“Leah!” Vivi called out, erupting from the car.
“Vivi!” Leah rushed to her, the two hugging.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just panicking.” She was trembling as she held her sister close. She took a deep breath and nervously chuckled.
“You don't seem fine to me.” Erika frowned from behind Vivi.
“Erika, you’re here too?”
“She kind of insisted,” Mary explained as she arrived, Cleo and Wisp following behind her. “So, where are they?”
“They disappeared over there,” Leah pointed towards the winding bike path. “This weird portal thing opened up and then…”
“I can’t believe they did that,” Vivi whimpered. “I thought Riri was my friend.”
“Oh, Vivi...”
“Big sis!” Wisp hugged Vivi.
“So, they told you to summon Wisp, Vivi, and your mom, but didn’t tell you how to get in?” Cleo confirmed.
“Yeah,” Leah confirmed. “And I couldn’t get a hold of Annie or Melody. I don’t know what...”
There was a sudden tearing sound as a portal of light appeared along the path, surprising the group. From it emerged a small cloaked woman, soft white hair tumbling around her soft face. She looked at the group with a strange melancholic look before taking a deep breath, readying to speak.
“Who are you!?” Cleo demanded.
“I...” The cloaked woman yelped, the top of her hood bouncing on her head. Vivi eyed it curiously, seeing something bounce on her head beneath the cloak. “I… um… I’m here to guide you to my mistress,” she explained.
“Your mistress?” Vivi repeated, a thought playing at the back of her mind. She shook her head in an attempt to focus on the situation.
“Where’s Carmen and Ichika!?” Leah demanded.
“They’re with my mistress,” the girl explained, doing her best to keep calm, despite the shouting. “As are the other two.”
“Wait, other two?”
“Blue and Red?” Erika yelped, Cleo and Wisp looking at her curiously. “Oh, Annie and Melody, right?”
“Yes, all four of them are currently mistress’s guests,” the woman explained.
“Take us to them!” Mary demanded.
“Right, follow me.”
“Hold on,” Cleo objected. “Before we all go in. I think it’s best if some of us stay behind. We don’t know if this is a trap or not.”
“What do you recommend?” Mary asked.
“I imagine there’ll be some fighting, so it’d probably be best for Leah and Erika to stay behind. I can as well. If need be, I can call Tia over to help out.”
“No way! I’m going with Vivi!” Erika denied her.
“Are you sure?” Vivi asked. “Cleo’s right, it’ll probably get...”
“I don’t care! I came here to help support you, and I’m going to do that!”
“Erika.” Vivi couldn’t help but give her a large smile, joyful tears misting her gaze.
“Alright, so Vivi, Erika, Wisp, and myself will go ahead,” Mary stated. “Cleo, make sure Leah stays safe.”
“You protect Wisp too,” said Cleo, Mary nodding in response.
The mysterious woman sighed. "Mistress, how did you..." She shook her head. “If you’re all ready then,” she beckoned them, “this way.”
* * *
“Ugh, where am I?” Melody asked herself. She rubbed her head and rolled in her wheelchair, slowly looking around as she came to. She was in a strange large empty black room. It was strange though, she could still see, as if there was some unusual light filling the room. Not that there was much to see, aside from… “Annie!” she yelped. “Carmen and Ichika too!?” The other three started to stir.
“M-mel?” Ichika looked at the mermaid questioningly. “What… Why are you...” Her eyes shot open. “Where are we? What’s happening?” She looked at her hands and began curling her fingers in anger. “Dammit! Those two...”
“What’s wrong?”
“The two girls I was texting you about. They tricked us. They were just trying to get Carm and I alone so they could do… whatever this is,” she fumed. “I… I...”
“Ichika...”
“What about you two?” Carmen asked, roused by their conversation, Annie rising beside her. She eased herself onto the floor and crossed her legs. “How’d you wind up here?”
“I don’t know. All I remember is Annie and I getting approached by some succubus woman and then I...” Her voice fell as she remembered the gentle warmth that rolled through her. “I… ehm… I fell asleep.”
“She really sent us on a trip,” Annie admitted, a bright blush on her cheeks as she came to. “Sorry Melody, I couldn’t help myself.”
“No, I understand. She got to me too.” Melody gave a fragile smile. “I mean… it kind of hurt with how easily she was able to do it, but it’s not your fault,” Melody said unconvincingly. She clutched her chest. She was being honest, or trying to be anyway. But it didn’t change how upsetting it was to her.
“Melody, I...” Annie approached her, only for Melody to recoil. “I don’t… I didn’t…”
“Now, now, don’t be too harsh on yourselves,” another voice spoke up, shocking the four. They looked to a sudden bar of light piercing one of the walls and giving way to a door. The red-haired succubus strolled in, grinning at the girls. “Good evening. I hope you all enjoyed your nap.”
“You! Who are you!?” Annie snapped, desperately trying to hide her trembling.
“Don’t worry yourself. I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Oh, yeah right! You just abducted us all to have tea or something!?” Carmen shouted.
“Heh, well, that’s a fair enough reaction, I suppose,” the succubus chuckled to herself. “But before any of that.” She looked at Melody and grinned. “You’ll be coming with me.”
“Not a chance!” Annie yelled as she moved to protect her girlfriend, Carmen and Ichika following suit.
“Cute, but it’s not enough,” the succubus snickered. The three suddenly felt their bodies relax as their bodies became slow and sluggish. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“No!” Melody said firmly as the succubus approached. “I’m not going anywhere else with you!” She grabbed at her pendant and with a quick snap, it opened releasing the torrent of magic within. The magic gushed forth and enveloped her body, her street clothes dissolving as an elegant and elaborate dress began to form upon her.
The succubus grinned, her crimson eyes seeming to sparkle. And then it was over. Melody fell back in her wheelchair, the magic evaporating. She gawked. The transformation was… It wasn’t undone. She still had her usual beautiful dress and her accessories had settled upon her, but that was it. Her wheelchair was still present, and none of the usual magic she had would come to her grasp. “W-what?”
“Now then,” the succubus spoke, now behind Melody. The mermaid looked up with terror in her eyes as the succubus began pushing her away from her friends. “We really must be going.”
“Stop!” Melody shouted. “Annie!” She reached out to her girlfriend. Annie looked at her, dazed and glazed over eyes barely recognizing her. “Please!” Annie’s face scrunched as she tried to focus.
“M-Melody...” Annie spoke.
“Oh? Now that’s interesting.” The succubus smirked. “But, again, not nearly enough.” She gave Annie another smile, causing the girl to slump over, her eyes softening, although it was difficult to tell if it was out of despair for failing, or a pining gaze for wanting the succubus before her.
“Annie?” Melody’s voice shook.
“Oh, don’t blame her,” the succubus said as she gently grazed Melody’s cheek, sending a shiver through her. “A simple mortal girl like her could never hope to match my charms. And don’t worry,” she glanced back at the three. “I won’t leave them alone for too long. The others will be with them soon enough.”
“W-who are you?” Annie managed to ask, her voice betraying her as it fluttered with desire.
“Oh, I never did tell you that, did I?” She asked herself as she exited the room. She looked back one last time with a devilish smile. “You may call me Lilith.”
The door closed once more, Annie reaching towards Melody’s silhouette before she disappeared behind the dark door.
* * *
“Where are we?” Vivi wondered as they advanced down the path. It was a strange place. Dark plants curled around the perimeter of the path, weaving into elegant and elaborate shapes, while decorating their dark forms with a menagerie of bright and colorful flowers and leaves.
“I can’t decide if this place is nice or spooky,” Erika admitted.
“It looks kinda scary, but it feels super nice,” a tiny Wisp chirped happily as she fluttered around Vivi’s head.
“What do you think Mom?” Vivi asked.
“Well,” Mary glanced around, “this might sound strange, but it feels kind of nostalgic. Comfortingly so.”
“Really, have you been somewhere like this before?”
“No. But… it’s almost like some deep part of me feels like I belong here.”
“That’s kind of weird,” Erika noted. “I mean, I don’t disagree. The plants around here, even if they look a little weird and creepy, they feel super healthy and happy.”
“Yeah!” Wisp cheered. “They feel super good and nice!”
“But at the same time, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
“Oh, yeah. I guess that’s true.” Wisp frowned.
“Hey, that doesn’t mean it’s bad, Wisp,” Vivi told her. “This place may be weird, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad.”
“You feel that way too?” Erika asked.
“I… I’m not sure. I think I’m feeling what Mom is. There’s just something naturally calming about this place, but I don’t know what it is. Like, all this darkness and dark weird plants, it looks like something out of a Halloween movie, but it also feels so pleasant, like I’m standing in a nice winter night.”
“Oh, that’s an idea.” Erika grinned excitedly. “How about we go up to Flagstaff this winter and go see the snow!”
“Oh my gosh! I’d love to!” Vivi giggled. “I miss snow! Maybe we can go sledding.”
“As long as I don’t have to shovel it, I’m good with it,” Mary chuckled. “So, Miss...”
“Oh… Uh… Lily...” the woman answered nervously. “You can call me Lily.”
“Okay...” Mary answered, confused by the woman’s strange reaction. “So, Lily, how far do we have to go?”
“Oh, not much farther. In fact, there it is,” she pointed to a large mansion-like building as they emerged in a clearing. It was strange, like a mansion that had been made to resemble a castle, or maybe it was a castle that had been redone into a mansion. It was strange and eerie, almost like...
“Do you think her mistress is a vampire?” Erika asked aloud.
“They did get their taste from her,” Lily answered excitedly, the back of her cloak seeming to mysteriously flutter from her excitement.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Erika looked at Vivi who gave a confused shrug.
“Here we are. Chateau Dormir,” she opened the door and welcomed the group in. They entered a large beautiful foyer, a lush scarlet carpet extending to a series of hallways to the side and a pair of stairs in the back which led to a landing and another more grand hallway behind them which glittered with a golden sheen.
“Woow!” Wisp cooed. “It’s just like the one in the story Mommy was telling me.”
“It certainly looks fantastical,” Erika agreed. “But what is this place?”
“This is Mistress’s personal realm, and this is where she calls home. It’s super cozy and there’s so much to do,” Lily explained. “Down the middle hallway to the left is a theater. We’ve recently been watching this silly anime about people piloting giant robots to fight angels. Mistress really gets a kick out of that one.”
“Oh, I know that one!” Erika smirked. “It took a bit to grow on me, but there’s a lot of amazing deeper meaning to it.”
“Really?” Vivi asked. “I found the main character a little… frustrating.”
“I don’t know, maybe you’d enjoy it more now that you’re in a better place.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it. I mean...”
“Girls, focus!” Mary snapped. The two girls looked at her with both shock and fright before relaxing and nodding. “Now, where are they?”
“Um… well...” Lily stammered.
“Now, now. Don’t scare the poor thing,” a voice chided Mary. The group looked up to the landing to see a demonic looking woman with long red hair. “She’s been a bit skittish recently. So, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t scare her off.”
“Mistress!” Lily cheered.
“Wait, that’s her mistress?” Vivi repeated. “But… She’s like Mom.”
“How perceptive you are, sweetie,” the demon woman said, clapping her hands excitedly. “That’s right, I’m a succubus, like your mother and..." she paused as her gaze lingered upon Vivi, a devious smile upon her lips, causing her to shiver. "However, I’m a bit… more than your mother is.”
“What’s that mean?” Mary demanded.
“In due time, dear. For now though, you may call me Lilith, and I am the lady of this manor. And...” she paused and then chuckled. “Ah, yes. Before I get too ahead of myself, there is someone who’d like to meet you.” She curled her fingers, the tip of her middle and forefinger pointing up in the air before curling into her palm, as if directing something forward. Then suddenly, a wheel chair rolled forward, Melody sitting in it, glaring at the succubus before looking down below and her eyes opening wide.
“Wait, is that? Vivi!?” Melody called out.
“Melody!” Vivi answered. “Let her go!” Vivi ran for the stairs when a sudden purple plume of smoke gushed forth, enveloping the landing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Unfortunately, I can’t let you go any further,” a busty woman with long brown hair and a pair of equally brown cat ears stated. Her elegant green gown fluttered just above the ground as she approached with an air of grace.
“What? Who?”
“This is Ceridwen,” the succubus explained. “She’s a Celtic goddess. And she’ll be your proctor.”
“Proctor?” Erika questioned.
“That’s right.” Ceridwen nodded. “If you’d like to find your friends, you must first pass my trial.”
“Trial? Do you think this is a game or something!?” Mary snarled.
“Come now, you mortals enjoy games. Although, I suppose that isn’t necessarily exclusive to you. I rather enjoy them myself after all.”
“You...”
“Aww, sweetie, why don’t you indulge her,” the succubus chuckled. “Once you’re done, you’ll find us further in. And don’t worry about this one,” she said, leaning over and running her pointy nail along Melody’s face, “we’re going to go relax and have a good time? Isn’t that right dear?”
“W-what…?” Melody looked at her before slumping in her chair. “Yes, that sounds lovely,” she giggled.
“Melody!” Vivi called out to her, only to be ignored by the now smiling mermaid.
“Lily, come. Leave them to Carrie.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Lily answered cheerily. She darted for the stairs, the goddess at the landing passing her a smile as she approached before her eyes shot open with surprise. Lily turned around to see a hand grabbing her wrist.
“Wait!” Vivi called out as she grabbed hold of the mysterious woman. Vivi stared at her in shock, gazing upon the soft furry ears upon her head. “Fox ears?” She whispered to herself. She shook her head and focused herself. “Please, you can’t let her take Melody away!”
The mysterious woman seemed to quake beneath Vivi’s pleading gaze. “S-sorry,” she replied with a sad tone. She pulled her hand away and sneaked behind Ceridwen, swiftly pulling her hood back up.
“Stop!” Vivi called out again, only to be blocked by an invisible force. She looked to Ceridwen who simply shook her head and then she looked back up at the landing above. She stared helplessly as the fox woman stood beside the succubus, before briefly glancing back at Vivi and then looking away at the ground. “You… Do I...”
“Let’s go, Mistress,” Lily stated, denying Vivi’s question.
“Of course, sweetie,” Lilith said with a caring if bittersweet smile and turned toward the hall behind them, the two leaving with Melody as a large door closed behind them.
There was a loud ‘thunk’ and a golden key flew from the door into Ceridwen’s hand. “Now, about that trial,” she said, eyeing Vivi.
“Fine!” she answered firmly. “We’ll do your trial. Then when we beat it, you’re going to free our friends.”
“Yeah!” Wisp echoed as she returned to her normal size, standing as tall as she could beside Vivi.
“Excellent!” Ceridwen grinned. She moved her hands through the air, summoning a pool of pink energy. From it erupted a series of bubbles which landed gracefully on the floor, each taking the form of a different colored cat until there were ten of them, one of each color of the rainbow, and then three more, white, grey, and black.
“In order to proceed, you’ll have to find and capture this precious cutie,” she explained as she held a single finger up, another pink bubble forming before another cat emerged, gracefully standing in her now open palm. This cat was different from the others. Whereas the others were identifiable by their unique color, this one glowed, its fur shimmering with each of the other colors. She held out the key for the door above and placed it around the rainbow cat’s neck. “Find her, and take this key, and you’ll be able to proceed.” The cat leapt from her palm and landed on the floor, its rainbow fur suddenly changing to match the blonde cat beside it.
“So, we have to capture the cat with the key to advance. Seems simple enough,” Erika stated.
“There’s a catch, isn’t there?” Mary glared at Ceridwen. The goddess smirked.
“In order to advance, all you need is the key,” she said with a knowing chuckle. “But, leaving will be a different matter.” She snapped her fingers, summoning the attention of the others to the door behind them… or rather, where it had been. A now vacant and flat wall simply existed, as if ignorant of what was once there.
“How did you...!?”
“My trial has two parts. Take the key and advance. And then in order to leave,” she chuckled, “well, you’ll have to convince my little kittens to return it.”
“You mean we have to play with your kitties?” Wisp asked excitedly.
“Wisp, please focus, this is serious,” Mary scolded her.
“Sorry...” Wisp apologized meekly.
“Now, now. She wasn’t wrong,” Ceridwen chuckled. “These sweet little ones can be rather tempestuous. You’d be served well to get on their good sides to return the door.”
“If that’s all we have to do, then...” Erika looked at the formerly rainbow cat. She rolled her right arm, a number of vines growing from her back and down her arm. She rose her hand to her shoulder, the vines tickling her cheek. And then she threw her hand forward, the vines shooting out towards the cat at amazing speed. The vines slammed into the ground, leaving a small crater where they collided with the floor. She looked on in shock. In the mere second it took her vines to lash out, the cat had already leapt into the air, and jumped off the vine. In the following second, the other cats had started to scatter, several of them jumping around the rainbow cat, concealing it for a brief moment.
As the chaos passed, the swarm of cats prowled around in a circle, the second blonde cat vanishing, now replaced by a second blue cat, cuddling next to the other, the key dangling off the left one’s neck.
“You’re not getting away!” Erika launched another set of vines at the blue cats, the two jumping away in separate directions. “No!” Her vines slammed into the ground and then bounced off, ricocheting towards the cat to the left, a trail of pink light following its tip, wrapping around it. “Wait, how did I…?” She looked at her hand in confusion.
“Sorry,” Vivi apologized, her wand in hand, glowing with magical power. “I should’ve asked if it’s okay for me to use your vines.” She frowned.
“You...” Erika looked at her intensely as she realized that Vivi managed to control her vines with her magic. Vivi’s frown deepened. “You’re SO COOL!” Erika cheered. “Coolest girlfriend ever!”
“Erika...” Vivi blushed.
“Girls!” Mary called out to them. “That was a good try, but...” she pulled the cat free of the vines. It stared at them curiously and then lifted its head as it meowed, revealing its neck and nothing else.
“We grabbed the wrong one!?” Erika complained. “Wait, where did it even...”
“The cats ran into the hallways,” Mary sighed. “I don’t even know which way it went. It already changed colors before it ran off… I think.”
“Great, so we don’t even know what to look for now, and it could be anywhere.”
“Maybe the nice smelling lady can help us?” Wisp asked.
“I don’t think she’d...”
“Did you have a question, little one?” Ceridwen asked.
“Yeah!” Wisp nodded. “Can you help us find your kitty?”
“Sorry, darling, but it wouldn’t be much of a trial if I just tell you how to do it.”
“How to…?” Mary repeated.
“Mom?” Vivi looked at her curiously.
“Earlier she called this a trial. And the way she just said that… She called it a game earlier too.”
“Wait, you mean there’s a way we’re supposed to win?” Erika asked.
Mary looked at Ceridwen who gave her a smug grin. “Yeah, I think I’m onto something, but I’m not sure what we have to do to figure it out.”
“Maybe we can try giving them milk!” Wisp answered excitedly. “Kitties like milk! And I bet all the running around makes them thirsty!”
“I don’t think it’d be that simple.” Wisp frowned as Mary shot down her idea.
“We don’t really have any milk anyway,” Vivi pointed out.
“Maybe we don’t need milk,” Erika commented.
“What do you mean?”
“I think there’s another way we can attract them. Hold on.” She took a deep breath and held her hand out.
“Erika? What are you…?” Vivi looked at her concernedly. “Whoa!” She stared at her girlfriend’s arm as a number of ruffled leaves began to sprout along her arm. Then, tiny stems grew along her fingers, small pale pink trumpet flowers began to bloom from them.
“There, these should work,” Erika said with a confident grin.
“What is it?”
“Wait, is that catnip?” Mary asked.
“That’s right, Mrs. Tailor!” Erika answered proudly.
“I didn’t realize you could do something like that!” Vivi gawked.
“Yeah. Turns out dryads like me can grow all sorts of plants from ourselves. It took a bit of work learning how to do it at first. It’s a good thing I learned how to do it for our cat,” she giggled.
“Sabrina’s a lucky cat!” Vivi giggled back. “Getting to cuddle up to you like that,” she said, her voice drifting off to a dreamy tone. Her hand sank into her chest as her other hand gripped her wrist as she eyed the ravishingly beautiful dryad and smiled
“Vivi?” Mary cocked her eyebrow.
“Oh, uh… never mind that.” Vivi looked away, desperately trying to hide her blushing face as she wondered why she said that. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. She quietly frowned as she wondered why she was acting so strangely. Her mind flashed to Lilith's playful grin when she looked at her earlier. She shook her head. "No way... What ever she meant... It wasn't..." she whispered to herself.
“Well, um...” Mary frowned, her ears drooping as she glanced at her daughter before looking back at the others.. “Uh… How are we supposed to draw them out?”
“Huh?” Erika gawked at her.
“Don’t you think they’re too far away to draw them out with that?”
“Oh, I guess you’re right,” Erika conceded. “It was such a good idea too.”
“No, we’re onto something.” Vivi grinned. She held Erika’s hand, causing her girlfriend to blush as Vivi moved beside her, their arms now touching, side by side. “I’ll use my magic to try and make more pollen. Now, Wisp!” She called out.
“Huh? Oh, yes big sis?” Wisp responded, snapping back to reality.
“Use your wind to spread out the pollen.”
“Oh, yeah! I can do that!” Wisp cheered.
“Alright, now here we go!” Vivi declared. The mixture of magic sent a plume of bright pink pollen dust to spread across the room. They waited in anticipation, eagerly awaiting the cats to emerge from their hiding places. And they waited longer, until Vivi began to frown. “Huh? What’s up? Why didn’t that work?”
“Did we do something wrong, Miss Cerrywen?” Wisp asked the goddess.
“Aww, aren’t you precious,” Ceridwen giggled. “But, yes you did. My precious babies already get treated to enough delights. Something so simple and generic wouldn’t be enough. You’d need something more… alluring.” She grinned.
“Something more...” Mary thought to herself. “I have a bit of an odd idea.”
“Mom?” Vivi stared at her expectantly.
“If we need something more alluring, maybe it’ll work if we lace it with some of my pheromones.”
“Wait, would succubus pheromones even work on cats?” Erika asked.
“I think it’s worth the try,” Vivi stated.
“Alright then,” Erika nodded as she took Mary’s hand. “Let’s try this again, this time with a little Succunip!” she declared, naming their new concoction as Wisp whipped up another quick gale. Within seconds there was a meow. And then a second. And then more. They softened and slurred into a slurry of mewling as the cats emerged, mesmerized by the scent. “It worked!” The cats gathered at their feet, the now once again rainbow cat curling next to Vivi’s heel, pawing at the pink spoke.
“There you are,” Vivi said, picking up the fluffy creature and removing the key. “We completed your trial!” she said proudly.
“Well done,” Ceridwen congratulated her. “But there’s still the second trial you must complete. You may have... relaxed them, but they're hardly in a state to return the door.”
“Oh… right,” Vivi frowned. “What should we do? I really want to go after Melody and the others, but...”
Mary placed her hand on Vivi’s shoulder, summoning her gaze to her. “You and Erika go on ahead. Wisp and I will stay here and figure this part out.”
“You’re sure?” Vivi asked. Mary nodded. She then looked at Wisp who smiled and nodded to her as well. “Thank you, both of you.”
“Alright, then let’s go, Vivi,” Erika said with a grin. “Let us through!” She demanded.
“Of course,” Ceridwen answered as she stepped out of their way, a faint light shimmering across the air as the invisible barrier faded away. Vivi and Erika climbed the stairs and approached the door, inserting and turning the key, a loud thunk signaling its unlocking.
“We’re coming everyone!” Vivi declared as they entered.