“Gods, that egg is creepy looking,” Ryuko said with a grimace at the glistening black leathery egg in Ves’s hands. Despite the loss of her brother within only a few days’ time, Ryuko was back to normal, or at least pretending to be. As Ryuko had put it, the danger had not passed, and there was still work to do. So she didn’t have time to sit around and mourn. She would honor her brother by doing her part to protect their people. It was a sentiment Ves could respect.

  “I can assure you, I am well aware,” replied Ves flatly.

  ‘It’s not that bad.’ Nell chided.

  “Nell, you know I love you, but… you’re a slimy black tentacled slug wrapped around our brain and spine. I’m sorry, but your opinion on what’s creepy does not count.” Ves countered.

  “Ves, I’ve seen you gorge yourself on raw venison until you’re covered in blood and your stomach is bulging. Not sure your opinion counts either.” Ryuko added with a smirk.

  Ves winced.

  The three of them were in the middle of the forest, away from prying eyes. As punishment for her loose lips about Nell being a potential void sent, Ryuko was in the middle of helping Nell explore her abilities. Thankfully, it had not been intentional rumor mongering, just her not paying attention to her surroundings. Currently, they were standing over a pitfall Ryuko had trapped an agitated-looking bear in.

  “How did you get that egg anyway?” Ryuko asked.

  Ves gave Ryuko a flat stare while gesturing between her legs, “How do you think?”

  Ryuko blushed, “I assumed that, but I mean don’t you need to…” she trailed off while making a graphic gesture with her hands.

  Ves smirked and leaned in closer to Ryuko. “You mean sex?”

  Ryuko blushed a little more, unable to look Ves in the eyes, and nodded.

  Ves laughed, “No, Ryuko, sex was not required.”

  “Weird, you can just lay them on your own? Without a… partner…?” Ryuko asked.

  “It's not that weird, chickens lay unfertilized eggs all the time,” Ves said.

  ‘Please don’t compare us to a chicken.’ Nell said, annoyed.

  “I guess you really aren’t human,” Ryuko said more to herself than anything.

  Ves just laughed, “Not at all, I’m pretty sure if you cut us open it would all look wrong. We even have two hearts now.”

  ‘Wrong is a matter of opinion, and nothing is wrong with redundancy. If you haven’t noticed, we have a bad habit of getting stabbed or mauled….’ Nell said.

  That caused Ves to wince as Ryuko looked at her, confused. “Sorry, just something Nell said.”

  “I really wish I could still hear her, like when Lady Senotraxia used her ability,” added Ryuko as she looked off into the sky.

  Ves' demeanor changed as Nell took over, “Yes, that was rather nice, but you realize I can still speak out loud if I take control.”

  “Ah, you're right, I forgot about that. Why don’t you more often?” said Ryuko.

  Nell shrugged, “Force of habit, and it makes having conversations between ourselves awkward. We tried once and got tongue-tied. More importantly, we worry it would unnerve people around us even more than they already are.”

  “Sorry again about that.”

  Their body relaxed as Ves resumed control. “We don’t blame you, Ryuko. It was an accident, and I’m sure you have a lot on your mind.” Ves could see the shadow of grief surface on the woman’s face for a moment before she forced it back with a fake smile.

  “Well, what do we do with that?” Ryuko gestured to the giant bear glaring at them from below.

  “How did you dig a hole this big anyway? That bear is big as a horse.” Ves said, looking down at the bear glaring at her. It wasn’t on the same level as the horned bear, but it was still intimidating.

  “Xeeta, helped with her magic. Way faster than if someone had to dig with a shovel,” Ryuko explained.

  “Suppose it’s my turn then,” Ves started to take off her clothes.

  Ryuko gasped and averted her eyes, “What are you doing!” Despite Ryuko’s protest, Ves could see the woman was still sneaking glances. “I’m about to jump into a muddy hole and wrestle with a bear. I really don’t want to need to explain why I need new clothes again…”

  “Still…” Ryuko's face was turning pink.

  “Ryuko, you have seen me naked several times and even helped me change. Not sure what the big deal is.” Ves stated.

  “Time and place, we are outside! In the open!” Ryuko shouted.

  “With no one around but the three of us, all women. Well, except the bear, but not sure that counts.” Ignoring her complaints, Ves continued to strip.

  “But… but…” was all a now bright red Ryuko could manage.

  ‘You realize she is sneaking peeks when she thinks we are not looking right?’ Nell added.

  Ves whispered to herself, “I know, adorable isn’t it?”

  ‘True,’ Nell responded.

  “Adorable?” Ryuko asked.

  Ves looked up at Ryuko, her whole face scarlet. “Ah, forgot about your hearing…”

  With a mischievous smile, Ves turned to Ryuko, “Ryuko, I don’t mind you looking.”

  “Please stop teasing me.”

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  “Nope, consider this your true punishment.”

  Before Ryuko could respond, Ves grabbed the egg and leapt into the bear pit, latching onto its back. Try as the bear might, it could not dislodge Ves from its back. No matter how much the bear swiped at her or bashed her against the walls of the pit, she held on. Not to say Ves was getting away unscathed. She could feel where she would likely get some nasty bruises and a few slices from where the bear's claws could reach.

  If it was still putting up this much of a fight, Ves was very glad they had waited, letting the bear exhaust itself trying to escape the pit before jumping in. Ves was also quickly realizing that trying to wrestle the bear while keeping the eggs safe was a tall order.

  ‘Next time, let’s tie them up first.’ Nell said.

  “Agre—“, Ves tried to agree only to bite her tongue.

  ‘Don’t talk and just hold our egg next to its ear, I’ll take care of the rest,’ snapped Nell.

  Easier said than done, Ves wanted to protest, but she had learned her lesson about trying to speak. Seeing as they shared all physical sensations, she couldn’t really blame Nell for being angry. Were it not for their ability to heal from almost anything, Ves would have been worried she was about to lose her tongue. It hurt like hell.

  Going for broke, Ves used her own body to shield the egg and managed to hold it up to the bear’s ear.

  ‘Hold it just like that!’ Nell ordered.

  As soon as Nell started, Ves could feel her focus begin to split. It took all her willpower to keep holding on to the bear while she could feel the slug inside the egg stir with their connection established.

  On one hand, she was beaten and battered in a cage match with a bear, while at the same time, she could feel herself trying to break free of the egg. Despite Nell taking the lead in controlling the slug’s actions, she still felt them as if they were her own. After many agonizing seconds, it broke free and dove into the bear’s ear before disappearing out of sight.

  ‘Got it.’ Nell shouted triumphantly.

  “We're done!” Ves shouted up at Ryuko, who reached down to help pull Ves up. Leaping off the bear’s head, Ves grabbed Ryuko’s hand and scamped out of the pit.

  Lying flat on her back, Ves was breathing heavy. Her body was bruised and cut everywhere. Still, she had a smile on her face. “This is why I took my clothes off before I jumped in.”

  Ryuko just stared down at her like she was crazy. “How are you still alive….?”

  Ves lay back down. “What? You have seen me come back from worse. Anyways, mind handing me a cloth and a water skin? I want to try and clean up a bit before getting dressed.”

  A few moments later, Ves was cleaned up and dressed. Even her still human looking skin was like armor now, so none of the wounds were that deep and had already stopped bleeding. Within a day or two, she would be back to a hundred percent without even the hint of a scar.

  Ves sat down at the edge of the pit, “Nell, how goes it on your end?”

  ‘Almost done, just negotiating,’ Nell replied.

  “Negotiating?” Ves asked in confusion.

  ‘Unlike the wolf, this beast can still think. I’m trying to see if we can find a happy middle ground where the bear will listen to us without destroying its mind in the process. I know you dislike enslaving others, even beasts, so I’m trying to avoid that. Seeing as it doesn’t know language, it’s just taking me a bit to convey the upsides of cooperating.’ Nell explained.

  “Thank you, Nell,” Ves responded with a warm smile.

  “Mind filling me in?” Ryuko asked as she sat down next to Ves.

  “Unlike the wolf from before, who was suffering from a traumatic head injury at the time, the bear is still fully aware and able to think. While Nell could just forcibly take control, she is trying to work with the bear and come to a peaceful resolution. It just takes a while as they need to communicate through thoughts and emotion, as it’s not like the bear understands language.” Ves explained.

  “If she can force control, why doesn’t she just do that?” Ryuko asked.

  “It’s out of consideration for me,” Ves answered in a quiet voice.

  “Ah, even if it’s just an animal, I can see how that would be awkward. If it makes you feel any better, that bear was starting to prowl dangerously close to our settlement. It has a bad leg, so I think it was stalking us, looking for easier prey. It was only a matter of time before it attacked someone. So even if we didn’t capture it for you and Nell, I would have had to kill it regardless.”

  Ves looked up at the sky, “I get it, I still feel bad even if it’s an animal. Leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. But Nell seems convinced she can work things out with the bear.”

  ‘Leave it to me, I found a way to get ideas across. Its leg has been causing a lot of pain. The promise of healing should be enough to seal a deal. Even still, it may take me a bit longer, so apologies.’ Nell updated Ves.

  “Sounds like it may take Nell a bit longer than expected. Sorry for taking up your whole day, Ryuko,” Ves said, still looking up into the blue sky through the trees.

  “It’s fine, Lady Setsu asked me to help you both. Also, it’s not like I dislike spending time with you two.” Ryuko’s voice grew soft before adding, “I'd rather not be alone anyway, after you know.”

  Ves wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she did the only thing she could think of and wrapped her arm around the other woman’s shoulder. The two just sat for a while before Ryuko turned to look at Ves with a serious, if not a bit nervous expression. “Umm, Ves, can I ask you a personal question?”

  “Feel free,” Ves responded.

  “Even if it may be a bit rude?” Ryuko asked, looking worried.

  “Sure?”

  “Are you one of those women who well… like other women?” Ryuko asked, her blush now back in full force.

  “That’s your question?” Ves answered.

  Ryuko nodded.

  “Bit of a blunt way to ask, but yes.”

  Ryuko’s eyes went a bit wide.

  “Did you not expect that answer already? I don’t think I’ve exactly been subtle in showing off a little each time you sneak a peek?” Ves asked, confused.

  “Goddess, was I that obvious?”

  Ves snorted in laughter at that.

  “Rude,” Ryuko replied with a blush painting her cheeks, “In my culture, it’s not really something discussed in the open,” Ryuko said.

  “Ah, I did hear the South was a bit prudish. It wasn’t really an issue for me growing up. In Kohdessia, money and power are all that matter. No one cares who you sleep with. Well, I take it back, they do care, just not about gender.”

  “What do you mean?” Ryuko asked.

  “Sleeping with those of a notably lower social class is frowned upon in Kohdessia. It was one of the only perks of being a branded. I’m as low as you can go, not even considered a person, honestly, on par or even lower than livestock. To a native of Kohdessia, sleeping with a branded would be akin to bestiality. They would find the idea revolting.” Ves explained.

  “Well, I don’t think you're revolting…” Ryuko said in almost a whisper.

  Ves laughed, “Thank you, glad to hear I’m not revolting.”

  “Wait, that came out wrong.” Ryuko stammered, waving her hands in the air, “Still glad to hear you weren’t forced to, well, you know. Even in the short time I was captured, the things I saw those slavers do. Fucking monsters.”

  “I wish I could say you're right, but no, I still experienced plenty of that sort of abuse as well.”

  “But you just said natives would avoid you?”

  “Natives, sure, but my old master works with a lot of foreign nationals. Many times, I was ordered to keep his visitor’s company. With few of them ever realizing he intended it as a slight. I’m just thankful that precautions were always taken to ensure I never ended up with a child. The thought of bringing another branded into this world scares me.”

  “Is that why you like women? To avoid having kids?”

  “Maybe? I guess? I may just be lucky, that’s where my preferences landed. Still, could we talk about something else? Those are not really memories I want to dredge up.”

  “I’m sorry, Ves, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You didn’t upset me. I would rather focus on the present and future rather than my past.”

  “So how are things going with the bear?” Ryuko asked.

  ‘I’m done. I worked things out with the bear. After I treat his old injuries, as long as he gets food and a safe place to sleep, he is happy. We may want to keep him away from camp for a while, but the process should increase his intelligence a bit and make him easier to work with.’ Nell answered.

  “He isn’t mad at us?” Ves asked.

  ‘Surprisingly, no, he seems to respect our strength. So you have already earned that, and he is smart enough to understand working with us could make his life easier in the long run. As long as he is fed, he is happy. If anything, I worry he will be lazy.’ Nell explained.

  “Good, sounds like we are done here then. Let’s head home!” Ves shouted as she got to her feet and stretched.

  “Ah, Ves, one problem. How are we supposed to get the bear out of the hole?” Ryuko asked.

  Ves stopped in her tracks and looked back. “crap…”

  After many failed attempts, they had to get Xeeta for help.