Chimera was impossible to keep up with.
Even at the peak of the mountain where the air was thin and the winds howled between jagged cliffs, she bounced between ledges and trees like a creature born of pure joy. Her thick mint-green braid swung behind her like a tail, the blue feathers and white lilies woven into it catching the sunlight with every hop. Her leafy white-and-gold outfit did little to hide her toned midriff and generous curves, and honestly, she didn't seem to care.
"Master! Master!" she called, flipping over a boulder and landing beside me. "Are you done being slow yet? We haven't even played tag, or 'who can scream louder,' or 'let's chase the goat spirit'!"
"We're supposed to be training!" I groaned, panting as I slumped to a nearby rock.
"But playing is training," she chirped. "You get faster, tougher, and happier. Win-win-win!"
I gave her a tired look. "Chimera…"
She pouted, puffing her cheeks out. "Fine. Just one more technique, then you nap."
Chimera's power wasn't flashy or elemental like the others. It was… unpredictable. The ability to copy and temporarily absorb the natural, magical, and biological traits of others. In a fight, she could steal your speed, your fire affinity, your night vision—even your ability to fly or breathe underwater. She was chaos incarnate.
Unfortunately, she was also a giant tease.
Every time I tried to focus on the copying ritual or channeling her spirit mark, she'd grab my arm and drag me into some silly game. Or tickle my sides. Or lean over and whisper things like "You're cuter when you're dizzy." Once, she tried to see if I could cast spells while piggybacking her. (Answer: I could not.)
After two hours of relentless bouncing, climbing, jumping, and "training," I collapsed in the grass.
"I'm dead," I mumbled into the dirt. "Tell Saphielle I loved her hats…"
"You're being dramatic," she giggled, kneeling beside me. "Here, I know what'll help!"
I heard the rustle of fabric, then—
Smush.
My head was engulfed by softness.
I froze.
Chimera had straddled me and mashed my face directly between her thick, plush thighs, thighs that had the faint scent of wildflowers and magic dew.
"W-Why are you like this?!" I squeaked, voice muffled.
"Because it makes me happy," she said cheerfully, petting my hair. "Soft thighs make everything better, right?"
I couldn't argue that. But I was too red to speak.
She giggled again, rubbing my cheeks with her legs before finally letting me breathe. "Sorry for being so rough this morning."
"You think that's the part that hurt?" I muttered.
"Oh, don't worry!" she beamed. "Bahamut healed your pelvis, remember? So you're all better now!"
"That's exactly why I'm scared," I groaned. "You realize what that means? She can fix me anytime. Which means she can break me anytime."
"Oh yeah," Chimera said, tilting her head innocently. "That's probably bad, huh?"
I stared at her.
She just grinned.
Then her smile faded, just a little.
"Hey… can I tell you something?" she asked, voice suddenly softer.
I blinked. "Of course."
She sat beside me, legs curled under her, hands in her lap. For once, she looked serious.
"All five of us—me, Behemoth, Leviathan, Ziz, and Bahamut… we weren't always free." She looked at the sky. "We were once bound to the last human who could summon more than one familiar. A 'hero,' they called him."
I sat up. My chest tightened. "…What happened?"
"He wasn't kind," she said quietly. "He saw us as tools. Pets. Toys. He used our powers, our bodies, and threw us into danger without a second thought. Ziz was punished when she talked back. Levi was forced to obey every command, no matter how… cruel. Behemoth was treated like a weapon, not a person. Bahamut was drained dry of magic for war rituals. And me…"
She trailed off.
I gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
She smiled again—soft this time. "When you summoned us… we saw it. Right away. You weren't like him. You were scared, confused, polite… kind. You blushed when we kissed you. You thanked us. You cared. That's why we all want to serve you, Master. We're not slaves anymore. We're yours… because we want to be."
My throat tightened.
"…Chimera."
"You made us feel like people again," she whispered. "And I'll play with you every day forever if it keeps you smiling."
I couldn't help it—I pulled her into a hug.
She melted into it.
After a quiet moment, she looked up, her green eyes sparkling. "So… does this mean I get my turn in bed soon?"
I sputtered.
She winked.
"Just kidding~! …Unless?"