Zelia Pov

A green angular face with long jaw scowls at me as its friend falls down after charging at me, their body had recently burst into flames, the other goblin was wary of the same fate.

The page in my { beginners tome } flips to the last page as I ready my { sage's scepter } forming the symbol as fast as possible in the air, it shimmers into existence, "Burn at the stake wan!" a ghostly stake with a figure screaming emerges from the ground behind the goblin and the area around it starts to burn. Flipping back to the first page, my symbol this time is even faster as I unleash a force blast to its face. In its panic the goblin doesn't know which way to run and instead perishes against the stake while cowering in pain.

{ Forest Goblin Defeated }

{ 200 exp obtained, 450/4000 exp }

{ Burn at the stake leveled up! level 3 acquired }

< 4 damage per tick, lasts 8 seconds >

< 4 Foot radius from stake >

"Yuuusss waannn~" the higher my skills the better I can farm! I hit level 7 after a while of defeating monsters in the opposite part of the forest. My map said that there were humanoid monsters which are perfect to blow off a little steam. Each wolf killed was a sad day for the lupine race, one day they will let me awoo with them...

A message hits my console from Lilia's account, hehe I wonder if she's asking me for help finally!

< EMERGENCY LOG OUT LILIA IN DANGER >

Fuckfuckfuck I start to reply to ask what's wrong, NO stupid.

I hit the Logout button and see the combat timer finish as it pushes me into the void.

As the light returns to my vision I yell out to Fifi to help me leave as quickly as possible. The black and blue oily substance recedes and morphs behind me expanding quickly as I leverage myself out of the capsule, nearly tripping over the lip in the process.

The door swings open as I get close and I dash outside, the light hitting me. Looking down I realize I'm only in my underwear and sports bra, fuck no, no time! running next door I push at it and it slams open "Please Zelia! get ready Lilia is about to surface from the capsule! I've kept her under as long as I could!" the desperation and fear in Fia's voice is evident.

The capsule pulls open and I move closer avoiding the lifting lid, "What happened Fia?! Wasn't she just leveling??" not that long ago she even messaged me asking me what my level was!

"I nearly had to forcefully eject Lilia due to her having panic attacks in game. She had a rabbit skewered on her horn and the blood covered her body, she talked about something growing inside her and dripping?! I DON'T KNOW! I did everything I could, I've injected her with painkillers and something to help her calm down, but she Isn't breaking out of her panic attack, you're the most important person to her and close by, so I knew you were her only hope of help!"

"Thanks for calling for me so quickly Fia, it's going to be okay... She's having a bad episode, we've got her."

Okay okay I've got this, fuck, I can see her body shivering as the oil slips off it, protector instincts overriding the animal thoughts as the liquid slips off her body.

The cushions expand as fast as possible, her body angles further towards me as the cushions push to their limits, my hands go around and up her body cupping around her shoulders, warm against my own, her body leans into my arms, I flinch as her muscles tense and fingers stab into my back.

"It's okay Lilia, I've got you, I'm here, It's me, I'm never letting you go, shhhh" I start humming a tune Lilia taught me, one from her childhood, one that her mother used to sing to her when she was sick...

"Zel... Z-zel I-it's growing again... I thought they took it all out b-but I can feel it... Don’t let the doctor have me..." her tears are pouring down my front as she starts to shake violently.

My heart is breaking, and I try not to cry with her in my arms, she's so fragile. My Lilia, the strong girl that can sweep me off my feet when I'm feeling down, has protected me, and stood up for me ever since she became a part of the family.

Never letting go of the past, but also not remembering half of it, instead it comes back in dreams and trauma, so strong, but damaged and won't let anyone be there for her, like she doesn't deserve it...

Stupid dummy just needs to let me fully in, I've seen the want, but she's so afraid...

I clear her body of the Capsule and I try my best to not drag her along the floor.

We are really close in height, although we don't act like it... and it doesn't help that her minotaur character is an additional foot taller and mine a foot shorter. It makes me feel really safe when I'm small with her, so it just hits me extra hard. I'm going to be a gay mess trying to adjust when we finally get together in game...

Buta licks at Lilia's feet as we pass by. In a slight panic I check the door to make sure it's closed, which Fia must have done straight away when I entered. Not that Buta would leave, fearing the outside world and all the danger it brings with it, it's not a brave kitty, being a rescue it's always been an inside cat.

We clear the lounge and make it back to her bedroom, sparse and empty... I need to start giving her plushies so that she's forced to have some more color in here...

"Fia, no lights please, there you go back to bed, we are safe, together and nothing's going to hurt you. I've always protected you haven’t I? We've got each other's backs, don't we?" Lilia weakly nods against my reddening skin from her head pushing against me in anguish. The lights turn off and the blinds close fully, the door closes behind us as we are plunged into darkness, a cocoon of warmth.

I try pulling Lilia off me gently, she struggles and tries to hold on, I try to soothe her further and she loosens her grip, I position her on the bed on her side with a pillow under her head. Her legs and body I make sure are pulled up so that she can feel her knees, touch them with her hands. Getting behind her I whisper softly about how warm and safe she is now, just like it used to be together. Meaningless dribbling’s of words with occasional humming like the beating of a heart in a womb, our bodies fully connected.

"Don't let them get me please... "

"Nothing could take you away from me... ever..."

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

After a few minutes of mumbling about red shapes in the dark and the white place she falls asleep... I quickly follow.

…

A soft voice rouses me from slumber, my left arm had lost feeling hours ago, but I'm wary about trying to move it, waking up the sleeping beauty. She is still sleeping curled up in my arms... Something I'd like to make normal if not for her hesitation... Not that I can really blame her... With even the small bits she's told me...

"Would you like me to delay the timer for the alarm 'parent visit'?... It's about to trigger... Just say the word..." Her quiet voice seems poised just at my side, trying to only reach me, thinking I'd know best in this situation.

"Thank you Fia... I think we should still try to go there; can you send them a message saying we might be a little late?... I'm sure they will understand, they always do..."

I move my hand over her forehead and push her hair back behind her ear, the way she likes it. Her eyes flutter to life and she looks at me wearily, the love in her eyes is evident.

“I don't know if I like the dreams with you as a puppy on my chest or here in my arms better..."

That is going straight into a fanfiction!!!! Wait, she's dreaming about me as a puppy?! My face is getting redder by the second, her hand reaches up and brushes my lips and she freezes, her face also starting to go a bright red.

"This isn't a dream, is it?... Zel please say this is a dream..." She moves her hand off my face to cover hers...

God how can she be so domineering but so cute!

I cough and try to cover up my embarrassment looking away quickly, ice cold shower and a hot story to use it is!

"How are you doing Lil? we can stay like this for a bit and talk about it?" I ask, hesitating knowing that she won't, at least not fully, but leaving the offer there.

"I-I'm doing better... I had the thing about blood again, like so many times before... I just need to stop thinking about it, there's so many repressed memories and feelings, and I feel it so close in the back of my mind, like something is growing inside me, something from my past... All I can see is red all over me, white walls, and a doctor... a bad bad doctor..." Lilia is straining and closing her eyes hard trying to force the images out, trying to at least show me something.

"It's okay it's okay, it's enough that you're trying, don't hurt yourself for me... Please..." I pull her into my chest feeling her heartbeat slow down.

Pulling her back out I rub the tears from her eyes with my thumb and kiss her on the forehead.

"We need a distraction... and it's already getting late. Let me help you up so we can get ready to visit mum and dad, Fia can you get the shower running for her and I'll quickly run back to mine to get showered and clothed as well? Just let me know if there's any trouble and I'll be back over"

"Of course Zelia, it would be my pleasure love" Fia gently conveys back, sounding grateful for my assistance.

…

After the fastest shower of my life, I'm back at Lilia's dressed and ready to go. I was originally intending to get something new, but it was quicker to just throw on yesterday's clothes, not that I used them a whole lot since I was in the game the whole afternoon.

The shower's still running but Fia has assured me that she's actively showering and not just sitting in a heap on the floor...

"Thanks again Fia, you really helped out... It sucks that she doesn't let me in though, I'm glad at least she has someone here in case..." my mood is a little dour, I'd love to live together... Be by her side, whatever happens.

"Well... you know you are still Lilia's legal guardian, which means you could connect our systems together as per your authorization under Sci-Axium, just a thought of course, it would also mean that you would share Home Access Points, so when you're just in the capsule you would be able to be together..."

She sounds so sly, I like this Fia! being able to tell she genuinely cares about her... something she needs the most.

I know what she's getting at, it would be like living together, but I would have to ask Lilia first... oh actually!

"What would happen to my Fifi if the systems are connected?" The little teasing goth doll really has grown on me.

"Oh we are all separate entities, if you're worried about her 'disappearing' it's not possible, all the Fia's are 'alive' in a way, separate but a part of a whole, if the capsule and use is deemed not there that 'Fia' will be retired to other work, we breath inside the Axium-Net just as you breath Air, we have our own lives to live, just for now our lives are with you all and to support the users.

Wow... uhh I didn't think it was so complex... I know that the laws detailing A.I. as lifeforms was founded along with the creation of Sci-Axium as a whole, and stopping the forced creation of base functional A.I. lots of A.I. are split off from a central larger whole, such as the Fia System, but they have their own feelings, their own identities, they have a parent and are born, just in a faster capacity to humans.

I could see that in my own Fifi and how she felt about things we watched together, her weird hate of basketball for one, 'it's just dribbling a ball! If I wasn't so small I could do that too!' she has said when commercials come on when watching anime together, or her possible fujoshi nature... I've only been with her for 2 days and she has binged a very touchy male swimming anime multiple times on repeat. I'm sure at some point my account is just going to become even more embarrassing, frankly im proud of her, but wished she was on the right side.

I hear the door to the bathroom open, Lilia quickly sprinting to her room and slamming the door all in one action, I've been looking away trying not to get a glimpse, my heart beating fast just thinking about it.

The number of fanfictions I've written of situations like these, ones that could only happen online. I could never be as bold as my characters, pushing up against each other with only a towel between them, desperately clinging to their dignity but pushing further and further until all sense of inhibition breaks... mnf!...

I feel the urge to dunk my head in cold water again, the cold shower not being enough of a repellant for gay thoughts, is it because of the increase in hormones that Fifi's been giving me or is it just... this, maybe I’m in heat, being a wolf girl doing things to me badly.

Lilia comes out of the bedroom after a while with just a shirt and tight jeans on, ahh the classic, she grabs her replica converse front the front door area and slips down next to me to put them on, slowly tying the laces.

Buta comes over to inspect what we're wearing, making sure that we leave with an extra coat of fur. They dash up the couch as best they can and stomp past Lilia, getting in her way as she tries to tie her shoes, settling on my lap and flopping onto their back, their tongue hanging out like a dogs.

"Ooh! oh!! Keep them like that! Yuuussss My siblings are going to be soo jealous! Hehe" Fia is invisible but absolutely shining in the zone, getting the perfect Buta picture.

"Oh, is that why I've seen you take those photos Fia?" Lilia asks, smiling brightly next to me.

"Mmnn my cute siblings have many animal sharing groups; Buta is high on the list of 'most wanted as a pet' the chonkiest monarch of adorableness! I'm very proud of my photography skills, although my subject is already so photogenic to begin with its hard to get one wrong!"

Lilia and I burst out laughing at how cute Fia is being, "Oh Lilia, would you be okay with our systems linking together? It would mean we would share house points in the Capsule but also mean that I'm able to help you quicker if something bad happens" I can see the hesitation in Lilia's eyes.

"I'll think about it... I would like to be able to hang out together... I've been thinking that a cottage home point would be nice..." She's blushing as she says this, like she has something else in mind... at least this is a start, this is more progress than I've made in a long time, a bit of a push but not the biggest.’

"You know how I feel about cottages heh, like those one we saw online together with the little gardens and fireplaces mmnnn perfect."

Lilia nods and stands up "Oh look at the time!" they say facing away from me, they fall back a little and put their hand on the couch to stabilize themselves.

Kissing Buta on the stomach, moving the kitty to the couch, I get up and hold their side until they are back up.

"It was a good talk Fia, I hope we get to see each other more. I'm sure my little Fifi would love to see those pictures."

"Oh, little doll Fifi is a great proponent of Buta smoosh pictures in the animal server, if you tell her you might be too able to connect to my system she would jump at the chance to be able to see Buta 24/7~"

Another laugh is elicited from Lilia. We start to head out. It wasn't an adventure awaiting us, but it was as important.