Beep
Va'thera pulled the oven door open and grabbed the baking sheet barehanded.
"Master, King must be cheating!"
"I do not believe King cheated."
"Mumen Rider, you've been underestimating my master from the start. What happened to you?"
"King won fair and square."
"Of course Master!"
"Um, guys, you know we don't have to play 'King of the Hill' mode, right?"
Va'thera swooned at her beloved's divine cadence while readying the last portion of the various refreshments. Soon, she would need to return to guarding the Dimensional Seal.
However, meeting King's companions ranked higher in importance.
Of the three, Mumen Rider had proven the greatest. Thoughtful and kind. A man worthy of befriending King.
But the cyborg, 'Genos,' grated on her. He had sent her several rude, undeserved looks so far. She had shown him nothing but civility. What had she done to earn his disdain? Then, as if that wasn't enough, he accused her King of cheating. Restraining her temper had rarely taken more effort.
And then finally, Caspian. His voice and eyes. She detested how they unsettled her. Their atypical familiarity. Could he be the man behind the ninja uniform? The one who almost destroyed Earth twice?
If so, there was something she needed to do to him.
Va'thera peeked into the living room. Her King still held the throne; undefeated in their fighting game. As expected. She'd challenged him earlier, and even with her heightened reflexes, she hadn't stood a chance.
His other games… well, they featured quite a lot of women. Not that she cared! She wouldn't lose to them. Last night, she had proudly asserted her dominance over every single one of those fictional interlopers.
Now came one of her favorite activities.
Her eyes flared white. Time slowed to a glacial crawl; the world moving like a frozen sculpture. With practiced grace, she flickered across the room and planted a kiss on King's cheek.
I really ought to smack that cyborg upside the head.
She turned; and her heart skipped. Caspian gave her a thumbs up, keeping up with her speed. Her speed. The greatest in the 'Earth Defence Force.'
Va'thera flashed back to her previous spot in the kitchen just as the world resumed its normal pace.
It is the same man from the other day!
"Master, you won!"
Va'thera's existence shook. Impossible! She spun to see King rubbing his cheek. There could be only one explanation.
"You cheated!" she blurted out.
Genos shot to his feet and aimed his palm at her. "I tolerated your disrespect toward my master earlier — but I won't tolerate it again!"
Earlier?
"There's no need to get worked up."
"Of course, Master." Genos sat back down on his cushioned folding chair.
King furrowed his brows. "Something hit my cheek…"
"I did not see a thing." commented Mumen.
Va'thera's world crashed down around her.
She caused him to lose!
Meaning the only way to make up for her grievance toward King would have to wait… until they were alone.
Her emotions settled in haste. For she eagerly awaited paying her dues.
But first, Va'thera had to settle things with Caspian. Should she ask to speak with him alone?
No, no, no. How would she feel if King wandered off to talk privately with another woman? Not that she would feel jealous!
Va'thera smiled, proud of her considerate mindset.
¤ ¤ ¤
Caspian rose to his feet from the couch. "Here, Mumen. It's your turn." He handed him the controller, then headed for the door. "I'll be back in a minute, guys. Need to make a phone call."
King, Mumen, and Genos were too locked into the game to respond.
Outside in the hallway, Caspian shut the door behind him and conjured a 'Hyperspace Gate.' Dropping through, he landed on the apartment's rooftop. Wind swept across the ledge as he stepped onto it, his cape fluttering in the gusts.
He stared out over M-City, letting the distant sounds of a bustling city splash over him. Va'thera had to suspect his identity, at the very least.
Minutes passed…
Then, behind him, sounded soft footsteps.
"You are the man from the other day, yes?"
He didn't answer.
Wind howled between them.
"Please," she said, tone earnest. "I must know."
"…Yes."
"Then there's something I have to do to you."
He turned, casting a look over his shoulder. "Hmm?"
"Thank you!" She bowed her head to a slight extent. "Truly."
Caspian smiled. "You're welcome."
¤ ¤ ¤
The next morning arrived without hesitation.
Game night had flown by after Caspian returned from the roof. Va'thera didn't come back — guarding the Dimensional Seal took priority, he figured. Still, she'd stocked the kitchen with a mountain of cookies, pastries, snacks, and drinks. With just the four of them, it turned into a proper guy's night; one he wouldn't mind repeating. Even when King won every single match.
On the topic of 'The Strongest Man on Earth.' His happiness shone through. Caspian was fully aware of how quick things could move forward in this world, so it proved no surprise.
Mumen grinned the entire way out, still energized as Caspian teleported him home. Seeing Mumen in such a state lifted his spirits, and he wondered if there would be any changes to the Rank 1 C-Class Hero joining the Neo Heroes.
Genos, more reserved but no less sincere, expressed a similar sentiment before Caspian sent him back to his personal quarters deep in one of Doctor Kuseno's Laboratory's lower levels.
But that was last night.
Right now, his focus was glued to the sensation of a voluptuous woman's bottom, grinding against his morning wood.
"Good morning~." Mosquito Girl purred. "Trying to seduce me?"
Caspian groaned and peeled himself out of bed.
She rolled onto her back, pouting up at him. "W-Why are we stopp—?"
He leaned down, kissed her hard, then pulled back and started slipping into his hero attire. "I want to. But there's something going down in the Combat Experimentation Room. And we're not going to want to miss it."
"Fine. You owe me big time, mister." With a sulky grunt, she got up and started getting dressed too.