Please; it stinks of pennies and iron...

After a wash up, I had the pleasure of slowly, silently stalking my way to Gabriella's room; the girl in question now cradled in my arms, clinging to me in a half-sleeping stupor. Each silent tiptoe as I trot my way to her room is a heart attack waiting to happen; every breath, a desperate silent gasp. I hear something from the mess-hall as I sneak pass.

"Miss Eve, why is your face a screen?" Asks the voice of little Carrie the Core; seemingly still awake.

The voice of Eve answers back. "Oh; my original face-plate was destroyed a long time ago. This is the best replacement I could find at the time, but people seemed to find it cute..."

I reach Gabbies door, slowly prying it open with my tail; begging the reality I had made to not have creaking doors as I do so. The door opens, and I dart inside; clicking the door behind me swiftly.

As put Gabbie on her bed, she asks. "Are you going back to your bed? It's a bit..."

"...I was going to ask If I could stay here for tonight." I cross my hands behind my back; embarrassed from the lewd nature of the entire situation.

She doesn't speak; simply moving over, and patting the bed. I crawl onto the bed, slinking over to her side, only to find I hadn't exactly provided enough pillows for two people. Seeing my problem, Gabriella came up with a wonderful solution. Her arms firmly pulled me into her bountiful bosom.

"Goodnight, Monster..." She murmers, already falling asleep.

I was about to ask a question; one concerning a certain divine sibling who may smite me if he saw what had happened just moments ago. However, the general weariness of held back slumber, combined with the vigors of Eve's "methods" had left me too tired to speak. My eyes close, and I drift away into the world of dreams.

...

I find myself on the hill, the usual sights being present in my segment of the Seknium. The tree, the little box, the camp-fire, and the distant shoreline. I was unsure of what I wanted to do while I slept; had I ever tried something fun here? Usually I just reminded myself of long-lost trauma, or peered into the minds of others...

"Hello? Is this the right place?"

A voice called from the shoreline, as a feminine figure emerged. Her crimson fish-scales and seablue eyes nearly led me to believe I was being greeted by the Sea-Goddess herself, but her smaller stature and meek posture made me think otherwise. With wings that looked like fish-fins protruding from her lower back, she flew up and towards me; a few drapes of thin, wet, blue velvet being the only "clothes" I could see on her as she approached.

I take a seat by the fire as she lands. "Who are you? Why are you in my dream?"

The flying fish-girl bows respectfully. "I am Aio; Angel's Squire of Maiyo. I am here to deliver three wonderful gifts from our Lady of Life."

Angel's Squire... A Nephelim; like Ariel was?

I perk a brow; the one who had whisked Her away was sending me gifts? "Gifts? Why am I being sent gifts?"

After doing her best to sit down without exposing herself; difficult with such pitiful coverage, Aio takes a seat. "A few reasons. I don't know the specific details, but I have a messages."

The waters of the shore rush up the hill, forming into a scroll of parchment; from which the Gilled-Girl read. "By the divine will of our most beautiful Goddess, Maiyo; Mistress of Mists, Songstress of Sea, Lover of Life..."

Aio spools out the scroll several times; more titles unfolding around on the ground as she skimmed by several full spools of names; whispering a few as she went. "Ah, here we are. The Goddess of Life and Love wishes to gift the one known as Monster three boons. First, being an... apology? Odd. She never apologizes..."

"An apology?" I ask, just before the cogs in my head clicking into place. "So... she was the third God who voted to have me killed..."

"Sorry. She get's like that sometimes." Says the Squire; as if I were sent an insulting letter, rather than a near death-sentence. "Second... oh, her blessing! Aww, not like, a holy one. Well, I guess a holy one? It says here, ahem..."

"Your quest to find my Chosen, Tomoko Sakurai, has my blessing; please report her location back to one of my Priests, Priestesses, Paladins, Angels, and/or Nephalim, as I cannot locate her at this critical moment in the eternal conflict."

"I feel like I'm being read legal advice." I say, rolling my eyes at my "quest" being "approved."

Aio cocks her head slightly. "Well, technically, you are; a God's word is law in any land sworn to them, which is many, many lands; concerning my Goddess."

She resumes her reading. "Finally, as a reward for having defied your nature as a foul beast of darkness, and having... oh my... made consensual love no less than ten times in less than a year! Wow, congrats! I hereby bless you, in accordance with the Pact of Ruya. Oh, this is an actual blessing! Oh, wonderful, this meets my blessing quota!"

I see Nephelim are workaholics by nature...

"Pact of Ruya?" I ask.

Spooling back up the scroll, and tossing it back into the waters of my mind, Aio smiles wide. "It's a quick one; just a little boop on your core. We're handing this one out like candy these days to successful Runacathy converts; part of a deal our Mistress made, something with Runa Ruya. Details don't matter, let's get to blessing already; I have a meeting in an hour!"

I back away slightly; covering my chest. "Woah, wait a second, what does it even do? Is this going to hurt?"

"Oh! Yeah. A lot!" Says the smiling Squire, cracking her knuckles. "But, I hear it's worth it... That's just what we're told to say. It helps you bigger, monster-y guys... fit in. If you catch my meaning. Now get over here! If I miss my meeting, then I won't get my work-coupon for one free massage this weekend!"

"What's a coupo-agh!"

Aio had suddenly bolted towards me, jamming her arm deep into my chest; a familiar sensation to an event involving a certain High Succubus. After a few searing seconds, my eyes open to the waking world. My heart was hammering in my chest, which thankfully lacked a gaping hole where that damned Nephelim had jammed elbow-deep into me.

"So... how was last night, you two?"

No longer distracted from my surroundings, I turn to my left; where a rosy cheeked Gabriella was currently covering herself with a a sheet pulled from the bed.

Her brother now standing in the room, covering his eyes; his voice just as glib as the woman who had just jammed her arm into my chest-cavity.

"Hey. Monster. Let's talk outside for a bit; 'kay bud?"