Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction / Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction ❯ Poke Walk ❯ What You Get When You Don't Get What You Want ( Chapter 5 )

Poke Walk: Chapter 5 - What You Get When You Don't Get What You Want

Disclaimer:

Pokemon is a copyright of Nintendo. The characters of "Magical Twilight" are the property of Pink Pineapple {Japan} and SoftCel Pictures {USA} from the ideas of Akane Shinshakan and Kinya Watanabe. The characters of Tenchi Muyo are the property of AIC, Hiroki Hayashi, and Yousuke Kuroda. The characters of Urusei Yatsura are the property of Kitty Films - Fuji TV, AnimEigo, and Rumiko Takahashi. The characters of Bubblegum Crisis are the property of Studio AIC (Anime International Company), JVC and AnimEigo.

Some other characters and situations used with permission.

Special Disclaimer:

Pokègirl and Pokèwomen come from the Pokewomon Forum at http://disc.server.com/Indices/169881.html.

"Wild Horses and Pokègirl" is the creation of Metroanime.

C&C, MSTs are welcome E-mail: <kelvins.choice@att.net>

I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught.

     Winston Churchill

Learn From Mistakes, Not From Examples

     Mara had given up fighting, given up crying, she'd even given up trying to hold herself small to keep the icy water from slowly leeching her body heat and destroying her. She heard a hiss from above her, but she couldn't gather the energy to raise her head to look. Then there was a splash, showering her with water, that got her attention, then the top hatch closed and locked.

     "Ma - Master?" she asked quietly, glanced up, "You're trapped too!" she realized. "You can't escape!"

     "Maybe I don't want to," he said as he gathered her against his warm body.

     She grabbed onto him and held him as tightly to her as her exhausted muscles could. He held her more tightly, slowly the warmth crept back into her body, she recognized the effect of some of his healing spells. "Don't exhaust yourself!" she warned.

     "Would you still say that if I told you this was all my idea?"

     I don't care! she thought as she pressed as much of herself against him as she could. Her hands drifted over his shirt, beneath which were the scars that marked her Master, some placed by another demon. "I hate those things," she said angrily, stroking his back.

     "They're old," he replied smoothly, not releasing his hug, "I'm alive, my enemies aren't, and you're avoiding my question." He rubbed his nose against hers teasingly.

     She snuggled close, trying to absorb the heat from him, trying to restore her own strength and confidence from the presence of her Master. I am answering you, Master! she thought.

     "Do you trust me?" he asked.

     Smiling at me in that infuriatingly self-confident way she thought, Do I! I want to. She nodded.

     "I'll go first," he said, and blew out all the air from his lungs then sank in the water. She noted that the water didn't seem as cold now.

     Can he touch the bottom and jump out? Mara asked herself as she watched, I should have thought of that!

     Then he inhaled the water. Mara dove down, swimming as fast as her exhaustion allowed. What am I going - to - do -? She stopped and watched him breathe normally. He's laughing at me! But he isn't drowning! she thought as she resurfaced, and he pushed himself up to the surface. "You're all right?! I could have breathed this stuff all the time?!" Mara shouted at him, he nodded sheepishly. She growled and shoved him back under the water and held him there. She considered the ridiculousness of her actions, then dove beneath the surface. She breathed in.

     For a few moments all that filled her mind was the panic of drowning, and her MASTER holding her, reassuring her. The latter became stronger than the former as she breathed normally. Then she looked around, her Master, Oyuki, Liv and Sylve were all holding her, smiling at her. One at a time, each inhaled as she had, then panicked at nothing as she had. Breathing liquid felt weird, but it was possible. Once all of them had transitioned, she felt the warm body of her Master settle into her arms. She felt Oyuki and Sylve massaging the kinks out of her wings, while Liv massaged her legs, finding and easing the cricks and cramps Mara hadn't even realized were there. Only her Master's calm presence kept her relaxed. She nuzzled his shoulder holding him tight against her.

     With the water, she thought, No one can see me cry. But with my Master here, the very Harem sisters who terrified me, make me feel so warm and safe, and relaxed. She felt herself drifting off to sleep, drifting away, like a cloud on the wind. My Master gave me what I wanted, what I asked for, she realized through the link, But he never wanted me hurt, I was safe the entire time, only my fear and masochism worked against me. But I'm not cold anymore, I'm very warm.

     Ritsuko returned from the healing chambers. Kiyone is going to need that Level 2 Healing Cycle, the Matron thought, She pulled a lot of muscles and hyperextended a lot of joints. But she kept smiling, so she got the thorough Taming she wanted. Ritsuko said, "I don't think she'll do whatever she did again, at least not to that degree."

     She found Misato, a handful of 'Jennies, and most of the medical staff watching the tub through the camera above it. Most were either seething with jealousy or sighing softly. I wonder how they'd react if I told them he set all this up? she wondered as she sat next to Misato. "Trouble?"

     "No," the Seraph replied, "I'm waiting for my turn."

     As if you didn't get a rigorous going over by Mara and Master last night, Ritsuko thought, But you have to maintain the fiction you just slept together, or do you just not want to think about it? Time to shake her up. "As I understand it, tomorrow all of us go at Sylve," Ritsuko said, quietly noting the reaction of each of the staff and Police, but most especially the Seraph, who cringed slightly at the thought. Interesting, Ritsuko thought.

     "I'm not as into that as others," Misato replied with forced calm, "How is Kiyone? It seems she's the only one who is actually going to be with our Master."

     "I think she'll be able to walk properly by tomorrow," Ritsuko said conversationally, "I suspect we'll have to ease him into the idea of more than one girl a day, or rather a night, and possibly more than one girl at a time." You'd think I was beating her with a brick, she certainly is a Seraph now, Ritsuko thought as Misato winced at all the right spots.

     "What about you?" Misato asked to interrupt Ritsuko's `assault`, "I heard you threw up last night."

     "I was . . . not ready for his revelation," Ritsuko admitted. Okay, you got me, she thought, then continued, "Nor how badly injured he must have been in the past. I reacted badly, his scars and the inevitable reaction are likely one part of what makes him fear intimacy. I only reinforced his preconceptions."

     "Frankly I'm not proud of my reaction," Misato admitted, "Although I don't like it that even our Storm Demon didn't react well."

     Ritsuko shrugged. "He's barely old enough to be a Tamer. It's not something he's planned to be his entire life. But Oyuki was right. He's smart, he's eager, and he trusts us, his Pokègirls, to teach him what it means to be a Tamer. We've got a tremendous opportunity."

     "What?" Misato turned to stare at her. "As if what you haven't already been saying was `thesaurus` enough?" Misato asked.

     Ritsuko lowered her voice, but noted all the others eavesdropping on them, "Why do most Tamers treat their Pokègirls badly? Because they want to be thought of as badasses. Okay, we have a Tamer who walks into the middle of a pack of Widows and starts shooting them dead. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's about as badass as you can get." Ritsuko shook her head. "Nobody's that crazy. Yet with us, he's soft and gentle."

     "Too soft and gentle, if you ask me," Misato said as she stretched her wings nervously.

     You expected him to chop you into Kitten-chow after you hurt him, Ritsuko thought, frowning, You don't realize that you're torturing yourself worse than he would. He put a stop to it, made you feel so good to be forgiven. He knew that would happen. She smiled as she considered the possibilities, He knows about `human` psychology so that's the lever to use, logic and reason, Ritsuko thought, He'll assume tears and emotion in arguments are manipulation attempts. Good to know. "I could do with a good Taming and gentle would be just fine with me."

     "A little roughness wouldn't be unwelcome," Misato countered as if she believed it, "I'm not fine china, I'm a blade."

     "Don't say that too loud, or you may get it," Ritsuko wryly warned, "Take what happened to our Storm Demon." Ritsuko nodded at the monitors. She watched Misato shudder, despite the soft looks on the faces of most of the other observers.

     "I'm not dumb enough to ask for that," Misato countered, again to break the rhythm of Ritsuko's `attack`, "But does not mean I'd turn down some . . . I don't need restraints."

     Want it, can talk to me about it, but not say the word for `it`, Ritsuko thought, But if you try to ask him for `it`, you won't be able to spell your name. "Then tell him," Ritsuko teased, "Or better yet, have two or three approach at once." Ritsuko enjoyed watching the Seraph's composure disintegrate. Ritsuko continued as if Misato was not staring at her in abject terror, "That's what I'm talking about. We can make him the Tamer we all want, let him know we'll be patient with him and show a united front. What Liv told him was ridiculous, and probably scared him."

     "Imagine that," Misato said shakily, "A Tamer scared of Taming."

     Like you, Ritsuko didn't say while she smirked benignly. "Scoff all you want. None of them got the Taming they expected, but got exactly the Taming they described they needed. Think about that, why do you think he asked how each of us wanted to be Tamed?" She raised an eyebrow. "Idle curiosity?" She shook her head. "No, he wants to do it right, he values us, our wants, our needs and our opinions. Can you imagine what that would be worth?"

     "You sound like a Sanctuary Goth," Misato teased, and made a sign against evil.

     "Don't joke like that, even here," Ritsuko hissed quietly. The last thing we need is to draw that kind of attention, Ritsuko thought desperately. She looked around in fear. "We have an opportunity, to advance the cause, not Parity or that rot, but as people, given the right to rise or fall on our merits," Ritsuko said passionately, "Not as children or slaves to be protected but not respected, but as people having a say in our own destiny. If you think we should just drop the idea and forget it, I'll do that, but if we stand together, we can convince the others. Then we'll have a symbol."

     "Like Ash Sextome or Ranma Saotome? Not likely," Misato sneered.

     Ritsuko shook her head, defeating Misato's attempt to derail her. "No, different. Nobody's ever going to match the speech he gave. I've only read transcripts, and they don't do it justice. But we could add to the weight of their voices. That's what I'm talking about." She leaned close to Misato. "Do you think the League is going to keep a lid on the fact that the man who helped kill Brusellia - is a Field Researcher? Or that he's traveling with a balance of Dark and Light Pokègirls? Liv and Oyuki aren't a real balance, but you and Mara are."

     "And what makes you think the military will let him keep us?" Misato's sneer lacked force this time.

     Ritsuko noted the real fear that had weakened Misato's counter, So, you do want to remain, despite the mix of forces and the dustup you had with our Master, Ritsuko thought, then continued, "Because the 42nd was effectively annihilated at that battle. You didn't see, I did." She shivered at the memory. "Not just the Pokègirls and their Tamers, but the support echelon all their Pokègirls and equipment, everyone slaughtered. The 17th was equally savaged, I don't know about the rest of the 73rd, but we were mostly a support unit. The brass isn't going to reassemble those units, our units. They'll fold up the whole mess and forget any of this ever happened. Plausible deniability." Ritsuko paused while Misato nodded. "They may come to ask him to do special jobs, but Mara already has a Delta bond with him. She always was nearly uncontrollable, you didn't know her like I do. It isn't just a new name, it's a completely new attitude from who she was."

     "Yes, I will support you," Misato said warily and wearily, "As long as you work on him that Pokègirls don't mind watching other Pokègirls get Tamed."

     Hypocrite, Ritsuko thought, but kept her face neutral, You were petrified, and you would be again. "I think he minds someone, anyone, watching him Tame. That's why he acceded to Kiyone's request, because it would be private. Getting a few smaller tents would probably help. Say two at a time, all three of them going at once. We'll get him over . . . part of his shyness. I don't think you want him to get over too much of it. Or he'll switch over to being a combat Tamer or Harem Master, and we'll have dozens of Harem-sisters to deal with, instead of just one more."

     "What about the ones we caught?" Misato asked suddenly.

     Ritsuko shook her head and let her relief color her words, "None caught his eye, he shipped them back to the Masaki Ranch for `store credit`, on proceeds from the sale, for a new Tamer, I don't know. But they aren't in our hair."

     "You'd better get some rest. Sylve gets all of us tomorrow," Misato told Ritsuko as she stood and left.

     You can talk about it to me, she thought as she watched the departing Seraph, enjoying the view of her departing Harem-sister, Because you assume there's no chance of anything actually coming of it. But if you suspected there were . . . you'd be stammering and tongue-tied. Ritsuko sighed and stared at the scene before her, Mara being massaged and held by their Master. And what are you going to be doing, Master? Ritsuko wondered, While all your 'guides and interpreters' are otherwise occupied?

     Kiyone lay curled up in her Pokèball, the healing energies washing over her. She had no problem offering up all kinds of superlatives about her Master, about the wonderful Man who'd claimed her, who'd refused to let her run away and hide, who'd loved her till exhaustion, then healed her hurts, who'd curled his exhausted body to hers as he slept. Accepting her warmth, depending on her protection while he was vulnerable. She shivered with delight as she relived the thoughts of those Tamings a hundred times, each a remembrance better and more fulfilling than the last.

     Less venom, she chided herself, with a goofy grin, Next time. And now there will be a next time. She hugged herself and thought of what she and her Master would do next time. Now I understand, she thought, grimaced ruefully about her part of Liv's plan, No more foolishness.

     Then she thought of the appropriate love gift for her Master and her Harem-sisters. Still have a lot of silk, beyond reprocessing the pod. But I'll savor that, with my and my Master's mixed essences in the silk, she thought possessively, That will be just for us!

     In the timelessness of her Pokèball, she shivered with delight. Like when he carried me to the Healing chambers, she thought happily, He was so worried he had hurt me, and so desperate that I'd be safe and well.

     She sighed happily, considered all the clothes she could make, even new tents. A small, intimate one for Taming. Maybe a second squad tent, for supplies and stuff, but a big one for all of us to be together, she thought, After all, one tent with all of us just sleeping together, that was a good idea, brilliant Master.

     Colt had returned to the armory. My lab, she thought proudly, Not much, but mine. She passed the turret lathe and the horizontal mill. The latter had been built by her ancestor about 30 P.S., Since a lathe can build anything, even another lathe, I wonder how much of the original lathe and mill are still there? She smiled, every generation had a Growlie like her, her mother, her grandmother, etc., who loved machines. I'm the best machinist for in the islands, Human and Pokègirl, and I will solve this! she thought of the project she was carrying, and the one waiting in her office.

     The Megami from the Pokècenter was waiting there. Colt could never remember her name, Of course neither could anyone else. Another mystery for later, Colt thought. "Trouble?" Colt asked the Megami respectfully.

     "This . . . weapon," the girl said carefully trying to stay away from it, "It is . . . different."

     "Magic?" Colt asked expectantly. That would certainly explain a lot, Colt thought.

     "Yes and no," the Megami explained, "It must be, but it isn't. I can tell it was created in great Love." Colt heard the capital letter. The Megami looked at her. "How can a weapon be created in Love?"

     Colt had a simple answer, "If you build a weapon to defend your loved ones, or a good friend, someone special, then you take special care. As if a little diligence, a little extra care or time, might some how save the warrior who carries it. Somehow, you want what you built to protected a loved one."

     "Yes. I think I understand. I thought weapons would be . . . hate-filled."

     Fat lot you know, Colt thought angrily as she listened to the Megami's subtle disdain, Never having to carry one into a fight, or prepare them for others. "A weapon is a tool, not an entity. It either does its job, or it doesn't."

     "Like a Pokègirl?" the Megami asked with a smile.

     "I can't put a Pokègirl on my lathe and polish off a rough spot, and sometimes it's not a good idea even if we could." The thought briefly of the 'wild child' Liv, She'll probably need all her rough edges to deal with this new Tamer, Colt thought, I don't know where he's going, but I'd bet all the spares for the lathe and the mill that he's going into the worst trouble, maybe even the rumblings up north. Liv and the others will need every rough spots they've got to make it through that. Colt pulled one of the oversized shells. "Can you tell about this? I don't want to have to cut it open, but it doesn't feel like solid metal."

     The Megami took the shell, and nearly dropped it in terrified shock. "Sorry," she told Colt with downcast eyes, "There is so much magic, like a skin of metal, over a lump of eldritch, alien magic."

     "That would explain why this little thing could kill a Widow," Colt replied.

     "But . . . it doesn't feel right. Like . . . it's not there all the time. It . . . drifts, in and out."

     "In and out of where?"

     "Everywhere that is," the Megami said in a confused voice, "Places we can touch, and places we cannot."

     Uh huh. I think I'm going to want to accompany whoever the Captain sends out to look after him tomorrow, Colt thought. She let the Megami go, while she thought of the best way to manufacture the casing, the bullets could easily be cast.

What We Have To Learn To Do, We Learn By Doing

     I am asleep. I know I am asleep, I think as I glance around, But I am here, now.

     "The prodigal," the voice taunts, "Did you really think you could get away from us?" The girl was strangely dressed, where her flesh and body markings ended, and her actual clothes began was almost impossible to determine.

     "I told you," I remind the strange girl who had plagued me in nightmares before, "I am not your slave, your servant or your toy, or your pet."

     "You need to be reminded of who and what you are, I - "

     She sees me looking behind her, looking up, and up, and up, and up. The creature is immense, as black as night, except the eyes, which are pupilless and yellow. Like suns in the void of space, I think in terror as I lose myself in those terrible eyes.

     "Just who do you think you are?" the immense creature asked in a gravelly voice, "And why are you bothering the lady who doesn't want you around." My enemy stares at the invader.

     The girl turns back to me. "A good trick but I - "

     The creature's telephone pole-sized finger flicks out and catches her full-force between the legs. The girl gasps in pain and drops to the ground, clutching in agony at her offended regions.

     "I'm a he, not a trick, and to anticipate your next question: They named us for Angels, so I am Azrael," the Legendary-like monster intones, "And you are not welcome."

     A claw descends on the squirming girl, pinning her to the ground. "Should I pop you? Like an arrogant balloon. To send a clear message? Or will you be more convincing alive?" he asks, as if murder were a trivial question.

     "Please don't kill her. That isn't what I want," I plead with him.

     "Your victim pleads for mercy. So I will grant it in full measure, this time, and none at all next time. You may bring your strongest allies, I will feast on their bones and souls." Then those eyes fix on me, tearing away any certainty or security I may have felt. "Tell your . . . " It . . . he smiles as if savoring something delicious, " . . . Tamer, that I await, he needs a staff, he will know what to do."

     Both he and the girl vanish, leaving me alone in this place. "What was that?" I ask, and no one answers, as if afraid of the apparition.

     Sylve watched the others file into the Taming room, all six of her Harem-sisters.

     "Don't break anything I can't fix," her Tamer warned as he closed the door, leaving his Pokègirls alone together, undisturbed, for the entire day.

     I wonder if he realizes how lucky he is, Sylve wondered, So many beautiful Pokègirls in his harem. I guess I should feel lucky, that he's willing to `lend` them to me for a day.

     "I suppose we could give her an endurance test," Mara suggested with a broad smile, "See how long she can keep screaming."

     "Hoping she will beat your record?" Oyuki asked cooly.

     "You . . . !" Mara growled, shaking her fist at the Megami, "A popsicle. I can't believe you terrified me with a popsicle!"

     "Terror is in the mind," Oyuki reminded her, a faint smile gracing her face.

     "Yeah, I guess," Mara admitted, relaxing and shaking her head, "But a popsicle, that's just humiliating."

     "Oh, our guest of honor is feeling neglected," Ritsuko said, as she began removing her clothes.

     I always thought Matrons were supposed to be pudgy, Sylve thought, admiring Ritsuko's trim form, her figure lusher than some younger Pokègirls Sylve had seen.

     "So, what do we do with her?" Oyuki asked as she shed her kimono, displaying a very revealing one-piece suit underneath, in fire-engine red.

     Sylve fantasized about nibbling the Megami's pert breasts and seeing how long her icy resolve would last against Sylve's own passions. Mara was next, delectably curved, yet still slim and athletic. I already know those bat wings are anything but cold and leathery, she remembered stroking them and Mara's shivers of pleasure at the touch. "I'm beginning to understand our Tamer's problem. So much to choose from, where do I start?"

     "What makes you think you get that choice?" Misato asked menacingly, slithering out of her tight dress and miniskirt, her figure caused Sylve's mouth to dry.

     Each one better than the last, Sylve thought gleefully, missing Misato's words.

     "I agree," Liv added, self-consciously removing her clothes.

     Not so sure of yourself now, are you? Sylve wondered to the normally more brazen Witch, You've got nothing to be ashamed of, just nothing to brag about.

     "What do you mean, I have no choice? I asked . . . I asked to have all of you . . . "she said with growing realization, looking from one face to another, all of them clearly planning something for her. I wonder if they talked to Colt about my . . . proclivities, she considered.

     "So, we'll start with all of us," Mara concluded.

     "Uh," Sylve said as her smiling Harem sisters advanced, "Uh, help!"

     They hoisted her off the ground and began removing her clothes. Mara buried her face in Sylve's pussy and began coaxing her clitoris out with her flickering tongue, while Misato and Oyuki removed her shirt and held up her shoulders while suckling and kneading her breasts with their free hands. Liv began nibbling and licking her exposed flanks while her fingers danced across Sylve's flat stomach, tickling and teasing her terribly.

     As she tightened her legs around Mara's head, Ritsuko began massaging her feet. Kiyone lifted Sylve's head and began to stroke her face and throat with a silken cloth while she rained kisses and little cat-licks across her head and shoulders.

     Sylve was panting rapidly and trembling as dozens of small orgasms set her gasping so fast it was as if she was suffering from hiccups. She ran her hands through Oyuki's and Misato's hair, trying to press their faces tighter against her heaving breasts. She could feel Mara's tongue inside her while the Storm Demon's powerful hands massaged her bottom.

     Sylve let the waves of dozens of small orgasms wash over her, nearly taking away her reason. Always wondered what one big orgasm would be like? she thought as it lifted her up to Nirvana.

     Jeff walked along the weed-choked path towards home of a mage. "So the powder in the shells were the real killing power?" Colt asked as she walked along, Captain Spaulding had sent a few police with him. The Captain hadn't explained why we are guarding him, Colt thought, But the rumor was that Team HyperRocket was looking to 'even the score'. We should let him at them, solve the problem.

     "Not really," Jeff explained, "The bullet itself does the killing, the powder just makes sure the effect on the Ghost portion of the Widow is as great as a normal bullet against a normal target. I suspect one of the reasons that Widows are so formidable is because they are, at least partially, not there when the attack hits. Even when they aren't phased. These bullets make sure the target is there where the bullet is, or vice versa."

     "So what are you doing here?" Colt asked as she walked alongside him.

     "My Seraph wants to go yiffing."

     Colt and several of the officers giggled at the use of Pokègirl slang.

     "Well, I thought that there might be others who would desire to . . . well, get Tamed in the air. Even non-flying types. I think I have an idea how to do this safely. Maybe even set it up as a permanent place. If it is popular, then it will add to the economy of the town. Tamers may come here to take advantage of it. This mage is supposed to be a wind expert. I intend to take advantage of it."

     Colt nodded. Then said gently, "I should warn you that . . . Ariel is a little . . . unusual."

     "So far, nothing has been usual, at least for me," Jeff replied, "But thank you for the warning."

     Sylve and Liv dueled with their tongues as someone probed her with their fingers. Slowly, teasingly, fingers moved through her vagina and her anus.

     "You taste good." Mara held her dripping wet fingers to Kiyone who seized them and sucked at them. Sylve abandoned Liv and leaned towards the fingers, reaching with her tongue, only to have Mara move them away.

     "Oh, you'll have to wait, besides," Mara said maliciously, "Kiyone's got a mouthful."

     Once Kiyone finished licking Mara's fingers clean, she leaned close to Sylve.

     Sylve eagerly began exploring the taste of Kiyone's mouth, happy for a taste of that nectar. She moaned as Kiyone pulled away enticing her to raise up towards her. Liv began suckling and fondling Sylve's breasts.

     She was briefly aware of Oyuki and Ritsuko 69ing in the corner, making noises as if it were a duel to the death. Petite Morte, she thought, as their wanton battle between the most reserved pair aroused her further. She felt the waves of orgasms wash over her like waves. Oyuki screamed in the corner. Sylve was jealous of the force of the other girls' orgasm.

     The room is full of windchimes, windmills, and kites, he thought, nearly every step set something tinkling, rattling or fluttering, Eccentric. The shop, or research nook, was the only way to find the person he wanted to meet. With a name like Ariel, I'm betting she's a Pokègirl or a Pokèwoman, he thought, glanced back at the police strung out behind him, struggling to avoid knocking things over. I guess if I ever encounter my martial arts instructor again, and thank him, he thought as the police tried to advance. "Just move slowly," he advised them, "And just accept the reaction."

     The creature in the chair seemed as colorful as the shawl she wore.

     "Pardon me, ma'am, are you Ariel?" he asked.

     The woman looked at him sharply. "And you are?"

     "Jeffery Kevin Davis, ma'am." I'm glad I already took off my hat, he thought.

     She stared at the hat in his hand. "If I was, what could I do for you?"

     Okay, enjoy your games, he thought, Why should you be any different?

     "I have a colleague who has wanted to go flying while - "

     "Your Pokègirl wants to get fucked in flight."

     Jeff cocked his head. "Well, that is more succinct than what I had planned, but it covers the situation effectively."

     "You some highfalutin' college-boy?" she asked irritatedly, the police had ceased their advance.

     "Harvard, Class of 1947 A.D.," he told her, "I also lived in Wyoming on my aunt and uncle's ranch."

     "Aunt and uncle, like a Pokègirl was in charge," she scoffed, missing the date he'd mentioned.

     "There were no Pokègirls in 1947." Jeff looked around, as if disinterested.

     She blinked. "So what do you want?" she demanded quizzically.

     Ah! If I ignore you, that gets your attention, he realized. "I believe that air flow in a grain silo or similar structure could easily simulate flight, making it possible to do this under controlled circumstances," he said.

     The woman stared at him. "Do you know how to draw up diagrams, college boy?"

     "My degrees were in Chemical Engineering and History, ma'am. Yes I do."

     "Pleeeeeease!" Sylve plead with Ritsuko who moved her fingers so slowly, while Misato and Mara held her arms down. Liv and Kiyone held Sylve's legs down and apart while Oyuki gently touched and flicked Sylve's nipples.

     "Faster! Please!" Sylve implored as she struggled against the restraint.

     "You have not had a climax like we have, maybe you'd enjoy one," Ritsuko said smoothly, sweetly, like honey.

     "I like how I cum!" Sylve shouted as the pressure and fire in her gut increased. "Just a little harder!" she begged Oyuki, "I'm almost there!"

     "No," the Megami replied coldly, "Let it build." She stopped tonguing Sylve's nipples and carefully chilled them instead.

     "I'm going to explode!" Sylve shouted, trying to thrash loose.

     "You certainly will," Ritsuko calmly assured her, "Eventually."

     "Pleeeeeeaaaaassse!" Sylve begged.

     "Oh, not until you're ready," Ritsuko said while sliding her fingers sooo slowly out of Sylve's sopping wet pussy, "And you aren't ready yet."

     "These structures will direct the flow towards the center." Jeff indicated the substructures in the diagram. "Reducing the likelihood that someone would crash into the wall," Jeff said.

     Colt was completely lost and had been for a while.

     "What kind of flow rate are you talking about?" Ariel asked with unfeigned fascination.

     "I don't know, but it would depend on the weight and surface area. It would be different for a Pidgey than a Snorlass. That's why I came to the expert."

     "Ha," Ariel laughed, "I sell kites, wind chimes and ornaments."

     Colt wandered among the displays, she recognized craftsmanship when she saw it. I've never heard of anyone drawing out `Raging Ariel` like this, Colt thought, I can believe he's a wizard. The Growlie glanced around at the Officer Jenny, Growlie and Cheetit who'd accompanied them, as they stood stock still and tried not to touch anything and set off the Wind Elementist's legendary temper. I also know when the construction details are beyond my comprehension, she thought, I'm a good machinist, but I'm no Master engineer.

     "So after you two use this, what then?" Ariel asked.

     "I figure if the device can be permanently enchanted, I'd leave it for the town to maintain and profit from."

     "Trying to put us on the map, eh? I'll admit, it's a wise idea, but no mage would spend the months or years of work to enchant such a thing."

     He shook his head. "Ten days, two weeks tops," Jeff replied.

     "You're mad!" Ariel snapped back, "You can't make something like that so quickly!"

     "Certainly you can," he replied cheerfully, "A spirit of Flight and either Love or Sex could be enticed to power it and reinforce the structure, then it would just be a case of making the appropriate deal, some one-time or occasional propitiation and then it's just a case of engineering the structure to contain the air flow."

     Sounds so reasonable, Colt thought.

     "You are nuts," Ariel said shakily, backing away fearfully.

     "I haven't had a staff since I arrived. I believe I should manufacture one." Jeff stood and walked jauntily towards the exit.

     Colt fell in behind. Let's see if it's all talk, Colt thought, If the Megami is right, it isn't.

     Sylve stared at the ceiling. She could hear the others around her, but she felt as if she were floating through another world.

     "Is she still breathing?" someone asked.

     Am I? Does it matter? she wondered. "I feel . . . " she murmured, "I never imagined . . . " It . . . felt . . . she found she had words. "Thank you." She managed as she slipped into peaceful sleep.

     The chime rang out across the fields. Jeff sat, no special robes, no incense, no other paraphernalia that the officers always thought was part of spellcasting. Colt glanced at Ariel who looked around frantically, seeing something the others couldn't.

     "Okay! Okay!! I admit it! You could do it!" Ariel shouted.

     "I am very glad you agreed," Jeff said as he opened his eyes and stood, "There seems to be a good deal of interference."

     "Anything you can do to clean it up?" Colt asked.

     "Yes, I need to make two swords," Jeff said as he tipped his hat to Ariel and marched back into the workshop behind the Elementalist.

     Sylve slowly woke to the warm water cascading over her skin and warm, soapy hands rubbing her all over, massaging and exciting her. She moaned and looked over at the two Pokègirls, Ritsuko and Kiyone who seemed to be cleaning as much as they were masturbating her. "Oh, so nice."

     "I told you it was worth waiting for," Ritsuko told her.

     "So nice," Sylve repeated, dropping back into the afterglow. "So nice," she said as she hugged Ritsuko to her, feeling the warmth and softness pressed against her.

     Ritsuko recalled Sylve to her Pokèball. Ritsuko glanced at Kiyone. "She certainly was . . . inspiring." She gave her Harem-sister a more . . . thoughtful . . . look.

     "Yes, I'd have to agree," Kiyone said sagely, returning Ritsuko's appraising gaze.

     "Here we are on the verge of second puberty, and we're acting like a couple of Feral Vixxens," Ritsuko said as she moved closer to Kiyone.

     "So?" the Wolf Spider asked with a smile, stroking Ritsuko's arm with one finger.

     "Just an observation," Ritsuko said as she took Kiyone's hand and lead her back to the Taming room, walking briskly, Kiyone keeping up easily.

     "It seems we didn't have such an original idea," Kiyone said.

     Oyuki had Liv pressed against the wall, rubbing her nipples over the Witch's, her hand between Liv's legs. While Misato and Mara were out in the open, deep in a 69 position, rolling over and over.

     "As much a wrestling match as a Pokèsex battle," Kiyone observed, running a finger over Ritsuko's bare ass, and led Ritsuko back to the bathroom.

     "Do you still have your cocoon set up?" Ritsuko asked.

     "Sort of, I . . . ate a lot of it last night. Get some strength and . . . other things to be ready for today."

     "Oh."

     "How do you think I got that scarf? I also gave the officers some . . . presents."

     "Ohh! I understand, and just what did you ask for in response?" Ritsuko asked.

     Kiyone smiled and examined the ceiling carefully. "Just some paperwork."

     "Oh," Ritsuko smiled. Very clever, she thought.

     "We can carry some of that," Colt offered. She was becoming alarmed about the boy's attitude that he didn't want to `trouble` Pokègirls to do `demanding` or `demeaning` work.

     "No, I can do it, handle it."

     "The metal, charcoal I understand, The hammer I think I understand, but what about the vacuum cleaner?"

     "I need to make a forge," Jeff replied, "I only need an anvil, and I suspect those are hard to come by."

     "So how are you going to compensate for that?" Colt asked.

     "Sylve is a ShieldMaiden, her shields should be useful. I also have a few tricks that will help." He smiled.

     "That I want to see," Colt said.

     "You will."

     "Oh, there's some more paperwork you'll have to deal with," she tried to sound sympathetic, "And it's not something Ritsuko can handle for you." These silk panties are more than worth it, Colt thought, So is the bra, and the stuff Captain Lestroud got, I never thought Kiyone had as dirty a mind as that, but she does. "It will help you with keeping them all."

     "Even the end of the world didn't bring about the end of paperwork," he said in frustration.

     "Or it's a sign of returning civilization," Colt countered with a smirk.

     Jeff walked through the Taming rooms and Pokèballed all his exhausted Pokègirls. "I hate doing that," he said, "Are you sure they'll rest better after I -?" he dejectedly asked the NurseJoy who'd accompanied him.

     "Yes, and most Pokègirls have no problems with it, and the few that do, react very strongly," she assured him.

     "I guess it . . . is not something I'd want to happen to me, so I'm not eager to do it to someone else," he explained, feeling wretched that he'd done it. But Healing Cycles have to be done 'in the ball', he thought, And they'll all need one, and it's a bit more than I could handle.

     She smiled at him.

     I get the idea that if I left my - THE girls in their balls, I wouldn't be lacking company tonight, he thought, Are nice guys that few and far between? I don't believe that. "Thank you for your help and advice." He got another broad smile for that. This is just strange, he thought as he headed to the Tamer's quarters in the Pokècenter. I could afford a hotel, but I bet there are places that don't allow them - Pokègirls. So get used to it. Not that I want to.

     The beds were bunks, clean and not terribly uncomfortable. I don't believe it, he thought, I actually miss having a girl in bed with me, he thought as he tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position. Finally by exhaustion, he managed to fall asleep.

Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly Digest

     "Who are you?" Jeff asked. This is the spirit realm, he realized, five nearly identical women, or Pokègirls, stood before him.

     "There were eight of us once, only five remain free. We five," they chorused without seeming to speak.

     "I don't know what I can do to help," he admitted, spreading his hands in what he hoped was a nonthreatening gesture.

     "Something is wrong. Like what you saw in your old home. Worse," the women chorus without moving their mouths.

     "Nyarlathotep is dead," Jeff assured them, "Here and throughout all times and places. He can trouble you no more."

     "He," the women laughed, speaking in their odd chorus, perfectly synchronized, but the timbre and accent of their voices differed. "She. She came and gone, as she always did. Poisoned sweets that the greedy never have their fill of, until they either burst, or die."

     "So what can I do to be of assistance?" he asked, glancing around at each of them.

     "They know too much, soon they will know all they need. But not like you and your colleagues, who feared what you would become. They walk towards it eagerly. Compete to be the first to uncover the key," the chorus continued.

     Jeff felt the temperature drop. The possibility that someone is working towards such a goal is insane, he thought, But none of the Great Old Ones discovered what they thought they were searching for. And what they got destroyed them. "If that's the case . . . I already know what they search for." And that no one in this world should get it, he didn't add `aloud`.

     "No, you are a male, you are safe. They would not look to you for answers, until you were their pet."

     "Nobody's that good a lay," Jeff said disgustedly, realizing what they would `offer` for his knowledge.

     "They seek equality, but in truth, they seek supremacy over men, over time, over space . . . over God." The women turned to stare at him, they wavered as if they were smoke being blown away. "You have seen those kinds."

     "Yes." He nodded, disgustedly. "Too many and too often. How can they be stopped?"

     "They cannot, you must allow them their ultimate victory, then destroy them with it."

     "That may be a tall order," Jeff admitted, "In my former life, I had allies, powers, weapons, the likes of which don't exist on this world."

     "They exist, but you have one other weapon, one you've often used. 'To conquer Death - "

     " '-You only have to die.' Yes, there is that. What should I call you?" I've lost that ability as well, he thought, At least I hope I have.

     "When I was not fragmented, some called me the destroyer, others called me Eli Nulf. My name, was Kali Arnis."

     I've heard of that project, he thought.

     Ritsuko found her Master working at the 'center's computers.

     "What do you know about forging swords?" he asked indifferently. Ritsuko scanned them idly, what was on the fifteen screens had nothing to do with swords.

     That's too good an opening line, Ritsuko thought as she reached down the front of his pants. "I always start stroking underneath," she said as she ran her finger along the underside of her Master's penis, smiled as it reacted even if he didn't react obviously. "And you should not neglect the tip." She smiled as he hissed at that.

     "Also, with care, nails are good," she said as she ran her nails from the root to the tip, feeling his rod stiffen, "It usually makes the sword hard enough fairly quickly. But it isn't the sword, it's the wielder."

     "Don't you think of anything else?" her Master asked, his head rolled back, his eyes closed.

     "At four in the morning, with the others asleep, my Master tense and in need of relaxation and diversion, and a Taming room just across the hall? Yes, then I only think about one thing." She refused to let him distract her from running her fingers up and down his hardening rod. He's learning to accept it, she thought happily.

     "Well, I thought you wanted to give me a bath."

     "That was my dream, I can want to spend some Taming time with you," she told him.

     "Very well, I haven't gotten any conclusions. Only 118 citations of three different manifestations. I'll have to go to a researcher to get more data."

     "Atmuff, why are you interested in a dead Legendary?" she asked as she pressed up against him as he stood up, then wrapped her arms around him and pressed him into her, she rubbed up and down on him.

     "Not just a dead Legendary, but three supposedly resurrected Legendaries, why the modifications and what do they have in common. Seeking a pattern," he managed as she continued to `distract` him.

     "Well, you need a break, then you'll come back at the problem fresh," she told him.

     "You can justify this any way you can," he commented, "I'm not going to argue you out of this, am I?" he asked as he shrugged her arm off his shoulder, but didn't pull away.

     "No, I'm trying to help my Master," she teased, with her free hand wedged between them, she began unbuttoning her blouse, and his shirt, alternating buttons.

     "The fact you also got a Taming out of it has nothing to do with it."

     "Oh mon General, I would never presume such a thing," Ritsuko teased him as they entered the Taming room. She shut the door with her foot and led him to one of the bunks. He sat down on it, she knelt before him, placing his hands on her breasts, while she began undressing him in earnest.

     Strange, she wondered at his odd reticence, Most Tamers have to be slowed down. I don't mind having to seduce him, but I hope he gets over his shyness to initiate at least occasionally.

     "Oh Master, harder, I'm not glass or china." She was ecstatic that he began pinching and pulling at her nipples, rather than just stroking them. He'll be a great Tamer for each of us, once he learns what we like, she thought as she moaned appreciatively.

     Now the acid test. She'd removed his shirt and un buttoned his pants. Now I have to take them off . . . and not react to what lies beneath, she reminded herself what she did during her last seduction attempt. She leaned back to break contact and spotted the severe worry and that her Tamer was not going to comment. He looks like a Titmouse that just ran into a Tigress, or a Widow, she thought shamefully, almost losing the mood. But her Tamer helped her remove his shirt and undershirt. The scars still sickened her. You've seen scarred young men, and young women before, she reminded herself, But none this bad and none were my Tamer, she mentally countered as she forced herself to look at them, but not to stare.

     She could also recognize that some had been made by weapons, some by claws. She didn't like the idea that someone or something had tried to tear her Tamer to pieces, on several occasions. She leaned forward, lifting him slightly so he could pull his pants off and kick them across the floor he returned his hands to her breasts while he began to kiss her neck and shoulders, feather light as if he'd hurt her.

     It startled her, how endearing he could be, so shy and gentle, she wanted to tear his clothes off and make passionate love to him, but she realized that he was projecting on her what he wanted. So take it slow and gentle, educate him he can be rougher and faster with me.

     She raised her head exposing more of her neck to his kisses and nibbles, her fingers twining in his hair, her hips grinding gently into his, rubbing her soft pubic hair against his cock. She enjoyed the feeling of it hardening due to her ministrations and his excitement. She leaned into him, then shifted so she was lying atop him on the bunk. His hands stroked her back and sides. Then she sat up, smoothly fitting him inside and she began moving up and down, marveling at the feeling of a man inside her. She gave little sighs of delight as she adjusted her body to vary the friction where she wanted it, where she needed it. She was delighted his arms were long enough to stroke the lips of her labia as she traveled up and down. She felt his cock throbbing within her, heard his breathing quicken. She moved faster, trying to bring her climax at the same time as his.

     He climaxed first, spraying his seed inside her. Her body began to react, beyond her climax as she imprinted on her Tamer, her Master.

     She nearly collapsed, only her Master catching her kept her from tumbling to the floor. "Master," she sighed as she settled in his arms. It's been so long, unclaimed. She wished she could tell him how wonderful it felt to be owned, possessed. All she could say was, "Master." She still put all her emotion and passion into it. She sighed as she carefully removed him from her and she settled next to him, gathering him in as Feral shock took her.

     Matron wanted Master near Matron. Master had to possess Matron. She knew what needed doing, she slid down until her Master's cock was before her, then it was in her mouth. Matron wants Master to release in Matron's mouth. She let her instincts lead her lips and mouth to harden her Master's rod, then she brought her hands up to massage his balls. Master wants gentleness, Matron recall. But Matron WANTS, Master's scent, Master's taste! she thought desperately. She smelled him strongly as she buried her nose in his hair as she told all of him in her mouth, her tongue playing over him inside her mouth. She slowly pulled back, her lips tightly around him. She felt him hardening and throbbing as she drew back and forth. Then she began bobbing her head with increasing speed, as the throbbing increased. Then he sprayed into her, she gloried in the taste of her Master, swallowing it all. She carefully licked him clean, getting every bit. Then she sat up and gave her Master a smokey look and turned around, waving her bottom at him, once she knew she had his attention, she turned and knelt down while giving her Master a 'come and get it' look, hoping he understood.

     Matron wants Master to take her, she thought, willing her Master to understand, Matron wants Master!

     He approached uncertainly, she nodded, wishing for her Master to take her, to force her to submit. Master, take Matron! she wished she could tell him, but it would spoil things, Matron explain later.

     She expected him to simply roll her over, Master is strong enough, she thought disappointedly as he didn't.

     "MATRON!" she squealed as he poked her in the side, tickling her. "Matron! Matron!" she exclaimed as she rolled over and tried to fend off the `attacks.` "Matron! Matron!" she squealed in protest as the `strikes` slipped past her defenses, she felt his hands occasionally brushing her inner thighs. Diversion, she thought with a growing warmth, Master overwhelms Matron by thinking, that's how Master wants. Trying to cover her thighs with her arms, she expected he would initiate attacks on the exposed side.

     "Matron, tricky Master!" she squealed as he feinted at her vulnerable side, then landed his tickling on her `guarded` side while she was distracted. She continued to bawl as the `attacks` landed in more places than she could hope to cover. Strokes on her inner thighs, or one of the increasingly ticklish places, places she didn't even know were ticklish.

     Ultimate defense, she thought as she rolled into a ball, her body guarding her inner thighs, her arms tightly clamped over her ticklish sides. Matron can breathe again, she thought as she gasped for breath, What is Master going to do? She felt a delicious thrill of uncertainty, knowing that her Master would not be deterred. She had backed into a corner, her bottom on the walls, the rest of her tightly rolled up.

     Anticipation, she thought eagerly, Master knows how, Master unexpected. She thought as he stroked her spine, the prospect sent thrills through her, exciting her until just the stroking of her skin was almost enough to make her cum.

     "MASTER!" she gasped, climaxing as he slipped his hand behind her and between her legs and lifted her. He rolled her on her back as she cried out her release.

     Wha? she thought as he took her left wrist and crossed her arm across her body. She tried to struggle a little as he tied her right wrist to her left ankle, she found he'd already tied her left wrist to her right angle with her coat sleeves.

     Trapped, she thought with a mix of fear, delight and expectation.

     "Kiyone is a good teacher," her beloved Master told her, "She didn't know I was such a good study either." He smiled nastily at her, heightening her uncertainty.

     She lay on her side, completely helpless. Master can do whatever Master wants, she thought with a delicious mix of anticipation and apprehension, she felt a thrill through her, he could use power instead, he'd use caring, but she wanted to be scared, he'd scared her. Matron should have thought, she thought happily.

     "Open," he ordered as he tapped her lips. She opened her mouth eagerly as he slid his flaccid cock into her mouth, she went to work immediately with her tongue and even oh so carefully ran her teeth over his exposed member. She smiled as he shivered at that, but did not protest. You didn't hurt Matron, Matron doesn't hurt you, she thought. She wasn't done when he pulled out, she whimpered happily as he pointed his erect cock at her face. She looked expectantly, that he'd shoot his load all over her face. Instead, he pulled out the tube of lubricant she'd had in her coat pocket.

     He saw her disappointment. "You keep calling me 'Master', you know I don't like that. So you don't get it." He looked at her and grinned evilly, and walked around her.

     She whimpered. "Please - " Don't say 'Master'! Don't say 'Master'! she silently screamed at herself. "SIR!" she managed, fighting her instincts every step of the way.

     She felt his hand, stroking the petals of her labia. She could barely listen to his words.

     "You weren't very convincing," he told her.

     She struggled to turn so her arms were towards him. "Please, sir!" she begged, "Here, - sir, please - sir." She was sweating, the mental effort required to not call him Master in this situation was immense. She felt some pride. Only Matron could do this I - "AAIIE!" she squealed happily as he wriggled his fingers into her anus while stroking her labia with his other hand. She moaned in appreciation. But which is M - sir going in? she still wondered, she delighted in the disquietude, My M . . . Sir will give Matron what sir wants, not what Matron wants, she thought in delighted submission and acceptance. She craned her neck to look across her body to see. He glared at her and she dropped her head, as much to comply as to hide her grin. Then he began wriggling into her anus. She tried to relax to ease his penetration, but she couldn't as he kept dandling her with both his cock and his fingers as they plunged in and out of her box.

     "Faster, faster!" she teased.

     "You've got to be kidding!" he groaned as he moved in and out with jerks and stops. He'd forced himself in, but was caught until she relaxed a bit. Instead he sped up with his fingers, only when she relaxed from an orgasm was he able to pull out slightly before she clenched again.

     "You aren't helping," he accused, working his fingers in and out of her cunt. She felt herself climbing to orgasm again, so did he, because he slowed the rhythm. She tried to alter her position, force herself back onto him.

     "OW! OW!" her Master exclaimed, "Be patient. If you break something, no more Taming for anybody."

     She froze in place, her sphincter was still tightly clamped on her Master. He can't go in, he can't get out, she thought shamefaced. Forcing herself to accept her Master's ministrations. So hard, she thought as she whined for release feeling the pressure build within her. "Matron wants Master!" she stammered. So much! she felt the tightness as her body screamed for release, but her Master kept her on the edge, slowing or speeding up to keep her there.

     "Please!"

     "You keep calling me 'Master'."

     "Not fair, can't think!" she protested. Need! Need it soo bad! she thought of the tension building to agony in her. She came with a shriek, as her Master pushed her over the edge. She couldn't wonder if he really had released a lightning bolt inside. Feels so good, she thought, floating in the aftermath. And she came again as her Master pulled out of her ass. She dreamily tried to grab for him as he walked around her, forgetting the bindings for a moment. She opened her mouth.

     "Uh," he told her, catching her meaning, "Let me wash it off first."

     Silly Master, Pokègirls are clean down there, she thought languidly, and jealously, as her Master washed himself, Should be Matron. She shook her head at her stupidity. Damn Feral shock! she thought angrily.

     As he returned, she tried to sit up, but the bindings held her. Too strong to break, she lamented. She waited patiently while he untied her, then she took initiative. Matron has ideas from what M . . . sir say and do, and ask during Taming. But he stepped out of her reach.

     "Misato, Mara, Kiyone," he said in a clear voice, "I purchased a number of metal rods. The tungsten and graphite need to be in the center, I need a braided mesh of the rest to prevent the tungsten and carbon from escaping when they fracture. Misato, Mara you two will bend the metal, Kiyone, supervise the mesh making. I'll expect it done by breakfast at 0900 hours."

     "Sir not think - "

     "When has a Taming ever not been watched?" Master asked as he settled into her arms. She held his head against her breasts with one hand while she carefully played with his nipples, shocking him with how sensitive they were, and showing him how she wanted hers treated in the future. She wanted another complete Taming, but she would have to be careful, she'd nearly injured him, without malice or intent. Sir understands that, and be skittish a while, she thought. She was amazed by that, a boy who calmly attacked a demon with a pistol and a knife, or who'd remain in the vicinity of multiple Widows, being afraid of Taming. A boy afraid of hurting 'his girls'' feelings, being afraid to even call them 'his girls' as though they were partners free, to come and go as they saw fit, rather than property by stronger bonds than law or custom.

     Mara and Misato bent the thin metal rods. "No, that one goes over that one," Kiyone reminded them.

     "How did he know we'd be up at 0530?" Misato asked as she adjusted the mesh.

     "I know," Mara replied as she also adjusted the `weave`, "I'd like to know why we're doing this."

     "Because we love and obey our Master," Oyuki said, sitting off to the side and sipping tea she'd made for all of them.

     "You heard him," Liv replied, "We keep calling him that, he'll get mad."

     "What's he going to do?" Mara sneered, "Punish us?"

     "Or have one offender punish another?" Oyuki asked, with a raised eyebrow.

     Mara shuddered at that. "What are you doin' Sylve?" Mara demanded to cover her uncertainty.

     "Hardening the `anvil` he bought," the ShieldMaiden told her, "I'm not having much luck."

     "Iron, carbon, tungsten, some high alloy steels, what exactly are we weaving?" Mara asked as she and Misato wove them together.

     "Swords," Jeff told them as he arrived, "The entire weaving will be heated, hammered out and folded."

     "I've heard about those Edo League swords, they fold them like a hundred times to make them a laminate," Kiyone said eagerly.

     "Ah, that's two to the 100th power layers, they'd be thinner than the atoms. They use the process to purify the steel of all the sulphur. We don't have to be that extreme."

     "What do you expect of a chemical engineer? Although he is quite the swordsman," Oyuki observed shaking her head. Their Master blushed at the teasing.

     "Aren't the carbon rods overkill?" Misato asked, "For a sword anyway?"

     "Not if you two want Damascus steel blades," Jeff told them.

     "What a load of crap!" Mara shouted, "Nobody can make that steel, the secret's been lost for centuries."

     "Carbon nanotubes," Jeff replied carefully, examining the weave as they finished, then examined the two `weavers`, "Why do I think those two would rather have a Damascus steel blade than a Taming," he commented on the Seraph's and the Storm Demon's hungry expressions.

     "Than one Taming," Misato said carefully, "Yes."

     Mara nodded. "One, yes."

     "Well, breakfast, then I'll teach you all a little something about magic and metallurgy." Jeff led them away.

An Art Can Only Be Learned In The Workship

     The hammers rang on the metal, as they had the past three days, with one difference. Misato and Mara were handling the hammers, each on their own blade, Jeff merely supervised. The Seraph retained her skills as a metalsmith, but the bonded Storm Demon had some skills of her own, and a desperate need to match her rival and please her Master.

     "I think they are competing," Oyuki suggested, barely audible over the sound of ringing hammers.

     "That was the idea," Jeff replied as he walked away to check the smiths.

     "I think you'll find it hasn't tired them any," Oyuki warned and smiled. He's so cute when he's flustered that way, she thought as she remembered her Taming last night. She shivered as she remembered her Master letting her out of her Pokèball. How he teased her mercilessly, pinning her against the wall. While he rubbed and my shoulders and neck, I could feel his hardening cock rubbing between the cheeks of my ass. I begged him to do something more useful and enjoyable. She remembered begging and pleading, as he'd made her ride the edge for an agonizing eternity, while he massaged her breasts and tweaked her nipples. How she'd squirmed, trying to get him inside her.

     Then he'd teased me, telling me I was being punished because I couldn't remember that he hated being called Master. Oh how I'd begged for forgiveness, anything to bring release. She hugged herself tightly at the memory of her Master being . . . Masterful. He brought me to release, she thought, blushing and hugging herself tightly again at the memory, But not the way I wanted, then in the afterglow he asked me if I wanted more. I could barely think with his hands between my legs. Oh how it was such sweet torture, trying not to blurt out 'Master', I wonder if he understands what that tension would do to me. I would have come if he'd just kept breathing on me, she thought happily, Although at the time, I thought it was agony. Quite the Taming. Oh I wanted him inside, but just not calling him Master, knowing that just saying it would end the Taming, knowing calling him something else, anything else would get him inside me. While his hands and lips and tongue kept me going mad with need. She let her mind race again and again about the event.

     "You're practically wetting yourself," Kiyone commented to her as she sat next to Oyuki, over the noise of the hammers, "Last night's Taming?"

     "Yes, he . . . he made certain I knew who was in charge," she said wistfully.

     "Yeah, ever since Ritsuko explained it, the first Taming is like that. He's a lot more gentle after that," Kiyone reassured her, "After he's satisfied our need to know who really is the . . . overlord, he's different. Weird, considering he wants us to speak up for ourselves, how the first one is . . . so overwhelming and elemental."

     "Perhaps that is because that is what we wish," Oyuki suggested thoughtfully, "A powerful, dominating Tamer who allows dissent and arguments does so because he values those below him, not because he fears them. He might be a match for a Succubus, although I have no desire to test my theory."

     Kiyone nodded. "I keep wondering why Colt hasn't made a play, he's got one more spot in his harem," Kiyone said.

     "I believe she and Sylve have been keeping each other occupied," Oyuki told her, not specifying the connection.

     "Oh," was Kiyone's only answer.

     "You didn't call him 'Master' did you? Never saw someone so skilled at domination games so angry at being acknowledged," Mara said from her place, once she'd stopped hammering and examined the sword blank.

     "You call him 'Master' all the time," Misato retorted, glancing nervously at Jeff who seemed oblivious to the argument.

     "Only in private, and you can't match the sarcasm," Mara said proudly, "I can make it seem like defiance and an intentional, even a practiced, insult." She missed her Master standing behind her and raising the hammer.

     Oyuki nodded, encouraging him. He wants us to feel comfortable defying his wishes or at least question. So she defies him openly but she follows her instincts and her needs, to be Master, to have a Master, Oyuki enjoyed the paradox that by defying, Mara was submitting more completely than the others. Mara seemed confused by the laughter of her Harem-sisters and couldn't find what had initiated it, her Master was studying the sword blank.

     "Anyway, I don't think Sylve is going to be too eager to get her turn," Mara teased the ShieldMaiden as she returned to hammering out the sword under their Master's direction, Misato followed suit a moment later.

     Competing indeed, Oyuki thought.

     "And if I'd known that," Jeff said over the din as he arrived back to where Oyuki was sitting, leading a worn-looking Sylve. Both of the `smiths` ceased their actions, "I would have left you with your friends."

     Oyuki watched as the others sought to change their behavior from that of equals, to the behavior of subservience. As I myself am doing, she noted of herself.

     "Anyway. I discovered a Tamer collected all four of your partners, and he is headed north to Rainier Island, that's only 50 miles, sorry, 80 kilometers, he has to walk back to where his boat is, on the north edge of the island. I figure we have two or three days to cover the same distance and get into a position where we can intercept him."

     "If he just got those girls, he'll probably spend the first day Taming them all. That means we'll have three days to catch him," Ritsuko said as she arrived at the group.

     "How's the Feral Shock?" Oyuki asked, igniting some smirks and tittering among the others. Ritsuko frowned at them and shook her fist.

     It is odd that a Pokègirl could go so long with such minimal Taming that she'd get Feral shock the first time she was with her Tamer and nearly a Pokèwoman, Oyuki considered, avoided laughing, I am equally surprised that only the Alpha bond resulted.

     "I took that into account," Jeff explained, "He'll probably want to Tame them on dry land. Taming a girl who's seasick as Hell, would not be a pleasant experience for either of them. I figure he'll camp next to the boat, spend a time Taming them and giving them basic safety instructions before he puts to sea, life at sea has dangers that don't exist on dry land. If what I heard about his cabin cruiser is true, he can cover the entire 80 kilometers in one night."

     "That's quite a sailboat," Misato said with a whistle.

     "It's a powered boat," Jeff said, "Maybe even a hydrofoil, if it is that, he could cover 80 kilometers in less than an hour. We'll need to get into a position where we can see him coming and move to intercept. You see, as a Field Researcher, I can't initiate a battle, nor can I claim Pokègirls by salvage rights. So we'll have to work on him to convince him to purchase or trade for you, Sylve. I wish I could just let you go with your friends, but without an 'exchange of property commensurate with a Pokègirl's value', the transfer is invalid. So I can't even use the old dodge of selling you for a dollar, as much as it turns my stomach to sell a thinking being, that seems the only local recourse." He shrugged.

     "Thank you," Sylve said.

     "Don't thank me yet. We've still got to catch him." He turned to Misato. "I'm sorry, but the tower won't be ready for a month, so I'm afraid we'll have to wait on your wish."

     I don't believe it is as great a hardship as you believe, Oyuki thought about the Seraph's relieved expression.

     Their Master continued, "Also we'll have to leave the swords as they are, we want time to find them once we reach Rainier Island. So we'll have to leave no later than tomorrow afternoon," he paused, clearly changing the subject, "Also, I discovered there's a major Sadie Pokèn's Day festival in Redwood. It's a major sea port, so from there, we can continue wherever we need to go."

     "And where's that?" Liv asked, stretching after an entire morning maintaining the dozen minor spells around the forge.

     "That you don't need to know, yet. Getting back to Redwood in three weeks is the important thing." Their Master clapped his hands, showing his eagerness. "Now, after lunch, we've got some shopping to do." He stood, and the others followed suit.

     "For what?" Misato asked as she and Mara banked the fires and set the swords aside to cool in the air.

     "Collars and locators," he said, as if it weren't the delight of all his Pokègirls.

     "Collars!" Kiyone exclaimed exultantly, grabbing Oyuki and dancing the shocked Megami across the floor, "He hasn't even known us a month and he's already buying collars."

     "As a Field Researcher, I, Misato, Liv and Mara are the subjects of his research. It is logical we be collared," Oyuki said as she tried to get loose.

     "He said, 'Collars and a locator', not 'collars for you four,'" Kiyone corrected, slowing the dance a bit as Oyuki turned green.

     "I said 'collars and locators'," Jeff corrected, "If a collar can hold a transmitter for the locator, it should also be able to hold the receiver."

     The rush towards him slowed and halted as each of the girl's confusion overwhelmed her.

     "What is - sir saying?" Ritsuko asked, "Locator for the Master, collars for Pokègirls."

     "Not if the `Master` wants the rest of the harem to be able to find the `Master`," Jeff explained, "You all keep claiming you have to keep me out of trouble, it seems a logical extension."

     Their Wonderful Master noted that Sylve was hanging back. "You're thinking I shouldn't be buying a collar for you, if I'm going to trade or sell you soon."

     Sylve nodded miserably.

     "I think that you should still eat lunch and accompany us," he told her as he hugged her, which she returned happily.

     "I do find it interesting how he knew," Oyuki mentioned to Kiyone, who'd stopped dancing to watch.

     "That's something I'd like to know," Kiyone admitted, "But I'm not going to look a gift Ponytaur in the mouth."

Suddenly Understanding Something You've Understood All Your Life

     Jeff watched them at the counter from across the store, Kids in a candy store, he thought, I just wish they weren't so . . . enthusiastic about an obvious symbol of being owned. And me, the best way I could think of to get Sylve back to her . . . let's call them what they are, her lovers, was to exchange her for goods or money.

     She walked up to him. "Are you okay?" Sylve asked as the others commented and argued. The major topic was 'all the same or individual taste'.

     That's an argument I'm staying out of, he thought. "Not really. I'd have to be blind not to see how important collars are to you and the others." He fidgeted. "But at the same time . . . I'm uncomfortable with the idea of owning something that is sentient and has a will of its own. Even as a pilot, I tried to cajole and persuade rather than order. The horse I helped break and trained for the rodeo, again it was more cajolery than the riding crop. We didn't win, but that wasn't what I was after. I wanted to prove the 'untamable horse' could be made to excel at what other horses had been beaten into."

     Sylve laid her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm. "I think you're allying the same philosophy here," Sylve said as she idly stroked his arm.

     "Not well enough. If I had more faith in my abilities, I'd have come up with something." I know you're trying to cheer me up, he admitted to himself, I want to feel miserable about these choices.

     Sylve buried her face in the crock of his arm, it took a moment to realize she was laughing. When she `surfaced` she looked at him. "Like what? A Team Rocket-style attack, and just happen to leave me behind? Or steal one of the Tamer's empty Pokèballs and leave me behind?"

     "Or let you attack them as if you were a Feral, none of those seem to be options worth pursuing," Jeff replied. I considered all of those, none seemed appropriate, he thought. "So with the training we've given you, we have to hope you'll be particularly . . . valuable."

     Sylve's laughter was as surprising this time as the last. "I'm sorry M - sir, but you should see your face. You have been spending time making me stronger so I can be with my childhood . . . "

     "Lovers, let's not mince words."

     "And you look like a Snorlass ate your Pia, and you're next," she said as she laughed.

     I don't think I'll ever get used to this place, he thought of the beautiful girl laughing at his discomfort over treating her as something other than a walking, talking sex doll, But if I asked her to go somewhere private to - service - me, she would, and the others would be jealous.

     "You really need to learn to loosen up about this," Sylve urged, then mischievously added, "Master."

     "I'll never be comfortable treating all of you as things. I know, one Gendo Ikari, who treated people exactly like that. I always hated that, moving other humans around like chess pieces," Jeff told her, "Besides being stupid and cruel, it denies the people the chance to assist fully if they believed in your goal."

     "And you don't think we'd believe in yours?"

     "Not when even I don't know what my goals are. Kind of hard to believe in something that doesn't exist yet. Right now I'm afraid that there aren't too many options." Jeff's attention returned to the argument among the girls.

     "Okay!" he raised his voice, "What's the trouble?" I'm not going to decide for them, he reminded himself, But I will help them shape the debate.

     Kiyone and Mara had squared off against the rest. "I won't wear a collar that's exactly the same as all the others," Mara said firmly, folding her arms and bracing herself.

     'Exactly the same', Jeff thought, then turned to the Wolf Spider, "Kiyone?"

     "Oh, I don't mind that, it's just . . . they're all ugly!" she said as if it were a mortal sin, a capital crime, and fattening, all in one.

     Jeff spotted the clerk approaching. Great, when the Pokègirls could use help, you are on the phone with your girlfriend, when the Tamer arrives, it's all eagerness and 'May I help you?' Jeff thought sourly.

     "May I help you?" the clerk asked obsequiously, a faint bow.

     Bingo! Jeff thought before replying. "Can these mix and match, the band and the box for the electronics?"

     The clerk's lip curled at the very idea. "No sir, the units are of the highest quality and workmanship, we've never had any complaints."

     I think the 'Jenny's idea has just been brought to the on deck circle, Jeff thought. "Do any of these come with a locator, so the collar wearer can find the Tamer?" he asked. No, I did not suggest you go sleep with your dead mother! Jeff thought of the clerk's aghast expression.

     "Who would ever want such a thing?" the clerk asked in shock.

     "The customer is always right, especially the wealthy customer," Jeff commented. Okay, now you get to prove you really are an ogre. "Okay girls, I think we go to another store," Jeff said, to the vocal disappointment of all the Pokègirls, and the sneer of the clerk.

     "There are no other stores that sell collars of this quality," the clerk said smugly.

     "Since none of them fulfill my needs," Jeff replied coldly, "I don't see the quality, rubbish is still rubbish."

     The cacophony from the Pokègirls seemed to support the clerk. But Jeff had spent the past days scouting the purchase of supplies. "There are two other stores, I know they'll have what I want," Jeff told them all as he headed out. Despite the fact I gave them the money to make the purchase, none of them dug in their heels and said 'we are going to buy these.' Disappointing, but not unexpected.

     Jeff walked into the electronic's store all the girls followed him closely. There was a heavily made up girl who was idling through the store. She's either the owner's Goth `pet`, or a local who is really bored. She was done completely in black and the made up highlights were to make her look thinner than she was. A Buchanwald wannabe, he thought as the rest of the girls followed him inside, One group thought the Jews, the homosexuals, the intellectuals, the Poles, the Ukrainians, the Russians, et.al. deserved to die, another that the Georgians, the Crimeans, the Ukrainians, the Poles and the Germans deserved to die. Here I am, accompanied by people who revel in subservience and what am I doing? Buying them their own version of the pink triangle or the yellow star, and they'll be so happy. Jeff felt sick. Best lighten the mood, he thought as pulled the cross he wore around his neck out and brandished at the girl. "Foul fiend! Produce thy Master or suffer the direst curse of all!" he thundered, "Never more the gloom, only sunshine and rainbows shall follow you all the days of your life, all will look upon you and pronounce you 'Cute Beyond Words!'"

     The girl had drawn back initially, then she stepped around Jeff and towards the others. "Is he . . . all right?" she whispered.

     "The jury's still out on that one," Ritsuko said, covering her face with her hand. "We don't think he's a danger to anyone. Of course biting that Widow was an interesting experience."

     "They taste like chicken," Jeff told her loftily, "That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me."

     The girl scurried into the back. Jeff spotted the bar code stripes that indicated she was a Pokègirl, born Domestic at a ranch.

     "I've often wondered what would happen if the situation were reversed. If the females and their pokèboys inhabited a planet. Would it be better or just different?" Jeff asked.

     "Considering how wonderfully we get along," Mara said, "The answer should be obvious, even to you, Master."

     "You mean the world would be a paradise of chubby women eating chocolate and amicably discussing needlepoint and romance?" Jeff asked with wide-eyed innocence.

     "What's chocolate?" Misato asked.

     "That answers that question, I am in Hell," Jeff replied as a proprietor or chief tech came out from the back with the girl behind him.

     "You want something?" the pimply, overweight young man asked impatiently, he glanced back at the girl hiding behind him.

     'I'll trade my tech geek for your overdressed weirdo,' he imagined the exchange between the theoretical woman rulers, before responding, "Yes, I was looking for the makings of a collar - "

     "Gilman's down the street," came the instant, bored response.

     "With a locator built in so the collar's wearer could find the person carrying the locator box," he said then leaned close, "They're always complaining they have to find me and get me out of trouble."

     The guffaw from the Goth and the embarrassed look from the man told Jeff he'd scored a direct hit.

     "I take it you like challenges," Jeff said, then ran his finger through the dust on a nearby shelf, "More than you like simply running the store."

     "Yeah," the man rocked back and forth on his heels. "Locators are bigger than collars because they have to have a power source, and the transmitters are pretty short ranged, or you run through the batteries too fast."

     A technologist, Jeff thought, I can deal with that. I speak the language. "Photovoltaic cells might help with that, but locators aren't exactly huge. The transceiver can be passive until activated."

     "Transceiver?" the man asked.

     "Since you rarely have to transmit and receive simultaneously," Jeff explained, "The parts that are common to the transmitter and the receiver can be used for both." Good Lord, they haven't even figured that out? he thought, I guess they never needed to lug around pack radios in combat before transistor and integrated circuits arrived.

     "Yeah, that makes sense," the man rubbed his chin, "That would make'em smaller and lighter."

     Well, he's not stupid, Jeff thought happily. "About what size would you be taking about?" Jeff asked, "I'd like to leave the job to you and go get the containers and bands themselves."

     "Uh, let me do some figuring," he said distractedly as he turned and returned to his workshop in the back.

     "Uh," the Goth began nervously, glancing around, "What kind of range are we talking, and how many units?"

     Jeff looked at Ritsuko and the others.

     "Ten thousand kilometers should be enough," Mara supplied, "Oh, and a long piece of really heavy wire."

     The Goth smirked at that.

     "Ten kilometers -" Ritsuko began.

     "Twenty," Misato interrupted, "He can't possibly walk 20 klicks before we'd notice he was gone."

     Jeff put his hands over his heart. "The faith they have in their Tamer is truly heartwarming," Jeff said, "Twenty miles, eight units, and two locators, one for me, one for my Alpha."

     "Okay, how are you gonna pay?" the Goth got down to business.

     Am I glad there's a jeweler in town, he thought and put a hundred thousand credits in bills on the counter. The Goth blanched at the bills. "Or would you prefer gold?" he asked as he set the disk on the counter. Considering how rare gold is . . . he thought as he watched the disk vanish. "They have to be tough," Jeff said, "Not the least wise, they may be used to discipline the Tamer, but also, I don't expect to be able to avoid trouble."

     "He's a little scattered, but what he makes is always first quality," the Goth admitted, "Don't worry, you'll get your money's worth, every credits' worth."

     The man had returned with a small box. "About this size and close to this shape," he said as he handed over a metal box about the size of a pack of cigarettes, "Assuming you want me to get started now."

     "Yes," Jeff said, "About how long?"

     "Tomorrow," the Goth blurted out, "Tomorrow afternoon."

     "Thank you," Jeff said as he tipped his hat and headed out.

     "You paid twice or thrice the price, for even first quality collars," Kiyone said, once they were outside and down the street, "He should be arrested for highway robbery."

     "I'll make that determination when we get the finished products," Jeff said, "My guess is that she'll see to it that they're ruggedized to a fare-the-well, and well beyond the designs I specified."

     "You're naive," Liv accused morosely.

     "In Taming, you are correct. In life, you couldn't be more wrong," Jeff replied firmly.

     The air mage's shop still looked as if metal snowflakes had settled and blended to become all measure of strange creatures and objects.

     "I'm afraid it's not close," the Elementalist bustled up to him.

     "I was more interested in getting some containers for the collar electronics," Jeff told her.

     "Well you go outside, I'll talk to your girls," she said as she shooed him out.

     'My girls', my girls, he thought repeatedly as he left, We fought against that kind of thinking that put people into camps because they were the kind that first had to wear some marker. Of course we weren't doing much better, we didn't need badges in the '40's you could tell by skin color or the church someone attended. No, this isn't like the Nazis' victims, it's more like the Dhimmis. Second-class citizens with no rights in the courts, unable to speak, legally defend themselves or raise their hands against their masters without being killed. Now I'm participating in it. The only thing that lets me go along with it is the locator for them to find me. He watched the clouds roll over his head, leaving 'my girls' to enjoy themselves.

     Ritsuko glanced out the window, she'd already found the container she wanted for her collar. She wondered, Why does he seem so disturbed by something that had his girls celebrating? Only an Ident chip is a stronger indicator that a Pokègirl is owned and thus valuable. Genetic capitalism, she thought, trying to put herself in his place, so she could explain it later, Being Wild/Feral, a Pokègirl has no value, except as protein or to make more just like her. But captured and regularly Tamed, we become sentient, able to have some discretion over our lives. She looked over the others, then continued analyzing, refining the arguments she knew she'd have to make. A Pokèball bonds us to the Tamer, as a defense against falling back into that valueless condition. And established Taming also means that someone values us enough to keep us as sentient beings. Sex is an anodyne against existential dread. The collars are a way to make sure that the person who would keep us sentient beings wants to keep us in his possession, so he can keep us sentient. We protect him, our Master, from threats that can be seen and fought, he keeps away the foe that every Pokègirl knows is waiting for us in the darkness. The addition of a locator means we can find him. If sentience is what divides humans from animals, the power that keeps us on the human side of the divide wants a relationship with us, wants us to not go astray. You added the ability for us to seek you out. She realized she'd found the answer, she'd found the best argument, what would convince him. Like the gods of old, a Tamer draws us up from the beasts, is it any wonder a Pokègirl worships her Tamer, each in her own way. The idea that her `god` wants her exclusively, does not want to risk her in the hands of evil, uncaring `gods`, the Tamer wants his worshipers to walk with him as equals or near equals, now the locator means we can find our god to dispense wisdom, judgements, love and the maintenance of sentience, when we need them.

     She smiled as she realized a part of the tension he was feeling. " 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,'" she breathed. That's it! He doesn't like - doesn't want - he's utterly revolted by the worship and the power that is achieved, the power he has over us. If he withholds, we cease to be `human`, so he sees it as force, subtly applied, but if we don't submit, we can be denied - "No," she whispered, "If he does not provide, we lose. The threat is against him by us. A gentleman wouldn't let a lady become an animal, a gentleman would - could never force himself on a lady. So he must provide what we require, in order to deny us a worse fate." Sukebe! she cursed silently, And us telling him we enjoy it, doesn't override the fact we desperately need it, and the fulfillment of the need overrides, in his mind, any say we might have. Our need and the reward eliminate our ability to deal with it rationally. Or so he believes, and it probably isn't wholly untrue!

     Ritsuko shook her head in wonder, wondering what they could do, to assure him they wanted all of what he offered, continued sentience, physical pleasure and his companionship. As well as trying to provide him with what he wants, she thought, Whatever it is.

     Okay, it can't be protection, unlike most Tamers, he's more than capable of defending himself. It isn't unlimited sex, oddly enough that just doesn't interest him, and for a healthy 16-year-old boy, that's just weird. It isn't fame and renown, he seems to be content slipping in and out of the shadows, although he does want to be good at whatever he does . . . Think! Think! Think! You're over the Feral Shock, you've got no excuses. The Orange Islands-! He wants to go there - and be certified by an external group as a superior Tamer. Okay. What were the manuals available on Taming, Pokègirls, and their problems, psychology, biology, etc., that we used at the camp? They were clinical, yet thorough, she thought, Most boys his age would be offended if their Pokègirls gave him stuff like that, but I have to keep remembering, he didn't grow up around here. And he sees this as a duty expected of him, not as fun and enjoyable. Where do I find a book to fix that problem?

     "Hey, why don't you join the party?" Misato asked.

     "Because I already selected mine, and I wanted you to choose your own, without my input."

     "Too bad, we're back to the 'same or different' argument," Misato told her as she picked her way across the shop, "Two for, two against, Sylve has no opinion, and I don't want to be the tiebreaker."

     "You're assuming we don't cancel each other out. I may agree or disagree depending on what everyone else chooses," Ritsuko said as she headed over to the others, who were almost coming to blows.

     Jeff watched them come out. They're already wearing them, he thought as he saw them wearing their collars, or belts with the containers, No, sporting them! Not just wearing. The section of the belt that would be the entire collar looked exactly like the collars, a nearly inch-wide band made of wires and cloisonnè metal bits. He shook his head as he approached, A uniform of sorts. I don't think I'll ever understand the deep psychology. Well, I could assume they are nothing like humans and start from there, but I don't think that's a good assumption either, he thought as he moved to join them.

     "I have an idea, one that will let you complete the transfer faster," Ritsuko said as they walked back to the electronics store. She pulled out a map. "The intercept here on land can be done tonight, by flying out to the intercept point. Misato or Mara can carry you and Sylve, with the other acting as a scout."

     Jeff felt a little sick at the idea of them rushing to get rid of someone, even if that someone wanted to leave. Okay smart guy, how do you deal with that? he asked himself as he saw the eagerness on Sylve's face.

     "Are you sure Sylve?" he asked, she nodded happily, "Okay, let's get the electronic guts, then plot our intercept," he told them, "Of course, can they carry two people?"

     Misato and Mara stared at each other. "What are you talking about?" Mara asked, "Take her in her Pokèball."

     The idea troubled him, a lot. Apparently it showed too.

     "Jeffrey," Ritsuko stopped him and said, "If you like - and love your Master, it's a very restful place." The others nodded to support her assertion, even Mara.

     "It's still a punishment/pleasure device, for brainwashing," he countered, trying to communicate what a hateful idea it was, "You - "

     "It isn't a problem," Ritsuko cut him off, "All of us have been 'balled before."

     Jeff censored the obvious response. "That - is - not - the - point," he replied. He had no words to express his loathing of turning somebody `off` like that, and what it did to them.

     "Then what is the point?" Ritsuko asked angrily, her fists on her hips.

     He noted the others edging away, as if they were afraid to be in the vicinity when he lowered the boom on her. So it comes down to this, eh? he thought, You do realize I could silence you a dozen different ways, Pokèballs not withstanding.

     "There are things you can't change. One is that Pokèballs soothe `good` Pokègirls, and trouble bad ones. Two, that if we are to remain sentient beings, our MASTER must service us sexually, on a fairly periodic basis. Third, we desire the contact, especially but not exclusively sexual, with our Tamer, not because we wish to retain our sentience, since most of us don't think in those terms, but because for us, sex is fun. Being subservient to our sexual partner, especially if he earns it, is even more fun."

     Jeff felt himself reflexively retreating from her anger, and simultaneously reigning in his own temper so he could listen to her arguments, instead of just lashing out.

     "There are more Pokègirls than humans. There are more Feral Pokègirls in the Golden Continent than humans and Domestics combined. So it is incumbent on the Tamers to provide defense and also to provide rescue for a few of the Feral born," she was making her points logically and methodically, it was a heated discussion, but he knew she was trying to be informative, "You talk about options, most Ferals don't think about having a Tamer. But in the back of their minds they know that seeking out a human will completely alter their lives. That option, that possibility, prevents many of them from descending into madness. They may never take that option, they may despite the very thought of it, but it gives a sliver of hope through the worst times, that they could change things if they wanted, if they chose to. If you are not comfortable with your `job` as a Tamer, that's the thing. You only want was to be with that one special someone. Fine, good, it's nice to have dreams, but understand that for us, anyone who is slightly kind and understanding, anyone who gives the orgasms that keep us sentient is that someone special. Not as a human lover who pleasures our bodies only, but like a god who dispenses manna that sustains our minds and nourishes our spirits."

     She leaned back and moderated her tone. "You're from a different time and place, the intimacy a Pokègirl offers is a threat to you and your world view, I understand that," she told him, "Duty, Honor, Country are your watchwords. So that means you can continue on as you have been, assuming you can change the world, but you have to accept you cannot do it today, this instant. You have to live within the limits of what is available."

     "You may have your facts about this world, and how it works, more accurate than mine. However, your assumptions about me are not wholly accurate. I don't need to use the Pokèball, because I can teleport myself and the entire group there if I need to," he explained coldly, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to. You don't know all of what my magic can do, and how I do it, I have been avoiding using it. But you are correct, I can't avoid my responsibility." He could see that his tone was sending a chill down her spine. He simply turned and resumed his march to the electronic store. Just because she made good points, just because she's probably right, he fumed silently, That doesn't mean I have to like one bit of it, or the `rules` of this world, I've died before. What can they do to me?

     Liv cowered behind her Master, she wanted to learn about real power. This isn't what I expected I want to LEAVE! she mentally screamed, This isn't just a dream or a nightmare, this is real!

     "It is good to see that you survived," the ophidian-looking man approached and took her Master's proffered hand.

     "It seems so," Jeff told him, "I'm not sure whether it was a good or bad thing. I suspect there is more here than meets the eye, even mine."

     "Asking for my assistance?" the serpent asked, raising a hairless eyebrow, "What do you have to offer? That cowering girl behind you?"

     Liv silently begged that her Master wouldn't turn her over to this manlike creature.

     "Oh no," he said.

     Liv loved her Master. She hugged her Master, the most wonderful, lovable man who ever lived.

     "She wants to achieve TREMEMNDOUS INVINCIBLE POWER!" her Master explained, waving a finger in the air.

     "And she was saddled with you?" the man asked sardonically as he leaned close to Liv, "Young lady, suicide is always an option."

     Liv wanted to run away. I can't defend my Master, she thought as she leaned away, I am disloyal.

     "Do you really want to see who is scarier?" her Master asked with crossed arms and a glare. She was amazed that this mighty force smiled uncertainly and looked around uneasily.

     "Please, don't fight," she plead with them. I don't want to get killed if you do, she thought.

     "Very well," the hairless man leaned back, grinning smugly at her Master.

     "This is Yig, the father of serpents. One of my first and mightiest patrons," her Master said. Liv noted the man preening slightly at the praise.

     "Serpents? Like Nagas and Arbusts?" she asked in confusion.

     The metaphoric temperature of the place dropped severely.

     I wish I were safe in bed, Liv thought, Oh wait! I am!

     "You mean these human modifications?" Yig asked with a terrible politeness, "What about lizards, alligators, and the like?"

     "Ahhh," Liv managed as she wilted under that unblinking gaze.

     "There's no animal with a body mass over half a kilo that survives to this day," he Master said, "Their ecological niches have been filled by Pokègirls."

     The hairless man, Yig, just stared at her Master. Liv could feel the tension wratcheting up between the two, she was glad she was nearly forgotten. She glanced from one to the other. I would have thought that this Yig was mightier than my Master, she thought, But they seem almost evenly matched.

     Suddenly Yig stared at her, the smile and friendly demeanor did nothing to hide the anger seething within him. "Tell me more," he said, oozing a cold charm, "I'm just fascinated. What about dragons?"

     "Uh." Keep silent! she told herself desperately, You'll only make him mad! "There's Dronzas, and Draccasses, and th - th - there a - a - are Pokègirls w - w - with the dr -dragon element," she stammered.

     " 'Dragon . . . Element'," Yig said very carefully. He then stared at her Master. " 'Dragon . . . Element'," he repeated with exaggerated care.

     "Dragon element," her Master replied. Liv looked around and realized the formerly fluffy clouds/concealing fog was rapidly becoming a thunderstorm.

     "I take it . . . that you . . . are the only true dragon on this world," Yig said quietly, the calm before the storm.

     "Well there are dinosaurs," Liv blurted out, then saw her Master's look of despair.

     "Dinosaurs?" the hairless man seemed completely calm and reasonable now. The lightning flashes in the background gave lie to the composed disposition. "No snakes, no alligators, no iguanas, but there are dinosaurs again. How . . . charming."

     He thinks it's about as charming as a sharp stick in the eye, Liv thought. She dreaded his next question, her Master was resigned to it.

     "And just where would these . . . dinosaurs be?" Yig asked smoothly, smiling an insane smile.

     "Rumor puts them in Africa," Liv said. Glanced at her Master. I'm sorry, she thought as she looked at him in apology, I couldn't lie, not to those eyes.

     "Let's go see." Yig raised his hand.

     Liv had no idea how they had traveled the distance in an eyeblink. Teleportation doesn't feel like that, she remembered her limited experience, There's a feeling of . . . transition, that made me sick to my stomach. This . . . we were there, now we're here, as smooth as walking into a room.

     "There they are!" Yig said delightedly as he blurred, then charge towards the pack of loafing monsters. They in turn spotted him and snarled, leaping up and charging towards him.

     "Should we help?" Liv asked uncertainly.

     "Get between him and dinosaurs?" her Master asked, staring at her as if she'd suggested putting their heads in a sausage mill.

     I think not, she silently translated. The way the pieces are flying over there, she realized, Maybe a sausage mill was a good analogy. "Can they see us?" she asked fearfully.

     "No, we're still on the spirit plane. They can't see us," her Master assured her, "I'm not sure they'd notice us if we were visible." The dinosaur-like Pokègirls were screaming now, neither as certain nor so vicious. Numbers didn't seem to affect their target, neither did their claws and teeth, pieces of his foes flew in all directions.

     "He's . . . enjoying himself?" she asked incredulously at the carnage. Then she saw her Master looking around.

     "I'm sorry, but do you see anything?" he asked as he swept the area around them with his gaze.

     "The clouds from the spirit realm, your friend making mince," she said as she glanced around, "Nothing besides that."

     "Good, then you're safe," he said with an oddly frightened and frightening tone. "Yes, no, I'm sorry, could you say again, slowly, one at a time!" he started off speaking and ended shouting.

     His clothes look like they're being plucked, but not by wind, there is no wind, she thought as she looked around desperately for the source, It's getting hard to breathe. She felt constricted, as if everything were pressing in on her, but she couldn't see anything.

     "ONE AT A TIME!" her Master roared. Liv jumped back from his rage, the constriction eased, as did the odd rippling, plucking of his clothes.

     She half-listened to his comments to these unseen people/things/whatever. She tried to drown it out. It's just too creepy. I can't help either of them.

     She watched her Master's friend, the walking dinosaurs were now being joined by many flying dinosaurs. But the casualties are mounting, she thought, Is he a Legendary . . . were there male Legendaries? Other Pokègirl arrived with their Tamers. If they aren't dinosaurs, he's ignoring them. How is it possible? That was a Hyperbeam, he just took the hit from a Hyperbeam, and ignored it! She felt her fear growing by the second. Then she saw several of the Tamers, elaborately tattooed women, walking towards her and her Master. "Master!" she cried out in alarm. I remember stories, she thought in fear, Legends really, but . . . these are so much like the legends . . . I don't want to be here!

     Her Master stared at the approaching woman and their Harems. He gave a curt order in a language she couldn't understand. There was a chorus of snarls, a long way away. The women paused and looked around them in confusion, then in disgust. They turned back to the fight. Liv relaxed ever so slightly.

     Her Master was absolutely furious. He didn't show it, like the volcano at the center of the island. It made no noise, but you knew it could go off. His friend couldn't have been more delighted. Liv wasn't sure which terrified her more. I don't want to anger my Master, she thought in blood-freezing terror, But I don't want to attract the attention of his friend.

     "You're ignoring your friend," her Master's friend, Yig, told her Master.

     "You are correct," he said crisply, bowing his head to her, which scared her even more, "Liv, I apologize, I am very angry, but not with you. If I am short or curt with you, I apologize."

     "What happened?" Liv asked cautiously.

     "They died," he said, like a rumbling volcano but not ready to erupt, "They were cut down doing their jobs, by their replacements. Some expected reinforcements, some expected nothing. They were slaughtered, Womon, Girls, kits, husbands and lovers. No warning, no quarter, no mercy. Disgusting." He paused drew a deep breath, gained a measure of control. Death was still coming, just not today. "There were too many to help, there were too many who refused to believe they had been betrayed, too many who couldn't recognize that the ones they sought were standing alongside them . . . until I forced them to see it." He seemed to slump, as if his rage had been all that had sustained him. Now that it was fading, so was he. "So many didn't have anything except their duty, they could not conceive of what to do after their death. They needed to find the way to their next life. You'd think a pack of Necromancers would have at least cleaned up their mess. I guess not."

     Liv slung his arm over her shoulder a depression completed displacing fury. Liv nodded. I should have asked for an answer I could understand, she thought.

     "Well, I need to do something real and definite about this terrible imbalance," Yig said as he smiled at Liv.

     Liv wanted to run away. Only the presence of her Master gave her courage to stand.

     "The power offered will be real," her Master warned, "The cost will not be too serious, if you negotiate correctly. Yig wants reptiles back, or some greater respect for them."

     "Dragon will do," Yig interjected, "They are exotherms, gives an edge."

     "Warm-blooded," her Master explained as he stood, "I will assist you in anyway I can, but the decision will be entirely yours. I can neither order you, to accept or reject, nor can I make the decision for you. The contract will be yours and yours alone, not an agreement among the three of us, but something between the two of you alone."

     Liv gulped and nodded. She stepped back, her back against her Master, he rested his hand on her shoulder. He survived, I can ask his advice, she thought drinking in his strength and surety. "Was the gift, what he got, was that what allows him to attack with such fearlessness? To gun down Widows without flinching?"

     "No dear, but it was why I sought him out." Yig looked at her Master and smiled like grandpa sometimes smiled at Tenchi.

     Liv stared at her hands as she sat in her bed, her Harem-sisters sleeping around her. She turned them over and over. "I know the scales are there," she whispered, "But I can't feel them." She peered closely at the hairlessness of her arms. It was skillfully enough done, I still have the hair on my scalp, and my pubic hair, but I'll never need a bikini wax, she thought as she checked herself over, He promised I wouldn't be cold-blooded, but what did he mean 'You have to learn what it really means to be a dragon'? He said I had a good teacher, but Master only chuckled and told me that he could only advise, 'You must figure it out on your own.' She glanced to where her Master was sleeping soundly. " 'We'll leave for the intercept in the morning,' he told us," she breathed.

     What really bothers me is the private conversation I had with my new patron after I signed the contract, and my Master had slipped back into being extremely angry again. 'Do you understand what Hope is?' he'd asked me far too serious for my peace-of-mind. Oh course I knew what 'hope' was, but not 'Hope'! she remembered.

     'Hope is not the reality that things will get a little better, not even the dream, but a fantasy that all will be made well by what lies at the end of the rainbow. You will be part of that one who knows what lies there and carries the image with you,' he explained so patiently. Then I replied that I hadn't gotten anything from there, I worried he'd laugh himself sick. But he told me, 'No Little One, a great sleeping monster stood in your way, and since you knew it would be there when you really needed it. You walked away.' I asked if I was the witness and he was the sleeping monster. Then I asked what my Master was, was he the rainbow? His answers still worried me, 'I guard not just the treasure, but the rainbow as well. Is he the rainbow? No. There is an ancient legend about beasts devouring the sun.' Then he asked the troubling question, 'Who do you think killed it, and keeps killing all the replacements?' His smile and chuckle still chills me to the marrow, she thought. "No wonder I can't sleep," she whispered her lament to herself, then turned to face the wall, so she wouldn't look at her Master.

     Liv sighed. "I'm already a much stronger spellcaster, a match of an Enchantress or Sorceress, but the rest . . . was it worth it. I've never heard of such a deal with such good terms for so much power. All I have to do is represent dragondom. But how do I do that? What do I do to earn what I've been given?"

     She rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling, willing her thoughts to either advance in a useful way, or go away and let her sleep.

     "One of the things I've been avoiding is what I was, in my previous life," he told them as they walked to a vacant field the baggage was assembled, "My people were facing something that would have eaten the Legendaries, all of them, of all three generations, for breakfast. Ancient, even measured in geological time, and unkillable, if you hit one of them with a nuke, or even a supernova, they'd go away and reform. Somebody figured out that if you couldn't destroy the life energy and intellect, you could contain it. One group decided to contain the energy in one container and the intellect in another. Another group decided that if you could divide the energy and the intellect over enough individual containers, you didn't have to separate the life energy and the intellect. So the first group had less than four paired containers, second group built hundreds of containers."

     "The problem arose when they decided to combine the two groups. The serious flaws in the execution of both theories had cropped up and threatened annihilation, even without the enemy. Neither were truly stable, they were 'metastable' like a pencil balancing on its point. Several of the scientists, and the containers, now called 'pilots', discovered if they could bind the metastable containers, pilots, together, like a bundle of sharpened pencils, that a much more stable structure would result. The shocks and horrors might rearrange the grouping, but they all stayed together and upright. That's where I came in. I was created, a container from the second group, like Sukebe's first Legendaries, to fight the enemies."

     "Until it killed me, and I wound up here. I don't know if the memories are accurate, but I remember. As clearly and undeniably as any rock or a table, and just as impossible to ignore. I also have the memories and knowledge of those creatures whose lives spanned millions of years, countless battles, scientific achievements that would dwarf Sukebe or anything else. As well as a deep understanding of the reality of the Universe. The last, the revelation into the how's and why's of the universe were the most disturbing, because they are denials of everything you think you know about the universe, from mathematics to ethics, from physics to anything related to justice, honor, everything." He stopped as they surveyed the baggage and Liv drew a circle of protection around it and them.

     "Why is this important? Because I left most of that behind, or thought I did, as I use my abilities, I gain more abilities, like an avalanche, as all I thought I gave up comes back."

     "That doesn't sound so bad," Mara said, "Like Pokègirls evolve.":

     "Except you don't evolve to Legendaries, and aside from Hybra, you don't absorb another's energy to grow permanently stronger. And you don't absorb the knowledge of your enemies, gain their knowledge, skill, bits and pieces of their personalities. It isn't very pleasant . . . being reminded."

     "You said you were dead," Kiyone said, "I thought you said they couldn't die."

     "They can die, they don't stay that way. But I gave the powers, abilities, knowledge everything to my colleagues, and passed on. So I found myself, not dead I guess, here. With no idea how I got here and a very clear idea of who, or rather, what I am."

     "So what can you do . . . if you get your ful powers?" Oyuki asked displaying only a slight interest.

     "I haven't the faintest idea what my full powers are. I know I and about half-a-dozen others went toe-to-toe with one of the fundamental forces of the universe, and destroyed it. By the way, when I say 'universe' I'm referring to ALL of existence, not just this time-space continuum."

     "Do you know how arrogant that sounds?" Sylve asked nervously, "You make it sound like you beat up on gravity."

     "Well, Chaos, but the same principle. If there was a person who symbolized or personified gravity, yes, that's what happened."

     "You are nuts," Sylve said, and looked over the preparations.

     "Okay, I believe in proof," he said, gestured. There was no fire, no gut-wrenching transition, they were on another beach with all their baggage, "How's that?" he asked.

     The Pokègirls looked around desperately, trying to figure out how he performed his trick.

     "Now we wait for the arrival of our target," Jeff told them, "In the meantime, we'll get some practice in. A few tricks I've been learning, or relearning. Maybe you won't be so nervous about letting me into the fight."

      Jeff's Harem
Oyuki - Megami
Kiyone - Wolf Spider
Sylve - ShieldMaiden
Misato - Seraph
Ritsuko - Matron
Mara - Storm Demon
Liv - Witch

ELEMENTIST, the Magical Specialist Pokègirl
Type: Very Near Human
Element: Magic/Varies
Frequency: Very Rare
Diet: usually human style diet, just lots of it
Role: Spellcasting, exact role depends on spells known
Libido: Average
Strong Vs: varies (see below)
Weak Vs: varies (see below)
Attacks: Mystic Bolt, Shield, elemental attacks of the appropriate types
Enhancements: Affinity for magic, affinity for their element.
Evolves: None
Evolves From: Witch (Angel, Diamond, Fire, or Water Stone)

     Elementists are restricted in the spells that they can learn, 66% of their spells must be in their specialty, and they can never learn spells from their barred elements, even if tutored in such magic it is simply too alien to their natures for them to grasp. If they knew such magic when they were a Witch then it will be immediately forgotten upon their evolution. However, when casting a spell from their specialty it is half-again as powerful as the same spell when cast by a Sorceress of the same level. Their one weakness is the one they hold over from their previous form: Elementists are very ticklish.

     Elementists of the same element always have the same hair color and tend to be similar in personality. Their breast size can vary considerably although C-cup seems to be the average. Like Sorceresses runes appear on an Elementist's body when they use their magic, and these runes are always the same color as the Elementist's hair.

     Feral Elementists live near their element, and are peaceful unless attacked or their home is threatened.

     Threshold girls rarely become Elementists, and those that do either live near, or have a strong connection to their element. Often once the initial shock and the resentment at the loss of their humanity has worn off these girls revel in the power of the magic that is now at their command.

     Air Elementist, evolved with an Angel Stone, Magic/Flying element.
     Strong Vs: Bug, Fighting, Ground, Plant
     Weak Vs: Electric, Ice, Rock
     Barred from learning: Ground, Plant, Rock magic.
     Air Elementists have sky blue hair and are often easily distracted from the task at hand by anything which catches their attention unless their Tamer watches them at all times. Air Elementists are often found on ships where their ability to provide a steady wind is most prized. They do not get along with Earth Elementists who they consider to be boring and to have no desire for fun. Air Elementists enjoy being Tamed outdoors on their backs where they can look up and see the sky. Feral Air Elementists usually live in mountains where they can hear the wind whistling through canyons.

     Earth Elementist, evolved with a Diamond Stone, Magic/Ground element.
     Strong Vs: Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel
     Weak Vs: Flying, Ice, Plant, Water
     Barred from learning: Air, Electric magic.
     Earth Elementists have brown hair and are very focused on whatever task they are performing often to the exclusion of all else. Earth Elementists are often found in construction and landscaping where their ability to move vast quantities of earth and rock makes them an excellent worker. They do not get along with Air Elementists seeing them as flighty and frivolous. Earth Elementists enjoy being outdoors and on the bottom where they can feel the earth during their Taming. Feral Earth Elementists live in caves.

     Fire Elementist, evolved with a Fire Stone, Magic/Fire element.
     Strong Vs: Bug, Fire, Ice, Plant, Steel
     Weak Vs: Ground, Rock, Water
     Barred from learning: Ice, Plant, Water magic.
     Fire Elementists have red hair, and are very passionate, especially about Taming, also they often argue with their Tamer about the right course of action to take in a given situation. Fire Elementists are rarely found outside of a Tamer's Harem since other Fire-types are easier to obtain and usually just as effective in performing other roles. They do not get along with Water Elementists seeing them as being too submissive and they consider Earth Elementists to be boring although they don't actively dislike them. Fire Elementists often act as though their libido is high rather than average, seeking as much Taming as possible and they enjoy new experiences, a Fire Elementist will be willing to try just about anything once. They prefer their food hot and Feral Fire Elementists live near active volcanos and hot springs.

     Water Elementist, evolved with a Water Stone, Magic/Water element.
     Strong Vs: Fire, Rock, Water
     Weak Vs: Electric, Ice, Plant
     Barred from learning: Fire, Thunder magic.
     Water Elementists have sea green hair and are calm and usually content to go with the flow. They despise Fire Elementists for their tendency to argue with their Tamer and it would take extreme circumstances for a Water Elementist to argue with or disobey her Tamer. They tend to frown on how flighty and undependable Air Elementists are, though they don't actively dislike them. They are often found working on farms, particularly in arid areas where their ability to conjure large quantities of water is much prized. Like most Water-types they enjoy being in the water during Taming, they are also slightly submissive and are particularly excited by a Pokègirl who can use the Vine Bondage attack. Feral Water Elementists live near large bodies of water.

GOTH, the Nocturnal Near-Human Pokègirl
Type: Very Near Human
Element: Dark
Frequency: Uncommon
Diet: human style, though supplemented by insects and they prefer very lightly cooked meat
Role: often used in conjunction with Growlies and Hounds as security forces. Sometimes found as pets. Like Ingenue they do not suffer quite the same problems with going Feral without frequent Tamings, they just get very morose and depressed.
Libido: Average
Strong Vs: Dark, Ghost, Psychic
Weak Vs: Bug, Fighting
Attacks: Spin Kick, Claw Swipe, Glare
Enhancements: reinforced fingernails, high tolerance for poisons, 1.5x human strength, darkvision. Has problems with direct sunlight. Altered digestive system.
Evolves: Vampira (Dark Stone), Drag King (forced evolution), Loner (Loner Goth sub-type only; normal), Tigress (Sarcastic Goth sub-type only; battle stress), Megami (Sarcastic Goth sub-type only; mechanism unknown), Growlie (Sarcastic Goth sub-type only; Fire Stone), Psivamp (mechanism unknown), Vampire (knocked out by draining attack (Wannabe Vampire Goth sub-type only), or infected through bite)
Evolves From: None

     Goth are the most simple and straightforward of the various Dark types, also the most common. Goth have pale skin with dark markings and patterns. Most usually have a few tattoos or odd jewelry as decoration. Most also have dark hair and the vast majority also have red eyes. No one knows if they have any special attacks, as few people can get them to fight until after they've evolved. The only technique that they've displayed is Hypnotize, which is more of a defense to get away than a technique for attacking.

     The problem with dealing with Goths is figuring out what variety you have. Goths come in five different types: The Poet, The MakeUp Artist, The Wanna-Be Vampire, The Sarcastic, The Loner.

     The Poet like poetry, but their own poetry tends to be harsh, depressing or disillusioning. A Poet can be advantageous as their words can rile a group into a Fighting mood, even if that group consists of airheads Bunnies.

     The MakeUp Artist is often confused with the Wanna-Be Vampire, as both wear makeup to make themselves look paler and love black lipstick, but the MakeUp Artist likes doing the actual makeup more than the imagery behind it, while the Wanna-Be Vampire tends to hang around with actual Vampires.

     The Sarcastic Goth will often make snide or biting comments about her situation, leading her to seem cruel, but in reality, she is actually very caring. Their moodiness is likely a result of hanging around with Poets too much. Sarcastic Goths have a very high psychic healing talent, allowing their more compassionate side to show through.

     The Loner is among the most bizarre Pokègirls ever. While she may recognize someone as her official Tamer, she will leave for weeks on end to do other business, only to encounter her Tamer again next month. She has two unique talents as well. The first is to sense when her Tamer is in trouble and the second is to be able to teleport to their Tamer's aid without fail. Loners are suspected to also be able to avoid trouble as no Loner has ever died or been captured when they are away from their Tamer.

     Of all the Goths, the three types that seem most salvageable to most tamers are the Sarcastic Goths, the MakeUp Artists and the Loners. The MakeUp Artists are usually easily subverted into normal fashion. The Loners are very valuable, even when they don't evolve into Heroines. The Sarcastic Goths usually transform into Tigresses or Megami, though some are said to change into Growlies.

SKARMORY, the Flying Armored Pokègirl
Type: Near Human Metamorph (armored avian)
Element: Steel/Flying
Frequency: Rare
Diet: human style foods, somewhat carnivore
Role: aerial powerhouse used by elite Tamers
Libido: Average
Strong Vs: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Flying, Ghost, Normal, Plant, Poison, Psychic, Steel
Weak Vs: Electric, Fire
Attacks: Agility, Fury Attack, Steel Wing, Steel Feathers Gale, Hidden Power - (Hyperbeam), Hurricane, Sonic Flight
Enhancements: supersonic flight, enhanced sight, night vision, toughness x 5
Evolves: None
Evolves From: very high level flying type with steel coat

     Skarmory is a rare and powerful Pokègirl. One of the scarier ones developed by Sukebe in the great war, they were designed as jet fighters, a pair of Skarmorys were capable of going toe to toe with squadrons of deadly jet fighters from Sukebe's era and win . . .

     Today, they are a rare breed of Pokègirls that are prized by the truly elite Tamers, and are slowly growing back to a sizable population as they nest in out of the way mountainous areas... Their population level is low due to the fact that they saw heavy combat in the great war...

     The advantage of a Skarmory lays in the fact that they are steel types that can fly and fly very, VERY fast at that...

     While not flying in either their 'angel' form or their 'jet' bird form, this Pokègirl looks like a human female, wearing a metallic outfit. They transform into an angel-like form by manifesting steel wings, at this stage, a Skarmory cannot fly at supersonic speeds. It is their third form that enables them to go all out.... speed-wise, as in their other forms, they have access to almost all their attacks...