A few hours later, Aclysia and John walked through the Hiroshima-Nagasaki park. They had been to another tailor, to get John a suit fitting for high society. Then they went to the Christmas market, where John bought something hot to drink for himself as he and Aclysia talked about this and that. Well, he talked, for the most part. Aclysia just liked to listen, so whenever he hit a stumbling stone in the conversation, she presented him with some questions that nudged the conversation into a new direction.

“…and that is why Teemo is a piece of shit, from a game design perspective,” John finished his current rant.

Aclysia, in her new winter clothes, nodded twice. “I see,” she just said. Normally this was where she would present him with another question, but they both knew he had no time to go on another rant. It was already past noon; John felt a bit bad for staying away longer than the timeframe he had promised to Rave.

Aclysia had asked him for just one round through the park, however. With only slight reluctance, he had agreed. The date had been a lot of fun, a bit emotionally taxing at times, but the good kind, the kind that cleared up trouble in a relationship. Surely ten or so minutes wouldn’t make his girlfriend mad, therefore he thought that there was no harm in agreeing.

‘If she is going to be mad about anything, it’s the conversation from breakfast,’ John told himself. Admittedly, he had wronged his girlfriend a bit when he had hurriedly promised Aclysia a date. He didn’t regret doing it, not before nor after the date, but he could have handled it a bit more smoothly by delaying the date a day or so. Knowing Rave, she wouldn’t have objected if he had told her in advance.

But enough of the worry, he would see his girlfriend in a bit anyhow. If there was anything they needed to talk about, the techno-lover would throw it in his face, and they would talk it out in a bantering way. Weirdly enough, those had never turned into fights, only playful shouting matches. Looking back, the only real fight he had had with his girlfriend up to now was the one over Victoria’s involvement in the attacks on Collide.

‘Note to self: calm talks with Jane are more likely to turn into fights than teasing each other, apparently,’ he thought when their temporary home came into view. They followed the stone path that led up to the door. He reached for the doorknob. He stopped. “Uhm,” he felt stupid, very, very stupid, when he turned to Aclysia with a problem he had encountered two days prior already. “Long shot, but you don’t happen to have the key on you?”

Aclysia shook her head. “I thought that it would be unnecessary, Momo is still here after all,” she explained.

“True, but now I will have to listen to her complain,” John sighed and extended his thoughts towards his support. ‘Hey, could you ope-‘

‘Sweet salty Christ, thanks that you are back!’ the answer came before he could finish his request. Loud steps could be heard as someone on the inside rushed down a flight of stairs. A moment later, Momo pulled the door open. “Save me, for you are my Master, and my nerves are at an end,” she shouted and pulled him inside.

“What is it?” he wanted to know as he hastily got out of his shoes and jacket. “Sylph is still sleeping; whatever could be this bad?” he was genuinely curious. Lydia would never cause trouble and he didn’t think Rave would be interested in doing too much stuff with the supporter. Momo opened her mouth to answer, but then a shout came from upstairs.

“Do I hear John? Joooooooooooooooohn!” In a flash of light, the pink-haired girl the voice belonged to jumped down the stairs, landed next to John and pounced at him. He stumbled a few feet back but managed to keep standing, even as Rave slung her arms around his neck and rubbed her cheek on his. “Finally back?” she purred.

John felt whatever worries about a fight happening that had remained at the back of his head melt, and he embraced her as well. One hand he put around her back, the other rested on the back of her head. “Yeah, I am back,” he answered, “I love you.”

In response Rave hummed strongly and continued her cheek-rubbing. It was a bit weird, but hey, his girlfriend tended to do some spontaneous stuff that he couldn’t wrap his head around anyhow. Aclysia, her outside reshaping to the goth-maid dress, tilted her head quizzically and slowly blinked.

John was about to ask what had her this puzzled, when he felt something flick against his cheek. Something very, very soft yet too firm to be hair. The feeling repeated, and John stretched his hand, just that little bit to get to the source of that flicking.

Between his fingers, close to the top of Rave’s head and growing to the sides, he rolled this foreign object. It was velvety soft at the tip, like a flower petal with short hair growing on it, long enough to be fluffy but short enough to resist the pull of gravity. Towards the base, it got harder, as if there was cartilage there.

Rave sounded pleased when he rubbed her behind the foreign extension as he felt his way around, her humming increasing in intensity to a point where it resembled a cat's purring. Whatever this was under his hands, and John had a rough idea, was open at the front, roughly triangular in shape, and there was another fluffy bush of hair on the inside.

‘This feels like…’ John tried to reach a conclusion when he heard a hiss and was violently pushed back. He fell towards and then through the nearly-closed living room door. He hit the wooden floor with the semi-painful loss of 4 HP. His head was thrown back by the impact, and he saw Lydia drinking tea, unfazed by the scene. Her eyes remained glued to the e-reader.

He had other worries. His head snapped back up, just in time to see Rave jump on top of him again. She nailed his hands to the ground and straddled his crotch. John had a hard time concentrating as Rave’s white, loose top hung down and granted him a phenomenal view of her naked chest.

However, the pink cat ears atop her head were more peculiar right now. They were of the same pink as her hair, becoming a bit darker towards the tips; the white bush on the inside only had a slight note of pink to it. The ears twitched in an annoyed fashion.

“Don’t ya go stabbing your finger into my ears!” she hissed, showing her extended canines. Her eyes bored into his, their dark copper colour and the thin, vertical irises in stark contrast to the usual blue. Even the pink lustre was gone.

“Sorry,” John apologized, more than a bit confused. “But, addressing the elephant in the room here: what the fuck is happening?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Rave’s mood swung right back around to flirtatious, “It’s just a new technique.” She lowered her head and kissed him. It was a short one, then Rave lost interest and instead jumped off him and ran into the living room. She stepped up to the table and sat down on the edge.

 The tip of a hovering rapier suddenly pointed at her. “No sitting on my desks,” Lydia stated as she turned a page. “Why not?” Rave asked.

“Because I don’t want it. Momo, go play with her,” Lydia instructed.

“I refuse!” Momo shouted and headed up the stairs, “John is back, I got reading to do. Fuck this.”

Lydia raised her eyes from her e-reader and looked at John. “I like her, but if you wanted to create a servant, you horribly failed,” she drily commented, then returned to her readings.

“Well, I didn’t. I am starting to understand the weight of creating a new soul… wait, that’s not the problem here!” John still didn’t have any answers as to what was happening right now. Rave got off the table and, instead, held on to the edge, lowering herself until her eyes were on the same level as the tea set on top of it.

“Can someone please tell me what is go-“

 “John, John,” Rave interrupted him and pointed at the tea set. “Can I push it off the table?”

John violently shook his head. “No. Anyhow, Lydia, please, te-“

“You sure?” Rave interrupted him again, looking at him for just a moment before staring at the tea set for an extended amount of time.

John decided to ignore her for the moment. He tried addressing the princess a third time. “Can you tell me what is ha-“

“Because it looks very attractive to push,” Rave suddenly blurted out. “I also kind of don’t like it on the table, meowby it would look better on the ground?”

John sighed. There would be no discussion as long as Rave was around, he realized. “Aclysia, would you keep Rave occupied for a moment… give her some snacks from the kitchen or something; cattish as she is right now, that should catch her attention.”

“Of course, Master,” Aclysia agreed with a bow.

“Snacks? Snacks sound good; I could eat some right meow,” Rave agreed and quickly waddled after the artificial guardian as they left for the kitchen.

“Okay, now, what is going on?” John asked, unobstructed.

Lydia didn’t look up from whatever she was reading. “Your girlfriend got bored, so I decided to teach her the basis of the elemental fusion technique, to strengthen her bond with Copernicus, and have her practice that,” Lydia explained, sipping some tea. She actually looked up for a second time and stared at the cup with an annoyed expression. “Why is the tea I make so much worse than what Aclysia prepares?” she muttered before continuing. “I didn’t think that she would pick it up within a few hours, much less actually go through with the actual fusing without further instructions. Normally, that takes people days or weeks. She is more talented than I gave her credit for. A shame she wasted it until now.”

John had no answer to the tea question; he also didn’t care to find one right now. “So, she is now permanently fused with Copernicus, like you are with your elemental?!”

“I am still around, thank you,” the sun cat jumped onto the back of the nearby couch. He licked his paw, then cleaned his head with it. The constant grooming of cats. “As if I would let that idiot of a Lightbearer take control of me with that disgusting technique the Germans came up with.”

Lydia blew air out of her nose. “Despite the cat's annoying attitude, I wouldn’t have taught her that technique against his express wish to remain a free spirit,” she stated and turned another page. “No, she just learnt how to get into a mode where she taps into his strength a lot more. It allows her to be part of the wisdom of elements. Think of it like that aura she uses in melee combat. Her prior knowledge of that technique might have helped in her developing this one so quickly. They both concentrate on focusing mana in one’s own body after all. One is your own while the other is from outside, being the important difference.”

John nodded as he put together that information dump. “Okay, so she has a new technique, based on both her martial arts and her elemental Innate Ability, that allows her to use both to maximum efficiency. And she learnt that while I was off-screen. Bullshit.”

Lydia raised an eyebrow but still didn’t look up, neither did she have another comment.

“And the catlike behaviour and exterior is because of you then?” John turned his questions to Copernicus.

“That would be correct,” the sun cat admitted. “It is my power, after all.”

“In future usages, she should regain her self-control,” Lydia added, “she should also be able to turn it off willingly.”

“Wait, she is stuck like that?!” John cried out.

“For an unknown timespan, yes,” Lydia admitted. “It seems her method of mana regeneration has changed. She should turn back after it runs out or when she goes to sleep. This interface of yours is very useful to track such things.” With a slap, she closed the leather lid of the e-reader. “However, now that I no longer have to reside over the living room to protect my property, with you being back, I shall get back to work. I am now an hour ahead in reading reports but half an hour delayed on writing them.”

“Sounds like you have time for a thirty-minute break,” John stated. Lydia only answered with a reprimanding glare, then she got up without another word. “One more thing,” John said, and Lydia stopped in the doorframe that led into the short hall between the living room and the princess’ room. “Thanks for watching over her while I was gone; if you like I can help you with some work later to make up for it.”

Lydia mustered him for a few moments. “I will see if I can find something your help would be appreciated with,” she said before taking her leave for good.

There was a loud rattling coming from the kitchen. John sighed as he made his way there. Now, to look over his temporary-catgirl girlfriend for the next few… minutes or hours, he really didn’t know how long.

A few hours later, Aclysia and John walked through the Hiroshima-Nagasaki park. They had been to another tailor, to get John a suit fitting for high society. Then they went to the Christmas market, where John bought something hot to drink for himself as he and Aclysia talked about this and that. Well, he talked, for the most part. Aclysia just liked to listen, so whenever he hit a stumbling stone in the conversation, she presented him with some questions that nudged the conversation into a new direction. and that is why Teemo is a piece of shit, from a game design perspective, John finished his current rant. Aclysia, in her new winter clothes, nodded twice. I see, she just said. Normally this was where she would present him with another question, but they both knew he had no time to go on another rant. It was already past noon; John felt a bit bad for staying away longer than the timeframe he had promised to Rave. Aclysia had asked him for just one round through the park, however. With only slight reluctance, he had agreed. The date had been a lot of fun, a bit emotionally taxing at times, but the good kind, the kind that cleared up trouble in a relationship. Surely ten or so minutes wouldn't make his girlfriend mad, therefore he thought that there was no harm in agreeing. If she is going to be mad about anything, it's the conversation from breakfast,' John told himself. Admittedly, he had wronged his girlfriend a bit when he had hurriedly promised Aclysia a date. He didn't regret doing it, not before nor after the date, but he could have handled it a bit more smoothly by delaying the date a day or so. Knowing Rave, she wouldn't have objected if he had told her in advance. But enough of the worry, he would see his girlfriend in a bit anyhow. If there was anything they needed to talk about, the techno-lover would throw it in his face, and they would talk it out in a bantering way. Weirdly enough, those had never turned into fights, only playful shouting matches. Looking back, the only real fight he had had with his girlfriend up to now was the one over Victoria's involvement in the attacks on Collide. Note to self: calm talks with Jane are more likely to turn into fights than teasing each other, apparently,' he thought when their temporary home came into view. They followed the stone path that led up to the door. He reached for the doorknob. He stopped. Uhm, he felt stupid, very, very stupid, when he turned to Aclysia with a problem he had encountered two days prior already. Long shot, but you don't happen to have the key on you? Aclysia shook her head. I thought that it would be unnecessary, Momo is still here after all, she explained. True, but now I will have to listen to her complain, John sighed and extended his thoughts towards his support. Hey, could you ope- Sweet salty Christ, thanks that you are back!' the answer came before he could finish his request. Loud steps could be heard as someone on the inside rushed down a flight of stairs. A moment later, Momo pulled the door open. Save me, for you are my Master, and my nerves are at an end, she shouted and pulled him inside. What is it? he wanted to know as he hastily got out of his shoes and jacket. Sylph is still sleeping; whatever could be this bad? he was genuinely curious. Lydia would never cause trouble and he didn't think Rave would be interested in doing too much stuff with the supporter. Momo opened her mouth to answer, but then a shout came from upstairs. Do I hear John? Joooooooooooooooohn! In a flash of light, the pink-haired girl the voice belonged to jumped down the stairs, landed next to John and pounced at him. He stumbled a few feet back but managed to keep standing, even as Rave slung her arms around his neck and rubbed her cheek on his. Finally back? she purred. John felt whatever worries about a fight happening that had remained at the back of his head melt, and he embraced her as well. One hand he put around her back, the other rested on the back of her head. Yeah, I am back, he answered, I love you. In response Rave hummed strongly and continued her cheek-rubbing. It was a bit weird, but hey, his girlfriend tended to do some spontaneous stuff that he couldn't wrap his head around anyhow. Aclysia, her outside reshaping to the goth-maid dress, tilted her head quizzically and slowly blinked. John was about to ask what had her this puzzled, when he felt something flick against his cheek. Something very, very soft yet too firm to be hair. The feeling repeated, and John stretched his hand, just that little bit to get to the source of that flicking. Between his fingers, close to the top of Rave's head and growing to the sides, he rolled this foreign object. It was velvety soft at the tip, like a flower petal with short hair growing on it, long enough to be fluffy but short enough to resist the pull of gravity. Towards the base, it got harder, as if there was cartilage there. Rave sounded pleased when he rubbed her behind the foreign extension as he felt his way around, her humming increasing in intensity to a point where it resembled a cat's purring. Whatever this was under his hands, and John had a rough idea, was open at the front, roughly triangular in shape, and there was another fluffy bush of hair on the inside. This feels like' John tried to reach a conclusion when he heard a hiss and was violently pushed back. He fell towards and then through the nearly-closed living room door. He hit the wooden floor with the semi-painful loss of 4 HP. His head was thrown back by the impact, and he saw Lydia drinking tea, unfazed by the scene. Her eyes remained glued to the e-reader. He had other worries. His head snapped back up, just in time to see Rave jump on top of him again. She nailed his hands to the ground and straddled his crotch. John had a hard time concentrating as Rave's white, loose top hung down and granted him a phenomenal view of her naked chest. However, the pink cat ears atop her head were more peculiar right now. They were of the same pink as her hair, becoming a bit darker towards the tips; the white bush on the inside only had a slight note of pink to it. The ears twitched in an annoyed fashion. Don't ya go stabbing your finger into my ears! she hissed, showing her extended canines. Her eyes bored into his, their dark copper colour and the thin, vertical irises in stark contrast to the usual blue. Even the pink lustre was gone. Sorry, John apologized, more than a bit confused. But, addressing the elephant in the room here: what the fuck is happening? Oh, don't worry, Rave's mood swung right back around to flirtatious, It's just a new technique. She lowered her head and kissed him. It was a short one, then Rave lost interest and instead jumped off him and ran into the living room. She stepped up to the table and sat down on the edge. The tip of a hovering rapier suddenly pointed at her. No sitting on my desks, Lydia stated as she turned a page. Why not? Rave asked. Because I don't want it. Momo, go play with her, Lydia instructed. I refuse! Momo shouted and headed up the stairs, John is back, I got reading to do. Fuck this. Lydia raised her eyes from her e-reader and looked at John. I like her, but if you wanted to create a servant, you horribly failed, she drily commented, then returned to her readings. Well, I didn't. I am starting to understand the weight of creating a new soul wait, that's not the problem here! John still didn't have any answers as to what was happening right now. Rave got off the table and, instead, held on to the edge, lowering herself until her eyes were on the same level as the tea set on top of it. Can someone please tell me what is go- John, John, Rave interrupted him and pointed at the tea set. Can I push it off the table? John violently shook his head. No. Anyhow, Lydia, please, te- You sure? Rave interrupted him again, looking at him for just a moment before staring at the tea set for an extended amount of time. John decided to ignore her for the moment. He tried addressing the princess a third time. Can you tell me what is ha- Because it looks very attractive to push, Rave suddenly blurted out. I also kind of don't like it on the table, meowby it would look better on the ground? John sighed. There would be no discussion as long as Rave was around, he realized. Aclysia, would you keep Rave occupied for a moment give her some snacks from the kitchen or something; cattish as she is right now, that should catch her attention. Of course, Master, Aclysia agreed with a bow. Snacks? Snacks sound good; I could eat some right meow, Rave agreed and quickly waddled after the artificial guardian as they left for the kitchen. Okay, now, what is going on? John asked, unobstructed. Lydia didn't look up from whatever she was reading. Your girlfriend got bored, so I decided to teach her the basis of the elemental fusion technique, to strengthen her bond with Copernicus, and have her practice that, Lydia explained, sipping some tea. She actually looked up for a second time and stared at the cup with an annoyed expression. Why is the tea I make so much worse than what Aclysia prepares? she muttered before continuing. I didn't think that she would pick it up within a few hours, much less actually go through with the actual fusing without further instructions. Normally, that takes people days or weeks. She is more talented than I gave her credit for. A shame she wasted it until now. John had no answer to the tea question; he also didn't care to find one right now. So, she is now permanently fused with Copernicus, like you are with your elemental?! I am still around, thank you, the sun cat jumped onto the back of the nearby couch. He licked his paw, then cleaned his head with it. The constant grooming of cats. As if I would let that idiot of a Lightbearer take control of me with that disgusting technique the Germans came up with. Lydia blew air out of her nose. Despite the cat's annoying attitude, I wouldn't have taught her that technique against his express wish to remain a free spirit, she stated and turned another page. No, she just learnt how to get into a mode where she taps into his strength a lot more. It allows her to be part of the wisdom of elements. Think of it like that aura she uses in melee combat. Her prior knowledge of that technique might have helped in her developing this one so quickly. They both concentrate on focusing mana in one's own body after all. One is your own while the other is from outside, being the important difference. John nodded as he put together that information dump. Okay, so she has a new technique, based on both her martial arts and her elemental Innate Ability, that allows her to use both to maximum efficiency. And she learnt that while I was off-screen. Bullshit. Lydia raised an eyebrow but still didn't look up, neither did she have another comment. And the catlike behaviour and exterior is because of you then? John turned his questions to Copernicus. That would be correct, the sun cat admitted. It is my power, after all. In future usages, she should regain her self-control, Lydia added, she should also be able to turn it off willingly. Wait, she is stuck like that?! John cried out. For an unknown timespan, yes, Lydia admitted. It seems her method of mana regeneration has changed. She should turn back after it runs out or when she goes to sleep. This interface of yours is very useful to track such things. With a slap, she closed the leather lid of the e-reader. However, now that I no longer have to reside over the living room to protect my property, with you being back, I shall get back to work. I am now an hour ahead in reading reports but half an hour delayed on writing them. Sounds like you have time for a thirty-minute break, John stated. Lydia only answered with a reprimanding glare, then she got up without another word. One more thing, John said, and Lydia stopped in the doorframe that led into the short hall between the living room and the princess' room. Thanks for watching over her while I was gone; if you like I can help you with some work later to make up for it. Lydia mustered him for a few moments. I will see if I can find something your help would be appreciated with, she said before taking her leave for good. There was a loud rattling coming from the kitchen. John sighed as he made his way there. Now, to look over his temporary-catgirl girlfriend for the next few minutes or hours, he really didn't know how long.