Volume 14 - Onward and Upward, Chapter 101 - Flights of Fancy
In a cozy little apartment, two women sat side by side on the bed. One was a cyan-haired gargoyle with curved horns, stony grey skin on her limbs and tail, and two large and colorful wings. The other was a tiny mothgirl with white hair, red multi-faceted eyes, and four white and pink wings. They were both wearing cute and casual spring outfits.
Chione unfurled her wings and flopped backwards onto the bed with a sigh. "I just don't know what to do with myself. I made it to Japan, I made a bunch of friends and even a girlfriend." She blushed and smiled at Actia. "But now what?"
Actia leaned over and said in her soft, quiet voice, "Like I mentioned before, there's no hurry. You're still younger than I was when I joined the Exchange Program. Just get out and experience life for a while and see where that takes you."
Chione brushed her bangs from her face, looked up at Actia, and replied, "Alright. Then in that case, can we go explore the town tonight? I'd like to spend more time around people." As urban liminals, gargoyles had a somewhat symbiotic relationship with humans. Chione had always felt drawn to groups of humans, but her shyness usually won out. Ever since her success at ComicMon however, Chione had been warming up to the idea of being around more people.
Actia blinked her large insect-like eyes, a feature that had been unnerving at first but Chione had grown to adore. "Of course," Actia said, then she glanced at the clock, which said 9:14PM. "I'd normally recommend the college campus to find people, but not this late. If you want to see people now, the bars on Main Street or the mall would be best."
Chione winced at the mention of bars. She wasn't much of a drinker, and last time she drank with Mimi and Lethe she overdid it and got sick. She forced a smile and said, "The mall sounds nice."
"You got it," Actia said confidently. Her self-confidence had grown astronomically since she and Chione started dating, but she could still get flustered sometimes, which always brought her stutter back with it.
She hopped off the bed and started toward the sliding glass door to the balcony. The adorably tiny woman turned back and said, "Shall we?"
Chione stood up quickly and chased after her girlfriend. "Yep!" she said with a cheerful giggle.
They took off from the balcony and flew side by side over the streetlight illuminated town of Okayado. The flight to the indoor mall was under half a mile, so the trip was over in a flash. The pair landed outside the mall's east entrance, spent a few seconds fixing their wind-tossed hair and clothes, and stepped inside.
"So…" Actia looked up at Chione. "What is it you wanted to do here? Just walk around?"
"People watching, I think," Chione answered distractedly. She was already looking wide-eyed at all the shoppers that filled the stores and hallways. Thanks to the nice weather, the mall was pretty busy for a non-holiday.
Actia couldn't help but smile at how cute and eager Chione was. "Sounds good," she said, then she followed behind and let Chione wander and lead the way.
Chione walked slowly, taking in the sight of all the families and couples going about their shopping. Even though she'd never met any of them before and some of them seemed unnerved by her liminal nature, she felt a strange kinship for the human residents of Okayado.
After a bit, she found a bench near a busy intersection. She sat down and patted a hand next to her. Actia sat down too, and they just watched in silence for several minutes. Like some sort of inherited instinct, Chione wanted to watch over and protect all those people from whatever might threaten them.
A mall security officer walked by and gave Chione and Actia a kind smile and a tip of his hat. Chione smiled and nodded back, then nudged Actia with an elbow. "Maybe I could be a security or police officer. Gargoyles make good guardians, after all. I'm not all that athletic, but I am naturally strong." She giggled at the mental image of her in a police uniform chasing a stereotypical robber.
"That c-could w-work," Actia said quietly. Chione could barely hear it over the murmurs and footsteps of all the people passing by.
Chione turned to look at Actia eye to eye. "You sound down. Are you feeling alright?" she asked, her voice warm and caring.
Actia looked back wearing a tired frown. "Sorry, I'm just getting a little worn down. All these people looking at us…" Actia was even more shy than Chione, but her liminal instincts were very different than Chione's: they told her to keep her distance from humans. Moth-people had hidden themselves from prying eyes for generations out of necessity, and that instinct was still strong.
Chione gave Actia's hand a squeeze and said, "Yeah, it is kind of crowded in here. How about we call this good and go flying instead?"
Actia's frown broke into an adorable smile. She always appreciated how attentive and kind Chione was. "Th-that'd be nice. The moon isn't very bright tonight, but I heard they've got Sakura Creek Park all lit up with lanterns, if you want to go there."
"Sounds like a plan," Chione said. She rose from the bench and continued to hold Actia's tiny hand as they started toward the west mall exit. Two winged girls holding hands was quite the unusual sight and it drew even more attention to them. Neither Chione or Actia liked being the center of attention, but some things were worth it.
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Spring was nearly over and the cherry blossom season had ended for most of Japan. Thankfully, Okayado's high elevation meant that the cherry trees scattered throughout town were still covered in pink petals. To make the most of that fleeting beauty, Sakura Creek Park had been filled with lanterns that illuminated the park late into the night.
Chione and Actia darted and dove between the pink-clad cherry trees, enjoying the cool spring air and the soft sweet fragrance of the flowers. They weren't alone in the park however, as more than a few couples were walking hand in hand on the park's trails or sitting together on the grass.
They swooped over the park's namesake creek and flew right past a young couple that was less than an inch away from kissing. The startled boy and girl, who looked to be about sixteen, were still holding hands as they fell backwards onto the grass in surprise.
Chione felt bad for ruining their moment, but she couldn't help but giggle about it. She and Actia landed on a wooden bridge and Chione said, "Did you see those two? They were so cute!"
Actia nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "Yeah, they were probably about to start making out."
From her raised vantage point Chione glanced around at the park, then added, "A few other couples already are."
Actia's voice stayed calm and quiet, but there was a bit of mischief in it as she said, "We could make out too, you know."
Chione's cheeks flushed red. "Um, let's wait 'til we're in private for that kind of stuff." For someone who just got overwhelmed by the mall crowd, she sure changed her tune quickly, Chione thought.
Actia nodded and said, "Alrighty."
If Chione had turned to look, she would have seen a devious smirk on Actia's face, but instead she looked up to the sky and said, "The air's so crisp and clear. Wanna go for another flight around?"
"Sure!"
They flew a couple laps over the park, then made their way back across town to Actia's apartment. They landed gracefully on the little balcony, then stepped inside.
Actia quickly stripped off her shoes and socks, and then her shorts too. Then she jumped onto the bed. Standing in her loose t-shirt and panties, she eyed Chione and said, "S-So, Chione, are you gonna make good on your p-promise?"
"Promise? What promise?" Chione asked as she removed her own shoes. She was used to Actia hanging out with no pants on, but her standing on the bed like that was a little odd.
Actia clasped her hands and fidgeted, then answered, "The o-one about what you'd d-do once we were in private." She left things a little vague and hoped her suggestive grin would do some of the work.
"Oh." Chione blinked. "Ohhhh." She blushed brightly, but she grinned back. The lovely date had her in a romantic mood too. She chuckled at the fun situation, then suddenly leapt toward the bed and bowled Actia over.
Before Actia could react, Chione loomed overhead, straddling her. Chione's skirt had ridden up, giving Actia a wonderful glimpse of pink stripes. Actia started to wonder if Chione had accidentally flashed anyone while they'd been flying around, but she was quickly pulled from those thoughts by Chione's actions.
Chione lowered herself until her body was pressed against Actia's, chest to smaller chest, then went in for a kiss. Their lips touched delicately at first, then the kiss deepened. Actia got the make out session she'd requested, but it didn't stop there.
Chione was more attracted to personality and passion than any specific physical features, but Actia was very much a boob woman. It was very fortunate for her that Chione had a sizable pair of breasts that enjoyed a soft touch. That night, she also benefited from their height difference, which gave Actia easy access to them during all sorts of positions.
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The next day at dinner, Chione talked on and on about how romantic her flying date had been. She didn't mention the sexy times that happened afterwards, but the other women could guess. Chione being so talkative right after waking up gave it away.
Yuisu was happy for Chione, but she was also a bit envious of her ability to fly. I wish I could fly around with Haru… she thought, then a memory struck her. Back when Haru first moved in, I used to wonder if she could carry me. We never did try it out…
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Yuisu zoned out for the rest of dinner but Chione kept rambling so no one noticed. After everyone was done eating and the kitchen was all cleaned up, Yuisu pulled Haru aside into the living room.
As they sat down on the couch, Haru gave Yuisu her signature head tilt. "What's up, Yuisu?"
Yuisu was uncharacteristically bashful as she said, "Uh, I was wondering if you could carry a person… Like, while you're flying."
Haru smiled confidently. "Oh, absolutely. Raptor harpies need to be strong enough to carry large prey." She looked Yuisu up and down appraisingly. "I could definitely carry someone about your size…"
Yuisu's eyes widened hopefully. "Oh! Then could you…" She trailed off, unsure how to make such an unusual request.
"Fly you around on a romantic date?" Haru finished. She was smiling ear to ear and thoroughly enjoying Yuisu's rarely seen meek side.
Yuisu nodded. She should have known Haru would figure it out quickly. Her raptor senses were always impressive, and she was clever and attentive too.
Haru wrapped a fluffy white wing around Yuisu's shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "I've actually been waiting for you to ask. We'll just need to figure out a way to hold you securely, without hurting you with my talons, that is."
Yuisu beamed, then said, "I've got some old climbing equipment, including harnesses. Would that work?"
"That's perfect," Haru answered cheerfully.
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"Are you ready?" Haru asked, already flapping her wings in preparation for takeoff. She stood on the gravel driveway, wearing a black and green harness around her hips. The harness was connected by a carabiner on the front to a short length of rope. The other end of the rope was clipped into a similar harness worn by Yuisu.
Yuisu swallowed hard, then nodded. She was quite nervous, but she wasn't afraid. Yuisu trusted Haru with her life.
"Alright. Here goes!" With that, Haru flapped her wings harder. Clouds of dust kicked up from the gravel driveway as she took to the air.
Yuisu felt a light tug at her waist, then a hard pull, then she was lifted from her feet entirely. She wiggled a bit to sit comfortably in her harness, then glanced up to see Haru smiling down at her from the other end of a few feet of climbing rope.
She glanced back down at the driveway a few feet below. "This is so cool. It reminds me of riding a ski lift," Yuisu said.
It was hard work for Haru to hover in place like that, so once Yuisu seemed settled, she started forward. The change in direction sent her passenger swinging and twisting below. "Sorry! I should have expected that," she said.
Yuisu spun around uncontrollably, watching the inn zip by and getting quite dizzy. She grabbed the rope to try to balance herself, but then two sets of talons slipped under her arms and grabbed her gently and stopped the spinning. The rope continued to hold Yuisu's weight while Haru's feet kept Yuisu aligned and looking forward.
"Thanks!" Yuisu yelled over the sound of air blowing past. Then she looked around for the first time since takeoff and her jaw dropped. They were already 50 feet from the ground, higher than the treetops. Below her dangling feet, trees and clearings and roads drifted by, illuminated in orange by the setting sun.
"No problem, and no need to yell," Haru called back. "My ears were made for this, after all."
"Holy crap! We're really flying! Are you seeing this, Haru?!" Yuisu said, her wide eyes trying to take in every detail of the beautiful scene.
Haru couldn't help but roll her eyes as she answered, "Yes, I see it. Do you like it?"
"I love it!" Yuisu cheered. The world was so small down below, with tiny dirt roads winding through tiny green hills. She wasn't afraid of heights, but she'd never done any daring heights-related activities like skydiving either. She'd never understood the appeal, until now.
"Where to?" Haru asked. She'd been heading in the general direction of town, but she didn't know what Yuisu wanted to do on this impromptu date.
Yuisu's first thought was Sakura Creek Park, since Chione had talked it up so much. However, the sun was still up and Yuisu wanted to see it illuminated by the lanterns. "Um, let's go see the construction site."
"Construction site? Which one?" Haru asked. Okayado was growing pretty steadily, including a lot of new houses and apartments, and Haru had seen the new buildings from above when she traveled to and from work.
Yuisu peered upward at Haru and said, "Ski Lodge Kobold, of course!" Despite her close ties to Korbin and all his contractors she'd hosted at her inn, she'd never actually visited the construction site for his ski resort.
Haru said, "That's way on the other side of town. Hang on tight!"
Yuisu barely had time to process Haru's words before they were accelerating down the mountainside toward town. The 'as-the-harpy-flies' route was much faster than the winding dirt roads Yuisu's truck had to take. Within a minute, they were over the east edge of town, where a huge building and parking lot dominated the area.
It took her a second, but Yuisu recognized it. "Hey, that's Sports Club Kobold!"
"Yep," Haru said with a smile. She found Yuisu's childlike wonder adorable. "Do you want to take a little detour over Main Street? Lots of landmarks you'll recognize there."
Yuisu shook her head. "We'd better not. If too many people see us, Agent Will would get a bunch of calls from concerned residents."
"Ugh, yeah. People might even think I'm kidnapping someone and call the cops," Haru added. "I'll go over the fields around the agricultural college instead."
"Oh, is that it there? The college campus?" Yuisu asked when she spotted a few large buildings ahead. They were surrounded by small crop fields and tent-like greenhouses.
"Yep. I tend to avoid the north side of it though. Those cows and pigs they keep smell awful."
Yuisu giggled at that, remembering how Haru had reacted to the smell of their hot spring back when they first discovered it. It's hard to believe that was over a year ago… she thought. Becoming an Exchange Program host was just a random whim, but I'm glad I did it. She smiled upwards at Haru, the beautiful, powerful, amazing woman who had become the most important person in her life. So very glad.
It wasn't long before they were flying over the elementary school, which was thankfully closed for the day. The teachers would never be able to calm the kids down if a harpy carrying a human flew overhead during school hours.
After the elementary school and its sports fields was the wide, calm Iminu River. Farmland started on its western shore and continued until the terrain started to climb. Then once again, Haru and Yuisu were flying over dense trees and mountains as they made their way to the ski resort.
"There it is," Haru called out. She didn't have a free arm to point with, but she turned Yuisu's shoulders a bit with her feet.
Yuisu saw it. In fact, she couldn't miss it. The entirety of a small valley had been cleared and leveled and was absolutely filled with construction. There were parking lots being paved, trees and landscaping being planted, and larger structures being built. Some were being assembled from huge logs, but there was also a towering building that had to be the hotel.
The mountainside next to the complex was also in the process of being carefully groomed. Some trees had been cut down to create a variety of trails and routes to ski, and durable ground-covering plants were starting to grow in the openings.
Yuisu's eyes were wide as she took it in. "Wow, it's even bigger than I expected."
Haru replied, "Yep. I think Korbin's banking on a really big tourist turnout. After all, it's the first liminal-centric ski resort in the world."
"Really? How'd you know that?" Yuisu asked as they continued their approach.
"My mom mentioned it last time I talked to her on the phone. She said everyone back home has been talking about 'that new kobold ski resort'. Most harpies love snow, so I think they'll flock to this place."
Yuisu tilted her head in thought. She was picturing harpies trying to put skis on their talons and having a great deal of difficulty. "Harpies like to ski?" she asked incredulously.
Haru chuckled. "They probably would if they had harpy-customized equipment, and Ski Lodge Kobold will."
That was when Yuisu spotted the ski lifts. Huge metal towers connected by steel cables dotted the mountainside, with hanging chairs distributed evenly on the entire length. Even though they wouldn't be carrying skiers for several months, they had already been put to use transporting workers to and from the facilities higher up the mountain.
"Ooh, let's get a closer look at those!" Yuisu called in a giddy voice. She was like a little kid again, amazed and excited by everything she saw.
They flew to the nearest chairlift, and then to a log cabin that was being built on a mountain peak. The sun had fully set, and Yuisu remembered her plan to see the sakura in bloom. "Can we go to Sakura Creek Park now?"
"Alright, Yuisu" Haru said, even though her wings were quite tired. She'd never carried so much weight for so long before, and the thin mountain air wasn't doing her any favors. Thankfully the park was only a slight detour along their way home. Haru turned southeast then started downhill.
With the sun gone below the mountains and the town's lights far off to the east, Yuisu felt like she was soaring through the calm darkness of outer space. It didn't take long before she spotted the park in the distance, a pink star in the black night.
Haru came in fast, swooping over the lantern-lit stretch of cherry trees and pathways. She pulled up to slow down without having to work too hard, then settled into a slower pace. It gave Yuisu time to properly take in the beautiful scenery, and Haru appreciated the view as well. It reminded her of their visit to the sakura festival at the very same park the year before. Haru had loved how Yuisu looked in her yukata, but never did buy one of her own. This year's festival had already ended, but there were other opportunities to buy and to wear a yukata.
They circled the park once, but then Haru said, "Um, Yuisu? We should head back now. I'm getting really tired." She was breathing hard, and she couldn't hold their altitude as steady.
Yuisu's head snapped up and she said, "Oh, I'm sorry, Haru! I shouldn't have made you fly all over like that. Yeah, let's head home." She'd seen everything she wanted to, and she didn't want to wear out Haru's wings too bad. If they had to, the two women could walk back, but it would be over three miles by foot.
Haru only made it as far as Yuisu's driveway. Her wings were too weak to fly safely, so she had to set Yuisu down. "I'm sorry, Yuisu," she said, looking defeated. "I used to be stronger than this, back in the military."
"No worries, babe. You did great," Yuisu said as she pulled Haru into an enthusiastic hug. While the date had been romantic, not being able to hug or kiss throughout it had been surprisingly frustrating. Yuisu was ready to get home and get frisky.
When Haru returned the hug, she winced in pain. It seemed she'd pushed herself harder than she meant to and her wings were really hurting. Now that the adrenaline and momentum had ended, the exertion hit her all at once.
The couple unclipped their harnesses and started up the hill, but Haru wasn't able to make the whole trip. Less than halfway up, she fell to her knees. "Wow, I'm so… tired…" she said through gritted teeth. She wasn't used to being so weak and it was frustrating.
Without a word, Yuisu put an arm under Haru's knees and shoulders, then lifted her in a princess-carry. When Haru protested, Yuisu said, "Let me carry you, since you carried me all over town."
"Fine, fine," Haru grumbled. She was too proud to admit it, but being carried by her girlfriend was actually a wonderful feeling. As the name suggested, it made her feel like a princess, or a bride.
Once Haru stopped fighting it and let herself be carried, Yuisu remarked, "You're pretty light, so this will be easy."
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"That was not easy." Yuisu unlocked the front door and stumbled inside, with an equally exhausted Haru behind her. She was panting and sweaty and thirsty and frustrated with herself for slacking on her physical fitness lately. She hadn't been to the gym since the Mountain Lily Inn opened and even though innkeeping kept her busy, it didn't build the kind of muscle or endurance needed to carry another woman up a mountain.
Haru beelined for the kitchen. She was starving, which made sense given how many calories she must have burned flying around like that.
After a meaty snack and some juice, Haru and Yuisu shuffled to the bathroom to rinse off the sweat and dust. Seeing Haru naked got Yuisu's mind revved up again, but her body was too tired to act on it. She mumbled, "The mind is willing, but the body is weak."
Haru heard it, but she was too tired to respond. She dried off and didn't even bother to put on clothes. Without a word, she walked naked through the inn hallways to their bedroom.
Yuisu arrived shortly after and she was just as naked. She flopped onto the bed next to Haru, then turned her head and grinned goofily. "Tonight was amazing. Thanks so much, Haru."
Haru was face down on the nest of pillows, naked and exhausted. "Yer welcome," came the muffled reply.
"I love you," Yuisu said as she pulled a blanket over Haru's exposed butt.
Haru lifted her face, said, "I love you too," and puckered her lips.
Yuisu giggled, painstakingly leaned over to kiss Haru, then collapsed back to the bed. Within seconds, they were both fast asleep.