Day 5
Pulling myself out of bed, I stretch alongside Chun-Li as Ankha lounges a little longer.
With that done, I get to work on the house.
Gathering up the fruit, harvesting some of the potatoes, and ensuring everything is in good condition is a good way to get moving in the morning, and with that, I decide what I want to do.
I walk up the Ankha and Chun-Li and holster my new metal arrows along with my new bow.
"Hey you two, I wanted to talk about what I want to do today."
The two look at me, a bit of worry on their faces as I shuffle nervously.
"I want to try and take out one of the Rayne Syndicate bases nearby. It'll be dangerous, but with your help, I'll be able to do it much more easily."
The two blink a few times, before they give loud cheers, readying themselves for battle.
I can't help but chuckle.
"Yeah, I guess you aren't going to try to stop me. Just remember to listen to my orders, alright?"
They nod seriously, and with that, we're off.
It takes an hour to reach the camp I chose, and I crouch carefully in the bushes of an overhang.
Hmmm, 7 men, two with guns, and the rest with shock mauls.
In the middle of camp, being guarded by one of the men with a gun, is a small, black clothed Pal that bears an uncanny resemblance to Gardevoir.
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Solenne, Level 18.
She looks rather resigned to her situation, and the men in the camp seem to be rather arrogant.
Hmm, she may be worth quite a bit.
Well then, let's change that.
-x-X-x-
"Alright, Ankha, I want you to attack from over the wall to the east, while Chun-Li attacks from the west, got it?" I explain "You'll attack on my signal, I'll be taking out the boss from afar with an arrow, so keep an eye out."
The two nod seriously, and go off in their respective directions. After 5 minutes, I ready my bow, aiming for the flamboyantly dressed goon.
I breath in, letting myself exhale halfway before I release.
The arrow sinks into his neck, and he grabs at it, choking as he desperately tries to stem the bleeding.
It doesn't matter, he's already dead.
He just hasn't realized it yet.
I aim for the man near the cage as the rest of the goons freak out, and crashes come from both sides of the camp, the walls splintering as my Pals attack.
My next arrow sinks into the man's collar, a bit lower than where I wanted, but he's still clutching at the arrow as he goes down.
Meanwhile, Ankha and Chun-Li are tearing through the goons, Ankha dropping two with thrown boulders as Chun-Li sends out blades of wind that cut right through another two of the mooks, before delivering a nasty three piece combo to the last stupid bastard.
With that, the entire camp is down in only a few seconds, and I hop down from the ledge and over the wall to meet them.
"Well done you two!" I cheer, and they smile back at me with proud looks.
"Now then, let's get this lady out of her cage, alright?"
With that, I walk over to the still dying leader, and after removing the arrow to finish him off, dig through his pockets to find the key.
Unlocking the cage, I give Solenne space as she stands up and slowly walks out.
"I know this might be sudden, but you're free now." I say with a smile. "You can come with us if you want, we could always use another set of hands, but if you want to go your own way, I won't mind."
She stares at me uncomprehendingly, before suddenly bowing at the waist.
I blink a little at that. "Um, I get that you're grateful, but there's no need to bow, I'm just doing what any good person should."
She rises at that, and gives me a smile, before walking up and offering out her hand.
I sigh as I realize what she wants.
"Is it some kind of thing that when you rescue a Pal they join you? Because It's happened both times I've done this."
I can hear the two Pals giggling behind me, and Solenne says something with a chime, but I can't understand.
I fish out a Palsphere though, and toss it to her with a smile.
It sucks her in, and after two shakes, it locks with a click.
Letting her back out, I give her my biggest smile.
"Well then, welcome to the group Solenne, we're happy to have you join us!"
She gives us a small smile as the two Pals cheer, and dips into an exaggerated bow before rising.
I can't help but chuckle at that.
"I think you'll fit right in!"
With that, I take a look around the camp to see what I can find.
I dig through their pockets first, finding a good 800 Gold on the grunts and another 400 on the boss.
Opening up the chests and lockers though, that's where I find the good stuff.
A good dozen Palspheres, though I can tell something's up with them, another 2000 Gold, a few bags of seeds, and a strange brown striped fruit.
Looking over the Survival Guide, I read about what this is.
(Skill Fruits)
(These strange fruits grow on rare trees infused with Paldium. When eaten, these fruits grant the consumer the ability to use a specific move specific to the fruit. These moves are limited to a bare handful, as newly developed moves don't manifest as Fruits. As well, should a human eat this fruit, they'll be granted the ability to use the Move, and those that train with this skill are often able to use moves just like Pals! This is actually quite common in places like Sakurajima and Feybreak, but seldom done elsewhere, either due to the laws of that region, or the fact that it requires a great deal of effort to equal Pals of any real strength-)
Well now~
I stare at the description of the Fruit in my Inventory, and note the Move attached to it.
Power Shot.
Well, if that isn't a good place to start, I don't know what is.
-x-X-x-
We take about and hour to make our way back to camp, and the sun is high in the sky as we offload our loot, and introduce Solenne to the group.
I leave her to introduce herself to everyone as I put everything away, and start thinking about what to do for the rest of the day.
Looking over the menu, I realize that I've also leveled up to Level 4.
I put the point into the path of the Farmer, and let the knowledge flow into me.
Hmmm, it seems this one gives me knowledge regarding farming for the most part, but I can tell that I can work longer and harder without breaks with it.
(Path of the Farmer grants bonuses to daily Farming and Ranching yield.)
(You have 90 Pounds of Potatoes (Fermentable), 60 Pounds of Cabbage (Processable), 30 Pounds of Broccoli, 80 Pounds of Spring Onions, 60 Pounds of Grapes (Fermentable).)
-x-X-x-
With the rest of the day ahead of me, I get to work on quite possibly the most important thing I've built yet.
The Nursery.
I tear down one of the walls for the main house first, then get to work on the expansion, setting down a foundation of stone that I cover with wood before focusing on the walls.
I want to have this room as the center of the house once it expands, so I attach it entirely to make it the same section as the main building, building the center of the walls from stone before framing it with solid oak, finally paneling with some of the cherry wood I gathered.
Finally, I begin working on the roof, letting Ankha take care of firing the tiles necessary for it while I frame the form of it with solid Hickory, losing a few nails to the wood.
It doesn't matter, I won't have anything but the best for my kids.
Finally, after framing it strong enough that it should be able to take the full weight of a Mammorest, I finally set the… actually extremely nice tiles into the roof.
I give Ankha a small smile, and she suddenly grabs me into an embrace.
I let the nervous feeling fade as she holds me tight, and just hug her back.
Yeah, I'm a furry, but I have a family, no debts, no responsibilities, no taxes, no impending end of the world from forces utterly beyond me.
Just a loving cat wife, a loving panda wife, a little farmhouse, and a couple new friends to laugh the day away with.
Whatever force sent me here?
Thank you.
From the bottom of my heart.
-x-X-x-
Day 6
I pull myself up from the bed with a sigh, stretching as I'm greeted by the sounds of birds.
Looking down at Chun-Li, I smile as I plant a soft kiss on her head, before planting another on Ankha.
Now then, what to do today?
Hmmm, Lamball has been bringing up getting some more of his kind to help out, and Chikipi is apparently looking for a mate…
As well, getting a Mozzarina would let me have milk again…
Cattiva is apparently happy though.
But a Cremis would let us make nicer fabrics, and a Teafant would help the crops grow better…
Decisions, Decisions…
The first group is easy to convince, as I can simply bring Lamball and Chikipi with me to prove my positive intentions.
Though, they kind of need names now.
With their help however, I manage to get three more of their species each, and while it costs me six of my remaining Palspheres, it's definitely worth it.
Thankfully, it doesn't take much to actually expand their living quarters.
With that finished, I can set out to look for a Mozzarina. I know a few areas I've seen them, so I'll start there.
-x-X-x-
Well, it seems I'm in luck.
Or out of it, depends on who you're asking.
The Mozzarina I've found is alone, but the sparkle at the end of its name is telling.
It's only slightly bigger than the others I've seen, but looks far healthier.
This is a Lucky Mozzarina.
Again, I glance at the Survival Guide's description of its Breeding Form.
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…
Yeah, that's a cow girl.
…
I look back at the Mozzarina, and take in the cartoony cow.
I'm just not going to question it.
Readying Chun-Li's Palsphere, I walk out of the brush as I release her.
Drawing a Palsphere, I get ready to chuck it as Chun-Li rushes in.
Mozzarina moos as she turns to face us, firing off a blast of air which Chun-Li dodges, slinging a blade of wind right back as she rushes in closer, slamming a blow into Mozzarina's side as I ready myself to throw.
Just as Mozzarina turns to follow Chun-Li, I pitch the ball at her, and she disappears in a flash of light.
The ball wobbles once.
It wobbles twice.
And with a click, the capture is complete.
"YES!" I shout as I rush over, catching the ball as it returns to my hand.
Once Chun-Li returns to my side, I let Mozzarina out to speak with her.
She shakes her head as she reappears, but turns to me with a moo.
"Hey, I know that was sudden, but I know Pals like you generally don't go down without a fight." I soothe, and Mozzarina thankfully moos happily, nodding at me.
"Well then, let's get you back to the farm." I chuckle "I've been craving milk for a while, and I've heard you're able to make quite a bit of it!"
She nods fiercely, and with that, I've successfully acquired my first Mozzarina.
(A Lucky Pal will produce more of their specific material, be better at tasks, or be stronger in battle.)
-x-X-x-
With the rest of my day available, I sit down to take a look at the Palspheres I got from the Rayne Syndicate base.
Looking over them, I don't notice any irregularities, no weird marks, no strange materials…
Then, I notice something.
Just on the lip, there's a red bit of metal.
I deconstruct the Palsphere, and take in my find.
It's a small clasp, likely designed to keep the Palsphere shut, and likely as a way to force compliance.
It likely does more, but I can't tell with the tools here.
As I go through the spheres to remove the clasp though, I notice something… Odd.
There's something off about these things still, something that I know I saw when I first got them…
Finally, it dawns on me.
They're all the exact same.
Down to the last detail, these spheres are all identical.
I look down the tech menu, and sure enough I find hardware that can do just that.
But…
This is something that everyone would know about if it was in the area. This kind of facility isn't something you can hide.
Which means this likely came from another island.
Why does a Rayne Syndicate goon have a Palsphere made on another island entirely?
The sun is starting to set now, but I can't help but think about what this might mean.
-x-X-x-
Walking back to the cabin, I let the thoughts of conspiracy fade.
That can be saved for later, right now, I've got a bed and two mates that are calling for me.
I don't even remotely expect what I find when I open the door.
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Laying on the bed is Solenne, flanked by Ankha and Chun-Li, the former sporting a small baby belly as she beckons me over.
I swallow thickly as I listen, approaching the bed slowly as I take in the sight before me.
"So, um… I think I missed something." I mumble, and the two chuckle as they nod.
I look at Solenne. "So, you want to be my mate as well, don't you?"
She nods shyly, but I can see determination in her eyes.
I slowly take my chiton off as I take a deep breath, and nod at her, letting a small smile slip onto my face.
"Well then, I hope I don't disappoint~"
I take her by the legs as I line myself up, grinding my shaft against her quivering pussy as she breaths quicken, her eyes widening as she waits for me to take her.
Suddenly, with a heave, I slam myself to the base.
Her eyes roll back ass she chokes out a sonorous cry, her pussy clamping down on me as I slowly pull myself back before slamming back in again, slowly speeding up as she flinches and spasms underneath me.
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I let myself smirk as I lean forwards, grunting into her ear as I speed up, the clapping filling the room as her cries get louder and louder.
"Such a good little maid~" I whisper "Taking her master so well, letting him mate her like a beast~"
Her moans turn into screams as I go faster with each word, her eyes rolling back up into her head as she nods sloppily, her pussy spasming as she cums around me.
"Fuck I should have taken you sooner!" I rumble "Taken that tight little pussy and pumped an egg in you the second I got my hands on you. That's what you wanted, isn't it?~"
She gasps out something I can't understand, but from the fucked stupid smile on her face I think I have a good idea.
"Fuck you're begging for it!" I growl "Such a needy little maid, begging for your master to breed you just days after you met him-"
I cut myself off with a growl as I thrust deep into her pussy, her back arching as her cervix nearly fucking kisses the head of my cock.
"Fuck it's like you were made for this!" I gasp, slamming myself in with wild abandon "Made to be fucked and Bred by your master like a good little fucking maid-"
I can't take it anymore, she's too tight and hot and wet and FUCK-
"SO GET PREGNANT!"
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She screams as I dump my load into her, her stomach swelling as her womb fills with seed and her orgasm rips through her body like a tidal wave, the little maid going limp as she gets turned into a submissive wife.
I take deep, gasping breaths as I look down at the utter fucking mess I've left her, and lean over to plant a chaste kiss on her trembling lips.
"Now that's a good little Wife~" I whisper "Don't worry, I'll take such, such good care of you~"
She gives only a faint moan in response to my words, but I pull myself out of her and gently move her to the side. Wrapping her up gently, I make sure she won't be uncomfortable when she wakes up.
Turning back to the other two, I smile.
"Now then, it's your turn~"
We don't get much sleep that night, but it's quite worth it.
-x-X-x-
Day 7
I stare up at the rising sun as I stand near the open fire, the Pals digging into breakfast with cheer.
Chikipi, now named Kiara, is cuddling up to her new mate, and Lamball, now named Dom, is doing similarly.
I pull Ankha aside and explain what I want to try, and she goes along with it happily.
Unfortunately, understanding Pals is quite difficult, and likely takes quite a long time for each species.
As a result, by the end of our session, I can only understand her on a very basic level.
So, while she can indeed explain some concepts to me without charades, I can't actually have a proper conversation with her.
Well, at the very least, I figured out one word.
'Pharaoh'
That's what she calls me as a nickname, and I can't keep the giddy smile off my face at the fact she has a nickname for me.
Life is hard, but it is also good.
-x-X-x-
After repeated false starts and multiple misunderstandings, I finally have a list of improvements that the Pals have recommended.
For one, a Pal who knows how to make medicine would be quite helpful, as pretty much all of us are constantly recovering from small bruises and scrapes. A Tarantriss would fit the bill, though they've implied that there's something else in the area that could also fill the role.
Second, Mozzarina needs a proper place to stay, a barn that she can sleep comfortably.
Third, Solenne actually brought up setting up a distillery, which would allow us to brew alcohol, and could easily serve double duty for pickling.
Fourth, a Pal to water the crops would be widely appreciated, as doing so currently is rather labor intensive.
Fifth, a place to make cheese was recommended by multiple parties, and frankly I miss having it.
Finally, going to the village to get some proper livestock, such as chickens and cows would allow us to have a steady source of meat and eggs.
-x-X-x-
I spend the last few hours of the day working on the barn for Mozzarina, Komi joining me as I set the stone foundation and I plant a chaste kiss on her head as she wipes some sweat from her brow.
She smiles up a me, and I feel my heart clench in my chest at the sight.
So Cute!
I get back to work, the sight driving me to work ten times as hard.
By the time the sun sets, the building is completed, and looks absolutely wonderful.
Man, Komi is really good at this.
Wait, where did that tree come from-
-x-X-x-
Day 8
I stretch as the sun rises and look out over my new home.
The Pals mill about happily as the the skies clear, and I smile as i make my way to the nursery.
I quietly duck into the room where Ankha is waiting for me, purring softly as she sits curled against the thing we've been waiting for.
An egg, about the size of a watermelon, sits in a bed of the softest cloth I could make. The shell is mostly blue, with a thick yellow ring around the center, and I approach slowly, letting Ankha guide my hand to it.
I….
I'm going to be a dad.
I look down in awe at the little miracle, and let the feeling of Ankha embracing me fade into the background.
My breath hitches as I massage the warm shell, ignoring Ankha's paw wiping away the wetness from my face.
I feel another warm, soft body embrace me from behind, a prominent bump pressing against my back as I let myself break down.
-x-X-x-
With my child on the way, I decide that the first thing I need to do is the greatest thing required for a dad.
A dock and a fishing rod.
The fishing rod thankfully doesn't take long, but the dock takes a bit more effort, and quite a bit of swimming to get working.
Sinking wooden poles would just be lazy, so I spend some time diving to build stone foundations that I can sink them into instead, and while it takes quite a bit of effort, I manage to get it working after a few hours.
So, despite being wet, tired, and muddy. I wash myself off and put a line in the water.
Ten minutes later, I'm hauling a massive largemouth bass out of the water with a cheer, and showing it off to a mildly amused Ankha in her seat by the shore.
Yeah, this was a good choice.
Oh, and some small boats should be able to dock here without issue as well, or whatever.
I take the chance to pull Ankha and Chun-Li aside again to try learning how to understand them, and it goes much better than last time.
In the time since, I've been working with Ankha to try and remember the basics, and while she has to talk loudly and specifically, I can now, genuinely, understand her.
I have to admit that I cried when she said the first words I understood with perfect clarity.
"I love you, my Pharoah~"
Yeah, I'm a sucker, I don't care.
My wife loves me, and I couldn't be more happy to hear it straight from her mouth.
Chun-Li, on the other hand, needs a lot of work.
Every time I think I have something figured out, she reveals some minor tone shift that changes the meaning entirely, and I have to start all over again.
At the very least, she can tell me basic things, like the fact that she's pregnant.
Yeah, Chun-Li, I kind of figured that out.
The baby bump might be small, but it sticks out enough that I can tell.
Regardless, I've made more progress on understanding my Pals, and even managed to pick out a few words from Cattiva at one point.
On another note, the Sekhmet word for Pharoah is almost the same as the Cattiva word for "Shiny Dickhead".
Apparently that's what Cattiva calls me, and I'm only now learning that he's apparently an utterly foul mouthed little shit.
He assured me that it was a term of endearment, at least once I stopped laughing at his embarrassment.
Apparently he actually likes me the most out of us original four, and was worried I'd take offense to it.
Yeah, no.
My friends back home called me way worse for fun, and I did the same to them. If anything it just shows how much he considers me a friend.
On another note, he's been named 'Bastard' as recompense.
Ah, friends.
-x-X-x-
With a baby on the way, I refuse to allow the Rayne Syndicate to keep running bases in the area.
With Ankha, Chun-Li, and Komi, I set out to remove at least one of these stains, and now I'm looking down from high up in a tree on the camp.
Within, there are over a dozen of the goons, and nearly half of them are armed with pistols, while the boss is carrying a proper assault rifle that I'll have to be careful with.
Attacking from stealth will be imperative here, though Ankha and Chun-Li have been clear that the guns are only a minor threat to them, as they've faced them before and only faced light scratches and bruises.
In the center of the camp, there is cage with a dog Pal that according to my Palpedia is named Yakumo.
Also, 'Neutral' Type?
Yeah, I'm just gonna call it Normal.
Anyways, I need to decide a plan of attack.
I turn to my team as I make my decision.
"Alright you three, this will be like last time. All three of you attack from different directions when I take out the leader, got it?"
They nod, and I give the order for them to spread out.
Five minutes later, I get ready to take my shot.
I have to wait a few more minutes for the boss to be in position, but….
Now!
I fire, and right as the arrow is about to reach him a blue shield flares up around him, shattering as he jumps, a thin cut making its way onto his neck as he shouts in panic.
I curse at the miss, but ready another arrow as he fumbles with his gun, crashes coming from the walls as my team makes their way in.
I fire again.
My arrow drives straight through his face this time, punishing the use of an open-faced helmet by punching straight through the top of the nose and through the brainstem, dropping him cold on the spot.
My Pals take the chance to bust through the walls, tearing through the melee goons that were unfortunate enough to be close to them and closing in on the gun-wielders as they try to open fire, their shots going wide in the confusion as Komi fires off a Dark Cannon that turns one of the goons into chunky salsa.
I fire an arrow that takes out another one of the gun toting goons as Chun-Li manages to close in, roundhousing the first one so hard he literally folds in half before comboing through the next two while Ankha launches a Rock Blast that crushes another two and dents the cage holding the Yakumo.
With that, the last two panic, firing wildly as I fire an arrow that drops one with a cry of pain and Komi fires her own shot that takes the entire top half off the last remaining goon.
Well, that was bloody, but battle often is.
First, I go to let the Yakumo out of the cage.
"Hey bud, you look like you could use some help." I say with a smile, and he huffs but nods. "Can't say I know how these assholes got their hands on a beast like you, but let's get you out of there, yeah?"
I take the key offered to me by Ankha and unlatch the lock, the Yakumo bounding out to stand before me in an approximation of a bow, ruffing something before howling to the sky.
"Well, I suppose that means you want to join the team?" I muse, and he barks proudly, staring at me firmly in the eyes.
I meet his gaze for a few moments, before he averts his eyes and gives another short bow, offering his head to me.
Pulling out a Palsphere, I toss it at the pup, and with a few wiggles, I have a new member of my team.
Yakumo, Level 20.
(You caught a Yakumo!)
With that finished, I let him out to get acquainted with the others while I start digging through everything.
By the end of my search, I've found a total of 5,100 Gold Coins, a handful of expensive looking gems, a couple bags full of Cremis cloth, three bolts of what I suspect is silk, another 3 dozen Palspheres, a couple green books that I'll have to take a closer look at, and two Skill Fruits.
It's a wonderful haul, and I can't wait to spend it all.
Now however, I have a choice to make.
There's still a few hours to sunset, and with Yakumo, I should have enough firepower to take out that last base…
The question is, do I go for it?
(Main Base Revealed! This base is larger than the others by a small order of magnitude, but it's also the base of operations for the Rayne Syndicate in the area. Taking it out would leave what few fragments remain utterly lost, and likely result in them withdrawing all together. This Base will have 3 Pals for you to recruit, and possibly even more depending on your Loot Rolls! If you do not take this now, you will have to take it AFTER the Long Turn!)
It's best to end this now.
"Hey, you need a name, right?" I say to Yakumo, and he nods firmly.
"Well, how does Shippeitaro sound? It's the name of a hero from an old tale I remember."
He howls in response, his tail wagging as he looks up at me.
I can't help but chuckle.
"I suppose that that's a yes then!"
I let the newly named Shippeitaro celebrate his name while I call over the rest of the team.
When I speak, they all stand straight.
"It's time to finish this." I start "The Rayne Syndicate poses a threat to us that I can't ignore, and there's only one more base in the area."
I take a deep breath as I continue. "I want to finish this tonight, and I'm going to need your help to do it. This base is far more well fortified and staffed, but I'm confident we can do it."
I let my gaze bore into them as I pan over them.
"Unlike the others, they will have guns, better ones than what we've seen here, and there's a very real chance that one of us could die, or at the very least be badly injured. I understand if you want to step back from this, so if you do, say your peace now."
There's silence as I stare them down, but they meet my gaze firmly.
I let out a small chuckle. "Alright then, let's get moving, I've got a few ideas already, but we'll need to plan once we arrive."
With that, we set off, and I ready myself for the coming fight.
Polapup, Needoll, and Pengullet Lux.
Three Pals that I can see in the base from here, and it's possible there are more in the building.
Just outside I can see no less than three dozen guards, two dozen of which are armed with shock mauls, and another dozen armed with assault rifles.
Taking a further look, I manage to see that the melee grunts have handguns tucked away as well.
As for inside, I can only take some educated guesses.
For one, guards in heavier armor stand at the door with much nicer assault rifles, an over the hour I spend watching, I catch at least another dozen guards cycle in and out of the building.
My estimations may be off, but I think that's all they have in manpower.
That isn't all they have in fighting strength though.
Very briefly, I catch sight of an Incineram through one of the windows, and I can take a guess that there are at least a few Pals being commanded by them.
Now, the base is set up against the cliff, so I can only attack from the front, and the walls are thicker, thick enough that none of my Pals can simply knock them down.
This place is a tough nut to crack, to say the least.
Making my decision, I move to set the explosives, leaving Ankha to set the fire with a carefully hidden torch.
With that done, I set the ambush, and with a signal, I have Ankha set it off.
She rushes to my side as-
BOOOM
Yep, that should get their attention.
After a few minutes, a good dozen of the goons walk out of the gate as it opens, lead by a particularly well armored goon.
They're mostly carrying Assault rifles, though a few are melee goons.
I wait patiently as they walk forward, nearing the site of the explosion while the boss curses up a storm.
I draw my bow as he nears the ambush spot, an area of ground where the roots make footing unsteady.
"FUCKING STUPID ASS WOODS, WHY DID I HAVE TO GET PUT IN THIS FUCKING SHITHOLE! I SHOULD BE FUCKING BITCHES IN DUNESHELTER NOT-"
I loose the arrow, and he shuts up with a gurgle as it pierces his neck, the rest of the goons barely getting a chance to react before my team is on them.
They go down in seconds, only firing a handful of shots before they're wiped out, and I quickly move to approach the gate.
It seems they weren't expecting us, as the gate is simply left open, the goon standing at the gate going down before he can even fire a shot.
Chun-Li takes the front, charging at the unprepared goons along with Ankha and Shippeitaro as Komi takes her place next to me.
-x-X-x-
The ensuing slaughter sees blood soak the earth, the goons falling en masse as my team charges, their coordination allowing them to tear through the goons in a flurry of claws and fists, wind and stone flying through the air as I sink arrows into the few that manage to gather themselves.
In what can only have been a minute or two, over three dozen Syndicate goons are dead, and we're approaching the main building.
Suddenly, the doors burst off their hinges as an Incineram bursts out, spitting fire as it glares down at us.
From behind it comes a man dressed in the flashiest, gaudiest, most impractical armor I've seen since arriving here.
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" He roars, his face purple as he glares at me. "KNOCKING OVER MY BASE! KILLING MY MEN! GETTING IN MY FUCKING WAY!"
I just nock another arrow as I stare him down.
"DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!" He spits "AFTER I'M DONE PULLING YOU APART, I'M GOING TO TURN THESE FUCKING PALS OF YOURS INTO FUCKING MEAT!"
I'm going to kill him for that.
He tries to pull a fucking minigun, but I'm having none of it.
My arrow looses, and it sinks into his-
ooooooooooooooo…
He lets out a piercing shriek as he collapses to the floor, the arrow planted firmly in his dick taking him handily out of the fight.
From the look of his belt, someone forgot their shield…
By the time I have the chance to turn to the Incineram, it's already down from a kick to the skull by Chun-Li.
Walking over to him, I slam a boot into his dick as he tries to get up.
"Not a fucking chance." I spit, pinning him to the floor as my team begins to clear the area, debating what to do.
Well, while I have him here…
"What is the Rayne Syndicate up to?" I question, and he heaves pained gasps as he tries to answer.
"W-What's it to yOOOOOUU-" He stops talking as I reach down and twist.
I stop, and he gasps in pain. "Are we willing to talk now?"
"Y-Yes- Whatever you want- just please don't-"
"Got it, now what are you assholes doing here?" I spit, and he gasps out an answer.
"W-we're just fucking storage- keeping shit safe until the heat dies down-"
I glare at him as I push down on his chest. "And what is your Boss, Zoe, doing here?"
He lets out a choked laugh at that.
"Fu-fuckin zoe? That stupid bitch is just a figurehead, doesn't even know what we do, just keeps the actual bosses from fightin' each other" He gasps out "Fuckin' Bitch would be better as a sex-toy, what with all the shit we have to do to keep her and her fuckin pet happy!"
I reach down and twist again.
Regardless of her complicity, no woman deserves that.
I release him. "Where is she?" I snap, and he sobs as he tries to answer.
"T-the-the fuckin' tower- please- it's all she fuckin does- says it's important-"
Huh, so she's defending that weird tower I saw in the distance.
Maybe the village Elder has an idea of what's going on there.
Now, what to do…
Finally, Ankha makes it back, and she's carrying…
Oh.
Oh.
Oooooooh.
Well then, how do I send a message?
-x-X-x-
I drop the girl off at the village after sundown, but that's not what matters.
She's alive, but I suspect she'll never truly recover from… That.
I take the long way to Blood Eagle the piece of shit, and hang him up from the gates.
He's still moaning in pain while I loot the place, but I don't really care anymore.
There's still a sour taste in my mouth when I tally up the loot, but I have to admit that it's a lot.
Roughly 20,000 Gold Coins, a small sack filled with both cut and uncut gems, a good hundred Palspheres, over a dozen Skill Fruits, some more respectable looking potions, a whole bunch of books, some weird things called Ancient Tech Fragments, an information report on the area, and most importantly, the personal communications of the boss, as well as all the records and information I could find.
I've completely cleaned the place out, and I can't say I'm not happy about it.
Still, for all the loot, today was more than enough fighting for a good long while.
I think…
I think I'm going to take it a bit easier for a while.
-x-X-x-
Day 1 (Month 2)
I yawn as I pull myself out of bed, stretching my arms as I feel my partners shifting beside me.
"Mhhhhhh, stay in bed my Pharoah, it's much nicer here~"
Chun-Li pulls herself up alongside me and plants a kiss on my cheek before huffing at Ankha.
"Do not try to make our beloved husband as lazy as you sister-wife. If he has chosen to rise at a respectable hour, then you should follow his example."
Ankha just huffs back at her, meowing cattily at Chun-Li before cuddling back into her blankets.
Komi wipes her eyes, yawning as she tries to speak.
"G-good morning, Master~" She mumbles, rubbing blearily at her eyes "Please forgive my tardiness, I'll have breakfast started in just a few minutes."
I let myself chuckle. "Don't worry about it Komi, I'll get things started."
She huffs at that as Chun-Li starts stretching. "No! As your wife and maid I will not allow you to make breakfast!"
I chuckle and finally get to my feet, planting a kiss on her head as I right her, preventing her from tumbling to the floor. "Fine, fine, I'll wait~"
She makes a melodious humming sound that I recognize as a sound of approval, and I hum a happy tune as I open the door.
Over the last month I've found numerous new friends for the farm, and I've managed to grow quite a bit of food as well.
Cycling the well of power in my chest, I hum as I revel in the warmth of the energy.
I'd also managed to find the time to train with that Skill Fruit, and even eat a few more.
Now, I'm sitting pretty at Level 20, and can use Power Shot, Power Bomb, Punch Flurry, and Air Cannon.
I'd recently started working on Mega Punch as well, but I'm not quite there yet.
Regardless, my Pals have also grown quite a bit stronger, and learned new moves.
There's also the fact that I can understand them without issue now.
At least, the ones on my Team.
Shippeitaro is a bit tricky, as his speech is a bit simple, but I can still talk to him.
Most importantly, I've got a Cheese Cave and Distillery up and running!
Oh sweet, sweet Pinconning cheese.
Anyways, there's still things for me to do, so I best get to work!
-x-X-x-
Making my decision, I set out with my team to find the local Tarantriss.
After a good hour, we finally stumble into a clearing coated in webs, and before I can stop, my foot lands on it.
I wince as I raise my head, tossing out Ankha in preparation.
After a few minutes of waiting, our quarry drops down from the trees.
.
----------->
.
Tarantriss, Level 25.
I ready myself as I look cautiously at the Pal, Ankha flaring her claws.
"Hey, I'm Karl." I say slowly "I've been looking for talented Pals to add to my Team, and I want you to join. Are you interested?"
She makes a curious trill, and Ankha beats me to speaking.
"Take it from me spider, my Pharoah is a wonderful Mate~"
"Wha- ANKHA!"
Her head tilts, and she blushes slightly.
I cuff Ankha upside the head as she giggles, and look seriously at the spider.
"I'm looking to get strong, and I think you have what it takes to join the team. So, are you interested?"
She thinks for a bit, before nodding cheerfully.
She readies herself, sinking into a battle stance.
I smirk as Ankha readies herself at my side.
"Alright then, bring it on!"
"Somersault!" I shout, Ankha flying forwards through the air to land a hit on Tarantriss, the spider Pal shooting a web to pull herself out of close quarters, firing a wave of dark orbs at us, forcing me and Ankha to dodge out of the way.
I begin moving as Ankha fires a Stone Blast at her, one of the boulders slamming her through a tree.
She lets out a cloud of poison forcing Ankha to back off, and I whistle to recall her to my side.
I watch carefully as Ankha circles me, waiting for something to pop up…
There!
"THERE!" I shout, pointing at the rusting bush, and dive to the side as a blast of dark energy flies out, while Ankha fires a slash of air at Tarantriss, a sudden squeal coming from the brush as it connects, the spider Pal stumbling out of the bushes with a groan.
Seeing my chance, I palm a Palsphere and throw, the ball connecting with her head as she disappears in a flash of light.
One shake
Two shakes
Click!
The Palsphere returns to my hand, and I smile as Ankha cheers.
(You Caught a Tarantriss!)
I let myself take a few minutes to calm down, and carefully let Tarantriss out of the sphere.
"Brrriiiii!" Purrs the spider Pal, pulling me into a hug as she trills happily.
"Heh, it's nice to know you're happy." I say politely as she lets me go.
"Now, I think it's time for us to give you a name, does that sound good?"
She trills happily and nods, and I start thinking.
-x-X-x-
I clap as my team finishes their drill, and start giving out orders for the next exercise for each of them.
Charlotte I send off the improve her mobility, while Chun-Li continues to work with her Mega Punch, steadily getting closer to a finished move as she hits a rock wall.
Komi I send to work with Shippeitaro, improving his ability to dodge ranged attacks while she focuses on her accuracy, and ability to hit a moving target.
Finally, I turn to Ankha.
"So, I'm going to have you- WAH!"
"What are you thinking of my Pharoah~" She purrs.
.
------------->
.
I gulp, swallowing thickly as I look up at my wife.
"I- Um-"
"We've got our kitten coming soon, so how about we do some Special training~" She purrs.
I can feel myself going red, but nod quickly.
Fuck she's so hot.
She lets me up, pulling me into the tree line and transforming with a flash-
When I open my eyes, she's turned her ass towards me, and is presenting her self.
.
------------->
.
I take a deep breath, feeling myself harden.
"Well, come on Pharoah~" She teases "Come claim your kitty~"
She gasps as I grind my cock against her gushing slit, my clothes hitting the floor as I groan from the heat of her core.
"Mmmmmmmnnnhhh~ That's it my Pharoah, enjoy your wife~" She purrs, and I can feel the vibrations stirring my fucking chest.
I grunt as I slip myself in, hilting myself into her in a single thrust.
"NGH! Oh, Pharoah~"
.
-------------->
.
I don't wait, thrusting with wild abandon even as I hear the bushes rustle behind me, gripping her ass with an almost religious fervor as I fuck this kitty into a puddle.
"NGH- YES- THAT'S IT- RIGHT THERNNGGHGH!"
She pants and moans, barely stringing words together as I plow her into the tree, the sounds of our coupling filling the forest as I take what's mine.
"OHNG- YES- PHAROAH- CUMMINGGG!"
She tightens around me like a vice as I keep moving, her voice reaching a crescendo as I slam my cock into her cervix, her back arching as she drags claw marks into the tree.
I pant harder as I start to near my end, Ankha now utterly unable to speak as her legs tremble violently, her pussy spasming as she cums uncontrollably.
Finally, I swear as I near my end, slamming in at just the right angle to make her toes curl as I have to grip her tighter, her legs failing her as I fuck her with everything I have.
Then, with a shout, I hilt myself to the base, and cum.
.
---------->
.
Her pussy trembles as she moans like a slut, her back pressing against me as I let loose into her fertile cunt.
Eventually, panting, I slowly pull myself out as she collapses to the ground, her legs useless from the intense fucking.
"Hehe-he, I love you, my Pharoah~" She mumbles deliriously.
Well, I suppose this somewhat counts as training.
In my lustful stupor, I fail to notice the new team member scuttling away, driving her hand between her front legs as she looks for a private place away from the others.
-x-X-x-
Day 2 (Month 2)
I feel myself being shaken awake in the wee hours of the morning.
"Wh-wha?" I mumble, blinking the sleep out of my eyes as I feel Ankha's claws dig into me.
"Wake up, wake up! The kitten is hatching!"
My eyes snap open at that, springing up as I flail out of bed, sleep well behind me.
I throw on a chiton as I let myself be dragged by Ankha, my other wives slowly trailing behind as we hurry into the nursery.
The egg is there, twitching as it cracks, and I let myself kneel down next to it.
It cracks more, a yellow tuft of fur peeking out as tiny claws pry at the shell, and I realize I'm not breathing.
I wipe the sleep that remains from my eyes as Ankha pushes herself against me, staring at the egg alongside me.
Finally, with a loud crack, the egg falls apart, and the baby inside shakily pulls itself to its feet.
I take a small breath in as she blinks.
Finally, with a mewl, she reaches up to us
.
----------->
.
I reach down slowly, my hands shaking slightly as I wrap my hands around her midsection, lifting her into the air as she happily mewls.
Ankha purrs against me as I pull my daughter close, and gently embrace her as I plant a kiss on her head.
She mewls happily, rubbing her face against my chest as I feel my cheeks ache.
My vision goes bleary as I smile at Ankha, and I hold my child close as Ankha plants a warm kiss on my forehead, her eyes and smile fond.
(YOU ARE THE FATHER!)
(ONE DAUGHTERU ACQUIRED!)
(A GLORIOUS DAY!)
-x-X-x-
I smile as I watch Ankha play with Cleo, our daughter laughing as she chases the chicken Ankha grabbed, giggling as it desperately tries to escape.
Suddenly, there's a rustling in the bushes, and I snap her up, holding her to my side as she squeals.
Ankha and Chun-Li have taken up combat stances, and Shippeitaro has bolted to my side.
Slowly, a woman walks out of the brush.
"Oh? Hello there, you must be the new Woodsman the villagers mentioned!"
.
------------->
.
She looks around the settlement, my Pals bristling at the presence of the strange woman.
She raises her hands peacefully, attempting to calm the situation.
"Oh, I'm sorry is I startled you all, I just heard that there was someone new in the area, and decided to come meet you!"
I let myself relax slightly, but keep my grip on Cleo as she examines the woman curiously.
She reaches out and tries to pull herself out of my grip, but I lift her up, planting a kiss on her head.
"Sorry sweetie, I'll let you meet the nice lady in a bit, alright?" I mutter, and smile as she rubs her head against me.
She's just so cute.
Looking back to the woman, I notice her expression has changed.
.
-------------->
.
…
NOT AGAIN!
"Oh! Um- you're- um- I didn't- I see!" She stutters out. "Uhm, if you don't mind, can I know your name? I'm Lily Everhart, leader of the Free Pal Alliance!"
Huh, I'd heard that mentioned by a few of the trader's I've run into.
Some kind of disorganized group trying to look out for Pals, and an avid opponent of the Rayne Syndicate.
"I'm Karl Barker, it's… Nice to meet you, Lily." I say politely.
She smiles happily, giggling slightly. "Why thank you!"
Her head tilts, and she looks at me curiously.
"By the way, do you know what happened to the Rayne Syndicate in this valley about a month ago? I heard there was some fighting…"
I look her over cautiously, weighing my options.
"I… Was, why do you ask?"
She nods. "Ah, so did you really brutalize the local boss of their organization? I heard some truly terrible things…"
I wince slightly but nod. "Yeah, I… Reacted poorly to some of the things I found in the base."
She goes still, staring me straight in the eyes.
"Good."
.
------------->
.
... Ok.
Her face snaps back to normal, a happy smile returning to her face. "Ah, but I suppose it's impolite to burden you so much on such a nice day, would you mind if I sat down and had some tea?"
"I… Don't really have tea." I explain, but she just smiles.
"Oh, don't worry! Lyleen carries some with her! Lyleen!" She calls, and a massive plant Pal walks through the brush.
.
------------>
.
"Oooouhh?" She hums, looking down at Lily curiously.
I sigh and nod. "Alright then, come on in, though we'll have to chat outside since Lyleen is a bit too big to fit in the house…"
She smiles brightly at that. "Of course! Come Lyleen, let's start preparing the tea!"
After a few minutes of moving tables and chairs, we get everything set up well enough.
Lily pours a cup of tea for everyone as she circles the table, finally filling her own as she sits down.
Finally, she looks at me.
"So, how long have you been here in the islands?" She questions, a look of curiosity on her face.
I answer honestly. "About a month, give or take a few days." I muse, sipping at the tea.
Oh.
Oh that's Good.
I take another sip of the herbal drink, this one a bit longer.
She giggles as she takes her own sip.
I absentmindedly note Ankha trying, and failing, to take her own dainty sip, only for the tea to spill.
Komi hums thoughtfully, nodding at Lyleen politely.
"Well then, I'm surprised you managed to build so much so quickly!" She muses "Most castaways tend to settle in with one of the villages, or go running for the Technocracy up north the first chance they get…"
I look at her curiously. "What's the Technocracy?" I question.
She blinks at me, a slight look of surprise on her face before she answers.
"Huh, I suppose you haven't spent much time around the villages then." She muses.
Shaking her head, she answers my original questions. "Well, if you must know, the Technocracy was founded some 250 years ago by a group of castaways." She explains "Some 'Scientist' apparently thought that living in harmony with nature was below him, and decided to found a nation where humanity could use technology to dominate."
She sighs, a slight glare entering her eyes. "It's an utterly sorry state, where people exchange their privacy and freedom for comfort and security" She mutters "They see Pals as nothing more then up jumped animals, fit only for their exploitation."
I wince at her tone. "Hey, I'm sorry about bringing it up…"
She chuckles and waves me off. "Don't worry, I don't like them, but it's best if I explain it."
She shakes her head. "Anyways, they see the very world itself as nothing more than property. There is no land that one can simply settle on, as some corporation or the government 'owns' it, and even if you do buy the land for the absurd prices they offer it at, you have to pay constant sums of their useless currency, and must ask permission to do so much as build a shed!"
Ah, so it's a modern nation.
Yeah, I think I'm happy here.
She sighs as she regathers herself. "So, anyways, I was hoping to get to know you better!" She tilts her head "So, I know you've partnered with at least your Sekhmet, but what about the others?"
I blush crimson at that, my wives giggling at me as I formulate a response.
"Well, um, Chun-Li, my Leafan, and Komi, my Solenne, are both also expecting…" I mumble, and Lily smiles at me as Lyleen coos at us.
"Well now, that sounds wonderful!" She muses sweetly "Though, I have to ask, are you one of those people who are only interested in Pals? Or…"
A look enters her eyes as she stares at me over the table.
"Would you be interested in a human woman as well~"
.
---------------->
.
I gulp as I meet her eyes, butterflies swirling in my gut.
"I'd certainly be… Interested." I say quietly, and she giggles.
Letting herself relax, we sit quietly for a few minutes, discussing some of the more basic minutia of our lives.
It's… Nice.
"So" I muse "What's the Free Pal Alliance like?"
She shuffles in her seat, a look of contrition slipping onto her face.
"It's… Well, more of a social group to be honest." She sighs "I don't really want to lead some military organization, but I also don't just want to be trying to fight off the Rayne Syndicate with only a couple people…"
I think for a bit, and decide to dig deeper.
"What's the organizational structure like then?" I ask, and she winces.
"There isn't really any true structure, to be honest." She sighs "I'm the leader, and there's a few others that some of our members follow but they don't really have titles…"
I hum as I take it in, and start to think.
There's a few ways she could go about things, but first I need to know what she actually wants.
"What are your goals with the alliance" I ask, and she goes silent as she contemplates.
Finally, after a few minutes, she answers.
"I want to ensure that Pals aren't being treated horribly." She starts "But I also want to defend the Pals that are in danger."
"Like what?"
"Like those held in the Wilderness Reserves!" She spouts "The Ancients obviously put them there for a reason, and defended them as well! Yet poachers and thieves constantly just- break in!" She snaps "They refuse to acknowledge that the gold earned for their expeditions is paid for in unimaginable damage to what the ancients were trying to protect!"
I hum, but gesture for her to go on.
"And that's not mentioning their 'Capture Machines'!" She snaps "I can understand defeating a Pal and then capturing it, even if I don't like it, but these barbarians just throw twisted Spheres in the dozens until the Pal is forced to give up! It's VILE!"
She takes deep breaths as a blush creeps onto her face.
She look away from me in embarrassment.
"I… I'm sorry for my outburst." She says quietly.
"Don't worry, I get that you're upset." I soothe "But if you don't mind, would you like some advice?"
She takes a deep breath and nods.
"Yes, you seem to be… Rather good at communicating with Pals." She sighs "Maybe you have some ideas to try to let the Alliance fight back? I don't like using guns, but it takes so long for someone from the villages to learn how to use a bow properly, and they always struggle in battle with those thugs…"
"Well, first of all, what about having your organization act as a medium between Pals and People?"
She hums at that, but gestures for me to continue.
"Well, ok, this is coming from a fictional series from my home, but what if you had your members focus on securing areas, making sure that the Pals there aren't being targeted." I explain "That way, they could work with the Pals to ensure that groups like the Rayne Syndicate are actually targeted by the local population, or could bring in more forces to stop them."
She hums, and asks a question. "That could certainly work, but what about actually fighting the poachers?"
I raise a hand at that. "That, Lily, is actually on of the main things I was interested in. Tell me, do you fight alongside more than one Pal?"
She looks curious at that, but shakes her head.
"Well, what if you gathered a team of them?" I explain "While guns may not be an option, working alongside a team of Pals would give you plenty of firepower! Not to mention that Pals can grow quite strong pretty quickly, meaning that you'd be able to train them to not only work together, but also act as a coordinator when in the field!"
She looks curious, and nods. "Yes, that… I've always noticed that Pals are capable of quite a lot when they work together, and when directed by a human…"
I nod, continuing. "Yeah, by forming teams, you can use the strengths of the Pals to fight off your enemies, and while humans aren't great fighters, we're pretty good at directing others to complete larger tasks!"
She's muttering to herself now, thinking things over as Lyleen looks at me curiously.
"Pal Tamers have been a thing for quite a long time, but if you sent out multiple Pals…" She mutters.
"You'd be able to cover for your own weakness while also covering for their lack of coordination."
Her head snaps up, her eyes boring into me.
"That… That's genius!" She exclaims "But how would these… what would you call them?"
"Trainers"
"Yes, Trainers!" She mutters "How would they train so many different Pals? I have trouble remembering all that Lyleen can do sometimes."
"Why not focus on one Element?" I say with a shrug. "You already know quite a bit about Grass Pals, why not teach them what you know?"
She nods, muttering under her breath for a bit before looking back at me. "Then how would they actually train them? Physical training can work but combat has always been necessary after a point, and I'm loathe to throw a bunch of new Trainers into battle…"
"Ritualized duels." I explain "Have them send out one Pal at a time to give orders, and pit them against one another. Make it a friendly competition. The winner gets a bit of Gold and bragging rights, and they find out where they need to train more."
She's nodding fervently now, a light of understanding in her eyes.
"Yes, yes, that could work!" She mutters, looking back at me. "What else can you think of!"
"Hmmm, what about Skill Fruits?" I ask "I've eaten one myself, and can use Normal energy as a result."
She nods at that, but there's a look of contrition on her face. "That could work, but it would require a lot of investment." She hums "Skill Fruits are hard to come by, and also run into the same problem that bows do, but maybe…"
"It's just a though for now." I soothe "Maybe once things are better organized then we can focus on it."
She nods, looking off into the distance. "Yes, I've eaten one as well, but I never really tried to use it much…"
She shakes her head. "Anyways, what about organization?"
"Well you're probably going to want to have some level of organization." I explain. "As well as oversight. It would be pretty easy for small groups to use your resources and knowledge for their own greedy agenda, so countering that would be necessary. Maybe have some moots? Meetups ever month or two to see what everyone's been getting up to? Maybe set up a few permanent bases where you can farm and train your Pals?" I offer. "Setting up some ambushes would also probably help, you'd be able to take the Rayne Syndicate by surprise if you move them around.
She nods slowly, looking off into the distance. "Yes, it would indeed be risky to leave them be…" She bites at her bottom lip. "Maybe… Maybe I should check in with a few groups, just to be certain."
I nod at that. "That's probably a good idea, a few rotten apples can spoil the whole bunch if you're not careful."
She sighs, but nods. "Yes, I can see what you mean, but…" She hums "What about recruiting Pals, shouldn't there be some kind of structure outside of simply going into the wild?"
I shrug. "Why not open a dialogue with some of the Grass Element species?" I offer "They'll likely have an idea of where you can find interested Pals, and it would also help connect your people to the ones that they're trying to protect."
She hums, nodding. "Yes, that's not a bad idea…"
At last, it seems she's done asking questions, and looks at me seriously. "So, I have to ask, have you learned anything about the Rayne Syndicate recently?"
I shrug but nod. "Yeah, for one, those Palspheres they use seem to have some sort of compulsion effect" I explain "There's a little device inside the lip if you look carefully. Just remove it and they lose the effect."
Her eyes widen, and she nods. "I knew there was something up with those Palspheres, but I could never figure out what…"
I continue.
"Other than that, their leader, Zoe, seems to be utterly unaware of their activities. They apparently use her as a symbolic puppet to keep the actual bosses from fighting each other."
She nods at that, and I can see a look of worry on her face. "Yes, I've heard some similar things, but I could never figure out if she was aware or not…"
I shake my head. "From what I can tell, she's entirely unaware of what's going on."
At that, she looks at me, serious.
"Then… Would you be willing to help me in getting her to see the light?" She asks cautiously. "If you took out so many, you're likely a skilled Trainer yourself, and I'd rather not try to confront her alone…"
"Sure!" I respond "Leaving someone in a situation like that puts a bad taste in my mouth, so I'll help you confront her."
She sighs, nodding happily. "Good, I'll look into what needs to be done. In the meantime…" She looks at me hopefully. "I'll come back in a few days, but I'm going to try out that trainer thing in the meantime, so do be ready when i get back."
A competitive spark flares in her eyes. "I'll beat you soundly when we first battle!"
I smile, meeting her gaze with a spark of my own. "Good, I've been looking for a proper battle!"
With that, our conversation ends, and Lily and Lyleen take their leave, entering the forest with a skip in her step.
Now then, let's see what I can do over the next few days to prepare…
"Alright everyone, we've got a battle coming up, so I want to see you all in top form!" I shout, and my team answers with cries of their own.
"Yeah, we're gonna kick their asses!" Shouts Ankha, and I scratch my head as I debate how to break the bad news.
"Well…." I mutter, and Ankha looks at me with confusion.
"What do you mean 'Well'?" She questions "I'm your first Pal, shouldn't I be on the team?"
"Lily specializes in Grass Pals, Ankha." I say as nicely as I can. "If she doesn't have 5 Pals, you're probably not going to be on the team."
Ankha stares at me flummoxed for a second, before breaking down.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DON'T GET TO BE ON THE TEAM?!" She whines, stamping her foot pitifully.
I sigh and soothe her. "I mean that you won't be able to do much in the battle. We've only just started training, and against someone with years of experience fighting with the type your weak to, you'll have a lot more trouble than the rest of the team."
She whines, stamping her foot again as her daughter giggles at her antics. "Hmph, stupid Grass types, fine! I'll just prove I'm way better than those stupid leaf munchers!"
Hmmmm, actually…
"Hey, Ankha, now that I think about it, one of the Skill Fruits we looted from the base is for Flare Storm. We could use that to get a leg up on the-"
"YES!" She shouts, bolting over to pick me up. "THAT'S PERFECT! YOU'RE THE BEST PHAROAH EVER!"
I do my best to breath as she chokes the life out of me, patting her on the back.
The squeezing was bad enough, but blocking my mouth with her own certainly didn't help.
Yeah, yeah, now let's come up with a few things.
-x-X-x-
Day 3 (Month 2)
I yawn as I pull myself out of bed, a furry hand gently pulling me along.
"What is it, Chun?" I mumble, blinking the sleep out of my eyes.
"Our child, beloved husband, they've begun to hatch."
I snap to attention at that, hurrying along. "Well why didn't you say so sooner?! Come on, we can't miss it!"
She smiles as she joins me in my rush to the nursery, passing a sleepy Komi as she pulls herself up from besides her own egg.
"What is it?" She mumbles.
"Chun-Li's egg is hatching!" I say quietly.
She perks up at that, following along as I enter the little area that we've been keeping Chun-Li's egg in.
The thing is about half the size of my torso, large for an egg, but still not much bigger than a human baby.
The egg is shaking, and I sit patiently as my baby tries to make their way out.
Chun-Li is sitting next to me now, Komi sitting a bit further back as she watches curiously.
Komi… Really seems to be enjoying having the babies around.
Huh, she might have a motherly streak in her.
I focus back on the egg as it begins to crack, a tiny fist bursting out and pulling at the shell as the child inside begins to make its way free.
Finally, the last of the shell falls away, and our child is revealed.
.
----------->
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The baby reaches out curiously, making an adorable squeak that tugs at my heart strings.
Chun-Li gently takes her hand, gently lifting the second of my precious daughters into her arms and cooing at her, a smile that's sweet as honey splitting her face as she points the baby girl towards me, the little one squeaking as she reaches out in my direction.
Chun-Li nods and makes a cooing sound that I recognize as approval, and hands the little girl over as I reach out, pulling my daughter into my chest where she nuzzles me with another heart-pulling squeak, a happy smile on her face as she takes in my scent.
I let my tears fall as I plant my face in the top of her head, kissing my little girl gently as she squeaks happily.
Man, this really is the life.
-x-X-x-
Making my decision, I set out with my team to find that Chillet I saw a while back.
A few hours later, while we don't find that one, we do find a Chillet.
Specifically, one that's quite a bit larger than the one I saw before.
.
---------------->
.
Before I can approach, the weasel-like Pal notices me, and it- her eyes light up.
She perks up, bounding over with a happy look on her face.
She comes to a stop as Ankha steps forwards, and begins to make happy sounds.
"Um… Do you want to be caught?" I ask dumbly.
Chillet nods happily with a coo.
"Well, I'm looking to get pretty strong, so you'll need to put in a lot of work, and I'm almost certainly going to get in to danger…"
Her eyes narrow, and she enters a strange stance, throwing a few punches with what sounds like… hiyahs?
…
This is going to be a special case, isn't it.
"Well" I muse, pulling out a Pal Sphere. "Then I suppose you can come along then."
Chillet cheers, and starts to sing a little tune as I toss the Sphere, hitting an… Oddly familiar pose just as the ball hits her.
*Wiggle*
*Wiggle*
*Click!*
I catch the returning Sphere, popping it open to let Chillet out.
And…
Now it's doing a dance number.
Ankha's joining.
This…
This is going to happen often from now on, isn't it?
-x-X-x-
I take the next day to put together some nice Hot Springs, getting a stone bed down and some walls up before I do… Whatever I did to get the actual hot spring working.
Man, it's weird to do something you don't actually know how to do.
Regardless, now, everyone's enjoying a nice soak in the spring I set up.
Ankha sips a glass of warm milk with a sigh as she sinks into the warm stones.
Komi's watching the kids at the moment, so she's got some time to relax.
But to put it frankly, this is a wonderful improvement.
-x-X-x-
I wipe the sweat off of my forehead as I smile at my work.
With my Pal's help, I'd managed to build a large lodge that our children can all have rooms in, and more over…
I'd built a room for us!
It was larger than the private little cabin we had to ourselves, but it would allow us to keep a better eye on the kids, as well as fit the frankly ever growing number of wives.
With that all done, I head up to the main room, humming as I look around the place.
Hm, gonna need some proper cloth around here, plus there's not many toys…
I should probably go check out town, thinking about it.
As I step into my room though, I freeze at the sight in front of me.
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------>
.
I feel two furred bodies press up against my sides.
"We found some thing, my Pharoah~"
"An itsy bitsy spider~"
"Crawling into your bed~"
I swallow thickly as Tarantriss whines in need.
"Now then, My Lord…"
"Why don't you give her…"
"A warm welcome~"