Tell mom

Alice let out a shaky breath. Her heart still pounded from all the eyes on them, but the twins didn’t seem to care at all. Kiki pressed a kiss to her hair. Koko nuzzled against her cheek. And Yamaba stood nearby, arms crossed, watching with an expression that was at once cheeky and supportive.

“You worry too much,” Yamaba said quietly as they stepped away from the counter. “They’re already yours. And now this city has to admit it too.”

Alice swallowed, her throat tight. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew Leo would be furious when he realized she wasn’t going back to the apartment right away. But for now… this felt like the safer choice.

The little apartment was already glowing before they even stepped inside Maria’s laughter audible through the thin walls, music spilling faintly the kitchen.

Alice hesitated at the door, her stomach tight with nerves. Kiki and Koko flanked her as always, their hands looped affectionately through her arms. They looked like they were about to burst with pride at being here, whispering things” Both had blushed, nodding eagerly.

Yamaba stood just behind her, calm as ever, her presence steadying. “She’s your mother,” the elf said softly. “She’ll understand eventually.”

Alice took a breath and pushed the door open.

Maria looked up from the couch where she was sprawled with a glass of wine, her black-to-gold hair catching the light, gray-red eyes widening at the sight of her daughter and the towering, green-skinned twins pressed to either side of her.

“Uh,” Maria said, blinking. “Sweetie… did you bring home… two girlfriends? Or did I drink more than I thought?”

Kiki straightened immediately, dropping Alice’s arm and bowing low, tusks flashing as she spoke with solemn formality: “Matron. We honor you. Your daughter is our wife.”

Koko mirrored her sister, adding reverently, “Elder. We give our vow: Alice is protected, cherished, adored. Always.”

Maria froze, her glass halfway to her lips. “Matron? Elder?” She set it down with a clink, staring between the twins and Alice. “I… that’s sweet, I guess? But I’m just her mom.”

Alice’s cheeks burned scarlet. “They’re… um… respectful. It’s how orcs talk. They mean it as… as honor.”

Maria’s eyes softened a little, though confusion lingered. “Well, I’ve been called worse but it does make me feel old.” She leaned back, appraising the two orcs openly. For all her shock, her expression shifted quickly to curiosity the kind of bemused intrigue that always colored her life.

And then she noticed the way Kiki and Koko couldn’t seem to stop touching Alice one softly bite at Alice's ear, the other brushing a hand over her arm like they couldn’t believe she was real. Affection poured off them in waves, so open, so guileless, it made Maria’s brows arch high.

“Gods above,” she muttered, sinking deeper into the couch. “I’ve never seen a couple that affectionate. And you’re telling me there are two of them? Alice…” She shook her head, somewhere between laughter and disbelief. “You’ve outdone even me.”

Kiki and Koko grinned at that, taking it as the highest of compliments. They cuddled closer to Alice, practically glowing, while Yamaba just smirked faintly from her corner watching Maria, watching Alice, watching this odd little family find its new shape.

For once, Alice didn’t feel embarrassed by her mother’s chaos. Not completely. Instead, she felt her throat tighten with something else: relief.

Her mother might not understand everything. But she wasn’t turning them away.

The living room was chaos the moment they stepped in. Kiki and Koko, wide eyed as children, immediately began poking at every strange device in sight. The retro television was the first casualty, Koko smacking the power button with her palm and then shrieking in delighted awe when the screen burst to life with flashing colors and noise.

“Magic window!” she gasped, grabbing Kiki’s arm.

“Moving pictures!” Kiki echoed, equally transfixed, until the remote fell into her hands and she started mashing buttons with the seriousness of a warlord.

Within seconds, the volume blared loud enough to rattle the windows. Both twins collapsed onto the couch, cackling, hugging each other as if they’d summoned a spirit. In the kitchen, the microwave beeped pitifully, its door hanging open after one of them had yanked it like a treasure chest.

Alice groaned, rubbing her temples. “Please don’t break my mom’s house.”

“Too late,” Yamaba muttered dryly from where she leaned against the wall, watching the orc twins’ antics with something that almost resembled amusement.

Maria, meanwhile, had her hands on her hips, eyes wide as she took in the sight of her daughter standing sheepishly with two affectionate, tusked orc women practically draped over her shoulders. They were respectful, bowing and calling her “matron” and “elder,” but it clearly made her skin crawl.

“Oh no, no, no,” Maria said, shaking her head as she stepped forward. “I am not a matron. I am not an elder. I’m your mom, Alice. Just mom. Matron makes me sound like a dried-up abbess running an orphanage.”

Alice flushed, her wives looking confused but obediently murmuring, “Mom.”

Maria sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose, then gave Alice a long look. “Sweetheart, can I… borrow you for a moment?” Her tone was gentle, but there was no room for refusal.

Alice followed her down the hall into her room, shutting the door behind them. Her mother turned, arms crossed, her expression caught somewhere between bewildered and protective.

“Okay,” Maria said, voice softer now. “Two wives. Orc wives. Very affectionate ones, at that. You look… well, you look like you’ve been through hell and came out glowing. But I need you to tell me something honestly: are you okay with this, Alice? Really okay? Because they look at you like you’re their sun and moon, and I don’t even know what to make of that.”

Alice swallowed, heart thudding. She could still hear Kiki and Koko laughing in the other room, the sound of buttons being mashed and a lamp falling over.

“I… I don’t know if I’m okay,” she admitted, her voice small. “But I know I don’t feel alone. Not anymore.”

Maria’s sharp gaze softened immediately. She pulled Alice into a hug, stroking her hair. “That’s all I needed to hear. Doesn’t matter if they’ve got tusks, tattoos, or ” she cut herself off with a little laugh, “ more equipment than I’m ready to process. If they love you and you feel safe, then I’ll figure out the rest. Even if they break my microwave.”

From the living room came a triumphant shout: “We cooked the metal box!” followed by the sizzle of sparks.

Maria winced. “…Okay, maybe I’ll figure it out tomorrow.”

They froze the moment they stepped into Alice’s room.

Movie posters lined the walls grim, faded things with painted ghosts, shambling corpses, and dripping letters. The twins gasped as though they’d discovered a war banner from some forgotten clan. One reached out and touched the corner of a poster, brow furrowed.

“Dead things,” Koko murmured. “Pictures of dead things.”

Kiki only grinned and tapped her tusk. “Scary… but we like.”

Alice’s cheeks flushed. “They’re… movies. Stories. Just stories.”

Their attention quickly shifted again, this time to the small glowing console under her desk. The controller’s dangling wires fascinated them; within seconds they were pawing at buttons and sticks, laughing when the holoscreen flickered alive with colors and noise.

“Magic box!” Kiki exclaimed.

“No don’t !” Alice rushed forward, but too late. A loud crack snapped through the air as one of them pressed the eject button wrong, sending a disk clattering onto the floor.

Both twins froze, wide-eyed like guilty schoolgirls, then dissolved into laughter. They scrambled to pick the game up, brushing it off with exaggerated care.

Alice groaned, rubbing her temples. (Gods, they’re going to wreck everything…)

But her embarrassment deepened when her gaze fell on the bed. A tiny twin mattress, sheets rumpled, stuffed animals peeking out from under the pillow. Hardly enough for one person, let alone three.

The elf, lounging casually against the doorway, raised a brow. “Well. Sleeping arrangements should be… interesting.” She smirked, clearly amused by Alice’s predicament.

Alice buried her face in her hands. “Why did I even bring you all in here…”

Meanwhile, her wives clambered onto the small bed without hesitation, tugging Alice down between them like she belonged there, their laughter and kisses brushing her cheeks until her embarrassment gave way to something softer, warmer.

The elf only chuckled quietly, watching as Alice realized like it or not that the little twin bed wasn’t going to stay hers alone anymore.

The moment Yamaba excused herself to give them privacy, Kiki and Koko wasted no time. Their loincloths slipped to the floor, revealing their naked, glistening bodies. They leaned in close on either side of Alice, their laughter soft and mischievous.

"It's time for the bath," Kiki said, her voice warm with expectation.

"Our bath," Koko echoed, brushing her tusks against Alice's cheek like a playful nudge.

Alice's pulse quickened, not from shame, but from anticipation. She knew what they meant: not water, not soap, not the human rituals of tubs and basins. Orc tradition was simpler, rawer - to clean was to be cleaned by licking every inch of their bodies with her tongue. Sweat, musk, the salt of the day - it was all wiped away by a wife's devotion.

And Alice... had come to adore it.

When she first learned of the custom, she had flushed and stammered, overwhelmed by the thought. But now? Now the very idea sent a rush of heat through her. She loved the intimacy, the closeness, the sheer physicality of running her lips and tongue across every inch of her wives. Their taste was fire in her veins, their scent a **** she could never put down.

She knelt eagerly, her hands trembling not with ****, but with excitement. The twins exchanged a knowing grin and settled down, sprawling comfortably on her small bed as though it were a throne just big enough for two queens.

Alice's heart fluttered at the sight. (Gods... they're perfect. And they're mine. My wives. My everything.)

She leaned forward, ready to begin the sacred task, her nightly ritual, their shared ecstasy. To the world, it might look strange, but to them, it was a bond deeper than vows, a seal of devotion renewed each night.

[System Alert]

Addiction Triggered: Orc Sweat (Moderate). Craving intensified. Resistance lowered.

Alice only smiled as the message flickered before her eyes. Her tongue burned for their taste, and her chest swelled with joy. Bath time was no chore, no humiliation. It was bliss - her favorite moment

Alice began her nightly ritual, her tongue eagerly lapping at the twin orcs' bodies. She started at their feet, savoring the salty taste of their skin as she licked between their toes and up their muscular calves.

She moved higher, her tongue trailing up their inner thighs, tracing the lines where the sweat and musk had pooled. The twin orcs squirmed, their breath catching as Alice's warm, wet tongue danced across their sensitive skin.

Alice could taste every inch of them - the musky, bitter tang of their sweat mixed with the sweet, earthy scent that was uniquely them. She cleaned every crease and crevice, her tongue delving into their most intimate places, tasting the sharp musk that clung to their skin.

She licked around their pussy, savoring the tangy taste of their arousal before diving in, her tongue lapping at the sensitive folds and the hard nubs of their clits. The orcs moaned, their hips bucking, as Alice cleaned them intimately, thoroughly.

Then, Alice moved to the twins' cocks, which were already hard and dripping with anticipation. She started at the base of each impressive member, her tongue swirling around the thick girth as if savoring a decadent dessert. Slowly, teasingly, she worked her way up, tracing the throbbing veins and ridges, each twitch and pulse sending shivers of pleasure through the sensitive flesh.

Kiki and Koko groaned, their hands fisting into her bed sheets beneath them, as Alice's skilled tongue danced around the swollen, sensitive heads of their cocks. She took her time, her tongue exploring every inch, every fold and crease, tasting the sharp tang of their musk and the salty-sweet flavor of their arousal.

Alice cleaned the slick, glistening precum from the slits at the tips of their cocks, her tongue lapping and circling, drawing out every drop, every flavor. She savored it, her tongue sliding along the shafts, memorizing their unique, addictive taste.

Finally, she took each thick head into her mouth, her lips stretching around their girth, suction gentle but insistent. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked, her tongue swirling around the sensitive glans, tasting the essence that seeped from them.

Alice took her time, her mouth and tongue worshiping their cocks, showing her devotion with every lick and suck. She explored every inch of their thick, throbbing members, from the base to the leaking tip, savoring the taste and texture, losing herself in the sheer sensuality of the act.

The orc twins, Kiki and Koko, were in ecstasy, their hips bucking slightly, their breath coming in harsh pants. The sensation of Alice's warm, wet mouth and her skilled tongue was almost too much to bear, and they found themselves teetering on the edge of climax, **** for more, even as they wanted it to last forever.

And Alice, her mouth full of orc cock, her tongue dancing across their flesh, was exactly where she wanted to be. This was her ritual, her sacred duty, her pleasure - showing her love and dedication to her wives through the intimate act of cleaning them with her tongue.

As she worked her mouth up and down their shafts, tasting and savoring every inch, Alice knew that she could do this forever but she didn't let them cum just yet,

Alice worshipped their bodies, her tongue tracing every inch of their skin, tasting their unique flavor - the chorale of sweat behind their ears, the sharp tang of musk in their armpits, the salty-sweetness of their groins, the bitter tang of their feet.

She took her time, savoring every moment, every taste, as she cleaned the twins from head to toe, showing her devotion with every lick, every suck, every caress of her tongue.

And the orcs, Kiki and Koko, they reveled in her attention, in the intimacy of the act.

[System Alerts]

Status Effect Intensified: Orc Sweat Addiction (Severe)

You’ve gone from “mmm, tasty salt” to “can’t sleep without licking armpits.” Congratulations, bath time is now your **** of choice.

Status Effect Gained: Orc Musk Addiction (Moderate → Severe)

Every inhale hits harder. You thought incense was strong? Try your wives’ pheromones. Withdrawal means shaking, sweating, and maybe licking doorknobs for phantom flavor.

Status Effect Gained: Orc Cum Addiction (Severe)

You didn’t even finish the job this time, but your body is already begging. Your mouth waters just thinking about it. Withdrawal will feel like thirsting in a desert.

Bond Deepened: Sacred Union (Strengthened)

Kiki and Koko are thrilled with their shiny new pet-wife. Your devotion score to them has skyrocketed. Hope you weren’t planning on saying no to anything they ask.

Compulsion Added: Daily Ritual Orc Bath

Skipping this “cleansing” will cause agitation, distraction, and loss of mana regeneration. Congratulations, personal hygiene is now your kink.

[Character Update: Alice KikiKoko]

Addictions: Sweat (Severe), Musk (Severe), Cum (Severe)

Bond Status: Sacred Union (Exiles Twin Brides)

Compulsions: Daily “Bath Ritual” (Failure = Withdrawal)

New Passive: Feral Comfort +10 to Willpower rolls when cuddled between Kiki and Koko (because you’re literally high on love).

The room smelled like sweat, musk, and… sausage.

Alice stirred awake, wedged between Kiki and Koko in the too-small bed, her body literally sandwiched under and over theirs. A strong green arm draped across her waist; another rested beneath her head like a living pillow. Even in sleep the twins clung to her, breathing slow and even, tusks faintly gleaming as they cuddled her like she might disappear.

Her neck ached, her legs were tangled in ways that would’ve made a contortionist wince, but when the smell of sizzling sausage hit her nose, none of that mattered.

Her eyes cracked open. (Sausage… oh gods, sausage.)

Alice loved sausage in every form links, patties, smoked, breakfast, pizza toppings. Her mother used to tease her for ordering pizzas with nothing but sausage and cheese, calling her “a culinary lunatic.” Now the familiar savory scent wrapped around her like a memory, making her stomach rumble loud enough to disturb the twins.

Kiki’s eyes flickered open, golden and lazy with sleep. She pressed her tusks gently against Alice’s temple, mumbling, “Meat smell.”

Koko, waking just after, sniffed the air and grinned. “Good meat smell.”

Both orc girls buried their faces against Alice’s cheeks, nuzzling her like affectionate schoolgirls while she tried not to melt from embarrassment. (Gods, I must smell awful after last night’s… bath. And they’re acting like I’m breakfast too.)

From beyond the door came the faint sizzle-pop of oil and her mother humming off-key.

Maria was cooking.

Alice sighed into the pillow, torn between dread and hunger. Introducing her wives last night had been awkward enough. Now… now her mother was making breakfast for all of them.

Her blush deepened as her stomach growled again, and the twins laughed softly, kissing her cheeks before wriggling upright, ready to investigate the source of the heavenly smell.

Alice groaned, pulling the blanket over her head. (This is going to be the strangest breakfast of my life.)

The smell of sausage and eggs finally drove Alice out of bed. She scrambled to throw on a nightshirt and a pair of panties, tugging the hem down nervously as she slipped out of her room. (Okay. Just… play it cool. Mom’s probably in a good mood. Breakfast is safe ground.)

She padded into the kitchen, where Maria stood barefoot at the stove, hair tied up in a messy bun streaked with black and gold. A frying pan hissed in her hand as she hummed tunelessly, hips swaying like she was still in her bar rather than at home.

“Morning, baby bird,” Maria said warmly without even turning. She flipped a sausage link with a flourish that sent hot oil popping, then finally glanced over her shoulder with a grin. “Sleep well?”

Alice flushed. “Y-yeah. Fine.”

Maria’s smile softened. “Good. You looked… really happy last night. Nervous, but happy. That makes me happy too.” She reached over to pat Alice’s cheek with her free hand, still smelling faintly of smoke and spice.

For a brief moment, it felt normal. Just breakfast with Mom.

Until the shuffle of heavy footsteps came from behind.

Kiki and Koko emerged from the hallway, yawning and stretching, completely naked. Their green skin gleamed in the morning light, muscles shifting as naturally as if they’d just rolled out of bed into some wild forest rather than a cramped city apartment. They moved side by side, affectionate as ever, arms draped around each other and then around Alice the instant they reached her, pressing kisses to her cheek and temple like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Alice nearly choked on air. “Y-you can’t !”

Maria froze, spatula hovering mid-air. She blinked once. Twice. Her painted lips pressed together in something between horror, disbelief, and stifled laughter.

“...Well,” she said finally, turning back to the pan as if sausages were the only sane anchor left in the world. “That’s… certainly one way to meet the in-laws.”

Alice groaned, burying her face in her hands while the twins nuzzled her affectionately, utterly unbothered.

Maria arched a brow and added slyly,

Alice peeked through her fingers, cheeks crimson. “Mom !”

Maria just laughed, flipping another sausage. “Relax, sweetheart. I don’t bite. Not unless there’s tequila involved.”

The table was small, cluttered with steaming plates of eggs, sausages, and toast. Maria had dug out mismatched mugs and chipped plates, humming cheerfully as she ferried food to the table.

Alice slipped into her usual spot, still red-faced from earlier, her wives trailing behind. At first, Kiki and Koko sat cross-legged on the floor beside her chair, as though instinctively treating the table like some kind of chieftain’s dais. They waited, patient but clearly restless, golden eyes darting to the food with growing hunger.

“Girls…” Alice muttered, tugging them gently. “You can sit on chairs, you know.”

But before they could obey, the smell of sizzling sausage overcame them. Kiki leaned forward, tusks gleaming as she blurted, “Food? Please? More?”

“Second breakfast,” Koko added without missing a beat, patting her stomach with dramatic flair. “And third breakfast, if you have it.”

Maria froze, spatula in hand, then burst out laughing. “Oh, I like these two already.” She slid another pile of sausages onto a plate and set it down in front of them, only to watch as the twins immediately began to devour the food with delight.

They ate fast but somehow still managed to look affectionate, pausing between bites to nuzzle Alice’s arm or plant quick kisses on her temple before grabbing the next sausage. Every time a plate emptied, they politely but eagerly asked, “More, Matron? Please?” and Alice had to cover her face in embarrassment.

Maria, however, was thoroughly entertained. “Matron, huh? Gods above, I could get used to this.” She winked at Alice, clearly enjoying how flustered her daughter was.

The elf leaned back in her chair, smirking as she watched the spectacle. “At this rate, you’d better buy a farm,” she teased. “Your wives are going to eat Ikos out of sausages by next week.”

Alice groaned, tugging at her hair. “Don’t encourage them…”

But Kiki and Koko only grinned through mouths full of food, entirely unbothered by human notions of restraint. For them, this was joy eating heartily, clinging to Alice, laughing together in the warmth of her mother’s kitchen.

And despite herself, Alice felt her chest tighten with something warm and soft. Embarrassing as it was… it also felt like family.

The living room was already chaotic when Maria clapped her hands, her voice bright and decisive.

“Alright, girls. Time we get you real clothes. No more strutting around in those… loincloths. You’re in my house now, and my house has standards.”

Kiki and Koko froze mid-nuzzle against Alice, twin golden eyes blinking wide. Then simultaneously they let out matching groans.

“Not fair,” Kiki complained, tugging dramatically at the knot of her discarded cloth. “This is orcish. Tradition.”

Koko pouted just as fiercely, stamping one bare foot like a sulky child. “Clothes too slow. Too heavy. Wife must reach us fast.” She leaned over to nip Alice’s shoulder affectionately. “Always ready.”

Alice covered her face with both hands, groaning into her palms. “Gods, can we not argue about this in front of my mom?”

Maria, however, only smirked her gray-red eyes gleaming with the same playful fire Alice knew all too well. “Oh, I get it. You two want things easy to take off. I’ve been there. But sweetheart ” she wagged a finger, “ my daughter deserves more than you flashing the whole neighborhood every time you bend over.”

The twins exchanged a look, tusks bared in matching grimaces. Kiki crossed her arms with a stubborn huff. “Clothes stupid.”

“Clothes slow,” Koko agreed.

“Wife doesn’t need slow.”

“Wife needs us.”

They punctuated their protest by wrapping Alice up between them, burying her in smothering orc affection until she squeaked.

Maria, watching this circus unfold, leaned back against the counter with a sigh that was half exasperation, half amusement. “Spoiled rotten, the both of you. No wonder my Alice’s walking around with hearts in her eyes.”

Alice’s ears burned red as she wriggled between her towering wives. “Mom please.”

Maria only laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Relax, baby. We’ll compromise. Something easy to slip off. Stretchy, soft, maybe a little scandalous. You’ll still get to play your little… always ready game.” She winked. “But at least I won’t have the neighbors gossiping about my daughter’s naked orc brides.”

Kiki’s ears twitched uncertainly. Koko tilted her head. “Stretchy?”

“Scandalous?”

Maria grinned like a cat with cream. “Oh, don’t you worry. Mama knows exactly what to buy.”

Maria’s cheetah-print Hummer-limo roared down the city streets like some ridiculous beast on wheels. Chrome gleamed in the sunlight, leopard spots practically glowing under neon lights, and the engine’s growl was closer to a supercar than anything practical. Heads turned everywhere it went pedestrians, mounted patrols, even a few curious gargoyle sentries craning their necks.

Alice slouched in the seat, face buried in her hands. “Mom, could you maybe not drive the world’s loudest embarrassment machine?”

Maria only laughed, one manicured hand tossing her hair as she cranked the engine louder. “Please. A queen deserves her chariot. And now my daughter’s bringing home wives? Two? Oh, honey, we’re arriving in style.”

Kiki and Koko, of course, adored it. They were sprawled across the absurdly plush seats, tusks gleaming as they pressed their noses to the tinted windows. “Big wagon,” Kiki whispered with reverence.

“Fast wagon,” Koko agreed, her golden eyes wide. “Loud like a war beast.”

The elf smirked from across the cabin, arms folded. “Fits Momma Maria perfectly. Loud, gaudy, impossible to ignore.”

The mall itself rose like a fortress from the skyline. Once a relic of pre-portal consumerism, now reforged as a bastion of security and survival. The courtyard gates shimmered with layered wards, runes crawling faintly across the steel as the Hummer rolled to a stop.

Inside was no less spectacular: flowing fountains of magically purified water glittered at every corner, streams threading through marble courtyards where adventurers haggled with hawkers. The ceiling soared high, enchanted to mimic a star-strewn night sky, whole constellations winking as though alive. A roller coaster arced above their heads, the rumble of its cars mingling with the hum of magical lanterns.

Kiki and Koko froze in awe, gripping Alice’s arms tight. “Sky inside,” Kiki whispered, craning her neck back until her ponytail brushed her shoulder blades.

“Stars,” Koko added, breathless. “Magic stars. Wife’s world is stranger than the dungeons.”

Alice flushed, tugging them forward as shoppers began to stare at two almost naked orc women clinging to her like children. “This is just… a mall. Normal. Stop gawking.”

Maria strode ahead like she owned the place, her heels clicking against the enchanted stone floor. “Girls, welcome to civilization. Tailors, jewelers, enchantment kiosks, you name it. And today, we’re getting you clothes. No more loincloths, no more tribal chic. Something easy on the eyes and slightly harder to take off.”

The twins groaned in unison, stamping their bare feet like spoiled children dragged to school. “Nooo,” Kiki whined.

“Too slow,” Koko pouted, tugging Alice’s hand. “Wife must reach us fast.”

Alice buried her face in her palms again. Yamaba only chuckled behind her, whispering just loud enough for Alice to hear: “This is going to be fun.”

Alice nearly jumped out of her skin when she spotted the familiar figure leaning casually against one of the mall’s fountain rails.

“Yamaba?!” she blurted, tugging Kiki and Koko behind her like startled children. “I thought you I thought you left already!”

Yamaba lifted the paper cup in her hand, the logo smeared with a little condensation. “Left? No. Just downstairs at the bar this morning…” she took a careful sip, a faint smile curling her lips, “And I wanted to grab myself a Pumpkin spice latte. Seasonal indulgence.”

Alice blinked, cheeks heating as the twins snickered at her outburst. (Of all things, pumpkin spice? Really?)

“I was in one of the back compartments of your mother’s absurd carriage,” Yamaba went on, her tone dry. “Figured you and your lovebirds needed some space, so I let myself drift elsewhere. But I wasn’t about to vanish completely.” She tipped her cup toward the neon-lit storefronts stretching across the courtyard. “Besides, I intend to shop a bit myself. I need clothes that aren’t stitched from dungeon scraps or smelling of smoke.

The twins immediately pulled Alice tighter between them, tusks brushing her cheeks in their usual possessive display. “We keep her safe,” Kiki said firmly.

“Always safe,” Koko added, tugging Alice’s nightshirt straight like she was dressing a doll.

Yamaba raised one brow at the display, her smirk curling sharper. “Of that, I have no doubt.” She took another sip of her latte,

Alice swallowed hard, still off balance. “I… I thought you were gone.”

“And miss all this?” Yamaba gestured to the mall’s soaring starfield ceiling and Maria’s leopard-print Hummer parked like a gaudy beast among the carriages outside. “Please. Someone has to witness this chaos.”

The elf’s presence shifted the energy grounding, a little teasing, but supportive. Alice felt a knot in her chest loosen. Yamaba wasn’t gone. She’d just been giving them breathing room.

The group spilled into the mall’s cavernous interior, Maria striding ahead like she owned the place

Alice’s wives clung close on either side of her, gawking wide-eyed at the glittering lights overhead. The ceiling had been enchanted to mimic a night sky, whole constellations shifting gently in glittering arcs, with a roller coaster snaking across the upper tiers like some mechanical beast.

Water fountains burbled at intervals, crystal-clear streams that glittered like mana-infused rivers. The air smelled of roasting meat, candied nuts, and a dozen types of incense, all swirling together in a heady marketplace haze.

The central courtyard was alive with kiosks and stalls merchants shouting over one another, hawking everything from enchanted trinkets to monster-hide boots. Goblin traders were everywhere, darting between stands with their sharp eyes and sharper tongues, selling charms carved from bone, bottles of dubious tonics, and weapons that looked like they’d been hammered together in a single afternoon.

“Shiny, shiny, real cheap, not cursed probably!” one goblin chirped, waving a handful of glittering rings at a passing adventurer.

To one side, a tailor’s shop displayed elegant robes, their fabrics stitched with flowing runes that shimmered like starlight. Another was stacked floor-to-ceiling with hardened leather armor, studded and spiked, with a sign promising “Guaranteed to Survive One Hit (maybe two).”

no curses guaranteed probably

Maria only sighed, already guiding Yamaba and the others toward a boutique lined with glass cases and mannequins. “Clothes first,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Yamaba sipped at her latte with practiced nonchalance, her molten eyes taking in the chaos of the market with faint amusement. “Clothes for me too,” she added calmly. “If I’m staying with your circus, I won’t be caught dead in the same outfit forever.”

Alice felt her cheeks burn as her wives tugged her toward the food stalls, loudly protesting about “orc tradition” and how any outfit too complicated to rip off was a betrayal of culture. Maria’s exasperated sigh was lost in the din of goblin merchants shouting their wares and the delighted squeals of children riding the roller coaster overhead.

It was overwhelming, chaotic, and dazzling all at once exactly what malls had become in the age of adventurers: part bazaar, part fortress, part carnival.

Alice drifted near the edge of the courtyard fountains, her wives tugging at her arms in curiosity every time they spotted some trinket or glittering bauble.

That was when she heard it two goblins arguing shrilly in front of a stall piled high with charms and powders.

“…curse lasted three days!” one hissed.

“Could’ve been worse. My cousin’s hair still meows when the moon’s up,” the other snorted.

Alice blinked, stepping closer despite herself. “Excuse me… curses? People keep mentioning those. What’s going on?”

The goblins turned, and one of them small, wiry, her skin dusky green and her eyes bright crimson looked her up and down with sharp curiosity. Her jagged bob of hair caught the light like crow feathers, streaks of ochre glinting in the glow of the fountain. Tattoos spiraled across her arms and thighs, stark black against pale green. loin like tail wagging back and forth She crouched low, resting clawed toes on the stone like a predator even in casual conversation.

“You don’t know?” she asked, her fanged grin more amused than cruel. “Someone out there took a cursing Class. Real rare. Real nasty. They’ve been walking around these bazaars laying hexes on everything they touch.”

Alice frowned. “Hexes… like what?”

The goblin smirked, sharp teeth flashing, and crouched lower, her glowing crimson eyes dancing with amusement. “Depends on the prankster. Whoever took the Cursing Class is… creative. They’ve been walking around sticking enchantments on food, charms, even benches in the courtyard. Always different, but always twisted.”

She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “One poor boy bought a kebab and walked away with tits bigger than his head, soft, round, bouncing like he’d been cursed into a milk cow. Another girl bent down at the fountain, and when she stood back up…” The goblin cackled, snapping her fingers. “…cock. Swollen, dripping, bigger than her arm.”

Alice’s face burned red. “Wh what?!”

“Oh, that’s not even the half of it.” The goblin’s grin widened, tattoos shifting as her shoulders shook with laughter. “Some get turned into shortstacks barely taller than me, hips wide, tits out to here, begging to be carried. Some just swap sexes entirely. Sometimes it’s permanent, sometimes it fades by morning, sometimes you’re stuck until the curser comes along and flips you back. It’s all random.”

She tilted her head, ears twitching. “Then there are the ‘nice’ curses. Harmless stuff. Hair turns neon pink. Eyes start glowing in the dark. Your voice changes. Those ones actually sell well some goblins even ask to be cursed, just to see what’ll happen.”

Behind Alice, Kiki and Koko looked both intrigued and disgusted, muttering to each other:

“Magic that changes the body,” Kiki said with a frown.

“Feels wrong,” Koko agreed, but her golden eyes flicked toward Alice as though imagining the possibilities anyway.

The goblin chuckled again, her gaze settling squarely on Alice. “Careful what you touch, healer. You never know when you’ll sit down, take a bite, or slip on a trinket… and wake up in someone else’s skin.”

The group stood out instantly. Humans made up most of the crowd, and while goblins and the occasional orc strolled the walkways, a human girl flanked by two affectionate orc wives and a pumpkin-spice-sipping elf turned heads everywhere they went.

Kiki and Koko didn’t care in the slightest. They clung to Alice’s arms, pointing excitedly at glowing storefronts like children on festival day.

Grave Inks

The glossy black cave pulsed with light and sound EDM rattling out of enchanted speakers. The twins pressed their noses to the glass, gawking at the “curse-core” section.

“Look! Dead-man cloak!” Kiki laughed, tugging Alice toward a tattered veil glowing faintly blue.

“Would make you scary-wife,” Koko agreed, pressing her tusks against Alice’s cheek with a sly grin.

Alice turned scarlet. “I don’t need to look like a vampire bride, thank you.”

Yamaba raised a brow, sipping her latte with amusement. “You sure? I think the veils would suit you.. Very matron of the night.”

Alice groaned. “Not you too…”

Crystal Carousel Arcade

Next door, the neon-lit arcade was alive with noise. A group of adventurers crowded a rhythm game platform, stomping to pounding drums while their tusks flashed in victory grins. kids clustered around claw machines, shrieking every time one snagged a glowing trinket.

Koko’s eyes lit up. “Games?”

Kiki slammed her palm against the glass. “Want to fight! Fight magic box!”

Alice tugged them back before they could storm inside. “We’re not here for… whatever that is. Clothes first, chaos later.”

Yamaba chuckled into her cup. “I give it five minutes before they break something if you let them loose in there.”

Moonlit Silks

The twins froze when they passed this boutique, its illusionary walls shimmering with night skies and roses. Elven mannequins stood in flowing gowns stitched with moonlight thread.

“Pretty,” Kiki whispered, pressing her hands to the glass.

“Too many layers,” Koko countered. “Hard to take off.”

Alice’s cheeks burned again, but Yamaba actually stepped closer, her expression thoughtful. “I’ll be coming back here.” Her tone carried weight, quieter than usual.

Alice pulled her wives gently away, guiding them toward the proper clothing store Maria had insisted on. But the twins kept craning their necks at every display, pouting like spoiled children every time Alice denied them another detour.

The little bell over the door jingled as Alice stepped inside, her wives at her sides. The store smelled faintly of lavender detergent and freshly folded cloth, a sharp contrast to the heavy musk Alice still swore clung faintly to her skin from the night before.

At the counter stood a towering figure. She was… striking, in a way that made Alice immediately stiffen. Her skin was neon blue blending smoothly into her skin, smooth and faintly luminous under the shop’s warm lights. From her forehead rose two horns neon blue, curving upward and blending seamlessly into her skin, as though carved from light itself. A long lizard like tail curled lazily behind her, its smooth skin the same color as her flesh.

She looked nothing like the humans who usually ran these mall shops. And yet, to Alice’s surprise, she looked nothing quite like her orc wives, either.

Kiki and Koko froze for a moment, blinking up at her with wide eyes. Then, in perfect unison, they whispered:

“She’s… like us. But… not.”

The Oni woman glanced up from the folded shirts she was stacking, her golden eyes sharp beneath the heavy red eyeliner and matching eyeshadow framing her face. For a second, she said nothing, only studied them with a calm, level gaze. Then her tail gave a lazy flick.

“Not like you,” she said at last, her voice low, smooth, and carrying an unmistakable foreign lilt. “Oni. Not orc.”

The twins tilted their heads in mirrored confusion, exchanging a quick, wordless look before breaking into matching grins.

“Oni?” Koko asked, tugging Alice’s arm.

“A new tribe?” Kiki added, curiosity outweighing her surprise.

The woman smiled faintly, but it was a small, reserved thing. “Not a tribe. A people. From another place. Far across our world. My portal opens in Riben, as you call it.” She tapped her nametag, the simple script reading Aki. “Came here to work. Simple job. Safer than adventuring.”

Alice’s mouth went dry. (So she came all this way just… to fold shirts? Gods, she must have had a life before this.)

Kiki leaned forward over the counter, eyes glimmering with fascination. “So strong,” she muttered, half in awe. “Bigger than us.”

Koko grinned, elbowing her sister. “Wife will like her.”

“Shut up,” Alice hissed, cheeks flaming.

Behind them, Yamaba strolled in with her latte, taking one long sip before quirking a brow at the scene. “Well,” she said with a smirk, “guess we just learned today’s lesson. Their world’s bigger than any of us thought.”

Aki only folded another shirt, her horns catching the light. “So,” she said at last, golden eyes flicking back to Alice. “You’re here for clothes, yes? Let’s find something that actually fits you.”