Origin ARS 6 (9 page)

"Of course," said Era with a nod of her head. "One world at a time I suppose."

Origin took a breath then opened her door. "Time to get ready."

"The outfit's already in your dressing room," said Era.

Origin groaned loudly. "I hate that stupid thing."

"You're the heir apparent of an empire dear one, pretty much empress already save for those few niggling details that remain. You need to look properly divine." remarked the elder goddess with a smile.

"I get that, but why do I have to dress like I'm going to work a street corner outside of an ancient Roman brothel?" muttered Origin as she left the car.

"For a heavenly time, call Origin?" asked Mid with a renewed smile.

The younger goddess groaned at her older sister loudly. She unleashed an annoyed pout then made a huffy noise before wandering away. This tour was important, but she had already acquired a foul mood on top of how much she missed her fiancé.

Her eyebrows pressed inward and her expression shifted into a slight scowl. Of course, that was the moment that several people ran out of the shadows and began to take photos.

"Origin! Is it true that you have a boyfriend?!" cried one of the paparazzi. Another called out, "This way! Look this way!"

She sighed loudly then forced herself to offer the camera-commandoes a winning smile. "Hello, one and all!"

"Origin! Origin! Over here! Can I get a smile, too?" asked another of the people hoping for a chance to take a photo of the most recent celebrity hype. "Is your boyfriend with you?"

"One at a time, please." she said, her sweetly faked smile still wide. How she hated these people sometimes. At the moment they were relatively normal, but she knew that it would not be long before less friendly questions were asked.

"Show us your tits!" called one guy with a camera. "The fans demand service!"

"Wow, that didn't take long," remarked Mid as she exited the car.

"You'll have to wait for the signing boys," said Origin in a warm, slightly strained, voice. "I'm not even dressed properly, yet."

The god who had called for fanservicing made a booing sound, but then smiled. "I better get there early then!"

The ridiculous deity turned quickly and trotted off to find a good seat. Origin fought her desire to roll her eyes. She had to remain calm and try to seem friendly, even toward idiots like that one. It was for the sake of ARS. This tour would be pointless if she started slapping people around for being hormonally challenged fools.

After meeting and greeting with the press, the four deities made their way up to their individual rooms. Origin entered her dressing room then sighed at the dress that she had to wear. It was one of her
game goddess
dresses. It had an appearance similar to a mid-thigh length golden toga. That would not be so bad, but the toga was diaphanous. If she wore only that, there would be no mystery left due to its thin translucent nature. Underneath the sort-of dress, she would wear a white micro-bikini with a golden hoop clasp in the center. It was a wrap-around deal that barely covered the important parts.

Origin sighed at the so-called dress. "Am I selling a life experience, or my body?" she murmured. Still, it was expected. At least the bits of jewelry were pretty and the boots at least looked like something that a divine warrior might wear. They were white with little cream colored highlighted edges. There were also feathery gold colored wings that flowed from the back of them.

"At least there's a cape." If nothing else she could wrap it around herself to hide her shame after leaving the stage.

She disrobed then looked at herself in the mirror. Origin twisted at the hips then leaned left and right. A soft smile came to her lips as she remembered her beach adventure. "Oh, Scott. What
are
you missing?"

Origin glanced over to the supposed dress after she stopped gazing upon her naked glory. A brief moment later, she snorted. "I ran around practically naked for weeks on end, but this is the thing that embarrasses me?"

With some reluctance, she set about dressing herself. After she finished, she placed a golden tiara upon her head then looked at herself in the mirror once more. A sweet and beautiful girl looked back at her. Origin smiled gently then took a deep breath. Her charming and warm personality seemed to shift as her face became more stoic, icy. As much as she hated it, she had a reputation to uphold.

Over time she had developed a reputation for being an ice queen, an untouchable goddess among goddesses. As much as she would like to correct those assumptions, it was part of her brand identity now.

She adjusted her hair and then readjusted her breasts slightly. After an experimental shimmy, she nodded then turned imperiously away from the mirror. Public relations was like a never-ending war against obscurity. The time for battle had come again. Armed with charm, grace, and mythic-tier feminine assets, Origin was ready to enter the fray once more.

***

Shadows and light, they were that which brought contrast and clarity to the world. It was shadows and light that allowed the human eye to see. Should a human eye bear witness to the soft shimmer of reflection bouncing from the surface of a certain small forest-enshrouded pond, that eye would also see a sight most glorious.

"Shall I wash your back, Ero?" asked Karsi in a sweet and motherly tone.

"Yes, please," said human form Ero as she stood naked in the water.

The equally nude elf maiden began her delicate work while Ero closed her eyes and smiled gently. The last two days had been absolute bliss. Surrounded by the natural world, but with no enemies to fight, she had enjoyed the gentle pampering of her fairy sisters and her new friend Karsi.

Karsi's fingers danced lightly along the soft curvature of Ero's back. She took special care to lather the muscles of her fairy patient's wings.

"I can feel the light within you, sister," said Karsi as her clever fingers slipped along Ero's lower back. "You must think well of the father?"

Ero nodded her head twice then smiled. "I love him. He's my best friend."

"That is good. Does he feel the same?" asked Karsi curiously.

"I believe that he does," said Ero.

"That is even better. Far too often I have seen the end result of a passionate love between human and fairy become nothing but misery."

Ero bit her lower lip. "It happens a lot, huh?"

"It's the most common outcome," said Karsi softly while lathering Ero's hips gently.

"Scott's not like that," said Ero.

Karsi did not answer immediately. Instead, she spent a moment lathering her patient's body in a gentle but overly sensual manner. Ero moaned softly as she felt many of her cares and worries begin to slip away. There was a magic in Karsi's hands that had nothing to do with mana.

"The other, she is jealous," said Karsi.

"The other? Do you mean Rhea?" asked Ero.

"Yes. She is unhappy with the situation," said Karsi.

"It's complicated," said Ero.

Karsi laughed softly. "No. It is quite simple. I do not know your story, sister. However, I could see the truth in the eyes of all involved."

"I suppose," said Ero with a sigh. "I can't help the way things turned out. I love him, too."

"Of course you cannot. Things are never that simple," said Karsi. "You have a difficult path ahead of you little one."

Ero closed her eyes then nodded. "I know. But is not like Rhea is cruel to me. She loves me, too."

"Ah, even worse," said Karsi as she finished her task. "People need a method of venting their frustrations in order to overcome them. If she cannot think of you as an evil man-stealing fairy whore, what else can she do?"

Ero laughed in surprise then turned to look at Karsi. "What?"

Karsi merely smiled at her in that motherly way of hers then asked, "Shall I wash your front as well?"

"No, no. I can do that," said Ero.

"Yes, but do you want to do everything by yourself just because you can?" asked the elf maiden.

Ero blushed cutely then opened her arms. "Well, you're the doctor ..." She had understood the true meaning behind Karsi's words. Take advantage of help when it is offered.

Bath time ended not long after Ero's front was properly washed. Ero had returned to her normal size since then, and prepared herself. Karsi had to perform her diagnostic scans once more. Ero was stretched out gently on an oversized toadstool while the fairy doctor ran her fingers along her delicate frame. A wave of warmth and a sense of peace washed over the tiny girl.

"Your little light is strong, sister. I can feel her growing." Karis smiled warmly at her little patient.

"How long do you think it will be?" asked Ero. She fidgeted a little, and looked up at Karsi with wide and curious eyes.

"At the current rate, I'd say five months before first manifestation. Coherency may take a few months longer."

"That soon?" asked Ero with a smile. Her nostrils flared slightly. "She is healthy?"

"Impressively so. She does not lack love," said Karsi with a smile of her own. "I do not foresee complications at this time, but we do still need to see how the tidal forces and celestial alignments will alter the situation."

"I'm so glad." Ero closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is your first child." Karsi lightly stroked Ero's hair. "It is normal to be concerned."

Ero reached down and lightly stroked her abdomen. "I'm still glad."

Karsi tilted her head to the side for a moment then stood up. "You're doing well little mother. So far bathing in the sacred waters, and the occasional hot oil massage have done wonders for you."

"Thank you. I am glad that I came to you. I don't know much about how to deal with this sort of thing."

"You have not asked your mother?"

Ero shook her head. "I... My mother was lost to me long ago."

"I see. Well, I am here for you. Ask me anything that you like. I will teach you as much as I can in the time that we spend together, little one."

The fairy girl shared a small smile with Karsi. "Thank you."

Several giggles exploded throughout the air as a small cavalcade of fairies fluttered into the area. Now that Karsi was done, it was time for them to reclaim their big sister, Ero.

"Go, play with the others," said Karsi. Ero beamed a bright smile then fluttered up to join her new friends. The fairy cluster flew away to play among the trees and to buzz above the water like sexy little butterflies or the naughtiest of mosquitoes.

The elf maiden smiled at them as they played. Their musical laughter filled the forest and warmed the heart. While the fairies played, Karsi committed certain things to memory. Fairy births were hard, especially the first. Ero's little light shined brightly, but it was still quite fragile.

"Stay strong little one," said Karsi as she watched Ero flutter among the branches of the ancient forest. Her jubilant laughter was quite endearing. As far as Karsi was concerned, Ero was a sweet and innocent girl who needed a mother's love. It was one reason why she had taken up the task of becoming a fairy doctor. They were sweet girls, but often discarded by those who claimed to love them.

Flighty and mischievous by nature, they were also universally naive and tended to believe someone when they said that they loved them. Many broken hearted fairies had lost their little lights because of their sorrow. It would be a tragedy if a child as sweet as Ero lost her light due to the vagaries of mere human emotion.

Chapter 4

Earth was a place that Scott no longer thought of as home, but he could not completely abolish from his life. What was it that drew him back to the place? It was not like he had to accept anyone's demands. He had little in the way of unfinished business save for the work he had taken up out of a sense of duty. Even one of the primary reasons for his return, Sarah's most recent actions, was something that he did not actually have to deal with beyond a courtesy call.

There were things on Earth that he liked, but beyond television and gaming, there was little left of interest to do. When Rhea and Ero were with him, it was fun to be on Earth. The entire event felt like a vacation.

Scott looked around his bedroom and sighed. "It's like coming home and finding out that your house is nothing but a tomb." The various artifacts of his former life were left were they had fallen. His room was now like a forgotten memorial to a life that he no longer lived.

Herbert hopped from the bed down to the floor then began to explore the area. It was his first time on Earth. For him it was a whole new world to explore.

Scott decided to check his messages to see if he had received anything interesting. Rhea would have told him if he'd had any previously. But it was possible that a new one had arrived and she had simply not had the chance to tell him.

Checking through his messages he discovered a few dozen of them were from Sarah. Scott could not help but snort at that. "Couldn't be bothered to answer my calls for weeks on end, but texts me non-stop now. I'd say the thirst is real, but I doubt she actually gives a damn."