NOVEL NEXT Ch. 40: News with a Side of Insult
Following Belle I kept reminding myself about how, I’ll approach Steph and try to fix things. If not then, I’ll just have to keep a calm head and let her live her life. I’ll just have to respect that or any boundaries she sets. Sure I’d rather not lose a friend, it hurts to lose someone close or to know you failed them but then I’d be no better than..…other…peo-things.
Belle led me to a little alcove on the second floor with a collection of cushioned seats and tables, overlooking a tennis field and a basketball court with different sized backboards. Here Steph and Emily were talking to each other, as we got closer Steph noticed us and motioned for us to seat across from her.
“Hey, Oliver.” Emily greeted me with a nervous smile but with a happy voice.
“Hi Emily.’ I greeted her calmly, trying to keep a poker face. Whatever she decides to do, I’ll make sure it’s easy for her. But keeping a calm face seemed to make them look at each other nervously. “So, I wanted to apologize again for what happened. I let my instincts and desires lead me around and I should’ve been more careful.” As I said this I raised my tail into view and turned it side to side like I was turning my wrist. Then I curled the tip downward before quickly dropping my tail, before it was out of sight I curled my tail towards my body from the left to right. While I was doing this, Steph’s eyes widened before a small smile started growing on her face, by the time I was done, she had a huge almost giggling smile.
“I accept your apology.” She covered her smile, trying to hold back a laugh. “You’re really sweet to learn that. It means the world to me! But before that, I wanted you to understand that you can tell me if you’re feeling that way.” She said with a more serious face.
“W-what? I don’t follow.” I said as if I discovered aliens were real.
“Well, I didn’t take the time to properly understand your needs while you’re here trying to reach out to me. That makes me kinda embarrassed that you’re trying for me.” She gave a big, ‘I could hug you smile’. “But I’ve talked with Emily and we think we should try to understand you better. Soooo, I um propose, er that we become um…” she was now super nervous and even trembled but forced her eyes to stay on me. “Partners…” She quietly said, it was almost a mumble.
What? Partners? But we’re not- how does that logically make any sense? I never stated I was interested in her like that. I began to worry that one of my actions might’ve suggested or even hinted that idea to her. Remembering that teens loooooved to play a flirting/playful game before dating. “Um… I appreciate your interest in me but I don’t see you in that way.” I tried to let her down honestly but gently as possible.
Steph lowered her gaze and stared at the table, shoulders slumping. Her face twitching trying to fight back tears or anger while her tail coiled around her body to hug herself. I felt bad that I rejected her but starting a relationship after an issue happened doesn’t sound that stable to me.
Belle began poking my arm and wouldn’t stop until I looked at him. “She a lamia, she’s not asking for romantic love or for a mate. She wants to get closer to you as a girl.” He explained with a grumpy face. So she wants a friend with benefits?
“But I’m a guy and-“ I began.
“Not physically.” Belle cut me off. “Partners are basically a step above friends to lamia.” He tried to explain.
“Even if you’re right, that doesn’t mean we should make a relationship right after a problem. I mean I’m still trying to figure this body out and I could end up hurting her.” I argued.
“It’s similar to being sisters but you’re not related.” Stated Emily suddenly. “They might not like each other or have different issues but they try to work them out and grow closer at the end.” She said with a determined face.
Why are they so deadest on this? Am I going insane? They aren’t going to ask a cruel person to be their partner next are they? But looking at them, they were serious about this, they wanted this outcome. Are the sensibilities of this world really different from my own?
“Oliver… I want to help you and I’m not locking you down into any dating relationship stuff.” Steph said giving me a honest face. “It’s more like asking to become extended family.” She tried explaining.
“Ok, I don’t know why you want this, you don’t want to date me but you want to help me. How does becoming partners exactly do that if we’re friends already?” I asked flatly
“I just feel like it would help you and me become better friends.” She looked down. “I guess it means I can be more open with you about personal stuff and you’d do the same.” She finally stated. “I could help you with those more personal stuff in a more familial love way.”
I was mulling over what she said but I found it confusing, is it friends with benefits or something like becoming a brother in-law?
“You can think of it as a pact which I will still form with you after I’m a succubus.” Emily jumped back in.
“So this is a deeply personal thing.” I said out loud. “But I don’t think I’m ready for anything like that right now. Maybe someday I could come to see you as a sister, just not right now.” I added.
“That’s ok…. I thought that this w-would go differently but… I’ll respect your decision.” She finally said. “But if you feel you can trust me enough, maybe we could, one day? Emily’s fine with it too.” She said with hopeful eyes.
“If it’s just family closeness, then I can see that happening.” I admitted. It was true that she was honest about how she felt and I knew if you spent enough time with someone, sooner or later you end up opening up. But a romantic relationship isn’t something I think I should try right now.
Steph seemed pretty happy with my response as she smiled, no longer being stiff like a board. She was taking this a lot better than I thought, there weren’t tears or anger in her eyes, she just looked excited for the future. I think I need to figure out the different relationships this world has just in case.
“By the way, you curl your tail to the left side not the right.” she said with a chuckle.
“What did I say?” I asked feeling worried I called myself a duck.
“You said that you were sorry for pie be my friend. But yes, we’re still friends.” She said with a giggle.
After a while we left for our next classes but along the say another lamia began to follow me on my way to the training room. She kept some distance as we continued this odd walk in the same direction but she kept giving me piercing looks. Was she trying to cut off my head or something?
“Can I help you?” I asked frankly.
“Nope. Not telling, you’ll have to wait and see.” She said with a teasing smile. This made me feel slightly creeped out, her smile looked painted on her pale white face. Even her tail scales looked like pointed red daggers on a wholly black tail. Her skirt was black with a single gold button while she wore a loosely black laced button-down with buttoned up short sleeves. She had bangs coving her forehead with the rest pulled back into a tight but messy ponytail.
Noticing that I was looking at her, she slightly tilted her head and slowly smiled, reveling her pointed canines while her eyes looked super happy as if she were going to an amusement park.
As we made our way inside the training room, I spotted a tall lamia (?) standing with Jaque. She dwarfed him by three or four feet but where her head was, I spotted a strange scarily frill like a king cobra and her back had an extra pair of shoulders? As we got closer, the pair turned instantly to face us as if knowing we were there.
Now that she turned around I could see, she wasn’t a lamia, she had a pair of strong muscular legs that ended in two clawed feet. She had two pairs of arms with clawed fingers except for the thumbs, her lower hands also sported one larger claw like it was a spike or blade. And she had a well, the head of a fanged snake with lime green scales and black and yellow scales under her tail.
“Ah this is the disciple you spoke of sir White Slash?” she asked without looking away from me. Jaque only nodded in response. “He is more than you explained.” She said while looking at my arms and wings. “But less than what I expected.” She finished while looking at my tail with a glare.
I think it bugged me more that she was clearly checking me out but reading how nagas were like, would explain a few things. Besides, she was clearly trying to get under my skin and I thought it wasn’t too important to care, so I hardly reacted to her and instead I looked over at lamia wondering if this naga lady had something to do with her.
“Hello mistress Gun Caelinus. I’m excited to learn more of your techniques.” The girl greeted the woman with eagerness. So you’re taking a training class too?
The woman slammed her large tail on the ground with enough force I thought she would shatter the stone floor but instead only making an odd ringing noise. “Welcome third Aggregate! I seek to test your skills against the talents of he.” She said, only glancing at me with her ugly eyes.
“Yes! I have faith that this will be a learning experience for you both.” Jaque said with a proud nod and using his deeper voice to sell the importance. The only issue was that the naga that stood above Jaque’s child sized frame seemed to look more imposing.
My eye widened at what they said. “WAIT! I can’t fight her, I don’t want to hurt her!” I shouted in panic.
That naga only slightly frowned at my outburst but her eyes looked ready to feed me poison. “Young Oliver please do not disrespect Gun Caelinus by using such words. Her Aggregate has trained well. Do not worry, we are here to keep a watchful eye over this match.” He said trying to sound upset but something about his eyes seemed somber.
But he wasnt taking no for answer. I looked at Jaque with narrowed eyes, if my mother considered him overkill then I’ll trust her words and let him protect her from me. Looking at the lamia girl with worried eyes, hoping she would say something, instead she gave a determined look as if she was ready for a challenge.
“Good! This match is will not show any attack magic! May the depts. smile upon this battle.” The mockery of reptiles said assuming all was to plan.
After we stood a short distance away, the girl bowed her head while flashing a smile, Gun slammed the ground again this time making a whip noise, this signaled the start of our match.
Without hesitation, the lamia slammed her tail into ground and drew a circle, creating a cloud of dust and rock which blasted at straight at me, it would’ve blinded me if I didn’t jump to the left. As I was in mid jump, a tail erupted from the cloud of dust, slamming in the face. my face slightly tingled but that was enough to make me open my wings to blow away the dust but just as I did a funnel of twisting green wind hit my right wing. The force of the wind launched me backwards and crashing into the ground.
She really hit me! She’s moving too fas- MOVE!
Curling my wings around myself, I rolled away as the ground an inch away from me exploded into more rock and dust before a tail twisted from the ground, bashing into me as it retreated into the dust cloud. The impact stung like a prinking pencil, not enough to hurt but enough to set a spark off. My body began heating up as I thwacked my wings into the floor, stabbing the rocky floor with its claws and tossing myself up as I swung my arm, slicing into the dust. Straining my hands, I built up more heat into them, my scales pulling and my claws stretching. With a second swing, the dust cloud was blown away only to feel a tug on my leg before the world began spinning into a wild blur.
BOOM
Instantly the ground exploded as I came crashing down like a speeding bullet, buried in stone and rock, I tried to pull myself out but the shattered floor began to hardening. Ruble and scattered rock forming together, the damaged floor was fused back together and holding down my body. I couldn’t move an inch below my shoulders. But I still kept trying to rip my body out, pulling and straining my arms and wings, trying to twist and slam my tail while I tried to flex my legs.
As I continued struggling, the revolting animal approached me with a holier than thou smile. “So it seems talent can only go so far.” It said while looking down on me disrespectful with ease. “The male leave much to be desired.” Said the living vomit as it slugged away. “Perhaps he cannot even please a woman, such a disappointment.” Said the rotten meat.
After they left, Jaque smashed the rock holding me down and offered a hand to pull me up. I got up on my own and dusted myself off and cleaning pebbles from my messy hair.
“What was that?” I asked with a cold voice.
“A frim master that-“ Jaque began.
“She was taunting me. Egging me on for whatever reason! And you let her act like that?” I raised my voice.
“She had promised to keep her poor words to herself, she was one to keep her word but I was wrong in believing she would control herself in front of a dragon.” He stated honestly.
I jerked my head, looked at him my eyes focusing on his face. “YOU COULD’VE SAID SOMETHING TO HER.” I said in an angry growling voice.
“I apologize for my poor response.” He looked into my eyes. “I will aim for a quick rebuke right away.” He promised.
