"Wrap it up dies you all performed adequately. You as well John." Vanaress called out across the training ground. "You can enjoy your two days to yourselves but I expect each and every one of you to have at least two hours clocked into the ranges for practice. If not for yourself then for your guards. I want no one getting soft on me if I decide to start sending you through dungeons."

  I perked up instantly at the mention of dungeons, the gamer in me screaming to know more. Sapphire however dashed my hopes.

  "No John we're not going to be doing any dungeons for a while at least."

  "But dungeons." I responded with the best impression of puppy dog eyes I could do.

  "Still a no." Sapphire responded.

  "You need at least four guards before they will let you go anyway." Aria added.

  "Then we're going to go get another two guards right now." I said with the enthusiasm of a kid asking to got to the candy shop.

  "Not a bad idea." Aria shrugged. "We could use the added mutations and I'm not opposed to your added protection. Sapphire?"

  "We can definitely get one more tonight. I hesitate to get a second as I'd like everyone to understand our dynamic first."

  "You mean the fact he's fucking you?" Aria asked with a raised eyebrow.

  "John is still new to the courting process of most species. It is best if we treat it like a mias family for now. That way they pester me not him. I'm not too worried about you because you'll decide on your own but I'd rather not have his guards starting an orgy every night."

  "I don't see the problem with that." I piped in.

  Both girls gave me a bnk look.

  "Okay I agree with you Sapphire. John cannot be left in charge of his harem."

  Ouch. I'm not that bad at picking girls out am I?

  "Who's in charge of Johns harem?" Tayatt called out as she and her guards approached. Only the bunny girl and Ovara were with her today.

  "Sapphire doesn't trust me not to start an orgy every night." I answered. "So I'm loosing my harem privileges."

  "Well that's just mean. Unless she agrees to let me in then I completely agree with her." The Vattare replied with a smile.

  Sapphire just rolled her eyes. "I have not said no but I also haven't said yes. We were just discussing getting another guard. Care to accompany us to a training ground? We haven't decided what one yet."

  "Ooow yes. If you haven't picked one yet I recommend training ground nine. It's where all the tech guards go and coincidentally where I got La'lilly here." Tayatt indicated to her bunny guard who gave a small bow. "Helps out a ton with all the reports and csswork we have to do."

  "What she means to say is she dumps it all on me when she doesn't want to do it, but I agree you should have someone more tech minded in your guards just in case a dungeon has locked doors that need a quieter opening or if station security keep locking you out of pces you want to go."

  Tayatt whistled without looking at her guard to avoid answering.

  "I'm not oppose to that. What about you girls?" I asked Sapphire and Aria.

  "Tech wasn't my strong suit so I'm good with filling out our roster with one, we just have to make sure her mutation benefits us all though. Having someone that has a faster typing mutation won't really be helpful to me or Sapphire." Aria shrugged.

  "Likewise. I would like someone a bit more agile and mobile to complement our current loadouts and it must be a she. Dealing with the drama of a second male would not be beneficial even if your Mana picks them." Sapphire added.

  "She's right. Leave some for the rest of us!." Tayatt yelled.

  "Then lead the way. If you don't mind the extra walking." I hinted at Tayatts state. She had a fine yer of sweat beading against her forehead and patches of her uniform were a shade darker. I doubt I was in any different state as even if it was mainly mental exercises that control Mana, it was still exhausting.

  "Not at all, I'll even let you ride on my back if you're too tired." The Vattare pyfully offered.

  Ovara smacked her Acolyte round the back of the head. "Control yourself!"

  "I'm guessing that has other implications." I whispered to Sapphire as we all left the training grounds. Sapphire was to my left and Tayatt was on my right. Aria was taking up the rear and La'lilly was in front. A nice diamond formation around the Acolytes.

  "Not really." Ovara chimed, evidently I wasn't quiet enough. "She just wants you to touch her."

  "So if I said yes because I want to experience riding a Vattares I wouldn't be insulting you or making a silent promise in some way?"

  "No. You'd probably make her sopping wet though." Ovara winked. Tayatt had gone pink in the cheeks not quite expecting me to take her up on the offer.

  I turned to Sapphire with my silent request.

  "I don't see a problem with it. She did offer after all." My mia replied a slight smirk creeping into her lips.

  I then gave Aria the same silent question.

  "I have no reason to stop you. From my experience Acolyte Tayatt should probably be more careful about what she says, so this might serve as a learning experience."

  "Or she will keep doing it." La'lilly ughed.

  "So do you mind if I ride you?" I asked my fellow Acolyte. I was expecting a sexual response that was common for her but she just nodded. Not looking at me at all.

  "Empress alive! This is what it takes to shut you up. Maybe we should have invested in getting Johns attention sooner." Ovara sarcastically poked at Tayatt. "Go ahead Acolyte John. I promise you'll be fine."

  Taking the opportunity I jumped catching myself around Tayatts lion half and sitting close enough to her front that I could wrap my arms around her tummy. The Vattare flinched as my weight settled but kept pace once I was securely positioned. She wore a uniform even against her lion half so I couldn't feel her fur but it did give me more grip than I thought it would.

  "You okay Tayatt? I'm not too heavy am I?" I asked.

  Tayatt just nodded, the tips of her ears shifting a shade of red that matched her fur. I can't say I've ever been horse riding to compare but it seemed quite easy to hold on. I was kind of expecting the movements of her legs to push me to each side as she walked but strangely enough it was quite a smooth ride. Well as a walk it was fine, running might be a bit different.

  "We are not going to hear the end of this when she finds her voice again Ovara." La'lilly hummed.

  "Oh I know I'm just enjoying the quiet, she's such a virgin though. All talk but when she actually has a male she goes silent like a stray cub."

  "Shut up." Tayatt growled trying to look at her guard but hesitated to move too much with me on her back.

  Both her guards ughed at her expense.

  "I am curious though are you not squishing your dangly bits like that John?" Ovara asked as she indicated towards my crotch on Tayatts lion half. Sapphire was suddenly very interested and very concerned.

  "No. I don't know about your species but we humans hang slightly forward, so unless I'm lying down on Tayatt lengthwise my dangly bits are perfectly fine." I said back slightly amused. I guess with how little they see males they've never really been able to answer strange questions like that.

  "Male Vattares have their balls behind their legs." La'lilly added helpfully. "That's why she was worried."

  "That makes more sense." I gave Tayatts tummy a slight rub. "You're quite comfortable you know. Mind if I do this more often?"

  My Vattare ride let out a squeak but couldn't form any words. Her tail on the other hand flicked up quickly.

  We were getting a few odd looks from those we passed by although a lot of those looks were jealous aimed at Tayatt. A Vattare that seemed to be a panther cross almost shouted when she saw us, only stopping when she noticed our guards.

  "Are you sure this is alright and I'm not secretly proposing to Tayatt or something?"

  "No it's fine. I think a lot of Vattare we are seeing didn't realize this was something they could do or offer to get your attention, or any males for that matter. Tayatt asked mainly as a joke not expecting you to take her up on it." Ovara responded. "I kind of want to see how it feels myself if you don't mind riding me ter."

  "Not while you're guarding." Sapphire interjected.

  "I'll take that."

  "You're going to make Bamba and Ivugro jealous." La'lilly chuckled over her shoulder. I presume those were Tayatts other guards, at least one of them was a Vattare but I don't think I fully got introduced to them.

  Ovara shrugged not that the bunny girl could see. "They can ask themselves if they want."

  I hooked my legs just behind Tayatts front legs and y against her back so our spines were aline just so I could see Aria. "What do you think about all this? Do angels have a preference in riding Vattare?"

  Aria was currently looking over her shoulder at something.

  "Aria?" I asked again.

  Aria slowly turned back to us with a frown her wings covering most of what was behind us. Sapphire and Ovara instantly switched from pyful to serious when they saw her.

  "Problem?" Sapphire asked.

  "How much Mana does Acolyte Tayatt have?" Aria asked Ovara as she looked over her shoulder again.

  "Little under a third." Ovara responded her hand going to her rifle that was hooked into position against her lion half while her other pulled out her tablet. La'lilly visibility flinched as well.

  "Johns at about a quarter." Sapphire also responded before it was asked.

  Aria hummed, looking back at us. "We have been followed ever since we left the training grounds. I count six of them but I doubt that's correct. Seems too little to ambush an Acolyte let alone two."

  Ovara growled. "Makes sense though. Try and go for them while their manas low."

  "Big mistake." Hissed Sapphire her tongue darting out. "Too many outliers but I'd say closer to ten."

  Oh crap really? That's going to make two attempts at my life in two days. Thank God for guards but I didn't think I'd be needing them this much already.

  "Crowds thinning out." La'lilly said. "We can go somewhere quieter and deal with this problem or try and loose them in the crowds closer to the canteen."

  "Quieter." Sapphire answered. "This isn't the first time and I want some answers. If you guys don't mind a little drama."

  "Bamba and Ivugro are on their way now. Also Vanaress has been notified." Ovara added putting away her tablet. "I doubt they'll be here soon enough but we do have some backup if this gets drawn out. My location beacon is on so if we have to move quickly they can find us."

  "Liking that idea of another guard more and more now." I whispered to myself as I watched the girls checking their weapons so nonchantly as if this wasn't a big deal. "Can we do anything?"

  "Keep your heads down and stay behind Aria." Sapphire hissed back. "She uses a bastion shield." She added for Tayatts sake.

  "Same for you Tayatt. You don't have the Mana for anything but fuel your shield." Ovara demand to her Acolyte.

  "But I can..."

  "No! You can't. If you die we all follow so just let us do our jobs!"

  That silenced her rather quickly. I tried to cheer her up by patting her fnk but it didn't seem to do much.

  "Looks like we're not going to have much of a choice." La'lilly growled to the group. "Seems this was pnned."

  Ahead of us one of the hallways ended rather abruptly in a door that if I had to guess was to seal off part of the station for some reason. Definitely not something that should naturally be closed for no reason.

  Taking a peak behind Aria I noticed the hallway we'd come from was empty for a good fifteen meters until it veared off. We were effectively trapped against this blockhead.

  A click sounded from Sapphire as she spun around to face behind Aria. "Safety's off. Let's get our Acolytes out of here in one piece."