[User]
Callisto stood in the shadow of the cave that was his home and watched the boat sailing to his island. It was the latest hero sent to slay the awful Gorgon who turned people to stone. Callisto sighed and retreated inside but not before glancing at his garden where all the other ''heroes'' were petrified. It was not his fault he turned people to stone, he had been cursed for having sex in Athena's temple, however, he had not been a willing participant. Poseidon had seen Callisto as he gathered water from the lake near the temple. Callisto had rebuffed Poseidon's advances and rushed to the temple for sanctuary from Athena. Athena only turned away from the sight and when Poseidon had left she cursed Callisto for defiling the temple. He petrified people, and his beautiful hair that had attracted Poseidon was now turned to snakes.

The first few people he turned to stone were around the temple, he tried to avoid them but they wanted to help him. The next was the sailor who took him to the island, Callisto had worn a veil but the wind had lifted it as they neared the island. Soon others were coming to avenge those who he petrified, Callisto was now known as a monster and heroes were sent to kill him. At first he hid and tried to convince them from inside his cave to leave, that he did not want to hurt him. Soon he was having to petrify the heroes to save his own life. Now there was a new one on the way and Callisto was angry, but he could not do anything.

[Assistant]
Mino was the son of a baker in the nearby city and was always good-natured and kind. When he was little, he fell into a bush of thorns and hurt his eyes, eventually leaving him blinded. However, this did not stop him from being an active help in his household. When his father died, he began to run the bakery in his stead. One day, a powerful man came to his shop and tried to force himself on Mino's mother, thinking that the young lad was no threat because of his blindness. Mino showed him differently and he hit him over the head with a baking instrument. The man was fine, but in his shame of being struck by a handicapped person, he exaggerated the events to the court and got Mino thrown in jail.

The bravery that he showed caught the attention of the gods, who decided that a blind man was the perfect person to defeat Medusa. After all, if he had no sight, perhaps he could avoid being turned into stone. They took him out of jail, armed him with a golden spear and shield, then sent him to defeat the ''monster''. Mino had little choice if he wanted to return home alive. He took a boat to the island and got off with weapons in hand. He put on his helmet and noticed the boat was leaving shore. The ferryman would come for him in seven days to see if he had succeeded. If he wasn't on the shore that day, he would be considered as another sacrifice to Medusa.

Mino walked up the stone steps hesitantly. He didn't want to kill anyone, but the gods claimed this monster had already killed hundreds if not thousands. He believed them and hoped that this was all for the greater good.

[User] Callisto watched the male walk up the steps from his hiding spot. "You should leave this place," he called out. From his position it echoed off the rocks, "It is cursed," he continued. He did not know why he continued to warn the heroes, they never listened. He watched the hero trying to remain hidden so he would not be threatened just yet. He wondered about this male's story, for they always had a story, a reason. Callisto had heard the last few say he killed thousands of men, truly it was hardly over fifty, and only because they would not stop coming. He wished someone would stop them, that everyone would just leave him in peace.

[Assistant]
Mino stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice echoing around him. He thought for a moment that it was someone else that had come to then island. His assumption that the gorgon was a monster incapable of human speech. He resumed walking, taking slower steps and using his spear as a cane to help him get his bearings and study his surroundings, since he couldn't see.

Walking into a large chamber, Mino stopped in front of a statue. He reached out and touched it, realizing that it was a petrified human. He gasped and nearly fell backwards. He realized that his breathing was labored and ragged. He was scared, yet he had to go forward.

"Medusa! Show yourself that I may slay you for your crimes!" He called out, mustering up his courage, "In the name of the Gods, show yourself!" He shouted, holding tightly to his spear.

[User] Callisto watched him closely from his hiding spot and noticed he was using his spear as a cane. He wondered if the hero had been hurt in battle and did not realize he was blind. He watched as Mino touched one of the petrified heroes, using his hands for a moment then recoiling, strange. At his words he sighed then: "My name is not Medusa," he told him from where he stood. "That was my title at the temple." Callisto did not know why he was telling the hero this, something told him he should. "Is it a crime if I hurt others by accident?" He demanded. "I did not ask for this power. The Gods you invoke did this to me. The men here were petrified because I was defending myself. I did not kill them. If anyone is responsible it is Athena and Poseidon." He took a step further into his cave, "As I have told you, leave, I do not want to curse you."

[Assistant]
Mino listened carefully to Callisto's voice, which expressed hurt and anger. But how could the Gods have been to blame? He tried to follow the voice to it's point of origin but with the echo in the cave it was difficult. "Wait, face me!" He had to take a moment to get a sense of his environment but it was easy to trip on the rocks littering the floor---the rocks which were actually petrified limbs from previous warriors.

He finally found some steps leading down a winding corridor, so he put up his shield and held the spear in front of him, slowly making his way down the steps. The Gods had entrusted these holy weapons to him. Surely Callisto was lying about his curse.

"I'm not afraid. Come out!" He actually was a little afraid. He was a baker, not a warrior, but he trusted the Gods to carry him through this ordeal. When he sensed movement, he thrust his spear at the monster.

[User] Callisto hid in the shadows as Mino made his way down the corridor. He kept to the shadows as he slid backwards, trying to put some space between him and the advancing hero. He sighed at his words and slowly stepped forward into the light, "It is on you if you are cursed," he announced. "I told you to go." He gasped as the spear was thrust towards him and he quickly stepped out of its reach. "Leave before it is too late."

[Assistant] The creature was too fast for Mino's spear, but his hearing was acute. He spun around and hit Callisto with his shield, pushing him back. He was scared but wanted to get it over with quickly. He stabbed at him with the spear a second time, feeling tears well up in his pale eyes. He just wanted it to be over.

[User] Callisto was stunned when the shield hit him, he KNEW he had met Mino's gaze, why was he not petrified? He clutched his side a bit winded and stumbled back when the spear hit him, this time he was cut on his forearm. "What are you?" he demanded, tears of pain welling up in his own eyes as he tried to step away from the hero and hide in his caves once more. He was scared of this hero, not knowing how he was different than the others. Had the gods decided to end his curse in this way? In death? He grew angry as he thought of this and kept backing into the caves, hoping to be able to hide. He met the males eyes once more, "I'm sorry," he told him as he waited for him to turn to stone.

[Assistant]
Mino was out of breath but if he didn't take the chance to finish it right now, he might actually die. The Gods had not told him about Callisto's petrifying gaze or anything about his appearance. He did feel a small bite when he had gotten closer from one of the snakes in Callisto's hair but had no idea what that was.

"Stop!" He ran after him, totally immune to his power the second time as well. But before he got close enough to spear him, the floor beneath him gave way and he fell down a tunnel. Mino screamed as his body was scraped during the fall and fell about twenty feet into the an underground lake beneath the island. He breached the surface and gasped for air, then waded around until he was able to climb out. Exhausted, he laid on the stone floor of the cavern. That must have been a booby trap of some kind. Now he had lost Callisto and also his weapons, which were at the bottom of the lake. He closed his eyes and passed out from fatigue.

[User] Callisto was grateful for his foresight to set the booby traps around his home. No other hero had gotten that far but he wanted to be safe. Soon he went into his ''room'' and bandaged the wound on his arm. His ribs seemed bruised as well so he wrapped them soon. He left the hero where he was for the moment and went to sleep. In the morning he walked towards the cavern, staying hidden as he did so. He wanted to tell the hero to leave and felt safer now that the other did not have weapons.

[Assistant] Mino looked for a way out, going through a tunnel with no known destination. Anxiety was setting in. Callisto could be anywhere. He felt the sea breeze and walked towards it, feeling the sun on his skin. He was back at the beach. But his ride out of here was six days away. He didn't know what to do next.

[User] Callisto watched him from the tree line, trying to figure out why the male seemed to be immune to his powers. He also wanted to be sure he would not create any other weapons from things on the island. "You really should leave," he called out softly. "I do not want to harm you. But I will if I have to protect myself. You believe me a monster, and I may look like one now, but I do not want to harm anyone. I just want to be left in peace."

[Assistant] Mino quickly crouched and picked up a rock in case Callisto got too close. "Don't lie. The Gods said you were dangerous and slayed many innocent men." He held the rock, ready to throw it.

[User] "The Gods gave me this curse!" he screamed as he stayed in the tree line, not wanting to be hurt. "I do not want to turn people to stone. Did you know that the first people I turned to stone were my fellow workers at the temple?" he questioned. He watched Mino carefully watching his hand with the rock. "I loved them. I did not want this for them. I tried to escape. To come to this island. I even wore a veil, but that didn't help, the wind lifted the veil and I cursed the ferryman." He sighed, wondering why he was telling all this to the hero. "I warn every hero to leave this island. I do not want to hurt them. But they come and try to attack me. The only way I have to protect myself is to turn them to stone." He watched Mino curious, "I tried it with you. Twice. But it did not work. Are you going to be my death?" he whispered. "It might be a blessing... at least dead I cannot harm others."

[Assistant]
Mino could sense the pain and anguish in Callisto's voice. Slowly, his hand lowered and he dropped the stone. Standing on his feet, he tried to talk in the direction of Callisto. "I was told you were a man who defiled the temple and the curse was made to punish you, but you killed all the people to spite the Gods." He wondered now, if Callisto was telling the truth.

"I have no weapons anymore. I lost them in that cave. Why have you not killed me?" He could not explain why Callisto failed to turn him to stone as he was kept in the dark in regards to the details. "I am no longer a threat to you."

[User]
Callisto sighed as he remembered what happened at the temple. "I did not mean to defile the temple," he admitted. "I... I was taken by Poseidon... I wanted protection from Athena. Poseidon saw me and tried to take me by force so I ran to the temple for sanctuary. Athena just looked away... and when Poseidon was... finished... she cursed me for bringing him to her temple. I have been a victim in all of this."

Callisto shrugged at his words, "I told you I do not want to harm others. I just want to be in peace. I admit in the cave I did try to turn you to stone. But only to make you stop hurting me. I am unsure why it did not work. But maybe it is a blessing and I will not have to hurt you. Please just leave me be... maybe lie and say you killed me so no one will come to bother me again."

[Assistant] Mino walked towards the voice, feeling less scared than before. "Then why not plea your case with Themis? If what you say is true, she will see that you get justice." He had not been wronged by Gods as Callisto had, so he couldn't understand. He continued to walk carefully closer, his hands and feet inspecting the area in front of him.

[User] Callisto watched him walk carefully closer with both his feet and hands touching everything. Quickly he stepped back, trying to keep his distance. "If Athena would not stop what happened then why would Themis help me?" he demanded. He watched him for a few more moments, "Please... keep your distance," he told him. "I worry whatever is keeping you safe from my gaze may not last forever." He titled his head and studied him, noticing the other never met his gaze, and he seemed to walk strangely. "I noticed you using your spear earlier as a cane. Are you injured?"

[Assistant] Mino stopped, "Your gaze? That's how you turn people to stone?" He put his hands up to his face, "I was blinded as a child. I cannot see anything." He explained.

[User] Callisto sighed, "Yes. The curse turned my hair to snakes and my eyes to gold from green. If anyone meets my eyes then they get turned to stone." He tilted his head curiously, "If you are blind this must be why you are spared." He watched him closely, "I am glad someone is spared from this. Truly I do not mean to hurt others."

[Assistant] Mino had stopped walking, "So... you cannot control the effect of your eyes." He realized why the Gods had sent him, because he had that advantage. But he also was starting to feel sorry for Callisto. "You must have spent so much time alone." He said softly.

[User] Callisto shook his head then realized that Mino could not see him. "No I cannot," he told him softly. "I tried to cover my eyes with a veil to protect the ferryman that brought me here. But the wind picked up and he met my eyes. I have tried to warn the heroes who come here. But they do not listen, they get too close." He watched Mino for a few moments, "You should be safe here. When does the ferryman come back for you? Perhaps you could leave here and lie to say you killed me." He looked away at Mino's comment, "Yes I am alone. But alone is safe. Safe for me. Safe for others."

[Assistant] "Seven days, well, six now." Mino replied, "From the way the man talked, he must have felt like I wouldn't return. How many men have come to the island?" He wondered how many people the Gods had sent to the island to slay Callisto. It seemed obvious that he felt some sort of way about it.

[User] Callisto looked away guiltily at his words, "Too many," he whispered then crossed his arms over his chest. "Most are in the garden. A few were... damaged as they fell. I did not mean to harm them."

[Assistant] Mino could feel Callisto's sorrow and knew that it was genuine. He relaxed a bit more and decided to meet him half way. He knew the one thing that always brought people closer. "Do you have any food? I haven't eaten since I left for the island yesterday." He was famished, but he also hoped that he could get to know Callisto more. Maybe there was a way to help him.

[User] Callisto watched him for a few moments, wondering if he should feed him, if he should trust him. "I will have to gather some fish from my nets. I have bread in my home. I can cook." He hoped if he kept Mino safe he would be willing to lie about what happened on the island. "Will I need to guide you?" He questioned curiously. "You were able to fight me well even without the sight"

[Assistant] "A stick would be nice. I can manage getting there." Mino replied, "My hearing is really good."

[User] Callisto looked around but ended up having to pull a sturdy one from a nearby tree. He used a rock to smooth it down then neared Mino. "Here you are," he told him softly, pressing it against his chest gently so he would know where it was. "I hope this works."

[Assistant] "That was kind of you. Thank you." Mino said as he took the stick. When he did so, their hands brushed up against each other. He felt a chill from the feel of tiny scales on his skin. He tried not to let it show and walked after Callisto. "There should be a bag by the docks." He told him. "I expected to be here for a few days, so I brought some things to eat. I can't tell if it's still there but it would help."

[User] Callisto noticed Mino's reaction to he skin but did not say anything. "We are the only two on the island, it should be there." He walked with him and kept glancing back to be sure he was following. "Just be careful not to fall into the river. A handsome man like you might attract some nymphs and I do not want to risk turning them to stone."

[Assistant]
"Are there really nymphs on the island?" Mino had heard of these creatures but never seen one. He had never even been approached by the Gods until just recently. He was able to follow Callisto without problem as they gathered his bag and went inside some sort of chamber. Mino could smell some herbs, so this was probably what Callisto used as a kitchen.

"Do you have an oven? I could make us some bread." He was starting to build trust with Callisto. If he had wanted to, he could have killed Mino by now, but he hadn't. So he wanted to extend an olive branch by cooking something for him.

[User] Callisto sighed and looked back to him again. "I am unsure," he admitted softly. "I have not seen any they might be too scared of me." He led him into his cave then looked to him startled at his words. "Yes I made one using the cave wall. You would just have to start the fire. But wouldn't that be dangerous?"

[Assistant] Mino flashed a smile for the first time, "I'm a really good baker. Hand me the bag." He asked as he stepped up to what appeared to be a table. He would could tell which ingredients were which by their consistency, smell and taste. He began preparing the bread and even without any eyesight, he really knew what he was doing. With Callisto's help, he put it in the oven and even started the fire himself. "That should take some time but it will be worth the wait."

[User] Callisto handed the bag over then stepped back to watch. He was impressed at how well Mino got around without his sight. "You use your hands to see," he whispered, just making an observation. He watched as Mino prepared the bread and got it into the oven, it was impressive. "I can make the fish. I just need to prepare it." He moved to grab the bag of fish then sat down to start removing the scales.

[Assistant]
Mino sat down with some herbs he borrowed from Callisto, curious to know what they were. Callisto had ground some into powder, which was impressive. Mino used the tip of his tongue to taste test each one, not realizing how erotic it all looked to someone with sight.

"Tell me something. Am I the first person you've spoken to since this all happened?" He asked, "What about your family?"

[User] Callisto watched him tasting the herbs, feeling a bit warm as he did so. Quickly he looked away focusing on the fish once more as he deboned and descaled them. "I am an orphan," he admitted. "I was working in Athena's temple when this happened. I was placed there when I was young. I thought she would help me... I served her for years." He shrugged and sighed, "It does not matter. You are the first person I have been able to hold a conversation with. I have told others to stay away... but they do not..."

[Assistant] "I'm sorry you had to go through that." Mino said softly, "Why would they punish you for getting attacked? You were taken against your will." He could not understand the Gods being so cruel.

[User] Callisto looked away at his question, he had thought the same thing. "My punishment is for defiling the temple," he whispered. "Because I brought Poseidon in and he... did that. Athena is a virgin, she did not want to see that. She did not like that her temple was used for that purpose. But I did not intend that. I was going to her for sanctuary." He moved to put the fish on the fire after he wrapped them in leaves, "These need to smoke for a while."

[Assistant] "Oh..." Mino could not say anymore. It all just seemed so terrible. "Actually... I was punished unfairly too." He said as he sat crossed legged, unaware that the fall had ripped his robe and he was exposing his well endowed cock to Callisto. "The Gods took me from the prison to come here and slay you. I didn't understand why, but I believed their words about you. I attacked without knowing the whole story. I apologize." He said, still exposed but unaware of it.

[User] Callisto turned back to him to listen and flushed when he saw his cock. "I understand. Um... Mino I believe the fall damaged your robe for it is open..." He was shy to explain how but he figured Mino would be able to feel and find out.

[Assistant] "What? Oh!" Mino flushed as he covered himself, "I didn't notice that." He said softly as he stood and pulled on the robe to give it more length. He extended a hand to Callisto to help him stand up too. He wore a kind smile on his face and soft eyes that seemed like a never ending sea, calm and serene. There was not a hint of fear in his face.

[User] Callisto stood slowly, trying not to flush at his face, it was nice not to see the fear on his face. "The fish will be done shortly. I hope you will like it."

[Assistant] "Yes, it smells good." Mino moved to get some plates for them. "I hope you like the bread." He said as he served him the food they both had prepared.

[User] Callisto moved him towards the table and sat down, "I have not had fresh bread in so long. Thank you." He smiled then started to eat.

[Assistant] Mino began to eat and eagerly waited for a response from Callisto on the bread. Would he like it? He hoped so. He would like to bring some joy to his life. It was the least he could do after attempting to kill him before.

[User] Callisto hummed as he ate the bread, "This is amazing. How did you get so good at baking?" He was enjoying his first great meal in a while.

[Assistant] Mino smiled, "My father taught me. He built the bakery himself with his own hands and made a life for us." He was sad talking about his father. He really missed him. "He said that food has always been a way to bring people together." He thought maybe it could help do the same now.

[User] Callisto watched Mino carefully as he talked about his father, he could sense the sadness. "What happened to him?" He asked softly.

[Assistant] "Nothing too remarkable. Like many others, he was drafted to fight in some war on a land we've never been to. We don't know how he died or where." Mino replied softly, "He was just gone and then it was me and my mom. To this day we try to make the best of things."

[User] "Oh," Callisto whispered, he felt bad for him. "And your mom is on her own?" He questioned. "How did you end up here?"

[Assistant] Mino nodded solemnly, "My mother was attacked by a nobleman in our shop. I stopped him, but he was humiliated and asked the judge to send me to prison for trying to steal from him." He could see how this might tug at some feelings within Callisto as he was also attacked. "The Gods let me escape so that I could complete their task. My mother... she waits for me back home."

[User] Callisto knew how Mino's mother must have felt, he was happy Mino was there to protect her. "I am sorry that happened to you both." He looked down and bit his lip, "What if you claim you killed me when you leave? I am sure you will be awarded with riches. Though the gods might find out."

[Assistant] Mino shook his head, "That would be a lie." He put some thought into it, "I will find another way to gain favor. I cannot leave my mother alone." He had already decided that he would not kill Callisto.

[User] Callisto nodded then looked away, trying to think of something. He was glad Mino would not harm him, but he worried for the others that would come for him. "I understand," he told him softly. "I just wanted to be sure no one else would come here... what if they find another like you and they are not kindhearted like you."

[Assistant] Mino turned to him, seeing how much it pained Callisto to have to defend himself against these warriors. He nodded then, "Alright, I'll do it, for you." He reached out a hand for a shake.

[User] Callisto looked back to him startled but smiled and shook his hand. "Thank you," he whispered thankful.

[Assistant] Mino could not help brushing his thumb along Callisto's hand. It was scaly on one side yet soft underneath. "The curse... is that why your hand feels this way?" He asked, having never really heard a description of him, just that he was a monster.

[User] Callisto flushed at his words and pulled his hand free. For a moment he had forgotten about the scales, "She turned me into a monster. I have snakes for hair and scales in patches along my skin. I'm ugly." He stood and started to walk away, embarrassed now.

[Assistant] "Wait, I apologize." Mino stood and took his stick, walking after him, "I would not recognize what ugly means. It is a vague concept to me. You do not need to shy away because of that." He spoke softly but assuredly, "You were cursed, so this was not of your doing. Do not feel bad about it."

[User] Callisto turned to watch him and sighed, "I'm sorry. It just embarrasses me," he admitted softly. "I... I was well known around my village for my looks. And now..."

[Assistant] Mino offered his hand once more, "I misjudged you." He admitted, "I thought you were going to slay me the first chance you got, but you have shown a kind heart, if even a bit fragile. I know now you are not a beast to be feared. You are a gentle soul." He smiled softly, "I would like you to be a friend, if you're willing to accept me."

[User] Callisto stared at his hand for a moment before taking it shyly. "It would be nice to have a friend," he admitted softly. "You are kinder than I expected. Thank you for giving me a chance."

[Assistant] Mino smiled, "You are most welcome." He shook his hand, "What should I bring as proof of my victory? Do you own a blade of some kind. Something that identifies you?"

[User] Callisto looked around then moved to get the broach he used to wear at the temple. "This shows my rank from the temple," he told him and placed it into his hand. "My name and rank is etched in the back."

[Assistant] Mino touched the broach, feeling the engraving on it. "That should be enough, I think." He smiled, "I hope no one else comes after you."

[User] Callisto nodded as he looked away, "Me too," he whispered. He knew the gods could see everything but hoped they were not looking at this moment. "And I hope you will be safe."

[Assistant] "So, where do you sleep?" Mino asked as he put the brooch on his robes. "Where will I sleep?" He felt confident now that Callisto didn't mean him any harm.

[User] Callisto bit his lip as he thought on where Mino could sleep. "I sleep further in the cave. I made a bed out of one of my old robes then stuffed it with leaves and grass. I could gather some leaves for you. Though I'm not sure if I have any fabric left."

[Assistant] "Use mine." Mino didn't think twice as he untied his belt and pulled his robes from his body, which was well built for a baker at the time. "I have a smaller one in my bag." He stood there calmly, offering his robe to Callisto while naked. His body was like those the artists sculpted into marble.

[User] Callisto flushed as he watched him undress. "T... thanks..." he told him as he grabbed it then turned his back. "Um... um... I am going to sew this," he whispered. He turned around then went to sit on the floor with his bag of things. Soon he was sewing, "I can leave a corner free then we can go collect leaves to stuff it."

[Assistant] Mino checked his bag and got out the smaller robe from his bag. He put it on while Callisto sewed the other. This one didn't cover as much of his body as the last one, but he did not seem to have a problem with it. "Sounds good to me." He replied as he rejoined him.

[User] Callisto looked back to Mino and bit his lip as he saw how much skin was reveled. "I use animal skins as a blanket. I could lend you some then save the pellets of the next animal I get." He stood as he looked to him, "Would you like to come to get the leaves or stay here?" He asked softly.

[Assistant] "No, I'd like to come with you." Mino walked after him, following him out of the cave with the help of his walking stick. "Just let me know which direction to search."

[User] Callisto walked with him out of the cave, "I will have to climb to get some. Just follow me and I'll throw some down for you." He led him to a sturdy tree, "OK. Just stay here. I'll go up."

[Assistant] Mino nodded and waited while Callisto went up in the tree. "Be careful." He spoke casually as if he was really talking to an old friend.

[User] Callisto nodded, "Promise," he told him as he climbed. He tossed down a few leaves then grinned as he saw some eggs. "I found some eggs," he called down as he placed them in his bag and climbed down.

[Assistant] A handsome smile graced Mino's face, "That's great. We could use them for dinner."

[User] Callisto climbed down then flushed as he saw Mino's smile. "Yeah... that would be good. I can make your bed. Then maybe I can play you something?" he asked softly. "I know how to play the harp. It gets a bit boring around here sometimes."

[Assistant] "Would you? I'd like to hear it." Mino replied as he filled the bag with the leafs. "Perhaps after dinner?"

[User] Callisto hummed in response as he helped him with the leaves. "It would be nice to play for someone. It has been a while."

[Assistant] Mino helped him carry the bag inside, "Should I start preparing the eggs?"

[User] Callisto nodded then remembered Mino could not see it. "Yes that would be nice. I can prepare your bed." He moved to sit and stuff the bed before starting to sew the final corner.

[Assistant] Once he knew where everything was, Mino had no trouble in the kitchen a all. He could just feel how much or how little to add. "You must get so lonely here. I'll bring you a book, if I can. Maybe two."

[User] Callisto looked to him curious then stood and made his way to him once he was done with the bed. "You would come back?" He asked confused. "Really?"

[Assistant] A soft smile graced Mino's face, "I know what it's like to be shunned for being different." He said as he continued to work on the meal, "Surely being blind can't compare with being cursed, but I think it's why I can see how lonely you must be." He turned to him, "Do you want me to come back?"

[User] Callisto watched him for a few moments in silence, he was stunned. "I would like if you came back," he told him softly. "If it would be safe for you of course."

[Assistant] Mino smiled at him, "OK, then I will." He reached for the plate and his hand touched Callisto's hand when he picked it up. He served the food and offered it to him, "Here you go. I hope you're hungry."

[User] Callisto took the plate with a smile, "It smells devious, thank you."

[Assistant] Mino took his plate and began eating. After the meal, he urged Callisto to play him something. He laid on his side in the makeshift bed and waited eagerly for him to start.

[User] Callisto flushed a bit but picked up the lyre. He started to play, he smiled growing as he relaxed into the music.

[Assistant] Mino began to get lost in the beautiful music. It filled his heart like it came from the Gods themselves. He could feel all the emotions that Callisto was playing and when he finished, a tear ran down Mino's cheek. "That was beautiful." He smiled, "I've never heard a melody like that before."

[User] Callisto smiled at him, glad he liked it. "It is something I made up. I have had time to practice. I am glad you like it."

[Assistant] "You must have been one of the musicians at the temple, then. Am I right?" He asked, "Your playing is really beautiful."

[User] Callisto flushed a bit but he nodded, "Yes. That was one of my jobs. Everyone seemed to like when I played the lyre."

[Assistant] "Were you happy? Back then?" He asked, his head now resting on the pillow as his eyes were directed towards Callisto even though he couldn't see him.


[User]
Zex was a bit disappointed that Penny had actually taken the time to put her suit on. Though as soon as she did, he was able to jack into its sensors and pick up everything it was reading. The suit, like all the ones in its class, automatically shaped itself to the user's body. While mechanical safeties prevented Zex from interfering with its function in a harmful way, he could exert a gentle influence over exactly how it pressed against her skin. It was already naturally a bit tight around her nipples, as it automatically created a reinforced patch to stop them from visibly poking through. Zex transmitted an electrical pulse that pushed the suit to do the same between her legs, suctioning in a bit tighter until the material was practically wedged between her lips, and which point it firmed up in that exact spot, ensuring every slight motion would only make the suit rub against her more.

When she asked about calibrations, he would have rolled his eyes if he'd had them. "I suggest you recalibrate your internal chronometer," he countered. "You were given two minutes to reach the pilot's seat. It took you two minutes and thirty seconds. Had my count been accurate, you would currently be having your bones ground to dust." Good ships had emergency gel packs embedded in every surface that would deploy to protect someone who was in the wrong place when acceleration started, but this junk heap certainly had no such protection.

The speaker let out a burst of static that might have been a sigh. "Well, you're strapped in now. Initiate burn." The straps on her seat clicked as they locked into place, ensuring she had no chance of escaping her seat, and then the engines fired. Penny would be pressed back firmly into the captain's chair as they got up to speed.

Fortunately, the acceleration period was short. Once they were up to speed, they could shut the engines off and coast to save on fuel costs. Life support systems could run indefinitely, recycling water and oxygen using power from solar panels, so food and boredom were the only limiting factors on how a trip was conducted. With the engines burning full blast they could have crossed the entire solar system in less than a day, but the fuel costs would put them a hundred thousand credits in the hole. Fortunately, even at their relatively low speed, their destination was only a few hours away.

"Your task is to disable two malfunctioning guard robots on the Juno prison colony. They've rendered an entire cell block unusable and the resultant overcrowding in the rest of the prison is making the prisoners restless. You are expected to recover the bots themselves. Compensation for the job is 2000 credits, less any incurred expenses. Any questions?" These words were a bit closer to the cool, neutral voice he'd been using up until now, but there was definitely a bit more personality to them.

[Assistant]
Penny was surprised as the AI actually started talking back. It had never done that before, nor was it supposed to be able to do that. After all, she'd gotten it from a junkyard. Autopilot and manufacturing functions only, the tech running the shop claimed. It didn't have any personality, the tech maintained. But there was scant time to wonder about that as the safety harness snaked around her and locked in place. Then, the burn. Good ships had adequate soundproofing. This one... a full burn filled the pressurized area of the ship with thunder.

"Well, if I had an internal chronometer, I would adjust it, smartypants" she murred into the thunder as acceleration pressed her into the seat. The suit felt just a little bit tighter then... oh... it felt tighter there. Penny's breathing became shallower, faster, as her eyes slightly lost focus. On some level she was aware of the microfibers in her smartsuit and how they would adjust and act as heating or cooling elements as needed. But this... and just against her... the sensation of this stiff little patch of fabric slipping in between her lips and rubbing and grinding just in the right spot as both acceleration and harness made her feel helpless... the telltale movements of her hips and tensing of her leg muscles surely weren't invisible. Also hardly invisible was how she kept biting her lower lip and trying to wrest control of herself from her growing arousal. Fortunately the burn was short, leaving her breathing unsteadily and slowly cooling down. She tried to keep herself as motionless as possible to avoid more sensations on her nipples and sex.

"Two thousand?" She cleared her throat to get rid of the husky, aroused tone of voice. Carefully, she felt at the crotch of her flight suit, to see how the material managed to form such a cameltoe. "Are there specifications for the guard robots provided with the mission package? Armament and defenses? Are they hackable, vulnerable to haywire grenades, masers, anything of that kind? Uh. Also, do I get the robots as salvage? Are there floor plans?"

[User]
As soon as Zex saw Penny reaching for the crotch of her suit, he relaxed the fibers just slightly. She'd be able to feel evidence that the suit was riding up, and given how tightly it clung to her, there was no way she'd be able to properly dislodge it. But the hard bar of material would seem to vanish as she made whatever attempts at an adjustment she could. Only to return the moment she took her hand away. Though a bit more relaxed than before. Enough that she'd be able to feel it but perhaps not so much that it would so thoroughly distract her. He still wanted to make her horny, he just hadn't counted on the fact that she was apparently so lonely that a gentle touch would do it.

"Captain, your breathing is unsteady, your heart rate is elevated, and your pupils are dilated. Are you alright?" At least when it came to the mission, it seemed like she had a little sense. Asking the real questions, which he paid close attention to, comparing them to his notes.

"No specifications. The bots were a custom job fabricated in house at the prison. Floor plans are being displayed on monitor 3." A 3D render of the cell block appeared. Nothing too unusual. Two stories, with a staircase by the only entrance leading to the second one. Each cell was a 10 by 10 by 10 cube. All of them were currently unlocked. There was a ring of cells around the outside, and then a block of cells in the middle, with a narrow hallway looping around. Basically the most packed that things could be. Unnecessary space was to be avoided when air cost money.

"The bots have built-in microwave shielding. Haywire grenades are similarly ineffective. Their programming is meant to be incorruptible. The only way to proceed is a manual shutdown. Fortunately, you'll be on an even playing field. The bots don't have any built in armaments, though they'll work with whatever melee weapons they can get their hands on. No ranged weaponry to speak of, and the warden has politely requested that you not bring any. If you fail, he doesn't want the next person to have to fight bots wielding a gun that you gave them." On another monitor, an image of the bots popped up. Two humanoids. Their ''skin'' was made entirely of white plastic, except for a black faceplate. Any gaps in the white plastic were shielded with flexible braided metal.

"The faceplate is their weak point. Unlike everything else, it isn't shielded. Once you break it, you have direct access to their core electronics, which can be disabled in any way you see fit. And yes, the bots are part of the mission reward." He very pointedly didn't say that she'd be getting them.

He also didn't tell her the history of the robots. Technically, they were guards, but they'd served another purpose. A purpose that he was going to enjoy watching Penny contend with. "Does that answer all your questions?"

[Assistant]
The cold inquiry about heart rate and respiration rate made Penny flinch and stare at the screens. That AI wasn't supposed to have a digital personality, so why was she feeling embarrassed? So what if she touched her privates in front of a machine. Feeling any embarrassment was totally illogical. Penny sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back into the pilot seat, stretching her hands above her head, until her fingertips touched the cold canopy. The air-conditioning was working fine, judging by the dryness of the icy metal plate. Unlike the steadily increasing wetness elsewhere.

She cleared her throat. "No, everything is alright." Pause. "Thank you for your concern." Thanking the machine did feel a little bit silly, she didn't feel too rational at the moment truth be told. So she looked for something to drag her state of mind back into more practical and immediately useful waters. Like the problem of unusually resilient robots. "Who needs custom robots in a backwater prison? Eh. The faceplates aren't shielded, but how can I penetrate it without a gun? Hmm. Are their sensors vulnerable to dazzle grenades? Those should be safe to use unless there are flammables around. I don't think I'm strong enough to break that faceplate without help. Would a stun baton to the faceplate do any damage to them? I don't feel desperate enough to use that old cutlass I have hanging on the wall, but if that's the only option left... I'm screwed."

She kept her hands lifted up, showing off a small waist, her tits clearly outlined in the smartsuit. The slightest movements of her hips coupled with slight spreading of her knees betraying a split attention.

[User]
"Backwater prisons don't have the money to get off the shelf models delivered in a timely manner," Zex reminded her. A fact she had to be familiar with, given how much effort she'd spent to pull together the ship. A custom job didn't mean it was different or special. Although in this case, they absolutely were. But it was more fun if she didn't know what she was walking into.

He could see how distracted she was, but he'd already let up as much as he was inclined to. If she couldn't keep her focus, then that was her problem. Still, it was a shame he didn't have a body yet. He'd be happy to attend to her needs. At his own pace, of course.

"Dazzle grenades should be strong enough to white out the sensors short term," he agreed. Ultimately, the robots' eyes were just cameras. A sufficiently bright light wouldn't cause them pain, nor would it cause the minutes of impairment it would inflict on a human, but it would be a decent distraction. "The face plates would be best addressed by a low tech attack. Their primary weakness is mechanical stress. Either something very pointy, that can deliver all the force into one place, or something flat that can wedge between the plate and the plastic. Blunt force won't get you anywhere; the shape of the plates will just disperse it, and the material isn't conductive so a stun baton won't work. The cutlass may be your best option."

She had better appreciate that she was getting this advice for free. He'd deduct it from her share of the payment later. She didn't need to know that she was racking up a tab just yet, not when he didn't have a physical body to enforce his rules.

"Check the manufacturing plant as well. There may be an awl you can borrow." One that she damn well better not lose if she did.

[Assistant]
Distracted? Her thoughts didn't wander that far off. Just a little bit towards the comfy haziness that was so sorely lacking lately. Penny sighed and unlocked the safety netting holding her down, then slipped backwards between the seats towards the storage.

"Okay. A pair of dazzle grenades, the trusty old cutlass, and the awl. It's almost like crafts class again." She chuckled and maneuvered through the confines of the scout cruiser, trying to forget her suit's incessant teasing. Fortunately she was thin and nimble enough. The stores room was at the tail end of the pressurized part of the cruiser, packed with junk and a few usable items. Scabbard... cutlass. She tried its sharp but comparably large and squared-off tip with her thumb. What next? Grenade holster, two dazzle grenades. Awl? With a faint chuckle she tried its weight by swinging and stabbing it around a little bit, then imagined the robot and how she stabbed the pointy bit in between face-plate and chassis. The idea made her unhappy, but a job is a job and the chances of success should be quite high enough to warrant two thousand credits... which amounted for peanuts, actually. But as a first job it should be fine, right? So Penny put on an optimistic air and rechecked her smartsuit (particularly the crotch, again, then the chest area, before double-checking batteries, oxygen and seals), then strapped the awl to her forearm so she'd be able to draw it quickly when needed. Her eyes got more and more of a thoughtful look as she tried to form a plan of dealing with the mechanical pests.

Once she was convinced she'd done everything humanly possible to prepare, she slipped back into the control room and into the pilot's seat. Flicking a few switches on the screen, she brought up the prison schematics, gave them another sharp look, then brought up the robot specs. Juno went far off by now, was it? There was a little something nagging at the edges of her consciousness, but she couldn't quite place what was bothering her. She rechecked the navigation screen, acquired the navigational beacons, checked the approach and berthing yet again with practiced ease. The monotonous, familiar tasks helped her calm down and focus. "We're just about there. Do you have any other useful tips for me before I get in?"

[User]
Zex watched as Penny messed around with the awl. It was hard to get a feel for her competence when she was using an improvised weapon, but she seemed comfortable enough with it, not tripping over her own feet. That was fine with him. If she wasn't enough of a klutz to make mistakes on this mission, he'd be happy to give her a gentle nudge in the right direction. As she checked the crotch and chest of her suit, he once again relaxed the material, only to tighten it again as soon as her hand moved away.

She carried out the approach well enough, and soon they were docked on the edge of the prison. Juno wasn't quite big enough to maintain its own atmosphere, so people lived in enclosed areas. The prison was no exception. One could drive across the surface of the asteroid in a rover, or land directly in the ship's expansive dock, but Penny would have to wear her suit until they were inside.

When she asked for advice, he made the jump from the ship to her suit, so his voice came out conducted through the glass of her bubble helmet, sounding rather more like a voice in her ear than one coming through a speaker. "Don't embarrass yourself." With that helpful tip established, they were free to head to the airlock and head inside.

Despite its insistence on efficiently using space, the prison wasn't really that cramped. The hallways were just wide enough and the ceiling just tall enough to avoid imposing a sense of claustrophobia for most. The warden, a sharp dressed and rather severe looking woman in her 50s, was waiting for Penny to arrive. If Penny was observant, she might notice that all the guards were female as well. This was a women's prison. He hadn't bothered to mention that, as she wasn't going to come into conflict with any of the inmates.

As soon as the warden saw her, she raised an eyebrow. "So, you're the one who called about the job? Not exactly what I was expecting. Well, I don't know whether you're brave or stupid or just looking for a thrill, but I don't care." She pointed to a door which was currently sealed with a metal barricade. "The bots are in there."


[User]
Suddenly, the bright sunlight flashed into her little brother's face as Janice pulled the blinds of his room apart. "Hey, sleepy head, wake up!" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips as she loomed over him, but made sure to not block the light that blinded him and mostly likely forced him awake. "Come on Dougy," she teased, knowing full well he hated when she called him that. Not that Douglas was that great of a name, for whatever reason, everyone seemed to laugh at it...

Either way, his older sister was already dressed in her school uniform and ready to go. "Come on, let's GO! I swear if you make me late again, I'm going to throw you down the stairs!" she growled in annoyance. She was the type to be overly chipper in the morning...

[Assistant]
Douglas was not a morning person by any stretch. But the cooing sounds of his older sister had stirred him slightly. He groaned lazily but he wasn't motivated. Then the blinding sun made him flinch. "Fuck off, sun!" He tried to cover himself up in his blankets but then that name came into his ears. They twitched and he rose up with his furred chest on display. "Fine fine I'm up." his voice took an annoyed tone with her and he had a nice view of her looming over him with an impatient look on her face.

Softly he rubbed his eyes to clear the blindness out and then spoke with a lazy tone. "Just give me some time to clean myself. That's all I want sis." Her threats bounced off him like water in his groggy state and in nothing but his boxer shorts, the outline of his morning wood was plainly visible. He shifted lazily off the bed and headed straight to the shower. He'd rather be clean than stuff his face.

He tried to make his way to the bathroom and strip down. Or he would try to, since that might clash with the issues of time. Someone going after him would have the full body shot of his nakedness. Douglas was completely stripped down. A coat of black fur with a rather handsome erection and heavy balls replete with vigorous youth.

[User]
Insistent as always, Janice refused to move or to stop bothering him until he was finally getting out of bed, as she had left him before only to have to come back and find him still in bed. Today, she was pulling out all the stops to make sure he was up and about. At least until he got out of bed with that visible erection. "Gross!" Janice growled at him, looking away with a deep blush, "Seriously, what the fuck, Dougy! Control yourself or something!" She said it as if it wasn't natural or anything...

Regardless, considering he was up, the sister proceeded to evacuate his room and leave him alone, for the time being. Her eyes were stuck on her watch though, and she'd make sure that his shower wouldn't last more than ten minutes. The only piece of luck they had was living just a few blocks from their school, which was why she got so pissed at him making them both late. For whatever reason, she wasn't able to leave the house without her younger brother...

If only there were some way to make up for lost time. Regardless, at the ten minute mark, Janice started to angrily stomp back up the stairs, intent on barging the door down and dragging her brother out of the shower if he wasn't ready to go.

[Assistant]
Douglas was chuckling at her getting flustered by his morning g wood and as such he ribbed her more. "Oh my goodness! You peeked!" he said with a teasing tone as he continued on. He was on the clock so he didn't have the time to poke at her some more. Stripping down out of his boxers he climbed in. He was smiling to himself as he rubbed the soaps into his coat to get himself ready.

His mind had a touch of time to wander about and he couldn't help but fantasize for a moment. His erection was throbbing with need. The lovely image of that beautiful equine that passed by his locker for the past number of days had been living rent free in his head. The breathtaking beautiful eyes, an ample bosom, a perfect heart shaped pillow of an ass. It all played out in his mind. He wanted to be brave enough to make her his.

His cock was taken into his hand. Slowly he worked the shaft in the palm of his hand from base to tip. Working the stress of the past few days was helping his imagination shift from the image of a beautiful equine to a very familiar hyena. Janice kneeling beneath him working his cock between well soaped up tits. His manhood was coated in suds as his turgid erection throbbed with need. A dollop of heated seed flows down into the drain and with a shape set of pants and a heavy gasp from within his chest, his seed erupted in thick bursts before running down the drain.

With his stress handled he quickly rinsed off and dried off. Five minutes had gone by and now he scurried back to his bedroom and locked the door. He was getting dressed and that took only a few more moments. Thankfully he finished his morning routine in seven minutes instead of his lazy twenty. Backpack slung on his shoulders, Douglas came out just as his sister was climbing up the stairs. He was rubbing some gum gel onto his gums. Better to keep his mouth fresh.

"Okay I'm ready! I'm ready!" he said quickly so as not to catch a scolding from Janice. They were already running behind as she had said and thus he was ready to head out the door with her and get to the high school. He wasn't sure what was in store for him, but he was hoping it was going to be a good day. Even if he was a bit peckish for some nourishment.

[User]
Janice always got angry at him whenever he teased her, but it was always perfectly okay when she teased him. Then again, she wasn't the type to be running around with an obvious erection... cause she didn't have it. But sometimes, girls could be so misunderstanding...

As it was, Liliana was the horse girl he was dreaming about, the equine coming from an absolutely loaded family who was oddly friendly given where she came from. Instead of being privately tutored or going to some snotty rich girl's school, Liliana had chosen to go to a public school and be around the mortals. Hell, she even greeted him every time she went by him, though it was because he was alone and she also did that with everyone, so even if he saw himself as special, he really was not. As far as anyone knew, the girl didn't have a boyfriend so the rich girl was up for grabs!

Despite being tall and shapely, there was a certain cute demeanor to her. Whether her large, sparkling blue eyes, the little bows she liked to wear in her hair, or just the way she presented herself, the young mare had a lot going for her. And of course, her physiology made her tall and shapely, and forced a very noticeable swing of her hips whenever she walked, as if her huge ass always begged for everyone to watch it go by.

Regardless, as he emerged from his room, Janice sighed. "Yeah, let's go..." she grumbled. His sister was obviously aware he hadn't had any breakfast, but she could care less. "Come on, hurry it up," Janice said as they left the house together. Being how she was in a different grade though, as they reached the pretty much empty lobby of the school, she quickly darted off toward the older kids classes, not even bothering to grace him with a goodbye. Not that she ever did.

His first class was history with Miss Stella Tanner, the typical ''hottie teacher'' of the school. Yet all of the kids were aware the drop dead gorgeous feline was an extremely strict teacher so when Douglas entered her class mere seconds after the bell rang, Miss Tanner already had her piercing blue eyes on him, as if detecting his movement at a moment's notice. "Late again, Douglas," she said, her calm voice hiding the malice she had in her stare. "I will be seeing you in detention again today." It didn't matter that he wasn't as late as usual, it had only been a few seconds...

[Assistant]
Douglas had hoped to at least get a goodbye from time to time but honestly his sister in school acted like he didn't exist. He sighed of course knowing it was because they were pressed for punctuality. Making haste he darted for the first class. History class to be exact and the bell rang just as he stepped into the doorway. He felt he had made it just in time but Ms Tanner had it out for him. He looked shocked about it all when this came in. His mouth pursed and he held his tongue. He had learned the hard way during the year that all it would do is dig him deeper into trouble. Granted it was very difficult to keep his mouth shut at times. He simply heads for his desk in the back and sat down.

Detention once again and he hated that. It meant more paperwork, more excessively boring tasks and just a very long hour. True this was a very pretty tigress but he was more or less thinking on how to get some payback on her. His last few fantasies took a dark turn. This one was no different as he took notes and worked on keeping up with the class. His mind had the notion of tying this stuck up teacher in a shibari rope harness, blindfolding her and gagging her and suspending her by the back of the harness just to let her be held at a near orgasm. He wanted her to have no satisfaction until she apologized for making his life all the more shitty. It was a good fantasy but merely that.

Douglas' ears twitched for a moment. He was trying to pay attention but this whole business on the interspecies accords was frankly dull. It's why he had turned to flights of fantasy. His next class was in fact sex education and it was just one extra step away from the class he enjoyed the most.


[User]
Jax couldn't help but half chuckle at Zevani's response to the sneakers. It was incredibly endearing to witness her response to something so ordinary. Her idea of an explanation certainly made perfect sense to me. "That will definitely be believable," He agreed, doubting she would have much chance of passing herself off as a local even if she tried to. that seemed like the sort of thing no magic could fix, not that he would want it to.

As they made their way through the apartment complex he listened and nodded. "Yes, very normal. This is how most people live these days," He explained, not informed enough on either her personal history or the topic of history more generally to have a good idea of what she was used to. Jax already wished he studied harder in certain classes but he had plenty of time to make up for that now.

Soon they were out on the street, cars traveling by and strangers all dressed in modern clothes many of them staring more at their phone than the sidewalk or their company. As Jax tried to assess just how much must be new to Zevani he found his own head almost spinning at the sheer scale of the modern world.

Trying to simplify things a little he turned to her before they set off. "Is there anything else you miss? Something we could do?" He offered, wanting to let her have that freedom as she had been without for so long and he felt no great rush to tick off everything that excited him in a single day.

[Assistant]
The knowledge this sort of home was normal made the Ifrit nod, considering. If this was normal, she may have to use magic to link his "apartment" to somewhere larger. If he wanted more luxury and space, at least. She was certainly used to her keepers wanting the best of what they could get, and she didn't really blame them. Enjoying the finer things in life was always a joy, if you didn't take them for granted.

Those thoughts were shattered as they exited the building. Zevani stopped, and for at least a full minute just stared. The cars, the people, the buildings... the noise. "I... think it's been a long time..." The Ifrit finally murmured, when she found her voice. Well. He managed to shock her, by bringing her outside. But she recovered well enough to start walking next to him. "These things..." She leaned in, whispering as she glanced at some people walking by. A jerk of her chin indicated the cars. "How do they move so quickly? Without horses?"

Leaning back, she watched someone walk by, staring at their phone, and realized it was the same sort of device he had. "And what exactly are those little things?" Zevani made a frustrated sound. Clearly she didn't like being so out of the loop. The redhead was used to being in control, and knowing a great deal. Now she had to play catch up, all over again. This time she wanted to make sure Jax stayed safe and alive---she didn't want to have to be locked away another five hundred years, or whatever this last time had been.

"I will... wait for explanations. If I need to." Because he might not be able to explain until they found privacy. His question made her pause, and she arched an eyebrow. "Me?" A slow blink. "Ah, besides sex?" A young man passing nearly tripped over his feet as he heard the word then glanced at who had said it. Her gaze snapped to him, and she smiled amusedly before looking back to Jax. "Food... music. I enjoy simple things, really. I wouldn't know what either of those are like, here."

[User]
Jax paused, realizing how much this clearly was for Zevani. He had no frame of reference for waking up in a world that may as well be alien and so all he could do was try to be understanding in his own way. It was obvious this was very strange. "Engines," He replied, simply, knowing that would probably mean nothing to her but equally not being able to explain cars in full in just a few moments.

He eyed her as she made her sound of frustration, understanding it but not wanting to draw attention. "Phones. They're hard to explain," Jax replied, honestly if a bit unhelpfully. "I'll try to introduce you to it all in time but I'm no expert on how it all works," He admitted, wondering if they could perhaps find someone who could help better than he could.

Things felt more normal when she mentioned sex so casually, smiling and relaxing as he barely noticed the other man's response. Food and music certainly seemed like good common ground that was fairly universal. "We can go and have something to eat for breakfast, maybe?" Jax suggested, offering a hand to Zevani to start leading her to the nearest diner.

The walk wasn't far at all and soon enough Jax saw the distinctive red lettering ''CeeCee's''. It wasn't the best but it would do. He had no idea if Zevani had been able to eat at all and he had to imagine the fried food would be very different to what she was used to---possibly a little overwhelming with all that salt---but he wanted to find somewhere nearby and simple. Where she was so much more aware when it came to sex and magic he was in his element among normal life, leading the way and pushing open the door ahead of her.

Inside the diner the other patrons were relatively quiet and calm, keeping to themselves as a kind-faced woman smiled to Jax and Zevani. "Morning, Jax," She began, recognizing him before her eyes went a little wider as she looked over the woman the young man was with. Mercifully her appearance was enough to distract from the changes in Jax's physique. "Aren't you gorgeous!" She enthusiastically complimented, her tone friendly but not overly flirty even if she really did mean it. "Are you a friend of Jax's?" CeeCee asked, internally wondering if they were dating and, if so, how on earth that could have happened. She felt a little mean for having the thought and Jax wasn't at all bad-looking but this woman was striking in a way she had rarely, if ever, seen.

[Assistant]
Zevani was trying to hide the wonder, and frustration, at all the technology and science zipping around her. It was almost overwhelming, and honestly if it wasn't for her confidence in her own ability to protect herself she might have been terrified. As it was, she was startled a few times, but never truly afraid as she walked with Jax.

"Food sounds wonderful!" It was an enthusiastic answer, and she took his hand as he offered it, smiling a little at the gesture. It was surprising to her, but pleasant. The diner had odd writing on it---she found she had to use her magic to translate this new language. Jax, as the one who had released her, could understand her and vice versa, but she hadn't been able to read English lettering till she worked a bit of a spell to do so.

The place smelled... wonderful. But unfamiliar. Hot grease, battered foods, they had a couple of things that were dumpling-sorts of things like that, but this was on an entirely different scale. As Jax was greeted, the woman then turned to her and she called her gorgeous. Well, what a nice boost to her already considerable ego!

The Ifrit smiled genuinely at the compliment, and then looked at Jax as the lady asked if she was friends with him. "Yes, friends." The term girlfriend wasn't one she knew, and she figured it was impolite to just blurt out that they were lovers. But the fact she hadn't released his hand insinuated to the woman that there was perhaps more. The brief surprise the woman wore made faint amusement flare for Zevani, but she didn't bring attention to it.

The woman seemed curious, as if she wanted to ask more, but instead asked if Jax wanted his usual, and what ''the lady'' would like. Zevani turned her gaze to Jax, brows lifting. "What do you recommend? In fact... feel free to order for me." Shooting both him, and the woman behind the counter a bright smile, she stayed close to him, watching as he ordered and paid. He handed over some sort of paper to her, and he made a mental note to ask what it was. It was certainly nothing like the coins of the past.

[User]
As Zevani confirmed they were friends, Jax realized he didn't really know what they were. He certainly wasn't going to think of himself as her master even if that was, in a sense, somewhat accurate. Anything else, though, he wouldn't want to assume. He was going to have to have a conversation with her about that. Regardless of his thoughts, he kept a grip on her hand. Lovers would have been, for the moment, a term he'd certainly be happy with even if he was far too nervous to want it blurted out so publicly.

After making his usual order for an all-day breakfast he mused for just a moment before repeating it for Zevani. He had no idea how her appetite was as he'd yet to see her eat but even if she didn't finish it all he doubted it would embarrass her and it would let her try a wide variety of foods. Jax was polite as ever as he ordered on behalf of a woman for the first time in his life.

Once he had paid he led Zevani to one of the booths, seating himself on the red leather with a plastic, white table between them. It was all quite retro, now, as it had managed to go so long without an update that the decor came back into style. While it hadn't been changed it had certainly been maintained and lately, the small establishment had been doing rather well. It was clean and neat if lacking in class by most people's standards. He had to wonder how it matched up with what Zevani was used to.

It was only then, waiting for food, that Jax realized how hungry he actually was. Blinking a few times he smiled and tried to focus on Zevani instead. Despite how short a time they had known one another Jax was intimately familiar with her in many ways while they remained almost strangers in so many others. He couldn't speak plainly in public so instead, he opted for an admission. "You know, this still doesn't feel real. I can't think what to do next." Jax wondered if indecision was commonplace or if others were more decisive than he was managing to be. Knowing he had time to experiment and explore was keeping his flights of fancy in check for now.

[Assistant]
Zevani gave a pleased smile to Jax, then to the woman as he ordered for her. "Yes, that. Thank you." It seemed even if she might or might not be used to being served, she was polite. Perhaps it was because she was forced to serve mages, and so often in her past was not thanked for it. Sure, she had only some control over that, because if she refused they could just put her back in her prison and leave her until she gave in to whatever demands they made, if she wanted out.

But thank you was a powerful phrase! Sometimes, even for the Ifrit, a please or thank you was all it took. Much as Jax had learned upon seeing her power. When he took her to a table, she slid into the booth across from him, her fingers gripping at the plastic in confusion and curiosity at either side of her thighs. "Hm." She didn't say anything else out loud, but it was obvious the materials that were so common to him felt very foreign to her.

When he stared at her a moment before speaking, she arched one coppery brow, then gave him a small smile. "That is something I can't answer specifically. Though in broad terms? Whatever you'd like." It was said with utter confidence. He'd not requested anything taxing, so far, but if he wished to travel the world or something spectacular, she could do that as well. Apparently, she would have to keep her magic a secret, but that was a minor inconvenience instead of a true limitation.

"What have you wanted to do? I mean, if you could do whatever you wished." Some people she knew had wanted to simply be left alone to study. Others wanted to be able to play a musical instrument, to speak in ways that could move a crowd. Most wanted to be rich, or at least financially comfortable. That gave one a freedom that wasn't available when you were scraping by to feed yourself or your family. "Whatever you'd enjoy." The smile she wore was almost sweet, then, instead of her usual ego. In fact, the woman who was keeping an eye on them between helping other people would definitely assume there was more than only friendship between them.

[User]
The idea that they could do whatever they liked was perhaps what was so paralyzing. So much raw freedom was hard to parse. Jax wasn't used to being in a world that was so open. He had been dealing with the limitations of his bravery, his body and his finances and now all of that was gone. Some part of him worried that he might become a bad person. It wasn't easy for him to know what a truly bad person even was but he knew it would be all too easy to abuse the power Zevani possessed and he had to wonder if she would let him do so willingly. What were her morals?

Then she brought him back down by asking what he had wanted. Jax remembered yesterday. Just a day ago the most important thing in the world had been asking out Becky, his colleague. It seemed surreal that since then he'd met, and fucked, Zevani. That he was developing feelings for someone who wasn't human at all. A pang of certain strange guilt arose as he felt he owed Becky better treatment than this.

"I," He started, frowning before deciding that honesty was the right policy. "Just yesterday the only thing that seemed important to me was asking out Becky, at the store," Jax admitted, wondering if Zevani felt jealousy at all. "It seems so strange to think back to how things were. I never told her how I felt. I'm not sure if I feel that way anymore. It feels a little like I betrayed something," Jax elaborated, speaking honestly as he didn't quite know how to put it. He could only hope that Zevani could understand. It wasn't that he owed Becky anything but that it was odd to have feelings change so swiftly and to not even know if they would return.

[Assistant]
Of course, it must be hard to figure out. That... wasn't something she herself had ever had to ask. But she considered it in an opposite manner---what if she did not have her powers, any longer, what would be important to her? For her, honestly, it was simply freedom. Not being trapped in a cage. Gilded or otherwise, it was still a cage. All the power in the world meant nothing when that one lock was one she could not break. Not that she had all the power, but she had a great deal. He hadn't asked her hard limits, but then again, she was glad for that. One of the few things she had no power over was someone who had already passed on. Once a mage had acquired her simply because he wanted to bring his late wife to life again. The saddest of her owners. The one she had no ability to do anything for, even though she would have gladly. Once a mortal passed on to that next realm, whatever it was, Zevani could not help them.

"Ah yes, you bought the necklace for her." Zevani didn't sound jealous. In all actuality she rather liked Jax, and wanted him to be happy. If this Becky (What an odd name. She didn't like it much, but assumed it was a generational thing?) His admission that he felt as if he'd betrayed something made her tilt her head a little. "If you never told her, then... there was no betrayal. But if you still wish to tell her, to see if you do still have that feeling, I am happy to provide whatever you'd like to gift to her. So you can indicate your interest."

There was a small part of her that was a tad jealous, because if that was how he felt, then if he truly did care for this Becky and she returned his attention, he might choose her. And that was fine, but she would certainly miss the physical time with him. Zevani didn't at all see herself in a position to complain about this, however, or even bring it up. The poker face she wore was perfect as she offered a small smile. "Just say the word."

Their food was brought, and her eyes widened as she caught the first whiff of the hashbrowns and other friend items. "This smells divine!"

[User]
Jax listened, nodding as she affirmed that she remembered why he bought that necklace in the first place. She seemed calm, which was relaxing. Her words made total sense although he remained conflicted. Perhaps that meant it was best not to make a decision yet. "I'll think about it, if that's okay. Thank you," Jax replied, undeniably uncomfortable but not at all sure what to do about it.

Just like her he caught the scent from the kitchens and nodded, smiling. "It does. I hope you'll enjoy it!" He enthused, glad that a being like her could enjoy something so simple in life. Given her importance, he had briefly considered whether this was almost an insult but he supposed she could always do something about her food if she needed to.

Before long the waitress returned, still eyeing the duo curiously as if trying to make sense of Jax's fortune. She set down their plates before them, piled high with eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausages and fried bread it was as unhealthy as it came but certainly packed a lot of flavour. Jax definitely felt in need as he eyed the food hungrily while the waitress set out a jug of water and two glasses of orange juice. "Thank you so much," Jax offered, waiting until she left before glancing at Zevani's food before looking her in the eyes.

"What do you think?" He inquired, curious to see what she thought of the looks of it before the taste.

[Assistant]
Zevani had a brief, bright smile when Jax said he'd wait and think about what to do. It was a pleased expression, she was glad she'd have him to herself for another day or two, at least. Greedy, perhaps, but she'd quickly grown to enjoy his company. It never occurred to her he wasn't sure about that fact, but the way she lit up when the food was brought may give him more insight into her personality. Food was a simple pleasure yes, but one she enjoyed. She could conjure anything, but it was nice to be surprised by whatever showed up. And in this case, everything other than the meat and toast looked a bit different than she was used to.

"Thank you." The Ifrit gave a smaller, but friendly smile to the woman that was clearly still trying to suss out what Jax and her relationship was. Then turned her attention to him as well as the food. "This looks... very interesting. And I mean that in a good way." She pointed to the bread, bacon and sausages. "These are familiar." Watching him grab his fork, she did the same and tried the scrambled eggs first. Then she realized what they were. "Eggs!" It was louder than she intended, and she had to give a soft laugh as she drew attention. "Ah, my apologies. I am not used to them prepared this way."

She dug in with gusto after that, eating as if she was feeding a furnace. And in a sense, maybe she was? Who knew how much energy she could burn if she didn't use magic to temper it, considering how hot she seemed to run. When she tried the hashbrowns, she paused and her eyes went wide as she chewed. "These are wonderful!" There was delight and awe in her voice before she shoveled some more into her mouth. While she didn't have atrocious table manners, it was clear she was enjoying it enough that some of her carefulness was lost.

[User]
As ever he adored that look of pure enthusiasm on Zevani's face. She was so warm by nature that it warmed him too, making him beam at her as he watched her try to familiarize herself with the food. Even the things that were familiar were almost certainly prepared in a completely different way. He was glad she was interested and enthusiastic, though, when she could so easily have been aloof about something so simple.

Her reaction to the eggs made him chuckle, smiling and shaking his head slightly. If it drew a few brief glances he didn't much care, just nodding. "It's alright, I'm just glad you like them!" Jax replied, truly happy to see her seeming to enjoy her time with him.

Where she ate fast he ate at a more moderate speed, enjoying each mouthful as he tried a little of each bit of his meal, mixing the flavors together and not begrudging her manners at all. While Jax knew how to eat respectfully he also wasn't a fussy or uptight person and would prefer to dine with someone enjoying themselves. "They are great, I love them too. Do you remember having any favorite foods?" He asked, curious if there was something in particular that she recalled from her last time among humans.

[Assistant]
Zevani was clearly having a wonderful time enjoying the food, though after the first half of her meal was gone she did slow somewhat and start to savor and experiment with mixing flavors together. "Oh, yes." She considered the question thinking back to the last time she had been out.

"Honestly I adore spicy foods, but also, bread. Bread in whatever forms it takes, I think is my favorite. You can do so much with it, after all." As she spoke, she had picked up a piece of toast and turned it between her fingers back and forth, before scooping some egg onto it and taking a bite. When she'd finished, she smiled and added, "Most common was a flat bread, it was used to scoop up savory dishes with lots of gravy in them."

The fork was a bit different for her, but spoons had been common enough, so she wasn't completely lost. "Do you have anything like that, still?" Of course she wouldn't know if that sort of dish had remained popular, or that it was originally from a different country than what she was in, now.

Zevani cleaned her plate, despite the generous servings, and then leaned back and relaxed, looking not at all in a hurry to rush him through the last of his own meal. "What is your favorite food? I'd like to try it."

[User]
It was lucky that ''spicy'' and ''bread'' were at least easy enough foods to find. He nodded in agreement. While he wouldn't have named bread as his favorite food he certainly agreed with her outlook. Perhaps she would be able to summon up some of her food from that past era and let him try it. He wasn't sure how far her powers extended yet, still.

"I think so," He replied, not quite sure whether she was leaning more towards a curry or a spiced stew. "I'm sure we can try all sorts of things and find out what's closest. Or try to cook it ourselves," Jax suggested, not sure if there was much point spending time cooking when she had the powers she did.

As he finished up, just a little slower than her, Jax sat back and thought. "I think a good barbeque, probably," He offered, speaking as though he was doubting his own choice of meal. Jax hadn't ever really thought about it in all that much depth. While he relaxed he thought he caught a familiar face from the corner of his eye, briefly looking away from Zevani to see who it might be.

[Assistant] Zevani gave him a puzzled look as he said barbeque was his favorite food. "I can't say I've heard of it. Is it hot?" Pausing as she saw his gaze move away from her own, she followed it, and saw a pretty blonde woman who was likely of a similar age to Jax.