Arc 8 Superficial
Chapter 12
“How did you guys get here?” I asked.
“We walked,” said Caroline.
“Wasn’t that a bit of a way?”
“It was only like a mile or two. Wasn’t that bad. Besides, we got lattes,” smiled Ichigo.
“I get that you want to go to the Atomic Strobe, but that is like a two-hour walk from here.”
“Who said we were walking?” asked Ichigo.
“I was thinking about getting a cab,” said Caroline, pondering things over as we went. That seemed just like her, always plotting or rather planning.
“I think I will just fly. I mean my suit weighs like two thousand pounds. Not exactly good for a normal car.”
“Fly?” Asked Ichigo, looking between me and Mom, “You never said she could FLY.”
Caroline looked up for a moment, “I didn’t? She has wings, why wouldn’t she be able to fly?”
“But this changes everything!” excitedly said Ichigo.
I felt a bit lost, “What now?”
Ichigo bounced up and down with what I could only assume to be glee. Adorable, she is too cute. She is like as tall as Sunshine, which means she was almost face to face with my groin, not that there was anything there. Truly, a fairy princess. She kept hopping with raised arms. Come to think of it, isn’t that what kids do when they want to be held by their parents? Does… does this mean Ichigo wants me to, to hold her?! I bent over and she latched onto my neck. I could feel them, my hearts were going Doki doki. Too close, too close. It was right there, her face was right there. I could just kiss her, well if there wasn’t a face plate in between us.
Oh god, I am weebing out! I wanted to squeal and roll around! She was touching me, well the suit, but still, it is consensual. It is ok if I smell her right? If I happen to rub up against her it would just be a coincidence, a coincidence. It is not like anybody will notice. It is not like I am groping and molesting her, right? Tasting is a bit out of the question though. My antennae wiggled soaking up her scent. Ahh yeah, that is the stuff. My daily dose of Ichigo. I can get used to this sort of thing. Just have to keep myself from drooling.
Can we keep her?
‘No, Sub, Ichigo is not ours to keep.’
But I need this.
‘Calm down now, we have to not spook Ichigo.’
Fine I guess we will just have to settle for hugs. I wanna wreck that puss though. We could mouth hug her, right? You know, go swimming in her secluded cove, plunder the pleasure palace. I wonder if she would sit on our face and let us eat her out?
‘Oh for fuck’s sake Sub. Ichigo is not gay!’
How do you know?! Besides, we might as well be a hermaphrodite we got the whole package and then some.
‘Enough already! Get back in the corner you will not ruin this for me!’
But I wanna shove our dick down her throat.
'You are cut off Sub, no more Ichigo for you.'
Fine. Just don’t fuck this up.
'You are going to be good, Sub?'
Yes.
'Really?'
Yes, now go please our little princess.
‘You are up to something.’
Am not.
Hmmm, She gave up too easily. I got my eyes on you Sub.
I had been a bit distracted there and Ichigo had escaped, Noo!
She was off to the side being all jolly, “Can we? Can we please?” asked Ichigo.
“Ehh, what now?”
“Can I ride you?” asked Ichigo looking up at me with those adorable little, pleading, greedy eyes.
I shuddered, oh shit, I wet myself a little. Keep it together Vesper! Well, I mean, if you insist Ichigo, we are not doing this in front of my mom though. “Sure, er I mean if you want Ichigo. I am very talented with my tongue.”
“Tongue?” Ichigo questioned, looking at me, “You can fly with your tongue? Supers sure are strange. That is crazy, what are you, a helicopter?”
“What, no. Who the hell said that?”
“Then what were you talking about?”
“Ehh, nothing, don’t worry about it.”
“She spaces out a lot,” said Caroline, giving me a critical yet somewhat helpless look. Oh boy, she has accepted that I am a weirdo.
“Oh?” she asked, “What were you talking about that needed a talented tongue?”
I hesitated, trying to think up something, “Tying an origami swan in your mouth.”
“Oh my god! You can do that? So talented,” she said, staring up at me with those sparkly eyes.
I looked shiftily away from her, it hurts lying to Ichigo, “No, I can’t do that. I just thought it would be cool.”
“Oh, that is a shame. There is some Chinese guy that can make origami things come to life?”
“There is?” I asked. I hadn’t heard of that.
“Yeah, his super name is like Ori or something. I saw a video on it a while ago.”
“Well, that is cool.”
“Hey, hey so? Were you going to let me ride you? How high can you fly?”
“Ichigo, I am not sure how safe that is. What if she drops you?” interjected Caroline, attempting to pull Ichigo away from me. Don’t you ruin this for me! “Besides, she is a Hero, not a horse.”
Ichigo rolled her eyes, “Horses don’t fly, Caroline. Geez, you are always so worried, nothing is going to happen. Right Mecha Fairy?”
“Y-yeah.”
“I think it would be safer just to take a cab.”
“Nah, nah, cars are dangerous, you know? Did you know that statistically speaking, you are more likely to be attacked by a shark than dropped by a Super with the ability to fly?”
“Isn’t there a Super that controls sharks and makes them attack people?”
“Well, yeah, but that is different Caroline. This is flight we are talking about here. Unless she could fly faster than a jet, then the act itself can’t harm us.”
“I have never really been ridden before…” I said.
“You could just carry us, I mean, I hear you have super strength, so I doubt you would drop us.”
“Us?” asked Caroline and I.
“Well, yeah. It will save so much time and money if she just flies us over there.”
“Then what are we going to do on the way back?” asked Caroline.
“Easy,” said Ichigo, “We can just get Saar to drop us off.”
Mom was hesitating, “I would rather not get him involved in this.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“Come on, you know you want to have him take you home and get all lovey-dovey.”
“We are in a bit of a rough patch.”
“I know, that is why I am saying you need to get laid.”
“… we will see how it goes. We will probably just end up yelling at each other again.”
Ichigo whispered, “But makeup sex is best sex. Besides, he still loves you, you know? I have seen the way he looks at you.”
“He isn’t the problem. I would rather not talk about this in front of Mecha Fairy.”
“Oh, who cares? She is just a stranger after all, it is not like she is your missing daughter or anything,” said Ichigo, glancing over at me with a coy smile.
I gulped. Why am I getting paranoid and thinking that she knows something? No, no, no that can’t be. Ichigo couldn’t possibly know about my family situation. I mean we just met today. She might know about Caroline, but not me.
“She is dead. Don’t talk about my daughter,” said Caroline coldly.
Ichigo puffed up a little, “See, don’t do that. You will get into another fight.”
“Let’s not talk about that stuff, it is killing the mood. You are getting me depressed again,” I said, breaking up their conversation.
“Fair enough. Let’s have fun!” declared Ichigo, pointing to the sky over our heads.
It was a strangely pretty night. The crescent moon sat above the cityscape and the stars, though muted were there softly shining. It is already night, huh… I should stop crying so much. It is not really changing anything after all. Alright, let’s do this!
“I guess, I can carry you guys. It, it is not like I want to though,” I said, looking away… oh no, I am going all tsundere here. Stop being shy damn me!
“I don’t remember agreeing to this,” said Caroline.
“Come on, how often do you get the chance to have a Super fly you somewhere?” smiled Ichigo, raising her hands to me.
I was not going to miss this opportunity and lifted her up. Ah, she was so light, must be like a hundred pounds, I could probably lift her up with my pinky. Are you eating enough? Don’t tell me you are starving yourself for your image sake? She is like a small animal I just wanna cradle and protect. Oh, I am fawning again. Friends damn it be friends and then more than friends and then more than more than friends. I wanna dress her up. Do we have to go clubbing? Why can’t I take her home and wallow in her scent while she gives me a private dress session? Well, I guess it would be weird to just be invited over to her home. Oh wait, that is the plan after all. I wonder what her house is like? I bet it is all fluffy and cute. I wonder what kinds of stuffed animals she has?
Caroline seemed apprehensive, but I grabbed her too, “Hey, what are you doing?! Don’t touch me.”
“I won’t drop you. I saved a bus full of kids you know.”
Not really like she could put up a fight if I really wanted something, then I could force it. She gave up after I hefted her into the bow of my arms, even got a little red in the face from embarrassment. I guess this looks weird, princess carrying my mom and Ichigo… wait where did she go? She had wormed her way to my back and plopped her legs on either side of my neck. Guah! My antennae are not handlebars. What am I a bicycle? Well, I did want her to ride me, but not like this!
Hmm, it reminds me a bit of how Sunshine rides on Admiral Moon. Wait a minute, this means that her, her panties are touching me! If only it was my bare carapace, then I could feel her softness… directly. Ichigo interrupted my thoughts by drumming her fingers on the top of my head. She pointed out, “Let’s go!”
I spread my wings and we floated for a moment as the jump pack warmed up. We rose steadily since I was being careful to not gun it and make this a bad experience for them. We got higher and higher until the cityscape was far below and the lights undulated like a sea of fireflies. Ichigo seemed to like it a lot, leaning in on me gazing at the streets below. Everything looked so small from up here and it was quiet, just the wind whistling by occasionally disrupted by the distant city sounds. I had forgotten just how calming it was to be way up here. I should do this more often.
All too soon though the beacon of light that was Atomic Strobe pierced into the air drawing me in. There were spotlights on the roof, rotating and shifting as they moved over the clouds above us. The air shook with the heavy vibrations of music emanating from that expansive building. Cars were lined up circling for parking spaces in the already full parking lot and people were out the doors waiting to get in.
We descended on my glowing butterfly wings towards the front. I was aiming for the back of the line and Ichigo tugged on my head, directing me towards the door itself. I am not used to cutting lines or anything so it didn’t really cross my mind. I landed, sending some dirt away with the final gust of hot air from my jetpack. Caroline couldn’t take it anymore and wiggled. I lowered her and she nearly fell as she stumbled away from me. Contrary to that Ichigo had wrapped her legs around my neck and would not let go. She was stuck on there pretty good and I didn’t want to hurt her, so I left it alone.
“You ok?” she asked Caroline as she steadied herself.
“I am fine.”
“So now what?” I asked.
Both Caroline and Ichigo looked at me like an idiot, “We go in.”
“But there is a line.”
Ichigo laughed, “Mecha Fairy come on now, we are not basic bitches, of course we cut the line.”
“If you say so,” I looked over at the entrance and saw the two imposing bouncers… one of them was Dad.
I waved, “Daaaa-” I bit my tongue, what the fuck am I doing. Being so stupid. I managed to cover it up by stammering, “Sa-sa-Saar.”
He was already looking over and seemed surprised to see me. I did make a bit of an entrance after all, what with flying out of the sky and all. This was also the first time I visited where he worked. He took a moment and smiled, walking over, “Vesp-” he clammed up the moment he saw I was not alone and realized what he was doing. He almost fumbled it, but then recovered, “Mecha Fairy, what are you doing here?”
Caroline crossed her arms, “You two know each other?”
Both me and dad were sweating bullets, I said, “Yeah met him at the store a while back and he invited me to come here some time, though I never really took him up on it.”
Mom mulled it over, clearly thinking too far into it. Wait a minute, she couldn’t be thinking that… that me and dad are like together? I looked between them. Uh oh, that was a venomous stare filled with the jealousy of a scornful woman she was emanating and Dad was faltering because it was obvious as shit that I had not told her I am Vesper yet, but it was being misinterpreted. I am your daughter for fuck’s sake we are not cheating on you! Me, doing dad? Gross! Well, not like I can say that, but oh god, how do I fix this?
Just when Caroline was about to say something Ichigo started laughing to the point that she accidentally fell off of my back. I turned to try and catch her, but she had latched onto one of my wings and used it climb down. I wonder what was so funny? You scared me, you know? What am I going to do if you get hurt?
“Are you ok Ichigo?”
“Ichigo?” Said dad, then he did a double take and looked between me and her. “I didn’t even see you up there. How have you been?”
“Oh, just fine. Mecha Fairy is pretty funny,” she smiled, wiggling her fingers at him.
“So you two are getting along?”
“Why yes, I am sure that we will be the best of friends, after all we are working together and it is good to get along with your group members. Though I have not had the chance to meet Sunshine formally yet.”
“Neither have I, though I have heard about her,” said Saar.
“Yeah, she is missing out. She is more outgoing than I am. She would probably have enjoyed this. It just sucks that she had to do therapy tonight.”
Ichigo’s smile twitched a little, “Yes, it is a shame, I wanted to play with her as well. I am sure we will have lots of fun working together.”
“Ichigo you will have to show me pointers for singing. I am not confident.”
“Yes, yes, yes,” she said, dismissing my pleas.
“Senpai help me. Don't just abandon me here, I am being serious.”
Ichigo crossed her arms, looking away, “I said yes. What more do you want from me? Now listen though, I am not the best singer out there so there is a limit to what I can help you with.”
“Really?”
She rolled her eyes, “Yes. You act like I want somebody in my idol group to make me look bad. I got a vested interest in this you know. If you look bad it will make me look bad. And then I will lose all my sponsorships and money and I am not losing my money and disrupting my way of life over this crap.”
“Ichigo, I love you. Thank you!” I excitedly lifted her up and down like a child.
“Let go of me! I wanna get drunk and party,” she protested.
“Wait Ichigo I thought you were only eighteen?”
She put her finger to her mouth, shushing me, “Mum is the word, stupid.”
“Ichigo, but it is not good for you. You are underaged. It is bad for your body, you gotta take care of it, what are you going to do if you get fat? Da- Saar tell her not to drink, maybe she will listen to you. And Caroline what the hell?! How come you are letting her drink?”
She seemed appalled, “Fat!? I don’t drink beer, I drink the hard shit. If you are going to get drunk then get drunk. No use pussyfooting around. I might be sixteen physically, but I am like… ehh wait how old am I mentally? I guess it doesn’t really matter, let’s just say I am an old soul.”
“So you lied on your online profile?”
“Of course I did like anybody would take a sixteen-year-old seriously. Besides, when I made that account I was like twelve. I mean, I have Caroline as my guardian for the agency right now.”
“You are her guardian do something about this behavior!”
They both shook their heads like it was some impossible feat. “I tried, but she doesn't really listen.”
Ichigo looked a little angry that I was trying to stop her, “I can do whatever the hell I want.”
“It is still illegal.”
She frowned “Laws are arbitrary and change constantly. Nobody cares. Besides, it is in my contract that I can drink. Isn’t that right, Caroline.”
She replied, “It is true, I was there when she got that. So technically it is semi-legal. She has come here a few times already so nobody really bats an eye.”
“But it is still illegal.”
Ichigo sighed, “Everybody does it. Stop acting like I am killing somebody. I am sure that you snuck a little booze back in your teens.”
I thought it over… Oh, well now that I think about it there were a couple incidents like getting into the liquor cabinet and drinking some of Mom’s whiskey. I almost threw up just remembering that. I think that was the first time I had ever passed out with my face in the bowl a toilet before. That was my sixteenth birthday party, spin the bottle got a little weird. Oh, there was a good thing that came of that night too, though, my first kiss… I don’t remember with who though. I can’t remember names or faces anymore.
“Stop being a goodie goodie two shoes and let loose a little. Listen, nobody likes a goodie two shoes. What do you want to die miserable and alone in a hole somewhere, wondering what might have happened if you had tried this and or that? Life is about experiences cause once you die all the material things don’t matter anymore. Live a little, we only live once, right?”
I stayed silent for a bit thinking it over. Ichigo is strange. She is different than the Ichigo I remember from the forums and that bright-eyed girl who was so happy just to get a couple encouraging comments on her pictures. It is like she is a different person. Was it all just a facade? A lie? Or has she already been corrupted by fame? Where is my shining, golden, angel, fairy, elf creature that I spent so long worshiping? I guess I will have to reevaluate her and get to know the real Ichigo. I thought that I had, but I guess you can’t really tell how somebody really is only talking to them online. I suppose everything is just superficial, like with how nobody would know that Mecha Fairy was actually a wasp creature.
She is at that age, huh? Ichigo is just a teenaged girl who wants to have fun. Why have I been putting her up on such a pedestal? She is just normal, hell I remember doing this sort of stupid shit. I can’t really blame her for that and considering that she would likely sneak off to do this even without us, then wouldn’t it be better to watch over her and make sure that she learns her tolerances in a safe environment? What if she gets like super drunk and some scum hit on her! I won’t let that happen. This is how teen pregnancies happen… as the older member of the group, it is my responsibility to keep order and maintain Ichigo’s chastity? No, I guess that would be up to her. Though if I see things getting out of hand, then I will put a stop to it.
Reluctantly, I looked away, “Fine. Try to keep it in moderation will you?”
“Well then what are we waiting for? Let’s go have some bonding time.”
“Saar, I will see you later,” I said as he let us in.
“When I am finished here I will catch up with you girls. We can talk, then honey,” he said, directing his gaze to mom who nodded.
Well, here goes nothing.