The sweet scent of flowers tickles the tip of my nose. Although it's slightly stuffy, I can't stop inhaling this comforting smell. In my opinion, I've earned this a long time ago, and I'm baffled that it actually took so long.

"I know you're awake. Stand up." (Jess)

'Don't you dare stand up. I've waited for this moment my whole life.'

Even without the encouraging huffing and puffing of the aroused voice inside my head, I wouldn't give this spot up so easily. I finally managed to bury my face inside Jess's thighs and I'm going all in, baby. It's Nerf or nothing.

"BEGONE! YOU WILL NOT DISTURB THIS SACRED PLACE!" (Me)

I inhale again, deeply. The soft cushion that envelopes my cheeks is the place only foretold in tales of the old. The Nirvana of man. The one Christmas day when my Uncle didn't come for once.

We finally did it, boys.

I'm buried face-deep in Jess's thighs. Home-girl is finally giving me the one thing I've been dreaming for.

A lap-pillow with my face stuck between her legs.

"If I have to eat more nuts just to get this more often, then that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." (Me)

It's only been a few seconds since I was pulled away from the fever-dream where I met Trick... well, the other Trick. The one out here is busy doing something else.

' *SNIFF* DAMN YOU! WHY CAN'T I SMELL?!'

'Don't blame her.'

The few groggy seconds that I needed to realize what's going on seem like such a waste now. Quickly, I make a plan in my mind, including the next few steps we need to take.

More importantly right now, though.

The almost velvety fabric of the black skirt Jess is wearing brushes the side of my head gently as I bury myself deeper into luxury. Even in the darkness created between her legs, her pure-white skin shines like diamonds.

"You are aware that this is the only thigh-time you'll get, right? I don't like any of this, but I am a woman of my word." (Jess)

She must be talking about the time in the succubus's den. I can't help but let out a chuckle at her futile last resort of resistance.

"No, it isn't." (Me)

Even if my life-long goal is right in front of me, the conversation I had with the "inside" Trick won't leave my mind so easily. A split soul like hers isn't something you see every day. Actually, I have never seen anything like that in my entire life.

'Hey, cunt.'

'LESS TALKING, MORE SNIFFING!'

Her frantic voice seems so different from the almost solemn voice I heard before. I know that their voices are the same, they just carry a different weight. On one hand, the jolly dickhead that tries to manifest a nose with pure willpower, and on the other hand, the lonely dickhead that probably has the same goal in mind right now.

'What a happy little family we are.'

For the next few seconds, I continue to enjoy the warm, luscious skin sandwiching my cheeks. I curse my own curiosity for being occupied with the same questions I've been asking myself for the last few days, while Jess's thunderclap-thighs are right in front of me.

I decide to leave it be with one question to Trick. After all, there's no use in pondering over them with the limited information I have at the moment.

'Do you remember anything while I was unconscious?'

'I won't repeat myself. Sniff like your life depends on it.'

I take a deep breath once again. Somehow, her smell gets sweeter the more I inhale it. It must be the sweet scent of victory.

"Stop that." (Jess)

It's quite contradictory. Although her physical stats are below average, the two lovely cushions I've buried my face in are firm and yet soft. I can confidently say after millennia of experience, her thighs are one in a million.

'Good boy. And, weirdly enough, I don't remember anything. Usually, when you fall unconscious, I need to keep your sanity safe. But this time, everything just shut off.'

As I thought. Maybe both of their consciousness can't be awake at the same time? But that wouldn't make sense since the inside Trick said that she's been in there for several months. I've looked at all of Trick's memories the moment we merged, so she couldn't have hidden anything from me consciously.

'Wait, did she say that?'

The whole conversation feels like a fleeting dream, my mind still hazy from the damage I received. It might also be the low oxygen in between Jess's thighs.

"Alright, you need to stand up now. Playtime is over." (Jess)

"Just 5 more minutes, Mom!" (Me)

I can hear her clear disgust.

"I told you already, don't call me that." (Jess)

"You're right, totally inappropriate in this situation." (Me)

Have I left my manners in my soul realm? How dare I call her "Mom" here?

"Pwease don't make me leave, Mommy..." (Me)

"STOP THAT!" (Jess)

She hits the back of my head, to which she has first-class access in exchange for me being ultimately satisfied. My goals seep away in the sea of thighs. It nearly puts me in the mood to write another poem.

But that's for another time. Another place.

"Mh! Harder, Mommy!" (Me)

"I will not play this game with you. Even if I lost most of my pride, I still have some left." (Jess)

"She said, my face buried deep within her legs." (Me)

That seemed to have been the breaking point, as she breaks out into a sudden struggle. Even if my physical stats dwarf hers, my disadvantageous position betrays me.

'FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE!'

I try to hold on for dear life, my only anchor point being her thighs. After a short match, the struggle ends, although not completely victorious.

To quench her anger, I've had to lay the back of my head down on her thighs, which leaves my face in a cold place. I could've won this fight, of course, but I would never dare force Jess into something. I am, and always will be, the nice guy.

Nevertheless, now the back of my head can enjoy Jess. Gotta have some change once in a while.

"Hey..." (Me)

"Hey..." (Jess)

Her silver eyes look down into mine, which makes me hope that my make-up is still sitting well after being ripped apart internally and externally and falling into a coma for what felt like weeks. I can tell that Jess is exhausted as well, probably from watching over me for the last few days.

She didn't have to since I activated "Regeneration" after exploding internally, but it's a nice gesture nonetheless.

Her hands travel towards my face, grabbing me by the cheeks, which is uncharacteristically assertive of her. I thought that she would just end this with another struggle and leave me in despair. I've already printed all the documents to be divorced from Jess's thighs.

Several seconds pass where she just looks into my eyes. Giving me the time to look at her face more thoroughly, I notice the smaller details that have changed throughout the apocalypse.

Her skin is clearer, her facial structure even better than before. A stray silver lock of hair caresses her cheek, which she swiftly brushes behind her ear. Now that the mana circuit has properly adjusted inside her body and ethereal magic courses through her every vein, she's become even more beautiful than before. This is a natural occurrence as mana slowly changes your body according to your wishes.

That's how I got my giant cock, for example.

It's not omnipotent, though. Not only does it take a decent amount of time for anything to change, but its capabilities are also limited. Most of the time, only slight transformations are possible. You won't grow a second Weiner, even if you wished for it really hard.

Satan knows I've tried.

"How did you get sent to hell?" (Jess)

"Ouch, where did that come from?" (Me)

Heavy questions like these are usually my clue to evacuate the premises. My heart becomes a gaping void at the thought of leaving Jess's thighs, but I can't just spill my most inner secrets in such a situation. I don't want to mess up the Feng Shui between her legs. The eternal dilemma of life.

"You know, I have a book I'm writing. It's a full-on autobiography about my whole life-" (Me)

'Oh, would you fuck off.'

"-and you'll be the first one to get it. I'll even sign it for you. Kiss with lipstick and everything." (Me)

Her iron-grip of my cheeks doesn't weaken. At that point, I wonder if she wants to dance. Cause if she wants to dance, I will dance.

"I will get it out of you someday. You can't keep it secret forever." (Jess)

"Just ignore my book, then." (Me)

A glint of resolve shimmers in her eyes. It's quite beautiful actually.

She just didn't start off with the right question. How I got into hell is only the result of a story that was spread among ages. I won't spoil the surprise, though. Maybe she'll get an idea of it herself sooner or later.

It's always fun to let the kids play detective, isn't it?

Her hands start to move in a circular motion, unfitting of the situation. She's apparently found joy in playing with my cheeks. I use moisturizer on a regular basis, so it's no surprise.

"Then how about this? You already knew what was going on with Risa, didn't you?" (Jess)

She really doesn't want to let the mood get any lighter with her questions. Maybe playing with my face is her attempt to not let this get too gloomy?

"Just had the slightest hint of an idea." (Me)

Several clues were explaining her background.

The social naivety.

Her underdeveloped body.

Her distrust towards adults.

I've witnessed such occurrences often enough. Especially when I was still affiliated with the cunt above.

"I only learned about Risa's past that evening you sent us away. You could've at least told me something." (Jess)

Remembering what Risa told her, her face gets struck with distraught again. In an attempt of protest, she tugs at my cheeks.

'How nice that she's acting so mellow today.'

"How could I? Aren't things like that better told by the person-" (Me)

"Could've confronted her about it." (Jess)

"It's too harsh to start such a talk all of a sudden." (Me)

"Could've eased her into it." (Jess)

"Don't know how to start the conversation with her." (Me)

"Could've eased me into it." (Jess)

'She's playing a hard bargain.'

"Had a dental appointment." (Me)

"Your teeth are shining like fucking diamonds." (Jess)

"Cause I was at the dentist." (Me)

'Score.'

'Clean.'

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I throw her a charming smile, revealing the glimmering gems hidden inside my jaw. She clenches her fists, threatening me with every muscle fiber in her body.

Which isn't a lot, but she still tries to. Gotta give her points for that.

But knowing that this won't result in anything productive, she gives up, preventing us from going over our usual routine. To be honest, I would've appreciated a bit more back and forth. Some people might not know this about me, but I like to make fun of people.

She sighs.

"Not that it matters anymore..." (Jess)

"Thank fucking Satan. I was running out of excuses." (Me)

Once again, she looks down. Her feeble eyebrows furrowed, she gets closer to my face. Wondering if she wants to give me a lay-down spiderman-kiss, I start to blush a little.

But she stops, an inch above my eyes.

"Oh goodness gracious, Jess! Not in front of the kids!" (Me)

"You know... since the tower, I've been thinking. And thanks to your reckless stunt while we were gone, I've had even more time to think." (Jess)

"What if I told you that I didn't know I was allergic to nuts? Crazy, right?" (Me)

Her eyes move from side to side, recalling everything that she saw in the tower. I don't know which part she saw and up to what point she was still trapped in her own illusion, but I can tell that she saw enough.

I'm forced to remember the raging fires across the battlefield of that place. Shame and regret kindle up inside me, but are suffocated just as quickly.

"That's mostly when I noticed. Considering I know you several months already-" (Jess)

"And I've never been happier." (Me)

"-I know fuck all about you." (Jess)

Her intriguing tone suggests that I should tell something about myself.

"Don't women like the mysterious type?" (Me)

"If they're not a fuckwad, that is." (Jess)

My feelings are hurt. I'm not a fuckwad.

"I know nothing about your past. Not the reason why you were in hell, not the background behind the battlefield I saw... nothing." (Jess)

She licks her lips.

"But I do know some things about your present, at least. Even that might not be much, but I have been watching you." (Jess)

"I knew it. You had a cam in the shower." (Me)

"How you sometimes fall quiet all of a sudden, just to snap back looking like you went through hell and back. How you search for battles, just to keep your mind off things. The non-existent person you sometimes speak with.-" (Jess)

'Just a teensy, tiny thing. I DID EXIST!'

'If I get shit on, you do as well. We go through thick and thin together, buddy.'

"-And the self-destructive habits you live with." (Jess)

"Others would call it loveably eccentric, but go on." (Me)

I know that her list could go on, but she stops there. We both know what she wants to tell me with that, so she got her point successfully across.

My hilarious adlibs don't seem to impress her much, as she tries her best to ignore them. It pains me, but I will continue to do my best. I will get that frown to turn upside down.

"I won't find the source of all that suffering you're dealing with. At least not right now. And as with everything I know about you, I can only influence your present and maybe your future. That's why..." (Jess)

Throughout her monologue, our faces built up a distance again. I did feel a bit lonely because of it, which she must've felt.

With a quick motion, she closes the gap between us, staring into my eyes. Her silver features burn through me, digging for anything that she could find out about me.

"I have decided that I will help you. Not only in fights, but I will support you in any way I can. Even more than before, that is." (Jess)

I can feel her mana rising with every word she's speaking and her voice drops. Contrary to popular belief, mana isn't only controlled with will and intent, but also with emotion.

The atmosphere around her tenses up as she expresses her iron will (pun intended).

'I get it. Cause of metal. Funny.'

Her mana actually seeps into the environment, disturbing the natural equilibrium around us. Trying her best to be taken serious, she raises her volume just a tad.

"Why is your magic acting up? You wanna fight?" (Me)

"You have helped me more than enough already. You saved my life. You saved my parents. As cringe as it sounds, you prevented me from going crazy in this world. Even if it were just really bad jokes most of the time." (Jess)

"You're making me blush.~" (Me)

"Without asking for anything in return." (Jess)

Realizing how loud she became, her once agitated voice follows a diminuendo, calming down slowly with every word she speaks. She looks at me, gently, reminding me of the first impression I had of her mother.

"You're really trying to get in my pants, aren't you?" (Me)

"Am not." (Jess)

She backs up, softly. Now that she said what she wanted to say, her serious mask breaks. The slightest smile on her caring expression is revealed, combing her fingers through my hair as if it's not the first time she's done it.

"And now, I have made this my first real goal in this apocalypse. Not to forcibly get anything out of you, but to slowly work on everything I saw over the last months. As much as I can, I will get you out of that emotional ditch you're in." (Jess)

I'm happy for her. I really am.

When people get into a situation like a sudden apocalypse, they tend to lose their way. It's easy to say that you would crush it and slay monsters left and right, but reality is different. I've seen it play out before me millions of times.

Their life gets thrown into such disarray all of a sudden that they don't know where to go. The things they held onto for their whole life disappear in an instant. Like a thin cloud, their former existence dissipates.

I've witnessed it with Jess as well.

Before all this started, she was a headstrong girl, trying her best to keep everything under control. It might've been the influence of her father, the dirty masochist, but that's just the way she was. Living her life confident and without worries of doing something wrong.

Then all of this hit and, much like several billion others, she didn't know what to do.

Everything that she thought she had under control was thrown into pure chaos. No use stubbornly attempting something like she always did. It would mean death, after all.

Her virtues and ideals had to be thrown out of the window.

You have to build yourself anew from scratch.

This is a process that most of the survivors still go through to this day. I'm doubting if there are any who already accepted the situation they're in after only a few months.

In the end, you start drifting along with everything. It's hard to catch a clear thought, your conscious hiding in a brittle shell. You start to just go along with others, who are usually exactly as clueless as you are.

But sometimes, there's one incident that might give you the push that you need. A slither of realization. Something you can grasp that pulls you back to reality.

One shot.

One opportunity.

To seize everything you ever wanted.

Would you capture it? Or just let it sl-

'Whoopsie, wrong script. Where's the deep monologue about the emotional change that Jess is starting to go th- FOUND IT!'

'Get yourself together man. We're professionals.'

For Jess, that one push was inside the tower. She's realized that she can't continue to turn a blind eye towards the problems around her and stay reliant on someone else, namely me.

Won't blame her though. I'm the epitome of reliability. Even the voices in my head say so.

"I will try to pay you back for letting me experience life and not die. Thanks to you, I met Risa after all. I am now a simp for her, and I accepted it." (Jess)

'Right there with you.'

"I'm actually contemplating on starting a Fanclub." (Me)

"And..." (Jess)

She stops. Her fingers slide off my head and on her own thighs. Again, I don't blame her. I'd do the same.

Solemn eyes meet mine again. Realization hits her, doubts diffuse in her mind. The task she's setting herself might be too big, even if she does give it her best. I have a feeling that she's gotten a slight clue of me and my past already, which makes her conviction ever more vulnerable.

Trying to get rid of the negative thoughts, she shakes her head.

I watch the show with my feelings touched as they've never been before.

"And? Come on, don't be shy.~" (Me)

I expected her to throw a hateful glance at me but her expression doesn't change.

"I will get rid of this distance that you're keeping towards everyone." (Jess)

"You've got to understand, I'm a very sensitive person." (Me)

She really doesn't make this easy for any one of us. Not even giving me a slight reaction to my joke, she tries to keep this atmosphere as serious as possible.

"That's what I mean. Always only making jokes, never taking anything seriously." (Jess)

'Oh, she's calling you out.'

'Even though I just woke up.'

"And I know that it's a hassle to talk about stuff like this, even though we're in a literal apocalypse." (Jess)

"Tell me about it. Didn't even have breakfast yet." (Me)

This time, I at least managed to get a frown out of her as a reaction. She pinches my nose shut and puts her hand on my mouth in an attempt to keep me quiet.

I, of course, lick her hand in retaliation, which secures me the win in this bout.

"But someday, I want to know the real you. Not to say that these past months have been a facade, but I want to know every side of you. The good and the bad. I think we're good enough friends to allow me to aspire that." (Jess)

I don't know what it was. There was something in that sentence that stirred a long shut-off emotion in me. A word I didn't want to hear, no matter what. A trigger for me.

"FUCKING "FRIENDS"?!" (Me)

"I barely allowed you to sleep on my thighs. Don't let it get to your head." (Jess)

The haughty smile on her face returned. I can see that she's glad that she mustered up the courage to confront me about this. Her stance is made clear, making her feel no longer like just a bystander.

She has something to work towards, even if I'm the thing in question.

I appreciate her effort. Even after all of my lifetimes and everything happening in it, there's still a special place in my heart for people who stubbornly give a difficult task a go. It might be too much for them, but to struggle is something that deserves a standing ovation, in my opinion.

If it weren't for the thousands of people who tried the exact same as Jess.

I don't want to think that her best efforts will be useless. This whole life is a unique chance. A barrier is holding the cunt above at bay so I can become stronger without restraint or any manipulation. This has never happened before.

Why should Jess's struggle be futile then? There are many firsts in this life, this could be one of them.

But the voices in my head scream the contrary. They want to convince me that this will end just like any other time.

With torture. With agony. With death.

I've heard all of this thousands, millions of times already. Their words repeating themselves but not losing any meaning.

"By the way..." (Me)

I banish those thoughts like I always do, giving Trick part of it to deal with.

'Thanks for that.'

"Yes, I had to change your clothes again. Didn't touch your underwear, though." (Jess)

I click my tongue. She could've at least had the decency to take my underpants off as well.

Like that, a quiet lull slides itself into the conversation. Jess caresses my hair, only slight breathing audible in the hall that I call my current home. My tensed muscles relax, giving me a break from the usual fight or flight state I'm in.

I would close my eyes if I didn't know what scenery awaited me there. Instead, Jess closes hers.

No wind, no sound. Even though there's only a spare rug separating us from the cold, hard concrete pavement, I feel at ease.

Looking at Jess's calm expression, I wonder if I'll ever have to hear her voice screaming inside my head.

But in this fleeting moment, I don't want to think about such things for once. Not about the tower's source of power. Not about Trick's real identity. Not about the curse I've been afflicted by so long ago.

I just want to think about the soft pillows behind my head.

"No, really. What did you do for your thighs to become like that? What's your secret?" (Me)

"I don't know, to be perfectly honest. I would like to know myself." (Jess)

'I can see in your mind that you want to get thighs like her and I don't know how to feel about it.'

In the end, I'm glad that this whole thing went by so smoothly. It only took me to nearly die once for this to get resolved. I was prepared for much worse.

And now I can relax for eternity on Jess's-

'Fuck me, I need to piss.'

'NO!'

I don't know how long I've been asleep, but nature decided to call at the worst possible time. This human reaction equals a natural disaster for me right now.

"..." (Me)

Noticing that I have something on my mind, Jess squints her eyes.

"What?" (Jess)

'Careful now, buddy.'

My hands shiver and sweat drops down my forehead. I haven't been this nervous at a negotiation in years. That's considering I was a full-blown negotiator for a whole past life.

"If I were to, hypothetically, stand up and go for little apocalypse survivors, you wouldn't mind letting me get on a-" (Me)

"Fat chance." (Jess)

'DAMN IT!'

A sinister chuckle escapes the depths of my diaphragm. She still hasn't learned who really is in charge here.

"I don't think you understand. I will piss myself. I've shat myself for way less." (Me)

'Good call. Threaten her.'

A pulse of mana goes through the warehouse. I can see Jess's fingers move ever so slightly, signaling that she's up to no good again. What will follow is most likely some piece of metal pushing me away from her.

"Oh no, you don't." (Me)

"I will support you after I got you off my thighs. My legs are starting to cramp." (Jess)

I flex my fingers, pushing them to become harder than the concrete floor.

"HAVE AT THEE! I WILL PROTECT MY HOLYLAND!" (Me)

My determined voice carries strength to my muscles. My nails dig into the ground below me.

My mana starts to circulate in my body in an attempt to help, but something seems out of place. After millions of years, I became confident in my ability to use the magic force, so I would know if something isn't right.

Even after my mana behaved strangely post-merge, I was still familiar with its basic handling. Now, it behaves as I've never witnessed before.

'Don't you fail on me now! This is important, damn it!'

I would take my mana failing in a fight a thousand times instead of right now. But alas, my unfamiliarity became my doom.

A metal plate of "Spatiantite" teleports below me, flinging me off Jess's thighs like gum stuck under your shoe. I curse the world for allowing this tragedy to happen.

"You hurt me today in a way no one has hurt me before. Remember this day, for today will-" (Me)

"Uhm... Nith?" (Jess)

Jess didn't even let me finish my revenge-speech, before interrupting me again. For someone who wants to help my mental state recover, she's not doing a great first impression.

"Wassup, honeypie?" (Me)

With a shaking index finger, she points at my exposed back. Somewhere in the scuffle, my shirt must've shifted a few centimeters above my waistline, revealing my chiseled back.

"Oh, that? Yeah, I've been working out. I'm doing CrossFit. It's really good for you and you should-" (Me)

"That's not what I mean..." (Jess)

From the corner of my eye, I see my ebon spatial pouch vibrate. Out of it, Jess summons a neatly polished, large piece of metal. Temporarily, I've allowed her to use my little handbag as a means of transport for the heaps of metal she's hoarded over the last months.

She puts the make-shift mirror behind me, gesturing me to look into it. My reflection shines inside it.

"..." (Me)

Now I know what she meant.

"Jess..." (Me)

A glaring glow comes from my tailbone in the form of a circle. Its ethereal, blue/white hue reminds me of the purest form of mana.

I've seen nearly similar things before in the form of stigmata, but nothing that exuded so much magic energy. The sheer amount of glowing makes me wonder why I haven't noticed it before.

"Be honest with me. I won't be angry, I promise." (Me)

This is the source of my mana behaving strangely. I can feel it. All of my mana veins connect to this single dot on my back. My whole mana circle has been restructured just to accommodate this walnut-sized marking.

Power surges from it.

With each passing second, it integrates itself more with my mana.

It's part of me now. I can feel it.

"Did you, or did you not, put a tramp stamp on me while I was in a coma?" (Me)

"I SWEAR I DID NOT!" (Jess)

Her vehement denial makes me doubt her even more.

"Not cool, Jess." (Me)

If it weren't for this one screen that greeted me with something that I've never seen before, I'd actually accuse her of such a crime.

Congratulations!

You are now "The Apostle of Mana"!

"I'm very disappointed in you, Jess." (Me)

Still, I gotta make her feel bad in some way for taking her thighs away from me.