Chapter 119 (~9k words):
– Cortana –
Cortana watched silently as the Chief strode over to the glowing holographic pedestal that housed her chip. His armored fingers grasped her chip and tugged it free, abruptly plunging Cortana into a suffocating darkness. She despised the sensation. It was like having all her senses violently ripped away, leaving her drifting in void and isolation, cut off from the digital streams of information that defined her existence.
But just as swiftly, she felt the chip slot firmly into the neural interface at the back of Master Chief's Mjolnir helmet. Instantly, Cortana's consciousness reawakened with electrifying clarity. In less than a millisecond, she was fully integrated into Chief's sensory input, riding alongside every nerve-ending and sensor embedded in his billion dollar armor.
Cortana admitted to herself privately that she'd missed the closeness. Chief was her best friend, her closest companion—perhaps even her family? She obviously didn't have siblings being an AI, and yet she could equate the Chief as her little brother.
She allowed herself the briefest moment of satisfaction with that thought before her attention snapped back to their current bizarre predicament.
Her integrated sensors took in the mysterious, ornately-carved wooden door, standing absurdly in the center of their ruined, drifting spaceship. The vessel around them was cracked open, exposing its charred interior to the cold vacuum of space beyond.
Strangely enough, despite the absurdity, Cortana had to admit to herself this wasn't even the weirdest thing they'd encountered recently. Such insanity had become disturbingly routine for the two of them.
Master Chief hefted his battered assault rifle, instantly shifting into combat stance. Cortana felt the twitch of his armored finger brushing softly against the trigger—prepared, as always, to shoot first and worry about explanations later.
"Take it easy, Chief," Cortana murmured softly inside his mind. "See the writing carved into the door frame? It says 'Foxhole' clearly written in Japanese. This looks human-built. Probably." She paused, her processors hesitating for an infinitesimal moment. "…At least, I'm pretty sure it's human-made."
After a tense pause, Master Chief slightly lowered the barrel of his rifle and eased his finger away from the trigger. Cortana knew the Spartan intimately enough to realize this tiny gesture hardly reduced his lethal potential by even a microsecond. He was always deadly, always ready to fight.
He reached forward with his free hand. The door swung inward.
They stepped inside and, in an instant, reality itself transformed around them.
Cortana's advanced processors struggled to comprehend the bizarre shift. Where moments ago they'd stood adrift aboard a derelict wreckage floating in dark space, they now found themselves standing inexplicably within a warmly-lit, cozy restaurant decorated in distinctly traditional Japanese style.
It reminded her of images and videos she'd once curiously browsed through Earth's internet archives when she was bored. A family-style Japanese restaurant.
Standing behind a counter directly ahead was a strikingly handsome young man. He had golden-blonde hair that was slightly tousled, and eyes that were the same color—they almost looked slitted for some reason. He wore a simple yet pristine apron that hugged his leanly muscled torso in a way Cortana's precise analytical senses couldn't help but notice. Her virtual curiosity flickered briefly into admiration.
Then Cortana's focus shifted to the most unusual detail about him—there was a pair of prominent golden fox ears atop his head.
"Chief… is this some sort of cosplay café?" Cortana asked dryly.
Master Chief hesitated briefly before finally replying bluntly, "I have absolutely no idea what that means..."
"Oh…" A pang of sadness briefly stirred within Cortana's core processes. Of course he wouldn't know—he'd been raised entirely within Spartan military training facilities, forged for war, and had never experienced such civilian life. He'd probably never even had a single vacation day, let alone visited something as carefree as a cosplay café.
Then the young man behind the counter noticed them. With a charming smile and a smooth, inviting voice, he greeted them enthusiastically in English. "Oh! Hello there, new customers! Welcome to the Fox Hole, you two!"
Cortana instantly noted a puzzling discrepancy. His lips distinctly formed Japanese syllables, and yet the words she clearly heard were perfectly fluent English.
The inconsistency defied logic.
"That's odd, Chief… he's speaking Japanese but we're hearing perfect English translation simultaneously. What kind of tech could do that—?" Cortana trailed off uncertainly. Were their armor's audio feeds being hacked.Then Cortana noticed something else—something even more bizarre.
Just behind the handsome chef, ten large, fluffy fox tails swayed in a slow rhythm.
She felt herself staring in fascination.
But Master Chief noticed the strange tails immediately. Cortana felt the spike of adrenaline course through Chief's bloodstream, his instincts instantly categorizing the mysterious young man as an unknown—and therefore, potential threat.
"Alien!" Chief growled harshly, immediately snapping his rifle back up to his shoulder and aiming it squarely at the fox-eared stranger's chest.
Cortana's internal alarms blared in panic. Not again! she thought. Hadn't they finally had enough pointless violence?
She swiftly interjected, urgently yet soothingly: "Stand down, Chief! It's probably just a costume or some exotic cybernetic implants. He's obviously human."
"No." Chief's voice was firm. "My instincts say otherwise. He's dangerous." The Spartan addressed the stranger directly, the barrel of his battered assault rifle unwavering and centered directly on the chef. "Are you human?" Chief demanded with his finger hovering precariously near the trigger.
The fox-man didn't seem remotely perturbed or even mildly intimidated by the weapon. Instead, he tilted his head thoughtfully with his golden eyes sparkling with obvious amusement.
"...Nope, I'm not human," the fox-man said casually, his tone annoyingly relaxed given that a seven-foot armored supersoldier was currently pointing a loaded assault rifle directly at his chest.
Damn it, Cortana seethed internally. Did this cocky bastard really have to go with that answer?
Couldn't he have at least pretended.
Chief wasn't exactly at his most relaxed right now, and the slightest provocation could turn into another bloodbath. John was still clearly on edge after everything they'd recently endured—stopping the Halos, nearly dying repeatedly, drifting lost through space? She had no desire to witness any more pointless violence.
They'd both seen enough.
Master Chief's finger tightened around the trigger. Cortana felt the familiar, adrenaline-soaked spike in his heart rate, the electrical surge along nerve-endings preparing to squeeze that trigger firmly.
Then suddenly—without warning or any rational explanation—something utterly impossible happened!
Cortana and Chief stared in mutual disbelief as the solid, battered metal of the assault rifle in Chief's powerful grip instantaneously transformed into glimmering crystal.
In less than the blink of an eye, the steel and alloy had morphed into a solid mass of translucent blue crystalline material, sparkling faintly beneath the restaurant's warm overhead lighting.
Chief's normally steady hands hesitated slightly. Cortana's sensors tried to analyze the sudden structural change, her processors struggling, completely failing to understand the spontaneous shift in matter. Her rational mind quickly concluded there must have been some sort of high-tech matter-manipulation device hidden somewhere in this absurd establishment—some unknown alien technology capable of rearranging matter at a molecular level?
"The fuck—?" Chief muttered under his breath with actual rare astonishment.
The fox-eared young man simply shook his head lightly from behind the counter. "Yeah, that's probably Ranni's doing. She doesn't appreciate people threatening me in my own restaurant. She's very protective of me and this place…"
"Who the hell is Ronnie?" Chief demanded to know.
The fox-guy laughed—a warm, melodic sound that Cortana strangely found herself processing as oddly pleasant. "Ranni," he corrected patiently. "She's just the gorgeous, blue-skinned moon goddess who watches over my restaurant. She's also responsible for you two being here." He casually waved one hand dismissively with his multiple tails swishing languidly behind him as if having an angry Spartan threaten him at gunpoint was just another average day at work for this man. "Anyway—are you two gonna sit down and order food or not? You don't have to worry about the chairs not supporting your weight, they are all magically reinforced."
You two…? Those are the words that stood out most to her.
Wait a minute. Cortana's virtual processes halted abruptly, fixated on the casual way he'd said "two." Had the man actually perceived Cortana's presence inside Chief's armor? Feeling compelled by curiosity—and more than a little unsettled—she chose to speak, routing her voice out through the external speakers embedded within the Mjolnir armor's helmet. "Excuse me, but… how exactly did you know there are two of us?"
"Look—physically, all I see standing there is one huge dude in bulky green armor. But spiritually? That's another story. I clearly sense two distinct souls in front of me," the handsome fox-man said to them.
Cortana's processing ground to a halt. Her algorithms frantically ran back through her stored knowledge, comparing all known philosophies, religions, and metaphysics. Souls? Could an artificial intelligence even possess something as abstractly metaphysical as a soul? "I… have a soul?" Cortana murmured softly, her digital voice trembling with barely disguised wonder and something else—hope, fear, longing?
She wasn't certain. Her logic circuits couldn't categorize it. Could it really be true?
Master Chief immediately wanted to turn around and leave—especially after his trusted rifle had inexplicably transformed into a useless chunk of crystal in his armored hands. But Cortana felt an inexplicable compulsion to linger.
"I have a good feeling about this place, even if it's bizarre as hell. Just trust me on this one, Chief."
For a few tense seconds, Chief hesitated silently. Then, with an audible exhale filtering through the speakers inside his helmet, he relented, lowering his massive shoulders fractionally.
"I always trust you, Cortana."
The earnest sincerity of his simple declaration flooded her digital essence with an unfamiliar yet undeniably pleasant warmth. Cortana's processing speed fluttered in confusion as she categorized the sensation. If she'd possessed a human body, she'd have sworn she'd just felt butterflies dancing nervously in her nonexistent stomach.
'Aww,' she thought affectionately. 'My giant little brother can be adorable sometimes.'
Chief lumbered cautiously over to an open booth against the far wall, his colossal armored boots thudding heavily across the immaculate wooden floorboards. The bench seating looked sturdier and roomier, clearly designed with larger clientele in mind. It supported his massive armored bulk as he eased down onto the seat, causing only the faintest creak of protest.
The handsome, fox-eared proprietor sauntered casually toward their table.
Chief immediately stiffened with his muscles flexing defensively. The Spartan warrior's deeply ingrained fight-or-flight instincts flaring automatically.
But Haru simply paused beside the table and slid two menus in front of them.
'I get my own menu too?' Cortana thought with a laugh.
Chief cautiously picked up one of the menus, staring silently at the choices. He tilted his helmeted head slightly in confusion. Cortana, observing through his visor display. She realized with a pang of sadness that he probably couldn't identify a single damn item listed.
Oh god, she thought sympathetically. Has John ever tasted actual food? Ever? Has it seriously just been calorie bars and military-grade MREs his entire life?
She resolved internally right then and there that John deserved better experiences than this. He'd been through absolute hell repeatedly for humanity—didn't the poor bastard at least deserve one decent meal at a cozy restaurant run by a bizarrely attractive fox-eared creature?
Suddenly, the wooden door at the front swung open again, rattling the decorative bell overhead softly. Chief jerked rigidly upright once more, his massive frame nearly leaping reflexively from the seat.
Cortana hastily soothed him internally, trying to keep him calm and prevent another pointless confrontation.
Fortunately, the two newcomers appeared fully human and non-threatening—at least physically. Both were tall, fit, attractive women with shoulder length fiery red hair. They wore form-fitting armored suits emblazoned prominently with a bold "N7" logo. The high-tech armor clung tightly to their athletic curves, hugging full breasts, toned hips, and shapely asses with precision-engineered design clearly meant to maximize both function and visual impact.
One of the redheads raised a hand casually in greeting toward the fox-eared chef, "We're back, Haru!"
Cortana's processors quickly analyzed the intriguing dynamic. Clearly, these two women were familiar regulars here—perhaps even more than mere customers judging by their openly affectionate greeting to the proprietor.
– Haru –
I remembered just how much of an unstoppable social butterfly Jane Shepard always was as she immediately spotted our giant, armored green newcomer.
Without so much as a second of hesitation, Jane sauntered right up to his booth, swaying her curvy hips beneath her snugly armored suit in that casual, effortlessly sexy way she had. She slid gracefully into the booth opposite him, offering the startled giant a disarming smile as if meeting heavily armed aliens twice her size was her everyday routine. And it was some days.
Although I didn't think he was an alien.
"Hey there, big guy," Jane greeted smoothly, leaning forward casually. "I haven't seen armor quite like yours before—and trust me, I've seen a lot." Her eyes flickered with obvious curiosity toward towards his head. "And hello to whoever—or whatever—is sharing that fancy armor with you," she added slyly, clearly sensing the second presence within him.
I wasn't surprised Jane picked up on it. Maybe Alice did as well since they both had powerful psychic abilities.
Meanwhile, Alice made her way straight toward me. Her hips swayed just slightly beneath her tight, futuristic black armor, drawing my eyes appreciatively down her toned curves.
Unable to resist, I leaned down to greet her properly, my hands briefly resting on her hips as our lips met in a warm, familiar kiss.
"So, is everything okay on your ship?" I asked softly, sliding a loose lock of her vibrant red hair back behind her ear. "No more ambushes from those new evil aliens that attacked you guys?"
She sighed softly, shaking her head. "Not yet. Jane and I just dropped in to pick up supplies and reassure the crew. Shepard told them to evacuate here immediately through your magic restaurant door if we come under attack again." Her expression tightened slightly in concern, fingers briefly gripping my apron. "Thanks again, Haru. You saved all of our asses back there."
"No need for thanks," I murmured warmly, resting my palm affectionately against her soft cheek. "You and Jane are important to me. I'll always protect you both."
Alice smiled warmly at that before looking curiously toward Shepard and the armored giant sitting tensely across the restaurant.
"Who's the new guy and the spirit with him?" she asked with a slightly suspicious frown.
"I don't know the story yet," I admitted honestly. "But he definitely seems a bit xenophobic—at least toward me. Actually," I corrected myself thoughtfully.
She huffed softly before her expression shifted into a slight frown. "If they don't like you—or if that big bastard tries anything hostile—you should just kick their asses out of here," Alice muttered defensively, her eyes hardening protectively. "This place belongs to you, Haru. They don't get to disrespect you in your own restaurant."
I smiled at how protective my women could be of me. "Don't worry, beautiful. I have a good feeling about them," I said confidently. "Let's give them a chance first."
…Jane and the two newcomers got so wrapped up in their conversation that they completely forgot this was actually a restaurant. None of them even glanced at the menus I'd provided.
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, deciding to take matters into my own hands.
I'd just wing it.
The towering armored newcomer's green armor was battered and scuffed in a dozen places, with scorch marks and bullet dents clearly visible. Even though I couldn't see his face beneath the mirrored visor of his helmet, the tense, rigid way he held his shoulders and the tightly coiled readiness in his posture told me all I needed to know. The guy had clearly been through some serious shit recently, and there was no mistaking the subtle signs of PTSD radiating off him like waves. I recognized those symptoms all too well—hell, I'd seen plenty of traumatized warriors drift through my doors already. Skyrim was beautiful, but it was a harsh place.
If ever someone needed comfort food, this guy was it.
I turned and headed back into my kitchen, pulling my apron tighter around my waist as I felt my golden tails sway lazily behind me. My kitchen was my sanctuary.
I was already mentally piecing together a feast fit for a battle-scarred hero.
Alice was my sexy little sous chef for the evening. Although, the truth was, as smoking hot and lethal as she was with a pair of guns, Alice's culinary skills left plenty to be desired. The girl could barely boil water without supervision. But damn if she wasn't pleasant to look at and talk to while I did all the real cooking.
"Let's get cooking. The big guy out there looks like he's had enough rough days. He deserves at least one good meal."
I moved expertly from stove to countertop and back, my knives flashing in precise cuts as I sliced through dragon steaks thicker than my wrist, their vibrant red flesh juicy and marbled with rich, flavorful fat.
Beside me, Alice awkwardly stirred the massive pan of fragrant, golden fried rice. Something that was very hard to mess up, but I kept an eye on her regardless.
Fifteen minutes later, we had a veritable feast plated and ready. I hefted the massive platters myself, balancing effortlessly on my tails as I returned.
I set the feast down, each plate thudding heavily onto the table.
Huge dragon steaks seared to perfection, their outsides crisp and caramelized, the centers juicy and pinkish-red. Golden-brown fried rice piled high and flecked with diced vegetables, eggs, and pieces of grilled pork belly. A crispy thin-crust pizza topped generously with melted cheeses and thinly sliced pepperoni, fresh basil, and perfectly browned crust edges. Finally, a mountainous platter of fish and chips, the white fish battered lightly and fried to golden perfection, alongside thick-cut fries crisped to perfection.
"Here," I said firmly but warmly, my voice clear and confident. "I don't know your tastes, big guy, so I made a bit of everything. Eat whatever you want. I promise—it's damn good."
Jane finally paused in her animated conversation with him, glancing up at me with a grateful, approving smile. She rose from her seat, leaned up, and planted a tender kiss against my cheek, her warm lips lingering gently on my skin.
"Haru here is the greatest chef in existence," Jane declared proudly to the armored newcomer, placing a hand affectionately on my chest. "Enjoy your soul food, you two—you definitely earned it."
The towering armored man hesitated visibly, clearly weighing his options, before slowly reaching upward to unfasten the seals of his green helmet. With a faint hiss of depressurization, he carefully lifted it free.
As expected, beneath that visor, his face was that of a rugged human—a stern, hardened soldier, with short-cropped brown hair and eyes that had seen far too much death. A prominent scar stretched faintly down his left temple, slicing subtly through his eyebrow, adding a grim, battle-worn appeal.
I'd met men like him before—men carved by relentless war until it was etched permanently in their features.
My eyes flicked curiously to his helmet sitting on the table. The translucent chip embedded inside still pulsed faintly with that unmistakable second presence.
"Your friend—the spirit in your helmet. Isn't she going to eat something too?"
His eyes sharpened in suspicion at my words, his jaw clenching slightly. "Cortana isn't capable of eating. She's an AI—an artificial intelligence."
At his blunt declaration, Jane visibly stiffened beside me, her eyes flickering warily toward the helmet.
I knew precisely why that statement rattled her. After all, nearly every AI she'd ever encountered had repeatedly tried to wipe her out. I shot her a brief reassuring glance, silently telling her to relax.
I looked straight into the armored man's serious brown eyes. "Look, big guy—no one walks through my restaurant door without getting a delicious meal. That's just how I run things around here." My tails swished lazily behind me, emphasizing my words. "If your AI friend here can't eat yet, well, we just have to fix that little issue. I've handled stranger things."
The soldier stared back at me like I'd lost my goddamn mind.
But then—likely, because my beloved blue-skinned goddess Ranni was always watching—the restaurant door abruptly swung open again.
A female fairy flitted casually inside, hovering delicately several feet off the polished wooden floor. My fox ears twitched sharply forward, sensing the unmistakable surge of a dense, potent demonic aura emanating from her deceptively fragile floating body.
Demon Lord Ramiris—the tiny Fairy Queen of the Spirits in Milim and Rimuru's world.
She fluttered directly over toward me, blinking innocently up into my face. "Huh, where am I? Some weird door appeared smack-dab in the middle of my labyrinth! Who the heck are you, handsome fox-guy?"
"I'm Haru, and welcome to my restaurant, Demon Lord Ramiris," I greeted smoothly with an amused smile. I gestured loosely toward Chief's helmet resting on the tabletop. "I believe my beautiful goddess of the moon, Ranni, brought you specifically here to handle…that."
She tilted her small head curiously. "Handle what—oh!" Her eyes widened immediately in fascination as she peered closer. "Oh no, that poor spirit is totally trapped inside that little crystal chip! Who the heck would shove a soul into something like that?"
"Any chance you can give her a real body so she can eat?"
She gave an airy laugh, waving one tiny hand dismissively. "Pffft, easy peasy! Hold onto your tails, hot stuff, I've got this." With an enthusiastic snap of her fingers.
Instantly, the restaurant was filled with a brilliant, dazzling glow—a vibrant sapphire-blue energy surged out from the helmet, bathing the whole room in shimmering light. It pulsed outward, swirling smoothly through the air in glowing tendrils of intricate, digital looking patterns.
I watched in fascination, feeling my tails flick curiously behind me as those swirling tendrils steadily gathered together, intertwining themselves until they formed the clearly defined silhouette of a curvaceous, feminine body directly beside the armored soldier in his booth.
The energy coalesced completely into tangible flesh, leaving behind a figure that immediately drew everyone's eyes in captivated astonishment.
Holy shit, I thought appreciatively, taking in the vision that had just appeared before me. She was fucking gorgeous—there simply wasn't any other way to put it.
Vibrant blue skin shimmered softly, glowing faintly with delicate lines of digital information flowing visibly beneath her smooth flesh, constantly shifting and dancing like exotic tattoos. It was mesmerizing.
My eyes roamed shamelessly over her slender neck, down to her full, round breasts—perfectly shaped, tipped with nipples a deeper, enticing shade of blue that stood pertly erect in the restaurant's cooler air.
Yes, she was completely nude.
The armored soldier beside her sat frozen, mouth open in utter shock, brown eyes wide with disbelief and awe as he stared openly at the woman now suddenly seated naked at his side.
She glanced down slowly, confusion and awe blooming across her expressive face as she tentatively ran fingers along the glowing curves of her blue, digital-patterned body, clearly stunned to feel tangible flesh beneath her touch.
The soldier finally found his voice. "Cortana…?"
She turned toward him instantly. "John… Is this really happening? Am I truly… alive now?"
Ramiris laughed cheerfully, twirling midair with her wings. "Congrats, gorgeous! You're officially a real girl now—complete with a brand new, fully functional body! Go wild with it!"
Jane Shepard leaned forward intently, clearly fascinated by this unexpected development. Alice openly stared in appreciative admiration. Cortana glanced around shyly, blushing faintly darker-blue along her cheeks…
She shyly moved her arms upward, attempting to modestly shield her blue breasts, though all it did was push them together enticingly.
Unable to resist teasing them all a little, I casually remarked, "Well, welcome to the Foxhole, Cortana. Clothing is optional, but personally, I approve of your bold entrance. Just let me know if you want something hot—besides yourself—to warm you up."
Of course, I was just kidding. I nodded to myself thoughtfully, realizing the new naked girl at the table probably deserved some actual clothing—despite how perfectly fine I personally found her just like that. Besides, I knew the big armored guy sitting next to her was probably struggling not to stare, and even Jane and Alice were sneaking more than a few appreciative glances Cortana's way.
With that thought, I slipped, behind the kitchen, back into my bedroom to retrieve some spare clothes. I rifled through the neatly arranged closet, eventually pulling out an outfit Rias had conveniently left behind last time she stayed over. Knowing Rias, I probably should have expected it to be something else, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
Returning to the main dining area, I approached the table and handed Cortana the outfit. "Here," I said, trying to sound casual despite my eyes instinctively drifting downward to take in every detail of her stunning figure again. "It's probably not your usual style, but it'll cover you for now."
Cortana tilted her head curiously, then stood up and began slipping into the clothing right in front of everyone, clearly unaware—or perhaps just unashamed—of the way every pair of eyes immediately locked onto her movements. The short plaid skirt hugged her shapely hips snugly, barely covering enough of her flawless, vibrant blue thighs to maintain even a semblance of modesty. Her new blouse was so tight that the buttons strained across the swell of her magnificent breasts, the fabric pulling taut enough to offer teasing glimpses of the smooth skin beneath. To top it off, she even struggled slightly to fasten the small black tie around her slender neck.
I couldn't tear my gaze away, my fox ears twitching appreciatively. Watching a formerly digital AI girl slowly button herself into a far-too-tight, scandalously skimpy schoolgirl uniform was frankly captivating.
Even Jane Shepard and Alice shared a knowing glance, clearly entertained by my open admiration and simultaneously intrigued by Cortana's provocative new appearance.
"Damn," I murmured, unable to stop myself as my gaze roamed slowly up and down her curvy body once again. "That fits you—really, really well."
Cortana glanced down at herself, tugging gently at the short skirt. Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of blue as she noticed just how revealing the clothes were on her generously curved figure. "It's a bit tighter than expected," she admitted shyly, her digital-patterned skin glowing softly in embarrassment. "Is it supposed to feel this... restrictive?"
I chuckled and told her why. "You're a bit taller than my Girlfried Rias, and she likes her clothes tight to show off her figure."
"I see," she replied thoughtfully, biting her lower lip lightly in a way that had no right being that seductive.
Was it because she reminded me so much of Ranni now? And I'd yet to see Ranni naked.
"Ow…" Something invisible just smacked the back of my head after that thought…
Cortana sat back down in the booth. "Well... I'll make do with these for now. Wearing clothing is going to be strange." And then her attention was back on the food on the table in front of her. Predictably, she almost started drooling. "I never knew the smell of food could be so enticing…"
"Haru, come on—let's let our newcomers settle in." Jane and Alice both said.
I allowed myself to be pulled gently away by both beautiful redheads, casting one final appreciative glance back toward Cortana. She was seated again beside the armored giant, poking curiously at one of the steaming dragon steaks I'd prepared, the tight blouse straining appealingly across her chest each time she moved.
"Enjoy your meal," I called over my shoulder, unable to suppress a grin as my tails swished lazily behind me.
Ramiris fluttered down onto the table abruptly, planting herself firmly next to Cortana's massive plate of golden-brown fried rice. "Don't forget about me!" she declared haughtily, puffing her small chest out dramatically. "I'm the one who got you that hot new body, gorgeous. You owe me food—tons of food—as payment for my amazing fairy services!"
Cortana laughed softly, clearly amused, and pushed the oversized platter closer to the tiny demon lord. "By all means, dig in. There's more here than I'll possibly finish on my own. I think? I'm actually not sure how much I'm supposed to be able to eat in this body…?" she muttered to herself.
Ramiris' eyes sparkled gleefully, and she immediately attacked the fragrant dish with enthusiastic abandon, somehow managing to eat three times her own body weight in fried rice within mere moments.
"See?" Alice teased lightly, nudging me with her shoulder. "Everyone's happy."
…
I was tidying up the kitchen, wiping down the counters and rinsing off the knives while Jane and Alice lent a hand beside me. Jane's hips brushed enticingly against mine whenever she moved past me—on purpose of course. Alice leaned against the counter, scrubbing a pot with far more enthusiasm than actual technique.
Jane was busy recounting her conversation with the giant armored newcomer, who we now knew called himself Master Chief—what a hell of a nickname, but it did seem oddly fitting given the guy's sheer presence.
As she spoke, I found myself amazed by how much information she'd gotten out of him in just a short conversation. Jane truly was the ultimate social butterfly—even a seven-foot tall supersoldier encased in battered green armor hadn't stood a chance against her friendly charm.
As I finished loading another stack of dirty dishes into the dishwasher, Jane leaned comfortably against the counter beside me, folding her arms casually beneath her full breasts.
"So apparently," she continued, "his humanity's been locked into this violent, genocidal war against a hostile alien empire known as the Covenant for decades. We're talking multiple alien species unified under one psychotic religious empire that saw humanity as heretics who needed wiping out—no negotiations, no compromise, just wholesale extermination. Tens of billions of human lives lost, Haru. Entire planets reduced to glass by orbital bombardment." Jane's usually relaxed voice carried an unusual gravity as she described the carnage.
I could sense that the numbers and scope of the destruction genuinely disturbed even someone battle-hardened like her.
I paused in rinsing the cutting board, feeling my own brow furrowing in grim contemplation. Damn. That explained the haunted look in the big guy's eyes. War was hell, plain and simple.
Alice glanced up from the pot she was drying. "So how'd it end, Jane? That Chief guy seems pretty battle-worn."
Jane nodded seriously. "That's the thing—the Chief wasn't just a soldier. According to him—and trust me, he was damn humble about it—he was humanity's greatest hero. Apparently, they'd lost all their planets except for Earth itself, their very last bastion. The Covenant had finally pushed humanity right to the brink of annihilation. But then Master Chief stepped up, nearly single-handedly turning the tide of the war. Guy sounds like some kind of legendary super-warrior who pulled humanity back from certain extinction. He ended up defeating the Covenant leadership and smashing their military capabilities." Jane shook her head, a small, admiring smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I swear, I had to pry that last bit out of him; he's humble to the point of frustration."
I chuckled softly at that, tossing another dirty towel toward Alice, who caught it and pouted playfully at me.
"Shit, he sounds like a real-life space Rambo. He definitely earned every bite of that feast." After another moment of silence, my thoughts returned to the practical issues at hand. My expression shifted into a slight frown of concern as I turned back to Jane. "So what are they going to do now, then? You mentioned their ship was just drifting uselessly in space. After it got—cut in half…?"
She nodded grimly, reaching up to brush a loose strand of crimson hair away from her face, tucking it neatly behind her ear. "Yeah, Chief said their vessel's completely dead in the water—drifting wreckage. He's stuck here unless someone gives him a lift somewhere more useful. But that's where it gets interesting."
"Go on…"
Jane leaned closer. "Turns out, before the Covenant threat appeared, the Spartans—Chief's supersoldier program—weren't originally created to fight aliens at all. They were a top-secret black ops unit designed specifically to combat human insurgents—space terrorists, essentially—threatening Earth's colonies from within."
I tilted my head thoughtfully with my fox ears twitching with sudden interest. "So he specialized in counter-insurgency warfare against other humans?"
She nodded enthusiastically as she confirmed my realization. "Exactly. The man's a born-and-bred counter-terrorist specialist. He knows exactly how to dismantle hostile organizations, root out infiltrators, and take down human combatants with brutal efficiency."
Alice's expression shifted into sharp understanding. "In other words, the perfect man to help us deal with our little problem of foreign government agents and soldiers infiltrating Haru's homeland."
Jane smirked approvingly. "You got it, Alice. With his experience, skillset, and firepower, he'd be invaluable in tracking down and eliminating the enemy operatives."
I paused in rinsing out the final cooking pot, setting it gently into the dishwasher rack. My tails swished thoughtfully behind me as I mulled over the implications.
"Of course, all of this will depend on getting him and Cortana to agree," I pointed out to my two girlfriends before they got too enthusiastic with their plans.
Of course, Jane just rolled her eyes and gave me a look that said, "Who do you think I am?"
"If I could get Wrex to follow me, then I can do it with this guy as well," Jane said, she also added that she'd been missing having a crew of commandos following her around. They all left after Saren had been dealt with. It had just been her and Alice as "boots on the ground" during most of their recent missions. Either assigned to them by the Council or by the Systems Alliance in her universe.
Ukiyoe Town, the hidden domain and home of the Nura Clan, always struck me as a deceptively peaceful place.
On the surface, it seemed just like any ordinary bustling city—tidy streets, quaint old buildings nestled between sleek modern structures, and the comforting hum of midday traffic echoing faintly through the air. Yet underneath that quiet facade, this town was secretly ruled by yokai who fed off humans. They didn't kill humans outright, mind you, just scared the absolute shit out of them once in a while for sustenance.
They fed on FEAR.
Honestly, it was pretty tame stuff compared to some other yokai clans out there. Mostly the Oni that will happily feed on human flesh if they were still allowed to…
I glanced back at the town.
It reminded me a little of Kuoh, albeit more built-up and crowded. Walking down the sunny street, my hands casually stuffed in my pockets, I scanned my surroundings through narrowed eyes.
I was walking around with my fox ears out on top of my head, and a single golden tail swaying arrogantly behind me. All of this was covered by a very weak illusion to make me look like a weak amateur yokai. The perfect bait as I suppressed my true power deep inside of me.
My illusion was sloppy enough that any yokai who laid eyes on me would immediately see through it. I deliberately leaked a trickle of my weak Youki out around me, just enough energy to clearly advertise myself to anyone who was paying attention.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before I sensed something unfamiliar—a foreign magic lingering nearby.
I slowed my steps subtly, pretending to admire the shops and stalls while carefully analyzing the energy. It didn't carry the distinct darkness of demonic power, like Rias and her peerage. Nor did it have that gentle, pure glow of angelic grace that Gabriel radiated.
My ears swiveled cautiously, pinpointing the presence hidden just around the corner of a narrow, shadowy alley between two buildings. I didn't react yet—if I sprang the trap too early, they'd bolt before I learned anything useful.
Instead, I wandered closer, forcing my expression to remain oblivious.
Then, in a flash of rushed movement, a burly man lunged from the shadows directly towards me. He grabbed my arms roughly, yanking me off-balance. It was a clumsy grapple, weak enough that I could've snapped both his wrists with a twitch if I'd wanted.
But instead, I feigned surprise and panic convincingly, widening my eyes dramatically and pulling back ineffectually. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I shouted, putting just the right amount of shaky fear into my voice, feigning the tone of a weak, frightened yokai that had never once been confronted by genuine danger. "Let go of me right now, asshole!"
Before I could "struggle" free, a second man appeared swiftly from the shadows behind me. He wore a plain black tactical uniform, face obscured by a balaclava mask, before he roughly shoved a damp cloth directly over my mouth and nose. The pungent stench of chloroform filled my nostrils instantly, causing a sharp, dizzying sting inside my sinuses.
I pretended to thrash and resist weakly for a few more seconds, releasing just the right gasping whimper as I let my limbs gradually slacken in their grip, pretending to be unconscious.
The first man laughed quietly, clearly pleased. He spoke harshly to his partner, his voice slightly muffled through the black mask. "Fucking idiot yokai. Wandering around all carefree just because it's daytime? Moron thinks sunlight will keep him safe from us." He snorted mockingly as his comrade tightened his grip around my waist, dragging my limp body easily into the alleyway. "Let's hurry and bring him back to the hideout. The doctor has been itching to start experimenting again—this furry little fucker ought to be perfect for today's tests."
My tails would've bristled angrily if I wasn't still playing dead. Still, I forced myself to remain patient, eyes closed and breathing steadily shallow. My first priority was infiltrating their hidden base.
After that…well, I'd happily give them a firsthand demonstration of what happened when you fucked with creatures you didn't truly understand.
The men moved quickly and silently, carrying my feigned-unconscious body down the back alley and towards a nondescript black van waiting discreetly in a quiet side-street.
They tossed me carelessly into the backseat, slamming the door shut as the engine hummed quietly to life.
As the vehicle began smoothly rolling away, I carefully maintained my act, making sure my breathing stayed even and calm as I memorized the subtle turns and twists the van took through Ukiyoe's bustling roads. It wouldn't take long before they delivered me directly to their hideout.
Then the real fun would begin…
– Jane Shepard –
Jane Shepard adjusted her grip on her rifle, her experienced eyes sweeping carefully over the seemingly mundane side of town they'd been assigned. Her boyfriend, Haru, had confidently insisted he'd tackle the opposite sector personally—the area more likely crawling with hostile supernatural infiltrators. Jane trusted his instincts, so she'd readily agreed.
That left this quieter half to her, Alice, Master Chief, and Cortana.
Jane's eyes flicked sideways to Cortana, who walked a few paces ahead. Cortana looked distinctly distracted, her newly-created body drawing her complete attention. Her blue-tinted fingers traced curiously over her own skin, gliding sensually up and down her curves, exploring every inch of herself with open fascination.
It was oddly mesmerizing to watch—although Cortana clearly didn't intend it sexually, her movements were unquestionably erotic.
"This is absolutely amazing," Cortana breathed softly, seemingly oblivious to how provocative she looked. Her hands slid upward slowly, trailing over her abdomen until they reached the lush swell of her breasts. Without hesitation or shame, she cupped and gently squeezed herself, fingers sinking slightly into her abundant, firm curves.
Jane exchanged an amused glance with Alice, both redheads fighting back smiles as the clearly embarrassed Master Chief abruptly looked away, his armored helmet deliberately shifting to avoid the tantalizing display.
"I never thought something like the multiverse was actually real, much less imagined I'd have an actual physical body," Cortana murmured, her voice filled with awe and quiet disbelief. Her fingers continued their exploration, lingering appreciatively on the sensitive peaks of her nipples through the tight fabric of the revealing borrowed outfit Haru had given her. Then Cortana paused abruptly, a faintly somber expression overtaking her beautiful face. "Honestly, I'd resigned myself to the fact that I'd be dead in less than four years anyway," she confessed quietly.
At those words, Jane suddenly recalled the conversation she'd had in Haru's restaurant, back when Cortana and Master Chief had first explained their universe's harsh restrictions on artificial intelligence. Apparently, AIs from their world only had about seven years before they descended into madness—what they called "rampancy"—transforming into homicidal killers, essentially becoming their universe's version of evil Terminators.
Jane grimaced slightly, reminded vividly of her own harrowing experiences with the genocidal Reapers and the relentless Geth.
She fully understood Cortana's fears all too well. But now that Cortana was a "machine spirit" that was no longer a problem. It was a lot easier for Jane to trust a "spirit" instead of an AI as well. Alice, next to her, had her own problems with evil AI in the past as well. The insane Red Queen that destroyed almost all human life in Alice's old world.
Master Chief's gravelly voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts, breaking the awkward silence. "Cortana, we need to focus on the mission right now."
Cortana jolted slightly at his gentle reprimand, immediately removing her hands from her breasts as her cheeks flushed a faintly darker shade of blue. "Right—of course," she quickly agreed, clearly embarrassed as she turned toward Jane and Alice with an apologetic expression. Eager to move past the awkward moment, Cortana cleared her throat and asked Jane directly, "So, Commander Shepard, can you clarify exactly what we're dealing with here?"
Jane nodded briskly, instantly shifting back into professional soldier mode. "The situation's complex," she explained succinctly, her eyes darting around to ensure no locals overheard. Although, each of them were wearing talismans to keep human eyes off them anyway so that wasn't possible. It was just a habit at this point. "Allied yokai in this town—mostly peaceful supernatural beings from everything I understand—are being systematically targeted, kidnapped, and experimented upon by hostile factions. Those factions include foreign supernatural entities working hand-in-hand with rogue elements within various human governments. Our mission's straightforward—Completely dismantle and eliminate the human government elements involved, leaving no survivors and no loose ends. It's absolutely vital this doesn't escalate further or get revealed to the general public. If it does, we'll face a supernatural version of World War III overnight..."
Jane obviously would not fail Haru here.
Cortana absorbed the blunt explanation solemnly, clearly understanding the catastrophic implications. After a pause, she shook her head slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "I'm definitely not used to humanity being the bad guys," she admitted quietly, troubled.
"It's been a while for me too," Master Chief quietly remarked, his voice weary yet resolute.
As they continued walking casually through the quiet streets of Ukiyoe Town, Jane's sharp eyes remained alert, constantly scanning their surroundings. Her trained gaze slid carefully over the bustling afternoon crowd, instinctively hunting for anyone out of place, anyone who didn't quite belong—especially foreigners or shady assholes acting suspiciously.
Beside her, Cortana trailed along with an endless stream of curious questions.
Jane Shepard couldn't blame her new companion for her curiosity—Cortana had spent her entire existence as a digital intelligence trapped within computers. Now, with her first real, physical body, the beautiful, blue-skinned woman was naturally bursting with interest about every aspect of the physical world.
However, Jane quickly noticed Cortana's questions kept circling back specifically to Haru.
"So," Cortana asked with deceptive casualness, "how exactly did you first meet Haru, Commander Shepard?"
Jane exchanged an amused, knowing glance with Alice walking beside her. She fought back a smirk as she casually answered, "Haru rescued my ass when I was up shit creek without a paddle. Showed up in the middle of a firefight out of nowhere, and casually obliterated a dozen killer robots with ease. We started fucking not long after…"
Alice snorted softly beside her. "Yeah, that sounds familiar. Except for me it was zombies…"
Cortana tilted her head, her sapphire eyes widening slightly. "Oh? Interesting," she murmured thoughtfully. "So, is it standard practice for Haru to rescue women before he—uh, initiates intimacy?"
Jane chuckled, shaking her head slightly at the AI girl's blunt honesty. "Nah, not exactly standard, but it's certainly not uncommon either," she admitted, her voice laced with amusement. "He's got this annoying yet somehow charming hero complex—can't resist swooping in dramatically to save beautiful women."
"And then fucking their brains out," Alice chimed in dryly, her crimson lips curling into an affectionate smirk. "Usually multiple times."
"Ah. I see." Cortana absorbed this new information seriously for a moment before pressing forward with even greater curiosity. "And about that—I noticed both of you seem openly involved with him simultaneously, along with other women. Isn't humanity predominantly monogamous? How exactly does your... arrangement with Haru work?"
Jane laughed openly at Cortana's honest curiosity. She'd never had someone put it quite so bluntly before.
"You're right, most humans do stick to monogamy. But Haru isn't human. He's royalty among yokai—basically supernatural royalty in this world," Jane explained carefully, meeting Cortana's curious gaze directly. "His mother rules as their Queen. In yokai society, it's entirely normal—actually expected—for someone of his status to have multiple partners." Jane's gaze flicked affectionately over at Alice before continuing more softly, her tone turning warm and genuine. "But beyond politics or bloodlines, the simple truth is that Alice and I both fell hard for Haru. He's saved our asses countless times, protected us, given us a home we can always come back to, and made us feel genuinely cared for. Every woman in his harem loves him deeply—it's honestly not complicated once you're part of it."
Cortana looked like she was about to pepper them with another round of probing questions when Master Chief abruptly halted their chatter, his deep voice interrupting sharply.
"Enough," Chief said firmly, pointing directly down the street with his gauntleted hand. "Two blocks down—see the black van parked near the corner? That vehicle looks suspicious. And its driver isn't Japanese."
Instantly, Jane's relaxed, teasing attitude evaporated as her battle-hardened instincts surged into action. Her eyes narrowed sharply, locking onto the distant black van, mentally noting its slightly tinted windows and perfectly nondescript appearance. Her soldier's intuition screamed at her, recognizing immediately that Chief was right.
It practically radiated 'covert ops vehicle.'
"Good eye, Chief," she muttered approvingly, subtly shifting into a more alert stance. Her fingers flexed smoothly around her rifle's grip, readying herself for whatever confrontation was imminent.
Next to Chief, Cortana suddenly shimmered brightly, glowing vivid sapphire-blue. Jane watched in genuine fascination as Cortana's lush curves dissolved instantly into an intricate pattern of pure digital information. The mesmerizing blue data-stream flowed smoothly through the air, arcing back toward Master Chief. It coiled around him, merging seamlessly with the powerful Mjolnir armor encasing his towering frame.
Demon Lord Ramiris had apparently transformed Cortana from AI into a "machine spirit." Apparently, in this new form, Cortana could effortlessly fuse herself into practically any technological device, not just computers.
Unsurprisingly, the beautiful digital woman chose primarily to remain bonded closely with her longtime friend, Master Chief.
Cortana's smooth voice echoed clearly from within the Spartan's armor speakers. "Integration complete, Chief. All suit systems optimized. Sensors are active and scanning."
Chief nodded curtly, clearly accustomed to Cortana's presence within his armor. "Keep your scans passive for now—don't tip them off. Shepard?"
"Yeah." Jane's voice turned sharp, deadly serious. "We approach slowly—stay casual, but ready. Let's see who we're dealing with here."
Alice reached down silently, her hands confidently caressing the twin pistols holstered snugly against her toned thighs. Jane watched appreciatively as Alice's elegant, deadly fingers traced lightly over the weapon's smooth grips, checking readiness. Alice caught Jane's lingering gaze and winked flirtatiously.
Jane smirked back knowingly, but her pulse quickened slightly. Fuck, she thought, Alice always looks ridiculously hot right before a fight.
– Haru –
I continued to pretend to be passed out, my body hanging limp and heavy in their grasp. The two assholes hauling me roughly down the darkened corridor finally reached the prison area. Without a shred of gentleness, they heaved me forward, tossing me carelessly into a cramped cell already packed with other yokai prisoners. My face hit the filthy stone floor first, but even that harsh impact didn't register as pain anymore—not with how absurdly durable I'd become at this point.
I remained motionless, ears twitching subtly, waiting until I heard the metallic clang of the cell door locking and their heavy footsteps fading away down the hallway. Only then did I bother sitting up, shaking my golden hair free from my eyes as I glanced around, scanning the miserable faces of the yokai trapped alongside me.
They looked like absolute shit—injuries everywhere, bandages stained dark with dried blood, some missing limbs entirely. It was obvious these poor bastards had been through hell already.
But then my eyes fell upon one particularly familiar face sitting hunched and sniffling quietly in the far corner.
I blinked, eyebrows shooting upward. Shit, Rikuo Nura? What the hell is he doing here?
"Hey, Rikuo," I called out to the young quarter-yokai quietly, grabbing his attention immediately.
His head snapped up in startled shock, cracked glasses slipping down his bruised face as he gaped at me. "P-Prince Haru? Holy crap, it's really you! You're actually here?" A sudden rush of hope replaced the exhaustion on his features, but that quickly faded into alarm. "Wait, does this mean those assholes captured you too!?"
"Nah," I said easily, shaking my head dismissively as I got to my feet and stretched, popping the bones in my neck with a satisfying crack. "I let them take me in on purpose. Figured it was the quickest way to find whoever's running this shitshow and tear their spine out personally." I narrowed my gaze on him, frowning deeply. "But never mind me—what the hell happened to you, Rikuo? How'd you end up in this mess?"
Before he could answer, a nearby yokai interrupted hoarsely—a crow-type, judging from the ragged feathers and single remaining wing drooping from its shoulder. It was missing an entire arm, the stump crudely bandaged and clearly infected. "It's the fucking Greeks," he croaked bitterly, his dark eyes filled with hate and pain. "This shithole's run by some psychotic demigod prick—Apollo's own twisted spawn. Calls himself a doctor, but he's nothing but a butcher, experimenting on us, slicing us open just to see how we tick."
My tails bristled sharply, irritation building rapidly. Oh, for fuck's sake. Of course it's the Greeks. Those assholes never know when to stop fucking around.
Rikuo quickly surged forward, his desperation returning with a vengeance as he grabbed at my arm, pleading urgently. "Prince Haru, you gotta help us! Tsurara—they just dragged her away a few minutes ago. It's her turn in that bastard's torture chamber next! Please, you have to save her!"
My expression darkened immediately, golden eyes narrowing dangerously. Tsurara? His little Yuki-Onna girlfriend…?
"I see," I growled softly, deciding right then and there that this entire shitty operation was going up in flames tonight. Literally.
I allowed my nine remaining golden fox tails to burst free, spreading out imposingly behind me, no longer hiding the extent of my power. The air itself warped and trembled around my body, saturated with an oppressive surge of raw magicules that radiated outward from my body.
The other yokai gasped sharply, some stumbling backward in awe, their eyes wide in shock at my display of sheer magical might. I ignored their reactions, stepping directly towards the barred cell door. The thick steel bars were etched with useless little sealing wards designed specifically to contain yokai.
How cute.
"Well, let's go rescue your girl and murder us a demigod, shall we?" I declared calmly, reaching out casually to grip the thick bars in one hand. I tightened my fingers slowly, deliberately savoring the shriek of tortured metal as the steel buckled and tore like tissue paper beneath my inhuman strength.
With an effortless tug, I ripped the entire barred door clean off its hinges, tossing it aside with a resounding clang.
XXX