Blue.
That was the color of the flames that devoured everything around me.
I didn't know where I was or how I got there, but I had somehow ended up all alone in that burning field of blue. It seemed like the whole world was going to be swallowed by these powerful flames. It wasn't because of the abnormal color that I thought this, but the strange power I sensed from the flames.
It was scary. I was so afraid for reasons I could not understand.
I was calling out to someone… I couldn't make out what I was screaming… every noise was dulled by the roar of the fire engulfing the room.
Everything hurt… it hurt so much…
I was crying. The flames weren't devouring me like they had my surroundings, but they still burned and stung me.
I felt so sad and alone…
"...a-sama…"
My voice was much clearer than it had been a moment before.
"...ka-sa…" I kept calling out for somebody.
That was when I noticed it. The lone shape I could make out on the ground before me. I resisted the urge to throw up when I saw it.
The charred corpse before me… I somehow knew who it was… Her once beautiful face was marred by these unholy flames around us… Her entire form was slowly being devoured by fire…
"Oka-sama! OKA-SAMA, wake up, PLEASE!" I cried. "Please wake up!"
Why…? Why am I seeing this…? Why is this happening…?...
… Oka-sama… Please… please don't leave me… please…
"Somebody, please! Oka-sama!"
Why am I so helpless…? Why…?
… Just let it end… please… it hurts… please… somebody help her…
JUST LET IT END! LETITENDLETITEND! PLEASEJUSTLETITEND!
"Oka-samaaaaaaa!"
"Yah!" I woke up with a start, sweating as I confirmed the reality that I was not in a room surrounded by blue flames. I was not sitting amidst the burning blue flames that consumed the house around me, but rather I was in my own room, sleeping on my own bed.
My heart was beating against my rip cage furiously. My whole body felt hot as if I had truly been alight with flames.
That dream… it felt so real…
"Chu…" I looked down to see a familiar, little-sister type loli snuggling against my chest… completely stark naked… I really had to get Jack to start wearing clothes to bed soon. She was sighing with content as she slept against my chest. I couldn't communicate with her before, so I had no idea how she was doing after I was given to Ravel for that short period of time. She just seemed so happy that I was home.
If she wasn't crying, there was no need to make her do so. That was what I decided.
"Nnnnn!" I felt a familiar softness wrap around my arms. I turned my eyes lazily to my right to see a familiar blonde girl. With my vision blurry from my drowsiness, I had honestly thought it was Asia for a moment. Then a rather obvious thought came to mind:
Wait a moment! Asia's breasts were never large enough to even come close to enveloping my arm!
I quickly rubbed the fluff out of my eyes, trying to properly survey my "companions".
The girl who was holding onto my arm, blessing me with the presence of her bountiful oppai was my (albeit unofficial) Bishop, Ravel Phenex. Like the other occupants of my bed other than me, she was in the buff and wearing nothing, not even underwear.
"O-Oi! W-Why are you getting naked, Asia!?" Ravel had screamed in shock and surprise. She had dressed rather risque on our first night together, but seeing Asia beginning to nervously strip in my room had clearly surprised her. She flushed red and began trembling. "I-I understand we are R-Ruto-sama's wifes, b-but—!"
"O-Oh no no no!" Asia shook her head quickly. "T-This is just something that allows us to be closer to Ruto-san! L-Leviathan-sama told me and Jack-chan that stripping and expressing skinship with Ruto-san was the best way to increase our closeness!"
"Yes. Sera-neechan told us that Onii-chan enjoyed experiencing the sensation of contact with a female's skin." Jack added in a way that gave me that strong urge to pinch Serafall's cheeks as punishment again. "Especially when it comes to a woman's posterior or bosoms."
"A-Ah, i-is that s-so?!" Ravel bought it like discounted dessert snacks.
Asia grasped Ravel's hands on her own. "Don't worry, Ravel-san, I-I admit it's a little hard a-at first, b-but it's not as scary as it sounds! Jack-chan and I will be here too!"
Ravel seemed reluctant at first, but she nodded, agreeing with Asia's words. "O-OK, I-I think I understand erm… C-Can you get the snap on the back of my b-bra, Asia?" She then turned to me, blushing immensely. "P-Please look away f-for a moment, Ruto-sama!"
Of course I turned away, but I still ended up seeing everything of Ravel either way. I didn't bother interfering in the conversation. I've learned during my life that, no matter what you do, women will do as they please. When it comes to conversations or battles of wit or others of the like, women will always win. The only question is when you need to submit. This was one of those situations where I would submit. Besides, it's not bad really, sleeping between two beautiful naked girls.
Ravel… she honestly looked sexy when her hair wasn't tied in her usual drills. At the same time, she looked so peaceful.
I would have stroked the side of her face with love and care, only my other arm was wrapped up in the arms of a certain, blonde nun.
I sighed. "Geez…what's been going on with me lately?" I tried sitting up before once again remembering I was pinned down on both sides. Despite the fact that they were all lolis (except Asia who was more borderline loli since she is still slightly taller than normal lolis), they were all surprisingly strong, holding me down with little to no effort.
"Mmnnn…" Asia moaned. I held my breath when her eyes slowly fluttered open. She still seemed very drowsy, yawning. When she saw that I was wide-awake and sweating, she frowned. "... Is everything okay, Ruto-san?" Asia sat up, rubbing her eyes tiredly. I almost had a nosebleed just from her sheer adorability!
Free from one weight that was pinning me down, I managed to get into a partial sitting position, managing to avoid waking Ravel and Jack as well.
Despite the fact that I was still trembling slightly and sweat covered my entire body, I managed a small, weak smile.
"It's nothing. Just a bad dream." I said calmly. Not a lie… just not the full truth.
Ever since Haru beat Riser, I've started having this strange nightmare.
Every night it was the same except each moment was much clearer than before.
Every night more horrible details became known.
Every night I was screaming.
Every night I was calling out to my mother…
Asia, Ravel, and Jack told me before that I was sometimes trembling or mumbling in my sleep, sometimes even crying. It had never been so bad that I had woken up screaming though. It just kept getting worse each night. Every time I woke up from that nightmare, I had to resist the urge to vomit.
I shook my head. "It's really fine. Really."
Asia, despite being tired, was no fool. "Ruto-san…" She wrapped her arms around mine more tightly, leaning her head on my shoulder. "... I want Ruto-san to be able to be happy… we all just got you back…" I smiled, leaning my head against Asia's. I would've patted her on the head, but all of my hands were otherwise occupied.
"I'm fine, Asia… really."
I considered telling her about the nightmares several times, but I didn't want to bother her about something that could just end up being nothing. I didn't want to see such sad expressions on their faces. So for now, I would just suck it up. It was just a dream after all. It would probably just end up being something I would forget after a few days.
It took some doing, but I finally managed to convince Asia of my words.
She still seemed somewhat troubled.
"Oi! Don't you think about touching the… mmrmrmrm… Asia…" Ravel suddenly burst up from her sleep, shouting some sort of noise. I jumped, but then I realized it was just her talking in her sleep. Asia and I snickered at this.
"See? How could I be troubled when I'm sleeping between two beautiful girls?" I kissed Asia on the forehead.
Asia still seemed uncertain, but she nodded. "Alright… Ruto-san…"
I did finally work up the nerve to lay down between them, but I never went back to sleep.
Every time I tried closing my eyes, those haunting images would always be there. The blue flames, the sense of death, the corpse of my mother…
But I kept convincing myself it was a dream. I never saw my mother die.
It all had to be just a dream since I never saw Oka-sama die… I remember Mito-nee told me how she died anyway… it was in a… In an accident of some sort… Hm… I guess I don't really remember what she told me…
Then why is it I called out to her dead body in front of me…?
It was definitely a dream… wasn't it?