Act I

  The clean up was faster than I expected, I’d imagine we would have needed to contact some flesh merchants from the kingdom, to take away all the corpses but.

  “Pooff. . .” A large pile of the vampire spiders all turned to dust, leaving a large crystal in the middle as Shiro repeatedly sang a song about the vastness of space.

  “Once the abyss sees you, you've been staring too long.” He was singing while playing on his ukulele, the lyrics changing but the rhythm never did until the last vampire spider turned to ash and crystal.

  “So what are those crystals for?” I asked as I and the others where curiously watching Shiro gently floating the crystals until they where just above his shoulders, and staying there. . . like a clutch of humming birds.

  “There money princess, the abyssal sea values everything, but it values crystalized essence the most.” He said as he took out a bottle of . . . mercury?

  He was pouring the liquid silver on the ashes made from the corpses, he was even humming happily.

  I looked over too the Amazonian and Lizel who was already sparring with each other, the Amazonian teaching Lizel a kind of martial art that involves headlocks.

  “What can they do, these crystalized essence?” It was little Sara who asked as she placed down her tea cup.

  “Many things, but as I said I mostly use it as a sacrifice to get things from the Abyssal sea.” He answered without stopping from his magecraft.

  “Kay I think this is fine, Hey Hellen! Lizel! The circles done.” He yelled towards the girls who was. . . on the dirt, Lizel at the bottom while that Amazonian girl Hellen, was pinning Lizel’s arm and neck with her thighs.

  They both looked towards Shiro and then stood up, patting each other off the dirt and grass they covered themselves with.

  The Amazonian took of her armor hours ago, she was left wearing a long tunic with a leather skirt, her arms and shins where still covered with bronze.

  “Alright Lizel you go first, so where do you want your tattoo?” He asked as Lizel took of her black crop top, and toss it to Shiro as she stepped inside the circle of mercury.

  “Right here, just bellow my belly button.” She said giving Shiro a predatory smile, Shiro’s face was reddening but tried hiding it with a nod.

  Act II

  “This place isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, more a small theater than a tavern.” I said off handedly, as the other girls where speaking or looking around the night cafe.

  “I’ve been here years ago, it seems the place had prospered since my first time here.” Rikka said praising the place as she looked at the bar where she was already motioning for a waitress to take there orders.

  “Sister? have you stop coming to plays? I remember we used to watch them all the time when I was younger.” Little Sera said curiously as she read the menu in a more detailed than I or the rest had done.

  “Well it had become boring sister, and I was busy with governance.” I explained as I pick out what I wanted.

  “Oh witch of the marshes, how have you’ve been?” I looked to the stage and saw Shiro, in what appeared to be traditional sorcerer cloth.

  A long dark blue robe and wizen hat with a staff of twisted wood.

  “Oh son of the fairies, why must you help this children?” The witch who was clearly just a very beautifully worked on boy said smiling and cackling in insanity.

  As she motion with her twisted withered bone staff towards a girl crying out her heart and an armored girl that look like a young prince, with her chest opened bleeding as the witch had the prince’s heart in her hand.

  “Hello, are you ready to order girls?” The older waitress whispered to us.

  “Yes. I would like . . .” We went on and gave our orders as we watched as Shiro used light and powder to banish the Witch, the lights turning off as the witch yelled.

  “You have not seen the last of me! Son of the fey!” And then she was gone.

  What was left was Shiro kneeling down in front of the young prince, putting her heart back into her chest, and the wound turning to water as Shiro toss powder towards the smiling dead prince. . . poor acting I would say.

  I thought placing a hand of my mouth stopping a chuckle from escaping.

  “Oh girl of the woods, only love so true can save this young man.” Shiro said as the lights turned off and once it came back he was gone as the girl cried louder.

  “Oh knight of the royals, please do not leave me! I have love you even when we played by the lake as little whelps! please don’t. . .” She cried as she went for a classic kiss. . .

  The ending wasn’t shown as the curtains fell, it was a nice touch making us think that it was either a happy or sad end.

  “Ladies and lords let us give our young actors a round of applause.” The host of this theater night said as the curtains came back again, as the four actors where there smiling and waving at everyone before bowing.

  “Clap, clap, clap. . . He really does have a flare for the dramatic.” I said as I clapped along with the others.

  “It’s just to bad that I can see in the dark. . . I saw how Shiro just walked off stage . . . he even smiled at us.” Lizel said laughing as she clapped along.

  I saw it too. . . I think everyone at our table can actually see in dark, better than humans.

  Accept maybe the amazon.

  “The legends of my home tells that the plays of the White wulf king had showed to our people during festivals was so legendary that generations of our later kings still emulate his plays. . . they can’t even compare.”

  Hellen said awe struck by the little show, it was only an hour long and she was this empress. . . I don’t blame her even I wish, I could watch the full story.

  “Sister, do you think Shiro and his friends would play there plays for only us if we asked?” Little Sera asked her as she cut into her mash potato wrapped in bacon.

  “Of course I will little one.” We turned to see Shiro still in custom, started patting Sera’s head as he smiled, a large tankard of honey beer on his hand.

  “Is that the last of your play Shiro?” Rikka asked, as she took a bite of her strawberry iced-cake.

  “For tonight yes, but the cafe director asked if we wanted to do another one next Friday.” He answered while sitting down next to Lizel and Hellen.

  Act III

  The night was still pretty young, everyone stayed to watch the other acts, Sera seem to like them a lot and even though Komiko was hiding it she was enjoying them too.

  I excused myself from them and left the night Cafe and walked around.

  The night was chilly, the air cold, my breathe steamed, but still it was another few weeks before winter truly comes. . . and only a few months before I can say I’ve lived my first year in this strange world.

  “Are you okay Shiro?” Before I could turn I felt warm at my back.

  “Lizel?” I said as I recognized her smell, and how hot she was, even without even wearing a jacket.

  “Yeah, it’s me saw you walking off alone again, didn’t want you getting ambushed.” She said as she walked with me snuggling at my shoulder.

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  She was taller than I was, so her head was on top of mine as we walked and chatted.

  “Don’t worry, I brought my iron with me.” I said patting my sides as I made another one, this one was a chambered shotgun pistol. . . the bullets where just normal led slugs though.

  “So about Hellen, you know she’s not from here, can you help her fit in?” I asked as all the modern stuff was really getting to the young warrior, culture shock would been more painful if I didn’t spent the last few days educating her.

  “Me? Are you serious Shiro? I lived most of my life with my father’s tribe, I only lived with my mom permanently in my tweens when my brother left the tribe.” She said still clinging to me, we’ve got a lot of gawkers and pupcallers and she actually ignored them.

  “Yes, I can’t give her to Rikka and the princesses only knows the basics about the human world.” And I have no idea if I could just ask one of my friends to do it. . . they might start asking lot more questions again.

  “Sigh. . . alright, but can you tell me where you got her? The way she talks about her home, sounds like she’s from the paradise realm of the Amazonians but it’s different, more like some place in the human realm.”

  “Because she is from the human realm. . . just not in this human realm or in this era. . .” I said thinking of a way to explain time, space and dimensional travel though a place that both exists and doesn’t and that I’m intrinsically connected to a part of it called oblivion. . .

  “Huh. . . that kind makes sense? I had a human ghost friend growing up from the Victorian era, she was a lovely woman taught me a lot about life, but she is a pain in the ass when it comes to ‘etiquette and drugs’ but still I get she isn’t from this era of the human realm but not this human realm? I didn’t know there where others.”

  She stopped clinging and just walked next to me as we stopped at a bench square with a large tree in it’s middle.

  “Well as you know my magic is summoning.” I said summoning a candle light in the tip of my finger, it’s light was blue and warmth soft, yet it was enough to burn away my chill.

  “Yeah.” She answered looking around.

  “Well yes there are different human realms, as there are different monster realms. . . that Ancestral Vampire Kitten, wasn’t from Rikka’s realm but a different one, and Hellen isn’t from this human realm but in another that I once visited as someone else and spent my life developing there culture into something more sustainable.”

  I explained as I saw Lizel stiffen.

  “Are you okay Lizel?” I asked but then felt myself being pushed down on the bench and Lizel. .

  “Mm. . m . .” I tried talking my tongue being wrestled by hers, as head was held in placed forced to look into her copper eyes. . . she was kissing me, and it was a very deep kiss. . . and then she stopped, pulling away slowly.

  “Sorry Shiro. . . I just. . . It's so hard to tell you.” She said before standing up and tried to run away.

  But I was faster, even if my head and body was fogged by that sudden. . . surprising action.

  “Lighter than air above~” I sang as Lizel started to float and flail.

  “Lizel. . . we need to talk about that, you can’t just kiss me and run away” I said my words soft as I looked up and saw she had already turned wolfic, her glowing copper eyes staring right at me.

  “Dear god how much did you drink?” I said as I floated her closer as she tried to claw at me.

  “Let me go Shiro!” She yelled, as I licked my lips, I can still taste the honey beer from her tongue.

  “No, not before we talk, after all I still owe you a date.” I said, as I looked up and she did the same, it was the full moon, in her silver beauty.

  “You forgot. . . I didn’t know how to tell you!” Lizel was being to emotional, and violent, as I kept her close but not to close that she can bisect me like last time.

  “I’m sorry, I forgot, but we can still do it now you just nee. .” I stopped mid word as she, somehow air jumped closer and cut at my chest as I jumped back my spell breaking.

  She stared at me hungrily, but then turned around and started running away again.

  “Sand of sleeping ravens~” I casted my spell, she was able to make it almost to first alley before.

  “Thump. . . What a handful you are.” I said as I walked towards her picking her up, as I made her body float as the last of my feather on my earring turned to ash.

  “Having fun Shiro?” I heard to my back as I turned around and saw it was the princess, Flenna, Hellen and Rikka.

  “Not really, I think Lizel has a bigger crush than I thought. . . and she drank to much” I said as Rikka approached me and started sniffing.

  “Disgusting you smell like an animal Shiro. . .” She said looking towards Lizel who was on my shoulder with disgust and then at me with the same frown.

  “Hellen can you carry her?” I asked as she nodded and took Lizel from my shoulder.

  “Well had the actors finish there plays?” I asked as I saw that the princess was quickly growing bored, and there was still like 2 acts left, why did they leave so early?

  “No, Sera fell asleep so Frannel carried her home already, your friends are still in the cafe watching the other plays and I’ve grown bored of the last few acts.” She said staring at my chest which was already healing.

  “Tell me what happened Shiro, we only saw some of it.” She said as she turned around and motioned for me to follow.

  “Well this is where we part ways princess, Shiro, Hellen, I can hear a bunch of virgins about to lose there flavor, I would be sampling them before that happens, Tah tah~” Rikka said with a flirty smile as she floated up flashing me and the other girls with her silken black lace, red bowed unmentionables.

  “Pervert! Your showing to much!” I yelled to her as it only made her laugh, as she turned into a black mass of bats as I lost track of her.

  “You attract very dangerous women Shiro.” The princess commented before she continued her walk

  “I think there here more because of you princess, than me. . . I think the only one I actually recruited was Hellen.” I said as we walked and he gave me that princess noise she uses whenever I contradict her, as Hellen gave a proud huff.

  “Alright so what happened why is one of my guards sleeping?”

  “She lost control I think, does werewolves have a heat seasons Komiko?”

  “Heat seasons?” The princess turned at me as are paced slowed.

  “Well some of the werewolf tribes do have a heat season. . .but she's a half, so is that what happened?” She turned back are paced turned normal.

  “I don’t know princess, but I think that’s the reason, her heat was made her unreasonable, the alcohol was clouding her judgement and that damn moon was made her instincts take over rather than her reason.”

  “Ha ha ha. . . or she's just a young maiden finally wanted you to notice her, and drank more alcohol than normal, before trying this.” The princess said amusement clear on her voice.

  “Sigh. . . I’m to old for this princess, my body might want it, but the drama is to much. . . is polygamy normal in your kingdom princess?” I asked as my human knowledge is still spotty, but I know monogamy or partial monogamy was traditionally practiced here in this earth.

  “Of course it is? There are to few men in the realms as is, for one girl to keep one for themselves.” She said as we finally made it to the car as I started explaining what happened before they started watching me and Lizel.

  Act IV

  “Augh . . . my head. . . where am I?” I said to myself as I looked around and saw I was.

  “In the woods? What am I doing here?” I spoke again everything felt blurred my own voice stinging my head, the moonlight stinging my eyes.

  As I looked around I only saw trees, bushes and the grass I was sitting on, and then shifting of the leaves because of the winds as I felt something watching me.

  “Damn.” I stood up digging deep feeling my ancestors as my arms shifted, my teeth sharpening as my senses of smell and hearing peaked above what a normal wolf could be capable off.

  “Come out! I know your there! I can smell you.” I said lying through my teeth, I can’t actually smell the monster, it was like the entire woods was hiding his smell, as I could only smell the small creatures, the grass covered earth and the leaves of the woods.

  But I do feel them. . .

  “Huh, I thought I was hiding better. . . how do you feel Lizel?” I heard a familiar voice, but it came from everywhere rather than one place, the sound felt so wrong. . .

  “Augh! Ahhgh!” I was throwing up, some of what I ate this evening leaving my mouth, my body freezing in place as I saw it.

  “Hello Lizel, we should start our date soon.” It said, with the voice of my friend.

  A wolf reaching the size of the trees around us, it’s white snow fur, glistening in the moonlight, it’s eyes was like the setting sun, burning like a fire.

  “Hmm. . . didn’t know this form would have such an affect.” It said as it started shrinking until it was only at my chest as it stood in all fours, big for a dire wolf but not the biggest one I’ve seen.

  “Shiro? Is that you?” I said my voice cracking.

  “It is, here have a drink.” The wolf said as a can of water appeared just above me and I took it and drank all of it in heavy gulps.

  The wolf sat down, as my own legs gave out, Shiro made sure I would land on him making me sit on his soft thick fur, as I can only think what in the great heaven is happening?!

  “Don’t be surprise Lizel, I did told you I’ll show you what a real werewolf should be, your partial transformation and what you described as a full shift sounds to much like druid magic than true lycanthropy.”

  “Eugh. . . stop, your definitely Shiro, you talk so much that your bleeding my ears.” I said as my body turned back to normal as I relaxed, I know some of my tribe who's more comfortable in our ancestors hide, but it’s just to much for me if I’m not trying to kill something.

  “It’s good that your calm, here climb up.” Shiro said as he made me ride his back as he stood and started walking at a sedated pace as the woods started becoming sparser, the odd stars of the human realm showing themselves.

  And then he ran, I needed to hold him tight, as I felt the wind on my face and fur, the same feeling on my bike hugging me. . . and then we where in the open, grass land as far as I could see.

  “Star gazing I used to do that a lot.” Shiro said as we stopped on a hill and he laid there, star gazing.

  “Look at that one, back at my first world we used to call it the big dipper, here it’s called the Trianna named after some classical astrologer.”

  He bladdered on about a woman long dead as I felt my stomach churn, and words started leaving my throat before I can even think about them.

  “Shiro. . . I’m sorry, I really like you but kissing you like that was wrong.” I said tasting blood as I bit my lips, as a pause came after my words.

  “It’s fine Lizel, the feeling you have for me? it's mutual. . . it’s just were both too young, atleast the current me is too young.”

  He spoke but all I could hear was him saying no. . . making excuses! like how my brother. . . my mother. . .

  “Why does that matter?! Your fourteen! I’m seventeen!. . . I really like you Shiro, and I know the other girls like you too.”

  I said trying really hard not to sound angry as the face of that leach came to my head.

  “I'm not asking for us to be love doves but, I just want you to know that I like you. . . and thank you for liking me back.” As I finished my chest felt like a stone was lifted, it felt like I wasn't sad or mad as I usually am.

  He didn’t talk back for so long just snuggling me deeper, and I just enjoyed it. . . I took his actions as a yes, I'm thankful, I don't know why but I know I would never forget this.

  “And that one was called Aquarius.”

  And like that he started talking again, pointing at the stars with his paws and telling me stories that I can barely believe if it wasn’t from a white heavenly wolf that came straight out of the legends my elders told every child of my tribe.

  The same legends telling us of our ancestors and that we used to be much, much more before the realms converged.