[quote] "We're not lovers." Takeshi futilely denied. "...at least, I haven't confessed properly yet." [/quote] “Then you should.” The rabbit monster replied with a stern look. “Human lives are short. What if one day you end up losing her?” As a monster, she couldn’t understand why some humans wouldn’t just marry and bed each other the moment they found their significant other. What were they waiting for? [quote] "But you're right, they just ran into Varjans so they'll be on edge. They might react violently if they see you." Takeshi agreed with Lunatea. Closing his eyes to think of a simple way to convey that the rabbit yokai with him was an ally, he let out a deep sigh when he resigned to the only option he could take. "Alright, I'll take point... and you all stay close to me. Much closer than how we traveled previously. That way, Kikyo and her forces will not be hostile. At least, not immediately." [/quote] “Understood.” She nodded. “Then, I shall walk alongside you.” Takeshi would find that the rabbit girl would stay just a tad too close to him for comfort as they followed the footsteps out of the destroyed village. [quote] They followed a trail of blood and destruction left by Kikyo in the form of dead Varjan patrols who had the misfortune of running into them. [/quote] Lunatea wrinkled her nose at the corpses they found on the road. Such brutality never suited a peace-loving monster like her. Or any other monster, she imagined. [quote] The trail took Takeshi and the taskforce into a thin forest obscured by dense fog. "I have a feeling we're getting close to them, stay alert." [/quote] “I don’t like this.” Lunatea commented once they entered the forest. “I can barely see a thing here. Even with my exceptional sight.” “Still, it makes the perfect place for them to hide. I won’t be surprised if we get ambushed by them in the next five… maybe ten minutes,” she said matter-of-factly. [quote] Entering the foggy forest, the group ventured a bit into the woods before Takeshi suddenly spread out his arms to block Lunatea.[/quote] The monster stopped in her tracks though not before having her breasts brush momentarily with his arms. She glanced around, trying to see through the thick fog. “They’re here, aren’t they?” She whispered. And then, she saw them—the silhouettes blending with the trees. Bow-wielders. And they were all aiming their weapons towards them. No. Not them. [i]Her[/i]. [quote] "...Takeshi?" [/quote] The voice grabbed her attention as well—her eyes immediately switching to the direction she heard it from. [i]So that’s her…[/i] [i]No wonder he’s fond of her… she’s beautiful…[/i] She watched them share a hug in silence, not daring to make a move. She knew that the bowmen were still aiming their weapons at her. And if the situation got worse… she had to be ready with her spells. [i]Just say that I’m with you, Takeshi… Don’t you dare forget…[/i] Thankfully, he did remember. But it wasn’t enough to dissuade her suspicion, it seemed. “Well met, Kikyo-san.” She pressed her hands to the front of her dress and bowed. “My name is Lunatea Vern Farnsworth. As you might suspect, I am not native to this island. I came from the outside world under the invitation of Lady Kyouko, to help you and your people in your fight against the Varjans. So please, just because I am a youkai, or a monster—the term our people use on the outside—do not consider me your enemy. For I am your ally. And Takeshi-san can vouch for me on that matter.” She tried to act as refined as she could, even using the honorifics the locals used. Still, thanks to the fact that there were young human males fit to be her husband amongst the ambushers, her dress acted up anyways, flashing her tight panties and bum to them as she bowed.