Making love to someone is a part time job. Falling in love and being in love is not. ___________________________________________________________ Talim was on the soft earth, completely spent, and with a broad smile on her face. Her eyes were half open, lazily looking up at what stars that were left in the sky, her mind in a pleasant haze. She had done this herself, but it had left her empty still... wanting. She had always figured that she would find a cute boy who she could hang out with, be friends with, make love to. So why did that dream seem so hollow, now that she was with Xianghua, a woman of all people? She looked over to her, wondering what it was about her that made her so special. As she considered her lazy, relaxed form, she noticed that it was graceful, even while lying there. How a woman could be so beautiful was beyond her- she didn't think of herself as anything special. But after tonight... after being told time and time again how cute and how sweet... and how beautiful she was, even for her age... she doubted herself no longer. She smiled at her as the former guard of the emperor opened her eyes finally, regaining herself. Even Talim felt much, much better, and she wondered why. (Again?) She gasped when she heard the voice, now loud, clear, and as if she were being spoken to directly. But even in the low light of the last stars, she could see her do nothing but smile. She looked at her, eyes wide in curiousity. (Did I just hear... her voice in my head? I mean, I could at first, but just then it was so much...) (...stronger?) Talim gasped again. Xianghua was reading her thoughts! Which meant that she could read hers as well... and the sheer presence of her friend-turned-lover was overwhelming now. She quickly figured it out, and smiled brightly. (We're connected! We really are! But... how?) Xianghua smiled. (I guess it just happened. Sometime during all that, when we kissed and had fun with each other, it just happened. The same thing happened to me and Mina, the last time we did this.) Talim thought about it a bit, then came to a different awnser. (That's not it... I think it happened a long time before. We just had to understand more than just our friendship.) Xianghua looked at her in wonder for a bit. How could one put something so deep and meaningful into such simple words? Then, she smiled again. (Yeah... it's not a friendship anymore, is it?) Talim leaned her head over slightly and kissed Xianghua passionately, but still as gentle as ever. (No... it's not.) ___________________________________________________________ Mina had awakened much faster and sharper, and during the middle of last night at that. Something was happening- all of her senses pointed in a new direction now, as if she were suddenly aware of another presence. Of course, she calmed herself after a while, and gave herself time to think. This presence wasn't an enemy- or at least, anyone with the intent to attack or kill. She would've felt it by now, and had done more than simply wake up. She would've moved out of the way, grabbed her own weapon, and neutralized the opponent before they could make another such move. So then if not an opponent, then what could make her have such a reaction? She decided not to waste any more time thinking on it, and hopped out of bed, putting on her silk dress and walking outside, hoping to catch what was so important that all her senses pointed directly towards it. As she approached what looked like a camp fire, she hid behind something to watch what was going on. What she saw made her eyes widen. Two familiar figures were all over each other, laughing and sighing in pleasure, hands everywhere, lips meeting in a tender kiss here and there, and both were naked on the ground. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself, as she reached for one of her own breasts slowly and fondled it, hiding behind her rock and pleasuring herself as she heard the moans and sighs. She couldn't help but smile as she heard the laughs and giggles of the two of them. They really were having fun- and she could feel their need for each other. Even with her mind slipping into a haze, she had come to a conclusion. They had connected- bonded just like she and Xianghua had, which explained quite perfectly the sudden sharpening of her senses towards Talim. So now, she understood what the two of them shared, besides a friendship and a mere understanding of each other's thoughts. She decided, just for a moment, to tap into her new link and see what was going on, as well as Xianghua's. Of course, they wouldn't notice that they were being watched- she knew how to hide her energies, thanks to her training for the past two days. As she listened in on what they were planning to do next, she braced herself. Her mental link would allow her to vicariously experience whatever they were doing, and she could feel herself quickly getting wet from their attentions to each other. "This is so great, Xian... I never knew it could feel like this. Is this what you and Mina do?" Xian giggled. Letting oneself go of the burdens of their quest and having fun had the effect of getting one to act their age, for once. "Not every night, but yeah. This is what we share sometimes." Talim sighed happily. "I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to spend their lives doing this. It's just so fun, and it feels so good." The young swordswoman saw a point to this, but there was a good reason for them not to do such a thing. "Then again, it wouldn't really be living, would it? We would have to take care of each other and all that, right?" Talim shrugged and snuggled closer to her new lover. "You said that you did this sort of thing yourself. I don't see that kind of thing to be very exciting." She shook her head. "It wasn't. I felt kind of empty afterwards, as if it weren't enough. But I wasn't about to sacrifice blood to the Goddess, so what else was I supposed to do?" Xianghua laughed at this. "Yeah, I see what you mean. And I'm sure that She was pretty happy with you, because the winds certainly aren't complaining when they're around you." Talim smiled at Xianghua fondly. There was another thing that they shared, if only in terms of the similarities between them. One was fine in the water, the other in the wind; but fundamentally, they were both the same. Maybe that was why they had a friendship that formed so quickly, and turned into something more so fast. She attuned all relationships and people as if they were a part of nature, and anything that didn't belong somewhere had to be put where it did belong, or gotten rid of. Hence, she referred to herself and Xianghua as the wind and the water- they just fit so well together that there was no other alternative to choose. Mina, of course, was the fire. She was, just like Xianghua had said, hard to get along with. Not that she didn't like her, or that Mina wasn't agreeable. But it would take some time to get used to someone so direct. Just like fire, she was straight and to the point, not to mention confrontational. But Talim could feel that she had the uncanny ability to draw people to her side, even at the risk of being burned, and unprejudiced of whether that company was good or bad, due to the fact that fire burned those who played in it for too long. So she could tell who was who perfectly fine. Still, Mina had helped her understand certain things, and had saved her life on top of that. Talim was beginning to become attracted, if not attached. But that would be for later. Right now, she had an idea. "You wanna see how I usually do things?" Xianghua shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt." Talim reached into her travel bag- the one that she usually carried around with her everywhere she went- and pulled out a pair of wooden tonfas. She smiled as she put one down, simply to run her hand across her skin, shivering pleasantly as she caressed her right breast, then fondled it for a little bit, getting herself worked up. Xianghua closed her eyes as a very pleasant feeling ran through her- the mental connection was doing its job quite well, and she simply leaned back on the ground, enjoying herself. Soon, her hands ran over her own body slowly, stopping occasionally to tease herself every now and then. Apparently, the young sibyl was done playing with herself, because she suddenly felt a very tangible presence inside of her, stirring her body into a sudden heat. Her eyes snapped open, and as she looked up, she saw that Talim had the tonfa inside of her, her eyes closed and her toes curled in sweet bliss. "Mmmm... Nnnn.." Xianghua's breath hitched in her throat at the sight of this. She knew perfectly well that she was being ignored, but that didn't bother her in the least. She was invited to watch, and watch she did- or at least, she tried to. The same thing was, after all, happening to her. Actually seeing it instead of just feeling it was only making her need for release grow. One hand was now gently toying with her breasts while the other had slid down between her thighs, where two fingers slid easily inside of her entrance. "Oooooh.." Talim managed to open her eyes and take a look at what the moan was all about, and saw Xianghua playing with herself as well. She started to get even more excited at the sight of it, the tonfa pumping in and out at a faster pace. If she was beautiful before, she was heavenly now... But it was to be short lived. Xianghua was coming to a point far too quickly for her own good, and gasped for air as she started to climax from the combination of her own ministrations and the side effect of the mental link. She wanted to stop- to hold out for just a little longer... just to feel this good for as long as possible. But she soon cried out in sheer extacy as she came, her back arching and her body twisting. "Taliiiiim!" Her eyes opened again at the scream, and at the fact that a sudden surge of power burst through her. She looked up, saw her in orgasm, and would've died right then and there if she weren't busy with herself. She was far from done, though her friend's climax helped greatly. "Ahhhh, ahhhnn! X-Xian... Hang on..." She moved even faster now, using the strength that she was given, and felt herself rising higher and higher... "Yes... yes!" Xianghua's cries only got louder. "Please, don't stop! Don't stop, don't stooooop... Oh gods yes, yes, yeaaaaaah!" _________________________________________________________________ Mina was quivering and twisting, her body bathed in extacy and passion. The air around her was starting to heat to a level where anyone who got close would be severely burned, and even those who were at a considerable distance could feel the effects. Neither one of them would notice- they were already nice and warm to begin with. And even if they did, she wouldn't notice either. She had to stifle another scream of bliss as Xianghua reached another climax, just as Talim hit her first one. That would definitely be heard for miles if she did so. She wanted them so badly that it was starting to become painful, but for now, she could do nothing but watch as the two of them unwittingly made her come again and again, one climax on top of the other. It had gotten to the point where she didn't have to touch herself anymore. But she knew that if this kept up, she would damn-near explode. So she broke through her haze with what little of her mind was left and pictured the Scarlet Thunder in her mind. she could see it almost instantly, and she envisioned herself grasping the rod, sliding her hands across its length, feeding it her energy. Once the image was firm in her mind, she dove back into the heady passion once again, and her mind was overwhelmed with it. She almost cried out in satisfaction, and didn't even notice her body changing, the air around her bursting into flames. It gave her the illusion that she had indeed exploded, but wasn't harmed in the least. She smiled a lazy, cat-like grin as another rush of heady sensation passed through her, signaling that the two of them had shot to the heavens again. This would be one hell of an evening! _________________________________________________________________ That morning, Talim and Xianghua were seen actually holding hands as they walked around, often holding each other in a very intimate way. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by Mina or Edge Master, though Mina had a better idea of why. Thoughts raced through her head. What now? Would what she was planning work? How long was that annoying sun going to be up? Or would she just run over, tackle them to the ground, and take them where they lay, regardless of the time of day? Then, she stopped herself. They would hear her thoughts, regardless of what she was thinking. She breathed deeply and slowly, forcing her thoughts to silence themselves and turning them inward. No, she would wait. She would focus everything into her training, and worry about this when the time came. If she wanted to do so, she would have to head for the temple now, before she lost the motivation. As she did so, Talim and Xianghua looked over at the retreating form with knowing glances. They had indeed heard her thoughts, and they had a plan of their own. Much earlier, before the sun had even risen, they had come up with an idea. Xianghua would wake up this evening, as if she were going out to admire the stars. Naturally, Mina would wake up and follow her, to see if things were all right- perhaps something more than just talk. While she was being kept distracted, Talim would wake up, hiding her intentions and her energy, and surprise her. How the surprise was to be delivered was up to her. The door would be barred from the outside, thus effectively keeping Xianghua out and the two of them in. If the mental connection were as strong as it was last night, then that wouldn't matter. It wouldn't matter where she was- she would be able to feel everything that happened. In any event, this was all kept hidden from Mina, seeing as her knowledge of the plan would ruin the element of surprise and what not. They also knew that Mina was planning something, but they didn't know what. No matter... everyone would be getting what they wanted soon. _________________________________________________________________ As they watched her pattern dance, Edge Master and Kilik noticed how she was progressing. She had immediately started the training with her transformation, which came on command. Throughout the entire session, she had displayed an amazing amount of focus, each move and step completed as if it were an instant, gut reaction. As she ended her initial dance, she suddenly changed styles, quickly turning the kwan dao into a single-handed chinese broadsword, and continued her training from there without a break in pattern or a second thought. Needless to say, Kilik was impressed. "Amazing! She commands her energy like nothing I've ever seen!" The old master stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Yes. One would wonder what's gotten into her today... in any case, she's just about ready for my final test of her abilities." Kilik looked puzzled for a bit, then realized what he meant. "Don't tell me you're going to tap into your darkness again..." "Yes. It is the best way to test her skills thus far. Besides, it would give you a prime opportunity to learn how to command your own inner darkness. The sword need not taint you any further." Kilik shook his head. "I mean to purify this energy, not use it!" Edge Master's voice rose slightly. "And do you know how long it would take to do such a thing? Centruries, eons. You may very well die before you even reach the first half of the task you set out to do. Better to take control of this power than do something so foolish." Kilik bowed his head. "If I did that... my sister would never forgive me. She would want me to keep fighting it, no matter what. I can't just give in like you say." "Do not let your actions be bound by one who is already dead, and not by your own hand at that. The evil came and passed, and they died because of the Seeds of Evil... not because of you." By this time, Mina was just about finished with her initial training. She mowed through enemies that only she could see, kicking and cutting with a grace and power that was as yet unmatched. Edge Master called to her, making her stop on one of her thrusts. "That's enough. Come over here, Mina." She twisted her blade for good measure, twirled it expertly around her hand, and held it in a reverse grip, the flat of the blade resting comfortably on the back of her arm as she walked towards the two of them. while on her way, she envisioned the fire dying out in her mind, and her body changed back to normal. "You have impressed me again. That, young lady, is hard to do." She bowed deeply. "Thank you. I try my best." The master swordsman stepped forward. "Your best may not be enough on the quest you are about to undergo." Mina quirked an eyebrow. All she could do was her best. If that were not enough, then what was? "What are you saying?" "I am saying that you will have to transcend beyond your own limits in order to defeat the evil that is before you. I still wonder if you can..." She was sharply angered by this, but kept her composure. "Oh, I'm sure of it. Then again, if you want to see, then come and try me." She walked toward the center of the temple grounds and stood in wait. The old man had a smirk on his face as she looked at him with a prideful glare. He had hurt her with his comment... good. She needed the anger for what was about to happen. "That I will." And then, it happened. Right in front of both of their eyes, he did a complete 180. His body was suddenly full of a malevolent energy and he was surrounded by a deep purple aura, making his entire being change. His clothes took on a more ferocious look to them, while his hair changed in both color and appearance. His eyes turned from blue to red, giving him a menacing glare that seemed to stare right through Mina. And it was the eerie glow of those eyes that shone through the aura first, just before a burst of power dissapated the dark cloud of energy, revealing his transformed state. "Now then..." he said in a much deeper, more menacing tone. "I'll come over and... try you. Prepare yourself." The energies collected in one of his hands and he reached into it, withdrawing a wickedly curved chinese broadsword, the handle curved loosely so that he could apply more force to his strikes. Mina stared at him fearlessly. She knew about his darkness- knew that he once possesed the Soul Edge, and had somehow managed to regain himself over time, though it took him an eternity to do so. As a result... he was immortal, and just as strong as ever. But even if she didn't know about it- she was always ready for a good fight. And this... looked like a good fight. "I figured it was going to be something like this," she said as she twirled her own weapon around her hand twice, bringing it to a normal grip while getting into stance. Without another thought to the matter, she transformed easily, and smiled at him. "All right, let's get this over with." _________________________________________________________________ The shockwave of negative energy was felt throughout the training grounds, and Talim and Xianghua looked towards the Shaolin temple with looks of shock and a sort of dread. "This wind is..." "...Soul Edge! And all the way here?" They both ran towards the mountain, fearing the worst for Mina. As they approached, the destructive forces grew in strength, overwhelming them. However, Xianghua's Krita-Yuga protected them, if only for the time being. They were not ready for what they saw before them, once they reached the top. Talim was wide-eyed in fear. It was the old man, and he was... posessed. No, that wasn't the word. Not at all. He was in control of himself... in other words, he had a grip on the forces within him. And he was coming at Mina with everything he had. She yelled out in a panic. "Mina, be careful! This man is-" Xianghua held her back as she walked forward. As the confused sybil looked behind her shouder, Xian shook her head at her before looking back up towards the fight. "Don't. If he has control over his darker half, then there's nothing to worry about. He won't kill her." Talim wasn't so sure... but something in Xianghua's eyes reassured her. She just hoped that her faith in the now transformed master swordsman was not betrayed. __________________________________________________________________ Mina was putting up a good fight, all things considered. As one sword clashed against the other, she grimaced at the shock fromt the force of his blows. If he were really in control of the negative energies that the Soul Edge possesed, then... (I could very well lose. But I have to try!) Another swing, coming from the left. She quickly hopped backwards off of her leading foot, twirling the blade around her hand as she took two steps back... Of course, he came after her with another horizontal slice, stepping forward and cutting from his right. The wicked sword he carried had an impressive range, and was heading for Mina in a blur. Of course, she slid underneath it, making the attack miss entirely, and rose up with a horizontal slash, the sacred blade cutting his chest quite easily, burning into him. She followed immediately with a heavy downwards strike, putting her entire body behind the swing. "Shaaaaa!" He got wise and tried to block the attack.. however, his weapon was dragged along with the attack, and his stance was pretty much broken, as well as his defenses. In addition, the flames that trailed from such an attack burned him but good- and seeing as the weapon was a sacred item, it was painful, to say the least. "Rrrraaaagh!" The bad news was that it only served to make him not only in pain, but angry as well, and he redoubled his efforts- immediately turning his back and kicking out at her visciously with his heel. She got hit full on, and slid back a few good feet, the wind knocked out of her. Talim hid her eyes, not wanting to watch Mina's end as the master of his darker half ran towards her, his leading leg sliding forward and his blade racing toward her prone body. She sensed the attack coming, and quickly rolled to the side, then backwards, then getting up and assuming her stance again. The very air rushed by her sharply, as if it were a blade itself, and Mina was starting to tremble with the shock of his attacks, her hands shaking, threatening to drop the weapon. (Ack... he's way too much! I can match him in speed, no problem... but if he hits me with that sword, it's over! He's just so strong!) He rose to his feet and simply stood there, whirling his blade with one hand as he walked forward. The force behind every twirl was enormous, and yet still skillful. What kind of person could wield such a huge single handed blade with such dexterity? "So.. are you so sure of yourself now? This is the true power of the Soul Edge. Is this how you are going to fight it?" Mina then understood what he was trying to do. He was indeed in control of himself, and he was doing this to test her. She steeled herself and focused her energy into the blade, making it glow with a red hot light, heat radiating from the divine steel. "Fine, I get the hint. No more playing around, then!" And the weapon gave her body more strength, as it responded to her sheer determination to win. She rushed forward, guided by that extra power, and leapt into the air off of her left foot, the power behind her legs giving her an impressive height. As she arced towards him, he smirked. He had seen this move before, and once it followed through, she would pay for it. He began casually stepping to his left side, grinning wolfishly as he did so. The grin was replaced by a red boot in the face, as Mina kicked off of his head and knocked him to the floor. She flew backwards, saulting once through the air before landing on her feet... and dashing to the left, hitting the ground running. She was using the sheer speed of her footwork to her advantage, and made one full circle around him, the air ablaze with heat and fire. As she stopped in front of him again, she charged forward once again, heading towards him at a breakneck pace. At this point, he was back on his feet, but it was almost too late. bit surprised by her change in tactics, he still managed to thrust forward with his blade, hoping to meet her head on. It was unfortunate that he had to kill her, but one did what one had to. Surprise, surprise... she dodged again, even at this speed. As she hopped to the left off of her right foot, she kicked him twice, her left heel slamming into his ribs with such force that she broke four of them, then jumping into the air and slamming said same heel into his jaw, sending him flying backwards, closer to the wall of flames. As he slowly rose to his feet, everything seemed to hurt at once as Mina walked towards him with a determined stride. The flames that encompassed her sword seemed to grow in intensity as she strode forward agressively, meaning to kill him- or at least, hurt him so severely that he would never fight again, regardless of the fact that he was immortal. He saw the look in her eyes- that determined, confident look- and was satisfied. He stepped backwards once, then turned on his heel and cut in a wide circle, hoping to catch her off guard with the powerful stroke. She saw it coming from a mile away- she had learned her father's long blade from him, after all. As she stepped back on her left foot, allowing the strike to nearly miss her, she realized that she was in range for the last thrust- the one that would end him- she had it all worked out. First she would pierce him with the sword, right inside of his chest. Then, channeling her energy into the blade, he would burn him to death, from the inside out. One of the few ways to completely kill an immortal- head, heart, or fire. With one final step from her right foot, she lunged forward, stopping the blade just at his chest and breathing heavily. "You gonna stop now? Or do I have to get serious?" He smiled at her, almost about to break into a laugh. "Well done. You have effectively cut off any chances of escape, dodged my attack at such a high speed, and even managed to hold me at sword point. But is this enough? Would you kill me should the situation call for it?" She grimaced, her eyes narrowing dangerously. How dare he ask such a thing after what she had just gone through? She was angry enough to kill him outright, but she still respected him. With a tone of certain finality in her voice, she replied. "Without a moment's notice." He saw the grim certainty in her eyes at this, and nodded. "Then I have nothing more to teach you." She lowered her weapon slowly, and backed away, inch by inch. Her combat instincts were still on high alert, looking for any attack, or rather the slightest intention to do so. To her relief, he changed back- his immortality showing no traces of a scar as he did so. Those scars would return once he changed back, she knew. But for the moment, he would be himself. "Very well done. I knew you would make it this far." She calmed herself, allowing the transformation to wear away, and the ring of flames that she had created to vanish. Her body suddenly felt weak, and she was unsteady on her legs. "I'm kinda... tired now. I think I'll head back to the house." Edge Master nodded, and allowed her to leave without another word. Xianghua looked at Mina with respect, and Talim simply looked at her with sheer awe as she walked past them. (Such power, to make even him yield! I want that kind of strength...) Xianghua simply nodded, but her thoughts spoke for her. (We all do, Talim. Somewhere inside of us, we all do.) __________________________________________________________________ Mina slept for the rest of that afternoon, and well into the evening. A heavy toll had been taken on her body from all that leg work, plus the fact that she was so comfortable with being ascended that anything else seemed useless. Sure, she knew that she would have to change in a harrowing situation.. but why not stay this way for a while? It would be interesting, as well as very helpful in other things. But she decided for now to leave the situation alone and get some rest. But then again, her senses were still on full charge, and she could feel Xianghua get out of bed- as well as read what she was thinking. (I just can't sleep. After what happened earlier, I just can't. I need to go walking or something to get my head around all this.) Of course, she had a good reason to do so, with her watching Mina fight for her very life against a man who was much stronger, faster, and damn near determined to kill her. And had still won. She was sick with worry, and couldn't sleep. So she walked. And Mina got up directly after, following her. She didn't hear Talim get up either, nor did she notice that she couldn't even sense her anymore. She was simply curious as to where she was off to this time, and thought that Talim would be all right. Imagine her surprise when the door was blocked from the outside suddenly, and she felt arms circle around her from behind, as well as something wet trailing up and down her neck, along with the feeling of kisses along her skin. "Talim.. is that you?" She rested her head on Mina's shoulder and smiled. "You were great up there, y'know. For a while, I thought you would really die." She shrugged. "I'm not that easy to take out. I guess it's all the fruits... of my training..." She could feel her breasts being fondled, even though her silken nightgown was still on. It felt good, sure... but this was Talim that was doing this. She was the last person she expected this sort of action from, and it was almost too good to be true, at least for her. "T-Talim... are you all right?" She lazily looked up at her, a haze of desire in her eyes, along with a playful look in them. "Hmm? What do you mean?" Mina swallowed hard at that look. It was a lovestruck look- the kind that mere fan worship or sisterhood did not have. "I don't know, you're just acting a little... weird, that's all." She pouted cutely. "It's strange to do this, after all you've done for me? You've answered some of the biggest questions that have been chasing me for years. You've been such an understanding person. You were the first one to tell me that I was cute- even beautiful." Mina blushed. Yes, it was true. She had done all those things, but was this the reaction that was really in her heart, or was it just showing Mina what she wanted to see? She decided to read her thoughts. (I want you.) She was shocked. (I want you to understand that I love you, and would do anything to make you happy. I want to make you feel wonderful... can't you understand what you've done to me?) Mina decided to give in, allowing herself to lean back into her caressing and fondling; her licks and kisses and gentle, playful bites to her neck. She sighed contently, Talim's ministrations soothing her and pleasing her at the same time. "Mmmm... how did you get so good, Talim? You're the last person I would expect to do this..." She blushed, but smiled as well. "I guess I had a change of heart sometime while we were up here. I've been wanting you since you taught me everything you did... no, ever since you held me in your arms so long ago. I think it was then that I started seeing something in you." Her hands gently moved from her breasts to her hips, trailing along her stomack and then fanning out, only to grab her hips and turn her around to face her. The look of desire in her eyes was enough evidence for Mina. "Now I know for sure that I love you." She pulled towards her, leaned in on her toes, and kissed her gently on the lips, even going so far as to flick her tongue across her lips. On instinct, Mina opened them, sliding her own slick digit out and across Talim's, and for a while, they danced around each other, tasting one another. Talim shivered with delight at Mina's taste, and her hands absently stroked Mina's hips, passing by the panties on occasion. She reminded herself to take those off later. For now, she continued the kiss as long as she could. It was a full minute before they pulled away from each other, Mina just about breathless. "Wow, Talim... pretty good." She smiled warmly at her. "You're not bad yourself. Do you want to talk in a little more... comfortable position? We can't just stand all night." Mina chuckled at this. "Your bed or mine?" Talim didn't have to think twice. "Yours. It's only right, after all. At least, I think so. And don't do anything... just let me take care of everything tonight." __________________________________________________________________ Xianghua walked along the shore of the lake, wondering why she had held Talim back. For all instances and purposes, she had allowed Mina to fight alone; unaided and without ouside help. From what she could tell, if Mina did not put her all into the fight, then she would barely survive, or worse.. (Why didn't I run in and help? She was in danger- I could feel her fear when she figured out that he might be able to kill her with one blow. So why didn't I help?) She felt guilty about not jumping into the fray her own self- it felt like she was betraying her friends, and would do so again. She felt that she would sink into despair again, when she felt a shiver of pleasure run down her spine, filling her with warmth. She looked back up at the house and smiled. (They've started.) She sat down on the grass and took her clothes off, waiting for the familiar sensations to run their course. (Good... I need a release. Work her over, Talim... tonight is for you.) Another wave of extacy, and she silenced both words and thoughts, only settling with a moan. ___________________________________________________________________ Talim gently pulled at Mina's right breast, her lips moving slowly against her skin and her tongue circling around the nipple, drawing forth moans and sighs from Mina. Her right hand fondled the other breast tentatively, as she slowly brought Mina's passions to the surface. "Ooh... oooooh.. You're so good, Talim..." Mina arched her back, pushing her breasts further onto her friend's mouth and into her hands, and Talim responded eagerly, squeezing the breast that was being tended to by her hand playfully. This managed to get a gasp and a shiver from Mina- a good sign. "You're driving me crazy. Don't stop, please..." She could feel the nipple harden to a sensitive peak and took that as her cue to switch sides, her lips kissing a trail toward her other tit while her free hand grasped the now abandoned one gently. As she worked the other one, she could feel Mina's juices flow against her leg, her panties suddenly wet, and getting wetter. Mina gasped in shock and pleasure, then moaned happily. "I think I'm done playing with you now." With that, she slowly slid down her body and pulled off her panties- she wouldn't have any use for them, now that they were soaked- and took in the scent of her arousal. She smiled at the strangely powerful aroma of cherry blossoms- she knew what they were from a traveler who had passed through the village- and decided to have a taste. Her tongue slid out slowly, licking the outer folds of her flower for just a taste. Mina moaned at this simple action. "There you go; mmmm... keep that up, Talim." She tasted odd... but she also tasted good. Very good, she found. Add that to the fact that she enjoyed it when she did that to her, and she had plenty of reason to feast on her. So without any further reservations, she dove in, her tongue burying into Mina's core, sending wave after sensual wave of passion through her. "Ahhh, haaaaaaahh! Oh yes, Talim. Yes! Keep it up!" Talim recieved Mina's honey happily, drinking it up as soon as it flowed from her. Meanwhile, her hands rested on the older woman's thighs, keeping them apart and stroking them teasingly at the same time. "Ooooooh... I'm coming, Talim... I'm gonna burst any moment now!" Talim pulled away slowly, savoring the taste of her for a bit longer. As she opened her eyes slowly, she smiled at her. "If you're going to come, then I've got something for that." She got up and walked over to her bed, reaching underneath it and pulling out her travel bag. She withdrew her two wooden tonfas and expertly twirling one while flipping the other so that the long end faced forward. "I'm betting you've guessed by now what comes next." Mina shivered happily. Indeed, she had. "I have to tell you- I'm not entirely broken in.. if you know what I mean." Talim smiled. "Don't worry- I know how to take the pain off of this. Trust me." Then, she climbed onto the bed, straddled Mina's stomach, and bent down to kiss her. As Mina was distracted by the intricate dance of their tongues, Talim channeled the energy from the waves of pleasure that coursed through her into her left tonfa until it was heavy with it. Once she had done so, she aimed it near her folds and deepened the kiss, preparing to break her. Praying to her Goddess that she wouldn't miss, seeing as she would be practicly doing this blind- she thrust inside of her. Mina tightened up, her eyes widening in pain and shock. But Talim continued kissing her, and started moving the tonfa in and out of her, slowly at first to help her get used to it. After about a minute.. pain slipped into sheer bliss. "Mmmmmm... mmmnn.." The wooden weapon slid in and out of her easily, seeing as Talim had done quite a job of getting her ready before hand, and she could feel her friend straining underneath her, trying to stretch out in pleasure. Talim would not give her the luxury- she wanted to look at the expression on her face. As she pulled away from the kiss, Mina opened her eyes lazily, her heated gaze begging for more. If Talim let her go now, she would be overwhelmed by Mina's advance. No, it was better to stay here. "Talim, please move faster, harder, anything... just make me come, please. Pleeease..." Talim smiled sweetly. "Seeing as you asked so nicely, I sure will." And she did just that, the slickness of Mina's folds helping her along as she picked up the pace, driving faster and faster, sending her into a sweet oblivion where there was just her and Talim. "Ooooooohh... ahh, ahhh, aaaaaaahh! It's coming; I'm gonna come!" Talim slowed down for a moment, and tightened her hand around the grip of the tonfa, applying her force to it before thrusting hard... once... "Oh..." Twice... "My..." Three times... "GODS!! AHHHHHHH!!" She came gloriously, her love juices flowling freely onto the weapon within her, and she writhed underneath Talim, her stomach moving against the young sibyl's sex. She grinned in both pleasure and excitement at seeing Mina act so wild and unrestrained. For good measure, she withdrew and started sucking the juices off of the tonfa, putting the entire length into her mouth and shivering with pleasure at the taste. As she pulled it out, she leaned down and kissed Mina to give her a taste of her own honey... And the burst of thoughts, emotions, and sheer passion tore through them. It was done. They were one. And Talim found that she loved every second of it. __________________________________________________________________ Outside, Xianghua was having way too much fun, squealing and laughing in between her moans and sighs. It were as if she were being tickled, teased, and pleasured all at the same time, and the feeling was immense. It all came together when Mina climaxed, sending a shockwave of pleasure through her entire being, making her scream in a high pitched wail of delight. As she rode the waves of extacy, she wondered just what Talim had done to make her come so wildly- it was more intense than even she could manage. Still, she wasn't jealous- she couldn't be, not when she could feel it as well. She suddenly wanted to walk in and join them, but not yet. She had to take a break first- the waves of sheer bliss were still running through her. (Then again... I don't even have to stop, do I? Besides, this should be interesting for them as well.) She reached inside of her bag and withdrew the Krita-Yuga, the moon reflecting off of the pale blue steel. Regarding her image in the surface for a moment, she gripped the blade tightly, her fist closing like a vice. As the blade began to hum faintly, with a deep blue aura surrounding the weapon, she felt the power flow through her, relieving her of any weariness. She smiled as she felt much better, and stronger at that. And now, she wanted more than to just feel- her body hungered for a touch, a kiss, a caress. Without another thought, she headed back up to the house, planting her sword into the dirt before doing so. What was interesting was that she had no clothes on... __________________________________________________________________ "Not bad, not bad. You two planned this out from the start, huh?" Talim nodded and smiled. She could be direct and to the point when she wanted to be, and she hoped that this proved it. Needless to say, Mina was convinced, and she liked it. "Well, you didn't have to- I would've come on to you anyway, whether you had planned it or not. But I'm glad that you did- this means that I can do what I've been wanting to with you for the past few days." Talim blushed. "Oh, really? And just how were you going to do that?" Mina inched closer to Talim, ready to make good on her promise, when the door was flung open. "Oh no you don't! Not without me, that is." She stood there in the doorway, grinning cheekily, her naked body haloed in the moonlight. She looked beautiful that way, Talim decided. Mina only smirked. "Welcome back. Come to join in the fun?" Xianghua winked and giggled. "You know it. So.. why don't we all get into it? I'm sure you two wouldn't mind a... third opinion." They both nodded, and moved over so that Xianghua could get in. Once she did, the interesting part started. "Now... what were you going to say, Mina?" The brunette's brown eyes flashed with a hint of green in them for a brief moment, and for a brief moment, Talim was afraid. (Don't be scared. It won't hurt this time.) Talim only nodded and let Mina kiss her, slowly and gently. She rose slightly, pressing her lips further into Mina's, and slipping her tongue inside to get a taste of her. Mina sighed happily as she felt the sibyl's tongue slide across her own, sending those sensations through her again. After a few seconds, they broke the kiss, and Talim was breathless and heady with desire. "Wow... that was-" She was interrupted by a kiss from Xianghua, while Mina gently rubbed Talim's stomach with her right hand, her left busy fondling one of her own breasts. The gentle touch mingled with the kiss, and Talim shivered in delight. (This is amazing... I never knew it could feel this way.) Mina's hand moved underneath Talim's short pants and gently stroked her sex, teasing it through her panties. Xianghua had gone from kissing her lips to her neck, biting and suckling just as tenderly and lovingly. But the charm that was around her neck was a bit of a problem for her.. no matter, she teased her just below it. "Mmmmm.." Talim stretched out lazily, a grin breaking on her face. The pleasure that slowly seeped its way through her began to relax her as well, and she started to let her mind release its worries about the whole thing. (That's right,) thought Mina, speaking without saying much of anything, besides what her hands were saying for her. (Just relax. No one's going to hurt you here, Talim.) (Yeah, why would we?) Xianghua chimed in, her trail of kisses reaching Talim's shoulder. (We just want to make you feel great. There's nothing scary about this, unless it's done by force. So let me ask you... do you want this?) Talim didn't have to think twice- why even ask such a question? But she could see how neither of them could quite figure her out- the three of them had met only a few weeks ago, and didn't know what she liked when it came to this. One thing was for sure, though... (I certainly don't want you to stop... I'll let you know when I do. Does that sound all right?) Xianghua and Mina couldn't help but smile. So unsure... but so eager to learn. (Sounds great.) With that, they continued their "lesson", giving Talim what she could not give herself. Kisses, bites, touches. Moans and sighs. Pleasure upon pleasure, one after the other. Soon, Talim started to get very, very warm, the heat in the room starting to become oppressive. Mina took it in stride, however. She was fire incarnate, as she had recently learned- heat was nothing but fuel for her. But she understood Talim's situation. She directed her thoughts to her two lovers, offering a change of direction. (Isn't it a little hot in here, Talim?) She opened her eyes lazily, and looked up at Mina. She could feel the heat from her own body, as well as Mina's and Xianghua's. Not only that, but the slow, gradual increase in her body heat might have been caused by certain... other means. Talim didn't care. (Yes... yes it is.) Xianghua tugged at the waistband of her pants, Mina withdrawing her hand to do the same. With the both of them working on it, they would be off in no time. But still, it had to be all right with her. (Aren't these clothes a little stuffy, then?) asked Xianghua, not able to hide her playful side. (We could always take them off... that is, if it's okay.) Talim simply nodded once, and the both of them pulled, moving themselves in order to get at her pants from a better angle. After they were halfway down her thighs, Xianghua got to work on her shoes and socks without wasting any time. By the time the right shoe was off and both were on the floor, Mina had gotten the pants to the knees, kissing and nipping her way down Talim's soft thighs, making her squirm and sigh in bliss. (You have to keep doing that.. it feels so good!) Mina smiled to herself as she continued teasing her, now using her tongue to lick her way down her leg slowly. Xian caught on, doing the same. As they both pulled her pants all the way off, carlessly dropping them over the side of the bed, the two of them kissed and licked a trail back up to Talim's hips. (You're driving me crazy! Please, don't stop...) But as usual, she said nothing, only allowed herself those cute little sounds of pleasure that she often made- little squeaks, moans, and content sighs. Xianghua loved hearing those- but Mina wanted to see her in passion. Yes, she was cute like this... but it was too roundabout for her. She would rather get straight to the point. Sure, it might seem unromantic, but that's the way she was- demanding, direct, and ready to face anything head on. But she was holding back for Talim's sake, though everything within her screamed to take her now. Right now damn it, and don't wait for her to say yes- she'll feel good regardless. But Mina's heart felt for Talim, just like it did for Xianghua when it was her first... they were looking for what she liked, didn't like, and just plain old didn't care about either way. They wanted to know her, not just make her scream. That would come later. For the moment, Mina learned from Xianghua- during a personal mental conversation between the two of them- that she loved physical contact. Touches, hugs, caresses, hands and fingers. Mina knew that Xian liked kisses and licks- anything wet and slippery was damn fun for her, but it was Mina who was the strange one. She didn't enjoy recieving pleasure... she enjoyed giving it. Xianghua had found that out during her earlier travels with the Seung prodigy. Mina always managed to enjoy her lover's cries of joy, as well as her reactions- the way she shivered when she touched that spot, the sigh of satisfaction on a kiss... She loved the way Talim reacted as well, but she wanted to hear her cry out. But this time, just like last time, it had to happen with her concent. And it would be taken into account soon, as they moved toward her tube top, ready to take it off as well. On instinct, as if she knew it was coming to this, she sat up and lifted her arms, allowing them to take off her bracers and pull those odd sleeves off before getting started on the rest of her clothing. As they pulled off the top, Xianghua decided that a long enough break had been taken, and started fondling one of the young sibyl's breasts while the top was still on. Talim moaned her approval at the contact- the kisses were not doing enough for her, and this felt much better. But it still wasn't enough... that was, until Mina started rubbing her stomach again, her hand moving in slow, gentle circles. (Yes... there it is! That's what I was looking for!) Wave after wave of heady sensation passed through her as she was gently stroked and fondled, their hands doing the job that their lips could not. Talim arched her back, stretching her body out and presenting her breasts to Xianghua shamelessly. "Hey, you want this top off? I don't see much use for it anymore." Talim only nodded. She took the opportunity to take her top off finally, making sure to ask her to lift her arms before doing so. As soon as it was free of her, she got back to work, leaving Talim gasping for air at every playful squeeze. On top of that, Mina had moved from her stomach to more... effective means. Her hands stroked her thighs and fondled her ass, leaving a trail of pleasant heat behind. Talim started to grow anxious- she could feel something rising within her, waiting to burst. She couldn't wait any longer, and they both knew it. Talim stretched and twisted, her body moving slowly and passionately, but with grace. Who would've thought that something so simple could have such an effect? Mina ran her hand across her thighs again, and noticed that she was starting to get wet... very much so. (Okay, playtime's over.) (You're going to do it? Please... please, finish me! I can't take it anymore... I feel like I'm going to explode!) Mina smiled as she slowly rubbed between her thighs, feeling just how slick her sex was. The heat of passion came forth in waves from her folds- Mina loved it. She absorbed it, as if it gave her life and strength, and her hand grew warm as she took the energy from the heat. Talim could feel it happening, and she gasped in shock as her body suddenly cooled. But it wasn't just from surprise- it was also in a strange pleasure that she couldn't explain. (W... what are you doing?) (Remembering you. Making you a part of me, even more than you already are. It's not a bad thing- matter of fact, it's going to feel great.) Talim could understand- she was starting to arch her back again, feeling the sensations build as Mina gently brought her to a finish with each stroke... (Whatever is is, don't stop for anything!! I'm almost there...) Not moving faster or slower, just at her casual pace, while Xian caressed her skin with her hands, soothing her, relaxing her, and at the same time, driving her wild. Talim suddenly felt the pressure inside of her come to a point, and she started crying out in sheer bliss, mixed with agony. She was just on the edge... so close! What happened was that Mina had inserted two fingers into her sex, stroking her silken entrance slowly, torturously. "Nooooo!! Please, go faster... pleeease! Aaaaah, ooooh!" Mina smiled sweetly at her. "I thought you liked it slow. Y'know, I never knew that a simple action as a touch could get someone to go crazy." Xianghua shrugged. "Guess everyone has a different thing going for them." But in her mind, she was worried. Torturing her like this seemed almost... cruel. (Are you done? Let's get this over with, before she jumps us and makes US beg for it.) Mina was enjoying seeing Talim like this. Her own heat began to rise now, faster than usual, her eyes widening at the sight of Talim's beautiful body moving in graceful arcs and turns while she lay on the bed, her voice being driven to fever pitch. She could feel her heat rising faster and faster, and her features began to slowly change before their eyes... But then, she stopped. All the same, Xianghua had a point. Mina decided that it was time to end it. She had seen it- it was enough to get her started. She began moving harder now, her fingers pumping instead of gently sliding. Talim felt her body tense... her eyes clamped shut... a cry of sweet release rose from her throat... And then, the dam broke. "Minaaaaaa!!" __________________________________________________________________ The night had wound on, with Talim completely spent, still catching her breath while looking up at the celing, the room spinning pleasantly. As she regained herself, and everything stopped moving, she closed her eyes and stretched out lazily on the bed, simply listening to their thoughts for now. (She's so cute when she does that,) Xianghua thought as she looked at her. (She must feel like she's in another world right now; a very good one.) Mina smiled as she contemplated what they should do next. (I love the fact that she finally understands... but now that the lesson's over, isn't it time for some fun?) Xian quirked an eyebrow and Talim opened her eyes, grinning. (What did you have in mind?) Mina smiled. They had all night to do this, and she would enjoy every second of it. (I think Talim should take the lead this time.) The young sibyl smiled and reached for her wooden tonfas again, whirling them expertly as she looked at them with her desire clouded eyes, now an even darker shade of brown than before. (Uh oh... those. I think we're in trouble.) Xianghua grinned cheekily. (I bet so... she's really good with them, if you know what I mean. Right, Talim?) Talim said nothing, and thought nothing. She only acted as she crawled towards them slowly, the long ends of the tonfas pointing towards them. The grin she wore on her face was downright... Well, sexy. Mina quirked an eyebrow. This would be... interesting. __________________________________________________________________ -End- Whoa.. Long assed chapter coming down the pipe. I sure hope you guys enjoyed this one- I worked damn hard to get it perfect for Talim's induction into the triangle, as well as offer a glimpse as to how Xianghua's first time was like. If I offended anyone... *shrug* them's the breaks. This one's set in stone. - Next Chapter - As Mina and company prepare to leave, Edge Master makes an odd request... for Kilik to travel with them. What complications will arise with this new traveler, and what will lie in wait for them next?
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