Aphresius[]
c. 2818 AD
Hachiman was on one of the human colonies of the Draconid Imperium. Supposedly, this colony was populated by humans who came from Earth during its late Classical period. There was little evidence on this city, a glittering jewwel built half out to sea in an archipeligo. The city was tall, bright, but did bear some classical features such as columns and flagstone. People here wore long cots for men and robe-like dresses for women, although some wore more practical and unisex outfits. Strategist Spacer: During his stay, Hachi had found a shopping precinct that stuc out of the city in the bay, neon lights and holodisplays of the latest fashion and technology crazes were everywhere. As it was a weekend-like day, the precinct was filled with people. Hundreds of individuals, hundreds of differing personalities all mingling in this one throbbing heart of commerce.
While it was indeed the soul of trade and exchange, it was not the sales nor the money that entirely attracted the rianth's attention. Throughout his stay he had indeed bought luxuries, ranging from items of clothing to explicit literature, but such did not compare to the window-shopping he fondly engaged in; as the precinct was a hive, he would go almost entirely unnoticed despite his questionable appearance. And, as per his nature, he took full advantage of his invisibility amongst this conglomerate of noise and image to stare from both close and afar at the wondrous assets of certain unsuspecting members of the public. The most favoured of these assets were the ones sported by the female crowd, the ones they could not help but sport. Both posterior and anterior, Hachiman would admire it all while he gladly paid for magazines, pamphlets, shirts, robes and other such local objects. Watching from inside one of the shop windows was an indescribable figure. While not very noticeable something was off about her, she kept watching, somehow fixated on the rianth tourist, somehow able to pick him out of the crowd. As he passed the shop window, she vanished, disappearing out the door, possibly into the crowd outside.
Can I help?[]
A few moments later there was an anomaly in the crowd, a rather panicked alien that stood slightly taller than a human with small drooping ears and a light coat of brown fur, she appeared to be slightly panicked. her eyes darting about as if she was completely lost. Hachiman raised his head as he pondered through Imperial merchandise, his ears perking up with intrigue and an eyebrow ascending with a degree of concern. However, he swiftly dismissed this peculiar feeling and went back to pondering through the market's wares. The alien woman however continued stumbling though the crowds, causing a commotion from a few bystanders she accidentally bumped into, continuing to apologise.
Woman - Oh dear, sorry! I apologise...Can anyone point me to the Altrisian parlour?
Hachiman turned as he saw the woman rushing through the crowd and took a moment to step away from what he was doing, approaching her with a comforting step. In an attempt to calm her and have her stop for a moment to take breaths, he placed his hands upon her elbows and held her still with a firm, yet somehow still gentle, grasp. The woman turned and fixated her eyes on Hachiman, breathing more slowly
Hachiman - Whoa, whoa, calm down lady, no need to get into such a state.
Woman - Oh thank the paragon...I feel so lost here!
Hachiman - I can see why, it is pretty busy around these parts. Where were you headed, exactly? I've been here for a few days, I reckon I gotta good taste for direction.
Woman - Uhh the Altrisian lounge, my friends told me it was this exotic club down by the harbour. I think I'm a little lost...
Hachiman - Ah the parlour, sure I can direct you there. I've been meaning to go there as well... again. Anywho, how about I take you, just to make sure you get there okay?
Milisi - Uhh sure! The names Milisi by the way.
Hachiman - That's a nice name, mine's Hachi. What race you from, Milisi? I haven't seen somebody of your race before. Hachiman placed his hands to his sides now that he was in the knowledge that she was calmed and tranquil, as well as knowing that he had gained her trust. He took his time to admire her features as he did with most women he saw, let alone encountered. The subtle expression on his face indicated that he was fairly impressed.
Milisi - I'm from Solis. I-i'ts a colony in the Solonese Union.
Hachiman - Solonese Union? Hmm, interesting, I've only ever heard of them. I'll have to take a look when I grab the time, especially if there are more people like you out there.
Milisi - Oh plenty! You've never been?
Hachiman - Not at all, surprisingly! I only really ever go where I'm needed, I'm just here on a bit of vacation after taking down some rogue Draconis noble who thought it'd be smart to make a drugged up personal militia. Damn did his quarters stink of bug skank.
Milisi - Ew. So what do you do for a living?
Hachiman - Well, I go about searching for jobs, taking down criminals and other questionable guys. Not exactly a mercenary, more of a good samaritan if you catch my drift.
Milisi - You must be very brave to undermine one of these Draconis nobles. This empire feels so...big compared to the union. They much have lots of influence and stuff.
Hachiman - You think the Imperium's big? You should take a look at the Galactic Empire in Cyrannus; they cover a "whole" galaxy.
Milisi - W-wow...Ever been there yourself?
Hachiman - Only once or twice, even then it was only really the outskirts. I hear a lot of stuff about their leader though, a lot of people talk about him.
Milisi - I think I've heard a couple of stories.
Hachiman - I personally prefer the other guys, the Republica Cyrannica or however they're called. Nice guys.
Milisi - I've never been as far out as another galaxy. You must travel a lot.
Hachiman - Plaazith Rim, Borealis, Andromeda, Cyrannus, I've been almost everywhere. It's a big place, kinda scary, but it has a lot to offer as well.
Milisi - This is my first time outside the Union. I never expected to stumble into such a traveller.
Hachiman - Hehe, it's nothing too glamorous. Lot of dangerous stuff out there, as you'd might expect. After all, you're not just a tourist, are you?
Milisi - Well..I'm a journalist back home if that's what you mean.
Hachiman - Do all "journalists" possess auras as strong as yours?
Busted[]
Hachiman stepped back from the woman and gave an unnerved, suspicious glare; he knew it from the moment he had touched her skin that she was not who she had been claiming to be. He had noticed something about her with that touch.
Milisi - I'm not really into all that "metaphysical" stuff.
Hachiman - That so? For a woman who isn't interested in spirituality you sure do have such a refined, large metaphysical presence.
Milisi - Come again?
Hachiman - You can drop the guise and tell me why you're really here.
Milisi glared at Hachi for a moment. Whihin her mind she realised that he had seen right though her A blast of concussive force radiated form her, knocking down everyone nearby before she ran towards a narrow street. Hachiman grunted as he was only stumbled by the concussion wave before engaging in chase; he swiftly ran past and shoved past citizens as they stood, keeping an unchallenged eye on the woman as she made for an exit.
The woman darted down a street making a sharp turn. After running some distance she began bounding up the walls towards the rooftops.Hachiman followed suite, surprised yet expectant of the agility she demonstrated. While she bounded upwards in an ascent, Hachiman performed large leaps that allowed him to cover significant ground, using minimal effort to propel himself from one wall to the next after every almost-impossible jump. The woman ascended twenty stories before arriving at a rooftop. She performed a somersault over the ledge and sprinted towards the next rooftop, making large leaps over gaps between the buildings. After bounding over some four rooftops she took a quick look back, her smile turned to a scowl when she saw Hachi coming up behind her and continued running.
Hachiman - Stop! Soon there'll be nowhere for you to run, give up and I won't turn you in!
Milisi - You think I fear incarceration?
Hachiman - I fear you'll fall to your death or get hit in the traffic once you run out of rooftop!
Milisi jumped to another rooftop and stumbled as there was no longer another building right in front of her. In front of her was a busy skylane flowing with skycars zooming past on multiple tiers. She turned around to look behind herself, then back at the busy cars. She was panting slightly as sh turned back towards Hachiman, who bounded once more and landed upon the same rooftop, not even passing a sweat as he looked both at her and behind her, at the raging, furious traffic. He stepped forward and held out a hand.
Hachiman - It'll be suicide, don't do it.
Milisi - You're not easy to shake off are you?
Hachiman - If I was then the universe you see before you wouldn't be here and neither would you.
Milisi - Oh but I'm no one. I'm not a "demon" or some primordial entity.
Hachiman - Well that's obvious, you're far too pretty.
Milisi - Why thank you.
Milisi smirked and backed towards the edge. Hachiman braced himself, anticipating her next movements with careful observation. Then, without warning, he proceeded to run towards her. This was however, her cue and Meilisi performed a swan dive backwards and down towards the skyway.
After a few seconds she landed on a skycar as it passed under her. The impact caused a large dent in the roof and she jumped to another one as the car temporarily lost control before the AI regained control and returned the car to the lane. Hachiman watched for a second as she athletically shifted from vehicle to vehicle. Hesitating for several moments so as to compose himself, he reluctantly leaped from the edge of the rooftop - landing upon a particularly large skytruck, he continued his pursuit, leaping from one skycar to another, causing less damage on first impact than she had.
Milisi looked back and scowled. Looking around she reached her hand out, using her mind to draw in security drones and traffic lights and throw them in Hachi's direction, all the while she continued leaping between cars. It was quite obvious now by her movements, she wasn't normal in any way. Grasping ahold of his technologically-superior katana, Hachiman swung in various directions which tore the debris she threw apart. He was careful however, reluctant to fully immerse himself in the experience as it would most likely result in unnecessary damage and maybe even death. He continued however, calling out as he did;
Hachiman - You're insane!
Milisi - They are all a statistic.
Milisi simply laughed and threw a drone at the cab of the truck Hachi was on before casually leaping to a lower lane though the performance of a corkscrew dive.
Hachiman - Hmph! How dare you?!
Hachiman swung his blade furiously, bisecting the drone vertically before he launched himself at her, amplified with the application of Essence. He grasped his katana tightly as he did so. Milisi saw him coming and jumped downwards, but not before slamming her foot on the car's front end, causing it to kick upwards and into a makeshift barrier. Seeing the car become a shield, a mere tool for the woman's escape, Hachiman gasped and held out a hand. He pressed it against the car's underside and allowed himself to slide off, following Milisi in her descent.
In Her Element[]
Hachiman fell, gaining significant speed as he rushed through the air. However, as he was about to touch the ground, his body slowed, his motions became more graceful and soft. His feet landed gently, there was no collateral damage to his impact. Keeping a firm hand upon his sword, he began to follow the traces of her aura, leading him towards various abandoned alley ways and closed streets that evoked a claustrophobic feeling. He was attentive, but he was also challenged. Milisi had fallen into a lower level of the city. She appeared to have completely vanished, but traces of her aura lingered throughout the area. She was somewhere in this cramped and potentially old district. But the question that remained was where. Suddenly, a voice echoed out though the narrow alley.
??? - You are good alien. Very good...But this is where I am most at home.
Hachiman - Heh, always nice for a lady to take me back to her place for dinner. Who knows, I may get some extra treatment.
??? - Maybe. But it's only our first meeting
Hachiman - I thought you'd use that excuse. Why is it that every girl has to hold back on the first date?
??? - We only just met
As Hachi walked around, something jumped at him from above, flooring him as it landed on him. If he looked up, he would have seen a Ryketian woman with odd features; dark glossy skin and ridges along the back of her head that pinned her silver-blonde hair back. Hachiman grunted as he hit the floor, looking up at the woman as she restrained him to the floor. He took his time to analyse her; he definitely held preference of this form over her last, although it may have just been the angle. An angle which he enjoyed.
Hachiman - Hello beautiful.
The woman observed Hachi's features closely and looked at him with curiosity
Hachiman - I gotta say, not a lot of women take this much interest in me. If they do they're usually trying to kill me, so no change here.
Ryketian - Agility and wit. But there's more to you.
Hachiman - I could say the same for you. Never met a woman who actually wanted to be on top.
The woman looked closely at Hachiman, reaching closer and resting her hand on his cheek. She took a sudden inhalation as she did and moved back slightly.
Ryketian - If you think I am interested in you like that, y-ou're wrong.
Hachiman - Well, it was worth a try. Although I would appreciate a name, maybe a communications number.
Ryketian - Oh I'm not that easy to trick. Cute try though.
Hachiman - Well you're certainly not a broad, that's for sure. You look human... almost human, actually. Humanoid. A good-looking humanoid.
Ryketian - What exactly are you trying to accomplish?
Hachiman - Bizarre question seeing as you're the one who tried tricking me and then attacked me.
The woman widened her eyes and performed a back-flip off Hachi, closing herself to a wall. Before she could have made another exit, the woman found herself pinned against the wall she had decided to stay close to, with Hachi resting his arm against her neck, allowing him the chance to further analyse the body. He was quick, faster than she could have anticipated, perhaps warping the local reality to his benefit in order to accomplish trapping her. The woman was caught by surprise and attempted to struggle out of his grip, pressing her hands against his arm in an attempt to push it away.
Hachiman - Now you're going to tell me who you are, why you're here, and how I can get in contact with you.
Ryketian - Gah, or else what?
Hachiman - How much do you love walls?
Ryketian - Quite a crude method isn't it?
Hachiman placed a hand upon her hip, taking the opportunity to caress it, slowly moving his palm towards her posterior while he leaned in, a cheeky smile sat upon his grinning face. The woman could feel Hachi's hand move towards her rear, before fluttering her eyelids and producing a polite smile.
Ryketian - Are you fond of pipes at all?
Hachiman - ...Pipes?
As Hachiman spoke, a pipe broke off behind him and flew like a javelin towards his spine. However felt the presence of the makeshift spear and swung his cybernetic arm around. He grasped ahold of the pipe as it was but mere inches from his back and proceeded to slam it into the wall, through its foundations, right beside the woman's head. His grin had become something of an angered snarl, his arm still pressed against her neck. The woman flinched as debris from the pipe's impact showaered outward
Hachiman - Who are you and why are you here?!
As Hachi yelled, the woman watched as traces of his aura began to manifest around him, although it came off as vapour if anything. His eyes glimmered with purple, gold and white as he leaned in once more. After flinching from the debris, the woman looked back into Hachiman's eyes and watched the dancing colours circle across the surface of his irises.
Ryketian - It was not my intention to cause harm to you! I only wanted to know about you I swear!
Hachiman - Almost turning me into a paraplegic isn't intending to cause harm to me?!
Ryketian - You and I both know the pipe would have done little. You are aware of my nature as I am of yours.
Hachiman - ...Fine you have a point, but that doesn't excuse the real question; who are you and why are you here?
Hachiman's aura began to calm, and he held an apologetic expression on his face. He didn't like to get angry and he disliked shouting, he began to ease his grip upon the woman as well as lowered his tone of voice. She felt less pressured and clamed herself slightly as well, her face showing less panic than before.
Ryketian - As I said, I wanted to know more about you.
Hachiman - Tell me your name.
Exposed[]
The woman took a few deep breaths, looking into his eyes in an act of sincerity. Something about those dazzling technicolour eyes made her feel more relaxed around him, as though as personal as a name was in safe hands.
Tytho - I...I call myself Tytho.
Hachiman - Tytho... I'm going to ask you a question. If I let go of you, will you promise not to run away?
Tytho nodded. In response and cautiously, Hachiman allowed his arm to move away from her, no longer restraining her to the wall. He took a step back, giving her some personal space, and gave her a curious stare. Tytho rubbed her neck as she stepped forward.
Hachiman - Where are you from? What race are you?
Tytho - Never seen a Ryketian before?
Hachiman - Nuh-uh, never seen one, at least where I've been. Or maybe I have seen one, just never met one.
Stepping back, Hachi had the chance to see her full figure, slim build with wide hips, her body adorned with a dark, tight-fitting outfit that while looking advanced, did not appear to be of local make. Hachiman's eyes were immediately drawn towards her hips and her chest, although he also took the time to admire her lithe figure and her attractive curves. A sly smile crept across his face as he nodded slowly to himself. As he nodded, his face was met with a rather hard impact to the side of face; tytho had a finger pointed upward and gave him a cautious glare
Hachiman - W-What was that f-for?!
Tytho - I don't require telepathy to work out what you were thinking. But it helps.
Hachiman - And you weren't doing the same when you were on top of me?!
Tytho stepped forward somewhat suggestively.
Tytho - Well...you "could" have done something.
Hachiman's eyebrow perked and he chuckled to himself, folding his arms as he watched her walk, once again admiring her lithe build as she approached him.
Hachiman - And why would I have wanted to do that?
Tytho walked closer and rested her hand under Hachi's chin with a suggestive smile as she walked around to his side, drawing his gaze with her.
Tytho - I take it you liked when I was atop you. Not surprising really.
Hachiman - What guy wouldn't with a woman like yourself? And beside, it's not like I was the only one who enjoyed it.
Hachiman placed his hand upon her wrist and directed her hand downwards until her palm was placed against the mound of fur upon his chest. Tytho's face changed to an expression of wonder as she found her hand immersed in the velvet mount of fur upon Hachi's chest. Despite the mass of it, she began to lose herself in the soft padded nature of it. Her jaw suddenly started quivering. Almost without her being aware, her hand began to wrap itself around a clump of it.
Blush emerged upon Hachiman's cheeks as she became immersed in the jungle of fluff and fur. He had to restrain himself from doing the same towards her. Tytho's voice became distant, as if she was half-asleep as she buried herh and into his fur, she seemed almost as lost in the moment a she was. Taking a nervous gulp, he spoke again;
Hachiman - Wh-Who sent you here? W-What did you want w-with me?
Tytho - I only wanted to learn about you, get to know you... I wasn't sent to hurt you.
Hachiman - Umm... W-Well, if you want t-to get to know me, y-you could have just a-asked....Maybe we should g-get to know each other some m-more, perhaps over, let's say... d-dinner?
Tytho - I Can't..I'm sorry.
Hachiman looked down with a saddened expression, letting out a pained exhale. However, as she still appeared somewhat lost in the experience of feeling around his chest, he leaned inwards and planted a kiss upon her left cheek. He chuckled for a second or so afterward, his saddened expression vanishing within moments as it was replaced by a triumphant smirk. Tytho looked up at Hachi's face as she tried to pull herself away.
Tytho - I...I will go. Please don't follow me.
Hachiman - Where can I find you...? ...Will you come back for me?
Tytho - I'lll...I'll be around.
Hachiman - Will we ever talk again?
Tytho pulled herself away and took a few steps back, trying to regain her composure.
Tytho - Perhaps.
Hachiman shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her, taking another few glimpses towards her body and face. He nodded to himself once more.
Hachiman - I'd like to talk again, if you'd like to.
Tytho - I can make no guarantees.
Tytho stepped back and jumped up, leaping from wall-to-wall towards the upper city. Hachiman meanwhile exhaled and kept a smile upon his face, even if it may have been weak. He watched her as she climbed until she was finally out of his sight; when she was, he looked back down and proceeded to walk through the alley ways in order to find an exit, humming to himself a particular tune, Imperial-like in nature, as he enjoyed the visage of her in his head. She was a mysterious woman, and she may have even posed a threat, but he would not have regretted today.
Well, apart from that flash he saw when he kissed her, that was odd.
Trivia[]
- This story was co-composed by Monet47 and Lucario Of The Gods.
- The story's intent was to provide Tytho with more exposure time as well as explore a more mature Hachiman.