Story One: A first impression
Onyx and Kai walked through Aina’s gate for the first time, and, whilst Kai had nearly fainted, Onyx curiously looked around. The well-kept grass, the tall trees, and the beautiful stone statues filled him with a sense of wonder. However, he remained uncertain and slightly fearful, after all, they had only met these two strange women a few hours ago not to mention the hell he had been put through just getting here.
Jumping from one platform to another, waiting for a strange contraption to lift him, then waiting again. At some point, he even felt a few people pet his fluff! He found it all unacceptable, as very few people had ever touched him. Although, now that they’ve entered the manor, his opinion may have changed a bit.
Immediately feeling the superior mana quality in the air, he inhaled deeply and let it flow through his body, replacing the old mana like a raging tsunami destroying a city. Stealing a glance at Aina, his eyes shone with a glint of respect. His gaze, however, was left unremarked as the two women had other things to attend to. That other thing being Kai. Onyx immediately ran up after noticing the commotion, however by the time he licked his companion’s hand, a protective barrier was already set up around him.
Onyx barked at Aina, letting out a low growl and placing himself between Kai and the women. His ears twitched slightly as a light chuckle echoed in the air before feeling the hand of his companions caressing his fluffy head. “It’s alright boy, they helped me.”
Turning his head to Aina and noticing the amused smile on her face, he suddenly leapt and stood on his hind legs, towering over the elderly elf. Her expression remained unchanged, up until the point where she felt Onyx’s warm and stinky breath crashing against her face, followed by his wet and slimy tongue.
Kai’s laughter reverberated in the air, accompanied by Elizabeth’s own light chuckle. Aina barely managed to get Onyx off of her her shoulders shaking from the immense weight placed upon them. “I think he said thank you,” Kai remarked with an amused smile on his face.
“Yeah… I could tell.” Aina wiped the saliva off her face the best she could and proceeded to hurriedly walk toward her mansion. Kai and Elizabeth followed suit, with Onyx marching slightly behind them.
He felt himself becoming slightly stronger with every breath he took due to the better mana quality. His core let out a sharp screech as if it was sentient, however, the source of the sound was nothing more than the vibrations caused by the rapid exchange of mana. Onyx looked around, slowing down and admiring the decorations. Though he didn’t know much about art, he could still appreciate some of it. Like the freshly cut lawn, decorated by a lot of tasty-looking flowers, Onyx licked his lips just thinking about it. However, he knew that he wasn’t allowed to consume them, although maybe a small taste wouldn’t hurt anyone.
Story Two: Indoor Misadventures
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Some time has passed since the two entered Aina’s Manor. While Kai was outside training or in the library reading, Onyx had little to do besides sleep, eat, and eat some more. Naturally, he had to find something to do, otherwise he’d die of boredom.
During the first few weeks, he stayed put, not causing any trouble or stirring up any commotions. He knew that Kai needed these two strange women’s help, and the food they served was marginally better than whatever his companion always managed to burn.
Onyx walked through the manor, his large frame easily fitting through the doors. He kept staring at the ground, watching the carpet bend and squish under his weight with childlike curiosity. Advancing through the dimly lit hallways, his ears twitched as the distant sound of cheerful laughter bounced off the walls. Hurrying to find the source, he peered his head through a half-open door, the light from which cast a huge shadow behind him. Inspecting the new room with his small, beady eyes, and sniffing the air, he instantly fixated on a large piece of meat placed upon a table. Six or so women surrounded it, cutting off small chunks of fat and throwing them to the side.
His mouth watered at the sight, and he unconsciously walked inside what he now discovered was a kitchen. The girls instantly went quiet as soon as his body snuck through the door. Staring up at the huge Obborik, fear quickly overtook them, halting any movement and even their breathing almost coming to a stop. Onyx didn’t care much for them though, as he licked his lips while advancing the cast away fat. He would have liked to eat the entire piece of meat, but he knew that was not allowed.
After quickly devouring whatever he could, he exited the room and continued exploring the mansion, leaving the girls with cold sweat dripping down their foreheads. They inhaled sharply at the same time, and glanced at each other, trying to understand what just unfolded before their eyes. However, they dared not ask any questions and swiftly went back to work, ignoring the pain they heartfelt at the loss of such precious pieces of meat.
Onyx licked his lips, content from his hunt, and advanced lazily through the maze-like corridors of the manor. He walked past dozens of doors, some as quiet as the depth of the ocean, whilst some were filled with the silent chatter of fluttering pages. Although he didn’t care much for them, as they were closed. Soon, he found himself in the south hallway, with the outside wall covered in windows. The light from the morning sun shone gently upon the red carpet, and he squinted slightly as he looked outside. Despite the manor sitting dead center in First Gate’s city, it had a lot of land, most of which was covered by a beautiful, dense forest. The blue sky outside made Onyx take a deep breath, and he sat down, looking at the workers taking care of the garden and cleaning the yard.
He sat like that for a little while, just enough for Elizabeth to pass him by, coming from the direction of the kitchen with a weird expression. A soft smile creased her lips upon seeing the Obborik. Walking next to him, her red lips parted as she stared outside as well. “No matter how much I look at it, I never get tired of this sky.”
Onyx turned to her, surprised that she would talk to him. She chuckled and leaned on the window frame, leaning her face against her palm. “Kai told me you’re very smart, so I might as well tell you something now.” Her tone turned slightly more serious, turning the Obborik more attention. “I know you’re bored, and I don’t blame you, but don’t get into too much trouble with the kitchen staff, they’re the ones preparing your meals after all.”
Rotating his head, Onyx took a few seconds to process what Elizabeth said, until he finally let out a bark, his tail waging rapidly at the same time. He reached over with his paw and grabbed Elly by the shoulder, bringing her closer and licking her cheek. The young elf, shocked by his sudden display of affection, remained frozen in place even long after he went on his way.