“Vivi,” Erika practically sang as she held onto Prism Magenta. “Your eyes are so pretty. I just want to look into them forever.”
“E-Erika...” Vivi stammered. “What’s gotten into you?” She looked into her girlfriend’s eyes, which gave off a subtle pink glow. “Y-you’re...”
Erika giggled as she wrapped her arms around the magical girl. “You like mine too right?” Vivi slowly nodded. “Then keep watching. I wanna give you a surprise,” she whispered.
“A s-surprise? Wh-what-” her lips were sealed by Erika’s own. The dryad began to giggle excitedly before leaning in for more, kissing her cheeks, forehead, and nose.
"Mmm," Erika moaned. "You smell so nice too." She pulled at Vivi's hair, breathing in deeply before decorating her locks with a delicate kiss.
“W-what’s gotten into you!?” Vivi panted. She tried to squirm out of Erika’s hold, barely managing to do so as she fought against a deeper instinct clawing towards the surface. She gripped her wrist desperately trying to keep… whatever it was down, her struggles for breath only becoming increasingly erratic in the process.
“It’s okay sweetie. I know you’re embarrassed, but you deserve to have fun too,” Erika teased. She leaned in, playfully flicking the fabric around her chest. “You’re starting to feel excited too, right?” she giggled.
“Eri...” Vivi grimaced. Her heart was pounding. Something was clearly wrong, but she struggled to resist the girl’s allure. Her hug had been so warm and comfortable, and the kisses were soft and sensual, and… She shook her head, asserting control. She could tell that Erika wasn’t behaving normally and she refused to let herself take advantage of her girlfriend like this. If she did, if she hurt Erika, even accidentally, she’d never be able to forgive herself. That Lilith woman must’ve done something to her to make her all weird, at least that’s what Vivi tried to tell herself. And yet, Lilith’s voice echoed in her head, accusing her of charming Erika. She trembled frightfully as she recalled sleepless nights where she pined for Erika’s presence, hoping for her touch, for her beautiful voice to caress her ears, and even… She closed her eyes tight as she tried to push them away, those thoughts out of her mind and the girl hugging her so lovingly.
Erika looked at her with a sad look, which caused Vivi to frown back. The dryad chuckled and relit the smile on her face, approaching her with a playful grin. Vivi ran, ducking behind a bookcase, noticing it had several breaks between the rows. She crisscrossed her way through as she tried to think of a plan, which had become increasingly difficult as Erika’s giggling came in and out of earshot. “Vivi, sweetie!” 'No." “My pretty pink princess, where are you?” 'Please stop.' “Aww, I’m getting all lonely. I could use my lovely girlfriend to keep me company.” Erika’s coos for attention kept threatening to pull her in as Vivi tried desperately to fight back the urge to submit. Each word and descriptor made her heart fill with longing. She bit her lip in an attempt to focus herself. She couldn’t let herself fail. As much as she tried to deny it, if Lilith was right, if she was… changing… She couldn’t risk anything happening to Erika. No matter how much her heart fluttered or her mind grew fuzzy at the thought of her breath on her neck, or… As she bit harder, she felt an unusual prick upon her lip. “H-huh?” She poked at her teeth, feeling something sharp. “I-is that-?”
“There you are!” Erika declared as she turned a nearby corner. She giggled happily as she ran towards Vivi with wide open arms. “Vivi!” She happily cheered. And then she stopped moving. “Huh?” She looked around her, noticing vines emerging from the wooden bookcases.
“I-I’m sorry Erika, but I need you to to be still,” Vivi said, trying to focus. “I need to figure out how to stop this. B-before… Before I hurt you,” she whimpered as she mustered her powers, trying her best to restrain herself. But when she looked up, she gasped, the hand gripping her wand shaking as she beheld the results of her magic. Erika looked at her dumbfounded as the vines Vivi summoned stretched from the bookshelf, restraining Erika in an unintended way. The dryad’s hands had been tied together and pulled over her head, another set of vines keeping her upper arms grounded next to her head. Yet more vines wrapped around her body, two sets in particular crossing each other at her chest, as if to push it further out. Yet more vines snaked around the girl, constricting her legs, leaving her in a vulnerable and provocative state. Vivi’s cheeks blazed with what she insisted to herself had to be embarrassment, betrayed only by a distinct dampness she was becoming increasingly aware of.
Erika only giggled at her disposition. “So this is your mischievous side?” She smiled adoringly. “But I have a better idea,” she playfully suggested as the vines loosened and fell to the ground and she smiled serenely at the dumbfounded Vivi.
“W-what?” Vivi’s eyes widened with shock before she smacked her head. “Duh, you’re a dryad!” she whined as Erika stepped closer.
“Vivi,” she cooed, “I’ve had similar thoughts a lot, you know.” Vivi looked at Erika as she chuckled, a devilish look filling her eyes. “But, I always imagined that you’d prefer being the one tied up.” Vivi flinched at the suggestion, stunned as Erika got close enough to curl her fingers around Vivi’s chin, tugging her head up slightly, causing Vivi’s blush to feel like it was stretching to some impossible tip of her ears. “How does that sound?” she said in a breathy voice. Vivi's mind reeled so much she could almost swear her ears had begun curling upon themselves. “You won’t be able to hurt me like that, and we can still have fun.” Vivi’s face was conquered by the heat, looking on, unable to divert her attention from her beautiful girlfriend, a mutter of a giggle crawling up her throat and a giddy grin etching itself on her face. It was impossible to resist. How could she? She was so sweet and doting, and she had such a lovely idea. And the way she said it summoned various thoughts to Vivi’s mind. Her head began to spin, a flurry of eagerness and anxiousness boiling over, causing her head to bob forward and back, creating a nod.
“Eri…” was all she could whisper.
“Goddess… I’m sorry,” Erika chuckled. “I got lost in your resplendent rubies again.” Vivi’s eyes fluttered, confusion managing to burrow through the heat and stab at her mind. Ruby eyes…? She trembled in fear as she gasped. Had her eyes remained red this whole time? Even after trying to calm herself down? She gulped as the observation Erika made rang through her head, making her feel ridiculous. Had she been under the sway of… whatever it was this whole time? Was she powerless to fight it? Her breath hitched as something pulled at her arm.
She turned to look at the offender, a vine separate from hers grabbing hold. Another tug. Her other arm had been grabbed, and then two more grabbed at her legs, pulling her to the ground as the vines grew along her body, tightening, and yet, it didn’t hurt, even as they positioned her in a compromising position. Strangely, it actually felt rather comforting. In fact, the vines pulled her arms towards her chest, leaving her to feel the pleasant heat rolling off it. Having her arms firmly held to her chest made her all the more aware of the softness of her body, something she’d enjoyed before, yet still hesitated to explore before now. And at that moment, she could only question why.
It felt so nice and warm, like a soft hug. Surely it was wrong though. Girls weren’t supposed to be lewd, but the warmth was so hard to fight. And thinking of soft hugs, Erika had lowered herself to Vivi’s level and pulled her into one of her own. She didn’t want to resist this. An ever growing part of her wanted to give in. To sink into the warmth. To let go and rest in her girlfriend’s embrace. To let herself be protected. To let herself indulge in this warmth, this comfort, this heat that sought to cling to Erika. Cling, smother, be smothered, mix together. Pleasure themselves together forever. It was so tempting, so obvious that she wanted and needed it. She needed to…
She bit her cheek, desperately resisting whatever these urges filling her were. The sharpness of a new sharp and pointy tooth pierced through and dragged her back to reality. She was grateful for her newly grown fang, as she needed to focus. Erika was right here, and her eyes were filled with such a fierce lust. A lust that wasn’t hers… it couldn’t be. Vivi shook her head. She couldn’t entertain that idea. ‘It’s wrong to take advantage of her like this.’ She stared at Erika who looked at her with a desiring and doting look in her eye. It was so inviting and yet…
She needed to stop whatever this influence on her was. And she had one final option she could use. She took a deep breath and summoned her wand to her grasp, its head resting against her neck. She gazed up at Erika who pouted at her.
“Vivi, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to stop this, I promise Eri.”
“Stop what?” Erika tilted her head slightly in confusion.
The wand glowed as a pink mist began to form around them. The physical world, including the vines vanished, much to Erika’s surprise. In its place emerged a much more familiar room, one she remembered so vividly. A bedroom, similar yet more fantastical than Vivi’s own. Vivi glanced at the windowsill and recalled how her inner self looked out, fantasizing of the life she wanted, the life of a girl. Looking out of it now, a romantic pinkish sunset enveloped the horizon. Vivi looked at her girlfriend who returned her gentle smile with a saddened look.
“Vivi?”
“Erika. Can you hear me?”
“Of course, I can hear you?” Vivi sighed in relief. “I don’t understand though. Did I do something wrong?”
“Huh?”
“Did I misunderstand?” Erika’s voice trembled. “Do you not like me like I like you? Do you really not want to touch me and get closer like I do? Because I want that. And I thought you did too.”
“Erika...” Vivi whispered concernedly. “This isn’t you. These feelings aren’t yours. Lilith did something to make you start acting this way.”
“She did?” Erika frowned. “But, I don’t feel her. I just feel you.” She looked pleadingly at Vivi. “I just want to spend time with my girlfriend,” she whimpered. "I just... I want to make you happy."
“Erika, that’s not...”
Erika looked around the room, a frown plastered on her face. “You were always so sad before...”
“I… huh?”
“Back before you changed. You always looked so sad. I think about that, about how you were forced to be something you’re not, and I get all sad,” Erika explained as she sniffled. “I didn’t quite understand then, but now? Seeing that cute smile as you bob back and forth happily, or thinking about how much more emotive you are… You’re happy now. And I want to make you even happier. I like you. Like, really really like you.” Erika smiled serenely. “You’re so cool and pretty, and don’t even get me started on how tooth achingly sweet you are.”
“Erika, you...”
“That’s why I want to spoil you. I want to wrap you up in hugs and do everything I can to make you happy. I want to see you blush and look at me with that adorable bashful look as your little rubies sparkle. That one!” She grinned as Vivi trembled with embarrassment. “I want to make you so happy, that all of that sadness just disappears. You deserve to be happy!”
“Erika… Th-thank you… I...”
“And that’s why I wanted to do it,” Erika stated boldly.
“Huh? It?”
“Yes! It!”
“W-what are you...?”
“Sleep with you, silly!" Vivi's face ignited at the suggestion as Erika giggled. "And all sorts of other fun things. You’ve spent so long a cute shy mess, I know you haven’t explored yourself much yet. And I want to do it with you.”
“N-no!” Vivi objected, Erika frowning. “It… I mean… I guess it could be fun, but… This isn’t you, and I… I...”
“Vivi?”
Vivi looked at Erika who only frowned quietly, a teary look in her eye. She didn’t want to look though. Whatever Lilith did to her, this was surely not her true feelings. And even if they were, it wasn’t right for her to pry into them like this. And besides all that…
“It isn’t right… I’m not a pervert. I’m not some creep. I don’t want to be a monster like them. I don’t want to see you like that, like those boys do. I’m just a girl,” she whimpered. “This feeling… it’s wrong… It’s not supposed to feel like this.”
‘Why do you think it’s so wrong?’ a voice asked.
“Huh?” Vivi looked around. “Who was that?”
‘Why resist what you both so clearly want?’ The voice asked again.
“I… I don’t want to hurt her,” Vivi admitted. “I don’t want to take advantage of her and hurt her like that.”
‘That’s very sweet of you. Being good to your partner is important. But, you feel more conflicted about it, don’t you?’ the voice pressed her.
Vivi frowned. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about! Who are you anyway?”
‘You’re avoiding the question. Why are you so conflicted about being with her?’
Vivi shook her head. “I don’t know! Okay!” she cried. “I… I’m scared… I don’t know what these feelings mean! I don’t know why I have them! I don’t know what they’re doing to me! I’m just scared. I mean, these feelings, these desires, girls… they don’t want this stuff. And… all this talk about who I really am… What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t want to hurt the people I care about! But if it’s true, then… what does that mean?”
The voice chuckled. ‘What a silly thing to think. Do you think the other women you know don’t want similar things?’
“What are you…?”
‘Do you truly believe your friends don’t have similar desires with each other?’ Vivi thought of Annie and Melody. They were really close and clearly loved each other. But they were both women. Did they really want stuff like that? It sounded nice, but what if…? ‘And what of your mother, or Lady Lilith?’ the voice continued. Vivi’s thoughts stopped. Lilith and her own mother were both succubi, demonesses of lust and sex. She brought her hand to her mouth, her thumb grazing the tooth from before to find a slender sharp fang, and she could feel her ears stretch and twitch in a way they couldn’t before. She reached up to feel the long point her ear now came to, the illusion she’d cast herself into finally collapsing.
If what Lilith had said was true, which her heart ached to confirm, then she was becoming like her mother, becoming a succubus. And suddenly, having accepted that simple fact, the question became a rather silly one. Her mother wasn’t some creepy monster, she knew that more than anyone. In fact, her succubus form manifested as a direct result of her deep care for Vivi herself. Was she really scared of becoming someone like her? Becoming like the woman who stood up to protect and care for her?
Vivi shook her head. "No!" she shouted, shocking Erika, the voice of the woman seeming to shutter at her rejection. "I'm... I'm not like them..." she sniffled. "I... I'm a girl... I want to be a girl... But... I don't want to be like them... A boy... Like Todd... Always harassing and talking about girls like they're just playthings. I can't be like them! I can't!"
'But your friends...'
"They're not like me! They didn't start out as... as a boy..." she whimpered. "I'm a girl... And I like girls... But... what does it mean if I just become like them... I... I can't go back..." she cried. "Being some sex crazed demon... What would even be the difference... I don't want to be like that... I don't..."
A sudden warmth enveloped Vivi, a soft plushness consuming her. "You've had it really hard... Haven't you, Vivi?" a soft motherly voice asked. Vivi looked up to see her, Lilith, with a kind and gentle smile. She shivered as the succubus stroked her hair, struggling to resist the comfort of her touch. "It must be terrifying, after everything you've been through to find yourself turning into something so close to what you were scared of."
"Y-you..." Vivi whimpered.
"It was similar for me, you know. I'd lived a nice long life before becoming this. I had to live through a lot struggling with my sexuality. Being with someone I cared for but didn't love, because that was what was expected of me," she gently patted the girl's head. "And then I became a succubus, and I couldn't repress how I felt anymore. I see a cute girl and I just..." she chuckled demurely.
"You mean you're...?"
"A girl liker?" She winked. Vivi frowned, prompting Lilith to sigh. "I might not be trans. And I might not know exactly what you're going through," she said as she kneeled down. "But I do know this. None of this changes who you are. I've seen it happen so many times before, young women being shamed for who they are to the point of denying that identity to fit someone else's idea of what they should be. I went through it. Your mama went through it," she continued, Vivi's ears perking up as she did. "Your friends have gone through it. Even the other goddesses have gone through it." Vivi looked up at her with a hopeful gaze.
"Mama..." she whispered before looking at the succubus goddess again. "B-but... Is that really...?"
"I know. If words were enough, maybe I would've listened to the girl I loved and I would've probably lived my life with her, instead of both of us settling for what I thought was normal. But I do know one thing that can help," she whispered.
"W-what's that...?"
"Be honest... Both with yourself, and..." she looked off to the side, eyeing Erika who fidgeted in place. "With her." Vivi looked back at Erika pleadingly.
“Vivi..." Erika's voice trembled. As Vivi took a single step towards her, the dryad ran to her, tears running down her face. "Vivi... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you, I didn't..."
"It's okay, Erika," Vivi said as she hugged her. "I... I just..." She glanced back at Lilith who gave her an encouraging smile, the girl finally nodding. "Eri... listen. It's just... I... I've been scared... Scared that... all of this... becoming a succubus... I like who I am now. I don't want to change. I want to stay the way I am, but... I used to think that way about being a girl too... These feelings are so scary. And all of these thoughts I... I'm scared they're not thoughts belonging to a girl. I want to be a girl. I like being a girl so much, and... I just don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Erika chuckled. "You really are a silly girl, you know that?" she asked, Vivi looking at her with a frown. "Whatever that voice was, it was right, and so was Lilith. These thoughts and feelings are okay. Girls like us want all sorts of things and a lot of them are things people think are wrong," she said with a gentle voice, taking Vivi's hands into her own. "But it's okay. These thoughts are okay. And I promise you, those cute little thoughts in your head, they are a girl's thoughts."
"B-but-"
"They're girl thoughts. Because you're a girl, Vivi. People might try to tell you otherwise. They might try to control or manipulate you into believing you're something you're not. You're not a liar, or a pervert, or a fake. You're a girl Vivi, you always were, and you always will be." Her voice was kind and doting, as she pulled Vivi into a hug. Vivi blushed and nodded. "Like Lilith said, all any of this would do was make you more you. And I've seen you since we were younger. The way you've seen me, it's always been so kind and sweet. I wasn't able to reciprocate your feelings before, but I can now." She pulled Vivi's hand to her breast, the magical girl looking at her both anxiously and excitedly, the former beginning to wane as Erika grew closer. "I know that you think my mind has been messed with, but please know this much. I’ve been thinking of sleeping with you for months now. I… I really want to do it.”
“Erika,” Vivi whispered.
“All that time before we got back, I just kept thinking about how excited I was to see you again. How much I wanted to be with you and get closer, and…” She looked at Vivi desperately. “Vivi… It’s okay. I promise. So please? You don’t have to run from it anymore.”
“Eri… I…” Vivi sighed. “I’m so scared of what might happen. This… power… The idea of being a succubus… I just don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to become someone who hurts others.” She frowned.
Erika chuckled softly. “You’re so silly, you know that?” Vivi looked at her, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Changing is scary. Like Lilith, I felt it too when I changed, and before that when I came out to my family. Admitting it. Admitting that I like girls and not boys, even though it's so simple, made me dread talking to some of the people I cared for most." Vivi frowned and began to look off to the side as her anxiety tried to grip her tighter, only for her chin to be met by the gentle touch of Erika’s fingers. Her delicate touch pulled the magical girl’s face forwards, the warm feeling growing stronger. “But, I’ll tell you a secret. It’s okay. We’re allowed to like this. We’re allowed to want each other. I mean I know I want you.” Vivi blushed once more.
“And besides, you’re not alone. Mama went through a lot of similar feelings too. She was afraid of not being my Dad anymore, of leaving us defenseless, of being unable to love Mom anymore or be loved by her. But she's okay. She's so much happier now, and her relationship with Mom is better than ever. And I know things will get better for you too. You don’t have to carry these fears or worries alone. You have your friends, family, and you have me.” Vivi smiled as she let herself sink into Erika’s caress. “I want you to be happy. And I want to do so much with you. But I’m willing to wait, if you’re not ready. I’ll wait as long as I have to.”
Vivi slowly lifted herself from Erika’s hand as she thought to herself. She looked into the dryad's eyes and thought of the girl's mama. The image in her mind of the strict father who pushed her so hard, and the gleeful woman who'd been in her pictures over the past summer, including the ones of her gazing at her wife with such an endearing, even hungry look. It made her think of the day when she faced herself in this very same room. The fear she felt entering it. The horror that gripped her as the truth bore down upon her... and the relief, no the joy and glee that filled her the moment it was all over, the moment she embraced herself.
She could feel it, even now, eating away at the anxiety. It had long since overtaken it, she'd realized. This hunger, this craving, this... passion. It was scary and thrilling and dangled in front of her like the most tantalizing candy. And she finally chose to reach out for it, denying the poison that had drenched her concerns for so long. She approached the dryad who looked at her with an excited smile. “Once we’re done with all of this, and get back, let’s… um… let’s try it together.”
"Vivi... are you sure?" Erika asked concernedly. "It's okay to take your time. I know you said you don't want to hurt me, and I don't want to hurt you either. So don't feel like-" She was silenced by a kiss, a wonderful warmth filling Erika's mind, an eager tingle beginning to take root before she stopped.
"Thank you, Eri... really... But, you and Lilith and that voice... You're all right," she said in a low yet truly playful tone. "I've been so scared of... all of this... Scared that this excitement was wrong, but... I don't want to keep living in fear like this.
“Oh, Vivi!” Erika leapt into Vivi’s arms and kissed her. Vivi was taken aback and stumbled a bit. Erika backed away slightly, disappointment beginning to grip her when Vivi returned the kiss, much to her joy. The kiss grew more intense as the two made out, their breaths quickening and growing heavier as they explored one another.
As they kissed, a warmth began to grow within Vivi, spiraling out of control. It pressed upon her back, and shot to her head and her rear, a distinctive pleasure building, until at last there was a release. Vivi let out a moan as the pressure relented and the mist vanished, the familiar bedroom vanishing with it.. The towering bookcases took shape around them once more, reappearing as the two returned to the center of the library.
“W-wow...” Erika stammered, as she basked in their warmth, a bright blush claiming her cheeks.. “That was incredible. Vivi… I...”
“Thank you, Erika” Vivi hugged her. She giggled, a part of her back happily swishing back and forth, brushing the back of her leg. She blinked as she began to process the strange feeling. The warmth within her continued to stir, pooling in her cheeks, Erika looking behind her to notice the white spade tipped tail dancing behind her. “W-what is…?”
“So cute!” Erika giggled.
“E-Eri…?”
“And here you were afraid of turning into a monster or something,” Erika giggled. Vivi flinched as her girlfriend slowly reached out to stroke another unfamiliar part. Vivi wiggled in place, much like her tail as Erika pet one of the two white leathery wings decorating her head, causing it to twitch in response. She smiled excitedly as she watched a lower set of equally white leathery wings curl up against her girlfriend’s waist.
"I... um... thank you..." Vivi blushed, a giddy smile taking shape as her tail flicked back and forth.
“Gosh, and here I thought your tiny little fangs and pointy ears were cute.” Vivi fidgeted, as her girlfriend continued to play with her new limbs, currently stroking one of her top wings and smiled. “Do you like them as much as I do? Because I find them adorable.”
“I…” she blushed. She tried to frown, only for a smile to fight its way to the surface. “I think I do… They… Feel right…”
“I know the feeling.”
“I’m still kinda feeling a lot though…” she explained, her blush failing to dissipate.
"I'm proud of you Vivi," Lilith giggled, the girls turning to see she was still there.
"Wait, now that I'm thinking about it, how did you get into Vivi's space anyway?" Erika thought aloud.
"It's a little complicated, but..." she chuckled. "I was being honest when I said this was all for you, Vivi."
Erika stood defensively next to her girlfriend as Vivi looked at her, the heat nearly preventing her thoughts from properly coming together. "You're really..." She smiled. "I believe you. But, why hide it?"
Lilith chuckled. "Well..." She shook her head before she began retreating to the couch. "I'm sorry dear, but I can't tell you quite yet. I've already intervened more than I promised to. You'll have to wait for the others to arrive."
"B-but..."
Suddenly, there was a bang, the two girls turning to see the door to the library had been opened, Mary and Wisp emerging from it. “Vivi!” Mary called out as she instantly recognized the leathery wings and spaded tail the girl now had in common with her, the discrepancy of the white color of her daughter’s features aside. “Why are you...” She looked up to see Lilith. “YOU! What have you done to my daughter!?”
“Now, now, dear. All is well,” Lilith stated. “I haven’t done anything to her. I merely provided a stage for her impulses to play out,” she giggled. “You can’t blame me for wanting to wake up my little lillim, can you?” Mary’s jaw fell as she gawked at the woman, Vivi looked at Mary, even more confused.
“M-mom...” She was once more interrupted by the others arriving, a series of footsteps emerging from the far hallway, revealing Annie, Carmen, and Ichika, accompanied by a familiar goddess. “E-everyone...”
“Vivi!” Annie called out and looked at her. Her eyes widened as she witnessed her blushing bashful expression, as the overstimulated girl continued to pant in the arms of Erika, her newly minted demonic features feebly fluttering about. She then turned towards Lilith, noticing her approach towards a sleeping Melody on the couch. “You! What have you done!?”
“My, oh my, everyone’s showed up so promptly,” Lilith chuckled. “Thank you for escorting them, Sue,” she thanked the moon goddess trailing behind them.
“Answer the question,” Ichika demanded.
“Before I answer that,” she looked at Mary, “I think you had something to say, dear?”
Mary stared at her with a perplexed look. “M-mom…” Vivi looked at her mother concernedly.
“I… you’re really her, aren’t you?” Mary frowned. “Mother?”
“Wait, that’s...” Carmen blinked. “Then that would make her Vivi’s grandma!? B-but… how? Why!?” She looked to Vivi who nodded.
“I knew you’d figure it out sweetie,” Lilith giggled. She leaned over and patted Melody’s head, causing the mermaid to stir and wake up. “It’s time to wake up dear, it’s all over, as I promised.”
“Miss Lilith?” Melody looked at her groggily. She looked over to see Annie staring at her pleadingly. “Annie!” She smiled excitedly, before looking back at Lilith, who rose from the sofa.
The queenly succubus stepped forward, her gaze falling upon her adorable granddaughter. Vivi gave her a pleading look as she held her hands to her chest, unaware of how her arms pressed upon her breasts in a rather provocative way that made her girlfriend blush. Lilith couldn't help but quietly laugh to herself as the newborn succubus naturally slipped into her role even down to the way she pursed her lips and looked at her grandmother with heart melting neediness.
"Grandma..." Vivi mumbled, her tail anxiously wiggling behind her as both sets of her wings curled around her, a bright pink lingering at her cheeks. "I..."
Lilith chuckled. "You'll have to learn how to keep your feelings in check in the future, but for now." The succubus approached Vivi, who trembled in place. With a swift pat on the head, the excitement seemed to dissipate from the girl’s body. “There, that should calm you down a bit.”
"Is it always so overwhelming?" Vivi asked.
"It can be, but it's not so bad once you learn more about your tastes and how to contain yourself." Lilith smiled and Vivi returned one of her own as she began to spot the similarities in her grandmother's face, albeit lacking her fine wrinkles. "I'm very proud of you Vivi."
"I'm still confused though, why did you do all this?"
"I'd like an answer to that as well, Mom," Mary added, the others looked at her inquiringly, causing the succubus to grin, her own tail snaking into her palm as she quietly laughed into it.
“It’s a long story, but when the mist came for me, I found myself awakening to this form, with more than a few memories of my past self, and one thing kind of led to another. Ah, but before we get too distracted, there's someone who's been waiting for us to finish." She glanced over to her familiar patiently sitting in the corner beside the sofa, “she’s been waiting quite a while for this. So, please indulge her.” She waved the hooded girl over. She immediately rose to her feet and ran to Vivi, hugging her.
“H-huh?” Vivi yelped. “Who...” The girl’s hood fell down, revealing a familiar set of white ears. Vivi gawked at them. “P-Palu!?” The others stared at the fox girl in similar bewilderment.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to come back,” Palu apologized. “I… kinda changed after meeting up with mistress… and I couldn’t figure out how to turn back,” she explained, a blush covering her face as her white poofy tail gently swayed behind her.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! This is too much!” Carmen complained. “That girl is Palu!? Succubus lady is Vivi’s grandma AND Palu’s mistress!? What’s even going on!?”
“I think we could all use that proper explanation,” Annie grimaced and crossed her arms as she glared at Lilith.
“Fair enough.” Lilith smiled gracefully.
* * *
“It all started shortly after I woke up and realized how and why I’d changed,” Lilith explained, as the group gathered around one of the library’s long tables, Palu leaning against her mistress at the sofa. “At first, I was just in awe of my new youth and power. Then as I familiarized myself with my new body, I started to realize that my power was drawn to something far away, but I couldn’t figure out what. From there, I discovered Palu had become my familiar because of my power, and we managed to figure out that Vivi had inherited some of my magic, which reflexively made you all the Prism Girls. I don’t have much of a good explanation for why, but we think it was a contract formed based on instinct or something my previous self did before she perished. Although, we aren’t certain with how quickly your powers awakened. The specifics have been elusive in regards to that day, to say the least. Regardless, it drew in other girls who would help protect and work with her.
“From there, I used my magic to find others who had awakened to divine magic as I had. I quickly made contact with several, including Athena, who told me of her concerns about Zeus, and her intentions to seek him out. That’s when I sent Palu off with her, hoping they’d find you all, so Palu could give you some guidance since I was so far away.
“Not long after, a particular person in Japan convinced me to go there and assist them in their research, and...”
“You went to see Dad!?” Vivi exclaimed, her head wings flaring out from the surprise.
“Why didn’t I ever hear about this!?” Mary questioned, her own wings drooping slightly. “For that matter, why didn’t you ever call me!?”
“Heheh,” Lilith laughed as her wings slowly bobbed beside her head. “I had a feeling you’d figure that out. Well, when everything started, we got in contact because I couldn’t reach you Mary.” Mary tried to speak up in protest and then shook her head and frowned. “I know, your phone lost power and things were simply busy those first few days. By the time I could’ve contacted you I’d already started making plans to go to Japan, and things got… confidential in nature.”
“Confidential?” Annie repeated.
“Yes. The Japanese government was rather particular about who we were and weren’t allowed to communicate with, especially as we began to figure out the nature of other gods. And then other countries began to get involved with them as well. I believe you’ve all encountered MID already. They’ve had a similar drive for secrecy. But the situation began to change after two things. First, was you all fighting against Zeus, proving that he has malicious goals that even Japan is concerned about. And second, was a pair of visitors,” she explained as she looked at Sue. The moon goddess nodded.
“Wait, I get Sue being important because she’s a goddess,” Ichika commented. “But why would she be that important to the government?”
“It’s because of how she and I arrived,” another familiar and cheery voice stated. The group looked away from the table they’d gathered around to see a beautiful Japanese woman in traditional attire, long dark hair, and radiant skin.
“You… you’re the voice I heard just now before Grandma intervened,” Vivi stated.
“That’s correct,” the woman answered. “I am Amaterasu, and I was actually subtly helping each of you in your different trials today. Although Yellow didn’t really need it.”
“Great, more questions,” Carmen grumbled.
“Let’s get back on track with why we’re important,” Sue commented. “Ami and I aren’t like the other gods, as we aren’t reincarnations.”
“But, wait, how...” Annie gawked.
“We can’t really explain it right now,” Amaterasu lamented, “but, my sister and I, arrived just in time to confirm some things for the government of Japan. That included verifying Zeus’s threat, and providing some guidance on how to fight back against him.”
“How to fight back?” Vivi frowned. “What do you mean? We were able to resist him, and we aren’t even gods.”
“Resisting and stopping are two very different things,” Lilith commented. “And getting more deities involved isn’t something we want.”
“Really? Why not?” Mary asked. “I’d expect you of all people to want to help others with your new powers.”
Lilith sighed. “While I would like to, my position is different from when I was a human. For those who reincarnated, such as myself, we were all in positions of extraordinary power over humans in our previous incarnations. While my memories of such times are still hazy, I know that back then I saw myself as distinctly superior to the people around me, and I was regarded as one of the kinder deities. For those like Zeus and Odin, things very often got worse. And, if enough of us wanted to, we probably could usurp most governments with relative ease, but...”
“You humans have done amazing things without the intervention of gods,” Sue commented. “For instance, you’ve managed to recognize individuals such as myself, who do not identify with how we were born. Back home, it’s been an extremely difficult fight to get other gods to accept me as a woman, especially after some grievous mistakes I made when I was younger. I eventually won the support of my sister, but it’s been a truly daunting task, and I’m a goddess. That’s not to say your people and governments have been particularly helpful on the matter, but you’ve made more progress than we have. Imagine how difficult it would be for a mortal who can’t assert themselves like I can.”
“You’ve all achieved a beautiful gift of autonomy,” Amaterasu stated. “It would be a shame if that was sullied and stolen away because reborn deities sought that supremacy and used their own beliefs to lord over all of you.”
“And many of us don’t,” Lilith clarified. “Many of us have been influenced by our human lives and see the worth of humans controlling their own destinies. But, that also includes allowing you mortals to stand up for yourselves and fight your own battles. After all, if we stood against Zeus for you, or other threats we view as unjust, that would still be us as deities trying to mold the world as we see fit, no matter the justification.”
“So, you’d rather we fight for ourselves, to make sure we keep control of our own destinies?” Melody summarized.
“More or less,” Lilith confirmed. “But at the same time, as I’m certain you’d all recognize, that wouldn’t be a fair fight for you all. We tried to figure out a way for mortals to stand up for themselves without unnecessary intervention.”
“That’s when we arrived with a useful bit of insight,” Amaterasu noted. “And that’s you priestesses.”
“Priestesses?” Carmen repeated confusedly. “But we’re not...”
“Not in the common definition, no,” Lilith stated. “But being a priestess doesn’t necessarily mean wearing an elaborate gown and praying to your respective deity. Although that does sound rather pleasant,” she chuckled happily to herself, the others staring at her, easily deducing her secret fantasy of a beautiful woman in an alluring outfit. The air was practically tinged with the scent of her passing daydream, the teen and adult women blushing at the thought, Erika even cuddling up to Vivi enjoying the fantasy. “Ehem. Anyway, there are different methods to earn a blessing from a deity. That is the true purpose behind my ruse here today. I needed you all to engage in a trial with a goddess to earn their blessings, empowering you to fight other gods on our behalf.”
“Wait, you mean...” Vivi looked at her grandmother expectantly.
“That’s right. You’ve all earned the power needed to fight back against Zeus and his gathering of gods.”
“But, wait,” Melody spoke up. “I didn’t have a trial.”
“Not today, no,” Sue confirmed. “But you’ve already earned blessings from Tiamat back when you fought Zeus last time. It’s why you were pulled aside for this.”
“Wait, then why did Vivi have a trial?” Ichika asked. “She was blessed by Athena back then too.”
“That was my personal wish,” Lilith admitted with a giggle. “I wanted to help my granddaughter fully come into her own. Please forgive me for my selfishness.”
“As an incarnation of lust, it is something my mistress particularly struggles with,” Palu piped up. “Please excuse her indulgences.”
“Grandma… Palu…”
“It may have been a little selfish, but I truly think you have great potential, Vivi. Besides, it was a fun way to dote and tease you before things get too complicated.”
Vivi shook her head. "I... It's hard to admit it, but... I think it was unavoidable. I was trying to deny it, but I could feel my powers stirring ever since school was about to start. I appreciate you trying to accept responsibility for it, but... it was my mess," she explained, Lilith smiling warmly in return. She then looked to Erika and frowned, her tail wrapping around her arm, as if to grip it. “It’s my fault… I’m sorry I charmed you Eri. I… I didn’t mean to… I…”
“I was really charmed then?” Erika asked with a frown.
“It wasn’t a powerful charm,” Lilith explained. “It didn’t have any significant effects. It was more like a pheromone boost that drew your attention to her. It didn’t affect your mind.” The two blushed as she explained. “I must admit though, you two were rather adorable to watch. But in all seriousness, all her charm did was bring out what was already there.” She sighed. "On that note, I would like to offer an apology to you two," she said, turning to Annie and Melody. "I had my reasons to lure you two here, but I understand I took it rather far."
"Mistress's lust leads her to making rash decisions sometimes," Palu commented as she cuddled her tail.
"Guilty, unfortunately."
“So, you admit you just wanted to have fun?” Annie scoffed. She sighed. “Nepotism aside, I can’t disagree with your logic. Vivi’s always been really capable and her powers have saved us a bunch, so giving extra attention makes sense. What I don’t understand is why I was tested by two goddesses while everyone else was tested by one.”
“That’s simple,” Amaterasu giggled. “You’re their leader. You’re strong and capable, and such blessings are fitting for someone of your position.”
“I can agree with that,” Melody said with a grin.
“Mel...” Annie began blushing.
“Anyway,” Amaterasu interjected. “That is everything we had to go over for now. Did any of you have any questions?” The group shared a few responses and shaking heads that indicated they didn’t. “I see, you must all be too tired to really ask any more, huh?”
“Yeah, I’m beat,” Vivi commented.
“It has been a long and hard day, especially for you, huh, Viv?” Carmen grumbled as Erika held the weary succubus.
“Oh, did something else happen?” Lilith asked with a frown, her wings drooping.
“Today was her first day back at school, and one of her teachers has been trying to get the school to reject Vivi for her identity,” Mary briefly explained. “I’m pissed just thinking about it.”
“You mean to say that someone is trying to...” Amaterasu frowned.
“I ran into that bigoted asshole when we were there,” Sue grumbled. “He’s a real piece of work.”
“I see...” Lilith stated plainly. “Sue, please speak to me about it later, I’d like to meet with this man.” Sue’s eyes widened as Lilith said that, a shiver shooting up her spine. “As for you Vivi. Don’t worry, neither your mother nor I will let them hurt you. Even if things are bumpy for a bit, I’m going to make sure you get to have a good school life.”
“Grandma...” Vivi said in awe.
“For now, I believe that’s enough for now. Let’s get you all home.”