was the case, he definitely had the character nailed down. Viasmos only saw women as toys to satisfy himself with. Even where he lacked malice, he still lacked empathy. His apology, if one could call it that, was just tongue-in-cheek. The truth was that he wasn't the least bit bothered by her stress or pain.
If there was any doubt about that, it was further demonstrated in the next instant, when he again drove his cock between her lips. Had he been the slightest bit interested in appeasing her, he'd have given her a chance to get into a more favorable position and take things at her own pace. He did sometimes do that with his victims, but it depended on his mood. Right now, he felt like being forceful and domineering. This meant that even if he wasn't necessarily trying to torture Marin, he'd still use her in a way that did exactly that.
Marin understood all of this, and could do nothing about it. It was so hard to breathe or even think as his manhood pistoned her throat like a jackhammer. All she could do was focus on making it as endurable as possible. Finally, he buried his cock in down to its base, and she felt a warm liquid blast inside her throat. She didn't need too much imagination to figure out what this was. It was somewhat rare for Viasmos to ejaculate during oral, but part of that was because he didn't like his victims to think, for even a moment, that they'd outplayed him by getting him to come early. Marin hadn't even bothered with such an idea, because she knew Viasmos had insane stamina, and that coming once wouldn't stop him from violating her. Because Viasmos knew that she knew that, it seemed he was unbothered by releasing at this stage.
He kept his dick inside her mouth until she swallowed his seed, which she was rather quick to do, as she already anticipated he'd be waiting for that. He finally pulled himself out of her mouth, and she took some deep, well-earned breaths. The cum had been rough on her throat. She'd read before about how intense the pressure from his ejaculate could get, and she'd always had a little trouble imagining exactly what that must feel like. She sure knew now.
Though she already knew it was a pointless question, she asked anyway, “I don't suppose we can just leave it at that?”
Viasmos smirked – a look that chilled Marin in how much more menacing it was to see rather than read about – and said, “Sorry babe, but no. It's about time I make you mine.” He got up off the bed and took a seat on a black table near her bedside. He pushed it back a little, wanting to make some more space, but didn't push it too far as he didn't want to hit and potentially damage the backdrop stand they'd placed in here. He wasn't some kind of degenerate vandal!
“Now... get up off the bed, and get yourself out of that skirt. Be real sexy about it, too.”
Marin groaned, but slowly got up and started shimmying her hips. Before she could pull her skirt down, he told her to turn around. With another groan breaking through her barely-restrained tears, she turned around, bent over, and removed her skirt. He had a nice view of her ass, clad in cute, white, lace panties. She was disgusted at having to show them off to him, as she'd worn these specifically for Gojo since she thought they'd be having sex tonight.
Before she could stand back up, Viasmos was already behind her, pressing a hand against her back to signal her to stay in place. With his other hand, he touched the bottom of her thigh, and slowly slid it up to her butt, giving it a firm squeeze and a hard slap.
“Oh yeah, baby, lean forward against the bed for me.”
Marin did as she was told, and started to cry. She knew this was it. This was how she'd be taken. This was how she'd experience her first time. She thought of all the chapters in which women prayed for a miracle in the moment before their purity was stolen, and she felt like a fool for doing the same thing. She knew there wasn't anything to be done. She'd known it from the beginning. Certainly not in a world like hers, so boring and bereft and fantastical talent. There was nothing and nobody who could come to her rescue. And yet, knowing he was about to penetrate her, she couldn't help but fall into that same trap. It was pathetic.
Viasmos slid off her panties, leaving her completely naked. He expelled a hot breath against her labia, and watched in amusement as Marin winced from the sensation. He stood up, grabbed her hips, and kissed the tip of her entrance with his cock. Marin shuddered as she prepared herself emotionally. As much as she hated Viasmos for doing this, she couldn't help but blame herself. Why oh why oh WHY did she have to talk to him at the cosplay event?
This should be Gojo, not him.
But her preference of men was of no consequence. Viasmos pushed forward and claimed her virginity. Marin's tears began to flow even more heavily, now that it was official. Her first time was from being raped. She thought it wouldn't upset her this much, or at least not as much as it could've. Not after she'd had all this time to prepare for it, knowing it was coming. But it was funny how a piece of denial managed to stick around in one's psyche... it was only at the moment itself that the truth she'd known would come actually felt real to her. She was forever a rape victim, her first time was forever his, and she was now at the beginning of a journey that would define the rest of her life: her life as a sex slave for Viasmos. Was it easier or harder, already knowing that was her inevitable future? She wasn't sure.
In contrast to Marin's despair, Viasmos was having a swell time. She felt every bit as great as she looked. Not that he was too picky, or had a particular type. He enjoyed women of all sorts. Some of the fighters he owned, like Diana and Chun-Li, had more rigid, well-toned bodies. They still looked womanly, but he could feel it when handling their bodies. Others, like Tifa and Sango, managed to keep the softness and delicacy that was more commonly associated with female bodies. Either served him well. Since Marin wasn't a fighter of any sort, it went without saying that she was closer to the latter archetype. This meant he had to be extra delicate with her body, lest he quite literally break her, but he had no problem with restraining himself a little if it meant enjoying this piece of ass as much as he wanted in the future. He was always very cautious that no severe harm came to his slaves.
Of course, psychological and emotional harm was fine. In fact, he found it rather fun. Rewriting their lives to serve his interests always did the trick for making him feel powerful and dominant. Seeing Marin cry, and understanding that she was forcing herself to accept her fate, only inflamed his lust. He lifted her up slightly and slid her further up the bed until her legs were flat against it, and her head was just poking off the other side. He went back to thrusting, licking her back as Marin moaned in misery.
In cosplay, Marin had found a creative outlet with which she could change her very being. She could transform into any of the characters she loved. As the brutal lunges of her captor quake within her, she sadly realized that there was no escape from this. She could not transform her body into anything other than what he wanted it to be. There was no state of mind in which she'd able to simply block out the violation of her body. The sensual experiences were all too heavy and jarring. Her body was being shoved back and forth, completely at the mercy of this all-powerful entity; but her mind and heart were held just as hostage. The way he used her forced her towards the thoughts and feelings he desired. Her utter helplessness as she felt her whole self get absorbed into the vortex of his power overwhelmed her, with her tears splashing onto the carpet beneath her.
“I can't believe I'm being raped in my own bed...” she whined to herself. It wasn't directed at anyone in particular, she was just struck by how not only her body, but her most intimate space had become completely violated. Be that as it may, Viasmos overheard her, and found the sentiment quite perplexing.
“Gee, I dunno, most girls I rape for the first time have it happen on some kind of battlefield. A bed's pretty lucky if you ask me.” His head jolted upwards as a metaphorical light bulb popped up above him. He pulled out of her and grabbed her leg, dragging her off the bed. “But hey, if that's how you feel...”
He pulled her over to the other side of the room and lifted her up by her thighs. Marin instinctively grabbed around his neck for support, although the romantic aesthetic of the act was disgraceful to her. He entered her once again, bouncing her on his cock as he stood in front of her newest toy. He telekinetically brought her phone over to him, preparing for his fun, little trick.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Trying to figure out how the hell you do pictures with this thing. What is it... 'camera'?” They didn't have cell phones on Tharsis. They didn't really do anything that couldn't be achieved through existing technology, magic, or was of any interest to their culture. Because of that, he wasn't entirely clear on how to navigate the screen.
“Hold the phone! I mean, not the literal... whatevs! Why are you taking pictures!? You don't need pictures! Do your people even use them?”
“Not really, but I know that you like them. Damn, once again, my charity is wasted on you ungrateful harlots...”
Marin heard something slide behind her, and she suddenly understood his intentions. His cruel joke after she complained about being raped in her own bed.
“That's the wonderful thing about cosplay, right?” he said, as he once again uses telekinesis to move the curtains on the backdrop stand. “You can be raped anywhere, as anyone!”
“That's not exactly why I cospl-”
“You can be raped in a forest!” Marin heard the snap of her phone camera, then another slide from the backdrop stand behind her. “On a beach!” Snap, slide. “On a skyscraper... heh, I've actually done that one before.” Snap, slide. “In, uh... in front of a brick wall! Okay, that one's not as exciting.” Snap, slide. “Oh-KAY! How about that? You can get raped on a fucking volcano! That's pretty hardcore, huh? How about we stick with that one. Ah, the magic of cosplay.”
Marin's melancholy had mostly been of a passive, resigned nature, but now it had become frantic and dire. It was bad enough to be sexually assaulted, let alone raped, but this was going one step too far. Now he was defiling not only her body, but the thing she loved most in the world. Her most passionate hobby which had been nothing but wonderful to her. The thing which had connected her to so many incredible, talented people. And this bastard was using it as a joke to mock her with, as if she needed anything else to feel so down.
She screamed in horror, a bloodcurdling cry that even Viasmos found disruptive. She wasn't trying to get anyone's attention, she knew that was a fool's errand. She definitely wasn't looking for sympathy from her rapist. She didn't really have any aim at all with her shrieks. It was the only way she could figure out in the moment to express herself. She knew who this man was, better than any victim had at the point of his conquest, and yet she was still terrorized by him in person. He somehow found ways to shock her with the depths of his depravity, even though she understood all these aspects of his character.
Viasmos tossed her phone behind her, landing safely on her bed. Marin let go of Viasmos, no longer caring about her posture, falling horizontally and covering up her face as she cried at the mortifying experience. Try as she might to shut it all out, the heat in her loins kept her reminded of the anguish she was suffering through. She wanted so badly for this to just be some terrible nightmare, but there was no mistaking this for a dream. To the contrary, this was as real of an experience as she'd ever lived.
She shivered as she felt him slam into her faster and faster. It wasn't because of the force of his thrusts, but because she knew what was to come... quite literally come, that is. Viasmos was a real stickler for this. He didn't consider his women truly owned until he filled them with his seed. She wasn't nervous about getting pregnant. Viasmos could control the potency of his sperm, so his slaves couldn't get pregnant unless he willed it – and he would never impregnate a woman on his first assault. Even so, the thought horrified her. Being forced to take a man's essence... even if pregnancy was a non-issue, there was something inherently ghastly about it. It was just wrong, no matter the nuance.
Viasmos was quite adept at reading people, and already knew she was up to speed on things. He would often make it a point of terrorizing the girl with what he was about to do, but he felt no need in this case. It was obvious from her body language that she realized what was happening. With one final, heavy thrust inside her, he filled her pussy with his cum. Once again, Marin was reminded of just how fierce his ejaculate was, grating against her insides and gushing intensely within her.
He set her down on her red zaisu – a type of chair with no legs. Although Marin was both physically and emotionally exhausted, she didn't take the time to rest. She looked up at Viasmos and knelt at attention.
“Oh, you're not going to relax?”
“There's... no point. You always like your women to clean up after you. I assume... that's how I'll be used next...” Her voice was remarkably deadened, a far cry from the lively, perky girl he'd encountered earlier in the day.
Viasmos smirked and placed his hand on the back of her head. “Well what can I say? You really are my biggest fan!” He pushed forward and slipped his manhood into her mouth. Although she was much more exhausted than the last time he forced her orally, this was a lot more manageable. That was because she was allowed to sit up and concentrate, instead of being violently thrashed around. Though she had no desire to please him, she was ready for this first assault to be over, so she worked as diligently as she could muster to clean him off.
Not that she was under any illusion about what the future held in store. This was merely the first of many rapes, and not only from Viasmos. He'd share her with his underlings, so even when he wasn't using her, she'd still be getting used. Eventually, she'd be bestowed with self-healing and immortality, ensuring that she'd be his sex slave for not just the rest of her life, but for the rest of time itself. It was as terrible a fate as any woman could ask for.
I just hope Chlorida is as decent in real-life as she is in the story...
Viasmos pulled out from her, satisfied with her work, and put his pants back on. While he did, she dully inquired, “May I ask you something...?”
“Shoot.”
“I know there's nothing to be said or done to save me... but what about Gojo? What's to become of him?”
“Nothing!” he stated emphatically. “That's the whole reason I waited so long to enjoy you. The two of us really bonded earlier... I felt just a teesny-bit guilty about stealing his woman. Didn't want to rub his nose in it and all, you know what I'm saying? That's why I made sure he'll have no idea what happened here. I'm sure he'll be sad with your sudden disappearance and all, but not much I can do about that.”
There was actually a lot he could do about that, such as not abducting her, but she realized that wasn't an option with a man like him. She actually meant something completely different than what he was talking about.
“I meant... what's to become of him after I'm gone? If I suddenly disappear when Gojo stays the night, they'll think he did something to me.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“Hello?”
“...shit...”
He'd forgotten all about that. Earth customs were such a mess to him. They were really stuck up about murder in this world. People who killed here were usually trying to cover their tracks and not get caught, which was a foreign concept to a Tharsian. In his world, if you killed someone, it was something to brag about, not hide. Killing was perfectly acceptable, as long as they didn't piss off someone stronger than they were and get killed themselves. There was a fine balancing act to it all.
But here, murder was considered something called a “crime”, and Marin made a good point. It would be highly suspicious if she disappeared the night Gojo stayed over. A goody two-shoes like him would probably contact authorities right away, but even if he did try to hide where he'd been, they were at a convenience store earlier that surely had footage of the two of them together. Not good.
Well, he was innocent, so it would probably work out. Maybe? Oh well, not his problem. He'd made a lot of concessions for Gojo, but it wasn't like he should be expected to babysit him. He'd find his way out of this mess one way or another. Possibly.
“Uh... I'm sure it'll be fine. It's not like they'll have any real evidence. Who cares anyway? Not like you'll see him again.”
“I... still care...”
“Well, look on the bright side. At least you'll get to meet all those cool characters I kidnapped!”
For just a moment, a light seemed to return to Marin's eyes. As if she was thinking, “Oh, that actually does sound pretty cool.” It quickly faded as Marin's better judgment reminded her of the grave predicament she was in.
“Then again,” Viasmos followed up, “you were cheering on their rapes, so maybe there'll be a little awkward tension.”
Marin gasped. “It's not like I knew it was really happening somewhere! Of course I wouldn't have taken pleasure in it if I knew their suffering was real! I never would have been a fan of yours if I thought such a terrible person actually existed!”
Viasmos snickered to himself, pleased at his ability to rile her up. A bluish-white portal opened up in the middle of her room, and Marin felt her blood drain. She'd still be holding out a modicum of hope that he wasn't really who he said he was, but she recognized that all too clearly. That was a portal to another world... a portal to Tharsis. He was not only a sex-crazed tyrant from her favorite online story, but she really was about to be forced to say goodbye to the life she knew.
He just needed to do one thing first. Viasmos opened up her closet and collected her costumes. “Ah, these look right,” he whispered to himself. He turned to Marin and said, “Just thought it'd be fun to bring these along. We can do a little role play or something. Now doesn't that sound fun?”
“...Whatever...” Marin couldn't bear to play along with his callous mockery. She stood in front of the portal, struggling to maintain her composure as she prepared herself for her new life. “Man... being a sex slave is so not hot.”
“Speak for yourself,” Viasmos interjected. “I find it very hot.”
He nudged her forward, propelling her towards her new home.
So what did happen to Gojo? Well, as Viasmos rather lazily guessed, it all worked out in the end. Legally, at least. Emotionally, the whole ordeal was rather traumatizing.
Upon realizing she was gone, Gojo figured she'd just stepped out for an errand or to meet with a friend. He was a little too sleep-deprived to realize that it didn't make sense that she'd have left without his noticing, since he'd been awake all night. Even if he'd been too tired to notice, this was Marin. No way she wouldn't have said something. These thoughts did occur to him once he was well-rested, but he told himself it was no big deal. It was nothing to overthink. Then he tried texting her, and she never responded. Gojo tried to tell himself everything was okay, but when she didn't show up to class after the weekend, that's when he panicked and realized something was wrong.
He immediately went to the police, just as Viasmos predicted. Of course, the police suspected him right away. This was bad news for Gojo. Japan had an absurdly high conviction rate, and it wasn't because the police were just so gosh-darn good at their jobs. It was because the entire judiciary system was rigged against suspects. Gojo being their primary suspect meant there was a very good chance of him being arrested, in spite of the lack of physical evidence.
However, there were two details that proved to be his saving grace.
For one, Marin's phone that was left on her bed. It had several salacious pictures taken the night of her disappearance, seeming to indicate that she'd been raped. While they initially assumed this to be Gojo, analysis of the pictures revealed a slightly darker skin tone than Gojo's, and there was no sign of any filters or edits having been used. They still found it suspicious that Gojo somehow hadn't heard anything, despite his story that he'd been up all night, but it did cast doubt over his culpability.
The other crucial discovery was a chapter of an online story, released the day after she'd disappeared, but a day before she'd been reported missing.
The chapter was about the story's main character, an extradimensional being named Viasmos, coming to this world and abducting a woman with the same name: Marin Kitagawa. That in and of itself was weird, but what really bothered investigators was how perfectly the described details and events synced up with Gojo's story. The cosplay event, the bullet trains not running, buying an energy drink so he could stay up. It was so consistent that they actually suspected Gojo of being the author.
However, they traced the author to the other side of the world, and they had an alibi that was far too solid to have traveled outside the country, committed a crime, and come back. One theory was that Gojo and the author were in cahoots, but there was no evidence of them having ever corresponded, nor of Gojo having even been on the website where the story was published. He said he'd only become aware of it that day when Kitagawa showed it to him. The author claimed that they just felt like doing a story with an original character from the real world, but had no idea that Kitagawa was actually a real person. When asked why they'd use a real-world character from Japan, instead of one from their own country, the author explained, “I'm just a massive weeb.”
The details were too bizarre and uncertain to move forward with a trial. Gojo was set free, and the missing persons mystery of Marin Kitagawa became a story of international interest. Just what had happened to her? One rather audacious theory some subscribed to was that the character of Viasmos was actually real, and he'd come to abduct Kitagawa just as it was described in the story. Of course, most knew this to be little more than a creepypasta, the stuff of folk horror. Such an explanation couldn't possibly be true.
Could it?
Within The Acropolis, the massive citadel which marked the center of the Tharsian capital, an emerald-haired beauty was dropping a plate of mashed-up food on the floor.
“So... do I feed you like this, or in your big form? Because I'll need a lot more if it's the latter...”
The two-tailed demon cat seemed perfectly pleased with the tiny dish she'd prepared, so Chlorida assumed that worked fine. Youkai biology was just weird like that, apparently. Her father had left her in charge of caring for the cat while he was away. While flora on this planet was remarkably similar to what they had on the many Earths he'd traveled to, the fauna was very different. They did not have cats on this planet, nor a preferred cat dish like salmon. In fact, they didn't even have water except when created by magic, but they still had seafood thanks to some farming efforts. Chlorida had heard from Sango, the cat's former owner, that felines tended to gravitate towards seafood. They weren't the same seafood she'd be used to, but Chlorida figured it was worth a shot. She seemed to be enjoying it, so that was good.
“I'll be sure to try new things until we find something you really like.”
The cat was named Kirara, a demon cat who'd been part of the battle in the capital a little while ago. Rather than return to her world, she'd opted instead to stay behind with Sango, even if it meant playing the role of that man's pet. She despised Viasmos for what it had done with Sango and Kagome, but in exchange for spending her life alongside Sango, she was willing to be docile.
A scaly voice creeped up from behind Chlorida as she observed the cat eating. “Playing with foul animals, are we?”
Chlorida shot up and stared daggers into the man behind her. Kirara was even more aggressive, hissing at him as though his very presence was toxic – which, given the nature of his powers, it could very well be.
“What are you doing here?”
This was Aktinovo, her elder brother. While the children of Viasmos were not exactly a close-knit group, Chlorida still saw most of them as family. Not this man. She despised him more than anyone.
“Just keeping watch while father's away. The capital's rather vulnerable, after all.”
“You don't have work to do in your vault?” she scoffed. She knew he was lying. He wasn't concerned about another attack. He had something else in mind, but she couldn't be sure what.
“No, as a matter of fact. Truth be told, the vault mostly runs itself. I have aides to take care of most of the work.”
There were two vaults housing the women Viasmos had captured as his slaves. One was managed by Aktinovo, and another by Chlorida. Chlorida's was the one which housed slaves from other dimensions, whereas Aktinovo's housed the slaves from this world.
Originally, Viasmos had collected over a hundred slaves before getting one of his children to manage them for him. Chlorida's vault only had a little more than 30 slaves, but she'd been tasked with this after a transgression against one of his slaves had been committed by one of his soldiers. Aktinovo's vault held literally thousands of slaves, so he had many subordinates to help manage them all at once. Chlorida also had employees, but they were generally staff for things like maintenance. When it came to handling the slaves directly, it was all her responsibility. Aktinovo, on the other hand, could let his grunts take care of much of his responsibilities.
“In any case, I could ask the same of you,” he retorted. “What are you doing here in the throne room?”
“Father told me to take care of the cat while he was away. Nothing more.”
Aktinovo looked at Kirara and smirked. “Goodness, I really can't believe he brought in some mangy animal. Just what is he thinking?”
“...I don't really get it myself,” Chlorida confessed. “He said he likes cats, but I don't understand the utility of it.” On Tharsis, the idea of owning an animal was foreign. There was no concept of pets, so even a generally fair person like her had trouble conceiving the point. She reached out to pet Kirara's head, who allowed her to do so, even while still tense towards Aktinovo. “Well, I suppose it is quite cute.”
Aktinovo snickered derisively at her comment. “And silly observations like that are why women have always been the weaker sex.”
Chlorida turned to him, her hostility revitalized, and growled, “You want to see how 'weak' I am?”
He grinned at her, pleased to see her fall to his provocations. “I want you to see how weak you are.”
Before a fight could break out, a portal opened up before them. It was Viasmos, of course, returning from his latest escapade. Chlorida was thankful for his timing. She was strong, very much so... but she knew she probably couldn't beat Aktinovo. She'd been baited into a fight she had no chance of winning, and felt like a fool.
“Hey, look at you two!” Viasmos cheerily observed. “So good to see you hanging out for once. Maybe you two will make a fine sibling pair after all!”
Aktinovo smiled mockingly and slid his eyes over to Chlorida. “Yes, perhaps so.”
Chlorida groaned, but not at her father's stupid joke. She was generally used to that. It was the sight of the woman he'd brought along with him. Chlorida could tell at a glance how pitiful this girl was. “Seriously? This poor creature? What's next? Will you be stealing babies out of cradles?”
“Eh, what can I say? The heart wants what it wants.”
“I very much doubt your 'heart' was doing much of the wanting.” She sighed and stepped forward in front of the young girl. “Come, I'll take you to be processed.”
“You're... Chlorida, aren't you? You're so pretty...”
Chlorida was surprised that the girl knew who she was already... and also surprised that there was a tinge of excitement in her voice. Pretty unusual, considering her circumstances. She nodded her head and beckoned the girl to follow her, and they left the room, leaving Viasmos alone with Aktinovo.
“It's nice, huh?” Viasmos said, gesturing towards his throne.
Aktinovo smiled, and Viasmos took note, because it looked real. He always had this fake smile plastered on, so when a sliver of genuine delight manifested on his face, it was easy for him to notice. Was he smiling because of the power that throne represented? No. Aktinovo didn't care to run an Empire. He didn't care for society in general. If Tharsis fell to his rule, he would most surely end Tharsis as they knew it. Viasmos knew that he was smiling because of what attaining that throne would mean: Killing his father.
Viasmos was commonly considered to be the Tharsian ideal, but Aktinovo didn't think so. He was powerful, yes, but what did it really mean to be a Tharsian? Tharsians valued power above all else, but what was behind that drive? What more could it be, but a belief that the strong had the right to follow their instincts? If so, then civilization itself was an obstacle to that. Broader power structures that kept people in line were inhibitive forces, chaining people from being their truest selves. Viasmos, in ruling Tharsis, was contrary to that goal. More to the point, his very existence was the stabilizing force which kept Tharsis functioning.
Yes, this world had become too sanitized. In conquering the world and instilling fear in his enemies, the violence and chaos that defined human history was a mere remnant of the past. The world was static and boring for as long as Viasmos continued to rule. Aktinovo saw a different vision for this world, one which saw it plunged into a deeper disarray than even this planet had ever known.
Once Viasmos was gone, there'd be a substantial power vacuum. Many would try vying for control, but none would be able to get past Aktinovo. The strongest child of the warlord would be there to ensure that society crumbled, and see that Tharsians would learn their true potential. They would no longer serve another, but serve only themselves. Anarchy, fear, savagery... yes, it would be a beautiful world. It was how things should be.
But first thing's first, he had to become strong enough to kill his father, Viasmos.
It was why he was here, after all. He needed to be somewhere he could feel the vestiges of his dad's magic, and see what had changed since his return from death. He needed to probe it for weakness, ascertain its qualities, and develop a new magic with which he could counter it, if need be. The throne room was an ideal location for such a thing. Although Viasmos spent minimal time here, he at least consistently spent time here, so traces of his magic could always be felt.
They stood in silence for a while, a silent dance taking place between them. Each of them knew what the other was thinking, and each of them knew that the other knew. Viasmos wouldn't stop his son, because he found the idea of a potential coup thrilling. Aktinovo would never come right out with his intentions, because he was simply dishonest to his core. Besides, ambition required finesse. The two of them had been playing with each other for a good century, give or take, and neither felt the need to change things up.
But Viasmos, perhaps still feeling a little deflated from his inability to find a worthy battle, couldn't help but prod his second-eldest son just a bit. As Aktinovo turned to leave, he walked past Viasmos, and heard him whisper, “Don't make me wait too long.” Aktinovo left no sign of his registering what Viasmos had said. He made no sound, the rhythm of his gait was unchanged, he just kept on the same way he would if he hadn't heard him at all. The only proof of him having heard his father's word was what was most certainly a genuine smile adorning his face.
Notes:
We're back!
To my regular readers, sorry for the wait. I know I said I'd have part two up real fast after I finished part one, but it ended up taking me over a month. I was hit with a personal tragedy, and I know it's hard to believe, but rape fiction was just not at the top of my priority list.
Marin Kitagawa might seem like an unusual character to open a new era with, considering it removes the action element I commonly employ, but I thought it'd be nice to go with a more lighthearted (if I can dare use that word for this kind of story!) atmosphere after the intense finale to part one. I also thought it'd be fun to use her meta commentary on the story as a means of re-introducing certain elements about Viasmos, for any readers who happened upon this, but didn't feel like reading part one for some reason.
Anyway, I probably won't be slamming out chapters like I was for a while this past summer, but I'll try and stay somewhat consistent. My current plan is to head back into some old worlds first, but we'll definitely be bringing in new blood over time. That includes one property that has been HIGHLY requested all throughout part one, so rest your beating hearts.
Chapter 2: Mt. Lady
Notes:
For those joining us in Part Two, but who haven't gone through Part One, a brief explanation of the MHA timeline in regards to my story.
All characters are written to be 18+, so occasionally there are subtle differences implied or mentioned if the character is younger in the source material. In the case of MHA, it's a bit more brazen, because the high school characters in a series about a high school can't actually be in high school.
So it works like this. All the characters who are high school students originally are now full-fledged heroes - as we saw with Momo in Part One. However, being new to the scene, the old-school power rankings are still in effect. And as for Midoriya, he's still growing into his power, so he's not at the stage he was at by the end of his first year.
Events in the series - which I plan to include at some point - will be shifted up in a few years, so the development of certain characters is distorted to reflect that. Basically, it's kind of like we're still in early-MHA, but with everyone a touch older, and the school aspect entirely removed.
Chapter Text
Viasmos had a fun time in his last excursion, but that itch to fight some decent opponents hadn't exactly gotten scratched. He would need to find a universe that could actually offer him some fun, but where to go? Who knows how long it would take to find a new universe that was up to snuff. There was always Superman's dimension, but Viasmos had already plunged that world into a near-apocalyptic dystopia. There were certainly some heroines he was keen on picking up, but as far as fighting was concerned, he wasn't sure they had all that much else to offer him.
There was always that other world of heroes, though...
Yes, he didn't think they had talents on the same scale as Superman or Wonder Woman, but he hadn't spent nearly as much time there. In fact, they shouldn't be aware of his existence yet. Maybe it was time he made his public debut. Few things got his blood pumping like riling shit up in a whole other world.
He was leaning pretty heavily towards that, and he decided to celebrate with the two ladies he'd already taken from that world. Nemuri, better known by her hero moniker “Midnight”, was doing a pole dance for him wearing nothing but thigh-high boots and a black thong. He had this pole in his room for when he wanted a little visual entertainment, but not all of his girls were particularly talented at it. He lucked out with Midnight. She was a wonderful, and most sensual, dancer.
While he admired the view of Midnight shaking her ass and hips for him, Momo was kneeling in front of him, taking care of his erection with her prominent breasts. In the moments where he could find the willpower to turn his gaze from Midnight's erotic dance, he was also turned on by Momo's crestfallen face. The contrast of her obvious despair at her enslavement up against the flawlessly obedient act of rubbing her tits along his dick was highly invigorating to a tyrant like him.
Momo felt his penis heat up and swell, and winced in expectancy of what was next. A thick stream of white liquid gushed onto her face, glazing all over her left eye and cheek. She'd have liked to clean it up, but she knew she'd have to wait. The master would insist she clean his cock up, and at this point in her life as a sex slave, she felt no need to wait for her orders. She bent forward and wrapped his cock in her mouth, with one eye squinted shut and the other narrowed from anger.
Once she finished, she wiped her face with her hand. This was so grotesque, but she sadly had to admit to herself that she'd gotten quite used to it. The agony of her initial violation had torn her heart and soul apart, but rape had become such a routine fact of her life that it wasn't all that distinct from your typical office worker begrudgingly getting up in the morning, sitting in traffic, and doing what they needed to do to earn a paycheck. She hated that her life had become so miserable that she couldn't even recognize just how miserable it was, but there was little she could do to act on that hate. She'd generally learned to suppress those kinds of thoughts. They did her no good in these walls.
“Good work, doll. Midnight, get your sweet ass over here and blow me. Momo, you'll switch places and dance for me.”
Midnight immediately began walking over, her once-dominant sexual personality having been replaced by one of submission. Momo, on the other hand, somewhat absent-mindedly argued against her assignment.
“I-I don't think I'll be as good at dancing as Miss Midni-AGH!”
Viasmos grabbed her hair, threw her to the floor, and smacked her ass as she began hastily crawling towards the pole in the corner of the room. “Did I ask for your opinion, bitch? Go and do as I say.”
Momo rose to her feet and turned back towards him. “Y-yes, master!” That was a foolish mistake on her part. She hadn't expected that particular command, and hoped she'd be given a chance to rest while Miss Midnight took over. She'd let that hope clash against her master's explicit directions. Viasmos wasn't especially violent with his slaves, but he definitely got some pleasure out of smacking them around a little. She didn't need to give him an extra reason to act that way. She should've known better.
Momo got to work pole dancing, trying her best to mimic what she'd seen from Midnight in the past. Viasmos would be able to tell if she wasn't putting in the proper effort, and he'd most certainly hit her again if she tried to phone it in. Her former teacher took her spot at his knees, servicing the master with her experienced lips.
She'd felt a touch of relief when she found out Midnight was alive, but now that she was living in this hell alongside her, she could appreciate how little consolation it was. The two of them lived and breathed to satisfy their master, and there was probably no way out of it. This was their life now, their eternity. They would never age, they would stay beautiful, and they'd continue to be raped for centuries, millennia, whole eons until they reached an age where their lives as free, powerful women were too distant to remember.
The worst part was knowing he wasn't done. He supposedly had his sights set on their world once again, and there was no doubt he'd return many times thereafter. How many more friends, colleagues, and mentors would she have to watch join her in chains?
I just hope... I was able to make a difference.
Momo had a secret that she hadn't confided in anyone. Not even Midnight, or her new friend, Mitsuru. It wasn't that they couldn't be trusted, she just wanted to be maximally cautious. There wasn't a tremendous amount of surveillance within the vault that housed them. It was hardly necessary, after all. These collars kept them powerless, it tracked their movements, and even if none of that was true, they were in a city surrounded by warriors not all that much less dangerous than Viasmos himself. Even in their recent foray beyond their prison, courtesy of some outside help, escape had proved impossible.
But she knew how smart Viasmos was. It wasn't impossible that all this wasn't to lull them into a false sense of security, and make it easier for them to casually reveal information. Even the slightest leak might reveal the truth, and it might not even take that much. A momentary tell in their body language might be enough to alert him, and he'd take the necessary measures to uncover her secret. It was vital that she did as little as possible to reveal anything.
The secret was that she'd managed to pull a fast one on Viasmos back during his abduction on her. Well, she thought she had anyway. There was no guarantee that he hadn't known about it the whole time, and simply hadn't commented on it to her. It sounds like the kind of thing he'd do. But in all probability, she'd successfully left behind a cache of files, containing her testimony on what she knew about Viasmos, as well as video footage of their battle and, well... aftermath.
The sad truth was that Momo already knew it probably didn't matter. A man as powerful as Viasmos would prove an otherworldly challenge. But still, it was something. Any advantage, any edge they could get, they had to try it. If her efforts spared even one woman from this fate, then it was a worthwhile endeavor on her part.
Viasmos found himself a nice park bench in the world of quirks, looking through his pamphlet of the world's most highly-ranked heroes. “Let's see... looks like the highest-ranked female hero right now is some chick named 'Mirko'... seems like a pretty solid choice...” He mumbled to himself without concern, as he was quite certain he was out of earshot. It wouldn't quite be accurate to say his guard was entirely down, but it was unquestionably some degree of carelessness on his part.
That's because he was being watched.
It was just as Momo had hoped, Viasmos never figured out that Momo had left anything behind. He'd destroyed her primary computer she'd been using to run her defense system, and it would only be expected that she'd devote every ounce of time and energy towards the battle she had with him. The idea that she would instead go through the trouble of ensuring there was a whole backup system of files meant to alert other heroes had simply not occurred to him.
“Then again, I shouldn't be discounting villains. Any cute villainesses around these days?”
That's why he had no particular expectation of being bothered by any heroes. At least not until he made his move. He believed he had time to work out his approach. But this was not the case. Though the revelations about Viasmos and his abduction of the heroines Midnight and Creati had never been made public, it was well-known among top heroes and the Hero Public Safety Commission. There had been a silent vigilance of sorts, wanting to be ready the moment he returned to their world. Once the HPSC caught his face on their surveillance cameras, heroes were immediately alerted.
“But is it right to make the move on the villains first? I don't really care one way or the other, but it doesn't quite vibe the same way, does it? I feel like society will freak out a lot more if I attack a heroine first. Eh, I guess some group somewhere is gonna get the wrong idea and think I'm on their side, no matter what I do...”
The hero team currently observing him was known as “The Lurkers”, a trio of some of the top heroes in the world. Edgeshot and Kamui were both ranked in the top 10, and Mt. Lady was ranked in the top 25. This was also the team that first encountered Creati's data. Edgeshot was the leader, and the one currently listening in on Viasmos. His quirk was “Foldabody”, the ability to make his body and limbs both thin and long. It was a versatile quirk with a number of applications, and in this case, he'd used it to make himself slither along inconspicuously behind Viasmos's bench. A snake in the grass, as it were.
That being said, this was not the hero they preferred to have on scene.
The world's greatest hero, the symbol of peace, All Might. There was no greater hero to emerge since the onset of quirks, and nobody they'd rather have present for a threat of this magnitude. Alas, as luck would have it, he was away at the moment. That happened sometimes.
A little-known secret, even within the hero community, was that All Might was losing his power. Even among those who did know this, they didn't necessarily know all the details. Originally, he'd started doing work at the prestigious hero high school known as U.A, as a means of publicly covering for his limited workload as a hero. However, he'd ended up resigning after three years, and instead he simply took excursions away for some unknown reason. Anybody who knew All Might knew that there was some meaning and purpose behind these moves, but it was hard to imagine what could be so important and require such secrecy.
Regardless, no explanation would change the situation. All Might was unavailable right now, so they'd have to make do with what heroes they did have on hand. There were certain people who knew how to contact All Might in the event of an emergency, and those people were making the necessary arrangements, but it would still be irresponsible to assume they'd have him ready in their corner. They had to assume the worst-case scenario, and proceed as if All Might was a non-factor.
They were fortunate that Viasmos had, of his own accord, chosen a secluded area. They were already working on evacuation procedures that had been prepared months in advance. If the ensuing battle did enter the city, it was hard to imagine there wouldn't be casualties. Thus, people were already being led away, in an operation as silent as possible. In the meantime, The Lurkers were on scene to keep an eye on Viasmos's movements, and try to gather any information they could.
“Yeah, definitely a heroine. The villain chicks can come later. I just need to decide who will make the best toy.”
Not that there was all that much to report on.
“He's just...” Edgeshot whispered into his earpiece, “...mumbling casually about which woman he's going to attack next.”
“So he really is as debauched as Creati and Nemuri described him. Ugh, creep,” Mt. Lady sneered to herself, standing beside Kamui in a disguised surveillance van. “He really doesn't have anything more on his mind than assaulting poor women!”
Mt. Lady, whose real name was Yu Takeyama, was especially bothered by this Viasmos figure. She'd had a special relationship with Midnight. Chiefly, they were rivals. They were both prominent female heroes who applied a little sex appeal to their public personas, and so it was only natural that they'd compete for attention. But underneath all of that, there was an unspoken friendship. They respected and valued each other. During the months when it was believed Midnight was dead, Mt. Lady had probably taken it harder than most within the hero community.
She'd love to give Viasmos a piece of her mind, but it was doubtful that he would be left feeling particularly remorseful. He continued flipping through pages and assessing his options. “Ooh, this chick's pretty cute! Let's see... quirk... gigantification? I feel like I could have some fun with that...”
“What!?” Yu shouted.
“Uh... I think he's looking at your entry,” whispered a flustered Edgeshot.
Kamui placed a hand on Yu's shoulder. “Everyone would understand if you'd rather sit out this fight... if it comes to that.”
The plan was not to instigate hostilities with Viasmos right away. As much as they would like to capture him and force him to return the two women he stole, they knew from the information Creati had left behind that they could not be hasty. The hope was to at least buy time for All Might to return before making any moves. That being the case, there were certain heroes who did not need to necessarily participate in this battle. They could work on evacuation, perimeter, or other logistical venues. Not everyone was suited to combat, and when it came to women, they had to be especially cautious about whether or not they'd be pitted against Viasmos.
But naturally, Yu rejected this notion. “Not a chance.” Mt. Lady was vain, one might even say superficial, but she was most certainly a hero. She would not cower in the face of this monster. Besides, her quirk was suited towards combat, so it'd simply be poor management to have her on any other duty.
“Decisions, decisions...” Viasmos muttered to himself. “So many beautiful women, I just don't know who to choose. Hmm, well... I guess I could always... I mean I don't usually like to kill a bunch of weaklings, but-”
The Lurkers all shot to alertness from that statement. Who was he talking about killing? If he made the first move, they would have to engage him immediately. Surveillance and patience were only viable for as long as his threat remained passive. Edgeshot's eyes widened as he saw Viasmos stand up and channel some kind of scarlet-black energy into his palm.
As Viasmos had just alluded to, he didn't usually bother killing civilians. It wasn't so much out of respect for life as it was for such massacres being beneath him. His power was meant to be used against the strong, not the powerless. There was nothing to be gained from effortless murder, as far as he was concerned.
But at the same time, they were hardly a concern when it came to collateral damage. That's why he was unbothered when he killed millions back in Superman's world in the middle of a battle with scores of that world's heroes and villains. This wasn't quite the same. He was about to specifically target civilians, which did admittedly leave a sour taste in his mouth. But in this instance, there was something to be gained.
After all, he was still blueballed from that last world he's visited. The whole point of coming here was so that he could get his fix and enjoy a good battle. So long as he wasn't sure who to select for his next target, it seemed to him that he should just stir some chaos and wait for a viable target to come to him. If that meant murdering a bunch of worthless weaklings, then so be it.
“All right then, it's decided,” he sneered. “We're gonna call it first come, first serve!”
Viasmos extended his arm behind him, much like a pitcher in baseball, aiming the mass of death in his hand for the side of the park nearest to the city. As he lurched his arm forward, he was stunned as his movement got interfered with. His arm stopped short, and the scarlet-black sphere overshot the skyline and exploded in spectacular fashion above them.
Edgeshot was to thank for this maneuver. Evacuation had not been completed yet, so they could not risk him launching an attack. Edgeshot had quickly wrapped himself around Viasmos's arm and pulled to keep his arm from extending normally. Witnessing the enormous flash of red lightning spreading across the sky, he was all the more aware that he'd been correct to take immediate action. That likely would have destroyed a massive portion of the city.
The downside, of course, was that he'd exposed himself in the process. Viasmos was certainly surprised to realize a hero had snuck up on him so quickly. How had that happened? He was pretty sure this hero hadn't raced in from afar, so why was he hiding so close to someone who should be perceived as just a random civilian? Was he already aware of who he was? Had he made a mistake somewhere in one of his previous excursions?
Yaoyorozu...
She'd been a crafty one, there was no doubt about that. The most likely scenario, as far as Viasmos could presently conceive, was that Momo had somehow left something behind to warn the other heroes. It was less likely to be Midnight, for whom that M.O didn't particularly fit, and also on account of Viasmos never taking his eyes off of her. He gave Momo a whole week to coordinate her plan in peace, so it was definitely realistic that she might have tried something like that.
Regardless of whether or not that was true, he had to deal with the hero in front of him. In truth, he wasn't mad at all if his assumptions regarding Momo were accurate. He came here for some fun, and he was about to get it. It actually worked out quite wonderfully if the heroes of this world were already prepared for him.
He reached out to grab the stringy body of Edgeshot, who quickly unraveled himself and jumped back, now reverted to his normal proportions. Viasmos recognized him, and recalled he was among the top-ranked heroes in the world. That excited him, but he very much hoped he'd have more than just him to contend with.
Edgeshot debated whether or not he should stay on the offensive, or try to buy time and keep him talking. From what they knew of Viasmos, he seemed to like the sound of his own voice, so it was probably doable. However, Viasmos made the decision for him. He was starved for a good battle, and didn't particularly care to wait around at this moment. He charged towards Edgeshot, who once again folded himself into a thin string. He curled around Viasmos's arm and shot up into his armpit, piercing his shoulder.
He would normally have pierced Viasmos's arm earlier when he stopped him from launching that attack, but he wasn't sure he could at the time. The information Momo left behind seemed to indicate that he had incredibly durable skin. Now that he was on the attack, he needed to find out if he could or not, and so he aimed for the armpit, where the skin was a bitter thinner and more vulnerable. Much to his delight, he was able to pierce through his body. Viasmos was, himself, quite impressed.
Edgeshot swiftly swerved around after passing through Viasmos's shoulder, aiming for the back of his neck. If he could cut off blood flow and force him into unconsciousness immediately after engagement, it would be the best-case scenario.
However, upon hitting his target, he ricocheted off. Pain throbbed throughout his body. It felt like ramming into a steel wall. He didn't understand why he couldn't pierce him this time, though the answer was rather simple. He was able to pierce Viasmos when he wasn't doing anything particularly special, but Viasmos could use magic to further enhance his body's defense, if he really wanted to. Frankly, it didn't even come down to that. All Viasmos had to do was clench his muscles to achieve the same effect. By simply concentrating at the point Edgeshot was aiming at, he became too difficult to penetrate.
Edgeshot regained his footing, although his actual feet were not present at the moment. He was a disembodied string, the only sign of humanity coming when he reformed his head. Viasmos personally found it questionable to leave one body part out in the open, and make it the head, but he couldn't be too presumptive. There were any number of possibilities for why he might need to do that. Maybe he needed to breathe between periods, like a whale; or perhaps he had no senses when he was all string, and he was revising his sense of space within the environment. Whatever the reason, he'd given him a pretty obvious target. Viasmos's shoulder was already healed, and he had no trouble moving it whatsoever. He leapt towards Edgeshot to punch him in the face.
But once again, his attack was interrupted. This time, it was Kamui Woods who came to the rescue. Viasmos's arm had become bound by wooden branches of some kind, pulling him back and giving Edgeshot a chance to back up.
This was Kamui's quirk: Arbor. It allowed him to manipulate the wooden parts of his body, and which made binding a specialty of his. Heroes didn't kill, but even if they did, it probably wasn't possible against an opponent like this. The best they could hope to do was leave him unable to fight back, and so Kamui considered his power essential for defeating Viasmos.
“Lacquered Chain Prison!”
The branches around Viasmos's arm begin to extend around the rest of his body, but Kamui wasn't done. With his other armor, he whipped out more of his wooden extensions, and coiled it around the Tharsian's body. He didn't want to leave anything to chance, wrapping him as tightly and completely as possible. By the end of it, Viasmos was encased in a wooden cocoon.
There was not a light to be seen, so thorough were Kamui's restraints. But if one could peer into the darkness here, they'd see Viasmos smirking. He wasn't the least bit concerned about his situation. In truth, although this wood did feel much stronger than regular wood, he felt he could break out of this with brute strength. But there was a much more obvious way of dealing with this.
Kamui and Edgeshot were both thrown back by the force of the explosion in the center of Kamui's makeshift jail. Kamui, however, took the worst of it. Part of that was because the wood was a part of Kamui's body, so he felt pain when they were damaged. But the other detail was how they were damaged. Not all heroes had what one would call a “weakness”, but in Kamui's case, his was rather transparent: Fire.
It was a risk they'd been aware of. They knew Viasmos had a number of magics at his disposal, but it wasn't clear exactly what the limits to those abilities were. Worse was the fact that with Momo, he made it a point of restricting himself to his physical abilities, so they had no way of even tepidly gauging his magical potential. The fact that he could use fire magic made Kamui's presence virtually worthless.
Flames crept at his limbs as he was thrown back by the considerable force Viasmos had generated. Before he could straighten himself, Viasmos was already in front of him. Kamui's shock prevented him from reacting in time before Viasmos bent down and lifted him up by the neck. Viasmos then had fire surge through Kamui's body, the timbered hero screaming in agony.
“Yeah... that's the problem with you folks, isn't it?” Viasmos casually muttered. He was happy for the fight, but in truth, his expectations for this world weren't as high as they could be. The problem with this world was that everyone was limited to only one power. A strong hero would find multiple ways of using that power, so one quirk could still have multiple functions. But at the end of the day, it was still only one core power, and that bored him. Kamui was the perfect illustration of that. All Viasmos had to do was use flames, and he was powerless against him.
Viasmos launched Kamui behind him, much as though one might chuck some junk they picked up off the ground that lost their interest. Edgeshot tried to go up and wrap himself around Kamui, so he could safely descend to the ground, but he was too far away. Thankfully, another hero had just arrived on scene to help with that.
Best Jeanist. His quirk was Fiber Master, which enabled him to manipulate threads, such as the denim that coated nearly his entire body, save only for the eyes and above. He was able to use his fibers to rescue Kamui in the same manner Edgeshot had envisioned for himself.
Viasmos took a look at him. Best Jeanist was supposed to be pretty good. The No.4 hero, as he recalled. But was he really that good? It was hard to conceive that a hero whose power lay in fabric would present any meaningful challenge for him. As he contemplated this, he noticed a thick shadow suddenly encompassing the area around him. He turned around and looked up, seeing a purple boot dropping on him.
“Take this, you bastard!”
Mt. Lady's foot slammed against the ground, but she could feel something wasn't quite right. A pressure in the center of her sole that felt like it hadn't connected. She shifted her upper body so she could peer beneath her, and saw Viasmos with his arm up, lifting her weight even as the ground beneath him crumbled.
“Hehe... looks like you're it, Mt. Lady!”
The first heroine to challenge him, that's what he'd been waiting for. He finally had a target, and felt like he could put his heart into this. He pushed upward with enough force that Yu very nearly got knocked off-balance. He flew towards her to strike before feeling his limbs being bound by the threads of Best Jeanist.
“Ha! You're dreaming if you think these flimsy threads can hold me!”
“Indeed,” Best Jeanist calmly replied. “I only needed to slow you down.”
“Hmm?”
As Viasmos jerked and snapped the fabric restraining him, something else began to wrap around him. Something harder, thicker. These were carbon fiber cables. It seemed his power worked for more than just clothing.
“I was a bit late to the battle getting these ready, but I'd say it was worth it,” said Best Jeanist, lightly gesturing his head in the direction of several spools of the heavy cable. The fact that this equipment was so swiftly transported to the battlefield seemed to confirm Viasmos's suspicions that they were somehow prepared for his presence.
Edgeshot also joined in, wrapping himself further Viasmos, doing what he could to make sure he couldn't move. The Lurkers weren't done. “I've got you now!” Yu grabbed Viasmos with both hands, squeezing with all her might. Not to kill him, of course, just to take every necessary measure against his incredible strength. Even Kamui, weakened as he was, did his part. He reinforced Yu's hands with his branches, helping her stay firm in her grip.
Viasmos had to admit, he was pretty impressed. This was pretty difficult to break out of, even for him. If he fought with enough force to escape, it would have to be with enough that he'd risk maiming Mt. Lady, or even killing her. That wasn't an option. “Not bad at all,” he praised. “I gotta say, what you heroes lack in raw power, you make up for in skill and heart. You definitely make the most out of what you've got, at least.” He'd found a number of heroes in that other world who were too comfortable leaning into their natural power, and he'd long felt it inhibited them from being the best versions of themselves. He could appreciate that he would only get the very best from this lot, even if their potential was a relatively limited.
Best Jeanist extended denim threads from his outfit beneath him, lifting himself into the air and using them to walk along the ground like giant spider legs. He stopped in front of Viasmos, whose face was the only thing exposed. “Let's cut the small-talk. We know who you are, Viasmos, and we know you kidnapped two of our heroes. Return them, and don't come back. We'll release you only under those conditions.”
Viasmos laughed, completely unbothered at his predicament. “Hahahahaha! You've gotta be kidding! You think I'd give up any of my slaves? You'll have to come over and rescue them yourselves.”
“If that's how you feel, then you'll remain bound. Get yourself comfortable.”
“Oh, is that how you see it? I think we have very different ideas about the power dynamics at play here.” Best Jeanist arched an eyebrow, and Viasmos elaborated. “One of your conditions was that I don't come back. Seems like kind of a weak punishment for someone like me, no? The reason you're sending me away and not trying to imprison me is because you already know you can't.”
Credit to Best Jeanist, he had a good poker face. However, Viasmos was correct in his deduction. They did have devices that restrained villains and kept them from using their quirks, but Viasmos was not of this world. It was highly unlikely that such a device would work on him. Ergo, it was impractical to try and throw him in jail. And if they couldn't do that, the other option...
“And as for killing me, you probably can't do that either. But even if you could... you wouldn't, right? Hahaha, I don't get what it is with you Earth humans and your puritanical stances on killing. It really ain't that big a deal, you know?”
This time, Best Jeanist couldn't help but show some expression on his face, narrowing his eyes with contempt. He knew this man was a detestable human being, but to hear him talk about murder as though it were meaningless cut deeply against his ideals.
“Then we will simply keep you like this until you agree to exile. Even you must require food and water, I'm sure.”
“I'll die of boredom long before I succumb to either of those, buddy. But in any case, it's not gonna come down to that.” Viasmos smirked, his eyes projecting an unshaken confidence which unnerved Best Jeanist. “I'll give you credit. I don't mind telling you that total body restraint is a pretty good first step against us. In my world, the way we move our bodies is part of how we channel our magic, so we're pretty limited in what we can do like this. But still... limited doesn't mean blocked.”
Suddenly, a pair of thin, red lasers shot from his eyes. He wasn't aiming for Best Jeanist, but rather, the two spools of cable behind him. The lasers melted through the carbon fiber in seconds. This alone weakened the hold on him, but also critical was the snap of those cables that had suddenly lost all their tension. They struck Kamui's branches with enough force to sever them, and then whipped against Mt. Lady's enormous hands.
“Ow!”
In spite of her focus, her grip loosened, and Viasmos chose that instant to increase the pressure. He flexed outwards and easily broke out of the compromised restraints, generating so much air pressure with just this act that it threw Yu on her ass and launched Best Jeanist backwards. Edgeshot was also thrown off, but Viasmos grabbed him before he could fly too far, and slammed the stringy body against the ground like a mallet.
At this point, Edgeshot and Kamui were completely out of commission. Best Jeanist was still able to fight, but he did not feel overly assured of himself. His stoic demeanor had been rumbled by the incredible force this opponent displayed. Even prepared for his presence, it felt like they were simply no match for him.
As for Mt. Lady, she also knew they were in a bad spot, but that did nothing to quench her fire. She'd gotten back up on her feet and slammed a knee into Viasmos. It was a solid hit, but only served to knock him through the air a little. The woman's strength was increased due to her size, which looked to be about 20 meters tall, but she didn't have super strength beyond that. It was nothing that would give him any real trouble. Not in a vacuum, anyway. He still had other heroes to contend with. Best Jeanist wrapped his threads around him and spun him off in another direction.
“Ha! What's the plan? Make me pass out from dizziness?”
But then another voice came from behind him.
“Flashfire Fist!”
Viasmos turned around, and now understood what Best Jeanist was throwing him towards. Viasmos took a flame-infused punch to the face. The intense flames were respectable to Viasmos, but he was surprised just how much muscle was put into that attack. This hero didn't have super strength as part of his quirk, but he was most certainly at the upper limits of what such a human could achieve.
This was the world's No.2 hero, Endeavor. He seemed an intense sort, based on what Viasmos had seen of him. He was never quite at the level of All Might, but it wasn't for lack of trying. His obsession with building power seemed obsessive – which Viasmos could certainly appreciate. Endeavor's quirk was Hellflame, the ability to manifest and manipulate fire. Although obviously an intuitively-offensive type of quirk, Endeavor was a great illustration of how the best of heroes could find resourceful ways of utilizing their powers. Right now, for instance, he was flying in the air by using his flames to propel himself.
As Viasmos was thrown back from Endeavor, he took another timely hit, this time a kick from Mt. Lady. Shot back towards Endeavor, the Flame Hero unleashed his most powerful attack.
“Prominence Burn!”
A highly-concentrated beam of fire ejected from his chest, engulfing Viasmos in its inferno. As the flames dissipated, however, Endeavor saw Viasmos still flying towards him, as if unfazed by his ultimate move. He took a kick in the chest and was thrown back towards the city. Before Viasmos could go after him, he felt a large grip encompass his body.
“Oh no you don't!” screamed Mt. Lady, grabbing Viasmos and slamming her fist into the ground. She really didn't want Viasmos going into the city. They wanted to keep him in the park as much as possible, to limit collateral damage. Even though the evacuation was likely complete at this point, that didn't mean they could be careless with the infrastructure. Mt. Lady was particularly keen on such details, since her quirk made it difficult to move around in dense, urban environments.
But Viasmos merely chuckled. “C'mon, you can't be serious. You don't really think you can hold me, do you?” He flexed out his arms and popped her grip open, then flew forward and struck her in the gut. Yu wheezed as the wind was knocked out of her, and she fell on her back. “I do hate to be so rough with a woman, particularly for the prey I scout, but I needed you to feel the difference in our power. You know I'm holding back, right? I could've just ripped a hole through you if I wanted. Don't go thinking you have a chance.”
Viasmos once again felt the denim fibers of Best Jeanist twist around his body. “Geez, this again? Don't waste my time if you don't have any other tricks worth my attention.” He shredded through the threads and shot a blast of his scarlet-black aura at Best Jeanist, causing his body to convulse before collapsing. Best Jeanist found himself horrified at their opponent. It genuinely seemed that he didn't even view this as a battle for his life. Like they were merely toys with which he could pass the time.
Yu tried to get up, and Viasmos had to credit her for her perseverance, if nothing else. Not that any amount of willpower or determination would make a difference. He grabbed her by the foot and lifted her into the air. She struggled and screamed as she tried to free herself, but she couldn't quite reach Viasmos held upside-down like this. He tossed her towards the city, the exact scenario she wanted to avoid, and she fell into several substantial office buildings, causing them to collapse with the weight of her gigantified form.
“I guess this fight is dying down. I thought there'd be more heroes? Well, even if they knew I was coming, I guess it's hard if they don't know when or where to expect me. Well, it was a moderately enjoyable fight, but I guess it's about time I get started on-”
He felt two strong arms bind him from behind – probably not a dissimilar feeling from what he inflicted upon his women. The intense heat made it obvious that Endeavor was the one responsible.
“Oh right, I forgot about you. Hey, kudos, your flames ain't bad. But you know, I know a guy who can make 'em even hotter.”
“Quiet! You'll pay for your crimes here and now!” Endeavor shouted.
“Is that so? Well, if you have something to excite me with, by all means, let me see it.”
Endeavor wasn't sure if he was grateful that this man seemed willing to let his attack play out, or enraged that he was being treated so lightly. Nothing pissed him off quite like feeling inferior... a rather persistent feeling in his life, thanks to the No.1 hero's presence. He genuinely did despise Viasmos for his villainous actions, and the hero in him wanted to defeat him for that alone. But there was something else driving Endeavor as well... the potential to take down a foe who possibly even All Might would struggle with. It was an opportunity to, at least vicariously, surpass All Might for a brief moment in time.
He flew higher into the air. It was necessary, lest he destroy the city under the immense power he was about to unleash. This was a move he'd conceived of fairly recently, a different form of his prominence burn. He wasn't really sure what to call it, though? Perhaps he could take from his alma mater, and go with “Plus Ultra Prominence Burn”? No, that was stupid, and he'd always hated that motto. He'd have to come up with something different. As they reached the necessary heights in the atmosphere, Endeavor shouted his favorite of a few options he'd come up with.
“Solar Prominence Burn!”
A massive sphere of fire encompassed both his and Viasmos's bodies. The radius was considerable, so impressive that even on the ground, it was as if another sun was visible in the sky. Endeavor was putting out the hottest and most intense flames he was capable of. He was putting his all into this one attack, in the hopes that it would be enough to incapacitate Viasmos.
Viasmos had to admit, it was an impressive attack. He actually found himself grunting and gritting his teeth. This was painful. He was beginning to doubt that any of these heroes were actually capable of inflicting any meaningful pain on him, but Endeavor had managed proof of concept with this move. Even in the core of this awe-inspiring attack, Viasmos couldn't help but crack a smile, thrilled to know that this world's heroes could, in fact, rise to the occasion against him.
I guess they're not completely hopeless, after all!
Still, it was merely a whisper of promise, nothing that could actually contend with a Tharsian of his caliber. It was an impressive effort, but if this was the best Endeavor had to offer, then it still fell short of Filotim's flames. As a matter of exercise, Viasmos had taken Filotim's strongest flame attack before, and survived. So even with all the power and purpose driving this incredible display, once the flames died down, Viasmos was left with some scorch marks and lingering aches. But all things considered, he was fine.
In fact, it was Endeavor who seemed to have lost more out of that attack than Viasmos. He immediately fell to the surface, no longer able to keep himself afloat with his flames. This was the weakness of Endeavor's quirk: the longer and more intensely he used his flames, the more it overheated his body. He couldn't keep up such hot flames forever. He'd need to cool off for a considerable amount of time before his flames returned to him. Viasmos clicked his tongue and sneered before muttering, “I see... how disappointing.”
He flew down towards Endeavor and planted his foot in his stomach, driving him down to the surface. They landed somewhere in the city, with Endeavor impacting the road with such force that he was knocked out on the spot. Viasmos slid his foot up to his chest, taking a victorious pose. “Are there any stronger heroes around?” he shouted out to nobody in particular, as if begging for someone to go beyond his expectations.
He floated into the air and searched around for where his Mt. Lady was. As he scanned the city landscape, he turned just in time to see a chunk of concrete flying at him. He threw up his fist and broke it apart with a punch. Behind that concrete was Mt. Lady, holding what appeared to be several pieces of rubble. She'd destroyed a lot of the city when she was thrown in here, which she certainly wasn't happy about. But once the vase was broken, she figured she may as well play ball.
“You bastard!” she shouted over to him. “Why can't you leave us alone?”
“Because I don't want to,” he answered matter-of-factly. It was a strange question to him, so he didn't view his answer as particularly unreasonable. He came to this dimension with a purpose, so what would compel him to ignore that? To him, the more appropriate question was, “Why should he leave them alone?”
Viasmos flew closer to Mt. Lady, though still a good distance away, and looked around. He was pretty sure there were no heroes in the immediate vicinity around them. This was as good a time as any. He erected a barrier spanning several city blocks. This way, there'd be no interruptions. His timing was impeccable, as Edgeshot and Kamui – apparently recovered, perhaps with the aid of someone's quirk – had just arrived and found themselves unable to pass through.
“Mt. Lady!” Edgeshot cried out.
“So sorry, you won't be interrupting us,” Viasmos exclaimed with amusement. “You've given me all you have to offer, as best as I can tell. You made for a nice appetizer, but now it's just me and my entrée!”
“Oh god... Yu...” Kamui whispered, catching onto his meaning.
Just then, Edgeshot received a message over his communications device. “Yes, come in!”
“Yo, there you are. I tried to get in touch with the No.2, but nobody answered.”
“Endeavor appears to be out of commission for the time being.”
“Yeesh! Well, I knew it already, but this guy really is no joke.”
“Hawks, he's got his sights set on Mt. Lady. The situation is dire. Please tell me you have good news for us?”
“...I sure hope so. I'm flying as fast as I can, bringing along a package.”
“A package?”
“A big package. Well, it's a small package now, but it'll be big by the time we get there, if you catch my drift.”
Edgeshot's eyes popped open for a second, as he figured out what Hawks was referring to. He was probably being cautious about revealing sensitive information, in case their comms were being intercepted somehow. “Please, if you're going as fast as you can, then go even faster. There's not a second to be spared.”
“We're still far away, but I promise, we'll get there. Before it's too late.”
As they concluded their communication, Viasmos continued hovering in the air. So far, he had yet to make any moves. This was of some relief to Yu, but baffling, as well. “What's the matter? If you're done here, you may as well leave.”
“No, nothing like that. Just... ugh, I really hate to use this technique.”
She arched an eyebrow, trying to figure out what Viasmos was referring to. He seemed positively dejected.
“It's just beneath me, is all,” Viasmos continued. “I find this kind of magic crude and unskilled. The kind of things weaklings do to artificially inflate their sense of power.”
“Well then, just don't do it,” she suggested.
“No, no, I'm gonna. It's clearly the most fun way forward.” He stuck out his tongue like he was gagging. “I just have to choke out this sour taste in my mouth is all...”
Just what was it he was talking about? Why would a magic be so tasteless, yet be so “fun”, as he put it? Well, it didn't bother her all that much. She was stuck here with him inside this barrier, which even the determined Mt. Lady knew to be a hopeless situation for her. She didn't mind having him waste a little time arbitrarily.
But this only bought so many seconds. Eventually, Viasmos fought through his disgust and activated his magic. Viasmos's body was covered in some type of yellow energy, which seemed to starkly contrast with the dark, violent aura he'd displayed before. The yellow energy began to expand, and then, so did Viasmos. Viasmos grew bigger and bigger until he'd enlarged himself by about the same proportions as Mt. Lady had, putting him just a touch above 24 and a half meters.
“W-wait a minute!” Yu shouted. “That crude magic for weaklings, were you talking about my quirk!? What the hell, man!?”
Viasmos shrugged his shoulders. “Eh, don't take it personally. I get you people can't help what powers you have. It's not like my world, where all this stuff can be learned. But yeah, I've never had a very high opinion of enlargement magic. I learned it because I try to learn as many forms of magic as possible, but still... do me a favor, yeah? When I take you back to Tharsis as my slave, don't tell anyone I did this, 'kay? It'd be real embarrassing.”
“Y-you must be kidding!” she yelled, aghast at his audacious request. As if she'd simply accept enslavement under him... not to mention the way he ridiculed her quirk! She knew her chances were low, but she had no intention of joining Midnight and Creati. “I'm not going to let you take me back at all!”
“I wasn't really asking for your permission, but sure, let's have at it. I prefer it that way, after all.”
Yu took the rubble in her hands and threw it at Viasmos. Alas, this tactic of hers wasn't quite as effective now as it was back then. At Viasmos's current size, these pieces of debris were just a shade above pebbles. They broke apart anticlimactically against his already-durable skin. He walked forward, his booming, ominous footsteps driving fear into Yu's heart. He was coming for her. Should she run? No, she had nowhere to go. The barrier wasn't just keeping others out, it was keeping the two of them in.
She had no choice then, she'd have to stand her ground. She charged forward and tried to punch him, but before she knew it, she was on the ground. Viasmos had ducked her punch, kicked her leg out from behind, and pushed forward on her neck. It was a movement so fast that she could tell he'd had considerable training in martial arts. Viasmos wasn't quite ready to end this so quickly, so he released her neck and allowed her to roll backwards and reset herself.
This was a problem. Mt. Lady wasn't incompetent as a fighter, but she wasn't as technically adept as a lot of others. Her quirk didn't really require that kind of skill, so she'd devoted her efforts towards other avenues. The thing is though, even if there wasn't such disparity in that particular field, she was still at an overwhelming disadvantage. Even assuming Viasmos didn't bother using magic, and even assuming he didn't use more strength than what their people were capable of, where could she get an edge against him? If he could enlarge himself to the same proportions she could, then what was she relative to him, other than just another woman? Smaller, softer, weaker... What was she supposed to do that he couldn't exceed, just by virtue of his being born a man?
But that was no reason to give up. She wasn't going to let him have her without a fight. She grabbed some more rubble from a collapsed building and threw it at him, but this time she wasn't so aimless. She threw the debris towards his eyes. Once they pulverized, the effect was like sand, stifling his vision. She used the momentary lapse in his senses to charge forward with a headbutt. It was the only thing she could think of. She couldn't overpower him, outrace him, or even outthink him, but she maybe had one thing she could do. With these purple horns on her head as part of her costume, she could try goring him like a bull.
His skin really was tough to break through. She was amazed Edgeshot had managed, as her horns could only barely piece his epidermis. She was able to push him back somewhat, but he stayed grounded. He lifted her up by her abdomen, spun her around, and threw her into another cluster of buildings.
Well, it had been worth a shot...
She wasn't stupid, there just wasn't much she had available to her. Viasmos was already an insanely difficult opponent, as was demonstrated by his taking on several of the world's top heroes simultaneously. Even Endeavor could only mildly wound him. In Mt. Lady's situation, she simply didn't have much to work with. Her primary strength as a hero was strength. Fighting someone bigger and stronger than her made her quirk little more than an aesthetic choice. There were no clever, resourceful ideas that could realistically give her a chance against him.
She'd rejected the idea of escaping earlier, but she changed her mind. She couldn't escape in any lateral direction, but perhaps she could escape by moving upwards? It was possible that his barrier had a height limit, and she could climb up a tall building and leap out. This was probably not the case, she realized. She could see other heroes probing this barrier, trying to find a weakness. It was all but certain that those who could fly had already checked for that possibility. But still, it wasn't like she had any better ideas. Even if it only bought a little bit of time, it was worth it.
In truth, Viasmos was partially testing to see if any heroes had a way past this. He'd originally rejected the idea of assaulting Midnight in public, because he wasn't sure a barrier would be effective. The heroes here may not have had the same overall power as those from the other hero world, but their powers were more diverse. If anyone had a quirk that enabled them to phase through matter, for instance, they might be able to pass through his barrier and interfere with his fun. There were any number of hypotheticals he had to account for. But at this point, he didn't particularly care. He was ready to make himself known to this world, and if certain heroes did have such powers, then it was better sooner than later that he should find out. At this juncture, he could only determine that if there were any heroes with such powers, they were not present at this time.
Mt. Lady picked out her target. By a stroke of luck, the country's tallest building was present within the barrier Viasmos had constructed. The SkySugi was a massive tower that had become a popular tourist destination, though obviously it was quite empty at this point. She wanted to be careful about causing too much damage to such a cultural landmark, but she needed to prioritize numero uno. She began climbing up the side, putting all her chips into this last-ditch effort to escape.
“So... whatchya doin'?”
She was startled as she heard Viasmos's voice right behind her. Oh right... he can fly. She thought. He was just hovering up along with her, crossing his arms and looking nonplussed.
“I... I'm going to escape this way!”
“Hmm? How do you figure? You know my barrier's dome-shaped, yeah?”
Well... blows that theory.
“I don't care! And I don't trust you! I'm still going to try it.”
“Well, have at it, I guess,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “But it's kind of a time-waster, so let me inform you that once this fails, I'm gonna rape you. Sound good?”
Yu scoffed and turned away from him, refocusing on her climb. “You are a despicable man, you know that?”
“So I've been told. But hey, don't worry, I'll be here to catch you in case you fall. I've got your back.” As he finished his sentence, he gave her butt a smack. “Well, your backside, at least!” His hand sent a shiver through her body so fierce that she very nearly lost her grip.
“Aaah! Don't touch me!” she demanded, swatting behind her with her hand. As she did so, she couldn't help but notice how high she was. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all? She wasn't used to dealing with heights, what with being a giant and all. But at this height... would she be able to survive? She wasn't all that sure. But then again, she couldn't exactly climb back down with her tail between her legs... not when Viasmos had just promised to violate her. She had no choice but to see this through.
She kept climbing until she reached the spire at the top. The cylindrical rod housed a number of antennas for broadcasting purposes. Yu imagined there were a number of people watching television right now. There were a handful of newscopters in the vicinity. They'd kept a healthy distance earlier, given the wide range of the battlefield, but they'd surely draw in closer once they realized there was a barrier protecting them.
Yu looked down, and again, questioned her decision. This was over 600 meters in the air. Even for a 20 meter woman, that was a long way down. She tightly gripped the spire like her life depended on it... which it very well might.
“Hey, c'mon, let's get a move on!”
“Ch-chill! This is high up, okay?”
“Yeah, well, it's a waste of time anyway. I'll just help you down.”
“Shut up! Just let me calm my nerves.”
Viasmos sighed. “Alright, fuck this.” He chopped sideways at the base of the spire, causing it to collapse towards him. Yu shrieked as she began to fall with it, but Viasmos grabbed the spire before it fell, with Yu still very much attached. “Better hold on,” he teased, reaching his hand up and grabbing her ankle. She initially thought he was about to do something pervy, but she suddenly felt a strange sensation there. She wasn't sure how to describe it, but something had definitely just happened.
“What did you just do to me?” she screamed at him.
“Just getting a little feel of my new woman.”
“No!” she yelled, not taking the bait. “I know you did something to me just now! What was it?”
Viasmos smiled, impressed at her awareness. “Hehe... let's just call it 'assurances'.”
Yu had no idea what he was talking about, but she gathered she wouldn't get a clearer answer from him. The fact was that she'd successfully wasted a few extra minutes of time, and although Viasmos had more or less allowed that, he was still very much concerned about the possibility of his barrier being bypassed. He was sure that more heroes were on their way from all over, so the longer they spent here, the more likely it was that someone would eventually be able to do just that. He certainly wasn't worried about fending them off, but he didn't want to be interrupted. It was time to stop fucking around, and time to start fucking.
Once they were close enough to the ground, Yu leapt off and made a run for it. Not that there was anywhere to run to, but what more could she try? Viasmos gently set the spire down – very considerate of him, by his standards – and quickly caught up to Yu. He grabbed her arm, twisted her around, and pinned her over a building.
“And now,” he said with a twisted smirk. “It's time for dessert!”
No... damn it...
She had to admit, there was nothing more for her to do. She was at his mercy. She could see her comrades, Edgeshot and Kamui, desperately searching for a way through. Edgeshot was trying to pierce various points along the invisible wall, and Kamui was trying to feel around for weaknesses with his branches. But she knew that was probably hopeless. It was unrealistic that Viasmos had left such a flaw behind. She'd been defeated easily, which meant she'd be raped.
I guess it makes no difference... I may as well undo my quirk.
Not that she planned to stop resisting, but she at least wanted to be out of the way for the newscopters to see. There was nothing she could achieve at this height that she couldn't attempt if they were both at their normal sizes. If an opportunity arose, she could always transform back. But something was wrong... she wasn't getting any smaller. She started to squirm, as if to shake her quirk into action – though obviously, quirks didn't work like remote controls.
“What the hell?”
“Oh, are you trying to shrink?” Viasmos cut in. “Sorry, that's me. I don't know how the 'quirks' of your world work exactly, but I can still use my magic to lock in you size.”
“W-what are you talking about!? Why would you even do that? D-don't tell me... you don't seriously mean to-”
She hardly needed to ask. It was clear what he meant. This was the “fun” he'd referred to. This was why he went through the trouble of using enlargement magic on himself. He planned to rape her in her giant form.
Yu wasn't a fan of rape, needless to say, but it was nothing she couldn't handle at this point in her career. Sexual assault was a common occupational hazard for female heroes, and Yu was no exception. In a hostage situation, or an inside environment where her transforming would mean endangering civilians, she was vulnerable. She'd been raped twice to this point, and she'd always been aware that more instances were likely to happen at some point or another. Viasmos was different, of course, because he kept his victims around as his sex slaves. Being raped by him meant a whole extra dimension of danger. But even so, she'd been prepared for the worst. If she had to join Nemuri, she'd accept that, as long as she did her best as a hero and had no regrets.
This, however, was a twist she hadn't anticipated. She'd never been assaulted – nor even imagined such a scenario – in her gigantified state. News cameras, her fellow heroes, even distant evacuees if they had a decent zoom on their cameras... they'd all be able to see! Her most disgraceful moment as a hero – quite possibly her last moment as a hero – would be on public display! She'd steeled her resolve for many things before entering this fight, but not this!
“Oh, come on!” she cried out. “Is that really necessary!? Just let me shrink, you can fuck me all you want like that!”
“Nah, sorry bitch. I want to try it this way.”
The thing was that this was a new experience for Viasmos too, albeit on the other side of the dynamic. He was as experienced a rapist as there was. Long rapes, quick rapes, violent rapes, gentle rapes, individual rapes, gang rapes, indoor rapes, outdoor rapes... One could compose a whole Dr. Seuss book and perhaps a sequel to describe the many different ways that Viasmos had enjoyed rape. But one thing he hadn't done yet was rape a giant. This was a whole new opportunity on the table, and he wasn't about to pass up the chance.
Viasmos pressed his hips up against her skin-tight suit, shoving her harder against the building she was bent over. She couldn't kick at him like this, and she had one arm pinned behind her back, so she tried to swat at him with her lone free limb. But naturally, this was nowhere near being able to inconvenience Viasmos. He craned over her with a smirk and whispered into her ear.
“Aww, look at your friends, trying so hard to come help you. Too bad there's nothing they can do.”
Yu was silent for a moment before murmuring, “You're repugnant...”
“Thank you,” he said, treating it like a compliment and licking up the side of her face. “I'll make you much more disgusted by me soon enough.”
She felt a chill run up her spine, both from his remorseless words and the contact of his slimy tongue against her skin. Thanks to Creati's data, they all knew what kind of man this was. Shameless, vulgar, cocky... but for all the build-up to this moment that had taken place since then, it was something else having to endure it in person. She felt even more terribly for the two heroines, who'd had to endure this for months. Of course, if her fellow heroes didn't find a way to help out soon, then she'd be joining them over in... what was it he called his homeland? Tharsis?
Viasmos pulled her up just a little so he could reach over and tear off the front of her skinsuit. She gasped as her breasts sprung out, no doubt being made visible to countless viewers watching the news. She was quite proud of her feminine body, and didn't mind playing the seductress with her public persona. She often emphasized her curves to the camera and bystanders, using her sex appeal to build up a fanbase. But there was a line, and having her breasts exposed to millions of Japanese citizens crossed it!
He began groping her tits as she squirmed in discomfort. “You ever been assaulted before, honey?” he asked nonchalantly. She sneered at him and hissed, “It's not business of yours, asshole!” Viasmos smirked, and continued uninterrupted with her chest. “I'll take that as a yes.” There probably wouldn't be a need to be evasive if she could honestly answer with “no”.
She wanted to argue with him more, but she didn't waste her time. She knew he was just provoking her, trying to unsettle her. They saw this same kind of thing with Creati, after all... Well, Yu hadn't seen that part of the footage personally. Most heroes preferred not to watch it if it wasn't necessary. Some technicians from the HPSC had combed through the footage and relayed everything of value they were able to learn.
He leaned forward and kissed the side of Yu's cheek, to which she groaned and recoiled. Viasmos couldn't help but laugh under his breath just a bit. “You're much cuter than I would've guessed. Your personality, I mean. I thought you'd be a bit more abrasive.” She considered herself plenty abrasive, as it so happened. But really, what did he expect? She was helpless, and at the mercy of a rapist. Of course she'd feel a touch self-conscious here and there.
Viasmos pushed her forward, back against the rooftop, and tore her suit at her other end. Her porcelain ass and captivating womanhood had now joined her mammaries in the open air. He stuck a couple fingers inside her pussy, causing her to yelp in surprise.
“Aah! Stop!” she yelled. “That's so gross!”
“Oh really?” he responded, speeding up the pace of his fingers. “I thought it'd make a nice primer. You know I'm gonna stick something else in here that you're gonna hate a lot more, right?”
She didn't exactly want to respond with “I know” as if she had no intention of getting out of this, but she did know that. And he was right, she would hate that more than the feel of his fingers. But still...
“That doesn't mean I want you sticking your fingers in me!”
“Gee, well, if you feel that strongly about it...”
Viasmos slipped his fingers out, much to Yu's surprise. She hadn't expected he'd actually listen to her complaints. It didn't seem like the man they knew from Creati's data, or from the brief amount of time she'd spent with him. And indeed, as she felt something else enter her, she realized she was right to be skeptical. But this wasn't his penis, this was something else. Something... unnatural...
“That-! That hurts! Stop! What the hell are you sticking in me?”
“Oh, you know,” he said, pulling the object out and holding it out in front of her face. “This.”
She gasped, mortified at what she was looking at. He was violating her with the fucking spire from the skyscraper they'd just gone up! When did he even get that? Did he draw it in telekinetically? Wait, why was she even wondering about that? Who cares? He can't be sticking that in her... although that's exactly what he did once again, after a couple seconds.
“No! Stop! Aaaahh, that's too rough!”
Viasmos chuckled and said, “Well, you said you didn't like my fingers. I thought maybe we could try some toys.”
“That is NOT a toy!” she retorted. “It's fucking steel and concrete! Just because I'm big doesn't mean it's meant to go inside my vagina! Plus, it's unsanitary...”
“Oh, don't worry about that. After I've used you a few times, your body will start to acclimate to my magic, and you won't have to worry about silly things like bacteria.”
“That's not – ow! – the issue here!”
Viasmos kept plunging the spire in and out of her, evidently determined to punish her for her earlier complaints. It was an effective way of keeping his slaves in line. Once they knew things could and would get worse, they were a little more discriminatory about where they picked their battles. Yu grunted, groaned, and screeched in agony, the rough texture grating against her sensitive vagina. She was definitely having regrets over her outburst.
“I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I love your fingers! They're amazing!”
“Well sure, you say that now. But I believe you were being quite honest earlier. No need to pretend with me, darling. Feel free to be completely open with me. I'll always be sure to take your feelings into account.”
Given her past experience, rapists often enjoyed making their victims feel pleasure, or at least forcing them to pretend to feel pleasure. She was quickly realizing that Viasmos wasn't like that. In fact, he wasn't actually upset at all that she'd decried his fingering earlier. He simply saw it as an opportunity to torment her, and took it. His satisfaction didn't come from a sense of superior sexual prowess, but rather the superior power and control he held over his prey. Simply demonstrating that, even absent any physical pleasure for himself, was worthwhile for him.
After about a minute of the most agonizing sexual assault she'd ever experienced in her life, he finally pulled the spire out of her. He smacked her pearly ass and tossed her to the side. She barely controlled her balance enough to avoid falling into even more buildings, instead landing on a wide street between them. She then felt herself get lifted up by one of her horns, and gasped as she came face-to-face with the object of her upcoming desecration.
“Alright, make it a good show for the cameras,” Viasmos said, referencing the newscopters circling around the barrier. “Show everyone what a good, little cocksucker you are.”
He lightly pushed forward with his dick, and she turned to the side with a groan and a frown. She really did not want to put this in her mouth, and especially not in front of the whole country.
“Or,” Viasmos added, upon seeing her consternation, “I can always have you suck on this.” He pulled out the spire from before, and Yu's eyes popped open with fright. It wasn't so much that sucking on the spire sounded so terrible – certainly not compared to having it penetrate her pussy. Rather, it served as a reminder of her last attempt at defiance, and how much she'd wished she could take it back. The sight of it suddenly caused her to lose all her nerve. The fear of seeing what else he might have in store for her was now much greater than the shame she felt submitting to an enemy on TV.
“N-no! That w-won't be necessary! I'll do it!” She was practically pleading for her life. She was horribly humiliated to be acting that way in front of so many fans and fellow heroes, but she was willing to bear it in exchange for not being tortured like before. She cautiously bent forward and placed her lips against his tip, then gradually widened her mouth and took in his entire shaft.
“Hehe... good girl,” he teased.
Ggrrrr... he keeps humiliating me!
She was constantly struggling against her own cringing, disgusted at the sensation of his dick sliding in and out of her mouth. But she forced herself to continue, for fear of what might happen if she slowed down too much. Yu briefly opened her eyes and saw something shocking. It seemed they weren't completely alone in this barrier. One civilian was inside the second floor of an apartment building just a little in front of her on the right. This kind of thing happened every now and then. Evacuations weren't always 100% effective. If someone overslept and didn't get an alert because their phone was dead, that could be all it took to have someone miss what was going on. And this person had the particular misfortune of being trapped inside the barrier, so no immediate help was available. It was a very dangerous situation for the young man.
But that wasn't what Yu found so shocking.
It was the fact that this civilian was hanging out the side of their window with his phone out, aiming it up at Mt. Lady. There was no doubt that he was filming the whole thing. How lucky for him. Yu thought sarcastically. He'll have the best shot of anyone. He'll surely go viral. He was the only one able to film from inside the barrier, after all. She just couldn't wrap her mind around it. Was it really this much fun to watch her get assaulted? To watch her submit? Was it so much fun that it superseded their sense of survival, being in the midst of so terrifying a situation. Was that how the people she was trying to protect really felt?
Worse was that in spite of her disdain, she still wanted to protect him. That was the right thing to do as a hero, right? Maybe, but she couldn't help but feel pathetic about it. She pulled out Viasmos's dick and licked up it from the balls to the tip, her way of trying to appease him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Oh? What's on your mind?”
As long as Viasmos was aware of him, he probably wouldn't try to hurt him. That's what she thought, anyway. Granted, he had been perfectly okay with possibly killing civilians earlier, but it sounded like that had been in the name of just trying to draw some heroes out. He already had his prize. From what they could gather about him, he was cruel, but not necessarily bloodthirsty. Mt. Lady felt that it was more likely that they could protect the civilian by pointing him out, rather than risking him getting hurt because Viasmos wasn't aware of him.
“There's a civilian still trapped here. I see him underneath us, just a little behind you. Would you take care not to endanger him? I'll behave myself, if that's what you want... just be careful around him.”
“I see. Well, first of all, get back to sucking my dick like a good bitch,” he said, pressing a hand against the back of her head and forcing his member back into her maw. “But secondly, sure. I don't give a shit. As long as he's not in my way, I have no need to bother him.”
That wasn't exactly the resounding assurance she hoped for, not with that qualifier about “as long as he's not in my way.” To someone as whimsical as Viasmos, any number of things could compel him to disregard the civilian's safety. But still, she felt she'd probably made the right move in calling attention to him. If nothing else, it gave her one more chance to feel like a hero.
Viasmos turned around as Mt. Lady continued sucking his cock, and found the guy she was talking about. He smiled upon seeing that the man was filming with his phone. He shouted “Yo!” and put up two fingers in a peace sign while flashing a toothy grin. “The name's Viasmos!” He figured it was as good an opportunity as any to get his name out there, although it was probably unnecessary. It was doubtful the heroes would sit on information surrounding him in the days to come.
He turned his attention back to Mt. Lady. “You're doing a good job, sweetheart,” he praised. However, he also gave her a light slap on the cheek, in an apparent signal to stop. “Thing is, I've spent more time here than I care to. I'm ready to pound you and go home.”
A sense of nausea washed over Yu as she was informed that she'd soon be raped. She knew it was gonna happen eventually, of course, but there was still the lingering hope of help coming before then. Viasmos, rushing things along as he was, probably felt similarly. Now it was pretty much definite that even if help did come, it would not arrive before the ultimate humiliation.
He pulled her up by her horn and shoved her forward against a building, bending her over the rooftop. She felt him whack his dick against her cheeks a couple times before positioning itself against her lips. She clenched her fists in preparation for her rape. Embarrassing as this was, this still wasn't the worst-case scenario. If she was simply raped, even with it being so public a spectacle, she could cope with that as long as she was eventually rescued. What she really feared, and what felt increasingly likely, was that she wouldn't be rescued. This wouldn't be a rather severe bump in the road in her career as a hero. It would be her last day as a hero. It would be the end of Mt. Lady, and the beginning of Yu Takeyama the sex slave. She'd tried to hard to mold her public image... this was not the legacy she'd hoped to leave behind.
Whether that would be the case or not remained to be seen, but either way, this chapter was, to some degree or another, etched in stone. With a powerful slam of his hips, his manhood pierced the heroine's pussy. Her thighs pounded against the building, and she gripped the sides of the roof in a desperate bid to keep it stable. No surprise, a man as strong as him had some real vigor behind his thrusts. Her whole body was quaking from the force of his manhood.
“Geeeeez! You could go a little easier on me, you know? Is it not enough that I have to be broadcasted?”
“Eh, I figure a hero should be able to take it. Especially if you've been raped before, y'know? But hey, maybe we can cut a deal...” She wasn't sure she liked the idea of that. She knew better than to think he was genuinely looking to make this easier on her. “You want to change the pace? You decide the pace. Just make sure it's still good for me, otherwise...”
She could feel his smirk without even needing to turn around. She'd be allowed to control the pace of her rape... but also, it would mean she'd have to debase herself and capitulate to him on national television. She really didn't want to be seen as so weak and pitiful... she'd never recover her public image, even if she did somehow make it out of this.
“Well,” he said, stilling his thrusts and slapping her butt. “Giddy up, bitch.”
Unfortunately, she'd reached a point of no return. She was thinking it would be preferable to go back to how he'd been fucking her before, but that probably wasn't an option. He'd included a not-so-veiled threat in his offer, and based on his earlier actions, she suspected that he'd resort to that even if she immediately withdrew her complaints. She either did as she said, or she was in for something even worse.
Reluctantly, she backed into his hips. Then she pulled forward, and pushed back, and again and again until she was at a rhythm she felt she could handle easily that would still satisfy the warlord. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes, trying to block out how embarrassing this was. All of Japan had already seen her willingly suck his dick, and now they were seeing her play an active role in her own rape. In the best-case scenario she had facing her, she'd be the most shamed hero in all the country. All the effort she'd put into selling her persona was all for naught.
But alas, she couldn't completely disassociate from her trepidation. The showperson in her couldn't quite accept that she was contributing to her own public downfall. She was a hero, one of the highest-rated, and with a devoted fanbase. It wasn't right for her to have to do this. And so, despite her better judgment, she could not help but delve on these thoughts; and as she delved on these thoughts, her concentration began to wane. Without her even realizing it, her sex with Viasmos had slowed considerably, and he wasn't about to let her get away with it.
“Okay then, don't say I didn't give you a chance.”
Her head lifted sharply as she realized what she'd done. Before she could plead for mercy, Viasmos gripped her hips and pummeled her with his cock. Mt. Lady couldn't believe how rough he was this time. With the sensitivity from the spire that had been shoved in her earlier, she was even getting some friction burn from the outlandish speed of his penis.
She gripped the building harder to try and steady herself, but it was little help. Not only was her body still be rocked like ship at storm, but the building itself had taken about all it could. The continued stress on it eventually caused a support column to fail, which caused the roof to cave in, which caused Yu to fall forward and slam the weight of her upper body against the top. And that caused the entire building to crumble beneath her.
But through it all, Viasmos didn't stop. It made no difference to him if a building or two fell while he had his phone. He continued slamming into the heroine, shoving her forward as the building collapsed, pressing her against the pile of rubble their union had created. He usually didn't get to cause this kind of destruction while he raped, just because he was holding himself back for the woman's sake. But at this size, he had a convenient loophole, and he found it pretty fun.
Yu grimaced as she now had, on top of this thick cock driving into her so roughly, the scattered debris grazing against her body. Her suit provided a little bit of protection, but that didn't help for her breasts, since Viasmos had ripped that part of her suit open. The coarseness was difficult to bear, though it at least served some useful purpose in distracting her from her violation.
But Viasmos, for all his faults, did not wish to hurt his woman. He considered himself akin to a collector, and so every new piece was to be kept in pristine condition. It wouldn't be a problem once she attained self-healing, but for now, he'd have to take direct action. Once he felt satisfied that she'd learned her lesson, he pulled out, flipped her over, and used healing magic on her breasts.
“My apologies, such lovely tits deserve finer treatment. But hey, I warned you about slowing down.”
Yu simply nodded, hardly paying attention. This bastard had a way of making her feel insignificant. Even in past assaults, she'd never found herself feeling inferior to her attackers. But this man... she couldn't help but see herself the way he saw her. Like she was just a toy to be belittled and disgraced for his amusement. She felt like she didn't even know herself anymore.
Once the scratches and bruises were healed, Viasmos went down and savored her bosom with his mouth. Yu moaned embarrassingly as her nipple was stimulated by his tongue. He grabbed her by her waist and lifted her up, keeping his lips glued to her tits the entire time. Once they were standing, he lifted up her leg and entered her from below. In her dejected state, Yu's upper body fell backwards limply. The newscopters were getting a great view of both her ass and tits like this, but for once, she didn't care. She was just ready for this to be over with.
Viasmos was more than happy to slam up into her limp body, using her like a mere doll. He didn't mind at all when his prey became so demoralized that they gave up and allowed themselves to be used. Fiery, slutty, hopeless... women came in all types, and he enjoyed them all.
“Looks like you've accepted that you'll become my sex slave. Good. You'll make things easier on yourself, if nothing else. After all, once I decide on a girl... nobody escapes my grasp.”
She had no response. It hardly seemed to matter to her. Yu wasn't sure she could go back to being a hero after this... or maybe that was just what she was telling herself to rationalize being turned into a sex slave. Maybe it'd be easier to leave that life behind if she convinced herself that she wouldn't return anyway. Yes, she was vain. Yes, she was obsessed with her image. But underneath all that, she loved being a hero. She wanted to save people. She wanted to be a force for good. If she was allowed to stay in this world by some miracle, then perhaps after some rest and therapy, she could return to the life she loved so much. But that all hinged on the assumption that she'd be saved at the 11th hour. As the clock ticked away inside her heart, she feared she'd be severed from this hero life whether she wanted or not.
Viasmos grabbed a handful of her ass as he pounded up into her. Glancing around as he indulged himself with Yu's body, the warlord was greatly amused at the plethora of heroes who had shown up, only to be equally thwarted by his barrier.
I guess there's nobody of interest here after all. Oh well, it's to be expected. Those that can contend with me will naturally be few and far between, even among these hero sorts.
He had high hopes for this world, but after facing several of the world's best heroes, particularly Endeavor and Best Jeanist, he realized that they just weren't on his level. Not every hero world could be expected to have a Superman-caliber opponent for him to play with. That was fine. As long as they kept providing him beautiful ladies like this one, he'd happily keep visiting.
“Alright sweet cheeks, I'd say it's about time we end this. Get your pussy primed for my cum!”
Mt. Lady winced, revolted at the thought of taking this man's seed, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. They knew he'd done that to Creati, so it was at least a possibility that the female heroes needed to be made aware of. As she felt his penis heat up within her and pump more intensely, she clenched her vaginal muscles in nervous anticipation of what was to come.
If there was one moment all throughout this rape that she preferred to be in her giant form, it was now. After all, it stood to reason that with Viasmos's increased size, his semen would drown a normal human. His hot seed burned at her insides as it shot up her pussy, dripping down to the streets below. There were gonna be some busy car washes in the coming days, that was for sure.
He pulled out and forced Yu to her knees, poking her cheek with his cum-glazed dick. “Go ahead and clean it off for me, okay honey? Now I'm gonna deactivate my spell that kept your size in check, so you can go small again. I wouldn't recommend it just yet, though. Who knows what'll happen if you shrink before I do, know what I mean?”
Come to think of it, that was a good point. What would happen if she shrank before him? Would his semen shrink along with her, since it was inside her body, or would she compress onto it such that it would propel her around like an unstable rocket? It was probably best she didn't find out. Besides, what value was there in shrinking at this point? It wasn't as if she had any dignity to salvage.
She did as instructed and swallowed his cock, unconcerned with the shameless display. It was over. She'd be turned into a sex slave for Viasmos. That moment was probably moments away, maybe not even a whole minute. She and her heroes had failed. Viasmos came in, got what he wanted, and now he'd never be caught by surprise ever again. All she could do was clean his cock and get this over with.
“That's a good girl,” Viasmos teased. “Yes, you'll fit right in alongside Midnight and Yaoyorozu. Maybe we can even-”
What the hell?
It was so sudden that Viasmos could barely process it, but he could feel it. His barrier had been taken down. But how? By whom?
“You needn't suffer these tribulations any longer, Miss Takeyama...”
Viasmos heard a voice, though he couldn't locate it. At this size, it wasn't as easy to see people. Is that it? He thought, when he caught a flicker of movement. But before he could really focus and identify the source, that same flicker shot towards him at mesmerizing speed.
Viasmos felt something hit him in the gut, the force so great that it knocked the wind out of him. He could hardly conceive what insane strength it would take to throw him like that when he was at this size. It would be one thing if it was another Tharsian, but who in this world would be capable of such a feat? For Mt. Lady, such an answer was obvious, even had it not been for her clear view of him as he descended following the hit.
“...because I am here.”
As Viasmos was sent careening backwards, he was able to catch sight of the man, now that he wasn't moving so fast. He couldn't focus too well on the small figure, but he could see well enough to make out who it was. The only person left who had a chance to surprise him.
All Might. The world's No.1 hero. One of only two heroes, as far as Viasmos knew, whose quirk wasn't public information... but he at least knew some of the effects of that quirk. Super strength, super speed, near-invulnerability, all physical enhancement type of powers. But what were the limits of those powers? Given how little trouble Endeavor gave him, Viasmos figured All Might couldn't be all that much stronger. Endeavor was the No.2 hero, after all.
But that was wrong. He knew it right away. All Might was in a whole other league from Endeavor, or any other hero he'd encountered. That one hit was all he needed to figure that out. Even as he continued to fly backwards, Viasmos couldn't help but smile, feeling like he finally had someone worth his time.
Mt. Lady quickly reached out her hand, so All Might could land as quickly as possible. She noted that his trademark grin was absent, instead looking quite angry. One of All Might's most memorable features was his ability to stay positive and be a source of comfort, no matter the danger, but sometimes even he couldn't bring himself to act like everything was okay. This particular display was apparently vulgar enough to cross that line. The second his feet touched down upon her, he propelled himself back towards Viasmos. Meanwhile, Edgeshot and Kamui came over, being escorted by the faster Hawks, the No.3 hero.
“Yu! Are you okay?” Edgeshot called out to her. It was a stupid question, but she gathered his meaning. “Quickly, shrink yourself so we can get you out of here.”
“I can't!” she cried out frantically. “I don't know if it'll be safe to shrink yet or not!” She explained, with some discomfort, the scenario she feared regarding the Tharsian's ejaculate. In the worst-case scenario, she might literally explode from the force of his semen inside of her.
“We'll just have to leave it to All Might,” Kamui said. “If he can at least get him to shrink, then it should be okay for Yu to.”
“Yeah, yeah, and I can get myself some rest in the meantime,” Hawks sighed. “My arms and wings are freakin' tired after that trip. You know that lug had me throw him at the barrier going full-speed? He wanted to build as much momentum as possible. But I don't have All Might's strength, so it wasn't easy, lemme tell ya'...”
Hawks winded his arms and flapped his wings, loosening them up as best he could for as long as he had a break. Once Mt. Lady was able to shrink, it went without saying that Hawks would be the one to carry her away. He was the fastest, after all. If they could just get far enough from Viasmos that he couldn't follow her, then she'd be safe. They couldn't save her from the trauma she'd endured, but they could keep her out of Viasmos's clutches.
All Might sank into Viasmos's shoulder, twisting him around mid-air. All Might then launched himself off the side of a tall building as he fell, and shot back into Viasmos, striking his forehead. Viasmos thought he'd have a chance to breathe after that, since All Might apparently could not fly, and he was heading up into the sky. However, All Might punched upwards, using his incredible strength to halt his momentum and propel him back into Viasmos. He performed a somersault to build momentum before landing yet another punch.
“CALIFORNIA SMASH!”
Viasmos took another one to hit gut, and fell towards the surface. This guy... he's great! This was exactly what he needed! He wasn't just strong, he was ideal. He was the consummate hero. It was more than just his abilities that made him the world's greatest hero... it was everything about him. His charisma, his relentlessness, his resolve... Viasmos had never been so excited since discovering this dimension!
The only issue was his size. Like this, he was basically just a big target for All Might. His reaction time was slow, because he wasn't used to spotting tiny figures coming at him like this. It took him too long to spot All Might and calculate his movements before he was hit again. He hated this magic anyway, so really, he'd prefer to undo the transformation. But if he did that, well, he was all too aware what the scheme was. As soon as he gave Mt. Lady a chance, she'd shrink down, and the other heroes would take her away. Was it worth it to shrink down and give them that chance?
Of course it was! He needed to enjoy the fight, and he wasn't going to be able to like this. He'd simply have to defeat All Might, and do it quickly enough to keep his woman in his possession. He shrunk himself to his normal size, ready to battle All Might the way a Tharsian should. The moment he did, Edgeshot yelled, “Now!” Yu shrunk to her normal size, grabbed onto Hawks around his chest, and he immediately took off.
“Don't worry, Yu! We'll get you out of here!”
“Hawks... thank you...”
Yu knew she wasn't out of the woods just yet, but she was thankful just to feel hope. She'd genuinely been convinced it was all over for her in those closing minutes, but they'd all come for her. They'd found a way to give her a chance.
With Viasmos at normal size - and having had the decency to conjure some new pants for himself - he twisted around and swung at All Might as the hero came in for another strike. Viasmos landed a hit to the face, with no small amount of satisfaction, but was surprised as All Might fought through the hit and landed a punch of of his own. How? Viasmos was pretty sure he had a good idea of his strength after taking several hits, but All Might was still managing to counter him. Would Viasmos need to use even more strength?
The two traded blows as Hawks soared away with Mt. Lady, though he wasn't as fast as he'd like to be. He meant what he said before, he was tired. When he carried All Might to the battlefield, he'd been pushing his speed past his limits... and carrying another person wasn't helping matters. He really had to put all his hope in All Might.
Viasmos launched All Might into the air with an uppercut and flew up to grab him, hoping to swing him in the direction of the fleeing heroes so he could catch up to them. But before he could get his hands on him, All Might had once again recovered and kicked at Viasmos to stun him.
“DETROIT SMASH!”
All Might hit Viasmos with a punch so hard that it blew wind in all directions. Viasmos barreled straight down, right through the tower that he and Mt. Lady had ascended earlier, minus its spire. He crashed through level after level, the walls of the tower peeling apart four ways along with him until he came to a stop about a third of the way up from the ground level.
Every time I think I know his limits, he proves me wrong. What's his secret? Does it have something to do with his quirk? How does he keep getting stronger?
All Might came plummeting down with both feet, but Viasmos spun out of the way and, whilst still laying on the ground, landed a kick to his left side. All Might flew out of the tower's remnants and bounced off a couple rooftops before coming to a stop. Viasmos got up and was about to go back on the attack, but... something was wrong. All Might was kneeling, and seemed to be in great distress. It was a far cry from the rapidly reacting hero Viasmos had been contending with to this point.
Had he pushed himself too far? Or was something else the matter? Oh well, it didn't matter. If the hero was out of commission, then he might as well go and collect his woman. Hawks and Mt. Lady had only just crossed the city's boundaries, and although Viasmos couldn't quite see where they were, he knew the general direction they were in. He lifted his hand and, as though beckoning someone over, curled his finger back.
At that moment, Mt. Lady suddenly lurched backwards off of Hawks's back. Hawks turned around to see what was up, and saw the heroine moving up and back... and something else. A pink string going all the way back into the city, tied around her ankle. Yu looked down and saw it for herself, finally understanding what Viasmos had meant by “assurances”.
The string pulled her in his general direction, but Viasmos still had to fly over and get her. He arced over the city skyline and caught sight of his prey. Hawks raced after her and grabbed her before Viasmos could, continuing to fly away. But still, they'd lost a lot of time. Viasmos was hot in pursuit, and Hawks would have struggled to outpace him even in top condition. Exhausted and with extra baggage, he couldn't stop Viasmos from inching closer.
He shot a couple of his feathers back to try and interfere with Viasmos, but he didn't want to use too many feathers, or he'd just sacrifice more speed. Alas, though his feathers could turn hard and sharp and be used as some means of offense, their impact on Viasmos was ultimately very little. Hawks kept his focus ahead of him, racing away as quickly as possible. Yu, on the other hand, couldn't resist the compulsion to turn around and see how close he was. Viasmos was only a couple feet away. He was reaching out with one hand, getting closer and closer, his despicable grin striking fear into her heart.
No...
Viasmos, nearing the moment of his victory, felt a shock to his back, crashing sharply into the ground.
“NEW YORK SMASH!”
All Might had made it back, and dropped himself onto Viasmos just a few seconds before he could snatch Mt. Lady away. Hawks dashed away, and All Might bounced off of Viasmos's back and onto the ground, using himself as a wall. Even Viasmos was a little banged up from that hit. He slowly pushed himself up, trying to figure out what had happened. When he last saw All Might, he was weakened, struggling. How did he manage to catch up and maintain his strength? Was he mistaken about All Might's condition?
No, he wasn't. That was clear enough as he lifted his head, and saw All Might coughing up blood. That kick from before had done some real damage; Viasmos was certain of that, even if he wasn't exactly sure how. But it didn't seem to matter. Somehow, All Might could push through whatever was bothering him, and continue increasing his strength. He was already strong enough to cause Viasmos genuine pain, which was no small feat. It was one thing to be able to feel a punch, and another to be able to feel it. That had been enough to excite Viasmos... but now he was intrigued. How was it that he kept getting stronger, even as he seemed to be weaker?
“Hehe... how the hell do you do it?” Viasmos asked mutedly, still throbbing in pain from that last hit. “It's like you don't have any limits...”
He didn't actually expect an answer, but to his surprise, All Might gave him one. “Everyone has limits, including me.” He wiped blood off his chin, then ran towards Viasmos brimming with determination. “But when a true hero hits their limits, they go beyond!” This was bad, Viasmos didn't have his footing yet, and All Might was going in for a haymaker.
“PLUUUUUS ULTRAAAAAAA!”
All Might slammed his fist into his jaw, with a punch even stronger than anything else he'd thrown at Viasmos all day. This guy... Viasmos was certain that he wasn't quite on the same level as Superman when it came to sheer strength... but man, he sure made for a more mesmerizing hero. Superman, if nobody else was endangered around him, could hit so hard he could shatter planets. Viasmos could too, if he wished to be so destructive, though this would cost him a great deal of potential prey. All Might probably wasn't quite that ridiculously strong. But whereas Viasmos fought Superman once and pretty much felt like he got all he could out of it, All Might entranced him with his ability to challenge his own limitations. Superman felt like a strong guy who just happened to use his powers as a hero, but All Might... this man was a hero, who just happened to be a strong guy.
Viasmos got blasted all the way back to the city, past the center and nearly over to the other side. A fair bit of collateral damage had been caused by that hit, but All Might knew it was worth it to protect Mt. Lady. He leapt forward, and his powerful jump took him all the way to Viasmos, who was sitting upright. All Might would have liked to hit him again, but he needed to rest. His body was burning all over. This did not go unnoticed by Viasmos, but he didn't comment on it for now.
“Heh, you sure are something. I was starting to think this world's heroes were nothing too interesting, but you sure proved me wrong.”
“Hmph. And is that exciting to you? Is it worth the pain and suffering you cause to so many?”
“Yeah.”
All Might's face revealed some surprise at his facetious answer. In truth, Viasmos did not recognize his question as rhetorical. Viasmos tried curling his finger again, but felt resistance. It seemed that his target and the hero he was with had figured out some kind of counter to the string that kept them connected.
Indeed, although he couldn't see what was happening, Hawks and Mt. Lady had changed their position mid-flight so that Hawks was grabbing onto her from above. Additionally, several feathers were transferred from Hawks to Mt. Lady, so they'd continue zooming along, and Yu would have perpetual resistance against any force trying to pull her backwards. Although he could slow them down, he could not do anything quite as dramatic to get her over to him like before.
Deciphering Viasmos's thoughts, All Might said, “Then I suppose that trick no longer works. You've failed! Mt. Lady has been saved from your vulgar clutches!”
Viasmos stood back up and chuckled. “Oh, is that what you think? Heh, well, you certainly made it tougher for me. I'll give you that.” All Might grunted, but said nothing. Viasmos lifted himself up and looked over All Might, analyzing him. He finally felt like he had some idea of what was going on with him. It was subtle, but he was grimacing and favoring one side. “You... you're injured on your left side, aren't you?”
All Might did not answer, but Viasmos was sure it was the truth. He'd never read anything about an injury for All Might, but given the fact that his quirk was a secret, that didn't necessarily mean anything. It would make sense if some grievous injury was being kept under wraps for the sake of the people, and it would explain why All Might was gripped by such pain after Viasmos kicked him.
“Heh, well, if that's the case, I guess you must be on your last legs. You've really been pushing yourself against me, haven't you? Don't worry, I ain't interested in fighting a broken man. I don't like leaving it here... after all, I think it's fair to say you got the better of me... but oh well. It wouldn't be very sporting of me to fight you like this, would it?”
All Might wanted to challenge him on that, but he was absolutely correct. Not only was his injury acting up, but his usual stamina was depleted anyway from pushing himself so far. Right now, he was just trying to buy time.
“Well then, feel free to tally this as a win. You can tell everyone you managed to push me back, and Giant Girl or whatever is resting in solitude. That'll explain her absence from the public for a good while, and should do the trick in placating the populace, don't ya' think? We wouldn't want to make them too fearful. I mean, they call you the 'Symbol of Peace', right? I'd sure hate to be the one to tarnish that image... heh... at least not until I can fight you on even footing again.”
“You speak as if we'll let you take off with Mt. Lady,” he stated contemptuously.
“Oh, I know you won't let me. But I will anyway. That's how it goes, I'm afraid. Take pride in your performance, you gave me a great fight, but know this... Mt. Lady is mine!”
A cloud of red smoke rapidly expanded around Viasmos, obstructing the No.1 Hero's sight of him. When it dissipated, the warlord was gone. All Might knew Hawks was long gone by now, and they'd surely have her hidden before Viasmos could scour around for her. He wanted to believe that Mt. Lady was safe, and yet... the Tharsian's confidence had seemed quite absolute. He couldn't help but feel anxious about his comrade's safety.
If only he'd been here sooner... but it couldn't be helped. After all, his successor still needed the training.
Hawks laid Yu down on a cot, located in an underground bunker. The HPSC had built several of these after learning about Viasmos, figuring they could be used to hide any rescued targets of his. They'd gotten word by now that Viasmos had escaped All Might, and was thus far unseen. But regardless, they'd managed to get away from him and hide. Several doctors and nurses were already on standby, having been given their posts shortly after Viasmos had been spotted.
Injury-wise, Yu was fine. There were no particularly serious injuries that required treatment. However, her treatment at the hands of Viasmos had taken its toll. She'd need rest, fluids, and perhaps most importantly, comfort. Hawks could only imagine how terrible it must have felt to be assaulted like that, but everyone here was devoted to ensuring she felt safe and cared for.
That was difficult to do, however, after the ceiling opened up, the ground excavated above them. The doctors and nurses panicked and ran to safety. In the air, Viasmos was hovering in place, looking down upon a newly-terrified Mt. Lady.
“Ah! There you are. I kept walking around here like, 'what am I missing?' You know? Took me a hot minute to realize you were underground.”
“You!” Hawks shouted. “How!?”
“Easy. Did you think protecting her from my pull would be sufficient? So long as that string was wrapped around her, we were connected. It basically existed as a roundabout form of tracking magic.”
“Damn it... I won't let you-”
Before Hawks could launch his feathers, Viasmos snapped in front of him, and emanated a pinkish-purple gas from his hand. Hawks instantly collapsed, having been put to sleep.
“Sorry. I appreciate the gusto, but I just don't feel like fighting anyone else right now. I've waited long enough for my conquest, don't you think?”
“That's – that's Nemuri's quirk!” Yu screamed.
“Yeah, I learned how to use it a while back. Neat, huh?”
Yu felt as if all their efforts had been a waste. It was clear to her that he almost certainly could have taken her at his leisure, even after All Might showed up. Something like this could have incapacitated All Might and given him free rein to pursue her and Hawks. He merely stopped to have fun. She hadn't been as much of a priority, because he knew that no matter what, he could catch up to her later.
Viasmos walked over and grabbed Yu by the hair. “Well, ready to see your new home?”
There was nobody else around. All Might wouldn't be coming anytime soon, not after using so much of his power against Viasmos. And no other heroes, even if they did miraculously arrive, would be able to free her from his grasp. It was terrible, but she had to accept it. He had won. Yet again, a new heroine was his.
Viasmos opened a portal to his realm, and pulled her to her feet. He copped a feel and teased, “Get this sweet ass ready! I like to play with my new toys for a good couple weeks before mixing things up again.” Two weeks of being this man's plaything? For Mt. Lady, a hero, it was abominable just to image. But then again... as Yu Takeyama, the sex slave, it would simply be practice.
That was the life she'd have to transition to, and it sounded like she had a long road ahead of her.
Chapter 3: Aria T'Loak
Chapter Text
A most curious whisper passed through Viasmos in the crowd. “We know who you are. Please, come with us.” It was the kind of thing that would normally spark a fight, but it was stated with no authority. The person who spoke to Viasmos simply kept moving along, trusting he would follow.
Well, he could hardly refuse, could he? Not that he was under any obligation, but clearly, he'd been compromised. This was the Citadel, not Tharsis. Nobody should know who he is. He was at least curious as to who would be so interested in him.
So he followed the cloaked figure, contemplating the situation. This clearly wasn't C-Sec, or military, or any kind of organized enforcement that would be legally obligated to try – and fail – to arrest him. A criminal organization? Possibly. But even if they knew of him, why would they bother him? More to the point, anyone who did know of him should know better. Could they be trying to protect him? He didn't need it, but regardless, why would such a group care?
He was led to a carport, where the cloaked person entered a blue transport vehicle. He got into the backseat, evidently meaning there was already a driver waiting. Viasmos followed into the backseat, and immediately put his fingers to the cloaked one's temple, a scarlet-black sphere coalescing at his fingertips. He smirked as he heard a gasp from the man in the cloak.
“I'm not too concerned with whatever trap may or may not be in store, but I don't much care to be taken for a ride... figuratively speaking, of course. Anything I don't like, and he's dead. Am I clear, driver?”
The driver nodded with a nervous sharpness before audibly answering, “Yes!” He then took off in the vehicle, and the man in the back began to pipe up. “We didn't expect you'd be so aggressive...”
“Not a fan of surprises?”
The man was chilled, seemingly uncertain about whether or not it was a good idea to speak. “Please,” he softly asked, “you can put your arm down. We have no intention of engaging in hostilities.”
“That remains to be seen, doesn't it?” Viasmos calmly retorted.
“I'm just a grunt. If I really did anything to incite you to harm me, I'd hardly be fast enough to avoid it.”
“Well, you're not wrong. But then again...” Viasmos turned to the man and grinned. “...it's pretty funny watching you quiver like a woman over there! Hahaha!”
The man grunted in disapproval at his irreverent treatment, not to mention the attack on his masculinity. Be that as it may, he had the good sense not to lash out.
“Well, no sense in being bored,” Viasmos said. “How about you answer some questions for me? How about we start with who you are?”
“...I'm sorry... I can't say. I was ordered not to say anything.”
“Oh? That's pretty interesting. I'm one tick away from blowing your head off, after all. So even in this situation, there's someone you're more afraid of than me?”
“...Yes.”
“Interesting!” Viasmos could hardly contain his joy. This world really had such a high caliber of an opponent waiting for him?
“It's not what you think,” the man clarified. “It's not a matter of strength. I know your capacity to kill me is greater, but I also think... I think there's a chance you won't kill me if I stay quiet. But if I do talk, then I know he will kill me.”
“Hmm, well that's a bit disappointing, but I can respect that, too. Your boss sounds pretty interesting. Then why don't you tell me whatever you can? Why did you beckon me so?”
“You likely don't realize it, but you're no longer incognito. Commander Shepard started sniffing your trail, and both C-Sec and the Alliance Navy are aware of who you are. All they need is for one of these cameras to get a good enough shot of your face, and their facial recognition software will alert them to your location. We wanted to get to you before that happened.”
Shepard... have I heard that name somewhere before? Well, regardless, he's correct that I didn't suspect at all that anyone would be aware of me just yet. Same thing with that last world, too... perhaps I'm being too careless?
“If that's true, then how did you track me down so quickly?”
“Because a camera did pick you up. I'm one of several operatives who's been stationed at the Citadel since we became aware of your presence. We're only aware of you being active on the Citadel, so it made sense to put as many eyes and ears here as possible. A separate agent embedded within C-Sec managed to install a program that would delay the system's alert notice. They'll catch it eventually, but it gave us time to reach you first.”
“Hmm... and just where are we going now?”
“Somewhere you can speak to our boss.”
Viasmos said nothing more. They kept driving until reaching a larger ship, which they docked onto and took into space beyond the Citadel. Besides the cockpit and the lobby, there was only a single room with a communications device of some kind. “Please stand in this spot,” requested the cloaked man.
“And just how does this work?”
“It will create a hologram of yourself to stand before-”
“Wait, wait, wait,” said Viasmos, throwing his hands up. “Your boss ain't even gonna see me in person?”
“Only a select few are given clearance to-”
“Nah, fuck that.” Viasmos activated his omni-tool.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Hacking the location out of this thing. I've gotten pretty good at this, you know.”
“Wait! You can't!”
The man moved to tackle Viasmos, who briefly removed his hand from his omni-tool to shoot a blast of his aura through his skull, before returning to hacking. The man collapsed on the ground, killed instantly. “I did warn you,” Viasmos said, not taking his eyes off his screen.
The driver from before saw it all happen, and began to panic. He immediately sent out a warning message to his superiors, and a half-dozen armed men took position and aimed their weapons at Viasmos. The Tharsian thought little of it, and shot another laser behind him, breaking the window separating them from space. It wasn't a problem for Viasmos, who could generate his own atmosphere, but the poor driver and his buddies got sucked out and died a most grueling death.
“Alright, looks like I've got it! Be seein' ya' soon!”
Besides playing with his omni-tool, Viasmos had also practiced with using faster-than-light travel. It was a fairly new power, and one that was easy to mishandle, so he'd put some effort back in his own world to make sure he could start and stop in a timely manner, and also avoid hitting things easily. He was pretty sure he knocked a planet loose from orbit once, and he'd rather avoid that kind of unnecessary damage. Wouldn't want to accidentally kill any enticing women, after all.
Viasmos leapt out of the spacecraft and propelled himself towards the coordinates his omni-tool had located.
Meanwhile, deep in the Horsehead Nebula...
A man clad in flexible armor burst into the atrium where his boss was. “Sir, we need to get you out of here. The anomalous man we had has killed our operatives, blown up our ship, and hacked our coordinates. He's on his way here.”
“I don't see the problem,” the man said, sipping a glass of scotch.
“Sir... this man is dangerous.”
“That's what makes him so compelling. We instigated this, we can hardly act like cowards now. If he feels so strongly about meeting me in person, then let him.”
He took a long drag of his cigarette, flashing a subdued smile at his sword-wielding subordinate.
Viasmos entered the construct, orbiting just beyond a most peculiarly-colored star, expecting a throwdown. Much to his surprise (and admittedly, disappointment), the soldiers stationed there were overwhelmingly cooperative. They led him down a series of hallways until he finally entered a dark atrium. There was little here save for a seat and the vast window behind it, overlooking the orange-blue star outside.
“I take it you're the boss around here, yeah?”
“Show some respect, mongrel!” shouted some guy who came out from the shadows. Viasmos looked him over. He had some kind of mask over his eyes, an armor that was finely molded to his body, and on his back he carried a sword.
Viasmos took one look at him and burst out laughing.
“Hahahahahaha! Are you kidding me!? Hey moron, last I checked, they invented guns in this world.”
“Silence! Swords are useful for bypassing kinetic barriers, and-”
“That'll definitely be something to think about after you've been shot in the head. Hahahahaha!”
“E-enough! I won't have you denigrate my-”
“Man, some 7-year old child was really unprepared to give up on their dream of being a ninja, huh? Pretty sure this world's tech rendered that kind of thing obsolete.” It was a somewhat hypocritical thing to make fun of him for, since a lot of people used such weapons over in Tharsis. The difference was that melee weapons meshed with their magic better. The technology for guns existed, but was useless to a race that could shoot fire from their hands. No analogous excuse could be made here in this universe.
The denigrated ninja was about to argue again, but the man in the seat stopped him. “Kai Leng, enough. This man is our guest. Treat him graciously.”
“Guest, huh?” Viasmos echoed with an arched eyebrow. “That's one way of putting it. I had to force my way over here, after all. You sure you ain't bummed about me killing a ship full of your guys?”
“Complications were expected. Though I must say, you surprised me with just how quickly you were able to track me through the terminal. Normally, they'd blow up after an intrusion aboard the ship, or after detecting a hacking attempt of that sort. It takes a skilled hacker to trace our location without tripping that alarm.” He paused to take a drag of his cigarette before continuing. “Of your many talents, that wasn't one I suspected you had.”
“Eh, just took a lot of practice.”
“In any case, I apologize for the secrecy. For a man in my position, such measures are routine.”
Viasmos shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “I just figure if someone's gonna summon me outta the blue, they oughta have the decency to speak to me face-to-face. But I get it, more or less. Then again... I still don't actually know who you are.”
“Ah, forgive me. I suppose introductions are in order.” He grabbed his glass and took a sip of whiskey. “I am called 'The Illusive Man'.”
“Hmm, still the secrecy, huh?”
“I assure you, that is the name all know me by.”
“Fine, fine, ain't no big deal. Although I gotta say, you ain't that elusive. I mean, I found you right away.”
“That's... ill-usive, not e-lusive.”
“Ah, I see... I suppose that makes more sense,” Viasmos said, not one to feel embarrassed often, but still feeling somewhat awkward. “And I suppose you know my name already, right?”
The Illusive Man nearly chuckled, a rare sight for one less-inclined towards humor. “Actually, no.”
“Really? That surprises me.”
“Beyond your appearance, there's very little we've been able to learn about you. Your name, your race, your origins... but the one thing we do know about is your power. That interests us in Cerberus very much.”
“Oh... Cerberus?” Viasmos suddenly remembered hearing that name before. “I... think I killed a bunch of your guys once. Besides the ship from earlier, I mean.”
“Pay it no mind. You are speaking of the incident with Officer Lawson, are you not? If my assumptions are correct, and you took care of her for us, then you did us a great service. The loss of a few soldiers is no substantial matter.”
“She's not dead, if that's what you mean. But she won't bother you anymore, I can promise you that.”
“I see, very good.”
“Well in any case, my name is Viasmos. And I know my abilities might be confusing to you lot, but I assure you, I'm completely human.”
Viasmos felt the skeptical glare of Kai Leng from behind him, but The Illusive Man seemed to have the opposite reaction. As if his inclinations were being affirmed.
“Fascinating. Then you're a very different breed of human from what we've known in this galaxy. Humans haven't had interstellar travel long enough to be able to leave for another galaxy and come back, so you're not from a distinct colony with a branching evolution. It also doesn't seem like it comes from some accident, or a similar unique event. Your understanding of our society is too inconsistent. Considering your frequent absences, and your earlier diction in your exchange with Kai Leng... yes, I've been reluctant to believe it for some time, but I think it must be so. Are you, by chance, from another timeline? Or perhaps another reality altogether?”
Viasmos sat cross-legged on the floor and smiled, resting his head in his palm. “You're pretty smart, Illusive Man.”
The Illusive Man smiled, pleased to know his outlandish deductions had been on the nose.
“Well, it's as you say. I come from a world with magic. It exists every bit like any physics principle in this world. Not too different in that sense from your people's biotics, but far more expansive. It's a world with a lot of fighting, a lot of chaos, a lot of vying for supremacy... or at least it was like that, once upon a time. I'm the one who pretty much won that race for supremacy. I'm the strongest in the world, and I run an empire that spans over 90% of the planet. But I leave a lot of the dull work to others, so sometimes, I like to use my power to visit other worlds.”
The Illusive Man sat in silence for a moment before muttering, “Remarkable...” in hushed whispers. He looked back to Viasmos and said, “If what you say is true, then that's of great interest to us. Let me tell you a bit about Cerberus. The goal of our institution is the preservation and advancement of humanity. And in that vein, you, Viasmos, represent the very pinnacle.”
Viasmos cracked his knuckles and smirked. “Well, you're correct there. But tell me, what makes you so certain of my power?”
“Why, that's simple. Besides your ability to dispatch with a capable officer like Ms. Lawson, or your ability to fly at faster-than-light speeds with only your body, you accomplished something far more impressive than either of those things. You killed a reaper.”
The Illusive Man pressed a button on his chair, and a hologram popped up between him and Viasmos. It was the remains of a reaper that had been found in deep space.
“Oh yeah... I think I remember fighting that thing. Definitely tougher than any of the other ships I've seen around here.”
“That's just the thing, Viasmos. What you fought wasn't a ship. Tell me, how much do you know about the reapers?”
“Eh, not much. I know there's some kind of big-ass war going on with them, but I don't care all that much about it.”
“Then perhaps this will pique your interest. What you destroyed was not a ship, but was, in fact, an individual reaper unit.”
Viasmos's eyes widened just a touch, surprised at that revelation. No, in retrospect, it made sense. The movements of the ship were very unlike anything he'd seen elsewhere. But still... that thing had been over 150 meters in height. Was The Illusive Man really saying that was a single reaper, just as he comprised a single human?
“That's not even the largest type there is. That was a destroyer-class reaper. The biggest class are called capital ships, which can extend as long as two kilometers.”
“Two kilometers!? Geez, that sure is something! I know they're machines and all, but... how are they built that big?”
“That's actually a common misconception,” The Illusive Man clarified. “Reapers are not purely synthetic creatures. Rather, they are a hybrid race of organic and synthetic matter. However, I'm afraid I can't answer your question. We know very little about the origin of the reapers, truth be told. Only that every 50,000 or so years, after life has reached a certain benchmark of civilization, the reapers come to wipe out advanced races. And as humans are currently on deck, we are naturally invested in a solution.”
Viasmos stood up and began walking to the window, staring out at the orange-blue sun. His condescending smirk was not lost on The Illusive Man. “Hehehe... I do hope this isn't to say you want my help eliminating the reapers? I ain't exactly a – what's that word you people use... oh yeah – a 'good samaritan'.”
“Not at all. But I am hoping that we can do business of a similar sort. Tell me, you involved yourself with another besides Ms. Lawson, correct? A comms officer aboard the Normandy by the name of Samantha Traynor. I have my suspicions, but... would you clarify your interest in visiting other universes such as ours?”
“Sure!” Viasmos was more than pleased to talk about something he was passionate about. “I've pretty much run out of worthwhile women on my world, so I'm collecting more from others. I tell ya', that Miranda chick is one fine piece! Samantha's not as conventionally sexy, but she's got a real cuteness to her that I find appealing in its own way.”
Kai Leng's disgusted grimace was audible, but The Illusive Man had no reaction. Rather, he'd anticipated something like that was going on. More to the point, vulgar as it was, it didn't really matter for his purposes.
“I see. That's largely consistent with my conjecture. I imagine that Citadel and Alliance forces wouldn't be too happy with someone like you running around, but it's also possible that the they would try to use your power against the reapers. They are desperate, after all.”
“Interesting.”
“What is?”
“Your wording just now. 'They' would try? As in you wouldn't?” Viasmos turned to look at The Illusive Man. “Then am I correct in ascertaining you don't want the reapers destroyed?”
The Illusive Man swiveled his chair over to Viasmos and smiled, exhaling a voluminous puff of smoke. “You are indeed.”
Viasmos really liked this guy. Nothing was straightforward about him. He had a way of thinking different from most other people, making him hard to predict. Reapers were out there threatening humanity's very existence, his primary purpose in life, and yet he somehow saw a different solution than killing the reapers outright. It had Viasmos curious, that was for sure. He nodded his head in The Illusive Man's direction, as if to say, “Tell me more.”
“Whereas others sees an obstacle to be destroyed, I see a power to be harnessed. The technology of the reapers outclasses our civilization at every turn. It can't be denied. Then think about just how far humanity can go if we were to take their superiority for ourselves?”
Viasmos grinned. “I see. Then I understand why you wouldn't want me killing any in the meantime. Although, I'll be blunt, if it ever looks like civilization is in trouble here, I'll kill them all. Ain't no point in visiting this world if I don't have women to harvest.”
“Well, I can hardly stop you.”
“About that... what you said about the reapers... does that apply to me, as well?” He took a couple menacing steps towards The Illusive Man. Kai Leng began to run over with his hand on his sword, but The Illusive Man lifted up his hand to stop him. “Well? Planning to use my power, since you can't kill me?”
“That's a rather cynical way of looking at it, wouldn't you agree?” he replied, stamping out the nub of his cigarette into his ashtray. “Unlike the reapers, I understand your motives, and you can be reasoned with. I merely believe that we can work together with mutual benefit. You're here for women, and I'm at war with both the reapers and those who would destroy them. Our interests... share some overlap.”
“Aha, now I see where you're going with this.”
The Illusive Man pressed another button on his chair, and another hologram came up. It looked to be some kind of space station. “This is Omega, a mined-out asteroid that was renovated into a haven out in the Terminus Systems. It's a popular hub for outlaws and criminals, and it happens to be strategically valuable. I recently sent one of my most reliable generals to secure the station. However, Omega was taken back, and General Petrovsky has fallen into Alliance custody.”
“Yeah yeah yeah, look, I don't need to read all the books. Just tell me who the bitch is.”
A new hologram replaced the old one. “This is Aria T'Loak, the leader of Omega. For the purposes of the war, she has also taken control of all the galaxy's leading gangs. The Blue Suns, Eclipse, Blood Pack, they're all at her beck and call. Short of the reapers themselves, she is perhaps the most critical obstacle to our actions in the Terminus Systems.”
Viasmos looked her over. She certainly looked quite attractive, though she was also pretty distinct from his usual prey. “This babe is an asari, right?”
“Correct. How familiar are you with the other races?”
“Mildly. I know the asari are an all-female race, and that they're particularly proficient at the biotics you people practice. Rather spiritual, relative to other races, but I couldn't recall many specifics for you. Long-lived species, too.”
“Simply put, but accurate. An asari's lifespan extends to roughly 1,000 years, and as a monogendered race, they have unusual means of reproducing. They can reproduce with any species, regardless of gender, though the child in question will always be asari. However, for your purposes... it won't be a problem.”
“You're saying the bitch still has a pussy, yeah?”
“...”
Things had been going well, but even The Illusive Man found it difficult to stay so professional with a crass person like Viasmos on the other end of the conversation. Truth be told, even he felt a little guilty about propping up women for him to violate. It was somehow less odious to order them assassinated outright, as he'd done countless times. Still, he repressed his disgust. This was for humanity's sake, at perhaps the most critical juncture in the history of their race.
“Correct. They still must incubate and deliver the baby, after all.”
“Ah, good. I had kinda wondered about that. I ain't against bangin' non-humans, but that would've been a dealbreaker for me.” Viasmos swiveled his neck to turn towards Kai Leng, who was practically trembling with rage. “You okay there, Ninjaboy? You seem rather tense.”
“I am Kai Leng! You will remember my name!”
“Got it, Ninjaboy,” he replied, ignoring his frustration. He turned his attention back to The Illusive Man. “So what, I go to Omega, I get to try out a new bitch, you get a critical piece removed from the enemy's chessboard, and we all go home happy. Is that the idea?”
“In a nutshell, yes. Provided you have no objection.”
“I can't say I like the feeling of being sicced on someone, but hey, it's like you said. There's mutual benefit. I can hardly complain... and I have been curious about testing out an asari. Not sure how I feel about those tentacle heads of theirs, but hey, you don't know until you try. I try to be an open-minded guy.”
“Glad to hear it. Then while I doubt you need it, allow me to give you some warning. You mentioned the asaris' efficacy with biotics. I'll tell you that Aria is as adept as they come. I very seriously doubt you've come across such a capable biotic in your limited time here.”
“Is that so? Good to know. Perhaps she'll be a little bit more fun than the last two I picked up.”
“They have a saying on Omega, you know? They call it 'Omega's One Rule'.”
“And what would that be?”
“Don't fuck with Aria.”
Viasmos smirked and looked back outside towards the Sun. “Well, if she's gonna challenge me so bluntly, then I can hardly refuse!”
After Viasmos left, The Illusive Man let out a long sigh, pulling out a new cigarette. “Exhausting...”
“I truly have no idea how you kept your composure around that man,” Kai Leng stated, walking towards him.
The Illusive Man spoke while lighting his cigarette, “It was distasteful, but it's for humanity.” He took a well-earned breath of nicotine and exhaled. “We are at the brink of extinction. It is vital that we make the necessary decisions, if humanity is to rise through this stronger than ever.”
“If that's the case, then why Aria? Wouldn't Commander Shepard be a more appropriate target.”
The Illusive Man sat in silence for a moment, seeming to ponder how he should answer that. “...I owe Shepard that much, at the very least, for her help in dealing with the Collectors. Plus, she is a paragon of humanity's potential. I would prefer not to send her to such a horrid fate if it's avoidable. Besides, she's more difficult to pin down, thanks to the Normandy's stealth systems. Let us consider this a testing ground for our new associate. If he is able to take Aria T'Loak off our hands, and Shepard continues to be a tenacious thorn in our side... then I won't hesitate to do what must be done.”
Omega. A hive of scum and villainy if there ever was one. Seedy bars on every street corner, armed enforcement harassing any denizens that still had a drop of honesty in their veins, prostitutes parading themselves shamelessly, and merchants looking to squeeze every last credit they could from the most witless of their customers. Viasmos hadn't seen anything like it since he'd been to New York City.
He'd been told by The Illusive Man that Aria usually resided in a nightclub called “Afterlife”. Of course, he didn't actually know where that was. He did pull up the location on his omni-tool, but he had a hard time navigating the unusual layout of Omega. More than once, he had to ask for help on where to go. He found many of the citizens would clam up as soon as Afterlife came up, but a few were willing to point him in the right direction.
Finally, he'd arrived. There was a long line of people waiting to enter, but Viasmos frankly didn't even consider that he might need to wait. He began to walk in when something got in his path.
“Back of the line! You're not on Aria's nice list.”
“Hmm? Oh, there's been some mistake.”
“You bet there has, tiny human. Back of the line. Now!”
Viasmos recognized this creature as a krogan. They were an enormous race, measuring at over 2 meters tall and weighing anywhere from 150-200 kilograms. They were built for strength and endurance, with bodies so resilient that you could rip out a few organs, and they'd probably still be able to function with their backup systems. They were also known to be quick to anger, and partial towards violence. Krogan were few in number these days, on account of something called the “genophage”, although Viasmos knew little about it. Only that it had something to do with minimizing their birth rates.
Most people knew better than to fuck around with a krogan. Viasmos was not most people. “No no, see, the mistake is that I don't wait in lines. Or, for that matter... someone standing in my way.”
The krogan pulled out a shotgun and aimed it point-blank at his face. “You'd better get out of here, little man.”
Viasmos smirked, and before the krogan knew it, he was hunched over in agonizing pain. The human was prying off the plate on his forehead, the pride of a krogan male. It was rare to hear a krogan scream in such agony, but the people outside of Afterlife had the fortune (if they were silver-lining type folks) of being present for such an instance. A krogan, headlocked by a human, the latter using his bare hands to rip off a krogan's headplate. It was pretty much unheard of. The krogan was weeping at the intense pain and mutilation.
“I did warn you,” Viasmos said, for the second time today.
Inside Afterlife...
Bray walked up the stairs to see Aria. The four-eyed alien was a batarian, a race that was nearly-endangered even before the war with the Reapers began. Batarians had a negative reputation, known primarily for their hatred and terrorist action towards humans. But Bray, though he could hardly be called a fan of humans, was more reasonable. Quite frankly, it was a human he was most rooting for right now. The human called Shepard, who was probably the galaxy's best chance against the reapers. He'd seen her in action first-hand when she helped Aria take back Omega.
But that was fairly distant from his current responsibilities. The only one in semi-regular contact with Shepard was Aria, to whom Bray played the role of both bodyguard and assistant. Aria was on her couch – recently recovered after Shepard had sent its coordinates - with a look of mild frustration as she dealt with some paperwork.
“I tell you, Bray, I might relocate to the Citadel for the duration of this war. It was easier to coordinate from there back when Cerberus's grimy mitts were on my Omega.” She sat back to look at him and crossed her legs. “So what is it? I'm sure you didn't come up here just to waste my time.”
“There are reports of a man looking for you. Or rather, looking for Afterlife.”
“Who?”
“We don't know.”
“Hmm? Now... that is surprising...” Aria stood up and walked forward slowly, contemplating this information. “Few people arrive on Omega without my knowing... the undocumented even more so.”
“It's a human, but other than that, we have no records of anyone with his face. He's completely off the grid, even by Terminus standards.”
“Well, that does pique my curiosity... I'm tempted to send him an invitation and meet this enigma, but... I wonder...”
“...Aria?”
The blue-skinned biotic didn't even hear him, lost in thought as she was. Shepard did send me a message some time ago about an unknown man she was tracking... The odds are slim, but... it's not impossible.
Suddenly, screaming was heard from outside, followed by a crash that reverberated throughout the bar. “I suppose the invitation's unnecessary,” she mused.
“But... a lone human couldn't have caused this! It's not like he's a spectre.”
“I very much doubt this disturbance is a coincidence.” She turned around and leapt atop her couch, lifting one foot up on the back. There was no wall behind it, and the lighting fixture that had once been at the center of the room still had yet to be reaffixed, so this gave her a perfect view of the bar's atrium. “Take positions!” she shouted. Her subordinates were quick to obey, well-trained not to keep the boss waiting. They all took aim at the door leading into the room. There was a back route as well, but it was very doubtful that was something to be concerned about, based on the chaotic noises swimming closer and closer from outside.
At last, the doors blasted open, thrown off their hinges and into the dancing ring at the atrium's center. Aria's men immediately opened fire, inundating the entrance with supersonic bullets. Alas, they proved quite harmless. They couldn't get close to breaking through his barrier. Aria watched the scene unfold with great interest.
Hmm, it sure acts like a biotic field... but it doesn't really look like one.
“Bray. Go out the back and contact Commander Shepard.”
“It... will take a while for her to get here. We have reinforcements in nearby systems we could-”
“Reinforcements? Who said anything about that?” she asked tartly, whipping her head around before turning her attention back to Viasmos. “I'm saying I'll have a trophy for Shepard to pick up. It's the least I can do for her after she found my couch.”
“Understood.” Bray swiftly descended the stairs and exited Afterlife through the back entrance. Aria, meanwhile, called out to her soldiers. “That's enough! For fuck's sake, you're just wasting perfectly good thermal clips.”
Viasmos looked up at the asari. Asari ranged from blue to purple, and this one was somewhere in-between. Blue with some purple tint, perhaps a violet or a light indigo. He had little trouble recognizing her as the one from the hologram he'd been shown. Even so, he felt the need to confirm. “Yo, you Aria?”
“So you do know who I am. And yet, you've had the audacity to cause such a scene. Is it possible you were unaware of Omega's one rule? Don't fuck with Aria!”
“Funny. Fucking you is exactly what I came here to do.”
“Heh... you're joking.”
“Nope! I've never had an asari before, and from what I can tell, you're as prestigious a prize as there is for your kind. So are we doing this the easy way, or the hard way?”
“Oooohhh, definitely the hard way!” Aria leapt off the second floor and made a dash for Viasmos.
“Hehe... just what I like to hear.”
Aria focused her hands on one spot in his barrier, and began surging biotic energy through them. To the surprise of Viasmos, she was actually prying it apart. It was slow and difficult, not at all resembling the feat of folks like Superman and All Might who could break it with sheer strength, but that only made it more accomplished to him.
This biotic shit might be more impressive than I thought.
From what he understood, there were two types of biotics users: There were those who needed special implants to use biotics, and there were the asari. They were a naturally biotic race, and so their potential in that field was considerably grander than it was in other species. Humans, krogans, drell, there were plenty of biotic users among such species. But save for perhaps a handful of outliers, you'd never find one as gifted as an asari commando – the elite of asari military.
Aria had, in fact, had commando training, though she was long removed from any ambition of serving their homeworld of Thessia. Aria had many strengths. Her ruthlessness, her ambition, even her patience to see long-term plans through to completion. But certainly among them was also the fact that she stood out as one of the most awe-inspiring biotics from a culture filled to the brim with awe-inspiring biotics.
She was currently making her own biotic field, and forcing it into his barrier, spreading it apart. It was extremely arduous, but Aria wasn't one known to back down from hard battles. She poked her head in through the small hole she'd created and smirked. “Still think you can fuck me?”
Viasmos smiled, impressed at her perseverance. But it hardly changed his intentions. “I certainly do,” he playfully replied, then leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. She recoiled behind the barrier immediately, abandoning her attack, revulsion painted on her face.
“Audacious shit... you've really fucked up now.”
“Hahaha, you were just so vulnerable there! I couldn't resist the temptation!”
Viasmos took down his barrier, and the soldiers were quick to notice. “Open fire!” one yelled. But before they could even starting shooting him, Viasmos snapped his fingers, and branches of scarlet-black lightning coiled around the thugs. Only Aria was spared his attack, as it was simply a matter of not wanting to be interrupted. She arched an eyebrow – or rather, one of the facial markings on asari that resembled an eyebrow - and tilted her head.
“As I thought... those definitely aren't biotics you're using. So just who are you, really?”
“The name's Viasmos. And you're correct, I don't use biotics. I don't need them.”
Then is it some kind of tech? That seems unlikely... it would take reaper-quality tech to do the things he just did, and even they couldn't make it so inconspicuous. Some new application of manipulating eezo I somehow haven't heard of? What else could it be?
Her thoughts were interrupted as Viasmos threw a ball of that scarlet-black stuff at her. She quickly held up her arms and raised a biotic barrier. She could tell that it was just barely able to hold against it from the way it felt on impact. Not one to stay defensive, she quickly countered with a lash, using her biotics to grab Viasmos's body and throw him towards her. She hit him with a kick to the gut once he was in range, and in swift fashion, pulled out her shotgun and fired off a carnage shot at his face. Carnage could rip through even armored targets quite swiftly, so she felt quite certain she had him dead to rights. Or perhaps just dead.
But Viasmos was still in one piece. Though his face had signs of burns, it was in far better shape than one would typically expect from such a direct and powerful shot. “Damn,” he mused, rubbing his jawline. “I guess you've got more than just biotics in your backpocket, huh?”
Even a supremely confident mafia donna like Aria could only do so much to hide her surprise. Taking a hit like that head-on... it'd be one thing if he had shields up, but he clearly wasn't using any. If he was, she'd never have been able to pull him so jarringly with her lash, since biotics struggled against shielded opponents.
She replaced her shotgun with her submachine gun, and dashed sideways to the staircase while firing at him. Viasmos could survive being hit with these projectiles, but he wasn't a fan. They used mass effect technology to travel at supersonic velocities, and even with his hardened skin, that was enough to make them sting. So rather than block the bullets, he dodged sideways, taking cover behind the bar counter.
Aria reloaded a thermal clip and tried to wrap her mind around that. He took a carnage shot to the face, but he was running from some SMG fire? She only intended it as a suppressive tactic, she hadn't expected it to be effective. SMGs lacked the punch of a pistol or rifle, so it seemed odd that this particular weapon would be one he'd want to run from. Perhaps he could take one hit easily, but taking multiple hits in rapid succession was a problem for him somehow? It was all a massive red herring, but Aria could hardly be blamed for honing in on it.
Viasmos grabbed a bottle from behind the counter, intending to use it for a makeshift incendiary to throw her way, but he stopped when he looked at the bottle. “Oh shit yeah! Ryncol!” He was a fan of this drink. Even by his world's standards, it was some hardcore stuff. He popped it open and started downing the stuff, the fight with Aria briefly relegated to a memory.
Aria, for her part, used the lull in the action to toss a frag grenade behind the counter. Upon seeing it land and making an educated guess as to what it was for, Viasmos quickly swiped one more jug of ryncol and backflipped out of there. Aria immediately began shooting, and Viasmos ran to the other set of stairs for cover, swilling his alcohol along the way.
“I think you might want to take this a little more seriously,” Aria called out. “I'm not known for playing around with my enemies.”
“Heh, funny, I pretty much exclusively play around with them. If you ask me, you oughta take things a bit less seriously. Why blow up so much perfectly good alcohol? You're gonna be mine by the end of the day regardless, after all.”
“Your confidence would be charming if you weren't so crass. Anyway, just what are you? You're clearly not human.”
“Hmm? What makes you say that?”
“Humans can't drink ryncol, fool. That stuff's made for krogans. A single glass has been known to kill other species. Even I can't touch the stuff.”
“Ha! Don't compare your woman biology to me! I can assure you, I'm 100% human. I'm just a higher breed is all.”
“A higher breed who can take a shotgun to the face with virtually no damage? Yeah, I'm not buying it.”
“Eh, believe what you want.” Viasmos finished his second serving of ryncol and tossed it to the side. “You'll know all there is to know soon enough.”
Viasmos poked his head around the corner, but this was largely theatrical. Attentive as he was, he could hear Aria's footsteps as she snuck over to his staircase via the second floor. Thinking she had the jump on him, she turned the corner with her finger on the trigger of her shotgun, but Viasmos was still faster. He snapped around just as she made her move and shot a blast of his aura into her weapon, badly overheating it. Not one to waste time in the middle of a fight, she dropped the now-useless shotgun immediately, and blasted a biotic push wave towards him.
The lash had taken him by surprise earlier, as his only experience with biotics at that point had been with Miranda. She was a talented biotic by human standards, but not anywhere near Aria's level, so the force with which she suddenly pulled him had been a learning experience. He wasn't going to be so easily tossed around a second time. He fought back against the ethereal force pushing him backwards, and largely stood his ground save for a foot or two. Still, even that tiny delay was something for Aria. She quickly pulled out her SMG and began firing at Viasmos, who once again motioned to dodge. This time, he jumped into the air, far higher than what any human should be capable of. He was practically at the ceiling.
How in the hell...? There's no way he's human! A synthetic disguised as a human, maybe?
Funnily enough, this was the second time someone from this universe had considered that possibility with him. However, it didn't make much sense considering his stated motives... there was nothing synthetic about what he proposed doing with her. What she was sure of was that she couldn't hold back. He'd proven difficult to kill, even for her, so it was time she went all out.
This takes a lot out of me, but oh fucking well.
Biotic aura surged along her right arm, and she shot a ball of condensed biotic energy towards Viasmos as he reached the arc of his jump. This technique was known as “Flare”, and in terms of sheer destructive potential, there was no beating it. The explosion it generated could destroy entire squads if they were bunched up close enough.
Ever the curious one, Viasmos felt no need to dodge. He wanted to see what this newest move could do. It was a direct hit, with the flair destroying a decent chunk of her ceiling from its proximity. It was further broken apart by the force of Viasmos slamming into it, so harsh was the force of her biotics. And yet, as he looked down upon himself, he felt disappointed. His body remained in immaculate shape. It was a harder hit than anything Miranda had thrown at him, he could safely say that, but it was far from satisfying his urge for an enjoyable fight.
For the first time in a long time, Aria's eyes betrayed shock, amazed that he was still in one piece. Viasmos telekinetically grabbed some of the falling debris – his way of mimicking biotic powers – and threw them in her direction. Aria rolled out of the way and onto her knees while pulling out her SMG, but her movements were a little slow, drained as she was after using her strongest power. Before she could even aim with the gun, Viasmos had already dropped down and kicked it out of her hands, followed by driving his knee into her face. As she flipped backwards from the blow, Viasmos grabbed her leg and swung her against the wall of the dancing ring in the atrium's center.
Even Aria, hardened as she was, needed to catch her breath after that. This guy was strong... she'd taken hits from krogan that didn't compare. Fighting the pain as she attempted to get up, Viasmos grabbed her head and held her in place on her knees.
“Oh, is this where your strippers dance? Nice rig. Maybe I'll have you dance for me yourself, hmm?”
“Ugh, not on your life, bastard!”
Aria did, in fact, have experience pole dancing. It was how she first infiltrated the club before overthrowing the previous owner and claiming it for herself. Afterlife became ground zero of Aria's domain, the beginning of a story that would see her influence stretch to all of Omega. But it went without saying that she would never dance for this filth.
“Oh wow, I like that you can keep up that tough facade! Even though I'm sure you realize by now that you're outclassed. Wounded, fatigued, and facing someone far your superior. But even so, you haven't lost your pride.”
Viasmos threw her forward onto the ground and, in spite of some fierce resistance from the asari, ripped off her clothing. Clad in nothing but a black thong, she was terribly exposed, but thanks to her aforementioned experience as a dancer, it didn't bother her as Viasmos had expected it would. Rather than try and cover herself, she grabbed him by his hair and pulled him down with her, rolling on top and trying to choke him to death.
“Do you feel that, Viasmos? That's death, only inches away...” she taunted in hushed tones, savoring the feeling of getting the edge over the man who sought to belittle her.
“Heh... I've felt death before, and it wasn't anything like this,” he countered. Aria squeezed harder, even enhancing her strength with her biotics. Yet, he remained unfazed. He'd survived attempts at strangulation from literal chain whips without much difficulty, so it was only natural that an asari's strength – even biotically-infused strength – was just not up for the task. He palmed Aria in the gut and threw her off of him, standing above her and pressing his foot against her face.
“My, my, such tenacity! Now that I really have a chance to look you over... damn, you asari sure do have nice bodies! Extremely similar to humans, save for the skin color. The only thing that stands out are your heads... a little weird, but I think I can deal with that.”
Rather than hair, the asari had short protrusions coming from their heads that resembled tentacles, which curved back along their heads. Viasmos had been a little uncertain about them, because while he was certainly known for getting down and dirty, he had a certain inclination towards cleanliness. The idea of a slimy, gross tentacle was just not his cup of tea. But after grabbing her by the head earlier, he realized he had nothing to worry about. They weren't very much like tentacles at all, once he felt them. They were semi-flexible, but generally rigid, probably composed of cartilage or something similar if he had to guess. Far from a head full of tentacles, it was really more of a scalp crest, similar in function – if not in appearance – to the plates on krogan heads. He could definitely work with a scalp crest.
“You have no idea how fucked you are, do you?” Aria hissed at him, even with his boot pressed against her cheek. “I fucked up the last guy who thought he'd beaten me. You'll meet a far worse fate, I can promise you that!”
“Pffft, who cares about some other guy? I'm your opponent right now, and I'm not some weakling.” Viasmos suspected she was referring to Cerberus general that The Illusive Man had mentioned before, but he didn't particularly care. No matter who it was, the odds were substantial that they didn't compare to him. “Alright princess, I think I need to get you accustomed to the new power dynamics in play.”
His hand zapped alight with the scarlet-black hue of his aura, but this was not an attack he was preparing. Rather, he conjured a chain and collar which was imbued with his aura. He attached the collar around her neck and took his foot off her face. Naturally, the first thing Aria tried to do was attack him, but she was halted by a sudden shock.
“What the – what the hell did you do!?”
“I made a little shock collar, see?” he explained. “Act out of line, and that'll go off.” She'd be getting her own collar once she was transferred to Tharsis, of course, but that didn't mean he couldn't have fun with this one. Someone as hostile and prone to violence as this really needed to be put in her place, and he could tell it wasn't going to be easy. A drastic measure like this was called for.
He walked towards the stairs and tugged on her leash. “Come on, girlie. Let's go.”
“Who the hell are you calling – AAAAOOOWW! Damnit!”
Aria couldn't stand without the shock going off, but she could at least endure the pain and refuse to move. But the more she stayed firm, the stronger the shock got. Even as her mind kept ordering herself to stop, it simply became instinct for her body to crawl forward as Viasmos pulled her.
“There we go! Knew you could do it! I'll have to give you a treat later!”
“Bastard, I'll fucking kill you for this!”
Aria winced in anticipation of another shock, but to her surprise, there was none. It seemed he didn't mind if she talked back to him, as long as she was physically doing what he wanted from her. Not that this stopped her from fighting her own compulsions. Leashed and crawling wearing nothing but her underwear was horribly embarrassing, and unacceptable to a hardened matriarch like her. Still, while she took a fair amount of shocks, her body couldn't help but continue following him up the stairs.
She was thankful that her men weren't conscious to see this. Part of her success wasn't just her power, but the projection of her power. That was what “Don't fuck with Aria” was all about, after all. Once she had the image of being untouchable, she became exactly that. But if her enemies, or even her own subordinates, saw her like this, that image would crumble into oblivion. No matter who she killed in retaliation, she'd never see the same level of influence and respect ever again.
They finally made it up the stairs, and Viasmos pet her head. “That's a good girl! You're such a good girl! Yes you are, yes you are!” As he leaned in close to her, Aria spat at his face.
“Stop treating me like a fucking dog, you mongrel!”
Viasmos wiped the spit off his face, but he didn't seem particularly bothered by it. In fact, he was smiling. “Ah, as I understand it, the word you people use for a female dog is “bitch”, right? And you are my bitch.” He pressed his face to her cheek and licked up the side of her face, much to Aria's chagrin. He chuckled and said, “So I guess I don't really see the problem.”
She tried to punch him, but felt another shock jolt through her body. He laughed and slapped her on the ass. “Giddy up, bitch! Get moving!” He forced her over to the couch, the one she had so iconically resided on for centuries. He sat down on it, with Aria chained and kneeling before him. He pulled out his cock and slapped it between her eyes.
“Alright bitch, get to sucking.”
“Ha! You're out of your mind if you think I'll-GHLP!”
Viasmos gripped the back of her head and pulled her in while her mouth was open. He then pulled her leash back so that she couldn't move further back. All she could do was slide back and forth along his shaft. As much as Aria would like to bite his wretched cock off, she knew that was hopeless. A man who could take a flare head-on with no serious injuries – particularly wearing no armor or shields – was not someone she could hurt that way.
No, what she needed now was patience. She could admit, albeit reluctantly, that she was no match for him in a head-on fight. He was too strong. What she needed to do was lower his guard. She couldn't just come right out and be submissive, that would be too suspicious after the hostility she'd demonstrated. She needed to make this look gradual, like she was only giving in because she knew he was stronger. Humiliating as it was, she proceeded to service him, glaring at him with eyes burning with fury.
“Oh my, I didn't expect you to give in so easily. I guess Omega's gonna need a new rule, huh?”
“Ghlrp mmuhm! Gwaaaghohm!”
Understandably, her ability to retort was somewhat hampered, but Viasmos still smiled as he perceived her venomous intent. “It's okay, nothing wrong with facing facts. You had a good run, but there's always somebody stronger. Heh, unless you're me, that is.”
Aria was floored by his arrogance. There was nothing wrong with having an ego – she certainly wouldn't have been one to talk if that's all it was. But he genuinely seemed to view himself as the pinnacle of biology. Of course, anyone who would take a woman by force had to be tainted with at least a little hubris, so she could only be mildly surprised.
Despite her contempt for this man breaking a ceiling she didn't even know she had, she stayed firm to her strategy and continued her blowjob. She was balancing on a fine line, trying to come off as doing the bare minimum she had to, while also making Viasmos think she wasn't totally against it, and even getting used to it. It was a delicate acting job, but not quite as difficult as one might think. The fact was that the description she'd outlined for herself wasn't as antithetical to her reality as she'd have liked. She was doing the bare minimum, and as for his cock, well... she'd had a handful of human men in her life, and none of them compared to this.
Her species, monogendered as it was, didn't evolve to appreciate masculinity. However, culturally, that had started to change, particularly with the uplifting of the krogan. A big set of dick n' balls and the fertility it represented had become something to value in a mate, even if it didn't actually have anything to do with asari reproduction. The same phenomenon was happening with human women and their proportionately-large breasts relative to other species - although asari did also possess larger breasts themselves, so it came a little more naturally in that instance. In any case, even if physical copulation was unnecessary for mating, asari still had the capacity for sexual pleasure, so a big, strong dick was nothing to sneeze at. Aria, enraged as she was, could hardly deny that his manhood triggered some degree of physical attraction within her.
Still, she was not some floozy who would succumb to something like this. But if she could get this Viasmos bastard to believe that she was, then she could give herself an opening to break him. Then he'd rue the day he ever laid his repulsive hands on her.
It was starting to work, or at least she hoped as much. His grip on her leash was weakening. She was still restricted from pulling herself off of him, but he wasn't tugging her towards him anymore, and giving her a chance to move on her own terms. Just as she was celebrating to herself, however, she felt a sharp pull of her leash, forcing her to the base of his cock. At that same moment, she felt a warm fluid gushing in the back of her throat.
Did this piece of shit just cum in my mouth!?
“I did say I'd give you a treat,” he remarked playfully.
She glared up at him, meeting his smirk with scorn. He held up her leash and jangled it a bit, reminding her who was in control here. “Swallow it all, sweetcheeks.” She closed her eyes, feigning resignation, and reluctantly swallowed his seed. He released his grip on her leash and let her remove her lips from his cock. As she took the chance to breathe, he surprised her by releasing her from her collar.
“I don't normally like using tools like this,” he explained. “I think a real man should be able to handle his women with his own strength. But hey... sometimes I don't mind playing around with them. Figured a domineering queenpin like yourself could use a little flair.”
She was glad to be free of that horribly embarrassing collar, but still hated her situation. It was also too early, by her estimation, to be showing total deference, so she let it show a little. “You think you can control me now, you fucking scumbag?”
Viasmos laughed and cupped her cheeks. “I think you've figured out that I'm a lot stronger than you, and you can't win. That'll do for my purposes.” He wasn't wrong, but Aria hissed anyway. As much as his cavalier sense of superiority grated her, she was ultimately quite pleased with how things were going. He was buying into her act at exactly the pacing she wished.
Well... that was the optimistic perception, at least. Viasmos was no fool. He was absolutely considering that Aria had something else up her sleeve, and she'd hardly be the first of his victims to try such a thing. Still, her acting was pretty good, and he wasn't quite certain one way or the other what was really going on inside her head. The good news for Aria was that it didn't particularly matter. Even if Viasmos could confirm that she was trying something tricky, he'd be more than happy to let her, just so he could defeat her even more concretely.
“Why don't you strip off that thong of yours, my violet vixen?”
The asari scoffed, saying, “You think I'll strip, for you, you little-” before taking a hard slap across her face. Hard enough that she fell back on the floor.
“No collar doesn't mean no pain.” He sauntered over and pressed his boot against her back. “I have plenty of ways to hurt you.” He pressed lightly into her back, though the term “lightly” could only be applied in the Tharsian sense of the word. To Aria, it was brutal against her spine. Asari had a skeletal structure very similar to humans, so it wasn't hard to Viasmos to figure out where the right pressure points were. Asari were also not known for their physical endurance, with krogan often belittling them for their “soft skin”. Aria had no choice but to yield.
“Okay, fine! Agh! I'll do it! Get your fucking boot off of me!”
“Good girl, now face your ass towards me and peel it off real sexy-like.”
Aria did exactly as instructed. All still part of her act, of course, but she did hate taking orders like this. She was debating if she should kill him, or leave him just barely alive so she could draw his end out as excruciatingly as possible. He was a bit dangerous to keep alive, but killing him immediately wouldn't be very satisfying for her. A piece of filth like this needed a much more severe revenge.
But that was a question for the future. Here in the present, she had no choice but to let Viasmos admire her fine curves. She slowly bent down as she slid down her panties, giving him full view of her voluptuous ass. She kicked her thong off her feet and turned to face him, her naked form completely visible.
“Looks like you've tamed somewhat,” Viasmos observed.
“I'm a lord of the lawless, hard as they come. But I didn't get that far by being an imbecile. You're obviously far too strong to oppose. I have no choice but to relent.”
“Heh, smart. I wouldn't have taken you for the type. Anyway, get over here.”
There were some mixed messages if she'd ever heard them. Was he buying her act, or was he suspicious? It could have been either/or, the way he put that. For now, she did as commanded and walked over to him. She had to trust that her plan was working.
He grabbed her by her hips and spun her around, then pulled her down to his crotch. He set her just up from the tip of his dick before he slapped her ass and said, “Go on. Put it in.”
Aria struggled to maintain her composure. She would have preferred to get this taken care of before he stuck it in her, but she didn't have a choice, caught as she was in the currents of his desire. She slowly slid his cock into her asari pussy, until he was all the way in to his base.
Nobody was entirely certain why asari felt pleasure in their nether regions, since they didn't require sex to reproduce. The leading hypothesis was that it was some kind of vestigial structure, coming from a time in their phylogenetic tree when sexual reproduction was still necessary. Regardless of exactly why, Aria couldn't help but moan slightly as her rapist's massive girth filled her, stretching out her vaginal walls to their limits.
It helped her act, so she couldn't exactly be mad about it, but Aria did feel a certain shame at such a genuine sound of pleasure escaping her lips. It wouldn't have been an issue if this were a consensual encounter, but enjoying the sensations being forced upon her by someone threatening to take the life she'd worked so long and so hard to build was nothing short of disgraceful.
“Well now, how about that? It really does feel just like a human pussy! Man, the wonders of convergent evolution, am I right?”
She ignored his taunting, and focused on getting into a rhythm. It was time she moved her plan along. She'd played the “reluctant submissive” role for a fair bit, now it was time to adopt the “pleasure slave” role. As she got used to his size, she began to move more smoothly, and was more deliberate with her moans to indicate her rising satisfaction. She had to make him believe she was falling for him.
“Oh, getting into it, are we?”
“I've just never... mmh... had such a... big cock before,” she cried out. Acting or not, this was not a lie in the slightest. Krogans probably had bigger dicks, but she'd never fucked one, and wasn't interested. She'd had a turian male once, but didn't particularly care for the experience. Salarians only mated for reproduction, and had no concept of sexual pleasure, so they were a pass. Drell were surprisingly adept under the sheets, but it was rare to see them outside the hanar homeworld. There were plenty of batarians in Terminus space, and they weren't bad, but they weren't quite as large as human males in her experience. Most of her mates had either been asari or female, so humans were the best analog she had for impressive dick size, and there was no question that this human had the largest she'd ever taken.
Viasmos reached around and cupped her breasts. Asari appealed to many species' standards of beauty. Their skin color appealed to salarians, their head crests appealed to turians, but in the case of humans, their desirable traits were far less minute. Their bodies were overall very similar in shape and texture to a human female's. This included their large busts, which the human males were particularly fond of. Viasmos was no exception, sinking his fingers into the soft flesh of her tits.
He started taking control, pumping at his own pace instead of letting her do all the work. He pulled her all the way back as he kneaded her tits, and leaned over to lick the side of her neck. Aria once again could not help but moan, even if it was her intention anyway. She hated the way he made her feel, but still, this was good. He was enjoying her body, getting swept up in the moment. This was the time to counterattack.
“So... how is my... asari body?” she asked in between gasps.
“Fantastic! An all-female race this warm and wet? It's like you were designed to be sex toys!” To call them “all-female” was not entirely accurate. Asari had gotten accustomed to using feminine terminology in order to ease translation with their sexual-based friends of the galaxy, but as a monogendered race, they did not actually possess any concept of sex or gender.
She ignored his degrading commentary and moved forward with her plan. “You know... asari can have sex, but it's not how we mate.” She reached back with her arms and wrapped around his neck. “I can make this feel even better for us...”
“Oh really?” Viasmos was definitely curious. He'd heard a little of the parthenogenesis asari used to reproduce, but he hadn't been aware that it was a pleasurable process.
“Let me show you...” she said, turning around on his hips to face him. He wasn't stopping her, so that was a good sign. She kept up the movement of her hips, but slowed down. She needed to get him into the right state of mind. “Relax, Viasmos...” she whispered warmly. “That's it, breathe... deep... slow... just like that...” He was following her instruction, trusting her to guide him through this unusual process. “Reach out, grasp the strings that bind us. Look into my eyes... yes... let go of your physical shell... now...”
Her eyes were suddenly painted a deep black, a hollow abyss one could get lost in for hours. “Embrace eternity!”
Asari did not reproduce sexually, but they were not asexual either. They did still require a partner to procreate. How did they do this? Just like this: melding. An asari's consciousness reached out and attuned their nervous system with their partner's, then sent and received electrical signals through their skin. They gather genetic data from their mates and combine it with their own to create a new life. However, this process means much more than a simple mix-and-match of genetic codes. The unification of their nervous systems was itself a very pleasurable sensation, but the connection went deeper than that. Thoughts, feelings, memories, all of them became one. This sense of emotional unity was a type of pleasure that went beyond conventional ideas of sexual stimulation.
Needless to say, this was not what Aria was intending. While she certainly could make this a more enjoyable process for her captor, what she really wanted was access to his mind. The fool had followed her guidance, allowing her to take control of his mind. A human who'd never known this experience with an asari would be at her mercy. Though neither of them conscious of their physical surroundings any longer, Viasmos's pupils had dilated to total blackness, same as hers. A bystander would be able to plainly see that his consciousness had become enthralled by Aria's.
I'll turn you into a mindless husk, and break you piece by piece!
She felt his memories touch her, and she suddenly had a good idea of what this anomalous human was all about. She'd been to many planets, but not this one... because it was not in their galaxy. It wasn't even in their universe. This man hailed from a different reality altogether. No wonder he was so powerful. It wasn't biotics, tech, or anything analogous. It was magic of the sort that this reality would regard as an impossibility. Furthermore, it seemed he had a fascination with visiting other worlds and stealing their women for himself. So that's what he was doing with her? Molding her into his next sex slave?
I think you'd agree this was the biggest mistake of your life.
Mentally, it was as if she was strangling him. His emotions, his thoughts, his ego, all fading into the blackness of Aria's hatred. Even her physical body, distant as it was in this moment, had a malevolent grin plastered on its face.
Yes! Can you feel it, you worm!? I hope you're aware enough to at least realize how badly you fucked up! As if I would ever submit to scum like you! More! More! Suffer, squeal, suffocate! I will bring you so close to the brink of death that you'll wish I just pushed you off! But no... I'll let you waver on the precipice, keep you trapped in your hollow shell of a mind! I want you to know what it really means to belong to someone! To have your body, mind, and soul under my control! Now... evanesce into nothing but the broken effigy of what you once were! A mere fragment of a memory!
The blackness was smothering, all-encompassing. Whatever light remained was well beneath its shadows. Aria mentally grinned, a smug satisfaction written all over her, even in this quasi-psychic plain of existence. All that bluster, all that showboating, and what had it gotten him in the end? The same place all of her enemies ended up: beneath her boot.
It was time to return before anyone showed up. Although she'd only instructed Bray to contact Commander Shepard, she knew from his personality that he was likely gathering reinforcements as well, just to be on the safe side. Such a thorough subordinate, if a bit tedious. She'd like to get off of this bastard's dick before they arrived, and maybe even get some clothes on if she was feeling especially ambitious.
But something kept her from leaving... as though there was a wall around her psyche that was keeping her inside. Then she felt something, a red flash like a thunderstorm, bleeding through the darkness. It wasn't her creating this sensation, but... it couldn't be...
Now really... did you think it would be so easy to trap my mind?
It just couldn't be! This human had never felt an asari like this! She'd already suspected it before, but after melding with him, she knew it for a fact. There was no way he could be able to fend off her influence!
But this was a two-way street, after all. Viasmos could sense her disbelief intuitively, and was all too happy to explain matters to her.
Mind reading is a thing in my world. Merging one's mind with another's... it's not all too different from this asari shit, now is it? Resisting that power means having a strong mind and a strong will, which I can proudly state I possess in overabundance! Did you really think you'd had me in your grasp? I showed you only what I wanted you to see, so I could savor your despair all the more!
She wanted to argue, to tell herself that this wasn't possible, but she couldn't. After all, connected as they were, she knew he was telling the truth. He could not be overpowered, and he could not be overwhelmed, not even like this. Then what was left for her to try? All that pathetic moaning, those shameful displays of obedience, what were they all for? She was back to square one, completely at his mercy.
His scarlet presence was moving around erratically, cracking through the confines of her mind. Now... let's see what I can learn about you... Aria's life flashes before him. Her years as a young asari maiden being drawn to the outlaw world of the Terminus Systems. Her matron stage as she began to refine her natural talent as a biotic. Finally, her matriarch era, where had earned a reputation that resounded throughout the galaxy. Taking down the krogan “Patriarch”, now a chained pet of hers, whose name had been lost to time; replaced by a moniker she found amusing, a word for which her people had no concept. A turian female she'd bonded with more than most, then grown apart from, then reforged that bond... only to watch her die. Who else mattered in Aria's life? Ah, what was this? A human female, who seemed to be at the center of many of Aria's activities as of late...
GET! OUT! OF MY! HEAD!
Now that hardly seems fair, Viasmos countered. You had no ethical qualms about sifting through my memories.
I don't give a shit, you dirtbag!
Hehehe... fair enough then. Ready to return to the physical plain?
Grr... damnit!
And just like that, both of them flashed back to reality. What felt like minutes had actually been only a few seconds to them. That kind of jarring temporal shift would be a little distracting to some, but Viasmos was quick to get back to bouncing the asari matriarch on his groin.
Aria was at a loss. All her scheming and handling of him had been for nothing. What was left? What could she do? All she knew for sure was that she wouldn't relent and be this man's plaything. She'd give him exactly what he had coming.
“Release me, you sick fuck!”
Her arm glowed a white-hot blue, and she shot another flare at Viasmos, this time at point-blank range. It was rather misguided, as it did more harm to her than it did to him. Viasmos was no more bothered than he was before, while Aria was blown backwards by the intense explosion, held in place only by her rapist's mighty hands. She was burned severely all over her upper body and thighs, and on top of that, it took a lot of energy every time she used that technique.
“Geez, woman. Would you not hurt yourself like that? I do have to look at you, you know.”
Viasmos reached out with one hand, and a ghostly, green aura began to pour out from him over her. He was healing her burns, but as he'd just alluded, this was not for her sake. He wished to protect her from injury only to ensure that he'd have something pleasant to look at. This was the reality of a slave girl. Whether they liked it or not, there was no higher priority in their lives than him. Their appearances, their actions, their very identities would be molded to satiate his desires. If not by their will, then by his force.
Aria did feel better after being healed up, but she was still lacking in energy. After such an intense melding and the physically strenuous act of sex, that flare pretty much drained everything out of her. As hot as her raging flame still burned, she could not muster any meaningful resistance to the Tharsian anymore.
He lifted her up and threw her back on the couch, taking the asari from behind. Her knees were on the couch, while her upper body was laid over the wall just past it, giving her much the same view she had at the beginning when Viasmos had first invaded her nightclub.
“Let – let me go! You bastard!”
Of course, he did not listen to her demands. Rather, he gave her butt a resounding slap as he railed her, as if to say, “What are you gonna do about it?” Aria was out of tricks and out of energy. She wasn't out of spirit, but that did her very little against an assailant of this caliber.
And then... things got even worse.
Bray had arrived with a company of troops. “Aria, I've returned with reinforce – ngh!” Bray couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was Aria banging the guy who'd arrived here? So unbreachable was Aria's image that he still didn't recognize it as a rape. He thought Aria had perhaps defeated the interloper soundly, and was now having him fuck her in exchange for her life. But... that didn't really sound like something Aria would do. Certainly not in public viewing.
Though her eyes widened with dismay, they remained fierce. “Stop...” she hushed to him. “Stop this right now, and I won't kill you.” As confident as she acted, the truth was that she was simply desperate. Desperate to salvage her reputation before it was too late. But Viasmos read through her bravado easily.
“Really now? Do you still think such hollow threats mean a thing to me?” He started fucking her even harder, as if to punish her for being so obstinate. “It looks like your boys down there don't quite have a clear enough view. Let's fix that for them!”
He stood up and dangled her upside-down over the wall, making clear just who it was that had control here. He dropped her, but before she fell to the first level, he grabbed her by the ankles; then playfully tossed her up and grabbed her thighs. He plowed right back into her, with the matriarch left flipped over. He was like a pile driver slamming into her from above.
Bray and the others were under no illusions anymore about just what was happening. At the same time, what was to be done? For Bray and some others, the sight of Aria being so easily manhandled left them figuring they couldn't be of any help themselves – it wasn't like they could open fire with Aria's body in the way like that. But for most, their inaction could be explained far more cynically. Aria's defeat signaled a changing of the guard. Who would be next to take over Omega? How would this shake up the Blue Suns and other crime syndicates? Power dynamics were soon to be very fluid here on the station, and even with the threat of the reapers lurking in the background, nobody wanted to get in the way of it.
As Aria recovered from the shock of her shameful display, she tried bending upwards and hitting him in the chest. Her fists wouldn't amount to much pain for him anyway, but even sadder was that she lacked the strength to even bend far enough to reach him. It only made her look that much weaker and more pitiful in front of her subordinates.
“Well, I know it doesn't really make a difference with your kind, but I'm a stickler for consistency. I'll be coming inside you now.”
“Ugh! Fuck you!”
As he said, it didn't really matter if her body received his seed or not. But she knew that for him, this was his way of claiming ownership of her. His way of cementing her as one of the many slaves he had in his homeworld. To be viewed at in such a way was also infuriating to her, but far more debilitating was her inability to stop him from carrying that vision out. She tried like hell to think of something to stop him, but there was nothing that came to mind... because there was simply nothing to do.
Finally, he ejaculated inside her. Her asari membrane was no less sensitive than a human's to the roaring waves of his semen as they crashed inside her. She grunted in both frustration and pleasure as his liquid filled her up, and filled up she certainly was. So thoroughly, in fact, that the white ooze began to spill out her pussy, and trickle down her body. She quickly reached up and wiped away what she could, disgusted by how his essence stained her body.
But the nightmare wasn't over yet. Viasmos lifted her up by her thighs, and quickly spun her around before catching her again in mid-air. He kept one hand on her leg, and dropped the other to her head, so he could force her to suck his cock.
“There we go! Just like that! That's a good bitch!”
To the men down below, it was so hard to believe. Aria T'Loak, the personification of Omega itself for hundreds of years... she was just a pathetic, helpless girl now. Like a million other asari they'd seen strewn throughout the streets. The once-terrifying and domineering presence known as Aria being toyed around with and forced to suck some human's cock... it was surely inconceivable beyond some pervert's fantasy. Yet, here it was, playing out before their very eyes.
To her credit, Aria did try and fight back against him. She'd submitted earlier to sucking his dick as part of her strategy, but that didn't apply here. She had no interest in servicing this bastard. Unfortunately, she simply didn't have the strength for it. Even if she wasn't exhausted between the stress of her rape and the fatigue from using her powers, she still wouldn't have been able to fight back with any real success. Overpowered by just one hand, her throat was once again forced to sheathe his dick, this time with the added benefit of her vision getting slammed against his balls.
She was finally relieved from her service, and Viasmos flipped her right-side up. She grit her teeth and glared at him, but Viasmos slapped her twice to remind her who was in charge. He knew it probably wouldn't do much to dissuade her from her aggression, but he didn't really care about that. He just liked the sight of wiping that fearsome look off her cute face. A bit dazed from those hits, Aria hung limply as he hoisted her over his shoulder, her ass and cum-soaked pussy hanging out in full view of her former followers.
“I'll be taking this bitch with me,” Viasmos called out to the several hundred men below. “Anyone wanna stop me?”
Some shook their heads, some said no, some said and did nothing. Nobody took him up on his challenge. He leapt down to the first level and exited through the back, until he found a good spot that was safe from any cameras or prying eyes. He then opened up a portal to Tharsis, and carried his first-ever asari slave over.
About an hour later...
Shepard, Garrus, and EDI disembarked the Normandy. Although EDI, the Normandy's AI, was a part of the ship itself, she had recently attained a synthetic body she could take control of in order to accompany Shepard on missions.
“Shepard, I'm unable to get in touch with any of Aria's systems. The readings from Omega are atypically chaotic. By Omegan standards, of course,” EDI informed the commander.
She didn't think for a second that this was a coincidence. “Stay on the lookout. There's no guarantee Aria was able to-”
Before she could finish her sentence, a batarian jumped out from the shadows with a knife. “Shepaaaaard!” he yelled, eager to kill the enemy of all batarians. She was already hated before, but after the incident with the Alpha Relay... she was enemy number one. However, he never made it close. Shepard grabbed her pistol and shot him between all four of his eyes.
“That's why I stick with guns.”
“What the hell was that?” Garrus cried out. “No batarian is stupid enough to attack you on Omega. Not when you're a guest of Aria's.”
“Something's going on, everyone, be sure to-”
“Shepaaaaa-UGH!”
Another batarian popped out to try and kill Shepard. This one actually did have a gun on him, but again, he hadn't even approached success. He'd been shot dead from the side somewhere, Shepard wasn't sure from whom. Not until they stepped out of the alley and into the light.
“Bray? Is that you?” If there was one batarian who was on her side, it would be Bray.
“You should leave, Shepard. Omega's about to be a warzone.”
“A warzone!? What the hell happened?”
“That man you told us about happened, that's what!” Bray put a hand to his cranial ridges and shook his head. “Sorry, it's... that man didn't just beat Aria. He violated her in front of us. Treated the whole damn thing like a joke!”
“Wait, what!? He violated her? You mean...” The implications were distressing. Was that what happened to Miranda and Samantha, as well? “Is Aria okay? What's going-”
“I'll send everything you need to the Normandy, okay? Video footage, testimonials, DNA if we can find it. But you really need to leave. A lot of people here, not just batarians, who want you dead. And nobody benefits from you being dead more than the reapers.”
That was the thing about Bray, he saw the bigger picture. At the onset of the reaper invasion, Shepard had been forced to do something drastic. She destroyed the mass relay at the most southern-end of the galaxy, which just so happened to be near a major cluster of Batarian colonies. The entire Bahak system was hit by the mass relay's explosion, and any survivors were surely killed by the reapers. It was necessary, for if the reapers reached the relay first, they'd have been able to spread their forces all throughout the galaxy. This bought valuable time for them to prepare.
But even so... over 300,000 batarians were killed. They were already a receding race in terms of reach and influence, and now they were few in number, too. The heart of batarian space, including their homeworld of Khar'shan, were among the first to be decimated by the reapers. All species were facing the threat of extinction, but the batarians felt it more deeply. Even if the reapers were stopped, the Batarian Hegemony would never be what it once was. They might not have enough people to exist as a society at all. Just like the quarians and drell, species forced to leave their homeworld, batarians too might find themselves nomadic, severed from their culture.
The catalyst for all of this was the destruction of the Alpha Relay, and Shepard bore the brunt of their rage as a result. But Bray was different. He understood that Shepard wasn't really at fault for the downfall of the batarians. The reapers were the ones at fault. Shepard was a less daunting target, easier for batarians to direct their rage towards, but Bray knew that the only way of saving the batarians was by destroying the reapers, and the best chance at defeating them – no, probably the only chance at beating them – was through Shepard. It wasn't as if he was a cheerleader for humans, but he had his priorities in order.
“...Got it. Thanks for the heads up, Bray.”
“Shepard, I'm receiving data from Omega's dark web of photos and video taken via omni-tool,” EDI contributed. “The appearance of the offender matches the description and photo of the man you've been searching for. As Aria is not an opponent easily trifled with, the likelihood that this is the individual who destroyed the reaper we encountered is 99.9998632%.”
“This is bad, Shepard,” added Garrus. “Aria was the one holding the Terminus Systems together. The Blue Suns, Eclipse, Blood Pack, her own personal forces, all of them were being directed against the reapers. Who knows what the hell happens now...”
“I can't get a goddamn read on this guy,” Shepard hissed. “He destroys a reaper, but also humiliates Aria in front of her men? How does he do it? Why does he do it? What's the common thread that ties it all together? And worse... how do we stop a guy like that?”
Chlorida was surprised when her father brought over his newest slave. He'd had a couple non-humans enter the community, but blue skin was a new one. At least as far as her appearance was concerned, she was the furthest thing from a human her father had brought back.
“And just what is this?”
“They're called 'asari'. The whole race is female, so they don't reproduce sexually, but they can still be used.”
“Well, I would assume so, if you've brought her this far.”
Chlorida looked at the asari matriarch, and was met with a fierce glare. She'd already been collared, so all that was left was some paperwork and to escort her to her cell. As soon as Viasmos let go of her, Aria sprang at the emerald-haired human. Did she mean to kill her? Use her as a hostage? Was she simply lashing out? It didn't really matter. Despite her alien nature, it wasn't difficult for Chlorida to intuitively locate her wind pipe. Far too fast for Aria to track, Chlorida sidestepped the attack and chopped at her neck. The asari dropped to her knees, clutching at her neck as she gasped for breath.
“Goodness, this is an aggressive one. I don't think one of your slaves has ever come after me before. I'll have to keep an eye on her.”
“Yeah, yeah, just try to be careful with her, okay? I don't want the goods damaged.”
“Of course, I'll never bring unnecessary harm to any of them.”
The emphasis of that “unnecessary” rang out in Aria's ears, a clear warning that she was ready and willing to hit her again. In other words, only Aria was responsible for how much pain she went through.
Shit, are they all as strong as him? Aria couldn't believe how strong and fast she was, a tiny girl like that. To her, she looked even faster than Viasmos, though this was only because Chlorida did not share her father's tendency to hold himself back for his amusement. She was, at least, less prone to cruelty, though Aria might have trouble seeing that side of her if she continued to be quite that aggressive.
Yes, she had to admit she'd lost. If everyone around here was like this, then there was nothing she could do to disrupt the system of power that kept her enslaved. But that didn't mean she'd have to give up. She'd been informed that her lifespan would soon be rendered eternal. She had been in her dusk years as an asari, so it seemed time would no longer be a factor. It was easier if she viewed this as starting from zero. She'd just do the same thing she did when she started in her takeover of Omega. Watch, wait, and only when the time was right... strike.
Shepard was laying down in her cabin, when a certain turian joined her. He held a bottle of wine in his hand.
“Thought you could use some cheering up after that footage we all saw. I'm sure it wasn't easy.”
“Garrus, thanks, but... what will you have?”
He pulled out another bottle from behind him. “Dextro-based wine. Safe for turians.” Turians and quarians were both life forms made of dextro-amino acids, whereas humans and most other species were levo-amino acids. They could not eat the same food or drink the same drink. Shepard patted beside her on her bed.
“Then come sit here and pour us a glass.”
Garrus grabbed a couple of glasses, filled them, and handed one to Shepard. “Didn't mix these up, did I?” he joked. “It wouldn't be very romantic if I started getting sick and – oh!” Shepard had popped up and helped herself to his lap, wrapping one arm around his neck and sipping her wine with the other.
“Thank you, Garrus. I... I needed this.”
Excepting the asari, who could mate with anyone and were generally seen as attractive by everyone, interspecies relationships were rare. Disregarding the issue of attraction, reproduction was impossible, and intimacy could be... complicated. But Shepard and Garrus, they'd been through a lot together. Formed a trust and bond that wasn't easily rivaled. There was nobody Shepard would rather have out in the field backing her up, and nobody she'd rather have right here, privy to her truest self. The part of her she couldn't show to anyone else.
“Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?”
“What's on my mind is that I'm sick of this bastard. He's taken my friends, I don't even know if they're alive... he probably had his way with all of them. He's doing it right in the middle of a fucking war that threatens all life as we know it. But worst of all... I'm sick of the way he fucking runs in and runs out. Always a step behind him, barely able to get any info on him at all. He appears, disappears, and the cycle repeats itself whenever he deigns to grace us with his presence. Just like the fucking reapers! I'm ready to go on the attack for once!”
“I know what you mean,” he replied. “We didn't even have a clear picture of the guy until after he'd already gotten Samantha, we're just now getting an idea of what he can do, which only raises more questions. No biotics, no powers of any sort I've ever seen, no idea how he does any of it. And the biggest bullshit? No idea when he's going to be back. The question is... what are we gonna do about it?”
“Well, about that...”
“Hmm? You have something in mind already?”
Shepard took another sip of her wine, and smirked at Garrus. “You're goddamn right.”
Chapter 4: Rogue
Notes:
Yep, it's Marvel.
I'm honestly not as familiar with the X-Men as I am with some other Marvel properties (my main exposure was the '92 series, read fairly little of the comics), but I've always loved Rogue. Her uniqueness plus her potent abilities just felt to me like the perfect debut for Viasmos in this universe. The result is, outside of the Part 1 finale, what I'm pretty sure is my longest action sequence to date.
Also, didn't realize it until writing this chapter, but Professor X's school is canonically located in Westchester County, NY. That just happens to be where I lived for a few years, so I got playful and used a couple real-life locations that I know about from experience. I, uh... also used a couple locations I don't know from experience. Some of my nerdiness might have shined through a touch obnoxiously in this chapter.
Anyway, I've been getting Marvel requests more or less since I started getting regular comments, so here we finally are! The Marvel Universe still isn't as organized in my head as DC's future is, but we made it through step one. I hope it's an enjoyable debut.
Chapter Text
Karen had scarcely stepped out of the fitness center before she heard the call of her name. Well, not quite.
“Yo, sugar tits!”
She really hated when he called her that.
The former heroine known as Power Girl was one of the longest-tenured slaves of Viasmos, at least as far as the interdimensional ones were concerned. One of the few joys she had in her life was having time in the gym, where she could be free of her duties as a sex slave. Naturally, it was extremely frustrating to be called upon the moment she was done.
“Seriously? You're not even going to give me time to get to my cell?”
“I waited for you to finish, didn't I?” Viasmos pointed out, his hands resting indignantly on his hips.
Chlorida understood Karen's frustration, but she could hardly complain. He was respecting their time, and even if he wasn't, they were his own rules he was abiding by. If he changed his mind and decided to grab one of them in the midst of one of their free periods, it could hardly be contested.
“Come on,” Viasmos continued. “Strut your sweet ass over. We've got work to do.”
With heavy reluctance, Karen walked over to him. She hardly had a choice. Although she was kept somewhat empowered thanks to yellow radiation in her cell, she was still limited thanks to the collar around her neck. And even if she was at full power, she'd learned more than once that she was simply no match for Viasmos. She found symbolic chances for resistance here and there, but ultimately she had to submit herself to his commands. It just meant problems for her and everyone else if she refused.
“I'd hardly call this 'work'....” she mumbled.
Viasmos gripped her by her ass and escorted her to his bedchambers. “Eh, you might be surprised.”
Viasmos's chambers were quite spacious, and yet, not quite as kingly as one might expect for a world-conquering overlord. From what she could tell, the concept of wealth was not particularly significant in Tharsian culture. In fact, something Chlorida had once said led her to suspect that they didn't use currency at all; Something about people just doing what they're good at, or doing as assigned by the people stronger than them. It seemed the idea of flaunting one's status wasn't very common, perhaps even beneath their dignity, and they were content to just live comfortably.
It was awfully different from her own world, where wealth inequality was an omnipresent force. Poverty, war, corruption, if you looked deeply enough, you'd see the same roots: the rich getting richer at the expense of the poor. And since much of it was legal, even systemic, it wasn't something they were empowered as heroes to address. Seeing the way Tharsians sidestepped that particular social ill was something she had to admit was quite respectable. Not quite “makes up for all the rape” respectable, but respectable nonetheless.
Instinctively, she began moving towards the bed, only to glance behind her and see Viasmos standing on the far end of the room. “Chill, babe!” he said. “There'll be plenty of time for that later. First, I've got a little project for you.”
“Hmm?” This was a surprise. He wanted her for something other than her body? “What do you need?”
“I need to make use of your body.”
Well, so much for that theory. “I... don't quite understand... You – ugh – already have my body, no?”
“Yeah, not for that, though. We're doing something a little different first.”
It was around this time that Karen started to notice something... different. A surging force within her, as if ready to burst for so long, and finally being unleashed. This feeling... it was nostalgic. Yes, it was coming back to her. She'd felt like this before... back when she called herself a heroine.
When I was... Power Girl...
“What is this?” she asked, her hands trembling from this sudden burst of energy coursing through her. She felt stronger than she'd felt over the entire past year, yet the sensation was so foreign after so long, it was making her feel a bit lightheaded. Her legs wobbled as she fought to stay standing.
“I just deactivated your collar for a bit. I guess your body's still getting used to the feeling, huh? You're probably not fully charged though, so here, lemme help a bit.”
He held out his palm, and the dazzling glow of yellow radiation emanated from it. She dropped to her knees, her body overcome by the sensation of this power flooding back into her. The yellow radiation in her cell, conjoined with some looser limits on her collar, provided a little power to her, but not much. Really, it was just meant to enhance her durability. It meant Viasmos didn't have to be as gentle with her as he did with some of the other girls – which wasn't exactly something to be thankful for. But this... this was real strength. The strength of a heroine... of Power Girl.
The brightness cut out, and the feeling of lightness started to go away. What had initially felt more like nostalgia now felt more like familiarity. This wasn't new, no... this was her. This was who she was supposed to be. She looked down at herself, still dressed in her white leotard, being one of the few who wore their preferred outfits to the gym instead of their... dubiously-categorized “gym clothes” - one might rather call them “lingerie”. She was glad she did, because she looked like the part, felt like she was in her own skin. This was no illusion, she was the superheroine she'd always been before her enslavement.
Yet, with this feeling of peace, she quickly found her rage towards Viasmos growing in tandem. After all, she knew this was temporary. Something to serve his interests. Over the past year, she'd grown accustomed to her life. Not content per se, but with no way out, she was making the most of her circumstances. This return to her identity, it brought to light just how much she'd been suffocating all this time. Silently accepting this repression of herself, because it was the path of least resistance. But now, like a dream one thinks is real until they wake up, she knew who she was again. It made her grieve for the person she was forced to be, and the person she'd be forced to be again. Her heart was being toyed with, all on the whims of this callous piece of shit. It would have been so much easier if she'd just been allowed to wallow in her subdued state, but now that she'd woken up after all this time, she knew she'd never be quite the same. Moving forward, after her collar was reactivated, some part of her would always know how deeply she'd been buried.
“Alright, looks like you're good. When you're ready, hit me as hard as you can.”
Power Girl slowly stood up, looking at him with stunned confusion. “Hit you? What do you mean?” It was unpleasantly similar to the request he'd made of her when they first met.
“Well, I recently scouted out a new world. Kinda reminded me of yours... lots of superpowered folk and whatnot. But I'll have no way of gauging their power until I face them directly. Obviously, I ain't gonna go all out from the jump, but I'm not sure how far I should go, since I don't really know the power scale of these people. It's been a while since I've faced the cream of the crop from your world, so I thought I'd use you to re-assess. Give me a good, solid hit, and I'll use that as my basis.”
So that's what this was all about. He was just preparing himself to go rape and enslave a new woman. Well, she could hardly be surprised, except she did want to know one thing. “Why me? Kara and Diana would have been just as sensible.”
“I've fought you and the Superslut, and I'm pretty sure you're a tad stronger than she is. Wonder Whore's stronger than you, but... eh, she just hasn't been herself since I beat her. Like she lost her pride or something? Haha, I don't really get it. Like, what do chicks need with pride? Can't you ladies be happy knowing you have a nice pair of tits and ass?”
Karen scowled at his demeaning remark. It was the understatement of the century for someone who kidnapped women and turned them into sex slaves, but he really wore his misogyny on his sleeve. Even his own daughter, Chlorida, wasn't exempt from his sexism. He treated her better than other women, certainly, but it was clear from their interactions that he still looked down on her for being female. She hadn't been sure if she wanted to go along with Viasmos's plans for her, but now, the thought of punching him was just too tempting. It wasn't like he really needed her for his purposes anyway, it was just an optional step he was choosing to take. So she may as well enjoy herself, now that she felt real again, and give him everything she had.
She took a few practice swings, wanting to get her body back into a rhythm after so long without combat experience. Then she crouched, flexed, concentrated her resurgent power into her arm. She wasn't going to hold anything back. There was no hope of killing him... she knew that wasn't an option. Even if he somehow did allow her to knock his head clean off, she'd seen first-hand how meaningless that would be after the invasion. No, she could not kill him, and she was not bothering to dream for such. This was pure, unadulterated catharsis. Giving him just a taste of all the fury that had been built up in her all this time.
She swung her fist into his face, with all the might one would need to live up to a name like “Power Girl”. The contact with his cheek sent a shockwave throughout the room, rumbling like an earthquake. Yet, if one was to judge her power solely by Viasmos's reaction, they'd be rather unimpressed. His face turned hard to the right as he was struck, but his stance was not overly affected. It looked no different than a normal person punching another normal person. Viasmos grabbed his jaw and smiled.
“Alright, not bad, sweetheart. That oughta give me-”
This time, he was knocked right on his ass. He didn't expect a second blow from Karen, and she was able to catch him with his guard down.
“Hey! You were only supposed to hit me once, ya' dumb broad!”
“The first one was for you, that one was for me!”
Viasmos smirked and calmly reactivated her collar. “Yeah, yeah, fair enough. Solid hit.” He stood up, thinking it might actually have been helpful to get hit without him tensing up at all. It only meant he had another angle at which to gauge her power. “It's nice to see some fire in my girls, especially since Kagome's gotten so mopey lately.”
“Hmph. I should think so, after what you did to her.” Karen glared at him, her sympathy for the girl further driving her anger.
“Well, you Earth types have a saying, right? What doesn't kill you makes you, uh... something good, I think? Point is she'll get over it. Anyway, thanks for the help, lass. Now...” He stepped forward and grabbed her breasts, eyeing her bountiful cleavage lustfully. “Let's move on to your other responsibilities, hmm?”
Karen scoffed, but did nothing to resist. She could already feel how much weaker she'd gotten since her collar had been brought back to its usual setting. Her brief revival as Power Girl was nice, but that too would soon be a fleeting memory. She was no heroine anymore, just a meager sex slave.
Red shirt, black trench coat, his usual black jeans, that was the look Viasmos had decided upon as he blended into this new dimension. He'd never been one for fashion, few Tharsian males were, but he occasionally tried to experiment with different fabrics and color patterns. Seeing as he could conjure so many different materials, and so clothes of virtually any kind were within his grasp, it only made sense to try when the opportunity presented itself. Plus, meeting that Gojo kid and seeing how intricate the process could be ignited a spark of interest within him.
Hmm... am I a little too on the nose with this one? I feel like a hero would take one look at me, and know I'm their enemy. Well, if it happens, guess it's just a learning experience.
He found a library where he could begin doing research on the world. By and large, it didn't seem too different from what he'd seen in most other incarnations of Earth. What he really wanted to learn about were the heroes. Whereas the heroes were largely aligned over in Superman's world, it seemed like – while they weren't generally enemies with one another – there was a little more fracturing going on in this world.
The biggest of them was The Avengers. They were the closest thing to Superman's Justice League out there. Still, they were far from the scope of the Justice League, with several other hero-based organizations out there. The Fantastic Four, The Defenders, even an interstellar group of guardians. Then there were more solitary heroes, like some guy named Spider-Man, or this one guy Viasmos thought sounded pretty cool, named The Punisher. These guys also weren't necessarily exclusive from one another either. Sometimes they'd team up, or someone might be an occasional member of multiple squads. Viasmos felt a tinge of concern that this might make it difficult to locate specific targets.
The good news was that there was a very obvious starting point: New York City. Viasmos roughly estimated that a good 140% or so of this world's heroes resided in New York – it was either the safest city in the world, or the most dangerous. He'd been to a different version of that city once before, back during his first fight with Superman, when he accidentally knocked over the top of the Empire State Building. He couldn't really visit anymore, on account of having vaporized it during his fight with the Justice League and Legion of Doom.
As it happened, he wasn't too far from his destination. Not that anywhere on the planet would take him long to reach with his speed, but he had, in fact, emerged in New York – the state, not the city. He was maybe about 40-50 minutes away going by the speed of those “car” things these people used. Of course, for him, it would be only a matter of seconds. It struck him as awfully inconvenient to have to build these clunky machines just so they could travel slower than him.
However, Viasmos found himself undergoing a sudden change of plans. People started screaming outside as a robot about 9 meters tall was walking down the street. It didn't seem aggressive, rather nonchalant in fact, but its sheer mass and disregard for public property was causing some destruction nonetheless. New York City might've been the hot spot of superheroes in this world, but a giant robot was sure to attract some attention.
May as well follow it and see who comes.
He trailed after the robot until it seemed to have arrived at its destination, some type of shopping establishment called “The Westchester”. Whatever it was looking for was definitely in here, because it crashed right through the wall in order to enter.
“Do. Not. Be. Alarmed.” the robot dubiously assured the panicking shoppers. “I. Am. Here. To. Serve. And. Protect.” This did little to soothe the troubled civilians, who continued to scream as they fled.
Geez, does this thing count as scary? Sure, it was big, but it was slow, and little more than a hunk of metal. It couldn't even compare to the mages of his world. You Earth types have no idea how easy you have it.
He calmly walked along the robot's path, curious to see what it could possibly be searching for. Based on what it said, this machine wasn't here to inspire terror, but surely it – or whoever sent it – knew that would happen if they sent it to a populated civilian area like this. Whatever it was after must've been important... but would something like that really be located in a shopping mall of all places?
“Assigned. Target. Identified. Initiating. Capture.”
The robot stood in the mall's atrium and was staring at the second-story escalator. In the midst of the chaos that had enraptured most of the mall's residents, there were two people descending who looked utterly relaxed.
“Sentinels? See Chère, I told you we shouldn'a gone shopping.”
“Don't go puttin' my knickers in a knot. Do me a favor and take care of my bags, would ya', swamp boy?”
“Now you not gonna leave ol' Gambit to his lonesome and have all the fun yourself, right?”
“A little sugah n' spice then, cajun?”
“The best.”
Viasmos watched as the woman jumped off the side of the elevator and flew towards the robot – a “Sentinel”, apparently – before she gave it a fearsome punch to its metal head. She had a stirring flair about her. Her seductive accent and her dual-toned hair certainly distinguished her to the Tharsian Warlord. But most importantly, the woman obviously had superpowers, so that did the trick for him.
Looks like I found myself my target!
As Viasmos smirked to himself, he watched the other person, a male, throw an illuminated playing card at the sentinel, which then exploded on contact. I guess that guy has powers too? He then felt a quaking get closer and closer, but it wasn't the sentinel the two of them were attending to. It was something else from behind him.
“Human.” called out a second sentinel, standing in front of a third. “Disperse. For. Your. Own. Safety.”
“Huh? You talkin' to me?” Viasmos snarled.
“Affirmative.”
“Now I know some idiot robot that can't think for itself isn't trying to tell me what to do.”
“Priority. Female. Mutant. Civilian. Casualties. Acceptable.” With that, the sentinel continued moving forward, no longer concerned with Viasmos's well-being.
So those are mutants, huh? He'd read a little about them. Unlike people who developed powers through exposure to some kind of outside stimulus or feat of engineering, a mutant was born with their powers. One would think that such a distinction would be fairly immaterial, but to many people in this society, it made a world of difference. The fear of humanity being replaced by something else had led to significant anti-mutant bigotry. The fact that they were inherently dangerous only inspired their hatred. That hatred had also become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Not all mutants took the path of the hero, or even the innocent bystanders. Some had lashed out against the hate directed against them, and looked to realize the very mutant supremacy that people so deeply feared.
Well, none of that mattered to Viasmos. The thing that really grabbed his attention was how the sentinel had specified the “female” mutant. So it didn't care about the male one? Or perhaps planned to kill him instead of capture him? Regardless, any attempt on the women he'd already decided on was, as far as he was concerned, an act of hostile intent towards him.
“Big mistake.” He stretched out his arm and aimed for the sentinel's head.
“What's goin' on down there?” Gambit asked, observing the human who'd had yet to evacuate. “Hey! Hurry on up and scramble outta here!”
Viasmos ignored him, uninterested in the male. A scarlet-black surge of energy shot from his palm, obliterating the head of the nearest sentinel in what would have been a gruesome decapitation were it not a machine. The sentinel behind the now-fallen one returned its gaze to Viasmos, re-assessing the supposed bystander.
“Unidentified. Mutant. Hostile. Eliminate.”
The sentinel raised its arm and shot a laser from its hand at Viasmos. Viasmos simply shot another blast of his aura, pushing back against the laser and tearing through the sentinel's arm. The sentinel used its other arm to launch a cable and wrap around him, but when it reached Viasmos, he grabbed it and shot a current through it. The cable and the remaining arm attached to it were blown apart. Finally, one more shot of his aura went through the machine's chest, causing it to fall backwards and deactivate.
“Damn now, how 'bout that? We got ourselves another mutant! Pretty impressive one, by the looks of it.”
“I'll say!” concurred the female mutant. “He jus' took down two sentinels faster thanna knife fight in a phone booth!”
That seemed to be the end of it, with the two of them having taken care of their sentinel. However, they suddenly heard the sound of glass shattering above their heads. The sunroof of the atrium had been destroyed as more sentinels descended. The two mutants were quick to evade the sentinels as they crashed down, but found themselves separated on opposite sides.
“Gambit!”
“Chère!”
The sentinels who had suddenly appeared all turned in the direction of the girl, ignoring Gambit entirely. They're after me... she realized.
“I'll draw 'em away! Get outta here!”
She ran off in the direction of Viasmos, who had not moved all this time.
“Cmon, you! Split!”
He was hardly afraid of facing more sentinels, but they obviously weren't a priority. Wherever the woman went, he would follow. And so he heeded her advice and chased after her. This offered more benefits besides just keeping close to his prey. For instance, with that skin-tight green and yellow suit she was wearing underneath her jacket, he had himself a perfect view of her beautifully-sculpted ass.
She could stand to show a little more skin, but... goddamn! I really hit the jackpot following that robot!
He'd have her showing off more of her body once she was enslaved, so it was a perfectly correctable issue. As long as she had the goods underneath, there was no problem. He was curious about that, though. All of her was covered except for her face, even her hands were gloved. Why would such a sexy piece of ass keep herself all swathed up? Perhaps she was just the modest type?
If so, she'll have to grow out of that mindset real soon.
Once they got outside the mall, the woman extended her hand. “Grab on!” He took her hand, and she flew up. The sentinels followed, using rocket boosters on their feet to take flight after them. Once they got close enough, they started firing lasers at her, forcing her to take evasive action. “Hey prettyboy, think ya' can fire that stuff at 'em while I skedaddle outta the way?”
Pretty boy? Ah... it's probably the hair. Like most worlds he'd visited, this appeared to be one where long hair on males was uncommon. “Sure, no problem.” He was going to do that anyway, really, so there was no point in running in the first place; but it definitely worked in his favor that they had separated from the other mutant. While the woman flew around, Viasmos fired blasts of his destructive aura at the pursuing sentinels. His aim was precise, unencumbered by the mutant's agile, mid-air movements, and it wasn't long before all the sentinels had crashed to the ground in pieces.
They were away from the city now, so she found a small clearing by a river in the forest and landed there. She puffed and panted for a few seconds now that the chase was over. “Woooh, that's some power y'got there. You a mutant too, hon?”
He considered how he should answer that. On his world, the concept of a “mutant” in this sense didn't exist. Everybody had immense magical potential, and the rules for how it worked were very different from this world's systems. At the same time, it was true that he was born with his powers, so by this world's customs, it would probably be how he'd be classified.
“I guess you could call me that, sure.”
“What's yer' name, prettyboy? Ma' and pa' named me Anna Marie, but my friends call me Rogue... course my enemies do, too.”
“Rogue it is, then. I'm Viasmos.”
“Now there's a name you don't hear everyday,” she chuckled. Rogue extended her arm for a handshake. “A pleasure, Viasmos.”
“Oh, the pleasure's all mine,” Viasmos answered, reciprocating her gesture.
“Well ain't you sumthin'? Strong as you are, I'm mighty surprised we've never heard of you.”
“We?”
“The X-Men.”
He'd heard the name, though they weren't one of the superheroes or superhero teams he'd familiarized himself with. All he knew was that it was comprised of mutants, but the specifics of their members and their abilities wasn't known to him. There was one thing that bothered him, though...
“Shouldn't it be 'X-People' or something?”
“Huh?”
“Like, you're a girl, yeah? Isn't the name a little sexist?”
In fairness, he was not one to talk. Viasmos wasn't exactly known for his progressive views on gender equality. Still, the language bothered him. Why call them 'men' if women are allowed in?
“Uh... guess I ain't never really thought about it, sugah. But 'X-People' don't exactly roll off the tongue, now does it?”
“Hmm... I guess not... Hey, can I ask about your hair? It's an interesting look. Is it dyed, or is that maybe related to your powers somehow?”
Rogue's hair was mostly an autumn-brown color, but the hair around her forehead was a startling streak of white. Viasmos didn't actually care about the hair itself, but he liked girls who found unique ways of presenting themselves, and he thought she stood out from the get-go with this style.
“Just a little sumthin' I did when I was young, and decided I liked.”
“I like it, too. It's pretty.”
“Can't say you ain't a tall glass of iced tea yourself,” she teased. Rogue was currently in another relationship, but she was inherently flirtatious – perhaps even a touch compulsive about it. In spite of her inciteful manner of speech, she was actually rather chaste, particularly since the trauma from when her powers awakened.
But Viasmos was a rather attractive man, it couldn't be denied. She could tell he had a good figure, even underneath that coat; and just as he found her exotic hairstyle magnetizing, she felt similarly about his. A man with long hair was somewhat unusual, but what really stuck out to her was how silky and clean it looked. The guy had a certain roughness to his general aura with his intense face and curt way of speaking, but it seemed like he took some particular care in this department that wasn't common among men.
What she was really interested in was whether or not he could be a potential ally. She didn't know much about him, and didn't want to make any assumptions about his ambitions, but she should at least speak to The Professor about him. His power was really something, and she was definitely curious about how it worked, though she was hesitant to press him for details. Her chief concern would be losing track of him if she left right now. Even the sentinel from before said he was unidentified, so this guy clearly had a knack for staying off the grid. Perhaps he'd prefer to be left alone? Still, no harm in asking.
“Tell me, sugah, would you be interested in meetin' the rest of the team?”
Viasmod nodded soundly to that proposal. “I would love to meet your friends.” That is, assuming she wasn't the only female in the questionably-named “X-Men”.
“You'd tell me if I was bein' too pushy, wouldn't ya?”
“Pushiness never bothered me.”
“Well that just dills my pickle!”
It's sure gonna dill my pickle... I think? His memory for Earthling expressions had never been fantastic, but this woman had dropped several on him already that were wholly unfamiliar. Any sexual innuendo he picked up on were pure vibes at work.
Rogue walked behind him and extended her hand once again. “Then grab on, I'll take you to the school.” Though a superhero headquarters might not be something one would be wise to take a complete stranger, the fact was that the mansion was already not much of a secret. Several supervillains had launched assaults against the establishment. Rogue had considered the possibility that he was a planted mole of some kind, but if that was the case, then there was nobody better to take him than to The Professor and the rest of her kin.
Viasmos grabbed onto her wrist, and she started to take off. However, she was only a few feet away when she was lurched back. It felt like she was carrying an anvil all of a sudden... except she had super strength, so whatever counted as an anvil for someone like her. “What in the heck!?”
She looked down at what was weighing her down. All that was there was Viasmos, standing on the ground, gripping her wrist, not a care in the world. “Well, here's the thing...” Viasmos explained as he turned to glance at her with a smirk. “Those friends of yours... I plan on meeting them on my own time.”
“Oh, uh... okay? Well could y'let me go now?” She assumed that energy of his was his power, some kind of mutant electrokinesis or something, but he also had super strength? Then... his powers might be like mine. Something less obvious that's at the core of his mechanics.
“Well, yes and no,” Viasmos answered. “I can physically let you go, sure... but sorry sweetcheeks, I ain't letting you go anywhere!”
With that, he threw his arm forward and catapulted Rogue into the river. She landed on her butt in a shallow area, soaking her hands, feet, and rear end, and shot him an angry glare. “What bug crawled up your britches!?”
“Oh, you'll be seeing what's in my britches soon enough, babe.” He threw off his coat and tore off his shirt. He was done blending in, so he had no use for them anymore. “Oh hell yeah, it feels good to breathe again! Lemme clear up some misconceptions for you, dollface. I didn't help you 'cause I was feeling heroic. I just didn't want them getting to you before me!”
Rogue stood up out of the river and did her best to wipe away the wetness. “So what, you Magneto's newest goon or sumthin'?”
“Who? Uh... no. Whoever you might be thinking of, I have nothing to do with them. I'm just a guy who knows what he wants... and strong bitches ready to be put in their place is usually what I want!”
She grimaced with disgust at the implications. “Well, ain't you lower than a snake's belly? You'd save me jus' so you could have me?”
“Of course.”
Rogue's grimace turned into a smile, as she considered what would happen if he tried to get that far with her. “Well then... give it yer' best shot, sugah. I don't think it'll go as smoothly as ya' think.”
Rogue flew forward with her arm coiled. Viasmos wasn't dodging, so she had a clean shot. Indeed, he knew she had super strength, but he wanted to see just how super it was. She landed her fist into his face. The contact was so clean that the slap of his flesh echoed within this deciduous forest. Still, Rogue could hardly be pleased with herself, because he'd barely budged.
“Is that the best you can do?” he said, sounding rather disappointed.
“No!” Rogue growled at him. “As a matter of fact, it ain't!” Even though she knew he was strong, she'd held a little back, worried about snapping his neck. But clearly, it was going to take another caliber to hurt him. He seemed to be inviting her to strike him again, so she took her time. She backed up, lined up her shot, and flew forward once again – this time with all the strength at her disposal. This time, Viasmos took a good hit. He was thrown off his feet and tumbled back about a couple meters. Rogue grinned at her apparent victory... but once again, Viasmos seemed less impressed.
“Hmm, better... but definitely not as strong as Power Girl. Did I overestimate these heroes?”
Though he was muttering to himself, Rogue was able to pick up a little of what he said. Power Girl? Who in the heck's that? Viasmos calmly stood up, not looking particularly hurt from that strike, and stared at Rogue. He was re-assessing his approach with this heroine.
“Super speed and flight... but nothing on a Kryptonian scale. I could weaken myself... but I dunno... seems like a rather uninspired skill set to battle against. If she's weaker than the others, then there's not much fun to be had fighting her. Just a watered down version of a game I've already played. I suppose I may as well rush this to its conclusion...”
He'd hoped for a more exciting introduction to a whole new world of heroes, but it couldn't be helped. Hopefully there'd be other strong ones he could enjoy himself with in the future, but he was already skeptical that they had a Superman-esque figure here to challenge him.
“Don't think you can jus' ignore me, prettyboy!” she yelled, flying towards him for yet another hit. But this time, Viasmos did not simply sit in the way. He turned to the side just before she made contact, and drove his knee up into her stomach. Rogue got the wind knocked out of her, and normally would have flown high into the air from that hit, but Viasmos followed up by clasping his hands together and hammering down on her back. She imprinted her outline into the ground, and shortly afterwards felt the humiliation of a boot pressing into the back of her head.
“Grr... you! Get offa me, ya' hear!?”
“Sorry babe, I'm not getting off of you anytime soon.” He lightly drove her face a couple inches deeper into the ground before taking his boot off of her and lifting her up by her hair. He flipped her to face him and held her by her back, moving in for a kiss. Rogue stopped him, however, placing her hand against his lips as an obstacle.
“Last chance, prettyboy. Don't do this... I'm warnin' you!”
Viasmos swatted her hand away with a self-satisfied smile. “I've heard that one before, doll.”
He then dove forward and placed his lips against hers. They were sweet, moist, but also... exhausting? No, that didn't make much sense. He'd stolen plenty of lips in his time, and he'd never felt this unusual sensation... like his body was being drained of energy.
It kinda reminds me of...
Suddenly, Viasmos felt an uppercut to his chin. That... sure felt like it hurt more than before. For a nanosecond, he figured it was the same as what Power Girl did earlier, when she hit him again while his guard was down. He must have subconsciously tensed up just enough when he let Rogue take her shots in earlier.
But it didn't take long for him to realize that wasn't enough to explain this, on account of the fact that he was now flying through space. A little bit of extra pop was one thing, but this was a radical difference in strength that didn't compare to what she'd hit him with earlier. His thoughts were briefly interrupted as his body skipped along the lunar surface. He tried to claw at the ground to stall his momentum, but it was only somewhat effective. Once he was cleared from the moon's gravitational pull, there was nothing else for him to interact with in the dead of space. The only way to stall his momentum was to use his own energy, which is exactly what he did. Aiming behind him, he shot a blast of his aura to counteract his momentum.
Was there anything behind me? Well, no big deal. If his aura hit and destroyed a celestial body somewhere, it was no skin off his back. Now that he'd finally stopped after being punched nearly 300,000 miles away, he took a moment to rub at his jaw and evaluate what the hell had just happened.
So... that chick definitely had more power than I thought. Why did she wait so long, though? It has to do with that kiss... I felt like... yeah... that's gotta be it. It reminded me of the half-demon's sword when it touched me for second. It was sucking my energy away. And yet... this felt a little different.
He was unsure exactly how to describe him. It wasn't his raw energy being sucked out, at least not exclusively. More like... something essential. Like his core being was getting warped somehow.
Well, in any case... I'm pretty sure she just absorbed my strength. No wonder then. I went from being way overpowered in my estimation with Power Girl to being way underpowered. Then... just how far can she go with that? Hehe... this fight might turn out to be more interesting than I thought.
He darted back towards Earth, to re-instigate his attack on the mutant girl.
“Did... did I just do that?”
She understood her own powers, of course. She knew that as soon as she kissed him, she'd absorb his immense strength. Any kind of contact with her skin could be dangerous. It was something she'd learned in terrifying fashion as a teenage girl, making out with a boy and draining him into a coma. She'd learned to control it a little bit since then, enabling some degree of a sex life for herself, but she still kept herself fully clothed as a precaution. Her power wouldn't kill another person, but it would still be very stressful on another's body. The longer the contact, the more successful – and painful – the absorption process was.
But still... how far did she just hit this man? He was obviously a lot stronger than she usually was – a lasting byproduct from her prolonged contact with Ms. Marvel – but she hadn't expected to knock him all the way into space! That wasn't something she was prepared for at all.
She dropped to a knee as she struggled to process the other feelings flowing through her. She didn't just absorb energy. She took powers, knowledge, even memories. Everyone a person was became a part of her. Still, this felt different from when she'd absorbed other mutants. Part of that was probably because their contact had been so brief... but it wasn't the only thing. The powers she collected were vague, scattered, unclear in her head. She knew she'd acquired something, but wasn't sure how to use them. And as for his memories, there were only confusing fragments, like pieces of a puzzle that she didn't have the rest to. A red planet, a purple sky, violent conflict, and women.
So many women.
Collared, mostly nude, treated like property.
Just who was this monster?
She looked up at the sky, and saw Viasmos diving down towards her. Even deep in space in broad daylight and moving at unfathomable speeds, Rogue found that she could perceive him. Her senses must have sharpened, along with her heightened strength.
Man... he's still up and movin' like that after I touched him? This one's a different breed...
It took Viasmos a matter of seconds to make up the distance and strike at where Rogue was standing, but she was still able to dodge with a hasty sidestep. As Viasmos had deduced Rogue's durability would be on his level, he didn't hold back, smashing a deep crater into the earth. The nearby town of White Plains probably thought they were experiencing a rare, northeastern earthquake – though perhaps, as common as superpowered battles were in this region of the world, they were more used to it than Viasmos might've guessed.
Although Rogue had evaded the blow, she still had herself a problem. Just as she'd absent-mindedly punched Viasmos to the moon and beyond, she had absolutely no control over this power yet. It was such an otherworldly sensation, completely different from how it felt when she absorbed Ms. Marvel's powers. So when she tried to hop deftly to her left as she'd envisioned in her head, she instead found herself zooming across the sky, faster than she'd ever gone before. She was pretty sure she'd broken the sound barrier and then some with how quickly the ground was zooming beneath her.
Viasmos chased after her, and as his control was perfectly fine, he caught up to her in a few seconds and swung a kick at her face, knocking her backwards and down to the ground. Rogue crashed into a rocky cliffside, which didn't hurt nearly as much as the warlord's kick had. She shook her head as she propped herself up, then stared in shock at the faces of 3 rather famous men in front of her: George, Tom, and Ted. She'd traveled further than she would've dared to dream, it appears. She looked up behind her at the now-broken face into which she'd crashed.
“Well shit, hon, look what you made me do to ol' Honest Abe here!”
Destroying a beloved national monument was definitely not something that would be endearing mutants to their skeptics anytime soon. It wasn't really her fault, but that would hardly matter to the bigots out there. Viasmos floated down with a grin.
“What? Am I supposed to care about a bunch of rocks?”
“Ya' jus' got no respect for nuthin', do ya'?”
Rogue snapped off her gloves, which Viasmos took notice of.
“I was right, wasn't I?” he asked. “Your skin has some kind of absorption power, is that it?” It occurred to him that this might be why the sentinels were so set on capturing her. Such a power must have all kinds of uses... perhaps they wanted to use it for their interests? Well, he could only speculate.
“That's right, prettyboy! Now you still wanna cook with this poor girl? I'm thinkin' y'know what'll happen if ya' try.”
“Hahahaha! I hope you don't think your powers have dissuaded me in the least?”
“Huh?”
“I'm more excited than ever! I thought I'd be done with you like a... uh.. a cheetah... goin'... uh... on a treadmill? Or uh...”
“What in tarnation are you on about?”
“Damn, it's harder than you make it look... Point is, I thought I'd finish up with you quickly, but I didn't know you had something like this in your back pocket! I'm thrilled to face up against you! Heh, and of course, thrilled for the after-party once I win!”
“Scum-guzzlin' lowlife, that's it! Me n' you are gonna mix.”
Rogue flew up after him, but she could tell immediately that her speed wasn't what it was just a minute earlier. She only touched him for a moment, so the powers she'd taken from him were slipping away. For as transcendent as his energy reserves were, she found it more difficult for her body to adopt his powers. Something about it was just very different from anything else she'd ever absorbed. Even so, she still had some of his strength in her. If she could just grab him again, she could reappropriate his power, while draining him of his strength.
But Viasmos wasn't so easily taken advantage of. He could tell right away how much weaker she'd already gotten. He had little trouble grabbing her wrists – still covered by her sleeves – and eliminating any hope of an attack.
“Now what's this? Either you're not taking me as seriously as you should, or your borrowed powers are running on a timer. Which is it?”
Rogue grunted as she tried to pull away from his grip, but he was too strong. She would've had enough power earlier, when he'd deliberately held himself back, but not now.
“Perhaps I'll just see for myself,” Viasmos said with a smirk, sliding his hands up and weaving his fingers in-between hers. His and Rogue's body began to glow as the power of her touch began to activate. Rogue gazed with bewilderment at Viasmos's grin.
“W-what're ya' doin'!?”
“Hahahahaha, did you think I'd cower from this? From your full potential!? Think again!” His eyes were pasted white, the lust of battle overriding his every thought. He tipped his head forward against Rogue's, increasing the strength of their contact while he stared directly into her eyes. “I want to push you as far as you can go, woman!”
If her body had a limit to what it could absorb, she didn't know it. Even so, she realized that Viasmos was as severe a stress test as she could ask for in that regard. His energy poured into her, but more than that, she could gaze into his true self. Human, but not of this planet... no, not of this universe! The women she saw before... all slaves. All his. He obsessed over defiling defeated women, but... but he didn't take the easy way out. She could see it in his memories, so many times he could dispatch with his prey in an instant. He could have done it with her, too. He was choosing to gift her his power, because he felt no satisfaction unless the girl was taken at her best. Even if there was a very real chance of failing, he didn't care, so supreme was his confidence in himself.
“Yes... yes... stronger contact means longer, clearer transmission. And you don't just suck out energy, do you? No... you steal everything of mine! My skills, my memories, all of it! What an incredible ability!”
Rogue was about to ask how he knew that, but she didn't need to. Not when his knowledge had been copied over to her. His skin also had a unique ability... one that enabled him to perceive an object's properties simply through touch. Like her power, longer contact meant he could read it more easily. So is that what he meant by “see for myself”? But as a mutant, her powers were routed in her very genetics. Did that mean this man was capable of sorting through and even interpreting her DNA? Was a human mind even capable of such a thing? No, she needed to stop judging him by human standards as she previously understood them. He was a different kind of human, a power beyond power.
But now... that power was also hers. All of it. His strength, his stamina, his techniques, she felt them all flow into her head. She had a chance to stop him, and stop him she must. Not only for her own self-interest, although that was certainly motivation enough. It was because of what she understood by feeling him for so long. This wouldn't stop with her. No, everyone she knew and loved was at risk. Storm, Jean, Emma, countless others, even beyond the X-Men. And the men she cared about wouldn't be safe either. She was sure of that after seeing what he'd done in that other world. Millions of people murdered, simply because they were in the way.
She might be the only person who stood a chance. With his strength turned against him, maybe she could.
Viasmos let her go, and she pulled away. The two of them gasped after their bonding experience. Viasmos was evidently able to resist the fatigue that her power inflicted upon people, but clearly, he wasn't completely immune to it either. This was good. If he was even a little bit weaker than usual, then that was all she needed to come out on top.
“Yer' gonna regret that... Christ almighty... plumb evil's what you are!”
“Hehehe...” Viasmos paused to breathe a little longer. “Think you can win?”
“I know it! And I know you saw... you ain't right, are ya'? Real tuckered out, I reckon. I got yer' power, and you gone and got a ton weaker.”
It was true, the process had taken its toll on Viasmos. Even so, there was no worry etched on his face. He could fight a little exhaustion, and more importantly, he didn't view the upcoming fight so two-dimensionally.
“You think a reflection can beat the one who stands before the mirror?” he retorted. “No, I'll show you what true dominance is. Simply copying my power... that won't be enough to defeat me.”
“That ain't true!”
“Let me show you...”
Rogue blasted forward and punched Viasmos in the gut. He'd erected a barrier, but as he anticipated, she slammed right through it. Though she'd hit him head-on, the force of her blow was still strong enough to blow him sideways out of the atmosphere. She wanted to shift this battle into space as quickly as possible. She still had trouble controlling this level of strength, and even if she could, holding herself back at all wouldn't be enough to defeat Viasmos. She needed to get this somewhere she wouldn't have to worry about using less than her maximum strength. And as for breathing in space, well, she could do what Viasmos did and create her own air and heat. As long as she didn't lose her powers before returning to Earth, it wouldn't be a problem.
As Viasmos went careening through space, he evaluated how effectively she'd been able to absorb his energy. Even mitigated by his barrier, she was still able to deliver a phenomenal blow. This suggested her body was perfectly capable of absorbing the vast quantity of energy at his disposal.
The way she fought earlier, she wasn't all that near Diana's level. But if her body can hold even my strength without breaking, then her ceiling is certainly higher.
He saw Rogue chasing after him in the depths of space, and he could spot a little taste of what she had in store next. His favorite technique: his own aura. Red and black electric currents coated her arms, most likely intended to amplify each hit she landed. He'd wondered about whether or not that particular power would transfer to her or not. His aura could theoretically be replicated, but the whole concept of an aura was that it was unique to each individual. However, that wasn't too different from mutant powers, functionally speaking, and she could copy those just fine. It appeared that the same logic applied to the auras of his world's people.
She tried to smack him in the face, but he twisted out of the way and kicked her in the stomach. She countered his next move and sent him flying. The process repeated itself for a while, and Rogue could still hardly believe the experience. They were traveling what must have been hundreds of thousands of miles in a matter of seconds. Each hit seemed like it could take them around the world several times over. Even after seeing the humans of the other world in her head, this level of power felt completely unfathomable.
Their duel had taken them to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and Viasmos didn't let the opportunity go to waste. Standing delicately on a smaller asteroid, he traced his finger through the air (well, if there was air), and Rogue was struck in the side by an asteroid Viasmos was telekinetically controlling. Like a master composer, Viasmos whipped his arms around as he sent countless bodies towards Rogue. Asteroids hundreds of meters wide were coming at her in every which direction, and she struggled to keep track of them all.
There was a rather elegant solution to that dilemma. After taking one hit too many, Rogue stretched out her limbs and fired out a spherical blast of the scarlet-black lightning. The force reduced the asteroids into gravel, and she resumed her assault on Viasmos.
Before, they'd exchanged blows fairly easily, but she was starting to get the edge. He could only battle his own exhaustion for so long. Thanks to the significant amount of time they were able to stay connected, her powers wouldn't be winding down anytime soon, so a protracted fight was actually in her favor. She pummeled him in the face, stomach, chest, wherever. Each hit only increased her advantage – the slightest contact meant she'd draw on his power once again, and drain his stamina in tandem. At one point she hit his chest in tandem with a surge of his aura, and she watched the right side of his torso between the shoulder and abdomen get ripped away. It healed shortly afterwards, which she expected, but it still boosted her confidence. She knew from one particular memory just how difficult it would be to kill Viasmos, but if she could just keep blowing his body away like that, then eventually his magic would wear thin. If he didn't have enough energy, his body would stop healing automatically.
Of course, she didn't want to kill Viasmos. Monstrous as he was, she wasn't a killer. But having seen his strength, his intentions, and his inability to be talked down, she didn't have much of a choice. Not if she wanted to protect her friends. The ideal scenario was that she'd beat him hard enough that he'd run away, but if he insisted on fighting to the end, then she was prepared to take that necessary step.
However, her momentum was cut short when Viasmos suddenly disappeared. Where had he gone? What happened? Then, out of nowhere, he reappeared right beside her, swinging a kick into her gut. She lurched forward, and Viasmos grabbed her forehead. Rogue thought he was insane at first, trying to secure even more power for her, but something was different. She felt something peculiar... as if her energy was fading.
Or perhaps... being sucked away?
“W-what!?” She kicked at him and blew him off of her. Was that what it felt like when she absorbed powers?
“Hehe, I can siphon energy too, y'know? Well, I acknowledge it's not quite as impressive as your technique, but it gets the job done if I need a little pick-me-up. So sorry if I'm bursting your bubble here, but a battle of attrition won't suffice...”
This was really bad. At this rate, they'd just go back and forth indefinitely. They'd draw on each other's power infinitely unless one of them was able to do something devastating. But what could she do?
She felt herself being pulled towards him. Viasmos had used gravity magic so extreme that it was nearly on par with a black hole, so even Rogue couldn't escape it. When she was in range, he punched her in the stomach. However, before being knocked back, she grabbed his outstretched fist and dragged him with her, then swung around and threw him through space.
Rogue chased after him and their fight continued, exchanging blows with no clear advantage as each of them kept stealing some of the other's energy. Rogue found herself frustrated, but relieved that she was still holding on. She knew from his memories that most people didn't last this long. Indeed, Viasmos was quite pleased. Even Superman only lasted about 15 minutes. No amount of fists or magic seemed to change the trajectory of this battle.
They'd found themselves in range of the Solar System's largest planet, Jupiter. A normal person, even most superpowered people, would be dead if they got this close to Jupiter – this being due to the immense radiation the planet emitted. But Viasmos and Rogue were both well-protected from such phenomena, thanks to the influence of the magic coursing through her body.
She socked Viasmos across his face, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. “This has been a fun fight, but I'm looking forward to the next phase. What say you we skip to the end where I have my fun with you?”
“In yer' dreams, hon!”
The two of them were pulled in by Jupiter's gravity as they wrestled in mid-air, plasma coating their bodies from the high speeds at which they tore through the atmosphere. They exchanged grapples, with Viasmos trying to hold her close to him, while Rogue was trying to get away. So far, she was having the harder time. One difference between them that she couldn't steal was the depth of his experience. He was a sterling fighter, a master in all disciplines, whereas Rogue generally got by on her strength alone. Even if she could see his techniques in her head, her ability to replicate them would never be quite on his level. Consequently, escaping his hold proved difficult.
They descended through the thick clouds of Jupiter, stuck between layers of the gaseous atmosphere, colored only by a sliver of brown across the horizon. Rogue felt the whole setting to be ominous. This wasn't just a different planet, it was a gas giant. The make-up was completely different from what you'd see on Earth or any other rocky planet. It felt as if she'd entered a whole other dimension – which was perhaps appropriate, given her opponent.
They could've flown away, but Viasmos didn't seem interested. Sensing her trepidation, he kept pulling her towards Jupiter, neutralizing her attempts to fly back into space. She could match Viasmos in strength, but the ever-increasing gravity of Jupiter was tipping the scales in his favor. As they continued to fall through the clouds, the light grew dimmer and dimmer. Eventually, sunlight could no longer reach here. It was pitch blackness.
“Afraid of the dark, sweetheart?” Viasmos mocked.
The only light source available were from the ionic storms raging deep in the planet's atmosphere. Terrifying, white flashes that cracked at Rogue's resolve. As she was now, such storms were no threat to her, but she couldn't help herself. This place... it scared her. The endless abyss, the piercing cries of thunder, it was like something out of an ancient interpretation of Hell.
“Focus, girl. You should be able to see in this, don't you know?”
Of course, he was right. She hadn't even thought about it. He had all kinds of magic at his disposal, including magic that augmented his senses. In a place like this, she should be able to produce a light from her eyes that was visible only to her. It took her a little while to figure it out, but finally, she could see again. And the first thing for her to see shocked her.
What the – is that... an ocean!?
A vast ocean spread as far as she could see down below. Was this the planet's surface? She was no science whiz, but she was pretty sure there wasn't supposed to be water on Jupiter. No... that wasn't water. She could feel the intense heat from here. This was something else... beaming, white-hot liquid so vast that it could swallow the entire Earth. This wasn't the planet's surface – or at least, that's not all it was. It was the planet's core.
She found this no less terrifying than the endless darkness had been, but... also present was an opportunity. If she could send Viasmos plummeting into this stuff, it would eat away continuously at his body, no matter how much he regenerated. Even if he did somehow survive, he'd surely taken serious damage, and the battle would turn in her favor.
It was worth a shot.
Viasmos, grasping her tightly, licked up Rogue's face and donned a sinister smirk. “Your panic tastes lovely.”
Disgusted as she was, Rogue rolled along with it. “Gets you all hot, huh? Is that what you like?”
“Mhm, sure do!”
They were getting closer, closer, closer... now!
“Y'got it, sugah.”
Rogue wriggled her feet against his chest, and stomped him down. She may have lacked his technique, but brute force was plenty effective at kicking him away. The force of her strike saw him rip through Jupiter's molten core. Rogue only just gave herself the time to confirm he'd gone in before hightailing it out of there and returning to space. She looked down at the intense, stormy planet, still feeling a chill from its haunted atmosphere.
“Sorry Jupiter, I ain't thinkin' I'll be vacationin' here anytime soon.”
She floated tentatively around the planet. Part of that was that she felt she should wait anyway, just in case Viasmos was still alive. But there was something else that occupied her mind, slowing her down just a bit. Just where was she? Beyond Jupiter's moons, she couldn't make much of anything out other than the many stars in the night sky. Even the Sun looked so much smaller from here.
Am I gonna be able to find my way back to Earth?
It was a realistic concern. Frankly, it was a miracle they even found their way towards Jupiter, like finding a drop amidst an ocean. She understood space was large, but never really grasped it until experiencing it like this. Even a planet as massive as Jupiter was nothing compared to the vast expanse of void that surrounded it. Thankfully, she should have these powers for a while. Her speed and ability to produce her own needs, like air and water, should be sufficient for the journey home.
This was assuming, of course, that the fight with Viasmos was over, and that wasn't an assumption she was willing to make just yet. She'd seen what happened before. His body was literally obliterated, and he still came back to life. If that did turn out to be the case, then that was fine, as long as she could get just a little bit of an edge out of it. Once the tables were decisively in her favor, she was certain he wouldn't have a way to overcome her.
Her trepidation proved vindicated. The gases of Jupiter blew apart, plumes roaring into the depths of space, only barely restrained by Jupiter's gravity. A crater in the atmosphere the size of a hundred Earths had formed, and at the base of it was Viasmos, his hands pressed together in such a way that it seemed he'd simply clapped all that away.
“Still kickin', huh? Yer' one tough sunuvabitch, I'll give you that.”
“Heh, please. I would never have climbed on top in my world if I could be killed that easily!”
Rogue was about to snap back, but she suddenly became aware of two monstrous objects coming at her from opposite sides. These weren't like the asteroids from before, which looked miniscule compared to these objects. Each of them looked to be about the size of a small state, like New Hampshire or Connecticut. Larger, even, since they were three-dimensional.
“The heck!? When did he...”
She stretched her arms to her sides and held the objects at bay. Something this large... they had to be moons. They weren't anywhere near the size of Earth's moon, but they were still pretty damn big. She started to get an inkling about what happened. From absorbing Viasmos, she'd learned a thing or two about how their magic worked. They needed to use their bodies to direct their energy, and this was especially true when it came to larger or more advanced magics. That tricky bastard had probably used that clapping motion from before to sneakily push the moons in her direction. In fact, she was pretty sure he did something similar once before.
With her strength, they shouldn't be too much of a problem, except that Viasmos had his magic still pushing on them against her. She would have to use magic herself. Using the aura power she'd taken from Viasmos, she channeled it into the two moons, and could see them beginning to crack. After a few seconds, they shattered into chunks of gravel, but no sooner had she dropped her arms than she'd taken a brutal hit from Viasmos, quickly making up the distance between them.
“Ugh! Damnit all... y'ain't weaker at all!”
“Of course not! You still don't get it, do you?” he told her, his answer teeming with condescension.
“Whatchu on about?”
“I'm saying... you can't beat me. You're not strong enough. You can't hold my power.”
“That's bull. I've been keeping up with you all this time, ain't I?”
This wasn't denial. She was certain she had absorbed the full depths of his power. If he'd been holding back on her, she'd have been able to tell, because she could roughly evaluate his strength through the memories she'd seen.
“You wanna know how I dealt with that planet's core so easily? On my world, our magic potential is so expansive and advanced, we pretty much have to utilize all kinds of passive magics. Like, if I was careless, even some mid-tier loser could kill me by using magic to sever my brain stem or something. So my body's preemptively built to counteract extreme temperatures.”
Well, that explained that, at least.
“Really, it was the pressure that was more annoying than anything else. Liquid metallic hydrogen, yeah... that stuff's no joke. Tens of thousands of tons of force crushing my body from all sides... even for me, that's no fun to swim through. Let's just say I'm glad I hadn't eaten in the last 30 minutes.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Too big for yer' britches. Now y'wanna get this show back on the road, or do y'wanna boast some more?”
Viasmos looked at her contemplatively, surprised at her obliviousness. “You really still don't get what I'm trying to say, do you?”
“No, and I don't care!”
Rogue started to take a swing at her, but suddenly, her arm collapsed. He hadn't done anything, she just couldn't feel it. Confused and off her guard, she was kicked across the face by Viasmos, and she hurtled across space on the outer reaches of Jupiter's pull. Viasmos caught up to her, and Rogue tried to swing a kick into him, but she missed. She wasn't sure how, she was sure he'd been right there... it was as if space had distorted around him in a way that threw off her aim. Viasmos drove his palm into her back, slamming her against the surface of the nearby moon of Io.
Io was as intense a moon as there was, littered with gargantuan mountains and brimming with volcanic activity. It was the only place beyond Earth in the Solar System where volcanic activity (excluding cryovolcanoes) had been observed. Not too far from where Rogue had embedded herself into the ground, there was a massive lava lake, and she once again found herself reminded of Hell – albeit a more modern interpretation this time around.
Viasmos landed in front of her with his arms crossed. “Get it yet?” he asked with a sneer.
“Get what!?”
“Hmm, I guess not.” He sighed and raised his arms. “Alright, one last shot. Have a look at this.” Chunks of rock and metal began to manifest in his hands. They elevated higher as they grew bigger... and bigger... and bigger and bigger and bigger until they were practically enveloping the sky. Rogue was pretty sure she recognized what Viasmos had just manifested: the same two moons she'd just destroyed.
“Alright, go on. Get back into orbit, girls,” he said playfully, as he tossed them into Jupiter's range.
Something seemed to click for Rogue when she witnessed that. She could do that too, theoretically... except she didn't. It hadn't occurred to her. In fact, even if it had, she wasn't sure she'd be able to do it right. What makes up a moon? What matter should she create? Or... would she be able to? Now that she was thinking about it, the idea of conjuring matter from nowhere seemed so distant. It was one thing to create some kind of attacking energy, or something intuitive like air... but creating something that intricate was another animal. She wasn't even sure where to begin.
Was that it?
Is this what he meant?
Now she understood... it wasn't her body that couldn't store his power. It was her mind. This wasn't like absorbing a mutant power, which tended to be more or less automatic. She often had trouble controlling those powers ideally, because she hadn't gone through the intense training that the rest had to achieve that degree of command. In the case of Viasmos, his powers were a natural part of him, but they didn't activate naturally. He had to manipulate his aura in certain ways to get the desired effects. It was far more complicated, even with receiving the knowledge for how to execute.
But the problem lay deeper than that. The sheer expanse of what Viasmos could do... she couldn't process it in real-time. His powers were more than just energy to shoot with. What he'd just done with those moons... destruction and creation... that was on another scale from her imagination. His was a power that could reconstitute reality as he saw fit. He wasn't simply a powerful human.
He was a God.
She could not think like a God.
“I – I can't win...”
Viasmos clapped his hands victoriously. “Bingo! Looks like you finally realize it! I could tell from the way you were fighting. Maybe it was subconscious, but you were only using the most basic magics at your disposal. That's fine when you have power like mine, until you're fighting power like mine. The fact that you couldn't counteract when I messed with your nerves, or couldn't even process what happened when I collapsed the fabric of spacetime itself in front of you, proved my suspicions. I'd been holding that kind of stuff back for your sake, but now that I know you've hit your ceiling, I think it's time we end this.”
Rogue may have realized her situation, but she was a heroine. She wouldn't give in so easily. “Y'think I'll just roll over and take it so you can take me yonder as one yer' slaves!? Damn you... I'll make you fight your tail off before that happens!”
“Well, can't say I don't mind the enthusiasm. Fight me all you like, that's no less fun for me. But be real... do you realize just how inept you are at handling my magic potential? Do you have any idea how much all of us, not just me, have to hold ourselves back? Like, our planet's a lot bigger than Earth, but if we went all-out every day, we'd absolutely destroy it. Hell, we've continually reinforced it over time, just so some nutcase somewhere doesn't get the idea to blow it up all by himself. Do you know what that's like? I mean, shit, just look at this!”
The space around them suddenly changed, as though a red sun had cast its light on the eerie, sulfuric surface of Io. Red and black lightning crackled around them, firing all across the moon. In fact, as Rogue looked further around her, she realized it wasn't limited to the moon at all. This intense atmosphere was driving deep into the space around them.
“This is me... this is the natural byproduct of my very presence. I keep it restrained most of the time, but if I take my own shackles off... this is what I am. You can use my aura, woman, but can you do this? Does matter tremble before your existence? Do you have to try this hard not to destroy everything around you? Hell, even now, I'm still doing just enough to make sure I don't blast away this moon. You'd be dead yourself if you didn't have my strength running through you. That's what it means to be a human on my world. A pretender like yourself can't comprehend the magic inside you right now.”
Rogue fell back and raised her arm in front of her face, transparently displaying her terror at this display. She'd seen it before, in the city he destroyed by doing this very thing, but it seemed so abstract when she experienced it in her head. Being right in the thick of it like this... only now did she realize how horrifying it was. There was nothing like this inside her. Yes, she could reproduce the aura itself, but she didn't have years upon years of raw destructive potential soaked into her bones like this. She hated to show him fear, but she couldn't help herself. Jupiter, Io, these places weren't Hell. Hell was a person.
Viasmos was Hell incarnate.
“Hahahahaha! Did the tough, little girl lose her composure?”
Rogue kicked off the ground and tried to fly away. She just needed to run. If she only had time... maybe she could learn how to handle these powers better? Would she be able to stall for that kind of time? She wasn't sure... but she was sure that nobody besides her was equipped to fight back against a power like his. If she fell here... the entire rest of her world would likely be at his mercy.
But between her limp right arm and the oppressive aura of Viasmos hindering her movements, Viasmos was able to catch up in no time. He tackled her into the side of a volcanic mountain, known to astronomers as Pele. Though Io was home to mountains that dwarfed the likes of Earth's Mt. Everest, few of them were actually volcanic themselves. Most of the volcanic activity on this moon came in the form of channels, depressions, or smaller mountains like this one. An enormous plume rose in the sky as the ground quaked beneath them, the volcano erupting in tandem with their visit – perhaps invoked by the ongoing chaos of his aura.
“Wow, y'know, it's funny! You won't believe this, but I was just talking to some chick about committing rape on a volcano! We kind of played pretend about it, but I've never actually done it for real. Well, guess I can scratch that off the bucket list.”
“Why you egg-suckin'-”
Rogue tried to punch him, but that arm also fell limp before she could complete the act. Viasmos squatted onto her stomach, pinning her useless arms to their sides.
“Sorry, babe. You had a good run, but we've been at this long enough. I'm ready to fool around, so I'm done fooling around, if you catch my meaning.”
She growled and crashed her head to the ground in dejection. Was it really that easy for him? As long as he used magic too advanced for her brain to process, she couldn't resist at all? She could try breaking the ground beneath her, but what would it matter? Would he just find another way of deactivating or neutralizing her powers somehow? No, she couldn't react hastily. She needed to figure out a real plan for how to get out of this. Otherwise, she'd just keep getting beaten down until she really couldn't resist at all, just from sheer fatigue.
Viasmos slipped off her jacket and threw it aside, leaving her only in her yellow-green bodysuit. The feeling of being forcibly stripped obviously unnerved Rogue, and made real the horrible likelihood of what he was about to do with her. While her powers had made intimacy a challenge, they had also protected her in situations like this. In that sense, she was luckier than most heroines, for whom defeat often meant one thing. The only exception was her time in Genosha, where she'd been affixed with a collar that negated her mutant powers. Several guards took some extra liberties, groping and fondling her, which proved especially traumatic given her limited sexual experience. But even then, at least this had never happened.
Now, it was different. Viasmos gripped her chin with his thumb and index finger, forcing her to face him, and he once again stole her lips. Her power wouldn't protect her anymore, and she could tell as his tongue wormed around inside her. Her powers still worked, she could feel herself draining Viasmos, but the same thing was happening the other way. He could siphon his energy right back. Until he'd demonstrated that ability, she felt pretty confident that she wouldn't be defiled. Even afterwards, she didn't really have the time to think about it as they fought. But now, there wasn't really any escaping this reality. He could stay in lockstep with her absorption powers, and she couldn't really do anything about it. Kissing her, touching her, violating her... no amount of contact would be enough to stop him.
Viasmos lifted himself up and looked around. He'd already figured, given the nature of her powers, that she hadn't been raped before. But on top of that, she was a human, laying back deep in space on a moon filled with lava and sulfur. The absurdity of the scene suddenly stuck out to him.
“Bet ya' never saw this situation for yourself, huh girlie?”
Rogue wanted to say something back to him. She didn't want to let him get away with being so glib about what he was doing. But at the same time, she was just too upset to put in the effort. Her eyes started to tear up as the awful reality of her near-future was hitting harder and harder.
“Shit! Shit!” she angrily whimpered.
“Now let's see what we've got in here,” Viasmos teased, ripping apart her outfit from the center of her bust. She gasped as her breasts were suddenly exposed, and nearly reacted by kneeing him in his ass. It probably would have worked if her goal was to buy just a few seconds time, but the likely end to that tactic was that he'd make it impossible for her other limbs to work, and her options would be that much fewer. Thus, she stopped herself from antagonizing him further.
Think girl, think! Who's got a power I can use for this? Any power she'd seen back on Earth could probably be replicated in some form or another by this magic. Would she be able to do it? That was another question entirely, but she'd have time to try and work it out... if she wasn't too distracted by Viasmos slobbering on her tits.
“Mmm, mmm, MMM! These are some fine, juicy melons you've got here! They definitely make for a nice post-fight snack!”
“You smarmy lil'... do we have to do this here!? Place's hotter than two rabbits screwin' in a wool sock!” She didn't actually care. Her body could handle the heat the way it was now, and it was actually a lot more hot back when they were next to that lava lake. She was just hoping she could stall for more time.
“Uh, no DUH we have to do this here. Didn't you hear me earlier! I've never raped on a volcano before! I'm not letting this chance pass me by.”
“Oh, well I'd just hate to ruin your fun,” she said sarcastically.
“Good, glad we're on the same page,” he said facetiously. He grabbed her breasts and fondled them in opposing, circular directions. “And as for two rabbits screwing, I promise you, we'll be making it much hotter than that!”
She groaned at his grotesque sense of humor. She knew it already, having seen so deeply into his character, but he really didn't care at all about how his actions affected others. He could be flippant and joke around because this felt no different to him than going out and having a beer with the guys. He was having himself a good time, and big deal if someone else had a problem with it. Her frustration, her tears, her vulnerability were all just part of the fun for a scumbag like him.
“Ain't nuthin' lower then a man who lays his hands on a woman uninvited,” she derided.
“I'm sure that kind of thing is important to some folks out there, but it sure as hell means shit to me.”
Viasmos flipped her around and put her on her knees. Since Rogue's arms didn't work right now, she couldn't hold herself up, and her chin crashed to the rocky ground below. He slid his hands around her hips and thighs, building up anticipation for groping her ass.
“I was admiring this beauty earlier back when we were running. Baby, you've got a sweet thing going on right here!”
“Y'sure know how to make a girl feel tickled, creep.”
Viasmos grinned at the tone of her voice. She was trying to act tough, but he could tell she was barely holding back her tears. She moved in and helped himself to a handful of her cheeks, squeezing her bountiful flesh.
“Oh, I'll show you tickled!” He moved one of his fingers further down and poked it into her pussy. Even protected by the thin layer of latex, Rogue yowled at the sudden invasion.
Scummy piece a' shit! Touchin' me, kissin' me, crawlin' on top of-
Something suddenly occurred to her. A power that just might get her out of this jam: teleportation. Nightcrawler could do it for short distances, and she knew that this magic existed for Viasmos, as well. But for long distances, it was very difficult – certain conditions needed to be followed. Still, if she could figure out how to do it, maybe she could continually dance out of his hold. It was a longshot, but she had nothing better to try and figure out.
While she worked on that, Viasmos slapped down on her ass like a set of bongo drums. The elasticity, the softness, her butt was just perfect! He decided to rip away her outfit at her back-end, so he could feel it even more closely. Since he was a stickler for efficiency, he went all around and ripped it away from her pussy, too. May as well as long as he was over here.
Rogue was trying her best to ignore his antics, and focus on the memories she'd taken from him. She could see him using teleportation magic from time to time, but that wasn't enough. What did it feel like? How did his energy flow and distort in those moments? She was only going to have one chance at this before she was figured out, so she needed to be as thorough as she possibly could – albeit under sub-optimal conditions for concentration – and get this as close to right as she could hope to manage.
Taking a break from her flawlessly-formed ass, he continued to rip away at her clothing. He wanted to see more of her smooth, entrancing body. Besides her body being so hot, she was also just really cute the way her face twisted whenever she got exposed. Viasmos kept tearing until her entire central body was open to the sulfurous air of Io. Only her limbs, up to her thighs and just short of her shoulders, remained covered by the remnants of her suit.
Viasmos grabbed the white spot of her hair and pulled her face against his crotch. Rogue growled as he rubbed her cheeks against his pants, before whipping out his cock and slapping it against her face. She looked up to face him and warned, “I'll rip that off if you stick that in me!”
This actually was something of a concern. Most of his interdimensional targets lacked the strength to break his skin, even on a sensitive area like this. The ones that did have the theoretical strength to do so still couldn't break past the thin barrier he kept active exactly to avoid such a situation. But this woman wasn't like them, she had his power. She'd have more than enough strength to break past his barrier, even if he reinforced it more heavily – which he was reluctant to do anyway, since it would be less sensitive.
Well, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. It would heal quickly enough. Hell, he'd technically gotten his dick atomically disarticulated not too long ago during The Invasion of Tharsis, and it had been no big deal. Still, it wasn't something Viasmos was particularly keen to experience, and more importantly, the woman needed to know that there was a line to how far he'd allow her to go.
He looked around the sky while Rogue struggled with his grip still forcing her against his shaft. Finally, he spotted what he was looking for. “Ah, pretty sure that's it.” He held up two fingers and pointed them into space, his aura coalescing at their tip.
“Whatchu doin' now, y'little weasel?”
“Simple. Giving you an ultimatum. Suck my dick like a proper bitch, or I'll blow up the Earth.”
“W-what!? You can't!”
“Oh, I definitely can.”
Well, that part wasn't in dispute. Rogue was right there in the middle of his raging aura, after all. As he'd noted earlier, she'd be dead if it wasn't for the power she'd gotten from Viasmos, so of course he could blow up the planet if he really wanted. The mechanics for whether or not he could do it weren't really in dispute, it was more about whether or not he'd allow it.
“But... you ain't done, right!? After me, yer' plannin' to go after all sortsa girls! Y'can't do that if they're dead!”
“True, it would be quite a waste. I'm not saying I want to blow up the planet. Frankly, I don't even like threatening you like this... not really my thing. I prefer to force my way around like a real man. But with my power flowing through you, I can't really think of a better way. The fact is that I've got a whole eternity to explore an infinite number of dimensions. Hell, I might be able to find another dimension just like this one. I don't like killing indiscriminately like that, but if that's what I have to do because you won't behave, then so be it. Who knows? Maybe I can make a nice experiment out of it. Rebuild the Earth, maybe test how far I can go manipulating life? Hmm, the more I think about it, maybe I should blow up the planet...”
“No! No... please... that won't be necessary... I'll... I'll do as you say.”
“That's a good girl! And don't worry, I'm only threatening you for the cocksucking. Once I rape your pussy, I'll be doing that with brute force the old-fashioned way!”
She glared at him, but all the time, she pressed her lips against the tip of his dick. This was so disgusting... but she really didn't have a choice. Trapped in his hold like this, she wouldn't be able to stop his blast from reaching Earth in time. The truth was, he could have threatened her into submission from the start... he was surely honest when he said that he didn't usually carry on like this. It applied to his memories, in fact. He'd fight an infinite number of opponents before resorting to such a tactic, which meant that her threat to bite him must have had some teeth to it, so to speak. She could almost view it as a win, except she wasn't feeling especially optimistic at the moment.
She felt strength returning to her arms... either his spell had worn off, or he'd deactivated it deliberately. Probably the latter – she'd be better able to service him with her hands available, and with his threat to destroy the Earth, she could hardly use them against him. She grabbed his shaft and held it steady against her lips before swallowing it whole.
The worst part of all this was that she knew she'd have to put in some effort. If she did a poor job and he knew it was on purpose, he might renew his threat against her planet. Worse than being forced to suck dick was being forced to suck it well, but that's exactly what she did. She took him in as far down her throat as she could manage, and even gently massaged the seam between his testicles. Her other hand stroked his dick in tandem with the movement of her throat. She hadn't had all that many sexual partners, but she'd at least done enough with them to perform a pretty competent blowjob.
“You know your way around a man! Wouldn't have guessed it, what with the whole power-stealing thing.”
Rogue briefly pulled his cock out to respond to him. “Y'ever thought about getting' a girl to like you for yer' personality?” Viasmos softly pushed against the back of her head, getting her back to work.
“Why would I need to do that? My strength is enough to get any woman I want. Why put in the effort to 'win her heart' or some goofy shit like that?”
She wanted to argue with his one-sided, narcissistic worldview, but she knew enough about him to recognize it was a waste of time. This wasn't someone who thought like a normal person – or at least what qualified as normal in this universe. With him, everything was utilitarian. It was what made him so misogynistic in the first place; Because in a culture centered around power, women being weaker wasn't just an arbitrary trait, but a measurable difference. They weren't something to be protected, but dominated.
That worked out just fine for her, because she'd never felt like she'd needed a man's help to take care of herself. She was going to get this done her way. So Viasmos could stand there and feel powerful while she sucked him off all he wanted. While he was doing that, Rogue was continuing to experiment internally with her body's energy.
Enjoy it while it lasts, creep. I'll be outta here real soon...
She wouldn't have long, though. She absolutely had to do this before he violated her, and in all probability, that would happen as soon as he decided he was done with her mouth. She wasn't sure she could teleport consecutively, but if she had time to focus for just a few seconds, she thought she could pull it off. She didn't exactly have time to test it out, so she'd just have to hope that the technique worked on its trial run.
And here it was, the moment of truth. Viasmos pulled her off her cock and pushed her to the ground. Although her arms were usable again, she still couldn't put much strength into them, so she wasn't able to struggle very effectively. Not that it stopped her trying to hold him at bay, but Viasmos climbed onto her with no trouble, worming his way between her legs and preparing to invade her pussy.
“A'ight, here goes nuthin'!”
Rogue suddenly disappeared from underneath Viasmos, and reappeared in the sky. The technique had worked, though it was far more draining than she'd expected. It took all her focus and attention to just pull off that one technique, it was crazy to her that people like him could pull it off impulsively. But she'd gotten some distance between them, and that was step one.
Viasmos had wasted no time putting up a detection field around himself. On a moon with nothing resembling life, it wasn't hard to pinpoint Rogue. It was a fraction of a second before he was chasing after her, which was admittedly less time than Rogue was hoping. However, now came step two. Her arms might still be weak, but she could still pour magical energy through them. And while teleportation might be a tricky technique for her, she'd already tested out his aura multiple times throughout the fight.
“Take this!” she shouted, firing down an incomprehensible wave of scarlet-black lightning. This wasn't to kill Viasmos – she knew that wouldn't be near enough – but rather, the moon behind him. Viasmos had been so adamant about fucking her on a volcano, she hoped it might stop him from ignoring her attack. This amount of energy was more than sufficient to destroy the moon, so he couldn't just go around it and continue pursuing her. He'd have to stay back and block it.
It was always possible that he ignored it anyway, and it wasn't as important to him as she thought, but it was worth a try. Making the most of every second, she didn't stick around and watch to see what he did. She just made a beeline for the direction Viasmos had been pointing to earlier: the direction towards Earth.
I can't win on my own... but if I had help... if I had some people smarter than me... if I had time to develop these powers... maybe we can fight him off!
But before she could even escape Io's atmosphere, something appeared before her. At first, it seemed like some kind of spatial distortion, similar to whatever Viasmos had done before during their fight. But then those distortions started to color, red and black like blood mixing with the emptiness of space. It wasn't the sight of it that allowed Rogue to recognize what it was, but touch. The redness fired out of the spatial distortion, and shot through her body.
She was being blasted with the aura she'd just fired. Viasmos floated above her, watching her torture with a smirk. There was no reason he couldn't play offense and defense at the same time. Rather than block her attack with a barrier, or even his own hands, he'd created a series of wormholes to draw them in. And where would they shoot out from? Why, from right out in front of Rogue, of course.
The best part was that it wouldn't end on its own, or at least not anytime soon. The energy zipping through Rogue was going right back into the first set of wormholes he'd created, which were then coming right back to hit her. Thus, she was trapped in this current of her own making. Rogue desperately tried to figure out how to stop this – the prolonged exposure to this gave he excruciating pain. Her best idea was to suck in that energy, similar to what Viasmos did when he siphoned energy, but she quickly realized that was a failed tactic before she could even start. Learning another complex form of magic, even if it was somewhat similar to her mutant powers, was going to be impossible while being ripped apart by this lightning. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, and she certainly couldn't focus on learning a new skill.
A reprieve was finally granted when Viasmos descended and neutralized the aura himself. Even if the attack was over, however, the pain wasn't. Rogue's entire body felt like it had been set aflame. Her muscles seized when she tried to move them, and she fell from the sky. Viasmos came to her rescue, in a manner of speaking, grabbing one of her hands and flying her back down to the volcano.
“Not a bad try, woman. But I've got a pal who can do that kind of thing pretty easily. I know how to deal with mid-battle teleportation.”
Rogue could see it in his memories. “Silver-haired bastard, yeah? Fuck him and fuck you.”
“Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head. I'm quite certain you'll be doing plenty of both!”
He pushed her on her back and pulled her legs apart. This couldn't have backfired on Rogue any harder. He didn't even need to paralyze any of her limbs for this, her body was in too much of a state of shock to fight back. She gasped when she saw his cock approach her entrance. She could still feel it, the power of a god flowing through her veins, and yet she couldn't use it. This momentous strength, so far beyond anything she'd seen in all her time as a heroine, it somehow still wasn't enough to stop from being humiliated like this.
I'm... I'm actually 'bouta get raped!
It was a hard reality to accept for a girl who'd long thought her powers would mean she'd never have to worry about stuff like this. The power she'd taken from Viasmos should have only made that more certain. But on her back, unable to put any power into her body, still reeling in agony from the aura she'd fired on herself, it was a hard reality she'd have to take in – speaking just about literally.
Viasmos plunged into her warm depths, and Rogue knew what it was to be at the mercy of a male. It was hardly a rare thing for women in her profession to experience assaults of this nature, and she had just become one among many. That's how she tried to think about it. Like it was just a part of the job. But it didn't really do the trick. Besides the torment a girl would naturally feel from having her body used against her will like this, she also knew that this wasn't like what the others went through. This wasn't a one-and-done, or even an instance where a heroine was taken captive as a sex slave for a few days. No, there'd be no end in sight for her. Once Viasmos was done, he'd take her as a slave. Those collars the girls were would make all her powers – her own or otherwise – utterly meaningless. She'd never be able to oppose him again.
She'd be raped for all eternity.
Unable to even struggle with the agony her body was undergoing, she couldn't do anything but cry. She hated to show her tears in front of this bastard, who was no doubt getting off on it. But still, it wasn't like she could just do nothing and pretend it wasn't happening. That would be nice, but it wasn't the kind of girl she was. She had to react somehow, and if violence wasn't an option... despair would have to do.
Her rapist smiled and wiped off her tears in a feigned show of sympathy. “Aww, is it your first time getting raped? Poor bitch.” Rogue glared angrily at him, though she realized such a reaction was only giving him what he wanted.
“Is it not enough to shame me like this? Y'gotta be mean, too?”
“If it's what I want in the moment, then yes,” he answered matter-of-factly. “I gotta do whatever.”
He pulled her up so she was sitting on his lap, then pulled her head back by her hair and licked up her neck while he forcefully bounced her on his cock. “Nothing you want matters, and everything I want matters,” she whispered ominously to her. “That's the life you're gonna live from now on.”
Tears fell once more from her sealed eyes, because she knew there was not a hint of falsehood in his words. She wasn't ready to give up, far from it, but she realized it didn't really matter if she did or not. Even if she could muster her strength back up to fight him, he'd still win. No matter how deeply she absorbed him, she'd never be on his level. She was merely a hasty copy of a being that defied her comprehension.
“You men... jus' takin' whateva' you want...” she whined with frustration. That only seemed to incite Viasmos more, who was slamming her into him even more powerfully. It terrified her to think that he wasn't even being as brutish as he could be. Even with her profound strength in this state, she'd never been manhandled so roughly in her life.
His hands gripped her ass as he further picked up the pace with her. “That's right, babe! I take whatever I want! I wanted you, and now you're gonna be mine! I don't give a single damn about anything but my own desires!” He leaned forward and claimed her lips. She tried to arch backwards to get away, but he just leaned more and more forward until she was back on the ground, getting railed from on top.
Her eyes were rolling in the back of her head as she struggled to withstand his might. He was plowing her so roughly she could feel the ground shaking beneath her. Damnit... he's jus' too strong! His dick was like hot steel hammering away at her, overwhelming her body with its sheer force. If he'd fucked her like this before she absorbed his powers, her body would likely have been blown apart.
“This is the great thing about you, you know?” Viasmos said, pulling out of her and placing her on all fours. She tried to crawl away, but he grabbed her hips and pulled her back into place. “I don't need to hold back at all with you!” He slammed into her with even more force, so hard that it was now instigating a landslide on the side of the mountain. The ground cracked beneath them so heavily that Rogue was nervous about it collapsing before them – although that probably wouldn't matter to either of them. Quite frankly, confronting an actual earthquake (or ioquake, as it were) seemed a lot less daunting than having to take his outrageously powerful thrusts.
“Don't think this is gonna change,” Viasmos alerted her. “You know about the collars, I'm sure? But how much do you know about them? I can adjust how much they restrict your power, and even channel it to different aspects of your power. Have you seen some of the other heroines? They get to stay nice and tough for me, so I can have my fun without having to be too delicate. You'll be getting the same treatment, girlie!”
Rogue went wide-eyed at the revelation. She had seen the collars, but indeed, she hadn't seen that in-depth about how they operated. She only knew they were connected to his own magic, in which case it made sense that he could manipulate how effective they were. If what he said was true... then there really was no escape. Even if the powers she'd taken from him faded, he could probably make it so she'd continue to absorb from him. Every time he raped her, his power would flow back into her. Not his strength, not his magic, but his endurance and durability. Everything that would make it easier to challenge him would be stolen, and everything that would make it more fun for him would be kept. This mountain-shattering fucking she was going through... this was only the beginning of it.
The focus she spent trying to endure his pumping was turned against her when Viasmos slapped her ass so hard it sent a shockwave up the mountain. She hadn't been prepared for it at all, and yowled at the sudden sting. This made her lose her concentration, and her arms gave out against Viasmos's thrusts, her head falling pitifully to the ground.
“Hahaha! You like that, bitch? Have some more!”
Viasmos kept slapping her on the butt again and again. Right cheek, left cheek, right cheek, left cheek, he just kept going. Each smack was incomprehensibly hard, and each one reset her as he tried to regain her balance.
“Ah! Aah! Stop – Ah! Stop treatin' me like a piece a' meat!”
“And why shouldn't I?” Viasmos said, striking her with one, last resounding slap. “I'm stronger, I'm better, I've got you right where I want you. I can do whatever I like. What are you gonna do about, woman?”
“Bastard,” she hissed. “Y'think the Sun comes up justa hear you crow, ain't that right?”
Viasmos grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up to his face. He slithered around her neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek, while reaching around and grabbing her tits. He smirked and whispered into her ear, “The Sun comes up because I'll blow it up and replace it with a new one if it doesn't do what I want.” It was a joke, of course, but one that rang true to some regard. Even her southern colloquialisms fell apart before his power; Something as all-encompassing and awe-inspiring as a sun was still just another object Viasmos could do away with as he pleased. He pushed her back down on her arms and went back to ramming at max intensity.
Lava poured down from the top of the volcano, prompting Viasmos to set up a barrier in front of them. The lava branched to the left and right around them, though some of it seeped into the cracks that ahd formed beneath them. Between this and the continued hurricane of Viasmos's aura tearing across space, Rogue was growing increasingly overwhelmed. Fearful stimuli seemed to blanket her everywhere she went. Lava in front and beneath her, a scarlet-black storm above and around her, a merciless rapist hammering away behind her, there was nothing to distract her from the chaotic circumstances she'd found herself in. Never before had she faced such a frenzied environment.
“Oh god, oh god, oh god, this is a nightmare!” she screamed, no longer composed enough to even try and hide her terror from her assailant. She didn't care that he was probably enjoying her breakdown, or whether or not she looked pathetic. She was just scared. More scared than she knew she could be. Everything about him kept planting in her this overwhelming dread, and she couldn't keep holding it in. It had to be released for the sake of her own sanity.
“Hehehe, don't worry, sweetheart. It gets easier. Soon enough, you'll be just another slave, accepting it as a normal part of your life. Your fears, your grievances, your angsts, they'll all melt into the background of your life as they become your new normal. The things that once gave you purpose and drive will fade away as you slowly forget what it was even like to be a free woman. The life of a slave is all you will know, and all you will ever be, and one day, all you'll even remember. Your whole world will revolve around one thing: making me, your captor, happy.”
Unsurprisingly, this did not entirely calm her down.
She screamed even louder, panic setting in as he painted such a dystopian vision for what her life would become. Even worse, she could feel his cock throbbing more intensely inside of her. It seemed her fear had turned him on quite a bit indeed. He was about to cum inside her. She already knew that there'd be no risk of pregnancy, at least not yet, though it still disgusted her to imagine his seed swirling inside her.
What actually terrified her, however, was that it meant time was running out. If the memories were reliable indicators of what would come next, it wouldn't be long after he came before he carted her off to Tharsis. As soon as that collar was on her, it was over. If there was any chance of getting out of this, it would maybe be in-between when she was taken to the other world, and when she was collared. If she could break from Viasmos for a second, she could perhaps threaten to destroy one of his vaults. She would never actually follow through on such a threat, of course. She wouldn't sacrifice innocents just to protect herself. But maybe it was worth bluffing. No, he'd probably see through it. One of his kids, perhaps? Most of them could hardly be considered innocent. But what he even care enough for that to work? She didn't have a cohesive plan in mind yet, she was just scrambling to find some way of making use of this power. It would be better directed towards his world than hers.
As her mind raced trying to come up with a viable strategy, she was brought back to her present situation as she felt his essence gush inside her pussy. The force of his ejaculate was unbelievable, and perhaps appropriate given the volcano they resided on. His cum flooded her with such pressure that she imagined it might actually hurt a lesser woman. At last, he pulled his dick outside of her, and she flopped unceremoniously to the floor. She knew it wasn't over over, but it was at least kind of over. It was something to be glad about, for the first time in what felt like forever.
Viasmos flipped her on her back and, without saying a word, drove his cock between her lips. Some of Rogue's strength had returned, so she could try biting him as per her previous threat. It wasn't as if she had anything else to do with herself right now. Of course, he could always respond by blowing up the Earth like he'd warned, but in truth, that had nothing to do with Rogue's decision to just take it. The sad reality was that it hadn't even occurred to her to fight back in this moment. She was so drained, physically and emotionally exhausted from her ordeal, that she was simply basking in the relief of laying back and having her mouth used. It was a paradise compared to everything else she'd just gone through.
The terrifying storm of Viasmos's aura was also winding down. Even on a volcanic moon millions of miles from her home, she felt much more at peace. The agonies she'd endured made even the slightest mercies taste oh so sweet. His cock sufficiently polished, he pulled it out and grabbed Rogue by the hair, lifting her to sit up.
“Agh, damn, jus' lemme rest a bit!”
“Don't worry, that's exactly what I intended, as a matter of fact.”
Viasmos placed his palm in front of her face, and a pinkish gas emanated. Rogue didn't have time to figure out what was happening and react. She breathed in the sedative and quickly fell asleep.
“You oughta be proud, girlie. I'm not usually one to play it safe. It probably wouldn't matter, but... it could get a little dicey if I take you back to my planet with my power flowing through you. Best to keep you unconscious until I've got you collared.”
He lifted the passed out girl up over his shoulder, and opened a portal to his dimension. He was quite satisfied, and not just in the sexual sense. That was one of the best fights he'd had in recent memory. Eyeing her ass next to his face with a smirk, he gave it a playful smack.
“Hope you're ready, sweetcheeks. Next time you wake up, you'll have yourself a whole, new life!”
Nobody was really sure what happened.
At first, the thought was that the sentinels had taken Rogue. But after tracking down where those sentinels had come from, the X-Men found no information regarding her whereabouts, and even picked up communication records which indicated they were still searching for her.
Perhaps it had something to do with that impact event over in White Plains? Shortly after the incident at the mall, an earthquake was felt, and they later found an enormous crater outside the city. Everyone assumed it was some kind of meteor strike, but no meteorite was ever found, nor anything else to indicate what might've caused such devastating damage to the Earth's crust.
If that wasn't crazy enough, Mt. Rushmore had been partially destroyed. Cell phone footage from some tourists showed some kind of fight between superpowered beings, which quickly went viral. They were too far away to capture identifiable traits of either person, but when the X-Men caught wind of it, they considered it might be Rogue. It did kind of look like her, from what they could pick up. However, this theory was discarded when they realized at what time this fight had taken place. It was within minutes of the mall incident, which was nowhere near enough time for Rogue to make it to South Dakota.
People were having trouble connecting the dots, but perhaps nothing was harder to connect than the freakout happening among astronomers. Something insane had gone down near Jupiter. The atmosphere on one end had been blasted away, as if struck by some massive asteroid. Gravity had pulled most of the gases back in, and Jupiter's atmosphere/mass had stabilized, but nobody had ever seen something like this. It would've taken something about the size of Earth itself to disrupt the atmosphere that severely, but astronomers surely would've noticed such an object in the Solar System. Nobody had any clue what could have caused this.
That wasn't the only bizarre thing happening in that region of space. Two of Jupiter's moons, Amalthea and Thebe, were slightly off their previous orbits. Io, even by its own lofty standards, was extremely active geologically, and it was suddenly covered in scars that seemed to be unrelated to lava flow. One of NASA's probes that had been relatively nearby Io had also gotten disconnected suddenly – presumably destroyed, but there was no confirmation yet.
No hypothesis fit particularly cleanly. Some kind of isolated gamma ray burst? A geomagnetic storm causing a bizarre chain reaction perhaps? Hell, aliens? They were ready to consider just about anything. Nobody had an answer that neatly tied all separate phenomena together. It was a mystery that would continue to baffle astronomers worldwide for quite some time.
Rogue opened her eyes and bolted up. Where was she? Bars on the side of the room made it obvious. Everything from before she fell asleep came back to her. That's right... she'd been defeated. Captured. And here she was, in her cell... in her new home.
“Ah, you are awake, I see.”
At the foot of her bed was a green-haired woman, who Rogue faintly remembered as Chlorida. The memories she'd attained from Viasmos were slipping away, but she recalled that much. She looked down at herself and put her hand to her neck, feeling out the metallic ring clasped around her neck.
“I've been collared... ah... guess I got nuthin' I can do now...”
She tried to laugh it off, but it wasn't very convincing. Her whole world was gone. The X-Men, the Professor, Gambit...
Oh, Remy...
A solitary tear fell down her cheek as she thought of everything that had been lost. And in the name of what? Of some sick pervert who wanted her as a sex toy. How could that be a fair exchange in his eyes? How was she supposed to leave everything behind?
Chlorida, approaching the situation with some delicacy, gave her some time to cry before speaking up again. “My father has explained the situation to me, so I'm sure you more or less understand the operation here, is that right?” Rogue lightly nodded, and Chlorida continued. “In that case, I needn't explain much. You can always ask if you do have any questions. However, since you were asleep, we'll need to catch up on some basic information regarding your processing.”
“May I ask something first?” Rogue weakly inquired.
“That's fine.”
“I had myself a man back home, Remy. I'm sure he's out there lookin' for me. I jus' want him to know I'm okay... I mean, not okay, but alive? I... I guess I don't really know what I wanna say. Jus' sumthin' so he don't gotta worry. Could that... be passed on somehow?”
Chlorida sat in silence for a moment and sighed. “Unlike my father, I can't use dimensional magic. As far as I know, nobody else in Tharsis can. I can petition my father about it, but if I'm being honest with you, I doubt he'll heed your request. He can be very particular about when and how he reveals himself to a world.”
“I see... I guess that's all I can ask then...”
Rogue was heartbroken to think of Gambit on his own back home. Even if indirectly, she so wanted to speak with him, just one last time. But he was gone now... she'd never see him again. Her mind thought back to what Viasmos had said, about how over the span of eternity, she'd forget her old life completely. Did that mean she'd forget him, too? Was he destined to be a lost relic of her past? He didn't deserve that, and she didn't want that. She wanted to hold onto Gambit forever, in some way.
“Then moving on,” Chlorida said, holding up a pen and clipboard. “Let's start with your name.”
Rogue recalled that Chlorida was classier than the typical Tharsian, but she was still quite a cold woman. It was difficult to detect sympathy from her behind that clinical expression. Regardless, her situation was hardly her fault. She was just doing her job, so rather than make a big deal out of it, she figured she'd answer her questions and get through this as quickly as possible.
“Rogue.”
“No, I mean your real name.”
“My real name?”
“My father mentioned you told him something like 'Ann Mary'? He's not always great with details he doesn't deem important, so I wanted to confirm with you.”
“Ah... yes... it's Anna Marie.”
Chlorida wrote that down. “Got it. Anna... Marie... good. And does your kind use last names?”
“Hmm?”
“We don't have them here. In the old days, too many people were dying in war to make family names or lineage of any value. But it's apparently rather common with the girls my father brings over.”
“Ah, yes... my last name... I'm Anna Marie...”
She stopped herself.
She could use her real last name... but technically, she didn't have to. She could pick whatever she wanted. Even if Viasmos found out, it's not like he'd care. She could craft her name to her liking.
Even if it was just symbolic... perhaps it was worth it? If only to give her some solace. Something to hold onto.
“Yes?” Chlorida prodded with an arched eyebrow. Rogue lifted her head and made eye contact with Chlorida.
“My name is Anna Marie LeBeau.”
Chapter 5: A Very Tharsian Christmas - Part 1
Notes:
Weeeell, this was originally going to be just one chapter. But I ran into a couple issues.
1) It was running way longer than I expected. I don't think I realized just how many vignettes I'd have to come up with now that we're at 40-ish characters.
2) I wasn't sure I'd make it in time for Christmas, and I wanted to post at least part of it beforehand.
Anyway, the idea of a Tharsian Christmas has always been kinda funny to me, so it's an idea I've had floating in my head for a while. I'll try to get the next chapter up at least before the end of December, but I can't make any promises. I haven't had as much time to work on this as I'd like lately, and I also don't like to rush myself, so what will be, will be, I suppose.
There are a handful of slave girls who don't play any meaningful role in Part 1. I didn't forget about them, it's all by design. I assure you that they'll appear in Part 2.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
An unanticipated, and rather unwelcome visitor had just entered the pool room. “Hey, ladies! Lookin' real good in those swimsuits!” A number of groans echoed in response to the shameless ogling Viasmos was giving them.
Chlorida looked sternly at him. “Father, what's the meaning of this? This is their time, is it not?” Technically, Viasmos could do what he wanted, but it was his own rule that the girls were to be left alone for their outlined free time. He'd largely adhered to that.
“Just because I'm chained to the porch doesn't mean I can't bark at the cars,” he rationalized. Chlorida didn't know exactly what he was saying, because they didn't have dogs or cars here, so the cultural context was lost on her. Even so, she more or less grasped his meaning.
“There's a tinted window for that purpose, no?”
“Yeah, well, I wanted to talk to you, actually.”
“Then just say that. What is it?”
Viasmos took a seat next to her. “It's about the bun in the oven.”
“Yours or mine?”
“Yours. I wanted to run a few name ideas I came up with. First, if it's a boy-”
“Let me stop you right there,” Chlorida said, raising her palm to his face. “I will be naming my child.”
“But-”
“No buts!” she cut off, taking a harsh tone. “It's not up for debate. Tell me one of your ideas, and even if I like it, I will specifically refuse it out of spite. You're just gonna have to contend with not controlling something for once in your life. The name is my decision, not yours.”
Viasmos leaned back, resting his hands on the back of his head. “Don't you mean yours and Iliakos?”
“Not really. He'll defer to my judgment.”
“Heh... that's my girl.”
“In any case, I am setting a boundary here. You will have your place in your grandchild's life, but before being your grandkid, it'll be my kid. I'm not going to argue further about it. If I decide to name my kid 'Fuckface', you're just gonna have to live with it.”
“Oh, that actually was one of my ideas."
Chlorida rolled her eyes at her father's dumb joke... it was a joke, right? None of her siblings had vulgar names like that, but considering the drama surrounding her marriage, maybe he was looking to get back at her.
“So how have the girls been? Any issues?” he asked her.
“Not especially. I can't say your approval ratings are exactly towering, but within the parameters of their circumstances, they seem mostly fine.”
“New chicks acclimating?”
“About as well as could be expected. I suppose if I was to suggest one thing, there's always the concern of monotony.”
“Hmm? How do you mean?”
“Structure and routine can be very good things, particular in dealing with an imprisoned group like this lot. But it can also get stale. I'm sure you can sympathize, considering you developed an entirely new system of magic just so you could change things up.”
“Yeah, well, you got me there. So what, you have an idea to spice things up?”
“Not particularly. Just something that's been in the back of my mind. Something to excite them outside the normal order of things might be worth considering from time to time is all.”
Viasmos contemplated the matter for a moment. “Eh, I ain't got an issue with that. Why don't we ask one of the girls?” Before Chlorida could assent and politely ask one of the girls over, Viasmos snapped his fingers at one of them. “Bitch! Yeah, you! Get over here!”
Minako, formerly Sailor Venus, grew stiff inside the pool as she made eye contact with Viasmos. His demanding tone cast a chill down her spine. Was she in trouble? Or was he going to do something to her? Chlorida sighed, recognizing the girl's panic, and explained loudly but calmly, “Please, Ms. Aino, it's nothing bad. We just wish for a moment of your time.” Minako, somewhat more relaxed, nodded and swam to the side of the pool to get out. Chlorida swatted Viasmos on the arm.
“What the hell was that?” she whispered. “There's no need to be so aggressive with them! And besides, you shouldn't be barking orders like that during their free time.”
“What? It's not like I was demanding anything sexual.”
“It's a grey area, no? Look, would you just leave the talking to me? The girls are more comfortable with me than they are with you... for obvious reasons, I daresay.”
Viasmos shrugged his shoulders and reclined himself, handing the matter over to Chlorida. Minako approached with some trepidation, wearing a frilly, orange bikini. “Y-yes? How may I serve you?”
Chlorida irately side-eyed Viasmos, who turned his head away and ignored her. His presence was obviously making the poor girl nervous. “Please, be at ease, Ms. Aino. We only wish to pick your brain on a certain matter. There's no need to be anxious.”
Minako's apprehension didn't complete melt away, but one could tell from her posture that she'd loosened up a bit. “V-very well, Lady Chlorida. Then what may I help you with?”
“I was discussing with my father that it might be a nice gesture to do something fun for all of you, something distinct from your usual schedule. However, as we're not especially familiar with the customs of other versions of humanity, I felt it would be best to ask some of you for ideas.”
“Hey,” Viasmos cut in. “If you're looking for something fun for girls to do, I've got a few ideas we cou-”
“Dad!”
“Hahahaha, sorry, I'll shut up.”
“...My apologies. Anyway, does anything spring to mind, Ms. Aino?”
Minako put a finger to her cheek as she considered the proposal. “Hmm, well it's certainly a kind offer. Let me think... I don't know, because even those of us who are all from Earth don't always have the same practices. But speaking for myself, at least, there are certain things I miss. The food back home, shopping, Christmas...”
“What the hell's a Christmas?” asked Viasmos, either forgetting or not caring about his promise to shut up.
“Ah, I think I saw that mentioned in one of your Earth books,” Chlorida recalled, before turning her attention over to Viasmos. “I believe it's something called a 'holiday'.”
“A whataday?”
“A holiday. I believe it's some kind of day that everyone, or a certain culture, celebrates at fixed moments throughout the year.” She turned back to Minako. “Would you tell us more about it?”
“Ah, of course. There were a lot of holidays back home, but Christmas was probably the best! We'd celebrate in winter, so we'd have tasty hot treats like hot cocoa to warm ourselves, and we'd bring a tree into our home to decorate, and best of all, we'd get gifts for our friends, family, and everyone we loved! Ah, but... there is no winter here in Tharsis, right?”
Indeed, the concept of seasons was known, but came from a long-lost age. The power this world's humans had over the environment made the weather largely static, save for a massive storm that Viasmos wouldn't let anyone do anything about. At the same time...
“It's not as if it matters for our purposes,” Chlorida explained. “We could do a Christmas whenever we felt like it. I could definitely take care of the tree part. I have no objections to the idea, but what are your thoughts, father?”
“Already looking,” Viasmos said, whose face was buried in his omni-tool. He was glad he'd grabbed a lot of miscellaneous information during his excursions in that world, just in case.
If this Christmas thing is on his omni-tool, then that means the concept existed in Ms. Lawson and Ms. Traynor's world, as well.
Minako's earlier unease was quickly giving way to excitement. “R-really? Are we actually going to do a Christmas party!?”
“No promises, but I see no reason we can't,” Chlorida answered.
“Oh my god! That's just-! I would love that so much! Christmas is the best!”
“What's that? We're doing a Christmas party?” Propped up on her arms at the edge of the pool was Kara, once known as Supergirl, wearing a blue bikini bra with a red bottom. “That would be a lot of fun! I haven't thought about it in so long, but the holidays were the best time!”
“Oh, you had it too, Kara?” Minako asked.
“Oh yeah! Christmas was huge in my world!”
“Mine too! I loved it so much! The snow, the peppermint...”
“The gingerbread, the presents...”
“Santa, the fried chicken...”
“The holly, the... wait? Fried chicken?”
“Oh, was that not a part of yours?” Minako sat at the edge of the pool next to Kara. “I guess it makes sense that we wouldn't necessarily have the same version of Christmas, being from different worlds and all.”
“Actually,” said a third woman, swimming over to join after overhearing the conversation. Momo Yaoyorozu, wearing a red leotard with a thick, white stripe cutting horizontally in the center, placed a hand on the edge and added her two cents. “It might just be a difference of geography. Fried chicken was a part of my culture's Christmas, too. But I'd always heard that it was different overseas. Minako and I both came from Japan, so maybe yours is different because you came from America? We also didn't really use holly as a decoration very much.”
“Oh, is that so? Well I guess that makes sense. Even being from the same world, different countries are going to have different traditions.”
Chlorida listened closely, surprised that this “Christmas” was such a common theme. It was true that the girls from Earth tended to have more commonalities with each other than they did with something as foreign as Tharsis, but it was still quite the coincidence that the same holiday was present among so many worlds.
That's at least four worlds that have some incarnation or another of Christmas. They may have different variations of the same holiday, but it seems like there's enough overlap to work with. This might be a really good idea.
“Ms. Aino, while my father deliberates, would you do me a favor and ask a few others if they're familiar with Christmas, as well?”
“Of course, Lady Chlorida!”
Even for this being their free time away from all the abuse, Minako had a particular spring in her step. The idea of possibly being permitted to celebrate Christmas had her over the moon. She walked over to a couple hot tubs and asked the girls about it before returning to Chlorida. By and large, most of them were familiar with Christmas, though it wasn't all of them. Kai Harn had no concept of it, whereas Aqua had never celebrated it, but had heard about it from other worlds.
Still, it was clear that Christmas was a pretty consistently well-known holiday for the girls. Even without surveying every single person, some rule of thumb math could be done. If Minako was familiar with Christmas, then probably the other Sailor Scouts were too. If Kara was familiar with Christmas, then probably the other heroines and villainesses did, as well. Getting one person's confirmation gave Chlorida good odds of assuming the same about anyone from the same world. So all thing's considered, probably a good 2/3 or more were people who celebrated Christmas in their old lives. And as for the ones that weren't, was it likely they'd have a problem with it? Probably not.
She turned to Viasmos, who'd been looking up stuff about Christmas for quite some time. “Well, what are you waiting for? Would you sign off on possibly holding a Christmas celebration in the near future?”
Viasmos smiled and nodded to Chlorida. “I'm liking a lot of what I see about Christmas! I still don't really get what a holiday's all about, but whatever. Let's do it!”
Minako triumphantly threw her hands in the air. “Yaaay! Thank you so much, master!” She bowed to Viasmos, and for once, her servile attitude wasn't borne entirely of fear. She was genuinely grateful at the opportunity to celebrate one of her favorite holidays from back home. She turned back to Kara and Momo with bright eyes and a beaming smile.
“This is going to be so much fun!”
“This is so not what I had in mind.”
Minako looked down at herself, and the rather scanty Christmas outfit her master had decided on. Red cups with fluffy, white lining covered her breasts, attached to each other only by a thin, red strap. Similar straps extended further south from her bra to her nether regions, leaving very little to the imagination underneath the miniskirt that barely covered her ass, which matched the design of the bra. Another pair of red straps ran down her legs to a set of translucent, red stockings, climbing up to her thigh, covered only at the bottom by a pair of red high heels. Plus a Santa hat, of course.
She looked over at Nemuri, who was also dressed rather immodestly – though in fairness, Nemuri was known for her racy outfits even during her time as the heroine called Midnight. This outfit was a tight, green leotard with a deep V shearing down the center, as well as red, vertical stripes that went down from the breasts. Her legs were adorned with dark green, knee-high heeled boots, snug against the skin and made of the Tharsian equivalent to leather. Additionally, she had a pointy, green hat with a bell on the end.
These were the two outfits that everyone got to choose between. The red, Santa-themed outfit covered less of the overall body, but the skirt did “protect” – to use the word liberally – their asses from hanging out. The green, elf-themed outfit covered more of the torso, but its skin-tight uniformity ensured that the overall outline of the body was impossible to hide. All in all, it was a “pick your poison” kind of arrangement.
“Oh, come on!” shouted Kallen, mortified at how exposed she was in her Santa get-up. “Even for Christmas, you're gonna make us dress like strippers!?”
“Hmph, you can always go nude if neither one strikes your fancy,” Viasmos countered.
“...I apologize for my outburst.”
Chlorida was frustratedly pinching the bridge of her nose, as the revelation she'd just made sent waves of exhaustion through her. “Father... when you said you 'liked what you saw' about Christmas... did you mean this?”
“Yeah, of course!” he answered, unbothered by her acidic tone. “I wasn't too keen on it when I saw all this 'season of giving' bullshit, but when I saw there were so many sexy, Christmas-themed outfits, I thought they'd make a nice rotation for the wardrobe!”
“...I don't even know what to say to you. Is sex ever off your mind?”
“Should it be?”
Chlorida couldn't be bothered to argue the point further. Yuffie broke the awkward silence between them and tried to ease the tension. “Well, they're certainly not, uh... low-key... but they are quite festive!” She rang the bell on her hat and struck a cute pose with her leg up. They were always in revealing outfits anyway, so this was Yuffie's way of trying to convey that it wasn't a big deal. The other girls didn't necessarily share her enthusiasm, but her vivid acceptance of the situation did more or less compel them to move on.
“...Whatever, let's just get on with it,” Chlorida conceded. “Speaking with all of you over the course of the last few weeks, we have a general idea of some of the common traditions among those of you who celebrate Christmas. We've used that to construct an aesthetic that we'll put together here in this atrium over the course of the day. In the meantime, the rest of you will be able to explore the city.”
The girls were surprised by that, as was evidenced from the murmurs and glances they shared with one another. Chlorida patted her hand on a box next to her.
“I'll explain. A few of you mentioned this 'Secret Santa' concept, and we've done something similar. You'll be picking names out of this box to determine who you will get a gift for, and you will then browse the city for said gift. However, not all of you will be picking. Instead, you'll be in pairs, so once a name is selected, it goes both ways. If Ms. Lockhart were to pick Ms. Lance, then Ms. Lance would not need to pick, because she'll be assigned to Ms. Lockhart. Is everything clear so far?”
Viasmos interjected, “And does it need any saying? I'll know right away if anybody leaves the city, and I'll snatch you right up and punish you. Let's be real, that probably includes me raping you.”
“...Yes, of course, you are to stay within the confines of the city. Beyond that, you will have free reign.”
“Um... excuse me?” said Ami, raising her hand. “How are we supposed to earn gifts? We don't have any money...”
Chlorida was confused for a moment before realizing what they were talking about. “Hmm? Oh, that's right. I forgot a couple of you mentioned that was a thing. We don't do that here.”
“Don't do what?”
“Money.”
A collective “HHHUUUUHHH!?” emanated from the crowd of slave girls, and Chlorida elaborated. “The concept isn't foreign to us. Several kingdoms utilized a currency system before being taken over by Tharsis. However, there were a fair number of nations, including ours, which saw no need. Now that Tharsis controls the vast majority of the planet, it's a dated concept. People with talent do what they're good at, and people without talent do what those with talent instruct of them. Everyone lives comfortably and nobody lacks for motivation.”
Mitsuru mumbled to herself, “Hmm, I suppose high-precision jobs like engineering aren't as relevant if everybody has high quantities of magic at their disposal...” Standing next to her, Diana added on, “And there's probably not much of an academic system in a world like this, where jobs like lawyers and doctors aren't used.”
“Hmm?” Viasmos heard that last part. “We obviously have doctors.”
“Uh, oh! I thought... but you're all immune to disease here, right? And doesn't everybody have healing magic?”
“Well sure, but not everybody specializes in healing magic. Did any of your worlds not have doctors because you had first aid kits lying around?” he replied, slapping his head mockingly. “One of my sons just recently spent a couple weeks in a hospital after getting his leg cut off, and his innate healing is a lot more efficient than most. Not everyone's like me, some injuries have a hard time healing.”
“But if that's the case... you don't need to pay to go to the hospital?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? Why would someone need to pay if they need live-saving treatment? Even I'm not that diabolical.”
“R-really?”
Viasmos turned to Chlorida. “Pretty sure even the nations that did use currency didn't make their people pay to see a doctor. Do you know of anyone that did that?”
“No, not to the best of my knowledge,” she answered. “Although I really can't imagine such a foolish idea would even occur to them. They'd turn their own population against them overnight for such a flagrantly exploitative move.”
“Hmm, perhaps it's different in places where people aren't as strong as us? Still, can't imagine how-”
Chlorida clapped her hands twice to interrupt him before this divergence went any further. “ANYWAY... currency won't be an issue. Find somewhere with an item or service you think would be nice, and you'll give it to them at the party tonight. That's all there is to it. Now, we'll be going in order of enslavement. Ms. Lockhart, please step forward and draw a name from the box.”
Tifa grabbed a name, announced it, and stood separately from the crowd. Kai Harn, the person she'd gotten, followed her, so everyone could visually keep track of who was remaining. It wasn't really much of a “Secret” Santa if everyone knew who everybody picked, but that point was apparently lost on the Tharsians, and nobody cared enough to bring it up. After several minutes of picking names, it was Kallen's turn to go up.
“Let's see, I got... Elsa.” Kallen was internally very happy with her selection, because she definitely didn't want either of the other two.
“Alright. That only leaves Scarlet and Blackfire, so you two will be a pair by default. In that case, you may now leave and explore the city.”
“Um, Lady Chlorida,” asked Aqua. “Do we have to go with our Secret Santa partner, or can we go in our own groups?”
“It makes no particular difference, though you may wish to keep your gift a surprise until later tonight. But if you wish to go together, you may. You can even go by yourselves if you prefer to be alone. Ah, but that does remind me...” She pulled out her omni-tool and directed everyone to their collars. “My father has connected the magic of your collars to my omni-tool, so I will be able to see where all of you are located. Everyone knows you're my father's property, so they shouldn't bother you... but some people are stupid. If anyone does harass you, simply rub against the orb at the front of your collar, and it will send an alert to me. I'll be working in here for the day, but it won't take me long to reach you, no matter where you are. I'll see to it that any harassment you ladies are subjected to is dealt with proportionately.”
The girls acknowledged her instruction, and were soon escorted out of the vault.
As the girls went into their various groups, Rogue found herself rather lonely. As the newest slave of Viasmos, she hadn't completely gotten her bearings straight. She hadn't exactly gravitated towards any particular clique, and while there were some girls who preferred to be on their own, Rogue couldn't help feeling left out.
“Hey, Rogue! Wanna come with me?”
Rogue turned to see who had called out to her. It was the girl named “Kara”, supposedly a heroine from a different world.
“Why... I figured you'd be runnin' with them other gals.” She was referring to Diana and Karen, fellow heroines from Kara's world.
Kara shrugged. “I normally would be, but I saw you all alone and figured you could use someone. Like, I get it... it's weird trying to talk normally to people at first, isn't it?”
Rogue said nothing, but her face twisted somewhat awkwardly like she wasn't sure how to digest her feelings. Kara continued, “It's pretty much always like that. It's tough to act friendly when you're still adjusting from your old life. I came in with Karen, but I imagine it's a lot worse for someone who comes in without knowing anybody. So I get it... just thought I'd reach out.”
“...I could use someone, I guess. Jus'... like you said, tryin' to act like everything's all normal and all? And now we out here havin' a Christmas party of all things? It ain't easy on this here girl. I'd be goin' nuts tryin' to find a way to break this joint if I didn't know...”
As she trailed off, Kara's expression grew solemn. “I heard something about you getting to see the master's memories, is that right? Then I'm sure you know... we had a real chance recently, better than anything I could've dreamed up. It still wasn't enough. I don't want to tell you not to hope, but... personally, I think we're all better off not worrying about it. If some miracle happens, then that's great, but until then, it's best to do what we can and accept our new roles.”
Rogue would have liked to argue, but she really couldn't. It was a perfectly reasonable perspective to hold in these conditions. Even if someone did come from beyond another dimension to come rescue them, that still required getting through Viasmos. She'd seen firsthand the godly power he wielded... and on top of that, he was basically immortal. He would never succumb to old age, his body would heal continuously for as long as his magic stayed active, and in-between all that, his power would only continue to grow. It was hard to be optimistic in the face of all that.
The two of them walked together around the city, though they were somewhat aimless. Rogue eventually had to bring it up, “Sugah, are we lost?”
“Not lost, I just... don't really know where to go. You might not realize it, but we don't really get to go outside our prison pretty much ever. This is an extremely rare experience. And I guess since they don't use money, these places don't advertise themselves the way they did on my world. I can't really tell any of these buildings apart from each other. I guess everyone just kind of knows where to go?”
“Hmm... I might be able to help,” Rogue suggested. They were vague in her mind at this point, but she'd seen some innocuous memories of Viasmos around the city. “Who ya' got again? If y'tell me what yer' lookin' for, maybe I can thinka somethin'.”
“Ah... well... I'm really not sure what to get my Secret Santa. She's, uh... a bit of an oddball.”
“Oh that's right, the clown girl, yeah?”
“Harley's from my world, so I know a little more about her than some of the others, but nothing all too intimate. I think the only one who really knows her is Ivy... hmm, probably should've asked her for help.”
Speaking of Ivy, she was still inside, not having left with the other girls. Instead, she was speaking with Chlorida.
“Ms. Ivy, I believe you should be outside with the rest.”
“Technically, you said we could go anywhere within the city,” Ivy astutely retorted.
“Hmm, shrewd.”
“Thank you. Anyway, I told them I'd catch up with them later. First, I wanted to see what you had planned for this tree.”
“Ah, I suppose that makes sense, considering your interests. Indeed, I planned to get that started first, since it will take time to decorate.”
Chlorida approached the center of the room, then stomped her foot to crack open the vrachos floor. She dropped a seed within the crack, and a tree began to sprout. Though there was clearly no soil present, such a thing was unnecessary for as long as she kept it alive through her magic. The trunk rose to about ¾ of the height of the atrium, then began to branch out. Following the branches were pink sacs, held beneath knife-like thorns that exuded a red sap, which made the entire tree look like it was bleeding. Though it was a different species of flora from anything in Ivy's world, she could more or less guess that this was some kind of carnivorous plant. The sap probably acted as a paralytic or something similar that enabled creatures to fall into its sacs, where they would then be digested.
“Okay, yeah, that's what I was concerned about,” said Ivy. She didn't actually care about Christmas all too much. In fact, given the relationship between capitalism and environmental degradation, she kind of hated it. But even so, some of the girls were excited about it, and that wasn't something that happened everyday. She didn't plan on letting her personal gripes get in the way of their good time, and wanted to be sure they'd have a pleasant holiday. “You said you and Viasmos researched Christmas? What exactly did you find out about the trees?”
“Well, we covered different areas. My father covered the tree portion. He said he didn't recognize the type of tree, but described it as tall and prickly, so I assumed he was talking about this, and that people hung ribbons and ornaments and things like that on it. Was that not right?”
“It wasn't, no. I mean, the last part is, but... this is more of a Halloween thing than a Christmas thing.”
“Halloween?”
“Uh... different holiday. Point is, this'll give the poor girls nightmares.”
“I see. Our flora is generally quite similar from what I'm told, but I suppose that's not completely the case. In that event, you're the expert, Ms. Ivy. What type of tree is used during Christmas?”
“You're looking for Picea Abies, a Norway Spruce... although you probably have a different name for it here. It's an evergreen conifer.”
“Hmm? I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with what a conifer is.”
“Huh? Really? Needle-like leaves, cone-bearers, maybe you just have a different name for them?”
“Sorry, what you're describing isn't familiar to me at all. Frankly, I'm not understanding it. Needle-like leaves? How would they collect enough water?”
“No, the leaves allow them to conserve water, which helps them – oh...” The problem hit Ivy so suddenly, she scolded herself for not considering it right away. “Your climate's static, right?”
“Ah, I see. What you're describing would make more sense in a cooler region... but such a thing hasn't existed on this planet for millennia. All plants are extinct save for what we produce through magic, so many species of flora have gone forgotten. It's possible we had a similar division of plants at some point, but as magic began to replace the natural weather systems, they would've been among the first to go extinct.”
That was quite sad to Ivy, though it was nothing she didn't already know. Originally, she just wanted to do something for the girls, but now she found herself surprisingly invested. She really wanted this tree.
“Are you able to make this tree?” Chlorida asked. “I could ask father to temporarily relieve your collar's effects.”
“No, my powers won't work outside of my own world. Even if they did, they're not as far-reaching as yours. I'd need something to work with, like a seed from the original plant.”
“Oh well. I was reluctant to tell father anyway. I imagine he'd find the mix-up funny, and would simply dictate that we use this one after all.”
That was a very real possibility. No, it was best that the two of them figured this out on their own. “Lady Chlorida... are you able to make your own trees?”
“From my imagination, you mean? It's possible, if I have a very clear idea of the underlying structures. They'd still have to be based on real principles. I couldn't make a plant made out of arkouda hearts or anything like that.”
“I mean, I was a botanist. If I talked you through it, do you think you could... no, never mind. I won't have time for a gift later...”
“...Don't worry about it, Ms. Ivy. I'll assist you with your shopping. Please, start by painting a picture in my head, and we'll work from there.”
Yukari and Usagi found a store that caught their eye. Well, “store” was maybe a strange word to use for these establishments. They were more like public services, which the slave girls normally wouldn't have access to. But as long as they could roam freely and money was no object, they could take their pick.
“It's strange,” Yukari noted. “Having one day to buy a present? It's kinda rushed. I'm used to having my gifts ready well before Christmas.”
“Oh, I'm exactly the opposite! I always waited until the last minute to buy my presents, so I'm used to panicking over it!”
The two girls giggled, and as they approached the back, Usagi whispered into Yukari's ear, “Do you think it'll be okay? I mean, are we even allowed to have these?”
“I don't think Viasmos will mind,” she whispered back. “It's not like we could really do anything with it. It'll be decorative more than anything else.”
Yukari walked up to the man at the end of the store, and said, “E-excuse me, sir. Do you make weapons here?”
It was kind of a dumb question. The walls were littered with weapons of all kinds, clearly meant to showcase his skill. Not that Yukari knew enough about weapons to judge anything, but anyone good enough to operate in the capital city must have some proficiency. That was the best logic she could apply, at least, given the vast cultural differences between her home and Tharsis.
The man had an imposing build, but didn't seem too bothered by the presence of slaves in his establishment. “Yup,” he answered bluntly.
“Ah, well... then, I was hoping to get something for a friend. She likes weapons, see, and especially throwing weapons. But I don't really know much about those, so uh... do you maybe... have any ideas?”
The large man paused for a moment before asking somewhat abrasively, “Why would you want to throw your weapon?”
Perhaps Tharsis didn't have weapons like that? If one had ranged magic with the destructive potential of a typical Tharsian, a throwing weapon wasn't all that useful. You kept a weapon around for close-range combat, and you'd be greatly disincentivized from discarding it, save for only the most desperate of moments. Still, that didn't mean a throwing weapon couldn't be crafted.
“Uh... I'm not really sure. Sorry if it's a strange request, but... can you do something like that?”
He crossed his arms and said, “Give me an idea of what you want, and I'll figure something out.”
“Oh, great! Uh... let me think...”
She had to come up with an idea for the weapon? That was hard. She did use a bow and arrow back in her world, but it wasn't like she was an expert or anything, and definitely not for other armaments. She also didn't want to keep the man waiting. He'd been cordial enough so far, but her experiences in this world had taught her not to stress test the occasional kindness from Tharsians – especially not the males. Her mind was clouded as she stressed with each passing second about what she should say to the man.
Suddenly, another voice called out from behind them. “Well, Yuffie's weaponry tends to be more about speed and agility, so... maybe a throwing weapon with more of a power focus would be interesting?”
The two girls looked behind them to see Marin, giving her two cents. The man looked to Yukari for confirmation, who turned back to him and nodded in ascent. Without saying a word, he walked through a curtain into a back room, leaving the three girls to themselves.
“Hey, uh... hope I didn't overstep my bounds there,” Marin said nervously to a rather plain-faced Yukari.
“It's fine. I wasn't sure what to say. I appreciate it.”
Yukari's words were gratifying, but her tone was awfully flat. The palpable tension between the two girls would have been obvious to anyone that could see them. Yukari tugged on Usagi's arm and turned away. “Come on, let's wait over there.”
As they walked away, Marin reached out with her arm and shouted, “W-wait!”
Yukari turned around sharply, her deliberate calm giving way to a piercing glare. “What is it!?”
“I...I'm sorry!”
Some months ago, shortly after Marin's capture...
“Good afternoon, everyone. Before I let you go, I'd like to introduce your newest... colleague. This is Marin Kitagawa. As always, please ensure she acclimates well.”
Marin waved with a fair bit more jolly than the typical addition. After all, she could hardly help herself. She barely remembered that she'd been kidnapped and turned into a sex slave. Right now, here, in front of her, were tons of girls from some of her favorite things! Sailor Moon, Final Fantasy, Inuyasha... how could she not be giddy? Wasn't this every fan's dream?
She took a handful of introductions, but she eventually went off to instigate her own meetings. There were all kinds of things she wanted to ask people. This wasn't just the world of her favorite fanfic, but tangentially, the world of a ton of other favorites! With the other girls here to chat with, she could glimpse into all of them!
This was what brought her over to Yukari Takeba, who she recognized from the Persona series. Yukari was currently sharing a water break with Mitsuru, but they didn't appear to be talking or anything, so Marin figured there'd be no problem with introducing herself. “Hey! You're Yukari, right!?”
Yukari looked up from her seat. “Huh? Um, yes, that's right.”
Marin did a double fist pump and squealed, “Eeeeeeeee, that's so coooool! And Mitsuru, too! Just wow, wow, WOW!”
Mitsuru's bewilderment was evident on her face. “You're, uh... awfully energetic for one of the new girls around here.”
“How do you know our names already?” Yukari asked.
“Like, oh em gee, get this! So in my world, I know all of your worlds, because they exist as art forms! And like, let me tell you, I played the FLIPPIN' HECK out of Persona 3!”
“H-huh?” Yukari turned to Mitsuru to see if she had any clue what Marin was talking about, but she seemed just as lost. Marin continued unencumbered.
“Oh man, it must've taken me 5 or 6 times to do a max social link run! They really did NOT give you much room for error in that one!”
“I'm sorry,” Mitsuru interrupted. “Are you saying we're... from some kind of video game?”
“Yeah, but like, that's just how it was in my world. There are probably little differences here and there. But you guys also dealt with the Dark Hour and stuff, right?”
“Y-yes, that's correct!”
“Cooool! Are you girls close with Rise at all? She's also from Persona, but she's from Persona 4.”
“We've... talked a little,” Yukari answered. “We don't really know her from our world, though.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. The Persona games run through different places and characters with each number, kinda like Final Fantasy. They do share the same timeline, though! Although... she would've been a famous idol still, right? Eh, I guess not everyone's into that stuff.”
This was increasingly confusing to the two “Persona” girls. It felt like one of those stories where someone gets a creepy call from a stranger who seems to know everything about them – more than they knew themselves, in this case. Although the conversation felt utterly bizarre to them, Marin didn't seem to sense that tension at all. She grinned brightly and leaned down towards Yukari.
“Soooooo.... here's what I really want to know. Did you and protag really get together?”
Yukari was taken aback. Though she didn't know the term “protag”, she was able to intuit her meaning all the same. “W-what?”
“Oh! That's right, I guess you wouldn't know him by that. He didn't have a name in the game, but he did have one in the anime movie series. 'Makoto'... is that right?”
She couldn't bring herself to answer. Thinking about him... was hard. She opened her mouth, but her jaw locked in place, too chilled to think or speak.
“Cuz like, lemme tell ya', I always considered you two the canon pairing! Like, the game is kinda funny, because they let you do relationships with five different girls, all at the same time! But the game pushes pretty clearly that you were canonically in love with him, regardless of your social link status, so it felt the most right. Just the thought of you two getting together for reals makes me all-”
“WHY are you DOING this!?”
Yukari suddenly shouted that out, as though she hadn't even noticed just how much her anger had been building up. The awkwardness of the conversation before was one thing, but now... she was talking about Makoto. Was she that oblivious to her feelings?
“I don't care about some video game character! Makoto is...” She buried her face in her hands as tears began to pour. “He's a real person! I loved him! I... I still love him!” She wiped her tears away with her arm and furrowed her eyebrows at Marin. “You talk about us like we're... entertainment! We're real people, flesh and blood, same as you! I'll probably never see Makoto again... and you bring him up like our love life is something for you to cheer over!? Don't you understand how it feels!?”
Marin was stopped in her tracks, which wasn't an easy feat. Even Viasmos found her personality overbearing at times. But one thing Marin wasn't was mean-spirited, and it hurt her to know that she'd hurt someone else. As Yukari continued to cry, Mitsuru led her away, flashing a sour look in Marin's direction.
“I didn't know what I was doing,” Marin exclaimed, bowing in apology. “Like you said... I was looking at you all like entertainment... instead of real people. I didn't mean to cheapen your relationship with Makoto...”
The truth was, Marin had wanted to apologize for a long time. But Yukari had since given her quite a wide berth, and Marin was cautious about being too pushy like the first time they talked. She wanted a chance to organically approach her, and honestly convey how sorry she was.
“I... I also loved someone. It hurts when I think of him... when I miss him. And if someone casually spoke to me like he was just some manga character or something crazy-sounding like that, I'd... I know I'd be really angry. Getting to see all these people I recognized from games and shows and stuff, maybe dehumanizing everyone was something that helped me forget about my own situation? No... I'm sorry... it sounds like I'm making excuses. That's not what I came to do. I know I was insensitive, and waaay out of line. I'm really, truly, so very sorry, Yukari!”
Marin's eyes were squeezed shut and her head hung low, a little too scared to look Yukari in the eyes. What if she was still resentful? It wasn't like Marin was owed forgiveness. Still, she'd prefer to be on good terms with everyone, and more importantly, she wanted to do right by what she did. She hurt Yukari, and she wanted to know that was fixed.
Finally, she felt a hand caress her beneath her chin. Marin opened her eyes and looked up at Yukari, who no longer had the same tension in her face.
“Thank you, Marin. What you said was very... tone-deaf... but I appreciate your recognizing it. And... maybe I was a little too judgmental after that first time talking with you, so I'm sorry about that, too.”
“Oh no! You have nothing to be sorry about!” Marin insisted. “You had every right to be angry with me... I just hope, you know... we can put it behind us?”
Yukari took a deep breath and wore a relaxed smile. “That sounds fine with me.”
“Oh YAAAAAAAY!”
“BUT!” Yukari interrupted, before Marin could go bouncing off the walls with her exuberance, “You have a very strong personality! That's not a bad thing, just think a little more about what you're saying to people.”
“Right, um... about that...” Marin paused. She'd finally made up with Yukari, so she didn't want to push her luck, but she felt this was something that had to be said. “I wasn't sure if I should say anything... I'm not really sure how you'll react to it. I'm hoping it'll be some consolation, but maybe it'll just... well, I figured knowing is better than not knowing, right?”
“What is it?”
“Well, the thing is – and man, if anyone from my world is reading The Inconquerable right now and hasn't played Persona 3, they might want to skip the next couple paragraphs or something - but in the game I know you from, at the end... Makoto dies. He has to. Using his soul as a barrier is the only way to stop Nyx. And even afterwards, when you try so hard to bring him back, you're forced to let him go, because saving him means the end of the world. But Viasmos was able to stop Nyx himself, so... not that it justifies what's happening to any of us, but I just thought maybe if you felt... I think Makoto's alive because of it all. The sacrifice you and Mitsuru and everyone are being forced to make, I just thought you should know... it means Makoto's alive.”
A lengthy silence passed between them, as Yukari processed the information Marin had just given her. Finally, she said, “I see... thank you, Marin. I'm not sure how I feel exactly, but... Makoto's alive, and I'm thankful for that much.”
Usagi tapped on Yukari's shoulder. “I think your gift is done.”
The man had just come back in, and was holding an unusual-looking weapon. It was something like an ornate pickaxe, with a curved, pointed blade on one end, and a counterbalancing mass on the other with more of a subtle hook shape to it. The handle was also slightly curved, with a small protrusion coming out on the hooked side where the metal met the hilt.
“Tested a few before I came up with this,” the man said. “Not too heavy, not too much of an arc, and stabs deep into its target.” He threw it into the leftward wall as a demonstration. The weapon cut through the air cleanly, despite its uneven shape, and the axe-end of it plugged itself into the stone wall without trouble. The man pulled it back over with telekinesis, and held it out to show it off to the girls. “That work for you?”
The truth was that none of the girls knew enough about weapons to judge it, but it was definitely a throwing weapon, and a pretty unique one for that matter. That was pretty much what Yukari was looking for, so she was more than satisfied. She nodded happily and thanked him, though the man had little reaction and simply walked away.
“Wow! Thanks for the help, Marin! I had no idea what to ask for.”
“No probs! Man, this is mega cool! I can't believe how quickly they can whip up banger weapons in this world!”
“Hey, Marin, maybe you could help me find something for Kagura?” Usagi playfully suggested. “I have no idea what to get her at all!”
“Sure! And maybe you could help me find something for Rei!”
Although, real talk, I probably know everything about her already...
If there was one thing that stuck out to the girls about Tharsis, it was the lack of art. Not that they lacked it in the literal sense, but the quality was far from sufficient to call it “art”. The narratives tended to fall in line with their barbaric, utilitarian mindsets. Art forms which didn't require a storyline were no better. The music was obnoxiously percussive, seeming to be more of a contest to see who could bang the hardest, instead of trying to make people feel something.
That was why Miranda was so startled to find herself face-to-face with something as delicate as a string instrument. It was crudely-designed, and only had one string, but it was absolutely a string instrument. Miranda placed her hand against it. Even this bastardization of her world's music was enough to make her nostalgic. More than that, it made her think of someone else.
Oriana...
Her sister was a violin player, and she quite loved the violin herself. Though she doubted she could play anything particularly sublime with this specific instrument, to have it as a memento of her sister, as loose of a connection as that might be, was something she would like very much.
Kikyo reached over from behind her and put it in her hands. “Here.”
Miranda choked back a gasp and turned to Kikyo, who was already walking away. “Just like that? You're not going to wait for the party?”
Kikyo turned back to Miranda and shrugged her shoulders. “Doesn't really matter to me. Does it matter to you? I'm not familiar with this Christmas tradition myself.”
“Heh... no, I suppose it doesn't bother me. Then I thank you, Kikyo. It's a lovely gift. Now let me ask you directly... what would you like?”
“I don't really want anything. Nothing that can be offered in this city, anyway.”
“True enough. Still, there must be something you'd enjoy.”
Kikyo thought for a moment. It was hard. She didn't really have anything from her old life she valued. Her life as a priestess was one she wished to cast aside; And her life itself, following her resurrection, was a sham she expected to end as soon as Naraku was defeated. Ideas of “want” and “like” were things she'd long ago disassociated from. But if she had to pick something...
“I imagine... something pretty, would be nice.”
Miranda arched an eyebrow. “You? I wouldn't have guessed you had a vain side.”
“All I ever really wanted was to be an ordinary woman. I wanted to live like the other women did. Lipstick, jewelry, a husband and family... I was quite envious of them. If I could feel a bit like that in this world... I suppose that would do well.”
Miranda laughed a little under her breath, and said, “How interesting. I never suspected you could be so girly. Then consider it done. I'll be sure to find something beautiful for you. A proper beauty, not the male-centric scraps these barbarians make us wear.”
Kikyo nodded. “I appreciate it.”
In another part of the music store, a group of four – Aqua, Elsa, Rise, and Dinah – were perusing the woodwinds section. “I don't know,” said Rise. “I was thinking something relaxing would be nice... but it takes a lot of skill, right? Learning could be more frustrating than anything. Playing music yourself isn't like playing music on the radio, I guess.”
“I dunno, I mean, it's not like we're lacking for time to learn new things,” Elsa helpfully suggested.
“Yeah, I know... but I'm not so sure it's the right time. Maybe when she's got less on her plate to stress over.”
Aqua threw in her two cents. “It's a delicate situation... if you're not completely sure, I think you should ere on the side of caution.”
“Hmm, you're probably right.”
She continued looking around nonetheless, just in case inspiration struck her. A Tharsian male in the store walked by them, and gave Dinah a slap on the ass. She gasped and bolted upright, glaring at the man.
“Heh, what's the matter, bitch? That's what you get for dressing so sluttily.”
“Fuck you! I didn't ask to dress this way... and it's not your decision, anyway!”
The man took a harsh step towards her. “Sure you want to take that tone with me? Maybe I'll play with you a little more.”
Aqua threw herself between them, already rubbing the orb on her collar. “Back off! Or you'll be sorry!”
“Oh, looking to join in on the fun, huh?” He wrapped an arm around Aqua's waist while he reached out and grabbed Dinah's boobs. The girls squirmed, and others – including Miranda and Kikyo – watched from afar. “Hehehe, this is nice. I don't ever get to play with Viasmos's bitches.”
“S-stop!” cried Dinah.
“Relax, a little groping ain't gonna kill you!”
At that moment, a flash of green entered the store like lightning. Chlorida's icy glare bore a hole through the back of the assailant's skull... right before she cut it off with a swipe of her fingertips.
“Well,” Miranda quipped, “looks like a little groping killed him.”
Rise and Elsa dropped to their knees. The sight of the man's head coming off and the surging flow of blood raining down on them was quite a lot for two girls who weren't all that used to excessive violence. They screamed in a panic, their hearts throbbing with horror at the sight.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
“Ah, ladies, it's quite alright,” Chlorida assured them. “I disposed of the man pestering you.”
“AAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
Chlorida looked over to Aqua and Dinah. “I'm confused... was this not the man bothering you? What's wrong with them?”
“Ah, uh... I think when you mentioned you'd take care of any harassment, this wasn't exactly what they had in mind,” Aqua explained.
“Hmm? But this is the most efficient way of dealing with pests, is it not?”
“I... think this is what you'd call a 'culture clash',” suggested Dinah, wincing and plugging her right ear to stifle the girls' screams.
“I see, so this is considered 'excessive' for your people, is it? I suppose I'll have to readjust my thinking for next time.”
“Yes,” Aqua nodded in approval. “I think that's an excellent approa-”
“I'll simply cut off their arms and legs next time. That should be a more humanitarian way of achieving the same goal.”
“I... think we might want to brainstorm even deeper than that, Lady Chlorida...”
“Thanks for coming with me, Ami. I was a little nervous to walk around here alone.”
Ami smiled and shook her head. “It's not a problem, Mitsuru. I'm happy we have a chance to talk!”
Mitsuru had a hard time getting on with other people, just because of her own anxiety. There was Yukari, of course, but her sensibilities were quite different from Mitsuru, which would make her a difficult partner for gift shopping. Her other friend was Momo Yaoyorozu, who she hit it off with quite well. Both were wealthy heiresses who excelled academically, and they found their similar backgrounds made it easy for them to click. Momo would be perfect to tag along with for her purposes, except...
“That's quite fortunate you were able to pick out one of your closest friends! It must make things a lot easier.”
“Yes, to some degree. But I'd also hoped to have her here with me. AH, uh... not that I find you distasteful!”
“It's quite alright,” Ami said, giggling. “You don't have to be so nervous around me. I promise, I'm quite an easygoing person.”
“O-of course. Forgive my consternation.”
“In any event, it works out quite nicely, you know? My Secret Santa got to tag along with your Secret Santa. There's a nice symmetry there, don't you think?”
“I... suppose there is, yes,” Mitsuru mumbled while searching through the aisles. This was probably about as conventional a “store” as she'd seen thus far throughout the city, which did help ease her nerves somewhat. “I thought your gift for Ms. Traynor was quite nice. I've always found chess interesting, but I must confess, I was never much good at it.”
Ami held in her hand a small sculpture that a Tharsian crafter had made for her, an enlarged queen made out of vrachos – an extremely hard, black stone unique to Tharsis. Since she knew Samantha was a fan of chess, and she was quite familiar with it herself, she thought this would make for a nice, decorative piece.
“That's actually quite common,” Ami explained. “People think of chess talent as something inborn, particularly for smart people. But the reality is that for most, playing high-level chess requires a lot of patience, practice, and memorization. So sometimes people are dejected easily when they struggle to win against someone with a little more experience. I could always start teaching you, you know!”
“That could be nice... thank you, I'll consider it.” Mitsuru crouched down, and her face brightened as she finally found what she was looking for. “Aha! Perfect!”
“So this is the tea that Yaoyorozu likes?”
“It's a reasonably close approximate, given the differences between our worlds.”
There were many things from her world that Tharsis had no version and no concept of, but thankfully, tea was not one of those things. The tea plant not only existed here, but the same techniques for processing them existed, too. The establishment they were presently inside belonged to a tea specialist, who had jars upon jars filled with varying dried tea leaves. She was looking for a particular type of tea, a black tea made predominantly with the golden tips found among the smallest, most tender leaves. She removed the jar lid and took a whiff, confirming the earthy, sweet aroma that a high-quality tea would be expected to have. She then took one of the bags that lined the shelves and scooped some of the black tea into it.
“I must confess, this still feels quite strange to me. Almost as if I'm stealing.”
“Tharsians must not be the greedy type... women notwithstanding, that is,” Ami suggested. “But Mitsuru, it's amazing that you can pick out a tea just from looking at it! I'd never be able to distinguish most of these from one another!”
Mitsuru smiled proudly, and elegantly pressed her fingertips to her chest. “Yes, well, I am something of a tea connoisseur myself!”
Unbeknownst to them, on the other end of the store were two other slave girls browsing the tea aisles.
“Yes, this will be perfect!” Momo exclaimed. “Exactly the kind of thing Mitsuru will like!”
“Oh, I'm rather amazed you can determine what type that is. So this is this an herbal blend then?” asked Samantha.
“Correct! I was a little nervous, because herbal teas aren't technically teas, since they're not made from the same plant. But Lady Chlorida assured me that herbal tea was still a thing here, and thankfully, they had exactly what I was looking for.”
“We can have tea in our cells though, can't we?”
“Yes, but since they don't name anything here, it's hard to request a specific tea. It needs to be done in person.”
“I see. And perhaps you could enjoy a cup together, too?”
“Hmm, well, that would be nice. But this is a tea meant for taking at night, to help you sleep. That's what Mitsuru tends to prefer. I favor tea around breakfast time, with a bit of a caffeine kick to start the day. But I'm sure we could work something out sometime! Just not with this tea.”
The sleep aid was generally unnecessary. The girls already had hectic sleep schedules between the longer days and their “responsibilities” as sex slaves, but Chlorida often dispersed a chamomile scent to help the girls sleep when it was time. Still, some people, like Mitsuru, simply enjoyed the practice of sipping some tea before bed.
Momo glanced at the object in Traynor's hand. “That really is a marvelous-looking object! The way it refracts light is quite beautiful!”
“Why thank you!”
“What did the man say that was made out of again?”
“I think he said 'vaskas'? Some type of ore, I remember. But the teal sheen is quite lovely, I agree! And since Ami mentioned to me that she's a fan of chess, I thought a knight piece would make a nice shape.”
“I'm sure she'll like it! I have to say, I like exploring the city more than I thought I would. For just a few hours, I can almost forget what I am in this place.”
“Yes, the differences between here and my world are quite stark... and yet, they do still capture a certain nostalgia, somehow.”
Ami's appraisal of their symmetry proved to be quite prescient.
“There's no way! These are way too heavy!”
Makoto, the former Sailor Jupiter, was referring to the ankle weights she'd found. They seemed ideal for her Secret Santa, except that just holding them in her hand, she was practically anchored to the ground. Minako bent down to help her, but even together, they struggled to lift it back to the shelf.
“Geez, what is that made out of!?” Minako asked, exasperated.
Midnight had her thoughts. “Most likely, it's not the material, but it's magically enchanted. I doubt most Tharsians would be stressed to any meaningful degree by anything natural on this planet.”
“Hmm, guess that makes sense.”
“Well damnit,” grumbled Makoto. “I thought it would be perfect for her, but there's no way she can use something like this. Back to square one, I guess.”
It was Yuffie's turn to interject. “Why not just ask the guy who makes these if he can lighten it. Like, that doesn't sound impossible, right?”
She raised a good point. Although many of the girls present had been here for quite a long time – ironically, Yuffie was the shortest-tenured – it was still a struggle to recall how different Tharsian humans were from other humans. The idea of being able to undo an enchantment on an item wasn't an idea that had even occurred to them, because it wasn't analogous to anything from their respective worlds. But in the case of Tifa and Yuffie, they had materia, which could be attached and unattached to an item without difficulty; So perhaps that was why the latter had been so quick to consider the possibility.
“Hmm, I guess it's worth trying! But, uh... can I have you all help me bring it over?”
Most of the girls grabbed on to the ankle weights, struggling even with the four of them sharing the load, but the one exception was Tifa, who saw another group enter and opted to play interference. She couldn't have them walking right into Makoto and seeing what she was getting.
“Hey, Chun-Li!”
“Oh, hello Tifa.”
The two of them had gotten a lot closer since their widely-televised fight. Chun-Li had felt certain prejudices against Tifa previously, but after fighting with her one-on-one, she felt like she understood her better.
“Could I ask you not to approach the back of the store for a little while? Makoto's picking something out for you.”
“Oh, of course. So we had the same idea then. I figured an aspiring brawler like Makoto could use some training equipment.”
“You know what they say, 'Great minds think alike'!”
“Yes, well... so do these minds...”
Rushing in behind Chun-Li were Harley and Lupusregina, eager to browse the store's contents. They seemed to be feeling the Christmas spirit more strongly than anybody, although the latter had never heard of it, and the former had committed more than a couple severe crimes during the holiday season. Be that as it may, the enthusiasm was evident in their every movement, like a recently-caged kitten being granted space to roam in their new home.
“Heh... you really get along with those two, huh?”
“They're not so bad. Lunatics, but you get used to them eventually.”
Meanwhile, Makoto and the other had finally trudged over to the craftsman, and dropped the ankle weights to the floor in relief. They all took a few moments for some deep, well-earned breaths before Makoto was able to work through her exhaustion and speak to him.
“Could... hah... could you... hah hah... make this lighter for me?”
“Lighter?” the man replied. “Why would you want it lighter? They won't do you any good if they don't challenge you.”
“I... I hear ya', but... that's just way too much for us!” Makoto pleaded. “Please, I want to give it to someone, so if it's at all possible...”
The man shrugged his shoulders. “No skin off my back, I guess.” He picked up the ankle weights with none of the difficulty exhibited by the other girls. “Give me a few minutes and I'll have this – WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?”
He started running towards the other end of the store, where Harley was climbing up the shelves, trying to roll a dumbbell off. The man was not all that concerned with whether or not one of his browsers got themselves killed with his equipment. If that's what happened, then they had it coming. It was the price of being stupid and/or weak in the Tharsian Empire.
What he was concerned about was anything happening to these girls. They were the property of Viasmos, and if he was deemed even slightly responsible for anything happening to them, well... he'd rather not find out what was to become of him.
“Almost got it!” yelled Harley, every bit as gleeful as she was oblivious. Unsurprisingly, a Tharsian dumbbell was much heavier than an ankle weight. Even rolling it was a challenge. “It's preeeeeetty heavy, Lupy! Y'sure ya' got this?”
“I think so!” Lupusregina's specialty was defense, after all. Even collared, she had more durability than the average slave girl. That wasn't to say she'd actually bothered to calculate how likely her odds were of surviving, however. She was just going off vibes... which could prove to be very dangerous.
“Try not to die! Here ya' go, Lupy!”
Harley rolled the dumbbell the last couple millimeters, and it fell down toward Lupusregina. As soon as it struck her, she felt her ribcage crack, and an unsettling feeling in her lungs that probably indicated organ damage of a serious nature. She was thrown to the ground like she'd just been punched, and the only reason the damage stopped there was because the craftsman was just in time to hold the dumbbell steady in mid-air.
“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” he yelled, running over to her, grabbing the levitating dumbbell and throwing it aside. “Please be okay, you stupid bitch!”
Lupusregina started to laugh, though that proved to hurt a little too much, and the laughter turned into a bloody cough. “Heeeeh... I guess I didn't have it,” she joked weakly.
“You could have diiiiied, Lupy! You're so silly!”
“Shit! Shit! Shit! Don't fucking move, broad. I'm gonna grab a doctor.”
Chun-Li and Tifa had come racing over when they saw what happened, with the former shouting in a panic, “Lupusregina! Are you okay!?”
Harley, still hanging onto the shelves like a monkey, looked down at them with an unconcerned grin. “Whatcha so worried about? Didn't ya' hear earlier? They got free healthcare!”
“So I'm still a little confused,” said Rei. “You know about Christmas, but you don't?”
“Right. Kagome and I are from the same world, but from different times. I guess Christmas wasn't really popular in Japan until her era?”
“Oh, you know what? That kinda tracks. If I remember my Japanese history right, Christmas didn't get super-popular until the mid-20th century.”
The trio were walking aimlessly through the city, with Kagome hanging slightly behind the other two. Kirara was also with them, balanced on Sango's shoulder.
“So, uh... Kagome, see anywhere you like?” asked Sango.
“Hmm? Oh, not really... I was just going to follow you and wait for inspiration to strike.”
“Oh, uh, well...”
“The thing is,” Rei said, “Sango and I are already set, so... we were kinda just waiting on you.”
“Wait, huh?”
“I already have what I need for Marin, and as for Sango...”
“I just need some help from Lady Chlorida.”
“Oh, I see...”
Kagome looked down awkwardly, not entirely comfortable with the initiative suddenly falling on her. She was trying her best to keep it together, and it was a lot easier when she didn't have to proactively think.
“...I don't really know what to look for, honestly...”
Rei looked nervously at Sango, and then back to Kagome. “Maybe... we can still look for a store somewhere? I mean, if you don't have an idea in your head for anything, we don't mind taking the lead.”
“That... would be helpful. Thank you, both of you,” Kagome solemnly whispered. “Sorry if I'm such a downer...”
“Oh, n-no! Nothing like tha-”
“It's okay, I get it. I'm trying my best, really. Playing out a tradition from our old worlds seems like a fun idea... I don't want to drag everyone else down with me. Just, it's hard...”
Kagome unconsciously raised her hand to her belly, which was just about starting to show. Neither Rei nor Sango could help from the pity showing on their faces. Getting accustomed to the life of a sex slave was obviously quite a difficult task, but not undoable. It all became routine, even systematic. It became easier to grow back into their pre-enslavement personalities. Even if it was just a mask they wore, it helped them keep their sanity within the chains that bound them.
But all of that was a totally different animal when it came to pregnancy. Although they were aware that it was a possibility at some point, Kagome had the tragic distinction of being the first to actually experience it. What had previously felt so distant was now an inescapable reality... and unlike the many girls brought here, who got to meet a community of women going through the same ordeal as them, Kagome had no one. The only women Viasmos had previously mated with were all in the other vault. The women here, the ones Kagome actually had bonds with, none of them could relate to what she must be going through, forced to carry the child of their despicable master.
Sango fell back and wrapped her arms around Kagome. “Nobody expects you to pretend everything's okay... and nobody expects you to go through this on your own. I can't even imagine how this feels for you, but... we're here to support you however we can. Rei and me both.”
Rei nodded with conviction. The other girls would help how they could too, of course, but Sango and Rei were the two who were especially close to her. As her most trusted friends, it fell on them to be her pillars.
Kirara sauntered around the back of Sango's neck, down her arm, and then snuggled up close to Kagome, rubbing her face against her cheek and purring.
“That's right, and Kirara, too. I know we can't make this right, but we can at least make it better.”
Kagome plastered on a smile. Fake as it was, the warmth she felt from her friends was genuine, and she appreciated it greatly. She lifted her arm and pet Kirara on her forehead. “Thanks girls, it means a lot.”
Kallen was squirming on the way back, still bothered by her audaciously slutty outfit. “Ugh, I can't believe he's making us walk around town wearing this thing...” she complained, looking herself over.
“Not to defend him, but it doesn't bother me too much. My people had different attitudes towards sex, or publicly showcasing our sensuality. Dressing like this was quite normal.”
“Yes, well, I understand that, Starfire. I'm not belittling your people or anything. But for humans, this attire is considered pretty, uh... shameless.”
Yu Takeyama, or Mt. Lady as she was once known, found that she related more to Starfire on this issue. “Personally, I never minded it. I liked to show off whenever I could. Hell, if we didn't have certain laws in place restricting what heroines were allowed to wear, I'd have shown off a lot more skin.”
Kallen shuddered at the idea. “I just can't imagine that... not when you're putting yourself out there on camera all the time. It really didn't bother you to know there were pictures being taken of your body and spread around everywhere?”
“Not in the least. Part of how I climbed up the rankings so quickly was through my strategic use of sex appeal. For the status and attention I received, such a price was an absolute bargain.”
Starfire put a finger to her chin as she thought about that. “I still don't quite understand these 'rankings' you speak of.” They had nothing like that back in her world, as prevalent as heroes were. Certainly, people had their own personal feelings about who they considered their favorite heroes, or the strongest heroes, or the sexiest heroes, or whatever else... but it wasn't like they had an award ceremony every year or anything. That was the stuff of tabloid magazines and internet communities.
“It was standard practice to rank the heroes in my world. Power, incidents resolved, popularity... such things were all boiled down to a number that defined our overall worth as heroes.”
“It just sounds so... monetized? Is it proper for heroes to take part in such gaudy ceremonies?”
“Hmph, I'd argue it was simply a more honest version of what your heroes did. Did you ever act against the systems in power, or were you good, little lapdogs like the rest of us? I think you know the answer.”
Yu had a way of being more or less unconcerned with what other people felt about things, which tended to cause a gratuitous rise in tensions with her fellow slaves. Kallen was no stranger to outbursts herself, but felt Yu could be a little too brazen about it.
“We were not lapdogs! What would you have us do? Overthrow every corrupt government?”
“Of course. It would solve a lot more problems than fighting crime ever could. Yes, I became a hero because I felt I could help people with my powers, but I also became a hero for the status, fame, and prestige of it all. I'm certain your heroes were no different. I'm simply honest about it.”
Starfire began to rage at Yu, and Kallen just kept walking, not interested in being a part of this argument. She spotted C.C. slightly ahead of her, and ran to catch up. “Heeeey! C.C.!”
“Hmm? Oh, Kallen.”
That was about as much of a “hello” as she was going to get.
“What are you doing alone? I thought you'd be out with Kikyo or Miranda...”
“What am I, a pet? Well... not theirs, anyway. I had my own things to do. The two of them are free to go wherever they like, they don't need me tagging along like a puppy.”
“O... okay. I was only curious. Though I am a bit surprised. I didn't take you for one to participate in the festivities.”
C.C. tilted her head in confusion. “Hmm? I obviously don't care about Christmas.”
“But... what's that in your hand, then?”
She lifted up the bags she was holding. “Oh, this is cheese.”
“You... went and bought... cheese? Why?”
“Because I still can't get them to make pizza right, and I think the cheese is the problem. The milk they use doesn't come from cows, since they don't exist on this planet. Have you ever had goat milk, Kallen? It tastes very differently from cow milk. The same is true of goat cheese. But it's also true that different types of cheese will taste very different depending on the methods used... so maybe they're just not using the right kind of cheese? That's why I bought a whole bunch. Then Chlorida can give it to the chef to try and use.”
“I see... is it really that important for them to make a good pizza?”
“Don't ask me stupid questions, Kallen,” C.C. answered, casting a judgmental glare at her.
The last trio was making quite a commotion out in the streets. Karen watched nonchalantly as Diana evaded the sudden, aggressive movements of Kai Harn.
“Kai Harn! What the hell are you doing!?”
She didn't answer, and just kept pushing forward. Even with her magic sealed, Kai Harn was quite a skilled fighter, although she'd never be a match for Diana. This was especially the case because Viasmos filtered her collar to allow her to maintain some of her former durability.
But Diana wasn't trying to fight Kai Harn. The two of them had been on good terms since her recent capture. She was pretty sure she didn't say anything to offend her... and perhaps even more confusing was why Karen was just standing there, not helping.
“Karen! Grab her! Do something, damnit!”
But Karen continued to observe, detached and unbothered by the whole situation. While Diana was semi-distracted by Karen, Kai Harn managed to land a blow across her jaw, sending the not-so-wonderous woman to the ground. The slaves of Viasmos were generally not allowed to fight each other out of nowhere like this. There were conditions if they were to fight – or in the case of Tifa and Chun-Li, they might just be forced to. If Kai Harn had tried this in the pool or in the gym, Chlorida would no doubt stop them immediately.
But Chlorida wasn't here right now, was she?
It was unlikely that Diana would call Chlorida over this, a matter to be settled between fellow slave girls. Thus, Kai Harn felt free to act out here in a way she wouldn't otherwise be able. Diana looked up at her from the ground. “Stop it! Why are you doing this!?” Her words utterly lacked aggression, pleading with her to stop as though she were helpless. That just made Kai Harn want to hit her again.
She stomped her foot over her just as Diana rolled out of the way. She got to her feet, but was still a bit wobbly, and took a kick to her gut. Kai Harn wasn't giving her a chance to rest, she was coming in for more. Diana was so confused, she felt completely lost. This was all coming out of nowhere! It was as though she'd been plunged into a whole other timeline, with the same people and same setting, but completely different events she had no knowledge of. Just what context was she missing?
But as she saw Kai Harn's fist coming for her again, for just a moment, that despair sparked into something else. An instinct to fight back. To not just take it. She ducked underneath Kai Harn's attack and answered back with a powerful punch to her abdomen, completely knocking the wind out of her. Kai Harn dropped to her knees and struggled for breath.
Almost immediately, that ephemeral spark melted away, and Diana put her hands to her face in horror. She hadn't meant to hit her that hard! “Kai Harn, are you okay!?”
But Kai Harn was smiling, in spite of the pain. “About goddamn time...”
“W...what?”
Kai Harn's breathing was still fairly labored, but she was at least able to speak. “I just got so sick of that look on your face... I wanted you to remember who we are.”
What was she talking about? They were walking peacefully, enjoying some meaningless conversation, and Kai Harn attacked her all of a sudden. The only thing she could think of was that she'd spotted a chained female being dragged through the city. She recognized the girl as a Tamaranean. Back when Viasmos had captured Starfire and her less-than-honorable sister, he'd had Filotim lead an invasion to capture the remaining Tamaranean females for his men. The Tharsian Empire was now flooded with new, female slaves, which had been a great boon for morale. Of course, all it made Diana think of was the loss of a civilization. She wasn't sure whether the Tamaranean males were alive or dead, but regardless, their species was greatly endangered, if not on the verge of extinction outright. So yes, she'd probably looked rather forlorn upon spotting the poor girl, but... why should that be a problem for Kai Harn? Given the context, wasn't that a perfectly normal reaction?
“Kai Harn's right,” said Karen, walking up now that tempers had settled. “You've been so caught up in your own despair, even Viasmos has noticed it.”
“Huh?”
“He had me punch him in the face as part of some experiment... not that I minded. He specifically mentioned he didn't use you, because you haven't been yourself since your capture.”
“...I just wanted to see you hit back for once, instead of cowering,” Kai Harn added.
“I... I don't get what you're talking about. I've changed, yes... of course I have! Look where we are! And not to mention... you didn't see what I saw! That man... I've no doubt he could've destroyed the planet if he wanted! How am I supposed to pretend like I didn't see that!?”
Karen frowned. She understood her feelings, and had heard her recant his infliction of The Scar upon their world many times. No doubt, it must have been a terrifying sight. But still... this wasn't Diana. Kai Harn stood up and made firm eye contact with Diana.
“Look, I don't expect you to be without impact from our circumstances. Of course you've changed. I've changed, too. Everyone here has, no matter if they've fought it or not. But... you've also forgotten yourself.” She grabbed Diana's shoulders, maintaining her soul-piercing gaze. “We are warriors! Heroines, generals, amazons, sorcerers, slaves, all of that may be true in some capacity. But we are warriors before all of it! Down to our cores! You mustn't lose sight of that!”
This moving point was slightly difficult to take seriously, dressed in Santa/elf costumes as they were. Even so, it wasn't completely lacking in impact. Diana turned away and bit her lip, and as she did so, felt a tinge of shame for acting exactly as Kai Harn was describing. She understood her sentiments, but...
“Is it really so easy? In this place? What value does being a warrior have anymore?”
“If it's a part of you, then what could have more value?” Karen retorted. “It may well be immaterial to Viasmos... but I like to think that holding onto who I am makes it so that he hasn't won as completely as he likes to think. Perhaps it's cope... but whether it is or not, I know that being myself is all I have left. I can think of nothing with more meaning – not in spite of these walls, but because of them.”
Diana considered their words. They made valid points. It wasn't something she could change overnight, but still... maybe in casting away her pride, all she was really doing was running away from reality. Maybe she could find some fulfillment if she kept her grip on the warrior's heart that had once defined her. Maybe, instead of being trapped in her own fear and woe when she saw that slave girl... she should have felt a sense of conviction. A hostility. Something that raged against the system that kept them under rule. Powerless as she was, maybe there was still meaning to be found in such things.
“Thank you, both of you... I'll... try and be better.”
That was about all they could ask for. With that, the three of them returned to the vault.
With Ivy's help, Chlorida had constructed a beautiful Christmas tree. Decorating it had taken time – particularly as these ornaments required a delicate touch, and this was not a strong suit among the Tharsian people – but it had been done. Red and gold orbs adorned the exterior, snowy trails hung on the branches, and of course there was the... flaming orb of concentrated plasma at the top. Viasmos decided to put a Tharsian spin on the “star on top of the tree” motif. Chlorida was worried he'd burn the whole tree down, or possibly irradiate some of the guests, but he'd managed to put in some safety measures to ensure nothing like that happened. She was just glad he decided against conjuring a regular-sized star.
Everybody had gathered, the aesthetics were done being set up, and it was about time for the celebrations to begin. Viasmos wrapped an arm around Elsa's shoulder and pulled her towards him. “Well, would you like to do the honors?”
“H-huh?”
“One last touch, I thought we could use a little snowfall in the room. I figure you can do that if I loosen your collar a bit, yeah?”
Elsa shuddered at the idea. “B-but it'll be so cold! And snow will get in the drinks! And the tree might fall over! And-”
“I'm not asking for a blizzard, you dumb bitch! Just a touch of snow from the ceiling that melts before it reaches the ground. So can you do it, or do I need to do it myself?”
“I... suppose I should be able to do it. Just... don't free my power too much, please...”
It had been a while since Elsa had been in a position to use her powers around people. Her fear of her own power had largely been stifled thanks to this collar, but it was crawling back in the face of Viasmos's proposal. She could just refuse, but she was scared to displease him. She hoped that as long as her powers were still kept in check by him, she could try without it being too dangerous.
Once Viasmos signaled the okay, she stared down at her hands. “Okay... here we go!” She raised her arms and shot a blast of ice up to the atrium's peak, where it then spread out and drifted down slowly in the air. Not a second later, she felt the distance of her ice powers return, her collar having reactivated. All had gone quite well, it seemed.
Viasmos grabbed a mug and dunked it into a vat of dark-magenta liquid. “Alright! Let's get this party started!”
Notes:
Believe it or not, the first part of the healthcare joke had been written before you-know-what. I just have hilarious timing.
Chapter 6: A Very Tharsian Christmas - Part 2
Notes:
I will NEVER do this again, where I have to cover the entire roster with any meaningful depth for a single story. I kinda thought I had more time before I'd find this general concept exhausting, but I was wrong. I was really unprepared for just how much work that would be compared to my "Slave Girls" chapter in Part One. I must have written over 100 pages worth over the last three chapters, and it's nothing short of a Christmas miracle that I was able to finish this before the new year.
That said, I still really like the overall premise, and I feel really good about how some of these sections turned out. There were a few areas I didn't flesh out quite as much as I would've liked, but I still put some thought and effort into every sequence. I tried to make every sub-plot amusing, developmental, or otherwise interesting. Fatigued as I was, I didn't want to rush things and put out some meandering nonsense.
Also, you might notice that, between this chapter and the previous one, I didn't universally clarify who was wearing which outfit between the Santa and elf versions. I just figured I'd offer that freedom up to the reader. I have my own idea about who would look better in what, but unless I explicitly say otherwise, I think it's best left to your respective imaginations.
Chapter Text
A beautiful tree, a gentle snow, holly on the walls, and dancing in the halls – it was all enough to make the slave girls forget their place in life. This really did have a Christmas feel to it. Not everything was perfect... Viasmos had created a miniature version of a literal star to top the Christmas tree, which was pretty terrifying to look at. The music was being played by some band on a stage in the back of the room. Viasmos had been gracious enough to go through the trouble of taking back some traditional Christmas songs for the event and making this band learn them. Unfortunately, the heavy metal instrumentation and bloodcurdling vocals didn't exactly match the traditional vibe they were going for. Despite some shortcomings here and there, most of the girls had to agree, this was a pretty good approximation of a proper Christmas party.
“So, just help walk me through this,” Viasmos said, gazing despondently and playing with the stirrer in his drink. “I go to the ER with an axe in my head... what happens?”
“Well, of course they'll treat you if you're in life-threatening condition,” Kara explained.
“Okay, good... but then what?”
“They send you a bill.”
“And if I don't have enough money?”
“I... suppose you go bankrupt.”
She'd never seen Viasmos shudder before, until just now. “Wow... fucking ghoulish...” Kara wasn't sure how she felt about seeing a mass murderer/rapist/warlord react with such disdain for what was a regular, systemic thing to them. It made her wonder if Tharsians were as barbaric as she tended to regard them.
“Hey, why don't you do a spin for me, blondie? I want to admire those Christmas curves of yours.” Viasmos hastily gulped down his liquor and slammed it into the nearby vat for more.
Never mind, definitely a barbarian...
Kara did as she was told and did a cute spin in her new, sexy Santa outfit. Seeing her master's pleased expression, she felt relief, and took a sip of the drink herself. She reeled back shortly after the liquid entered, her tongue almost numb from minimal contact.
“Goodness, this is strong! What is this!?”
“It's something you people call 'glogg'. I heard it was a Christmas drink.”
“Yes, I've had glogg before, but this is... it's sooo strong!”
“No duh, obviously we used Tharsian ingredients. We weren't gonna have that weak Earth shit all night long. But hey, we've got a pussy version if it's too much for ya'.”
“Oh, you mean a virgin drink?”
“Huh?”
“Like, a non-alcoholic version.”
“A what!?” Viasmos winced in confusion. “Why the fuck would you make an alcoholic drink with no alcohol? Just have water or something. No, a pussy drink just means it has less alcohol in it.”
“Okay, but... what's it actually called? I'm sure you don't really call it-”
Viasmos lurched his head to the left, signaling her to look in that direction. There was a vat with the same dark liquid in it, but a sign hanging over the end. It read: “PUSSY DRINK”. It did not seem it had been touched so far.
It's not hard to see how this culture got so misogynistic...
“I... see. Is that not... vulgar? I mean, it makes it sound like it's made out of our... secretions...”
“Hmm, might not be a bad idea for the next Christmas party.”
He's joking... right?
“Forget it. I'll just ignore the derogatory language, and thank you for your consideration.”
“I am a gentleman, after all,” Viasmos responded with a refined tone, though he wasn't wearing a shirt, and he was speaking to one of his rape victims, so it was unlikely she'd been fooled into believing that.
Soon after Kara walked over to try the pussy glogg, Filotim came over and joined Viasmos.
“Lord Viasmos, if you have a moment, I wanted to update you on the city's reconstruction. We're nearing completion, but I'd like to revisit the matter of-”
“Oh for fuck's sake, Filotim, drop it for a whole night, would ya'? Loosen up! We're having a party! Here, try this glogg shit. It's pretty good!”
“Given our recent losses and the number of military personnel attending, I feel that at least one of us should remain sober in case of an emergency.”
Viasmos chuckled and wrapped an arm around Filotim. “Well hey, if you're worried about getting too drunk, you can just follow Kara over there.” He pointed to Kara fixing herself a cup of pussy glogg, barely stifling his laughter behind his teeth.
“Surely, you don't think so little of me,” Filotim scoffed.
“Hahahaha, I'm just fuckin' with you. Eh, don't drink if you don't want to. But save the bureaucracy for after the party at least, yeah?”
Filotim politely lowered his head. “Very well.”
Iliakos could not help but feel somewhat out of place. Viasmos's parties were pretty much always exclusive to military and direct subordinates. This was no exception. But now that his marriage to Chlorida was public knowledge, he had himself an invite. Still, being the only short-haired person in the room made him feel a constant, though silent, ostracization.
“Maybe I shouldn't have come,” he mumbled to himself, though not without an immediate, sharp jab in the arm from his wife.
“Nonsense. You're my husband. You'll stand proudly among the rest here. The last thing I'll allow you to do is give my father a new means of provoking me, all because you were too anxious to even exist in the same room as his warriors.”
“O-of course.”
They stood together in relative silence, when a piercing cry broke through the white noise around them.
“CHLOOOOR-IIIIII-DAAAAA!”
Chlorida looked up with a hint of surprise, and saw a woman coming towards them, waving jubilantly in wide, sweeping motions. She was tall, thin, and perhaps a touch overdone with make-up. Her vibrant, pink hair was pulled back in braids – except this was not a braid you'd see without the use of magic. The strands were separated by space, such that they each resembled a triple helix. The woman pulled up to Chlorida with a beaming smile.
“Ena, what a surprise.”
“Oh, were you not told I'd be coming?”
“Father mentioned it, but I didn't expect you to actually show.”
“Hoho, but how could I miss this opportunity!? I finally have a chance to meet my little sister's surprise husband!” She extended her arm, offering a palmdown handshake. “So good to meet you, fine sir! I'm Ena, Chlorida's big sis!”
“Ah, uh, hello. It's good to meet you. I'm Iliakos.”
To be precise, Ena was everyone's big sis. She was the first-born daughter of Viasmos, and first-born overall. If Chlorida had to estimate her power relative to rest of her siblings, she'd say she was quite average. Neither incredible, nor weak. Where her true talents came in was through her influence. She was on good terms with everyone – or at least everyone of significance. Even Aktinovo treated her with less malice than the rest of his siblings – they were more closely related to each other than with their other half-siblings, in fairness, but this probably meant nothing to someone like him.
Chlorida couldn't say she disliked her, but she never felt entirely comfortable in her presence. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was constantly being played. It was like every conversation was some chess move on her part to get something she wanted, even if it wasn't obvious right away. She also had a habit of bailing on commitments, but somehow she'd engineered this quirk to come off as endearing, without souring any of the relationships she'd built. Was she actually so flaky, or was this a deliberate effort to impel her image in some convoluted fashion? She couldn't be sure.
“And I hear there's a cute, little niece or nephew for me on the waaaaay!” Ena poked lightly at Chlorida's belly, though the little sister quickly gripped the big one's finger. That was enough for Ena to get the message.
“Not for you, no. But yes, we are expecting.”
“How looooovely! I'm so excited to be an auntie agaaaain!”
Chlorida looked around the room for a moment before turning her eyes back on Ena. “I do hope your presence doesn't mean Aktinovo is here, as well.”
“Him!? Hoho, don't be silly, Chlorida! He's far too sour for a celebratory occasion such as this!”
“I suppose that's true.”
Ena crossed her arms and threw Chlorida a sympathetic smile. “Dear little sister, you could make a bit more effort to get along with him.”
“Why would I do that?” she answered, without missing a beat. “He's a psychopath among psychopaths. Makes our 'esteemed' father look like Mohandas Gandhi.”
“Like a what?”
“...Just someone I read about in an Earth book.”
“Hoho, look how erudite you are! Learning about silly Earth customs! Well, I suppose it helps for your job... and this party does have a nice energy to it. I suppose they must be more impressive than I realized, if they create stars for such decorative purposes,” she conceded, unaware that the particular decoration she was referring to was not entirely lifted from Earth traditions. Or maybe she knew that, and was choosing to pretend otherwise. Perhaps she didn't even look down on Earth customs at all. Such questions whirred in Chlorida's mind in the midst of their conversation. It made her feel ridiculously paranoid to overanalyze every little thing her eldest sister said and did, but she knew in her bones that she wasn't wrong to react that way.
“...I can never quite get a read on you,” Chlorida muttered.
“Why Chloriiiida, I'm an open book for you!”
“That's exactly what makes you so hard to read.” It was like speaking to an actor who wouldn't go out of character on-set. What part of her was real, and what part of her was a mask she put on? If she never took off the mask in front of her, she had no way of telling.
The two continued conversing for a while, when a nearby pair of men began talking with each other. They were clearly drunk, not as silent as they thought, and snickering over Iliakos.
“Can't believe a dweeb like that got a hottie like her. He barely has enough hair to cover his scalp, and he basically married his way into royalty with that!”
“He must thank his luck every day for getting to be with a woman as strong and fine as her. He seriously tripped right into a dream life.”
“He better. If he's not thankful, man... a guy like him, when that could have gone to one of us? Someone actually strong? And he gets to occupy that spot? He's clearly not worthy, but I can live with that if he at least knows it. He doesn't deserve a-”
The man's head suddenly took a sharp turn, to say the very least, and he collapsed to the floor, dead on the spot. Iliakos recoiled in a panic, whereas Chlorida, for her part, had not even looked up from her tea, which she calmly finished.
“Oh dear, it seems you were so drunk, you had trouble controlling the magic that stops me from snapping your neck.”
The other man ran off screaming. Although there was a dead body on the floor, nobody seemed too bothered by it, and they just kept drinking and dancing like it was any other object.
“Oh myyyyy, are you going to let the other one go?”
“He'll be my messenger. Nobody ridicules my husband. At least not in my presence.” Chlorida appeared to have caught something in her eye, and she looked back at Ena. “Excuse me, Ena, I have something I must take care of. Iliakos, be a good boy and stay put.”
“Of course.”
Chlorida left, leaving Ena and Iliakos alone together. “My, she, uh... sure can get testy,” he said, motioning to the dead body a couple meters from them.
Ena looked at the corpse and smiled. “Ah, she got there just a half a second too early.”
“Uh, what do you mean?”
“Before I could kill them, I mean. And sensible or not... I would have killed both of them.” She lifted her face with a horrifying scowl, a far cry from the overly pleasant smile she'd worn all throughout this conversation. “Anyone foolish enough to spit on our family deserves to die without a second thought!”
Her eyes had gone from soft and warm to rigid and piercing. Her teeth looked as though they were about to break through each other with how severely she was mashing them. The tension was visible in every facet of her otherwise immaculate face. Iliakos shivered at the sight of her rage... but there was a nice, little implication in there. “O-oh... do you mean... me?”
And just like the flip of a switch, Ena's delightful smile was re-plastered on her face. “But of cooooouuurse, dear Iliakos! You're my little sister's husband, and soon to be the father of my niece or nephew. That makes you family!”
Iliakos smiled nervously. It was a kind sentiment, but it didn't completely override the thought that most enraptured him at the moment: The women in this family were terrifying.
A somber slave girl sat alone, ignoring the festivities around her. She was not in a particularly jubilant mood, though she rarely was these days. But she also didn't want to be a downer to the other girls. The best solution was to find somewhere isolated and not bother anybody. There were a cluster of red, spherical, but soft seats in the corner of the atrium, and that's where she found herself minding her own business.
Until Chlorida showed up with two cups in her hand. “Ms. Higurashi, have a drink.”
Kagome waved her hand and politely declined the gesture. “I shouldn't drink right now...”
“It's peppermint tea. Perfectly suitable for your body and your baby.”
“Oh, I see...” Kagome took the cup after all. “I thought perhaps you'd tell me that Tharsian fetuses were immune to alcohol poisoning.”
Chlorida took a seat on one of the red spheres nearby her, though turned slightly away from her. She took a sip from her own cup of peppermint tea and replied, “That is true, as a matter of fact. Alcohol won't permeate the membrane for us, but it's probably best not to make assumptions in your case. Besides... it's an ugly practice, don't you think? A mother should take every possible care when bearing a child.”
“Yes... I agree...”
Kagome sipped her tea, which was quite nice, though she felt distracted. After a few moments of silence, she asked the question that was on her mind. “Why did you come over here?”
Another few seconds of silence passed. It was unlike Chlorida to not respond immediately. She wasn't someone easily flustered or caught off guard. Just what could she be thinking?
“... I suppose I just wanted to confirm, per our previous conversation... I meant every word.”
“...Thanks, I know you did.”
Chlorida was still turned away and not making eye contact. It made her uncomfortable to speak this closely to one of the slaves under her care, but given the circumstances... no, she couldn't exactly turn back. Not after what she'd promised to Kagome.
“You'd be forgiven for not trusting a Tharsian. My people have not treated you kindly, my father chief among them. You don't need me to tell you how few friends you have to count on outside your cells. So I just wanted to make clear... I wasn't speaking on impulse. Nor was this some convoluted deceit my father put me up to.”
The two of them sipped their teas, each of them experiencing both a mutual discomfort and understanding.
“So long as I'm around, your child will be safe.”
Kagome's child would be as human as the rest of them... but it would also be a mixed breed in terms of origin. An Earthling mother and a Tharsian father. Viasmos had spoken of the prospect himself as though it would be a fascinating experiment. Kagome knew from stories of Inuyasha's childhood how much danger there was of discrimination, especially if the child failed to match Tharsian standards of power. Those were the assurances Chlorida had given her. She would not allow the newborn to be outcasted.
“...Thank you, Lady Chlorida...”
They said nothing more to each other. Chlorida allowed Kagome to be alone with her thoughts, and Kagome accepted Chlorida's warmth without pestering her further. Eventually, they were joined by another slave girl.
“Oh, hello Lady Chlorida. May I interrupt?”
“Ah, Ms. Kujikawa. You're quite alright, I was just leaving.” She raised her mug to Kagome and Rise. “Merry Christmas, ladies.” Chlorida was hardly expressive enough to match the merriment of the phrase, but the girls appreciated the gesture nonetheless.
Rise stood before Kagome, with her hands behind her back. “So, uh... I thought long and hard about what to get you. I didn't want to get anything that, you know, uh... misread the room or anything. I mean, not to say that-”
“Please, Rise, it's okay. The most helpful thing you could do would be to not walk on eggshells around me.”
“Ah, got it! Right.” Rise shook her head as if to rid herself of her nerves. Kagome was right, it wasn't going to help if she couldn't talk to her like a normal person. “Anyway... I felt like the thing you could really use would be something that helped you sort out your thoughts. So... here!”
Rise threw her hands out in front of her, holding a pen and notepad.
“I know it's, uh, not the most extravagant gift or anything... but like, we can read all we want in our cells, but we don't really have anything to write with! And they're both magic, too! The pen will keep producing ink for as long as the magic stays in there. The guy said it should be good for about 10,000 years or so. And as for the notepad, it adds paper every time you remove a page, and that should also be good for a long time. So... yeah, I just... I thought maybe you could use an outlet, is all.”
Kagome took the pen and notepad, and smiled up at Rise. “Thank you, I appreciate it. I hadn't really thought about it, but I think you're right. Writing down my feelings might be helpful.”
“Oh, good!” Rise grinned cheerfully. She'd beaten herself up over a few gift ideas, being so nervous about getting something that maybe exacerbated the mother-to-be's anxiety. But thankfully, it seemed that scenario had been avoided.
“Well then, I suppose I'll give you my gift now.”
Kagome reached down to her left, where she had a bag on the floor. She pulled something out and handed it to Rise.
“Oh wooow! It's adorable!”
“I thought so, too.”
It was a stuffed panda doll. Rise was pretty sure pandas didn't exist here. “Where did you get something like this?”
“I guess even Tharsian toddlers play with dolls and things like that. I tried to describe what I wanted, and the guy made it for me.”
“Ooooh, thank you so much!”
“That's not all,” Kagome added. “Try giving it a good shake.”
Rise did as instructed, and watched the panda change in front of her. The black and white pattern gave way to varying shades of brown before the starstruck eyes of Rise.
“It's... it's a tanuki now! That's amazing!”
“I'm glad you like it,” Kagome said.
It didn't exactly make up for the miserable lives they were forced to bear over here, but one had to give credit where it was due to Tharsis. They sure didn't have gifts like this back home. The omnipresence of magic allowed for some pretty cool things. Rise hugged tightly on her new panda/tanuki doll and smiled at Kagome. “Merry Christmas, Kagome.”
Kagome smiled back. Her attempts at feigning cheerfulness for the holiday hadn't exactly been a roaring success, but at least she could make one person's day a little brighter. “Merry Christmas, Rise.”
“There you are,” a feminine voice called out slowly, yet with an assertiveness that somehow cracked through its softness.
“Hmm? Oh, Aria, right?” C.C. said to the approaching asari. She stuck out her hands as one would when waiting to receive something. “I suppose you're here to give me my present. Go ahead then. I'm ready.”
The asari matriarch stared dumbly at her for a few seconds before breaking into a haughty laughter. “Don't make me laugh, girl. As if I would have any interest in your insipid, human holidays. Quite the contrary, I'm here to receive my gift. Be grateful I'll partake that much in this 'Christmas' spectacle.”
C.C. lowered her hands. “I see.” If she was at all disappointed to not receive a Christmas gift, it wasn't apparent on her face. She had the same blunted expression she always had.
Nothing more was said between them for a while, until Aria got impatient. Tapping her foot angrily, she blurted, “Well? Let's see it then! What did you get?”
“I got a bunch of cheese.”
“...Cheese? A strange gift, not exactly common cuisine back on Thessia, but very well. I shall accept your offering with-”
“I got it for me. Not for you.”
C.C. wasn't familiar with Aria's notoriety back in her world, so she had no reason to feel any fear towards her here, where they were all equal as slaves. Nevertheless, it's doubtful her tone would've been any different, even if she did have that context. Aria arched an eyebrow and asked gravely, “Are you telling me you used these 'Christmas' shenanigans to get something solely for yourself?”
“Yes, that's correct.”
Those familiar with Aria's reputation would rightly expect her wrath on full display for such blatant disrespect. Those who truly knew Aria, however, would understand the smile that crept on her lips.
“I think I might like you more than I thought.”
“Woah! What is this thing!?”
Yuffie eyed all over the strange weapon she'd received. It seemed to resemble a throwing axe of some kind, but was a bit more refined to cut through the air, while also being very light and capable of wielding with one hand. It was very unusual, which made it very interesting to her.
“Just something the blacksmith came up with... or whatever they call them over here. I have to confess, the idea didn't really come from me. Marin was the one who suggested a throwing weapon with some power to it, and the blacksmith worked on it from there.”
“Marin? I thought you and she were kinda, uh, not on the same page.”
“We made up. It's fine.”
“Oh, well that's good!”
Yuffie scanned herself for a good spot to idle her weapon. This skintight, leather outfit didn't exactly leave a lot of room for baggage, and she didn't want to carry it around all night with the party – especially not if she was gonna get tipsy.
“Too bad you don't have a purse, huh?” Yukari said.
“Well, I've never been much of a purse-carrying kinda of ga – oh! That's right!”
Yuffie pulled something around her waist. Yukari had noticed the thin, pink strap around her, which the other girls in the sexy elf costumes didn't have, but she didn't think too much about it. But once it was spun all the way around, she could see what it was: Yuffie was carrying a purse!
“That's actually what I got you! Mitsuru said you like fashion and stuff... and also pink.”
“Oh! I do! It's so cute!”
Yuffie unstrapped the purse around her waist, and handed it to Yukari. It wasn't like she had much use for a purse here – a world without freedom and without money. But still, Yukari liked it. It felt like a taste of home.
“Hey, if you want... I could let you use this until the end of the party, Yuffie. Then you would have somewhere to put your weapon.”
“That's a good idea... although it doesn't actually match my style.”
Her misgivings aside, she accepted the purse from Yukari, hung it over her shoulder, and placed the weapon inside of it. The blade hung out of the top, inviting further discord with her ensemble.
“Heh, okay... it looks a little weird,” Yukari playfully observed. “But it's only for a few hours.”
And so Yuffie spent the rest of the evening with one of the girliest, light-pink accessories a ninja girl could ask for – with a deadly, intimidating weapon poking out from it.
Marin couldn't have been happier to receive Sailor Mars as her Secret Santa... and predictably, she was letting her know it. “So like, no disrespect to the other Sailor Scouts or anything, but like, you are TOTES my fav!” She started doing mock punches and exclaimed, “So freakin' badass!”
“Oh, well, thanks.”
Marin froze for a moment, and turned to Rei with a playful, but embarrassed look on her face. “Oh there I go again! Sorry! And I just told Yukari earlier that I'd be more careful about the way I talked to people. But like, I just gotta say it. Sailor Moon was like, basically the series that got me into anime! I grew up on that craze! So sorry, but I gotta fangirl just a little bit, if that's alright?”
Rei put her hand to her chin and chortled. “It's alright, Marin. Honestly, I'm happy to hear I was such a positive influence on you... even if it was a fictional version.”
Plus, it makes me more confident about my gift!
“Oh man, thank you so much! I get that this side of me can come off as a bit oblivious to some girls, so I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable... but if it doesn't bother you at all, then I can fangirl all day!”
“Let's... maybe find a healthy cap for that... So anyway, would you like to go first?”
“Oh boy, can I!?” Marin pulled up a box resting by her feet. “Okay, so... I have good news and bad news. The good news is... I got a miko outfit for you!”
Marin pried open the top of the box, revealing the white and red cloth which defined the traditional image of a shrine maiden. Rei couldn't believe it. She never thought she'd see one again. She immediately pulled it out and let it hang out of its folding.
“This is so nostalgic! Thank you so – wait, uh... something's a little... off...”
Marin looked at Rei apologetically. “Right, so like... the bad news. Viasmos happened to catch a glimpse of what I got for you, and he took it upon himself to... make some modifications...”
It was most apparent with the red hakama. Rather than a set of full trousers, it had been reduced to a miniskirt. As for the white kosode, the sleeves were nonexistent, cut back to the shoulders, and the bottom had been cropped so that her navel would be visible. It was clearly a bit more... sensual than the traditional garb of a miko.
Marin bowed repeatedly. “I'm sorry! Obviously, I couldn't really do anything about it!”
“No, I understand,” Rei responded warmly. “Viasmos is what he is. It's not your fault. And besides, like Yuffie said earlier, we're already forced to wear this kind of stuff everyday as it is. So I'll definitely break this out from time to time. Thank you so much, Marin!”
The blonde otaku breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh good! I was so nervous when I watched him change it up! I'm glad it didn't totally ruin it for you!”
“Well then, here's what I have for you, Marin.” She was clasping something in her fingers, and handed it over to Marin. “The truth is, this part of my life is something that only brings me pain now. It can be hard to have around. But I figure... if it could make someone else happy, someone going through the same horror as the rest of us... maybe that'll make it a little easier. Maybe I can still feel like I'm making a difference. So, this is kind of a present for you and me, I guess. Hope that doesn't sound conceited or – Uh... Marin? Are you listening?”
Marin Kitagawa was not listening. The world around her had blurred into another plane of existence. Even her own sense of self had dissipated into the recesses of her consciousness. All that existed in the world was the thing she was holding onto right now.
“This... this is...!” That was all she could get out, once she'd reformed the capacity for speech.
“Yes, that's my transformation pen. It was the first item I used for transforming into Sailor Mars, back when -”
Marin could faintly make out Rei saying something, but the words weren't getting through. Just a wobbly hum that only barely permeated the walls which protected her focus. Of course, it didn't particularly matter if she heard all the trivia. She didn't need it. A Sailor Moon diehard fan like her had already processed everything there was to know about this pen the second she laid eyes on this celestial treasure. It was doubtful a supercomputer could have gone through it all as quickly as her brain did in that moment.
Rei waited patiently for Marin to break out of her slack-jawed stupor, though said patience would be more tested than she believed to be realistic. Frustrating as that might normally be, Rei took solace in the readily-apparent fact that Marin seemed to approve of her gift.
Booming waves slammed their way through the atrium, flames roared from the stage, and the band's vocalist sung with an intensity that sounded as through a garbage disposal was actively shredding his throat from the inside.
“HAVE A HOLLYYYYYYYYYY JOLLYYYYYYYYYYY CHRISTMAAAAAAAAAAAS!”
“Y'know, I just don't think they nailed the vibes,” mused an unimpressed Yu Takeyama.
“It's, uh... certainly not traditional.”
“You have a voice that'll make your ears bleed, right? I'd give it a chance over this trash. Maybe you should give it a shot.”
“Heh... it wouldn't work anyway, thanks to this,” said Dinah, tugging at her collar.
“Right, right, I forgot.” Yu turned her attention away from the uninspiring performance, and shifted it to Dinah. “So we doing this or what?”
“Right, of course. You know, it wouldn't hurt to be a little nicer to everyone.”
“It won't hurt to stay exactly as I am, either. Anyway, here you go.”
Yu tossed a wide, hard, but thin object at Dinah, encased in shiny, blue wrapping. She unwrapped it to find that the curious object was, in fact...
“It's a piece of wood,” Yu stated, as if to dispel any notion that there was something deeper to it.
“Oh, um... th-thanks. Just what I've always wanted..."
Yu sighed and rolled her eyes. “Come now, give me a little credit. I did put some effort into this. Look.”
Yu suddenly threw her fist into the board, cracking it down the middle. Some type of crackly, yellow energy immediately charged between them, and a couple seconds later, the board was back in one piece.
“Oh?”
“You do martial arts, yeah? This is a board you can break repeatedly. It'll just keep fixing itself.”
“Oh wow! Well, that actually is quite thoughtful!”
“Not crazy about the emphasis on that 'actually'. I had to spring for the wrapping paper too, y'know? They don't really do that here. Anyway, gimme.” She snatched the object that had been wrapped in Dinah's clutches this whole time. Now that she finally had a look at it... her face had a dumbfounded expression on it.
“Um... just curious... did someone help you with this?”
“Oh yes! I don't know much about you, especially with you being so new, so I asked some of your fellow heroes. At first I went to Momo, but she said she was still new to being a pro, and didn't know you on a personal level. So then, I went to Nemuri!”
“Yes... that would explain things...”
What Yu held in her hand was a Midnight plushie, sporting a beaming grin that seemed to mock her the more she stared at it.
“She told me what a huge fan of hers you were, and how much she influenced your career as a hero. She really emphasized how you basically modeled your entire persona around the aesthetic she pioneered! Then she mentioned how your house was filled to the brim with Midnight memorabilia! But you weren't allowed to take any with you. So I thought, wow, I should make something new for you to restart your collection!”
Yu stared dazedly at the plushie for a while, then broke out into laughter, much to Dinah's confusion. It definitely irked her, but not as much as one might expect. In the past, she'd be steaming, and hellbent on revenge. But now, in this place, it made her feel nostalgia more than anything. Back to the days of the friendly rivalry that she and Midnight used to share. She wasn't sure she could ask for anything more.
Kara and Karen both looked with concern at Lupusregina, as she awkwardly stumbled towards them alongside Harley.
“Are... are you okay?” asked Kara.
“Hehehe, I'm fine! I just had a teensy, little injury earlier. All healed up! Just a little uncomfortable still.”
It couldn't have been that “teensy” if she was still in pain after receiving this world's healing magic, but the kryptonian girls left it there. It was time to exchange their gifts.
“So, I have to be honest, I wasn't really sure what to get you, Harley. I didn't think to ask Ivy until after we'd already left. The only thing I know is that you like destroying things-”
“Oooooohhhh!”
“-but I didn't want to encourage your violent tendencies...”
“Aaaaaawwww!”
“But then I figured, like, you were a psychologist, right? And I thought, maybe with a mind like that, you enjoy analytical things. So... I hope you like this.”
Kara handed over something shiny and jingly, much like car keys. And much like an infant enthralled by a set of car keys, Harley looked them over with fascination. “Oooohhh, what is it?”
“Those are puzzles. Those pieces of metal are bent around each other and seem like they're stuck... but actually, there's a way of manipulating them – without breaking them, Harley! – to get them loose.”
“Neat! I was kinda hoping for something a little more destructive, but this is pretty cool, too!”
Meanwhile, Karen walks over to Lupusregina, and hands her a Tharsian cookbook. “Chun-Li tells me you're a foodie. We've never been limited on food requests here, but we're also not all that familiar with Tharsian cuisine. I thought you might appreciate something to reference.”
“Oooohh, thanks! I'll definitely give that a look! Now... as for you...”
“And as for you...” Harley followed up.
They then both shouted in unison, “We got you the same thing!”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yo, studmuffins, we're ready!”
Two burly-looking Tharsian soldiers walked over beside Harley and Lupusregina. Kara and Karen each stared with their mouths agape, with the latter finally breaking the silence.
“Did you... please tell me you did not get us... men!?”
“What? No!” Harley clarified. “No shortage of that around here, am I right, boys?” she said to one of the men behind her, nudging her elbow against his rigid abs. “Mistah V's just lettin' me use 'em to carry our gifts. They're just a teensy bit heavy for us!”
There was that word again. How heavy could they possibly be? The two men reached out with their arms and dropped something into their hands. The girls fell to a crouching position as they struggled against whatever was in these boxes.
“W-what are these!?”
“They're training weights! Dumbbells!
“But... why are they so heavy!”
“Hehehe, I asked Harley about it,” Lupusregina said. “One of the other groups got the guy to make their thing lighter, and I was like, 'Hey Harley, y'think we should do that for ours, too?'”
“And then I was like, 'Nope! No way! I know these girls, and they can handle it!'”
“I'm... not sure if we can...”
It was understandable why Kara would feel that way, but she was actually selling herself a little short. The fact that she and Karen could still somewhat lift these off the ground was pretty impressive, considering what one of them had done to Lupusregina. While the filtration of their collars had mostly been channeled to their durability, a little of their strength had come along with that. It was a far cry from their prime back on Earth, where weights like this wouldn't have been a problem, but they were still stronger than an unpowered human.
“Sure ya' can, girls! Think about it! Others would need the handicap, but you? You ladies can actually train with those things! Build your strength up, and you'll be usin' those things as paperweights before ya' know it!”
Karen was straining, but she was starting to lift herself upright again. Her thighs were burning, but once she was back on her feet, the stress started to melt away. “I can't believe I'm saying this, but Harley might be right...”
“I'm always right, ladies!”
This was probably an overconfident claim, but nonetheless, Kara too managed to return to an upright position. “Thanks, girls. Merry Christmas!”
“Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait,” a bewildered Viasmos repeated, throwing his hands up in disbelief. “You're telling me this isn't even a global thing? Like, other kingdoms have already figured out how to do it better, and the one Kara's from is just choosing to do it in the most destructive way?”
“Well, we generally don't call our countries 'kingdoms'... but yes, that's basically right.” Ami, who once wanted to be a doctor, was quite familiar with healthcare systems across the world. “I can only speak for my dimension, of course. But while the specifics may change from country to country, every developed nation has universal coverage that costs less per capita, and boasts better health outcomes. Some are even free at the point of service.”
Viasmos let that all sink in for a moment before breaking into a hearty laughter. “Damn, I probably did those people a favor when I wiped out a third of their country,” he mused to himself, chugging his drink before an appalled Ami.
“A third of their – Viasmos, that's over 100 million innocent people you're talking about! I hardly think it's something to joke about!”
He lowered his mug and arched an eyebrow. “So what, I should have drawn it out a little more and just denied their claims for a few decades?”
“N-no, just...”
Ami was granted some much-needed relief from her unsavory master, with the arrival of her Secret Santa.
“Excuse me, Lord Viasmos,” Traynor began delicately. “Would it be possible for me to have a moment with Ami? I'd like to exchange gifts now.”
Viasmos shrugged his shoulders and finished off his drink. “Sure, I don't care.” He sauntered off in search of both a refill and someone else to bother. Ami turned to Traynor with a gracious expression.
“Thank you so much, Samantha... that was getting pretty dark...”
“Yes, he's normally so bubbly,” she joked. “So are you ready?”
“Sure! Who should go first?”
“How about at the same time?”
“Okay then! 3, 2, 1...” and then in unison, they gleefully exclaimed, “Merry Christmas!”
They each wore disbelief on their faces as they glanced down at the other's hand, seeing a most similar gift to what they'd offered. Ami's black queen and Traynor's teal knight, both chess-themed sculptures designed from materials unique to this planet. After a few seconds of processing to make sure they were seeing this right, they simultaneously broke out in giggles.
Not far away, a similar event had just occurred between Momo and Mitsuru.
“O-oh!”
“Oh my, we both had the same idea, Mitsuru!”
“Haha, I suppose we are peas in a pod. Then... I do hope I selected an appropriate one.”
“You were trying to match the 'Gold Tips Imperial', right? I can tell just from looking at it! You did great!”
“Ah, that's good to know. And my night tea is just the thing I could use. Thank you so much. Ah...”
Momo looked at Mitsuru curiously. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I'm quite alright. Just... for a moment, it really did feel like the holiday season. I forgot all about my worries and misery... and it just upset me to remember them again.”
“...I understand how you feel. I always loved Christmas back home, celebrating in the dorms with Todoroki, Ashido, Midoriya... they're such fond memories. It's easy to slip back into them.”
Mitsuru nodded, doing her best to cover the solemn expression that wished to break out. “I suppose it's both a good thing and bad thing. On one hand, we're allowed to celebrate something joyous that takes us to a happier time...”
“...and on the other, it makes us remember everything we've lost...”
Momo's face drooped, and Mitsuru felt somewhat responsible. She forced a smile and put her hand on her shoulder. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been such a downer. There's much to be sad about, that's true... but maybe for one night, we don't have to worry about it. Let's enjoy ourselves, Momo!”
She brightened up a bit, and replied, “You're right. We should enjoy this while we have the opportunity. Merry Christmas, Mitsuru!”
“Merry Christmas, Momo.”
“So what's the story with you'n that Karen girl, huh?”
Midnight wasn't surprised that the new girl was already aware of the friction between her and Power Girl. If she hadn't noticed already, she certainly would have earlier in the day, when Karen picked Midnight for her Secret Santa, and implored Viasmos and Chlorida for a redo. She was the only one to make such an audacious request all day.
“It's simple enough, really. She has no self-awareness while she preaches down to people she views as lesser than her.”
“What does that mean? I jus' figure, even if we're heroines from different worlds and all, we oughta get along mighty easily?”
“For instance, Karen holds disdain for the sexual tone of my heroine persona. At the same time, back when she was Power Girl, she had a giant window in front of her tits. Like I said, no self-awareness. I don't tolerate it from her.”
Rogue seemed a bit perturbed, but then again, it wasn't like it was anything she needed to involve herself in. At the same time, she still needed to learn a lot about her new sisters, and this compelled her to pry just a bit further. “What about Kara? You don't git along with her either, I take it?”
Nemuri looked rather surprised at that assessment. “We get along great, actually. As long as Karen's not around, we don't have any issues.”
“Oh? But... I thought the two of them were twins or sumthin'?”
“Not literal twins, no. Karen is more like another version of Kara - or the other way around, if you prefer. But the two have very different personalities.”
“I walked with Kara earlier. Girl seems like a real sweetheart.”
“She is. Far more open-minded than the other, certainly. But I'm sure you don't want to get bogged down in our petty drama all night. Shall we begin?”
Rogue smiled and nodded. “That sounds jus' dandy!”
Nemuri pulled up a bag. “I had Lady Chlorida help me with this one. I don't know too much about your region of the world, to be quite honest, but I'm pretty sure I've heard you southern American girls like a bit of heat.”
Rogue pulled something out of the bag, which could be justifiably misidentified as Satan's heart. This deep red, shriveled, bumpy-skinned fruit made her heart race just thinking about what it would be like to put that in her mouth.
“I asked Lady Chlorida about hot peppers unique to Tharsis, and she grew me one of these. Knowing Tharsians, it's probably insane, so I wouldn't recommend you take a whole bite... but maybe it might be nice to shave off a little the next time we've got stew or something.”
“Well now, color me impressed! I squared up with the core of Jupiter, and I ain't sure it was this hot!” Truth be told, Remy was more the spice lover between the two of them. But no Mississippi girl worth her salt would be put off by NOLA heat. There was a good chance this pepper would put NOLA heat to shame, but it would be fun to try, at least. “Well, I wasn't sure what to get you either. Still don't know y'all girls too well. But Kara mentioned you liked cats, so...”
Rogue handed Nemuri a bracelet with a cat face charm on it. Since Tharsis didn't have cats outside of Kirara, Rogue must have had to give a thorough, detailed description of what to make. Nemuri couldn't help but tear up a bit, because the face of an orange tabby cat brought up some memories of her old life. Rogue found herself taken aback by the sudden crying. “Oh... do you... not like cats?”
“No, no, it's not that! I'm sorry... I love cats. Hell, even Viasmos likes cats. It's just... I had a cat named Sushi. My sweet boy... I've often wondered how he's doing, now that I'm not around. I'm sure the other teachers at UA are taking care of him... but I miss him a lot. This made me think of him, is all.”
“Oh, sorry to dredge up such a-”
“Not at all,” Nemuri interrupted, wiping away her tears. “It's good to remember our old lives, I think. Even though I've come to accept my imprisonment, I think there's meaning in the lives we once led. The more distant they become, the harder they are to hold onto... but underneath it all, that's the part that most defines who we really are. Not these collars and everything they represent, but the people we were before all of it. So... thank you, Rogue. Thanks for giving me a reason to think about my little sushi roll.”
Usagi walked nervously over to Kagura. Kagura was extremely solitary, preferring not to mingle with the other slaves at all. Consequently, Usagi knew nothing about her. Nothing, that is, except for what Marin could tell her.
Kagura, huh? So... here's the thing about her. She's a super sympathetic character. Like, her whole story arc is legit tragic. But don't get it twisted, she's most def a villain. She's selfish, conniving, cares little for others, and even seems to enjoy hurting others sometimes. I think that's why I like her so much, and why she's as popular as she is. Because despite not really having any redeeming character traits to speak of, people still find themselves rooting for her, you know? She's somehow really easy to empathize with.
But as for a Christmas gift... I gotta tell you, Usagi, I'm not sure there's much of anything that would please her. I mean, I can tell you that what she most wants is freedom, but that's not exactly something you'll be able to get her. She uses wind, but I feel like anything wind-related is just gonna irritate her, since she can't use it anymore.
You still want to try something? Well... no promises, but I have one idea. It's a gamble, but it's something. But one thing... I think it's best if I don't tell you why. I don't think she'll like it if she thinks you're just taking sym - eh, I shouldn't even say that much. Just make it look like a happy accident, yeah?
Marin's words kept echoing in her head. Usagi had never so much as approached Kagura before, so she was extremely nervous. Marin was pretty much the resident expert on, well... everyone. If she wasn't confident about what one of them would like for a gift, then it was hard for Usagi to have any confidence herself. But on the other hand, the fact that she had a secret weapon like Marin in her corner gave her a fighting chance, so she could be grateful for that much. Although why this particular gift would be meaningful to Kagura in any way was beyond her imagination.
Usagi took a deep breath and donned as much enthusiasm as she could muster. “Heeeey, Kaguraaaaa-”
“What do you want?” she sharply shot back.
She kept that beaming smile plastered on as well as she could, but Kagura sure wasn't making it easy on her.
“Well, you're my Secret Santa, of course! So anyway, I wanted to give you-”
“You're kidding, right?” The haughtiness in Kagura's tone made Usagi feel so small. “I can't believe you wasted your time. As if I care about this stupid 'Christmas' thing.”
“Oh come now, it'll be fun! A chance for some real bonding, don't ya' think? I'll get to give you a present, you'll get to give me a present, and then we'll-”
“Are you stupid? I obviously didn't get anything for you.”
Usagi felt her heart stop. “...What?”
“Did you seriously think I'd spend my time on something so insipid? Such a fool.”
The smile was gone, replaced by tears welling up in her eyes. “I'm getting nothing... for Christmas?” she whined.
“I guess not. Oh well, too bad, so sad.”
Kagura made the mistake of thinking Usagi's snobs and sniffles had reached the peak of their evolution. In reality, it was a barely-restrained transition towards the real waterworks she had building within her.
“WAAAAAAAAHHHH!”
Usagi's cries were shrill enough to shatter Kagura's soul. Even as the wind sorceress, she had never, in her life, moved air in such a way as to produce so horrid a sound. It was enough to make even Kagura, someone with no particular love for humans, and certainly not for a human this annoying, regret not taking this Christmas thing more seriously.
“Would you... stop!?” she yelled, plugging her ears as best she could. “What the hell is the matter with you!? It's just a stupid present!”
“WAAAAAAAAHHHH!”
She just wouldn't stop. Kagura would have hit her if she didn't know it would only mean punishment from Viasmos. Just one more reason to hate being under his thumb. Fortunately, her forced servitude under Naraku had gotten her accustomed to setting her pride aside. She hated to have to do this, but there was clearly no other option.
“Okay! Okay! I'll speak to Chlorida about letting me do a make-up gift for you! Just fucking stop!”
That seemed to calm Usagi down. Christmas might not be completely ruined after all. “Th-then... can I show you what I got for you?” she asked, hope springing eternal.
Kagura scoffed and looked away, but reluctantly muttered, “I can at least look at it. You can take it back with you, though. I'm not expecting anything.”
Usagi pulled something out of her bag, and showed it to Kagura, who glanced at it briefly. Usagi felt like she saw a flash of recognition on her face, but it was gone so quickly that she couldn't be sure. Kagura now had the same bitter expression as before, as best as she could tell.
“...I already have a mirror in my room, you know?”
“Well yes, in the bathroom, but noooooow you can have one in your main room! And you can look at yourself while you do your hair and make-up!”
“Hair and make-up? Me? Stupid girl. I can't believe how asinine you are.”
Usagi was a bit dejected, though not as much as one might think. She was well-prepared for this kind of response, after all. Frankly, she thought the same thing. Kagura did wear her hair up, and she usually had on some lipstick, but it couldn't be said that she was like most girls from her world who had a whole vanity set-up and everything. Besides, this mirror was so small. It wasn't one you'd hang up on a wall, it was one you'd hold in your hands. Usagi wouldn't have considered it if Marin hadn't vouched for it so strongly.
Ooh! Ooh! Heck yeah! That one! Get that one! I'm telling ya', that's as good as it's gonna get!
That had been Marin's reaction as they walked through the glazier's workshop, with several examples of his craftsmanship on display. This handheld mirror with a white, slitted rim – the second Marin saw it, she lit right up. That gave Usagi some hope for a successful gift, but alas, it wasn't to be.
“S-sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking. That's fine, I'll just give this to someone else. And I guess you don't have to-”
Kagura suddenly snatched the mirror out of her hand, glaring at her angrily. “If that's going to be your attitude, I'll take it. Damnit, I already told you, I never expected anything from you to begin with. If it's just going to make you cry again, then I'll take the damn thing.”
Usagi was surprised, but not displeased. She obviously didn't like her present, but it felt like Kagura was opening up slightly. That was surely a good thing, right? She thanked Kagura for her time and wandered off, not wanting to overstay her welcome.
Now alone, not needing to put up any fronts, Kagura looked down solemnly at the mirror. At first glance, she thought it was the real thing. It was amazing that the girl would pick something out so remarkably similar. Kagura hadn't been ready for it.
There were only two people Kagura would consider having forged any substantive bond with. One was the youkai lord, Sesshomaru. Kagura estimated he was her best chance at being freed from Naraku, and though her attempts at manipulating him into it had seen limited success, she had slowly found herself growing more and more fond of him. In her most honest moments, she might even be willing to admit that she cared for him.
And then... there was one more. Someone who, by all accounts, couldn't forge a bond with anyone. And yet, Kagura sometimes felt like she connected with someone in there. Perhaps it was merely projection. That was the most likely explanation, in fact. But even if that were true... it was the only person Kagura ever considered to be something of a friend.
Kagura placed her forehead against the rim of the mirror and whispered to herself. “Kanna... I hope you one day find the freedom I never could...”
Chun-Li wasted no time trying on the ankle weights she'd gotten from Makoto. She lifted her leg into the air and threw in a few practice kicks.
“Oh yeah, this is good! They're definitely heavy, but good heavy.”
Viasmos, with Ena at his side, happened to be walking past them at that very moment. Never one to miss out on a good prank, he took advantage of Chun-Li's compromised position. “You're open!” he teased, giving her a firm, two-fingered poke into her pussy. Chun-Li recoiled and shivered, caught completely off-guard at this sudden violation. Viasmos, for his part, just kept on walking as if nothing had happened, resuming his chat with his daughter.
Chun-Li looked at Makoto, her eyes squinted in disgust. “Perhaps... they're best left for the gym...”
“Eek! He just can't give us a pass, can he?”
“Ugh, forget him. Here, please accept my present for you, Makoto.”
Chun-Li handed something over, which Makoto didn't recognize. It kind of looked like a rope ladder, but that seemed strange. Plus, she knew that she'd been in the same training equipment store she'd been in, so she figured it had to be something related.
“What is it?”
“It's an agility ladder!” Chun-Li explaind. “You lay it on the floor, and you can practice different movements with it. Here, I'll show you!”
They walked to the edge of the atrium, where there was less of a crowd, and Makoto sprawled the ladder out on the floor. Chun-Li went forward on one foot, going two squares forward, one back, two forward, one back. She moved so smoothly, as though it were second nature to her. When she got to the end, she turned around, and did something even more complicated – this time using both feet. Left foot in, right foot in, left foot out, right foot out. She did that for each square. Though it sounded simple, the speed at which Chun-Li executed this little maneuver was anything but. Each square took less than a second. When Makoto watched her, it was like she could understand what was being done, but couldn't visually process it while it was happening.
“Woah! You're really good at that!”
Chun-Li smiled and lifted her finger up like a proud teacher, explaining, “Agility ladders are great for improving your footwork, balance, coordination, and pattern recognition. All important things for a fighter to have, especially for us ladies! There's only so much we can do to bulk ourselves up.”
Makoto nodded, recognizing the difficulties that came with being a female in a world of fighters. She'd never gone professional herself, but she knew enough about how women needed to approach their craft. There was more mass in the legs and hips, which in turn meant a lower center of gravity, so kicks and throws were more emphasized. They had the edge in flexibility, too. But all of this would only do so much to make up for the difference in raw strength. Women had to be truly committed, and focus on areas where they could match their male counterparts.
“I do have a pretty large frame for a girl... but I'm still better off working with my legs, probably.”
“Hmm... probably. But if you ask me, you'd be better off emulating Tifa, rather than me.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because her techniques apply regardless of body type,” she explained matter-of-factly. “Tifa's a touch smaller than me, and definitely not as strong, but she punches like a hammer. Definitely a lot stronger than what I can do. Don't get me wrong, I can throw a decent punch, but it's hard for women to get that pop. We just don't have the explosiveness to keep attackers at bay with only our fists... but not Tifa's fists.”
“How does she do it if she's not as strong?”
“Because she knows where you're weakest, knows how to get there quickly, and controls her muscles perfectly. Compared to me, she gets more bang for her buck. There's nothing unique about the way she's built her body – hell, the girl's a fucking supermodel – but she finds a way to make it work in spite of any physical disadvantages. That's why I figure a tall girl like you could really shine, if you could take that same universality in your movements.”
Makoto appreciated the explanation. She'd always thought Tifa was really cool, and part of that was just from being a talented fighter. But there was something else special about her, which she'd never quite been able to figure out. She knew that her talents were more in skill and efficiency than brute strength or speed, but it wasn't until Chun-Li framed the two together that way that she started to understand why Tifa was so impressive to her.
Ivy took a swig of glogg. Not the “pussy version”, as enticing as that sounded, but the full-on Tharsian version. It was outlandishly strong, too strong to imagine, in fact. The reason Ivy was having the normal version was not out of some sense of pride, or a need to prove herself, but sheer curiosity.
“They must have something different besides ethanol,” she pondered aloud. “Even 100% proof alcohol wouldn't taste like this. It must be some completely different substance altogether. Maybe synthetic? It does sound like Tharsis, but even if they recreate something through magic, that's not exactly the same thing. Chlorida's plants are still plants, after all. But whether its origins lie in nature or synthesis, how exactly does something like this come to exist? Or perhaps it is ethanol, but a structurally-unique isotope that changes its-”
“Uh... sorry, I'm lost...”
Ivy broke out of her stupor and looked up at Sango, who looked like she'd been placed in a hypnotic trance. Sango already had trouble understanding Kagome's explanations about how things worked in her time. Listening to the unrestrained, scientific genius of Ivy was a whole other world of nonsense she wasn't anywhere near comprehending. Kirara, resting on her shoulder, looked equally distressed, burying her face in Sango's neck.
“Ah, right. Forgot you were there. So... Secret Santa time, is it?” She did her best, but she couldn't completely remove the hostility from her voice. She really hated Christmas. She did get presents for Harley during the holiday season, but they were usually something they could appreciate together, like a CEO who'd been transmogrified into a potted plant.
But in fairness, capitalism didn't exist in this world, so her usual hitches wouldn't apply. More importantly, she didn't want to be a buzzkill for any of the girls looking forward to a chance to celebrate Christmas. They only got so many chances to enjoy themselves these days, after all. So she bottled up her disapproval, found a gift (with Chlorida's aid), and did her best to enjoy herself.
In Sango's case, she was wholly unfamiliar with Christmas. It did exist in her world, but not in her time, not in her place. And even if it had, the traditions would have changed wildly. It wouldn't all too closely resemble the festivities of tonight. Even so, she found herself in the same boat as Ivy. She was doing her best to be excited, even if she didn't completely understand everything, so she could help everyone else stay cheerful.
“Yes, that's right. I know we don't really talk much, but I think I have a handle on what things you like.”
“What gave it away? My name?” Ivy said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Sango laughed – of all the “villains” in the vault, she definitely found Ivy to be the most pleasant of them.
“Something like that. So I asked Lady Chlorida to help me with something, and, well... here you go.”
Sango held out her hands. Unsurprisingly, it was a plant. Unlike most plants as she'd seen them in this universe, this one was placed in soil. It was more common to sustain plants through magic, so soil was really only used in large-scale operations – usually farms – where a person couldn't attend to it constantly. Of course, the soil also needed to be created through magic, as the ground on this planet had grown entirely barren over the millennia of war that had damaged it so severely.
But of course, there was something else unique about this plant. That was the fact that it was a Tharsian plant. Just like the blood-soaked monstrosity that Chlorida had manifested earlier in the atrium, this was something that didn't exist on Earth. The plant was still in is relative infancy, but small, purple leaves were sprouting in an unusual spiral shape, circling around the stem.
“How fascinating... what makes the leaves this deep shade of purple? And what a curious shape...”
“I figured something new would be the most interesting way to go. I know we don't get sunlight in our cells, but Chlorida mentioned that you had a special light bulb for those purposes? And the water in our cells is filtered, and should be fine for plants. I know you can't use your powers anymore, but I figured you'd enjoy getting to take care of something yourself.”
Ivy's curiosity towards the plant gave way to a feeling of soothing calm. She was moved by Sango's consideration – not just getting her a plant because she was the plant girl, but because she understood that those plants were something she really cared about.
“I... actually got Lady Chlorida's help for your gift, as well.”
When Chlorida had offered to assist with her shopping, Ivy had suggested they go in a different direction. She asked if they had a certain plant, and when she said that they didn't, she then asked if she'd be willing to be walked through one more plant creation. Chlorida, as usual, was accommodating. Ivy handed Sango a tiny, black sphere.
“It's airtight, so you'll have to pull on this switch here, and give it a good twist down the middle.”
“Airtight?”
“I just didn't want the smell getting out.”
Sango wasn't sure what she meant by that, but it sure didn't sound pleasant. Regardless, she followed her directions. As soon as the sphere cracked open just a sliver, Sango could feel Kirara bolting to alertness. After popping the top off, she understood why. This sphere was filled with a very special plant: Catnip.
“I... guess I more or less had the same thought. You get to keep your cat with you in here... I'm sure that means a lot to you. Having something to care for... I think that helps us feel like we're good for more than our bodies.”
At this point, Kirara was hanging off of Sango's hand, desperately trying to get as close to the catnip as possible. Sango and Ivy both chuckled at the sight. Ivy's bread and butter were plants, of course, but she quite liked animals too. Kirara was a cute kitty, even being a demon.
“Thanks, Ivy. That was very thoughtful. I can already see that she loves this!”
Sango closed the sphere back up, and Kirara batted it out of her hands. She then jumped down and started playing with it on the floor.
“Does she get to come to your cell with you?” Ivy asked.
“Sometimes. Viasmos likes to keep her around his residences, but he's not as restricting as he could be. I'm grateful for the time we do have.” Sango paused for a moment, looking uncomfortable about something. “Honestly... I'm not completely sure how I feel about Kirara being here. I love having her, of course. But still, to leave Miroku and everyone else behind... and she has to play the role of Viasmos's pet on top of all of it...”
Ivy considered her words carefully before replying. “If you ask me, she's still your companion. Viasmos might control her to some extent, but her heart's obviously with you. Like, you may belong to Viasmos, but that Miroku guy, he's still the one you love, right?”
“Yes, well, of course. But I just-”
“But nothing. Kirara loves you, and it's that simple. I'm sure she didn't want to abandon Inuyasha and your other friends either. But whatever pain she felt over that was outweighed by the love she had for you. Ditto for having to behave around Viasmos. I imagine she felt that if she could make your life over here just a little bit more manageable, then all of it would be worth it.”
She looked down at Kirara, sprawling with the catnip sphere down by Sango's legs. She kept chasing the ball around as it rolled around on the floor, but she would also make a deliberate effort to roll it back once it strayed too far from Sango. Even in the midst of her catnip-driven craze, she didn't want to leave Sango's side for a moment.
“... In any case, the decision's made. Accept whatever drawbacks that comes with, and be grateful.”
Sango smiled, grateful for Ivy's insight. It was true, Kirara's presence had made everything much easier. As much as she longed for freedom, and as much as she wished Viasmos had stayed dead on that day, having Kirara here with her made it so much more bearable. Perhaps her consternation came from a place of guilt. As if a mere slave like her shouldn't have to take away from their friends, and their pursuit of Naraku. But as Ivy said, it was Kirara's choice. She was the only one in this whole room to come from worlds beyond, who chose to come here of her own accord. That level of resolve deserved her gratitude, as well as her respect.
Scarlet and Blackfire were currently locked in a bitter power struggle. Both had taken seats they likened to thrones across the hall from one another. Neither planned to get up and approach the other. Nay, it was they who must prostrate themselves before her. Neither had the humility to set their egos aside and get on with it.
The whole thing had been of great amusement to Viasmos. Watching mere slaves vie for dominance was such an absurd prospect, and he found it cute. Much the way someone would react to seeing their pet try and act like a person. He'd been stealing glances at them throughout the night, but somehow, neither of them had budged. The idea of sitting idly for so long bored the hell out of him, and eventually, he lost his interest in their power struggle. He was experiencing their boredom vicariously, and he was ready to do something about it.
“Filotim, do something for me, would ya'? You see that empty table over there? Put those two whores there,” he said, pointing at Scarlet and Blackfire.
“Of course.”
Filotim's teleportation abilities were most efficient when concerning himself, but a master of spatial magic such as him was more than capable of moving two powerless, immobile slave girls. In an instant, both women were suddenly transported into the seats at the table designated by Viasmos. It was more or less in-between where their previous tables were, which was Viasmos's way of being nice, and not implicitly siding with either one of them.
“W-wha-!” Scarlet stuttered, severely jarred by the sudden displacement.
“Who – damnit!” Blackfire was quicker to realize someone had gotten in the way of their contest, drawing out her ire.
Scarlet didn't take too much longer to figure that out, though her interpretation was slightly different. “Ah, I understand. Someone must have gotten tired of you waiting so long to pay your respects to me. Well now, you're here. I'll overlook your impudence, and allow you to honor me.”
Blackfire's jaw was practically on the ground. Did she actually believe that? With her ego, it wasn't out of the question. “You must be kidding. As if I, queen of the Tamaraneans, would prostrate myself before a meager human!”
“Ha! A queen, you say?” Scarlet replied, her voice dripping with condescension. “You only ever gained power through submission to others. You couldn't do anything by yourself, and had to rely on powers greater than what you could muster. You're as pitiful a queen as I can fathom.”
“Hmph, you're no different! You were a cog in a machine!”
“I was climbing the ladder, and on my own merits. The two are hardly comparable.”
“You don't even have powers!”
“Hahaha, such a fool!” she haughtily retorted. “My lack of brute strength is exactly what stands out about my success. A woman who was able to climb to the very highest echelons of power. My intelligence, my political maneuvering, my sheer force of will, all of it enabled me to command respect and instill fear. My greatness wasn't borrowed, it was inborn, something the likes of you could never understand.”
“Didn't you get gangraped by your subordinates?”
“...”
That wiped the smile right off of Scarlet's face. It was a low blow, but also a pretty damning comeback. What could she even say to that?
“Hahahaha,” Blackfire cackled. “It looks like I've found your sore spot!”
Scarlet scoffed. “Your people didn't even want you! You had to tear them down before they were pathetic enough to allow your return.”
“At least they never gangraped me.”
“At least my entire race wasn't gangraped under my watch.”
That went too far for Blackfire. She grabbed her glass of wine and threw it in Scarlet's face. She gasped in disbelief, and reciprocated the gesture with her own glass of wine. The two of them, dripping wet from their heads and necks, started to grapple with each other in mutual rage. It would be a couple minutes before they were broken up – though the catfight was quite entertaining to some, Chlorida put an immediate stop to it once she saw what was happening. As it happened, neither of them had gotten gifts for each other, as both expected to be paid homage by the other. All in all, not a pair well-suited for holiday cheer.
Tifa and Kai Harn were engaged in a struggle of their own, albeit a far more amicable one. The two were pitted in a drinking contest, preferring some good, old-fashioned beer to the festive glogg that had generally been the favorite of the night.
Kai Harn slammed her mug down on the table, blowing out a well-earned exhale. “You can sure pack it in for such a skinny girl.”
Tifa similarly banged her mug against the table. “You're one to talk,” she said amusedly. “You're not that much bigger than me.”
“Hmm, perhaps you just look smaller to me, being so much more feminine.
“Oh, I think the guys around here would find you plenty feminine.”
Tifa was far from the only busty girl around here, but she was certainly among the bustiest. Kai Harn, on her end, had nothing to be ashamed of. She certainly had traceable amounts of masculinity in her overall vibe, but when it came to her chest and curves, there was no doubt that she was all-woman.
“Hmm, you know, I have to admit, I didn't think all that highly of you when I was initially forced in here,” Kai Harn confessed. “But seeing you beat that Chun-Li woman, that sure changed my attitude. I've never seen such a demure-looking girl kick so much ass.”
“Yeah, Chun-Li said something like that, too,” she said in-between drinks. “I don't know, I enjoy fighting, but I'm not sure I was ever really in it for the same reasons as other girls. For me, it was just a way of protecting people I care about. A healthy competitive attitude followed, but the drive for the fight itself was never something that really compelled me. Not that there's much protecting I can do in here.”
Another drink ended, and Kai Harn refilled her mug once again. “Personally, I think you've done plenty of protecting. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Mentally, I mean.” Tifa was silent for a moment, and Kai Harn looked at her quizzically. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, just... it's not a common sentiment. Even some of my friends... Makoto, Chun-Li... they all say I've become too submissive. I've never really doubted that.”
“Hmph, hardly matters, if you ask me. How any of us deal with Viasmos and his control is a personal matter. The important thing is that you've found a way to keep your sanity.” Kai Harn looked contemplatively into her reflection in the beer. The drinking contest between the two didn't really feel that way anymore. It felt more like two friends just sharing a drink while they relayed their troubles. “You were the first one to be taken here, weren't you?”
“Technically, Ami was his first victim. And unlike her, I'd been... soiled, before...”
“Even so, there was a time where you were the only one here. You had to deal with it all by yourself. It depends on the girl, of course, but I imagine it gets a little bit easier for everyone, the deeper we go into this little community of ours. When I was brought here, there was a whole band of women who understood my pain, because they'd been through the same thing. We also had Lady Chlorida to watch our backs, and make our lives just a little bit easier. You didn't have anything like that to support you. You had to be used by Viasmos and his thugs as a complete outsider, knowing you were the most vulnerable person on the entire planet. You became the first pillar for the rest of us to rely on, because your very presence proved that we could survive in here. If you ask me, that's resilience at its finest.”
Kai Harn looked up from her mug, and saw a solitary tear fall down Tifa's cheek. Her surprised expression made Tifa self-aware, and she wiped it away. “Ah, uh... sorry. I just... I guess it's been a long time since I've thought of myself as strong in that way.” Tifa paused for a moment to compose herself, then smiled at Kai Harn. “Thanks. It felt... good... to hear someone talk about me like that.”
The two clanked mugs, and soon returned to high spirits. Unlike Scarlet and Blackfire, the two of them did get gifts for each other. However, as they got more than a little tipsy by the end of the night, they completely forgot to exchange gifts, and had to handle that at a later date.
Kikyo felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned around to see Miranda.
“I have something for you.”
It was a necklace made of a white mesh chain, with a dazzling jewel at the bottom. It was mostly green, but flashes of blue, pink, and orange were scattered all over it. If Kikyo could compare it to a gem from her world, it would be akin to opal. She delicately handled the necklace as she took it from Miranda, and eyed it closely.
“What is this?”
“That is actually quite rare, from what I understand. It's something they call 'ouran', and the reason it's so rare is because it doesn't come from this world. It's something that they sometimes find inside of meteorites.”
Kikyo eyed her with surprise. “I know they don't use money here, but... they let a slave grab something so valuable?”
“Apparently, these are usually reserved for important people. I considered saying Viasmos had sent me, but I wasn't confident I'd get away with that lie. Instead, I dropped Lady Chlorida's name. Said I'd ask for her assistance.” Miranda chuckled. “The prospect of taking up Lady Chlorida's valuable time seemed to instill just the right amount of panic. The jeweler chucked it to me and told me to get out.”
Kikyo, not known for her bubbly sense of humor, found herself laughing lightly at Miranda's anecdote. “How conniving! I appreciate your efforts. Thank you...”
“Well? Go ahead, try it on.”
Kikyo clasped the necklace around her collar – not an entirely pleasant feeling, having to be reminded of her station so coldly. Even so, she found a reflective surface to admire herself in.
“So how do you feel? Like an ordinary woman?”
“Well, I wouldn't mind a more appropriate attire to go with something so elegant... but yes. Thank you, Miranda. This really is... beautiful.”
The truth was, Kikyo had felt like an ordinary woman, ever since she was raped and brought to Tharsis. It wasn't exactly the picturesque ideal of a woman's life she'd imagined, though. Weak, vulnerable, an object of lust – these weren't the pieces of an ordinary woman she sought to embody. Caring, maternal, beautiful – those described the life she sought for herself. She'd never be able to live like she'd always wished... both her fate as a shrine maiden, and her fate as a slave girl saw to that. But she could at least get as close to living out those traits as possible.
“The snow is a really nice touch. How did you make it do that?”
Kallen had been enamored with the way the snow fell just enough to evaporate before hitting the ground. It made for a nice aesthetic, without compromising everyone's enjoyment.
“I... don't really know, to tell you the truth,” replied Elsa. “I just... kinda thought about it, and it happens.”
Kallen eyed her skeptically as she sipped from her cup of glogg. “I thought you couldn't control your powers?”
“I can't. I don't know... it just happened? I tried not to think about it, because I knew master would correct things if my power went out of control, and it just worked out.”
“Hmm...kinda sounds to me like your only barrier is your own anxiety.”
That... couldn't be possible, could it? No, certainly. She had no anxiety when she injured her sister all those years ago. She recounted the whole story to Kallen, but it did little to sway her assessment.
“I mean... that's just bad aim? Doesn't it sound like they just made you so terrified of your own abilities that you began to disassociate from them? It would make sense why you couldn't control them after that, and why you felt comfortable using your powers when you felt like there was a safety valve backing you up.”
Elsa didn't like the idea that all those years of repressing her power had done more harm than good, but she couldn't exactly refute Kallen's observations. Kallen, noticing her distress, decided to back off for now. “But hey, I'm no psychologist. No need to listen to m-”
“I'm a psychologist!”
Elsa jumped out of her seat with a chill – for her, that was saying something – sliding down her spine. Harley Quinn had pulled herself up on Elsa's chair, and scared the hell out of the poor girl. “I didn't mean to listen in, but-”
“Peanut,” interjected Ivy, walking into frame from not too far away. “You specifically said you were going to go eavesdrop on them.”
“No need to overwhelm them with details, Ive! Anyway, I'm only basin' this offa three minutes of studyin' ya', but I say, Kallen's right! Your fear is ya' own worst enemy!”
“Harley!” cried out a dejected Kallen. “That was totally unnecessary! Can't you tell that's not what she wants to hear right now!?”
Harley shrugged her shoulders in response. “Not like runnin' from the problem's gonna make it go away. Toodles!” Harley waved goodbye, and walked back over to Ivy.
“Well?” asked Ivy, as they sauntered away. “Ruined enough Christmases for the evening?”
“Hmm... I'd like to squeeze in two or three more, if possible...”
Once far enough away that Kallen could be assured of their relative solitude, she reached her hand over to Elsa's. “I'm sorry! That was so out of line! It's my fault. I didn't mean to upset you like that.”
“No... Harley's right. She's crazy, but she's not dumb, you know? Maybe you're all onto something, and I've been my own biggest obstacle from the start...”
Kallen's instinct was to deny it to make her feel better, but she wasn't sure that was the right move. If Elsa's own inhibitions were the driving force behind her chaotic power, then there was no sense in talking her out of a breakthrough moment. Instead, Kallen found a different means forward.
“Well, I think I have just the thing you cheer you up!” She pulled a flat box out from under the table, and slid it over to Elsa. She opened it up to find a tray of baby-blue treats, arrayed like a box of chocolates.
“What are these?”
“I'm not sure what they're called... but they're pretty good! C.C. said something to me about how she thinks the pizza isn't very good here, because they don't use milk from the same animals as we do. I realized that's probably why a lot of the desserts here taste a little off to me. So I asked this guy to get me a sweet that wasn't made with milk or cream, and he gave me this!”
Elsa picked one up at random, and popped it in her mouth. Kallen undersold it, quite frankly. They were scrumptious! She was amazed at how smooth the texture was, despite not having any milk in it. They melted right in her mouth.
“They're delicious!”
“Right?”
Elsa devoured a couple more of them before recomposing herself, not wishing to appear slovenly. “Ahem... thank you, Kallen. Well then, I suppose I'll present you with my gift, as well... or that's what I would say, if I could.”
“Hmm?”
“Your present was a bit too big to carry around. Truth is, I wasn't particularly sure what to get you, but I thought it'd be safe to go with some décor for your cell. Our master helped describe your former... what was it called again? Your machine.”
“My knightmare? Guren.”
“Yes, that's it. Master described the machine to the best of his ability, and I found a craftsman to make something based on it. I thought you should wait to see it yourself, but... I feel bad receiving a gift and not being able to give you anything. So... the head and torso is on the left, like this, see? And then its right arm is extended, and written in neon red lights above it is your name. And yeah, you can hang it on your wall or wherever. I don't know anyone here all too well just yet, but I wanted to try and get something with a personal touch, and that was the best I could come up with.”
“Oh not at all, I think it sounds very cool! I'm surprised that jerk was willing to take the time to help you.”
“Now I don't think that's completely fair. Master did approve this whole Christmas party in the first place, right? He puts a little effort into keeping us happy, at least.”
“...You're awfully deferential to him, huh?”
“I... I obviously hate having to service him. But I suppose it's a little easier for me to transition into this life.” Elsa looked up at the ceiling, still littered with falling particles of snow. But unlike Kallen, who was so smitten with the snow, Elsa's feelings were far more mixed at the sight of it. “I was... outcasted and alone. Of my own volition, of course. I was just so scared of my power hurting someone. But now, my power isn't a problem. I can socialize with other girls without fear of turning them to ice. I wouldn't say I'm happy here, and I'm certainly not grateful, but... I'm at peace.”
Kallen leaned back in her chair and considered her words. “I suppose... I can somewhat relate. In my world, my people were treated as second-class citizens. Not too different from how we are now, now that I think about it. Some people took what they were given and accepted their lot in life, but that's never been my style. I fought for a better world, which meant war, terror, and bloodshed. I'm not the type of girl to ignore what Viasmos has done to me... but I guess, if you were to really press me, I might have to admit...”
She gulped down some glogg before finishing her thought. “...It's nice to be free... of all that conflict.”
Aqua opened up the box that Diana had just given to her.
“Oh, hair pins! They're lovely!”
Diana was a little concerned that anything beauty-related would have the negative connotation of ultimately being for the benefit of Viasmos, but Aqua didn't seem to mind. She took one made of a golden, interwoven wire, and placed it in the side of her hair.
“How does it look on me?”
“I'd say the gold contrasts nicely with your blue hair.”
“Thanks,” she giggled. “Well, I hope you don't mind, but I'm giving you something of mine. Hope that doesn't feel like a hand-me-down or anything, but I thought you'd be interested.”
Aqua handed Diana a book – a real, physical book, not like what they read on their omni-tools in their cells. This could only mean it was a Tharsian book... but none of the girls particularly enjoyed Tharsian literature. It was crude, superficial, utterly lacking in artistic merit across the board. It didn't seem like a very enticing gift... But then, Diana read the title: The Rise and Fall of Elysium.
“Elysium? What's this?”
“It's a record of one of the kingdoms that used to exist in this world. Before Tharsis destroyed them, that is.”
So it wasn't a Tharsian narrative, but a historical accounting? That actually was of interest to Diana, who back on Earth, had long been a fan of researching mythologies and ancient civilizations. Of course, her job often required such knowledge in the first place, but she also found it interesting outside of her role as Wonder Woman.
“Hmm, I'm surprised Tharsians would bother with records of other civilizations. They don't seem the type.”
“From what I can tell, there aren't too many surviving artifacts or anything like that. It would take a particular type of Tharsian to be interested in that kind of thing. But when it comes to history, Tharsians are very keen on recording the lessons of the past.”
That made sense. If Viasmos was the pinnacle Tharsian male, their culture's values made manifest at their most pure, then he made for a sensible microcosm of how they thought. He was someone who never let anything, no matter how insignificant something might seem, go unnoticed. If the slightest upgrade could make him stronger, then he'd pursue it. This applied to magic and technology, of course, but also to abstract concepts like knowledge. He regularly interrogated the girls about the nature of their worlds, with the not-so-hidden purpose of considering if there was something he could learn from it to improve himself.
“You said this was yours, but I don't have this in my cell. When did you get it?”
“I once asked Lady Chlorida if they had any books about the planet's history, and she's been kind enough to supply me with some. They've been... insightful. Viasmos and the other Tharsians have always talked about how war was an omnipresent part of life, before they took over. In my head, I figured all civilizations were kind of like Tharsis. But... I've learned they were a lot more nuanced than I thought.” Aqua reached over and poked her finger down at the cover of the book. “Elysium, in particular, seemed relatively enlightened. They also engaged in war, yes, and they even valued conflict as a means of building a group. But they also had a vision of unity. Their motives in warfare... I wouldn't describe them as entirely selfish. They accepted that they might be defeated by a stronger power, and were still willing to share their knowledge with the cultures they subjugated. There were even some democratic principles they had implemented. They were... maybe the first step in another direction for this world... had it not been for...”
She didn't need to complete that sentence. It went without saying who she was referring to. Diana found herself admiring the initiative Aqua took to learn more about this world. At the same time, she found herself scolding herself for the very opposite. In another time, she would have had the same boldness and good sense to investigate such matters.
“I wish... I was more like you, Aqua.”
“Hmm?”
“I would say, more than anyone here, you haven't let these circumstances drag you down.”
Aqua considered that for a few seconds before replying, “I don't know... it gets to me too. It's not like I'm a beacon of sunshine.”
“That's not what I mean. It's more like... your sense of responsibility is undiminished. A couple hours ago, Dinah mentioned to me how quick you were to get in the way of that man earlier today, while calling on Lady Chlorida. You also tried to help me, when that man assaulted me in the pool room. Even when you know there's nothing you can do, you still do what you can. You're like... kind of like everyone's big sister.”
Aqua's eyes popped a little from that designation, but Diana stood by it. Aqua looked out for everybody, and even more or less got along with everybody. She was someone other girls could depend on, and also carried with her the sense that if she scolded you, then you were unquestionably in the wrong. Even some of the more solitary figures, like C.C., or the more contemptible figures, like Scarlet, had some level of respect for Aqua.
“Well, I appreciate that. I do my best to help the other girls out. We've all gotta stick together, you know? But the truth is, I'll never be able to carry us as far as you can.”
It was Diana's turn to look flustered. “You're joking, surely.”
“Of course not. You're almost certainly the strongest one of us here, these damn things notwithstanding,” she replied, tugging at the collar around her neck.
Diana's eyes turned downcast and sullen. “I... I'm not the same woman I used to be...”
“I understand. We all process trauma in our own ways. I get that your pride as a warrior was really shattered after what happened.”
“Not just that...” Diana cut in. “Seeing the devastation he left in his wake... I felt so much... guilt. All the efforts that my comrades and I had taken to protect me, and it resulted in so much death. It would have been so much better if I'd simply... given myself to him. I thought we stood a chance, I never realized how hopelessly outmatched we were.”
“It's not your fault that you tried to protect yourself. One day, you'll come to realize that. And when you do, and you feel like regaining your standing as a warrior, then perhaps there will come a day... where that will make a difference.”
Diana laughed at the notion with such derision, it nearly came out as a scoff. “You can't be serious! Even if I weren't collared, I would never be able to so much as make it out of this room! I don't... I don't have the power to free us.”
“Well yeah, I realize that. I'm not asking you to do it all on your own. But take the thing that just happened a few months ago. Look how tantalizingly close we got to freedom. I know most of the girls looked back at it as a sad event, something that confirmed just how trapped we are in this place, but I don't view it that way. I see it as proof that the unexpected can happen. Eternity is a long time. The more Viasmos provokes other worlds, the more opportunities at freedom we'll have. And if a day comes where we need just an inch or so more, then Diana, you'd be far more likely to succeed than me.”
“You... you really still haven't given up?”
“No. I accept my situation as it stands. I know we're not empowered enough to do anything on our own. But I still believe that someday, we'll have a chance to escape from all this. It might be years, centuries, longer... but a chance will come, and when it does, I want to be ready.”
Diana thought back to Kai Harn's words earlier to her. Was this what she meant? The value of holding onto oneself? That someone could find hope even in a hopeless situation? That they'd never be changed completely, because no matter what suffering they were forced to endure, their eyes were still ahead, looking towards a brighter future?
She knew a little about Aqua's backstory, and understood that she spoke from experience. The girl had spent a decade trapped inside a place called the Realm of Darkness. No light, no people, just a terrifying place where one is blanketed on all sides by hostility and corruption. And for years and years and years, she fought through it.
And yet... it wasn't entirely successful on her part. Right in the closing moments of her time there, her heart gave way to the darkness. Ten years of fighting had nearly stumbled at the finish line, had it not been for her friends finally tracking her down and restoring her heart. But maybe that was exactly why Aqua could be so resilient. Perhaps the memory of how she faltered at the worst time was something she sought to learn from. And maybe, just maybe... Diana could learn to do it too.
A failed heroine. A supposed role model who'd proven herself just as vulnerable as any other woman. A husk of the person she once thought she was. That was how Diana viewed herself these days, since her defeat at the hands of Viasmos. Yet, try as she might to cast aside her sensibilities as a heroine, there was this constant feeling of suffocation. Like she wasn't who she was supposed to be. She tried not to worry about it, but it was always there in the background. One day... would she have to face herself? Decide who she really wanted to be?
It was like Aqua said, eternity is a long time. Diana wasn't sure how long it would take to find peace within herself. But as long as she remained, there would always be time.
“Yoooo, for real!? I haven't seen one of these in forever!”
Minako was giddy over Starfire's present to her: a footbag for playing hacky sack. She fought the urge to play with it right now, only because there were so many people around her.
“I know you're very athletic, and enjoy sports, but they don't really have any sports here on Tharsis. Except for killing each other, that is.”
“Yeah, that's why I'm so surprised! I didn't think they made things like this!”
“They don't, but it's a simple enough object. Even though I'm only moderately familiar with Earth customs, I was able to describe the concept sufficiently for the man to make one for me.”
“Man, magic sure is something in this world, huh? They can just make stuff for you on the spot. Like, if it weren't for all the rape and war and psychopaths, I could really get used to living here.”
“Yeah... those parts are a bit hard to overlook, though...”
Minako stuffed the footbag into her cleavage, and clapped her hands with excitement. “Well, anyway, have this!” She handed Starfire a box. When opened, she saw a costume. It was similar enough to her usual attire, but also distinct in its own way. It favored red over Starfire's usual purple, and sported a fiery texture. It wasn't too dissimilar to the elf-inspired leotards some of the girls were wearing. Rising flame-like straps shot up from the panties around her hips, only slightly covering her breasts.
Such an outfit wouldn't be too appropriate for most of the women here, and might even come off as insensitive. In Starfire's case, however, it was quite the opposite. In Tamaranean culture, it was normal to wear skimpy clothing, and they wore their sexuality on their sleeves – assuming they were even wearing sleeves in the first place. The fact that she'd been placed once again into sexual slavery did not dissuade her from her usual customs. She'd be more likely to be offended by others pushing their values onto her. The fact that Minako understood her tastes and got something that catered to them was something she very much appreciated.
“Thank you! Thank you so much... for everything...” Minako was startled at how moved she sounded.
“Uh... gee, you're welcome. But it's just an outfit. Nothing to get all teary-eyed over.”
“No, you did more than just get this outfit. Look around. So many girls are having a fun time, and it's because of you.”
“Oh no, not at all! I didn't do anything to organize this!”
“You were the one who brought Christmas up, right? So none of this would have happened if it weren't for you.”
“I mean... I guess. I don't know, I feel bad taking too much credit.”
Starfire wrapped an arm around Minako's shoulder, and turned her to face the tree in the middle. “I may not have been born on Earth, but I know how deeply your culture values the holiday season. Have a look at that tree. Did you ever think you'd see anything like that again? Don't you feel something stir in you at the sight of it?”
It wasn't as if Minako had specifically had the thought that she'd never see a Christmas tree again, but she took her meaning. She'd been here for over a year now, and had gotten more or less accustomed to her new life. There were a lot of terrible things she had to endure, but there were good things too. She had her friends from the Sailor Scouts. She'd made new friends. They had leisure time. She'd learned to appreciate the things she had.
But it was also true that she still missed her old life. Having independence was the primary reason, of course, but there were other, more subtle things. Going to the mall, having lunch with friends, playing volleyball, collapsing on the bed after a long day of school – all pieces of the life she had before. Little comforts here and there that she could never get back.
“We're female slaves, Minako. We don't have much power. We don't get to control our own lives. So when we are able to make a positive impact, I think it's important for us to take pride in it. Even if it was just a spark you offered, you gave everyone here a night to remember. So again, and I'll speak on behalf of all the other girls, thank you.”
Minako still felt a little awkward about being offered so much praise, but she no longer felt the need to argue. She just wanted to relax and enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Starfire was right – she never thought she'd see this sight again. She leaned in against Starfire and gazed longingly at the Christmas tree.
“Merry Christmas, Starfire.”
“Heh, Merry Christmas.”
“HARK HOW THE BELLS SWEET SILVER BELLS ALL SEEM TO-”
The vocalist was cut off by a shove from Viasmos – which might sound innocuous, but actually was enough force to plant his upper body into the side of the far wall. “Okay, okay, that's enough of that,” Viasmos stated into the microphone, signaling the rest of the band to stop, much to the merriment of many of the slave girls.
“Hope you all had yourselves a good time! How do my fellow Tharsians feel? This Christmas shit ain't so bad, is it?” The crowd erupted into cheers, apparently having enjoyed themselves. “But before we retire for the evening, I've got a present of my own to offer. Never let it be said that I'm not a thoughtful master. Filotim, please hand them out.”
Filotim didn't need to literally hand them out. He simply teleported the folded slips of paper in front of all 38 slaves. The girls grabbed them and opened them up, only to find...
“Uh... what's this?” asked a bewildered and somewhat-annoyed Chun-Li.
“What I have for you is a first in my century or so of owning women. A real trailblazer of a concept. I have for you, a free rape pass! You can use it to get yourself out of one rape! It's only good for one, though - so make it count!”
It wasn't like he needed to explain it. They could pretty much guess what the paper with big, bold letters saying “FREE RAPE PASS” was meant to indicate. While hypothetically a decent enough utility, it was also wildly insensitive.
“Anyway, I think it goes without saying that I deserve a Christmas present myself. So which of you beautiful ladies will be accompanying me for the night?” The crowd laughed at his callous presentation, much to the irritation of the girls present. “Let's see... how about... you! Get on up here, sweetcheeks!”
Not that she had much choice in the matter. Viasmos used telekinesis to lift Marin up and bring her up on stage. He wrapped an arm around her and held her up against his chest. He started to go in for a kiss, when she lifted up her paper.
“Uh... I'd rather not get raped on Christmas! I think I'll just use my free rape pass now!”
“Hmm, well alright then,” said Viasmos. Marin was surprised at how little of a fight he put up. He took the slip of paper and burned it, signifying its use.
“Unfortunately,” Viasmos continued, “I have a little something myself.” He handed Marin a slip of paper, which also said “FREE RAPE PASS” on it.
“I... don't get it...”
“That's MY free rape pass. I get one too, see, but it works a little differently. It lets me override one girl's free rape pass.”
“W-what!? That's not fair! You didn't mention that!”
“You never asked.”
“Well... damn! I would have used it for someone else if I'd known!”
“Oh, see... actually, I'm not the only one with one of those. I gave them out to all the guys here, plus some in the mail for my soldiers who couldn't make it.”
“Oh, got it,” said Nemuri, holding up her rape pass between her fingers. “So these are completely useless, then?”
“Golly, yeah, I guess so,” Viasmos said in obviously-feigned embarrassment. It was pretty clear that this was not some accidental oversight, and just his way of making a mockery of them. He pulled in Marin's lips and helped himself to them, much to the poor girl's displeasure. He turned to the crowd and yelled, “Merry Christmas to all... and to me a good night!”
The next morning...
“Come in,” Viasmos called out, after hearing a knock on his door.
“Lord Viasmos, I wanted t – I... can come back another time...”
“Nah, it's good,” Viasmos insisted as he pumped away at Marin. “I'm just... about... finishing... UP!”
Viasmos arched his back in ecstasy and then rolled over, putting Marin in view. Getting a front-row seat to Viasmos nutting wasn't exactly on Filotim's New Year's resolutions, but sometimes, that was just the way it worked when you were his closest aide. Viasmos, having no issue with Filotim's attendance, hopped out of bed naked and fixed himself a drink before going another round with the girl.
“So, what brings you in?”
“It's about that matter from before. Reconstruction in the wake of the attack has been - “
“Oh for fuck's sake, this again? Can't it wait?”
“I did wait. That's what you said to me last time, remember?”
“Ugh, fine...” Viasmos conceded, defeated by his own procrastination. “Let's get this over with. Go on, say your piece.”
“Reconstruction is nearing completion, but it's been slow. The whole process has taken months instead of weeks.”
“Okay. Well whaddya want me to do about it?”
“I know you've been resistant to this idea before, but I'd like to raise the idea of naming our cities.”
Viasmos rolled his eyes. “Booooooo!”
Tharsians did not like to name things in general, but especially not places. They weren't the only culture that had ever felt that way. This was because, back in the age of constant warfare, there wasn't much sense in naming locations that were just going to be taken over and renamed at some point or another. Everyone understood territory to be a fluid concept. However, it had been many decades since any kind of serious war had broken out, and at this point, the territory Tharsis encompassed was far too large to operate just according to good spatial orientation.
“Resources and personnel keeping getting lost in the bureaucracy, sent to the wrong places without anyone understanding it's meant for the capital. There's simply no reason for us not to name places anymore, not if we want to run as efficiently as possible.”
"Hmph, it's never been an issue before."
"Because things were running like clockwork before. But as soon as there's a shock to the system - such as interdimensional invaders carrying a horde of demons in their wake - the usual routine gets disrupted. What this latest event proves is what I've been warning all along. That in the event of an emergency, our postal system cannot function."
Viasmos grumbled. It wasn't like he didn't understand his point, he just really didn't like the idea. Tharsians operated on recognizance, not arbitrary labeling. If they were looking for a good sword, they wouldn't need the different blades labeled according to their respective models. They'd know what they were looking for, and know if the quality was up to snuff. But if they started naming places, what else would have to be named? And how would that affect their culture moving forward? Viasmos understood that these things didn't happen in a vacuum. A person's thoughts and skills were molded by the world they grew up in. Just as technology could arrive in tandem with stark changes in social feelings and tendencies, language could be just as significant a factor.
“I think you should name the planet too,” said Marin, popping up from under the covers. Filotim was surprised that the slave girl was involving herself in such important matters, but Viasmos didn't seem to mind, so he said nothing.
“Why would that matter?” asked Viasmos.
“I dunno... I just think you'd be doing the author a solid.”
“Huh?”
“You know, the author from my world. The one who writes The Inconquerable, the story that's all about you. I feel like it was one of those things that they thought would make for interesting worldbuilding at the time, but now it's just kinda tedious. Like, who wants to write 'the planet' every time they're referring to the planet? Or having to refer to things as 'Tharsian' even when they're not technically exclusive to Tharsis? I'll bet they'd really appreciate having an excuse to use real names.”
While the story from her world had, indeed, relayed perfectly the events that had taken place here on the planet, there was technically no reason it had to stay that way. Eventually, the story could break from what was actually happening, and so there was no guarantee that Viasmos's decision would impact said author. But more importantly, he just didn't care.
“I obviously don't care about that fucking loser.”
“Oh come on, Vazzies! Think of them like a fan! Don't you want to do right by your fans?”
“Not really, I kinda expect everyone to fall in line.”
“I'm sorry,” Filotim cut in. “Vazzies?”
“Uh...” Viasmos avoided eye contact with Filotim, looking rather genuinely embarrassed. “It's just... something she started calling me recently.” He glared at Marin, miming a slapping gesture in frustration. “I told you never to call me that in front of other people, you dumb bitch!”
Marin already had her hands on her mouth, realizing her slip-up too late. “...whoops...”
“Hmm, okay then. My lord, in the interesting of serving you and your empire to the best of my ability, I'm going to have to insist that you agree to my proposal.”
“I understand where you're coming from, but I just-”
“Or else I tell Ena about 'Vazzies'.”
Viasmos was frozen in his tracks. He stared at Filotim in disbelief. “You wouldn't!”
“She leaves this afternoon, I believe. I suppose you'll have to make a decision before then. She's quite the gossiper, that one. My, I wonder what ridicule you'd face if that got out? I daresay, even Chlorida might snicker.”
“Traitor... I thought you were loyal to me!”
Filotim grinned and stifled a laugh. “My loyalty is exactly why I feel the need to strong-arm you on this.”
Viasmos shook his hands like he was itching something imaginary, then grunted angrily. “Fine! You win! I'll think up some fucking names!” He turned to Marin with an irate glare. “I hope you like getting deepthroated, you damn whore! I ain't gonna be soft on you at all the rest of the morning!”
Marin slinked back under the covers, trying to remove herself from the situation as much as possible. Filotim, in contrast, was quite thankful to the girl for giving him the ammunition he needed to get Viasmos to concede on this point. He looked pleased as punch.
“Well, I won't ask you to commit to anything just yet, but did you have any preliminary ideas?”
“Hmm, not for the most part. Though I guess if I'm gonna do a planet name, I can bang one out. Not like I really care about that too much. Let's see... maybe...”
Viasmos didn't have much experience when it came to these matters, so he turned to Earth customs. They named nearby planets using references to mythology, but that didn't really work. Tharsis didn't have any mythology to work with. Even older civilizations were pretty scarce with their myths. Then again... he could always borrow Earth mythology. The people of Earth may be weak and pathetic, but they had their uses. They could at least use their system as a stepping stone while they got used to this "naming" thing. He scoured his mind for anything he could remember about the many Earth mythologies – which was admittedly not very much. He didn't see much utility out of researching Bronze Age myths that nobody believed in anymore, so he'd only learned bits and pieces.
But there was one name that sprung to mind, one he kind of vibed with. Yes, that might do quite nicely.
“...how about 'Ares'?”
Chapter 7: Chie Satonaka
Chapter Text
Three girls were lined up beside each other, standing at attention and awaiting instruction. They were also completely nude. The sight of the three exposed women would have been quite abnormal back on their world, but here, it was nothing more than another day.
“Hmm... decisions, decisions...” Viasmos muttered, looking at the ladies with all the concentration one might see from someone staring at a fast food menu. “I think... I'll be using Mitsuru's pussy to start with. Get over here, turn around, and bend down to the floor.”
“Yes, master!” Mitsuru quickly replied, not allowing for the slightest hesitation in her obedience. She was a most docile slave. Viasmos could be very scary, and she simply did not have the mettle to stand up to him. She pointed her ass to his groin and lowered her hands to the floor, awaiting his entry. She found herself uncomfortably aware of just how calm she'd become. There was always a little trepidation when it came to getting raped, but she'd definitely gotten used to it. None of the jitters or tics that usually found their way through her were present. She'd taken his cock enough times that it no longer filled her with the same kind of terror.
Yes indeed, just another day.
Viasmos penetrated her, and then clapped down on her cheeks. “Move, girl. I'm gonna have you do the work for now.” Again, Mitsuru did as instructed. Viasmos normally liked to take the lead in such matters, but occasionally he'd change it around. Besides, it wasn't as if he wasn't in control. She knew she couldn't just do what she wanted – there was an expectation that she'd conduct herself according to her master's needs. As she humped back along his dick, Viasmos snapped his fingers at the other two girls. “Yukari, on my left. Rise, on my right.”
“Yes, master!” they yelled in unison. They were no less subservient than Mitsuru. Rise had shown a bit of fight at the start of their first encounter, but by the end of it, she'd come to abide by his every whim. As for Yukari, she'd been here the longest of the three, and had been among the most submissive of his slaves ever since. The two girls went to his side as instructed, and felt his arms wrap around their shoulders. In another context, it would feel warm and loving to be held in the arms of such a big, strong man. To these girls, it sent a chill through them, the act a keen a metaphor for the control he held over their lives, day after day after day.
Viasmos leaned down to swap spit with Rise, who offered no resistance as he helped himself to her lips. Yukari, unoccupied for the time being, saw fit to ask a question that had been on her mind. “Master,” she started somberly. “Does having the three of us here together mean that you plan to go back to our world for your... next conquest?”
Viasmos pulled away from Rise and swung his head over to her. Pulling her closer to him, he brought his face to within a couple inches of her, and whispered with a smirk, “What makes you say that?”
“Ah, well... it's just... something I've noticed about you. When you're about to go to a world you've been to before, you like to play with the others toys you've gotten from there. Like with Rise, you had me and Mitsuru service you and Filotim under a table...”
His smirk expanded into an outright grin. “That's exactly right! What a smart, little fucktoy I've got!” He then pushed forward and sunk his tongue between her lips, giving her the same treatment he'd given Rise just before. Speaking of whom, Rise felt immense distress at that admission. Not that she hadn't suspected as much herself, but his confirmation meant that he was almost definitely going after one of her friends next. He'd practically said as much shortly after he'd abducted her.
“May... may I ask who you'll be targeting next, my master?” she asked, as respectfully as she could muster. Viasmos parted lips from Yukari so he could answer.
“Eh, I'm thinking I'll go after that tomboy-looking chick next.”
Rise's head sunk, though it wasn't as if any answer he gave would be a good one. She softly whispered “Chie...” to herself, lamenting the girl's fate.
“Is that her name? I don't remember. To tell the truth, the black-haired girl is more my type, but I figure I'll save her for last, you know? You can't just rush off to dessert for every meal. And besides, you three are such a tamed lot! We could use some fire for this group, don't you think? I'm vibing like she'll have some of that in store.”
Well, it was possible. Chie was certainly the type on the surface. But after getting raped, who knows? A girl never knew for sure how she'd come out of such a traumatic experience. Though Yukari didn't know Chie, she could empathize. She'd thought of herself as a tough, independent girl once upon a time too. The idea of her being some guy's meek sex slave was a laughable thought. It was only when she got attacked and used by Viasmos that she realized how dependent on others she really was, and how hopelessly she'd stay in Viasmos's grip.
There was no saving Chie. Or Yukiko, for that matter. Rise had accepted this long ago. The only thing Chie Satonaka would be able to decide was whether or not she'd be the same girl by the end of it all.
Upon entering the realm, Viasmos was struck by a familiar sense of certainty. This had happened last time, too. He knew where to go to locate the distortion, without any tangible information to work with. And yet, Viasmos still found himself surprised. Last time, he only knew to go to Inaba. But his instinctive knowledge was even more specific this time. It was telling him that the group he was looking for wasn't to be found in the natural world at this time. They were already in the TV world - or as it was also known, the Midnight Channel.
In fact, upon entering a TV, his intuition remained steadfast. He felt like he knew where to go to find them. It was convenient, but most curious, and something he spent a lot of time pondering over while he traveled to them. Last time, his conjecture was that his magical ties to Nyx were somehow responsible, and this seemed to further solidify that theory. The fact that this sheer certainty revolved directly around his interests left few realistic possibilities on the table. But why was the feeling getting stronger? Were he and Nyx becoming even more attuned to one another than before?
This world had only survived because of his interference. A cognitive barrier Viasmos manifested by ingraining his magical essence with that of the entity known as Nyx. As long as it was up, the dual-headed beast borne of humanity's grief would never be able to resonate with Nyx, thus preventing The Fall that would otherwise wipe out humanity. But that technique, even by the standards of a prodigy like Viasmos, was incredibly precise, and completely novel. If his relationship with Nyx was changing, then that warranted his notice. Such a change could eventually impact the efficacy of his barrier, and if that ever happened, The Fall would be re-initiated.
There were two reasons that couldn't be allowed. For one, it was probable that his slaves from this world were still inherently tied to Nyx, as all humans of this world were. If so, then even when they were trapped in another dimension, it was realistic to consider that they wouldn't be safe from The Fall. He couldn't allow his property to die. The other reason, of course, pertained to what he was doing now – he wasn't done with this world just yet.
Indeed, there were still plenty of women worthy of his attention. Namely, women with this “persona” power. It wasn't a power that rivaled his own by any means, but he found the nature of said power remarkably interesting. To turn one's very psyche into an attack was not your run-of-the-mill magic. It was a system very different from the one in his own world, and very different from any other world he'd visited thus far. It was worth studying, if nothing else.
Finally, he caught sight of the group he was looking for. He kept himself a fair distance away. Given the unforgiving opacity of this fog, it was doubtful they'd spot him from here. The team was, of course, down one – Rise has already been captured, after all. But there was also a new addition. Some guy in a suit, who seemed a little bit older than the rest of them. Even Viasmos had to concentrate to hear their conversation from so far away, but this newcomer didn't appear to be a friend. His name was Adachi, and he was having a rather testy exchange with the others. Some stuff about boredom, the world secretly wanting this, yada yada... something about not being able to get laid? Viasmos could almost see commonality between them, but he ultimately found this man to be a pathetic edgelord.
What did interest him was the curious sensation he felt pulsing from him. Once again, that curious absolution seemed to dominate his perception. This Adachi person had something inside of him. He wasn't being controlled, per se... but perhaps he was being influenced? This wasn't just another persona, he was sure of it.
Adachi battled the group, and Viasmos found himself conflicted. Ideally, he'd stop them before they got too exhausted. He didn't want to come in when they were all too tired for it to be fair – well, to the extent a fight with him could be considered fair. On the other hand, if they couldn't beat this Adachi guy and force this other being out of him, then it wasn't worth the trouble anyway. He decided to give them a chance to prove themselves before interfering.
The idealistic, young troupe proved far superior to the wannabe tough guy. “Damn... this is lame...” Adachi grunted in pain. “Ngh... oh well... Our world's gonna disappear soon, no matter what... I didn't have anywhere to go back to anyways... Everyone's gonna become shadows.” He then cackled softly, before suddenly lurching in pain. Adachi collapsed, and out from him emerged a dark shadow in his likeness.
“W-what the!?” sputtered a confused Chie.
“All humans... will become shadows,” the dark entity declared. “And I shall descend upon the united world... as the master of order.”
Viasmos, having sensed this being already, wasn't the least bit surprised... but the others were utterly perplexed. It probably didn't help that Rise wasn't there to analyze it, but thankfully, it was Yukiko who was finally able to pick up on what was happening. “Guys... this isn't Adachi! It's someone completely different!”
The shadow introduced itself as “Ameno-sagiri”. It spoke of itself as the master of the fog that would soon encompass the world, turning humans into shadows. Far from malevolent, however, Ameno-sagiri seemed to think of this as a peaceful world. Humans embrace their ignorance. They see things not for what they truly are, only for what they wish. Ameno-sagiri is a being borne of these desires, and its fog will allow humanity to embody these desires. It is merely acting in their best interests.
This was all sounding a bit too familiar. Indeed, Viasmos couldn't help but smirk, delighted by his own prescience. It's just like I thought... The Fall was prevented, but humanity's grief will continue to express itself in different ways.
The one thing Ameno-sagiri hadn't anticipated was the relentless struggle of these persona users. It did not seem entirely dismissive of these efforts. If humanity, even if only a small facet of it, could embrace reality, yearn for truth so powerfully that they would continually risk their lives in its name, then perhaps the fog did not need to engulf the world. For a being with such ruthlessly logical perspectives, it seemed quite open to withdrawing its plan entirely. But to make such a jarring change, this aspect of mankind needed to be tested. One more battle, to see just how strong the best of humanity really was.
Well, that was the plan it had in mind, anyway. Unfortunately, Viasmos was about to throw a big ol' wrench right into it. He had to admit, he was pretty interested to see how these people would fare against the enigmatic entity, but that was asking too much. They'd definitely be too fatigued after fighting this thing to give him any fun. It was time he made his debut.
He flew in-between Ameno-sagiri and the Investigation Team, announcing, “Hold up! Great speeches, both y'all, but I'm gonna take a crack at this thing instead. Okay?”
Needless to say, they were all overcome with confusion. Kanji asked, “Who's that?”, but nobody had an answer. Nobody, that is, except for Teddie.
“Heeey... I've smelled this before! I know! It's him! He's the man who took Rise!”
At the time, their glasses had been broken, and so the fog was much too thick to get a clear glance at Viasmos while he abducted Rise. Teddie's ability to pick up his scent was the only thing they could tie with him. The whole group was already prepared for battle, but suddenly, their attention was divided. Ameno-sagiri was most immediate threat to the world, but this person was a whole other enigma, and he'd taken one of their friends. It would be a challenge to pass up this opportunity.
“Who are you!? Where's Rise!? What have you done with her!?” shouted an enraged Chie.
“The name's Viasmos, and don't you worry, darling. Rise's just fine. In fact, you'll be seeing her real soon!”
They didn't know what to make of his taunts, but at the very least, it seemed Rise was alive. The silver-haired leader stepped forward and demanded the return of their friend. “Bring her back, fiend! We won't show mercy, so return her safely, or else!”
Chuckling at Yu's fearless tone, Viasmos turned back to them and said, “Chill for a minute, would ya'? I'm gonna destroy this thing you guys were fixing to fight anyway, right? So relax, sit back, and I'll get to you when I get to you.”
Though their anger was hardly quelled, he made a fair point. It would be better if their two enemies fought each other first. As long as Viasmos wasn't killed – they'd need him alive to track Rise down, after all – then it was a pretty decent offer.
Ameno-sagiri had been silent this whole time, but was watching Viasmos with vigilance. It could tell this was a human, but something felt different about him. It couldn't be sure what exactly, but something about his presence was distorted from how humans usually appeared to it.
Finally, it spoke to Viasmos. “What cause do you have to deny me? Do you also wish to resist humanity's own desires?”
“Nah, I don't give a shit about that. I'm here for my desires! And you're in the way of those desires. Can't have you turning everyone into shadows just yet, I'm afraid. I haven't finished having fun with this world just yet!”
“I see...” Ameno-sagiri replied. “Sheer self-interest... How disappointing.”
The shadow became surrounded by flame, and streaks of darkness tore through its body, before it sunk into a black pool encompassing the floor. This was not the work of Viasmos, however. Rather, it was simply a part of its transformation. The black pool rippled and bubbled until Ameno-sagiri emerged in its true form: An enormous, black sphere, coated with an array of thin, rainbow lines. Dominating its front was a singular eye, taking up nearly its entire center and upper-body.
“To defy me is a senseless act which goes against your world's wishes. Now... let everything vanish into the sweet fog of illusion.”
The fog began to thicken, enough that even Viasmos was having trouble seeing through it. There was a fairly obvious solution to that, however. Viasmos did a light double-clap with his hands, and the fog immediately dispersed. Naoto took off her glasses to confirm, and sure enough, the fog had been lifted.
“Everyone... the fog's disappeared! But how?”
Even the entity, Ameno-sagiri, seemed perturbed. This action defied all explanation. “By what means did you remove my fog, human?”
“Oh, I just wished it away.”
That was hardly a satisfying explanation. This wasn't a normal fog, it was the essence of Ameno-sagiri. It couldn't be waved away like a normal gas, as it was the product of cognition. A person might, might, be able to control the fog to a minor extent if they understood that much, and had a powerful enough psyche. But to dominate Ameno-sagiri's control right before its very presence was unfathomable.
Indeed, during his last visit, Viasmos doubted he'd have been able to win in a contest over the fog – not that it would have impacted his ability to win. But he felt so much stronger when it came to cognitive matters, and it was all thanks to Nyx.
“Explain,” it insisted. Viasmos, was fine with doing so, though not without a judgmental roll of his eyes.
“What? You think your fog is special because it's yours? In the end, you're all just Nyx. Shadows, personas, this fog, whatever manifestation may arise from individual or group cognition, it all comes down to being tied to Nyx. Just pieces of the collective unconsciousness.”
Yosuke looked around at his friends. “Uh... what's Nyx?”
None of them knew, but Ameno-sagiri eyed Viasmos with renewed suspicion. To say Ameno-sagiri knew of Nyx was uncertain, but it most definitely felt Nyx. The utterance of her name seemed to have triggered something within it, as though a whole new wing of the library was lit up. Always there, but hidden in the shadows.
“...How did you come to learn of Nyx, human?”
“Look, all you need to know is that my ties to Nyx are a little more concrete than your average human's. If I can influence Nyx, I can influence you, and I can influence your fog. That's the be-all, end-all.”
Ameno-sagiri was struck with uncertainty, a fact that unnerved it considerably. It had carried out its actions without doubt or fear to this point, but the very existence of this Viasmos person had suddenly thrown everything into chaos. He was an X-factor being introduced into the equation, and it was Ameno-sagiri which was at a total loss.
It only knew one thing for certain: He stood in the way of the fog. Then he would need to be erased. While the others fought for something it could respect, even if it did not comprehend their rationale, this being was purely selfish in his motives. This was no test to determine the fate of the world, no... it was simply about removing an obstacle.
The battle was opened with a summon of glowing meteors, using the spell “agneyastra”. Viasmos stayed hovered in the air with his arms crossed, waiting until the last moment to evade, and dodging the meteors without issue. Ameno-sagiri had expected as much, but it was still baffling to watch as Viasmos used powers without a persona. In fact, it wasn't apparent that it was cognition-oriented at all. From where did he draw his strength? Was it even capable of disrupting it?
Viasmos made an orb of his concentrated, scarlet-black aura, and threw it at Ameno-sagiri. It quickly cast rakukaja on itself, but even with its heightened defense, the massive globe that comprised its body was thrown back by the force. Viasmos flew towards it, so it countered by shooting a beam from its eye. It was unable to track Viasmos, however, as he flew to its base and lifted it up, pulling it right out of the ground like a carrot. The spectators behind him had their jaws drop as they watched what appeared to be a regular human bear the weight of the giant entity that was Ameno-sagiri.
Ameno-sagiri believed this to be a mistake on the part of Viasmos. It began to quake with enough force that it could have shaken the ground asunder if it was on it. Instead, all of that force was being slammed into Viasmos. While he was surprised enough to briefly lose his balance, he only had to readjust his stance. The weight itself was little trouble for him, it was only the volatile movements that necessitated some concentration. With that, he gently tossed Ameno-Sagiri up in the air – only about a couple feet. He then swung his hand around and smacked it like he was serving a volleyball.
As it went flying, Ameno-sagiri found itself trapped in its bewilderment. This person didn't make any sense. His strength, his speed, his durability, his unusual powers, they were entirely beyond the limitations of humans as it understood them. It needed to find out its secret.
After landing back on the ground, it sunk into it. A dense fog permeated out from within its body, and Ameno-sagiri shook like it was having a seizure. Viasmos might normally have waited to see what it was up to, but this wasn't his target. Just a side battle until he got to his real fun. With that in mind, he wasn't inclined to drag the battle out. He decided to punch it with enough force to shatter it... however, nothing happened.
Hmm? That's odd... pretty sure I didn't hold back as much as usual.
He tried punching it again, but nothing changed. His punch was entirely ineffective. Once more, an explanation had wormed its way inside his mind without needing to think about it. Ameno-sagiri had a technique that nullified attacks. This made sense... but was an unsatisfactory explanation to him. That couldn't be the whole story. He wasn't restricted by this world's rules. Their techniques should ultimately crumble under the weight of his magic capacity. So why wasn't that working?
Looking up, he could see that Ameno-sagiri was preparing something. It kept using spells to buff itself. Mind charge, then tarukaja, and even debilitate – a spell that inhibited Viasmos's own power. In a rare moment of surprise, he felt his strength fading from it. That spell probably shouldn't work on him in the first place, but even if it could, it shouldn't be this effective. So how could this be?
Is this another side effect of my merging with Nyx?
Was he less resistant because his magic was tied to the psyche that was rooted in the souls of all others? This time, there was no magic answer to pop into his head. No certainty with which he could proceed forward. Still, the hypothesis was sound. He stashed the thought away for another time, and refocused on the task at hand. He flew in front of Ameno-sagiri, a comfortable distance away, and thrust his arm forward. Magic channeled through him and built up around his hand.
“Well, if that's the way it's gotta be!”
He wasn't the slightest bit dejected at the changes to his body, nor the prospect of what Ameno-sagiri was cooking up. To the contrary, he welcomed it. There were few joys greater to the battle-hardened warlord than playing by someone else's rules, and winning anyway. His power would win out once again, and he'd happily prove it while facing this beefed-up attack head-on.
Finally, Ameno-sagiri stopped shaking, and returned to its normal posture. Aiming its enormous eye at Viasmos, it fired another laser out of its eye. This one was unlike the previous attack, however. It was thicker, hotter, and far, far stronger. It enveloped Viasmos completely, as he made no effort to dodge. Ameno-sagiri felt satisfied that this technique would incinerate all who were engulfed by it.
But it was wrong. Viasmos stayed in place, seemingly unbothered by the attack. That same smirk still decorated his face. Even a cold, logical entity like Ameno-sagiri could not help but feel genuine shock at the sight. A human had taken the full force of its potential as directly as one could imagine, and he appeared every bit as comfortable as before.
“Are you done? I am.”
With that, Viasmos shot the energy that had been accumulating in his hand. A beam of his scarlet-black aura shot forward and pierced Ameno-sagiri right through the pupil. A machine-like grunt reverberated throughout the expanse, and Ameno-sagiri became immobilized as the beam stayed in place, torn through its core. The power of his aura ripped through Ameno-sagiri, and it understood that it would soon be destroyed. This human's power was beyond its ability. Though not a living being, it still possessed something akin to a survival instinct, and attempted a final plea.
“No one wishes for the fog to lift. Why act against the wishes of your fellow man? Consider... is that truly just?”
Viasmos scoffed in amusement. “Not my fuckin' problem.” That was all he had to say. This wasn't his world anyway, but even if it had been, the wishes of his “fellow man” were about as far from his concern as could be. His wishes were all that mattered. He pumped one final surge of energy into the entity. Ameno-sagiri growled, then roared, then faded.
The God of Fog was no more, and with it, so too had the fog itself disappeared. The members of the Investigation Team could see it themselves. They'd already removed their glasses after Viasmos had cast the fog away, but they could see now that even across the horizon, there wasn't a speck of fog to be seen.
The world was saved. Hooray.
Except now they had this guy to worry about.
As their leader, Yu needed to make a decision fast. This was the man who'd kidnapped Rise. Worse, he'd defiled Rise. He needed to pay, and they needed to get her back. This was a golden opportunity. He'd shown himself before them, and was fresh off a battle with their other enemy. If there was ever a time to pounce, it was now. But still...
“Everyone, we need to retreat!”
He got more than a few looks of shock from the Investigation Team. Yukiko stammered, “B-but...”
“I know! But he's way too strong for us right now! We're not prepared for this. We'll only endanger ourselves if we try fighting him!”
It certainly didn't appear that Viasmos was the slightest bit weakened from his battle with Ameno-sagiri, in spite of their hopes. The Investigation Team had come here chasing Adachi, and were ready to take on whatever force was responsible for the fog. They were determined to win, and even the formidable sight of Ameno-sagiri's transformation had not diminished their confidence. But that man hadn't simply won, he'd flat-out dominated that fight. Against something which, not completely without merit, likened itself to a god. This was not someone they could presently hope to defeat.
“I agree with Yu's assessment,” Naoto stated calmly. “We need to escape the TV world immediately.”
“Grr... damnit!” Kanji grumbled, resigned to putting off Rise's rescue.
Viasmos watched with mild gaiety as the Investigation Team took off. Their instincts were good, but then again, it didn't really make a difference. He could catch up to them in no time. However, he decided to be a bit playful. He allowed them to run off a good distance, then prepared to open a portal. He'd go back to his world, come back to this one from outside the TV world, then go back in at that TV in Junes, and wait for them by the entrance. It would be funny to see the looks on their faces!
But he hit a slight snag. The portal didn't open.
Hmm?
He tried again, but nothing different happened. He could feel his energy flowing normally, but it wasn't expressing itself from inside the TV world.
But why? I was able to open one no problem when I took Rise...
Was this yet another complication from Nyx? She was becoming more trouble than she was worth. Okay, so he couldn't teleport from inside the cognitive realm anymore. No big deal, he'd abandon his original plan and catch up to them the old-fashioned way. Less fun, but same result.
The only problem was that this place was kind of a labyrinth. He'd given them too much of a headstart at this point, and wasn't sure where to go. If he really stepped his foot on the gas, he could uncover every nook and cranny of this place in under a minute, but that came with its own complications. His reflexes were pretty damn good, but he couldn't completely discount the risk of running into one of them at outrageously-high speeds and splattering them all over. What if he struck one of the girls that way? Who would he rape then? No, he had to use a little more caution in his approach.
What he needed was a way to slow the others down. Perhaps... Nyx could be useful. He was capable of removing the fog... what if he wanted to create it? He concentrated, trying to focus his energy and thoughts in a way that aligned with this world's rules. After about 30 seconds, a black mist manifested in his palm. He smirked in satisfaction.
It looked like he'd get to use a fun way, after all.
The Investigation Team kept running and running and running. They needed to regroup and come up with a plan for how to deal with Viasmos before tackling him head-on. Teddie led the way, as his nose would help them find the quickest path out of here. There was no sign of Viasmos to this point, so all seemed to be going well. However, that changed as the fog returned.
Everyone stopped in their tracks. Yosuke put on his glasses, but they did nothing for him. “Damnit all! Why aren't they working?”
Yu turned to Teddie... or at least, where he thought Teddie was. “Teddie, how long would it take to make a new pair of glasses?”
“I can't do that!”
“Why not?”
“Beclaws... I can't see in this fog either! I can't see a thing!”
Naoto wasn't surprised. This clearly wasn't the same fog that they were accustomed to. The dirty yellow that they'd associated with this world was now filled with a dreadful blackness, with flashes of red bursting from within like thunderclouds.
“This fog isn't the same as before. Most likely, the source is Viasmos.”
“But why wouldn't Teddie be able to see in it?” asked Yosuke.
Naoto shrugged... not that body language mattered when nobody could see each other. “Not sure, but we all saw how he was able to disperse the fog. The rules with him are clearly different. In any case, Teddie, are you still able to smell?”
“Oh yeah!” he answered jubilantly. “You can always count on this bear's nose!”
“I see. This is likely to try and slow down our escape. We'll have to go a little slower. However, as long as we have Teddie's nose, we can still find the way out of here.”
Naoto's assurances left them with hope that they'd still manage to escape. However, Naoto understood that her proposal was easier said than done. Besides the threat of Viasmos gaining on them and emerging at any moment, there was an even bigger concern. The fog may have been lifted from the Midnight Channel, but the same couldn't be said of shadows.
Sticking together as a group proved difficult when a group of shadows happened upon them and attacked. They proved little danger against the might of their personas, but there were enough of them that the group couldn't help but be separated. Once done, Yu asked for everyone to call out, to see who was still there. Three people were missing: Kanji, Chie, and Yukiko.
Yu was especially scared for Yukiko, his girlfriend. He wouldn't wish Rise's fate on any of his friends, but the thought of Yukiko being violated left him with a deeper level of disgust. “Teddie,” he shouted. “Can you sniff them out for us?”
“Let's see...” Teddie sniffed a couple times and reported, “Kanji's not too far away, I don't think, and I think Chie and Yukiko are together!”
That did a little to relieve him, knowing Yukiko wasn't completely alone. She had her best friend in her corner, at least. Still, they'd need to backtrack a little to get everyone back. They turned back, with Teddie assuring them that they'd catch up soon, until another group of shadows happened upon them. As much as Yu would prefer to run, there was no escaping with this opaque, black fog all around them. They had no choice but to fight.
Sorry Yukiko, everyone, hold out just a little longer!
Chie sprinted forward with Yukiko in hand, ensuring the two of them weren't separated. She had been trying to race towards Yu and the others, but it was starting to look like she'd gone somewhere else completely. It seemed her sense of direction was only marginally better than her skills in the kitchen.
Yukiko had to stop to take a breath. “I... think...” she said in-between huffs, “we should have... stayed put.”
“Couldn't be helped, there were too many shadows,” Chie replied. “But yeah... I think we're lost. This black fog is no joke.”
"No joke... haha... hahahahaha-"
"Seriously, Yukiko? Stop laughing!"
The original fog was also a bitch to see through, no question, but it wasn't quite so ominous. There was a sense of malice that wasn't present in Ameno-sagiri's fog, as if they were trapped in the grip of whoever made this, dancing to his tune.
“Shit, I'll bet this is exactly what he wanted! That bastard was hoping we'd lose our way and get separated!”
“Why though? He didn't seem afraid to take us all on...”
“To mess with us, maybe? Who knows with jerks like that?”
Chie mashed her teeth together as she thought about what Rise had gone through. This Viasmos guy really pissed her off. But at least they knew Rise was alive. That meant they could save her, if they just had a little more time.
“Shadows!”
Yukiko broke Chie out of her own head as yet more shadows closed in on them. Even their silhouettes were invisible thanks to the blackness of the fog, but they could still hear them approaching. Chie could even recognize the sounds of some specific shadows. Among them was a larger shadow, which looked like a minotaur in chains with an upside-down mask. They'd fought them before, and they were pretty tough enemies, but could be managed easily enough with wind-based attacks. Unfortunately, that was Yosuke's department. Neither Chie nor Yukiko had any powers regarding the wind element. They certainly weren't like Yu, an anomaly of a persona user who could switch out different personas. They were outnumbered, blinded, and ill-suited for the battle ahead.
But none of that turned out to be a problem. All of a sudden, they could see again. The black fog cleared itself, swirling around the two girls and the shadows like it was some kind of arena. Before either of them could make sense of what had happened, another figure entered the fray: Viasmos. He leapt in-between the two parties, and turned towards the shadows. Chie immediately grabbed Yukiko's hand and ran back towards the fog. Blind or not, it was better than being around him.
However, Chie found they couldn't get through. Something was blocking them off from escaping. Viasmos clicked his tongue and said, “I wouldn't bother, ladies. It took me a touch longer than I'd like to find you again, so I'm not letting you escape. Just stay put, enjoy the show, and I'll get to you in a second.”
Chie glared at him. He talked like they should look forward to his attention. She knew what was on his mind, and had no intention of going along with it. She instructed Yukiko to help look for a soft spot in the barrier, but there was none to be found. Viasmos was confident enough in the matter that he didn't feel the need to even turn in their direction. He kept focused on the approaching shadows.
Despite her attention on the barrier, Chie could not help but turn back as she heard the fight taking place. Viasmos had lunged right into the mass of shadows, taking them out one by one with only his body. No magic, no personas, just good, old-fashioned punches and kicks. His raw strength was one thing, but what Chie found herself entranced by was the way he moved around them. A longtime fan of martial arts and kung fu movies, she had to admit to herself how impressive he was. No movement was wasted, and every hit landed critically. She wouldn't mind learning a thing or two from him if he wasn't such a disgusting piece of shit.
For the finisher, he dodged a punch from the minotaur-like shadow, hopped off its arm, and slammed his fist into its face. That was the last of the shadows, and with them, the last of their time to find a way to escape. Viasmos turned to them with a smirk, and while Yukiko shrunk and quivered, Chie got right in-between them.
“Bastard... I won't let you do to Yukiko what you did to Rise!”
“Actually, I'm here for you.”
“O-oh... Really?”
That disarmed her quite a bit, almost to the point of blushing. Yukiko was always more popular with the boys. Despite having been best friends for so long, it was something Chie had some insecurities over. Considering a famous model like Rise had been his first target, she figured he'd go for the more feminine of the two girls, but apparently not.
“Yeah, really. All the chicks I've nabbed from your world are fun, but I don't have anyone who'll snap back at me while I have my fun. I thought you just might fit the bill!”
There were a few questions that popped into their minds when they heard this. How many women have you taken? Where are you keeping them? Why are you such a vile worm of a man? But chief among them had to be in regard to that little slip of his.
“O-our world? What does that mean?”
“Oops!” Viasmos playfully put his hand to his mouth, though his smile did little to sell any discontent on his part. “Didn't mean to say that out loud!”
They couldn't be sure exactly what he meant. It was a piece of information so vague that, if anything, it only made him more fearsome. They now knew he came from something beyond their imagination, but that only made fighting him seem that much more unfathomable.
“W-well, in any case! It doesn't matter! I'm not gonna let you take me, either!”
Yukiko stood up and ran beside her friend. “Right! We'll take you on together.”
“Together, one at a time, tag in, doesn't matter to me. Either way, I'll be balls deep in you by the end.”
Chie had to stop from choking off that disgusting visual he'd placed in her head. She struck the first move, casting a bufudyne spell on Viasmos. Her persona, Suzuka Gongen, appeared above her and fired at an unmoving Viasmos. He was encased in ice, though he hardly seemed bothered. The ice quickly started to crack against his strength.
“Damnit! He's fine after that?”
“I've got this!” Yukiko declared. She summoned her persona, Amaterasu, and invoked the agidyne spell. A furious flame descended upon Viasmos. It was no more effective, and in fact, had the negative effect of melting the ice away. Viasmos chuckled at the oversight.
“Kinda defeats the purpose, no?”
“Uhh... I'm sorry, Chie!"
“It's fine... not like he wasn't going to break out of it anyway. Fire off another one! I'll buy you some time!”
Chie ran forward and tried to strike Viasmos, who put his hands in his pockets and effortlessly dodged her attacks. She wasn't a pro or anything, but she wasn't a bad fighter by any means. Seeing him mock her by making all her efforts look like the furious flailing of a child had her seeing red. She went for a kick to his face, but he grabbed her by the ankle and held her in place.
“Aww... I thought I'd get a little sneak peek at the goods, but you're wearing shorts underneath your skirt...”
“Of course I am! And shut up! How dare you make light of me!”
Determined to punish him, she swung her other leg up to kick him in the face, but he simply caught that leg, too. She was now hanging upside down, her head at about his knees. Even from here, she couldn't easily punch him, since she was facing away from him. Viasmos swung her back and forth, similar to how one might shake off a rug.
“Agh! Stop! Let me go!”
“Hahaha, you know, I'm not even doing all that much right now. As soon as you came charging, I weakened myself to be only about as strong as a regular human from this world. And you still couldn't hit me! I've got you helpless in this position and I've barely even tried! Haha, well, that's just the difference between men and women for ya'.”
He had to be lying, right? She may be female, but there was no way he could have the strength and speed of just a regular man, and still crush her so easily. He had to be trying to crush her spirits. Only... there wasn't really much point to that, was there? It wasn't like he needed a psychological advantage to overcome her. So why tell her that. Because it was fun? Because it was... true?
Maybe a bit of both.
“Chie! Get out of there!”
Yukiko was finally ready, having used every spell in her arsenal to beef up this next attack. Fire Amp, Mind Charge, everything she had to make this next agidyne mean something. Chie couldn't break out of his grasp, but fortunately, he had no intention of holding her hostage. He tossed her away, and welcomed the attack Yukiko had in store for him. She swung her fan, and the fireball surged towards him.
Before the flames could die out, Chie regrouped with Yukiko. They had no intention of staying idle – they'd continue to bombard him. They each summoned their personas and used a fusion attack they'd practiced together: Twin Dragons. Fire and ice surrounded them, and a magic circle appeared on the floor underneath the hopefully-smoldering Viasmos. An apparition of a golden dragon circled around, and an ethereal flower bloomed in the center. At the moment the petals spread out to their furthest point, an explosion of energy followed.
“Nice one, Yukiko!” Chie shouted, celebrating with a high five.
“You too, Chie!”
But their jubilation was short-lived. With the smoke finally cleared, Viasmos was still standing in the center of that. He looked at them with intrigue, surprised at the amount of power they had.
“I gotta say, I didn't think I'd find anyone fun outside of Makoto and maybe that Yu guy, but you two pack more of a punch than I expected. You...” he stared at Yukiko. “You've got a little more spunk than I thought. And you... you're sure as hell not a quitter. Your power's more or less the same as Mitsuru's, but you're not afraid to get a little rough. That'll be a good quality of yours down the road, I'm sure!”
It was hard for Chie to accept his praise when he was so unaffected by their trump card, but at least they'd managed to impress him. Maybe that meant they had some kind of chance? “Yukiko, get ready!” she said, summoning her persona, but Yukiko didn't follow right away. “Yukiko, what the hell are you doing!?”
Yukiko stared blankly towards Viasmos. “Mitsuru... Kirijo...?”
Viasmos's surprise was evident from the way his eyes flared up. “Oh, you know her?”
“N-no... but when you said the name, I wondered if it could be the same Mitsuru. The Kirijo Group is a globally-famous trading company. I remember hearing a long while back about how the President of the Kirijo Group had died, and his daughter went missing shortly thereafter. Everyone thought she must have killed herself from the grief... but that's what really happened, isn't it? You happened.”
“Mhm, that's right.”
"And she can use a persona, just like us?"
"Correct."
“...And you're keeping her in the same place you have Rise, don't you?”
“Yep.”
“I see... in that case... we'll have someone else to save!”
Amaterasu was summoned once again, but instead of fire swirling around her, it was darkness. Chie immediately recognized this as the spell, mudoon. It wasn't guaranteed to hit, but if it did, it was an instant kill.
“Wait, Yukiko! If you kill him, we won't be able to find the others!”
Yukiko didn't hear Chie, however. Up to this point, her heart had bled only for Rise. But now that she knew who this man was, and how he'd assaulted other women, she realized how selfish she'd been. This man was a menace to more than just her and their friend group. He was no different from the Midnight Channel, a threat to their entire world. He was a monster, and they had to fight him with every bit the conviction that they'd brought to Adachi.
This wasn't actually the first time Viasmos had encountered this kind of magic. Back when he abducted Mitsuru, a dog of all things had tried to use it on him. It hadn't worked, of course, because instant death magic couldn't work on him. Such magic existed in many forms, and Aresians of all manner were well-protected from them. Any warrior stupid enough to overlook such a glaring danger was pretty much asking to get killed in embarrassing fashion. Logically, Yukiko's mudoon should be no more effective.
But Viasmos was suddenly not so sure about that. It would be a mistake to compare the event with the dog with this one now; Not with the stark changes in how his magic had been flowing lately. His bond with Nyx was in its infancy last time. Who's to say that such magic wasn't effective against him now? It was plausible that his own magic wouldn't be effective in thwarting it anymore, and he'd instead need to defend using their magic.
He couldn't use their magic, so that wasn't really an option. Should he stop her with force? He could simply hit her, interrupt her spell, and knock her out. Problem solved. Indeed, that was his first instinct. However, something stayed his hand. Should he even try to dodge? There was no way of knowing for certain if this spell would work on someone like him or not. Was there a better time to find out? Of course, if it did work, then he'd die. His body's ability to reconstitute itself even in death might not even make a difference. To many, the risk would be too great... but Viasmos was a unique case. He was a Tharsian. Even before his reign, back in the days of many warring nations, Tharsians were known for their biologically-ingrained suppression of fear. Their brains just didn't have the right chemistry for it. In the cases of some, their capacity for fear was absent entirely.
Viasmos was one of those people. He understood fear as a concept, and of course he made a real effort not to die, but he could not actually experience it himself. Danger didn't make him scared – to the contrary, it excited him. And the idea of one of his future victims having the potential to kill him was too exciting to pass up. So he did nothing. He stood there grinning, waiting anxiously for the moment of truth.
The dejection was apparent on Yukiko's face, as Viasmos ended up having no reaction to her attack. Did mudoon miss? Or was it ineffective entirely? Maybe she could be certain if Rise were here, but they didn't have a capable analyzer as things stood. Viasmos, for his part, couldn't even tell that anything had happened. It was only through her reaction that he could tell the attack was a dud.
“Ah, what a shame. I thought that might've had a chance this time, but I guess not.”
“You've... had someone use that on you before?”
“Yeah, a dog.”
“A do-? You're joking...”
“No, really. A dog used that spell on me. It barked and everything.”
“A dog... haha... hahahaha....hahahahahahahaha!”
Viasmos did think the idea was a little funny, but he was surprised the girl was laughing so hard, considering what he was about to do to her friend. She must be more open to bedroom kinks than he thought if she could stay this lighthearted.
“Hamaon!”
Both he and Yukiko (broken out of her laughing fit) turned to Chie, who had just cast the light-based equivalent of the same spell. Chie was just against the idea of killing Viasmos, but she felt she'd discerned something from his reaction to her Yukiko. She sensed a genuine tension in his body language, as though his death might very much be possible. So far, nothing they'd done had done much more than scratch him; Even having Yu and the others here might not be enough. At this rate, she was on track to become his next victim. Killing him was a problem where Rise was concerned, yes, but... she had to try. She had to see if there was anything they could do to stop this monster.
Viasmos had seen this spell, as well, courtesy of a young boy. With mudoon having fallen flat, he felt no particular regard for hamaon. If mudoon was utterly ineffective, this one shouldn't be any different. However... he quickly discovered this wasn't the case. He dropped to a knee as an intense discomfort overtook him. It wasn't painful, per se... it just didn't feel good. Like every cell in his body was being stressed by some unseen force. He started gasping as air became more difficult to take in. Sweat dripped from every pore. His body temperature rose, and his face was flushed. Though the concept was more or less foreign on Ares, his condition could be compared to being sick.
“Is... is he dying?” Chie asked herself aloud, surprised at herself that it seemed to be working.
“Heh... not quite yet... I'm afraid,” Viasmos muttered through strained breathing. He slowly stood back up, still not feeling great, but his condition slowly improving. Unlike with Yukiko, there was no question that Chie's attack had successfully hit him. However, though it was supposed to cause instant death, it failed to achieve that aim with him. Viasmos himself wasn't certain exactly why that was... but clearly, there were still limits to Nyx's influence on his magic.
For Chie, this was the best of both worlds. Her attack didn't kill him, but it could at least inhibit him. She used the success of her attack to apply pressure. “I'll use it again! I mean it! Now tell us where Rise is! Now!”
But Viasmos was unbothered by her threats. “Hahaha, you don't really think that's enough to take me down, do you? I'll admit, I'm not 100%, but I'm more than okay to take on two measly girls. Sorry sweetheart, but playtime's over. Or rather... heh, I suppose it's just beginning!”
“Hamao-”
Before Chie could finish uttering the spell, Viasmos was on her in a flash. He palmed her in the gut, causing her to lurch forward in pain. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled on her, but Yukiko threw her fan at his arm, causing him to let go. She then followed up with another flame attack, in the hopes that it would at least keep him at bay.
“Quick, Chie! Use it again!”
“Ha-hamaon!”
Suzuka Gongen once again emerged, casting hamaon on Viasmos. It managed to hit him again, but this time he knew what to expect. He fought through the vexing sensation overcoming his body, as well as through Yukiko's fire. He slapped her across her cheek, knocking her to the floor, and clasped her neck with a scarlet-black ring.
“AgidyYYYYYYYYEEEEEEE!” Yukiko's next fire spell was interrupted by a fearsome shock that engulfed her body. For all her experiences in the Midnight Channel, she'd never felt pain like this. She collapsed on the ground, weakly tilting her head to look up at Viasmos.
“Yukiko!” Chie cried out.
“I'd be careful, if I were you. If I sense any aggressive intent, I'll have that thing around your neck shoot a jolt through you.”
“You... you gave me a shock collar!? Am I supposed to be some sort of dog?”
“Well, you're certainly my bitch. Or will be soon, anyway. Your friend here is tonight's entertainment, however.”
“Hamaon!”
While Viasmos was distracted, Chie tried to hit him again. This time, the attack did not connect. Viasmos rolled his eyes and smacked her with the back of his hand, sending her to the floor. “Geez, learn to take an L, would ya'? You gave it your best shot, but you lost, and now you're gonna get raped. That's just how it is. Sorry!”
“No, Chie!” Yukiko popped up and tried to run to her friend's defense, but she was immediately incapacitated by another surging jolt ripping through her body. Chie wasn't ready to give up, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed. She bolted up and ran towards Viasmos, knowing she wasn't likely to get another use of her persona out. She tried to strike him, sending a flurry of kicks his way, but he blocked them all. He didn't even need to move. His overwhelming dominance was enough to make her lose just a touch of her composure, and water pooled in the corners of her eyes.
“Alright, that's enough. Let's get on with the show.” Viasmos grabbed her ankle as she sent a kick towards his face, and pulled her up against him. The leg he'd grabbed was now hooked over his shoulder, and her precious lady parts were pressed against his thigh. Viasmos moved his hands to the zipper in the center of her sports jacket, and gently slid it down. He held her in place with her other hand around her hips. She wound up a fist and slammed him in the face, but he was motionless like a statue. Chie trembled slightly, loathe as she was to show weakness – she really couldn't hurt him at all.
Viasmos laughed and grabbed her hair on the back of her head. “Ooh, kitten's got claws, huh?” He pulled her head backwards and licked up her neck, undeterred by her agonized groans. “See, I knew you'd have some fire for me.”
“Ch-Chie...”
He twisted around, dropping Chie's upper body and letting her hang as though they were in a dance. Smirking at Yukiko, he said, “You know, I could've just knocked you out or put you to sleep or something. It would have been an easier way to keep you from interfering with me. Know why I didn't? Because I figured it'd be fun to have you nice and lucid while I violate your best friend in front of you. Pretty slick, huh?”
As Yukiko's face dropped with grief, Chie grit her teeth and grumbled, “You're a real sick fuck, you know that?”
He turned back to Chie and chuckled. “I've been called as much and worse, doll. I guess chicks just don't really get me. But hey, that's the nice thing about being the guy – I don't really need them to.” As Chie tried to think of how to retort, she was caught off guard when he leaned down and stole her lips. She'd never been kissed before... and this wasn't exactly how she imagined it going. Far removed from any sort of romantic inclination, all she felt was a slimy appendage rummaging around in her mouth. It was disgusting. Her protests were obviously muffled, though it was unlikely they would have done much to deter Viasmos regardless. After several seconds of this agonizing assault, she slapped him several times on his cheek. Just like her punch from earlier, however, he showed no sign of discomfort. If anything, it was turning him on more. Unable to pull away or push him off, Chie finally just had to hang limply and wait for him to finish.
When he finally stopped kissing her, he stood her upright and roughly tore off her clothes. First her jacket, then her shirt, then her mini-skirt, and so on until she was entirely naked. Chie wrapped herself in her arms, deeply embarrassed.
“Hey, you ain't got nuthin' to be ashamed of. I mean, you ain't peak feminine or anything, but that has its own charm to it, if you ask me.”
“Sh-shut up! I'm not asking you!”
Ignoring her, he continued to assess her body. “You've got a pretty nice ass, decent breasts, a cute smile when you're not scowling like that... there's plenty to work with! You should be a little more confident in your body.”
It wasn't a bad message, but the messenger sure was. He decided to perk her up a bit by grabbing her butt, which brought a high-pitched squeal and a swift elbow to the chest. Even though she realized she wasn't strong enough to hurt him, she couldn't stop herself from hitting him out of instinct. Frankly, she didn't want to. Even if it was meaningless, it offered her some sense of retribution to be able to hit back at him.
He ignored the hit, of course, continuing to massage her ass as he pulled her in against his body. A sharp scream was heard as Yukiko was again electrified by the current of Viasmos's aura. He grabbed Chie's chin with his free hand and forcefully tilted her head to look at Yukiko. “Aww, look at your friend! She's crying, isn't she? Poor thing. She wants to badly to help, but all she can do is watch as you get raped. What's a girl to do?”
His taunts were too much. Chie couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face as she watched Yukiko's agonized expression. She whispered, “You're awful... so fucking awful...” There wasn't a more beautiful relationship in her life than the one she shared with Yukiko. Even having had to face some hard truths about the nature of their friendship, she still felt that way. Now this bastard was using their friendship to tease her. To break her. She whipped her head around at him as soon as he let go of her face. “Sick freak, who gets off to something like this?”
“Well, me, that's for sure. Most other Tharsian males. And based on what Marin's said before, at least a few ordinary humans. So maybe I'm not as unusual as you thought? Heh, not like it makes a difference. Even if I was the only one who enjoyed taking women by force, I'd still partake without apology or remorse. I live by my own rules, for my own interests. I don't care about the approval of others.”
His psychopathy aside, just what was a Tharsian? Chie felt like that was an important clue to his origins, but was wholly unequipped to solve such a mystery... certainly at the present time, as her body was being groped and toyed with.
Viasmos placed both hands on her shoulders and shoved her down. He walked around her, whipped his cock out, and threw it in her face. She quickly pulled away, repulsed at the sight, but the iron grip of Viasmos quickly repositioned her head to where he wanted it. She pursed her lips, desperate to keep his dick away, even as it prodded against her face. She shook her head and mumbled, “Mhm mhm!” in disapproval, which got a laugh out of Viasmos.
“Hahaha, girls are so cute when they think they have a choice. Do you realize just how pointless your resistance is? Let me illustrate.”
He let go of Chie, much to her surprise. She didn't even react right away, she just looked up at him in confusion. Suddenly, she was lifted into the air, even though no hands were upon her. She spun, flipped, and folded in mid-air, completely against her will. She felt like a puppet held up by invisible strings.
“What the hell is this!?”
“Just simple telekinesis. Nothing too wild. My point is that I don't have to hold you in place, threaten you, or even fight you in the first place. I can simply will you into whatever position I like. You know why I don't do that?” Chie's frantic movements cease, and she is placed back in her previous position, on her knees before Viasmos. “Because I find your struggle fun. That's all it is.”
That was... a dejecting thought. Here she was, fighting tooth and nail for her chastity, but she was only allowed to put up such an effort because he was allowing it. Because he wanted it. Her pain, her labor, her failure, they were all just part of the entertainment for him.
“That being said, please, fight on,” Viasmos teased. “I was hoping for a chick with more of a backbone this time around. I do hope you live up to my expectations!”
She almost got the sense that this was a test for her. After all, that display of power would have been unnecessary if he wanted her to continue. Did he want to see if she'd still fight, even when it was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was hopeless? And if that was what he wanted, should she even do it? Maybe it would be better if she relented. In appeasing his desires, she'd collapse his high expectations.
But no, that didn't feel right. What right did this man have to dictate her behavior? No matter what he did to her body, her spirit was her own. It's not like she'd been fighting him because she thought he'd be discouraged in the first place. She was fighting for herself. Meaningless as it was, she'd at least know for herself that she gave it her all.
So when his penis poked again at her lips, she reeled back and sealed her mouth as best she could. Viasmos smiled, clearly pleased to see the woman hadn't broken so easily. Shoving her head forward, he circled her lips with glans before spiraling towards the middle and forcing it in. In spite of her efforts, her lips were forced apart, unable to withstand the might of his invasion.
Yukiko couldn't bear watching her friend like this, and cried out, “Please! Stop!” She wanted so badly to throw him off of her and burn him to a crisp, but she was afraid of getting shocked again. It hurt so badly... was she a bad friend if she didn't help her, instead of bearing through the pain? But there was no way to endure it, that would be a fool's errand. Yukiko hated to be pacified, but knew it was hopeless to fight against his magic. She could only appeal to his humanity.
“No way am I stopping,” Viasmos said whilst staring down at his delightful, new plaything being forced along his shaft. “You people always seem to think you can talk me out of it. I am what I am, and I do what I like. You want me to stop? There's only one way to do that. Make me stop.”
“B-but... we can't stop you!” Yukiko whimpered, humiliated to have to make such an admission.
“Then I guess there's nothing more to say. Be a good girl and enjoy the show!”
It broke her heart in two, knowing there really wasn't anything she could do. Viasmos had complete control over the situation, and he made it perfectly clear that there was no talking him out of it. All Yukiko could do was watch as her friend was used as a plaything.
Yukiko... it's okay... Chie thought to herself, obviously unable to speak at the moment. It's not your fault...
As mortifying as it was to know her best friend could see everything that was happening to her, she also found it gave her some comfort. Her friend's presence gave her a sense of emotional support, and something else to focus on than what was happening to her. After all... this was pretty excruciating. She'd never sucked a cock before, and a gargantuan one like Viasmos's wasn't exactly her preferred debut. She felt like a rookie being asked to take on a black belt. Her jaw was stretched to its limits, and her throat was being repeatedly stuffed, making it a pain just to breathe. Her tongue was constantly sliding along his girth, unavoidably being able to feel his every contour. It disgusted her to have such an intimate knowledge of a man she despised so deeply.
But maybe the worst part was his face. Looking up at him as he used her mouth, he did nothing to hide just how much he was enjoying himself. Those condescending eyes, that cheerful smirk... he was having a great time at her expense. Seeing his pleasure only filled her with more hatred... which ironically, was probably just pleasuring him more.
He pulled his dick out and plopped it on her face. She hated to have it touching her like that, but was glad her mouth finally vacant. As if to punish her for feeling even a moment of relief, he rubbed his dick around, slathering her face with the remnants of her saliva. Chie groaned with repugnance, incredulous that she was being treated so cruelly for her first time.
It was only about to get worse. He grabbed her by the neck and pushed her back and down to the floor. Even a virgin could understand what was coming. Although she'd come to accept this was inevitable, she refused to give in. “Get – off me! Shit!”
“Still fighting, even as you're about to be made into a woman, hmm?”
“Shut up! Of course I am! I'm not just going to be your plaything lying down!”
“Uh huh... and I assume we're speaking figuratively, yes?”
“Fuck you!”
Viasmos spread her legs apart, and it went without saying that Chie couldn't close them back up against the bearing of his powerful arms. Shortly afterwards, she watched his penis close in on her. She threw an arm over her eyes to cover her tears, and tensed up in preparation for the theft of her chastity.
And then she heard a laugh.
It wasn't Viasmos, but it was familiar.
She looked over at the noise, as did Viasmos and Yukiko. Watching from outside the barrier, it was none other than Adachi.
“Hahahaha, now isn't this interesting!” He mocked. “I was ready to accept my defeat and be taken in by you guys, but how about this? You can't get a show like this in the real world!” He had no idea who Viasmos was, or where he was from, but he was certainly thankful. Not only for his freedom, but for the shameful act he was about to put on with Chie.
They could only assume that he'd eventually woken up after their attempt at escaping. Without Ameno-sagiri in him, he wouldn't be as much of a threat, but he could still hold his own against shadows. He must have blindly waded through the thick, black fog and found himself here. It was a horrible piece of misfortune to add onto an already miserable experience.
“Go on,” he encouraged. “Do it! Violate her! Make her cry and beg and squeal! That's what bitches like her deserve! Isn't that right!?”
Viasmos dispelled his barrier, flicked his finger, and a burst of air struck Adachi in the forehead, knocking him backwards.
“I didn't ask your incel ass a goddamn thing!”
He had delayed his fun with Chie when the man had taken his attention, but no longer. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? Why was he tainting Viasmos's good time with his pathetic ideology? This had nothing to do with him. If he was smart, he'd have kept on walking and found a way to escape and hide. Or he could have at least watched quietly, without putting the spotlight on himself. But no, he interrupted Viasmos, made this about him, and the Tharsian wasn't going to stand for it.
He walked over to Adachi, completely ignoring Chie at this point, with a look of sheer contempt. He cracked his knuckles, signaling his violent intentions.
“W-wait! You and me, we're the same!”
“Okay, now I know you want me to beat you senseless.”
Viasmos knelt down and punched him. Again, and again, and again. Adachi was bruising, bleeding, and losing teeth from the pummeling his face was taking. The only thing saving him from death was the fact that Viasmos took a lot of pride in his strength, and part of that pride meant not killing pathetic weaklings just because he could. He felt that kind of behavior was for insecure losers, not true beacons of dominance like himself.
“You think you're like me, you pathetic, little shit?” Viasmos calmly corrected in-between punches. “I'm a king of my own making. I take what I want. Do you see me crying and getting all salty because some bitch doesn't want to sleep with me? No, I fucking deal with it my own way. I won't be winning any feminist awards anytime soon, but I can sure as hell say I've never gotten murderously bitter over rejection like a little bitch.”
As Adachi got turned into a pulpy mass, Chie had crawled over to Yukiko, tugging desperately at the collar Viasmos had made out of his own aura. “Chie, just – just get out of here!” Yukiko begged, recognizing that Viasmos had taken his barrier down. But Chie shook her head. She wouldn't leave Yukiko alone with this maniac, certainly not to save herself.
“Come on, come on!” she grumbled at herself, trying to rip her collar off. But it was no good. Such magic was beyond the strength of a normal girl. She considered her persona might be able to do something, but that wasn't an option. She couldn't risk an attack at Yukiko's neck that might not even work.
She then felt a chilling grip around her hips, pulling her backwards from Yukiko. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Viasmos... or that it was his tip she felt brushing against her entrance.
“Alright, I left that guy over there. Do whatever you want with him once I'm done here,” he said to Yukiko, as if the rape he was preparing to commit wasn't even worth mentioning.
Yukiko cried for her friend and pleaded, “W-wait! Please!”
“Oh god...” Chie muttered, acknowledging her fate.
Viasmos shot his hips forward, burying his whole length inside of her in a single thrust. Just like that, Chie's virginity was taken, and she looked over at Yukiko with tears streaming down her cheeks. Yukiko cried as well, and bolted up to stop him, briefly forgetting all about the collar that kept her in check. Viasmos had not forgotten, however, and a screaming Yukiko collapsed to the floor as unfathomable pain once again surged through her body.
Speaking of surging through one's body, Chie was frozen stiff as she felt Viasmos drive into her over and over again. Being inexperienced, she was completely unprepared for the ravaging her pussy was taking. His cock was like a hammer, pounding throughout her flesh. She hated Viasmos for doing this, of course, but she also hated herself. She hated feeling so weak, so helpless, like she was just a typical girl. Even before acquiring her persona, she took pride in her vigor and independence. But now? Just a sad, pitiful rape victim. That's all she was.
“Shit! Damnit! Fuck!”
Viasmos laughed, further deepening Chie's chagrin. Again, her anger and malaise were treated as mere entertainment by her rapist. And the bastard would get away with it, because neither Chie nor Yukiko had anywhere near the power necessary to overcome this scumbag. He could laugh all he wanted, and there'd be no comeuppance.
“Take a good, long look,” Viasmos said, looking at Yukiko. “This'll be you soon enough. Maybe ask your friend here if she's got any rape tips to bear in mind?”
Yukiko trembled at the image of herself being violated just like this. Chie whipped an arm around, trying futilely to push his arm away. “You bastard! Why are you doing this!?”
Viasmos pulled her back with him as he adjusted to a sitting position, and spun her around on his dick. He pushed her head close to his and replied, “It's just fun. Why else?” With that, he planted a kiss on Chie's lips, savoring her upper mouth while pumping beneath at her lower mouth.
It was not an acceptable explanation to Chie – of course, there probably wouldn't be for rape. What truly vexed her was just how disconnected he seemed to be from the suffering he was inflicting. Did he not understand? Did he not care?
“Is there... no empathy in you at all?” asked Yukiko as she cried profusely.
Viasmos took his lips off of Chie and hooked his chin over her shoulder, staring at Yukiko. He continued thrusting into Chie at a semi-rapid pace, gripping her ass with both hands. “I wouldn't say I lack empathy completely... I think I at least understand somewhat how my victims feel. It's just not really important to me. I don't do anything that I wouldn't accept for myself.”
“Hah! Sure!” Chie snapped. “I'll bet you'd just love to get raped like this, you lying shit!”
“Never said I'd love it. But if someone powerful enough was able to dominate me, then it'd be their right to do as they wished with me. That person happens to not exist, so it is what it is, but I can at least accept the concept as the natural order of the strong versus the weak.”
It was starting to become clear to Chie. It wasn't a difference in emotional capacity that set Viasmos apart - although there was almost certainly a considerable gap there, as well - it was a difference in values. This man seemed to consider himself the strongest there was, and consequently, he viewed it as his right to do as he pleased. What pleased him just so happened to be raping women.
How was one to stop a being like that? No matter how warped or wrong that was to Chie, it was ultimately a subjective perspective. It wasn't like she could prove that was wrong. So then that left defeating him, and forcing him to submit to a power greater than his – but what if he was right? What if that power didn't exist? Then he was accountable to no one. He was a narcissistic rapist who could take who he wanted at a whim.
Was there nothing she could do to save herself? Nothing she could do to save Rise? Nothing she could do to save Yukiko?
“Monster... it doesn't matter how much you rape me! I'll never be yours!”
“Hah! Not how I see it! You can 'keep your heart' or whatever silly bullshit you babes like to tell yourselves. Fact is, I'm the one in control, and if I decide you're mine, then you are.”
Viasmos lifted Chie up off his cock, and to her surprise, walked away from her. Instead, he was going after Yukiko. She screamed at him to stop, fearing he planned to violate her too. He clutched Yukiko's hair and threw her on her back, then came over and grabbed Chie. He slowly pulled her forward, forcing her to crawl like a dog. This continued until she was right on top of Yukiko, at which point Viasmos took position behind Chie.
“What are you doing now!?”
“Still raping you. Oh, but I thought we'd give our lone audience member some VIP treatment. You don't get better seats than this!”
He slammed his cock back inside her, and indeed, Yukiko had as up-close a perspective as she could ask for... except for the fact that she'd never in a million years ask for it. She could see the subtle tremors in her flesh as she was pounded, the sweat from her pores dripped onto her face and clothes, and she could even somewhat feel the force of Viasmos's thrusts from this close.
Her heart bled for her friend. She loved her, and all she could do was watch her suffer. She couldn't stop Viasmos. She couldn't even slow him down. She was completely useless.
But I... at least know that I'm here, Chie...
Yukiko reached out with her hands and placed them over Chie's. Recognizing what she was trying to do, Chie locked fingers with her. She groaned and moaned and cried, while Yukiko just cried. The two them stayed there, saying nothing, just shedding their tears together. For so long, Chie had been the one Yukiko relied on. The pillar she needed to ease her stress. But tonight, it was Yukiko's turn to do that for Chie. She couldn't help Chie, but she could be there for her as a friend. For Chie, in her miserable situation, this was like an oasis in a desert.
“Aww, how sweet,” Viasmos mocked. “You're both gonna make me cry now!”
But for once, his taunts were ineffective. Chie didn't care what Viasmos was spewing, nor did Yukiko. Their attention was only on each other. There wasn't a soul in the world that could break their connection with each other in this moment.
Viasmos slid his hands up Chie's abdomen and grabbed her breasts, massaging them as he fucked her. He pulled her back against his body, though Yukiko extended her arms up so she could stay in contact with her. Viasmos licked from her shoulder, up her neck, and to her cheek, then whispered in her ear, “Hold hands all you want, sweetcheeks. Don't think for a second you're not mine.
As revolted as she was, she kept her eyes locked on Yukiko. Whatever he may do to her, she felt she could endure it so long as she had her friend with her. Seeing their friendship continue to shine, Viasmos decided to toy around with it. He grabbed the back of Chie's head and shoved her down to Yukiko's face. The two of them were inches apart.
“Such close friends you are! Go on! Tell her all about your rape!”
Being pressed this closely to Yukiko, her emotional intimacy was starting to turn into shame. The sick things being done to her body were so glaringly obvious, and Chie couldn't stop imagining how shameful it must look to Yukiko.
Recognizing her turmoil, Yukiko whispered, “It's okay. Don't worry about him. Focus on me.” She tightened her fingers around Chie's. “I'm here for you...”
Chie tilted her forehead and touched it against Yukiko's. “Thank you... Yukiko...”
Viasmos smiled. They really were a great pair of friends. It was definitely making the experience more fun. Hmm... maybe I should consider bringing tomboy back with me when I decide to take this prim piece of ass... It was worth a thought. It seemed wrong to let one friend be there for the other's rape, and not offer the same exploitable dynamic the other way around. Then again, Chie and Yukiko would both have to get used to being raped by themselves, so maybe separating them for a while would provide an opportunity of growth. Well, there was no need to get ahead of himself. All things to sort out another day.
He pulled back hard on Chie's hair, snapping her eyes away from Yukiko as she was forced to look up. He rammed into her harder and harder while pulling her air, putting even more intense strain on the young girl's body. She yelped in pain with every stab of his cock, the force reverberating through her body like an earthquake.
Then it got worse. She felt his dick growing inside her, the heat growing more intense as her vaginal walls were further expanded. And then she felt it: a warm, viscous liquid pouring from within her. The pounding stopped, as Viasmos drove his cock to her furthest depths. Her body was relieved of its rape, but her adrenaline was still churning, her sense of danger no less present.
“Agh! Nooo! You didn't!”
“Sure did. You can't really be that surprised, can you?”
Viasmos let go of her hair, dropping Chie's abused body and letting it plop onto Yukiko. She quickly turned over and tried desperately to finger out his sperm. She was so intently focused on this goal that she didn't even notice when Viasmos stepped in front of her and drove his cock back into her mouth.
“MMMMMGGGHHHMMM!”
“Eh, learn to multitask. No reason you can't suck my dick and prevent a rape pregnancy at the same time.”
She was furious at his continued mockery of her situation, but that fury was overshadowed by her fear of getting pregnant. She continued to scoop out his cum as best she could, being content to let Viasmos use her mouth while he pleased. He smiled in satisfaction, not feeling any particular urge to inform her that pregnancy was not a possibility at this time.
Yukiko used these final moments to plead, desperate to find some way of saving her friend. “Please, you had your fun! Either let her go, or... or take me instead!”
“MMMHH-MMMMMMHHH!” Chie hummed in disapproval. Yukiko sobbed at the prospect of either being this man's plaything, or letting Chie be his plaything. Still, those were the only options on the table right now. She couldn't use Chie as a crutch... not for this. She'd do anything she could to save her.
“Be patient and wait your turn,” Viasmos politely suggested. “And no, I won't just be leaving her here. Rape is fun and all, but the real pleasure I get is knowing I own these bitches. They're mine, entirely under my control. Their lives are molded to my desires. Can't get that out of a one-and-done. She's coming with me, and that's that.”
Yukiko knelt and stared at the floor, her eyes glossed over as the helplessness of their situation weighed down on her. Chie was going to be kidnapped... enslaved... and there was nothing to be done about it. Her mind raced trying to come up with possibilities, but she could find none. It was as he said... he was completely in control.
Satisfied with the post-coitus cleanup of his newest slave, her pulled his cock out and put his hand to Chie's face. From it came a pinkish-purple gas, after which Chie passed out. He threw her over his shoulder and stood up.
“Hey! What did you just do to her!?” asked Yukiko, snapping back to reality.
“Relax, just a little sleep aid. I'll have to go through the TV to get back, you know? I can mask our presence easily enough, but it'll be tougher if she's screaming and kicking the whole time.”
Since his portals weren't working within the Midnight Channel, he didn't really have much of a choice but to go through Junes. He normally wouldn't mind his victims struggling in his grasp en route to Tharsis, but given the circumstances, it was a nuisance he didn't need.
“P-please...” Yukiko was forced to beg. She loathed this man, but with his power so blatant, she had no choice but to appeal to him shamelessly. “If there's anything... anything... I'll do it! Whatever it takes to save Chie! Just please, tell me what it is! I can't just sit here and watch you take her!”
She burst into tears once again, her head hanging limply behind the black curtain of her hair as she prayed for a miracle. Viasmos gently grasped her chin, and tilted it up towards him. For a moment, the tears paused. He had such a sinister smile on his face... but if it meant he did have something she could do, then she'd jump on it without a second thought. She waited with bated breath, for whatever thin ray of hope might come from his mouth.
He simply stated, “You're next.”
Then he walked away, leaving Yukiko paralyzed on the floor from her own depression. It wasn't long before the black fog lifted, along with her makeshift shock collar, and not long after that when Yu and the others finally caught up. They found her in the same state as Viasmos had left her: a pitiful, sunken doll, too lost in her sorrow to notice her surroundings.
Yu ran over to her, grateful to see her okay, but deeply concerned her present state. “Yukiko! Yukiko! What's wrong!? What happened!?” Yosuke ran to the side with Kanji, spotting the beaten, unconscious body of Adachi. “This wasn't us... someone really kicked the shit out of this guy..."
Hearing Yu's voice, Yukiko finally recognized her situation. She was being rescued, and the nightmare was over... for now. She looked up at Yu, and tears began pouring forth. “Ch-Chie...” He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't need more to be said... frankly, he'd already feared as much. As soon as the black fog lifted, he feared what had happened, and Chie's absence from Yukiko only seemed to confirm who it had happened to. Another member of the Investigation Team was lost. He held tightly onto Yukiko for dear life, as if she too might be taken from him at a moment's notice.
After turning Adachi into the police and allowing some time to mentally recover, Yukiko shared everything she could recall. The things Viasmos said, the incident with Adachi, and the vile manner in which he'd conducted himself. Yu had taken Yukiko home, while the rest of those who remained – Yosuke, Kanji, Teddie, and Naoto – discussed the findings at further length.
“Sick creep... who the hell does something like that!?” Kanji angrily asked to nobody in particular.
“His character is certainly unbecoming,” Naoto stated, doing well to keep her incendiary emotions compartmentalized from her assessments. “However, the thing I'm most interested in are his origins.”
“That thing about this being 'our world', right? I caught that too,” Yosuke added.
“And what do you make of it?”
“Could be another world like the Midnight Channel. It might even be completely unrelated. It would fit with that 'Nyx' business he was discussing with Ameno-sagiri. Or he could even be referring to a different planet. He did call himself something unusual... Is he an alien?”
“Not likely. It would be too coincidental if humans evolved on a completely different planet.”
“What if he's a shapeshifter? That might not be his real form.”
“I can't rule it out, but Ameno-sagiri seemed to recognize him as a human. I have trouble believing it would be easily fooled.”
Yosuke put his finger to his chin, coming to agreement that the “Viasmos = Alien” theory was probably one they could safely discard. “Then the first possibility? He's involved in some realm similar to the Midnight Channel?”
“My problem with that hypothesis is the nature of his powers. He's clearly not a shadow, and he doesn't use personas. It doesn't appear to be just a different branch of magic, more like a separate discipline entirely.”
Kanji wasn't the best at calmly laying out the facts, certainly not when emotions were running this high, but he added his two cents. “Could be that's just how it works in the other realm.”
“If the world is analogous to the Midnight Channel, even if the two are distinct and unconnected, then it would be reasonable to deduce that it's still cognitive in nature. Therefore, the presence of shadows and/or personas should be a constant.”
“I agree,” said Teddie. “The Midnight Channel might not be the only cognitive realm, but some rules would stay the same. I don't think you could have a world like that and not have shadows or personas.”
These were fairly rational assumptions, Yosuke judged. “Then what? What could he have meant?”
Naoto felt a chill at her own words, before she'd even said them aloud. There was hardly any proof, and they'd seen plenty of bizarre phenomena since discovering the Midnight Channel, but if this was true... it was a massive obstacle.
“I think when he draws a distinction between worlds... he's referring to another universe. That is... I think he comes not from a realm within this world as we know it, but another dimension. One where the rules that govern reality are completely different.”
Everyone was silent as they contemplated that possibility. It was pure conjecture... but it did neatly explain how a person who didn't seem to fit with anything could come and go out of nowhere. Even Kanji recognized the difficulties that came with such a foe.
“...Bearifying...” Teddie said with a shiver.
“If that's true...” Yosuke contemplated, “...how do we stop someone like that?”
Naoto leaned forward and planted her face on her hands, covering the bottom half as if she were trying to hide her apprehension. “On that... I have no idea...”
Yu laid Yukiko out onto her bed in the moonlit darkness. The poor girl could hardly stand; She was still so traumatized from watching her best friend get raped and captured. She did well to recall the events that had taken place for everyone, but it also meant having to relive those unpleasant memories. Right now, she needed a break.
“I'm so proud of you. Of your bravery.” Yu whispered to her. “I know it wasn't easy, having to tell us all that. I'm sorry you had to go through that horror... rest now, okay? I'll call you in the morning.”
Yu got up and started to walk out, but he felt something grab his sleeve. “Please... don't leave...”
“I... okay... I'll stay here tonight. Is that what you want? I can crash on your pull-out couch if it'd help you feel safer.”
Yukiko shook her head, and pulled him beside her on the bed. “Stay here, with me. Please.”
“Oh, uh... of course.” He laid on his side and locked eyes with Yukiko. There was so much pain behind her stare, but something else, too. Something he couldn't quite make out. If he was to hazard a guess, possibly... resolve?
“You remember what he said, right? I'm next.”
Yu brushed his hand against her cheek and said firmly, “We won't let that happen.”
“You might not... have a choice...”
“...What are you trying to say? Don't you trust me to protect you?”
“I trust that you'll do everything in your power to protect me... but I fought him, Yu. And you saw how easily he dispatched with Ameno-sagiri. Even you opted to retreat after that. My trust, your will, our love... it might not be enough.”
Yu tsked in frustration, not because Yukiko didn't think he could do it, but because she was probably right. It was something that had been itching in the back of his mind all day – the thought that there was nothing he could do to save Yukiko. Viasmos promised to come back for her, and there was nothing approaching a plan for how to deal with someone of his power. They could all lose. He hadn't allowed himself to think that way, but hearing it stated aloud from the very person he was most concerned about, he couldn't completely dismiss it any longer. He loathed himself for his weakness, and the fact that a single man shook his confidence more than any manner of god ever did.
“If he wins... he'll violate me. Own me. I'll be his for the rest of my life.”
Yu clasped his hands around her cheeks. “Don't talk like that, Yukiko! We'll find a way! That doesn't have to be your future!”
“But... what if it does?”
Yu said nothing, frozen to the bone. She was right, of course. There was no guarantee they would stop him. No guarantee they even could stop him. His assurances were filled with genuine intent and love, but speaking practically, they were empty. No promise he made would carry any real weight.
This time, it was Yukiko who put her hand on his cheek. “He... doesn't have to take everything...”
She inched forward, then rolled over on top of him, pecking down and kissing his lips. Yu was shaken at her sudden assertiveness, as this was not especially like her. “Uh, Yukiko... what are you doing?”
“I told you, didn't I?” she said with a touch of playfulness in her voice. “I want you to stay here. With me.”
She started to pull off his jacket, but he grabbed her wrists and stopped her. Any guy would die for a moment like this, and Yu couldn't say he was different. But not like this. “Yukiko, you're not thinking straight. I can't... not when you're not yourself.”
“You're right, I'm not thinking straight. But I am myself. I do want this.”
“But... Yukiko-”
“There's nothing I want more than this, right here, right now. I don't want to waste a second. I don't want to risk waiting any longer, only for Viasmos to come and claim me for himself. I don't want... to regret, the rest of my life, that I allowed him to be my first. I just want one thing. I want to know that I gave my virginity to someone I truly loved. No matter what happens, that will be one thing he can't take away from me.”
Yu's grip softened, and Yukiko went back to slipping his jacket off. He sat up to let it slide off his arms, and he welcomed a kiss from her warm, moist lips. She pushed him back on the bed, and started taking off her shirt. As he realized that this was going to happen, he asked just one thing.
“You're sure then, Yukiko? Sure that you love me?”
She threw her shirt off the side of the bed, the moonlight giving Yu a view of her beautiful skin and bra-clad bosom. She smiled at him and bent down to his ear to whisper her answer.
“Without question.”
And with all wariness evaporated, the two shared a passionate night; One that Yukiko, should the worst come to pass, could hold onto forever.
Chapter 8: Solution Epsilon
Notes:
In my first Overlord chapter back in Part One, I said something about how I was an anime-only fan, who might need to fill in some gaps. Well, that's no longer true. In-between that chapter and the movie coming out, I wound up reading all 16 books. My knowledge of the Overlord universe is now substantially more thorough.
However, the point I made at the time still stands. Even having read the books, there are a lot of blind spots in Overlord. Things that have yet to clarified or delved into. Thus, I will still make up my own details if I feel it necessary - as happens in this chapter. I expect this will primarily apply to things like spells, abilities, and most notably, the function of world items. Anything that hasn't been overtly explained in the series will be open to my imagination.
Chapter Text
Solution Epsilon was walking along the streets of Re-Estize, the capital city of the Re-Estize Kingdom, as instructed. She had nowhere in particular to be, she just needed to be out among the people. Somewhere she would be noticed. Somewhere she could be followed.
Solution was bait.
Some time ago, one of their own had been captured; A sister of Solution's, Lupusregina Beta, in a place called Carne Village. The human girl who was chief of the village, for all the faults and inferiority that came with her race, did an admirable job acquiring as much information as possible to pass along to Nazarick. Still, their information was fairly limited.
The man called himself Viasmos, he was strong enough to beat Lupusregina, and, most insidiously of all, he was a rapist. The human instructed her goblin horde to keep an eye on the man, who used Solution's sister as a plaything. Simply having the audacity to fight with a denizen of The Great Tomb of Nazarick was all that was needed to earn their unmitigated wrath. But to defile her and, further still, kidnap her, left a uniquely deep and vengeful scar.
Those of Nazarick were a tight-knit group. Even those who did not get along would die to protect one another, and there were few such negative dynamics to speak of within the Great Tomb. Among the Pleiades Maids, that bond was stronger still. They weren't free from discord – Big Sis Yuri wasn't always a fan of Solution's behavior towards humans, and there was a lot of jealousy towards Narberal for getting to spend so much time with The Supreme One – but if Nazarick was a family, then the Pleiades were like siblings. Save for the Supreme Beings, the seven sisters were the most important to each other. The loss of Lupusregina had weighed heavily upon their hearts.
Of course, The Supreme Being had taken immediate action to protect his subjects. It helped that some rules had been in place ever since Shalltear's brainwashing, but they were a bit more stringent now. When it could be helped, females would stay in Nazarick – which was fine for many of them, as there was nowhere they'd rather be in the first place. If they did need to attend to something beyond the tomb's confines, then they had to be paired with someone. Even the Floor Guardians were not exempt from this rule. If someone of considerable power was unavailable, then a prime selection of their military forces would be gathered to act as an escort in their stead. The most important thing was that nobody was left alone, as Lupusregina was.
The only one to skirt the limits of these rules was Solution – not due to rebellion, but direct command. She was paired with someone – Sebas Tian, the Head Butler of Nazarick, who had power comparable to a Floor Guardian – but he was not so directly by her side. It was critical that Solution appeared vulnerable. Even her movements had been meticulously coordinated, such that she moved through the city the same way each day of the week. The idea being that anyone could plan around such a strict schedule, if they stalked her thoroughly enough.
It didn't appear to be a fantastic plan, particularly as there was no reason to anticipate if he'd even turn up in Re-Estize, though Solution knew perfectly well that her master's schemes were always more than they appeared. It was simply all they had to go on. This “Viasmos” scoundrel was a rapist, and so what better way to lure him out than with a beautiful woman? And Solution was certainly beautiful. Her blonde, spiral curls, her vibrant blue eyes, and her immaculate skin and proportions had often had her compared, by those pitiful humans fortunate enough to have gazed upon her, to the “Golden Princess” of the Re-Estize Kingdom, regarded as among the most desired women in the world.
Whether this plan succeeded in catching Viasmos or not, though she certainly hoped they would, Solution quite enjoyed this routine. The nice thing about this arrangement was that plenty of men wholly unrelated to Viasmos had caught sight of her, and arrived at similar ideas of what to do with her. Solution positively loved this. Not getting raped, of course, but what she got to do with would-be rapists. These men desperately wanted to get their hands on her, and in a manner of speaking, they achieved exactly that. Yes, their hands got to go deep inside her, more so than they likely dared to imagine.
One of the reasons Solution was occasionally selected to go on missions in human territory was because she was one of the few in Nazarick – this applied to Sebas, as well – who could pass off as human, without the need to utilize magical aid. However, she was most certainly not a human. Her species was a Predator Slime – a designation she found amusing when so many men regarded her as the prey. Her favorite tactic was to open up her bust, inviting her wannabe violators to sink their hands into her flesh – and sink they would. They'd come to know how badly they'd misjudged her as her skin gave way to the viscous, mucous substance that constituted her body. She'd absorb their meager human bodies, trapping them within her as she fed. Since she could control the speed of her digestion, it often took them over a day to die. Even now, as she walked through the streets of Re-Estize, she was still licking at a few stubborn bones, appreciatively donated by a rather lustful man from the previous week.
This was where Big Sis Yuri had a tendency to chastise her sadistic tendencies. For the life of her, Solution couldn't understand why Yuri, or anyone else in Nazarick, would hold much regard for humans. The only utility she saw in humans was that they could be eaten, and they could be tortured. But such was as they were created, and so they could only accept that these personality differences were the result of their ineffable design by the Supreme Beings.
“Checking in.”
The gruff voice in her head was Sebas, communicating telepathically. Since he had to be distant for the purposes of this operation, he checked in every hour, on the hour. Since Lupusregina hadn't called for assistance during the attack, the belief was that her assailant may have had some ability for blocking communication. Thus, if Solution failed to answer, that was his cue to move in.
“All is fine. I do detect one human who might be on my trail, though he's not quite as obvious as some others have been.”
“Is there anything suspicious of him worth noting?”
“He's wearing a hood, so I can't see his face without being obvious. I have no idea if he matches the description of the man from Carne Village. I suppose if I had to say something about him, he's quite big! I can tell even under that attire. I expect he'll make a scrumptious meal!”
“…”
Even in silence, Solution could pick up on Sebas's disgust. Like Yuri, he was one of the few within Nazarick who held affection for humans. There were only two humans who resided in Nazarick. One was Aureole Omega, the little sister and leader of the Pleiades, who Solution did not view as truly human due to her immortality. The other was Tuareninya Veyron, or “Tuare”, who Sebas had arbitrarily rescued. Solution personally felt that she should have just been killed – a source of some contention between her and Sebas – but The Supreme One had ultimately decided that she could stay in Nazarick. Her lack of empathy for humans ran so deep, in fact, that when Sebas had brought the girl in – battered, beaten, and unconscious from having been raped to near-death – she had initially assumed he was giving the girl to her as a snack.
His sympathy for humans was certainly mitigated when it came to the vile sort who might harbor such ill intent for Solution, but her sadistic and predatory behavior was not something he could entirely get behind. She was as her creator intended, of course, and he had no intention of denying that part of her.
“Just ensure you message me immediately if something should happen. Lord Ainz would have us take every possible precaution. I shall call again in an hour.”
“Of course.”
He was so thorough, even when it was most likely just another man. Why wouldn't it be? But of course, he was right. Her master was adamant about protecting from further casualties, and it would not do for her to be careless.
If the man stalking her was just another guy, then she'd have another delicious treat to look forward to. And just in time, now that the last one was nearly digested. If it was the man they were looking for, then regretfully, she wouldn't be allowed to eat him. He'd need to be captured, presumably tortured by Neuronist, and forced to return Lupusregina before finally being killed in as gruesome a way as they could fathom. Even if it wasn't as fun in the most immediate sense, it would be more fun down the line. She'd get her sister back, and get to watch as her kidnapper was brutally tortured until he begged for death himself. She deeply hoped, when it was time to kill him, that she'd be permitted a taste – even if only a morsel.
For being quite a blabbermouth initially, Lupusregina had been remarkably tight-lipped since transitioning over to Tharsis. It was far from uncommon for the captured maidens to protect their loved ones, even those who had fully accepted their new roles. In the case of Lupusregina, she had no trouble letting information slip when her unshakable loyalty to her master had her believing that she'd either escape or be rescued at any moment. However, it eventually set in for her that escaping Tharsis would not be so easy. Thus, her zealous devotion directed itself down a different route: Absolute secrecy. Even the most minor of details were kept behind a veil, and she'd give her life to keep them there.
As a result, Viasmos had very little to add to what he already knew. Lupusregina served someone named Ainz Ooal Gown, who was undoubtedly someone of immense power. Indeed, when he'd first entered the world, Viasmos could immediately sense the presence of powerful magic. He was interested in fighting him someday... but right now, that name was all he had to work with. This Ainz guy clearly preferred a level of secrecy that made things difficult for Viasmos.
So for now, he wasn't worried about it. He'd run into Ainz sooner or later, he figured. The important thing for now was to keep doing what he always did, and search for his newest victim. In particular, he'd aim to target strong women – which he often did anyway, but it was especially advantageous under these circumstances. For one, it was logical to assume that Lupusregina was one of many powerful people under Ainz Ooal Gown's employ, and it was also likely that she wasn't the only woman among them. Therefore, targeting powerful women in this world increased the likelihood of his coming into contact with him.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, was that even Lupusregina – though she was far from the strength of her master – stood out prominently among the other inhabitants of this world. She was leagues beyond the imagination of all but the most exceptional of warriors. Even in the capital of Re-Estize, where there was a larger concentration of worthwhile magic casters, it would be easy for him to pick out Lupusregina among them.
This was why he had no trouble noticing Solution Epsilon as she walked by him.
The woman was dressed in the garb of a noblewoman. While not outright shameless, it did little to hide her beauty. It might have struck him as odd for a woman of her looks to go out walking alone as she was, but recognizing a power on par with Lupusregina, it made perfect sense to him. She had nothing to fear from these plebeians. Unfortunately... she did have something to fear from him.
While not one to exercise an abundance of caution, he was less brazen than he might have otherwise been while he followed her. He'd chosen a hooded garment for his endeavors today, just in case his face might be recognized. Those villagers had seen his face, and he still lacked understanding on how this world functioned; So for all he knew, he was a wanted man. Not that meager soldiers would pose a problem for a man of his power, but the bigger concern was Ainz Ooal Gown and his forces descending upon him.
That could also be fun, in its own way... but it wouldn't be the most fun. It was still too early to reveal himself so boldly. He wanted to savor the build-up to their eventual showdown, and more than that... it was possible that a fight against him and his collected forces would necessitate a severe move on his part. Namely, he was thinking about his actions when a combined force of heroes and villains moved against him, and he'd been forced to unchain his aura. His unrestrained magic had scarred the planet, killing hundreds of millions, and drastically changing the global power balance. He didn't really care about any of that, but he'd prefer to avoid eliminating potential prey. Plus, based on some maps he'd seen, the nations in this world were smaller and more clustered, so he might very well wipe out human life if he employed such a move again. This would severely limit his pool of available sex slaves.
To avoid such an event, Viasmos had chosen a more tepid approach than was usual for him. What was of particular interest to him was the fact that the blonde woman he was tailing seemed to be similarly moderated. He was pretty sure that she'd caught on to his presence. She did a good job masking it, but even that was a tell in and of itself. One's body language had a tendency to look overly deliberate in these sort of situations, and he could see it in her gait. But that added a new question for him to mull over: why was the woman pretending not to notice him in the first place? She could confront him, run from him, call for reinforcements, or any number of options that dealt with the threat of his presence in some way, but she didn't do any of them.
Most likely, a trap. Alternatively, a form of recon. Perhaps even both. It would seem this Ainz Ooal Gown had more than tremendous power on his side – he was leaving nothing to chance. Acquiring information and luring Viasmos into an unfavorable position were the most likely goals, but Viasmos suspected there was more to it than that. If the enigmatic magic caster was hesitant to reveal himself so brazenly, much as Viasmos was, then a showdown in the middle of Re-Estize would not do them any favors either. Their interests aligned, in a way, which Viasmos did not mind.
Regardless of why the blonde woman was engaging in this behavior, it would be foolish to assume she was all alone. There was a good chance she was communicating telepathically – one of the last few things Lupusregina had let slip before going silent. He realized afterwards that he'd gotten lucky. Lupusregina could've called upon her allies at any time, but literally just forgot that was an option. Now that he was aware, he had to be that much more cautious when moving in on his prey.
The possibility had completely escaped him, as telepathy wasn't especially common in his world. It wasn't difficult, and most people could do it, but people tended to just use phones. When it came to Tharsis, it tended to be that magic was what stunted technological growth, as there was no need to develop something that could already be accomplished intuitively, but not in this instance. While telepathy was theoretically easy, mind reading was hard, and even Viasmos would find it impossible against a certain kind of person. Because of that, Tharsians constantly had their guard up, so communicating telepathically was like trying to break past a stone wall with a slingshot. It just didn't have the necessary force to break through even the most minor of mental defenses. Telepathy required an agreed-upon set of circumstances between two or more people, and was pretty much saved for either drastic and timely need, or uncompromising secrecy; The former of which was hard to plan for, and the latter of which was simply not enjoyable to Viasmos.
Consequently, he hadn't even considered at the time that Lupusregina might talk to someone mentally. It was extremely unlikely that he'd be able to get away with that again.
Hmm... I should probably hold off on disrupting communications for the time being. If I make a move while she's in the middle of talking, it would basically be the same as announcing my presence myself.
The good news was that disrupting telepathy was also not hard. Even if the magic was a little different, he had little reason to suspect it wouldn't work in this world. But doing so shortly after she'd spotted him was probably a mistake – better to do it after they've walked a while, but before they'd arrived at their trap. He had no idea of knowing when exactly that would be, so he'd have to vibe it out.
The irony of the whole situation was that they already suspected Viasmos was capable of this, on account of Lupusregina not calling in during the battle. Viasmos had made no such efforts at the time, and it was simply Lupusregina's spaciness that was to blame. Thanks to sheer coincidence and a dash of luck, Nazarick was already one step ahead in the game.
While following the woman, Viasmos contemplated his good fortune. Just how many gorgeous women did Ainz have as subordinates? It was probable that, as part of the plan to lure him, they had chosen a buxom woman to garner his attention. Even so, she was really something. Lupusregina had more of a cutesy vibe than anything, but she was still definitely thick where it counted. But this woman, she easily topped out Lupusregina in sheer sex appeal. Even in these elegant garments, her breasts looked ready to pop right out. As a man who'd ripped the clothes right off of his fair share of women, he was pretty confident in his ability to estimate her figure, and his current impression had him hoping that there was more where that came from. This Ainz fellow could throw as many of his subordinates at him as he wanted.
After walking for about another ten minutes, Viasmos finally invoked a barrier that would block off telepathic communication. They were in a distinctly less-crowded area, which he suspected meant they were moving towards whatever location the woman had in mind. If she was in the middle of a conversation, then she should react in some way. However, there was no hint of even the slightest change in her movements, which Viasmos took as confirmation that his timing had worked out. It was just the two of them now. Of course, the other party would notice if they tried to get in touch and got nothing back, but that wouldn't matter.
By the time they noticed, the two of them would be long-gone.
At last, the blonde had taken him to a relatively unoccupied area of town, then down an alley that led to a dead-end lot behind a building. A nice spot to abduct someone... a little too nice, by his reckoning. She turned to face him with a smile that seemed just slightly warped, as though it stretched across her face longer than should be possible. Viasmos almost found it creepy.
“My my, sir!” she cried out with feigned terror. “Are you following me?”
“What? A guy can't enjoy a pleasant stroll into a vacant lot in the city slums?”
As far as Solution could tell, this was just another guy. She still had no particularly compelling reason to believe that this was Viasmos. She informed Sebas that the bait had hooked another fish. He didn't respond, but this wasn't unusual for such a menial update, and she took no alarm.
“I daresay, I suspect a vacancy of sorts is exactly what you came for!”
“Hahahaha, well I can't exactly deny it when you put it like that!”
Solution slipped off her shoulders straps, letting her dress hang more loosely and her breasts near total exposure. “Well then, you have a helpless girl all to yourself! I don't believe there's much point in resisting, so go on ahead. Have your fill of me...”
Mhm... so... this is the trap, right?
Viasmos found it inconceivable that anyone would fall for something so obvious. Her words were belied by her tone, which seemed to take immense pleasure in the situation. Not to mention that soul-piercing smile of hers that seemed to come straight out of a ghost tale. She might as well come right out and say, “Touch my tits and die.” Well, men could be awfully optimistic when they were thinking with their dicks, Viasmos couldn't deny that.
The question was what she had in store for him. Did this woman have powers similar to Lupusregina? Based on what she'd said to him at the time, something about the Pleiades having their own distinct strengths, probably not. Of course, he couldn't be sure this woman was a “Pleiades maid” either, but he couldn't think of anything Lupusregina might be capable of that would apply to this situation. In the end, there was no better way of finding out than by diving right in. He'd set off the trap willingly and see what happened.
Besides, he had a trap of his own in mind.
“Alrighty, don't mind if I do,” he said as he sauntered over. This woman was either underestimating him, or failing to identify him. It was realistic to assume this wasn't just a trap with really good timing, and that they'd done this before. They'd probably trapped a number of men this way, waiting to see if they could eventually lure him in. Well, mission accomplished, but there was no reason for him to give that away just yet.
As soon as he pressed his palm against her chest, he knew something was wrong. The texture was... off... “Gelatinous” was a word that came to mind. His hand dove into her cleavage... and a little further even. Indeed, his hand was being swallowed up, and starting to burn like it was covered in acid. He looked up at the woman's face, whose smile had deepened... and darkened. She was clearly enjoying this as his wrist and a chunk of his forearm was drawn in. She clearly thought she had the upper hand here.
Perhaps this was a good time to correct her assumptions.
“So... which of Ainz's goons are you?”
Solution's eyes popped.
Sebas! It's -
- him?
Solution was suddenly somewhere else, a completely different environment from the city. They were in a forested region somewhere... probably still within the boundaries of the Re-Estize Kingdom, judging by the vegetation and position of the Sun, but not near any advanced civilization.
Teleportation was a somewhat tedious magic where Viasmos was from. Some, like Filotim, were specialists who could use it more easily than the rest. But for most, even Viasmos, it was something that had to be set up beforehand. Generally, an anchor of sorts was attached that would enable them to transport their body when desired. Since Viasmos was invested in keeping the fight secret, he'd scouted out an isolated area earlier, where he could enjoy himself without worry. Consequently, Solution found herself in a mostly unfamiliar region.
Finding out where she was could wait. First, she had to swallow him up, so she could take him to Nazarick. However, this was proving more difficult than it was with most humans. The man, undoubtedly Viasmos, looked unfazed as she pulled her utmost on his arm. He was standing firm, looking like he was thinking about something, as though her attempts to immobilize and, eventually, kill him weren't something to be concerned over.
“Hmm... this is a problem,” Viasmos muttered to himself, ripping his hooded top off his body. Indeed, he had been lost in thought. The woman's composition made the prospect of raping her uneasy. With his hand deep in her chest, he could feel the watery constitution of her entire body, and knew this wasn't just a cool power – it was what she was.
He'd need to test this out. Using his free hand, he swung his fist into her body, splashing it all over and freeing him from her grasp. It was no problem for Solution, who was resistant to physical attacks thanks to her racial traits, particularly slashing and piercing attacks. Bludgeoning attacks like this were slightly damaging to her, but still less effective than they'd be on most other species.
Still, she was able to get an idea of his strength from that attack. It was suddenly little wonder that Lupusregina lost... even her physical defense, high as it was among the Pleiades, would be no match for him.
Sebas! Lord Sebas! Do you hear me? I need backup right away!
There was still no response. She could only assume it was as her master had anticipated: anti-telepathy magic was being utilized somehow. She'd need to hold out... which thankfully, wouldn't be a problem for her. It was no doubt something her master had factored in for this mission. Solution wasn't unbeatable, but she was certainly un-rape-able. Any attempt at forced penetration would be refuted by her body's malleable properties. Even coercive efforts would no doubt fail. She'd readily die in service of Nazarick. It would take a Supreme Being having been made into a hostage to warrant such submission out of her, a notion she found inconceivable.
Viasmos had more or less arrived at the same conclusion. Coercion wasn't his style anyway – rape without force was like dancing without music, as far as he was concerned – but he had seen enough from Lupusregina to know that she would be difficult to manipulate that way. If the rest of her kind were in the same boat as her, then they effectively viewed themselves as tools of Ainz Ooal Gown. Even if he threatened to kill them, though that wasn't something he'd actually do, they'd sooner die than disgrace the name of their master by giving in to fear. And if he tried to brute force it like usual, her watery body would prevent that. He could still stick his dick in her, but it didn't have quite the same appeal... not to mention he'd learned that her body dissolved things like an acid when it got like that. Nothing his skin couldn't handle, but not exactly something he wanted to stick his junk in.
There was always the trick he used with Kikyo. He could overwrite her biology... but that came with its own problems. Kikyo, while dead, was still human. Even though her body wasn't human, albeit shaped like a human, it was still a human soul that animated her. This woman's body was also just the shape of a human, but down to her essence, she was a slime. Would something like that be compatible with a human biology? What if the dissonance drove her insane? That wouldn't do. He needed his victim to be fully self-aware. Even if it did take, it would take weeks of rehabilitation before she could move her body normally, if Kikyo was any indication. It was an option, but not one he'd prefer to resort to.
That left him with one solution... or two solutions, if one was inclined to be cute about it.
“Hmph, it's just as the Supreme One said.”
“Hmm?” Viasmos had been broken out of his concentration. “What are you on about?”
“He said you'd use a barrier to prevent communications. Quite an interesting magic... just where does it come from?”
“Oh, Ainzy predicted that, did he?” This Ainz was a shrewd one, it seemed. How had he managed to guess that when he'd never showcased that power before? Based on what the woman said, his magic was unfamiliar to them... but perhaps he was still able to accurately speculate on the nature of his powers? That was a formidable level of intelligence, if so.
Solution looked enraged. She'd hoped to pry more information out of Viasmos, but his disrespect had jarringly shifted her focus. “How DARE a meager human like yourself refer to a Supreme Being in so impudent a manner! To even say his name with esteem is an honor too high for one such as yourself! 'Supreme One' or 'His Majesty' are the bare minimums you should aspire to!”
“Hmm, I dunno. I kinda like 'Ainzy',” Viasmos said with a smirk.
She snarled at him, incensed at his deliberate folly. “How do you not understand? A human like yourself has no right... And for what you have done with my sister, you deserve a pain beyond the extent to which you've dared fathom!”
“By all means, show me who's boss. And just who is it that will be punishing me so?” Viasmos asked, reviving his previous, unanswered question. He half-expected her not to answer, but Solution's mindset was devoted to Nazarick above all. One fighting in the name of Nazarick could not be expected to cower in anonymity – certainly not to one who was already somewhat aware of their presence. She would declare her name proudly, as a faithful subordinate of the Supreme Beings.
“Solution Epsilon of the Pleiades Maids shall be your executioner!” Her noble garments from before disappeared, replaced by a maid outfit Viasmos recognized as the wardrobe of choice for Lupusregina. That being said, Solution's maid armor was slightly different in its appearance. Most noticeably, there was a stronger sexual emphasis. Unlike Lupusregina's long skirt that went down to her ankles, Solution's took the form of a miniskirt, optimistically extending to about the halfway point of her thigh. There were wide slits at the side, offering Viasmos a tantalizing peek of her hips. The outfit was also slimmer around her bust, far more inviting than the modest attire around Lupusregina's chest. Perhaps the most stark detail with Solution were her legs. Far from resembling any kind of maid out, Solution had on two pieces of what looked to be fairly strong plate-mail armor. They covered all the way from her feet to just above the knees, right about to where her pantyhose underneath rose. It was the only visual aspect of her that made her look the part of a warrior.
While she talked a big game, the truth was that Solution could only hope to hold out until assistance arrived. She wasn't sure how, but someone from Nazarick would find her eventually. But on her own? It was true that she was a poor match for Viasmos – at least sexually speaking – but she was just as poor a match for him. As an assassin, her strengths were in stealth and trap detection, two aspects completely missing from this fight. When it came to combat, she was an expert in poison... which was why she'd tried to poison him earlier while his hand was inside her. Once she realized she couldn't pull him in with sheer strength, she tried to infect him with poison to make him weaker.
She had discovered two things. One, his skin was very difficult to permeate. Had it not been for her acidic body, it wouldn't have been damaged enough to get her poison in. And once it did get in... there'd been no effect. It wasn't obvious to her that he'd even noticed. This was the second point. She couldn't say with certainty that he was immune to poison, but at the very least, he was resistant enough to it that it wouldn't have much effect. That pretty much left her with brute force, and although it detested her to accept this about a human, it was clear that he had the advantage over her in that department.
She couldn't beat him, but if his aim was indeed to violate her, then she could hold his attention until Nazarick descended. Rather than win, she only needed to not lose. As pitiful as she felt to take such an approach to a human, her loyalty to Nazarick guaranteed that she would take the best path forward.
Her arms melted into watery appendages, each one stretching out to several meters beyond her own body length. She whipped her arms at Viasmos, who made no effort to dodge them. He stood in place and swatted away at her slimy tentacles. Solution would quickly reform them and strike back, managing about a dozen whips a second. Even so, she could not beat Viasmos's speed, who was able to break up each one of them. There was no problem with Solution if they were stalemated like this. In the best-case scenario, this would continue until reinforcements arrived. However, she couldn't help but be bothered at her opponent's apparent lack of interest in changing the pace of this fight.
The bastard is countering everything, so why is he stationary? It would make things harder than me if he moved around. Is he taunting me?
That wasn't unreasonable. Those who fought Viasmos often came to realize his penchant for showing off his strengths. He'd find the most amusing – read: obnoxious – way of proving to his opponent just how weak they really were. It's quite realistic that Viasmos would have acted the same way if all things were even.
Yes... that's perfect. Just need a little practice.
But in this case, Viasmos had a very particular goal in mind. He'd had a good feel of her before, but he needed more information. With every instance of contact between his hands and her body, he could read her more and more closely; And with every strike, he could put that information to use... continue testing out his constantly-updating theories over and over until he found something that worked.
One particular deflection caught Solution off-guard. Her appendage whipped into Viasmos and was blocked by his hand. Rather than splashing away, however, the edge of her tentacle kept going, slapping Viasmos in the face. What had happened? Did he put less strength into that one? If so... then why was he smirking?
“Heh... almost.”
She grunted as she glared at him, trying to figure out what his endgame was. This was the problem with having so little information. She had no idea just how far his abilities went. There was no way she could anticipate that he could perceive an object's properties through touch, nor what he might do with that data.
It kept on happening. Her arms were surviving his hands, swatting into him and saving her from having to expend energy remolding her arms. Sometimes, they seemed to strike him with force, like they were made of ice. Sometimes, they survived his hand, but broke apart at his face. Either way, they were making contact, which hopefully meant doing some damage. In spite of this apparent lack of efficiency, he still would not move. He seemed to have no qualms with how the battle was unfolding, which unnerved Solution.
Until finally, he did move. “Alright, playtime's over!” he announced, speeding forward and palming Solution in her belly. The sudden motion was so out of left field that she was entirely unprepared for it, left wide-open in her stomach. He struck her several more time across her face and body before grabbing her by the arms and pinning her down. Solution smiled up at him creepily. Despite taking some hits, she was excited to see the face he'd make when his lust went unfulfilled as she melted into a slime.
“...Eh?”
Viasmos took advantage of her open-mouthed smile, sticking his tongue in as a disgusted Solution moaned angrily. What happened? Why hadn't she transformed? She kept trying, mortified that a human was using her this way. It wasn't complete, but... she could somewhat liquefy her legs. She slipped one up to her midsection, and shot her foot into his chest, kicking him off of her. Viasmos was knocked back on the ground, laughing like he was having fun.
“Hahaha, looks like I missed a spot!”
Solution quickly stood up and wiped the residual drool off her lips. “Disgusting... you! What the hell did you do!?”
Joining her upright, he answered honestly. “Where my interests are concerned, your body has some complications... but it has some upsides, too. Whereas a human is composed of countless materials and chemicals, you're essentially comprised of just one substance.” He held out his hands, the tools of his research, and continued, “I only needed to accurately comprehend your one substance in order to craft a solution... literally. By locking your body's matrices, I can keep you in that form... and use you as I please.”
Solution was not someone who considered herself capable of fearing a lower life form like a human, but her eyes definitely widened from some kind of emotion. Could it be true? Her body didn't feel any different... except for when she tried to transform. Even her arms, having reverted to regular arms, were unable to bend as they once did. If he really could do this, then she simply had no counter for him. She had only her body – her human-esque body – and the physical gifts that came with it. Against most men, it would be more than adequate. Against him? Not so much.
Lord Sebas!? Damnit, do you hear me, Sebas!?
She was desperately trying to reach out, but she remained utterly isolated. She had no choice but to fight to the bitter end. Her limbs still had some flexibility to them, at least. She threw a flying, spinning kick in his direction, which he dodged by backing up. She swung his fist at him next, and though it connected, it wasn't especially obvious that he'd been hurt at all. To the contrary, he grabbed her wrist and swung her around in a circle. When he let go, she crashed through several trees before rolling on the dirt and slamming her back into a trunk.
“Hmm... well, that's a little disappointing. I thought we might fight a while longer, but it seems like you don't have much going for you now that your body's innate abilities have been compromised. I guess I'll be finishing up with you faster than I thought...”
Solution wearily climbed to her feet, trying mightily to figure something out. Magic wasn't her forte, but she was out of options at this point. She had to try something.
“Twin Maximize Magic – Love For Atosis!”
Two pools of water coalesced before her outstretched hands, and took the shape of gargantuan serpents. They moved as if they had a mind of their own, honing in on Viasmos and crashing through the forest as they chased after their prey.
When it came to magical attacks, Solution was pretty weak. She generally only used it when it came to poisons, and even then, it was more of a racial talent at work. This was the trump card built into her by her creator, the Supreme Being, Herohero. A unique magic skill in YGGDRASIL, it was of the 7th tier, and could only be used by females – and only used against males. The liquid serpents, bound by their host's love, would feed upon the prey she'd provided for them. Though primarily a water spell, it also contained a powerful acid, completing the illusion of a real creature's devouring of its catch. For a predator slime like Solution, it was an appropriate spell to have in her back pocket.
Viasmos flew out of the way as they bit into the ground, only to turn upwards and re-instigate their chase. It seemed they wouldn't stop until he was consumed... or until they were destroyed. Viasmos slapped one of them across the cheek... but much like Solution's arms from earlier, the serpent's face reformed in a fraction of a second. The trick he did to restrict Solution's body wouldn't work either, as this wasn't the same substance she was made out of.
The Pleiades weren't on the same level as the Floor Guardians, so they couldn't use 10th tier magic. Narberal was the most proficient caster among them, probably the strongest of the Pleiades Maids outright (excepting their leader, Aureole Omega), and even she was limited to 8th tier magic. Perhaps that was why her creator had seen fit to gift Solution with such a technique. The spell's status as a 7th tier was only because of its restrictions. Besides the gender-related conditions for both the host and target, it also rendered the caster immobile, making it a poor option for large-scale conflicts. However, if one were to assess it only by the threat it posed to the target, it was probably more like an upper 9th tier spell.
Solution was built primarily for physical and unique abilities, but those weren't a match for Viasmos whatsoever. Yuri was perhaps the only one of the Pleiades who might be able to dent him with physical blows, and even that felt uncertain to the blonde assassin. But thanks to her creator's foresight, she had a chance. A spell that worked around the limitations of her level, giving her a power far stronger than what a Pleiades Maid would normally be capable of.
Indeed, Viasmos was coming to terms with that himself. He tried icing the serpents to break them up, but the acids within them made their freezing points too high for that to work intuitively. Viasmos could work out the temperatures he'd need if he wanted to fuck around for a while, but having done a similar trick with Solution's body already, he found the idea boring. So he continually swatted them away, flying around and in-between them.
His conclusion at last was this: the most interesting path forward was to take these serpents head-on. He burst forward and shot through the maw of one of them, spearing a path through its body down to its host. Solution was quick to see the logic of this idea. As long as he was capable of surviving the acidic body of the serpent, he could avoid all their attacks by being inside of them. The serpents would act not as a deterrent to keep him at bay, but an unimpeded path towards his target. She brought her arms together, fusing the two serpents into one, maximizing their force output.
He had to admit, the acid in these things was stronger than the stuff in Solution's body. It still wasn't a huge deal on its own, but coupled with the surging torrents of water pushing against him, Solution had done a good job making this uncomfortable. But discomfort, he could handle. After all, he'd be all too comforted soon enough. The trade was more than satisfactory.
Solution mashed her teeth, and tensed up remarkably for a being made of fluid. She knew this battle was over if he made his way to her. He kept pushing onwards, tearing through the watery serpents she'd conjured. He was nearly at her outstretched palms when she put every bit of energy she had into forestalling him. This was enough for Viasmos to slow down just a touch. He could feel it as the acidic water ripped all over his skin, the immense desperation she felt in driving him away.
Alas, this was as far as she could go. Admirable as her attempts were, she could not outright stop him from getting what he wanted. With one final lunge, Viasmos pierced through the liquid veil before her, and slammed his fist into her gut. She lurched forward, confident that she'd never been struck so hard in her life, and Viasmos used this break to quickly strike at her limbs, ensuring that they stayed firm like a human's. Solution was pushed back against a tree, gasping heavily as she sought to recover from the thrashing her body had just received.
To her credit, Viasmos also stopped to take a breather. His skin was red from his face down to his abs. He had cuts all over, particularly across his shoulders. Her trump card had delivered a decent beating, stressing even his impressively durable skin.
“Wooooh! Not bad, girlie! I didn't think you had much left in the tank, but that was really something!”
Solution, still panting heavily, said nothing as she looked at him. Internally, she was screaming at herself to do something. She had no choice... but her body would not listen. She was already hampered from the forced state of her body's form, and she'd taken several painful hits. But on top of all of that, her spell had drained a lot out of her. There were consequences to using a spell with 9th tier power when one was of a class not suited to magic. Between her pain and fatigue, she couldn't move at all.
Viasmos sauntered over, not in a particular rush. He didn't know all the details, but he more or less recognized the state she was in. She couldn't fight back anymore... she was all his. He stood before her, taking a moment to savor the sight as he towered over the helpless girl. He wondered if a slime like her was capable of feeling the instinctual terror of a woman, trapped by a man twice her size.
“Well then... time to snack!”
He buried his hand in her cleavage. He found it rather poetic – the woman had tried to tempt him into a trap with this very move. Now, she was forced to experience it for real, no longer capable of countering him. His other hand slipped her top down before joining the fun, grabbing succulent handfuls of her voluptuous tits.
Solution felt an understandable rage at having her breasts fondled by a mere human, but this was not, in fact, the thing that had her most furious. It was the thing he said before that. “Time to snack”... like he was preying on her. Like she was the prey. But that wasn't possible... she had always been the predator. She'd preyed on countless humans, an act she found most delectable. As a predator slime, it was an instinctual satisfaction. What sex was to a succubus, food was to her. Furthermore, she was born a slime because her creator had designated her so. Thus, her predation was not merely a means of personal gratification, but an extension of the vision that the ineffable Supreme Beings had for her.
The Supreme Beings could not be wrong. Certainly, a single human couldn't overcome them through sheer force. Therefore, the assault on her body couldn't be possible. It was preposterous, in fact. She had to be the predator, and he had to be the prey. She was not the prey.
Viasmos leaned in and looked up the side of her cheek. She was NOT the prey!
“Get! Off! I'm not yours!”
Shrieking those words was difficult in her current state, yet it had practically been automatic. The feel of her tits being manhandled, and the feel of his tongue sliding up her face... they were too contrary to her worldview. She couldn't bring herself to accept that this was happening. Not her, who so looked down upon humans, and so fervently served the Supreme Beings.
Of course, this meant little to Viasmos. He still didn't completely understand the nature of the relationship between Ainz Ooal Gown and his followers, but even if he had, it would mean nothing in the face of his desires. Her head cowering away, one side pressed to the tree, he smirked into her ear and whispered, “Oh, but you are mine. Lupusregina found out... and now you will, too. The one who decides who you belong to is me!”
He ducked under her chin and sucked at her neck. Solution was hardly cognizant of her own anxiety – it wasn't an emotion she was used to experiencing. Her voice quivered uncharacteristically as she got her next words out. “I... I belong to... Ainz Ooal Gown. You can't... take that away. I will always... be loyal...”
Removing his lips, he pinched her chin and turned her to face him. “Be loyal to whoever you want, I don't give a shit.” He then pressed his lips against hers, slipping his tongue inside of her much less-resistant mouth. Not for lack of trying, but for lack of ability. Her depleted energy notwithstanding, she was psychologically shattered, and unable to focus enough to think about her next move at any given moment. All her mental energy was diverted to just making sense of her reality. Once he savored the kiss, Viasmos parted lips and finished his earlier thought. “But as for who owns you? That's a question decided by force... and nobody outshines me there!”
“Lord Ainz... he will definitely kill you... you'll see!”
“Hehe, well, if I have my way, we'll definitely find out sometime.”
Viasmos crouched down, Solution still being too exhausted to move away. He lifted one of her legs and massaged her tender thigh.“But you know...” Viasmos continued, “... it doesn't have to be all bad. Being my pet, I mean.” He started to lick along her thigh, tracing his tongue side to side. “Yeah, sure, you have to get raped everyday and live in a cell. Not exactly the dream wedding from when you were little, I get it. But hey, at the end of the day...” He snuck deeper into her thigh, until his head was veiled by her miniskirt. “...It means you'll get plenty of stimulation.”
Solution slammed the back of her head against the trunk, her spine pitching backwards sharply as she felt his tongue against her vulva. She pressed her hands against his head, trying to push him down, but she was nowhere near able to generate the strength needed for such a thing. He danced along the outer regions of her vagina, taunting her by sliding just past her clit. The girl was shivering – whether that was from hatred, fear, or even pleasure, was hard to say.
Viasmos finally hit her clitoris, causing her to wail like a banshee. Wailing from the electric stimulation, yes, but just as much wailing from the realization that a miserable human was the one making her feel this way. What kind of predator slime was she? Viasmos smiled, lifting his face out from beneath her skirt, and stood upright as he loosened his pants. Her eyes pierced him with her unrelenting disgust.
“You... cocky bastard... I won't accept this over something so superficial. I am devoted to Lord Ainz! I'll never accept you! I'll resist you if it kills me.”
“Mhm, sure. Go wild.”
Dismissing her resolve with such casual energy, she felt him lift her legs and suddenly penetrate her.
“Aah! What... What the hell!?”
She hadn't expected him to just enter her like that. In fairness, she hadn't been entirely sure what to expect... she'd been in denial about the whole thing, after all. But just sticking it in with no warning?
Solution had no experience with men. She wasn't interested in humans, obviously. As a slime, sexual reproduction wasn't a thing. The only time she had sexual organs was when she was masquerading as a human, and only because it was the form she'd been given as her default by her creator. Because of that, she adopted her human form more than her actual slime form, but this did not override her sensibilities as a slime. Thus, there was no impetus for sex, and no interest besides.
But even she could realize... the man was big. It was a thought that hit her right away as his girth pushed out against her vaginal walls – there was no way a typical, human male was that thick. Lord Herohero had designed her fit a certain feminine ideal, and if this was normal, she could only conclude that the entire human race would have died off long ago. No woman could be expected to handle this with regularity.
It didn't help matters that she wasn't a willing lover, embracing her man against a soft, cushy bed. She was being ravished and slammed against a fucking tree. Her back was was being raked against the hard, crusty trunk, all while her mind was racing with the brutal reality that a Pleiades Maid in service of Nazarick was being humiliated in defeat. The stress of his cock pounding away inside her was made that much more unbearable, thanks to these factors.
His deplorable attitude was another thing she deeply loathed. While struggling just to think throughout this ordeal, Viasmos was either oblivious to her pain, or didn't care. He buried his face in her tits as he fucked her, slobbering and shaking his head from side to side like a ravenous beast. He was making no effort to hide just how much he was enjoying himself.
“Mmm! Real nice titties!” Viasmos praised, though she could only barely hear him as his voice was muffled from within her cleavage.
“Bastard! This... this is blasphemy!”
Blasphemy, huh? That was quite a strong term, even to the ears of a veteran rapist like Viasmos. He'd heard plenty of cries, pleas, and roars in his time, but nobody had ever referred to their own rape as “blasphemous” to him before. Just what was it about this Ainz guy that warranted such intransigent loyalty? His hunch was that Lupusregina wasn't unique in her devotion to him, and Solution seemed to be proving him correct.
“I don't know what to tell you, sweetheart,” he replied, lifting his head up from her tits and idling it inches from her lips. “You're a slave now, so you're just gonna have to get used to it.”
Solution veered her head to the side as he tried to kiss her, though he was more than content to go back to licking up and down her cheek. “No...no, no, no, no, NO!” A servant of Nazarick, she could not allow herself to so meekly accept her violation. Her energy was starting to come back, and so she began to thrash. She kicked at the air with her legs, she struggled against his weight, and she pounded her fists against his chest as best she could... though in this position, she could not generate very much power at all.
Ineffective as her protests were, Viasmos saw fit to get rough. If nothing else, it would make for a good experiment. What did it take to get one of these bitches to submit? Lupusregina had been fairly docile, but that was only because she didn't know she'd be taken. In her mind, her mission to protect Carne Village would be accomplished if she only took it, and her loyalty would be uncompromised. It was only when he sought to abduct her that she became so resistant. Solution, obviously aware of what had happened to her sister, was showing this same, unyielding drive to serve her master... which would be a great quality in a sex slave, if she could only realize that he was her master now.
“Wanna get rough again, bitch? We can get rough.”
Viasmos pulled out of her, setting her feet back on the ground. Before Solution could take a hostile stance, however, Viasmos grabbed the curls of her luscious, blonde hair. He swung her in a circle around him, and though some energy had returned, she was still far too weak to fight back. He let go while giving a push to the back of her head, sending her spearing through the trunk of the tree she'd just been fucked against. In addition to being dazed from the blow to her head, she found it even harder to put strength into her arms, as they were pinned into place by the tree.
She tried to slide backwards out of the trunk, but paused as Viasmos walked around the tree and loomed over her. With her head stuck here, she wasn't in position to put up even symbolic resistance. Her inexperience with men aside, it wasn't difficult for her to figure out what was coming next. She winced as Viasmos slapped his cock against her face. As if to taunt her, he kept it resting between her eye and the bridge of her nose, warranting a furious glare in his direction. Far from discouraged, her menacing look only served to entice him further. With a smirk warranted to the victor, he pressed his glans up to her lips. Try as she might to purse them, he breached with ease, thrusting forward and giving the woman her first taste of cock.
While excruciating either way, Solution found herself feeling she preferred it when her pussy was raped, rather than her mouth. Being too stuffed to speak and made to watch as he hammered into her made it harder to cope with the brutal treatment of her body. Beyond that, however, was this heightened sense of forced submission. When he started raping her, it felt like she was just being used, but right now, it felt more like she was servicing him. She would endure the consequences of defeat a million times over before offering so much as the appearance of serving another besides the Supreme Beings.
His words from earlier echoed in her thoughts. That ownership of her body would be determined by force. Right now, she lacked the force necessary to protect herself. As much as she loathed the idea of pleasuring him with her mouth, he was making it happen anyway. This what what it meant to be the strong preying on the weak... and she knew this all too well. Before, she had been the strong preying on the weak. Those worthless humans had been nothing to her. She didn't even view them as sentient, relatable creatures, only as food for her to play with; But the roles had been reversed now. She was the weak one, forced to go along with the whims of her tormentor.
He was the predator, and she was the prey.
She squirmed as best she could, but the trunk encasing her wasn't budging. At full strength, such a trifling object would be a trifling matter for her, but she was far from that state at the moment. Enervated, stiff, and exhausted from being raped, she just couldn't muster the strength to break herself free. She was stuck in this embarrassing pose, her lips wrapping around the shaft of her aspiring captor. She glanced up to see him looking down on her, smirking... reveling in his domination of her. Her inability to deny him the satisfaction filled her with a deep shame, feeling herself a failure to her master and to all of Nazarick.
At last, he pulled out of her mouth, freeing her from this latest vein of humiliation – but of course, this was not the end. Viasmos walked back around the tree, and Solution knew just what he had in mind. Besides her face on this side, her rear end was just as defenseless on the other. She had no way of stopping him from abusing her lower hole. She tried her best to wriggle out anyway, but this only provided more for him to ogle as she twerked her ass in her futile bid to escape.
He traced a finger up her thigh, and gave her butt a slap so hard that it reverberated throughout the forest. She restrained her voice, not wanting to please him with her feminine cries, but she did stiffen, pausing her attempts at freedom. Viasmos dropped to his knees, lifted up her skirt, and grabbed two firm handfuls of her juicy flesh.
“Oh yes, real nice,” he teased, circling his hands as he groped her ass. “The only flaw with this position is that I don't get to see those magnificent tits of yours... but oh well, sometimes you've gotta play a little give-and-take. I'll have a whole eternity to enjoy your tits, after all.”
“You... There's no way in hell I'll be yours for eternity! You're just a pitiful human!”
“Mhm, yeah, an immortal human,” he said without pause, continuing to enjoy the soft feel of her supple ass. “I can even make my victims immortal, so they'll never leave my possession. No idea what your lifespan is, but it won't be a problem.”
Absurd! An immortal human? Such an idea was... well... actually, that was possible. The leader of the Pleiades, Aureole Omega, was an immortal human. Solution often had trouble remembering she was human, because she was such an exception among their race. More significantly, she was a creation of the Supreme Beings, and could not be fairly compared to such lowly creatures. But still... there was proof of concept. To be ripped away from Nazarick was already a soul-shattering prospect, but... would she really have to spend eternity as the plaything of her most hated man?
Her thoughts were interrupted as Viasmos stood up and speared her with his cock once again. For a brief moment, she'd been allowed to distance herself from how it felt to be at the mercy of a male predator, but no longer. He ripped through her womanhood, slamming into her with powerful, repeated thrusts. She could only stay there and be used, tormented by the knowledge that he was pleased by the snug embrace of her sex.
“Not sure how you'll feel about this, being a slime and all, but you know I plan to cum inside you, right?”
“W-what!?”
She hadn't considered how she'd feel about the possibility. Up until now, just the prospect of her being raped seemed so implausible. As a slime, it really shouldn't matter at all... but as a female, that was a different story. Her creator had bestowed her with a feminine soul, which formed the outline of her personality. Even if she wasn't female in the strictest sense of the term, she still felt every bit as womanly as her sisters in the Pleiades. Thus, even though pregnancy wasn't a concern, it was only natural that she'd feel hostile at the idea of her rapist marking her as his possession.
She kicked back at him, though her legs were outside his body and unable to land. Thrashing around was all she could do. She could feel his cock getting bigger inside of her body, radiating heat more and more intensely as his thrusts quickened. She, a servant of Nazarick, was once again bringing shame upon her masters. Utterly defeated and humiliated, incapable of even slightly thwarting this mysterious enemy from getting everything he wanted. She took such pride in her role as a Pleiades Maid, but right now, she knew she did not have the right. If only she was an outcast, completely devoid of support and community. Then, at least, her rape would not reflect so poorly on the Supreme Beings.
“Fuck you! You'll pay! I swear Lord Ainz will make you pay!”
“Oh yeah, keep talking shit, baby! Just like that!”
Spurred on by her fury, he felt blissful release as he poured his essence inside of her. Though her body had taken the shape of his desires, she was still a slime on the inside, and so the violent torrent of his ejaculate was not quite as rough in her body. She was well-suited to tolerating such things. What wasn't so easily alleviated was the toll on her psyche. Beaten around with ease, raped like a plaything, and now marked as property. She was a stain on The Great Tomb in every way. How could she show her face again, if she ever made it back to Nazarick?
Viasmos pulled out his dick, but not for long. Going back around the tree, he helped himself to her mouth once more. She moaned in confusion. Why was he doing this? Hadn't he finished with her already?
“Don't you know? It's a girl's responsibility to clean up after her man, whether consensual or not.”
The texture of his cum slathered on his dick only made being orally raped that much worse for the defeated maid. She wondered how Lupusregina must have felt in this moment. Reportedly, she hadn't known that she'd be taken from her home until the very end. Solution did not have such a luxury. Her mouth was being used to polish the penis of the man who would declare himself her master, and she couldn't muster any strength with which to resist. Even if she could... what would it matter? She was just too weak... just prey...
“That is enough.”
A gruff voice interrupted them, and Viasmos turned to face this voice. An old, bearded man stood before them in the forest. Dressed in well-ironed black garments and a silver tie, with a firm posture and hands held behind his back – he appeared to Viasmos as the epitome of a first-class butler. But what would such a lowly figure want with him? As he pulled out his cock and tucked it back into his pants, he got his answer from a shocked Solution.
“L-Lord Sebas!”
She was certain her messages hadn't gotten through to Sebas, and it should have been some time before he reached out to her again. Perhaps, since she'd told him she had someone on her tail, he became suspicious when she'd taken so long to update him. If so, then she was immensely thankful for her superior's sagacity.
“Hmm? Friend of yours?” he asked, before turning his attention to the stranger. “Just how did you find me?”
“I sent the shadow demons under my command out into the forests of Re-Estize. Though finding your exact location would be a challenge, it was less difficult to track down the effects of your power.”
Ah... I see... The man had been careful to avoid offering too much information, but Viasmos could piece together what had happened. He noted to himself, after all, that his barrier to prevent telepathy could have the adverse effect of announcing his presence. These “shadows demons”, whatever they were, likely stayed in constant communication with Sebas. Once they could not hear each other, the butler would have a better idea of their location, and could come investigate himself.
Perhaps Viasmos had been guilty of some minor hubris. He figured any random location would do, but maybe he should have scouted out somewhere further away, where they were less likely to be prepared for recon. It would be a lot of extra work, and Viasmos preferred to stay in his comfort zone rather than go deep into every major civilization on the planet, but it allowed this quick-thinking servant an opportunity to catch him.
Not that it matters... I'm not sensing any magical energy off this guy at all. I didn't even feel him approaching.
Yes, the man would prove little challenge. Viasmos had half a mind to ignore him entirely and abscond with his latest prize. Still, he was curious to see if such a weak figure would really be inclined to oppose him. He did want to experiment more with Solution, after all. What better way to shatter her resolve than to see her would-be savior grovel?
“I'll give you a chance, old man. Prostrate yourself, and I'll let you go without beating you into a pulpy mass.”
“Hmph, arrogance. There's only one who's entitled to my prostration.”
Viasmos assumed this was Ainz Ooal Gown being spoken of. Once again, the enigmatic lord commanded remarkable loyalty from his subjects. He looked down at Solution and smirked.
“Just a second, dollface. I'm gonna have to take a moment and put grandpa here in an early gra-”
As he turned his attention back to Sebas, something strange had happened. The old man, who had been standing quite far away, was suddenly rather close. In fact, he was so close that Viasmos could see almost nothing for that fraction of a second but his fist. It sharply collided with his cheek, twisting his neck back and sending him tumbling through the forest.
What... in the fuck!?
Viasmos planted his feet in the ground, sliding across the dirt as he recovered from the force of that punch. He wasn't even upright when Sebas was on him again. Viasmos threw a punch at him, but to his surprise, Sebas blocked his strike with perfect technique, then followed up with a knee to his gut. Viasmos lurched forward with his upper body while the rest of him was thrown into the air.
He had assumed from his experiences here that magical energy was the cleanest way to determine who had power and who didn't. There were just such remarkable differences between Ainz and his people versus the common dregs. But maybe that was a hasty assumption... it was possible that while this man possessed no magic to speak of, he had physical abilities which greatly belied that fact.
Okay... so that was a mistake...
That first hit was all it took for Viasmos to understand that Sebas was stronger than Solution. Much stronger, in fact... they really weren't very close at all. He'd have to take things up a notch.
For his part, Sebas had calmly walked to the tree in which Solution was trapped, unflustered by the battle. With a swift chop of his hand, he broke the top part of the tree down, freeing Solution.
“Are you alright, Solution?”
“I'm sorry... I failed miserably...”
Solution hung her head and started to cry, but stopped when Sebas pet her on the head. The two of them weren't exactly peas in a pod, but as fellow denizens of Nazarick, there would always be some innate affection as kin. Solution had been hurt and humiliated, and so Sebas felt a great anger on her behalf. An attack on one was an attack on all.
“You needn't apologize for anything, Solution. All circumstances considered, you did as well as could be asked.”
“But... But I-”
Sebas turned sharply to face Viasmos, who was flying towards him with intense velocity.
“Lord Ainz will be glad to know you're safe.”
A split-second later, and Viasmos was on him. Sebas caught his fist, but was being pushed back considerably. Viasmos followed with a kick to his face, but this was also blocked. Sebas responded in kind, but now adjusted for the level of power someone like Sebas warranted, Viasmos was able to block this strike. The two went back and forth, their excellent knowledge and technique making hits few and far between.
Solution watched in awe that someone was going toe-to-toe with Lord Sebas. In all of Nazarick, there were four who could be considered the strongest as it pertained to close combat. There was Rubedo, the strongest of all of Nazarick's NPCs. There was Cocytus, the Floor Guardian of the fifth floor, who boasted the greatest skill with weaponry. There was Albedo, Guardian Overseer and Rubedo's sister, who boasted the greatest defense.
And then there was Sebas, the strongest in hand-to-hand combat. Unarmed and without magic, there were none who could best him. He was so good that, even if Solution had the energy to assist, she wasn't sure she would. At these speeds, she'd only get in the way.
Her thoughts drifted to Sebas's words of comfort. Lord Ainz would be glad to know she was safe... that was right. All who resided in The Great Tomb of Nazarick would unhesitantly give their lives in service of the Supreme Beings. That being said, it was also true that Lord Ainz had never been cavalier with their lives. He considered them all precious, and wished for their well-beings. This would not stop Solution from sacrificing herself if she felt it appropriate, but... it did mean she'd always have a home to accept her. Her failure may well bring consequences... but the Supreme One, she was sure, would not abandon her so hastily.
It was enough to give her hope.
Viasmos deflected a strike from Sebas's left palm and leaned into it to land a hit on his shoulder. Sebas felt a bone fracture from the hit, but did not let that slow him down. Viasmos had left himself open on his left side, and so Sebas swung at him with a right chop downwards near his clavicle.
Sebas did not use magic as Viasmos was accustomed to it, but he did use a type of energy called “Ki”. This was standard for monks like Sebas. Ki, if one wanted it described in layman's terms, could make the user's body harder and stronger – and that ki could be concentrated in certain areas of the body for certain purposes. Even the human monks of this world, albeit very few, were capable of using their fists to defend from swords.
It went without saying that Sebas was many times stronger than they were.
His palm tore through Viasmos's chest, shearing from between his shoulder and clavicle down to his lungs. Even Viasmos had to groan in pain, his bones shattered and his organs ripped apart. To Sebas, it was no doubt a killing blow for a human, no matter how powerful. And yet... he wasn't entirely unbothered as he looked at Viasmos's face.
Why was he grinning like a fool?
This momentary confusion was all Viasmos needed to strike a counterattack, landing a brutally clean shot into his gut. Sebas was sent flying back and upwards, stunned from the force generated by an injured human. He was not one to look down on humans, one of the few in Nazarick who appreciated the race; But even without that inherent bias clouding his judgment, Viasmos outperformed his expectations.
Solution watched with an ephemeral glee, believing that haymaker Viasmos had delivered to be the last gasp of a dying man. However, that smile quickly vanished as a green flame seemed to emerge from nowhere, burning where his wound was. In a matter of seconds, it was as if he'd been sewn right back. Viasmos rotated his shoulder a couple times, warming it back up for the ensuing fight.
No surprise, Sebas had quickly recovered after landing on the ground, and made a rapid dash for Viasmos. The two once again got into an exchange of blows. Sebas hated to admit it, but Viasmos was starting to get the better of him. The longer this fight dragged on, the better he got at reading Sebas's movements, and he was starting to land more hits. Sebas couldn't let this continue on this way. This was desperate, but called for.
Viasmos suddenly experienced a strength and speed that Sebas had kept restrained thus far... but that wasn't the surprising part. It didn't feel like a fist had hit him... more like a trio of swords. He felt the right side of his abdomen get thrashed apart, and he quickly backed up, feeling the need to assess what was going on. It was only there for a moment, but Viasmos briefly saw it. Sebas's arm was something else, very different from his human veneer. A scaly, clawed arm that reverted to its previous state as quickly as it had appeared.
Viasmos snickered as the picture started to clarify. “Hehehe... I see. So you were still holding out on me, huh?”
“Disappointed?”
“Well... not like I'm one to talk.” Sebas got a clearer look this time as the green flames once again coated the injured portion of his body, healing his wounds with remarkable haste. “What I would like to know is... why aren't you going all out with that yet?”
Sebas said nothing, and Viasmos continued.
“You clearly felt enough pressure to bring that out... I guess you were hoping for a killing blow in one shot. But still, why didn't you keep it going? You undid your transformation so quickly, I've half a mind to think you were scared.”
Again, Sebas said nothing. He wasn't inclined to offer free information to Viasmos... though the man seemed perfectly adept at finding his way to the crux of the matter regardless. Viasmos sighed and whipped his head back to face Solution, still weak and on her knees.
“Shit, I get it... it's because of her, right? Something about that power of yours... it's not safe with her around, is it?”
Sebas's eyes narrowed in frustration, an act he immediately regretted. It was all the body language necessary for Viasmos to confirm his speculation. The Tharsian groaned and kicked a rock on the ground.
“Well fuck, I was having myself a fun time. But if you're not gonna give me your very best when it's warranted, then I'm not really interested anymore. Maybe another time.” Turning back around to Solution, he barked, “Get yourself ready, sweetheart! We're going home!”
“I think you're confused,” Sebas responded with barely-restrained rage. “I won't let you go so easily.”
“Uh, heh, excuse me?” Viasmos snorted with a hint of annoyance. “A guy who won't go all-out in a life-or-death battle has the audacity to speak to me that way? No, I think you're the one that's confused here.” He lifted his hand, charging up his scarlet-black aura. “You don't get a fucking say.”
It was as he told Solution, after all. There was only one thing that would determine her fate.
Force.
Viasmos fired off an immense shockwave of his aura in front of him, blasting apart the trees in the forest for miles across. Sebas, to his credit, was able to hold his ground as he took the full force of the blast, but could not push against it. Through a squinted eye, he caught only a glimpse of Solution being grabbed by her hair, and forced through a bluish-white light.
In the throne room of The Great Tomb of Nazarick, Ainz Ooal Gown was being brought up to speed on the situation. Sebas knelt before the Supreme One, looking deeply apologetic in the wake of Solution's capture.
“I apologize, my lord. Though I was able to track down the adversary, I was unable to rescue Solution. Forgive me.”
Ainz raised a bony hand. “Not at all, Sebas. Faced with unknown abilities, you did as well as could be expected. Rest assured, we have learned a great deal from this latest altercation. Now please, rise.”
“Very well, Lord Ainz.”
Sebas stood at attention, joined by the other Floor Guardians. All but Albedo stood beneath the steps to the throne, while she stood beside Lord Ainz. Among the Floor Guardians was Demiurge, guardian of the 7th floor. He looked a bit like a sleazy lawyer, dressed in a red, pinstripe suit and slicked-up hair. He nudged his glasses up to his crystalline eyes, chuckling as he started to see the bigger picture.
“Indeed, we have learned a great deal. Though I suspect this is only true for us.”
“What do you mean?” asked Shalltear, guardian of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
“I mean that Lord Ainz already knew exactly what we'd find!”
The floor guardians gasped in amazement at their master's foresight, while Ainz's jaw hung limply from his skull.
...Huh?
“Based on our limited information and Sebas's report, I think the secret behind our mysterious foe is all too obvious. Isn't that right, Lord Ainz?”
What the hell is he talking about!?
“Of course,” Ainz answered. “As expected, Demiurge, you've gleamed the truth for yourself. Then I permit you to share your conclusions with the others.”
“With honor, your majesty!” Demiurge stated with a bow. “You see, the man known as Viasmos is similar to us. He isn't native to this world... he hails from another!”
Oh! That makes so much sense!
“Furthermore,” Demiurge continued, “the world he originates from isn't YGGDRASIL. His magic is too different. This is why he's been so hard to classify for us... he follows rules distinct to his world, rather than ours or this one.”
“W-wow,” praised a soft-spoken boy in a skirt. “S-so, Lord Ainz knew all this from the beginning!”
“Of course! Think about it. Why would he send Sebas and Solution to the capital of Re-Estize?”
Well, that's not too hard to figure out. Ainz thought internally. We're also still looking for the guys who brainwashed Shalltear, and we'd used those two as bait before. Why not keep up the same system as before? You know, it's like killing two birds with one stone!
“On the surface, it might seem a ridiculous plan. Sebas and Solution were already compromised from their previous operation in Re-Estize. Several people not under our control would easily be able to recognize them, which could attract unnecessary complications. Surely, it would make more sense to try this scheme somewhere else, even in another kingdom like the Baharuth Empire.”
Oh... damn, that's a good point! Why didn't anybody say that!?
“But then one asks, why Carne Village? Why was that the first place he struck? The answer is obvious – for it was the same with us! It was the first place he happened upon! If we then operate under the assumption that he is an otherworlder, then the next phase of the strategy becomes clear. What is an otherworlder to do in a realm he's unfamiliar with? The first place he'd go, of course, would be the biggest city in the kingdom he started in! It would have to be Re-Estize!”
“Of. Course!” gasped Cocytus, guardian of the fifth floor, a platinum-coated insectoid of monstrous size.
“But I'm confused,” said Aura, a small girl in boy's clothes standing next to the boy in the skirt – Mare. The two of them were twin siblings, guardians of the 6th floor, and most importantly, crossdressers. “Even if Lord Ainz knew he'd show up in Re-Estize, why use Sebas and Solution? We could have just used someone else who wouldn't be recognized.”
“Quite right, Aura!” Demiurge declared excitedly. “This is where the true genius of the Supreme One fits in! For Solution's part, she was only necessary because of her history with Sebas. See, the most important part of this entire plan was making sure... that Sebas was the one to confront Viasmos!”
…Why!?
“We are dealing with someone capable of taking down one of the Pleiades. While not on the level of a Floor Guardian, the extent of his power remained an unknown. Who, then, boasts better odds in so blind a fight but Sebas?” Demiurge gestured towards Albedo. “With the exception of our dear overseer, Sebas possesses better physical and magical defense stats than any of the Floor Guardians!”
Albedo closer her eyes and smiled, basking in the glow of her master's genius. “Among the males, less likely to be victimized, Sebas offered the greatest odds of survival. It would nigh-guarantee an opportunity to confirm what our lord and master already figured out! We were able to bear witness to the portal that leads to his world, as well as confirm the existence of an anti-telepathy barrier, just as he'd figured out from the incident in Carne Village! All thanks to a plan that could only have been conceived by one who was already able to perceive his every action! Everything has gone exactly as Lord Ainz has foreseen!”
The floor guardians were beside themselves with awe. Every time they thought they'd seen the extent of their master's intellect and prescience, he continued to defy their imaginations.
Ainz, for his part, was sitting in his throne bewildered. He hadn't thought of any of that! What the hell were they talking about!?
“W-well done, Demiurge! You've discerned my thoughts flawlessly!”
Demiurge turned to Ainz and bowed his head. “Thank you, my lord. But of course, you're too modest. I've no doubt there's still much that's yet to be deciphered. I expect it will be long before I see the tapestry of schemes you have at play.”
“Uh... in any case, while it's true we were able to learn much from this latest endeavor, I'm afraid it is still a failure. I put Solution in harm's way, and she's paid the price. As the otherworlder was able to match blows with Sebas, we must understand we are dealing with a dangerous individual. I will do all in my power to protect you, but understand... we may yet require more sacrifices before we are ready to move against this foe. Please, forgive me.”
Albedo swiftly dropped to a knee, prompting a strangled yelp from her surprised master. “My lord, there is nothing to forgive! Solution and Lupusregina would say the same! We are ready to sacrifice ourselves at any moment in service to your glory! There is not one among us who would blame you! We trust you to take us through the best course of action!”
“That's right!” The other guardians and Sebas shouted in unison, dropping to their knees as well. Ainz was pretty nervous about how they'd react to yet another of the Pleiades Maids being captured, but it didn't seem like they were judging him too harshly about it. It seemed, no matter what, the blame would never go to him for their failures. That did offer some comfort to the skeleton overlord, as it assured he needn't fear mutiny from the NPCs. On the other hand... he did feel genuine remorse. He cherished his subjects. The captures of Lupusregina and Solution would not go unanswered.
“Please, all of you, rise. I thank you greatly, and trust your devotion. Our next plans will be worked out soon, but moving forward, I advise all of you to reflect on any belittling beliefs you may harbor towards humans. This enemy is not to be judged by conventional standards. If that is clear, then you are dismissed.”
The guardians voiced their assent and returned to their duties, leaving Ainz to sit and stew in his emotions. Since turning into his character from YGGDRASIL, his mind had transformed very much like his body. While he wasn't a homicidal maniac, he no longer felt empathy for humans. He could see a whole city of them being slaughtered before his eyes, and he wouldn't care. Though he was not arbitrarily cruel to them, they ultimately held little value in his eyes.
But his capacity for compassion had not entirely disappeared. Indeed, he cared deeply for those close to him. The other 40 members of the guild were gone – and though he held out hope, there was no guarantee they were with him in this world. All he had were the vestiges of his former comrades, in the form of the NPCs they'd created. Every now and then, he even saw his friends in them, as though they'd taken a piece of their respective creator's personality. Each and every one of them – from his own creation, Pandora's Actor, to the homunculus maids who attended to cleaning the tomb – were sacred.
Yes, the losses of Lupusregina and Solution fell heavily on his heart. His shame at being unable to protect them was outmatched only by the overwhelming rage he felt for this “Viasmos” character. Whatever world he might hail from, whatever power he may be capable of, none of it mattered in the end. One day, without fail, Ainz would see to it... Viasmos would learn the true power of Nazarick.
Chapter 9: Interview with the Warlord: Gaiden
Notes:
Kinda blasted through this chapter, I guess because structurally, it's very direct and dialog-heavy. I wouldn't expect the follow-up to be quite so quick to post, but you never know!
This chapter occasionally delves into some fairly heavy topics. If anybody's offended by the perspectives offered by these characters, I ask you to remember two things. One, this is a work of fiction, and two, I don't care.
Chapter Text
Clark meekly apologized as he tip-toed between a man setting up a tripod, and another attaching a diffuser to the lighting rig. He'd been around his fair share of sets – in both his public and private jobs – but he wasn't used to them being in his own home.
“So tell me again, why is it that this can't be done in a regular studio? It has to be our home?”
Lois shrugged her shoulders and smiled pitifully. “Can't be helped. This isn't a celebrity you turn down requests for.” She took one more thick sip of coffee before getting up from the breakfast bar to see Clark off. “Sorry you can't be here for this.”
“It's no big deal. I don't understand why it has to be so last-minute, though... you guys had been setting this up for weeks, and now you're scrambling to get this set up in time? Well, I guess it's no surprise that Hollywood actresses are a fickle bunch.”
“Ha, yeah, tell me about it...” They neared the door to their apartment, and Lois used the chance, now that they were secluded from the staff and crew, to whisper into Clark's ear. “Be honest with me... what do you think Bruce wants?”
Clark turned his head side-to-side, cautious to ensure that nobody was listening in. At this stage in their relationship, Lois was perfectly aware of his secret identity. The nerdy Kansas boy was actually Superman, the greatest superhero in the world... though superheroes didn't get those sorts of glamorous titles anymore. One would think that a world-renowned journalist like Lois Lane would have been able to figure out herself, having worked with him for so long, but no such luck.
“I told you, he didn't say. He insisted on speaking in person.”
“I know, but what do you think?”
“...If I had to guess... it has to involve Viasmos somehow.”
Lois's face darkened, though she was not necessarily surprised. Viasmos had defeated Superman on two occasions now, and Lois was worried about him continuing to fight... especially now, when superheroes had been blamed for much of the fallout with him. At the same time, she knew the kind of person Clark was. He wouldn't ignore someone like that running around freely. As much as she feared for his safety, it was also one of the things she loved about him.
“Please... just be careful, Smallville.”
Lois gave Clark a kiss goodbye, and he left the apartment. Lois stayed tense until she heard it – the subtle quake one could feel when Superman was taking off from somewhere. It was nothing short of a miracle that she'd kept her composure around him... and now it was all coming out.
Jimmy, taking the duties of cameraman today, walked down the hall towards her. “Hey, Lois! We're good to go over he – woah... you okay?”
“H-huh?”
“Just... you're shivering.”
Lois looked down at her hands, and could see just what he was talking about. Her arms were shaking, and her fingers were vibrating even worse. She hadn't even been aware of it... but once Jimmy pointed it out, she could only laugh at herself.
“Wow, how pathetic do I look? I've interviewed terrorists, oligarchs, supervillains... but I've never been this nervous before...”
Jimmy came over and grabbed her shoulder from behind. “This... isn't like any of those, though...”
“No... it's not...”
She took a moment to grab her bearings, then tapped a couple times on Jimmy's hand. “Go on, tell him its time.”
“You're sure?”
“Too late to turn back now. Besides, who knows how long we have before Clark comes back? If he sees what's going on, he won't care about his secret – this interview will be over. May as well get it rolling while we can...”
Jimmy nodded, the only other person at The Daily Planet who was aware of Clark's identity. He ran over to the living room, calling out seemingly to nobody. “Hey, uh... we're all set for you... uh, sir...” There was no response. It was possible that he'd gone to a different room. Not like he'd know. “Uh... are you in here?” Again, no response. Jimmy turned around to try a different room, and sharply came face-to-face with their interviewee. He yelped and fell on his ass from the shock, much to their guest's amusement.
“So, before we start,” Viasmos asked with a playful grin, “which side do you think is my good side?”
One month earlier...
While the staff of The Daily Planet had thankfully survived the terror in Metropolis from the previous year, the infrastructure was not so fortunate. In the chaos that ensued, the newspaper was making it work as best they could, having relocated to Los Angeles. LA was no longer part of the United States of America, which did not exist anymore. It belonged to California, now its own country rather than a state. As far as the remnants of the US were concerned, it was the closest thing there was to normal life as they once knew it. Some could even bear to forget all about what had happened to America, and continue their lives as if nothing had changed; Though whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, Lois wasn't too sure.
Even so, there was some merit in the search or normalcy. For many, it was all there was. In Lois's case, this had come in the form of a dainty cafe across the street from the building in which they now worked. She frequently came during her lunch breaks. Good food, a sparkling atmosphere, and minimal commute – it was the perfect place for her to forget about the world's troubles and feel at peace.
Which was why she was so mad right now. Because after this meeting, she wasn't sure she would be returning.
She usually sat outside, but instead headed to a table inside by the window. Sitting there was a man in a gray hoodie and sunglasses. She took a seat, sat back, crossed her arms, and gave him a menacing stare.
“You're him, right? The one I'm supposed to be meeting?”
“That's right.”
His voice was familiar enough to her, but she still felt the need to ask, “And do you have any proof that you are who you say you are?”
“Hmm? Was the picture not enough?”
Lois had received a curious piece of mail at her work desk. The letter claimed to be from Viasmos, asking to meet with her. Tucked inside the folded letter was a picture. In the background of the photo were Kara, Karen, and Diana – naked and chained to the ceiling by their wrists. In the foreground was Viasmos, holding up a peace sign with a cheeky grin.
“My work requires that I'm thorough,” she explained plainly.
“Heh, well I could always blow up this coast too, but I'm guessing that's not what you're asking. Can't very well show my face without inciting a panic, so will this suffice?”
He curled his hand in front of her, cautious to keep it as out of view as possible, and generated a tiny charge of his scarlet-black aura between his ring and middle fingers. His powers were practically common knowledge at this point. There wasn't an individual who inspired more terror in all the planet. It wasn't impossible that she was being taken for a ride, but it seemed unlikely. His voice and minimal display of power would have to do.
“So, you are Viasmos. Then tell me, what does calamity incarnate want with me?”
“Ooh, you are in media! 'Calamity incarnate', I like that! I'll have to use that some time.”
“Answer the question,” she said harshly. There was genuine anger, of course. This man was a monster, not someone she cared to have a chat with. But at the same time, she was trying her best to mask her fear. She had a reputation as a tough, ball-busting reporter, and she was leaning into that facet of her identity as much as possible. Anything to dissociate from the terror he struck in her.
“Fine, fine. It's a simple enough request. I want you to interview me.”
Lois stared at him in a stupor, bewildered at what he was asking. When she received that strange note, claiming to be from Viasmos and asking to meet him here, this wasn't at all what she'd expected. “That's anything but simple, but... why? You don't strike me as a man who cares about his image.”
“Hahaha, right you are! But I imagine you people have a lot of questions about me, and I don't mind answering them. I thought it might be fun.”
“I'm well aware of your idea of fun, and it's not that...”
A loathsome grin spread across his face. “Oh don't worry, I'm not after your body. Not right now, anyway. Maybe some day, though... you are a real looker up close.” Even through his shades, Lois could see his eyes glazing over her – from her smooth, black hair to her narrow waist. She reflexively lifted her arms to her chest, wincing at his gaze. To this, he chuckled and offered his assurances. “I'll definitely pick somebody up while I'm here, but not until after our interview. Fair?”
“It's hardly right to ask me if it's fair for you to assault another poor woman... but in any case, I'm not buying it. You're aiming for something. Be straight with me, or I'm leaving.”
Viasmos sighed, though a smile was still plastered on his face. The woman was proving more perceptive than he'd expected. “Alright... I guess I can't sneak it past you. How about I give you a hint: you're asking the wrong question. It's not 'why do I want to be interviewed?' It's 'why do I want to be interviewed by you?'"
Lois looked flummoxed, not completely understanding his point. “Why should that be significant? Not to toot my own horn, but I'm a world-famous reporter... I'm an obvious choice.”
“Ha! Oh please, do you really think I'm someone who cares about that? Come now, think harder. Why might you be such an entertaining choice?”
Lois tried her best to get inside of his head. To know what he meant, she needed to understand what a guy like him was thinking. The obvious answer was that he was interested in her body... but he denied that quite directly. There was plenty of information out there on Viasmos that could charitably be called unreliable, but one thing she was pretty certain of was that he wasn't the type to lie to his targets about his intentions. To the contrary, he seemed to enjoy the fear he instilled in them. So if it wasn't that... then what?
“Ah, there he is!” Viasmos announced, interrupting her thought process. “The husband! Out chasing a new story, I suppose?”
Lois looked out the window, and saw Clark hailing down a cab. Indeed, he wasn't on break, he'd likely heard some breaking news and was on his way to the scene. It always struck her as funny, watching him go through the trouble of getting a cab, when he could get there in an instant. It had to be tough, pretending to be normal, even when he knew he could do his job better if he didn't. All to ensure that nobody ever found out he was-
She gasped, though softly, in the hopes of somewhat masking her anxiety. She turned to Viasmos with an intense look, and asked, “How do you know about my husband?”
“You're a public figure, and you work together. Is it that strange I should know?”
Lois took a deep breath, and calmed her nerves. “I suppose... I'm asking the wrong question again. Why do you know about my husband?”
“What, you're gonna make me say it? Because...” He motioned towards Clark in a somewhat awkward manner, as if it was dumb for him to have to say it out loud. “...he's Superman.”
Underneath the table, Lois's hands were balled into trembling fists. This... was really bad. He'd figured out his secret identity! No... it was always possible that he only suspected, and was looking for a reaction. She could feign ignorance... it was worth a shot.
“...And what makes you say that?”
Viasmos swung his head back like he'd taken an uppercut, sighing in exhaustion. “Oh, come on! Don't play dumb with me! You know it, I know it, let's just accept we both know it.” He turned back towards Clark, who'd finally managed to signal a taxi. “Honestly, how doesn't everyone know it? Isn't it obvious? It's just Superman in glasses! Not much of a disguise.”
There was clearly no point pretending like it wasn't the truth. “He touches up his hair, too.”
“So what!? I just happened to see his picture online, and I knew right away who it was. Come on, you work with him. You must have figured it out pretty quickly!”
“It fooled me for years. He eventually had to tell me himself.”
“Shit, that really works on you people?”
“I suppose it does.”
“Well damn, and here I am dressed like the fucking Unabomber. I should've just tied my hair up in a ponytail and left it at that.”
This wasn't the first time he'd encountered this kind of thing. The Sailor Scouts, when transformed, were also practically indistinguishable from their normal selves. Yet, they were supposedly unrecognizable to the general populace. Was it something about the non-Aresian humans that their brains hadn't developed sufficient facial recognition? Or maybe it was a psychological thing. You don't expect to see a superhero, so you don't notice the superhero? Whatever the case, it was baffling to him.
“So then... what's the deal? Are you... threatening Clark?”
“Huh? Why would I do that? Supes is so much fun! I love getting to play with him. Why would I threaten him?”
“But that is why we're here, right? Because I'm his wife.”
He nodded his head. “I just found the idea kind of funny, you know? I can't imagine there are too many people Supes hates more than me... and I can have a televised chat with his wife!? Hahaha, I'd love to see the look on his face!” Lois didn't exactly share his sense of humor, and stared at him unamused. He continued, “Anyway, I meant what I said. I don't mind answering questions. I just never had a reason to do it until now.”
Whatever she may think of him, this did sound like a reasonable explanation. “And you promise this isn't just a set-up so you can... violate me? Maybe pull the same thing you did with Poison Ivy?”
“Hey, like I said, you're pretty. I ain't gonna rule it out. But right now, I'm still looking for heroines and villainesses. If it's my word you need, then you have it. I will not threaten you up to, during, or in the general period after our interview.” She narrowed her eyes, staring at him with skepticism. Assuaging her concerns, he said, “Hey, I'm many things, but I ain't a liar. A trickster, maybe, but I play by the rules I set.”
Lois's body seemed to accept his words faster than her mind did, exhaling deeply as the weight of this meeting felt partially lifted. She knew why he was here, and had assurances of her own safety, as well as Clark's.
“Regardless, I'm under no obligation to help you.”
“No, you're not. But you'll do it anyway, won't you? You're a dedicated journalist, after all.” The two of them entered a staring showdown. She hated that smirk of his... the way he acted all-knowing. Viasmos pushed the issue further. “Come on, how often do you get to interview 'calamity incarnate'?”
She especially hated how he was right to act that way.
“Hmph... well as a journalist, it'd be malpractice to deny a chance to delve into the thoughts of the most infamous person known to man. I suppose I'm open to doing this. Still... logistics will need to be worked out. If this leaks, we'll have several dozen heroes on us before we get through the first question. Just conducting the interview in our studio is too risky.”
“Why not just do it at your place?”
“What!? Why on Earth would we do it there?”
“It's a controlled environment, no? You don't have to worry about people going in an out.”
“Except my husband, in case you forgot. He won't allow you to sit down for an interview with me”
“Okay, so we plan for a time you know he won't be around.”
“I have no way of knowing when that will be. And I imagine you don't plan on staying here indefinitely.”
“Of course not, but no worries! I think of everything!”
Viasmos pulled out a device. It looked like a phone, though it was clunkier, with something resembling a steampunk aesthetic. “A little something I had my son-in-law whip up. It's a phone that runs on a closed system. I have one just like it – which is kind of the point. See that red light? That means I'm in town – that is to say, in your dimension. I'll pop in from time to time, and you can update me as you go.”
It was a sound enough tactic, though she found herself palming her face as the scale of this task began to dawn on her. “There's gonna have to be a lot of planning and work for this... Of course, I'll have to speak to my editor, as well. He'll need to give his approval. He might not let us go if he's concerned about the danger... which could be a problem, given your history.”
“Relax,” said Viasmos, raising his hand in reassurance. “I have no interest in killing a bunch of weaklings.”
“You sure had a funny way of showing it in Metropolis.”
“Hmph. Feel free to tell him he's next on the chopping block, if that's what he needs to hear.”
“...I suppose that might convince him...”
Viasmos and Lois discussed the matter at further length. While a convoluted ordeal, this wasn't impossible to arrange. Even for someone who'd been neck-deep in some of the most significant stories of the last century, Lois felt this would probably be the biggest catch of her career. Interviewing Viasmos was probably not an idea that had even occurred to many journalists. He didn't exactly come off as approachable, especially not to women like herself.
“Tell me one thing before you go...” she requested of Viasmos. “Why did you have to pick this place to meet?”
He stared at her with confusion, like he wasn't sure why it would matter. “Uh... it's right near where you work. I figured it'd be convenient.”
“It's not. This was my favorite place since having to move to the complete opposite side of the country. It's tainted for me now.”
“Huh? How do you figure? It's not like I poisoned it or nuthin'...”
Lois held up her hand to stop him, and took a deep breath before saying her piece. “In my line of work, it's important to compartmentalize our feelings from the story. We must be able to handle tragic events without breaking down, to ask hard questions without fear for our lives or careers, and to hear from vile persons of importance without losing objectivity. I am in favor of conducting this interview, because I believe it will be in the public interest. That being said... you are someone I hold in the very lowest of regard. You treat this world like your playground, while the rest of us have to live in it. You torment people who have done you no wrong, and have killed countless strangers without regard for the consequences. You aren't just dangerous, you're obscene. Scum among scum.”
“Heh, damn. I gotta get you to write my biography,” he said with an unfazed grin.
“Every time I come here, I'll be reminded of the time I sat down with such a disgusting person, and suppressed my deepest disdain in order to conduct business. It will forever leave a sour taste in my mouth. So yes, this place is now tainted.”
“So what are you gonna do after the interview? Get a new apartment?”
“You know, I just might.”
Viasmos laughed, quite enjoying her candor. “Well, suit yourself. As long as we've got a deal, it doesn't really matter to me.” He stepped up from the table, but Lois cleared her throat and stopped him.
“One problem with this plan... I really... I don't like lying to Clark...”
Even through his shades, Lois could feel the blank stare of someone who simply could not empathize. “Okay... is that a problem for me to deal with, though?”
Lois sighed, feeling like a fool for even bringing it up. She was eager to end this conversation as quickly as possible. “No... no, I suppose it isn't.”
Present Time, in the Bat Cave
“You're late,” Bruce noted dryly.
“You're pedantic,” Clark countered. “What is this about?”
Bruce, donning the attire of his alter ego, Batman, walked over towards the Bat Computer. Blunt pleasantries like this were fairly common for the duo. They were friends more than they were enemies, but there was always some lingering tension. Superman, the golden boy who served the law... Batman, the dark vigilante who carried out his own justice. These distinct differences in their respective ideals of what it meant to be a superhero had led to some significant disagreements between the two. Even so... there were few they trusted more than each other.
“I want to show you what I've been working on since The Scar was inflicted.”
“Hmm, I figured you were working on a plan for Viasmos. So what is it? Some kind of weapon? Because it'll have to be pretty damn powerful to take him down.”
“An even better weapon than any cannon or tool,” Bruce answered, picking up a cartridge off his desk and throwing it to the Man of Steel. “Information.”
Clark opened the cartridge, and saw... nothing. “Bruce... I'm thinking you've been down here a little too long...”
“Look closely,” he insisted, refusing to play along.
He sighed and looked back at the cartridge. Any normal person would look in here and see nothing. Indeed, any normal person would only be capable of seeing nothing. But Superman... he would be able to see something, as long as he concentrated. At long last, Clark grunted in surprise as he started to make out the tiny gadgets.
“Are these... nanomachines?”
“Yes. Nanomachines that have been swimming inside Viasmos.”
Clark nearly dropped the cartridge outright out of sheer shock. “W-what!? How!? You said you'd been working on this since The Scar happened... so then how...”
Bruce turned to the computer and began to pull up some of the data he'd accumulated. “Technically, I'd only been waiting in the direct aftermath of The Scar. After he'd taken Diana, there was a long absence. I was concerned he'd noticed what I'd done, and destroyed the nanomachines in his body. But then it finally happened... he came for Dinah, and I got my first results.”
“But how did you get them inside... oh, damnit, Bruce!” Clark palmed his forehead with realization. Diana had been the vector.
“...I couldn't risk one of you unconsciously giving it away during the confrontation. Nor did I want to dispirit Diana as though I didn't believe she'd be okay. I planted the nanomachines in her body during a routine medical examination. I didn't tell her what it was. Had Viasmos been defeated that day, I'd have destroyed the nanomachines, and it wouldn't have been an issue.”
The kryptonian crossed his arms, and was visibly displeased. “I don't like us being used while being out of the loop... but I suppose there are bigger concerns right now. Tell me what these nanomachines do.”
Grateful that he wasn't pressing the issue, Bruce nodded and motioned towards the screen of the Bat Computer. “Simply put, they analyze his body – collecting samples, tracking his brain waves, etcetera – while also recording video and audio data. Their servers can't hold weeks or months worth of recordings, so that part is only activated during times of increased heart rate and... low arousal.” He obviously didn't wish to be greeted with footage of his friends being manhandled. “Anytime his vital signs indicate he might be in pain or danger, basically. Whenever Viasmos enters our dimension, the nanomachines receive a signal. The data they've compiled is then transferred through a returning signal. Their servers are cleared, and they repeat the process until the next time he arrives.”
Clark had to confess, he didn't completely understand everything he was seeing on the computer. But as long as Bruce could make sense of it, that was all that mattered. “Then if you're sharing this with me now... does that mean you've found a weakness?”
Bruce pushed a button on his computer, bringing up a sound file in conjunction with a display of his vitals. “Damn, girl. Those really are no joke. Thanks for cooperating.” In spite of the jovial tone in his voice, a hint of pain could definitely be heard... which were particularly convincing next to a graphic that seemed to suggest his heart had exploded.
The playback ended, and Bruce turned to Clark. “I think so.”
Viasmos snarled at the poor make-up girl, having to attend to the face of the most terrifying man on the planet. “Come on, I'm a guy! I really don't need this shit!”
“U-u-um, yes s-sir,” she stammered. “B-b-b-but you see.... i-it um... it m-m-makes you look b-b-better on c-camera...”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fine, then. Just w-w-w-wrap it up fast.”
The girl quickly finished her work and dashed out of there like her life was at stake. For all she knew, it was. Lois scoffed and scolded Viasmos. “She's just doing her job! Did you have to be an asshole about it?”
“No. Did I have to be a sweetheart about it?”
“Ugh... okay, let's just do this.” Lois took a deep breath and meditated. A lot of time and planning had gone into this moment. Perry had utilized only the most trustworthy people under his employ for this gig, to ensure there was as minimal a chance of a leak as possible. Clark's name had come up, but Lois emphatically rejected it, for obvious reasons. Everyone else had been told this was work on a highly-sought Hollywood actress, while those in the know prepared for what would have to be a scrambled set-up process.
It was finally here. Everything that needed to be done had been taken care of. All that was left was Lois... it was up to her to make sure this interview went well. This wouldn't be broadcast live, for obvious reasons, but it was a condition of Viasmos's that the interview was posted in full with no edits. She would have to be poised, confrontational, hard-hitting... all of which would be very difficult to do in front of so terrifying a presence. She needed to get herself in the zone and keep herself there. That was why, even as her producer counted down to action, she kept herself meditating until the very last second.
“ Good day, viewers around the world. I'm Lois Lane, and I'm here with a man who, quite frankly, needs no introduction. While his actions are unquestionably heinous, I have agreed to conduct this interview because I believe there is merit to hearing how one of the world's most infamous and transformative people thinks. Part of the arrangement was that this interview air unedited. Because of that, profane language and graphic descriptions may be present. Please watch at your discretion. With that said, let's dive right in.”
“Happy to be here, Lois.”
“ I said you needed no introduction, but in truth, there's very little the public knows about you. Why don't you start by sharing some details about who you are and where you're from.”
“I guess that makes sense. I come from a world where humans went in a very different direction from how they appear to have gone in the majority of dimensions I've visited. In my universe, even the most insignificant of humans hold tremendous magical potential. The idea of 'superpowers' doesn't really exist like it does for you guys, it's just a part of our nature. If I found the weakest person among us and put them up against ten of your strongest non-superpowered men, it wouldn't even be a contest.”
“ And this world, is it otherwise similar to Earth?”
“No. A lot of versions of humanity live on some version or another of Earth, but not us. Our planet is called 'Ares' – although that's kind of a new thing. Our planet was left nameless for a long time. See, with our humans being so powerful, we were defined by our drive for war. Territories were constantly ebbing and flowing against each other, so nobody really cared about naming things other than the territory to which they belonged.”
“ You speak in a past tense... is war no longer central to your people?”
“More like it's not necessary for my people. Thanks to me, that is.”
“ Please, elaborate.”
“Sure. So the culture I hail from is called 'Tharsis'. We were a middling nation for some time. We were proud warriors who valued power above all else, even more so than other war-hungry cultures, but being surrounded by all sides, expansion was difficult. I felt our leader was a feckless coward, so I forced him to accept a duel when I was 13. Haha, I crushed in his brains like the pathetic vermin he was. Fucked his wife, too. That was my first, in fact.”
“ I see... you said you were 13? Is this kind of thing common in your world?”
“No. Most nations didn't determine their leadership through one-on-one battles like that, for one. But I think what you're really asking if it's a normal thing for a 13-year old to have power comparable to a leader of a nation – and no, it's not common. Even by my world's standards, I'm a goddamn prodigy. I ain't bein' vain, just telling it like it is.”
“ Can you go into more detail about that?”
“Well, for starters, I was born with a uniquely high concentration of raw energy. The way it works over there, the more energy you've got, the higher your ceiling is. Basic enough equation for your listeners to grasp, I'm sure. Whether or not one can make use of that ceiling is another issue entirely, however... and that's where I excelled. Mages are generally forced to be selective about where they focus their disciplines. Even if they're theoretically capable of learning any magic, they're not necessarily capable of learning every magic. It's just too much information for one person to process. But not me. I'm proficient in every magic known to my kind, particularly adept with quite a few among them, and I've even developed several of my own magics – hell, that's how I'm able to cross dimensions. I'm also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, having trained under every martial art both armed and unarmed that my people have developed.”
“ I think I'm starting to see the picture here. Once you took over Tharsis, you were able to expand in a way that previous leaders couldn't. This snowballed until you'd conquered all the known world, hence why your people have no further need for war. Is that right?”
“Look at you go, girlie! That's mostly true. The only note I'd add is that I have left a few straggling territories around, just in case they want to stir shit up sometime. I'm a big believer in keeping things dynamic. Less boring that way. They haven't engaged in too many battles, sadly... but we did have a pretty good one last year! Not long after I blew up your East Coast, in fact.”
“ ... I suppose that's as good a segue as I can ask for moving away from your history, and onto your general outlook. You've made several appearances in this world, both before and after what we commonly refer to as 'The Scar', but you generally haven't gone out of your way to inflict mass suffering. That day, something was different. Your actions led to the deaths of nearly 200,000,000 people, about 2.5% of the Earth's population. They also led to a global economic crisis, and a monumental reorganizing of the power structure among nations. I would like to know two things: What was different about that instance, and do you hold any remorse whatsoever?”
“Well, let me start with the second part of your question: No. Now that that's out of the way, the difference was obviously that I had a every hero and villain under the sun pursuing me. You're right, I don't go out of my way to kill people. I generally only kill people who frustrate me or are in my way, but I get no pleasure out of killing weaklings, and I get lots of pleasure out of getting a good fight. Either way, no incentive to kill. But that's the thing, part of enjoying the fight means keeping it a challenge.”
“ Ah... you're saying you've held yourself back?”
“Absolutely. Not everyone can be born as strong as me, but they can at least be strong in certain ways. Depending on my target, I might make myself as weak as one of you people. Winning under my own power is easy enough, but winning a fight that's relatively even is what gives me real satisfaction. Take Superman, for example. He's really strong, every bit as strong as me, even without holding back. But you know what? In our first fight, I could've killed him immediately if I wanted. I could've used magic to stop his heart, warped space-time so he'd be severed in half, or even just blown up the sun and gotten rid of the source of his power. But that would be boring. So I made a condition for myself. No magic – save for what I needed to survive in space – and I'd keep it a purely physical battle. That's how I do things. I limit myself to how a person of my talents might present in a world like the one I'm visiting, or in a manner that appropriately matches the skill set of my opponent, and I win based on those merits.”
“ But not that day?”
"No. Even for me, fighting the likes of Superman and several dozen others of similarly impressive ability isn't something I can just take it easy for. I had to show off my true power. Here's the funny thing, that 'Scar' as you folks call it... it wasn't even a proper attack! Remember before, how I talked about us being born with magical energy? That takes a certain form that's unique to each individual – in my case, scarlet and black lightning. So all of us have a natural aura that expresses the quality and quantity of our magic, but for some of us – like me – that aura is too destructive to let loose. I've got to keep a lid on it, even over in my world. So when I saw the combined might of your superheroes and supervillains closing in on me, all I did was pop the cork off my aura. Get it now? I didn't attack you people... I existed for you. For one brief, mesmerizing second, your kind got to gaze upon the existence of a god... and you reaped the consequences.”
“ .........”
“Hahaha, cat got your lips? Or... wait... that's not how it goes, is it?”
“ It's just... a lot to take in. So regarding your statement, are you being tongue-in-cheek, or do you genuinely view yourself as a god?”
“What is a god, really? We never really developed religion like your people did, so it's not a term held in the same kind of reverence. But even if I take the religious practices common in other worlds like this one, what are we really defining? A being of unparalleled power? A ruler of the masses? One who constructs, erases, and warps reality to their whims? I see plenty of overlap with myself.”
“ Some might say benevolence is part of being a god, too.”
“Ooooohhhh hohohoho – now that really ain't fuckin' true. Your most popular god was a fucking psychopath. And say what you will about my ego, but I sure as hell never created life forms for the express purpose of worshiping me. Not to mention the idea you're talking about is pretty novel. Go back to your polytheistic roots, and gods were never portrayed as shining bastions of all that was good and just. They were pieces of shit with their own flaws and selfish agendas, just like everybody the fuck else. The idea of an omnibenevolent god who sets the standard for morality is a fairly modern incarnation for you folks, and inaccurate even in regards to your current narratives.”
“ I'm surprised you're so familiar with our religions.”
“Eh, I'm not really. Or at least not to my standards. I've read a good cursory bit, perhaps more than your typical civilian, but nothing too in-depth to the point I'd fancy myself an expert. There were a handful of myths in the oldest days of my kind, but not many, so there's not a tremendous amount of personal interest in that kind of thing. But I do see value in looking at the myths that form of the basis of your culture. You can read a lot into why people think or act the way they do based on these underlying myths. Hmm... I'll give you an example. One of the worlds I visited, everyone almost died. Not my fault, I promise! There was this psychic entity that like, it wasn't malicious or anything, it was just responding to the genuine desires of humanity. And what humanity really wanted, apparently, was to die.”
“ And that perplexed you?”
“Yeah, I thought it was pretty strange. Like, I understood the negative feelings attached to those people, but why it would compel them towards death, even on a subconscious level, was hard for me to wrap my mind around. Then one day, I learned about Gnosticism. It's an old sect of Christianity, though they held very different beliefs. The gnostics believed that the material world, this world, was a construct of the demiurge – the false God, Jaldabaoth. The counter-force to him was Sophia, the soul to his body. She was the source of the divine spark that compelled them towards spiritual salvation, away from the physical prison of the demiurge. It was the only life they ever knew, but also a lie in which they were shackled.”
“ I'm... not exactly seeing where you're going with this.”
“What I'm saying is that once I read about that, it all became clear to me. That entire religion was dedicated to rejecting their very lives, to the point of likening it to hell, and it was like the last puzzle piece had fallen into place for me. You people, on some level, have always had this perception that life is suffering. This is present in the more modern incarnations of Christianity, as well. This life is a test, and if you pass it, you get to enjoy a cushy afterlife. Because something about your regular life is unfulfilling, so you concoct these philosophical excuses that enable you to embrace death without feeling nihilistic.”
“ Well, this interview is about you. So let me ask, do you ever get those sorts of feelings?”
“Hmm, no... but I can't say I'm wholly unsympathetic. I'm immortal, and I enjoy every second of it. But I've only been alive for a good 130-ish years, who knows how I'll feel after a thousand? Or a million? As far as your Earth religions are concerned, I always quite liked those of the Indian subcontinent, where a common motif is that spiritual fulfillment will free you from endless rebirth. Of all the versions of the afterlife you people have concocted, that's the one I'm the most compelled by. I think there's a certain wisdom in there... that doing anything for an eternity kinda sucks. One day, I'll start to get bored of life. And I'll try to switch things up, make it more interesting. But that'll get boring, too. Eventually, the monotony of infinity will have its grip on me... but for now, I'm not too worried about it. I figure that'll be a long way off.”
“ I see. Well, that was an insightful digression, but I'd like to return to our earlier conversation. It sounds like you had no intention of causing such devastation. Yet, you were also quick to insist that you feel no remorse. Can you explain this apparent contradiction?”
“Ain't no contradiction, it just is what it is. Sure, I don't like killing weaklings. But it's not like they were targeted, they just happened to be there. I may not have had murderous intent, but it's not like I wanted to protect them, either.”
“ You get what you want, and everyone else has to deal with it? Is that the ideology that gives you peace when assaulting women?”
“Oh boy, oh boy! Now we're getting to the good stuff! Yeah, that's more or less right. You remember what I said about us Tharsians, yeah? We value power above all else. The strong flourish, the weak perish – or in the case of the ladies, the weak becomes sex slaves.”
“ And since you're the strongest, you can just do whatever you want?”
“Right. I mean, who's gonna stop me? Hey, I'm principled on this issue. If someone does come along who's stronger than me, then I'm at their mercy. No grudges, the best man wins. If someone wants to free the women I've captured, that's what it'll take. Someone took a pretty good shot at me not all that long ago... but I only emerged stronger from the encounter. As powerful as I am, I still don't see the limits of my potential. I plan to keep pushing myself, growing stronger and stronger until there's nothing else for me. And until that time, yeah – I'm gonna keep enjoying my women.”
“ Do you feel anything for your victims? Regardless of your rationalizations, isn't there some level of sympathy for what you put them through? Do you consider their feelings at all?”
“How do I answer that? Hmm... I guess what I'd say... is that I'm aware of how they feel. That is, in a strictly intellectual sense, I understand perfectly. But does that affect my feelings in any way? No, not really. If anything, it's quite the opposite. The fact that their lives are entirely under my control, and the hatred they feel for me day after day, all of that only incites me further. The fact that I can do what I want, and they can't do a thing about it, fills me with an indescribable joy that makes me want to go out and do it all over again to more and more women.”
“ And you've never once thought about what it would be like if the shoe was on the other foot?”
“I told you, didn't I? I can accept it if someone stronger comes along. I'm sure you and your viewers will find your fair share of faults with me, but hypocrisy won't be among them, I can assure you.”
“ One might retort that it's easy to say that when you're the one on top.”
“...When I was little... I knew a man. Someone who wanted to get away from this violence-centered culture of ours. Some tribes took what they considered to be 'noble' approaches towards warfare, but he was different from them. He wasn't looking to conquer others and make them follow his way of life – he had completely severed himself from the rest of society. He lived alone in a house he'd built in the mountains. Had his own food, water, and electricity. Didn't need anyone... but he still talked to me.”
“ And?”
“And... this guy was a genius. Like me. A prodigal talent who could've had anything he wanted – which I guess he did, in a way. All he wanted was a relaxing life free from violence, and he pretty much got it. He lacked any real ambition. I'm sure at some point he knew what I'd become, could've killed me when there was still a chance... but he never did. He didn't want to shoulder that kind of responsibility, I guess. Do you know how his story ends? He died uneventfully, old and alone. I'm probably the only person in all of Tharsis who still remembers him.”
“ I'm not sure I get your point.”
“My point... how do I put it? I... learned a lot from this man. But the most important lesson I learned was this: Men of action are the ones who guide history. Had I been more like him, my story might have been the same. Just a purposeless nobody who didn't matter to anyone. But I had a vision for what I wanted in my life. Power, control, and yes, women. I didn't squander my power like he did, I defined my entire world by it. To answer your question... if I was weaker, dumber, apathetic, who knows how I'd feel? It doesn't really matter, because that's not the reality. All I can say is... I am what I am, and I make no apologies for it.”
“ I... see... Then switching gears, I think our viewers would like to know what kind of treatment our heroines are receiving in your world. There's some rather brutal speculation, but I'd like to hear it from you. Are they still alive? And what are their conditions?”
“Well, for one, they're definitely alive. I'm very serious about taking proper care of my property. As for their conditions, I'd argue they're pretty good. They get to socialize, they're provided with entertainment, and they're given basic comforts. Hell, we even threw a Christmas party not too long ago. The only downside is, you know, they've gotta get raped everyday.”
“ That is a pretty hefty downside, I'm sure you'd agree... but I must admit, I'm surprised to hear it. I'm sure many viewers share that feeling. They're not subject to any torture or foul treatment, besides the obvious?”
“Certainly not. I'm not interested in hurting them, I just like controlling them. Plus, a broken slave ain't as much fun, in my not-so-humble opinion. I don't want my girls left as drooling husks who can't think. I want them to stay cognizant of the fact that I'm their master, and I can do as I please with them. That means giving them a decently bearable state of living, and some degree of stability. They're even allowed to make requests of me, though my daughter handles most of that. She manages the ladies on my behalf.”
“ Oh? You have a daughter?”
“Did I not mention that? Yeah, I've got a ton of kids. A century of raping will earn you a few.”
“ I think it's just surprising. You don't exactly come off as the parental type.”
“I dunno, I guess I have some procreative instincts. Sometimes I just resonate with a girl the right way, and I decide I'll have her bear a kid. Why, one of my interdimensional slaves and I are expecting right now! My first one with a chick from another world.”
“ And how does your daughter feel about your actions? As a woman, is she not appalled?”
“You'd have to ask her, I guess, but I imagine she'd say more or less the same thing as me. I'm the strongest, so I get to do what I want. I don't think she's overly thrilled, and I know she didn't want to do the job when I asked her to, but she gets it. In any case, the girls seem to appreciate her, so she must do her job pretty well.”
“ I'd like to ask a bit about these other worlds. You've mentioned visiting other dimensions, and how many seem to share Earth and its history, but just how similar are they? Do all the Earths have superheroes, for instance?”
“Some do, but no, it's not very common. There are versions of Earth where humanity hasn't even figured out electricity yet, and then there are versions of Earth where you folks have taken to the stars. Even in versions of similar technology, you're all still different people with different talents, and often different versions of magic. But I quite like this one, because I've had some damn good fights over here.”
“ You mentioned earlier that Superman could rival your brute strength. Is that unique for you? Have there been others to challenge you on that scale?”
“Yeah, it's pretty rare for me to have to go all-out. I'll occasionally get some decent efforts out of you Earth folks, but I'm not sure any of them were as exciting as Supes. I had a woman from another superhero world recently, and she could steal powers, making her as strong as I was. That fight was definitely more intense than the one with Superman, but... it was also less climactic. She was just a copy of me, so I knew I'd win eventually. Then there was this one guy recently who gave a pretty good effort, even found a way to cross dimensions and face off with me in Tharsis... but he wasn't actually anywhere near Superman's level. And as for all the women I've taken, I'd have to say that Wonder Tits was the toughest. At least not including the women from my dimension, that is. So yeah, you lot have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“ About that... let's return to The Scar. As you might be aware, superheroes have faced increasing criticism and scrutiny since that event. The argument is that they escalated the situation with you, and that if they'd done nothing, you wouldn't have been provoked into killing so many. Your answer earlier about why you inflicted The Scar did seem to coordinate with that. What are your thoughts?”
“Eh... I guess it's accurate enough of an assessment, but it's kind of a pussy way of thinking, no? What, you really want a superhero who ignores a damsel in distress? Sounds like what you really want is to not have to think about it. No, I don't think heroes are to blame for what happened. I'm to blame for what happened. The heroes did their jobs and lost. That's all it was. You cowards who are willing to sacrifice a girl just so you can live cushy lives, you're the losers in my book. The way you people turn a blind eye to your own barbarity... I mean, I get I'm the pan talking to the kettle or whatever your saying is, but at least we're honest about our own nature."
“ Would you care to expand on that point?”
“Endless wars, wealth inequality, systemic corruption... Everyone knows about these things, but it's all part of the status quo. You people don't let it happen because you're powerless to stop it, you let it happen because it would mean having to actually sacrifice something. Me, I'm not part of the plan, so when I kill 200,000,000 people, it's a big deal. But when you kill each other overseas on the daily, just to enrich a bunch of oligarchs who don't give a shit about you, it's just a day at the office. You think this kind of shit happens in my world? I mean, the endless wars, sure, ya' got me there. Only because we actively enjoy it. But that other shit? No, it's like I said before. We're men of action. And the heroes and villains who had the mettle to face me that day? They are too. You simpering whiners upset that things didn't go your way, you're the ones who need to look in a mirror.”
“ I... must admit, this interview has surprised me at times. I certainly didn't anticipate for you to argue so passionately on the side of your enemies.”
“I just really hate that type of person. Every single one of these crybaby complainers would beg Superman for help with tears in their eyes if they had me breathing down their neck. I don't mind someone being purely self-interested, but don't act like you're taking some high-minded stance. They're all just cowards who don't want to admit that they're not as good at heart as they imagine themselves to be. If you're gonna be a bastard, at least have the decency to admit that it's who you really are. You'll never see me apologize for anything I do, because I've got no illusions."
“' I am what I am' is how you put it earlier, I believe... For all your crimes, you're at least consistent.”
“Heh, exactly. I feel no need to hide from myself. My own opinion is the only one I feel the need to live up to.”
“ Then with that in mind, I'd like to wrap this up with one more question. You cause suffering with no remorse, torment without apology. You embrace your savage impulses without a hint of self-doubt. My question for you is this: To someone like you, what are good and evil?”
“Ah ha! Now you're getting to the heart of the matter. After all, the reason I can be so at peace with myself is because I see nothing wrong with my actions. I acknowledge my cruelty. I acknowledge my perversion. I even acknowledge my narcissism. But evil? I don't really believe in the concept. Same for good. Those are words that mean different things to different people, which is no different from meaning nothing at all."
“ No exceptions? Serial killers? Genocidal dictators? Do none of these qualify as monsters to you?”
“Heh... 'monster'. There's a word that gets thrown in my direction a lot. But at the end of the day, I'm a human, same as all of you. Dehumanizing terms like that are just thinly-veiled excuses for you to pretend you don't realize that. Acting as if I must be something other than human if I'm able to do the things I do... but the truth is, none of you know who you'd be if you grew up with my power, in my circumstances. How many serial killers have a history of abuse, or some kind of psychological impairment? How many perfectly well-behaved office workers are running around who'd have become killers themselves, if their lives had been the same? And as for your genocides, such acts aren't committed in the name of 'doing evil'. Quite the contrary, they're perceived as good by the perpetrators. They're raised in a culture that tells them that mass extermination is the righteous path forward, and then they propagate that culture to others. That's my whole point, see? It's all a matter of perspective and circumstance.”
“ Then you believe we're all just products of our environment?”
“Not exclusively, but yeah. I mean, if I'd grown up as a powerless civilian like most of you dregs, there's a good chance I'd be a little goody two shoes myself. Some part of me would be the same, sure, but I would have grown up in a whole other culture. Even if I did still wind up with some dark inclinations, I wouldn't have the power to carry it out. I'd be just another drone, someone you'd see on the street and forget about seconds later. You certainly wouldn't be interviewing me now.”
“ Does that absolve people of responsibility for their actions?”
“I never said that. Just because an action can be rationally explained doesn't mean the actor can't be held accountable. I'm just explaining how people have a tendency to think they're all different from each other, when they're really not. The world you're raised in does a lot to shape your identity. I think people tend to overlook how much things they don't even think about affect their thinking. Take language, for instance. In one of your countries, Russia I think, they have two distinct terms for different shades of blue. Over here, you'd just call it light blue or dark blue, but they don't look at both of them as being blue. Now that might sound kind of funny to some of your viewers, but actually, you guys do the same thing with red. You don't call it 'light red', you call it 'pink'. And when you see pink, you think of it as pink, you don't think of it as red, even though that's exactly what it is. It's a little thing, but just being raised to speak a certain language affects your perception in that manner. You also see it in many of your East Asian cultures, where the family name is put before the given name. Sure enough, those cultures have a deep-rooted emphasis on the family and ancestry. Now perhaps that existed before, which caused them to structure their names that way, but it still reinforces that sentiment in tandem. And in my world, it's the opposite. It was so common for lineages to be wiped out from the constant warring, that we never developed family names. In turn, our society puts far more focus on the individual.”
“So consider a scenario where I was born with all my power, and with all the same life events, but perhaps my language didn't have terms distinguishing between male and female? Sex and reproduction still worked the same way, but we didn't refer to each other with distinct pronouns, or use any other kind of language that differentiated us from one another. Who knows what happens then, but maybe I don't hold the same misogynistic views? Perhaps I'm just a violent warlord instead of being a rapist on top of that? Or maybe I still am, and the changes in me are far more muted. Even I couldn't say for sure. But when you consider how thousands of constructs all around us are shaping us in subtle ways just like that, it just strikes me as silly to go around calling people 'monsters' or acting all high and mighty, when there's no way of knowing who you'd become if you'd been affected by those same factors.”
“ This seems to circle back to our earlier discussion.”
“Exactly. I am what I am, and I know it. A lot of people don't know who they are, and for some of them, that's really the only difference between them and me. That's what it all comes down to.”
“ I believe that's an appropriate place to end. Viasmos, many people, including myself, consider you an existential threat. I can't say I've warmed up to you in the time we've talked. That said, I appreciate your time, and your willingness to share your thoughts with a populace that's been deeply troubled by your presence.”
“Hey, anytime, sweetheart.”
Lois collapsed into her chair, overwhelmed at how long she'd had to restrain her feelings. She'd been in full reporter mode, locking away the part of her that wanted to scream and cry and shout. But now, it was over. This dalliance with Viasmos was at an end.
“I thought that went pretty well,” chirped Viasmos.
“...We're done. We'll air the interview unedited, as you requested. Now please, get out of my sight.”
“Hahaha, well, I might not be so inclined to leave most days, but I gots myself a bitch to catch. No time like the present, you know?”
“I don't suppose you'd be willing to share your next target with me?”
“So you can warn them ahead of time? Ha, no, I don't think I will. I'll let it be a surprise!”
She expected him to fly out the window or something, but instead, he just blinked out of existence. The interview had certainly been worthwhile, having gotten some provocative views out of Viasmos. Yet, she still had something gnawing at her. She couldn't quite get rid of this gut feeling that she was being used somehow. He'd admitted his true intentions back during their meeting in the cafe... but was that the whole truth? Even if he meant it when he said he wasn't a liar, that didn't mean he was an open book.
Well, it was too late now. What was done was done. Now they needed to get this on the air.
“No, not yet.”
“Why not? If you've already developed something, shouldn't we put it to use right away?”
Bruce glanced at Clark with a frustration that was obvious, even behind his cowl. “It's only in preliminary development. I can't guarantee it'll work on him just yet, and I'm even less certain it'll work sufficiently.”
“Then wouldn't testing it on him be the best way to find out?”
“You don't get it. Remember what I showed you? He's already found ways to ameliorate his weakness. It's still useful, and I have a hypothesis for how to get around it... but we have one shot. When we pull this out, there will never be a better opportunity ever again. And if we're not 100% ready...”
“So what are we supposed to do?” Clark roared. “Are we just going to continue letting him capture more women, more of our comrades, while you play in your lab!?”
With a heavy sigh, Bruce turned towards his computer. Though exasperated, he anticipated this reaction from Clark. “Let me show you something that happened recently. The nanomachines started recording something through his eyes. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what's even going on. It looks like some kind of intense storm surging into him. The interesting part is this.”
The footage turned to static, leaving no indication of how the battle ensued.
“There's a break in the data for thirteen days before I go back to getting readings on his body. Either he destroyed the nanomachines himself, they broke on their own, or...”
“Or what?”
“Or his body was destroyed.”
“What!?”
“I believe, given the circumstances, that's the most likely explanation, considering the footage.”
“B-but,” Clark stammered, “that can't be! If he was still alive two weeks later, then...”
“Unless he was able to heal his body, even in that state.”
A long pause settled, before being cracked by Clark. “That's ridiculous.”
“What's ridiculous, Clark, is pretending to know the extent of his power. He's surprised us one time too many, and I won't be making that mistake again. Do you get it? That's the kind of entity we're facing. This might be the only way we have a chance, and I won't risk it all before I'm absolutely certain it's time.”
Clark grit his teeth and pinched his forehead. “Fine, fine, I understand. We... can't leave things to chance. We need to be as ready as possible. Just tell me two things. One... how did more nanomachines get in his body if they were all destroyed.”
Bruce glanced at him and turned away. “Diana.”
“You're kidding...”
“A number of nanomachines still lie within Diana. One type serves as a backup server, in case they're destroyed, as happened in that instance. The second type acts as a reproductive model for building more nanomachines. Forgive my vulgarity... but as long as he keeps having sex with Diana, he'll continue to get infected with nanomachines.”
“Bruce...”
“What's your second question?” he asked sharply, wanting to move on from that morbid topic.
“Fine, then... why did you even bother calling me out here if you didn't have anything ready? We could've talked when you first got the data. Why wait until now?”
“Two reasons. One, I wanted to wait until I had proof of concept. We're talking about taking a power that's rooted in the spirit, and somehow transmogrifying that into a physical substance. Even with samples of his body taken from the nanomachines, I wasn't sure it would be possible. Now I am. Secondly... there have been some concerning movements. I have no new reports of missing heroines or villainesses, but Viasmos has been coming in and out the last month. He's planning something...”
“You can't tell from your nanomachines?”
“Like I said, they only record when his body is sufficiently stressed. He's been relaxed during his visits. We may not be ready to confront him, but we can still keep an eye on him. I'd like you to pay close attention to any unusual activity. Since 'Bruce Wayne' is dead, I no longer have the same reach I once had. I need you to be my eyes across the border.”
In this case, “the border” referred to the Republic of California. With the rest of America – what was still habitable, anyway – locked in civil war, California kept a tight grip on its borders. It was very difficult to get in after the initial waves of refugees, even for one as resourceful as Batman.
“Of course, but I can't say I've noticed anything alarming over the last month.”
The Dark Knight tapped at a notification on his computer as he responded. “According to my data, he's primarily been in California. I'm sure whatever business he's concocting, it's...”
Bruce paused. Something was on his screen that he hadn't come anywhere near expecting.
“Disregard. Go home.”
“Huh? Bruce, what's-”
“Clark, go to Lois. Now.”
With an alarmed expression, Clark made his way over to the computer, where he saw his wife... sitting down with Viasmos for an interview. Was this a joke? Maybe a deepfake video? No, Bruce's system wouldn't have been fooled by something like that.
“I have to go!”
Bruce didn't bother responding, as Clark was gone before he would've had time to whip his head around. Instead, he kept his attention on the video. If there was any information to be offered here, no matter how small, then it would be invaluable. He'd comb through it several times before focusing on anything else.
The camera crew had only just barely picked everything up and left when Clark came bursting through the door. He first wanted to make sure Lois was okay, but once he laid eyes on her, all that panic came out in the form of anger. “In our house!?” he screamed.
“Keep your voice down!” she snapped back.
“How could you lie to me about this!? Do you have any idea how much danger you were in!”
“It's part of the job! I'm in dangerous situations all the time! But... I am sorry I lied to you. I didn't know any other way...”
A hefty silence filled the room, as Clark found it in himself to calm down. He sighed and gently grabbed her by the shoulders. “Just... did he hurt you at all?”
“No, I'm fine. He said he wouldn't harm me or any of my colleagues, and for what it's worth, he kept his word.”
“I know you're tough, Lois... but that was too much. And while I was away no less... I couldn't have protected you.”
“There was no other way,” she stated flatly, walking over to a cupboard and pulling out a couple of wine glasses. “You would never have accepted this interview in the first place. Cabernet?”
“Sure, I guess.” Clark took a seat at the breakfast bar and hunched over in a mix of frustration and relief from knowing Lois was okay. “Was it really that necessary?”
“I couldn't very well turn down an opportunity like this. I'm not like you, getting to switch between the media and hero work. Journalism's all I've got, and I'm damn good at it. Getting to interview the guy who's creeping at the back of everyone's mind isn't exactly something I can turn up my nose at. Here.”
She set a wine glass down in front of him, and he took a considerable sip as he wound himself down from that brief terror. “So... after all that, what did you make of him?”
Lois swirled her wine glass around as she considered his question. “Surprisingly erudite.”
“Really?”
“I know, he doesn't come off that way at first. He's crass, coarse, with a barbaric worldview to boot. But if I'm being honest with myself, he thinks things through. I'd even go as far as to call him principled – albeit they're heinous principles. There's a depth to him that's uncomfortable to see.” She took a sip from her wine glass, feeling the urge to down it in one gulp after a long afternoon, but doing her best to keep her composure. “Oh, I should tell you, he knows who you are.”
“What? Did you tell him?”
“Now do I seem stupid? No, he figured it out before he and I ever spoke. I don't think he'll go and spill it, but it's something to be aware of.”
Clark grit his teeth, the realization dawning on him that the reason he probably picked out Lois was because of exactly this. He'd put Lois in danger, and he wasn't going to risk that again. “Alright, I'm going to stay put for a while. Just in case. If he comes back... well, we'll have to figure something out.”
Lois opened her mouth like she was about to argue, but resigned herself. If her safety was truly at risk, Clark wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd hide her somewhere, no matter how much she objected. She'd just have to hope it didn't come to that.
For a moment, a distressing thought popped into her head. Zoomed out a bit, that rationale wasn't especially distinct from how Viasmos carried himself. A man imposing his will on a woman, because he was stronger, and it was what he wanted. One was sourced in love rather than lust, of course. Clark wanted to protect her, not hurt her. But it made her think of those final words to her. How everyone had the potential for kindness and cruelty, nudged the right way. Were people really just two sides of the same coin? Could the man she loved, in another world, have wound up a monster just like him?
She really hated the way he could get into her head.
Viasmos had found himself a lovely vacation spot, in the former U.S. state that probably felt the least affected by his actions: Hawaii. Unlike Alaska, the other former state that did not share a border with its then-country, Hawaii was too small to serve as an effective location for refugees, nor had they become annexed by Canada. They were their own little archipelago, an independent nation once more, and were able to progress with relative comfort, unencumbered by the warring of most other formerly American territories.
Viasmos sat atop one of Hawaii's most notable locations, Diamond Head – a volcano with a distinguishing ridgeline. It was just outside the city of Honolulu, giving him a perfect view of the former state's capital, but that wasn't what had his attention. Instead, he was watching something in front of him, generated by his own hand. Scrying, in his world, was similar to teleportation in that it needed an established anchor point. Fortunately, having been right there in Lois's apartment, he'd had ample time to leave traces of his magic behind.
“Alright, I'm going to stay put for a while.”
Smirking, he said aloud to himself, “Well, looks like Phase One is successful.” He closed the link. He could spy on them anytime he wanted to... but that would be cheating kind of, wouldn't it? He didn't need answers before the test! He'd be much happier to experience whatever Superman might have in store for him down the road. He had what he needed to know, and that was all he asked for.
He turned his attention down to the city, scanning for the venue in which he'd find his next target. Night would fall soon, and then he'd have himself a merry chase. Once he scoped out the Bishop Museum, he smirked and flew forward, still cloaked with his stealth magic.
“Looks like Kirara will be getting a new kitty friend soon!”
Chapter 10: Catwoman
Notes:
So I've been asked a lot about how I plan to end the series, and while I would never actually spoil that, my honest answer has been that I don't really know. Until now. Over the last couple months, a narrative has really started to form in my head, and I can now say that I'm confident in how I'll want to close this out when the time comes.
But don't worry, dear readers. We're still a long way off from that day.
As for this chapter, I debated heavily with myself out of the gates about which costume to roll with for Selina. Catwoman has had a bunch of distinctive outfits over the years. Her modern one is probably closest to what people think of when they hear Catwoman, and is probably more practical too. But you know, I've just always had a thing for the 90s look, so I decided to run with that.
I hit another hiccup as I was nearing completion: I ended up rewriting basically the entire second half of this chapter. I just didn't like the direction I'd taken with Catwoman. It didn't feel quite right, and I got the sense like I'd branched off the beaten path with her character. I'm much more satisfied with this version, so I'm glad I took the extra time to let go and take a fresh perspective.
Chapter Text
A few days ago...
Under the silken sheets of her owner's bedchambers, Kara was pressed on her back, wrapping her legs around the waist of the man she called master.
“Oh God! Oh, oh! Oh yes!”
She couldn't stop herself from moaning even if she wanted to – and she did want to. Viasmos was a terrible man. He'd abducted her – not to mention her friends – from her [sort of] homeworld, and she was now being kept as a sex slave. She wanted nothing more than to return to her old life... until she felt him inside her. In these moments, the memories and longings simply melted away, as if they were nothing more than a dream of a false life. The woman in her awakened when she felt herself get manhandled.
“Go on, tell me you're mine!” he growled softly into her ear.
She threw her arms around him, desperate for even deeper intimacy. She scratched her nails against his skin as she pulled him as closely as she possibly could. “I'm yours! I'm all yours!”
It made her feel terribly guilty. Never minding the horrible things he'd done to her and her friends, it wasn't consistent with her philosophy. In her superheroine days, she took pride in being a role model for young women – an icon for girl power. Women deserved equal rights, dignity, and respect. That was what she truly believed, and what she sought to embody. Yet, here she was, lost in ecstasy as perhaps the most infamous misogynist of all-time treated her like a plaything. Something to be used, taken, deprived of agency. And every time he did it, she loved it. As if it was her calling as a female to submit to the powerful male who'd claimed her.
A feminist in the streets, a slut beneath the sheets.
She felt one final, powerful, deep, burning thrust, just as her insides were flooded with the warm essence of her master's satisfaction. Her role as a woman fulfilled, she felt pure bliss, so much so that she lurched up and enjoined her lips with his. She laid there, kissing him, holding him still within her, keeping the moment lasting as long as possible. The shame was already creeping at her soul, now that the act of their union was at its twilight. She knew she'd go on to be disgusted with herself later... only to fall right back into the trap the next time she was called to his bed. It had once been a vicious cycle... but she was starting to get used to it. She'd been here for over a year, after all. Her mind had taught itself to compartmentalize between the id and the superego. She'd be Supergirl in her free time – the person she wanted to be, the person she felt she was. Then she'd be Viasmos's little whore when he picked her for the night.
It was a severe demonstration of cognitive dissonance, but rather than obsess over it, Kara had learned to embrace it. Ignorance was bliss, and she'd earned the right to a little ignorance with everything she'd been forced to go through.
Pulling away from her lips, Viasmos said, “Alright, that's enough. Get down here and lick my cock clean.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered obediently, sinking beneath the covers as Viasmos laid on his back. She wasn't like this with all the guys who used her. It wasn't for lack of skill – not all, but plenty of them were impressive masculine specimens themselves. Most of them still just hammered away and grunted like apes, but a few of them put some effort into pleasing the girls. Yet, this didn't bring out her inner slut like Viasmos did. She wasn't sure why, but if she had the courage to root deeply into her psyche, she might pluck an idea. Those men didn't really have power over her.
They were strong, and many of them were probably stronger than her even without her collar. They could rape her even in a fair fight, and she'd cast off enough of her pride at this point to admit that. But that wasn't what was happening. These men were simply permitted to use her, they did not – would not dare – to take her by force. There were already two dramatic casualties from those who thought themselves above the warlord's rules, and she imagined that was probably enough to deter any future efforts. Viasmos was still her owner, and any power the other men held over her was nothing more than power her master had gifted to them. At the end of the day, the power dynamics just weren't there to make her feel this way. It was more like doing a job, just some menial task she looked forward to getting over with. What she needed was to feel owned, possessed, like she was his bitch. Only Viasmos could give her that.
Knock Knock!
“Can I come in?”
Kara recognized this as the voice of Chlorida, her overseer when Viasmos wasn't around. She and the other slaves had a good relationship with her, but she did not let herself get distracted by her presence. Her master expected proper service upon his command, and he would receive it. She stayed focused on the task of cleaning up after herself, polishing his monstrous cock with all the vigor she could muster.
“Go ahead, sweetie,” he called out to his daughter.
Chlorida swiftly entered and shut the door behind her. “So what can I-AAAHH!” She threw her tablet into the air and dangled the sleeve of her robe in front of her face. “What the hell, dad!? I don't need to see this! Why the hell do you think I asked to come in when you're the one who called me!?”
“I did think that was strange, yeah... But whatever, there's a blanket. Not like I'm out here waving my-”
“Just knowing you're naked under there is awkward enough! Have her stop!”
Kara kept on working, despite Chlorida's clear frustration. She didn't want to displease the mistress, but she wouldn't so much as slow down until her master gave the instruction. Rolling his eyes, Viasmos sighed and reached a hand down to tap her on the cheek. “That's good enough. Come on up.” She quickly ceased her activity and slid out from under the covers. She nestled up against him and draped an arm across his chest, while he squeezed her close with an arm wrapped around her back. It could almost be confused for sweet, but even these relatively tender moments fueled her with the reminder that she belonged to him.
“Can I look now?” Chlorida asked, still willfully blinded.
“Yes, you're good. Geez...”
Chlorida cautiously lowered her arm, then picked up her tablet once she confirmed the coast was clear. “So again... what can I do for you?”
“Right, so I'm gonna play with Kara for a while yet still. But later tonight, maybe a little after the sun sets, I'll be switching her out with Diana. Just thought I'd give you some notice.”
“I... see...” Chlorida scanned her tablet with a frustrated intensity.
“Ugh, why do I get the sense you disapprove about something?”
“I don't disapprove of anything... well, no more than usual. Now, the man who had Diana scheduled for 55:00-57:00... he might disapprove.”
“Okay... does he matter?”
Chlorida sighed, preemptively exasperated at her father's disregard for the stress he caused her. “Obviously, all of your men understand that your desires override theirs, and that they will sometimes be denied their allotted time. However, it remains a source of frustration. Since Diana, Kara, and Karen are all among the more... durable... of your maidens, they tend to be highly valued. Now father, here's where it comes full circle... you've been hoarding the women from that universe ALL! FUCKING! MONTH! The men are starting to get angry. Many of them have had their appointments rescheduled, only to be rescheduled again. They're pissed!”
Viasmos stared blankly for a few seconds, seemingly still waiting for when she got to the part that was supposed to matter to him. “Uh... boo fucking hoo? How is this my problem? If someone's looking to pick a fight, they can name the time and place.”
Pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation, she replied, “Of course, no matter how cheated many of them feel, none of them are stupid enough to complain to you about it. So what do you suppose they do instead?”
“Hmm... I dunno, cry or some shit?”
“They complain to ME! And since I have no recourse, I'm now here, complaining to you! So I guess what I want to ask is, how long is this kick of yours gonna last? Until your games in their world are over and done with? Why are you even wasting your time with this convoluted bullshit? It's been a goddamn month!”
Viasmos grunted and shook his head in dismay. “I swear, you kids have no appreciation for genius.”
“Okay, well first of all, I'm 102.”
“Aaahhh, you'll get it when your kid pops out. You're always kids to your parents.”
“And secondly, what's so 'genius' about this? Isn't this the place you blew a hole in one side of the planet? Why do you need to sneak around?”
“It's called finesse, and I don't exactly want to go balls to the wall every time a hero gets on my ass. Think of all the potential slave girls I'm offing! This plan of mine effectively gets two thorny heroes off my back.”
“You've beaten Superman before, haven't you?”
“Well yeah, and I could again, but he's still tough enough that he could feasibly hold my attention long enough for my prey to escape. That obviously ain't happening, so this plan gets rid of the possibility. Once he knows I've been hanging out with his wife, he won't consider leaving her side for a while, no matter what he hears regarding me.”
“Hmm? You've been... seeing Lois?”
That was Kara interjecting, concerned for her cousin-in-law's safety. Viasmos grabbed her cheeks, forcefully puckering her lips, and looked into her eyes with a predatory satisfaction. “Aww, you're so cute when you're scared! Don't worry though, she's safe. At least for now. I promised her as much.” He let go of her, relief washing over her face as she clung tightly to him once again.
“So what?” Chlorida asked, getting back on topic. “You're gonna do an interview every time you want to get your rocks off in that world?”
“Well no, that would be silly. It's an idea I've had for a while, in case I had a target who'd be particularly hard to get alone. There's a good chance I raise some literal alarms with this one, so this'll just ensure he stays out of the way. I don't want to be interrupted.”
“Okay... but you said there were two heroes this took care of? Who's the other one?”
“Why, my secret admirer, of course!”
She knew of the hero to whom he was referring. Someone who had been organizing efforts against Viasmos. Though not especially successful thus far, Viasmos admired the intelligence and ingenuity of this individual. He created complications that regularly surprised him.
“You still have no idea who that is though? How can you be sure of how he'll react?”
“Well... to say I have 'no idea' is putting it a bit strongly. I have a pretty good guess. But right or wrong, I don't need to meet someone to get a good feel for them. Whoever's been playing on the other side of the chessboard, they're meticulous, thorough, disciplined. There's no way they'll pass up footage of me talking about my personal life. They'll ignore whatever alerts they might get for a few hours while I enjoy myself.”
“I see. You must be very impressed with yourself.”
“I mean c'mon, who wouldn't be?”
Viasmos slid his hand down Kara's back and squeezed her ass. “Pretty sure these girls know the guy I'm talking about, but don't worry. I ain't gonna pressure you to tell me. I'm enjoying the game, no need to have the fun ruined for me.”
“Ah... thank you, master.” Kara would never wish harm to any of her former comrades, and would be inclined to withhold any such relevant information from Viasmos. But when he was having his way, when she was all his, when she was entirely free of her inhibitions, who knew what he might force out of her? It was comforting to know he wouldn't take advantage. Well, not of that.
“Heh, and also... if I am right about who this is, then my plan is all the more satisfying.”
“Hmm?” Chlorida arched an eyebrow. “How do you mean?”
“I mean that I'm done being the only one on stage. He gets to work from the shadows, while I play wait-and-see. No... I'm taking action now, and I'll do so through my choice of victims. I'll be going after everyone he loves, one by one, until finally I pull him out of hiding. Hehehe... and then...”
“...Then?”
Viasmos looked up at Chlorida with a malicious smirk. “Then the fun begins!”
In the present...
Selina Kyle was one among hundreds of visitors to the Bishop Museum today. She had long been an admirer of the fine arts, and the many cultural artifacts unique to the island nation of Hawaii certainly gave it some extra charm. Indeed, the museum boasted the largest collection of Polynesian relics in the world. It only made sense that an aficionado like herself would be so interested. There was just one tiny difference between her and the rest who had come today – she was visiting after the doors had closed.
Her alter ego was that of Catwoman, a notorious burglar who snatched whatever caught her eye. Jewels, paintings, anything of value. She had occasionally been characterized as a supervillain, though she didn't care much for the label. She didn't particularly wish harm on anyone, and certainly didn't go out of her way to inflict it – she was just looking out for numero uno. Perhaps one could say that ruthless self-interest was, itself, a villainous trait; But still, she didn't feel the term was an accurate descriptor in her case. Then again, maybe all villains felt that way on some level.
Tonight, the object of her attention was a a most distinctive piece, if somewhat less glamorous than her usual catches. It was a recently-discovered idol of the Kānaka Maoli war deity, Kū. What made this particular artifact so precious was that it was crafted of pure obsidian. For one, despite the famous scale of volcanic activity in the region, true obsidian was actually quite rare in Hawaii. There's only one volcano where it's known to naturally form across the entire archipelago. The other thing about obsidian is that it's a very difficult material to work with. It was extremely brittle, which made it a poor choice for weaponry despite its pronounced sharpness. For such a large and clunky object to be crafted purely from genuine obsidian was quite unusual. A rare expression of art from a region where it would be especially difficult to make – these two factors combined to make this piece quite the rarity. And if there was one thing Selina liked, it was a rarity.
The timing also worked out quite nicely. The Bishop Museum hardly posed a challenge compared to some of the other places she's broken into, but security was even less threatening than usual. That's because Hawaii had bigger fish to fry. The state-turned-country may have been comfortably insulated from the chaos of The Scar, but that didn't mean they could stay complacent. With so many territories broken up and routinely at war, there was no guarantee that sights wouldn't be set on Hawaii. It wouldn't even have to be a formerly-American territory that threatened them. Perhaps another country bordering the pacific, perceiving them as weak and vulnerable, would seek to expand with their lands. Hawaii was a small country with a small population, albeit with high population density. Thus, everyone capable of defending the border was being recruited to doing just that. The police, private security, these forces were now filled with people of considerably lesser quality.
And for what it was worth, Selina had already had to break through the Hawaiian border in the first place. There was no chance she'd face stiffer security on this night.
Selina sighed, the loudest sound she made as she snuck through the ventilation shafts. She internally chastised herself for it, as well as for getting distracted by things she had no control over. The world sure had changed a lot since Viasmos made his debut, but what did it matter to her? It's not like she was going to answer the call to stop him. She was a capable woman, but she knew her limits. That was not a force she could stand up against. If he ever came for her, she had only one priority: Run.
After the globally-televised rape of Poison Ivy, Bruce had reached out to her. At first, she thought he'd ask her to be a fool and join in the efforts to stop him. But to her surprise, he asked her to hide. Truth be told, she already had her bags packed. She'd already made the decision to keep a low profile and stay out of his way. Still, it bothered her that he asked that of her. Was he treating her like a woman? Something to be coddled and protected? Had he been that devoid of hope? Or was he simply being reasonable, coming to the same conclusion she did? That last possibility was the one she told herself she preferred, yet, it was the one that left her most empty inside.
Well, it didn't matter anymore. The Justice League was functionally dead, and if reports were to be believed, so was Bruce – though she quite doubted that was the case. Viasmos had clearly won his bout. All she could do from here was live a carefree life and do her best to stay beneath his notice. Hawaii made the perfect escape plan, being so isolated from the chaos in Northern America.
Except... those kleptomania juices just wouldn't stop flowing. It wasn't like she needed money. She'd compiled plenty of wealth off her stolen goods, and kept plenty more for her pleasure besides. It was more like she felt a constant itch, a nostalgia for her old life, a yearning for that thrill. Surely, Hawaii could go without one teensy, weensy idol, right? Just a little something to tide her over. As long as she didn't make a pattern out of it, it shouldn't be a problem.
Selina carefully removed the grill of the vent, and used a handheld mirror to look around. No personnel in the room, so that was a good start. She already knew this spot would be out-of-range for any cameras. She was pretty sure there were only laser fences at the doors and around the displays, but just to be safe, she slid on her goggles and checked for anything beneath her. It was all clear, so she slipped out and fell to the ground, landing perfectly on her feet as anyone worthy of her moniker would be expected.
She stood up with a confident smirk, her sensual aura so instinctive that she was practically posing despite the lack of an audience. If there was any man who could see her, he'd no doubt be drooling at the sight of her in this skintight, purple jumpsuit with long, black gloves and leggings. Many of her outfits over the years had her hair wrapped up within her cowl, but this one had a hole in the back that let it hang freely. Uncontrollable hair was generally a hazard for a thief who relied on grace and precision, but it was also distractingly uncomfortable to have it pressed against her skull the whole time. It was an acceptable give-and-take.
Alarms didn't ring, which meant she'd successfully disabled the motion detectors. She scanned the room, double-checking for anything that might interfere with her planned route. With nothing amiss, she deftly weaved through the room's blind spots, making her way to the prize she desired: the obsidian idol of Kū. She pressed a button on her wrist, which activated a looping feed to the cameras observing it. This wouldn't stay active forever, but it would work for long enough. Finally, she could approach.
Seeing it up close, it was quite an impressive work of art. Impressive didn't exactly mean good, though. Stylistically, it seemed awfully sterile, like someone copying from other works they'd seen. There was no hint of the artist behind it, no sense of passion or vision driving the piece. But in terms of sheer craftsmanship, it was unmistakably first-class. For pure, genuine obsidian to be molded in a manner simultaneously smooth and complex to this degree was exceedingly rare. That alone made it worth her while. All that was left to do now was actually get it.
About time... you're all mine!
Indeed, she'd had to wait quite a while for this. It was only earlier today that the idol had finally been put on display. Selina had originally wanted to snatch it before it even got to that point, but to her surprise, the security had been awfully well-formulated. She still could've gotten away with it, but she would have had to take some direct action against the guards. That was a guaranteed way to tell the world that Catwoman was here in Hawaii, which didn't exactly fit with her M.O. to keep a low profile. She'd opted instead to wait for it to be placed for public viewing in the museum, where she'd have an easier time planning its theft. Finally, her patience had paid off.
The idol was encased by glass, but of course, there was a little more to it than that. The four poles surrounding it indicated a laser fence surrounding the artifact, and there was a rather conspicuous weight mechanism for if the glass – or the idol itself – was removed. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, as if to say, “Please, this is child's play.”
She delicately placed a fingertip on one of the poles, and flipped herself up, balancing upside-down. She extended her razor-sharp claws, and carefully cut a hole in the top of the glass frame. It had to be neat, else the glass might break and immediately set off the alarm; It also had to be big enough to fit the idol through. In her less-experienced days, she might have been a touch nervous, but such a motion was practically routine for her these days.
Once finished, she retracted her claws, removed the circular pane of glass she'd cut away, and slid it gently to the corner. Her finger was starting to get tired, so she'd have to make this quick. Her final tool for this operation was nothing particularly fancy – just a pouch filled with sand. She threw it on the stand next to the idol. It was almost shameful for a thief of her caliber to be using such crude methods, but that's what the museum gets for being so outdated. Modern weight-based alarms were electronic, and had a very specific weight to be matched against. This was an older version of the concept, where there just needed to be enough weight to press down on the mechanism to keep it from going off.
She honestly found the whole thing bizarre. For such good security when the idol was first discovered, this was pathetic. Blind spots everywhere, no lasers over the top, and now a trap so basic that it failed to live up to the lofty standards of the Stone Age South American native tribes in LucasFilm pictures. In truth, it wasn't quite enough to satisfy her cravings for thievery, but it would just have to do for now. She wrapped her fingers, spread like claws, around the head of the idol, and pulled back to claim her prize.
Only one problem: the idol didn't budge.
What the... did they superglue this to the stand or something? No, even they wouldn't be that stupid.
She tried to pull with a little more oomph, but she also needed to make sure she stayed balanced on her finger, so there was only so much she could do. Reaching her limit, she flipped backwards to the ground, her lips curled into an unamused glower and her hands planted against her hips in frustration.
Now what on Earth is this?
It really shouldn't have weighed that much. Obsidian was a moderately dense material, but only about comparable to marble. Even assuming it wasn't hollow on the inside, it really shouldn't be too heavy for her to handle. But never mind lifting it, the thing didn't move one iota. She backed up, took a deep breath, and gave herself a running start. Instead of lifting herself up by a finger, she leapt up and balanced with her foot. She then spread her legs wide and swung one foot over to one of the other pole stations for the laser fence. This had less style, which was certainly her thing, but it would be more stable, and allow her to use both hands.
She bent over, grasped the idol on two sides, and heaved it with all her strength... but it still would not budge. What was holding this in place? Some kind of unseen locking mechanism? Magnets, perhaps? She didn't have much time before the looping feed stopped on the cameras, she'd have to cut it loose from the base. It risked damaging the artifact, but it was the only way.
“Oh yeah, keep working it, babe!”
Before she could even begin, she yelped and fell backwards, alarmed at the sudden voice. But how? She was certain there was no personnel in the room with her. She wasn't the type to make mistakes, and even less the type to get snuck up on. She sharply spun around to face the voice in question, but there was nobody there. Was she hearing things? Had the months out of practice left her overly paranoid? Or was it...
“Hahaha, sorry, guess you can't see me,” said a male voice, as his body turned opaque within her view. “Just a little gravity magic to mess with ya', sorry. I probably should've stopped you earlier, but I got such a kick watching you twerk that sweet ass of yours trying to lift that thing!”
That's...! Shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT!
Fuck the idol, it didn't matter anymore. Selina immediately looked around for an escape route. The door? That was behind him. Back in the vents? Too slow, that would never work. Any windows? A few, and they were high up, but it was probably her best shot. She ran to the side of the room and began parkouring her way to the lighting fixtures.
“What? We're not gonna chat?”
Yeah, not a chance. Selina wasn't going to humor the bastard. But how? How did he know she'd be here? How'd he find her? Why was he even interested in her in the first place? Surely, there were plenty of other women he could enjoy before going for someone as well-hidden as her? Raven, Zatanna, Hawkgirl... as far as she knew, they were still out and about. What would prompt the effort to come her way?
Well, she could worry about that later. She grabbed her whip and swung it at one of the chandeliers. She'd use it like a grappling hook, swinging her way from one to the next until she got to a window. She'd then use an ultrasonic emitter she kept on hand to shatter the glass instantly. It would set off the alarm, but that wasn't really a big deal at this point. She'd happily risk the police before she let herself fall into Viasmos's clutches.
While this plan worked quite smoothly in her head, it came to a screeching halt in practice. As she swung forward off the first chandelier, Viasmos elevated right in front of her, grabbing her by her face.
“Hey, nice moves and all, but uh... I can fly. Gonna be pretty hard to outrace me like that.”
This was bad... very bad. She hated to do this, but she had little choice. She grabbed the ultrasonic emitter from her belt and latched it against the side of his face. Viasmos screeched in agony, instinctively dropping her as she reached for her ear. Catwoman spread her body wide and caught herself on all fours. That hurt... but she was okay.
The bigger problem was what came next. Viasmos had already destroyed the gadget, which was the only one of its kind she had on her person. It wasn't a device she cared to resort to all that often, so she left room for other things. Her whip, her weapon of choice, was also still attached to the fixture on the ceiling. And even if neither of those things had been true, she would remain in an impossibly dangerous position.
In desperation, she made a beeline for the door, but Viasmos quickly descended and blocked her path. She nervously backed away one anxious step at a time. It was uncharacteristic of her to show weakness so plainly to an adversary, or even to a friend, but she knew all too well who this man was. There was no point worrying about such matters with him. She could act tough and in control all she wanted, it wouldn't change the fact that she had no idea how to get out of this situation.
I... I need to buy time...
“How did you find me?” she asked.
“Oh, finally up for a little talk? Good,” Viasmos mused aloud. “I do get disappointed when my prey gives me the ol' silent treatment.”
“I didn't tell anybody where I was... how could you know?”
“Ah, well, about that. Just because you didn't tell anyone, doesn't mean nobody could figure it out. I've got a guy... let's call him an informant. Someone like you, someone smart enough to get out of dodge the second I left his office. Not smart enough to keep me from tracking him back down, though. I had him make use of his network, and he seemed to think there were signs you'd taken refuge in this island nation.”
Someone with an information network who was from Gotham... she'd have heard from Bruce if it was someone related to him, so perhaps a mobster? Didn't matter, she needed to keep him talking, and she had plenty of questions to work with.
“But... you didn't attack me at home. Either you didn't want to... or you still couldn't find me even with that info. So... you waited for me, in case I opted to steal the most high-profile new item in the area for some time... But... no, that still doesn't make sense...”
She'd heard of his little interview earlier in the day, though she hadn't watched much more than a handful of clips. So he was only in this dimension for that... but what, he just raced over to Hawaii on a conveniently-timed hunch? The very day the idol had moved into the museum? No... something was missing from the equation.
Viasmos, seemingly reading her thoughts, amusedly provided the answer to her confusion. “I lured you here.”
Selina looked towards him, gauging if there was a hint of dishonesty in his words. “You... huh?”
He chuckled, pleased at his own brilliance, and elaborated. “This was all my doing. That thing over there? I made it. Obsidian is real tricky to work with, so I hear... but not when you can just create the stuff with magic. I can make it look however I want. I was in cahoots with a couple key figures, like the curator of this place, for instance. I guess they're real scared of me? Who knows why? Anyway, that's why the timing of the idol's display works out so nicely for me. Because I arranged it that way. One little promise not to hurt a couple people and their families, and just like that, I could craft the perfect scenario for an idle-handed thief. Pretty cool, huh?”
Selina's head swirled with the revelation. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to draw her into a trap... but given the circumstances this world had faced recently, as well as her newfound obscurity, she didn't even consider it for such a time and place. But his explanation made a lot of sense... including why the quality in security was so disparate between when the idol was found and when it was placed in the museum.
“So... you must have been behind the security detail? Is that right? To make sure I didn't steal it ahead of time.”
“Of course. Couldn't have you stealing it while I wasn't in town. I told the guy in charge of the find exactly what I wanted from him. I knew that if you were going to make a move early, you'd have to reveal yourself. You'd get the idol, and I'd get a lead. One I would've tugged on all the way until I got to you, no matter where you ran off to.”
Selina continued to back up until she couldn't anymore. As if she had eyes in the back of her head, she halted her movement the moment before she crossed the laser fence protecting the idol. She'd bought time... but not much, and not enough. She only had one idea... but it was pretty risky, and unlikely to work. But, well, that was better than having no plan at all.
The warlord stepped forward until she had mere inches of space between both the lasers and him. She was a quick one, but she knew he was quicker. There was no escape. Still, surrendering was beneath her. She swiped her claws at his face, and to her surprise, he didn't even bother stopping her. He could have, she already knew that much. But instead, he allowed her claws to scrape across his face, grinding futilely against his hard skin. That was the message he was sending. He didn't even have to try against her.
“Ooh, kitty's got claws... semi-literally, in this case. Unfortunately...” He grabbed Catwoman by the back of her neck, squeezing just hard enough to make her stop squirming, without doing damage to her spine. “...a woman of your talents isn't very well-suited to a man of mine.”
Though the situation was undeniably perilous, Selina's resolve was returning, and she continued to scratch at his chest, meaningless as it was. “Get your hands off me, you mongrel!” she yelled, though it was as if he didn't even notice her words or her claws. He didn't so much as glance as in their direction, continuing to muse to himself like she wasn't even there.
“I do generally prefer to battle with my prey before I partake in my reward, but oh well. I think outwitting you and tracking you down like this counts for enough. Anyway... guess we better get started.”
Viasmos violently twisted her around and pushed her forward, ramming her through the laser fence and blasting the display case right off. The obsidian idol struck the floor and shattered into a thousand jet-black pieces. Needless to say, this set off the alarm, prompting the lights to blaze on and the doors to seal. Viasmos was nonplussed, of course. The presence of security hardly mattered to him. As long as Superman didn't show up, or anyone comparable – which he was pretty sure he'd enslaved most of those ones by this point – then he'd be fine. He spent his time brushing his hand along her thighs and ass for a couple minutes when the door behind them shot open, revealing a dozen or so security forces with their guns drawn.
“Freeze! Hands in the air!”
“Not to worry, officer,” said Viasmos, with a proud sense of accomplishment. “I've got the culprit right here!”
The commander who'd called out the order was suddenly trembling. An embarrassing sight in front of his men, but it wasn't as if they were faring any better. They all recognized the man they were looking at right now. A man who no gun in the world could make them feel safe around.
“Sh-shit! You're...”
“Excited to meet a celebrity, huh?”
Nobody could respond to him. They couldn't laugh, they couldn't scream, they couldn't move. They were all just waiting. What was he going to do? Were they all going to die here? Would he allow them to escape? Their fates were in his hands now.
“Hmm, here's how I see it,” Viasmos called out, still groping Catwoman's supple buttocks. “You can pick a fight with me, and then we'll see how that works out for you, OR... you can leave the lady and me to it, pretend you didn't see anything, and go about your night. What say you?”
There it was, the chance to flee. Hardly a second passed before they all ran off, several dropping their guns in a panic. Viasmos bent down to Selina's ear and asked, “Hey, think any of them are gonna jerk off to this on the cameras?”
She growled in disgust, though if she took his brazen attempt at provocation seriously, she couldn't discount the possibility. The loop she'd fed to the cameras was probably pretty close to finishing up, so the potential was at least there. It was beyond gross to imagine such a humiliating moment being used for someone's pornography, but if there was one thing people had learned since the very public rapes of Power Girl and Poison Ivy, it was that there were a lot more men who enjoyed that kind of thing than they'd like to think. It wasn't hard to imagine that a couple guards scared for their lives might throw inhibition to the wind and enjoy the moment.
“Well, I suppose that's just how it is these days,” Viasmos said amusingly. “Months of decrying heroes for trying to save someone, it's only natural that police and whatnot would be just as tepid. Running away screaming is the new justice, I guess. Hey, think any of them even considered saving you before they turned tail? Or was the sight of a woman being pinned down by a man not enough to even register?”
Selina grit her teeth angrily. He was obviously trying to get a rise out of her, and she hated to fall for his taunts. Still, she felt the need to respond to one implication. “Don't talk about me like I'm some helpless, coddled woman! I can take care of myself!”
Her empowered independence was slightly less convincing when she cried out after he smacked her ass. “Don't need no man to protect you, huh? Gee, that sure is some way to think in your position, bent down over a pedestal getting toyed with and all, but who am I to judge?” He traced his fingers up her curves until he arrived at her breasts, circling her areolas. She tried to bolt up at one point, but she was quickly slammed back down with a hand pressed to her back. Selina took a breath, trying to stay calm. It was hard to stay patient and composed in this situation, but she'd need to control her impulses and wait for the opportune moment if she was going to have any chance at escaping.
“Hmm, come to think of it, you're the first bitch I've played with in this world to have her face covered. Let's do something about that, shall we?” He pulled her up by her hair, spun her towards him, and ripped the cowl off her face. There was a lot to appreciate by his reckoning. Her hair, her skin, all of it befitting a high-class lady of high-class tastes. But his favorite feature of hers had to be that snarl she was giving him. Eyes brimming with hatred, moist lips curled with contempt, nostrils flaring at his wicked intentions. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her close to his face, grunting with arousal.
“Ooohhhh, I do love a woman with pride! Gives me something extra to play with while I have my fun.”
She groaned as he bent down and licked up her neck, slithering up her chin and to her lips, before burying his tongue inside her. She slapped him several times – claws extended and all – but it did nothing to disrupt his voracity. His chest, his arms, she tried scratching everywhere she could, but his skin was too hard for it to have any impact. One minute after another, he merrily had his way with her mouth, and none of her efforts could so much as distract him from it.
When he finally released her, she spat in his face. “You think my pride is that flimsy? You'll have to do more than that to make me submit!”
If Viasmos was bothered by the spit on his face, he didn't show it. In fact, he seemed amused. He wiped it off and squeezed her cheeks with his saliva-covered hand. “Oh believe me, I intend to do much more than that.” He ripped open her jumpsuit at the breasts, then lifted her up and set her ass down on the pedestal. Holding her still, she could only sit in place as he helped himself, slobbering over her tits.
This was her chance.
Her scratching all over him while he kissed her was more than just the random flails of a desperate woman. She was actually being quite proactive. For one, she was getting a sense of just how hard his skin was. What were its limits? Where was he most vulnerable? Two, she was performing a little sleight of hand. In-between the scratches, she grabbed something from her belt. She feared that he might notice if she tried that on its own, but in the midst of her wildly swatting arms, she hoped that she could mask her intentions.
Now all she needed to do was apply it. She couldn't see well enough before while he was in her face, but that wasn't a problem now that he was focused on her tits. She scratched at him some more, maintaining the illusion of helpless struggle, and quickly applied something to the right claw on her index finger. A little something special she'd developed for instances where her generally-reliable claws couldn't do the trick. One of her claws was now capped with a diamond edge, both hard and sharp enough to give her a chance against his outrageously-durable skin.
Still, Catwoman had no superpowers, she'd be limited in how much she could get out of this. It wasn't like she'd be able to slash his head off. Having tested out his skin rather thoroughly at this point, she still wasn't sure she could even draw blood. She had to hit him somewhere it would count, and then she could make her escape... just as soon as he was done drooling all over her breasts.
“Mmmm-mmm, these sure are some nice puppies. Oh, sorry, is that word like, offensive to you or something? Cuz' of the cat thing?”
“You think you're pretty funny, don't you?”
“Well yeah, but it's just one talent among many.” He lifted his neck and licked at her face, which she sharply pulled away from. “Believe me, I'll be showing you plenty of them tonight,” he said with a smirk.
Selina countered with a smirk of her own. “How about I show you one of mine?”
Briefly distracted by what she could be talking about, Viasmos was caught off-guard as she swiped at his eye. He grunted in pain, but before he could retaliate, Catwoman had another tool ready to go: Tear gas. She sprayed it in his face, badly irritating him, but especially his wounded eye.
Now that he was grabbing his face, she turned to all fours on the pedestal and pounced over the field of broken obsidian. She ran over to the side wall and, using her claws to dig into the drywall, climbed up towards the windows. She didn't have her ultrasonic emitter anymore, but if he could just be held at bay for long enough, then she could break through quickly enough without it and find somewhere to hide. It was her only chance.
If she could even make it that far, that is.
It all happened so quickly she was barely able to register it. A puffy-eyed Viasmos leapt to the wall, kicked himself off of it, and grabbed her by the neck. She was then driven down about the equivalent of two substantial stories, the impact enough to knock the wind out of her.
“Fuck, damnit...” groaned Viasmos, blinking as his eyes started to heal. “That's some pretty pesky shit...”
“H-how?” Selina rasped, barely able to breathe, let alone talk.
“Ugh, I swear, what do you Earth types even use your other senses for? You're always so surprised that I'm not helplessly inept as soon as I'm blinded. I could hear you every step of the way, tracking you wasn't a problem.”
This guy... he was seriously bad news. She already knew that, and yet she'd still underestimated him. Even in a panic, Catwoman was a master of stealth, yet it was no problem for him even when rendered without the use of his eyes. Raw power was one thing, but this... this was mastery. The sort of which she was entirely unprepared for. That was her best shot, and it was countered easily; And worse yet, she was in terrible pain after that impact. She had no choice but to admit her defeat.
“I think this little kitty needs some punishment, don't you think?” Viasmos asked, though it went without saying that it wasn't really a question. He turned her on her stomach and conjured a leather strap and collar, leashing it around her neck. “C'mon, kitty cat!” he instructed, pulling at her until she was forced on all fours. “There we go, that's a good girl! Let's walk!”
She grunted as he pulled her again. She didn't feel like she had the strength to go on this shameful walk with him, but she had even less strength with which she could resist. She was just going to have to do her best. “I see what you're going for... but this is really more of a dog thing, you know?”
“Well, whatever. Close enough. As long as I'm enjoying it, that's all that matters. Now giddy up!” As he exclaimed that last part, he slapped her ass to kick her into a higher gear. This bastard... he just always had to have his way, didn't he? She wished he would just rape her and get it over with, but no. He had to tack onto her humiliation, savor her defeat, treat her like a mere pet, rather than a grown woman.
Hmph, I suppose a jerk like him wouldn't see the distinction...
She hated to admit it, but the best she could hope for was a rescue... or maybe not. That's what they tried with Wonder Woman, and that didn't turn out well for anyone. Of course, if Selina had to pick between Hawaii and her freedom, she'd take her freedom without a second thought. But it wasn't as if The Scar had been the expense of rescuing Wonder Woman... in the end, she was still captured. Selina had never been the type to rely on others, and even in this desperate scenario, she wasn't going to start now.
Well, maybe there was one she'd be willing to trust.
“Keep it moving, my fine feline! Show the cameras what a nice pet you can be.”
She came to a stop as she realized they were heading for the field of obsidian shards left behind by the relic she'd sought. She was quickly jerked forward by Viasmos's pull, who seemed to have no intention of stopping.
“Woah woah, wait! Obsidian's sharp! That'll cut me!”
“Oh, and is that a problem for you? Funny, you didn't feel that way when you slashed my eye.”
“N-no! Don't pull me!”
Viasmos stopped, and for a second, Selina had been naive enough to think her prayers were being answered. He crouched down in front of her and clawed at her cheeks, not an ounce of sympathy to be found in the gaze he was giving her.
“You have three choices here. You can crawl over the shards like I told you, you can be dragged over them on your stomach, or... if you really need an out...”
She waited for what he had to say, eager to hear this miracle third option that would spare her this kind of pain. The cocky piece of shit was letting the tension build... she wished so badly she could scratch that smug look off his face.
“Wehlw? Ohr whaa!?” she said, slightly muffled from the grip on her face.
“Hehe... you can apologize.”
He let go of her face, and she stared at him in disbelief. “W-what?”
“Simple, right? Apologize for cutting me, and I'll show, uh... what is it you people call it again? Oh that's right, mercy! I won't make you experience the same thing. That sounds pretty fair, right?”
It was a real bargain, objectively speaking. One measly apology, and she could be spared arbitrary pain. But then again... this was Selina Kyle. She was supposed to apologize for trying to prevent her own rape? Nonsense. She'd be hard-pressed to apologize as part of some ultimatum, even if she'd genuinely been in the wrong. But about this? And to him? Unacceptable.
Or at least that's what a lot of people might think. All of that was true to an extent – she was a proud woman, and not one easily manipulated. But more than any of that, she was a utilitarian. What benefited her the most? Clinging to her dignity and being dragged across shards big enough to pierce her hand whole? Or giving a meaningless, empty apology? The answer was obvious. If Viasmos thought she'd break over something so trivial, then he was in for a surprise.
“Very well,” she stated calmly. “I'll apologize.”
Now this was a surprise. Most strong-willed women he took would be mortified at the suggestion. Any action that would debase them in front of their attacker was deemed unacceptable. Yet, not only had she acquiesced, but she didn't even sound bothered by it. She wasn't angry, she wasn't hurt, nothing. If anything, she seemed almost... amused. Like she was beating him at his own game. The way she acted was... familiar.
She's like me... she doesn't care if she looks pathetic to me, as long as she still sees herself in high esteem. She doesn't hold herself to the standards of others. Her pride is only about how she measures up to her own standards.
With the others, there was a sense of how they would appear. Sometimes to people they loved, sometimes to people who revered them, or sometimes it was just the thought of looking weak to strangers that bothered them. But Selina didn't care about any of that. As long as her heart was her own, then following his orders wouldn't do anything to dissuade her.
Viasmos grinned like a Cheshire Cat, overcome with excitement at having such an unexpected foil. How should he treat such a character? What would be the most fun? If there was any kind of intuitive answer, it had to be this: see how far he could take her. How unbreakable was she really? He'd just have to find out. He walked up close to her and looked down, letting her soak in the sight of his majesty. His size and strength towered above her skinny form, all the more daunting with her collared and on all fours. Such visual motifs were important in pressuring his victims. With that, he spoke commandingly, “Prostrate yourself.”
“Hmm?”
In a flash, her skull was slammed against the floor, driven there by the heel of his boot. “Lose the catitude, and stay like that,” he instructed, somehow having the audacity to sneak in a pun amidst such a dire atmosphere. “Now go ahead... apologize.”
The thing she hated was that she knew he didn't even care. It wasn't like he genuinely wanted an apology. He just wanted to shame her. He wanted to put her in her place. She'd be lying if she said there weren't parts of her that were screaming to defy his commands, to not give him the satisfaction. But at this point... she'd already gone this far. There was no sense in wavering. It was best just to get this over with.
“I'm sorry. I'm sorry for attacking you and cutting your eye. I promise it won't happen again.”
She hoped that would be enough. Prostrated before him, begging for forgiveness, assuring him it would be the last time, all the key components were there. Except...
“Go on, keep going.”
Yeah, she figured as much. This was the kind of brute who liked to press harder on the gas pedal once he got rolling. The second she'd relented, she'd set herself up for this. She could stop at any time... but then she'd still be forced to crawl on broken obsidian, and she'd do so knowing that she caved. There was just no point.
“I was... very foolish. I knew you vastly outclassed me, and I still tried to fight back. It was completely fruitless... I'm sorry for wasting your valuable time with my pointless attempts at escape.”
Viasmos scratched his chin as he looked down on her. There was a touch of wavering in there... she definitely had some part of her that was reluctant to go through with this. All things considered, however, she was holding up quite well. Still, he felt she could try even harder.
“Not bad, not bad... certainly a lot of reverence for me in there. But how about you? What do you have to say for yourself?”
Selina snarled, her face hidden by her shameless bow. He wasn't going to be satisfied until she insulted herself outright. A minor concession like “foolish” wasn't going to do the trick. Loathe as she was to give into his demands, the situation hadn't changed. He was in charge, and she was in danger. She needed to swallow her pride and get this over with.
“I'm just... a weak, stupid girl! Too stupid to know my place. I should have known better than to resist the second I saw you, but with misplaced faith in my abilities, I tried anyway. I should have just been a good girl and submitted to you... I'm very sorry.”
Even with her head pressed against the tile, she was still somehow aware of the shit-eating grin spreading across his face. He had half a mind to drive her further, but he decided that would do for now. He crouched down and lifted her up by her chin, stroking it and saying, “That's a good kitty! See? I knew you could behave yourself!”
She shut her eyes and internally raged, deeply embarrassed at having had to grovel like that. The son of a bitch just had to condescend to her on top of it all. Well, it was to be expected. It was painful to admit, but she just didn't have the power to do anything about her situation. She was used to being in control, to having the confidence needed to find her way through perilous situations. That just wasn't the case anymore. It was a dynamic she'd have to get used to.
“Now then... about your punishment,” Viasmos contemplated aloud.
“H-huh? Wait, I thought that was the punishment!”
“The punishment was you crawling over broken obsidian. The apology got you out of that, but not out of your punishment in general. Let's see... I'm thinking...” Viasmos held his hand to the sky, and Selina watched as her whip seemed to untangle itself from the lights, gently floating down into his hand. “...this has a certain poetic rhythm to it.”
“Y-you've gotta be kidding me!”
“Don't you mean 'kitten me'?”
“...”
“...”
“Anyway, you're not seriously going to – “
WUH-PSSH!
Selina screeched in pain as her ass felt the sting of her whip. This unrelenting asshole... not only was he going to whip her, but use her own whip to do it!? And all that prostrating, that sycophantic flattering and self-deprecation, it hadn't really been for anything! He had already decided he was going to hurt her... she'd done little more than dance for him as an opening act.
One of the reasons Selina favored a whip was because it wasn't a weapon one commonly had much training in. The odds of someone being able to take her weapon and use it against her were very slim... but they weren't zero. Viasmos may have favored fighting as a pugilist, but he'd been thoroughly trained in all forms of weaponry back in his world, and that certainly included whips. There was no drop in his precision to be found as he slashed at her with menacing intent.
It felt like thunder and lightning were cracking across her ass and back. She was getting lashed about once a second, a tempo so cruel it could be negatively contrasted with past usages of corporal punishment. She didn't have time to dwell on any given strike, instead being forced back to alertness with lash after lash after lash. She couldn't even scream – her jaws were locked by the pain shooting through her body.
Finally, the torture ended. She could feel from the air on her back that there were several rips in her costume. Her head sunk to the ground as she gasped for air, her eyes practically popping out of her head from the shock. Viasmos threw the whip away and bent down behind her, tearing her outfit apart at her ass. He wanted to admire his handiwork.
“Ouch! Look how red you've gotten! Those are some welts, huh?”
Returned to her senses by his provocations, she swiveled her neck around and glared at him. “Bastard...” she hissed, quickly turning away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of her attention.
“Relaaaax, girl! It ain't a big deal. You think I want to use this body when it's all scarred and damaged like this? I'll heal you right up, no worries.”
Sure enough, the burning pain carpeting her from behind was quickly easing. She turned and saw Viasmos emanating some kind of green, ethereal energy. It left her more confused than anything else. She assumed he was just being a sadist, but not if he found her wounds unsightly. “Why?” she asked. “What was the point if you were just going to heal me?”
“Oh, you know,” he said flatly, shrugging his shoulders. “I just thought it'd be kinda funny. Whipping you with your own weapon and all.”
She knew he was a scumbag, but she could hardly believe her ears. “You... you struck me with a whip dozens of times, defenseless and at your mercy... just because you found it funny?”
“Yeah, that's right. What, trouble hearing or something?”
This shit! He wasn't just vile to his core, he genuinely saw no problem with what he was saying. He really expected her to comprehend such an absurd explanation? Was he really oblivious? Or were these the values shared back in his homeland? Either way, it made him that much more terrifying.
“Aaalllllriiiiighty,” Viasmos sang, pulling her up to her feet by her leash. “Follow me, I've got a job for you!”
She walked beside him until they came to a low, ornate table, upon which sat many remarkable prizes of the Bishop Museum. Selina's eyes couldn't help but glow, thinking how nice it would be to get her paws on them. They weren't her original targets, of course, but they were far more beautiful than the crudely-molded idol that Viasmos had created. They wouldn't sell for a particularly enormous profit, but they'd make gorgeous decorations for her less-than-humble abode.
“Okay, first, let's clear this shit out of the way.”
Viasmos threw his arm against the table and swept everything off of it, shattering many of the priceless relics. Selina felt an instinctive pang of dismay at his utter disregard for fine arts, but after a second, she realized she was probably a fool to be surprised. He walked around the table, and tugged harshly on her leash, causing her to collapse on top of it. He flipped her around so she was facing upwards, and then she saw what it was he had in mind... although with his erect cock standing before her eyes like it was the obelisk from 2001, it wasn't exactly the deduction of the century.
He pressed the tip against her lips, before she lurched away, a melancholy frustration apparent on her face as she thought about the disgusting act she'd be forced to perform. Viasmos lightly slapped her face, and admired the ensuing rage in her glare.
“Now now, do I need to come up with another punishment? I think you know what you've gotta do.”
“Oh fuck off, I'll do it,” she grunted irately. “I can be spared a few seconds to be grossed out, can't I?”
“That's for me to decide.”
“Whatever. Let's just get this over with.”
Selina opened her mouth in preparation for Viasmos's entry. He was amazed at her capacity for tolerance. She really was able to compartmentalize her powerlessness in the situation from the power she saw within herself. Her anger and disgust were obvious enough, but she wasn't letting it affect her at her core. Most girls, in any number of ways, molded in the shape of their despair. They challenged themselves, lamented themselves, something to influence the way they thought and acted. But Selina, underneath it all, seemed to be the same woman she always had been.
He didn't mind that one bit.
In spite of her request to “get this over with”, Viasmos took his time sliding his cock between her lips. She had to widen her jaw to its limit to take in his girth, and nearly gagged when it reached the back of her throat.
“Uh oh, hairball?”
She tried to say “shut up” but it came out as a garbled mess. Viasmos cupped her breasts and started pumping into her like a steam engine. The rapid increase in tempo caught Selina off-guard, now struggling to breathe as her face got slammed repeatedly by his cock. For a moment, she cursed her own weakness. If she was only more powerful, she wouldn't have to put up with this nonsense. But... then again, Wonder Woman and the kryptonians were powerful, and they were just as dominated. So if a lack of power wasn't to blame for her situation, then what was? Was it just bad luck? One too many black cats, perhaps?
There was no point in dwelling on it right now – she'd have plenty of time to reflect on where she went wrong. Right now, she just needed to endure the pummeling her mouth was taking. She'd taken some big men in her mouth before, but never this forcefully. She was used to being the dominant one in bed, controlling the flow to her liking. Needless to say, that wasn't an option with this guy. She didn't have time to get used to it. She needed to learn on the fly how to contract her throat muscles and take him in as efficiently as possible.
She's completely focused on the task at hand... and yet, she somehow does it without truly submitting. Accepting, but not submitting. This girl has some real toughness!
His excitement only made him go faster, which didn't exactly do wonders for Selina's concentration. Just as she was starting to get into a rhythm, he had to take it even further. Still, there was no sense in complaining – not least on account of the massive cock plugging her throat. She quickened her cadence, increased her focus, and everything else she could think in order to manage. She wasn't going to let herself be beaten into submission by the dick of some juvenile thug.
Suddenly, the pumping came to a halt, and Viasmos was content to bury his cock down to the base. He left it there, letting her choke on his mass. It was all part of his fun, wanting to see just how far he could push her. The body was not as disparate from the mind as many liked to believe. Physical experiences shaped one's cognition. She was tolerating the humiliation, but when compounded with the stress of suffocating on his cock, would her identity begin to crack? And if so, was her self-worth not soon to follow? Whichever answer suited him fine. Either he'd break her and he'd be amused, or she'd endure, and he'd have plenty more fun ahead of him.
At long last, he pulled his dick out of her mouth, though he did so at a snail's pace. He took a good look at her eyes as he drew out her suffering, looking for any sign of change in her. But no, it was quite the contrary. She stared him down right back the whole time, as if to say, “That's right, I win.” It was enough to make him wonder if she knew what was going through his mind. This must be how it felt for his victims to speak with him.
“Damn, you are one tough, little kitten. Wonder Slut had strength, but she wasn't half as resilient as you. What did you have to go through to get like this, hmm?”
“Ha, what makes you think I had to go through anything? Maybe I just am what I am. Sound familiar?”
It was from one of the clips she'd caught of his interview with the Daily Planet. To Viasmos, it was proof that she wasn't just forcing herself to act this way. The fact that she could playfully make a reference after having her throat used as a cocksleeve demonstrated a certain level of cerebral kinesis – not a common trait among recently-traumatized victims. He smiled and walked to the other end of the table, grabbing her legs and pulling her over to him.
“By all means, keep it up. I'm having a blast! But I don't know, you might find your breaking point sooner than you think. Quite a few women have found my dick to be rather... purrrrr-suasive!”
“...”
“Did ya'... see what I did there?”
“I did. Is it too much to ask that you drop the cat puns? I think I preferred gagging on your cock.”
“Now come on, is that really fair? I happen to think my puns are... hisssss-terical!”
“...”
“...I said, my puns are hisssss-”
“Yes, yes, I understood. Are you pleased with yourself?”
“Well, almost.”
And just like that, he plunged his cock inside her pussy, in what was most certainly a jarring transition for the poor thief girl. She'd been prepared for her rape, but with all the dumb jokes he was making, she'd briefly let her guard down. It took her a while to recover as she adjusted to his heated presence inside her.
“What? No... ugh... no jokes about... gah... fucking the pussy's pussy?”
“Eh, that fruit was a hanging a little too low, even for me.”
“So you DO... agh... have limits? Just not... mmph... with raping girls?”
“Ha, not really, no.”
She started to ease into the assault, odd as it was to think about it that way. It was all she could realistically do in this kind of situation. She could cry about it, scream about it, any number of pointless things... or she could deal with it. If that meant moving along to her rapist's pacing, then that's just what she'd have to do. She could deal with the emotional fallout on her own time.
That being said, the truth was starting to dawn on her. Her life really was over. She understood that already, the moment she'd gotten slammed against the floor. But it wasn't until he'd entered her that she thought about everything that meant. The “Catwoman” persona was over, her collection of stolen prizes would be left behind, she'd never see Bruce again. Her life would be rigidly controlled, made to serve this man sexually. Painful as it was to admit such a life laid before her, she could only aspire to get used to it as soon as possible.
She only hoped her body, at the least, would get used to it real fast. Being pierced so forcefully by a hefty piece of man-meat like this was a rough thing to imagine taking day after day. Just this one time was pushing her to her limit. Her body's perspiration was quickly coating her body, she was gulping up air as rapidly as she could, and her heart was palpitating from the physical exertion. All of these occurred to some extent during typical sexual encounters, but the fact that she was so acutely aware of them in this instance spoke to how roughly he was treating her body.
“What's even... the point of this?” she gasped.
“Sex is fun. Ain't that hard to figure out.”
“Men are horndogs... yeah, I get that... But you've got plenty of girls, right? Why can't you... be satisfied?”
Her questioning caused him to slow down a touch, much to her relief, while he contemplated how to answer. “I guess... I just always feel like there's something new to be offered to me.”
“What's that mean?” she asked, ignoring her disdain for the narcissistic way he'd framed that.
“Well, like right now. You've got a completely different reaction to being raped from anyone I've ever assaulted. Even for those who are more similar, there are little differences here and there. No two ladies are the same. And I want them all!”
“Hmph. How selfish.” It wasn't exactly a satisfying explanation for why she was being raped, or why she had to be taken from her life. Not that she had any doubts about what kind of man Viasmos was – best-case scenario, he simply did not factor in the concerns of his victims. Worst-case, he actively derived pleasure from shunning them.
“Yeah, well, I don't know what else to tell ya'. Anyone who can trigger that spark in me, I just can't help but want them for myself; And finding girls who scratch that itch for me is the thing I love the most! I enjoy my other girls for sure, but not as much as I enjoy hunting for new ones! Call it a thrill for novelty.”
As he said that, he lifted her up by her legs and threw her down onto her stomach. The hit dazed her for a few seconds, but not enough that she couldn't feel her vaginal walls being pushed apart by his enormous cock entering her from behind. She imagined how pathetic she looked, bent over and used like a common whore.
Had Viasmos attacked her long ago, before making such a public spectacle of himself, she'd likely be trying much harder to fight him. This treatment would be intolerable. But his power was extremely well-known at this point. There were a handful of women who could realistically hope to escape from his clutches, and she had the self-awareness to show that she wasn't one of them. She'd felt confident about her attempts to drop off the grid and escape his notice, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd long been preparing for this possibility.
If there was anything she hadn't been prepared for, it was just how strong he felt while he used her. It was a tad ironic, because naturally, he was holding himself back quite a bit. If he used his full power, she'd literally explode from the force. Regardless, he went about as roughly as he could get away with, and Selina could feel it all too keenly. She felt the way the flesh of her ass jiggled and jerked in response to his pounding, the way his heat seemed to drive a stake through her whole body, and the way her moans quivered as though at the limit of what she could stand to vocalize. The full force of masculinity at its purest and most savage was hers to receive.
Her head was suddenly yanked back by the pull of her leash. It had been so long since he'd used it, she'd practically forgotten it was there. Well, she sure remembered now. His thrusts were slower now, but he was driving it in with much more force. Each jab felt like she was being tackled by a linebacker. Compounding with that, Viasmos took his free hand and slapped her rear end side-to-side, giving her a painful sting not unlike the whipping she'd been forced to withstand earlier.
“Yeah, girlie! Let's go! Rock that body for me!” he exclaimed, trying to urge her into going with the flow. However, Selina made no such efforts. She took his pounding, but wasn't going to do more than that. Not unless it benefited her.
“Not... a chance,” she replied stiffly, in-between his bulldozing thrusts.
“Oh?”
“Want a... doll to fuck? Then... rape me. Want... a girl to... please you? Get me... to like you.”
“Hahahaha, no worries, kitten! I assure you, you're doing plenty to please me just like this!”
Viasmos let go of the leash, and although this gave her neck a reprieve, it did not mean she had a rest to look forward to. Viasmos grabbed her shoulders and hunched over her back, his grinning face breathing into her ear whilst slamming his cock in her rapidly like a piston. It felt so primal, straight out of the animal kingdom. She really did feel like she was being used like a bitch... or perhaps used like a queen, to use a more appropriate animal term.
“Besides,” he whispered, “that happens to not be true. Quite a few of you girls have learned to enjoy servicing me, including one of your heroines!” He licked up the side of her face, hissing with laughter as he watched her squirm away.
“Ugh... hmph! I have a hard time believing that...”
“You'll see for yourself. SuperSlut's really been living up to her name in her new home. She's become a real good girl... I can't wait to see what fate befalls you.”
He took a more upright position, and slid his hands down to her boobs. He fondled her tits while ramming into her from behind. Selina was experienced enough in sexual affairs to recognize that he'd soon be ready to cum. For a fleeting moment, she considered asking him to cum outside of her, but she realized such a request would serve no purpose other than to embarrass her. She hadn't the slightest hope that Viasmos would even consider her plea.
Instead, she balled her fists and clenched her teeth, preparing her body to accept the humiliation. In spite of her diligence, she wasn't ready for just how extreme the force of his ejaculate felt inside of her. Like great, whitewater rapids turbulently rushing through her vaginal cavity. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she took it all, her pussy pumped with more and more cum until it was completely full. Relief only came when he finally slid his cock out, allowing the white, goopy liquid to dribble out of her.
Viasmos walked around to the other end of the table, and unannouncedly plunged his cock into her mouth. She was momentarily surprised, but quickly caught her composure and lazily allowed her saliva to coat his shaft. She darted her eyes side-to-side and took in what sights she could. She knew this was the end. This would be the last of her world she'd ever see. She had only until this thug was satisfied and decided to cart her off to her new home. She may as well enjoy this place while she still could.
He finally slid his cock out, though he whacked it on her face a few times, tauntingly whispering, “Good girl.” While he put his pants back on, she asked him a question that had been on her mind since the beginning.
“Why me?”
“Hmm?” Viasmos bolted up to face her, looking surprised by that question. “Huh... didn't take you for the self-pitying type.”
“No, I'm asking you literally. There were plenty of women you could have pursued. They surely would have been easier to find. Some might have been more challenging than me, but somehow I don't think that's a problem for you. Yet, you went out of your way to set all this up so you could entrap me. Random selection? No, you targeted me, and me specifically. Why?”
Viasmos walked over to her and chuckled. “Hehe, you're pretty sharp. You're absolutely right. I went completely out of my way to hunt you down.” He picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder, his hand quickly lured to her plump butt. Selina hated the feel of his hand, but she could hardly complain about a little groping at this point. It was, after all, the very least of what she had ahead of her. She knew that all too well.
“Anyway,” Viasmos continued, “the reason I needed you was simple enough. I've got a little someone special in my life, and I wanted to put on a show for them!”
Someone special? What did he mean by that? What kind of show was he talking about? He phrased it in a confusing way, but if she reduced his answer down to its fundamentals, then he was talking about someone who was a mutual acquaintance of theirs. Thinking of it that way, there was only one person who came to mind.
“Do you mean - ?“
She stopped herself just in time. No, she couldn't risk saying it. If there was any chance he didn't know, she couldn't give him that hint. Viasmos smirked as he realized the near-miss she'd committed, and gazed into one of the room's cameras. He pointed at it dramatically, leaving no room for doubt that he was sending a message. Most people would look at this footage and be confused... but him? He'd know immediately that this was directed his way.
While smirking at the camera, he gave Selina a slap on the ass, and opened up a portal to Tharsis. He was quite enjoying himself, this unseen game of cat-and-mouse between them. It was almost a shame that it would have to end someday. But eventually, the time would come. He'd be face-to-face with the one who lurked in the shadows, and finally, he'd end whatever hope of victory the man had in mind.
Bruce had just been delivered a cup of coffee by his butler, which was much needed. He was exhausted, having spent hours painstakingly analyzing every word and every pixel of the interview between Lois Lane and Viasmos. Being rich had its perks, even in an apocalyptic wasteland where his true identity was officially declared dead. They had plenty of reserves to rely on, and though it took more effort on their parts, they remained capable of restocking them. The number of people in the epicenter of The Scar who could enjoy a hot cup of coffee could probably be counted on one hand, and two of them were Bruce and Alfred.
He was only human, so exhaustion was natural, but he was also exceedingly devoted. Viasmos was unquestionably a menace to society, having transformed the world more significantly than any formidable foe of theirs had ever managed, and without particularly trying. Society wouldn't recover until he was out of the picture. Stopping him and getting the girls back was priority number one for Batman, which was why he'd ignored literally everything else he could while looking over the footage. Even the alert he had set for an actual Viasmos sighting had gone ignored. He wasn't ready to face him yet, so ashamed as he was to say it, there was nothing he could do for his victim. It was more important to continue gathering information than it was to confront him at every stop.
Now that he finally had a break, however, he turned his attention to that. If he was lucky, there'd be even more information to gather from whatever the fallout was with his most recent battle. He was surprised to initially spot that the encounter happened in Hawaii, as he was unaware of any heroines in the area. As his computer hacked into and opened up the security footage, however, everything became all too clear.
“Selina!”
Why? What did Selina do to fall on his radar? How did he even track her down? Even Bruce, albeit detained with all his work on Viasmos, was unsure of where she was. As much as those questions nipped at his mind, he couldn't find the focus to come up with answers to them. He was desperately hoping, borderline-praying that he'd watch Selina find a way out of this. She wouldn't stand a chance in a fight, but she'd know that. She was smart, and she was crafty. Surely, if there was a way to get out of this, then she'd find it.
For one uplifting moment, Bruce believed he saw exactly that. Selina got the jump on Viasmos, took out his eyes, and started scaling the wall. But only a couple seconds later, that dream was lost. He pinned her to the ground, and Bruce knew in his heart of hearts that there was nothing more to be done.
He paused the video. He knew what came next. He knew it was too late to do anything. And he knew... this was orchestrated to be that way. Could it be a coincidence? Sure. But having come to understand Viasmos a great deal, he felt it was highly unlikely. That interview wasn't just for fun... it was a distraction. A distraction for him. For the man behind the curtain. For Batman.
Bruce furiously pounded on the keyboard with his fists.
“DAMNIT! DAMNIT! DAMNIT! HE PLAYED ME!”
No, it was the right decision. He knew that to be the truth. Even if he'd been aware that Selina was in danger, it would have been foolish to take action. There was nothing he could have done to prevent it. And yet... would he have been able to stay composed if he'd known? Whether he could have saved her or not wasn't what was swirling in his heart right now. It was the guilt and shame that came with not even trying, with being so absorbed in his work that he didn't even know the opportunity to try was there.
Selina was always an independent one. She played by her own rules, danced to her own tune. She wouldn't hear of it if he felt sorry for himself for not protecting her. She'd consider it pathetic and condescending, the very worst kind of chivalry. Even so, he couldn't help but resent himself for not seeing it coming. She'd been alone, with nobody to back her up... and whatever she might say about that, it was still his fault.
He took one deep breath after another, reluctant to resume the video. He had to watch, he didn't have a choice. No matter how unlikely it was to be present, he couldn't risk missing something crucial. He steeled his resolve and moved forward, watching with great agony as a woman he so deeply cared for was violated before him.
And then finally... something important did happen.
Just before leaving to haul Selina off to Tharsis, never to be seen again, Viasmos did something peculiar. He turned to face one of the cameras and pointed. To most people, it would probably look rather peculiar. But Bruce understood the meaning right away.
He knows...
Viasmos had found out, or at least strongly suspected, that Batman was the one pulling the strings behind the efforts against him. Just like that, those earlier questions he'd asked himself were made apparent. Selina hadn't done anything to earn his attention... but Batman had. Viasmos was using her to send a message to him, and that message was clear: I know who you are, and I'm ready to play.
The guilt Bruce felt from earlier had only multiplied, knowing that he was the reason Selina had been captured. With that guilt, however, came a burgeoning resolve. More than ever, he was determined to bring Viasmos to justice.
“I'll get you back, Selina... I swear it.” He pressed the button for the intercom. “Alfred.”
“Yes, Master Bruce,” the butler promptly replied.
“We're in it for the long haul. Gonna need more coffee.”
“Of course, Master Bruce.”
Alfred signed off, and Bruce got to work. As upsetting as it was gonna be, this was more footage that would need to be analyzed to death. No rest for the wicked meant no rest for those pursuing the wicked. He was gonna have another all-nighter ahead of him.
Chapter 11: Lum
Notes:
I planned to do Lum way back in Part One, somewhere around chapter 30, but I'd been pushing it back over and over. I think I was so hesitant because I struggled with figuring out how I wanted to handle the universe. I've done more comedic series before, but nothing like the over-the-top screwball wackiness of Urusei Yatsura. It's kind of a hard atmosphere to squeeze in next to rape and sexual slavery.
But I got over it, and she's finally here! I'm not sure how extensively I'll explore the works of Rumiko Takahashi outside of Inuyasha, but Lum was a character who I knew I wanted to feature someday. One of the tricky things to settle on was her hair... The most famous look of hers is with the blue-green hair, but in the original manga, her hair color is ever-changing. The first is more iconic, but the second is more accurate. I decided to run with the middle ground figured out by David Production in the 2022 remake, where they have her regular hair color as that iconic cyanish shade, but it flashes between colors whenever she's using her electricity.
I want to take some time to announce, to those who haven't already noticed, that I have a new series in the Inconquerable universe! "The Warlord Rises" is a prequel that follows the carnage-stricken path of Viasmos, back in the days where there were many nations and constant warring. This series does not focus on erotica, and is more about building on the lore. If that doesn't interest you, pay it no mind. The Inconquerable will remain my priority. It's just a little side project for the people who enjoy the worldbuilding aspect of the story, and gives me a chance to write a story that isn't too constrained by the episodic formula of this one.
Chapter Text
“It's more mundane than I expected,” Chlorida bluntly observed.
It was a bad roll of the dice. Viasmos thought it'd be neat to bring someone with him into another dimension, give them a fresh experience, and he invited his daughter to come along. While not a regular fountain of enthusiasm, she was actually quite interested in what another universe might look like. Instead of taking her to a world he'd visited before, which Chlorida might have mixed feelings about, he randomized the process and took her to a brand new world.
But alas, there wasn't much of anything interesting going on in this world. No heroines, no demons, no grand wars, nothing. Just a bunch of regular-looking folks going about their lives.
“Eh, we usually have something more interesting going on. Sorry your first experience has to be a boring one.”
“Oh, I didn't mean it in a bad way,” she clarified. “It's unusual for someone like me, having lived in Tharsis my whole life. Everything's so peaceful, tempered... I sometimes struggle to understand the girls' sensibilities, but I think I'm starting to get how someone can feel that way growing up in a society like this one.”
“Peaceful, yeah... aka BORING! Like I said.”
“Well, I find it novel and educational. I don't mind.”
“Ugh, I sure do. Haven't seen a single chick worth my interest all day.”
Chlorida let out an exasperated sigh, and looked at him coldly. “I can't say I'm surprised, because I'm not, but did you really plan on nabbing a girl while you were out? With your daughter?”
He shrugged his shoulders, completely carefree. “I mean, why not? I'm here, aren't I?”
“Ugh... look, I figured you'd try something like that eventually, but could you at least open up a portal and send me back before you start? There's no way I'm hanging around to spectate one of your... assaults.”
“Eh, what's the big deal? That's a whole extra portal I gotta make.”
“So what? It doesn't take that much energy to make one, does it?”
“Not for me, no, but still, it'd be more sensible to make just the two I need. You gotta understand, us guys like efficiency.”
Chlorida stopped dead in her tracks, looking at her father slack-jawed, with furrowed brows. “You. Are. Fucking. Kidding. Me. Right?”
“What?”
“Father... you're the single least efficient person I know! You let paperwork pile up for months before attending to it, you regularly drag your fights past their natural length, and you had to be dragged kicking and screaming by Filotim just to start naming places! Hell, the only reason Tharsis hasn't conquered the whole world is because you want to increase the odds of war! Efficiency is the furthest thing from your mind at any given time!”
“Well... that's different... That's just me having a good ti-”
“How did Filotim talk you into finally naming places anyway?”
“That's neither here nor there,” he quickly responded, determined to shut down that line of inquiry. “Fine, I'll send you off before I do anything. IF I do anything, that is.”
“This world not resonating with you?”
“I mean, Marin came from a boring world like this, so I'm sure I could find someone who strikes my fancy. But I just happened to drop in right on Marin. I'm not so sure I want to spend hours searching for someone like that. Hell, I might spot a good one and not even realize it, depending on the situational context. I almost skipped out on Yukari, you know? Just because I didn't realize she had powers! I was fortunate enough to run into her in that Tartarus place, but I almost let her go without making her my slave! I felt terrible.”
“Wow, that must have been awful for you,” she replied dryly.
“I don't mind the extra work when I have an idea of what I'm looking for, but that's not this place. I need some kind of spark, something that tells me, 'yeah, that's the one!' But really, who am I fooling? Shit like that doesn't just happen. I may as well ask for some babe in a bikini to sail right over my head.”
At that moment, a beautiful woman with blue-green hair, garbed in a tiger-striped bikini and boots, flew directly over Viasmos and Chlorida. They silently watched her fly off into the distance.
“Okay, even you can't get upset if fate's gonna tempt me that brazenly.”
She ignored him and sighed. “Alright, time to send me back.”
“What!? Already!?”
“Are you serious? You just said you would!”
“Well yeah, but I thought we'd have more time! You said you were interested in this place, so you probably want to look around more, yeah?”
“Sure, I suppose.”
“Then go do that. Fly around, people watch, whatever you wanna do, and come back to me when you've got it out of your system.”
Chlorida considered his proposal for a moment before nodding. “Okay, fine. Just don't let me catch you in the act. I'm still recovering from walking in on you and Kara.”
“You have my word,” he assured her, heading off in the strange girl's direction. “And when you're looking for me, just-”
“I know, I know. Follow the explosions.”
At a local park, a young girl was being harassed by a lust-crazed creep. And for once, it wasn't Viasmos.
“Shinobu, baby! Don't be like that! Get over here!”
Few people took rejection as well as Ataru Moroboshi. He wore a beaming grin on his face with every insult, slap, and all manner of abuse that would seem to indicate he drained energy from the act. As if the very act of making girls uncomfortable was all he really needed to be happy.
It would certainly explain a lot, considering his wife.
Ataru had the dream girl of all dream girls at his beck and call, but far from embracing that relationship, he found it to be an anchor around his free spirit. He needed to hit on girls, and a wife got in the way of that idea. Much of his time was spent evading her so he could flirt with the ladies – and Shinobu was at the top of his list.
Shinobu Miyake, inexplicably, actually liked Ataru to some degree. She used to be his girlfriend, though she broke up with him regularly due to his constant flirting with other girls. His “wife” was the final straw – especially when she now had a dreamy hunk like Mendo to salivate over. Although Ataru ignored his wife at every opportunity, Shinobu understood that he did have affection for her, and had effectively moved on from her former relationship with him.
Not that this stopped him from constantly putting the moves on her. Here he was, trying to embrace her... rub his filthy, lecherous body against her. Not on her watch. In a display of superhuman strength, she ripped a park bench from its mounting, and held it over her head like a sledgehammer.
“I MEAN IT, ATARU! BACK! OFF!”
“Hee hee hee hee hee, c'mon, just you and me, baby! I'll take you to a cafe!”
As usual, he was entirely unfazed. It wasn't because he didn't take her seriously. He was a man who'd taken many beatings in his life, and it was probable that he'd taken more from Shinobu than any of the rest. Was her anger fuel for his lust, or was he oblivious to just how annoying he was? Who could truly say?
She was just about ready to whack him over the head with the bench before they were interrupted by a female voice.
“DARRRRLLIIIIINNG!”
Ataru's face immediately turned sour. Here she was, his “wife”: Lum. As evidenced by her flying into the scene, Lum was not a human – though she was perfectly humanoid save for two stubby horns on her forehead. She had a cheery and sweet disposition most of the time, but at the moment, she was snarling at Ataru.
“Aw man, here to spoil my fun?”
This whole thing had started from a misunderstanding. Aliens called oni had come to invade the Earth, but by custom, they opened with a game of tag to determine the fate of the planet. If the humans won, the oni would leave them in peace. By a most unfortunate stroke of luck – something Ataru, born on Friday the 13th, was tragically known for – he was randomly selected as the human representative. His mission was to grab the horns of the oni representative, who was the daughter of the oni leader. This was none other than Lum.
How did a simple game of tag end with marriage? To encourage his success, Shinobu promised to marry Ataru if he won the game. Spurred on by this promise, he finally managed to grab her horns, at which point he excitedly yelled “Now I can get married!” Lum, however, interpreted this as a proposal towards herself. While a simple clarification might seem like it would suffice to clear the whole mess away, engagements were sacred in oni culture, and so Lum made it her life's mission to worm her way into Ataru's life as his wife – much to his chagrin.
“Darling! How many times do I have to tell you? NO CHEATING!”
Lum's body was soon enveloped in electricity, and her hair began to flash iridescently. She threw her arms down at the bumbling Ataru and shocked him as punishment for his philandering ways. Ataru screamed from the tormenting pain, but one would be hard-pressed to find sympathy for him. Ataru had been shocked like this countless times, and he still hadn't learned to stop. Either he was too stupid to consider the repercussions, or he was too much of a horndog to care.
“Ataru, you're depraved!” Shinobu shouted. “When are you gonna stop being such a perv?”
“Hehehehe.” Even as a scorched mess on the ground, Ataru couldn't mask his glee.
“Not bad, girlie. That was a pretty good shock you gave him.”
Ataru rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, she gets plenty of practice.” Ataru's head jerked up and he looked at the person speaking to them. “Uh... who are you?”
Viasmos postured his hand to his chest like a proud, boastful noble. “I'm Viasmos! When I saw that beauty flying overhead, I just had to track her down.” He pointed at Lum and grinned lecherously. “That's right, I'm here for you, baby!”
Shinobu looked down at Ataru with a skeptical glare. “Ataru... are you sure this isn't a friend of yours?”
“Hmm, nope! Never seen him before in my life.” He stood up, recovered from his electrification, and turned his attention back to Viasmos. “What do you want Lum for?”
“Hehehe, delighted you ask,” Viasmos started. “I am an all-powerful god among men! I hail from the planet Ares, a dominion entirely under my control! There, I have thousands of women at my beck and call, used by me and shared among my subordinates!”
“Is... he serious?” Ataru asked aloud.
“But it's not enough! I continually seek out new lands with new women, females worthy of joining my ever-growing harem!”
“C-creep!” Shinobu yelled with a horrified expression.
“And you, woman... Lum, was it? I have chosen you to be my next prize!”
Lum let out a stifled “Eek!” and flew behind Ataru to hide. Ataru was not generally the preferred champion a lady depended upon to defend her honor, but Lum loved her debauched husband. Sure enough, he responded in a way that surprised even her.
“Don't worry, Lum,” he said, an atypically intense glare in his eyes. “I'll handle this.”
“D-darling?”
Ataru bravely strode forward, not an ounce of trepidation in his every step. Even Shinobu could not help but be impressed at his sudden determination.
Ataru... I guess you're not always so bad...
Still, this man had declared himself as “all-powerful”, and though that could mean many things, there was a good chance that Ataru would be no match for him. “Ataru! Be careful!” she yelled.
He looked back with a fearless grin and gave her a thumbs up. “I've got this!” he declared. Despite his abysmal record of misfortune, the confidence oozing out of him was enough to make Lum and Shinobu believe it. He stood proudly before Viasmos, bearing a look of such tremendous resolve that it even impressed the warlord.
“Here to protect your woman? Heh, I'll give you props for bravery.”
Viasmos lifted his fists and prepared for battle, but was content to wait for Ataru to make the first move. Ataru smirked, seemingly unfazed at the prospect of taking on a self-proclaimed god. He finally made his move... dropping to his knees and outstretching his arms along the ground.
“Take me with you!”
“W-what!?”
“DARRRLLIIIING!”
“Viasmos-sensei!” he implored. “Let me join you on Ares! I know I can be of service to you! Please! Give me this chance!”
Ataru took a hefty whack to his back as Shinobu slammed down the park bench he'd been so mercifully spared from moments earlier. “YOU FIEND!”
Of course that's all it was. Ataru heard “thousands of women” and “shared among my subordinates” and smelled an opportunity to be a gross pig. Far from thinking about how to protect Lum, he was groveling in the hopes of joining her attacker's ranks.
Ataru endured the pain, and kept his gaze fixed on Viasmos, awaiting his answer.
“I... see... not exactly a common request. I've never been too interested in having people from other worlds join me, but then again, I did take in Kirara. I guess I can be persuaded... but you know, my subordinates are all pretty strong. How about you?”
“I'm pretty good at running,” he immediately offered, a useful skill he'd honed in his many escapes from Lum.
“Hmm, I rather doubt you're on the level of even my weakest underlings, though. Got anything else?”
Shinobu hammered the bench down on Ataru again and again. 'How about that he has the tenacity of a damn COCKROACH! AND PERSONALITY, TOO!”
Though she was intending to ridicule Ataru, Viasmos gave her claim due consideration. After all, she wasn't wrong. Taking some heavy hits was one thing, but rising to his feet mere seconds after going through a sustained electric shock was undoubtedly impressive – at least by the standards of earthling humans.
“Hmm, I suppose we can always try you out out as a practice dummy. Welcome aboard!”
“Hooray!” Ataru jubilantly leapt into the air. Shinobu was positively disgusted, and Lum was stunned that his lechery would actually go this far. Viasmos, pleased to find a kindred spirit, wrapped an arm around his shoulder and grinned. “It ain't gonna be an easy road, but at the end of it, pussy as far as the eye can see!”
“I'm ready, sensei!”
“Ah, that sparkle in the eye, a dream you envisage as clearly as though it were tangibly in front of you. It takes me back to the days of my youth.”
“Thank you, sensei!”
“I just gotta rape your woman over there, and then we'll be off.”
“Excellent, senssssssss – what now?”
“Hmm? I said I gotta rape your woman over there. Before going back home, I mean.”
“Ah... I see...” Ataru's previously-enthused face suddenly grew stoic, and the vibrancy drained from his voice. “Then Viasmos-sensei... this is true for the other girls in your harem, isn't it? They're all there by force.”
“Uh, yeah? Obviously.”
“You didn't get that!?” Shinobu yelled angrily.
“Very well. Then I apologize... our journey together ends here.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Our philosophical differences on this matter are simply too disparate. I ask you, whence cometh the thrill of a romantic union? The act itself? No, it's the chase. The unceasing drive, the laying bare of your heart, the willpower to push forward through rejection... these are what give men purpose! To force oneself upon a woman, no matter how beautiful, is simply not something I can do.”
It was a surprisingly sagacious speech by the brash, young boy – if a bit lecherous. Shinobu was happy to know Ataru had his limits. He's a real perv... but at least he doesn't cross the line. Although he is handsy... and has no sense of personal space... and won't ever take “no” for an answer... actually, he crosses a lot of lines!
As Shinobu slowly talked herself into hating Ataru again, Viasmos addressed his brief young pupil. “I see, I see. Well, different strokes for different dicks and all that. I'm disappointed, but you're free to do what you like.”
“Thank you.”
“Which I can't say for the floating girl over there. I do also enjoy the chase, but a bit more literally than how you mean it. Hunting a powerful woman and making her submit is what gives me purpose!”
Ataru bravely put himself in-between Lum and Viasmos. “I'm sorry, but I can't stand by silently and let you do that!”
“Darling!” Lum smiled and cutely brought her fists to her cheeks, pleased at her husband's iron defense of her dignity.
“Lum may be annoying, and overbearing, and temperamental...”
“You can STOP right there, darling!”
“But still... I can't let you hurt her! Try as you might, I won't back down!”
Lum flew over and gave Ataru a hug from behind, rubbing her head affectionately against him. He'd normally push her off, but right now, he had all his focus on Viasmos. He wasn't an especially strong man, but he wasn't so low as to not protect a girl.
Rather than attack Ataru directly, Viasmos coated his right arm in his scarlet-black aura. He theatrically threw his arm to the side, and launched a wave of his lightning-esque aura along the ground, where it eventually crashed into a nearby office building. The building promptly crumbled to the ground, blown apart at its base by his fearsome attack.
“Oh – oh god!” Shinobu exclaimed, as she thought of the many people must have just been killed. Although Viasmos was not one to kill weak civilians, he rationalized that they weren't targeted. He demonstrated a fraction of his power, and some people just happened to be in his way. Thus, not a hint of remorse graced his face as he continued his standoff with Ataru.
“...”
“...”
“Alright Lum, you're up,” Ataru casually declared, walking to the side.
“W-whaaaaaa... Darling! What happened to your speech about how you wouldn't back down!?”
“Against that? Be real!”
“Ataru,” Shinobu yelled. “What kind of man are you!?”
“Not that kind! Seriously, what am I supposed to do against something like that!?”
Viasmos snickered and turned to Lum. “Well, guess it's just you and me to duke it out.”
Lum gasped and turned heel, flying high into the sky and out of reach. Of course, this was all banking on the hopes that Viasmos couldn't fly, which he absolutely could. He quickly got out in front of her, arms crossed and smirking confidently. She turned and fled in another direction, but the pattern persisted, and it became obvious that there was no escape for her. Viasmos wrapped his arms around her waist and pinned her against him.
“Ooooohhhh, you're in for it now!”
She grabbed his shoulders and surged her lightning into him at full blast. Normally, she had to be at least a little cautious, to ensure she didn't accidentally kill Ataru. Here, she didn't need to hold anything back. This was as powerful as her innate electricity could get.
And yet, Viasmos looked quite unfazed, much to her shock.
“Sorry, babe. I have a particularly strong affinity for lightning, so it's pretty hard to hurt me with the stuff. It does tingle though, so you know, you've got that workin' out for ya'.”
“Uh... this is bad, huh?”
“Hehehe, oh yeah!”
Viasmos licked up her neck as she tried to pull away. He flew her down to the ground and slammed her face-first against the grass, pinning her from behind with his weight.
“Aaaagghhh, get offa me!”
“Come on! You can struggle more than that, can't you?”
Shinobu turned towards Ataru. “You're seriously not gonna do anything?”
He certainly looked distressed, but he could only shrug his shoulders. “It's not like I don't want to... but look at that guy! I'm not equipped for this!”
“Ugh, scumbag!” She turned to Lum and cried, “Don't worry, Lum! I'm gonna go find some help!” She can off, leaving just the three of them.
“Heh, don't go getting too excited,” he whispered in her ear. “Not very likely you've got someone who can contend with me!”
“N-nooo...” she whimpered.
“A-HEM!”
There was exactly one person on the planet who could feasibly give Viasmos a decent fight, but unfortunately for Lum, it was the one he brought with him. Chlorida hovered above them, glowering at her father as she gradually descended to the ground.
“Care to explain? I believe we agreed you would wait on your fun until after you sent me back.”
...Oh yeah...
True to form, Viasmos had forgotten all about that. “Well, you know, things move so fast... my bad...”
Ataru, mesmerized by the emerald-haired goddess before him, prancingly dashed his way to her the moment her foot struck the ground.
“Hey, baby! What's your name? I'll take you for a drink! How about your digits and address! Hehehehe-”
Chlorida, unamused as she was, donned an unusually expressive look of disgust. She pricked his neck with her nail in the middle of his trademark sell, and Ataru immediately collapsed. A red so deep that it could be seen through his skin flowed through his every vein.
“Such a worm...”
“Man, hitting on my daughter like that...” Viasmos remarked, having flown over to look at what happened. “Did you kill him?”
“No, it's a simple paralytic agent. Shame though, it can't wipe that stupid grin off his face.”
Even reduced to a miserable state with horrifying spidery, crimson lines across his body, Ataru smiled through it all. If he even could move his face, it was likely he'd still be grinning even now.
“Darling!”
As Viasmos had left Lum to speak with Chlorida, she'd had ample time to make a break for it. This wouldn't have made a difference for one with the warlord's speed, but it would have been a sensible thing to try. However, Lum was a far more devoted spouse than her pitiful husband, and chose to check on him.
“Fear not,” Chlorida assured her. “He'll be quite alright. Just leave him be for an hour or so.” She turned to her father and insisted, “Okay, now get me out of here.”
“Alright, alright, relax.” He opened a portal, and Chlorida stepped towards it. Just before crossing over, she snuck a glance at the girl. She felt a tinge more pity for her than the standard amount she held for her father's victims. Even as she faced unspeakable desecration at the hands of her detestable father, she was still concerned for her loved one. She was a sweet, caring girl, not someone who deserved to be swept up in this crude scheme. Alas, this was the Tharsian way. Sweet and caring did nothing for you, only power did. She lacked the power to protect herself, and therefore had no choice but to accept her fate.
I'm no different... I couldn't stop him if I wanted to...
And so Chlorida returned to Tharsis, to go back to work and prepare for the arrival of her father's newest slave. His daughter was gone, Ataru was paralyzed, and Shinobu had left to find help. All those silly little distractions had finally resolved themselves. “Well, looks like it's just the two of us, huh?” he said, looking down at his prey.
Lum felt a chill, and tried to fly away, but he quickly grabbed her ankle. She tried to electrocute him once again, but it had no effect. “I told you already... that won't work on me!” Viasmos countered with his own aura, the scarlet-black lightning fighting against her blue lightning. It wasn't long before she was completely engulfed by his aura, and felt a pain she intuitively understood as far beyond what her powers were capable of. She collapsed mid-air from the pain, at which point Viasmos spun her around and tossed her, sending her body tumbling along the ground.
Nary a moment had passed before he was on top of her again. Though it looked like he had her pinned, she technically wasn't. Due to her delicate constitution, Viasmos wasn't actually putting all that much strength into holding her down. Likewise, Lum had little trouble levitating off the ground, and carrying her attacker along. She tried to spin around to swing Viasmos off of her, but he held on firmly.
“Heh... I guess I don't mind a mid-air fuck, if that's what you're into.”
“Who said that!? I'm just trying to get you off of m-MMMMMHHHH”
She was interrupted as Viasmos dug his tongue through her lips, battling her own tongue for supremacy. She squirmed and whined, but brute strength won out the day, and Viasmos gleefully lapped up her every surface within her mouth.
Having finally let go, she glared at him and screamed, “Meanie! I can't believe you stole a kiss from me like that!”
“Well, I'm about to steal a whole lot more than that, so you might wanna steel your nerves.”
Viasmos grabbed her tiger-striped bra and ripped it off of her, exposing her lovely breasts. He sucked on her nipples ravenously, making Lum feel like a helpless piece of meat. She tried to shove him off of her rack, but he didn't budge one iota.
Powerless to do much of anything, her eyes found their way to Ataru, still petrified down below. He was presumably still conscious, however, and since he was facing up, he could no doubt see what was going on. She knew it wasn't his fault, but she still felt shaken at the radiant grin on his face as his eyes watched her in this predicament. It made it look like her own husband was getting a kick out of watching her get raped.
She bent back and looked behind her, drawn by the calls of sirens. Rescue crews were hard at work over at the office building Viasmos had destroyed. Unfortunately, it didn't look like an alien girl getting sexually assaulted in the sky was drawing as much interest; Though to be fair, wacky things tended to happen in this area of town. If anyone had noticed what was going on, they were probably treating it as something beyond their comprehension, and ignoring it as they did with all the other alien nonsense they happened across.
Viasmos circled his tongue around her areola, drawing a reluctantly thrilling elation from her body. Despite being married for some time now, her body was quite inexperienced, and malleable to the movements of her assailant. She couldn't help but feel some anger towards Ataru. Why, after all this time, did this gallivanting horndog never set his sights on her? So many opportunities to share their love, wasted away, only for her body to be taken by this barbarous male. If there was any silver lining to be found in this horrifying circumstance, it was that hopefully, Ataru felt the same regret as he watched his wife get ravished.
She felt his grip on her loosen for a moment, and thought it was her chance to get away. Alas, she hardly slipped through at all before she was grappled once more. He wasn't being careless, he was just intending to switch positions. Her face was flung up upside-down against his crotch, which she was mortifyingly rubbed against. Viasmos grabbed her hair and whipped out his cock, much to her appall. She looked up – or rather, from her perspective, down – and cried, “You're not serious!?”
“I think I've made it pretty clear at this point that I'm plenty serious.”
She tried to kick her legs up by his face, hoping to squirm away, but his grip on her thigh was iron. It was only one hand, but still inhibiting enough that her lone free leg had very limited motion. His other hand, still tangled in her luscious hair, pressed on the back of her head and tainted her pure skin with the touch of his cock.
“Dooon't! Noooo!”
He continued rubbing her cheeks against his penis like so, then pulled aside the thin strap of her tiger-striped bottoms. He playfully stabbed his tongue against her labia, causing her to shriek in surprise. He used that moment with her mouth agape to push on her head and force his penis down her throat. She squeezed out a muffled “Stop!” that came out more like “SCHTAAAMPH!”, but naturally, her lack of cooperation was ignored. He thrust his hips while licking her pussy, and Lum was forced to adapt to the brutish violation of both her upper and lower lips.
Her lacking experience notwithstanding, she was pretty sure that he was a fair bit larger than typical males. She sure hoped so, at least, because she couldn't imagine being asked to take in something larger than this. His beastly meat tore through her throat like it was being hammered in one ruthless bang at a time. It filled her throat so completely she felt like she might choke if he left it all the way back there for more than a second.
Then there was the other experience of having her womanhood toyed with. The sensation was physically pleasant, but mentally, anything but. It shamed her to feel even superficial pleasure from a man who saw her as nothing more than a sex doll. She was no stranger to the gratifying sensations that part of her body offered, but to have it done by the hands of such a loathsome, violent man made those sensations something she deeply wished she could repress.
But the fun was only beginning for the Tharsian. He removed his hand from the back of her head, which Lum briefly misinterpreted as permission to retreat and take a well-earned breath. However, she couldn't even withdraw halfway off his shaft before she was pressed right back into it. Only it wasn't his hand that was forcing her, but the momentum from his hips. He was spinning vertically in a circle, meaning his hips were constantly chasing after her lips.
“WHHHUUHHH AHH OOOHH OOOIIIMM!?”
“I thought this would be neat. Think of it as a training exercise. If you can learn to please my dick like this, just think about how good you'll be when you're still!”
That's not a skill I want to learn!
The worst part was that she didn't have much choice but to do exactly what he wanted. She couldn't draw her upper body back far enough to break off his junk completely, and if she did nothing, his penis would clog up her throat, which she knew would be intolerable. She could try moving back as far as she could, so that only the tip was in, but she understood that was a short-term solution. Viasmos would most likely respond by accelerating. As long as his speed was static, relativity was on her side; But if he continuously increased the force of his spin, it would undoubtedly take a toll on her body. Even an oni like herself could only take so much g-force.
So unwilling as she was, she worked on stroking his cock with her lips, getting used to the rotational speed and the ever-present distraction of cunnilingus. As she got into a rhythm, her eyes started to fixate on her balls. It was gross, but she found it reduced the sense of motion sickness. As a natural and graceful flier, she actually had quite the reduced sensitivity to motion sickness, but it was a little different when she wasn't the one controlling – and by extension, anticipating – the motion in question... not to mention the rather grotesque experience of a dick being shoved down her throat, contributing plenty to her nausea.
Viasmos's hands melted into her soft thighs, pressing them against him so he could continue enjoying the taste of her pussy. He was quite impressed with the girl's performance down below. She'd even started using her tongue, perhaps subconsciously as she increasingly came to accept her helplessness. It wasn't something novel to him. He believed women, being such weak creatures, were naturally submissive. Some might call that misogynistic, but his decades of experience as a rapist had taught him this was more true than not. Being caught in the flow of a male's machinations had a tendency to make females compulsively go along with what was expected of them. No matter how disinclined they were, once they accepted that they were at the mercy of a stronger male, they began to anticipate his needs and follow through on them without necessarily realizing it. Even the more stubborn of his victims tended to fall into this trap over time.
Who could blame Lum, hopelessly outmatched as she was? Her electricity was completely useless against him, and his raw physicality far exceeded anything she was capable of. What else was there to focus her efforts on, other than the blowjob she was being forced to perform?
She was so locked in on her blowjob that she found herself dizzied when Viasmos actually ended their rotation and pulled out his cock, flipping her right-side up and pinning her back against his chest... while squeezing her tits. Freed from her task, she coughed and spat, as if to forget the taste of his dick.
“That was... terrible! That was the worst thing that's ever happened to me!”
“Yeah, well, hold onto that thought...”
Lum felt something in her nether regions, and looked down at his penis sliding between her thighs. “Eeeek! You're... you're seriously going to rape me!?”
“I mean, I was pretty up front about it...”
It wasn't so much that she was surprised, it was just that she hadn't fully processed it yet. As long as it hadn't happened, then it might not happen. Her mind had been focused on the here and now. But the march of time was finally catching up to her inevitable future, and she could put off the thought no longer. There was nothing she could to do to stop him, or even slow him down... and there was nobody around to help her. The moment he decided to stick it in, it was over.
He slid his hands down to her thighs and pulled them up, locking her arms and knees simultaneously. She felt his tip poke at her, and shrieked as she came to accept that moment was now. He pulled her down until his penis ripped right through her bikini bottoms, and her pussy right afterwards. Lum gasped harshly at the feeling of her violation.
This man... he's really inside me!
He forced her up and down on his monstrous cock, an experience far too jarring and painful for the poor girl. She could hardly breathe, as every stab of his dick knocked the wind out of her. It was as if someone striking at her with a hammer, the impact tore upwards through her abdomen. His might was far too much for a sweet, little thing like herself.
When she'd finally grown sufficiently conditioned that she could at least get some air, she cried out, “D-darling!” But looking down, Ataru was still paralyzed, and not one to help anytime soon. She was still pretty peeved about him stepping aside to let her face this, but in fairness... she could accept that fighting would only have been dangerous for her beloved darling. There was probably nothing he could do to save her from this fate.
“Someone! Help me! Anyone! Gyaaaahhhh!”
Viasmos sucked at the side of her neck while he pounded her. It astonished her that even something soft like lips and tongue could feel every bit as aggressive as the rock-hard thing assaulting her down below. His lips felt so ravenous, the force of his desire so disgustingly transparent. She felt like she was just an object for him, her consciousness and identity rendered irrelevant by the simple fact that her body attracted him.
“Sorry, sweetheart! Ain't no one coming to help you... or at least no one who can. The second I stuck my dick in you, I claimed you as mine. You're my woman now!”
“That's so – ugh – primitive!”
“Call it what you like. Fact is, saving you means beating me, and I strongly doubt anyone on your world has the chops to give that a real shot!”
Lum looked down at her husband, tears starting to pour from her eyes. “Darling...”
“Hey, your 'darling' had the right idea. He knew right away it was suicidal to try and fight me. If he can't protect his woman, that's as good as giving you to me himself.”
“Mean! Just... stop talking and get this over with!”
“Oh, are you sure about that? Once I'm done, I'm taking you home with me. Still want me to speed up?”
She gasped as she considered a life away from here, without her darling. Without any of the lovely people she'd come to welcome into her life. She suddenly felt like they were all taken for granted. Her friends, her in-laws, Ataru, she'd be taken from all of them. All so this thug could get his rocks off. It was a terrible future to imagine, and an even more terrible feeling to know she couldn't prevent it.
Viasmos let go of her limbs. That rush of freedom was counteracted by the surging release in tension, causing her to collapse forward. He continued pounding into her as she hung limply in front him, his hands gripped firmly on her hips. Even without her arms and legs held up, this was no better. If anything, it seemed like he was even more forceful in this position; Like he was a feral animal having his way with a ragdoll.
She couldn't really contest the comparison, either. It wasn't like jerking around would help matters, not with her meager strength. She couldn't muster the willpower to do anything other than hang there and wait for it to be over. That is, until Viasmos spanked some life back into her.
“Ow! My butt!”
The stinging pain sent a chill through her body, and she turned back to see Viasmos smacking her ass as he raped her. She could hardly continue to stay numb while jolted her alert like that. “What do you think you're doing!?”
“Oh, just enjoying myself,” he explained calmly, continuing to slap and fuck her at his whim. “It's a fun way to play with a girl's body, you know?”
“Gross! Girls aren't just toys for you to play with!”
“I beg to differ.”
In an apparent bid to prove his point, he fixed his hands on her waist and twisted her around so she was facing up towards him. He did this repeatedly mid-thrust, spinning her around on his cock. Up and down, up and down, up and down... His jestful laughs contrasted quite obviously with her staggered squeals, clearly not enjoying the preposterous way her body was being treated.
“Aaahhhh! Stop!” she begged, as he set her in place looking upwards. “Does that even feel good!? Doesn't that hurt your penis!?”
“Believe me, you ain't the first girl I've literally screwed like that. I appreciate your concern, though.”
“Ooooohhhh, you! I was not concerned!”
He continued to slam into her like that for a while, her body perpendicular to his. This position was slightly less forceful than before, but she somehow hated it even more. As rough as it was on her body, at least she didn't have to look at the smirking face of her rapist before. Fundamentally good-natured as she was, she tried to scan his face for signs of remorse, something to indicate that he understood he was doing something wrong. But no, there was nothing like that. Between that overjoyed smirk, those wolfish eyes, and his satisfied grunts, every part of him indicated only that he selfishly sought his own pleasure, with no thought granted whatsoever to her autonomy. She was an object for him to use, and that was the only thing that mattered to him.
Viasmos bent down to stick his face up close to his prey. She wished he'd lifted her upright if he wanted to be in her face like this. His towering figure casting a shadow over her made her feel so small, so completely dominated by him. Bastard that he was, that was probably exactly why he'd chosen to bend down to her instead.
“Hey, I've got an idea, babe! Most of my girls call me 'master', or maybe 'sir'. But for you, I've got something special!”
“H-huh?”
“I'm gonna have you call me 'darling'!”
“Wha – no way!” she cried out. “There's no way! Only 'Darling' is darling! How could you even think I'd call you that!”
“Hehehe... we'll see how you feel after a few more rapes. I'll have you doing as you're told like a proper bitch in no time! Just you wait and see!”
“Uh-uh! No way!”
This ephemeral display of ferocity was a much-needed morale booster for Lum. She'd grown so numb from her helplessness that just the opportunity to feel oppositional gave her a surge of uplifting energy. Of course, it could only do so much to distract from the fact that she was still at this man's mercy. The boost in confidence felt nice, but didn't have anywhere especially practical to go. It was not too long before she went numb once again, her arms hanging at her sides as she patiently waited for him to finish his business.
Fortunately for her, that wouldn't be too long. The way that look of hers shifted from scared to angry was just so cute. It was the perfect thing to push his satisfaction over the edge. He could feel the increasing heat in his loins, and quickened his pace, knowing it was not long before sweet release.
“Get ready for my cum, bitch!”
“Eh? EEHHH!? Wait, don't! Not inside me! Please! That place is only for Darling!”
“See? I told you I'd get you to call me that.”
“I wasn't talking about – UUUUNNNNHHHH, NOOOOO!”
Lum was cut off as she felt his essence pour inside of her. It was too late, though in her heart of hearts, she knew that time was an inconsequential factor. She was never going to talk her way out of that, and he would get whatever he wanted. That was the cold, hard truth of her situation.
Viasmos slowly descended to the ground, keeping his manhood plugged inside her the whole trip down. He finally pulled it out, allowing his seed to spill out of her pussy – a sensation that left the oni princess terribly ashamed. When he released her waist, she tried to fly over to Ataru, but was quickly grabbed by her hair and forced to her knees.
“Not quite yet, doll. I'll let you say goodbye to your oh-so-valorous husband over there... but my needs come first. Clean me up.”
“Ugh... no... please, no mo-MMMPPPHH!”
Ignoring her pleas, he once again shoved his length inside her mouth. She couldn't bear to continue another second, but understanding that it wasn't her decision to make, she acquiesced to his demands. She dutifully sucked his cock once again, praying for a miracle to save her from this fate.
“Lum! I'm ba – oh god!”
Lum mumbled with recognition at the voice of Shinobu, presumably having brought help. Shinobu could hardly believe the horrific scene taking place before her: Lum, freshly violated, being forced to give fellatio to the brute from earlier. Meanwhile, Ataru was over there taking a nap. What was wrong with that jerk? How could he be resting at a time like this?
Just as horrified was Shinobu's companion, who he'd happened to run into while racing in the direction she came from. “I felt it in my bones that a lady was in trouble nearby... but this? It is a sham of a man who forces himself on a maiden!”
Viasmos looked tiredly at the new figure, unamused with the ostentacious snob who'd appeared on his doorstep. “Uh... who are you?”
The man in the all-white uniform pulled out a katana of all things, shooting a nasty look at Viasmos. “I am Shutaro Mendo! Future head of the Mendo family, and defender of women everywhere!”
Lum, still actively servicing her captor, could not help but roll her eyes. Seriously, Shinobu? This is the help you brought over? Mendo? She could appreciate that Shinobu hadn't experienced the depths of the man's power the way she had, but still, that didn't change the fact that there was no way Mendo was capable of freeing her from his grasp.
“Is that so?” Viasmos replied. “Well, you don't have to worry about defending this woman here. I'll be taking goooood care of her, rest assured!”
Mendo growled under his breath for a moment before regaining his composure. “I am here to defend her from you, you sorry excuse for a male! Now, let the girl go, and let us have our duel!”
“Nah.”
“H-huh? No, I can't fight with a lady in the way! Release her, and we may have an honorable duel.”
“Why should I? I'm having a good time. What, I'm supposed to put my fun on pause because some guy starts harassing me out of nowhere?” He looked down at Lum and bemoaned, “Can you believe what I have to put up with?”
“Y-you! No honor! No decency!”
“Yeah, pretty much. Don't care about those things. Look, how about this? I won't move or retaliate in any way. You get me to let go of the girl, and you win! Simple as that.”
It took all of Mendo's willpower to keep from spitting as he screamed. “You look down on me so!? After I challenge you to an honorable duel? Nonsense!”
“Eh, whatever,” Viamsos replied, shrugging his shoulders. “I'll just keep letting the chick blow me.”
“Fine then! That's it!” Mendo did not like the conditions of Viasmos's proposed duel. It lacked the dignity and decorum expected of the future head of the Mendo family. Still, it was nowhere near the blow to his pride he'd suffer if he allowed a cute girl to be sullied so in his presence. “Take this! HYYYAAAAAAA!”
Mendo raced towards Viasmos and slashed at his neck with his sword. He anticipated that Viasmos would surely move with such a vulnerable part of his body targeted, but he did nothing. The blade struck his neck, and in that moment, Mendo feared he had killed Viasmos. He quickly learned that this fear was unwarranted, as the sword cracked and broke apart at the point of contact. Mendo looked down at his shattered blade in disbelief.
“H-HUUUUUHHHH?”
“So does this mean I win?”
“HOW!?”
“Good news, babe,” he said to Lum. “Well, good news for me. That knight in shining armor ain't here for ya'. Looks like you're mine.”
Lum looked up sadly. It wasn't as if she expected a different outcome, but it didn't exactly ease the pain of knowing she was about to be abducted. She stared at Viasmos with expectation... hoping she'd soon be allowed to remove this penis from her mouth.
“Oh right! Hahaha, I got so distracted! Yeah, I guess my dick's clean enough now. Good job, girlie. Now time to go.”
“W-wait! I thought you said I could see my Darling first!?”
“Hmm? Oh... right, I guess I did say that. Alright, go say your goodbyes.”
Lum was hardly ready to say goodbye, but she wanted to at least make sure he was okay. Ataru still hadn't moved a muscle since being pricked by that lady from before. She flew over to him and checked his skin. The red, veiny patterns had faded somewhat, so hopefully that meant the effects would be wearing off reasonably soon. She wished she could speak with him properly, but he couldn't talk just yet. He still had that big, stupid grin plastered on his face. She bent down and gave him a kiss... she was gonna miss that stupid grin.
“Good to go?” Viasmos asked, holding a charging Mendo at bay as he spun his arms wildly. Lum only sighed. How was she supposed to answer that. Yes? She's ready to be taken to a new planet where she'll be forced into sexual slavery and never get to see her family or friends? No, of course she wasn't good to go. But as had been made overwhelmingly clear, neither her readiness nor cooperation were components of her fate.
All she could do was turn to Shinobu, and sadly plead, “Take care of him, okay?”
Shinobu gasped, as the realization suddenly struck her that this really was about to happen. “Lum! No!”
But after Viasmos lightly tossed the white knight to the side, he grabbed Lum and opened up a portal, through which they quickly disappeared. The last thing any of them heard from Lum was her desperate wail as she got dragged to her new home.
“DAARRRRLLIIIIINNG!”
Lum had been surprised to learn that this wasn't just a new planet, but a new dimension entirely. Previously, she still had some hope that she could maybe be rescued at a certain point. Maybe from her dad, or her alien friends. But a separate universe was probably a bridge too far. She knew of nobody who had that kind of power. Her destiny was to be stuck here, forever.
Servicing this smug bastard.
She was currently floating in the air, laying horizontally like she was lying on a bed. Her master's dick was in her mouth, which she'd been sucking for hours now. An unpleasant sensation on its own, but certainly more so when paired with the periodic flooding of her throat with his semen. She couldn't take it anymore. Tears in her eyes, she patted his thigh, prompting him to stare down at her and smirk. She despised that superior look of his.
“Well? Have you learned your lesson?”
He pulled out his cock, gifting her the capacity for speech. Her mouth was honestly a little numb after so many hours of sucking him off, but she fought through it in fear that he'd plug her mouth again if she waited too long. Reluctantly, she responded with those frightful, capitulating words.
“Yes... darling...”
Viasmos clapped his hands together and cackled. “Hahahaha, and there we go! I told you you'd give in eventually! See, it's easier if you just listen to me straight away!”
Lum lazily nodded her head. “Yes, darling...”
This place wasn't entirely without its silver linings. She didn't like that lady who'd hurt her beloved husband at first, but found she was actually quite nice. Frankly, most people from this world would have killed him outright, so that was an early sign that she was pretty reasonable. She also got along great with most of the other girls. There were a few girls, like Kagome and the girls from her world, who she especially liked. It was as if they had some kind of intrinsic connection to each other, but she wasn't sure how to explain it. Then there was her master's kindness – if one felt insistent about using that particular term – in allowing her to keep her flight. Lum almost never had her feet on the ground if she could help it. She was definitely capable of walking, but she found it a little awkward and uncomfortable, so Viasmos permitted her to fly.
That was about all she could say positively about her master, however. A man who assaulted and enslaved women was obviously depraved and irredeemable, but he was somehow even worse than that. He knew exactly how to push a girl's buttons if he wanted something out of her. And that's why she was here now, wrapped in his arms, referring to him by a term as special to her as “darling”. Because he knew the perfect punishment to make her submit.
I'm sorry, Darling... I'm not... as strong as I thought...
Chapter 12: Elastigirl
Notes:
As a reminder to longtime readers, and a notice to anyone coming into Part Two without reading Part One, Disney/Pixar worlds share a universe with Kingdom Hearts. Even Disney properties that haven't previously been featured in KH will be utilized that way. So if you're seeing characters you don't recognize from The Incredibles, well, that's why.
Mind that this only applies to original Disney properties, not bought IPs like Marvel, Star Wars, etc... We're generally sticking to the animated stuff in this regard.
Chapter Text
Scratched, panting, using her weapon to prop herself up, this girl was visibly exhausted. Even a complete stranger would take one look at her and implore her to take a rest. But as for the girl herself, there wasn't a further thought from her mind.
It's not enough... it's still not enough...
Kairi forced herself back to her feet, and fired off another volley of magic. Bigger, faster, stronger, she had to do everything she could to increase her potency. Yet, as soon as she fired it, she collapsed once again. It took everything she had to fire it off even once. That still wasn't good enough. It needed to be natural to her.
A man donning a blue robe and hat, sporting a dignified beard, walked up the hill on which she trained. “So you are still here. Kairi, how many times have I advised you on this matter? Your desire to grow stronger is to be encouraged, but rest is a crucial part of that process.”
Master Yen Sid, wizard and retired keyblade master, was a bastion of wisdom and guidance. Though he'd hung his blade up long ago, he remained deeply involved in interworld affairs. He was Kairi's original teacher, back when she first awakened to her power. She got stronger under his tutelage, but she was still several calibers short of Sora and Riku. After Sora disappeared, she began training under Master Aqua – an enriching experience under which she developed a close bond with her mentor.
She thought nothing could hurt her more than Sora vanishing... but she was wrong. That night had imprinted itself upon her more deeply and hurtfully than anything she could've imagined.
Aqua had been attacked by an invader, and it didn't end there. After defeating Aqua, he raped her, even came inside her right in front of Kairi. And Kairi had been powerless to stop any of it. She felt pathetic for being so far behind everyone else. If Sora had been there, would he have been able to stop the depraved man?
She didn't get his name, nor had they found any trace of him anywhere, no matter how they scoured the many worlds. All she could do in the meantime was train, so that she'd never be in that position again. The next time she saw the man, she'd be ready.
“How am I supposed to rest?” she asked frustratedly. “Wherever Master Aqua is right now... she's probably having more horrible things done to her. She's had to go through that every day for over a year! Every second I spend not bettering myself is a betrayal to her!”
With Aqua gone, she was back in Yen Sid's care. She didn't mind, but it also wasn't like she had much choice. Everyone else in their circle was too busy either trying to locate Sora, or trying to locate Aqua and her captor. Yen Sid was the only one with the time and experience to continue teaching her.
“I understand how you feel, Kairi, but you do yourself more harm than good when you push your body like this.”
“I... I know that... I do... just...” She dropped to her hands and knees and slammed her first against the ground, her keyblade vanishing from her hand in a burst of light. “I can't bear to do nothing!”
Yen Sid walked over to her, and kept himself composed. He had no intention of judging or scolding Kairi for her brashness. It was an understandable drive she felt, and it wasn't one that would be changed with brute force. He had, instead, a different tactic in mind.
“Perhaps it's best to think of it this way. Will more power do you good?”
She stared up at him in confusion, as though he'd finally lost his mind. “Huh? Of course it will! He even told me I should rise and become a champion!”
“And why should you follow his advice? I don't insinuate that building your strength is a bad thing. But will that truly bring you closer to defeating your foe?”
Kairi weakly crawled over to a rock and sat herself on it. A chilly breeze passed through them, carrying his resplendent beard across his face. Yet even now, he carried an air of wisdom about him through his firm posture and stoic gaze. There was not a more knowledgeable or reliable person in all the worlds as far as she was aware, and she knew it'd be foolish to ignore his advice.
“What do you mean? Like exactly?”
“Consider this – Master Aqua was a splendid keyblade master. A woman who kept her heart guarded over ten years in the Realm of Darkness. Yet, she was defeated, and rather one-sidedly from the sound of things.”
“...Yes, I know.”
“Then suppose you rise to Master Aqua's level, or become even more powerful. Will that be enough against a foe who toppled one of our most refulgent masters? Even if you became more powerful than any keyblade wielder in history, would this be sufficient?”
“I'm not sure, but what choice do I have?”
“You have the choice to think, Kairi,” he said, somehow managing a tone that wasn't condescending. “It's not brute strength which you lack, it's a plan. How you are to defeat the mysterious assailant is the question you must ask yourself.”
He made a good point. She brainstormed for a moment and answered, “If I can't hurt him directly, I could attack his heart. As a keyblade wielder, it's within my ability.”
“A fine suggestion. You're absolutely correct, you possess abilities as a keyblade wielder that many can't use, nor are prepared against. It is a sensible strategy for one of your talents. And yet...”
“Huh?”
“...Surely, with so sensible a plan on the table, Master Aqua would have carried out if it were possible.”
That was a frustratingly fair retort. Aqua had almost certainly tried to break his heart long before she'd made it to the site. Kairi hung her head as she tried to figure something out, but nothing came to mind. “Then what am I to do?”
“I do not know. But you'll need to figure out a plan of attack. Something effective against him that Master Aqua was either unable to conceive, or unable to execute.”
Yen Sid wasn't wrong, but Kairi didn't feel it helped very much. As reasonable and prudent as he sounded, he'd effectively performed the equivalent of shrugging his shoulders. “How am I supposed to do that? We don't know anything about him.”
“Indeed, which poses other problems that won't be solved by training yourself to exhaustion. We still don't even know where he is.”
“Well, that I'm not worried about.”
The truth was, she had no intention of finding Aqua's captor. He would be the one finding her. He'd promised as much in their last encounter. Someday, they'd battle, with their freedom on the line. If Kairi won, he'd free Master Aqua, but if she lost... she'd join her. Terrifying as that potential fate was, it didn't change things. He'd come for her one way or another, and she couldn't exactly expect advance notice. All she could do was prepare for that day, wait, and be ready when the time came.
Viasmos found himself somewhere new, which wasn't too surprising. Navigating this particular dimension was a difficult art to master. It was its own multiverse, secluded from the broader multiverse. Self-contained and isolated, with its own rules for interdimensional travel. Simply learning how to cross into new worlds was a challenge in and of itself, but controlling which world he went to was a trick Viasmos had yet to work out. It was like being spun around blindfolded for a game of “Pin the Tail on the Universe.”
He scanned this new environment from the sky, taking in what little information he could gleam at first glance. This was a city environment, so they likely operated with fairly similar technology to what he was used to. He couldn't sense any magic in the air, but that didn't necessarily mean there was none. No signs of anything too strange or out of the ordinary.
Until a treaded drill the size of Titanic erupted from the earth and started strolling down main street. Parked cars were steamrolled and windows were shattered as pedestrians fled from the menacing vehicle shearing its way through the cluttered city.
“Huh... wonder what's that about,” Viasmos muttered to himself. He flew down and watched the chaotic scene unfold. A man popped out of a hole on the top and roared through a microphone to the panicked civilians. “You surface-dwellers have enjoyed your peace long enough! The Underminer's back, here to bring war and suffering!” Viasmos smiled, happy to see someone who shared his passion for wanton violence.
Yet, the villainous drill-driver had naught but a few seconds upon his debut before meeting resistance. A group of five wearing matching red and black outfits had appeared to take immediate action. The hulking man in the center ripped a light pole out of the sidewalk and jammed it underneath one of the treads in a bid to hold it back. It was a display of strength that was surely beyond the typical civilian.
Ooooohhhh, so it's one of those worlds, huh? More superheroes.
Viasmos hadn't expected it, but it made sense. Since this dimension had its own plethora of distinct universes, it was only a matter of time before he happened upon a world with superheroes akin to other worlds he'd visited. But the thing that struck him as weird were the outfits... did all superheroes wear the same thing in this world? Did they share an employer, or perhaps it was a team uniform?
No, as he looked closer, a new thought came to mind. Besides the cartoonishly bulky man from before, there was a woman, two kids, and... what appeared to be a toddler. Each of them displayed a different set of powers. The man obviously possessed super strength and durability. The woman seemed to be able to stretch herself. The girl, who looked to be the oldest of the three children, was creating some kind of force field, while the boy displayed super speed. The boy was also carrying the toddler, who wasn't doing much of anything, and seemed rather out of place for such a dangerous situation. But regardless of their powers, the collection of such an odd cast of characters planted an immediate picture in Viasmos's head.
No way! A superhero family!? I've never seen such a thing. I mean, I guess Superbabe is Superman's cousin or whatever, but this is a whole other thing!
It was more than just happening to be related and sharing superpowers. They operated as a family – to such an extent as to include the dependents. When Viasmos was growing up, families as sizable as this were a pretty uncommon sight. He'd never known his own, that's for sure. But on Earth, this was as nuclear a family as it got. The only missing member of the team was the white picket fence around their home.
Such a dynamic had never occurred to Viasmos, despite having visited several worlds that prominently featured superheroes. The thought excited him, and not simply for the ingenuity of it all. Rather, his mind was already racing with fun ideas about how to exploit their bonds for his amusement. The only question was whether or not there was anyone worth his attention. The girl seemed a bit young, but the mom was a candidate.
He descended once more to get a closer look at her, though it was hard to make out much of her at the moment. She'd wrapped her whole body around the base of the drill, trying to clog it up and induce a malfunction. She looked more like string cheese than a sexy superheroine. Stuck as she was, he glanced at some of the other superheroes on the scene. The boy was apparently on evacuation duty, clearing civilians out of the way while watching the toddler. At one point, the toddler suddenly disappeared, and the boy instantly pulled out a snack. “Jack-Jack! Cookie num-num!” Successfully enticed back into the physical world, the toddler excitedly bit into the delicious treat. But as he did so, he giggled and pointed in the sky... directly at Viasmos.
Huh? Shit, did I forget to hide myself?
No, as a matter of fact, he didn't. He'd definitely activated his collection of stealth magics he often used when spying on worlds. But the toddler was absolutely pointing straight up at him.
“What is it, Jack-Jack?” asked the boy, looking confusingly at the sky. “There's nothing there!”
That was interesting. Was the child able to see him? Viasmos's stealth magic wasn't perfect, that was for sure. He'd already had to adjust to account for scent, and there were no doubt others holes he hadn't yet anticipated. Was such an example showing itself now? The toddler had disappeared, then reappeared, then seemed to know where Viasmos was. It seemed to be simple invisibility, but what if it was something else? Perhaps he entered a spatial rift of some kind in which Viasmos was suddenly visible to him. It was possible, but the warlord could only speculate for now.
Meanwhile, the drill tank was being pushed back. The strong man had added several leverages against the front of the drill, even using a broken chunk of the road itself to prop up the tip of the drill, and the stretchy chick had seemed to slow the drill to a standstill. However, the bizarre vehicle was two-sided. It began drilling underground in the other direction, making all their efforts on the front end for naught. The girl tried to use force fields to keep it from moving backwards, but they weren't strong enough to hold back something so massive. The drill end with the woman wrapped around it suddenly started drilling again at max pace. It seemed the drill hadn't been stopped after all, but was deliberately stopped to lull the female into letting her guard down. The abrupt, furious spin of the drill caused her to swing out violently, her stringy, coiled body springing right past Viasmos.
And as she did so, he saw something beautiful. After her thin, elongated waist speared past his line of sight, his eyes were greeted to as perfect and fine an ass as he could have possibly asked for. Even in her presently-distorted form, that bubble of a butt kept its shape perfectly, seeming to radiate before his gaze. It was as if time had slowed down, so entranced was he at the majestic form before him.
...I'm in love...
Well, that settled it. He had to thank this “Underminer” villain for so quickly luring out a target for him. Who knows where he might've searched or ended up if this city had remained peaceful so soon after finding himself here. But this was a woman he absolutely had to have, and just the thought that he might have missed her entirely under just slightly different circumstances made him shudder.
After burrowing underground, the drill changed direction again and charged forward. The void left beneath the road caused it to collapse behind Underminer until he brought his drill back to the surface and past the family of superheroes. Regaining her footing, the girl tried again to use force fields to stop the drill, but it wasn't even slowed down.
“Don't, Violet!” the mom cried out. “You're just wasting energy! That thing has too much penetrative power for you to handle!”
Viasmos smirked behind his veil. Heh... you ain't seen nothing yet.
“What are we gonna do, mom?” Violet asked on the verge of panic.
The boy suddenly appeared beside them with a confident grin. “Relax, we've got this!”
“Uh, wait. Who's we?” Mommy didn't get an answer to her question before the boy sped off with his little brother in hand. “Dash? Dash! Get back here!”
Catching up to the tank in no time, Dash ran alongside it and aimed his brother at its treads. “Jack-Jack, laser eyes!” Green beams shot out from the toddler and hit the tracks. It didn't completely destroy the mechanism, but it was slowing it down and affecting the steering.
The hulking man was running as fast as he could, but not at the drill – at his wife. “Honey! Trampoline me!” Without missing a beat, she stretched her limbs to grab whatever she could, and spread out her body to cover a wide area. Her husband took a leap right into her gut, and sprang off the recoil, pulling off an extraordinary leap right on top of the destructive vehicle. He ripped open an entrance on top of the metal exterior, and jumped inside.
Meanwhile, the woman and her daughter caught up as quickly as they could, with some help from the former's elastic arms utilizing the environment like monkey bars. They'd slowed down the rampage, but now the drill was uncontrollable. It veered to the left towards its blown-out tracks, and Underminer kept overcompensating and turning it too far to the right. The result was this dangerous machine, designed for ruin, pinballing between skyscrapers.
Finally, Violet could make good use of her power. She couldn't stop the drill itself, but she could shield against the sides as they came ramming into one building after another. At last, the tank came to a complete stop, and it wasn't long afterwards the the family's patriarch came flying out of the machine with a pummeled Underminer in hand.
“What'd you do, Bob?”
“Oh, you know. Ripped out the engine, beat up the bad guy, standard super stuff.” Despite his supposedly modest words, his machismo tone and smug face revealed just how impressed at himself he was.
Violet threw up her hands and shouted, “Come oooon! We're going to miss the movie!” As if the pandemonium striking the city was little more than a frustrating distraction.
“Not to worry, Honey. I think we'll make it in time for the coming attractions!”
“I sure know I'll be coming... to an... attraction... or something...” Viasmos cut in, discarding his stealth and clapping his hands, quickly moving on from his rather crudely-improvised joke. “Fine performance!”
The mother looked at the man with suspicion, but the father seemed to have honed in on his closing praise. “Ah, why thank you! Always nice to meet a fan.”
“Bob, I'm not so sure he's a fan...”
“Oh come on, Helen! He went out of his way to compliment us!”
Helen turned to Viasmos with a judgmental scowl. “Sir, is there a reason you're not wearing a shirt?”
“Hmm? Oh, well I usually don't. I don't really like to.”
“He doesn't like to, Helen.”
“Yes, I heard him, Bob!”
“I'll bet ya' he's a fan of ours from way back. The old school glory days of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl!”
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Viasmos said with a snicker. “I'm a biiiiig fan of Elastigirl.”
Even the kids were more freaked out by him than their Bob was. “Uh... dad? I don't think this is just some regular guy...”
“Yeah, where'd he even come from anyway?” Dash concurred. “I already took care of the civilians on the street.”
“Now son, that's part of being a super. No matter how well you do warning people, there are always gonna be a few stragglers.”
Elastigirl stretched her arms around her family and pulled them close. “Oooookaaaay, that's enough of that, I think. Like Violet said, we don't want to miss the movie! You have yourself a nice day, sir.” Suspicious as she was of him, he wasn't technically doing anything wrong. There was no basis for arresting him, so the proper thing to do was walk away and get back to their civilian lives. But truthfully, that wasn't why she wanted to get out of here. The real reason was instinct. Her intuition was screaming at her to get away from this guy.
“I see, I see... so, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, huh?” He grabbed his knees and crouched in front of the children, and condescendingly asked, “And what are your hero names?”
Violet took a couple steps back, taking a friendly, but nervous tone. “Uh... we don't really have names. We're not full-fledged supers yet...”
“You'll get there soon, though!” Mr. Incredible proudly declared. “Now that supers are finally legal again, it'll be just like the good ol' days!” He dangled Underminer in front of him and turned to his son. “Hey Dash, tie him up somewhere for me, will ya? The cops'll take care of him when they get here.”
“Sure thing, dad!”
Dash tossed his little brother into the hands of his sister and nigh-instantaneously tied Underminer around a pole. Elastigirl, in the meantime, smacked Bob on the arm and hissed, “Don't use the kids' names in front of a stranger, honey!”
“Hmm?” Viasmos arched an eyebrow. “You used each other's names, didn't you, Bob and Helen?”
“We can take care of ourselves. The kids are a different matter.”
“Hahaha, well, if it makes you feel any better, I already caught all of their names. Dash, and let's see... this is Violet, and the little one... Jack-Jack? Did I get all that right?”
This observation was finally enough for some skepticism to worm its way past Bob's rose-tinted view. “How do you know our kids' names?”
“Why, I was watching the fight of course. Not that you'd have noticed... except for this little guy, that is!”
Dash, who had since returned, popped with realization. “Jack-Jack was pointing at something in the sky! Was that... you!?”
Viasmos immediately turned invisible, causing all of the family to lift their guard up. Even Bob and his ego were no longer blind to the threat posed by this man. Still, they had no way of tracking him. Jack-Jack could see him, but he was still too young to control his powers on his own, let alone be directed. Consequently, while Elastigirl was ready to be on the lookout for an attack, she was completely unprepared for the smacking sensation on her behind.
“Yowch!”
She turned around and grabbed her rear as Viasmos turned off his invisibility. “Aaaahh, do forgive me. I know it's a little early in the process for the fun to start, but I just had to get myself a feel. Every bit as good as it looks, sweet cheeks!”
Bob was nearly as red as his suit. “How dare you lay your hands on my wife!” He surged forward and punched Viasmos across the face. The warlord was actually hoping for that – he was interested in gauging just how strong Mr. Incredible here was. He got knocked back a fair distance, ricocheting off the side of the busted-up drill tank and the window of an office building before landing a good three blocks or so away.
It was a good hit. In fact, without knowing for sure what Viasmos could handle, it was perhaps a dangerous hit. Helen instinctively grabbed Bob's arm as it to physically restrain his anger. Not that she minded having her husband defend her honor, but she didn't want him to make an irrevocable mistake and kill someone. However, that fear was quickly washed away when Viasmos stood back up, smirking like he hadn't a care in the world.
“Not bad, not bad at all...” he mumbled to himself. “Still, a far cry from Superman or All Might... hopefully fighting alongside his family makes it a little more interesting.” He cracked his neck and yelled out towards the family. “Okay, my turn!”
He bolted forward and returned the favor to Mr. Incredible, whose body skipped off the ground like a pebble on a lake until he was nearly a dozen blocks down.
“Honey!”
Viasmos grabbed Helen's wrist before she could run away. “Heh... looks like I'm stronger.” Dash attempted to race around him and smack his hand away, but Viasmos plucked him off the ground like a weed, lifting him by his head. “Faster too.”
“Yeah, well, I'll bet ya' can't do this!” Helen bent herself around Viasmos's body, stringing him up and binding his arms behind him, freeing Dash from his grip in the process. Grabbing her was actually one of the worst things a bad guy could try against a super like Elastigirl. It didn't trap her with them, it trapped them with her.
“Heh, well, you're not wrong,” Viasmos responded, seemingly unfazed by his predicament. “I can do some degree of body distortion, but nothing like this, so you've got me beat there.” Helen was glad to hear it, though she wasn't deaf to his confident tone. What else might he have up his sleeve? “Tell me,” he continued, “does your power protect you from pain?”
Before she could even think of a response, she felt a tormenting shock course through her. She could faintly make out red and black flashes of light, but had no idea what power he was using to torture her so. She tried her best, but it was only a couple seconds before the pain was too much and she lost her hold on him, recoiling back to her conventional form and lying prone on the ground.
“Mom!”
While Viasmos was focused on his mom, Dash tried to get in a sneak attack jumping at his face. But as Viasmos had alluded to earlier, Dash's speed simply wasn't all that threatening to a guy like him. He was way too fast to be caught off-guard so easily. For once in his life, Dash was the slower one. The result was Viasmos swatting Dash out of the air, little more than a pesky fly.
“D-Dash!” Helen tried to get up and get to her son, but the pain was still fresh in her nerves, and her face plopped to the ground as her hand slipped. With her upper body limp, her ass hung high in the air behind her, a sight Viasmos was enjoying very much.
“Mm-mmm. Not just the cheeks, but those thighs, too. Baby, you are just built different!” Viasmos was about to help himself to another squeeze, when he was suddenly bothered. He hadn't realized it right away, but something was amiss. “Hey... where's the girl?”
He looked around, not seeing the girl anywhere, but seeing the giggling baby on the ground. He was confused... wasn't the girl holding him a second ago? No sooner that thought crossed him when he turned to his side and an apparently-floating piece of metal wreckage slammed him in the face. Viasmos was knocked to the ground, and Violet suddenly appeared before him, gripping the debris she'd salvaged from the drill tank. She picked up her brother and helped mom up. Viasmos could not help but laugh at his naivete.
“Hahaha... yeah, what was I thinking? The baby exhibited multiple powers... why did I assume that wasn't the case for anyone else?” The girl could do more than generate force fields – she could also go invisible. It was possible the rest of the family also had more than one power, so he'd have to take that into account moving forward. He picked himself up and launched himself at Violet, but daddy had finally come back, and slammed Viasmos into the ground.
“Dad!”
“Honey! Quick! Trap him!”
Realizing his meaning, Violet generated a force field around Viasmos. This was a trick she usually used as a means of protection, but it also worked this way. The force field would keep whatever was trapped inside it at bay. Viasmos knocked at the purple barrier like a door, and smiled at the girl.
“Hmm, not bad. I wasn't sure from how these were performing against that drill earlier, but I can tell now. These shields can take some pretty decent punishment.”
Finally back to herself, Helen broke from Violet and stood on her own two feet. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
“My name is Viasmos. I come from another world, you see.”
“L-like another planet,” asked Violet.
“Heh... it's a little more complicated than that. But as for what I'm doing here... I came for you,” he said, pointing at Elastigirl.
“M-me?”
“That's right. I mean, I didn't know about you until seeing you just now, but one look at that rockin' booty and I knew I had to make you mine.”
Helen was in disbelief. Was that seriously what he was after? Bob looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. “That's my wife! How dare you talk about her like that!”
“Hmph, oh please, like you ain't thinkin' about how sweet that juicy piece is every time you have a look.”
“You disgusting, little - “
“Bob, please. I've got this,” Helen interrupted. “As you can see, I'm happily married. With kids. I'm not on the market.”
“Uh, okay? I'm sure that's an interesting detail to someone, but not me.”
“Hmm?”
“Where do you get the idea you have a say in all this? I'm obviously just gonna take you by force.”
There were horrified looks all-around, save for Jack-Jack, who was too young to understand what anyone was talking about.
“Y-you fiend!”
“What? I'm sure it's happened to you a couple times here or there. Like, isn't that the norm?”
“HUH!? What are you talking about!? Why – cover your ears, kids - why would RAPE be the norm?”
Viasmos appeared genuinely surprised. “I mean, if you lose to a villain, or at least a male one... don't they normally take the chance to rape you?”
“That's obscene! Why would they do something like that!?”
It was the case in every other superhero world he'd been to, so he just took it as a given. It made sense, especially consider this particular heroine's proportions. Who wouldn't want to enjoy some quality pussy as a reward for their victory? Frankly, he was surprised to find that regular society wasn't like that across other dimensions in the first place.
“Eh, well... I guess this place is a little more family-friendly than others. Let's just say that that's how it is on my world, and that's a fact you'll be well-accustomed to soon enough.”
“Alright! I've heard enough!” roared Bob. “You debase my wife, threaten her, plant these horrible images in the heads of her and my children, and you think you'll get away with that? Not happening, buddy! You're gonna take a nice, looooong vacation... in prison!”
The warlord's smirk revealed just how unconcerned he was at the prospect. “Prison, huh? Why don't we check how this one holds up first.” He punched at Violet's force field, which rippled from the point of impact, but otherwise stayed intact. “Okay, good, good... how about now?” He launched another fist, and this one was even stronger. The shield still held... but only barely. Violet could feel the energy that made up her power being stressed to its very limit.
“G-guys! I can't hold back much more of this!”
“Hehehe... then I guess that's the end of that.”
Viasmos delivered a third punch, stronger still than what he'd tried the previous two times, and the force field shattered immediately. He rushed towards Mr. Incredible and delivered several hearty blows into the meaty man's body. Violet erected a force field to protect her dad, enabling a counterattack, but it didn't last very long. He was the mightiest super in the world, but even he couldn't outperform Viasmos in a duel of fists. After getting a couple hits in, he was quickly overwhelmed by the super strength and agility at the otherworlder's disposal.
Elastigirl swung her leg over to trip Viasmos, but he caught himself on one hand and flipped over Mr. Incredible's attempted strike. He spun around mid-air and shot a ball of scarlet-black lightning at the super, knocking him back and leaving him sprawled on the ground.
“Bob!” Helen started to run towards him, but Viasmos flew down in front of her and stopped her in her tracks. She'd seen her fair share of bad guys, but this one chilled her like no other. That smirk on his face was more terrifying than any villain's, like a hunter who'd finally secured his prey. Shameful as it was, she couldn't stop herself from backing away.
“I've banged a few girls in front of their men before, but I don't think I've ever had the kids as spectators. I don't think it reeeeeaaaaally does it for me... but you know what they say. Don't knock something until you try it!”
Helen was now truly scared. Something like this had never even crossed her mind... but the idea that her kids might have to see her that way was a whole extra level of humiliation she couldn't tolerate. As she thought desperately of what to do, she saw a heroic silhouette leap into the air.
“Honey! Again!”
She picked up his meaning as Viasmos turned around. “Back up already, eh? Looks like you can take a little more punishment than your wife.” Viasmos prepared to counter, but the super flew right over his head. “Your aim leaves something to be desired, though...”
But in actuality, his aim was just fine. Viasmos turned around to see the two pulling off the same trick he'd witnessed before. Elastigirl had stretched herself out, and was using her body as a trampoline for her husband. Only this time, rather than just trying to cross a vast distance, they were building momentum for an attack. Mr. Incredible sprang off his wife's torso and delivered a bruising punch to the warlord's gut, far and away the best hit he'd taken all day.
It wasn't over yet. Viasmos was forcefully thrown back while Mr. Incredible launched into the air off the ricochet. Violet handed her brother over to Dash. “Take Jack-Jack for a second!” Looking up at her father, she yelled, “I've got this, dad!”
She threw out her hand and generated a force field, one that Viasmos slammed his back into. He grit his teeth as he lurched forward, the break in his momentum hurting even more than the initial punch. Dash sped forward with his brother in tow while Mr. Incredible came in from the sky.
“Take this, evildoer!”
Stopped in his tracks and stunned from the pain, Viasmos was unable to block Mr. Incredible's fist as it crashed into his jaw, blasting him into the pavement. At just the moment of impact, Dash had arrived, whispering to Jack-Jack, “Can you go big for me? I'll give you a cookie num-num if you go big!” With that, he threw the toddler into the air above Viasmos. The baby giggled and clapped as he grew into a blobbish form several times bigger than his father, and landed on Viasmos with a thud.
The family collected around Jack-Jack and breathed a sigh of relief. Villains that tough usually had a bit more build-up, rather than showing up out of nowhere. It was a challenge they were ill-prepared for, but together, as a family, they'd taken down the menace. At least, that was reality as they perceived it, a fleeting period of ecstasy they'd soon miss dearly. That perception was shattered as quickly as it came when Jack-Jack began vibrating, then elevating. It would be nice to think this was yet another expression of his many powers, but whatever they might've told themselves, they knew. They knew this harrowing battle wasn't over after all.
Viasmos stood upright and lifted the toddler high above his head. Helen shrieked at what Viasmos might do. “Careful with Jack-Jack!” Viasmos smiled, and responded, “Do relax, woman. Geez, so hysterical! I have enough pride as a fighter to keep me from harming a pathetic, little baby.” Though he said that, he didn't exactly take the utmost care as he tossed the toddler on his ass next to him. Jack-Jack was none the wiser, giggling as he always did, quite unharmed and quite unaware of the increasingly dire atmosphere that was gripping his beloved family.
“Well, I'll give you all props. Individually, none of you are too tough, but you function well as a unit. Even the children make a role for themselves. Ah, the bonds of a loving family just bring a tear to my eye every time!” He mockingly wiped at his eyes, drawing ire from the worn-out family. “Still... I think I've more or less seen your limits. It's time to end this.”
“You're right, it is!” Bob roared, leaping forward furiously with his arm coiled. Viasmos met him with a devastating uppercut, launching him into the sky. Dash began to sprint around the warlord, but with a wave of his hand, the boy was stuck in place. Viasmos had conjured some kind of purple, sticky substance on the ground, trapping his feet. Helen swung her body around a light pole and kicked at him with outstretched legs, but Viasmos caught her feet and pulled her towards him. He took her body and tied it into a knot as easily as if he was making balloon animals.
“I'll just set you right here...” he said softly, placing her on the ground. Jack-Jack, upon seeing his mommy treated that way, growled ferociously. The mercurial temperament of a baby was already a difficult thing to handle under conventional circumstances, but with Jack-Jack, who'd already had over a dozen distinct powers identified, it was surely a nightmare of untold proportions. Viasmos responded to the situation with the urgency it required, and tapped on his omni-tool.
“Here, kiddo. Watch a movie.”
A mercurial temperament indeed. Jack-Jack immediately became preoccupied with the screen that popped up in front of him, oblivious to all that was around him. With that dilemma solved, Viasmos looked around. The girl was missing again. No doubt invisible, but it wasn't too hard to trace her this time. Besides the fact that Elastigirl was shaking oddly, Viasmos could pick up the nervous whispers of the girl.
“C'mon, I've got this mom, I can do this, just, just, oh god oh god oh god...”
Viasmos bent down with a wry smile and conjured a white powder in his hand, which he playfully blew on just above Elastigirl's distorted shape. The stuff immediately coated Violet's face, and even as she backed away in a panic, it clung to her body. Her invisibility was useless now.
“You get that being invisible doesn't mean I can't hear you, right? Well, that's settled, so time to immobilize you.”
He reached out with his palm and conjured the same sticky substance he'd used on Dash as Violet backed away on her hands in a crab walk. She was just as stuck as her brother. Viasmos looked around and mused to himself, “Now... what am I forgetting? I took care of the kids, the wife's ready to go, and... what else... Oh yeah! I remember!” He threw up his fist in a champion's pose, and only a moment later, Mr. Incredible fell directly onto it. He hung limply, the wind knocked out of him and hardly able to breathe. Viasmos tossed him against a nearby brick wall and shot scarlet-black bindings onto his wrists and ankles. He did not use the sticky substance that he used for the kids, as he felt Mr. Incredible might be strong enough to break out of that.
Elastigirl's muffled screams grew louder and louder with every step Viasmos took towards her. “Not to fear, sweetheart. That's all taken care of, so all that's left is to have my fun. And I can't very well play while you're like that, so let's get you more comfortable, huh?”
He picked her up and quickly untied her, keeping her in place with a hand around her tight waist. Being used that way didn't exactly hurt, but it certainly wasn't comfortable. She was glad to be whole again, but not so glad about what was coming next. “Oh god, Bob! Dash! Violet!”
The three of them started shouting at Viasmos. Demands to let her go, to let them go, questioning what kind of animal he is, yada yada... He quickly grew frustrated at the cacophony of noise and screamed, “Shut! Up!”
Their mouths kept flapping, but no noise came out, at least not to Viasmos and Helen. She looked at him horrified and asked, “What did you do!?”
“Oh, nothing to worry about. Just a little sound buffer. I usually use it for myself when I don't want to be noticed, but it has other uses if certain sounds annoy me.” He winked at Violet, who looked absolutely terrified. “Probably could've used some of that earlier, huh kid?”
No super went into this business thinking they might lose, even if it did happen from time to time. No matter the odds, part of being a super was giving it everything you had and believing in yourself, no matter the danger. A veteran of the industry, Helen knew that as well as anyone. But having seen his power first-hand and fearing for her family, she was quickly accepting that they would not find a way to win this one. All she could think about now was how to protect her family.
“Please, look... I'll do whatever you want! Just don't hurt my kids!”
“C'mon lady, do you really think I'm gonna go out of my way to hurt a couple of brats? I beat your husband, and took the kids out of the fight, so you don't gotta worry.”
“Then... w-whatever you're planning to do with me... can we at least go somewhere else? I don't... want them to see this...”
She could see from their faces that they were imploring her not to give up, that they'd find a way out of this somehow. But she knew those were just empty platitudes. This was all she could do for them. Viasmos looked up as he gave her offer some thought. “Well... I don't care too much about where we have sex... but I also don't care too much about what you want. So it sounds like extra effort for no reason.”
“P-please! I can't let my kids see me like this!”
Viasmos rolled his eyes and sighed. “Look, I'll tell you what,” he said, swinging his hand towards Dash and lowering his fingers. A black shadow covered his eyes like blinds on a window, and he began jerking as furiously as he could while stuck in place, his movements increasingly agitated.
“Dash! Dash! What's wrong with him!? What did you do!?”
“He's fine, geez! I just covered his eyes. He looks like he hasn't even taken sex ed yet, and I did feel kind of awkward about showing my naked ass in front of a kid that young.” He threw his thumb behind him to point to Jack-Jack. “That one's presently engrossed, so I don't think he'll be a problem. Probably won't remember this anyway. The girl's gonna have to live with it though.”
Violet's envy for her brother was apparent on her petrified face. Watching her mom get assaulted was a prospect so terrible that she'd never even considered the possibility of it. But this was very real, and very imminent. Helen wanted to barter further for her daughter, but she feared that was as good as it was going to get. Any further insistence might cause him to change his mind out of spite.
Viasmos slid his hand down from her waist and helped himself to a handful of her plump flesh. His other hand joined, the two of them groping at her ass unrestrained. “Y'know, given the nature of your powers, I can have all kinds of extra fun with this,” he told her with a smirk, stretching her cheeks out well behind her before letting go and letting them slingshot back into her. She yowled from the sting, never having been hurt by her own body before. Viasmos continued to smack and molest her ass at his whim, the accomplished heroine having no recourse with which she could stop him.
“I've been to a few worlds, and they have a word for ladies like you. I believe it's called “thicc”? Does that sound familiar?”
“It sounds objectifying as all heck! That's what it sounds like.”
“Oh for sure, I do love myself some objectification,” he shamelessly responded before planting a kiss on her moist lips. Helen's eyes were ready to pop out of her head. Even as he continued to molest her ass, she actually found this even more violating. Some scummy male using her as a sex object was one thing, but this was intimate. Her lips hadn't tasted a man other than her husband since she was in high school. This wasn't something meant solely for lust, but for love... except there was no love to be found in his animalistic touch.
His tongue overpowered hers as it swirled inside her. As she futilely fought this invasion of her lips, Viasmos grabbed her leg and pulled it over his shoulder, caressing her full thighs. Some girls would find it painful to have their legs forced upright like that, but not Helen. The nice thing about her power – well, nice for one of them anyway – was the added flexibility it offered for sexual assault. He normally had to be a little careful with how he moved his victims, but in the case of Elastigirl, it didn't matter. She'd survive just about anything he could think to put her through.
He pulled her other leg over him so she was hanging by his shoulders, playfully bouncing her by her butt. After finally releasing her lips, she hissed, “Hey now! What the heck do ya' think you're doing!?”
“Just having fun. In fact, I just thought of a fun thing to try out.”
“I don't think I like the sound of that...”
With Elastigirl's power, there were so many possibilities, and Viasmos had no intention of waiting before experimenting. He grabbed her shoulders and bent her backwards, all the way until she'd turned 180 degrees and was facing his crotch.
“Alright sweetheart! Pull my cock out and get to work.”
“You hafta be kidding! No way am I gonna do that!”
“Now now, didn't you say you'd do whatever I wanted? I mean, I'm more than happy to force you anyway if that's how it has to be, but I figure I owe it to you to do right by your words.”
It wasn't an entirely compelling argument. Her offer to do whatever he wanted was in exchange for not hurting the kids, but he said he wasn't going to hurt the kids anyway, so she didn't really consider it a formal deal. But on the other hand, he was probably right that he could force her to do this regardless. At that point, it was mostly a question of pride, which Helen did have. To willfully suck this vile man's penis was obviously out of the question for her.
However, there was one more factor pricking at her mind: her fear as a mom. Viasmos said he wouldn't hurt the kids, but would he change his mind if she didn't obey him? Just to make a point? Probably not. He seemed pretty straightforward about his intentions, and he made it sound like maiming children would be a blow against his pride. His focus was on her, and only her. From binding them to silencing them, he'd done everything he could to make sure the family was a non-factor in his assault on her body. So if she defied him, he would probably still force her, and not think about hurting the kids at all.
But that was only a probably, and that wasn't enough. Not with someone she knew virtually nothing about. She was a mom before she was a super, and a mom before she was a woman. If there was even a 1% chance her children would be in danger... then that was all that counted.
“...Sorry, honey...”
She reached out with her hands and pulled down his pants, exposing his vigorous manhood. Her husband had nothing to be ashamed of, but she wasn't ready for this. She'd never been so thankful for her powers, which would make taking this a lot easier than it would be if she was just a regular girl.
“Alright! Bone Apple Tea!” Viasmos mockingly encouraged, not exactly interpreting the Earth saying with the utmost precision. Helen even felt the urge to correct him, but that hardly seemed like a sensible thing to fixate on in the present circumstances. She reluctantly stretched her neck over, slowly parting her lips, still hesitating at the doorstep of the tip. Feeling in an extra helpful mood at the moment, Viasmos jarringly thrust his hips forward, penetrating the woman's lips. He pressed a hand against the back of her head to make her move with him as his hips drew back. A tear rolled down Helen's cheek as she came to accept the violation of her mouth, but as promised, she moved to service him.
“There now, that's a good girl! But don't you worry, I ain't gonna leave you hanging!” He may as well experiment with this unique position to the utmost. All of their suits were designed to be very difficult to break, and in the case of Elastigirl, this was especially the case. It had to be extremely tear-resistant to withstand the flexibility of her body. But Viasmos, with his outlandish strength, didn't even notice this detail as he tore a hole between her legs.
“You know, I don't often do this for my ladies, especially not for the first time. But would you believe it, this is actually twice in a row for me! What can I say? When I have two girls I can play with so uniquely, how can I not be tempted to try it out?”
He'd eaten pussy while hanging a girl upside-down like this before, most certainly. But the orientation was completely different thanks to Elastigirl's unrivaled flexibility. It was worth a try! He generally viewed women as primarily meant to service men, so he tended not to go out of his way to provide them with pleasure. Whatever pleasure they felt tended to come innately through the raw masculinity of his body. But sometimes, when the mood struck him just right, he'd give his girls a little extra something. He'd hate to be accused of lacking in kindness.
He threw his head down between those plump, luscious thighs – another checkmark in the pro column for performing cunnilingus – and slipped his tongue through her vulva. Helen yelped at the surprise sensation. No matter how long it went on, she couldn't quite get used to it. He'd switch between driving his tongue down her vagina, circling around her labia, and whisking at her clitoris to keep her “entertained” through a multitude of electrifying feelings.
Of course, she had to put up with this while needing to focus on his cock. Not that she minded being distracted from it – she surely did not want to keep focused on it – but it was her job as a mother to ensure her children's safety. C'mon Helen... you're doing this for the kids... That was the thought that kept playing itself over and over again in her mind. It was what allowed her to fight through the revulsion she felt from servicing another man's dick.
With her powers, she didn't have as much trouble as other girls often did taking in his monstrous cock. Her jaw had no trouble stretching to whatever proportions it needed to in order to receive him. Still, that didn't change the fact that she was giving a blowjob to a man who wasn't her husband. The violation of her autonomy was bad enough, but of course, there was also the shame. She was a super who was capitulating to a villain in the most depraved imaginable way, and she was doing it right in front of her family. How was she supposed to look Bob in the eye after this? Or Violet, for that matter? Would they blame her? Be disgusted by her? And even if they were the most empathetic and supporting family they could be... how would she be able to look at herself the same way? As both a super and a woman, her identity was being shaken down to its very core.
Problems for another day, she told herself. For the time being, she needed to keep her captor happy. He seemed to be enjoying her pussy, and gave no complaints about her performance down below. She was at least confident in her ability to please a man – being married for 15+ years to a manly man like Bob ensured plenty of experience with this kind of thing. It may not be a skill she'd planned on spreading around, but it was helpful when it was helpful.
Indeed, Viasmos was quite impressed with the fat-bottomed wife. Despite needing to stretch out her jaw for comfort, she still kept her lips tight around his shaft. She moved with good pace and kept her tongue active, like a seasoned veteran who'd spent years mastering their craft. That booty may have been the magnet that drew her towards him, but she clearly had other talents to be put to use. Many of the slaves he'd captured from beyond Ares lacked the experience to hone these types of skills, at least upon arrival. He didn't mind that. The variety he got from these girls was part of the fun, and he enjoyed molding their bodies to suit his satisfaction. But there were only a handful of girls – Nemuri and Starfire came to mind – who were both experienced at sex and had the proper motivation to put them to work with Viasmos. If Helen was as well-behaved in Tharsis as she was now, she'd be a very welcome addition to that exclusive flock.
That all being said, he'd only experienced part of what she had to offer. How would her pussy feel? Would she have the same ability to keep herself both elastic and tight? There was only one way to find out. He stopped tonguing the heroine's pussy and pulled her off his cock. She snapped forward from the release in pressure, once again face-to-face with the sinful bastard.
“So, how'd you like the taste of my cock, bitch?”
“Disgusting!... And watch your language around the kids.”
“You must be joking... Well, anyway, I'm sure you know what comes next, don't you?
She tried to look defiant, but the subtle quiver of her lips and wavering of her otherwise-steely eyes betrayed how scared she actually was. “...Yes...”
“And are you still gonna be a good girl for me?”
She scoffed and turned away, but Viasmos took her chin and turned her back towards him, to which she was faced with his wolfish smirk.
“I'll ask one more time. Are you still. Gonna. Be. A good. Girl?”
She caught sight of Dash and Jack-Jack behind Viasmos. The latter was blissfully unaware, thankfully, but the former seemed horrified. He couldn't see, but he surely knew what was going on. Bob was too far to the left and Violet was behind her right now, but she imagined they had similar faces of despair on them. She loved them so much... she was so scared for them. Debasing herself like this was one of the worst things she could imagine, but it wasn't worse than anything happening to them. If this was what she had to do to protect her family, then she'd do it.
“Y-yes! I'll do... I'll do whatever I have to.”
“Hehehe, that's good to hear, sweet cheeks!”
He didn't wait another moment before taking her hips and slamming her down on his cock. Her elasticity ensured she didn't break upon taking it, but she had not quite emotionally prepared herself for the sudden invasion. She howled in shock as his penis jammed itself inside her to the base. No time to get herself settled, no time to think about how the family would process this, no anything. He wanted to fuck her, so he fucked her – and she just had to deal with it.
“Oh god!” she cried out, hanging limply off her rapist as tears began to pour. “I'm so sorry, honey... I'm so sorry!”
“Hey now, let's not lose focus!” Viasmos cheerily instructed her. “We've gotta stay active! Stay moving! Here, lemme help you out.” He grabbed her arms and wrapped them around his neck, joining her legs stretched over his shoulders. He gripped her ass with both hands as he furiously pounded into her from below. Her elasticity was able to handle his dick, but it only slightly helped when it came to the shockwaves of his powerful thrusts. Just as it still hurt to take a hit from a bad guy, she was not entirely resistant to blunt force, and this particular bad guy didn't seem to have any sympathy for that fact.
Being so unaccustomed to such turbulent treatment and sexual assault, this had the added dilemma of drawing out incessant moans. She hoped dearly that it didn't look like she was enjoying this in the slightest, it was just the natural response to having her body pounded like that. The air in her lungs had to go somewhere, after all. He may have been working with an impressive tool, but the physical sensation of his masculine rod inside her wasn't going to outweigh the emotional burden of being violated. Well, maybe he felt a little good... but still, she was only moaning because he was so damn rough.
The moans stopped not because Viasmos had slowed down, but because he'd plugged her mouth with his own. Sliding one hand up against the back of her head, he forced another kiss, her moans now dampened by his voracious impulse. She hated this. The way he forced her body around, the way his tongue wormed around inside her, the raging heat from his manhood... Bob was also strong, but he was so gentle, so caring. Not like this guy at all. Being taken so primally like an animal, so violently like a prize of conquest, so assertively like an object... surely, no woman could possibly enjoy this kind of thing.
Viasmos pulled himself from her lips and licked up her neck, savoring her delicate skin before lifting her off of him. He threw her against the wreckage of the drill tank. “Hands on the side, sweet cheeks.” She did as instructed, throwing her hands against the debris and bending over, presenting her gorgeous derriere for the craven villain. He stood behind her and stroked her ass before taking firm hold of her hips.
“Hey, have a look! You're on TV!”
Helen looked over horrified, seeing a newscopter circling them. She'd been so focused on everything happening with Viasmos, she hadn't even thought about the media. They wouldn't actually air something like this, would they? But even if they didn't... people would know.
“YYEEEEEOOOOOWW!”
Viasmos used the moment of her distraction to enter her, jamming it in all at once. The poor woman was again not prepared for it, and she cried out from the sudden penetration right as she was looking up at the cameras.
“Hahahahahaha, there it is! Tomorrow's front page! Whaddya suppose the headline's gonna be, hmm? Maybe... Elastiwhore? Ooh, or perhaps... El-ASS-tigirl? Can't believe it took me that long to come up with that! Oh, and there's...”
She permitted herself the pleasure of ignoring his taunts while she weighed on the ramifications of this. Supers were finally legal again, after considerable effort to re-earn the trust of the public. She couldn't shake the feeling that this would throw a wrench into that. It wasn't unheard of for supers to lose to the bad guys. It wasn't even unheard of for them to be killed fighting the bad guys. But this? This wasn't just defeat, but humiliation. How were people supposed to believe in supers if something like this could happen to them? Did it not make them look weak? Pathetic? Embarrassing? Surely, this would inspire a whole new era of debate.
It wouldn't be the first time Viasmos had inadvertently turned public opinion against heroes – not that he cared about that sort of thing. Whatever might become of them in this world or any other was of no consequence to him, as long as he could continue slamming into this booty. The soft padding of her flesh while his hands melted into her cheeks had him in such bliss that he struggled to maintain the force of his thrusting. Elastigirl's poor face was being slammed against the metal shell from how hard he was raping her.
“Agh! Oof! Ack! Would ya' – Gah! – please stop it!?”
“Hmm? Oh, sorry. Just got distracted by this sweet cargo bay you've got going on back here. Are you suuuuurrre no one's ever raped you before?”
“Positive! Sleazebag!”
“Sorry, sorry, I hate to keep bringing it up. It's just so hard to believe! If you'd been walking around with an ass like that on my world, you'd have been raped hundreds, maybe thousands of times!”
She curled her lips in disgust. “Well then I'm sure glad I don't live there!”
“Hehehe, funny you should say that...”
He spanked her repeatedly, alternating between his hands as he railed into her. Helen had never felt so belittled in her life. Her body was being used like a piece of meat, nothing but a hunk of flesh to please this thug of a man. She liked being a woman, but the way he treated her, she didn't really feel like a woman. She felt more like just a female. Wasn't sex supposed to be about mutual love and respect between a man and a woman. Not just... a male taking what he wants from a weaker female.
“Hey, think your family's quieted down?” he asked, snapping his fingers and undoing the sound buffers.
“-ET YOUR HANDS OFF MY WIFE YOU SUNUVA-”
“MOM! MOM! OH GOD NO!”
“WHAT'S HAPPENING, MOM!? I CAN'T SEE! WHAT'S GOI-”
Viasmos quickly snapped his fingers again. “Okay, yeah, that's enough of that. Fuck me, they sure are loud and obnoxious. How do you put up with them?”
She turned to face him and growled, “It's called caring about someone! It's what you do when you have a family! I suppose you wouldn't know anything about that, would you!?”
“Hmm? Who said I don't have a family?”
That took Elastigirl off guard. She'd picked up from some of what he'd stated that this wasn't his first rodeo in regards to sexual assault. He talked as if he'd raped quite a few poor girls in his time. “Y-you couldn't possibly! A serial rapist from another world doesn't have a family to go back to!”
“Says who? I've got tons of kids. Get along great with them. Well, most of them... I do have one son who wants to kill me, but you know, that's kinda just statistics when you have that many offspring.”
Now she was starting to put the pieces together. “You mean kids you've had with other women you've assaulted, you jerk?”
“Of course! How else?”
“Yeah... not exactly the kind of healthy family dynamic I was talking about.”
“Hehe, call it what you like. You may have trouble accepting it, but the fact of the matter is that no matter how vile you may find me, I'm capable of having a good relationship with my children.”
There was no reason for her to care... but it did bother her. She and Bob had put so much work into crafting a warm, loving home for their kids. It wasn't perfect, and superpowers certainly made things complicated, but she was proud of the life they'd built. This guy was a wretch with a very different worldview, a warped idea of what he considered a family... yet, he still seemed to find some degree of fulfillment in it. What was the point of living decently if carnal scum like him could reap the same benefits? His words seemed to cheapen that which she most valued in her life.
Viasmos, meanwhile, was working through a different philosophical question. Something was missing... he was enjoying himself, but he could do so much more. He wasn't taking full advantage of what this chick was capable of. He wanted to show off her powers and how they translated to sex, like he did when he made her suck him off. But what could he do?
From clapping cheeks to clapping hands, he grinned as a proverbial light bulb lit above his head. He had a brilliant idea. He grabbed Elastigirl by her waist and pulled her away, positioning her in the middle of the dilapidated road. She screeched as he lifted her while flipping her over, and in a matter of seconds, he'd tied her every limb out to the sides, leaving her hovering upside-down about ten meters above the ground.
“Let's see now... height looks good, seems well-centered...” He licked the tip of his finger and held it up. “Wind check... feels fairly neutral.”
“What in tarnation are you doing!?”
“Oh, you just wait and see! I've really outdone myself this time!”
He descended to the ground and warmed up his legs. After a few good stretches, he calibrated his desired arc, and leapt high into the air. It was almost perfectly upright, but not quite. He had just enough of an angle to fall forward... and land dick-first straight inside Elastigirl.
“OH GOD!”
Viasmos was sprung back into the air, where he reoriented himself to fall straight down on her again. Inspired by the co-op move she'd pulled with her husband, he was using Elastigirl as a rape trampoline... two words he never thought he'd put together, but science was a road of many branching paths.
“Woohoo! Pretty great, huh? I'm a goddamn genius!”
“OH PLEASE! STOP THIS! THIS IS TOO HUMILIATING!”
“I think you mean too AWESOME! This is the kind of experience you can't get with just anyone! Thank fuck for your powers!”
She did not, in fact, mean too awesome. She actually preferred getting railed like a helpless bitch. It beat this... held in the air in the middle of the city, used in an unfathomably crass way, one deep, clownish thrust at a time. She thought getting raped at all was about the worst thing she could imagine, short of her kids getting hurt, but this was even worse. He somehow continued to break through her ever-decreasing expectations of what limits there were to his degeneracy.
Viasmos was having a blast. It wasn't necessarily the most pleasurable way to rape a bitch, but it sure was fun. With every drop, Elastigirl would be driven down to very near the ground, then spring Viasmos up to the height of the tallest buildings. He could more or less achieve this by flying, but that wouldn't be as fun... he was leaving it all to gravity. Once he was comfortable with his ability to constantly fall with pinpoint precision into her pussy, he started getting even more creative.
In particular, he hadn't forgotten about those newscopters in the vicinity, still very much filming the spectacle. He started doing poses at the peak of his jump. A spin, a twirl, a Vitruvian Man, laying horizontally and snapping finger guns, the possibilities were endless. This was what it was all about. The physical act of rape itself was fun, but the tearing down of a proud female was what really got him going. The more he could make a mockery of a once-beloved heroine, the more fun the rape became.
Elastigirl was not having quite as much fun as Viasmos. She could almost cry, but the whole thing was so ridiculous that she wasn't quite able to. She could scarcely process that this was really a thing that was happening. Being used as a trampoline in the middle of a rape wasn't on even the most adventurous of her bingo cards. What must her family be thinking? What would the world think? She truthfully had no idea. It was too absurd a predicament to comprehend or calculate.
He'd had plenty of fun, but he could only goof off for so long, and it was time to get back to it. Fortunately, he wasn't out of ideas for how to humiliate her. He turned his body forward, picking up speed as he descended. As rough as his thrusts had been since the very beginning, this was the fiercest of them all, forcing her to cry out as he hammered her to the pavement. And just when it was time for her to recoil and launch him back out... she didn't.
Viasmos had planted his feet in the asphalt, using his strength to keep her from springing back. She obviously had a great deal of tensile strength – this would be a terrible power for her if she didn't – but she wasn't used to holding a stretched-out pose for this long. Her limbs were stuck in a state of maximal stress – but that was only half of the fun Viasmos had in mind for himself.
“Ready for one last ride, babe?”
He shot his hips forward, throwing her back against the pavement, before she swung back up into his pelvis and was met with another mighty thrust. And he just kept doing that, over and over again. It was the opposite from before. Rather than him being bounced into her repeatedly, he was using his setup to have her bounce against him. And unlike before, this was much faster. He hit her with just enough force to reach his tip before she came slamming back down to his base, and with his speed, it was like being on the receiving end of a jackhammer. Taking his size was one thing, but the heat was driving her crazy, building with each lunge of his cock as the friction grew increasingly extreme. She could barely keep her grip on reality, until Viasmos pulled her back in with a question.
“Hey, you like being a mom, yeah?”
She heard him, but couldn't answer. She simply stared at him with minimal indication of acknowledgment.
“Good! Because I'm about ready to cum, and I know the perfect place for it!”
That was enough for her to muster a response. “N-no! Please d – ugh – don't!”
His awful smirk betrayed just how little he cared for her pleas. “What's the matter, SuperMom? Won't you be happy to have another kid! No need to thank me, it's quite literally my pleasure!”
Of course, he wasn't actually going to impregnate her. Even for the most insatiable of his victims, he'd never done that on a first rape. He wanted time to enjoy their bodies before they had to go through that – and that was if he deemed them worthy of carrying his children in the first place. But it never stopped being funny to him to watch his women fret about it.
And that was working out just fine, because Helen was freaking out. Everything about this had been horrible. To be raped, in front of her family, in public, used as a trampoline, etc... If she tried her very hardest, she'd have a difficult time imagining how it could possibly be any worse. But there was definitely one way that came to mind, and it was this. Not just being used physically, but being forced to carry the child of her rapist. That was too much. She was already overflowing with shame for having someone besides Bob force himself inside her... but to have a kid with someone other than Bob? That wasn't acceptable!
The more he rammed into her, the more overwhelmed she became. Her eyes were rolling in the back of her head. She hated this so much. His strength, his size, his heat, the way she was manhandled like a mere female, the way he took what was his, the way he was about to mark her as his... she hated all of it.
But the thing she hated most, the thing that wouldn't stop itching in the back of her mind, was how she didn't completely hate it. Maybe it was the novelty of it all, maybe it was a coping mechanism, but being forced into submission and claimed like a prized bitch... she felt so guilty, and tried mightily to deny it, but it satisfied something deep within her as a woman.
One last time, she was driven into the ground, her aggressive mate pinning her in place with his enormous strength. She felt a warm flood burst into her womb, and she couldn't stop herself from a final, prolonged moan as her biological purpose was mercilessly fulfilled. As much as she wished to work out these contradictory feelings within herself, she took a brief moment of happiness for herself, thankful that her ordeal was finally at an end.
Viasmos pulled out his cock, and as he let go of her, she slingshotted back up, hitting Viasmos in the face with her crotch and knocking him on his ass. He gripped his face in pain, but had to laugh at his own carelessness. “Ahahaha, okay, that one's on me. Well, that's one way of giving head!”
Though she had little to do with it, Elastigirl felt mildly pleased to have caused him even a moment of suffering. A drop in the ocean compared to what he'd done with her. Still, he was upright once again in no time. After untying her limbs, giving her body a much-needed break, he brought her to the ground and forced her on her knees.
“Alright, almost done, sweetheart. Just gonna need you to lick my cock.”
“What!? Why?” she protested. “You had your fun, just let me go!”
“Well, for one, this is still part of the fun – I need you to clean up. And secondly, what are you talking about? I ain't letting you go.”
“H-huh? But I thou-MMPPHH!”
If she was gonna be slow about it, he'd just take care of it himself. These secretions weren't going to clean themselves. As his dick was once again forced down her unwilling throat, she contemplated his words. Once again, her most basic assumptions were challenged as this terrible trial continued to push her idea of a worst-case scenario. She'd figured this was a one-time deal, but that wasn't it at all, was it? He planned to keep her as a sex slave! In retrospect, she should have considered this... if he owned other women, and even had children with those women, then there was no reason she'd be exempt from joining them. But that couldn't happen... what about her family? She'd done everything she could to try and protect them, but... was she really going to be forced to leave them like this? As much as she feared having to interact with Bob and the kids after this experience, it wasn't anywhere near the fear she felt at the prospect of never getting to see them ever again. It wasn't humiliating like everything else he'd done with her, it was just... sad. Nothing would hurt her more than being ripped from her family forever.
A trait that Viasmos most certainly understood, but did not particularly care about. In the Dog-Eat-Dog world of his youth, stealing a woman from a man was a natural part of society. He took his freshly-moistened cock out of her mouth and put on his pants, then opened a portal back to his world.
Elastigirl had been fairly cooperative up to this point, but not now. This was obviously a point of no return, so if there was ever a time to fight, it was now. But sadly, she was just too weak to do so. All that time with her limbs stretched to their limit had taken a toll on the woman. She couldn't stand, couldn't swat her arms, nothing. She could only sit there helplessly until he came over and hoisted her over his shoulder, like prey from a successful hunt.
“Well, say bye to the kiddos. You're coming with me! Heh, in more ways than one...” She looked despairingly at Violet, the terrified kid's face tormenting her inside. She wanted so badly to get out of this... but she just couldn't do anything. She knew it. She couldn't do anything to protect herself. All she could do was leave her family with her love.
“Violet... all of you... I love you all so much! I'm so sorry!”
Viasmos walked over to Bob with his wife's ass hanging off the front of his shoulder. He gave it a playful spank as he spoke to the not-so fittingly named Mr. Incredible. “Hey man, got any last words for your former fucktoy over here before I take off with her?” He snapped his fingers and removed the sound buffer around him, and got quite the response.
“I'LL DESTROY YOU! YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS! TAKE THESE BINDINGS OFF OF ME! I'LL SHOW YOU A REAL FIGHT!”
“Hahaha, well golly, that sure does sound appealing. Thing is, I'm pretty sure you showed me what you had before, and it wasn't nearly enough. I don't care how mad you are, it ain't really worth my time.”
Bob became frenzied, and though his strength was limited with his body so restrained, he put his best effort into destroying the brick wall behind him. Even if he had to slam his head against it repeatedly, he'd fight through the pain, if only for a chance at taking on this psychopath. Viasmos was rather inattentive, walking towards his portal, giving Helen one last look at her husband. She reached out with tears in her eyes and yelled, “Bob! I love you!”
“HELEN!”
He finally cracked the bricks enough to give his body some movement. With one last jolt, he broke the brick wall, undoing the bindings. Pulling himself to his feet, he roared like a lion and leapt at the warlord, carrying his wife off like a trophy. On the precipice of his portal, Viasmos turned to see Mr. Incredible's accomplishment with a smirk.
“I admire your resolve, I'll give you that. But sorry, I just don't find you interesting enough.”
With that, he stepped into his portal, disappearing from this reality at the very moment Bob made up the distance. His punch landed meaninglessly against the ground, and though he scanned helplessly for some kind of miracle to tell himself he hadn't failed, he came up depressingly short. Falling to his knees, he let out a tormented yowl, knowing his wife had been taken from him.
The remnants of Viasmos's magic had removed themselves via his absence. The sticky substance trapping Violet and Dash had dissolved, the blindness afflicting Dash had been removed, and much to Jack-Jack's dismay, his movie came to an end. And right at the climax, too...
Though freed, Violet did not move from her spot. She was still too petrified to do anything. After a moment to process everything that had just happened, she nervously asked Bob, “D-dad... where's Mom?”
Bob shut his eyes and turned his head, gripped by the pain of how to answer his daughter. “I... I don't know...” Bob struggled to keep his tears from pouring out, but Violet and Dash had no such fortitude. They didn't want to believe it, but they knew... their mom was gone. Taken... by that vile man.
Dash felt a tug on his arm. Jack-Jack looked up at him with expectant eyes. “Num-num?”
That's right... he had promised. But for once, given how things were, Dash just didn't have the stamina. “Sorry, Jack-Jack... I don't have any cookies right now...”
Viasmos crossed through the portal and into the throne room, where Filotim was standing by. “Ah, finally back, Lord Viasmos?”
“Yep! Got myself a mighty fine prize today!” He gave Helen's thighs a squeeze and smirked at Filotim. “Just have a look at what she's packing! Ain't that something?”
“Hmm, indeed, not bad at all.”
“Want to give it a smack? I don't mind that much before I take her to my chambers.”
Filotim smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “I suppose I can spare the time.” He walked over and gave her butt a hard smack. "Quite impressive."
Though she was plenty used to it by now, it still spawned a yowl from her lips. She thought Viasmos was terrible, but she wasn't expecting to immediately run into someone just as sick as him. Who did these guys think they were, talking about her like a toy to be passed around? Not that there was any sense in arguing... she knew that much. She just had to silently take it.
“Oh hey, Filotim, before I forget, I need you to do something for me. Get Allos on the phone for me, would ya'?”
“Certainly.”
Filotim didn't know why Viasmos wanted to speak with him, but as a loyal servant of his lord, it didn't especially matter. He'd happily do whatever was asked of him. With that out of the way, Viasmos smirked at his new catch, and whispered, “Well? Ready to be broken in on my bed?”
Helen's frightened face was tensed up further as she realized his intentions. It seemed her ordeal wasn't at an end after all. She still had a lot more rape to endure for this day...
The family was still reeling on the ruined roadside. Helen was gone. A loving wife, a devoted mother, gone forever with no idea on how to bring her back. What were they supposed to do next? Talk to the cops? Talk to the media? Go back home like nothing had happened? How were they supposed to live their lives without the most central pillar of their family?
“Damn, I'm too late...”
None of them even bothered to turn in the direction of that voice. Just another super, no doubt. They wouldn't be of any help at this point. They just wanted to be alone with their despair.
“When I saw what was happening, I wondered if it could be... can any of you tell me what happened here?”
“What's it matter?” Bob asked forlornly. “That guy... he took her somewhere. To another world, he said. How are we supposed to-”
“What did you say!?”
Bob was finally shaken to attention by the sudden alertness in the newcomer's voice. It wasn't a super he recognized. A tall, well-built man with spiky, brown hair, and inviting blue eyes that contrasted with his hardened face.
“You said 'another world'?”
“Y-yeah. He looked human, but I guess he was some kind of alien... Do you... know anything about him?”
The strange man sighed. “Not as much as I'd like... but I'm trying to find him.”
Bob bolted to his feet, a new hope rising in him. “Please! If you can do anything to help get my wife back... I have to do something to-”
The man warmly grabbed at his arms and delicately shushed him, trying to calm him down. “I promise, I'll do everything I can. I know this is a difficult trial you went through, but if you want to get her back, then I need to know everything that happened here. Did you catch his name?”
“He... he said 'Viasmos'. Hey, uh, who are you, anyway?”
The man took a step back. He wanted to tell everything to the wounded man, but he couldn't get into the details of who he was. That was one of the rules of his order, after all – to prevent sowing discord between worlds. But a name... a simple name was no trouble.
“I'm Terra. That man... he took someone I care very much about, just like he took your wife. I promise... I'll find a way to bring them all back!”
“Yes?” said a dreary voice on the other end of the line.
“Yooo, Allos! How's it going?”
“Hmph... I suppose you want something from me?”
“Can't I just call you to say hello?”
“You're free to surprise me.”
Viasmos laughed, his bluff called immediately. “Okay, yeah, I just had a question.”
“...Fine.”
“When you go into that world, are you able to see people in real-time? Or something analogous to them, maybe?”
A silence filled the line for a few seconds as Allos considered his question. “You mean like silhouettes? No, Another doesn't work like that. It doesn't share a space with the physical plane, it only copies it. The environment, not the people.”
Viasmos sighed, disappointed, but not surprised. “Yeah, I kinda figured.”
“I shouldn't bother caring, but why do you ask?”
“I thought someone might have found a crack in my stealth magic today... some kind of spatial rift thing. I was wondering if I could use Another to test ways around that... but I guess that won't work. Well, if it's that specialized of a power in the first place, it's not something I need to obsess over.”
“...It's not like I'd help you out anyway.”
“Oh, I'm sure I could find a way to coax you,” he said with a sneer.
“All the more reason to avoid you. Is that all?”
“Yeah, yeah, geez. You could be a little nicer, you know?”
Allos didn't even respond. He just hung up. Viasmos put down his receiver and turned back to the bed.
“Sorry about that, just a little something I needed to clarify. I know I said I just had the one son who wanted to kill me... but that one ain't exactly my biggest fan, either.”
Elastigirl was proving her namesake, her limbs being tied around the bed posts as she hung a couple feet above the mattress. Her costume had been entirely removed at this point, so she was naked except for the collar clasped around her neck. Supposedly, it was supposed to remove her powers, but Viasmos had allowed her to keep her elasticity for his enjoyment. Given her embarrassing appearance and the fresh pain of being torn from her loved ones, she didn't particularly care about the warlord's family gossip at the moment, but that didn't stop Viasmos from going on as he wished.
“But I was serious, I get along decently with most of my kids. You'll get to meet my daughter soon – you'll love her. I ain't even being ironic, all the girls love her – she and I have a great relationship! But Allos doesn't exactly approve of my lifestyle, let's say.”
“...Sounds like a smart kid,” she quipped.
“Haha, oh yeah, I don't disagree. The magic he invented... it's really an incredible feat. Super proud of him. But oh well, your kids don't always share your values.” He took position behind her and lined his cock up with her pussy. “Well, ready for round two?”
It went without saying that she wasn't, but it also went without saying that it didn't actually matter. She instead used her time to make a desperate plea. “Look... I'm yours now. I get that, I really do. But my family... nothing means more to me than them. Please, could I just... be allowed to visit them some time? I'll do whatever you want, promise! I just... I can't go my whole life never seeing them again.”
Viasmos pondered the matter for a moment, and came to a decision. “Look, let me explain this to ya' as clearly as I can – because of me, you're gonna be immortal. You're gonna way, way, WAY outlive your family. I'm sure 40, 50, 60 years sounds like a long time to you now, but in 200 years... 500 years... 1,000 years... you're gonna have a hard time remembering their faces. So like, this is your life now, yeah? And it's best you get used to that sooner rather than later. The faster you can move on, the faster you can get focused on what's really important in life: making my dick feel good.”
“Please! Please! I need to see them again! I said I'll do anything!”
“I mean, I'll just make you do whatever I want anyway, so that's not really much of a-”
“PLEEEEAAAASE!”
Viasmos stroked his chin and sighed. “I tell ya', I'm just too nice...”
For the first time in what felt like forever, Helen felt a surge of elation. Even the tiniest nip of a carrot tasted so sweet after being battered with a stick for so long. “R-really!? You'll do it?”
“Not exactly that, but close. In a few years, I'll check and see how they're all doing. If your daughter's filled out anything like you have, I'll bring her into the harem, and you can have yourself a heartfelt reunion with her.”
As quickly as that elation came, it was just as quickly snuffed out. Her brief joy transformed into horror, the visual of her beloved daughter being forced to endure this same horrific treatment. “No! Please! Anything but that!”
“I appreciate your consideration, but no. I insist. It's no bother to me! I want to do this!” Before she could protest further, Viasmos slipped his dick inside of her. Her objections were drowned out by her moans as his thick, hard dick claimed her yet again. He pressed his body against her back and whispered maliciously into her ear, “No need to thank me!”
She understood now. This is what it meant to challenge Viasmos. Resist him, and you'd fail. Try to control him, and he'd turn it around on you. Accept him, and he'd push your every limit. Everything came down to his control, his desires, his power. The more she tried to reason with him, the more she gave him ideas on how to torment her even further.
There was no point to any of it. The best thing she could do was silently take it, and accept that she was his possession. Elastigirl, Helen Parr, these were names from her past. Even her family was better off being forgotten by her. There was only the future now... a future trapped in Tharsis, under this man's control. Not as a super, but as a slave.
Chapter 13: Elena (FFVII)
Notes:
Sorry this one took so long, folks. Had a lot of trouble committing to an approach, took a good three weeks or so from the last chapter before I even started it.
Pretty happy with how it turned out, though. I've been asked a lot about doing other Final Fantasy titles, and I've always said I plan to explore them, but that I wanted to finish FFVII first (not "finish" in the strictest sense - I might come back for some of the more superfluous characters at some point). I'm not sure I'll still be holding myself to that, but even if I do, we only have one FFVII chapter to go. So however it goes, I'm looking forward to getting into some of the other Final Fantasy universes that attract me.
Chapter Text
Moist squelches reverberated throughout the chamber, where a tired Tifa and Yuffie rested on their master's bed, while Scarlet was put to work rubbing his cock between her massive, squishy tits. The once-proud woman had been taken down more than a couple pegs. The only thing bigger than her bust was her ego, and it made acclimating to this new environment difficult. But no matter the pride, every girl had a limit to how much rape she could take. Eventually, even she couldn't deny her status as a slave.
She certainly did not view herself as inferior. She still saw herself in a supreme light, and looked down the man who called himself her “master”. Nor did she view herself as a mere possession. What she did acknowledge, what she had to acknowledge, was the power he had over her. Her connections were gone, her mech was gone, her subordinates were gone, leaving her with nothing but herself. And what was she without all those things? Just a mere woman. Vastly incapable of resisting the godly entity that was Viasmos.
She saw herself as above her fellow slaves, and yes, she even saw herself as above Viasmos. Should the chance ever arise to escape, she could rebuild everything she'd lost. She had every confidence in herself that she boasted the wits and talent to achieve it. She was still better than Viasmos. She just wasn't stronger than Viasmos. So when it came time to service him, she reluctantly accepted it. It was an agonizing, humiliating reality, but Scarlet rationalized it all by viewing it as a temporary embarrassment until she got back on her feet. For so callous a woman, it couldn't be denied that she was quite the optimist.
Thus, when Viasmos ordered a titfuck, she was here on her knees, complying without question. She didn't pretend to enjoy it. To the contrary, she wore her revulsion on her sleeve. But she did it, because she'd at least been broken enough to accept that there wasn't a way out of it. The Scarlet who first encountered Viasmos would have fought him tooth and nail, spewing insults and ultimately needing to be pinned down if he was going to enjoy her breasts in such a vulgar manner – which is exactly what happened, of course. But after taking so many rapes – from Viasmos, from his subordinates, even from her own subordinates – she might toss out the occasional insult, but she generally had the good sense to go along with her role as a slave.
“Ugh! I hate having to see that hag's naked ass!” Yuffie groaned beside Tifa. “It's so unfair!”
“It's your own fault!” Scarlet spat behind Viasmos, and rightly so. It was Yuffie's own idea to recommend Scarlet as her master's next target. Her logic had been that Viasmos was going to grab someone, so he might as well grab someone she hated. What she hadn't thought through was that it meant spending an eternity with that same person. And since Viasmos regularly enjoyed threesomes and foursomes with women from the same universe, Yuffie had ultimately seen way more of Scarlet than she'd ever wanted to see.
The former ninja could only grunt, frustrated at the accuracy of Scarlet's retort. Viasmos smirked and pulled Scarlet's hair back, forcing her to face up at him. “Well? Care for a little payback? I'm sure you know someone fun for me to snatch up!”
Scarlet briefly ceased the piston of her bosom, a wicked curl forming at the end of her lips. “Payback, you say?”
Tifa shot up in alarm, and Yuffie leapt to the edge of the bed to glare at Scarlet. “Don't! You! Dare!”
But naturally, Scarlet was not inclined to listen to Yuffie. Yes... payback did have a satisfactory ring to it. It was a taste of what Scarlet lacked in this world that she once had in abundance: Power. Granted, it was merely power being gifted to her by a man, but that wasn't so far removed from what she did in her time at Shinra. She used the power given to her as a means to embolden her status and enrich herself. Such a climb in standing was unlikely within these walls, but even so... she could scarcely keep from licking her lips at the thought of tormenting those two wretches.
“I do believe you're right. I have just the name for you...”
Tifa crawled over and looked at her with wide, longing eyes. “Please don't...”
Between Tifa and Yuffie, Scarlet had more beef with Yuffie. Tifa was very much against it when Yuffie dropped Scarlet's name, and generally avoided being antagonistic with her. As the longest-tenured of the slaves, she viewed everyone with sympathy, and Scarlet was no exception. Scarlet's bitterness was not particularly directed at her, given the revamped nature of their relationship.
But it didn't matter. Scarlet was a narcissist, and Tifa's melancholy wasn't so much as a factor in her decision-making.
“Aerith. Aerith Gainsborough. That's the woman you'll want next.”
Tifa drove her head in her hands, while Yuffie grit her teeth and growled. That was pretty much it. Once Viasmos had a target in mind, he wasn't going to be stopped. There was nothing anyone could do to stop him from taking their friend... and it was all that cunt's fault.
“Aerith, huh? Do tell me more!”
“She's the last of the Ancients, an old race deeply connected to the planet. But she looks every bit as human as you or me. A pretty, young thing, with long, braided hair and-”
“Wait wait wait wait wait!” Viasmos cut her off, a memory hazily reemerging in his mind. “Homely-lookin' chick? Pink dress and whatnot?”
“Y-yes!” Scarlet exclaimed with some surprise. “You... know her?”
“Saw her with that Cloud guy once, while I was pursuing Yuffie. Kinda forgot about her after that.”
“Huh? Y-you saw Cloud?” Tifa asked.
“Yeah. That's his name, right? The guy with the sword that's definitely compensating for something?”
“Well, I wouldn't characterize him that way... but yes...”
“Hmm, I guess I can go after Aerith. She's got a simpler style than I tend to care for, but she is quite pretty. I even thought so myself at the time. Well then, slut, any idea where I can find her?”
In this instance, “slut” was obviously referring to Scarlet. She furrowed her eyebrows in response to his demeaning title, but answered his question all the same. “I'm afraid I'm not too sure. After fleeing Shinra, I lost the means to keep tabs on this bunch. I can only tell you she used to reside in Sector 5 of Midgar.”
As much as Tifa and Yuffie wish they could feel relief from that insufficient spring of information, the truth is that it didn't make much difference. Viasmos was not an easily-dissuaded man, at least not when it came to his women. If he had a specific target in mind, then nowhere in the world would be far enough to hide.
“Well, ain't no biggie,” Viasmos cheerfully replied. “Tracking's all part of the hunt, after all. But hey, that's enough of that for now. Get back to work, why don't ya'?”
Thus ended her modest reprieve from service, and her brief return to power. It was back to being this man's reluctant sex toy. Scarlet's smile faded and her eyes narrowed, but as a powerless woman, she acquiesced and continued pleasing him with her bountiful tits.
Back in Midgar – a city Viasmos had visited several times at this point, despite only snatching one of his women here. But in this case, he had a lead. Scarlet had told him that the Aerith woman used to live in the Sector 5 slums, but she later clarified that she resided in a hut surrounded by a field of flowers. At the time, it especially stood out, because the plate system of Midgar meant the slums couldn't get natural sunlight. It was one of only a handful of spots beneath the surface that was capable of growing plant life.
Following the collapse of the Sector 7 plate and Shinra's post-crisis reformation, the plate system was gone. Originally, the plates had been there to keep the privileged from having to acknowledge the effects of mako production. The rotting earth was a reality only the underclass had to deal with, while the wealthy could live in blissful ignorance. The mako reactors had been converted into nuclear reactors: Shinra's latest energy development. That too had its critics, but they were no longer draining the planet of its life force, and the effects of mako extraction on the planet had no need to be hidden. Thus, rather than rebuild the plates, they were abolished completely, and sunlight was no longer a mythical sight to behold for the denizens of the slums.
Still, it was far from being a natural garden. Sunlight or no, Midgar was an urban landscape, offering little more than incidental growth within the soil. Thanks to that, Aerith's childhood home was still quite easy to spot. He looked through the walls of the house that sat in the corner of this uncharacteristic garden, and saw there was indeed someone residing within. However, it took only a glance to see that this wasn't the Aerith woman he was searching for. It appeared to be an older woman – if not a new tenant, then presumably a relative of hers.
This wasn't surprising to Viasmos. That one time he saw Aerith, she and that Cloud guy were searching for him in the hopes of retrieving Tifa. He anticipated she'd be out and about elsewhere in the world. Still, this dynamic worked to his favor. If they were already looking for him, then he needn't search for her in the first place. He'd simply give them the means with which to find him.
Viasmos scanned the field beneath him. A small river flowed amidst the garden at a relaxing flow, and across from the hill was a flower bed slightly elevated from the rest of the garden. That seemed as fine a location as any. He sat atop the hill, crossing his legs and resting his chin in his palm. He then sent a burst of his aura skyward, an electric beacon of scarlet and black, a constant stream with a terrifying crackle, signaling his exact location.
I just have to wait for someone who knows Aerith to notice this coming from her home. Then she'll come right to me. Easy!
This being his fourth visit to this world, Viasmos was reasonably familiar with the magic and geography of this world. What he still wasn't entirely privy to were the people and politics of this world. His plan would indeed attract attention, but it wasn't Aerith who could catch first wind.
“Does anyone want to tell me what the hell that is?”
Rufus appeared calm and collected, staring out the window of his office with a firm posture and his hands clasped behind his back. Yet, the uncharacteristic harshness of his words was apparent, as he was understandably unnerved by this peculiar sight. The ever-professional Tseng hung up his phone, and answered as best as he was presently able.
“We have a helicopter taking off to investigate it right now, Mr. President.”
Rufus remained still, though his eyes narrowed at the stream of energy towering into the air. It was a horrifying display, transfixed in the sky in a manner similar to what they'd seen with Meteor. It certainly didn't look like it was related to their nuclear energy, but this was a relatively new technology, so they couldn't be certain. “Shinra is finally starting to rehabilitate its image after the mako crisis. A new era is upon us. There can be no complications.”
“Of course, sir,” Tseng stated with a bow.
“So, uh... how close do ya' think we need to get to that thing?” asked Reno, a nervousness only slightly concealed beneath the lightheartedness of his playful banter. Even the ever-stoic Rude, currently piloting the helicopter, couldn't deny a sliver of concern. Besides the intuitive sense of dread this energy gave off, the fact that it was something completely alien to them meant they had no choice but to be cautious. If there was even a remotely educated guess on what was causing this, they could make some safe assumptions, but the truth was that even observing from a distance carried a number of risks.
But of course, that was just the nature of the job. They were Turks, professional enforcers who carried out Shinra's dirty work. Not just anyone could become a Turk, and those who went through the effort knew that being thrust into dangerous, unpredictable situations was all part of a day's work.
“We can stand to get closer,” Rude flatly responded, granting no heed to Reno's obvious anxiety. That being said, he wasn't so foolish as to fly straight into the curious tower of red and black energy. They'd assess what they could from the air before making their report and finding a safe landing zone. Even a little information was helpful, and they already had some to work with.
“Looks like the boss was right! That's definitely the Ancient's house!”
It was a location they'd visited more than a few times, and so it was easy to identify it even at this distance. Then did this anomaly have something to do with the Ancients, or was there some other explanation? Rude, focused on flying the plane, asked, “Can you see what's at the base?”
From this height, it was hard to make out much of anything. But a little squinting and a turn of the head, and Reno had his answer.
“I think that's a... person...”
Tseng hung up his phone once again, and informed his boss of the developments. “It appears someone is generating this at the Ancient's home, sir. We can probably speculate with some confidence that they are after her for some reason.”
“I see.”
“We'll depart at once,” Tseng assures him, recognizing without instruction that this was a matter serious enough to warrant the combined efforts of the Turks. He turned his back to leave the room, but before he made it to the doorway, he was interrupted by Rufus.
“We had a series of testimonials from the ex-Shinra soldiers we found from the Nibelheim reactor. They spoke of a man who operated without materia, and single-handedly took control from Scarlet. A preposterous story, including some rather sordid details.”
“I recall, sir.”
A resounding silence filled the hall, until Rufus gave voice to what was on both their minds. “Is there any connection?"
“We cannot say, sir.”
That's all there was to it. The Turks specialized in intelligence gathering, but they had too little to make such leaping declarations. Rufus hardly expected a different answer, and yet, there was an unquestionable level of certainty burgeoning within him. There had been quite a few unusual occurrences across the world in the wake of Meteor. The disappearance of the Lockhart girl, a destructive battle in Wutai that involved underworld mob boss Don Corneo, and the takedown of an active, unauthorized mako reactor. And at the center of all of them, an impossibly strong individual who overcame everything thrown at him. He felt like a cryptid, more myth than man, and yet Rufus had found himself unable to completely write off his existence in recent months. Yet another bizarre phenomenon... it felt like it had to be connected.
“Come back alive,” Rufus ordered. The rarely expressive Tseng turned back around, his eyes widened in surprise at the unusual display of sentiment from his boss. But as a consummate professional, he quickly regained his poise, not letting his emotions sway him from his task, and lowered his head.
“Of course, Mr. President.”
He continued past the door and walked out of the room, where his subordinate was waiting for him at attention. Though the newest member of the Turks, the blonde with the inverted bob had proven quite capable in her short tenure. Of course, nothing less was expected of one who reached this station.
“We'll be joining up with Reno and Rude. They have reason to believe a person is behind this. Be prepared for a fight.”
“Yes, sir!” she answered proudly, walking with a confident glee in her stride that contrasted with Tseng's composed gait. Of all the Turks, despite her inexperience, she was perhaps the least disposed towards fear. A dangerous situation was just another chance to prove herself in front of Tseng, after all.
Cloud and Aerith, it turned out, were nowhere near Midgar. None of those from the former party were at the moment, with all of them joining the effort to track down Tifa and Yuffie. A trek that had produced few results, unfortunately. But Cloud was about to get the breakthrough of his life when his phone rang.
“Who is it?” he asked curtly.
“Yo.”
Cloud took the phone from his ear and stared at it a moment, as if this were some kind of prank. That wasn't a voice he expected to hear. “Reno?”
“The one and only!”
“What do you want.”
Sheesh, will he ever lighten up? That's what Reno thought, and he normally would have said it aloud. But given the dire circumstances, he didn't have the time for idle chatter. “The Ancient, is she with you?”
Cloud turned to look at a puzzled Aerith, uncertain if he should answer. Shinra was supposedly out of the mako business, so their former interest in The Promised Land shouldn't matter anymore. But he couldn't be absolutely sure of that. Even if the Turks weren't enemies anymore, they weren't people he could take at face value either.
Unfortunately, he was silent just a little too long. “I'll take that as a yes.”
“Listen, I-”
“Good. Keep her away from Midgar,” Reno cryptically explained. “There's some strange business going on down by her place.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
Reno looked at Rude, waiting patiently at the end of the lot for Tseng and Elena to come. It wasn't often they acted as a full group like this, but severe situations like this one sometimes called for it. Rude probably wouldn't care too much if he leaked this much, but just to spare himself the headache, he turned away and whispered.
“Look, this is just me guessing, and you didn't hear it from me regardless... but you're looking for some guy, right?”
“What? How do you know about that?”
“Uh, I'm a Turk, remember? Intelligence is our game, First Class,” he explained condescendingly. “I think that guy might be a couple hundred meters away right now. We're about to get crackin' at him, so if we find out anything of value, I'll let you know.”
Cloud's tone, bewildered and one step behind throughout this conversation, took on a sudden urgency. “We're heading over now!”
Reno couldn't help but smack himself in the forehead. “C'mon man, don't make me regret giving you the heads up. Did you not hear what I said? Stay! Away! This guy's probably after Aerith, right? What are you thinking, delivering her on a silver goddamn platter?”
“We can't let this chance slide! Wait for us!”
“No can do, Soldier boy. We're right here and ready to rumble.”
“Damn it, Reno, if you let this guy get away...”
“Hey man, chill! It's the Turks! How often do we come up short?”
“You mean besides us?”
Reno cracked a smile. He walked into that one. Tseng and Elena rounded the corner and greeted Rude, completing the rendezvous. “Alright, wise guy, settle down. We're about to do this, so use your noggin for once and keep the Ancient as far away as you can. Gotta go.”
Reno hung up his phone and joined the others. “Alright boss, we ready?”
“I should say so. Who were you speaking to on the phone just now?”
“Oh, just a grunt, nothing too serious. Boring, clerical stuff.”
“I see,” Tseng stated. “I hope you gave Mr. Strife my regards.”
Just like that, he turned and led the Turks down the road to their target, chastising Reno no further. Rude had no reaction, but Elena cracked a brazen smirk, leaving Reno to rub the back of his neck and smile awkwardly.
While all of this was going on, Elmyra was understandably freaking the fuck out. She was a woman of action, to be sure, but not particularly well-equipped for something like this. She eventually found the courage to step out the door and confront the strange, shirtless man in her front yard with a cataclysm coming out of his body. Upon spotting the woman, Viasmos perked up and gave her a hearty wave.
“Hey there!”
“Who – agh! - what are you doing here!?”
Elmyra was interrupted by a rogue strand of lightning that came zipping beside her. The flowers on the hill were no doubt reduced to ash, but the rest of the garden fared little better as the thrashing of his aura wreaked havoc upon the delicate, little treasures. Viasmos certainly could have been more precise if he really wanted to be, but he had no particular reason to care. The state of the garden, or this woman's life, was a matter of no importance to him.
“Just waitin' for someone,” he answered nonchalantly. “You have a daughter, by any chance?”
Her eyes widened as he realized he was talking about Aerith. Who was this man, and what did he want with her?”
“Ah, I thought so!” he continued, not needing her to vocalize her answer to gleam it from her expression. “I guessed you were the mother. Although I was told she's the last of her kind, so I wasn't sure. Bad intel? No, probably just adopted. Well, makes no difference to me.”
There was something so off-putting about him. He had a way of speaking about her daughter that was every it as cavalier as it was clinical. Whatever he wanted, he clearly wasn't a good actor in all of this, but what could she do to stop him?
“You should step inside, Elmyra.”
She turned to look as a group of four, outfitted in tailored, black suits, stepped down the wooden stairs to their garden. Turks. She'd had experience with them, none too pleasant. That said, Tseng had never been dismissive when it came to Aerith's safety. She followed his advice and stepped back inside, entrusting the Turks with the task of quelling this man.
“Huh? Who the hell are you guys?”
Tseng's expression was unchanged, but internally, countless gears were turning. So this really was just a single man? He somehow expected it without completely being able to believe it. How did he do such a thing? Was this the same man from the rumors? No, it was too early to say definitively.
“Watch your tone! Don't you know who you're talking to?” Elena snapped.
“Uh... I quite literally don't. That's why I asked.”
Elena was about to mouth off further, before Tseng put his hand up for her to stop. She growled, but stood down as ordered. Tseng continued, “We are called Turks. I'd like to know your name as well, but perhaps you would be gracious enough to stop with the fireworks before we proceed further?”
A fair enough request, though Viasmos had no reason to honor it. He was still waiting for Aerith, after all, so his beacon still had work to do. But then again, there was no guarantee she was nearby at the moment. She could be across the ocean for all he knew. That was fine, he'd been prepared to wait for some time. But if these people were going to interfere, he may as well deal with them first, and he could get back to it once they were done. In which case, such ostentatious intimidation was a tactic beneath him.
In nary a second, the red and black power rocketing skywards faded, returned to the constraints of his body. Though the Turks were cautious about letting it show on their faces, it was an awe-inspiring sight. All of Midgar, Shinra included, had been in a panic ever since that towering energy showed up, and he turned it off as easily as one would a light switch. The mysterious man stood up and turned to them with his hands on his waist, stretching his back and looking completely nonplussed at the sight of them. Such casual behavior in their presence was a rare sight to behold.
“The name's Viasmos. So, what do you 'Turks' want with me?”
“What do you think!?” shouted Reno. “You think you can do something like that in Shinra's backyard, and we won't sniff around?”
“Ah, Shinra, hmm? So you're with them?”
Reno looked taken aback, and Tseng understood why. It was true that the Turks, as a black ops organization, weren't common knowledge, though they weren't entirely shrouded in secrecy either. It wasn't uncommon to happen upon someone unfamiliar with who they were. But the fact that his indifferent attitude persisted even after Shinra's name had been dropped was truly bizarre. He was at least aware of them, but did not seem to fear, or even be mildly wary of them. Was it confidence, ignorance, or something else entirely?
“State your intentions,” Tseng calmly, but firmly instructed. Viasmos was not one to obey instructions, but he hardly minded answering.
“Oh, just drawing out this girl named Aerith. You know her?”
“For what purpose?” Tseng asked, ignoring the man's question.
“Hey... who's the broad?” Viasmos asked, doing the same to Tseng. They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment before Elena glared with realization. “Y... you mean me!?”
“Any other chicks you see here?”
“Why you...” It was a lot of work to make it into the Turks, especially as a woman. To be called a “broad” or a “chick” or anything in that vein was incredibly demeaning to her.
“Why do they have you wearing a suit? They don't normally allow babes in or something?”
“You piece of – It's the standard uniform of all Turks! I'm proud to wear it!”
Viasmos stroked his chin, staring at Elena in a frustratingly detached sort of way. “I see, I see... keeping it professional. I get that, I get that... I just think they could stand to give you something a little more feminine. Something like this!”
With a snap of his fingers, the fabric on Elena began to warp. Her pants were converted into a miniskirt, her shirt was transformed into a low-cut blouse, and her tie disappeared entirely. Elena flushed with embarrassment and began to cover herself. “EEEYYYAAAHHH! YOU FIEND!”
“Shit, wow,” Reno remarked. “Do Tseng next! Maybe give his suit some glitter to go with that sparkling personality of his.”
“That's enough, Reno,” Tseng said. “Elena, we'll get you a replacement uniform as soon as possible. For now, deal with it.”
Though still blushing, Elena took a firm stance once again and nodded assertively. “Yes, sir!”
“Ah, so it's 'Elena'!” Viasmos cut in. “You're pretty cute! I dig the hair.”
“Hmph!”
“Anyway, you asked what I planned to do with the Ancient chick, right?” That alone was a telling piece of information for Tseng, as it confirmed that he knew of Aerith's origins. However, his motives were ultimately not related to that bit of knowledge. “I was kinda thinking I'd rape her.”
Even the stone-faced Rude let out a gasp at such a brazen declaration. Tseng, while angered, was not particularly surprised. It seemed hard to believe, but... it fit with the stories they'd heard about Tifa and Scarlet.
“I have a question. Were you involved in an attack on a mako reactor some months ago, in the region of Nibel?”
“Hmm... I think that sounds right? Big ol' mountain, yeah? That was me.”
“I see. So it's true.” Tseng's mindset had shifted drastically since the beginning of this conversation. Up to this point, he'd been hesitant to believe the most salacious details regarding this man. He still didn't completely accept his existence, particularly as there was no reason to draw a common thread between four wildly different events. Yet, hearing him face-to-face, Tseng believed he now had no choice but to assume the absolute worst characteristics about him. Any maximalist claim about him had to be treated as true until confirmed otherwise. That primarily meant two things: He was outrageously strong, not even needing materia to empower himself... and he was a repugnant womanizer.
“Elena, head back to base.”
“What!? How come! Shouldn't I-”
“This man is vile, more so than I anticipated. You understand what that means, yes? I can't guarantee your safety.”
“So what!?” she yelled. “C'mon, Tseng! I'm a Turk, same as all of you! I'm not some damsel that needs to be protected! I've had so many look down on me for being female, don't... don't you do it too!”
Tseng stole a glance at her, and found himself confronted not with anger, as he expected, but dejection. It wasn't so much that she wanted to be a part of this specific operation as it was that she wanted her boss, whom she respected, to return that respect. She was being reduced so chauvinistically, instead of being treated as a reliable partner. Tseng was not a man who minced words, nor a man of self-doubt, but he found he regretted his words.
The quiet-until-now Rude interrupted with a cough and said, “For what it's worth, I would feel more assured knowing Elena is at our side.”
“I'm with Rude. She's a reckless brat and self-righteous as hell, but she's reliable, y'know? Since when do we bench our best players?”
“Guys...” Elena flashed a smile, a warm and appreciative smile, in contrast to her usual smug expression.
Tseng could just order her to leave. She'd resent him, but she'd surely obey. But if even Reno was on her side, then he really was in the wrong. “Very well. I retract my words. Elena, you have my apologies.”
“Oh, uh, think nothing of it, boss! Thank you!” She returned to her regular demeanor, once again focused on the task at hand.
“Mhm, so, uh... heartwarming moment guys,” Viasmos interjected. “But are you gonna do something worth my while, or can I get back to it?”
Reno took a step forward, pulling out his electromagnetic rod. “Alright boss, what's the plan? Crack his jaw open and take him back to HQ for interrogation?”
“That would be ideal,” Tseng confirmed. “However, we need not hold ourselves to that standard. I want you all to fight like your lives are on the line. Kill him, if necessary.”
“Yes, sir!” the three of them shouted in unison.
With that, Tseng kicked them off with a concentrated blast of air, and the other three split off to conduct their own approaches. After Viasmos punched through the gust of air without difficulty, Reno was the first to arrive, swiping at him with his rod. Viasmos carefully sidestepped each attack, debating to himself how he should handle this.
I guess I could fight at the level I did against Tifa... but should I use magic? I did with the ninja whore, but only because she brought magic to the table. These guys seem mostly inclined towards physical combat, so maybe I should play it by ear...
So focused was he on how far he should hold himself back, clearly not taking the Turks all too seriously, that he didn't even notice when Reno tossed an EM mine under him. The spiky-haired operative took a quick leap back as a burst of electricity came from under Viasmos. “Rude!” he yelled, his friend quickly charging in for a haymaker. Contrary to their expectations, Viasmos was not stunned by the electric charge, but he was slowed down. He only barely grabbed Rude's fist, wherein he experienced something rare – he was being pushed back. His feet dragged into the soil as Rude's raw strength pushed against him. Even if he was holding back a fair bit, that was a surprise.
Once in close range, Rude could be swift for such a big guy. His arms moved like lightning, hammering away at Viasmos's defenses. At this point, Viasmos was no longer affected by Reno's litle gadget, but he still found he needed some concentration to counter Rude's blows.
He might be every bit as good as Tifa when it comes to hand-to-hand, though with that burly frame of his... he at least has the edge when it comes to brute strength.
Still, “as good as Tifa” was no match for him, as he'd demonstrated first-hand when he conquered her in the ring. He jutted out his palm and hit Rude in the chest, knocking him back. No sooner had he done this, however, when Elena came in from behind him with a flying kick. He turned and blocked with his arm, but she kicked herself off his arm and tossed a grenade at him whilst spinning in the air. Viasmos swatted it away, leaving it to explode in the river – a watery mist arising which Tseng was happy to use as cover, going in for a diving punch. Again, Viasmos was on his back foot, only narrowly managing the block the strike. It was enough of a distraction for Rude to come in with a punch across his face. Save for Scarlet's mech, which he handicapped himself against to the point of not using his hands, it was the first time since he came to this world that someone had landed a solid hit on him.
The Turks wasted no time, converging upon him while he was staggered. They kept their feet on the gas, but as Viasmos continued to do a commendable job blocking and dodging their attacks, they could not help but be impressed. A one-on-four fight wasn't easy, especially when the four in question were Turks, but he was holding up just fine. Likewise, Viasmos found himself impressed with the bunch.
Redhead's agility, Baldy's power, Blondie's ingenuity, and Dothead's precision... each one of them is a pretty decent fighter in their own right. But as a team, they're fantastic! They compliment each other's weaknesses, and enjoy the kind of chemistry where there's absolute trust, hardly a word needed to coordinate with each other. Honestly, makes me feel a little bad about the humbling beatdown I'm about to give them.
Viasmos had been primarily on the defense for this fight, but that was less out of necessity and more out of habit. He liked to get a read on his foes before going in for the kill – it was just the way he'd been taught to fight. Now that he felt confident about their skills, it was time to go in for the attack. The ever-nimble Reno was taking position at the Tharsian's front, with the idea of overwhelming his focus and creating openings for his cohorts. Rude weaved his way behind Viasmos and went in for a punch to the right side of the abdomen, but it was here that Viasmos made his move.
He backed up into Rude, positioning himself so he could pincer the man's arm between his body and elbow. Blocking a punch by Elena with his left hand, he spun around and threw Rude into the path of Reno's electromagnetic rod. Reno hardly had time to apologize before the sizable man barreled into him and knocked him over.
Tseng came in for the follow-up where Viasmos had his back turned, but the warlord was aware of his opening, and thus anticipated his move. He spun once more while simultaneously lurching back, his body perpendicular with the ground just as Tseng's arm streaked above him. Balancing in this precarious position on one foot, he swung his other leg up to strike Tseng in the chin, knocking the Turk leader back. Elena came in with a flip and an aerial hammer kick, hoping to take advantage of his awkward body position and deliver a crushing blow to the chest. It was a quick and decisive move, but Viasmos crossed his arms in an X to block her strike, forcing her to withdraw as Viasmos regained his balance.
The Turks were back up. He got some blows in, but nothing to take them out of the game. But now, they understood just how difficult a foe it was they were dealing with. The things Viasmos acknowledged about their strengths, Viasmos possessed them all in one. Quick, strong, inventive, and precise. And while the handful of blows they got in felt great at the time, Viasmos didn't seem the least bit demoralized. He didn't even look particularly stressed. Meanwhile, all four of the Turks were already huffing and puffing, the straining effort of every attempted strike taking its toll on their stamina.
“Hey, so... don't suppose you've got a weakness you'd like to share with us, huh? Scared of spiders maybe?” A desperate long shot masquerading as a joke by Reno. Surprisingly, though it wouldn't be to those who knew him well, Viasmos was perfectly forthright.
“Just one, as far as I know. But given your dependence on materia for magic, I doubt you're capable of manifesting it. Hahaha, do feel free to surprise me, though!”
Elena's eyebrows arched up, alerted by that helpful piece of information. “Well, any chance you'd tell us what it is? We won't know if you don't say.”
Viasmos shook his head and chuckled. He was already holding himself back so much to keep this fair, and they were still asking for aid? It felt beneath the caliber with which he regarded his opponents. Yet, he had willingly shared that he had a weakness, so she had a point. It was little more than teasing if he didn't clarify his meaning.
“Purification. I've only met a few who could do it to me, but that shit messes with the flow of my magic. If you can summon some kind of magic that's fed off the purity of your heart, then that'll do the trick.” He looked around at the four of them, none of them looking particularly invigorated from that explanation. “Well?”
He was right, they didn't have something like that. But any information was good information, and it bought them some time to recover their stamina. There was only one among them who felt particularly dejected, which was Tseng. Though he'd already demonstrated magic distinct from materia, his comments all but confirmed that he didn't rely on it all, and was thus not bound by its limitations. To this point, he hadn't used any magic against them, and yet they were still struggling. How one-sided might this be if he used even a single spell? If that horrific energy he'd emanated from his body was turned against them, would they even have a chance?
Ready to get the ball rolling once more, Rude slammed his foot into the ground, sending a quake along the ground towards Viasmos. It was a shame to treat the lady's garden so callously, but such were the rules in an all-out fight. The warlord backflipped out of the way, landing in front of Elena, flashing her an obnoxious smile as she backed up in surprise at his speed. He threw a punch at her, which she narrowly evaded with a duck. Rather than go defensive, however, she used the motion to drop to the ground and deliver a sweeping kick, hoping to knock his legs out from under him. Alas, Viasmos simply lifted his foot, and stomped it right back down on her calf.
“YYEEEEOOOOWWWWGGGGHHH!” she screamed in pain, clutching at her knee as she laid pinned beneath him. Viasmos bent down and hooked his finger on the cusp of her blouse, pulling her upper body up and helping himself to a peek behind the curtain. Elena had, as instructed by her boss, quickly gotten over the state of her uniform. She'd practically forgotten about it, continuing to fight as she normally would. But with him so shamelessly leering at her chest, it was hard not to remember.
Viasmos was knocked forward by a blast of concentrated air, courtesy of Tseng. “Are you okay, Elena?” he asked calmly. Grateful for his concern, she took to her feet, knocking her injured leg against the ground a couple times to break it back in. “All good, boss!”
While Tseng checked in on Elena, Reno and Rude had rushed in to occupy Viasmos. The Tharsian shook his head at his own stupidity. Okay, guess I was having a little too much fun there. Let myself get distracted. Still, this presented an opportunity. These momentary seconds with only Reno and Rude in the trenches meant he was effectively fighting the Turks at half their potential strength. It was too obvious a vulnerability to not take advantage of.
A minor shove against Reno while Rude outstretched his fist gave him the perfect window to grapple the latter's arm and break it at the elbow. Rude screeched in agony, a first for all present to hear from the generally expressionless Turk. Reno tried to swing his rod at his head, but Viasmos grabbed at his weapon hand and expertly disarmed him, stealing it for himself. He elbowed the still-standing Rude in the face while twirling around and smacking Reno in the back of his head with his own weapon. Both Turks were sent to the ground.
“Reno! Rude!” Elena shouted.
“Ha, believe me, I was going easy on the redhead using this thing.” He casually tossed it behind him like a piece of trash, sending it hurtling into the river. “You don't want to see what he'd look like if I struck him with a clean punch across his mug!”
Tseng's mind whirred in desperation, trying to think of an effective strategy. Shit... One Turk down... Don't know if Rude's unconscious, but he won't be much help with his right arm broken... what can Elena and I do to stop him...
“Reinforcements?” Elena offered, clearly thinking along the same lines as him.
Indeed, they could call in some reinforcements, even a couple mechs, and normally, Tseng would have done that a long time ago. But the fear of this man's potential magic still resounded in his mind. If he escalated, it was to be expected that Viasmos would escalate as well. No, his instincts and experience were telling him that their best shot was to keep him as grounded as possible. If they were capable of stopping him, it was like this.
“No,” he said to her, shaking his head. “We'll have to take care of him on our own.”
“Roger,” she answered, both loyal and practiced enough to intrinsically trust Tseng's judgment. She took another grenade out of her pocket, lightly tossing it in the air and kicking it at Viasmos. Though his skin would normally withstand such an explosion, he'd weakened himself enough for this fight that even a minor explosion like this could do some decent damage. He leapt back from the explosion, then sprung right back forward, meeting Tseng just as he crossed the cloud of smoke.
Heh... clever, but predictable
Viasmos swung a right hook across Tseng's jaw. After the time he saw Tseng use the water mist as cover for an attack, he anticipated something similar being tried here. The problem with Tseng's fighting style was that it was exemplary to a fault. As if someone had written a comprehensive manual for how a man of his build and skills should approach any given situation in a fight, and he followed that manual to a tee. Generally, that would be fine. They were recommended responses for a reason, after all, and they'd be sufficient for the vast majority of opponents. But to opponents with similar or superior training, some improvisation was needed. It was that little bit of chaos that turned the outcome away from being a simple math equation of who had the better discipline.
That was more Elena's department. Being a woman, she wasn't as strong or as tough as her fellow Turks or Turk candidates. She had to find other ways to prove herself, and that required some imagination. She came leaping in at Viasmos from behind with a spinning kick, which Viasmos blocked with his arm. What he didn't expect was the smirk on Elena's face... that was usually his role. In that split-second of wondering why she was so thrilled to have her attack blocked, he became aware of the curious texture on his arm. He'd had plenty of female contact in his time, and this did not feel like a woman's foot.
Suddenly, an electric explosion burst from the point of contact. Elena was thrown back on the the ground, while Viasmos stood there in a daze. An EM mine, just like Reno had used earlier – only instead of throwing it at him conventionally, she'd attached it to her foot. She'd been more hurt by it than he was, unable to move on the ground. But she'd seen how it affected him earlier, and knew this would slow him down. Sure enough, as Viasmos struggled to turn, there was Tseng, sending a flurry of fists in his direction.
It was honestly a little embarrassing for Viasmos. Lightning attacks were pretty much never a good idea against him, since he was naturally resistant to it. His aura took on properties akin to lightning, so it was like trying to drown a fish. Again, this was simply a product of the weakening magic he'd used on himself. His body was still resistant enough to keep from being stunned, but he was very much slowed down all the same. Even then, he should still be fast enough to take Tseng one-on-one; But after being taken off guard by Elena's little trick, Tseng got an easy hit in early, and now Viasmos couldn't reset himself. One blow after another landed, with Viasmos just a little too slow to keep up.
The issue for Tseng was how to actually stop Viasmos. He could punch him, kick him, or whatever all day, but it was clear just how resilient he was, and that wouldn't be enough to bring him down. Worse was that he only had a few seconds to work with. Elena was already recovering from his stun, which meant Viasmos would quickly get back to full-speed. His attacks were starting to get blocked, the hits fewer and farther between, and Tseng knew it was just a matter of time before he went on the attack. It played out just so, with Viasmos looking smug and confident as his body continued to move at his desired pace, before knocking Tseng off-balance and going in for a game-ending strike.
But it never came. Just as Viasmos stepped forward with his coiled arm, something caught him from behind. A thick, meaty arm around his neck, holding him back. Rude was hunched, huffing, bleeding from his nose, but somehow on his feet and finding his way back into the fight. Even Tseng was stunned, having already written him out of the battle.
“Stupid little... don't you know when to quit?”
Viasmos slammed his elbow into Rude's ribs. It hurt like hell, a fact unhidden by Rude's pained grunts, but he held on all the same. Even as Tseng went back on the attack, Viasmos ignored the hits he was taking and kept his focus on Rude, continuing to elbow him until he let go. The brawny brawler wasn't sure how long he could hold on, but he was determined to do so for as long as he could stay on his feet.
“Tseng!”
The Turk leader backed off the attack, paving a lane for Elena to swoop in. She jumped in with a double kick, slamming her heeled boots into the side of the Tharsian's face. It was a powerful hit that dazed even him for a few seconds. Tseng moved back in, along with Elena, the two of them launching a flurry of attacks against him as he was held back by Rude. Viasmos had no choice but to ignore Rude and start blocking, but restrained as he was, he couldn't do so very effectively. Not against two people at once.
It certainly looked like a difficult situation for the warlord, but the grin on his face revealed just how much fun he was having. These people didn't just have skill, they had spirit. They almost certainly understood at this point how outclassed they were, but they pressed forward as if that detail wasn't even a factor. Unchained conviction drove their every move, amplified by the loyalty and camaraderie they shared with each other. They were an impressive bunch, worthy of the fight he'd so kindly graced them with.
Given how well they were performing, they'd obviously earned the right for him to take the fight seriously. He managed to block two of their attacks simultaneously – a punch from Tseng and a kick from Elena – and used that momentary lull in the action to slam his head back against Rude's face. Having given it a good whack earlier, it was quite sensitive. Rude held on, but his grip loosened just a bit, enough for Viasmos to swing his lower body up and grip Tseng's head between his boots. He swung his body weight over and slammed him into the ground. Rude stumbled from the sudden sideways momentum, prompting another elbowing from Viasmos. Elena cracked her heel across his face, but he didn't care, jutting his elbow into Rude one more time. His grip loosened more, and Viasmos backflipped right over him, slipping his head out from his lock as he did so.
Gripping his head, Viasmos took Rude right along with him, sending the man crashing to the ground once more. Elena charged in, but Viasmos kicked her in the gut and sent her flying backwards. She was on her knees struggling to breathe, the wind knocked out of her. He turned his attention back to Rude, feeling he should make certain he didn't interfere like that again. He lightly placed his foot on Rude's kneecap and slowly pressed down. Rude grunted as he prepared for the worst, the strain on his bones increasing, Viasmos putting more and more pressure on it until... they heard a crack. Once again, the sturdy, masculine presence before him was reduced to tormented screams. The Turks' tank had probably taken the worst of it from any of them all day, and this was no exception.
Tseng has risen back to his feet, and tried to retaliate against Viasmos, but the difference in vigor was increasingly clear. Viasmos, even after all the hits he'd taken, was still fighting as smoothly as he had from the beginning. He looked like he could do this for hours. The Turks – those still able to fight, at least – were exhausted, pulling on the very deepest of their reserves to continue fighting. Thus, Tseng was simply unable to keep up with Viasmos, who easily dodged his fist and chopped at Tseng's neck, striking his windpipe and forcing him to his knees. Elena had also gotten back on her feet, but she fared no better. Viasmos grabbed her by her leg and swung her around. He eventually let go and sent her tumbling across the river and onto the other patch of what was left of this garden – though not before peeking underneath the skirt he'd crafted for her, and being deliberately obvious about it.
Viasmos let out a satisfied sigh and quipped, “Well, guess that's the end of that.”
“Y-you... haven't won... yet...”
Tseng, still on his knees and only barely able to speak, was still trying to get up. Viasmos thrust his knee into his chin, knocking the man back, and pressing his boot on his chest.
“The nerve! I know you see the difference between your power and mine! Hell, do you know how hard I had to work just to give you all a chance? How easily I could have incinerated you from the get-go? Do you have any idea how powerful I really am!?” Viasmos gave them a taste, unveiling his aura once more. But it wasn't the skyward beacon he'd made earlier – it was spread out, diffused, yet overbearing in its pressure. The sky itself darkened as his power seeped into the environment, his destructive presence alone turning this once-lovely nook of Midgar into a sea of ash, burning what remained of the countless flowers. One of the tasteful bridges collapsed under the pressure, and shingles were sliding off the roof of Elmyra's house. When it was over, the bursting displays of color that once decorated this place had been painted dark gray, as if it had been swallowed by magma. He roared in Tseng's face with a beastly grin, “You've been playing on fucking easy mode! And this is still where it got you!”
It was worse than Tseng anticipated, but it did, at least, confirm he was right. Had they escalated and forced him to use magic, the battle would've been over before it could begin. Viasmos turned to Elena, propped up on her hands and looking at Viasmos with something he hadn't seen from the woman to this point: Fear. He smiled, having seen this before with Tifa. Even when he first raped her, she was proud and valiant. She didn't break until he took her to Tharsis, and she realized just how easy he'd made it for her. How he could have snapped her like a twig right away, but chose to give her an opportunity, chose to play to her strengths, and still emerged victorious without all that much difficulty. A similar revelation seemed to be taking place in a horrified Elena.
He turned his attention from Tseng and walked over to Elena, pondering aloud to himself as he stepped on top of the water. “Hmm... I came here for Aerith. Not a big fan of changing plans midway through, but... no guarantee she'll be here anytime soon, yeah?”
Elena glared sharply at him, her resolute personality returning. “What the hell are you babbling on about!?”
“Not like I absolutely need to get her now, I can always come back some other day,” he continued, ignoring Elena's question. “It'd be one thing if I was waiting on my own, but a cute chick comes to join me, and... I guess I don't see why not.”
He shoved Elena back on the ground and straddled her waist. “Well, any port in a storm. That's just how it is sometimes.” He ripped open her buttoned, white top, revealing the magenta bra underneath.
“W-w-what the hell do you think you're doing!?”
“Huh... was expecting more black. Super professional with the suit and all. But I guess you've got a little more flavor than I thought. You women like to add a little flair where you can, I suppose.”
Elena, of course, knew exactly what he was doing. Though it hadn't been formally discussed between them, they were all aware of the rumors over the past year, and understood this was likely the man at the center of it all. And if he was, and the rumors were as true as they currently appeared, then he was a character of the most vulgar kind. Tseng had alluded to it himself when suggesting she flee. She chose to stay, a decision she wouldn't change if she had a million chances to do so... but it meant accepting the cost of defeat. When it came to women, and especially this guy, it wasn't hard to imagine what that cost might be.
“It's not for you, jerk!”she growled, and socked him in the face. Viasmos chuckled, impressed at her fortitude. In spite of the Tifa comparison he'd made in his head moments earlier, this girl didn't retreat entirely into her shell like she did. There was no defense mechanism with which she could cope with her imminent violation, just a fiery spirit determined to keep burning down to the last ember.
“Oh ho! I think I'm gonna like you!” He hadn't anticipated picking up a different slave besides Aerith, but he was quickly warming to the idea. He couldn't let a spicy babe like this get away just because it deviated from his original plan. “Yeah,” he said to himself, grabbing the side-parted barb of the blonde's hair and pulling her up to him. “Aerith can wait.”
He bent down and stole a kiss from Elena's lips, sending the girl into wide-eyed petrifaction before going into a frenzy and hammering away at his chest. But Viasmos, satisfied with the result of his victorious battle, was no longer using weakening magic to limit himself so drastically. Her fists against his abs were like wads of paper being thrown by a child at a stone wall.
She snarled as he had his way with her lips and tongue, no more than a symbolic retaliation against the control he'd so firmly established. She loathed the way he moved his tongue in her, so forceful and possessive. She wouldn't have minded so much if it was Tseng. What he'd said earlier about adding flair where she could was true... an unseen trace of girliness in a job that didn't allow for much of that. She deeply respected Tseng, and still being a young woman, that had manifested into something of a girly crush. While she knew practically that Tseng would not likely ask to see under her suit, just the thought that he might under the right conditions was enough for her to pick out something sexy when she got dressed in the morning. Technically, he could see beneath her suit right now... but these weren't exactly the aforementioned conditions she had in mind.
He let go of her hair, and her head plopped back to the ashen surface. She felt his fingers trace up her thigh, traveling up a skirt she hadn't asked to wear. “Get your hands off me, you creep! Who the hell do you think your are?” Far from being pricked by her thorny words, Viasmos laughed under his breath, taking his other hand to knead her breast.
“As I said, I'm Viasmos. And since I'm strong, I can do what I want. Who do you think you are to defy me, hmm?”
He certainly wasn't the only man to feel that way about women – it just sucked extra hard because he seemed to actually have the power to back it up. This wasn't her first time being caught by a man lusting over her. That filth, Don Corneo, had once trapped her, along with Yuffie Kisaragi. It was an event that sparked one of the earlier collaborative efforts between Avalanche and the Turks. Corneo never got around to doing anything to her, but he could have. She never let it show, but it absolutely stuck in her mind that had things been a little different, she would have been raped that day. Corneo had this same sense of entitlement, believing he could do what he wanted with women, because who would stop him? But whereas that belief was rooted in status and wealth in Corneo's case, it was rooted in sheer power with this guy... and the second one was much harder to deal with.
“Men like you... you really suck!” she snapped.
“Heh, I think you'll find that you'll be doing a lot more sucking than I will.”
That disgusting visual made Elena cringe, while Viasmos slipped her jacket and shirt down her arms. He stood up, and though she kicked at him when he grabbed at her legs, he was able to pull her skirt off as well. As much as she hated the clothes he'd so selfishly designed for her, she'd take them back in a heartbeat to not be exposed outside, dressed in nothing but her magenta lingerie.
“There now! Don't you look so much cuter like this? I'll bet you'd feel a lot happier if you were shaking your ass in some dingy club somewhere instead of all this corporate shit.”
“Shut! The fuck! Up!” she yelled, winding her leg before thrusting it into his groin. That made her feel good for a couple seconds, but Viasmos didn't seem to have any reaction. A dick hard enough that women would crack their teeth if they tried to bite on it was not going succumb to a single measly kick. He stepped forward imposingly, letting her feel the difference in their strength as he towered over her meek body, lying helplessly in the burnt soil. She compulsively crawled backwards on her arms, but he placed his boot against her stomach, and she dejectedly dropped back to the ground.
“You see, right? Just how big the difference in power is between us? Ready to give up and be my woman?”
She turned her head and spat on the ground, glaring up at him with a face that made her answer all too obvious. “You think I give a shit you're strong? Like I'll give myself to any piece of shit strong enough to force himself on me? Fuck off, I'll never let you break me!”
Viasmos smirked, taking his foot off her chest. “Just what I hoped you'd say!” He grabbed her hair and forced her to her knees, taking out his enormous cock and slinging it against her face.
“Ugh! Sh-shit! Get that away from me!” She turned her head as much as she could, but that wasn't much with his grip keeping her in place. She was forced to kneel there while his length was laid against her silky cheek. She knew just what the fucker had in mind, and it wasn't something she planned on cooperating with... but she also knew that probably wouldn't make a difference.
Of all the Turks, Reno had it best right now. He'd been knocked unconscious, and had no idea what Elena was suffering through. The same wasn't true for Rude, who desperately wanted to protect Elena, but couldn't hope to stand up. Tseng was severely injured, but could probably force himself to stand if he thought it would make a difference. However, all he'd get in return for that effort was something more permanent to bring him down, and he knew it. He hoped to call in reinforcements now that there was no other option, but Viasmos's furious display from the end of the fight had fried most of his equipment. With what little energy he had, he was trying desperately to troubleshoot, get something working that he could use... but this was especially difficult when he had to listen to Elena fight against such indignities.
Though she resisted, there was only so much she could do against the sheer force at his disposal. He slid back and held her head firmly in place, pressing his glans against her lips. Then, he slowly pushed. First, he wormed between her soft, moist lips. Then, with just a bit more force, he breached past her teeth. His strength was just too much for her jaws to stay clenched. He kept pushing, until the entirety of his manhood was embedded in her throat. The poor girl could hardly breathe with this monstrous thing held inside her. She looked up and stared daggers at him, screaming in muffled protest and roughly breathing through her nostrils as she tried to stay conscious.
“I like a girl with spunk. I want to see just how much you've got. I find moments like these tend to be bellwether indicators. Few things put a woman in her place like being on her knees with a cock forced down her throat! If a girl can stand this, she can usually stand plenty more. And if she can't, well, hehe... that's the end of that.”
He wasn't wrong. It was horrifically embarrassing to be in a position like this. It was a stance that practically screamed submission, the obvious difference in their strength inflaming her awareness of her gender's weakness. It was hard to feel confident or proud when put in such a helpless, dehumanizing situation.
But like FUCK if that was going to be enough to make her lose heart!
Maintaining her scornful gaze as Viasmos kept her lips against his base, he finally gave her some relief, sliding back until only his tip was inside. He then rammed it back down her throat, choking her with its suddenness. He continued this pattern, pulling out at a relatively normal pace before slamming it down in one quick motion. The repeated disruptions to her breathing were causing tears to well up in her eyes. If he would just keep a constant pace, she felt confident she could get accustomed, her lack of willingness notwithstanding. But without a consistent rhythm, she just didn't have the time to figure out how to take it. His every plunge reset her body to zero, disrupting her ability to acclimate to the pressure her body was experiencing.
Still, even that was a pattern in and of itself. With enough repetition, she could anticipate his movements, and practice ways of making it easier on herself. It would remain a terrible, humiliating experience, but she could at least mitigate the physical distress of it all. It was a sensible plan, given her limited options, but Viasmos was not one to make it so easy for his prospective slaves. Just as she was starting to get an idea about his movements, he slowed down, coming to a stop midway inside her. She looked up at him curiously, confused about the change of pace, and perhaps even a tinge hopeful that it was a surprisingly early end to this phase of her suffering.
A pleasant thought, but no.
He brought both hands down to grip her head, his large hands wrapping around each side of the cranium. He then forcefully drove her into his groin, keeping her there for a couple seconds before shoving her furiously back and forth along his cock. He wasn't thrusting inside her anymore, he was forcing her to move along him. It was a miserable experience for the young Turk, considerably more painful than what she'd put up with before. At least before, she was still, needing only to react to his movements. But now, her body was lurching rapidly to and fro in response to his will. There was so much more going on with her body, and she had no control over it. Even her mind was handicapped by the aching movements, hardly able to think at all, let alone focus on the meaty dick in her mouth.
The worst was her neck, which seemed to be the focal point for all strain he was inducing in her. The blunt pierce of his cock from inside certainly didn't help matters, reducing her voice to little more than choked squelches. She didn't want to let it show, but in truth, this terrified her. Her panicked resistance was invisible, perfectly constrained by the sheer strength of his grip. He didn't even appear to be struggling in the slightest. And if he was that strong, then what would happen if she pushed harder, and possibly made him lose control even a bit. With all this tension in her neck, what if he accidentally snapped her neck. And so her resistance, fruitless as it was, turned to deliberate stillness – save for the jerking motions he forced on her, of course. She was too scared to act on her own, uncertain of what to do other than kneel in place and let him use her as a cocksleeve.
But that fear was only a reflex, not the core of her temperament. When he mercifully released her and granted her a much-needed reprieve, she took several heavy, well-earned heaves of air before snapping up to face him. The steely resolve in her narrowed eyes hadn't faded in the slightest, and Viasmos could only clap in acknowledgment.
“Hahaha, oh yeah, you are fun!” he mocked. Elena understood quite well that Viasmos was merely turned on by her fire, and while she wasn't too happy to realize that, it didn't change anything from her perspective. This was about her, not him. She wasn't going to pretend she was okay with this just on the off-chance that he might enjoy it slightly less. She was going to be herself, and no amount of bullying would change that. He could laugh at her, debase her, humiliate her all he wanted, but she'd never lose her heart through any of it. Of that, she was fiercely determined.
Viasmos pulled her up by the arm to stand before him, and he started groping her body. “Mmm, real nice stuff, doll-face” he hissed in her ear, licking up her neck like he owned it. Elena's enraged expression couldn't completely mask the cringe she felt as the end of his tongue snaked around on her skin, or as his rough fingers sank into her ass. This was a man who looked at women as property, and right now, she felt like it. Just an object to be used, her will completely overridden by the forceful might of a strong male. It was beyond disgraceful for one who counted herself among as elite a group as the Turks.
“New idea, sweetheart,” he said as he backed away from her, confusing Elena. It was as if he was giving her a chance to run, though she was perfectly aware of the fact that running would be futile. “Instead of ripping off your undergarments there, how about you strip 'em off for me yourself?”
“Ha!” Elena surprised even herself at being able to laugh in such a morbid situation, but it was truly the only response she could think to make. “You can't possibly think I'd do that for you. I'd rather die!”
“Oh, I'm sure you would.” He pointed at her, and a scarlet-black energy, akin to the towering display that brought them here, coalesced at his finger tips. Elena gulped, fearful that this really was about to be the end of her life, but she stood strong. She meant what she said, and would gladly accept death here if it meant stopping him from getting what he wants.
But the deadly shot never came. Instead, Viasmos pulled his arm inwards, chuckling at her admirable display. “Heh, don't worry. I take good care of my bitches. I'm not going to kill you. And I believe you when you say you'd rather die.” She took an exhausted sigh of relief, thankful to still be alive, even if it did mean continuing to be his plaything. However, that relief took an alarmed turn when she saw him turn around. “But I wonder... would you rather he die?”
His finger, the scarlet-black energy still buzzing on its tip, was now pointed at Reno's unconscious body. Elena quickly ran over and grabbed at his shoulder, trying in vain to pull his arm away. “Don't! Stop!”
“Let's see... whose death would grieve you the most? Perhaps the poor, little puppet whose strings I cut?”
He next pointed at Rude, still completely incapable of getting up. Elena kept on trying to pull, but his beefy shoulder just wouldn't budge. “Damn it! Listen to me! I'm telling you to stop!”
“Or maybe the guy who thinks I don't notice him playing with his toys?”
Tseng shot his face up as Viasmos next pointed at him, the recognition of his potential death evident on his face, and Elena screamed mortified, “STOP! STOP! PLEASE JUST STOP!”
“Oho, I do believe we have a winner!”
It was a stupid mistake. She would have been smart to hide her feelings. But seeing her friends put in danger, and especially Tseng, it was impossible to act like nothing was wrong. The heightened pitch of her desperate cries, the intensified pull of her sweating arms, they all signaled to Viasmos that this was the one to torment her with; A fact he was all too pleased to take advantage of right away, as the ball of scarlet-black energy anxiously awaiting release was finally granted a target, and subsequently fired.
“NNNOOOOOOOOO!”
Elena's horrified cries echoed in the cavernous nook of Sector 5, a premature response as Viasmos's shot zipped right by Tseng's head, dissipating harmlessly into the ground. Tseng himself had to tell himself to take a breath, as he fully expected to die in that moment. Elena looked uncertainly at Viasmos, and took a step back from him.
“That was my warning shot, and I have only one of those in stock,” he told Elena, turning to face her with a wicked smirk. “Now, I'll ask again, would you prefer to strip, or would you prefer he dies?” Coercion of this nature was not exactly his style, as he much preferred to do things through brute force. But sometimes the right kind of chick could stoke uncharacteristic desires from him. Making such a strong-willed woman perform a seductive dance for his amusement was not only sexy, but hilarious, and so this minor step out of his comfort zone was most certainly worth it.
Elena dropped her gaze, a subtle shiver coursing through her body at the thought of Tseng dying because of her. “I... I get it! I'll do it... fucking creep...” He smiled and took a step back to give her some space. “Well then, let's get to work!”
She reached behind her to start unclasping her bra, and immediately, Viasmos appeared in front of her and slapped her to the ground. He moved so quickly, it was as if he'd teleported. Before she could protest, he snarled, “Uh, what the hell do you think you're doing?”
“Y-you told me to strip, didn't you!?”
“Yeah, strip. Not undress. Don't just take your clothes off, make a show of it. Make it good, or else.”
He delivered his threats so dryly that she had no doubt he'd carry through with them. It seemed insane to kill someone just to get a girl to dance for them, but he clearly thought nothing of it. She nervously nodded her head in ascent, realizing this was not a time where she could afford to be resistant.
“Okay, fine! I... I understand.”
“Good.” He walked back to his previous position and raised the earth in the shape of a chair. He sat down and gave her a resounding clap of his hands. “Begin!”
She stood back up and started shaking her hips. “Just so you know, I'm not used to doing stuff like this,” she warned. “Don't grade me too harshly. I promise I'll do the best I can.” She was livid at having to spit out such pathetic words, but she really had no choice. She wouldn't let her pride get in the way of her comrades' lives.
“Hey, as long as I can tell you're trying, that's good enough for me,” he replied with a smirk. She really hated that smug face of his, though she was hardly one to talk. She turned around to show off her ass, and gently squatted to the ground while shimmying left and right. I hope this is good she thought to herself. There was a perceptible uncertainty to her movements, making it look far too deliberate to be conventionally appealing, but Viasmos found that enjoyable in its own way.
Meanwhile, Tseng had returned to frantically taking apart whatever salvageable pieces of his equipment he could find. Viasmos revealed that he was aware of his plan, but as best as Tseng could tell, he didn't actually mind if he carried through with it. It made things easier for Tseng, who no longer had to worry about being overly stealthy, but his focus did continue to waver as his mind whipped back to what Elena was going through.
The unfortunate thing was that the Turks were victims of their own success in a moment like this. Right now, Shinra probably wasn't sure what to do. The skyward aura was gone, which would seem to indicate success, but the Turks also hadn't reported in yet, which would seem to indicate a problem. For any other group, Shinra would send an investigative force to confirm the situation, but for the Turks, they'd trust them to handle whatever predicament they may be facing until told otherwise. It was a product of the superb competence they'd displayed over many years, and while normally a point of pride for their agents, it was a hindrance in this sort of instance. Even if all Tseng could do was get his phone operating, that would be enough. Something to communicate to Shinra that they needed to send reinforcements. It was an idea he'd rejected earlier, and in truth, he doubted he was wrong in that assessment. But at this point, there was no choice. The Turks – Tseng especially – rarely fought as an entire group, but they did so here, and still lost. The only thing left to try was to throw the brunt of Shinra's military might at him.
Elena took slow, exaggerated strides towards Viasmos, taking off her bra and playfully – though with a scowl – tossing it in his direction. He wiped the bra off his face and smiled at the sight of her breasts. She was now right in front of him, and she turned her back and lowered herself, arcing her butt along his groin. Her face went red thinking about how close that thing was to her womanhood, knowing if this continued, it wouldn't be all that long before he forced that into her, but she kept telling herself that this was all for Tseng.
Heh... she's getting more comfortable. Her motion's a lot more fluid, not stiff like before. She's really getting into this!
The maiden certainly didn't enjoy putting on such a sycophantic performance for Viasmos, but motivated by her desire to protect Tseng, she found it in herself to suppress her shame. It was allowing her to get into the flow of the dance the longer she swam in it, the need of the moment overriding her reservations. None of the anxiety or ignominy she felt mattered right now. In a moment like this, she wasn't a spy, nor an enforcer; Just a desperate, little girl doing what girls did best for powerful men.
She placed her hands on the back of her head as she continued to grind her ass along him, maintaining mere inches of space between their bodies. She was still a little too shy to make contact and perform a lap dance in the strictest sense, but Viasmos didn't mind. He found it cute more than anything else, and he could tell she was giving it her all. She stood upright from his lap, before bending down as she peeled off her panties. She dropped them to her knees before slipping one leg out, and turning back around to him. She lifted her leg to his shoulder, and flicked her underwear off behind him. She trembled as Viasmos suddenly grabbed her ankle, sliding his face along her leg.
“You know, you've got more talent for this than I would've guessed,” he praised, licking the inside of her thigh. He came to within just a couple inches from her pussy, grinning wolfishly from the heightened quiver he felt from her as he got nearer and nearer.
“Not... a compliment...”
He pulled her over to him so she was sitting atop him, holding the now-naked woman in place by her ass. “I'm only commending you for your effort. You've earned at least that much, no?” he muttered with a sneer. She felt his large, coarse hands lift her up, and expelled a mournful grunt as she realized that the moment of violation was near. She wanted to hit him, not that it would do any good, but stayed her hand in case he punished Tseng for it. She simply shut her eyes and waited with pained frustration for him to go and get it over with.
He pulled her down, and as his thick length pushed inside of her, she whipped up towards the sky and let out an agonized shriek. It echoed throughout the chasm, much to the dejected ears of Tseng and Rude. She'd been emotionally prepared to be penetrated, knowing it would incite untold anger and sorrow within her. What she hadn't been prepared for was the physical sensation of his girth tearing through her flower. It was so much rougher and more painful than she'd imagined, she just couldn't keep her composure at the onset of her rape.
Uninterested in her pain, Viasmos happily bounced her on his dick at a brisk, steady pace. The shock of his size had caused her to lose control and compulsively clamp down on his cock, so he was quite enjoying himself as the woman's tormented screams inundated the ashen wasteland. He even gave her butt a few enthusiastic slaps on the butt, as if to encourage her further.
Elena finally caught her breath as the initial shock wore off, but even if she could at least process the sensation, she certainly wasn't free from pain. Rough gasps escaped her lips with every thrust, her heart pounding along to his rhythm like the ticks of a clock. She lamented her weakness, but ultimately collapsed forward into his chest, gripping his shoulders in a desperate search for something to steady the pulsed exasperation of her body. The girl looked so helpless with her face pressed weakly against his rigid chest.
Naturally, Viasmos was not one to let such an act go untaunted. “Getting intimate, are we? How sweet!” She looked up to glare at him, but hardly had the chance as he dove in to steal a kiss. This jerk! Ugh... he played me completely... Viasmos was someone who had a talent for reading people and anticipating their reactions, and this was something Elena was becoming quite familiar with. Her steadfast composure during a purposefully brutal blowjob, the way he got her to shake her ass for him like some Wall Market whore, and now sneaking a kiss by provoking her irate stare. She could hardly find it in herself to even fight back against this kiss, only melt powerlessly into it as she internally bemoaned the way she kept falling into his hands like putty.
After unlocking his tongue from hers, she found the poise to at least hold herself up. His brazen mockery of her reignited the fire that had briefly been dimmed by his forceful penetration. It was hard to feel much dignity in the middle of being raped, but she'd at least find a way to persist through it. His massive size still hurt, but she was a Turk, no stranger to pain, and she wasn't going to let it quell her again.
That being said, the pain was receding, and giving way to something worse: pleasure. The throbbing heat of his undeniably-impressive manhood was more than sufficient to induce lubrication, easing the passage of his member. He was big, yes, but not too big to the point that she couldn't realistically take it. Once she had a chance to acclimate, her body stopped fearing the ruthless invader, and instead started acknowledging the virile masculinity within. It was a deeply shameful truth to realize, but she kept resolute and maintained a fierce demeanor. She wouldn't give Viasmos the satisfaction of knowing how good he felt, while telling herself that it was just a biological response and beyond her control. It was true, after all, though it only did a little to alleviate her chagrin.
Viasmos pulled her back by her hair and licked her, from the middle of her breasts, up her neck, and off her chin. Elena angrily grunted through her teeth, “I'm not... your fucking... plaything!” This sterling display of determination was only snickered at by Viasmos. “Feel free to prove it,” he said, sucking at her neck. She could only wail in response. To Viasmos, being beyond his control meant beating him in a fight, and as much as Elena might have fantasized about beating him to a pulp, she knew perfectly well by now that such a feat was beyond her. As long as he was in control, he got to decide if she was a plaything or not, and no amount of feigned independence would change that fact.
Viasmos stood up, dropping Elena back while stilled connected to him. She reflexively reached out to hold herself up by her hands, but her fingertips narrowly missed touching the ground, as Viasmos was holding her up by her waist. He went right back to railing her, the tremors through her body growing more intense in this less stable position.
“You know this isn't over after this, right?” he taunted.
Elena gasped. He forced himself on her so casually, like it was so spur of the moment, that she hadn't thought of it like anything more than a one-time humiliation. But given the stories surrounding him... Tifa had disappeared, Yuffie had disappeared, Scarlet had disappeared... They'd had witnesses testify to the rapes of the first and third, and those in the know generally assumed that happened to the Kisaragi woman as well. The question of where they were now was uncertain, but most likely, they were somewhere this man kept them confined.
When he asked that question, everything became so clear to her. She would be the next one to vanish. To be his property.
“Noooo! No! You can't do this!” she screamed in a panic.
“Oh, I sure as hell can!” The pace of his thrusts increased, his excitement at watching her crack thrilling him to the point of losing control. Elena physically couldn't argue, the intense shaking leaving her unable to enunciate more than a high-pitched trill. His length slammed so heavily against her womb time and time again, and as she laid there in a slack-jawed stupor, she could only ask herself... was she going to have to go through this again?
Once was enough. More than enough. But whatever, she was a Turk. Missions came with danger, and as a female, she was prepared for that danger. But even in a scenario like this, where she's captured by some wretched filth who uses her as a sex slave, she'd have her fellow Turks to come to her aid. She'd be rescued, she'd get over it, and she'd be back on the job. But this man... she felt it wouldn't be that simple. It wasn't just a matter of beating him, which was already a tall order. Something told her... wherever he planned to take her, it would be very hard to find.
She reached back, forcing her hands to the ground, desperate for something to use as a weapon. Given that this was originally a garden, and one that had been reduced to ash no less, there was very little hope of that. But she did manage to find a small rock that had survived Viasmos's destructive aura, and she hurled it at his head. It felt good to do that, at least, but it wasn't very effective. The rock cracked open against his head, insufficient to do so much as slow down his aggressive hips.
Shit! Shit! I can't let him abduct me like the others!
She could tolerate just being angry and letting it happen before, but now that she understood what was really in store for her, she couldn't be complacent. Something, anything to slow him down even a little bit was something she had to take advantage of. Suddenly, Viasmos stopped thrusting and released her. She slid off his dick and thudded against the ground. She immediately turned around and tried to crawl away, but she couldn't lift herself to a run before he grabbed her hips and plunged inside her once again.
“Damn it! Stop! Stop it! Get off of me, you bastard!” She threw her hand back against his chest in a fruitless bid to push him off, but all she felt was the difference in their strength. The unyielding texture of his muscled chest and the consistent tempo of his savage thrusts said all they needed about how inferior she was. Her arm fell limply to the ground, and with no ideas for how to fight back, she just stayed on all fours and took it. Her anger wasn't just directed at him anymore, but also directed at herself. In the end, she was just a powerless bitch.
“Oh? Relaxing, are we? Ready to accept your fate as my slave?”
“Shut up!” she yelled back. “I haven't accepted anything. I just... don't know what to do!”
“Hehehe, well that's just the thing. There's nothing you can do. Nothing but take it like the pitiful bitch you are. Hate it, fight it, protest all you like – it won't change the fact that you're going to be all mine.”
His words struck deep into her heart, because she knew them to be true. Her weakness had been made all too obvious, and as she took one violent jab after another, she couldn't deny the dominance he held over her. She felt a chill run down her spine as she felt Viasmos grip her neck from behind, pulling her head up. Would he snap her neck or strangle her? No, he wouldn't. He'd been very clear before, that was a line he wouldn't cross. Still, just the sense that he could do that, that he could snuff the life from her in an instant if he so chose, filled her with an instinctive dread. She was a woman who took great pride in her status as a Turk, but she could hardly claim to feel like a Turk right now. It felt more like she was just another female, being taught her place.
Emotionally, she still had the drive to keep fighting, to go against the odds and find a way out of this. But with that rugged hand around her neck and that surging cock plowing into her from behind, she was frozen stiff. She couldn't bring herself to move, or even think. It felt like her psyche was sinking into an abyss, distancing itself through any means necessary from the traumatic assault she was enduring. Her fire raged on, but only in a deep, secluded cavern where nobody could see. And what use was a fire if there was nobody around to feel its heat?
She was startled to alertness by the smacking of her ass by her rapist's free hand. He had a good sense for when his victims were getting out of it, and he never liked that. It was only natural that women should experience their rapes with full awareness. The sharp sting against her plump flesh was sufficient to break her out of her daze, though she remained helplessly held in place by the male who had claimed her.
There was some hopeful news, though she wasn't aware of it. Tseng had finally rigged enough wires and chips together to get his phone operating, and he immediately sent out the order: bring everything you have. An all-out hail mary to take down this repulsive bastard. The bad news was that Viasmos was pretty much ready to christen his new slave – and not with holy water.
“Well babe, I think it's about time we end this. Get ready to take my cum!”
She was ready for this. She knew rapists, who obviously weren't the biggest advocates of female autonomy in the first place, had the option of planting their seeds in their victims. It was an option plenty of them took, and it was something she had to be prepared for in cases like these. At the start of this, before she realized the depths of his intentions, she had already figured that in the worst-case scenario of her getting pregnant, she could just get an abortion. Not fun, but nothing she wouldn't get over.
Yet, as she heard those words, she couldn't help but shiver in his grip. It was one thing to imagine this scenario logically, and another to actually feel the experience. Whether he impregnated her or not was a separate issue from what she was feeling right now. The thing eating away at her was this pervasive sense of wrongness. A man she didn't want and didn't like was going to pour his seed into her, an act meant to be reserved for only the deepest intimacy. Every feminine bone in her body was screaming at her: this is wrong!
“Shit! Shit! Fucking shit!”
That was all she could muster, her bitter resentment doing little to compel her against the confines of his herculean grip. In the end, she was just too weak to do anything about it, and too self-aware to pretend otherwise. She could only groan pathetically as Viasmos took one final plunge, hosing her insides with his essence. He finally let go of her neck, and her upper body plopped to the ground, still shaken by the brutal truth of having absorbed his seed.
The warlord pulled out with a satisfied smirk on his face. She was a tough girl, certainly, but not as tough as she liked to imagine herself. The poor thing wasn't as ready to confront the cruel reality of rape as she thought. Well, not a problem. She'd have plenty of practice once he took her back to Tharsis.
He walked in front of her and pulled her up by her hair, before shoving his cock in her mouth. The woman was so stupefied that it took a while for her thoughts to catch up with what was happening. What was going on? Wasn't he done with her? Why was his cock back in her mouth? What else was he going to do to her? What could she do? Was there anything she could do? What if he really did kidnap her? How would she cope, day after day after day?
But as she passively went about performing the ceremonial clean-up for Viasmos, she was graciously interrupted when someone came up from behind the warlord. He jammed his baton into his abdomen, prompting Elena back to a cognizant state as she saw the spiky, red hair of her hopeful savior.
“I always keep an extra on hand, you bastard!”
“R-Reno?”
Viasmos turned to look at Reno, whose self-aggrandizing smile was quickly wiped off upon realizing that he'd been completely unaffected. Reno hadn't been conscious to bear witness to his display of power earlier, so he had no idea that Viasmos had taken his foot off the pedal of his weakening magic. The things that appeared effective earlier were hardly noticeable now, and his partiality towards lightning made him especially resistant to Reno's electromagnetic rod. As the Turks' second-in-command looked at his face, he didn't even appear frustrated. Just nonplussed as if a bird flew by and only briefly captured his attention. The Tharsian turned back to Elena, not even gracing Reno with a word.
“Alright sweetie, back to it.” He grabbed her head and shoved his dick back inside her, her mortified squeals making for a much nicer soundtrack than the dazed and confused silence from before.
“Why you little-” Reno continued smacking at Viasmos with his baton, and the warlord was doing nothing to prevent him. The legs, the head, it didn't matter, his body was as still as a statue. It wasn't enough to even warrant a counter. Realizing this wasn't going anywhere, Reno tried to go around and pull at Elena's legs, but this prompted an actual response from Viasmos. He didn't manage to even grab her before Viasmos sent forth a powerful gust of wind, knocking him way back across the river and into the rocky wall surrounding the garden.
“Sheesh, learn when to give up, why don't ya'?” he muttered to a stuffed Elena, looking down at her with a smile. “I tell ya', some guys just don't know when they're not wanted around, know what I mean?”
Elena refused to believe he was that oblivious. This bastard was mocking her, toying with her. She was grateful for Reno's effort, but it still left her in the same helpless place as before. Time was running out... was she really going to be captured by this brute? Become his sex slave? It was too awful to imagine.
Then, as he pulled his freshly-cleaned cock from her mouth, a swarming armada darkened the skies. Shinra's forces had arrived. Airships, carrier ships, battleships, armed with bullets, cannons, mechs and the like. Hundreds of them were littered through the air, carrying what must be thousands of Shinra troops – and it was all in the name of stopping a single man.
“Elena!”
She turned to Tseng, now running after her. He just had to get her away from Viasmos, and then the full force and fury of Shinra's might could be safely leveled against him. Elena reached out with her hand, as if begging him to save her. But Tseng didn't even make it to the river before running into an invisible wall. Viasmos had grabbed Elena's arm, and looked unamusedly at Tseng.
“Man... is that it?” he asked, turning his attention to the littered sky. “This was what all that work got you?”
Tseng knew this was a desperate gamble. He knew this man was capable of great magic, which was why he'd resisted this try before. But all that said, he never imagined that Viasmos, as powerful as he clearly was, would scoff at such a monumental sight.
“I thought I made myself clear earlier, but I guess another demonstration is in order.” Elena watched in horror as his aura coalesced along his arm. His aura wasn't leaking out as strongly as before, but she could somehow sense that this was more... condensed. She could feel the ground vibrating under Viasmos, the planet itself seeming to retaliate against the threat it felt emanating from him. The warlord looked thrillingly at the insignificant fleets sent to him, not for the fun of the fight, but for the joy of getting to show off his power.
“Looks like I'll have to show you who you're really dealing with!”
He sprang his arm forward at the approaching armada, and a vicious torrent of scarlet-black lightning roared across the sky. No longer casting innumerable shadows from above Midgar, the ships now lit up the sky like countless suns, exploding in an endless array across the sectors. All the Turks – even the largely-immobile Rude – could only watch agape, scarcely able to believe the sight they were seeing. A massive percentage of Shinra's army mobilized in the skies of Midgar, only to be taken out in an instant. By a single man.
I was right the first time! I never should have provoked him this far!
Tseng scorned himself for his mistake. He was so driven to save Elena, anything was worth the risk in his mind. But this? How many people did they just lose? How many assets? How much debris was raining on the city this very instant? What would this do to Shinra's reputation? Every objective he should have had in mind as a Turk had been completely ignored by him... he just wanted to protect his subordinates.
Elena went limp, staring terrified at the violent spectacle. This hit home in a way it hadn't before – they never had a chance. The fight was over the second they stepped down the stairs and confronted him. If only they had just... let him be.
“Well, guess that does it for them,” said a jovial Viasmos. Elena wasn't sure what terrified her more: his outlandish power, or his complete lack of remorse from having killed so many. No, remorse wasn't even the right word. It was more like it didn't affect him at all. He had a casual air about him that seemed impossibly detached from the chaos and death he'd just caused. No hatred, no relief, no cause, only the glib enjoyment of violence this man seemed to constantly embody. She definitely wanted to know how he was so powerful, but clawing even deeper at her mind was how a man who was emotionally uninvested could be compelled to such drastic mayhem?
A bluish-white portal appeared behind Viasmos as he grabbed her arm. “Alright, we're going.”
“Wait, wha-” was all she got out before being pulled across, gone from this world forever. It was such an unceremonious conclusion, Tseng could hardly believe it with his own eyes. It was as if she'd just blipped out of existence. No last-ditch escape efforts, no desperate chases, no heartfelt pleas... she was just gone. What would he have said if he knew? He wasn't sure. It was all too much to process right now. He could only drop to his knees in sheer incredulity.
Elmyra stepped out of her house, which thankfully had not taken an overwhelming amount of damage throughout this whole ordeal. She was quaking in shock from what she'd seen take place outside. Elmyra was not so fragile a woman, but a monstrous terror like that was enough to make anyone tremble in fear. Still, she found the nerve to go out, because she knew those injured boys needed help.
Tseng thought back to Rufus's order. Come back alive, he'd said. They would, indeed, fulfill that order. They would be alive.
But they would not be whole.
Cloud and Aerith had seen a tremendous red flash in the distance, but weren't close enough to see what had actually happened. Aerith only knew something terrible had happened, overcome by a burgeoning disturbance – as if thousands of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. Now that they were in Midgar, it was a disaster. Countless pillars of smoke rose across half the sectors, a level of damage so widespread that it made their Avalanche bombings pale in comparison. They rushed to where Aerith's mom lived, where they found the Turks still on scene, though terribly injured. Shinra forces were on the scene, treating them and investigating.
But none of that was what captured Aerith's attention. Aerith was dismayed at the state of her home. “The garden...” she muttered to Cloud. Not a flower remained in the once-beautiful clearing. “It's become a graveyard...” She squatted to the ground and grabbed a handful of ash, the last remnants of her beloved flowers. “No, worse... a crematorium...”
Cloud wasn't sure what to say, when Elmyra came running over to hug Aerith.
“M-mother?”
“Oh Aerith, it was terrible! I didn't think anything could be more terrifying than what I witnessed from Meteor, but this-!”
She cried in Aerith's arms, relieved to see she was okay, when Reno limped over.
“Reno?” Cloud called out. “What happened here?”
“Stay away.”
“...What?”
Reno looked him dead in the eyes, with a look shockingly serious for the normally cavalier Turk. “Stay. Far. Away. I'm sorry about your friends, but... if you know what's good for you – and good for Aerith – you'll find somewhere to hide, and never leave there.”
Clearly, they'd come across the man who'd kidnapped Tifa, and possibly Yuffie. Looking around, he realized he spotted 3 of the 4 suits in the vicinity. Where was Elena? Elsewhere, helping with the chaos strewn across Midgar? It was possible, and made sense... but one look at Reno's eyes told him the underlying truth.
I see... so she also...
He placed a hand on Reno's shoulder and stared back at him firmly. “Start from the beginning. Tell me everything that happened.”
“Well... this is awkward.”
That was how Elena felt upon being faced with the other ladies of her world. She'd directly fought with Tifa and Yuffie on more than one occasion. Scarlet wasn't present, but that wouldn't have made a difference. She and Scarlet had definitely been on the same side at one point, but they were far from close, and didn't particularly like each other at all. Far from being met with a sense of familiarity to calm her in this trying time, she instead felt the uneasiness of being around someone you have a messy history with.
Yuffie turned to Tifa and whispered, “Well, I'm glad it's not Aerith.”
“I'm not so gleeful,” Elena replied, overhearing the ninja. Yuffie rubbed the back of her head as if to apologize for the embarrassing moment, though the words didn't quite reach her lips.
“Ah... it seems I've erred,” Chlorida observed. “I was told a woman close to you two would be coming, and I hoped this would soothe you in a no-doubt stressful time. It seems a change was made without my knowing. My apologies, Ms. Elena.”
Elena didn't feel especially hostile towards Chlorida in that moment, and to be honest, that bothered her. The man who'd raped her had flippantly passed her over to this woman – notably without explaining who she actually was – who was apparently in charge of watching over the other slave girls. Elena felt like she should hate her, and she did initially. But in spite of the flat tone with which she spoke, as if she hadn't a care in the world, she sensed genuine remorse for the confusing mix-up. It had, at least, been an honest attempt at raising her spirits. She was clearly a far cry from her father, who hadn't shown the slightest care for her feelings.
“It's fine. It's not like I have any reason to pick a fight with these girls. Not anymore, at least.”
Tifa lowered her head. “I, uh... I hope we can get along together!”
Elena had to stop from scowling at what she was seeing. She knew Tifa was just being nice, but... was that really the same Tifa? This meek, cutesy creature who showed no shame towards her enslavement? Where was the headstrong woman who could kick a cannon off a mech?
Was that the future that awaited her?
As Elena was escorted to her cell, she was determined that it would not be. She didn't know what this place would be like. She'd only experienced a single assault, she could only speculate about the emotional terrors that would come with sustained, systematic rape over the course of months, and even years. But a Turk always carried out their mission, and right now, her only mission in here was to survive.
“I won't lose...” she mumbled to herself.
Chlorida turned to her, only a subtle hint of confusion on her face. She was clearly not a woman of vivid expressions – Elena couldn't help but be reminded of Rude.
“Is something the matter?”
“Besides the obvious? No. Just talking to myself,” she explained. “I'm a Turk. I won't lose... I won't...”
The Tharsian woman seemed to be studying her, though her face did not contort even the slightest. “I see. Do what you must,” she replied. “Everyone has their own ways of dealing with this, and everyone has support to fall back on. I'm not saying this won't be dreadful... but we'll make it as easy as we possibly can for you.”
…I really wish I could hate her...
Yes, this place was certain to be hell. A prison within a prison, this world being completely secluded from those who might dream of rescuing her. Elena had to confess, she felt less confidence than ever about ever being free of this bondage. But in her mind, that only made her resolve all the more important. Viasmos won her body, she couldn't refute that, but he wouldn't win more than that. Her mind and heart would stay her own, for if she let this man change that about her, that would be how he truly won. Slave or not, it didn't change a thing. She was a goddamn Turk, and no matter the circumstance, she was going to live like one.
Chapter 14: The Black Wallpaper: Gaiden
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
War had broken out again. A celebratory occasion for Tharsis – or it would have been, if Tharsis had been involved. Filotim had been filling Viasmos in on how Cydonia was taking over the smaller territories in the last non-Tharsian region of the planet, and he could see the color draining from his face as he came to the bitter reality that they weren't likely to turn against Tharsis itself anytime soon.
“Man... that's boring...”
“It would be a surprise if they sought another war so soon after their last defeat. It looks as though this is intended to restore them to their former strength. There was an alliance in the zone over the mutual enemy of Tharsis, but they must have concluded that simply conquering those territories was best. Direct control is the fastest way towards rebuilding their forces.”
“Yeah, can't say I disagree... but it's kinda dull, don't you think? Man, I kinda get what Varosi was talking about now...”
“I don't follow, my lord.”
Viasmos stood up and started pacing around the room in a huff. “Like, the only cultures left are gonna be us and Cydonia! And Cydonia ain't shit these days! There used to be so many fun enemies with so many different approaches towards combat, but they're all gone! Only reason I left those guys alive was to give me something fun to play with every now and then, but now Cydonia's swallowing them up and consolidating their resources! It's so fucking boring! I dunno, you think we should just wipe 'em out and be done with it?”
“...That will be your call, Lord Viasmos.”
“For fuck's sake, I'm asking you! Give me your goddamn opinion!”
Filotim had expected the news to upset Viasmos, but he didn't expect him to get quite so angry, even snapping at him. Even after all their time together, he still struggled to get in his lord's mindset. “Very well. In my assessment, we should wait and see the fallout before rushing ahead. Cydonia might splinter unexpectedly with so many different people absorbed simultaneously. The project they're aiming for will take some time to see to fruition. I would recommend waiting at least a decade before considering further action, provided they show no aggression during that period of time.”
Viasmos scratched his head bitterly as he contemplated. What Filotim said made sense, though he really wanted to let off some steam and blow something up. “Well, whatever, I suppose we can do that. I don't know, I guess I'm just longing for the old days. Constant war with proper adversaries, that was the fucking life! But I was too strong, ended it all too quickly. Save for my fight with Varosi, I haven't been able to satisfy that itch in over a century.”
“Well, I certainly understand how you feel.” Filotim had been there too in those days. The thrill of conquest that came with the heart-pounding knowledge that you could die yourself at any given moment. These days, the world was safe – by the very loose Tharsian sense of the word. One could get complacent without being punished, as there was fundamentally nothing to punish them for it. “On the other hand, you do have fights in other worlds.”
“It ain't the same, man! Like, they're fun and all, but I don't ever get to let loose like the old days! My last trip out, I blew up several hundred airships coming for me, enough to douse half the city.”
“That's it?”
“Right!? That's what I'm saying! There are whole landscapes on Ares molded by the force of my power, but shit like that is about as far as I get to go. Every now and then I'll get a few decently tough opponents, but that steady stream of foes who could genuinely challenge my dominance, yeah, that's probably gone for good. Heh, well, at least until...”
Viasmos popped his eyebrows at Filotim with glee, expecting him to know what he was talking about, but he wasn't catching on. “Until what, my lord?”
“...Untiiiiiiilllll... my third-born gets the guts to face me.”
Filotim frowned. His lord often had a glib attitude about these things, something much to his chagrin, if somewhat endearing. But if he could talk Viasmos out of one thing, it would be enabling his son, Aktinovo. Since he was a boy, his presence kept Filotim constantly on edge. He was so obviously dangerous, a threat to everything they'd built with the Tharsian Empire, but Viasmos didn't seem to care. Or rather, he seemed to be looking forward to the mayhem that would surely ensue. Was it just for the fun of a good fight? Even a fellow lover of battle like Filotim understood it as too much of a risk. Frankly, he thought mating with the aberration in the first place was on the level of insanity.
“...I don't look forward to that day in the slightest, I must confess.”
“Oooohhh, c'mon, buddy! Just think about it! It'll be a blast! Why, I'll bet he-”
Suddenly, the phone rang. Viasmos was rarely called, as people understood that matters of the state were best directed towards Filotim. This was most likely one of his kids, and likely still to be Chlorida.
“Yo, hello. What's up, princess? - Ahahahaha, I just wanted to hear your reaction. But seriously, what's up?”
Filotim wasn't one to eavesdrop, pacing around the room absent-mindedly and giving his lord the chance to speak with his daughter. But when his mood took a sudden turn for the worse, he couldn't quite help but listen in.
“Oh fuck my face, again with this shit?”
“Sorry, father. We've yet to develop a countermeasure.”
“Ugh, not your fault. Just the way it is. We'll get on it.”
“We?” she asked, before Viasmos hung up the phone.
“Come with me for a second, will you, Filotim? I need a man of your talents.”
“Certainly. But what's this about?”
“Just a pet who's broken from her leash.”
Solution was cautious as she weaved through the city. Despite the size of the city, Tharsians didn't spend all that much time out and about, so there were more openings with which she could travel than she might've guessed. The fact that her body was watery and able to hide within inconspicuous cracks and shadows certainly helped matters – though it would no doubt be suspicious if someone caught sight of a sentient mass of fluid.
She estimated she was about a third of the way through until she reached the outer walls, at which point she just had to make a break for it. This was the furthest she'd gotten yet, thanks to the lessons she'd learned from her failures. She still had a long way to go, but she had to believe in her ability, for she was a creation of a Supreme Being. Once she was free, she hoped to find some way to travel back to her world, where she could go back to serving Lord Ainz. But if that wasn't possible, that would also do just fine. She was fine being on her lonesome, waiting for Lord Ainz to take vengeance upon this pathetic, self-assured human. She'd rather go hungry and bored out in the wasteland than be that fucker's plaything. Every time he touched her, used her... it was an assault against the Supreme Ones themselves. An unforgivable transgression, and one she must endure any hardship to oppose.
As a half-dozen Tharsians moved about the sandy intersection, another opening revealed itself. She quickly tumbled along the ground, rushing to a small building she thought would make for good cover. Halfway there, however, a man suddenly appeared before her, floating perpendicular to the ground a couple meters above her.
He shouted, “I believe I've found her, my lord.” Solution had no idea where he came from or how she missed him, but she didn't have time to worry about that kind of thing. She instinctively went on the attack, reverting her head back to its human shape as a watery appendage flew out. This was a man she recognized: Filotim, Viasmos's closest aide, and also one of the many bastards who'd disgraced her by using her body. Even if she didn't need to escape, she would have been plenty motivated to kill him.
But her attack never landed. Filotim pulled out a dark blade from one of the sheaths at his waist, which instantly cut through her. Liquid substances were generally hard to cut so cleanly, and particularly her body since it could reform itself, but somehow he did it. She felt an intuitive severance as her slimy tips were sliced off, and she wondered if this was how humans felt when they lost their fingers. She hadn't the time to launch another attack before a familiar binding sensation washed over her – Viasmos had arrived.
“Thanks, buddy. Knew your aura would be useful for this.”
Viasmos pressed his fingertips against the slimy mass that was Solution's body, and she felt his magic course through her. It was far from the first time she'd experienced this, but it didn't get any easier. It felt so strange as the matrix of her cells distorted and fixed themselves, even if they were only reverting herself to the bipedal form she preferred. She was left sprawled on the vermilion ground, naked as the day she was born – or so one might say if she hadn't actually been born in maid clothes.
Viasmos grumbled nonsensically as he looked at the piece of her Filotim had cut off earlier, which remained in the form of slime. Her current body, as it happened, was missing about a quarter of her hand. “Stupid bitch!” he yelled, stomping his boot on her face. “Now I'm gonna have to heal you too!”
She glared fiercely at him, in spite of the pressure on her face. She hardly cared if he felt inconvenienced, even if it did come at the expense of her hand. She'd gladly bisect herself if it meant pissing him off.
“I don't understand,” Filotim interrupted. “She's collared like the rest, isn't she? How does this keep happening?”
“Eh... it doesn't work that way. Not for this.”
What Viasmos was referencing was the fact that Solution was a slime. This wasn't some magical power she had, it was a fact of her race. The collars were effective at sealing the use of magic, and they could even reduce one's physical strength, but one thing they definitely did not do was change their species. Just as the asari didn't turn human, or the tamaranean didn't turn human, Solution wasn't going to turn human.
Usually, this system worked fine for non-humans, because it didn't really make a difference. But in Solution's case, once the magic that kept her in this shape weakened or wore off, she could change her shape to slip out of the collar and go on her merry way. One of the most daunting tasks for any slave thinking they could escape the city was the fact that Viasmos was connected to the collars, and could sense their general location at any given time. Since Solution could leave her collar behind in her cell, it took them a while to notice when she'd escaped, and it took a frustrating level of effort to locate her.
“Ah, I see. It's a biological trait then?” Filotim surmised.
“Yeah, exactly. I can't just keep her in this body forever.”
“Hmph! If I'm such a pain, bring me back to my world! Because I'll sooner die than behave for a miserable human like you!”
Viasmos groaned at Filotim and cocked his thumb at her. “See what I gotta deal with?”
“Why not just turn her human?” Filotim posited, a suggestion that made Solution's heart stop. Surely, that would be impossible, right? A meager human couldn't overwrite the divine will of the Supreme Beings, could he? If such a thing happened, and she was forced to live in a body different from what the Supreme Beings gifted to her, then she would truly be a failure to them. An empty shell sardonically imitating the perfect form she'd once been graced with. There was no horror worse than that she could imagine.
“C'mon man, you know how I feel about that shit... What was the point in catching her if I'm just gonna change her body anyway?"
“You did that with the priestess woman, no?”
“Well yeah, cuz' she was literally dead. Didn't have a lot of options unless I wanted to stick my dick in a big-ass pile of porcelain. My hand isn't really forced here, it's just a matter of convenience.”
Solution blew a sigh of relief, confident from that exchange that Viasmos would refrain from such desperate measures. This did not go unnoticed by Viasmos, who whipped back and gave her a smack across the cheek.
“What? You think I don't have anything else up my sleeve? Think a couple good hits is all I'll do if you keep trying my patience like this? Huh!?”
She said nothing, only continued to glare at him. She wasn't interested in arguing with this man whom she held in such contempt, only continuing to make her revulsion known. Viasmos sighed, frustrated that the girl didn't seem to know what she was getting into.
“I tell ya', I don't know what it is about you girls and that Ainz guy. I get loyalty, but man, it's like we're living in different worlds. Heh, well... I guess we kind of are. You're a real tough nut though, aren't you? I mean, even that Lupusregina chick got it after a while and dipped into her role. But you? Ridiculously obstinate! And I don't mind that, usually! I like a lady with some moxie and persistence. But this shit? Well, it's just a fucking bother.”
He roughly pinched her cheeks and brought his face to within a couple inches of hers, meeting her glare with a fearsome stare of his own. “Last chance. Pull this shit one more time, and I'll make you suffer more than you thought possible. It's not how I like to treat my women, but you're really testing my patience. So in my infinite generosity, I'm giving you this warning. Understand? One. More. Fucking. Time.”
Solution again said nothing, viewing Viasmos as profoundly beneath her, and unworthy of being spoken to as an equal, let alone a superior. Still, she at least understood that he was more powerful than her, and that it would probably take the Floor Guardians, or even Lord Ainz himself to take him down. So she did not resist further, knowing she could only bide her time. Viasmos wore a skeptical expression, not particularly convinced that the woman had taken his warnings to heart. Well, it was out of his hands from here. He'd given her an escape rope, but he couldn't make her take it. If she chose to continue testing him, then what would be, would be.
Lupusregina was enjoying a bite to eat in the lounge. The girls originally used to eat in their cells, and still did if they so chose. But after the vault reached a certain level of occupancy, Chlorida started opening the cells during fixed meal times so they could socialize. As long as nobody made a break for it, it wasn't a problem. But while the cells were quite luxurious, far more than what a sex slave would be inclined to expect, they weren't built with more than one person in mind. Consequently, Chlorida gave them permission to use one of the lounge rooms. There were far fewer workers at this vault compared to the other one, so it was fine. Most of those rooms remained vacant throughout the day anyway.
What surprised Lupusregina was being joined by her sister in the Pleiades Maids, Solution. She usually spent this time alone in her cell, machinating on ways to escape. The busty blonde sat down with a sour expression on her face, a fair contrast from Lupusregina's cheery demeanor as she bit into something that resembled a burger.
“Ooh, Solution! I'm so happy you're finally joining us! Here, wanna bite?”
“No,” she answered with a disgusted scowl on her face. “I already ate... but if you offered me a taste of a Tharsian or two, I'd happily take you up on that.”
“Hehehe, don't think they have that on the menu. This arkouda stuff is pretty good, though! It's not as tasty as what we had in Nazarick, but it's not bad!”
She took a hearty bite and chewed enthusiastically before a judgmental Solution. “Honestly, how can you stand it? You're so... acclimated. Don't you want to break out of here?”
Lupusregina gulped down the remainder of her bite before answering. “I mean, of course I do! I can't wait to go back to Lord Ainz's side, of course. But what am I gonna do?”
“You could try and escape like I have.”
“Hehe, I can't do what you do, though. I mean, even if I could...”
Solution arched an eyebrow at that. She couldn't understand what could possibly be giving her pause. “If you could, why wouldn't you?”
“Hmm, well, I'm sure I would have when I first came here, if I could slip out of this collar like that. But now? Eh, I think I've learned enough to realize that's just not going to go anywhere.”
Leaning forward with a frenzied lurch, Solution fiercely rejected that judgment. “That's not true! I'm getting closer and closer! That pathetic human can't do a thing about it, it's only a matter of time before I get past the wall and free myself of this shameful prison!”
This was the first time throughout the conversation Lupusregina had the smile wiped off her face, breaking eye contact with a nervous discomfort. “I... don't think that's a great idea. I know it's terrible to have to serve someone other than Lord Ainz, but... I'm not sure you have the right idea about him if you think he's gonna let it get that far.”
“What are you talking about? You speak as if you're afraid of this paltry human.”
“He's not paltry. C'mon Solution, you faced him yourself, yeah? You know how strong he is. I mean, he's no Supreme Being, of course, but the two of us just aren't a match. I think it's best we stay here and wait patiently until Lord Ainz takes him down.”
“Stay here and wait? Are you kidding? With all these... ick...” Solution clutched at her arms and sneered as she looked around the room. “...humans?”
The smile was back on the lycan's face. “Aw, I think the humans are pretty fun! You should give them a chance! You just might find someone you like besides me here!”
“Hmph, not likely,” she said with a disdainful grunt. True, Lupusregina had always been more receptive towards humans. Solution had only ever looked at them as prey. Being defeated by anyone who opposed Lord Ainz would certainly be a shameful defeat, but it being a human added a whole other layer of humiliation to it. It was like a shark getting itself hogtied by a goldfish. It went against nature itself.
She continued, “Viasmos has made it clear he won't kill us, and so all I must do is endure some physical punishment. He can hit me all he likes, but my will won't break. My loyalty to the Supreme Ones reigns supreme! And the more he uses this magic to fix my body like this, the faster my body is able to break it down. It only took a couple weeks to try my last attempt, and I'll be even faster this time. There's nothing he can do but wait for my persistence to pay off!”
Lupusregina remained skeptical as she finished off her arkouda burger, but she offered her support regardless. “Well... I hope it works out for you. Just be careful, okay? I think you're underestimating Viasmos a little too much. He's not like the humans from our world, y'know? Try and keep that in mind.”
Only one week, that was all it took. She was fresh off getting gangbanged by a group of four Tharsians, and didn't have anyone else scheduled to use her for a couple hours. She would have preferred to make her escape before that tiring ordeal... but on the bright side, she had plenty of time to work with before anyone would notice her missing.
She looked outside her cell to confirm nobody was present – save for the other girls, of course. They would never rat out one of their fellow slaves. It seemed a human could at least be useful through inaction, at least. She laid on her bed and transfigured her body into its truest form, slipping out of her collar as it rocked lightly and quietly against her mattress.
Getting out of the vault was pretty easy at this point. She'd familiarized herself enough with the internal structure to navigate through the pipes. Finding her way down the vault and outside was a simple task now, though it had taken her nearly an hour to figure it out on her first attempt.
She slid her way down to about the second floor, where she knew there was a crack in the wall with which she could plop out onto the ground below. She did just that, confident at having cleared the first hurdle. But there was an unexpected complication... some kind of vegetation beneath her, surrounding the vault. It stood out, as vegetation wasn't really much of a thing on Tharsis. Alas, Solution hadn't the chance to stop herself before she dropped, and when she touched the ground...
Chlorida was in a meeting with some of the vault staff, a routine matter they conducted every couple weeks. Nothing too exciting, but Chlorida wasn't one to get complacent in her duties, and valued the chance to refine where able. Little inefficiencies here and there could get cleaned up just by listening to what the various departments under her had to say about their work experience.
But as a pulse washed over her, she quickly realized she would have to postpone this meeting. “I apologize. We'll have to reschedule. Something's just come up,” she explained, before swiftly exiting the conference room. She went outside and circled around the vault until she came to the location from which she felt this pulse. It was as she expected – the slime girl had made it out yet again, as evidenced by the swollen plant before her. She looked up and squinted before she finally spotted the crack in the wall she'd utilized. It was small, nearly imperceptible, but not too small for a watery being like Solution to slip through.
“Ah, I see. This crack... it must be a remnant from the battle that went unnoticed. I'll have to add it to the repair list,” she said to herself, before looking down at Solution... or the plant that held her, in any case.
It was an idea Chlorida had concocted specifically to counter these repeated escapes by Solution. She created a narrow path of long, thin grass around the complex, perfectly harmless to anyone else. But this grass was special, because this grass had the distinct trait of absorbing heavy amounts of moisture. Those long, thin blades of grass grew fat and succulent upon contacting liquid, and even a thicker liquid like the one that constituted Solution's body was no exception. Solution was effectively like the water in a towel, trapped and waiting to be wrung out.
Chlorida sighed at the dilemma. She'd keep this to herself if she could, but this was repeat behavior that showed no signs of slowing down. At this rate, she just wasn't going to learn until her father set her straight. She loathed the idea of what her father might put her through, but it was better now than later. Solution was going to have to learn what was best for her eventually, so sooner was better.
“I mean, honestly, did you not think we were eventually gonna try some countermeasures?”
Viasmos lambasted Solution for her latest attempt as they descended in an elevator. As usual, she didn't answer him, but her honest answer would be no. She held the humans in such low regard, after all, and she figured a smug bastard like Viasmos wouldn't bother. A mistake, clearly, but not one she couldn't solve for the next time.
She had no idea where they were going. This elevator fell from the lobby, which she'd always assumed was the lowest floor. There was apparently some kind of basement here. Down on the first floor of the basement, they came to hallway with a deadened, industrial feel – even more so than the floor that housed their cells. But there weren't the same cells on this floor, with comfortable amenities and healthy women occupying them. There were just rows and rows of heavy-looking doors, colored like the walls in an institutional gray, lacking in any character beyond small, metal tags at the top-center.
“I had all this built, just in case I needed 'em,” he explained to a still-silent Solution. “First time I've ever had to use them, though. Well, first time for everything and all that.”
If she weren't so dead-set on not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction, she would have haughtily challenged him. Just what lay behind these doors? Some kind of torture device? Something he expected would “break” her? She could hardly keep from laughing out loud. As if something so insignificant would shake her resolve.
They stepped before the first door on their left, the tag at the top reading “-101”. Presumably the room number, using negatives to denote its being on a basement floor. As he opened the thick, heavy door, she half-expected him to make some grandiose speech about how she'd learn her lesson after this – something to try and intimidate her. But no such speeches were offered, with Viasmos simply saying, “Well, see ya' when I see ya'” and shoving her forward. She fell on her side and looked up as he shut the door on her, sealing away her last vestiges of light.
Total and complete darkness. That's all she could see. Even the light from the hallway couldn't bleed from underneath the door. She couldn't tell how large this room was, if anything else was inside it, or any other kind of detail. Just an infinite abyss in her every direction.
The whole thing made her laugh. Was this it? Did he think she would be scared of the dark? Pitiful humans and their primal fears. In any case, it wouldn't matter. The fool took her straight from Chlorida's hand to this place, neglecting to grab her collar and reattach it. She still had all her powers at her disposal, which meant it was time for yet another escape attempt.
The obvious first try was to slip under the door, but she quickly found that even her slime body couldn't squeeze under it. Blocking light was one thing, but the door couldn't possibly be watertight if Viasmos was able to swing it open like he did. There needed to be some air between the door and the floor. Most likely, this was accomplished with magic. A setback, but nothing to worry about. She would explore the remainder of this room, and see if there were any vents, abscesses, or any other time of opening she might be able to take advantage of.
Again, however, this attempt ended in failure. The walls were frighteningly smooth, to the point that even someone without Solution's unique anatomy would easily be able to perceive the slightest indentation if there was one. How did this place get air if there was no vent? She was certain he didn't intend for her to suffocate, so again, it could likely be attributed to magic.
Hmph, looks like I'm stuck here for the time being. No matter, I'll wait to see what he has in store for me.
And so she waited. And waited. And waited. She fully anticipated Viasmos to come back with something to torture her with, but as hours passed, nothing came. Nothing but this boundless darkness. As the time passed, Solution became aware that it wasn't just sight she lacked. There was no sound except her own, for nobody came down here. She knew it wasn't a matter of soundproofing – a slime's primary sense was not sight or sound, but motion detection. She could feel vibrations from within 100 meters, but there was nothing. All the activity was far above ground, beyond her range. There was nothing in this floor... nothing but her.
Initially, the staticity of her environment was merely dull, but now it was getting... disconcerting. It was a sense Solution had never experienced before: This sense of absolute aloneness. Nowhere for her to go, nothing for her to interact with, just trapped in a featureless room, completely insulated from everything else outside. Mildly disturbing, admittedly, but merely a microcosm of her experience here in Tharsis. She'd been insulated from all she cared about, all she was devoted to from the moment she'd been dragged into this world. Lupusregina was the only point of interest here on this side, but she was a poor substitute for the pride she felt in serving Ainz Ooal Gown. In that sense, this Room -101 could be seen as merely a more literal version of that very same trial.
If his plan is to bore me to death, it won't work! He underestimates me greatly...
More hours passed, and fatigue took its toll. She had more stamina than the average human, yes, but days on Ares were long. Even she had to sleep eventually, and she found that her circadian rhythm was fairly comparable to the humans of this world. She cracked a minor smirk as she felt her eyelids grow heavy, satisfied that she had easily lasted the first day of her punishment.
VVVRRZZRRZZRRZZTT!
She bolted up in alarm as a roaring, metallic sound pierced through the veil of silence, to which she'd become most accustomed. It was like someone running an electric current through a french horn blaring in her ear. Her head swiveled rapidly on her neck as she tried to find the source of this sound, but of course, there was nobody here... or rather, even if there was, she couldn't see it.
Her plans for sleep interrupted, she continued to try and get a feel for this room she was trapped in. She wanted to at least make an educated guess at the dimensions she had to work with. Her findings revealed the room to be almost eerily square... there was a harmonious perfection to it that felt unnatural. About ten meters long, ten meters wide, and ten meters wide, as if it had been personally designed by someone with severe OCD. It was actually even more spacious, albeit less stimulating, than their regular cells. A curious choice, she felt, for somewhere she was supposedly being punished.
She paced around the room in her slime form, pressing against the walls while getting herself familiarized with the space. She didn't want to bang into any walls in her time here, after all. She did so again in her human form, grazing her hand along the wall as she tried to feel out when to turn. It impressed her how seamlessly the door fit along the walls... even feeling it out, she couldn't find it anymore! She knew where it was before, because she'd been facing it when Viasmos closed it. But after so many hours in this place, she'd been disoriented from where that door had actually been, and it didn't seem she would be able to reset. It really was as if she was trapped inside of a black cube.
Having thoroughly explored the lacking space, it was time to rest. The cold, hard surface made for a poor bed, but it wasn't as if she had anything better to do. Sleep was the perfect way to make the time pass.
VVVRRZZRRZZRRZZTT!
Once again, an abrasive noise stormed into her head and hurried her wakefulness. It couldn't be a coincidence... this was magic yet again, and it reacted to her attempts at sleep. So that was part of it, huh? He wasn't going to let her rest. Solution growled at the image of Viasmos she concocted in her head, forced to confess some genuine irritation at this point. Still, she was a Predator Slime, and more importantly, a servant of the Supreme One. Even this would not break her, merely vex her. She'd survive this... she had to. She wouldn't let this shatter her conviction.
She laid out with her limbs spread and stared above with wide-open eyes at the infinite blackness. The days on Ares were long. Oh so long.
Solution reacted with a rather surprising positivity to the latest sensation she felt: Hunger. Her inability to sleep had completely unraveled her sense of time, and she had no idea how long she'd spent in this place. But if she was feeling hungry, she could hazard a reasonable guess. While she generally ate more for pleasure than for need, she knew she could go about ten days before the drive to feast struck her. Adapting to the length of Aresian days, she'd likely been in here for somewhere in the range of 3-4 days, no more than 5.
Hundreds of hours spent in this place, and without so much as a morsel. She had expected they would feed her, at least, as Viasmos surely wouldn't allow his slave to starve. But no, he clearly would, at least up to the point that she wouldn't die. That, she told herself, was his weakness. No matter what threat he made, there would always be a limit, a line he wouldn't cross. She need only persist through the worst of it, and she would win. Yes, persistence was the key. As long she stayed resolute, he would eventually hit a wall.
Still, if she was being honest with herself, it wasn't food she most desired right now. It wasn't even sleep. It was a single sign that there was someone else in the universe with her. Solution was surprised herself, holding humans in such low esteem. The idea of being elated by their presence is something she would never have imagined for herself. But this place, the sense of infinite solitude it instilled in her, had become deeply unsettling.
What if none of this was real? The memories seemed so vivid, the sensations so real, yet all of that seemed to collapse in the confines of this boundless black. Perhaps this was the dream of a dying maiden... yes, wouldn't that be nice? None of this humiliation was real. She died in service to Lord Ainz, and this nightmare was simply her way of punishing herself for not being of even greater service to His Majesty. Of course, that had to be it! As she convinced herself of this, she began to see Lord Ainz's eminent form before her – the first thing she'd seen for days. And it wasn't just him, but the other Supreme Beings who were lost. Her creator, Herohero, was immediately beside Lord Ainz. Then there was Touch Me, Ulbert Alain Odle, Tabula Smaragdina, Nishikienrai, Warrior Takemikazuchi, Variable Talisman... yes, all forty-one Supreme Beings were standing before her. It was a sight she feared she'd never see again, with Lord Ainz being the only one still with them. Yes, if this was the dying dream of a failed battle maid, then she could only be grateful to be gifted such a vision before the end. She reached out with a zealous smile as she stepped forward, her feverish devotion to her masters driving what she believed to be her final moments.
THUNK!
Solution crashed into something. It was the wall, of course. The Supreme Beings were gone, the expansive darkness returning. Of course, that's all it was. All it could be. It was all there had ever been in this place. She looked down at her hands, though she could not actually see them. They were trembling as she came to realize that had all been a hallucination. Was this place really driving her so insane? Was she that weak, after all?
She steadies her nerves and reached out, lightly pressing her fingertips against the wall. She then began pacing around the wall, reorienting her sense of spatial awareness. Why not? There was little else to do in here.
Pacing, pacing, pacing, more pacing. She'd been doing a lot of it lately. It felt necessary to keep her sane. It was the only sense of stimulus she had in this place, the only way to remind her what was real. Every time she stopped, she found herself hallucinating again. By itself, it wasn't so bad. Pretending to have something to see, to hear, to be around gave her much comfort. But when it faded, the reality of everything came back. The weakness, the exhaustion, of course, the darkness...
It wasn't real. That was the important thing. To slip into a delightful fantasy as a coping mechanism was a weakness reserved for humans. No sleep, no food, no anything, it was surely enough to drive a meager human mad, but not her. It was imperative that she remained alert and rational, for even in here, it was necessary to maximally serve the Great Tomb. If that meant mindlessly walking in circles, so be it.
How many days had it been?
No, it didn't matter. Time was immaterial at this point – she knew herself how implausible it would be to figure out. Surviving one second to the next was all that mattered. The here and now. She had to keep moving, keep touching the wall, keep reminding herself where she was and what this was.
She swished around in her slime form, regularly switching between her slime and human shapes when doing this. At one point, she tried using her slime form to see if she could erode into the wall. If she could shape a groove into the wall, give her a chance to escape this hell, as it would prove the wall was something she could manipulate. Yet, it didn't seem to happen, no matter how roughly she hugged the wall and dragged herself against it. It was possibly a material resistant to that kind of thing, as there were plenty of unique elements in this world. More likely, however, it was just magic again. Something to ensure these walls stayed perfectly smooth, no matter how one tried to scrape at it. The only way to break such a wall would be to have more magic power than the magic protecting it, and loathe as she was to admit it, she didn't meet that standard.
So there was no longer much point in transforming into slime. At this point, she only did it for the change of pace. Change of any kind was good here. Something different to distract herself with. She was, herself, the only form of stimulation available to her. The thuds her feet made, the touch of cold stone against her hands, and yes, the change in her body's composition. These were the only things she had to combat against this deathly boredom. It wasn't just a matter of having nothing to do... it was needing something to do. As if the moment she stopped, it would welcome the darkness to swallow her, suffocating the aching remnants of her sanity.
Suddenly, a new sensation struck her, and that baffled her. Since the omnipresent pain of hunger had struck her, there hadn't been anything new. Her hunger had gotten worse, her fatigue had gotten worse, but it didn't fundamentally change. This was a new experience, and although it was quite painful, she couldn't help but feel excited. There was finally something new for her to focus on.
It was a heated sensation, against her right shoulder. The more she paced, the hotter it got, the fiercer the burn. Where was that coming from? She'd been pacing forever, and this was her first time feeling something like this. Was it possibly another hallucination, but tactile? That would be concerning. Still, she just had to-
Wait, shoulder?
Solution stopped dead in her tracks, and reached to her right side. Her delicate fingers pressed against the chafed, calloused skin of her shoulder. Her strap had come entirely undone, burned through by the friction. But the injury itself wasn't what concerned her. The thing that gripped her in terror was the fact that she was in a human shape right now.
She'd been swishing around as a slime just now, hadn't she? Perhaps a part of her reverted without her meaning to... but no, now that she was consciously thinking about it, she could feel herself. She was in human mold, with a head, arms, legs, and everything else. She was holding herself up on all fours, mere inches from the ground. Then if she hadn't been a slime... had she been doing this? Creeping around in circles, her shoulder roughly dragging against the walls without her realizing? Crawling like a spider, around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around and around?
She sat against the wall and clutched tightly around her legs. How far gone was she? If she was so numb that she couldn't even feel herself... how long until she didn't know herself? How long until the once-proud Pleiades Maid was an empty husk, with no memory of her glorious creators? There was no worse betrayal as a creation of the Supreme Beings, she knew she had to fight it... but what could she do? Her enemy wasn't a person in here. It was the constant. The emptiness. The isolation. Herself.
How many days had it been?
Solution jolted upright, the first movement she'd managed in hours, at the very least. She was too scared to pace again, too afraid of losing herself even further. All she wanted was to secure herself, know she was still here, and so she desperately kept wrapped around her legs, as if she would go flying off the second she let go.
But something had grabbed her attention. Vibration... she felt it. Someone was on this floor. Two people, in fact. She was sure of it. Her motion detection had seen little use lately, but it wasn't broken. If anything, she was especially sensitive to motion with how little of it there had been beyond herself.
Her door opened. For a moment, she feared this was another hallucination. It wasn't impossible, certainly. But no, she was confident this was real. Her hallucinations had always carried a sharp clarity to them, looking almost too real for the conditions she'd been mired in. But her eyes, so unpracticed, could hardly stand the contrast of the light from the doorway ahead of her, clouded only by two hazy silhouettes in the center. This vision was surely authentic, precisely because it was so nebulous.
Solution was a woman known for her haunting smiles, often in the face of her prey before she devoured them. But this might have been her most exaggerated smile yet. She did it. She'd won. It had been rough, rougher than she'd given credit for at the beginning. She was hungry, tired, her sanity was hanging on by a thread, but she'd won all the same. She hadn't broken, her loyalty remained steadfast, and that fucker Viasmos would have to be the one to call it quits.
She tried to lift herself to a stand, but found her legs were too weak for that. She instead crawled forward, and attempted to scream the trash-talk that Viasmos deserved.
“Aaahh yoooeeuuuuppp t-t-tuuuurrrrmmmllllggghhh.”
It was not especially effective trash-talk. Solution hadn't spoken aloud this whole time, and with her exhausted mind in tatters, she couldn't even speak legibly. Just nonsense noises that were a poor facsimile of the raw emotions screeching in her head. Solution was, at least, cognizant enough to realize that it was only gibberish coming out of her mouth, and stopped from saying more. She didn't care, she'd be fine once she just had some rest. Viasmos could laugh at her if he wanted, she just wanted to be free of this place.
Her crawl came to a stop as a hand clawed around her face. Solution froze... something was wrong.
This... isn't Viasmos!
She still couldn't see well, but she knew the feeling of his hands. Those repulsive hands had touched her skin far too many times for her to not recognize them. His hands were meaty and rugged. But this hand... it was bony and feeble. It couldn't be more its opposite. She tried to squint and make out the person ahead, but the image still wasn't clear to her dilapidated eyes. The most she could make out was the rich hue of his hair.
“You know... I often resent it when my father tries to order me around. He thinks he can just tell everyone what to do because he's strong... and though I don't especially disagree, I must be honest, I don't like to feel inhibited.”
What was this terror crawling in her bones? The words he spoke were perfectly normal, even refined... but his voice... gratingly scaly, and yet it carried a contradictory lightness. It was a voice that seemed to inflict fear and pain without having to actually hurt anyone at all. Why was this sense of dread washing over her so?
“But see... if he's going to give me an order, I quite prefer if it's an order I like. Sometimes, he asks me to go and have fun... and I'd be a fool to refuse, wouldn't I?”
She understood now. Yes, she'd heard this type of voice before many times... coming from her. It was the voice of a predator. Someone with absolute power over another... relishing in the fact of their control... of the suffering they were about to inflict... the unquestionable certainty of torment that lay ahead.
Being on the other side of it was... quite the learning experience.
She felt something rip through her body. Not literally, her body was still in one piece. More like a sensation. A sensation of absolute death. It felt like dying without actually dying. From this man's fingertips, she could feel his magic coursing inside her, killing off pieces of herself. She knew it... he could kill her so easily if he wanted to... no, perhaps if he was allowed to. If Viasmos was not in charge, the feeling of hate and cruelty she sensed from this man... she was certain he would kill her.
It would be a mercy if he did. She didn't know what was happening to her body, she only knew it was a miserable torture beyond her wildest imagination. She'd seen Neuronist do her dirty work, and she was an undeniable expert of her craft, but Solution found it hard to believe that anything she'd seen her do could compare to this misery. It was as if she was perpetually on death's precipice, the slightest push being all that was needed to end her life forever. Save for the pain, she couldn't even feel her own body, like she'd been severed from all but the worst her body could experience.
Lord Ainz was a literal skeleton, and a top-tier necromancer. She, along with all others in Nazarick, would no doubt look to him as the lord of death itself. A Supreme Being to whom life and death were meaningless states of being, to be overcome and conquered on a whim. Yes, there was no doubt, he was the embodiment of death, a title she acknowledged with the utmost respect. And so, to Solution, it felt like quite the betrayal when she had this organic thought.
This man... he's death personified!
“Sir, be careful you don't kill the prisoner,” called out a shrill voice from behind her torturer. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw his face distort somewhat, like a smile to a scowl. He finally let her go, nudging her backwards as he did so. She fell on her back, and the man left the room, closing the door and once again shrouding her in darkness.
She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't even cry. Her body was broken, perhaps irreparable. This encroaching feel of death from that man's hand had stopped growing... but it didn't leave. She felt it all over her body, like the slightest poke would kill her. She'd finally been freed from solitude, only to wish that door had never opened. Now she was back where she started, only worse. Still black. Still starving. Still weary. Still alone. So alone. Trapped here with only her own thoughts.
Solution faintly felt the presence of the man leaving this floor – though curiously, the other man didn't seem to leave along with him.
She'd been afraid of pacing before, but now, she couldn't even if she wanted to. No matter how much time passed, her movement remained disabled. Just enough to breathe, and that was pretty much it. She lay motionless on the floor, staring at the infinite ceiling, joined by nothing but her scattered thoughts and the beat of her heart.
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
Room -101 in a nutshell.
How many days had it been?
Her body was still in agony from what the sinister man did to her. She could hardly trust herself with the state her mind was in, but she was pretty sure she understood that pervasive sense of death he inflicted. He'd quite literally killed parts of her body... just not enough to kill the organism entirely. Enough was left to still feel pain, to still feel hunger, to still lie awake.
VVVRRZZRRZZRRZZTT!
She almost welcomed the ear-splitting noise that tortured her awake. It was about the only thing that wasn't entirely monotonous about this room. She sometimes wondered if these, too, were hallucinations. Something her mind invented just to keep her occupied. She lacked the self-awareness to be sure if she was really about to sleep or not. But that seemed unlikely, as even the hallucinations had begun to fade. For a while, they were all she had, looking up at the blackness while her body was trapped in torment. Even knowing they were fake didn't matter, she welcomed the distraction. But it was as if her mind had given up, unable to cope any longer. There was naught for her to do but accept the truth of this room.
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
That's all there was.
How many days had it been?
Just... kill me...
It was a thought Solution banished from her mind immediately. To die just to be released was... unacceptable. To die in service of a Supreme Being was one thing. To die by their command was an honor. But to die for personal satisfaction, from being too weak to endure the suffering... why, that would be the height of selfishness. She existed to serve Nazarick, and even here, that fact wouldn't be denied.
But for that thought to enter her consciousness for even a second was nothing short of betrayal. The guilt ate away at her, no less than the dead cells that composited much of her body right now. She believed she could withstand this... she believed her loyalty to the Supreme Beings was unflinching. But she just wanted this to be over. This miserable experience was consuming her from the inside out, driving her to madness.
How many days had it been?
When would Viasmos get her out of this place? She couldn't stand it anymore! Why wasn't he coming back!? If he would just come soon – how many days had it been? - she'd be out of this hell! Whatever she had to say, she'd say it!
Just get me the hell out of here!
That's right... it was coming back to her. This all started because she tried to escape. Because she couldn't accept her imprisonment. All this time, she'd wondered how Lupusregina, every bit as loyal to Nazarick as she was, could tolerate this place so cheerily. She couldn't be too judgmental, as Lupusregina had been here much longer than – how many days had it been? - much longer than her. But maybe time wasn't the issue... maybe Lupusregina was just smarter. Solution had just been too proud to accept that she could be subjected to such pain. Not the pain of a hard smack, or being thrown around like a ragdoll. The pain of feeling one's very identity slip away. Where she was, what she was, who she was... how long until she was bereft of it all?
She wasn't sure she knew any of that as it was.
How many days had it been?
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
Was there really nothing else?
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
How many days had it been?
The darkness. The stillness. The pulse.
Please... Please... Please...
How many days had it been?
About fifteen, as a matter of fact. These are long, Aresian days, of course. Adjusted for the day length Solution was used to, it would be more in the range of 40-45 days. About a month and a half of raw emptiness. About half that time was spent like this, lying uselessly on the ground, partially dead.
Was this another hallucination? Was she even cognizant of what she was seeing? It was hard to say. As Viasmos opened the door, he saw no recognizance from Solution. She didn't show the slightest acknowledgment of his presence, staring up at the blackened ceiling with hollow eyes and drool oozing out her mouth.
“Man, guess I better heal her before anything else.”
The sight that really stuck out was her body. Her human head and the top of her torso remained, along with scattered bits of human shape here and there, mostly along her limbs. But most of her was mush, the blue hue of her watery body faded into a gray sludge. Viasmos pressed a hand against her to begin healing, but the second he did so, she screamed.
“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”
Had she been of sound mind, she certainly would have recognized the hand that touched her. But in her current state, the second she felt a hand, any hand, press against her body, her mind went right back to that perilous hand that hurt her so. A jolting survival instinct took hold of her, borne of a primal fear she once would have considered beneath her. But unable to run or struggle or do anything productive, this impulse could only take the form of a banshee-like cry.
Viasmos quickly put a sound barrier around her, not wanting to deal with that. “Yeesh, I guess bringing my son down here might've been overkill. But you know, it's only because I thought you'd be that tough of a nut to crack!” In his mind, he was giving her a compliment... not that she was in a state of awareness where she could even process what he was saying.
“You know, you're lucky,” he continued. “A lot of people can't heal this kind of injury. You're stuck with it for months until your body works it out for itself. It's even kind of a pain for me. Giving up my own reserves to heal you, you silly bitch... geez... Well, just goes to show how much I really care!”
It took a couple minutes, with Viasmos having to remove most of the dead flesh entirely. But eventually, her body started to regenerate, and a sense of feeling began to return to Solution. She didn't even know what state her body was in before, but her proprioception was returning after days of feeling deadened. She felt... alive.
She was still hungry, still exhausted, and still needed a lot of time... but it was enough of a spark to return the lingering recesses of her consciousness. And as she finally became aware of Viasmos, she asked herself, Is this real? Is it... over?
“A...Ammm Iiii....”
She surprised herself, as her speech was actually better than it was a week prior. She could only speak gibberish back then, but Viasmos healing her body seemed to have rejuvenated her in other unforeseen ways.
“Go on, practice moving your jaw,” Viasmos flatly recommended while continuing to heal her. “Just make some noises, your voice will come back.”
She did as he suggested, and though her thoughts still came slowly, she found she could shape them into words if she really focused. She wasn't sure how much longer she could focus, having gone two weeks without sleep, but speaking was at least something of an option for her.
Finished up, Viasmos stood before the doorway, hands on his hips and flashing her a smirk. “Well, have we learned anything?”
Solution tried to get up, but that was still too much for her. She could only prop herself up on her arms. She swiveled around to face Viasmos, dragging her legs behind her and lowering her head.
“I – I'm sorry!”
“Mhm, and? Sorry about what? Be clear."
“S-sorry aboooww... about escaaayyy.... ping. I... I won't do... it... again...”
Viasmos scratched his chin, looking pleased, but a touch skeptical. “Okay, okay... and who's your master?”
“M-my.... my masssster?”
She was hesitating. That alone was a crime punishable by death. It spoke to how deeply the fear had entrenched itself within her. But in spite of that fear, in spite of the consequences, she came up with the right answer.
“L-lord Ainnnnn.... Lord Ainz Ooal Gown!”
It was too core to her identity. To deprive her of that truth would be to no longer be Solution. Perhaps that's what would have to happen... if she was forced to spend more time in Room -101. But so long as she had enough hold of herself, she refused to give another answer. She would not lie about the eminence of the Supreme Being, no matter the cost to herself.
Viasmos chuckled, his smugness undeterred by her answer. “Well then... good to hear.”
Solution looked up in confusion, expecting her obstinance to anger him. To the contrary, he seemed pleased. He knelt down and gently pinched her chin, pulling her up to face him. “I don't need total obedience, you understand? I don't mind a little vitriol. Just as long as you get that there's a limit to what I'll tolerate.” He stood back up and pulled something from behind him, throwing it on the floor in front of her. “As long as you understand that wherever your personal loyalties are... in these walls, you're mine.”
Solution looked at the item thrown before her. Her collar... the symbol of her oppression. Of her captivity. And if she did what he wanted... of her submission. But she couldn't bring herself to do that... it was going too far! It would be like denying the Supreme Beings!
“Oh, geez, I thought you'd had enough, but I guess not,” said Viasmos, seeing her hesitation. “Well, back to it. We'll see if you're ready in another week or so, maybe.”
Solution jumped forward, more energy filling her than she'd had for so long. “NONONONONONO!” she shrieked, snatching the collar off the ground. “I'll do it! I promissssss... I, ill, I'll.... I'll do it.” She trembled as she lifted the collar, bringing it close to her neck. One final moment of trepidation struck her as she felt the cold sting of the collar around her throat... but her anger at having to submit was paltry compared to her fear of Room -101. She clasped the back of the collar around her neck, the clank of the metal feeling like the snapping of her spirit.
“I wooon't... run... evvver agaaiin...”
Just like that, Viasmos darted over and swooped her into his arms. “Glad to hear it,” he said with a smirk. Mercifully, he carried her out of Room-101, noting with some disgust, “Ugh, gotta tell Chlorida to get someone to clean that up.” Her eyesight was still adjusting to the light, so she couldn't see quite what he was talking about. She could only hazily make out some kind of grayish mass outside her door. Well, it didn't concern her any longer. Her eyes felt heavy... it almost scared her, the shock of that psyche-shattering noise drilled into her. But in accepting Viasmos's control, she found a certain peace. She trusted that as long as she wasn't in that room, she'd be permitted to rest. She closed her eyes, let the fatigue wash over her, and finally... she fell asleep, right in her master's arms.
“There we go, that's right,” Viasmos whispered to himself. “Get some sleep, and we'll have a nice meal waiting for you when you wake up. Get you rested and energized. After all, heh... you're gonna need it.”
Oh yes, he had exciting plans for how to use her, and make up for all the time she lost.
Even several days removed from Room -101, Solution was not wholly recovered from her trial. She'd finally rested and satiated her hunger, and she was no longer surrounded by that oppressive blackness. However, with her mind so greatly distorted, she wasn't even sure if all of this was real. Sometimes she wondered if she was still hallucinating, a last gasp at closing out the horror of absolute nothingness. But even in her more lucid moments, the memory alone was enough to shake her once-steely demeanor.
How... do I get it back?
She accepted that she was trapped in Tharsis, and had no intention of trying to escape ever again. But still, she wanted to at least be the woman she was before. It was how Lord Herohero had designed her, after all. It was surely treacherous to act any other way. But what she was quickly learning was that sheer force of will just wasn't enough. That room had changed her... warped her... it wouldn't be so easy to undo.
She'd personally apologized to Lupusregina, for not heeding her warnings and doubting her commitment. The lycan had been quite supportive, all things considering. She didn't judge her for her foolishness, and was just glad to know she was okay. Solution could appreciate now what Lupusregina had said before, how it might be worthwhile to find some humans she could get along with. She'd always hated humans, of course, but feeling Lupusregina's kindness in the wake or her ordeal, she realized how necessary it was for everyone to have each other's backs. Her prejudices didn't matter in this place... only doing whatever she could to survive.
Still, Solution had only ever looked at humans as prey. Finding the impetus for friendship would surely be a difficult task. She sat by her lonesome in one of the hot tubs, darting her eyes around at her fellow slave girls around the pool, she struggled to imagine speaking as equals with even one of them.
Which one is the preppy girl... Marin? Way too annoying. The priestess? She's about ready to pop, does nothing but mope lately. Kai Harn? Reasonably tough-minded, might have some potential, and she has those thick, meaty thighs... Oh shoot! It's hopeless! I just can't help but think about eating her!
Solution leaned back and closed her eyes. Truth be told, this scared her a handful of times, reminding her of the endless abyss she'd had to endure; But thankfully, she'd gotten over that by this point. Besides needing to sleep, she needed to think. A little meditation was necessary as she fought to overcome her trauma. The feeling of the hot water soothed her, a welcome change from the cold, dry stone of that room. She just wanted to melt into it... and since she could, she did. She kept her head and neck intact, of course. She would never again remove that collar. But her arms, legs, and the lower half of her torso liquefied and merged with the relaxing warmth. Yes, this was surely one of the few nice things about her imprisonment... she could do this all day.
“Excuse me. Mind not getting slime all over me?”
A stern voice called out, breaking Solution from her introspection. A woman had joined her in the hot tub without her noticing... she really must have been focused if she didn't feel that. It wasn't like humans could move that smoothly that her motion detection could be so easily caught off-guard.
“...Sorry...”
Solution almost wanted to vomit, apologizing to a human... but she was trying. If she was going to look at them as fellow sufferers instead of food, then she needed to lose at least a touch of the arrogance. She reverted her slime body to its human shape, and took a hard look at the woman. She recognized her as one of the newer females brought into the fold, later than Solution herself, but she couldn't quite remember her name. She was pretty good with names, despite her disinterest in humans, but she didn't necessarily go out of her way to learn them.
“What? Do I have your gross slime on my tits?”
The woman eyed her coldly as she asked, apparently resentful of being stared at all over. Solution shot her a scowl and snapped, “Hmph, a wretched human has the impudence to call my body gross? Your filthy form isn't fit to be so much as glanced at!”
If the other woman was bothered at all, it didn't show on her face at all. She simply shrugged her shoulders and said, “You're the one shaped like us.”
How unbelievably audacious was this woman? Did she not understand that this human form was the intended appearance bestowed upon her by a Supreme Being? It had nothing to do with fascination for the human configuration. She was an assassin, after all. It was only natural that she'd impersonate her targets.
“Honestly,” the woman continued, “I thought I could go unbothered if I sat with you, but apparently not. You're more of an irritant than I expected.”
This woman... just how haughty can she get?
“An irritant? And what are you, human? Your greatest aspirations are to be little more than tools for higher beings than yourselves.”
“Wow... I imagine that'd have more sting if it wasn't coming from a sex slave.”
Solution could not believe this woman! No respect whatsoever! No regard for her station! No-
“Hmm? Why are you smiling? Are you some kind of masochist?”
Solution was stopped mid-thought, and put a finger to her face. The woman was right... she was smiling. It seemed dissonant with the heated exchange they were having... but then again, the more Solution thought about it... yes... this was the most she'd felt like herself in weeks.
“...Who are you again?”
“...Selina. What of it?”
This Selina woman... she was about the most obnoxious human she could imagine. Yet, speaking with her, it helped her forget about all the trauma she'd been dealing with this whole time. She felt like herself, before experiencing the terror of Room -101. Something about her triggered the most core aspects of her being.
“...It's nothing,” she stated sweetly, lying back and closing her eyes. “Forget it, let us enjoy our bath.”
Selina looked a touch confused, but shrugged and thought nothing more of it, content to enjoy the relaxing pressure of the hot tub. Solution thought once again of Lupusregina's words. Yes... there just might be hope for these humans, after all.
Notes:
This was actually not a gaiden chapter I had planned for much of Part Two. A few days after finishing Solution's chapter, I had this epiphany that it didn't really make sense for the collar to be effective on her, and I started thinking about how to deal with that. It occurred to me that it was a good opportunity to show off what Viasmos might do to a slave a little too unruly for his liking. It's something I've referenced a handful of times, but not something I've had the chance to show off until now. I felt direct, brutal torture wasn't the kind of thing Viasmos would employ, and that he'd try something more subtle and unsettling. He'd attack the psyche, rather than the body. It was a fun concept to explore, and hopefully you readers felt the same.
Chapter 15: Mai Shiranui
Notes:
Sorry this one took so long! I was about 2/3 of the way through when I kinda hit a wall. I languished for a while before finally hitting my stride again the past couple of days.
As usual, the disclaimer that my knowledge of fighting game characters is generally going to be very limited. I do a fair amount of research for them, but I lack any informed experience. I was so out of my depth with Mai, in fact, that I actually had no idea that she was from Fatal Fury! I only knew her from King of Fighters, which itself I didn't realize was an amalgamation of multiple franchises, e.g. Smash or MvC. I did try watching a couple of the anime movies like I did with Street Fighter, but, uh... they're not as good as Street Fighter. I just kinda jumped around for the scenes with Mai and called it a day.
Since there were some minor differences between the Fatal Fury and King of Fighters continuities, I stuck primarily with KoF, since that's where I knew her from at the start. This is especially noticeable in regards to her relationship with Andy Bogard, which I'll elaborate a little on in the end notes.
Also, readers of the prequel will be glad to know I have a new bunch of chapters for The Warlord Rises nearly ready to go. Another chapter and a half or so, and I'll start dropping them.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The King of Fighters Tournament – a global competition open to all the world's fighters. Even someone like Viasmos, not originally from this world, could feasibly join. Despite that, it wasn't as appealing a prospect as one might've guessed for the warlord. It was true he loved to show off his power, but he also found the idea of pursuing accolades to be beneath him. Who cares if he wins a tournament? He already knew how strong he was, he didn't need the validation of a bunch of losers. But there was one special rule that kept Viasmos's interest.
The tournament was co-ed.
While the KOF tournament would certainly be comprised primarily of men, women were allowed to join, and Viasmos had to think there'd be a few pluckable fruits on this particular tree. He'd seen enough prideful women competing against men to figure out that most worlds had a healthy handful of females willing to test themselves against the mightier sex.
Technically, there was no need to join the tournament itself. He could just look through the roster and pick out a woman he liked, and attack her on his own time. But the tournament just so happened to be right around the corner when he first arrived in this world, and so why not? Besides, he quite liked the aesthetic of raping a woman before a crowd of zealous spectators. He did something similar with Tifa Lockhart – though that was an underground fight where the harassment of female competitors was par for the course. The King of Fighters was far more above-board. This wouldn't be a crowd of sleazy scoundrels - any normal person with a penchant for martial arts could go and watch.
I wonder how they'll feel about watching a woman get sexually assaulted on the grand stage? Well, if they're offended, that's a 'them' problem.
Finally, the person in front of him was finished, and he made his way to the desk. Viasmos did not have much experience waiting in lines. He was normally the kind of person who'd blow away a crowd of people for slowing him down – he'd had to resist the impulse several times, in fact. It wasn't like he necessarily had somewhere to be, but he hated to be bored, and standing around doing nothing but waiting definitely fell into that category. A miserable, grueling experience, but at least it was over.
“Good afternoon. Signing up?”
The girl at the desk was a cute, young thing... but he couldn't let himself get distracted by her. “Yes, that's right.”
“Name?”
“Viasmos.”
“Age”?
“One huuuu – 30.”
“Place of origin?”
“Tharsis.”
The girl paused for a moment, looking up at him with a sweet expression. “Tharsis? I've never heard of such a place. Interesting name, is it in Western Europe?”
“...Sure.”
“Got it. And martial arts style?”
“Uh... I kinda just do everything.”
“Okay, we'll just say mixed martial arts, then. And who are your team members?”
“My... team members?”
She again looked up at him, this time with an apologetic expression. “Oh, I'm sorry, are you not signing up for the 3-on-3s?”
“No, I was... but I thought that was like... more of an option? I was just gonna fight three people myself.”
“Ah, I see. Well, while I admire your confidence, I'm afraid we don't allow for that kind of imbalance. You must have a minimum of three members on your team to compete. I can sign you up for the singles tournament instead, but that will be held a couple months later.”
“A couple months!?”
“Yes, well, a lot of the 3-on-3 competitors also like to partake in the singles competition. This gives them time to recuperate from any injuries they may have incurred.”
Viasmos was absolutely not waiting a couple months. This was business, not a vacation! Two team members... he could always grab some people from Tharsis, but he could imagine how well that would go down. Like with Filotim...
“My lord, who will administrate with both our absences? You know how much I love paperwork! I'm sorry, I can't possibly be torn away.”
Or Chlorida...
“Huh!? Are you stupid? Unlike you, I actually have work to do. I don't have several days to help you chase the latest skirt that's had the misfortune of crossing your socio-path!”
Or Aktinovo...
“Ah, what a murderous – I mean – splendid idea! I'd love to kil-spend time with you, father! What a letha-enlightening time we'd surely share!”
Yeah, even if Aktinovo did come along with him, he'd most certainly kill a few people during his stay. That was a headache he didn't need.
“Hmm... uh, is it possible to put my application on hold? I need to grab a couple people.”
“Certainly, but, um... the deadline is tonight.”
“No worries, my team will be handled by then.”
“If you say so, sir! I look forward to return.”
How professional. Viasmos was looking forward to returning as well, if only to get this over with. The thing he wasn't looking forward to was waiting in more lines.
The solution was a simple one. He only needed two people, but who they were or how well they could fight was immaterial. Just a couple bodies he could put down on his application. Going all the way to Tharsis was unnecessary. So he found a couple disreputable guys at a local dive bar, and convinced them to join up with him. They were resistant to the idea at first, but Viasmos knew a thing or two about breaking down resistance. Initially, he compelled them through the persuasive power of his fists, but it would be a problem if they made it obvious they'd been coerced. So he gave them an ultimatum: they can either get on his bad side, or they could stand around doing nothing, watch as he kept winning, and he'd give them whatever winnings he earned to split between themselves. This world's money was of no interest to him, after all.
Having gotten the shit kicked out of them once already, it was a compelling offer. All the more so once they watched him in the preliminaries. The King of Fighters was open to everyone, but they obviously didn't want rank amateurs competing against those at the highest level, so most competitors had to go through a preliminary round. Only a handful of select, invited fighters got to skip this portion of the tournament. Viasmos, someone new to this world, obviously had no recognition, and so was not among those elite few.
But needless to say, the preliminaries were a joke to him. He effortlessly won fight after fight – even as his two goons did nothing. All three fighters would gang up on him, and it wasn't even obvious if it helped. The two ruffians went from resenting Viasmos for forcefully dragging them into this to feeling like they'd just tripped and fallen into a pile of gold. They'd practically won the lottery. But Viasmos was not so happy, as he had only fought men to this point. He wouldn't mind if there was someone good, but at the preliminary round, there wasn't anyone worth getting excited about. Should he have checked the roster ahead of time? There surely had to be women in the tournament?
No, he just realized, that wasn't even the real question. It wasn't enough for women to be in the tournament, he needed one to actually be matched up against him. How had he not thought of this before? Too much wishful thinking? It was perfectly realistic that he would climb past one round after another all the way to the championship, and be faced with nobody but men! If that happened, this whole thing would be a waste of time.
So upon seeing his first match-up, he could only grin as fate proved itself on his side.
He was facing a team exclusively comprised of women. Mai Shiranui, King, and Yuri Sakazaki. All three were respected female fighters who'd been personally invited to compete. He'd have not just one promising woman face off with him, but his pick of three! What tremendous fortune!
“Good news, boys! We have a trio of ladies up first!” he announced to his teammates. They had the utmost confidence in him, but in truth, they were a bit unnerved upon seeing these names.
“I dunno, boss... they may be women, but those are some big names in the martial arts world...” one of them said.
“Yeah... I wouldn't underestimate them...” said the other.
“Well, we'll see how you feel once I have the three of them on the ground.”
Viasmos had his face buried in the rule book. He'd been delayed from not understanding that he needed to have teammates, and he didn't want to get caught making any further assumptions that might impact him. He wanted to have a thorough grasp of what this tournament would allow.
“Which one is sexiest, do you reckon?” he asked his cohorts. He only had the names, no pictures, so he didn't know what any of them looked like just yet.
“Uh, well, King's got charisma, and Sakazaki's pretty cute. But if you're talking sexy...”
“It's gotta be Mai.”
“Gotta be.”
“Really?” Viasmos asked. “I thought there'd be a little more debate.”
“Oh hell no, that bitch is a knockout!”
“She shamelessly dangles those water balloons of hers right there in front of her opponent. Shows enough skin to make me weak in the knees. She ain't just sexy, she puts a spotlight on how damn sexy she is!”
Viasmos smiled at their description. “Hmm, I see... well I look forward to taking a look for myself.”
A bunch of no-names who'd cleared the preliminaries, and they were up against a team of all-star women fighters. Normally, the bets would be in favor of the male-dominant team, but for star-studded names like theirs to be faced off against nobodies, it was quite the opposite this time. While Viasmos had garnered some chatter around the water cooler with how breezily he skipped through the preliminaries, he was still someone nobody had ever really heard of. Plus, the other two had been total non-participants, so it was uncertain how effective their contributions would be. Not many people had the nerve to gamble their money on such unknown quantities.
Of course, this was of no consequence to Viasmos. He was never in this for recognition from the beginning. If anything, it was helpful to know his victims would come to him so unsuspectingly. He was more than happy to play the underdog if it meant he'd have an easier time of coming face-to-face with his next target. The only question was which of these three ladies would bear the honor of that distinction?
The first to step onto the stage was a short-haired woman wearing a coatless, purple tuxedo – who he pegged as the one called “King”. She was somewhat androgynous in her appearance, which wasn't necessarily a problem for Viasmos. Still, she wasn't quite what he was looking for. Maybe if it wasn't so soon after nabbing Elena, who had a similar appearance and manner of dress.
The next entrant was a girl with a braided ponytail and a red headband. Her outfit wasn't nearly as noticeable as her cheery demeanor. The way she skipped onto the stage with a bright, sunny smile seemed to demonstrate a complete lack of tension for the ensuing fight. It could be that she was looking down on her opponents, but the vibe Viasmos got was that she simply loved the atmosphere. She just enjoyed martial arts, and was basking in its celebration. This had to be the one his thugs called “cute”, Yuri Sakazaki. She was definitely a contender for his interest. She had some nice legs, as was evident from her blue, spandex leggings; and he definitely liked the idea of seeing how much that merry smile could persist before he forced his dick inside of her. Still, he was hoping for something more. Someone who could really titillate him in both a literal and figurative way.
And then the third woman made her entrance.
The warlord's jaw hung in awe at her appearance. This beautiful brunette wore a red and white kunoichi dress that looked like it could only barely fit on her. Her phenomenal bust was a couple good tugs away from spilling out the front, and the sides of her ample hips were completely visible, as only a minimal amount of cloth covered her womanhood. There was hardly anything left to the imagination regarding her figure, yet at the same time, there was just enough to make one yearn to rip it all off and see what lay underneath.
There could be no mistake. This had to be Mai Shiranui. Viasmos now understood what the boys told him, and they were unquestionably correct. In the realm of raw sex appeal, nobody on this stage could turn the eyes of a red-blooded male like Mai.
Looks like I found my prey!
Being so overwhelmingly sexy was normally a good thing for Mai. Besides just enjoying the feeling of being attractive, it also played into her strategy. She didn't flaunt her assets for the showiness itself, but rather, to exploit the lust of men. If they were witless enough to be distracted mid-fight by her tits and ass, then she was more than willing to take advantage. As long as she was comfortable showing off her body like that, then there was no problem.
But today, she'd caught the gaze of a most dangerous man. This wasn't a strategy that would cost her the fight, but one that would cost her everything else in her life.
“So, you're the guys who coasted through the preliminaries, huh?” shouted Yuri, before turning to her two teammates. “The two on the side don't look too special, but that one in the middle looks pretty strong, don't ya' think?”
“Indeed, I heard he was able to take on all three on a team single-handedly. Even if it was only the preliminaries, that's quite impressive,” answered King.
Mai took a good look at Viasmos, privy to the way his eyes were soaking in her appearance, and she winked. “You're pretty cute!”
Viasmos was often regarded as a fine-looking male, but “cute” was not a descriptor that got tossed in his direction too often. Then again, his long hair would often be considered feminine on other worlds. “Oh am I?”
“Yeah, but... not as cute as Andy, I'm sorry to say.”
Viasmos shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “Oh well, can't all be on Andy's level, I guess.” Whoever that was.
Mai giggled, amused at his playful retort, and turned to King. “Whaddya think? Can I have him?”
“No way!” interjected Yuri. “If he took down three guys on his own, we oughta gang up on him, shouldn't we?”
King rejected this proposal. “Not necessarily. We leave ourselves open to the other two if we focus on him from the start. Better to quickly take down the backup before we take down the boss, but we'll still need someone to take point during that time. And if Mai's volunteering...”
“Sure am!” she squealed, kicking her leg up in the air and pumping her fist. “Muscly guys like that are always fun! Plus, they make good practice for Andy! Gotta get him to propose to me, after all!”
Viasmos flashed a wicked smile, overhearing their conversation. If she was gonna go out of her way to fight him, that worked perfectly for his purposes. “Alright boys, you two are gonna take on the blonde and the preppy chick. The bombshell in the middle is all mine!”
One of the goons tapped Viasmos on the shoulder. “I'm sorry, um... what?”
“Yeah, uh... weren't we supposed to just stand back and let you do all the work?”
“Sure, but I want to take my time enjoying this one.”
“But uh... we're just some guys you picked up off the street. We can't take on pro fighters!”
Viasmos sighed. “Relax, you don't have to win. Just hold 'em off while I have my fun.”
“I... I don't think we can.”
“Oh come on, don't say that!” he said, giving the goon a light, condescending slap on the cheek. “I think you guys'll have an easier time than you think! Just trust me on it, yeah?”
It was hard for them to believe that they could last even a minute against some of the most famous martial artists in the world, even if they were mere women, but they hadn't much choice but to go along with his plan. They were basically his hostages, after all. He hadn't led them astray so far, and there were big winnings for them if they made it through even just the first round, so they just had to bite the bullet and hope whatever he had in store would work out.
The official formally commenced the match, and as planned, Mai took position in the center opposite Viasmos, while King and Yuri took the flanks with the two nobodies. The lady trio would certainly come at him all at once if those two were taken down, which probably wouldn't take too long, but Viasmos didn't seem to be in any particular rush.
“So, Mai Shiranui, huh? I'd heard you were a real babe, but you still somehow exceeded my expectations.”
“Aww, how sweet!” Mai squeaked, leaning forward and tapping her fan against her lips. “You're quite the looker yourself, but sorry! I'm a taken woman!”
“Eh, ain't ever bothered me before.”
“My my, aren't you bold?”
Mai didn't mind the playful banter, not least due to it lessening her burden while King and Yuri took down the others. Still, she was pretty interested to see how strong this guy was for herself. He definitely had an impressive, masculine physique, but were his skills up to snuff? Good enough for the preliminaries, at least, but how about for her?
She swayed in place with her body still leaning towards him, giving Viasmos an unfairly tempting view of her jostling breasts. They swung around and crashed against each other, jiggling hypnotically before the warlord's lustful gaze.
...Goddamn...
So entranced was he that he didn't notice right away that Mai was running towards him. He just saw two beautiful melons getting larger and larger, until Mai did a flip and replaced the sight of her tits with the soles of her feet. Even considering the level to which Viasmos was holding himself back for this fight, it was rare for his opponent to get the first hit in when he wasn't aiming for it. He took a good kick to the face and stumbled back slightly, but recovered in time to block the sweep of her fan.
He could take a hit, that much was clear, but Mai couldn't help but feel a bit cocky in this moment. Just another guy... she thought, distracted in the middle of a fight because of his carnal impulses. The best male fighters she'd ever faced would never let their guard down so easily, surely meaning that the rumors of this man's potential were largely overblown.
Viasmos could see the sense of superiority on her face, and he'd hate to give her the wrong impression! Taking advantaged of her relaxed movements, he knocked her arm aside as she went in for a jab with her fan, deftly swerved to her flank, and palmed her in the gut. Mai shot back a couple feet before backflipping to get out of the way of his follow-up.
Oof! Okay, well he's definitely got some strength to work with...
She'd fought plenty of men before, so she was perfectly familiar with a man's strength. This wasn't just the typical advantage a male enjoyed over women. This guy was strong strong. The thing that most caught her attention was that he couldn't hit his hardest from that angle. At best, it was no more than half the force he was capable of; and it was still strong enough that, in her younger days, it would have knocked the wind out of her and been game over on the spot. If he landed a more solid hit on her, she wasn't sure she'd be able to take it.
Guess I could use the backup after all...
“King! Yuri! Hurry it up, will ya'!”
She'd expected her comrades to have finished up by now, and the comrades in question thought the same. But even as King swung her fist like a hammer into the goon's jaw, he quickly picked himself up off the ground.
“Huh... that didn't hurt as much as I thought...”
“I'm trying!” King yelled back at Mai. “It's just taking me a while to finish up!”
“Same... here!” Yuri yelled, flipping upside down mid-jump and grabbing the man's head between her ankles. She sent him plummeting head-first into the stone floor of the arena, a hit hard enough to smash a sizable dent into the ground. But as she picked herself upright, the man managed to do the same, seemingly unfazed by the brutal hit.
“Wow... I'm a lot tougher than I thought...”
Neither King nor Yuri could make sense of these two. They fought like a couple standard ruffians, vastly beneath their level. In terms of skill, there was no contest. It would be a cold day in hell before pros like them took a single hit from losers like this. Yet, their ability to take a hit was nothing short of phenomenal. They just kept getting up, no matter how many heavy blows they took.
A knowing smirk crept on Viasmos's face. The plan to make those two useful was simple enough. He was continuously pouring healing magic into the two of them. They'd feel a severe pang at the moment of any given hit, but it would immediately be relieved by the magic flowing into them. It was like fighting with a morphine drip attached. It was a basic magic that would cost Viasmos little, in exchange for extending his time with Mai.
The rules say all weapons are allowed, and the same goes for techniques.
Mai darted at Viasmos and swung her fan, this time with a trail of flame flowing in its wake. Viasmos swerved out of the way, his confident expression undisturbed.
And this world has some techniques analogous to what my world would call 'magic'. I can't even be accused of interpreting the rules unfairly. Even if they figure out my little trick, everything I'm doing is by the book!
Mai flipped, spun, weaved, and whatever else she could do to stay moving. She was putting her acrobatics to work, and not only to apply pressure to Viasmos, but because she feared taking another hit from him if she stayed still for too long. As a fighter, it was always a good idea to deliver more hits and take fewer, but as a woman, this was especially the case. It took more hits to take down an opponent, and it took fewer hits to be taken down. Mai's fighting style was thus developed for exactly this purpose, to make use of the edge in flexibility and long-term stamina that women enjoyed. It kept her moving, and kept her unpredictable.
The thing was, while it wasn't obvious looking at a robust guy like Viasmos, he also regularly employed an agile fighting style. In a real fight, he preferred to stay moving and limber, so Mai's movements made total sense to him. It wasn't unpredictable at all, because he understood there was a foundation to fighting this way. Each movement had to lean into the next. They couldn't be jerky, and sporadic, they had to flow – and anyone who could read that flow would have no difficulty anticipating what came next.
Thus, it was Mai who was feeling the pressure. While she was sweating and forceful, Viasmos was graceful and unperturbed. Every time he casually dodged or blocked one of her moves, she felt increasingly distressed, giving it everything she had and still not being anywhere near good enough. That persistent style and poised body language of his stood in stark contrast to Mai's heavy breathing in the midst of her unrelenting assault. In the psychological game, it was enough to make Mai desperate.
I was wrong... he's REALLY good! Way better than I thought he could be!
She stabbed forward with her fan, expecting him to jump back. At the end of her thrust, a heavy inferno burst out, with the idea of punishing his evasion. However, Viasmos did not jump back. Instead, he fell back, landing on his upper back and neck while coiling his arms behind him. Just as the flames died down, Viasmos pushed against the ground and lunged at Mai feet-first. He struck her at her shoulders, knocking her back with her arms pinned by his feet. She gasped as she saw him winding his arm, defenseless to stop him from knocking her out.
Shit! He's got me!
She shut her eyes and winced as she prepared for the decisive blow, but her eyes popped right back open when she felt what he actually had in mind for her: a slap right across her cheek. After smacking her, he leapt forward, leaving her free to get back up. She wasn't finished after all, which was objectively good news, but it left Mai furious as she sprang to her feet.
“Y-you! You're making sport of me!”
That wasn't the kind of hit a serious martial artist would ever consider. There was no mutual respect in it, no dignity for his opponent. That was the kind of hit an abusive husband would give a timid housewife. It reduced her to the weakness of her sex, and demeaned her efforts as a fighter.
“Aww, does that hurt your feelings?” Viasmos mocked in a whiny voice. “If you want me to take you more seriously, you're just gonna have to make me.”
This wasn't to say he was unimpressed with Mai. For all her girlishness and slutty aesthetic, she obviously took martial arts very seriously, and the depths of her efforts were plain to see. But at the end of the day, she was merely a woman. When it came to hand-to-hand combat, Tifa and Chun-Li were probably the two most notable among his interdimensional slaves. They were unquestionably skilled in their crafts. Yet, they struggled to land so much as a single blow against Viasmos, and Mai was no different. Since landing an opening kick, she'd chased futilely after Viasmos all this time. He simply didn't need to take her as seriously as he would a male opponent of the same skill level, and he was challenging her to prove otherwise.
Mai bore a frustrated glare at Viasmos, but she quickly looked to her left and right, and was shocked at what she was seeing. King had just taken a hit. A mild one, delivered somewhat awkwardly at the shoulder, but still, she'd taken a hit against a complete amateur. On the other side, Yuri threw a tired kick at her opponent, so sluggish that he was able to grab it and meekly swing her away. These guys were weak, but tough, and the long-term effects of being unable to finish them off was showing itself. Confident in their superior fighting ability, they were throwing everything they had at these guys to take them down, assured that eventually it would be too much to handle. But it wasn't too much for them, and so the only impact had been that the ladies were increasingly fatigued. Out of breath and bewildered at the impossible toughness of their opponents, their movements were slowed and their focus was wavering. It was starting to be enough that even a couple losers like them were able to stand their ground.
All that was clear enough to Mai, who was running tired herself after such a furious assault against Viasmos. What she couldn't bring herself to accept was that these randos were genuinely as durable as they appeared. Faced with the only real fighter worth their salt on that team, she confronted Viasmos with her suspicions.
“It's you, isn't it? You did something to make them tougher...”
Viasmos chuckled and clapped his hands in acknowledgment. “You know, you struck me as rather ditzy earlier, but I guess you've at least got a capable enough head on your shoulders when it comes to fighting. Yeah, I've been casting continuous healing magic on them. Don't need them to win, just need them occupied. It's a perfectly fair way to counterbalance their ineptitude, don't you think?”
Ignoring his insult, she couldn't refute that what he was describing was perfectly in line with the rules as she understood them. Still, it clarified the objective quite succinctly. “So what you're saying is, once we beat you, the other two will fall like dominoes!”
“Hahaha! I admire your confidence! Don't know what the fuck a domino is, but that sounds about right! You just need to beat me, and everything will fall into place. Now time to prove that you can actually do it.”
King and Yuri weren't deaf, overhearing the exchange. It basically confirmed that they'd been wasting their time with these two goons, and were better off abandoning them to strike at Viasmos as a unit. King was first to switch gears, dashing into play and winding up her leg, preparing to blast a condensed ball of energy. However, before she could complete the motion, Viasmos sprinted forward and punched her in the gut. The woman dropped to her knees, clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe.
“Geez, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but you're way too tired to give me a decent fight. Have the decency to sit back and not bother me while I'm playing.”
Yuri had also sought to enter the fray, using what strength her exhausted body could still muster to leap into the air and gather her chi. “Raiou Ken!” she yelled, firing off a bursting flare of orange energy. To Yuri, it looked like Viasmos was off-guard with his back turned while he was focused on King. But it was nothing of the sort, he simply didn't feel the need to react so immediately. He calmly stood up and kicked back at the energy as it descended upon him, redirecting it right back into a bewildered Yuri. The blast tattered her white gi and sent her hurtling back to the side of the arena.
“Boys, keep 'em pinned, will ya'? Don't want anyone interfering with my fight with this piece of ass.”
“Heh, you got it, boss!”
The two did as requested. No matter how skilled King and Yuri were as fighters, weight was weight. Two women, especially as fatigued as they were, would have a hard time overcoming the full weight of a man on top of them.
“Oh, and a little gift for myself in case they start screaming.” He snapped his fingers, and the girls were effectively silenced as he conjured two latchless straps fitting perfectly around their heads, highlighted by bright red rubber ball sealing their mouths.
“MMMMMPPPPPHHHH!”
“W-what the hell!?” screamed a frantic Mai. “Where did you get those from!?”
“The rules don't offer the same leeway with items that they do with weapons, but they also do not explicitly outline what counts as a weapon or item,” Viasmos stated, ignoring her question. “They do make it a point to clarify, however, that binding items such as ropes and even handcuffs are sufficiently combat-oriented as to be allowed. Ball gags are unmistakably an item meant for binding.”
“Hehe, wow,” one of the goons called out to the other. “They look so pathetically cute like this, don't you think? Just makes you want to play with them.”
“NUUHHNN OOOOOH NAAARRRRREEE!” roared King, a muffled expression of “Don't you dare!”
“I like the way you think, boys,” Viasmos exclaimed, as if he didn't already fully intend to be just as playful. He made a dash for Mai, too stupefied at the sight of her humiliated friends to react effectively. She took a hasty swing at him, but he easily slid under it and grabbed her from behind, his hands firmly clasped around her tits.
“Wha-!? Whaddya think you're doing!” Ignoring her, he played with the bulging bust to his liking, giving them a good squeeze as he roughly swirled them around. “This is a serious fighting competition! You can't do things like that!”
“I most certainly can,” he retorted. “I checked the rule book very carefully, and there are no rules restricting anything of the sort.” Not that the rules would have kept him from enjoying this woman, but it amused him that he could make a technical argument for it.
“O-of course there are!” She looked to the official with a desperate glance. “Aren't there?”
“Uh...”
Viasmos interjected, “The rules make it a point to be very open and inclusive, allowing for all manner of attacks, styles, and techniques. Nowhere does it state that sexual attacks are prohibited.”
“That just can't be right!”
The hapless official looked at her sympathetically. “Sorry, Miss Shiranui. I'm afraid he's right.”
“Oh, c'mon! You wouldn't just sit by and let a dog play basketball just because it wasn't in the rules, would you?”
“There are rules against dogs playing basketball,” Viasmos informed her.
“HUH!?”
“Under eligibility, they specify that only humans, humanoids, or beings that can mimic human form are permitted to enter. Can't have bears and shit entering a fighting contest, after all. Furthermore, the rules state that the competition is devoted to combat. Unrelated activities are not to be exhibited. So a dog playing basketball would violate not one, but two rules of the competition.”
“You've gotta be kidding me!”
“You heard me, right boys? Feel free to fondle your prizes at your discretion.”
“W-wow...” one of them muttered, before grabbing a handful of Yuri's cheeks.
'MMMPPPPHHHH!”
“Man, I can't believe I really get to feel up the ass of Yuri Sakazaki!”
“You're telling me!” shouted the other one. “Never thought a guy like me would have the chance to grope a legend like King!”
King squirmed as the bastard's hands ran down her body, but she still couldn't fend him off. They were completely at the mercy of these bastards.
As for Mai, she was still tightly in the Tharsian's grip, struggling to wrestle out. The harder she fought back, the more aroused Viasmos became, growing rougher and bolder as time dragged on. He slid a hand down and snuck beneath the crimson cloth hanging below her waist, helping himself to her womanly folds.
“Ack! That's enough! Get off!”
“Hehehe, no, I don't think I will.”
There was no way he was going to let him get comfortable down there. Nobody but Andy was allowed to touch her in those places! Mai's arm was slightly loosened on the side where his hand moved down. She managed to slip out of his grip and elbow him in the face. He released her as he was knocked back, and she followed up by surrounding her body with a cyclonic inferno.
“Take this, you PERVERT!”
The flames appeared to swallow Viasmos, his intimate contact turned against him with this close-range attack. It was an exhausting attack, but one of Mai's best, and surely her best shot at taking this bastard down.
“Wow...” said Viasmos, seemingly unfazed by the technique. “You still had a little left in the tank, huh? You've got more spice than I thought!”
Mai gasped at his apparent fortitude, but didn't lose heart. She amped up the attack, the flaming pillars so scorching that the audience could feel the heat from around them. The arrogant bastard had the nerve to stand there like nothing was wrong, so she'd punish him for it. There was only so much the human body could take, he'd have to relent eventually.
What she didn't anticipate, however, was the quenching of her flames. They seemed to fade into the ether, even as she tried to put more power into them. But then she could see it... they weren't fading, they were coalescing. The flames with which she'd intended to attack Viasmos were now spiraling around his arm, condensed and under his total control.
“But... how?”
“Heh, a showy attack, but I'm in a different league from you.”
Enervated, she dropped to her knees, and grew embittered at the realization that she couldn't refute his words. They hadn't just lost this fight, they'd been absolutely humiliated. Earlier, when she got that first hit in, she thought he was just a typical male, far from the sort of seriousness with which she approached martial arts. When she had that sense about a guy falling for her charms, she was usually right – but in this case, there was a crucial flaw in her calculus. There was another reason a fighter might fall for such a ridiculous trick, besides simply being frivolous. It could also be the result of very real, very earned confidence. If Viasmos knew from the start that he would mop the floor with these girls, then it wasn't a matter of getting distracted. He simply didn't mind taking a free hit in exchange for the visual feast.
She never stood a chance. She could be honest about that now.
“Shit! How am I gonna make Andy propose to me now?” she angrily scorned herself. She'd hoped to make a bet with Andy, where she'd win in a head-to-head fight, and then he'd have to marry her. If she lost, she'd have to accept his proposal. The plan was fool-proof! Except for this eventuality, where she never even made it far enough to face Andy.
“Hey, no need to look so glum,” Viasmos teased as he walked over to her, giving her a solid shove on the shoulder and pushing her on her back. “The fun's just beginning, you know!”
The groping had been one thing, but now Viasmos was straddling her waist and pulling his cock out. That was far too brazen! A whole other level of obscenity! He surely wasn't going to strip right in front of the crowd! “What on Earth do you think you're doing!?”
“I figured I'd help myself to those whopping titties of yours. They look like they'd feel great around my dick.”
“This is going way too far! Stop it! This is sexual assault!” she screamed, unable to fathom the embarrassment she'd feel if this guy actually titfucked her in the middle of a fight. “Even if the rules for the tournament don't say you can't, it's still against the law!”
“Eh, I'm okay with that. If they think they can arrest me, they're more than free to try.”
Her mind was whirring for something she could say to get him to back off. “Wait, that's right... the rules! You said yourself the tournament was only for combat! This isn't combat!” She looked hopefully to the official on the side, waiting for confirmation.
“Well... when you think about it, sex by its nature is tantamount to violence...”
“Couldn't have put it any better myself!”
“STOP helping him!” Mai shrieked. “Forget it! We've already lost, right? We'll just end the fight if that's how it's going to be... better than being toyed with in public like this...”
“Ah, good plan. So how do you plan on doing that?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well, the fight ends when you're unconscious or deemed unable to continue. You're not really there yet, are you?”
It was true that Mai was fatigued from the fight, but she wasn't particularly injured, and clearly still had enough energy to continue. The official wouldn't even bother to examine her in this state.
“It doesn't matter!” she spat back. “I'll just give up!”
“Yes, of course, just give up! That is another accepted way of ending the fight, and a perfectly sensible one when you're so outmatched. But since it's a 3-on-3, your team needs to be unanimous among your conscious members for that to work. So let's hear it, ladies! Are you all giving up?” Viasmos exaggeratedly put a hand to his ear to hear their responses.
“MMMPPPPSSSSHHHH!”
“MMMMHHHRRR UUUHHHNNN!”
“Gee, I couldn't make out what they were saying. How about you, ref?”
He was really glad he read up on the rules.
This bastard!
The ball gags weren't some fetish, it was his way of preventing them from being able to concede the fight! It was so devious in its simplicity that Mai was almost impressed. He was clearly a sensational fighter, and a thorough mind... but was he really going to put those skills to work just fucking around like this? She looked pleadingly to the official, hoping he'd make a call in her favor, but he just threw up his hands and gave her a bemused look that seemed to say, “Whaddya want me to do?”
“Well,” Viasmos said, pulling aside the loose fabric covering her breasts and sandwiching his cock between them, “time to get to work.”
The kunoichi gasped as she watched his dick prod out from the depths of her cleavage, still somewhat in disbelief that not only were her breasts exposed like this, but that she was being so shamefully humiliated before a live audience. She was obviously fine with showing some skin, but there was always a hard limit as to how much she was willing to show off. And now this... most of her life that wasn't dedicated to daydreaming about Andy was instead directed towards martial arts, and she took great pride in her craft. To lose in the first place was already a deeply frustrating experience, to have it happen to some nobody that no one had ever heard of made it all the worse... but having that man make sport of her body like this? That was a whole other level of depravity that she never expected to find within the ring.
The throbbing heat of his manhood echoed the pulse of her thundering heart as he hammered away at her tits with all the fervency one would expect of such a virile male. His rugged hands pressed greedily against her breasts, squeezing them powerfully against his dick, breathing feverishly with each indulgent thrust. She didn't have much experience with men outside of Andy, but one look at his frenzied eyes told her all she needed to know. He didn't care one iota about her, or for her satisfaction. In his eyes, she was simply a tool to be used for the sake of his own pleasure. This was all about him, and the excitement he got from holding power over someone weaker than him.
She wasn't completely naive... she knew men like this existed. But those were men who lacked the commitment and tenacity required to become truly great at fighting at this level. They were a breed of male that relied only on their natural physical gifts. A talented girl like Mai might get the occasional groping here and there, but that was it. Sexual assault this brazen was, in her mind, something that only happened to other women. Because if that type of guy ever tried to overpower her, she'd be more than capable of defending herself.
Truth was a cold mistress.
“Damn, these tits are so soft!” Viasmos commended, the ravenous grin on his face beaming down at Mai. “They feel every bit as good as they look! It's like your whole body was specifically designed to seduce men!”
“Sh-shut up!”
Truth be told, Mai wasn't as aghast at his vulgar commentary as she acted. She did, in fact, take pride in being such a beauty. She wouldn't have incorporated it into her fighting style if she didn't. But of course, it was difficult to say, “Thank you!” to a man who was actively assaulting her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that she kind of liked what he'd just said about her.
“Reluctant as I am to take my dick away from this heavenly bosom of yours, I really should move things along...” Viasmos mumbled sadly. He readjusted himself so his pelvis was just beneath her neck. Before she could ask what he was doing, her mouth was plugged by his raging manhood. “Heh... guess you're the one who has to shut up,” he snarkily teased.
Not like she'd have been able to resist him anyway, but he was positioned in such a way that just trying to struggle only served to pleasure him. His weight pressed into her as she lay helpless along the ground, leaving her the options of letting him force his rod down her throat, or futilely squirming and traversing his rod on her own power. She wasn't sure which was preferable of those two grotesque options, but she knew either way that this was not going to be a fun time.
She had no problem being a loving partner and going down on her dear Andy, who cherished her as a man should for his woman. Even though his own manhood was nothing to sneeze at, he treated her tenderly, allowed her to envelop him at a smooth and steady pace. This bastard's monstrous organ was quite distinct, pounding into her roughly and without care or concern for her own well-being. She felt that if she were to suffocate and pass out, he would most likely keep on going without so much as a pause. Contrary to the graceful, amorous service she'd happily perform for Andy, this was straining, beastly use of her body that took her every effort to endure.
“Yo... guys?” Viasmos called out to his two teammates. “You can't use their mouths, obviously, but like... feel free to go wild with those girls you have there.”
“MMMMPPPPPHHHHH!!!!!”
“Wha – you sure, boss? That's okay?”
“Well yeah, why wouldn't it be? I'd feel a little bad having so much fun while you two just groped them for twenty minutes. I'm sure you have to be feeling pretty energized yourselves, yeah?”
“Y-yeah, but... don't you want 'em, boss?”
How kind of them to consider his needs before theirs. Clearly, they understood their place in the hierarchy. It was true, Viasmos could save a lot of time taking all three girls for himself at once – but at the same time, it wouldn't feel right. It was certainly the case that they only won thanks to Viasmos's influence, and he did deliver the final blows to both of them, but still... it could hardly be called a real fight, could it? Nothing like the one he'd enjoyed with Mai. And if he didn't earn a girl, he didn't want the girl.
“Eh, I'll save them for the rain. I'm feeling generous today! You boys have fun!”
“Save 'em for the...? W-whatever, thanks, boss! Siding with you was definitely the right move!”
Mai's eyes turned a new shade of panic as she heard her friends squeal with increased intensity, the men obviously ramping up their use of their bodies. Viasmos looked down at her, smiling with an unwarranted sense of charm. “There, ain't that better? You don't have to go through this alone!”
This guy! I knew he was dangerous, but... we're seriously all going to get raped at this rate!
His bulging flesh continued to ram itself down her throat. Occasionally, she'd get a fleeting sense of her mind wandering, like her subconsciousness was trying to remove her from the present horrors she was facing. It would be a welcome reprieve if it could only last. She was repeatedly jostled back to reality with his rough treatment of her petite frame. Again and again, she was forced to contend with the reality of the giant cock being brutally hammered into her.
Viasmos pulled out of her mouth, and lifted her by her ponytail. She threw her hands up in a vain attempt to push him away, but he hardly even noticed as he swung his cock into her cheeks, chuckling at her pathetic appearance. She felt so weak, being dragged to her knees and slapped by his penis. It enraged her, but beyond an irritated grunt, there was little for her to do about it. After Viasmos was done amusing himself, he threw her back on the ground and climbed on top of her, forcefully spreading her legs. Knowing what was coming, she desperately covered her entrance, but Viasmos grabbed her hands and held them over her head by the wrists.
“P-please! Please, stop it here! That place is only for Andy!”
“Well, it's for me now, sugar tits!”
She turned pleadingly to the official and begged, “C'mon! This has to be too far! He's about to rape me, jackass! Do something!”
Meekly, he replied, “I mean... I'm sure this oversight will come up at the next boarding meeting, so-”
“BOARD MEETING!? Are you serious!? I'm about to get raped right now! I don't have time to wait for the end of the fiscal quarter!”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better,” Viasmos cut in, slowly pushing into Mai's vagina while releasing her hands, “I'd be raping you regardless of the rules right now.” As he completed his sentence, he slid all the way in, forever removing any hope Mai had of getting out of her undefiled.
“N-no...” she whimpered, crossing her arm over her eyes in shame. All that anger that had been building in her had faded into a quiet despair. There was nothing to fight for now, just a failure to lament. She couldn't defend herself, and her body had been taken.
I'm sorry, Andy... I'm so sorry!
It was only getting worse from there, as Mai heard the muffled shrieks of her friends. No doubt, they were also being penetrated right about now. The three of them, proud women fighters, sure to become a mockery after today's humiliation. No matter how many fights they won from this day forth, people would never forget the time that the three of them got overpowered and raped in the middle of a fight. How much better it would have been if they had simply gotten beaten to a pulp.
In stark contrast to the inert, downcast body of Mai, Viasmos had energy to spare. The way she wrapped around his cock and how the softness of her flesh received his hips felt tailor-made for male satisfaction. He could see why this Andy guy liked her so much! He lowered himself and sucked on her nipple, returning to those divine twin peaks that had captivated him so. Mai weakly grunted as she felt his slobbery mouth all over her most sensitive areas, but otherwise had little reaction. At this point, she was largely resigned to whatever Viasmos had store for her. In her mind, she'd already been violated, so there was nothing left to do but wait for him to finish.
While this mentality did please Viasmos, it didn't satisfy him. He liked his girls to partake in the experience – there was no fun in fucking a lifeless doll! So how could he get a rise out of her? In his experience, there was always one reliable step to be taken with cutesy, lovestruck girls like her. He grabbed her arm and roughly swung it off her face. Before she even knew herself what was happening, she felt her cheeks pressed together by his meaty hands, and his lips joined with hers.
N-NOOOOO! She screamed internally. She at least had that left... lips that belonged only to Andy. But now this bastard was stealing that for himself too, his tongue diving into her mouth like an unexplored cave. It searched her every surface, eager to discover the most intimate parts of her insides, matching his movements further down. It felt like her body was nothing more than territory, her rapist the pioneer who now claimed it.
She shoved her hands into his chest, trying desperately to push him off, but the result was a predictable failure. She could feel his lips curl into a smirk at her resistance, no doubt pleased at her reinvigorated spirit. Although Mai understood how pointless her struggle was, she couldn't bear staying idle while her every piece was defiled. How could she ever face Andy, the one she truly belonged to, if she didn't at least do this much?
Viasmos did eventually part from her lips, but he followed it up with a powerful piston that halted her every conscious movement. She grunted with each heavy thrust plowing into her, rocking back and forth to his overbearing rhythm. Mai could hardly focus on anything else happening around her, but she definitely felt the sharp sting of Viasmos slapping her tits.
“Goddamn, just look at these fat melons!” he exclaimed. “I could watch them jiggle like this for hours!”
Mai tried to come up with a retort, but every attempt to think receded back into numbed agony. His movements hammered at her with such force that it was like a shockwave pulsing throughout his body, yet they were also so fast that she didn't have time to ready herself. It was like being hit by a wave when she was already drowning. They just kept coming, one after another after another, rendering her incapable of even the symbolic resistance she aspired to.
Even when he stopped, Mai lay motionless. Her body still suffered from the residual impact of his forceful treatment, and her mind lagged behind even further. She was only faintly aware of him grabbing her by her ponytail and shoving her forward on her arms and knees. As she looked up, her conscious mind returning, she felt the graze of his tip from behind her – however, that wasn't what most caught her attention.
Like this, she could see what her friends were being forced to experience. Like her, both were being taken on all fours. King looked angered, still holding onto her will as she was pounded from behind, but Yuri looked far more distressed. Tears poured from the young girl's eyes as she was raped, having surely never conceived such a terrible fate in the middle of a tournament. Mai looked with disdain at the two thugs as they used her friends, knowing perfectly well they'd never have had the opportunity to do something like this on their own. They magically tripped into a situation where they could feel powerful, assaulting two women a thousand times their better. Had they an ounce of humility, they surely wouldn't take advantage of this preposterous situation... but that wasn't the case, and instead her friends were suffering. Feeling Viasmos plunging into her, she knew she'd suffer right along with them.
“Enough!” shouted a voice from the stands, a good samaritan who could no longer stay silent. The official may have been a spineless coward, but surely there were good men in the audience who would do something about this. She saw the man hoist himself over the barriers, and though security tried to stop him, it spawned an outpouring of sympathizers who attempted to rush the stage and put a stop to this. Humiliating as this experience had been, seeing this kind of support from people who'd have every right to be scared warmed her heart.
Unfortunately, that was about all they could do to ease her situation. The two goons paused in fear of the storming crowd, but as the nearest person approached the stage, they came to a complete stop. Viasmos looked around unamused at the crowd, annoyed at having needed to spawn a barrier to keep these fools at bay.
“Who the hell are you people to get in the way of my fun, huh?” he shouted. Non-fighters usually knew better than to involve themselves whenever he raped someone in front of an audience. Hell, in Tifa's case, the crowd was cheering for her defilement. Of course, that had been an underground tournament, so there were all kinds of seedy types bearing witness. He'd already anticipated that this crowd would be less receptive to his antics, but what prompted them to think they could do a damn thing to stop him?
His best guess was that he simply hadn't shown off enough of his power. He was using very limited magic, and he'd held back such that his physical prowess, while impressive, wouldn't come off as superhuman to these folks. He hoped that by conjuring this barrier, they'd realize the futility of opposing him. “If you can't get past this barrier, then you have no business trying to pick a fight with me. Now...” He paused so he could slap Mai's ass before going back to fucking her, like the ringing of a bell before a fight. “You all just enjoy the show!”
Mai was obviously unable to interact with the barrier, predisposed as she was, but she could tell this was an impressive fortress he'd built for himself. To magically conjure a shield that encompassed the entirety of the arena's perimeter, and to do it without even having to get up, displayed a level of skill unique to her experience. She couldn't even imagine doing something like that with fire. It painted an unfortunate truth for her, being that this guy wasn't just good, but completely out of her league from the beginning. Just where did this guy come from? He was far too awe-inspiring a talent to be such an unknown.
A sensible question that would have to wait until after she was done getting raped. She couldn't concentrate on such complicated ponderings while she was being reamed from behind. Though his piston wasn't quite as fierce as it was earlier, it was only a minor amelioration from having to take this gigantic, powerful cock. She grit her teeth as she struggled to withstand the intense manhandling.
It wasn't like she was entirely opposed to this. She liked feeling a man's strength when she was with Andy. Though he was mostly delicate with her, the difference in their strength as men and women was still apparent to her, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't turn her on just a bit. But of course, that was a strength that turned her on because she knew it was something she could rely on. Strong, manly arms that would protect and hold her... not pin and dominate her. The predatory intent behind Viasmos was the distinction, and kept her from feeling any pleasure from this, in spite of his undeniable masculinity.
Tears welled in her eyes. She missed Andy. Being forced to take it like a bitch only made her relationship with him all the more sweet in her eyes. Yet, there was a touch of fear clawing at the back of her mind, as well. What would Andy think when he learned what happened here? Would he still love her? Or would she be... tainted? She told herself that Andy wouldn't think like that. It wasn't like she had a choice in all this. But at the same time, she still felt dirty... and if she felt that way, then who's to say Andy wouldn't?
He would probably still love her.
Yes, probably.
But she couldn't be sure.
She just wanted this to all be over.
Viasmos reached forward and grabbed her by her breasts, arching her back against him as he continued railing her. He whispered, “How's it feel... to learn how weak you really are?” She shivered as she felt his tongue against her cheek, licking up and down like she was a piece of tender meat. In some ways, she figured her really did view her that way. Just a fuckable piece of meat made for him to devour.
He pulled out of her, but kept hold of her by her head. Once more, she was too numb to move, to even try an exercise as pointless as resisting his grip. He walked around to her friend and hooked her by her shoulders, springing her up in the air a few feet before grabbing her and entering her again in one smooth motion. Although he caught her, Mai let out a sharp cry from the sudden lurch of her back as her upper body fell.
“Ow!”
Not exactly the commiserating type, Viasmos showed no alarm at her pain, and instead responded by clawing at her cheeks. He squished them roughly as he forced her to stare at him... at that terrifyingly callous smirk of his. She glared, though with her cheeks bunched up as they were, Viasmos only found it cute.
“Do you hate me? Do you want to kill me? You're still welcome to try. I hope you won't feel too dejected if I continue raping you while you're at it.”
He ramped up the intensity of his thrusts, still clamping down on her face. She hated how casually he made light of her torment. As if the act of rape itself wasn't sufficient enough of a humiliation to satisfy him. But what she most hated was how right he was. Of course, she'd kill him if she could. He deserved it for this depraved action. But he was so much stronger than her, that he wouldn't even have to try and defend himself. He could just continue raping her like nothing else was going on, and her efforts would fall utterly flat.
This was ultimately demonstrated when she beat at his chest with all her feeble might. He just kept pounding into her, not the least bit disturbed. She reached for his face, though it was quite a strain, and tried to claw at it. If she could just scratch at his skin, anything to hurt him even a little bit... But far from being hurt, Viasmos only seemed to be enthused by her continued struggle. She could tell... for it would be difficult to hide with his dick deep inside her. The heightened throbbing and excited pace were all too apparent for her not to notice.
Yes, he was certainly having a great time, and now he was really about to let her know it. He released her face and clasped her hips, intensifying his thrusts even further. “Well, I'm sure you'll be excited to know this is coming to an end soon... as soon as I erupt inside you.” Mai was guilty of the occasional naivete, but she wasn't completely stupid. His meaning wasn't lost on her.
“W-wait? Inside me? No! No! Nnnnononononono! Please, anywhere else! I'll do anything!”
“Goddamn right you'll do anything! Because I'll make you!”
“P-please! Please! Only Andy's allowed to do that! I'm begging you, please!”
“I'm more of a rule-maker than a rule-follower. Andy's gonna have to learn to share.”
“I... I can't risk having a baby with anyone else! Please! Isn't there something you want? Something I can do for you? Please, whatever it is, name it, and I'll do it! Just don't cum inside of me!”
She had abandoned all shame in her plea, desperate to leave her womb unstained. No matter how pitiful she may have looked, it was the one thing she absolutely had to protect. She hoped, with her capitulation guaranteed, he'd be open to granting this lone, heartfelt wish. But if Viasmos was capable of compassion, it wasn't apparent in the words that followed.
“You think you have bargaining power over me, woman? Like your cooperation is something I need, or even want? I'm the one who decides your fate from now on. And you? You'll go along with it. Not because you want to, but because you don't have a choice. You belong to me now.”
She tried desperately to think of something to say, but she couldn't. She knew she had to, to come up with something that would take her out of this situation, but she was stuck. That was, of course, not because she couldn't find the right words, but because the right words didn't exist. On some level, she understood that much. This was a man who viewed her only as a source for pleasure. To grant her even one tiny grace in exchange for just a modicum of his own satisfaction was too great an ask in his mind. She simply wasn't in a position to negotiate with him on the matter, or any matter. What he wanted, he'd get... and she couldn't do anything about it.
She leaned back helplessly, her eyes treated to an upside-down view of the stands behind her. She'd felt quite hopeful when she saw people try and flood the arena. Futile as it was, it meant this painful experience was something people could sympathize with. But as she looked at those still in the stands, she was treated to the other side of the equation. The people snickering at her, entertained by her torturous experience. Eyes leering judgmentally at her, like they were somehow superior for not being in this situation. She could imagine the things they were thinking.
“She's getting what she deserved!”
“That's what happens when a woman enters a man's world!”
“This oughta teach her a woman's place!”
All things she'd heard before. All things she'd learned to ignore and dismiss. Just a bunch of insecure guys who couldn't handle seeing a strong woman succeed in a sport traditionally dominated by men. Her every battle – whether it ended in victory or defeat – was a testament to just how wrong those guys were.
But here, in this situation, Mai was troubled by the instinctive answer she gave to them in her head.
Guess you were right...
And then she felt it... the warm eruption of her rapist's seed. As she felt his thick essence flood her insides, she smacked her eyes with her palms. She needed something to cry into right now, and it was either her hands or this bastard rapist's chest. It wasn't her fault... that's what she tried to tell herself. But she couldn't help but feel that this was the ultimate betrayal of Andy's love. Especially if she got pregnant... what would she do then? How could she ever forgive herself?
Viasmos pulled her off his dick and dropped her on her knees. She landed with an awkward thud, too distraught to catch herself properly. She hardly even noticed when Viasmos stepped forward and popped his dick back in her mouth. As he moved himself inside her, cleaning every inch of his cock, he looked back and shouted to his goons, “Hey! You boys finished up yet?”
“Oh yeah! Just about, boss!”
It wasn't long before the two men released themselves inside of King and Yuri. Viasmos snapped his fingers, and the two gags disappeared. It hardly mattered if they surrendered at this point, after all.
“You bastard! I'll kill you!” King shouted at Viasmos, seemingly more enraged at him than her actual rapist.
Yuri, on the other hand, only mumbled to herself. “Why...why...” The poor girl was still struggling to accept that she'd just been raped.
“Good, good, looks like a good time was had by all!” Viasmos cheerily shouted, before looking down on Mai as she was still wrapped around his dick. “Well, some anyway.” He pulled out his dick and picked Mai up, throwing her over his shoulder. She wasn't sure what he had in mind. Weakly, she asked him, “What are you going to do now?”
“Isn't that obvious? I told you, you belong to me now. This ain't a one-time gig.”
“I... I don't understand... you can't possibly think you can just walk out of here after doing something like-”
Ignoring her, Viasmos two-finger saluted his new pals and opened up a portal behind him. “Toodles!”
And just like that, he disappeared.
King and Yuri watched in bewilderment. What did that bastard do? Where was Mai? Where did he take their friend? Even the two goons were shocked at the sight, unaccustomed to magic of that caliber. Their mouths hung open as they tried to reason out what was going on, until they each felt an icy grip around their heads.
“You sure had yourselves some fun, didn't you, boys?” King whispered with a piercing clarity that sent a chill down his spine. He glanced over to his friend, and could see him in Yuri's claws. The girl apparently had a renewed sense of spirit, her disbelief and shock transforming into anger.
“I hope you don't think you'll be getting away with everything you did...”
“B-boss? BOSS!?” No Viasmos meant no healing magic. The girls, while exhausted, were no longer pinned down or otherwise inhibited. They'd be fodder for trained fighters... but not these sorry miscreants. One of them turned to the official in desperation. “Hey, ref, c'mon! You saw all that... we already won! R... right?”
The official frowned. “You heard your leader earlier, right?”
“Huh?”
“The fight isn't over yet.”
There was a quick effort to surrender, but both King and Yuri had the awareness to clasp their mouths and keep them from giving up. “Don't worry,” King growled into the thug's ear.
Yuri was quick to follow up. “We'll be sure to extend you all the mercy you offered to us.”
It was a decisive win for Mai's team, despite the miserable time the girls experienced. While rape wasn't against the KOF rules, it was, in fact, illegal in the country. An irrelevant detail to Viasmos, but one his two lackeys would have cared about greatly if they hadn't been so easily swayed by the warlord's casual dismissal. They didn't even wind up winning the first round, so there was no prize money to be had. They were just a couple of hooligans who got thrown in jail as soon as they were done being patched up by the nearest hospital.
While those two got their comeuppance, it was hard for the ladies to feel too good about how things transpired. Their reputations would remain tarnished after such a disgraceful act, and that was still the least of their concerns. The primary villain of this saga, Viasmos, had disappeared without a trace. Everyone assumed that was some kind of teleportation magic, but even assuming that was true, it gave no clue as to where he'd actually gone. He still needed to pay, far more so than the two losers he dragged along with him.
And of course, there was still a question that needed answering even more than that.
What had happened to Mai?
“Everyone, this is Mai Shiranui. As always, please allow Ms. Shiranui to acclimate comfortably. You're dismissed.”
A standardly curt introduction, courtesy of Chlorida. Mai had spent the last couple days doing two things: getting raped by Viasmos in his chambers, and learning just where it was she'd truly been taken. Her rapist... her master... was a far bigger deal than she'd ever dared to imagine. An indomitable warlord who reigned supreme on a planet of gods. It almost made her embarrassed to think that she ever thought for a moment that her silly martial arts techniques could do any real damage to him.
She'd had minimal conversations with the girls in adjacent cells, all of whom supposedly came from other dimensions like herself. They seemed nice enough. She wouldn't mind making friends while she was here. But of course... even the most optimistic of people would struggle to call that a silver lining. She'd been abducted from everyone she knew and loved, forever forced to appease the sexual appetite of her new master. A once proud fighter, reduced to a helpless sex slave.
But that wasn't what ate at her the most.
I'll... never see Andy again...
Her beloved Andy would die to save her, she knew. She regretted feeling so uncertain about him before, while she was being assaulted. Now that she'd had some time since the initial rape, she knew that her beloved Andy would never blame her for something like this. Not a person as good-natured and dependable as him. Those negative thoughts were just her insecurities as a woman screaming back at her. She teared up whenever she imagined what he must be feeling after having heard the news of what happened to her. But for all his care and passion, which she loved so much about him, it wouldn't help him find her in this place. She doubted he'd even consider something as fantastical as her being taken to another dimension. He'd never find her... never save her...
I hope... you don't go holding on forever. Someday, when you're ready to move on... find someone else you can love. You deserve to be happy, Andy...
Mai was sitting by her lonesome against the wall of the gym, not quite ready to engage the other girls so boldly. As she lamented her fate, forever separated from her love, she buried her head between her knees and struggled not to cry.
I just wish... I could have been happy with you!
She stayed like that for a few minutes, her thoughts wavering between the happiness of her memories with Andy and the heart-wrenching despair of knowing there'd be no new memories to join them. Her anguished thoughts were finally interrupted when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she looked up to see who had come to greet her.
The woman smiled sweetly at Mai, hunching over to meet her gaze. From the tone of her body, Mai could tell right away that she was also a trained fighter. Probably the thing that struck Mai as most eye-catching about her was the unique way she wore her hair: in dual buns wrapped with silk brocades, and tied up with ribbons.
“Hey, so... Mai, right? I heard you're also a martial artist.”
Mai had felt that she wasn't ready to bond too deeply with anyone here just yet. But seeing someone approach her when she was feeling her lowest, she suddenly felt differently. Maybe this was what it meant to survive in these walls. Depending on each other, not so different from team martial arts. If she could make some friends in this world, perhaps the pain that came with it would be a made just a little easier.
Maybe there was a silver lining after all.
Notes:
So I wanted to comment on some of the decisions made in this chapter, since I can anticipate a few questions I may get.
One, why not just have Viasmos take King and Yuri along with him? I have, in the past, done multiple characters at a time, so I did consider it. However, there were a couple reasons I didn't want to. For one, it would have required a lot of extra research for each character. Again, I don't really play fighting games, so I try to make up for that by learning what I can about the characters being portrayed. That's a lot of effort for one chapter. The way they're done here, I only needed a cursory idea of their personalities to portray them. Another reason was because I have to be conscientious about how many tags I put in, since that largely determines how long each part of The Inconquerable will be. I'll definitely be doing more fighting game characters, but will I be specifically going after King or Yuri? The answer is I have no idea, so I feel no particular rush in getting them incorporated.
So that said, why not just do a one-on-one? I just liked the idea of taking KoF's 3v3 format, and making a storyline where Viasmos had to involve two random nobodies to make his scheme work. Just kind of a vibes thing. And at that point, I figured I'd have the other two ladies assaulted as well.
Last thing I want to get into is the relationship between Mai and Andy. My understanding is that in King of Fighters, while there's definitely mutual love between Mai and Andy, there's also some ambiguity surrounding their relationship. In this chapter, I heavily imply that there's a sexual history between the two of them. Why did I do that? Well, during the course of my research, I found a special opening from one of the KoF games where, before Andy and Mai fight, she surprises him with his baby. Although said baby is fake, Andy ABSOLUTELY seems to think it is real. This leaves two possibilities: they've fucked, or Andy's a moron. I could find no indication that Andy was particularly stupid, so it is my scientific conclusion that those two have been banging all day between fights.
Chapter 16: Mina Ashido
Notes:
After much insistence that we'd make it there eventually, we are finally going to experience a taste of the actual MHA timeline! It'll still be a little different, because the characters are all 18+ and thus post-U.A., but we'll keep it as close to the general storyline as we can.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
One month earlier...
“I feel good about your growth. Do you?”
“I... I do!” Mina answered with delayed, but undeterred confidence.
The two spoke in a homey-looking room. Flax-yellow walls and wooden trim surrounded the soft, comfortable chairs in which they sat. The blinds were semi-open, allowing a healthy amount of sunlight in, while still permitting them their privacy.
“I'm glad to hear it. You should feel very proud about how far you've come,” the other woman said. She wrote something down on her clipboard and returned her gaze to Mina. “The million dollar question, of course, is if you're ready to return to the field.”
Mina turned slightly downcast, but she kept eye contact transfixed. “And... am I?”
“You know what I'm going to say,” the spectacled woman responded with a warm, but unassuming smile. “That's for you to determine. So tell me what you think. Are you ready to go back?”
The pink-skinned heroine pondered the question for several questions, earnestly sorting through her feelings. “I... I know I want to,” she finally said. “Being a hero has always been my dream, and I love doing it. I've never stopped feeling that way. And after all you've done to help me, I know I'm in a much better place than I was before. But...”
She paused, but the woman didn't push her. She waited patiently for Mina to figure out exactly what she wanted to say.
“...The idea of returning to the field excites me, but I also want to take your advice to heart. You've warned me about managing my expectations before, how progress is rarely a straight line... and I'm still... a little scared...”
“That's alright, Mina. It's not something heroes say publicly too often, but few would ever claim to not feel scared.”
“Right, but I just mean... I know if I go back, it won't be like this. The safety of this environment, the support network that you and the others provide for me, all that stuff. There will be danger out there, and I guess what I'm really scared of... it's not the danger, so much as how I'll react to it. What if, after everything, I find out... I'm just not as far along as I thought?”
It was the other woman's turn to carefully select her words. “That's a perfectly understandable fear, Mina. I won't lie and pretend it's not a possibility. If you aren't sure you're ready, that's perfectly okay. Nobody is trying to rush you out of here, and you're welcome to stay as long as you deem necessary. At the same time, it's important not to fear the uncertainty. There is no way to definitively know how you'll react in a dangerous situation until you're there, but running from that eventuality indefinitely is not the road towards healing. At some point, you will have to make a choice, even if you don't know the answer.”
“Y-yes, of course... I just-”
“It's alright. Take a deep breath, Mina.” After Mina did just that, the woman continued, “You needn't feel defensive. I'm not pushing you one way or the other. I'm simply advising you on what you will need to consider when making your decision.”
“Right, thank you. Like I said, I'm very proud of how far I've come. I think, under different circumstances, I'd feel more confident. It's just that... after what happened to Mt. Lady...”
A heavy silence filled the room, the woman uncertain if it was wise to proceed down this path. “Though a difficult subject, it can be good to air out your grievances. Do you feel up to discussing the incident from several months ago? If not, we needn't go further.”
“Y-yes. I think I'm okay.”
“Very well. Tell me if you feel uncomfortable at any time, and we can stop.”
“Right... thank you. It goes without saying that what happened to Mt. Lady was awful. But at the same time, it's something all girls in the hero course learn to be prepared for. We understand there's a danger that comes with this occupation. Injury and death, of course, but for women... more than that. When I was in U.A., the girls all had to take regular courses where they were informed on all matters related to sexual assault. What to be careful of, what to do if we did find ourselves in that situation, and should the worst come to pass, what kind of resources were available to us. Anonymous hotlines, treatments, support networks, and in severe cases...” Mina looked around the room somewhat dejectedly before turning back to the woman sitting across from her. “...psychiatric hospitals.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of for coming here. We needn't go back to your own experience if you don't want to, but everyone heals in their own way. You were very brave for reaching out when you knew you needed help, and utilizing every resource available to you.”
“Right... of course, I'm very glad I came here. You've all been so helpful to me. Just, as a hero... I do have my pride, you know?”
This hospital catered specifically towards heroes, and so everything was kept in the strictest confidence. Extra measures were taken to protect their identities, given the high profile of their patients – tabloid media couldn't so much as snap a picture of who entered and exited. But of course, people would notice a heroine's prolonged absence from the public... especially these days. There would be gossip. Confirmed, denied, or ignored, plenty would know the truth of a female hero's trauma.
“Yes, you do have pride,” the therapist replied. “Enough pride as a hero to do everything in your power to return to that way of life. I think you have plenty to be proud of for coming here and sincerely pursuing recovery.”
“Thanks... that means a lot.” Mina took another deep breath before she continued, “Anyway... even with all that preparation... I'm not sure it matters at all when faced with the real thing. Not in the moment, at least. For me... I couldn't remember anything, couldn't think about anything, I just... well, it's nothing we haven't talked about before. I was just so scared and ashamed while it was happening... but once it was over, I had all that stuff to rely on. All that preparation, it helped me make the choices I needed to get better. I think I could've come back more quickly, as things used to be. But then... that Viasmos guy...”
The doctor struggled not to scowl at his name. Mina was not the only of the therapist's patients to have talked about Viasmos. His very existence was negatively impacting the recovery of so many heroines. This was especially the case here in Japan, being the only place he'd visited so far as his apparent hunting grounds. As a trained psychiatrist and counselor, it was important not to show any kind of personal hostility, even to people not in the room. But having seen the impact of that monster's actions... it was difficult to compartmentalize her disgust for him.
“I'd heard a little about him from my friends. They weren't sure if they should tell me while I was in here, but I mean, after what happened to Momo... well, they didn't want to lie to me about what happened to my friend. And like, I knew he was a bad guy, and that he'd hurt my friend – and my former teacher, Midnight. But I wasn't ready for the way he made a spectacle out of Mt. Lady like that... the way he seemed to take glee from her public humiliation. But most of all, it was how there was nothing else to it. He didn't have some master plan that he was just taking a break from to amuse himself... the assault of a heroine was the plan! And with what information Momo was able to provide... it's obvious he doesn't plan to stop. He'll come again... and again... finding new women to attack and... abduct.”
There it was, the reason his being struck so much fear into the hearts of so many heroines. Every single one of them had to ask themselves, “What if I run into him?” There was a difference between being asked to face an unknown danger that could potentially be too much for them, and being asked to face a known danger that they all knew would be too much for them. It was a sentiment reflected in Mina's following words.
“I mean, like... we all saw it. He took down so many heroes. Not just any, but the world's best. Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Edgeshot... it didn't matter how many of them there were. They just weren't a match. So I already know... if he was to ever target me, there'd be nothing I could do.”
This was tricky territory as a therapist. It was important to stay positive and make her patients feel empowered. That said, it was irresponsible to offer hollow platitudes or wishful thinking. A therapist would never tell a rape victim that it won't ever happen again, because after all, there's no way to guarantee that. If it did happen again, it would tear down the trust built between the therapist and patient, so one couldn't be flippant. And as powerful as Viasmos obviously was, she couldn't exactly refute Mina's hypothetical. There was a limit to what she could promise... but she could still promise some things.
“Mina, whether or not Viasmos is among them, it is certain that you will run into great dangers upon returning to hero work. The most important thing is that you remember you are not alone. In your civilian life, you will have your family, your friends, and me. Out there, you will have other heroes to depend on. Whatever hardships you may face, you now know from personal experience that you have the tools to triumph over them.”
“Yes, well... that's exactly what I think. The more we talk about it... the more I think I am ready to return to the field. Because even after everything I said, there's still one person I can place my hopes in.”
“You're referring to-”
“Yes. All Might.”
All Might – the greatest hero in all the world since the dawn of quirks. Endeavor was the No.2 hero, and among those present when Viasmos attacked Mt. Lady. Even backed up by other mighty heroes, Endeavor proved little challenge for the likes of Viasmos. But All Might? He dropped in and immediately thwarted him. Viasmos put up a good fight against the Symbol of Peace, but All Might was able to stop him from abducting Mt. Lady, and the man was forced to escape back to his dimension. Mt. Lady had not been seen in public since then, but Mina and others assumed that she was like her: recuperating somewhere as she worked herself back to being a hero. She'd suffered terribly, but still... All Might had been there to save her.
And if she could be saved by Viasmos, then so could Mina.
“He always finds a way to win, no matter the odds. Whatever danger arises, he manages to save people. The truth is... I'm not sure I'd have the strength to go on if it wasn't for All Might. If I felt it was truly hopeless, I'd be too scared to even risk facing Viasmos. But All Might is the one person who can prove a match for Viasmos, and just having that single hope to rely on... to think that I could find a way to survive it... that's enough for me.”
The doctor smiled and wrote something down in her clipboard. “Let me explain what will happen if you decide to return to the field. First, I will write a recommendation to the World Heroes Association – there should be no trouble there. Once you pass a few evaluations and the paperwork is taken care of, you'll be released from our care and go back to your hero identity as Pinky. Of course, that doesn't mean our relationship will be at an end. You'll still come in for routine sessions, and we'll continue to evaluate your mental health as you return to your old life. For at least the first month, you will be paired with another hero, just to be cautious in the event of a psychological break. Once we're confident that you can handle the stress of your profession, you will be allowed to operate solo. Even then, of course, we will continue to provide you with the tools you need to heal. There will be rough moments. Times you feel like you've regressed, as if none of your growth mattered at all. But you have a strong and stable support network around you, and we will face those challenges together. Now, with that all clarified, do you feel those are conditions you are ready to face?”
Mina sat upright in her chair nodded with affirmative conviction. “You and the others have done a lot for me in here, but it's not limited to this place. You've given me the tools and resources I need to face my fears and withstand adversity. I know I still have a long road ahead of me... but thanks to all of you, I'm not afraid to continue walking ahead! So... yes! I feel I'm ready!”
Present Day...
Mina's progress had been commendable. She'd proven capable of facing the dangers of her profession without freezing or slowing down. After some weeks of working alongside other heroes to support her, she was finally back in a solo routine. Truthfully, coming back had been a greater boon to her mental health than she could have imagined. Hero work made her feel empowered and important. It was as if she'd forgotten those things about herself... all because of one stupid mistake.
That's all it had been. The people she'd been fighting were nobodies. Just some ruffians who made up a minor gang that had been peddling drugs in the city. Pinky was more than enough for the likes of them – or at least that's how it should've been. One stupid mistake. They're all warned about that kind of thing in school. That's all it takes to cost a hero their life... or their dignity.
It was something she understood intellectually, but youth can be a dangerous narcotic. That feeling of invincibility that can only be chipped away at with experience... and the men had given her quite the experience to remember. It wasn't like some other horror stories Mina had heard. Back in U.A., when they took SA awareness classes, they were often given testimonials from real heroines who'd been assaulted. Some of them were relatively light, maybe ending with just some groping before another hero came on scene. As for the rapes, the heroine was always used and thrown away, like a fish in a catch-and-release lake. Mina could only wish she'd had it so lucky.
After knocking her out, the men had taken her to their hideout. She'd been tied up and drugged, something that numbed her just enough to keep from being able to use her quirk. Unable to corrode her bindings, she couldn't fight and was completely at their mercy. It wasn't hard to imagine what they'd do to her, but what she hadn't been prepared for was the amount of time she'd spend there. Two weeks. Two whole weeks as that pathetic gang's defenseless, little sex slave. Over that time, she'd become so despondent that they didn't even need to drug her anymore. She didn't bother trying to escape. She'd simply accepted her role as their free use fucktoy, until a hero managed to find them and finally rescue her.
The irony of it all was that freedom was the most painful part. While it was going on, she'd mentally retreated, such that the whole thing felt like some kind of out-of-body experience. But once she was allowed to return to her whole life, the reality of everything she'd endured piled onto her until she was buried.
It had taken a lot of work to climb out of that place. Even now, she'd be lying if she said she didn't think about it. One stupid mistake... even with some lessons learned, it didn't mean she wouldn't continue to make mistakes. Any hero not named All Might inevitably did. What if her next mistake, or any mistake, resulted in another string of horrors? But while that might've been lurking somewhere in the back of her mind, it was no longer weighing her down. The hero was back, and she was enjoying every second of it.
There was something major going on in Yokohama City tonight, but Mina wasn't a part of it. She wanted to be, as it apparently involved a former classmate of hers, but with her recovery being so recent, she wasn't quite ready to participate on an operation of this scale. Well, having just been approved for solo work again, that wasn't so bad either. She was excited to work on her own again... she'd just have to stay in touch and trust her fellow heroes.
Her current patrol had her come across some drug dealers. Small fry... though she obviously knew better than to think of them that way. She gave chase, secreting a non-corrosive form of her acid from the soles of her feet to slide around. Her quirk, Acid, was both effective and malleable. It allowed her to produce acid from within her body, which had intuitive uses both in terms of offense and mobility.
It was a common misconception that she was a mutant – a type of quirk in which her appearance was drastically altered in a way that enabled a quirk. Someone like Mirko, the world's highest-ranked female hero, whose rabbit-like features were all a direct consequence of her quirk, Rabbit. Mina's appearance was certainly distinctive. Pink skin, even pinker hair, squarish eyes with black sclera, and thin, hooked horns popping out of her head definitely gave her an “alien” look that most assumed meant she was a mutant. However, rather than being the cause of her quirk, her unique appearance was mostly the result of her acid-producing body. Technically speaking, this meant she was not a mutant, regardless of her appearance.
Mina quickly caught up with a couple of the guys she was chasing, but the other guy split off. She quickly called over a pair of policemen on the corner and had them take care of the two guys, before taking off after the last one. She couldn't be sure of exactly where he'd gone, but she used her acid to build herself some handholds in the side of the building – that would cost some money later, but oh well, that was part of being a hero sometimes – and climb to the top. There weren't too many tall buildings in this area of town, so she hoped that a high viewpoint would give her a glance at her escaping target. Fortunately, she was right! She saw him running through a hole in a fence and towards a dilapidated warehouse. A hasty hiding place, or their base of operations? Either way, that was where she was going next.
The drug dealer rushed into the warehouse and sped up the stairs to the second floor. He was no match for a hero, and he knew it. His only hope was to escape, or rely on his boss for a plan. Gasping for breath as they reached the top of the stairs, he panted, “B-boss! Bad news! We gotta... got... a...”
It wasn't shortness of breath that had him speechless. It was the sight of his fellow gangsters laid out unconscious on the floor.
“Shut up, would' ya!? I'm watching this.”
The voice came from the recliner, with the TV on in front of it. That was usually the boss's seat, but... it didn't really sound like his voice.
“Uh, boss?”
The confused drug dealer cautiously stepped forward, avoiding the limp bodies of his pals, until he was able to make out what was on TV. All Might was battling some guy in a mask, who was surprisingly holding his own.
“Is that Kamino Ward?” he asked aloud.
“Fuck if I know. It's a shame, I was kinda hoping to play with All Might today, but he seems busy. It'd be in poor taste to interrupt him.” The man sighed and rested his head on his hand. “I guess there's always tomorrow.”
The drug dealer looked down at the guy with long, raven-black hair in the seat, who was definitely not his boss. He did look somewhat familiar... but he couldn't quite place him. “Hey... you're not the boss!”
The man turned towards the drug dealer, looking unperturbed. “No, huh? Kinda depends on who you ask, don't ya' think?” He turned back to the TV, paying the drug dealer no mind. “I just noticed the TV was on, and wanted to see if there was any news on All Might, so I could go looking for him. For some reason, these guys tried to stop me. I wouldn't have minded, except they were so loud! I had to quiet them down.”
Once again, the drug dealer scanned the floor of littered bodies around him. This guy took down an entire room of gangsters, but said it so casually like it was no big deal. He didn't seem like a hero, so... a villain?
“Hey, are you a villain! If so, a hero's on the way! C'mon! Help me out, man!”
“Pffft! Like I care!
“C'mon, dude! It's Pinky! I can't take her on my own! I need some muscle!”
“I don't give a f-” The man paused, as if something had suddenly clicked for him. “You said 'Pinky'?”
“Y-yeah!”
“I realize this is gonna sound stupid, but that's the pink one, right?”
“Yeah! Yeah! Whaddya say, you in?”
The man scoffed. “I ain't gonna help you, if that's what you're asking. But... if that pink chick is heading my way... I may just have to help myself.”
“Uh... what does that mea-”
“FOUND YOU!”
The drug dealer squealed as Mina ascended the stairs. She looked around bemused at the many bodies all over the place. “What's going on here? Did I interrupt your nap time?” Despite her cavalier taunts, she looked around cautiously. Charging into a gangster den recklessly wasn't something she planned on doing again. Still, unusual as the situation was, she saw nobody suspicious save for the man she'd been chasing after.
“You can come with me peacefully, or we can do this the hard way. What's it gonna be?”
The drug dealer grabbed the strange man's shoulder and jostled it desperately. “C'mon, man! Hurry! You gotta do something, or else I'll-”
As the man was talking, Mina watched as hand reached out and clutched the drug dealer's face, pulling him behind the recliner before she heard a hard thud. “Geez, bad enough to have you talking over the program. But then you touch me without my permission? What the hell?” The irony was quite lost on this hidden individual.
“What are you, their boss?” Mina asked, assuming that to be correct.
“HA! Please, like I'd involve myself with these bunch of losers.”
That surprised Mina, but it meant he had to be the one who took down all these guys. “Then who are you? Another hero? If so, I'd ask you to identify yourself!”
“Nah, I'm not hero. I don't mind identifying myself, but...” He stood up and grabbed the recliner, tossing it out of the way. He turned to the pink hero with a smirk and continued, “am I gonna need to bother?”
An impossibly cold chill reverberated through Mina's bones. Of all people she could be faced with... yes, it had been a very real fear during her time in the institution. Yes, even after returning to hero work, she understood it was a very real possibility. But now that she was here, standing before him, she realized that her heart never completely bought into the idea. At the very least, she thought she'd have some notice that such a dangerous figure was back on the prowl. How did his presence go undetected?
He was Viasmos. The interdimensional sexual deviant who'd kidnapped no fewer than two female heroes. Had it not been for some sharp thinking by Momo Yaoyorozu, a former classmate of Mina's, there's a chance they'd still be in the dark about him, and he'd have abducted many more heroes. Even with that information and being prepared for his eventual arrival, he was still able to fend off a horde of heroes as he assaulted Mt. Lady. Only All Might proved capable of standing toe-to-toe with him.
This was not a fight Mina could win alone. She immediately pressed against her ear and spoke aloud, clearly indicating the presence of some kind of communicator. She had to warn everyone that Viasmos was back in their world. However, nobody was responding. Were they scared stiff and unable to act? She was in a much more dangerous spot than whoever was sitting on the other end of the line, so she really needed them to get their act together!
“Don't bother,” Viasmos told her, taking slow, deliberate steps towards her. “I've been keeping a barrier up around me that restricts electronic signals. Same thing I used with another girl from this world. See, now that I know you people are aware of me, I'm able to take the necessary precautions.”
Of course... he must have had some way of evading detection, which was why nobody knew he was here. To think she'd be so unlucky as to chase some random thug to a guy like this. Outclassed and unable to call for back up, she only had one option available to her: run. She immediately turned around to head back down the stairs, but didn't make it so much as a foot before hitting an invisible wall.
“Yeah, no. See, I don't mind a wild showdown like we had last time, but I decided I want to be able to move on my own terms before we next get to that. So I won't be letting you leave so easily.”
She couldn't turn down the stairs... was there a window she could jump through? No, probably not. It was doubtful he'd left such an obvious opening somewhere. He was getting too close to try fleeing anyway. She could try fighting him, but... what for? What would even be the point? Suddenly, all that confidence and swagger she'd built up over the weeks, that reinvigorating feeling of being a hero, it all quickly drained from her. She lost all strength and collapsed to her knees. She crawled backwards until she hit a wall and raised her arms fearfully in front of her face.
“P-please! Leave me alone!” she screamed.
“Now, how likely do you think that will be?”
“L-l-l-look at me!” she stammered. “I... I have p-pink skin! You w-wouldn't b-b-be interested in me? R-r-right?”
That was her best gamble. Pink skin was probably unusual on his world. Over here, while she definitely looked different, there were a lot of quirks that affected one's physical appearance. There was certainly some discrimination back in the day, but nobody thought much of it anymore. Why, she'd had a classmate back at U.A. who had a literal bird's head, and the ladies liked him just fine. If anything, her distinctive appearance made her the subject of some rather intense fetish content out there on the web. However, that wouldn't necessarily be the case over in his world.
“Eh... I already have a blue-skinned girl. Don't see the problem with pink.”
Well, blows that theory.
He continued, “It's just a question of how good your body is. Let me have a better look at you.” He knelt down and reached a hand out for her. Impulsively, she thrust her palms forward and sprayed a torrent of acid at him. She cautiously squinted open an eye, just in case she'd managed to melt him on the spot and spare herself further indignity. But as she expected, Viasmos was still in one piece, looking more curious than anything else.
“So what is this, your quirk sprays water or something?”
Oh, now that just hurt! He couldn't even tell the difference between her acid and water? He wasn't even trying to denigrate her, and he was still doing a damn good job of it!
“No, wait... now that I'm paying attention, there's some kind of corrosive property to this stuff, isn't there?” he asked, wiggling his fingers as he did so. “I see... I'm sure that's pretty neat stuff in this world, but ain't no way that's burning through my skin. I drink stuff more hardcore than that.”
Desperate to find an escape route, she started burning a hole into the floor. There was probably still a barrier around the walls of the first floor too, but it was worth a shot. Unfortunately, while her acid was perfectly capable of melting through the concrete, it took too long to do so. Viasmos grabbed the girl by one of her horns and lifted her to her feet.
“Hmm... not a bad idea. I guess I should tighten my barrier to the floor and ceiling, just to be safe.” With his free hand, he started groping around her body, inspecting her like a hunk of meat. A part of her wanted to spray more acid in his face – futile as it may be, it would at least be something – but she couldn't so much as twitch her finger. Her body was completely frozen. His touch... the unwanted touch of a male... it brought back so many terrible memories. After so much work to get back to her old life, this was all it took to hear the echoes of her most vulnerable self. The supposed hero was just a scared, helpless girl, putty in the hands of this ravenous villain.
“Mmm, yes... I think you'll do quite nicely,” he muttered, sliding his hand down to her leg and giving it a squeeze. “Nice, meaty thighs you've got here!”
“Y-you... you won't g-g-get away with this!” she choked out with a tangible quiver. “W-w-whatever you do to m-me... All Might will save me! I know he will!”
Her voice seemed to recover as All Might's name came up. Even if just a flicker of hope, it burned so brightly as to give her the strength she needed to stand up to Viasmos. She had to believe in All Might, no matter what. He was the reason she had the courage to return to hero work, and he was the only thing she had left to hold onto in this terrifying situation.
“Is that so? Well, I wouldn't mind,” Viasmos replied. “But I'm sorry to say, even if he somehow knew of your predicament, I do think he's quite busy at the moment.”
She was aware that All Might was currently in Yokohama City, as part of that operation she couldn't go on. Still, it shouldn't take him that long to finish things up. Perhaps her agency would notice she hadn't checked in for a while, and they'd send out a notice. Somehow, someway, All Might would come to her rescue.
“You'll see! Just like he saved Mt. Lady from your clutches, he won't let you take me! You may get to have your fun, but... I'll survive! And I'll win! Thanks to him!”
“Huh?” Viasmos stared at her blankly for a few seconds, before the light of realization struck his face. “OH, right! I forgot we did that! So, you people still believe that, huh?”
“Believe what? What are you talking about?”
“Hehehe... tell me, when's the last time you saw Mt. Lady?”
Mina paused, some part of her perhaps realizing where this was going, but she remained resolute. “I haven't seen her since before you assaulted her, but even if I had, don't think I'm gonna tell you!”
“Heh, silly girl. It was a trick question. I know exactly where Mt. Lady is. She's back at my home, in Tharsis.”
A jolt shot through Mina, but she didn't back down just yet. “You... you're lying!”
“Your Hero Association or whatever they're called are the ones lying. But it's no trouble for me, I actually suggested the idea myself. All Might did indeed fend me off and let the girl escape, but since I already had a trace of my magic attached to her... well, I just caught up to her later. Took her easily, in no time at all. But I told your beloved 'Symbol of Peace' that he could pretend to have the win. You know, for morale's sake. I guess they really went with that idea, huh?”
Mina could not sense deception in his words, desperate as she was to find it. Just the smallest reason to not believe what he was saying... Even so, she still clung on. To deny this narrative would be to deny everything that gave her the strength to come this far. “I – I don't believe you!”
“I'll tell you something else, too,” Viasmos continued, ignoring her bravado. “I'm quite a fan of your All Might. I see why he's the No.1 hero. He definitely deserves the distinction. But there's a reason I'm not rushing over to him as soon as he's done with his current fight. Because I know something you don't... your Symbol of Peace is much more fragile than he lets on.”
Mina actually laughed in his face, so ridiculous was the notion Viasmos was presenting her with. He twisted her around, holding her from behind with his arms wrapped around her chest, and lifted her over to the TV. “Why don't we see how the man's doing so far?”
Mina didn't bother trying to break his grip, she knew there was no point. Even her acid wouldn't help. Instead, she contented herself to watching All Might battle it out over in Kamino Ward. But something was strange... the man he was fighting... he was actually holding up pretty well against All Might. Perhaps... even winning? No, that was impossible.
And then something shocking happened. Even Viasmos seemed stirred at the sight. The villain – who had some kind of deformation with his face, his mask having been broken – fired a tremendous blast at All Might. His mighty fist successfully defended against the blast... however, when the dust cleared, someone else was there. Someone wearing the clothes of All Might, though they fit loosely over his skinny, one might even say skeletal body. His hair, once gallant and venerable, was a sordid mess on his head. This was some pale imitation of All Might, a poorly-fit cosplayer at best. It wasn't the hero who'd galvanized the world with his unmatchable charisma.
But at the same time, Mina knew... that was All Might.
“Wow... I guess that's how he looks when he's finally drained,” Viasmos casually commented. “He must have been straining hard to keep from showing that form to me.”
“That... that can't be All Might!”
“Believe it, sweetheart! I realized it while I was fighting him, but the man has a pretty gruesome injury. It's tough for him to fight at a high level for very long.”
“N-no...”
Mina's heart faded. She'd practically forgotten about her own dire situation, so unbelievable was the sight of the world's greatest hero in his honest state. It was as if the world she thought she was living in never really existed all this time, and only now was she seeing it as it truly was.
“Gee, ain't lookin' too good for him. Think he makes it out of this one?”
Despite his proclaimed affection for All Might, it was clear from his tone that he didn't particularly care if he died or not. For her part, Mina was devastated to see All Might in a form so anathema to the image she had of him in her head. But even if doubt had wrapped its ugly claws around her heart, they didn't conquer it. She still believed in the Symbol of Peace.
“He... he will! You'll see! He'll find a way!”
Viasmos chuckled, a touch surprised at her answer. “Really? Well, I guess we'll see. But suppose he does... do you think he'll have enough in him for me?”
At this, Mina gasped. For the first time, she was seeing the limits of All Might. She already knew, just from looking at him, that he was putting absolutely everything into this fight. For him to be ready for another showdown with Viasmos... that was just impractical. And if he was telling the truth, and he really did kidnap Mt. Lady after all... when facing a much stronger All Might...
“N... No...” she confessed.
“Ah, I see.” Viasmos slid a hand up to her neck and gave it a light squeeze. It wasn't enough pressure to choke her, but it was just enough to tell her what he was trying to explain: you are mine. “So do you still think he'll be able to rescue you?”
A pair of tears escaped her eyes, the fear welling up within her as she began to realize what horrors laid in store for her. If she just got raped, she could survive that. She had once before, and she would again. But if she was taken away from everything, off to that other world... well, even All Might wouldn't be able to save her then. That would be it. The beginning of her life as a sex slave.
And looking at this weak, skinny All Might, it all felt tragically inevitable.
“No... he won't...”
Viasmos veered her head closer to him and licked up the side of her face. “Good, then I guess that's settled.” He grabbed her tits and started playing with them through her purple-turquoise bodysuit, and she just let him do it. She only found the courage to return to hero work because of her faith in All Might, but now that she couldn't rely on that monumental pillar for support, all of her fight had left her.
Memories of her last experience flooded her mind. Memories of being grabbed, prodded, and used for the amusement of disgraceful ruffians. She'd fought for a while... at first. The more they went on, the more she just let them do what they wanted, before finally submitting outright. Yet, even at her lowest moments, she at least had some understanding that her time with them was finite. In spite of her obedience those last couple of days, there was always the knowledge that they were weak thugs who wouldn't get so lucky the next time a hero showed up. Sooner or later, she'd be saved, and that was something to rely on.
But as Viasmos spun her around like an object, squeezing her ass and stealing her lips, she felt the cold, steel grip of possession. This is what it meant, she understood, to truly be taken by someone. Not taken as a brief fling, a way for weak-minded maggots to feel powerful over their betters before eventually getting their comeuppance. No... this was true dominance. He controlled her like she was just a doll, and in her state of mind, she couldn't really refute it.
His need to conquer was felt almost tangibly, presenting itself so assertively with his every action. The roughness of his fingers melting into her ass, the wanton dancing of his tongue inside her mouth, Mina almost felt like she could hear them speaking to her: “You belong to me now. Accept it or not, this is your role.” To think, just a few minutes earlier, she was a proud, honorable hero. But all it took was seeing a little weakness in All Might to acknowledge the hopelessness of her situation. All that work to emotionally recover, and it evaporated in an instant. She was no hero anymore, just a weak, scared girl.
Painful as it was, there was something almost... freeing about it all. Once she accepted that she was fated to become the Tharsian's newest sex slave, she could stop worrying about it. She didn't need to think of ways to fight back or escape. She didn't need to wait with baited breath for a hero to come save her. She could just accept the futility of it all and await her new owner's next action. She relaxed and closed her eyes, letting his tongue invade her to his heart's content.
Viasmos could feel the change in mentality from her. Though she hadn't resisted to this point, there'd been a perceptible stiffness in her body, a coarse anxiety that seemed to command her body. But all of a sudden, it was as if it all drained away, and she was resolved to give herself to him. She parted from her lips, a thin trail of saliva following as he did so, and looked her over. There was a slightly glazed look in her eyes, but it wasn't for lack of attention. It was simply the look of someone bereft of panic, accepting their own powerlessness.
“You seem awfully agreeable with what's happening,” he muttered to her.
“I don't agree to this... I just get that there's no point in fighting. No point in doing anything. I'm all yours, no matter what, so... why bother pretending otherwise?”
In a way, she almost seemed stronger than before. All the trembling and stuttering from earlier was gone, replaced with a loose posture and firm resolve. But of course, this was not coming from a place of strength, but of weakness. To be specific, an acceptance of weakness. It was something Viasmos saw every now and then with his victims. With the loss of agency, there was a loss of control, and some ladies found it easier to accept that loss than to fruitlessly resist it. That appeared to be the case for Mina, who's absence of hope had allowed her to see that there was only one path before her.
“Well, I definitely think your logic's sound,” Viasmos stated, gripping the hem or her bodysuit, right at her cleavage, and tearing it in half. The scraps of fabric fell down limply to her waist while her pinks tits bounced exuberantly out of their containment. He grabbed one and started playing with it while pushing on her back and forcing her closer to him. She looked up into his prideful eyes, and realized how small she felt next to him. He was so tall and broad... even if she didn't know of his power already, she wondered if she wouldn't feel the same way, standing under him like this.
It wasn't like most men weren't bigger than her. She was only 5'2”, after all. The men who'd raped her previously definitely had a size advantage. But it wasn't so much about size as it was this menacing aura of his. She didn't need to be aware of the fight from several months ago in order to feel the innate control he indicated with his body language.
Those other guys made her feel taken.
He made her feel possessed.
It was a distinction she could only understand right here, right now, pressed against his rigid chest and staring up at his towering figure.
“You're smart to relax,” he said quietly, almost as if he was comforting her. “Yeah, you're gonna have to get used to getting raped everyday, but I can promise that my slave girls enjoy pleasant living conditions. What do you folks like to say? Look at the bright part? You may as well do that.”
That would be quite the achievement, given the fact that she was about to lose all bodily autonomy. She couldn't help but feel he had a point. After all, she'd already accepted that she was at his mercy. Still, she wasn't quite ready to face her sexual enslavement with such a sunny disposition.
“How kind of you,” she grumbled scornfully, knowing better than to try arguing with the man.
“Oooh, I know! How about we see just how kind you can be?” he suggested with a devilish smile, pushing down on her shoulders so she'd drop to her knees. “Pull my cock out, and then put those tits to work.”
She grimaced at the instruction, even flashing an angry glare at Viasmos, but her learned helplessness won the day. That piercing stare quickly rounded out as she held back tears, before taking a deep breath and calming her nerves.
“Yes, sir.”
Relax, Mina... nothing you haven't been made to do befo- … uh, maybe not...
Her breath got caught in her throat as she loosened his pants and unleashed his manhood. This was... considerably bigger than what she'd had to put up with previously. That thing was going to go inside her? She felt her lady parts shudder just from imagining it.
Well, at least that wouldn't be right away. For now, she had the relatively easy task of sandwiching this monstrous thing between her breasts. She lifted her pink melons up and stroked his dick between them. She could feel it pulsing with how tightly her cleavage enveloped it. Mina watched its bulbous head pop in and out of her bosom, her mind already racing with images of how this thing would be plowing her holes.
She had a certain vibrancy to her movements, which surprised even her. Her mentality when servicing Viasmos was so different from when she'd been forced to do the same for those other jerks. With them, even at her meekest, it was always a begrudging act. But with him, somewhere in the back of her mind, there was an impetus to please him. Unlike before, she was going to be made a sex slave permanently. Without even consciously thinking about it, she was already trying to get on his good side, with the assumption that obedience and superior service would lead to better treatment.
So she worked those tits to the best of her ability, no differently than she would a lover. The contrast between his rock-hard cock and her soft peaks made her acutely aware of the difference between their sexes. Was this what men loved so much about forcing themselves on women? The rush of power they felt at dominating someone smaller and weaker than they were? She wouldn't pretend she didn't like the feel of a man's strength, so it wasn't like she couldn't completely understand it... but still, to so viciously assault someone for such a selfish reason was obviously contemptible.
She felt a familiar, unnerving sensation as Viasmos literally grabbed her by the horns. “Hey, look! It's like you have built-in love handles!” What a jerk... those other guys used to mock her the same way. Her horns made it especially easy for them to force her mouth over their dicks, and Viasmos was clearly of a similar mind. While she continued stroking his shaft with her tits, her lips were pulled to the head, like she was giving it a kiss. She resisted for a few irrelevant seconds, the instinct to combat her humiliation pulling at her, but her better judgment eventually reminded her that there was no point to such a thing. Mina reluctantly opened her mouth and welcomed the tip of her rapist's dick inside her, while continuing to please him with a titjob.
Ugh... why does this have to happen to me?
It was a question she'd asked herself many times in therapy. It was the wrong way to think about it, of course. It was a question that implied guilt or folly on the part of the victim. Worse, it suggested that such an act would be tolerable if it only happened to someone else. A selfish way of thinking, and especially unconscionable for a hero. She understood all this, and immediately felt remorse for thinking it to herself. But faced yet again with the oppressive shame of being sexually assaulted, she couldn't quite stop herself form reverting to some of the same bad habits.
“Ggh... GLLHRRRGH!”
Suddenly, Viasmos pulled her harder down his cock. She was forced to drop her breasts, but he didn't seem to mind. She was taking his entire length and girth into her mouth. He slid her back and forth like a trombone, giving no thought to Mina's comfort as his cock rammed into the back of her throat. His sudden impulse was something she was just going to have to take, and she understood that well. In spite of the unreasonably sharp timing and stress on her jaw, she immediately did her best to lubricate so that it would go down more smoothly. Thankfully, the nature of her quirk made it easy to secrete such fluids from inside her mouth... although she can't say she imagined using it in such a way back in her training days.
This continued for a couple minutes until she felt the throbbing pulse of his dick. It was a feeling she was plenty used to, even in consensual encounters. In another setting, she'd feel quite proud about it, knowing she was pleasing her man to completion without even needing to go further south. But besides the fact that she was being raped, the way Viasmos manhandled her made it so that she didn't feel like she could take much credit even if she wanted to.
As Viasmos released inside her mouth, he pulled on her horns and gripped her in place at the base of his cock. The command was obvious without needing to be spoken: drink it all up. And she did, of course. She'd grown disgustingly accustomed to the salty tang of semen during her time in captivity, so it hardly felt like a big deal. If Mina was so inclined to search for the silver lining to her gang rape, it was that it left her remarkably well-prepared for this day.
The Tharsian slowly pulled his cock out and rested it along Mina's panting face, still quite hard despite his ejaculation. She didn't even particularly care, she was just glad to take in some well-earned gasps of air. He smirked at the girl and commented, “Man, you're pretty good at this! The last chick your age that I picked up from this world didn't really know what she was doing. Not that I'm complaining, that has its own charms.”
The last girl her age? Did he mean Momo? It disgusted her to think about how he'd violated her friend, and how flippantly he spoke of it to her. It was plain to see that Viasmos didn't really view women, or even other people in general, as anything but things for him to use as he saw fit. She knew he enjoyed taunting his victims, but the look on his face – so calm and analytical – suggested to her that he didn't even view what he was saying as particularly hurtful. He was just making an observation, either oblivious to the pain it invoked, or heedless of it.
Letting go of her horns, she felt him clutch her unruly, pink hair and pull her up to her feet. He lightly threw her against a supporting column and quickly stripped down what remained of her costume. She now wore nothing but a teal thong, though she realized even this was not likely to last much longer. He was at least delayed from violating her as he admired the sight of her precious, pink cheeks, pulling her at the hips to get her to bend further for him. She reluctantly set her hands against the pillar, waiting passively as he grabbed her butt and played with it.
A couple slaps here, a good squeeze there, he even licked one side of her at one point. But finally, with a resounding clap against her cheeks, he stood up and tore that last article of clothing off. He spun her around to face him, pushed her against the column, and lifted her by her thighs. Though kept upright with her back against the pillar, she dipped slightly as he pulled her towards him, her knees held about level to her head. Her legs spread, his erection prominent, it was clear what was going to happen next. As he slowly drew closer, Mina surprised herself as she whimpered, “P-please...”
“Hmm?”
She thought she'd prepared herself for this. She'd accepted the inevitable. But as her prospective violation became increasingly real, mere moments away from being realized, she couldn't stop herself from begging. “I... I don't want this!” she cried. She threw her palms over her face, collecting the tears that were now flooding out. All the trauma she'd gone through, all the trauma that was to come, she'd kept it suppressed this whole time... but it was finally coming out.
“I don't want to be raped again! Please! Please don't do this to me!”
She felt so stupid. A serial rapist of this caliber had surely heard such emotive pleas countless times. An appeal to her body's sanctity was never going to work on this guy. She knew it before she'd even laid eyes on him, and she knew it as the words left her mouth. But one as weak as her just couldn't bear to ignore the slim ray of hope within her that there was some way out of this... that she wouldn't have to re-experience the nightmare that kept her sidelined in an institution for so long. But as she used the last morsel of courage within her to peek through her fingers, the triumphant smirk on his face was all the answer she needed.
“No can do, cherry blossom. Wouldn't be very fair to all the other girls who begged me, now would it?”
Honestly, what audacity. As if he seriously cared about such a thing as fairness. She hadn't even the time to feel dejected before he thrust his hips and slammed his cock inside her. She yelped as she was penetrated, the air from her lungs escaping in tandem with the lingering vestiges of hope she'd clung to. There it was... one month after being released from hospitalization, and she was already getting raped again. And this time, by a much worse fiend.
That smug grin of his... she hated it, but she could only blame herself. That abrupt show of weakness let him see just how much she was really hurting from all this, and it only inflamed his lust. What a stupid mistake... But she couldn't bother to dwell on it. She couldn't even feel the warlord's cock, in spite of his impressive size. Mina's body and mind had both gone numb as she let the anguish of being raped yet again wash over her. Her arms hung limply by her sides as she was scraped up and down the pillar.
“Damn, your pussy's a lot tighter than I thought it'd be,” commended Viasmos. “I guess it's true what they say: once you go pink, you don't rethink.”
She very much doubted that was a real saying, but she hadn't the energy to argue. She just stared up at the ceiling as tears fell listlessly down her face, doing her very best to shut out everything that was happening to her. Viasmos, of course, took note of this, and was swift to take action. He clawed at her cheeks and forced her to face him.
“Now now, I ain't gonna make it that easy on ya'. You'd better pay attention, or I'll make you. Got it?”
She felt a small jolt from the Tharsian's aura, and she understood well the implication. He was going to seriously hurt her if she didn't do as he said. As much as she hated to be conscious and alert for her own rape, she already knew she lacked the fortitude to fight him on the matter. If a bunch of meager punks could make an obedient slave out of her, then she certainly couldn't hope to hold out against this guy. Her eyes regained a spark of awareness to them, and she hastily nodded her head.
“I want to hear you say it, woman,” he insisted, though he unclamped her jaw in acknowledgment of her apparent willingness.
“Y-yes, sir! I understand!”
“Good. Don't let me catch you nodding off again, bitch.”
“Yes, sir! I won't, sir!”
Mina hated herself so much right now. Just who was she really? The feigned apathy from the start of her assault? The pragmatic will to please him? The pathetic, crying girl who broke down at being raped? Or the scared, quivering slave acting so eager to serve? She felt like she'd gone through a thousand different faces in these few minutes, and she wasn't sure which of them was really her. Maybe they all were, to some extent... or maybe none of them were. Perhaps that was the point. When pinned by a man, the only personality that mattered was the one he forced from her. Mina Ashido, the hero known as Pinky, could hardly be expected to be the same person as Mina Ashido, the sex slave of Viasmos.
Now that she did have the misfortune of being cognizant of her body's treatment, she struggled to endure the monumental pounding she was taking from Viasmos. His dick was substantially larger than any guy she'd ever taken in before, and it tore through her with way more force than she'd ever suffered through. Lubrication helped, but it couldn't do much to mitigate the vigorous strikes to her womb at the end of each thrust. She was starting to question if the column holding her up would be able to support her much longer. She wouldn't be surprised if this whole building came down on them through the force of this rape.
Viasmos pressed himself tighter against her body as he went in once again for her lips. Her hands instinctively flew up as if to stop him, but as they proved little resistance against his rigid chest, she made the humiliating but sensible call to wrap them around his back. Her way of communicating acceptance as he helped himself to her mouth. He seemed to like that decision, something she could feel through the heightened liveliness of his tongue and the quicker pumping of his hips. Did he care all that much if she actually accepted him? Probably not. But did he like that she was scared enough to try? Absolutely.
He continued to ram into her as his saliva mingled with hers, his tongue dominating her own with its oppressive presence. His fingers sank deeper into her thighs as his lust continued to grow. Every tactile stimulation between them seemed to dictate to Mina that she was his. Before such a masculine, subjugating presence, she could hardly deny it.
Sharply, he pulled away from, even exiting her pussy. He set her down on her feet and turned her around, pushing her forward by the back of her head. Understanding intuitively what he wanted, she threw her hands up against the pillar and bent over, presenting herself obediently. He wasted no time plunging into her from behind.
It was a strange feeling to be grateful to one's rapist, but that was exactly how Mina felt. That first position had been way too uncomfortable, all that pressure being placed against her neck and upper back. This was a way more lenient position, and though she certainly didn't know the physics behind it, she just found it easier to take a well-packed guy from behind. The force just seemed to absorb more smoothly into her body.
She cursed herself internally, already seeing the signs of how she succumbed to those other brutes. Silly ideas like that – being raped more gently, being rewarded for better service – were exactly how she rationalized total submission. She told herself it was for survival's sake, but really, it wasn't like they had a problem gangraping her when she was more resistant. The sad truth was that she was just weak. Too weak in body to protect herself, and too weak in spirit to put up an increasingly senseless fight. The thing that most crushed her about her rape wasn't the violation of her body, though that was certainly no picnic... it was the fact that she took the easy way out, and what that said about her. As a hero, and as a woman, she'd completely let herself down.
This was unhealthy thinking, and she knew it. Her mind raced through her many therapy sessions, trying to remember the many coping mechanisms she'd been taught, and how to reframe her mentality. Alas, it was quite difficult to concentrate at the moment, and her rapist wasn't about to give her the chance. A sharp slap on her butt snapped her back to reality. A warning, clearly. She had nearly drifted off again. She hastily stammered, “S-sorry, sir!” and erased all self-help efforts from her mind. She even started rocking her hips in tandem with him, as if to make up for her transgression, though this obviously did not help her mental health. Once more regressing towards the easy, prideless path, she cried tears of shame at her continued weakness.
As Viasmos pounded her from behind, he slowly crept along her body. His hands caressed her sides as his tongue slid along her back. His hands finally reached their destination, clutching excitedly at her breasts, while she felt his feverish breaths against her ear.
“How lucky am I, huh?” he whispered. “Here I was just watching TV, and a fine bitch like you shows up right to my doorstep. Oh yeah, you'll make one fine addition!”
That was quite the word to use... “lucky”. She'd been thinking pretty much the exact opposite about herself all this time, but she supposed it made sense that he'd see it that way. From her perspective, she was chasing a two-bit criminal only barely worth the effort, and she ended up running into as dangerous a villain as there was. From his perspective, he was relaxing and planning out his next move when she suddenly appeared. His “luck” was her misfortune, a tragic game of chance that effectively rewrote her future the second she laid eyes on him.
And the way he talked about her... “one fine addition” like she was a collector's item. It was objectification to a near-literal degree. He used her body like a piece of meat, entirely indifferent to her sorrowful cries. And this bastard... he was going to get away with it. That was the most enraging part. This kind of thing was exactly what she was going to have to acclimate to. She would be his object, and he would be her owner. There was no way around it. It was just the privilege of the powerful, bereft of morality.
She suddenly felt a pull on her hair, and she was dragged away from the pillar and down to the floor, with Viasmos beneath her. It was a strange feeling, actually. After being roughly pushed around, pulled around, spun around, and otherwise manhandled, she was suddenly in a relatively powerful position. Not only was she on top of him, but his grip was effectively absent, his hands resting lightly on her waist.
“Alright babe, take my cock inside of you. Ride it real hard, okay?”
Of course, she knew there had to be some ulterior motive. The reason he'd withdrawn his physical power over her was simply to illustrate how intrinsic his power over her really was. He'd put her in a position where she felt some sense of agency, and would still choose to follow his commands. She had to do it. She had no choice. She knew it perfectly well. But still, she hesitated. To facilitate her own rape so directly... it was a whole level above simple acceptance.
Then, a cold sting washed over her face as he slapped the girl across the cheek. Mina let out a pathetic cry from the strike, and raised her hand against her cheek. It wasn't a light or playful slap – at least what counted for playful from this bastard – there was a clear aggression and intention to hurt her. “Okay!?” he barked, ignoring her distressed demeanor.
“Y-y-yes, sir! I'm so sorry!”
Really, how stupid was she? How many times was she going to be reminded of her place? What was the point in taking the path of least resistance if she was going to keep floundering every time he put her to the test? There was no choice to be had here. Not anymore. Even a symbolic choice was a waste of time. She was an enslaved female obeying her male master, someone who existed for the exclusive purpose of servicing him. It wasn't the life she wanted, but it was the life she now had. There was no other way to think about it.
She wrapped her delicate fingers around his dick and aimed it at her entrance, gradually lowering herself until it was completely enveloped by her vagina. She then started rocking herself on him like a bull rider, resolved to give him everything he expected of her. Viasmos didn't so much as lift a finger for any of it, it was all Mina's doing. An irrefutable expression of her new master's ownership over her.
As she bounced up and down his cock, she looked down and saw his satisfied smirk. She'd completely submitted to him by now... it couldn't be denied. He'd proven his point, and so he was no longer interested in playing the passive role. It was in his nature, after all, to establish his dominance through force. It started with his hands sliding down to her ass, giving her several good spanks like he was telling her “Giddy up!” Further demeaning that she did not need, but it hardly bothered her at this point.
He slid his hands back up to her shoulders, pulling her down so she was pressed against him. Of course, well-behaved as she was, she didn't stop working her hips to his satisfaction. He enjoyed her lips for a few seconds before turning up, apparently distracted by something.
“Oh boy, looks like this fight's coming to a close.”
Mina looked over at the TV in front of her, watching All Might and this villain seemingly preparing for their decisive blows. Viasmos stretched towards the distracted Mina and sucked on her neck. He didn't mind her watching, as long she kept riding him like the bitch she was. Of course, she did exactly that. She wasn't going to make another mistake and do anything to displease her owner. But still, she found herself entranced. Whether he won or lost... this would be the last time she got to see All Might in action, in perhaps his most desperate hour. It felt like a moment that would define the future of this world, and it was something she was eager to witness... even if said future would no longer be applying to her. This was still her home, and she was still invested.
As All Might and the villain clashed, she felt it once again... the throbbing excitement of a man who was ready to finish. Without him having to say anything, she knew he planned to come inside her. It was just obvious, given his personality. He was someone who liked to physically demonstrate his ownership over his victims, so this was par for the course.
Unlike many of his victims, Mina felt no particular fear about getting pregnant. Her quirk had the appreciable function of acting as a form of birth control. Even when those thugs drugged her and kept her from using her quirk, she could still do that much. Sperm cells didn't have very impressive alkalinity, so even a slight change in acidity was all it took to kill them. Assuming Viasmos's sperm worked the same way – though granted, she couldn't be overly confident about that – then she didn't have anything to worry about.
But still... she was a woman. Even if she knew she'd be okay, there was always that biting itch in the back of her mind. A feeling she'd get every time those jerks came inside of her. Something that transcended sheer logic and causality. A voice that screeched at her every single time, telling her that what was happening was fundamentally wrong. It both reduced her to a female while simultaneously trampling on her fulfillment as a female. She knew it didn't actually matter, but... it definitely bothered her all the same.
All Might struck the villain with his left arm, warped to resemble how it looked when he was strong, despite the rest of his body still in its skeletal appearance. Despite the hit, the villain seemed unfazed, and was preparing for a devastating hit of his own. But then, something happened... All Might's left arm shrunk back to its weak state... and his right arm began to distort.
Mina understood without needing it explained... he was shifting all of that power from his left arm to his right, taking the villain off his guard in a bid to land one, game-ending strike. In that moment, the confidence she'd always had in All Might seemed to only grow... yes, as if it was always inevitable that the Symbol of Peace would save everyone in the end. With one triumphant, mighty roar, the world's greatest hero would stop yet another villain.
“UNITEEEEEED-”
“Fuck yeah, baby! Let's do this! I'm gonna come!” Viasmos interrupted, clearly more interested in other things.
“STATES OOOOOOF-”
Mina felt Viasmos grip her ass tightly, pulling her all the way down on his cock.
“SMAAAAAAAASSSSHHHHH!”
As All Might's fist collided with the deformed face of the powerful villain, Mina felt the flooding of this villain's warm essence. It was sadly contrasting, a reminder of just how bad her luck had been today. If this other villain All Might was facing could've been dealt with any other day, maybe Mina could've continued to believe in her hero to come save her. Maybe she wouldn't have had to debase herself so pitifully. Maybe All Might really would've been able to rescue her, even if the story with Mt. Lady was a lie. But even as she watched him raise his fist in apodictic triumph, she understood that now, it would be asking too much. It had taken him everything to win this battle. He'd done remarkably, the odds little more than a footnote to his ever-present greatness, and he'd saved a lot of people. Just as he always did.
But she wouldn't be one of them.
After dutifully slobbering over his dick per command, Viasmos was tightening his pants and seemed about ready to leave.
“Master... may I ask one thing before we go?”
“Hmm? I guess. What?”
“I just... want to call someone. Just to tell them something before I leave this place.” She threw her forehead to the ground, grovelling shamelessly for his approval. “I know I'm just a meager slave, but if you just take down the barrier so I can make this call, I promise I wo-”
“Geez, no need to beg! Go ahead, I don't really care. No skin off my back.”
Mina sprung up, surprise written more on her face than happiness. She expected him to resist it more, if only to remind her who was in charge, but he was surprisingly casual about the whole thing.
Well, I guess it's not like there's much of anything I can do to sabotage him. If I try, he can just whisk me away and that'll be that.
Like pretty much everyone else in the time zone, a woman was watching TV, following the events taking place in Kamino Ward. Upon seeing her phone buzz, she was reluctant to pick it up and tear herself away from this unbelievable showdown. However, the name on the phone was one of her patients, and it went without saying that her responsibility to them came first.
“Mina? What can I help you w-”
“Hey... doc...”
The doctor was quiet, picking up on the gravity behind her tone. Whatever this call was about, it was serious.
“...What happened, Mina?”
“Uh... he, uh... he got me...”
“He” could mean anyone, but it hardly needed elaboration. There was only one person she'd talk about this way.
“Oh God, Mina... Hold on, I'll contact the WHA, and they'll-”
“No, don't... I mean, do, but he's about to take me. Make sure they know that. I don't want them taking resources away from Kamino Ward.”
It was the practical decision. There was still no way of following Viasmos once he went back to his dimension, and with the mess going on in Yokohama on top of it all, it was beyond impractical to expect anything to be done. Still, the psychiatrist found herself having a difficult time staying so objective. Viasmos had come up with many of her patients as a topic, but this was the first time one of her patients had actually crossed paths with him. Now, she was about to be kidnapped. She felt so helpless.
“Mina... I... I... I don't know what to...”
“It's...okay,” Mina promised, cutting her off. There was a definite sorrow in her tone, but also a calmness. An acceptance overriding her depression. In a way, it was resilient of her, and though the doctor was proud of her for that, she mostly felt sad at having to be forced into such a position. Nobody should have to accept such a depraved injustice.
Mina continued, “I just... I wanted you to know how much I appreciated everything you did for me. And even though I'm about to go through some real hell... I'm sure the things you taught me will help me find my way through it. It's not what I wanted, but... I don't want you feeling like our time didn't mean anything in the end. You helped me... and even when I'm in the other world, you'll still be helping me. I just... wanted you to know that.”
Tears fell from the doctor's eyes, and her mouth hung agape as she tried to think of what to say. What more could even be said? She never got the chance to find out, because Mina hung up the phone shortly afterwards. Perhaps she understood that words could only go so far in a situation like this. It was a definite sign of maturity from the young woman... a maturity she shouldn't have to force herself to feel. The therapist couldn't help but see the irony in struggling to commend her patient, instead lamenting what the poor girl was going through.
“Mina... I'm so sorry...” she whispered to herself, before calming her nerves and dialing the number for the World Heroes Association.
“Now... it's your turn...”
That was the resounding statement All Might made, pointing to the camera with tangible purpose. The reporters on scene and surrounding crowds were roaring with applause. Even from here, Viasmos could hear celebratory screaming from fellow watchers outside. They clearly took the sentiment to mean that All Might, no matter how broken he may appear, was ready for whatever the next villain sought to throw his way.
But the warlord struggled to interpret it that way. He wasn't there in-person, but he'd fought All Might before, and the man was already struggling with his injury back then. After a fight like this... well, it clearly took a lot out of him. Viasmos had been looking forward to another bout with him, but try as he might, he had a hard time believing that All Might would ever be the same again.
Perhaps he was just saying something to assure the masses. Yes, that was possible. It would be on-brand for a hero like him. Yet... it still didn't quite feel right to Viasmos. The way he pointed his finger, the timbre of his voice... it didn't seem like someone acting with righteous conviction. It sounded to Viasmos more like a quiet resolve, as if he was signaling the beginning of something new.
Viasmos had been a little too busy to pay full attention to the fight, and the news wasn't sharing any details about the villain's quirk. Still, he'd seen enough to notice that he was clearly using multiple quirks. That seemed to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, though it was possible he just didn't know any better with his limited information about this world. Regardless, the powers being exhibited were too varied for him to buy that they were multiple expressions of one quirk. He definitely had a number of distinct powers. But how was that possible?
A number of possibilities floated around in his head, though he wasn't confident enough to be too certain of any. The one that he was most fixated on was this: the ability to copy quirks. Was that even possible? Perhaps the underlying mechanic of a quirk was malleable enough to mimic a range of powers. But that many, so fluidly and so consistently? Even combined, in some instances? It seemed like a stretch.
Maybe... the ability to steal quirks?
That seemed even more ridiculous, as quirks were a biological construct. It would be like someone stealing his aura, something that exists specifically as an expression of his being. Someone could try to copy his aura, or even stop him from using his, but to steal it such that it was no longer his and made someone else's? It made no sense. Based on what he knew of this world's powers, it wasn't possible.
Yet... as he grappled with the question of what All Might was trying to say, a certain thought occurred to him that made him reconsider that possibility. Yes... that would make sense... but then again, there was no evidence for it.
Man, am I just wishcasting because I'm bummed I never got to fight All Might in his prime? Probably. Shit...
“Master,” Mina called out from behind him. “Thank you for your patience. I'm... ready to go.”
“One second. Come over here a sec, would ya'?”
She was surprised he wasn't rushing to take her home with him, and surprised still that he was so fixated on the TV. She walked to his side with a deferential posture. “What is it?”
“Tell me something. Is it possible to steal a quirk from someone?”
“Huh? Steal?”
“Yeah. Anything like that? Borrow, transfer, anything even in the right ball pit?”
“Uh... I mean, there are copy-type quirks out there. I knew a guy in school who had an ability like that. But I wouldn't really call it stealing. A person's quirk is ingrained in them, so... I really can't imagine how that would be possible.”
Mina would be a lot more familiar with quirks on a fundamental level than Viasmos would be, so that probably meant his conjecture was invalid. It was unfortunate, but oh well. Not much he could do about it without rewriting the rules of this universe.
“Well, if you say so,” he said, turning to Mina. “So who was that anyway?”
“Oh, um... just my therapist. I wanted to tell them some things before I had to go.”
“Heh, so like... you spoke to your therapist about the rapist?”
“...”
“Get it? Cuz' like, if you put a space in-between therapist it says-”
“Yes, I got it...” He really was incorrigible. He was genuinely tickled by such a stupid and callous joke, and he didn't seem the least bit bothered.
Satisfied with his little joke, he raised his arm and grabbed her by the back of her neck. She felt a chill as he gripped her that way, making her feel so vulnerable. But she did nothing to resist him, and watched with a racing heart as he opened up a portal to his homeworld. Over there, on the other side, was the decisive beginning of her new life as a sex slave.
“Now... it's your turn...”
Everyone else around him was screaming with vivacious fervor. All Might was just the best. Even in that pitiful state, he still found a way to win, just like always. And what did he do now that the fight was over? He told all the other villains and criminals out there that he wasn't done. Who in their right mind could help themselves from reveling in his glorious charisma?
Only him, of course. The young man with the messy, green hair who was bawling his eyes out. Most of the people around him probably thought they were tears of joy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not that he blamed them for not understanding... after all, he was the only one who could possibly know what he really meant.
That the age of the Symbol of Peace had passed.
All Might, a hero among heroes, had used the last vestiges of his power to defeat the villain, All For One. It was everything he had left in the tank... he would never be able to fight again. This had been his final act as the hero, All Might, and the curtain was closing on the era he created.
The future now rested with him, Izuku Midoriya. One For All's legacy now rested exclusively on his shoulders.
“Ngh... Ah... Ah... Ah... Ooooohh”
Mina couldn't stop herself from moaning as Viasmos drilled into her from behind. Her belly was pressed against the mattress with her head and shoulders teetering off the end of the bed. This was a much more comfortable location than previously, and having had some time to grow accustomed to her new life, she found her body responding positively to her new owner's masculine hold over her. It made things easier to endure, but it was still quite embarrassing to be caught moaning like a whore.
Especially with her friend watching it all as she knelt on the floor.
“Um, master?” Yaoyorozu asked, though she pretty much knew the answer she was going to get. “Do I really need to be here?”
“Eh, I find it amusing. What more reason does there need to be?” he responded indifferently. Looking down at Mina, he asked, “You don't have a problem with it, do you, cherry blossom?”
“Aaaahhh.... ooh... n-no, master...” she answered. Viasmos often liked to refer to his women with demeaning names. Bitch, whore, girlie, etc... All things considered, “cherry blossom” was a fairly sweet-sounding one to end up with. Well, it required ignoring the fact that he was basically using it as a racial slur, in reference to her pink skin, but the girls took what wins they could get out of Viasmos.
“Besides,” Viasmos continued, “there's a good chance I'll want to rape your hot body soon enough. Then have the two of you at the same time. Maybe even have you girls lez out a little for me. Don't worry, I'll find you something to do eventually. But for now, I just get a kick out of making you watch your friend get raped. Man, it's so cool you guys went to school together! I didn't plan it out or anything!”
No sense in arguing, Momo reasoned. As expected, Viasmos gave a very Viasmos answer. She'd been here for quite a long time by now, and she knew how to deal with his abrasive personality. She was worried for Mina, though. Yaoyorozu knew what it was like to be be here for the first time. The other girls made for a pleasant support network, they didn't have to go through it alone... but that didn't mean this was easy. Being here in a new world, under the control of a vicious, omnipotent powerhouse, with no hope of escape and nothing to look forward to but the gradual, certain whittling of your resilience.
It must have been painted on her face, because Mina looked at her friend assuredly. “Don't worry, Momo... I'll be okay,” she promised. “I'll... be okay...”
Notes:
So I've occasionally crafted my own sexual histories with featured characters, including prior rapes. Usually when I do that, and this is particularly the case in superhero-centric universes, I characterize it as just a normal thing that the girls have learned to get used to. An occupational hazard that every woman learns to accept at some point. But I've been wanting to try my hand at a character who's still going through that process. Someone who's had a fairly recent experience and is still deeply affected by their trauma.
I chose Mina Ashido for that role, and I hope it worked as an interesting direction with which to take her.