Make Jen stay

Jen smiled faintly, still holding Alice’s hand, but that only made something in Alice snap. The warmth that had been blooming in her chest twisted into jealousy. The idea of Jen walking away going back to Nia, to her old party, to someone else’s command burned like acid in her veins.

Her ears flattened. Her tail twitched once, sharply. “No,” she said almost too quietly, for her to hear.

Jen blinked, confused. “No… what?”

Alice’s claws curled, trembling slightly. “You’re not leaving me.”

The words came out low and rough, half growl, half plea. Her instincts surged up like a living thing, wrapping around her rational thoughts and smothering them. Every part of her knew losing a bonded mate was ****. Betrayal.

Jen frowned, uncertain. “Alice… what are you talking about? I’m not-”

“You are,” Alice said, cutting her off. “You’re talking about Nia, and going back, and I can feel it. You want to leave.”

Jen took a cautious step back, her one hand rising in a small gesture of peace. “I’m not trying to leave you. I just-”

Alice stood abruptly, towering over her, eyes burning with that Chimeran glow. “No. You belong with me now.” Her voice cracked, something raw and scared bleeding through the possessive growl. “You said I gave you confidence. Then trust me. Stay with me. Join Raven’s Howl.”

Jen froze, her breath catching. The air between them felt charged with instinct, hunger, and fear.

Alice stepped closer, lowering her voice. “I won’t lose you, Jen. I can’t. You’re part of me now. And if you walk away…” She swallowed hard. “…I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Jen looked up at her, eyes wide. The tension broke - not into fear, but into quiet understanding. She saw the tremor in Alice’s claws, the way her voice faltered on the edge of panic.

“…Okay,” Jen said softly. “I’ll stay. For now.”

Alice exhaled like she’d been holding her breath for an eternity. Her shoulders slumped,

Alice approached Jen, the two of them still reeking of sex. Alice's cock slid out of its sheath, bobbing heavily in front of her. Jen's eyes widened, her lips parting on a silent 'oh'.

Without warning, Alice grabbed Jen, locking her in a tight, domineering hug. Jen whimpered, her body still aching and sensitive from their previous encounters.

"We're going to keep fucking, nonstop," Alice growled, her claws digging into Jen's back. "I'm going to fuck you until your body knows its place, until you truly understand that you're mine."

Jen moaned, her hips bucking back against Alice's unconsciously. "Ya-."

But Alice cut her off. "No talking. You don't get to talk, slut. You only get to take my cock and submit."

Jen whimpered, but she nodded frantically, her hips still rocking, seeking more of Alice's touch as Alice humped against her cock dragging a slick trail pre along Jen's stomach.

Alice growled low in her throat and started to move, thrusting against Jen with shallow, ruthless thrusts. Jen keened high, her nails digging into Alice's back as she pulled her closer, **** for more.

Alice turned Jen around, pushing her against her broken bed and bending her over. Jen was worried, her protests coming fast and ****.

"A-Alice, wait,wait,wait please..." Jen's voice trembled, her breathing coming in rough bursts. "I've never... I've never done this before. It's going to hurt."

"Don't lie to me," Alice hissed, her face inches from Jen's. "I can smell you. You're fucking soaked. You want this, your my little bitch in heat."

Alice didn't stop, spreading Jen's cheeks and spitting on her puckered asshole. Jen whimpered, her protests weak and breathy. But Alice didn't stop, lining her huge cock up with Jen's virgin asshole.

As Alice started slowly pushing in, Jen's whines were sharp, her body trembling as Alice's cock breached her hole. The stretch was intense, almost unbearable, Alice's cock feeling like it was splitting her in two.

Tears leaked from Jen's eyes, her body trembling violently. "Ah, fuck, Alice, that hurts, it hurts!" she sobbed, her hands fisting in the sheets. "Please, go slow, fuck, it's too big!"

But Alice didn't relent, fucking into Jen with shallow, ruthless thrusts. Jen keened high, her nails digging into the mattress as she fought to hold back.

"Ahhh, ahhhh, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Jen chanted, each thrust making her see stars. "Fuck, Alice, please, it's too much, too deep, fuck, I can't, I can't!"

But even as she spoke, Jen's hips were pushing back, her body craving more of the intense stretch. Alice snarled, her voice dark and possessive.

"yeah, you can," Alice growled, her claws raking down Jen's back. "Take it like a good little slut, take it all the way."

Jen sobbed, her body trembling as she was **** to endure Alice's cock splitting her open. She was so full, so stretched, each thrust making her see stars.

But then Alice's cock was all the way inside her, balls-deep, and Jen felt a dark thrill.

Alice's cock leaked steadily inside Jen, dribbling out around the seal they made. The wet sounds were obscene, mixing with the slap of flesh against flesh, the guttural moans and cries.

Alice pulled back slowly, then thrust in hard, fucking Jen's ass with ruthless abandon. Jen could only take it, her body trembling as she was used so roughly.

And then Alice was cumming, her cock spurting deep inside Jen's ass. Jen screamed, her own orgasm triggered by the feel of Alice's hot jizz flooding her asshole.

They collapsed together, Alice's cock still buried deep inside Jen. Alice's claws raked gently down Jen's back, her voice a low rumble.

"Mine," she murmured, possessive and dark. "My little fucktoy, my cum dump. Every hole in your body is mine now, Jen."

Jen could only whimper, her body trembling with aftershocks. But she nodded frantically, her hips pushing back against Alice's possessively.

"Yes... yes, Alice," she whispered, her voice rough with need and submission. "I'm yours, all of me is yours. My ass... my... my pussy..."

Her words trailed off, but the dark promise in them was clear. Alice's cock twitched inside her, still semi-hard.

"Unh, yeah, take that" Alice snarled, her claws raking down Jen's back. "Take it like a good little slut, take it all the way."

Alice's cock leaked steadily inside Jen, dribbling out around the seal they made. The wet sounds were obscene, mixing with the slap of flesh against flesh, the guttural moans and cries.

"Such a tight little hole," Alice hissed, her face buried in Jen's neck. "Such a perfect little fuckhole for me to use."

Jen whimpered, her pussy clenching desperately at Alice's words. She could only nod frantically, jerkily, her body trembling as she fought to hold back her release.

"Tell me how much you love this cock in your ass," Alice ordered, her claws tightening in Jen's hair. "Tell me how much you love being fucked like a little slut."

"I... I love it!" Jen keened, her words spilling out in a rush. "I love your cock, love you fucking me, please, Alice, please please please..."

Her words devolved into a scream as her climax hit her, her body convulsing around Alice's pistoning cock. Alice growled, her hips snapping forward wildly as Jen's asshole milked her cock for every drop as Alice's knot started to swell.

The glow of the system’s interface filled the dim room, casting pale light over Alice’s claws. Her pulse still hadn’t steadied, and her instincts were still screaming mine loud enough to make her ears ring. She exhaled through her teeth and whispered, “Open Cash Shop.”

The world blinked, and then the air in front of her shimmered into holographic panels.

[CASH SHOP WELCOME, ALICE]

“Attribute points are life, strength, and self-worth. Let’s spend all of them on something stupid!”

Twenty attribute points glowed in the corner of her vision, pulsing like tiny hearts. A banner scrolled across the top

FEATURED DEALS DOMINANCE & STAMINA CATALOG

(Dice: “Because nothing says healthy relationship like magical **** and performance enhancements.”)

Alice muttered, “Shut up,” and started scrolling.

Pack Dominance Node (C-Rank)

Cost: 15 Points

Effect: Creates a low-level dominance link over registered Betas. Betas instinctively yield in close proximity. Boosts Charisma-based commands and obedience by +25%.

Side-Effect: Confidence decay triggers rebellion checks. Lose your nerve, lose your pack.

(Dice: “Think of it as leadership with extra barking.”)

Ferality Tether (D-Rank)

Cost: 10 Points

Effect: Releases a pheromonal pulse that momentarily cowls nearby beasts or Betas. Minor stamina drain.

Side-Effect: May attract stray wildlife.

(Dice: “Basically magical deodorant smells like fear and responsibility.”)

Alpha Endurance (Exclusive Upgrade Apex Variant)

Cost: 20 Points

Rank: C (Class Enhanced)

Effect: Massive stamina amplification. Physical fatigue reduced by 90%. Refractory recovery time reduced by 90%. Endurance scales with arousal and combat adrenaline. Grants passive regeneration during prolonged activity (any kind yes that and yes that kind too pervert).

Secondary Effect: prevents physical collapse from exhaustion while adrenaline is active.

Side-Effect: Chronic restlessness; sleep quality -70%. You will crave motion, challenge, or contact to burn excess energy.

(Dice: “Oh good, now you’re an over-caffeinated horny puppy.”)

Alice scrolled, lip caught on her fangs. Her claws hovered over the purchase prompt for a long second, then stabbed it.

[Purchase Confirmed!]

Apex Endurance Installed.

“Congratulations! You’ve exchanged rest and inner peace for infinite cardio.”

A pulse rolled through her muscles like molten steel. Every fiber of her body thrummed; even breathing felt different, stronger, steadier, endless. Her reflection in the holographic glass looked feral, almost radiant.

(Dice: “Enjoy your new heart-rate problem, champion. I hope your partners have health insurance.”)

“Worth it,” she whispered.

(Dice: “Famous last words.”)

Alice's knot was still swollen inside Jen's asshole, locking them together. She could feel Jen trembling beneath her, her body still spasming from her intense release.

But Alice wasn't done, not even close. With a forceful tug, Alice pulled her still-swollen knot out, nearly prolapsing Jen's asshole in the process. Jen screamed, the sound caught between pain and pleasure.

Alice flipped Jen over into a mating press, crushing her against the bed. Jen whimpered, her body still reeling from the sudden emptiness in her ass, but Alice didn't give her any time to recover.

Alice lined her still-hard cock up with Jen's soaking cunt and thrust in, burying herself to the hilt in one thrust. Jen keened high, her nails raking down Alice's back as she fought to accept the sudden invasion.

"It's too soon, too much, fuck, ahhhh!" Jen chanted, each thrust making her see stars. "Ahh, ahh, fuck, Alice, please, I need a moment, fuck, it's so deep, too deep!"

But even as she spoke, Jen's hips were pushing up, her body craving more of the intense stretch. Alice snarled, her voice dark and possessive.

"Unh, yeah," Alice growled, her claws raking down Jen's sides. "Take it like a good little slut, take it all the way."

Jen sobbed, her body trembling as she was **** to endure Alice's cock splitting her open. She was so full, so stretched, each thrust making her see stars.

The wet sounds were obscene, mixing with the slap of flesh against flesh, the guttural moans and cries.

Jen screamed, the sound ripped from her throat as Alice's cock pistoned in and out of her. Her body was on fire, every nerve screaming with sensation.

As Alice got closer to cumming, she pulled out abruptly, Jen's pussy clenching around nothing. Jen whimpered at the sudden emptiness, but Alice had other plans.

With a dark grin, Alice aimed her cock at Jen's face, her hand flying over the slick shaft. Jen's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away, even as Alice's first rope of cum splattered against her cheek.

"Fuck, you haven't earned the right for puppies yet, you little slut," Alice snarled, her hips bucking as she striped Jen's face with her cum.

Jen whimpered, her tongue flicking out to lap at the thick strands of cum on her lips. Alice growled, her hand squeezing the base of her cock as the last of her cum dribbled onto Jen's face.

"You want it, don't you?" Alice hissed, her voice dark with promise. "You want my cum, my kids. You want to be my little broodmare."

Jen whimpered, her cheeks flaming, but she didn't deny it. Alice's lips curved into a satisfied smirk, her claws trailing through the cum on Jen's cheek.

"you have to earn it first, bitch," Alice murmured, her voice low and dark. "In time, I'll give you what you want. For now, you'll just have to take my cum, my cock, like a good little cum slut."

Jen keened, her tongue lapping obscenely at the cum Alice smeared over her lips. Alice growled, satisfied.

The two girls panted, Alice's cum slowly drying on Jen's face. They had crossed a line, gone to a place they couldn't come back from. But neither of them cared, not really.

Jen laid there, spasming continuously, still orgasming from the brutal treatment. Alice growled, her eyes dark with possession.

"Jerk me off," Alice ordered, her voice rough with need. "Jerk my cock you little slut. Feel the full size and length of the cock that's been fucking you, that's gonna keep fucking you, that's gonna breed you one day."

Jen whimpered, but she obeyed, her remaining hand wrapping around Alice's slick cock. Alice growled, her hips bucking into Jen's touch.

"Jerk it just like that, you little fucktoy. Jerk the cock that's gonna fill you with babies, that's gonna make you mine forever."

Jen keened, her hand flying over Alice's cock. She was exhausted, her body aching from the rough fucking, but she didn't stop, her need to please Alice overriding everything else.

Suddenly, Alice pulled back, her cock slipping from Jen's grasp. Jen whimpered at the loss, but then, of her own initiative, she leaned in to clean Alice's cock.

Jen's tongue darted out, lapping at the head of Alice's cock, tasting her own juices mixed with the taste of Alice's cum. She was clumsy, inexperienced, but she found it hot, and Alice found it cute and adorable.

Alice growled, her claws tangling in Jen's hair as she guided her movements. Jen whimpered around Alice's cock, her tongue lapping obscenely at the hot flesh.

Jen's tongue danced over Alice's cock, worshipping it, showing her love and devotion. Alice's hips bucked, fucking into Jen's mouth with shallow, ruthless thrusts. She was clumsy, inexperienced, but Jen's tongue felt like heaven against her sensitive flesh.

Alice growled, her claws tangling in Jen's hair as she guided her movements. Jen whimpered around Alice's cock, her tongue lapping obscenely at the hot flesh.

"That's it," Alice purred, her voice thick with pleasure. "Clean my cock, you little cumslut. Clean the cock that's gonna breed you."

Jen whimpered, her tongue dancing over Alice's cock. Alice's hips bucked, fucking into Jen's mouth with shallow, ruthless thrusts.

Jen could taste herself on Alice's cock, her juices mixed with the taste of Alice's cum. It was filthy, debased, but Jen found herself loving it, craving it.

She whimpered around Alice's cock, her hand coming up to cradle Alice's balls. Alice growled, her claws tightening in Jen's hair.

"Fuck, yes," Alice hissed. "Worship my cock, Jen. Show me how much you love it, how much you want it."

Jen moaned around Alice's cock, her tongue laving the underside, tracing the veins. She could feel Alice's pulse, the way it raced with her building pleasure.

Alice's hips bucked, fucking into Jen's mouth. Jen relaxed her throat, taking Alice deep, her nose brushing against Alice's pubes tickling her nose.

"Fuuuck," Alice snarled, her claws digging into Jen's scalp. "Take it, take my cock, you little cumslut. Take it all the way."

Jen whimpered, tears leaking from her eyes as her throat worked around Alice's cock. She was drooling, the spit and cum mixing on her chin and dripping onto her chest.

But she didn't pull back, didn't try to stop, even as her jaw ached and her throat spasmed. She wanted this, needed it, craved it with every fiber of her being.

And then, with a harsh growl, Alice came, cock spurting thick ropes of cum directly down Jen's throat. Jen choked, her body convulsing as she tried to swallow the thick

Even as Alice continued to cum, her cock pulsing and spurting, she grabbed Jen by the head and started viciously face fucking her. Jen was helpless, unable to do anything but gag and **** as Alice's cock slammed into the back of her throat.

Alice was relentless, fucking Jen's face with brutal, feral intensity. She used Jen's mouth like a sex toy, a hole to be filled and fucked.

Jen's vision started to go black around the edges, her lungs screaming for air. Just as she thought she would pass out, Alice pulled her off her cock.

Jen gasped and coughed, sucking in **** lungfuls of air. Spit, cum, and drool dripped down her face, But Alice didn't give her long.

Before Jen could fully recover, Alice slammed her back down on her cock, fucking her throat with savage thrusts. Jen gagged and choked, tears streaming down her face, but she didn't fight it, didn't try to pull away.

Again and again, Alice pulled Jen off, letting her take just enough air to stay conscious before impaling her on her cock once more. Jen was reduced to a drooling, sobbing mess, her body trembling from the ****.

But even as Alice used her like a fucktoy, Jen felt herself building towards another orgasm. The harsh treatment, the degrading way Alice fucked her throat, the taste of Alice's cum - it all pushed Jen higher and higher.

And then, with a sharp cry, Jen came, her body convulsing. She hadn't even touched herself, but the treatment had been enough.

Alice snarled, her claws tightening in Jen's hair as Jen's throat spasmed around her cock. Jen could feel another flood of cum spurting from Alice's cock, filling her throat.

Jen swallowed greedily, milking Alice's cock for every drop. She was shaking, exhausted, utterly debased, but she had never felt more satisfied, more complete.

Finally, with a last growl, Alice pulled Jen off her cock. Jen collapsed onto the floor, gasping and ****, covered in spit and cum. But she looked up at Alice with adoring eyes, her need and love plain to see.

The bar had long gone dark the patrons had gone home at this late hour, leaving only the streetlights outside for light as she locked up the bar.

She returned to her apartment above , kicking off her heels and yawning as she padded barefoot toward her daughter’s room, nursing a half-finished drink and humming off-key.

“Probably asleep by now,” she murmured to herself. “Poor kid’s been through hell. I should check on her, make sure she’s ”

She opened the door.

The sound hit her first.

A repeated wet squelching.

Alice was fucking Jen, her huge cock pistoning in and out of Jen's pussy. Jen was lifted off the ground, held in a headlock as Alice used her like a fucktoy. The wet sounds of sex filled the room, mixing with the slap of flesh against flesh, Jen's keening moans, and Alice's feral growls.

Maria froze mid-step, her pupils dilating as her brain failed to catch up with what her eyes were seeing.

“Oh… oh gods above and below.”

Her drink slipped from her fingers, splashing harmlessly against the hardwood floor. She didn’t even flinch.

Alice didn't even pause, fucking Jen with brutal, ruthless thrusts. Jen was helpless, unable to do anything but take it, her body trembling from the ****.

Maria stood there for three whole seconds, eyes wide, jaw slack, one hand still frozen on the doorknob. Her brain made several attempts to form a thought, failed spectacularly each time, and finally settled on

“Nope.”

She quietly, slowly, closed the door.

Click.

Then turned.

Walked down the hall.

Opened the fridge.

Pulled out an entire bottle of gin.

And started drinking straight from it.

After a long gulp, she muttered to herself, “Yup. Definitely her father’s kid.”

Another swallow.

Maria had not slept. Not even a little.

She’d tried everything: a pillow over her head, turning on the TV, counting coins on the bar register downstairs. None of it drowned out the rhythmic thuds and the very distinct “noises” coming from her daughter’s room overhead.

By the time the sun rose, she’d gone from embarrassment to resignation to quiet horror.

By noon, she was running on espresso and pure disbelief.

By three in the afternoon, she was sitting at the kitchen counter, glassy-eyed, stirring her fourth cup of coffee with the same spoon she’d used since dawn.

Then she heard the door open.

Out stepped Alice first hair wild, soaked sweat, looking like she’d wrestled a thunder god and won. Jen followed behind, pale but spotless, walking in the careful, fragile way of someone who’d run a marathon while pretending she hadn’t.

The two froze when they saw Maria sitting there.

No words. No greeting. Just the slow clink of Maria setting her mug down.

“…Breakfast?” she said at last, her tone flat and deadly calm.

Neither girl dared argue.

Maria cooked in total silence eggs, toast, and bacon while the two sat side by side at the table like guilty children waiting for sentencing. The only sounds were the hiss of the pan and the faint creak of chairs as they tried not to move.

She set the plates down, sat across from them, folded her arms, and studied the two of them for a long moment.

Then, very calmly, she said:

“So… I’m assuming you two are dating.”

Alice choked on her toast. Jen went scarlet.

Maria sipped her coffee, deadpan. “Because if you’re not, then I’ve just witnessed the most enthusiastic sparring match in human history. And if you are, well…” She squinted at them over her mug. “I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m about ready to become a grandmother.”

Alice buried her face in her hands. “Mom!”

Jen squeaked. “M-Maria!”

Maria waved a hand lazily. “Relax, I’m joking. Mostly.”

She gestured toward the ceiling with the spoon. “But I am not joking about the noise. I’ve had earthquakes quieter than you two. The poor barstools downstairs were rattling.”

Jen looked like she wanted to sink through the floor. Alice muttered something about the bed being defective.

Maria raised a brow. “Oh, I heard the bed die, sweetheart. I poured one out for it.”

She leaned back in her chair, smiling faintly despite the bags under her eyes. “Anyway… congratulations, I guess. You’re both alive, you’re both smiling, I’ll just… start keeping earplugs behind the counter.”

The two girls groaned in perfect unison.

Maria stood, grabbed her empty mug, and sighed. “Next time, though? Maybe soundproof the room first. My heart can only take so much daughterly trauma.”

Maria sat there, arms crossed, waiting for an answer. The silence stretched long enough to make the clock on the wall sound painfully loud.

Alice finally set down her fork, glanced at Jen, then at her mother. “Yeah,” she said, her voice firm but a little too low, a little too protective. “We’re dating. She’s mine.”

Jen froze mid-bite, her face turning crimson. “A–Alice!” she squeaked, half protest, half plea, though she didn’t exactly deny it either. Her hand trembled around her fork as she tried to focus on her plate.

Maria blinked slowly, unimpressed. “Well, at least she didn’t deny it,” she said dryly, sipping her coffee. “Could’ve done without the possessive growl part, but sure congratulations.”

Jen groaned softly, burying her face in her hands. “This is mortifying,” she mumbled.

Maria shrugged. “Trust me, sweetheart, not as mortifying as it is for me.”

The sound of a distant clink drifted up from the bar downstairs followed by the faint hum of mana engines coming online. Maria glanced toward the window, then back at them. “By the way, Ignition’s downstairs waiting for you two. He’s been there for about Half an hour. Said something about needing to ‘talk’.”

Alice tensed. “Ignition’s here?”

“Yep,” Maria said, setting down her mug with a soft thud. “So finish your food, clean yourselves up, and for the love of all that’s holy Alice, take a shower first.”

Alice gave an embarrassed grunt, running a clawed hand through her tangled hair. “Yeah… yeah, I was planning to.”

Maria turned to Jen. “You too, sweetheart. You look like you’ve been dragged through a dungeon.”

Jen blinked at her, expression oddly sheepish. “Actually, um… I have a trait for that,” she said quietly. “It keeps me… spotless. No matter what happens.”

Maria’s eyebrow twitched. “Of course you do.”

Alice’s ears perked, and she shot her an incredulous look. “That’s not fair.”

Jen managed a weak grin. “Yeah, well, I’d trade it for a few hours of sleep. I’m not sure my legs still work.”

She tried to stand up from her chair and nearly tipped over, catching herself on the edge of the table.

Maria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I swear, if you two break another piece of furniture, you’re both paying for it.”

Alice looked sheepish. Jen looked like she might just fall asleep right there.

Maria stood, gathering the empty plates. “Alright, lovebirds. You’ve got 15 minutes.”

She paused at the kitchen door, glanced back, and added with a faint smirk, “Oh, and maybe… open a window before you leave?”

Alice groaned, burying her face in her hands again, while Jen just nodded mutely, too tired to even blush anymore.

Alice stepped out of the shower, Her reflection stared back at her from the fogged mirror tall, strong, every muscle defined and new. The lynx ears perched on her head twitched with every drip from the faucet.

She’d raided her mother’s closet out of necessity, but the results were… questionable. black tube top, tight leather pants and a plush fur coat, and she looked less like an adventurer and more like she was about to join a completely different kind of party.

On the couch, Jen stirred awake, stretching her arm above her head. She’d borrowed some of Alice’s old clothes, a loose tank top and worn jeans that hung comfortably on her smaller frame. The contrast was almost ridiculous: Jen looked like she’d just rolled out of bed, and Alice looked like she was about to headline a club night.

“You look…” Jen yawned, eyes blinking blearily, “uh… shiny.”

Alice sighed. “That’s one word for it.”

They headed downstairs together, the faint hum of nightlife growing louder with each step. The stairwell glowed softly from strips of blue and purple light set into the walls. The air carried a mix of perfume anf smoke.

The Velvet Bottle came alive below them.

It wasn’t just a bar. It was a mood. The low lights painted everything in deep violet and rose, A steady swing beat thrummed through the speakers jazzy, upbeat.

A few patrons lingered at the bar, their drinks glowing faintly in the haze. A small stage stood at the center, empty for now.

Ignition sat near the back in one of the velvet booths, impossible to miss even in the dim glow. His icy-blue eyes caught the light the moment Alice entered. Despite his usual cool composure,

He stood up slightly as they approached, his height still somehow intimidating even from a seated position. The scarred lines of his forearms caught the glow.

He spotted them instantly, and even though his expression stayed calm, a flicker of embarrassment crossed his eyes quick, but noticeable.

Alice could tell he’d already guessed what kind of night she’d had.

“Hey,” he said, standing up as they approached. His voice was low, gravelly, like a contained bonfire. “You two look… alive. Mostly.”

Jen managed a weak laugh and slid carefully into the booth beside Alice, moving gingerly like every step still hurt. “Barely,” she murmured.

Ignition raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment.

Maria’s waitress, Lila, approached, silver hair in a side braid, a glowing pendant swinging from her neck. “Evening, Ignition. Boss said these drinks are on the house.” She placed three tall glasses on the table: something bright blue and fizzy for Jen, dark whiskey for Ignition, and a glowing cherry tonic for Alice.

“Thanks, Lila,” Alice said, though her voice came out a little hoarse.

Lila gave her a knowing grin. “Long night?”

Alice’s ears went flat. “Something like that.”

Lila winked, "love the new look" she turned away with a soft laugh, disappearing into the neon haze.

The three sat in silence for a moment, the rhythm of the music filling the air. Ignition took a slow drink before setting his glass down with a soft click.

“Alright,” he said, tone shifting. “We’ve got decisions to make I want to hear your thoughts before we choose.”

The Hollow Vein

The hologram flickered, and the table sank into shadow. a decaying skyline a city half-alive, half-rotting. while below, the lower districts glowed with eerie fungal bloom.

“Looks like hell got tired of waiting,” Alice muttered.

Ignition’s tone was measured. “That’s the Hollow Vein. A living ecosystem of decay and radiation. Luminari ruins. The upper decks are still habitable… barely.”

As the hologram zoomed in,trains drifted through fog, their headlights cutting through clouds of glowing spores.

Jen frowned. “What’s that down there?”

“The Core-Line,” Ignition replied. “A reactor If the reports are right, that’s where the boss lives. An arachne they call her Archidra, the Heart of Lanternfall. She thinks she’s saving people by absorbing them.”

The hologram shifted again, showing silver limbs and hundreds of faintly glowing faces fused into her chitin body, their mouths moving in unison.

Alice grimaced. “Yeah. That’s a hard pass.”

Dice’s voice crackled through the system with a lazy chuckle.

“Oh come now, love you haven’t truly lived until something divine and bioluminescent tries to keep you forever.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “I’ll live without the choir of trapped souls, thanks.”

The Wild Expanse

The holographic map unfolded above the table in slow, living motion. Storms churned in the projection, parting to reveal a continent adrift among clouds, crimson plains, cliffs wrapped in waterfalls, smaller islands drifting in slow orbit. The air itself seemed to hum, like something aware of being watched.

Ignition’s gaze flicked to Alice. “You’ll like this one.”

The holo zoomed closer, showing hunter villages built from airship ribs and monster bone. Turbines spun beside scarlet grass. Chimerin hunters moved in pairs, dragging hides toward glowing forges. Children watched old Earth movies.

“Human refugees settled there after the Collapse,” Ignition said. “ the heavy beast mana changed them bodies rewired themselves to survive.”

Jen gave a soft, nostalgic smile. “So… people like Nia.”

Alice’s ears flattened. Her tail twitched once, the movement tight and sharp.

Jen hesitated. “I mean she’s Chimerin too. Born on Earth, though. Not-”

“I know where she’s from,” Alice said, voice low enough to almost sound like a growl.

The pause that followed was long enough for Dice to slip into.

“Jealousy already? How delightful.”

Ignition ignored him and kept talking. “The Expanse is self-balancing. Everything hunts, everything adapts. Apex predators fall and new ones rise overnight. It’s a world that refuses stagnation.”

Jen’s hand twitched like she wanted to reach for Alice’s, but she stopped herself .

The hologram widened bamboo forests that sang in the wind, archipelagos tethered by arcs of lightning. Predators moved through the stormlight.

Ignition gestured “Aurox is the dungeon god he judges the hunt if you kill for need, everything stays normal Kill for fun, and the dungeon gets a hell of a lot harder.”

Jen watched with wide eyes. “Sounds like Nia’s kind of challenge.”

Alice’s glare snapped toward her, pupils flaring bright silver. The room went quiet except for the hum of the holo. Jen looked down quickly, cheeks coloring.

Ignition broke the tension with a sigh. “The Chimerin here made peace with what they became. They’re builders now. Families. Engineers. Hunters.”

Jen managed a small, uneasy laugh. “They look happy, though. Like they figured it out.”

Alice didn’t answer. Her reflection stared back from the holo’s glow lynx ears, sharp eyes, muscle built for the hunt. For a moment she looked like she might reach out and touch it, but instead she turned the projection off.

Only Dice’s voice lingered, soft and smug.

“You can resent what you are, love. But the Wild Expanse doesn’t care. It remembers only those who adapt… and those who don’t.”

Candara

Domain of Glacielle, the Sugar-Masked Darling

The holographic table flickered again, shifting from the crimson skies of the Wild Expanse to a wash of pastel pinks and soft blue light.

Alice’s breath hitched.

Ignition’s voice broke the hum. “Candara. The world tied to Candyland. We cleared the dungeon, and we earned entry to the real thing when I beat the dungeon boss..”

The projection expanded rolling cake plains covered in candy grass, peppermint forests swaying under mint-green leafs, rivers full of vibrant juice. Scattered across the landscape were candy villages and towns populated by former humans remade into living candy people.

“This isn’t paradise. The environment’s edible literally. The ground, the air, even the rain. Everything here’s designed to be consumed.”

Jen gave a small, uneasy laugh. “Looks cute. Like a dream.”

Ignition nodded, expression hardening. “The candyfolk's god is Glacielle she’s the same one that made the dungeon. The Boss I killed was one of her minions. The world’s core itself runs on gluttony.”

He folded his arms, watching the light reflect in Alice’s eyes. “Candara’s open now. The gate stabilized when Candyland fell. We can cross whenever we’re ready but we go in knowing what we’re walking into this isn't just a dungeon it's a whole world, it's a very different option to the other two.”