The airship Dauphin shows the signs of having been in service for many, many years as a passenger shuttle. The envelope is a rope net, to easily allow gasbags to be added or removed to optimize lift and allow winds to pass through. The horizontal sail masts are still in place, but oil-burning engines with forward facing propellers crouch on them at the midpoint. An almost identical sister-ship, the Oyster travels with it. Due to overbooking, Mave ended up on the Oyster, leaving Nicora and Tulani to themselves in their cramped cabin - little more than a long closet with fold-down bunk beds that leave little room when in use.
It's taken an hour for the airships to reach their cruising altitudes, and the noisy engines cough and burp and begin their whining. But they're much cheaper and more reliable than Air Mages for the most part, if you don't count the cost of fuel and maintenance. Tulani returns to the cabin soon after the engines start up. "I've checked everyone, and there aren't any mages on this voyage," she reports, and even snaps off a jaunty salute to the robed bat.
"No mage would want to ride in such cramped quarters. I think Mave did this on purpose," Nicora remarks from where she is squatting inventorying her belongings to make sure she has at least the minimal things she needs. She's also finding squatting to be ... rather different now. Satisfied, she closes up her pack and stands to stretch. "So, you want me to risk shifting, do you? Then you would be sharing a cabin with a guy," she says, feigning horror.
"No, I'd be sharing a cabin with my friend," Tulani points out, one finger raised. "Besides, I shared bunk-rooms with men plenty of times - I'm a sailor remember?"
"Drunk men no less. Tsk," Nicora admonishes Tulani as she pulls her dagger from her belt sheath. She twirls it between her left fingers, then slots it into her right arm.
"Is it the Ki'rin again already?" Kaira asks as her head appears over the now-revealed orb on Nicora's right wrist.
"No, it's Tulani. She's much worse than the Ki'rin," Nicora claims. "She wants me to turn back to Alptraum for the duration of the airship ride. Demanding. Sort of like another woman I know."
"You must be glad that I don't put any demands on you and do whatever you want," Kaira notes. "Okay, just don't yank me out for the duration.. and make sure you aren't wearing anything under that robe, or things could get tight. Anything specific you want done with your magic ring, or is that left up to me?"
"Oh, right, I had better undo the ... heh," Nicora remarks, remembering and grinning slightly. And so she takes a minute to do just that, thankful she remembered the pattern for the 'lock'. That gets stowed into her backpack. "Well, I can let you deal with it for now," she remarks to Kaira, and if I don't like what you do, I'll just have you fix it," she says. As for Kaira demanding things ... she's wise enough to leave that alone.
Tulani is speechless at the revelation of the lock and chains. "What happens if you have to do that combination in the dark?" she asks.
"I don't and it keeps me out of trouble," Nicora remarks to Tulani. She even grins and waggles her brow.
"So far anyway," Tulani notes with a grin and crossed arms, as she leans against the wall. Since.. there really isn't anyplace else she can stand at the moment.
"Oh.. more gold!" Kaira notes happily. "I don't think it will effect you too much as Alptraum though, since that's not an exceptionally sensitive area. Anyway.. ready?"
"Hey, no need to be jealous. You had the chance for fitting," Nicora teases. She drops one of the bunks down and promptly flops herself on it, making it creak. "Just remember that you asked for this," she tells Tulani, "I will not be held responsible!" She stretches out a bit, then says, "Ready. MAke me bat-le ready."
The shadow begins to ooze out.. and picks up considerable speed when Tulani helpfully slides the Light of Nala from its sheath. Soon Nicora is adrift in the familiar black void. But in her mind, she hears Kaira asks, "So how did you manage to keep your tail from rubbing against those rings all the time?"
"Undergarments. Those pads have more than one use," Nicora claims as she floats in limbo. "It also helps manage the fact that after she, well, shaved things the skin is super-sensitive."
"Do want me to leave the equivalent area shaved then?" the dragon-voice asks.
"Uh. I don't know. Probably not!" Nicora replies.
"Just trying to be thorough!" Kaira notes cheerily. Things are happening to the Eeee's body.. which is a distant sensation at the moment. Not like with Mel, when everything could be felt.
"I rather like the rings," Nicora floats in the void, idly focusing on the sensations of the chnages, "They do make things feel quite ... different. I'll have to avoid being a dragon with them in, though."
"There may be some slight sensation from them, since your Shadow is technically a dragon too.." Kaira notes, and then things begin to fall back into place. Arms, legs... other bits. Certain things missing. No more special pockets..
"But my shadow isn't there," Alptraum thinks as he feels parts back where they should be and the literal weight off his chest.
A pair of blue eyes in a dark face, above a white slash, hovering over him are the first things Alptraum sees when he opens his eyes. And a slight buzz down below his shifted center of gravity. Oh yeah, the shadow does have a link extended to down there, doesn't it?
Alptraum sticks out his tongue at Tulani and goes cross-eyed, just because. "Bluh," he remarks as he then tries to sit up and inspect just how Kaira managed to .. rearrange things.
Well, the rings are in the same rough positions as before, including the first one, instead of it moving to the tip of things. "Going to put the chain back on?" Tulani asks, and actually reaches down and flicks one of the rings with a claw.
Alptraum twitches. "Why, do I have a reason not to?" he teases and waggles his brow. "Maybe you would like to put the chain on?" he then offers and grins fangily. "Or want me to ask Kaira to ... move them around a bit?"
"Hmmm," the Sphynx ponders, narrowing her eyes. "I bet if wrapped the chain around and then locked it, it might keep you out of trouble," she suggests.
Alptraum drapes his arms around Tulani's neck. "It's in the top of my bag," he tells her, then licks her nose. "So, your call..."
"We'll have to test it then," Tulani notes, but does go for the bag to retrieve the chain and lock. "You claim to have been the Savanite back at the spa.. I should make you prove it!"
At that Alptraum laughs. "Well, I do know the combination," he points out, "But I'll behave and not use it." HE slips himself off the bed and stands up, stretching again. "Okay, wow, did I miss this. I missed being tall!"
"Well, spread your legs a bit, Mr. Tall," Tulani says, dangling the chain from two fingers.
"Oh, the comments I could make," Alptraum remarks and waggles his brow as he does as requested.
Tulani kneels down, and giggles a bit before she starts threading the chain, pulling it through each ring slowly.
"You're enjoying this far, far, too much," Alptraum comments. He even reaches down and pets the top of Tulani's head. "I am too, but hey."
"Oh, are you?" Tulani says, and then deliberately brushes her whiskers across areas.. just before tugging the chain taut.
"You are very evil," Alptraum remarks after that little tease. "I'm telling you, if you had gone ... I could be doing this to you too..."
"Yeah, but when I turn into a dragon, I don't have a little helper to adjust things like earrings and stuff," Tulani notes, and loops the chain around Alptraum's shaft a few times before attaching the lock and scrambling the combination! "So, that Savanite had a lot of self control," she notes, standing up to be nose-to-nose with the bat. "Will you?"
"I have plenty of self control," Alptraum claims, eyes narrowing, "Which will begin right after this..." Tulani finds herself picked up, her back pressed against the wall in the small room, and two sharp pains in the base of her shoulder at her neck! He's holding her and biting here. No ... make that drinking her blood!
"H-hey!" Tulani says, not resisting for fear of tearing her skin around the bites. "I thought you were full!"
He doesn't drink long, at least. When he withdraws, he licks the two punctures. "I can always manage to bite you," he whispers in her ear. After letting her down, he goes to actually get dressed now. "Think there is anything to see on this ship?" he asks.
"What?" Tulani asks, blinking a bit. "It's.. just a small airship crammed full of people. We're lucky to have gotten a cabin."
"So .. you're saying we're tuck in this room, together, for the duration?" Alptraum asks. "That could be dangerous..."
"Vampires don't get gas," Tulani notes. "And you still have to do the Savanite routine to prove to me it was you! I guess I'm boring though and you want to mingle. There are Lapi aboard. Probably stacked together like cordwood in one of the curtained bunks.."
"So, you would really risk that with me, would you?" Alptraum teases, leaving his clothing alone for now. He circles around behind Tulani, then leans forward, pressing against her back. "If you say yes I won't be saying another word until you ask me to stop..."
"Hmmm," Tulani goes, leaning back against Alptraum. "Well, I trust you.. and there's always the book.. and something I'm curious to try.. assuming the chain doesn't get in the way.. ahem. Yes, I'll take the risk!"
Alptraum reaches up and taps Tulani's nose with his finger. Given that he says nothing it's likely that he's agreed. Of course when his hands slip down and start going about undressing Tulani it's pretty obvious he has! pull-ties are one by one undone with delicate precision. Buttons are threaded back through their holes ... and within a couple minutes, Alptraum is easing Tulani's shirt off. Given he has dealt with wings all his lif he's quite good at removing clothign from around them without any uncomfortable tugging.
The Sphynx stays quiet, but still her ears blush. "We don't have the tub of hot water and combs and stuff," she notes. "You'll have to improvise!"
Tulani is reminded of how and Eeee's tongue is when Alptraum licks her ear, then rakes his claws up her back like ten needle-point combs. The same claws rake back down as he kneels behind Tulani and reaches around to undo her travel pants. He tugs them down, then carefully extracts each of her feet from the legs. Those he folds and sets aside. He rises, still silent about it, and reaches around. While he's pressed up against her back, he starts claw-combing Tulani's front, gently. He's even more careful around her scar. That might be distracting in itself ... but when he starts licking her left ear, well.
"Hee-hee-heeheehee!" Tulani giggles from the licking, but is also purring. "I may need to lay down! Ear lickies and belly-rubs!"
Instead, Tulani finds herself pulled backwards until Alptraum is sitting on the bunk and Tulani is sitting in his lap. The claw combing gives way to massaging. The Eeee's fingers spread wide as he pressed his palms in firmly, then contract to pull the muscles as well as use his claws to still comb slightly.
The Sphynx purrs and relaxes after the initial tensing from being moved. She reaches up and back with her hands.. and rubs Alptraum's ears! "I've got your ears! You are powerless now, right?" she giggles.
Alptraum can't exactly purr, but he does make a rather odd chirping/rumble sound as his reply. When she said she wanted the savanite treatment, he took her seriously! He holds her in his lap for a while, massaging her stomach and chest while she has a hold of his ears. When she finally releases, through, she finds herself being turned slightly, then laid back on the bunk. The Eeee smiles towards her, silver eyes glinting. His hands cup her left leg, then he draws it up so that he can massage her calf. He doesn't quite stop there because soon he's actually licking the sphynx' feet!
"I don't remember this part!" Tulani laughs. "You're just trying to tickle me into submission I bet!" She doesn't extend her claws though, or try to grab the bat's tongue with her toes.
The bat does bite one of Tulani's toes, though he's rather gentle about it. He works his way up each leg, massaging the muscles and combing the fur out as he works. His expression is ... well, he does look like he's concentrating on his work. Of course the direction he's heading means he'll be grooming even more sensitive areas soonish.
The Sphynx's tail occasionally bats him on the side of the head, but not with much force. Tulani is 'in the happy zone' now, purring and holding the backs of her hands to her chin, fingers curled. This squishes other things together to make them seem more perky, and partially hides her scar.
Perhaps surprisingly, Alptraum actually behaves himself when he reaches Tulani's hips. True, he continues the massage and does use his tongue to help with grooming ... but he doesn't try to take it any further than that. Maybe he's trying to to frustrate her for a change. It's not like he's telling right now!
Frustration might be what makes the Sphynx twitch her hips around.. and then something clicks in Alptraum's head, and he's 'connected' to Little Alptraum once more. And the gold is making things very tingly!
Alptraum twitches. "Well, this is shades of Olympia," he thinks as he tries to keep himself focused on the task at hand. The tingle is not helping, nor is the tightness it starts to feel. Still ... he pauses to take a breath, collect himself, then move upward where he works on massaging her abs.
Tulani doesn't make this part easier, since now her wings are out and 'accidentally' brushing Alptraum, along with her tail. She still purrs on innocently though!
This earns Tulani a raspberry! The Eeee also leans forward to put some of his own weight on her to keep her wings down. It's also the second time he nurses on Tulani ... only this time he chooses the right part anatomically speaking ... and doesn't use his fangs.
"Oooo," Tulani coos, and laces her fingers behind Alptraum's neck. "Still in control?" she purrs.
Alptraum answers this with a playful nip, then he switches to the other one for a minute or two. When he rises up, he brings Tulani with him. He's careful about it as he lays her now face down on the bunk and slides himself off. This gives her a chance to look at the Eeee with a dozen bits of jewelry now, with only half actually in his ears. No words are yet used, his head merely tilts to the side, his eyes half-close, and he smiles. With her on her stomach, he can now safely and easily work on her wings. focusing on them helps to not think about the odd tingles down below.
"You look a little bigger from this angle," Tulani notes. Her tail is still being a tease though even if her wings are now under control.
Alptraum lightly flicks Tulani's ear for that. The Eeee then settles himself down on the backs of her legs. Why is soon apparent as he takes her tail tip into his mouth to hold it while he claw-grooms along her tail's length.
"No biting the tail!" Tulani warns. "Or I'll bite yours!"
Alptraum isn't biting it hard, he's just holding it while he grooms it. Soon he's back to working on her back, the massage focusing on the complex joints that connect her wings to her shoulders. Still, he says nothing.
The Sphynx, denied the use of her tail... wiggles her butt. And also reaches over the edge of the bunk to rummage blindly through their luggage, until she pulls up.. the book.
Alptraum starts massaging her butt since he figures if she wiggles it, she must want it massaged! Or so he would claim were he speaking. He spots the book, then clicks his tongue and shakes his head from side to side. It doesn't interrupt the work of his hands, though!
Tulani's rear has muscular, and knows tricks, but does succumb to massaging as the brainier end flips through the pages, making it's own ooos and clucks and other sounds of approval or disapproval.
Alptraum is pretty sure the occasional use of his claws were the cause of some of the reactions he's getting. He's now just working around the upper base of her tail and lower back. He's primarily using the palms of his hands to stretch out the flatter muscles there.
Tulani continues to purr and look through the book, and Alptraum begins to feel the chain.. well.. biting in as other parts of him have their own agenda, no matter what he seems to focus on.
Alptraum finally gives into a bit of a pained growl when things start to hurt. "Okay, so this is really uncomfortable," he thinks, "I guess it is doing its job!" Still, he's not saying anything and continuing to focus on just massaging her back and legs. He also makes it a point to not look at the book while he works, no point in tempting fate.
"Hey, is this really possible?" Tulani asks, holding up the book to point out one of the more convoluted illustrations. "I mean.. wouldn't things snap off if you lost balance for just a moment.. and did you just growl?"
Alptraum looks over and recognizes the position as the twelfth one that was sone with the Ki'rin. HE manages a very pained smile, then a nod by way of the answer. She wanted the savanite treatment, so he isn't speaking! "Wow does this hurt," he finds himself thinking again, "It's almost as bad as Gorphat's burning gift when I'm Nicora."
Tulani does look at Alptraum's expression, and then looks down. "Oh.. that looks.. uh.. uncomfortable?" she says. "Do you want me to undo the lock?"
Alptraum actually shrugs at that, then nods towards her, perhaps indicating it is her decision. He draws a breath, then starts to work on Tulani's shoulders.
"Okay, maybe in a few moments," the Sphynx says, letting the book drop as she relaxes her arms and rests her head on the bunk, rumbling more than purring.
"I think she likes the feeling of control," Alptraum thinks, amused. He makes a somewhat playful squeak-chirping sound, then kneads firmly into her shoulders. The pain helps in some sense, it keeps him from getting, ah, too wanting to do other things so far.
The tail still twitches while Alptraum holds it in his teeth, but these seem more involuntary. The loud purring on the other hand almost causes a sympathetic vibration is the bat's own tuning fork, as it where, which doesn't help at all with the pain!
Alptraum snorts a bit when things start hurting again. He finally just spits out Tulani's tail and focuses on breathing and massaging. "Think unpleasant thoughts. Think about Vorgulremik and the dream of being raped by him," he thinks, trying to get things to calm down!
The problem there is that the dream sort of foreshadowed Alptraum's transformation into Nicora.. and that just brings up the memory of when Snow had Kaira change her into Alptraum, and Alptraum into Snow..
Alptraum grits his teeth and consigns himself to extreme discomfort. He also has to admit, that chain is pretty strong. He just shakes his head, amused at the fact he puts himself into these situations.
"Sooo," Tulani purrs languidly, as only a feline can, "have you suffered enough yet?"
Alptraum draws in a deep breath, then looks at Tulani and dips his head, then rolls his hand towards her, again probably offering her the choice. It is what he would have done as the savanite, after all.
"Okay, get up off of me then and I'll unlock your.." Here the Sphynx smiles, and bats her eyes.
Alptraum leans down and kisses the top of Tulani's muzzle. It's rather painful to get back to his feet as it turns out, but he does manage it. There he waits, fingers interlaced behind his back so his hands don't get in the way.
Tulani stands up in the cramped space next to the bunk, then licks Alptraum's nose before pushing him back down onto the bunk. "Lie back, it'll be easier.." she promises.
The bat goes down with a squeak! Both from the surprise and from the sudden tugging the shift in movement causes. His brow arches slightly as he looks at Tulani, then lays down on his back. He looks up at the ceiling at first, then decides to just close his eyes so he doesn't have to see Tulani tease about unlocking.
"Uh oh," the Sphynx says, after sitting on Alptraum's knees and fiddling with his nethers a bit. "What was the combination?" she asks.
Alptraum lifts his hands up. He doesn't use silent sign, but actually tries to make the shapes of each of the first letters of the colors. 'B' 'Y' 'R' he shapes each one, slow and careful.
"You can talk now," Tulani notes as she turns the rings.. and then the horrible squeezing stops.. although the Sphynx has to pull the chain away from the little depressions in Alptraum's skin.
"You wanted proof," Alptraum remarks, his tone a bit pained as the chain pulls away from his skin. "And that little device works well. Ouch."
"Did it really hurt?" Tulani asks.. and then tries to massage out the impressions.
"It wasn't agonizing, but it was uncomfortable," Alptraum admits, then shrugs ... though both now seem very distracted. "But that's okay. I did get it for that purpose, to try and keep things in check. Plus, I think you seemed to be enjoying knowing it was there..."
Tulani finishes fiddling with it.. and then crawls forwards to lie down right on top of Alptraum. "I'm flattered that you would go through that for me," she tells him, twitching her whiskers.
"When things calm back down, I'm expecting you to lock it back on," Alptraum remarks, lips curled up impishly. "And believe it or not, I do want you to have fun. That's really what is most important. I'd even have Kaira turn me into a hog if it would amuse you. I'm an entertainer at heart, I like to see people smile."
"I.. don't see what's so amusing about a hog," Tulani admits, resting her chin on Alptraum's shoulder. "So, you weren't trying to seduce me with the Savanite then?" she asks.
"Snow found it pretty funny. The experience was quite interesting for me, too," Alptraum admits, "Being a hog, that is. And no, I really wasn't trying to seduce you as the savanite. There are boundaries you don't cross, and one is tricking friends into being intimate with you if they really don't want to be. I wanted you to have fun, not feel uncomfortable later."
"So, you don't want to seduce me then?" Tulani asks, cocking her head in that female, 'there is no correct answer for this but you'd best get right' sort of look.
Alptraum actually smirks. "Only when you really want it to and are certain," he answers honestly. "It does change a friendship some when you cross that particular threshold. I'd rather keep a friendship and not cross it, then cross it and ruin a friendship."
"Oh, and here I was gonna sleep with you and everything," Tulani claims. "Now that you have me all worked up. And there was something I wanted to try too.."
"Oh, so now you want it, do you?" Alptraum asks and drapes his hands around Tulani's waist. "And just what were you wanting to try, hmmm?"
"I dunno, it might sound weird to you," the Sphynx claims.
"After all the things I've been, I doubt it can be any weirder," Alptraum claims. He lifts his head up and licks her nose. "And remember, I am the safe friend you can try anything with ... so tell me."
"Wellll," Tulani says, and bites her lip. "What if you kenned me while we were making love? What would happen?" she asks.
"I ... I have no idea," Alptraum admits, "I suspect that the closeness would be beyond describable, maybe akin to what Melusine has done to me. But that is just a guess. Dear Tulani ... are you lusting to be kenned again?"
"Wellll," Tulani says again, trying to look innocent. "I mean.. it would be meaningful right? A real connection?"
"It's one of the most intimate connections that can be made," Alptraum explains. amused. "It's also putting a lot of trust in me, because when I have you completely engulfed, I could literally do anything to you..."
The Sphynx shivers on top of Alptraum.. which causes things to rub around, as well. "Well, you wouldn't though. I mean.. if you tried to change something, it might trigger my dragon reflex, like when you surprised me the first time you kenned me."
"Of course I wouldn't try to," Alptraum claims as he actually tries to start extending his shadow from his right hand as he holds Tulani. It is resting in the small of her back, after all. "I was just pointing out what the risks were," he adds.
"Well.. I'll tell you when to do it, how's that?" Tulani notes with a grin.
"You're in control," Alptraum claims, grinning fangily.
Tulani sits up, and proves she's in control.. by taking hold of Little Alptraum... and getting things started!
"Just remember to put the chain back when we're both worn out," Alptraum teases and grins widely. What happens next is ... a considerable amount of time just exploring each other. He lets Tulani guide the pace and direction, only proceeding in things when the Sphynx relays her approval. She's exposed to many of the things he has been learning ... and that perhaps his time as Nicora has taught him plenty about anatomy. The lead-up is drawn out; more massaging, kissing, and gentle exploration, along with demonstrations of the fun features of Eeee anatomy, such as their tongues and prehensile feet. When the joining does come, Alptraum leaves it entirely to Tulani. She controls the pace at which their bodies join and direct the speed from there. It's all about making sure she is comfortable. He practically feels the shadow squirming beneath his skin, though, aching to engulf her when she gives the word...
Unlike in the beach pavilion, Tulani is not passive about things - and her claws do come out. She's very feline when she gets going, but has the hybrid strength to make things very interesting. Before her breathing gets too heavy, she whispers, "Okay.. now!"
Alptraum's eyes close and he gives his shadow a hard push, trying to press it out through his skin and engulf Tulani in its warm and odd embrace. Not only engulf, but sink within her, to hold her in a ken for as long as he can safely do it without her suffocating ... or accidentally doing something to her.
The shadow spreads out, flows over Tulani.. and also over Alptraum! The kenning starts, and it's like standing between two mirrors - reflections bouncing and re-reflecting! The Eeee feels Tulani.. and feels himself inside of her.. and it just washes back and forth. There's also another presence; Kaira is there, in the background, keeping things from spiralling out of control as the shadow seems to want to melt the two beings together into one. And then the explosions come, echoing back and forth between the two bodies!
It's hard to even think about what is happening; it's all about just feeling it. The fears about something bad fade when he feels Kaira there, regulating it. So instead he gets lost in the sensation. This is something completely new, even when Melusine kenned him regularly it never felt quite like this. This is mindblowing.
Eventually the waves and echoes die down, and the shadow begins to recede and break the link - although it isn't a clean break, as there are still moments of confusion where the Eeee and Sphynx seem to swap bodies, blurring the differences between them. But finally things settle, and Alptraum is fully himself again, with a panting half-Vartan Khatta lying on top of him.. and biting his shoulder.
"Ouch," Alptraum tells Tulani, though his tone is gentle when he does so and he's petting her neck and back slowly. "Okay, that was a bit intense, Kaira. I'm glad you were there," he tells the dragon.
"Does this count as a threesome?" the dragon asks, a bit teasingly.
"It might. And a better one than you, me, and Melusine," Alptraum teases right back.
Tulani does let go of the bat's shoulder, and then licks his nose with her sandpaper tongue. "Mmmmm, that was... I could taste you.. and.. is that what it feels like for you when you ken someone?"
"Parts of it, yes. There are definite advantages to being fused with a Shadow Dragon," Alptraum admits, ears feeling hot. "So ... now I guess you know why I like to use my abilities..."
"They're addictive," Tulani says. "Like when I'm a dragon.. it's hard to come back."
"Yes, they are. It feels amazing to use them. It feels amazing to have them used on me. Having my body shaped is ... well, the experience is quite enjoyable. To see the world in different ways," Alptraum admits as he idly continues to pet Tulani's neck.
The Sphynx purrs, and asks, "So, you've never done that with anyone else before? Not even Mave?"
"No. The closest I've done that with is Melusine, and even then it wasn't as ... explosive as that was," Alptraum says.
Tulani grins. "So, was I the best you've ever had then?" she asks coyly.
"No, that would be Rosalind," Alptraum answers, grinning. "You're a close second..."
"Awww," Tulani complains, sticking her tongue out. "You're supposed to lie when a girl asks you that, you know! Now we'll have to do it again!"
Alptraum laughs. "Rosalind is a witch, she would curse both of us if she thought she was at risk," he teases, then licks Tulani's ear lightly. "And you really don't want to be cursed!"
"I'm already cursed, aren't I?" Tulani notes, rising up enough to tap her scar.. which she then presses back down against Alptraum's scar.
"I wouldn't call you cursed. I've experienced real curses," Alptraum says, "Real ones don't have a fun aspect to them. Like ... watching your own arm rot. Or suffering through one of Gorphat's trials. I would call you blessed. You enjoy the scar and the shifting, right?"
"Yes.. but it does cause some odd feelings now and then," Tulani admits. "Like.. well.. I want to steal your golden rings for some reason. Or lick them."
"Alptraum laughs. "Well ... you could have gotten your own. I bet we could find you some in the city..." he teases Tulani. "But these are mine. I want to keep them."
"But if you want to lick them ... I wouldn't complain," he teases...
"Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't.. except my tongue is a bit abrasive," Tulani notes. "I could just rub parts against them though," she suggests, and wiggles her parts.
"I could have Kaira help me give you an Eeee tongue for a bit," Alptraum offers and waggles his brow. He then hugs Tulani again and laughs. "I guess you really did miss me."
"Is there anything you would like to see me do with the shadow?" Alptraum asks, thinking of something, "Do you want me to test if the wraith might try to take over if I withdraw the dagger?"
"Eww, why?" Tulani asks. "That'd be horrible!"
"To see if it would actually happen?" Alptraum explains. "It's one of the reasons I didn't want to change back."
"Hmmm, I suppose we could test it, just to make certain," Tulani says. "But what would happen if it tried? What happened before?"
"I start to change, painfully. Just re-inserting the dagger would stop it," Alptraum explains and holds up his right arm. "Want to be the one to pull it?" Mentally, he asks, "Kaira, we'er going to see if the wraith still wants to take over. We're going to pull the dagger out for a couple minutes..."
"It took longer before, nearly a day, didn't it?" Kaira asks.
"Maybe? This is just a quick check to see if I can go for a bit without it," Alptraum thinks.
"Okay, here goes," Tulani says, and tugs on the dagger - which comes out easily, since it hasn't been in long. She seems to expect blood or something. "Ah, that was easy!"
Alptraum shakes out his hand and flexes his fingers. The Eeee then runs his hand over the top of his head, feeling for the formation of spines, horns, or, well, anything really.
Tulani squeezes with her muscles down below. "I don't feel any changes," she reports.
"Grrk," goes Alptraum. "Ha ha," he remarks and promptly licks her nose. "Well, I seem stable for now. So ... it must take some time if it does. Okay, think we should put it back or leave it out for a bit?"
"Well, maybe it happens faster if you're more active?" Tulani suggests with a feline grin. "Want to have another go? You can be on top this time.."
"I'd feel more comfortable doing that with the dagger back in," Alptraum admits and holds his arm out for Tulani to re-insert the dagger, "Much less risk to you. As for another go, how about you just lay back and relax ... and let me see just how worked up and work out I can get you." He licks his lips suggestively.
"Oh, okay, I guess that's worth stabbing you again," Tulani says, licking her own lips and handing the dagger back.
The dagger goes back in and feels oddly comfortable being inside his arm, even if a bit cold. "Now, I think I'll devour you in a very nice way ... maybe try a few ideas from the book and save a shadow-bond for last," the Eeee offers. "Time to show her just how much you've really learned, both as Alptraum and Nicora!"
For a 'low comfort' trip, Alptraum and Tulani have managed to do quite a bit to keep each other entertained. It's but a bit of strain on the cheap bunks, but overall the two seem to have gotten past the snarking that had been going on before the journey began.
Right now Alptraum is lounging on his side on the bunk, still undressed, except for his earrings and glittering gold rings. He has the white chitin chain in his right hand and he is playing with it between his fingers, making a single-hand 'cat's cradle' from it.
"Say Tulani," Alptraum remarks as he looks over to the Sphynx, "Would you be interested in seeing all the forms I've learned? Since there are no mages and the Light is available, it's a perfect time to show you them. I've learned the forms of lots of people and no, not all of them were because we were intimate!"
"There's a way to ken someone that isn't intimate, you're saying?" Tulani asks, also lying on her side next to the bat. "Okay then; this should be interesting."
"No, I mean I didn't sleep with all of them," he explains. Alptraum, through a bit of flexibility, rolls himself off the bunk so that he's on the floor nearby. The chain is set aside, and after a bit of fumbling around, Alptraum looks for his dagger. Once found, in his arm it goes.
"Everything's still in place, I see," Kaira notes. "Ready to return to the estrogen side?"
"Almost! I wanted to show Tulani a lot of the forms I've collected during my trip. It's not quite like meeting the real thing, but it'll be fun, I think," Alptraum thinks, sitting crosslegged now on the floor. "Who do you think I should start with? Rina, perhaps? Or maybe the buck or the doe from the spa?"
"That depends.. are you going to sleep with her in any of these forms?" Kaira asks. Alptraum can't see her, but he can tell she's probably leering.
"/Well, if that happens, it'll probably be the last one. I want to save the Savanite for last, you see,/" Alptraum explains. "/But of course right before that I want to become a boar again, just to weird her out ... Now, okay, I'll decide. Lets start with Rina..."
The shadow oozes out and engulfs Alptraum, and he starts to feel odd cravings. By the time it retreats, the Eeee has become a hooded Skreek, black on top and white elsewhere. The lower rings are once more in their original positions, more or less given the slightly different anatomy. The rings that were in his wings are now worn on naked pink fingers.
"That's pretty impressive," Tulani admits, sitting up now. "Where did you meet this one?"
Rina-traum wiggles her be-ringed fingers. She grins at Tulani, then leans forward until her arms are resting on the bunk. "This is here Igorina. Rina for short. A 'servant of someone you know Doctor Twig. She's a dentist and a ... what was it called, gynecologist? A very crazy and scary skreek with a maniacal laugh." She proceeds to demonstrate said laugh for Tulani.
"Dr. Twig! How'd you run into him?" Tulani asks, and feels the fur of Rina-traum's cheek. "And you didn't sleep with this one? She sounds like your type."
"Oh, I did. Well, she chained me to her bed so I didn't have a lot of choice," Rina-traum admits and playfulyl nips at Tulani's fingers. "He's an old friend of Rosalind's, and I had to collect something from him for another as part of a small task. Rina also did a thorough examination of Nicora and told me Nicora is a perfectly healthy, fully functioning, female Eeee. I don't ever recommend that kind of examination. It was ... cold and uncomfortable."
"So.. you slept with her as Nicora?" Tulani asks, eyes wide. "She likes chaining women to her bed?"
"Well, she doesn't care, but no, it was as Alptraum, before I was changed," Rina-traum explains.
"I visited them on my trip to meet you, it was a decent stop point. They wanted to examine me because of what happened," she claims.
The Sphynx ohs.. "So I don't have to worry about being tied up by a rat-girl then?" she asks, just to be certain - even though she's grinning.
""I don't know about that. Snow and I discovered that two women can have a lot of fun together," Rina-traum claims and waggles her rodent-y brow.
"Hmmm, you probably can turn into her too," Tulani notes, rolling her eyes. "Did you enjoy being shackled?"
"It was ... fun. When there isn't any real risk, things like that sure add a little spice," Rina-traum claims as she sits back. "I'll show you the next one, unless you want to ask anything more about this one or examine the body?"
"Examine the body?" Tulani asks dubiously. "What's it like having naked parts?" she asks, no doubt indicating the hands, feet and tail.
Rina-traum wiggles her fingers and tail. "Pretty strange. Being human and completely naked is even stranger. And you're right, I have Snow's pattern. Want to see it?" she asks, grinning.
"One nice thing about naked parts is that they're really sensitive," Rina-traum adds as she reaches over and tickles under Tulani's chin.
The Sphynx swats a bit at the tickling digit, in a playful way. "Okay, sure, show me the mysterious Snow!"
Rina-Traum taps Tulani's nose and sits back, closing her eyes. "Okay, change me into Snow," she asks of Kaira. "I'm curious if her body will complain about the jewelry ... and I bet Rina would like it!"
Moments later, Snow-traum realizes something else: airships at altitude are really damn cold when you don't have fur or clothes. And she's very aware of the rings down below, which also feel cold. Even those on her fingers are irritating to some degree.
"Wow, she's like a ghost!" Tulani notes, and pokes Snow-traum in a softer area to make sure she's real.
"Ooookay, that is really cold!" Snow-Traum complains as she starts shifting about as a naked human. She also playfully swats at Tulani's poke. "Snow is a really good friend and she likes me a great deal. I think I'm her closest friend. She tells me her own kind is scared of her. They shouldn't be." She also ends up placing her hands over her jewelry to try and warm it up.
Tulani helps by wrapping a wing around the human, even though the feathers tickle terribly. "I guess she isn't much a social type? With your silver eyes, it's like you just have two black dots in the middle of your face too, instead of eyes. Scary!"
"She isn't very social, no," Snow-traum admits. "She said she's more comfortable around monsters, which I guess is why she likes me." she adds with a laugh. "I do miss her; she's been my travel companion since you and Arkold went your separate ways."
"A Shrine Maiden, no less.. I have trouble seeing you with someone like that, for some reason," Tulani notes. "She looks so innocent!"
"She's less innocent than I am!" Snow-traum claims,
"I think you see me mostly with dangerous women, like a Yodhgorphat or yodhblakat ... or Rina. Scary at some level," Snow-traum adds. "Don't you?"
"Well, scarier than me certainly," Tulani admits. "You seemed more attracted to the dangerous sort."
"You're plenty dangerous," Snow-traum claims. "And time for the next surprise!" "Heheh, okay, Kaira .... since I'm in her wing, turn me into Twig..." Snow-traum thinks.
This takes a bit longer, subjectively. But when Alptraum sees again, he sees Tulani's eyes reflecting a red glow from his own, and feels.. well, like an Eeee again. The rings have returned to his wings as well.
"Oh.." Tulani says, and blushes. "I never thought of seeing Dr. Twig naked, you know."
"Vell ... hello therth," Twig-traum slurs due to the really large fangs. He even waggles his brow. "Like vhat youth thee?"
"You're acting thilly," Tulani accuses, and tugs at one of the fangs with her fingers. "You didn't do the electric lizard too, did you?"
"What?" Tulani asks. "That's.. kinky? I dunno. Did you sleep with Twig too?"
"It wasth for scienth," Twig-traum claims. "Plus he lusted forth Rowse."
"I guess it's true, the old claim that when you sleep with someone, you're sleeping with everyone they've ever slept with," the Sphynx says. "But with you it's physically literal!" she notes with a laugh.
"Hahahaha," Twig-traum remarks, amused as well, really. "Lets try the doe from the spa next," Twig-traum suggests to Kaira.
The bunny, at least, is much warmer. She's also Alptraum-colored - or lack-of-colored. Kaira probably didn't see a reason to be exact with the Lapi.
"Where did you meet a Lapi?" Tulani asks, predictably.
"And this is a doe from a spa I visited when Nicora was going through her first cycle," Doe-traum explains in a soft and very effeminate voice. "The first cycle was ... horrible. It was like being kicked from the inside multiple times a day."
The Sphynx suddenly pulls Doe-traum into a hugging embrace! "Soffffft!" she purrs.
Doe-traum acks! "It's also my own fault it was horrible. I practically asked Gorphat to make it bad. She taunted me when I asked her to make it easy ... and I took her bait," she admits.
"You are crazy, you know that right?" Tulani asks, still cuddling. "Why would you even talk to one of those goddesses?"
"Because Phlagaea still adores her and I wanted to make Phlagaea happy," Doe-traum admits. "She feels so isolated and no one shares her faith."
"You're also making me feel like a stuffed toy," Doe-traum adds just before nibbling the side of Tulani's neck with her buck teeth.
"Eee, no nibbling!" Tulani squeals and releases the doe.
"Awww," Doe-traum says and blinks disturbingly cute eyes at Tulani. "The doe's brother, the buck," she requests of Kaira.
The change is quicker, and the rings don't move (for the Lapi forms, the wing ones move to the ears). But now Buck-traum is bigger, and.. well, is a Lapi buck lying next to a naked Sphynx girl.
"You got two Lapis?" Tulani asks in surprise.
"Hello there pretty kitty," Buck-traum teases Tulani. "This one is the brother of the doe you just saw."
"Also worked at the spa then?" Tulani asks. "Another casual kenning?"
The Sphynx also runs her fingers through the buck's thicker chest ruff of fur. "Cuddly!"
"The girl was, the male ... Nicora and he, well, were a little intimate," Buck-traum admits. "He was so cuddly, nice, and soft. It just sort of ... happened."
"Ah, and you were feeling messy I bet," Tulani asks, and cuddles the bunny. "Too bad you don't have antlers though, or purple fur.."
"Cryptopher! I met him again later. I see why you liked him. I couldn't ken him. Too risky to ken something supernatural," Buck-traum explains. "And yes, I was feeling all .. icky. Gooy and drainy."
"You should stay a bunny tonight so I can cuddle you in my sleep," Tulani purrs. "But you probably have others to show me too?"
"Yes, I do! And don't worry, I have ideas for the final body," Buck-traum claims. "Okay, lets do the dark elf. I don't think she has seen that, outside of Ravenia..." she suggests to Kaira.
Once more, there is a chill from naked skin, but not as pronounced as it was with Snow-traum. Elf-traum has the height advantage now, being much longer than Tulani, if nearly as slender. "Oooo, dark skin and pointy ears!" the Sphynx coos, and runs her finger-pads along the bare flesh. "More interesting than the practically see-through ghost skin before."
Elf-traum can't help herself and gets a look at the dark body too, checking where her jewelry ended up. "Yes," she says, her voice having a sultry quality to it. "I rather like this body too. Its urges, though, can be scary at times."
Once more, wing-rings ended up in the ears, while the rest.. well, stayed in place, essentially. "What sort of urges?" Tulani asks, and licks Elf-traum's nose. "Like a vampire?"
"Like wanting to tie you to the bunk and torment you until we reach port," Elf-traum claims, lips curled back into a rather evil-looking smile. "Apparently this line of elf leans towards darker tendencies."
"Oh, there are demure, chaste ones that hide in beds of flowers and sing to little birds?" Tulani asks with a silly grin.
"I'm pretty sure there are," Elf-traum admits and now returns the nose lick, though her tongue is not early so rough. "And now, lets see..."
"Mave is next, please," Elf-traum thinks to Kaira. "She would be mortified to know her body was in such an ugly cabin..."
It's hard to notice the shadow covering Elf-traum, except for the glistening effect. But what emerges from the dark coccoon is none other than Mave - with some added jewelry!
"Okay, that's freaky," Tulani admits. "Mave is scary!"
"Boo," Mave-traum says to Tulani. "Mave would look good with similar jewelry, but she would never do it," she adds after looking herself over. She even reaches down and flicks the ring in Inala's Orb to see if it feels the same as Nicora, or different.
It feels.. well, Mave is very familiar with her own body, and it's noticeable.
"Out of curiosity, can you access any of the odd forms Melusine has done to me?" Mave-traum asks Kaira in thought as she qquickly quits messing with the jewelry. "I also have patterns of your brother and Gamal. Care to see either of those?" she asks Tulani.
"I don't have access to Melusine's changes, no," Kaira says apologetically. "Only the ones stored by the shadow and whatever I find laying around here in hell."
"I think either of those would be.. kinda creepy," Tulani admits. "Not as creepy as if you turned into me, but still pretty creepy."
"Okay, hm. She has seen the dragon ... and she just requested it! Turn me into Tulani," Mave-traum thinks deviously.
"Are you sure?" Kaira asks. "She may never look at you as a bed-partner again you know!"
"I'm sure. The form I'll end on will make up for it," Mave-traum thinks.
Bat-to-Sphynx isn't so hard, except for growing the tail. The rings won't work in feathered wings though, so once more end up on ears, and the other rings feel funny - maybe felines are more sensitive down there? There's no need to deal with color changes either, although the eyes remain silver.
"Augh!" Tulani goes. "See? That's weird! You look just like me! Why would you ever want to be like me?" she asks.
"Hello sister," Tul-traum purrs at Tulani, then reaches over and pets Tulani's cheek. "As for why ... because you're my friend and I adore you? You're beautiful, exotic, and fun. I'm normally just an Eeee."
"Well, true, but..." Suddenly the Sphynx narrows her eyes, and asks, "What have you used my body for? Anything?"
"I've actually been very good with your body," Tul-traum claims. "I haven't gone around seducing anyone in it. The only time it was used I think was when Snow wanted to see it."
"Well, in that case.. wait," Tulani says, still sounding suspicious. "You can change other people now, right? So did you change anyone into me?"
"And now you can see how it would have turned out if you had gone with me to see Hayfa," Tul-traum claims, grinning and stretching so that Tulani can see the rings in all their glory.
"I don't know if the effect would have been as good on me," Tulani notes. "After all, they wouldn't move around when I transformed."
Tul-traum actually has to think on when she has used Tulani's form. "I used it on Snow, she needed to be able to fly to keep up on a trip, and yours was the most sturdy form I had. It was odd flying with you, but it wasn't you," she says. "I do have to agree. It's weird." She then gives Tulani one of her own impish grins and waggles her brow. "Want to kiss me?"
"Ewww, I don't want to know what it feels like to kiss myself," the Sphynx claims. "That's.. way too self-conscious!"
"Pity, you're a very good kisser," Tul-traum teases. "And now that I've weirded you out ... I'll make you feel better by embarrassing myself," she says as she slides out of the bunk and back to the floor. "I'll see what ... less glamorous forms I have..."
"So I'm glamorous then?" Tulani asks coyly, before Tul-traum can change again, even though the shadow is already creeping around the Sphynx body.
"Okay, so lets see. You can't do the spider bat thing that Melusine did to me. That was pretty humiliating," Tul-traum thinks to Kaira, "Do you have any thoughts? If not, well, I guess it's time to become a hog again. It'll probably get a good laugh. Change me back to Alptraum when you feel it's getting risky to hold it." Out loud, Tul-traum says, "Of course you are!"
"One side of bacon, coming up.. don't wreck the furniture!" Kaira notes, and the bat floats in limbo for longer than the other changes. And when he can see again, Tulani is giving him the weirdest look of shock and amusement. "You've got to be pulling my tail," she giggles.
The problem with this form is that it does affect Alptraum's mind. It's a lot harder to think and it takes effort for him to understand what Tulani just said. His eyesight is also quite ... strange. There's a bit of scrabbling as he tries to get back to his feet, broad nose twitching slightly. He looks up at Tulani and grunts ... and his clouded mind does wonder what Kaira did with the jewelry.
Tulani answers that question, but fiddling with Hog-traum's curly tail. She pulls it straight, and when it returns to it's spring-shape it jingles from the rings piercing it. There are some in his ears too, and several along his belly.. oh right, even boars have nipples, and each one has a ring in it now.
And the last one, from that very sensitive nub.. is now dangling from Hog-traum's nostrils! He can smell his previous incarnation on it still.
The body is awkward at best from Alptraum's perspective. Well, at least not very flexibly. It takes a few awkward rotations and a few failed attempts with his front limbs before he's got his front limbs up on the cot where Tulani lounges. His nose twitches a bit as he snuffles at her. The scents on the ring are ... confusing at best. He was just Tulani ... so he's smelling Tulani!
The real Tulani scratches the top of Hog-traum's head. "You can't even talk now, can you? With a collar and leash, you'd be like an oversized pet!" she points out.
Possibly in response to Tulani's question, Alptraum grunts again. No, he can't speak at all like this. His head tilts a bit as he leans into the scratching. "Feels good, is about the level of thought he's managing right now.
Alas, as good as it feels to be scratched, the Tulani smell from the ring is starting to be overpowered by the food smell from the Sphynx's box-lunch, tucked away next to their packs.
The hog's nose twitches and he slips his feet off the bunk. The low-built, muscular, creature heads right for the packs and he starts rooting around! Once he locates the box, he starts nosing at it to see if it will open.
"Hey!" Tulani squeaks, and is suddenly trying to pull Hog-traum back away from her snacks! It's not easy - strong as she is, the hog has density and stubbornness in his side. Before Tulani grabs for the nose ring as a means of control, Kaira notes, "Okay, I think that's enough of that! If you eat her food, Tulani may decide to have pork chops instead." The black shadow begins to ooze out over the tough hog-hair.
"Okay, whew. That was weird. Oddly enjoyable, but weird," Alptraum thinks now that the shadow is starting to be active, which gives him some level of mental faculty back. "I suppose I'll have to make it up to her now, so it's time for the savanite she liked a great deal at the spa. Can I make suggestions on the rings for that form?"
"Being a pig is a very low-stress lifestyle," Kaira suggests. "Eat, sleep, rut. Oh, where would you like the rings?"
"Well, I felt how you positioned them on the hog," Alptraum thinks as he floats, "So maybe put two of the wing rings in my nipples. The others well, where you have been putting them on the male bodies is quite fine. And this body I hope will make of for weirding her out..."
"That leaves two extra.. ears or nostrils for those?" the dragon offers.
"One in the ear, one in the nose, kind of like how it was positioned on the hog," Alptraum decides after a bit of thought.
When the shadow withdraws, the cheetah is on the floor, his head resting on a pack, and looking up at a wary Tulani ready to pounce! "Oh," she says, relaxing a bit. "You really were that Savanite.. uh.. what was your name?" she asks.
Arsenios sits up and rubs at his nose, feeling for a ring. He can't actually tell her his name, and he makes a point of this by making a small chirp sound instead and then looks for something to write on in his pack.
"I probably should have asked before you changed," Tulani admits. "I could call you.. uh.. Spot-traum!"
Arsenios tries something. He taps the floor, then tries to draw out in motion each letter of his name, slowly. A-r-s-e-n-i-o-s. This of course means he's leaning over and Kaira's ring positioning becomes quite apparent. "Okay, things swaying there are a bit distracting," he decides, "And the nose one ... weeerrrrid."
"Ohhh," Tulani says, as she figures it out. "Arsenios?" she asks. "I guess that's clearer than wiggling your butt and pointing to your nose!"
Arsenios smirks a bit at that. He taps his chest then gestures towards Tulani. Perhaps he's trying to say he 'belongs' to her. His head tilts a bit, curious to see if she understands.
"So, you're my slave when you're like this?" Tulani asks, then sits in the cheetah's lap so she can reach around him and rummage through her own bag.
Arsenios drapes his arms around Tulani's waist and nods once, firmly, to indicate that she is correct in understanding. He even purrs at her.
The Sphynx retrieves.. her hairbrush! "Okay, please brush out my hair then," she tells the cheetah, offering the brush.
Arsenios takes the brush and tips his head slightly to the side, then nods in agreement. "I actually miss having the collar on this body, but I will make do," he thinks as he gently nudges Tulani's head to get a better angle o her hair, then starts brushing it out. he works from the ends upward to avoid pulling or tugging to much on any tangles.
Meanwhile, Tulani just drapes her body across Arsenios and purrs loudly from the grooming.
It's impressive that Arsenios seems to remember his training from the spa. He purrs gently along with her and grooms her hair. Once all the tangles are out, he draws the brush through it in fluid strokes. Since only one hand is occupied, his other one moves and caresses Tulani's cheeks gently.
The Sphynx's tongue-tip sticks out from the caresses, and she asks, "So.. is this the last one you're going to show me?"
Arsenios lifts Tulani's chin up so that she can see him. He taps his chest again, then gestures to her in a similar motion as before. It probably means your choice if the first meant he belonged to her.
"Okay, I think you can stay like this for a while longer then," Tulani says, graciously. "Now that we're not at the spa, I think you can finish what you started there this time!"
Arsenios leans over and picks up the chain he was playing with earlier and dangles it in front of Tulani's nose questioningly to see if she would want to use it. He also pauses in brush-grooming to lean down and lick-groom each of Tulani's ears.
Tulani hmmms, and takes the chain.. and drapes it around the cheetah's neck, before reattaching the lock! It's somewhat tight, but not restrictively so. "Feel better with this?" she asks with a grin.
Arsenios grins, then purrs at Tulani in confirmation. He actually lifts her up, then turns and lays her face down on the bunk before he resumes grooming. Her hairbrush is used in sweeping strokes along her head, then down her back, and even down and out along her arms and legs. The brush is soon followed by the savanite's tongue, though as he also engages in more traditional feline grooming.
The Sphynx relaxes and purrs as before, with only her tail showing animation and mood - and it seems to be playful again!
Playful or not, Arsenios does not rush anything. The grooming is meticulous with its brushing and gentle licking. The only pause in it comes when he has to turn her over, only to resume grooming the maddingly slow pace. He's thorough in his work, no part of her is overlooked. In fact her more sensitive areas tend to get the most attention. It's easily a couple hours later when Tulani looks up and finally finds herself looking into the savanite's eyes. He purrs at her ... and the moment denied at the spa finally comes. Even without the shadow this time there is still a feeling of connection.