Dashing devil 5 bold beg.., p.53
Dashing Devil 5: Bold Beginnings, page 53
On the screen, the old woman leaned forward and gave Boyd a conspiratorial wink. “The real question, I suppose, is if the lightsaber she produces will be blue… or red.”
Boyd chuckled at Granny’s wit. He couldn't help but be swept up in Tinker's excitement. Seeing her so enthusiastic about her work always filled him with pride and admiration. As she continued to bounce in his arms, eager to get started on her new project, he gave her a gentle squeeze to calm her down.
"Tink, remember that we need to approach this cautiously. We don't know the full extent of this energy source, so let's take it one step at a time, alright?" Boyd reminded her, his golden eyes locking with hers.
Tinker's hazel eyes sparkled with determination, but she nodded in agreement. "You're right, Boyd. We'll start small and work our way up. But just imagine the possibilities! A lightsaber would be so cool.”
Granny let out another chortle at her granddaughter’s one-track mind.
She glared at the old woman on the screen. “And it won’t be blue… or red. It will be pink!”
“And you can start working on it first thing in the morning,” he smiled at his little inventor. “For now, the others are waiting for us. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the cuddle puddle this will surely turn into, would you?”
With a happy glint in her hazel eyes, Tinker nodded eagerly at Boyd’s suggestion. She knew that a cuddle puddle was not just a gathering of warmth and comfort, it was also a time for playful banter and intimacy. As they walked back towards the Great Room, Tinker couldn't contain her excitement at the thought of creating something as iconic as a lightsaber.
They found the rest of the women gathered on the ridiculously sized couch-bed set in front of the massive viewscreen. The space was filled with a warmth that instantly welcomed both of them. Each member of his eclectic little family brought a unique energy that was distinctly theirs to the room. Together it felt like a comforting embrace—at least to all those who were a part of it.
“Well, that was pretty fast, even for a quicky,” Raev snarked with a mischievous grin.
“We just needed to talk about a new idea,” Tinker defended quickly, her cheeks turning as pink as her pajamas.
“Come on… cuddle in!” Silvie cheered, her long silver hair pooling around her head where she lay back on a pillow.
Hope sat behind her, casually playing with the silver locks as her large, white wings fanned out behind her. “Yes, my Lord, come join us.”
“We left a spot for you, if it wasn’t obvious,” Mindy offered them a small but sincere smile.
There was a big spot in the center of his four loves that they were obviously waiting for him and Tinker to occupy. Laura and Daisy sat off to one side, although Laura wore an expression that clearly said she would rather be part of the cuddle puddle that was about to form.
‘She knows it isn’t her time… yet,’ the Mindy that lived in his mind said. She was, as ever, dressed in sexy, goth-inspired lingerie. In addition to strips of black leather held together by wisps of purple silk, she wore a knowing smirk.
Boyd felt a rush of warmth and affection wash over him as he settled into the empty spot. Tinker snuggled closely into his chest while the others all found a way to cuddle up against his sides. The luxury of having such a diverse group of loving partners was not lost on Boyd—each of them brought a different kind of joy and companionship to his life. As they cuddled together, he felt a sense of completeness that only their unique Bonds could provide.
The opening credits of the movie rolled as the group settled in for what was sure to be a cozy evening. Boyd wrapped his wings protectively around the members of his harem, creating a cocoon of warmth and intimacy that enveloped them all.
The movie was an action-packed superhero flick, filled with explosions and daring feats that kept everyone on the edge of their metaphorical seat... at least for the first few minutes. As the adrenaline-pumping scenes gave way to slower, more sentimental moments between the hero and his love interest, Boyd felt Tinker's breathing slow against his chest.
She had drifted off to sleep, her small frame pressed snugly against him. Looking around the room, Boyd saw that the others had also succumbed to fatigue. Raev's head rested in Silvie's lap, and her tails wrapped around both of them. Her typically mischievous grin had softened in sleep. Hope had leaned back against Mindy, both tucked up under his wing. Even Laura and Daisy had nestled close together, with Daisy’s head resting on Laura’s arm as his trainee’s chin slumped against the fairy woman’s head.
In this moment of quiet intimacy, surrounded by those he cherished most, Boyd knew that no matter what challenges or dangers they faced as Heroes, they would always have each other. And that was more powerful than any superhuman strength or otherworldly energy source could ever be. With this comforting thought firmly in mind, he drifted off to sleep—a slumber that was broken after only two or three hours, based on the fact that Boyd woke up tired.
He woke up to the wide hazel eyes of a slightly concerned and very confused Tinker, who had leaned up on his chest so she could reach his nose and hold it closed for a moment to wake him. She pushed a finger to her lips, then pointed to his left pectoral, opposite from where her head had been resting when she’d fallen asleep.
Boyd followed the motion to find a roughly three-inch version of Daisy curled up on his bare chest, sleeping with the most peaceful expression on her otherworldly beautiful face. She was still wearing the yellow Cami and short set she had joined them for movie night in. Her clothes resized with her, so they fit her slender curves snugly—something her current position curled up on her side accentuated. Her iridescent fairy wings and hair fanned out over him which, now that he was paying attention, tickled a little. Otherwise, he couldn’t feel her weight on him.
He was tempted to go back to sleep and pretend he hadn’t been made aware of her presence. She would either wake up and flee with no one noticing, or be there when he woke up. Of course, that ran the risk of one of his less polite loves waking up at some point and noticing her presence. He assumed it was some sort of misunderstanding. Perhaps she had gone to the bathroom and gotten confused due to her small size or something on the way back.
He would just not bring it up. The others would not be so kind.
Raev would never let her live it down, Boyd could hear the teasing and jokes already. It would make Silvie’s promise regarding the currently off-limits fairy-cook more difficult to keep. She would bring it up to the others, at the very least. Hope wouldn’t mean to push, but she would insist it was a sign that Daisy was meant to be his, in addition to becoming a member of their family.
Daisy would be fine if it was Mindy; he was the one who had to worry about any teasing from Mindy. She was sure to see him think about it at some point, and then the mental mischief would begin.
‘Kuh-he,’ the Mindy that lounged in his mind giggled. ‘Too late!’
Boyd grimaced.
‘I’ll be nice, just like I was in that dream this interrupted,’ she cooed.
Nightmares were a thing of the past for Boyd.
‘You should wake her up; it’s less likely to lead to embarrassment for her that way. You forgot about Laura. She’d be the worst one to learn about this.’
Boyd took a deep breath in preparation, not fully prepared for their resident spitfire’s reaction at this hour—not surrounded by so many soft and warm things with their feminine smells. Tinker gave him an expectant look, conveying with her eyes that he should wake the young woman up.
“Daisy?” Boyd rumbled as softly as he could.
He was pretty sure it was the vibrations his voice caused in his chest more than his words that roused her, though she only shifted a bit and didn’t actually wake. His arms were pinned under or wrapped around soft, warm, smooth, and amazing things, so he couldn’t exactly give her a shake.
“Daisy… hey, Daisy… you need to wake up,” he continued, just a little louder than before.
It was only after he spoke that he remembered Mindy could wake anybody up smoothly and Tinker could have given her that little shake. How did this become his job? Tinker was even pretending to be asleep to avoid the situation.
“Mmmn?” Daisy murmured softly.
She still seemed to be asleep to him.
“Boyd?”
“Yeah, Daisy, it’s me. You need to wake up. You’re… uhh… you’re on my chest,” Boyd explained as softly as possible.
“Oh… hi, Boyd,” she replied happily.
Boyd blinked at the way she said hello to him with a bright and cheery sweetness that didn’t seem faked or forced at all.
She continued in a cheerful but slightly sleep-slowed voice, “Are you hungry? I could make you something… anything you want.”
“Um, thanks Daisy, but that’s okay, you just need to move to… anywhere but there,” Boyd said with hushed urgency, assuming she wasn’t fully awake—adorably sweet, but not awake.
“I don’t think you want the others to see you here.”
“Okay, okay,” some of the more familiar annoyance entered her tone, but then the sweetness came back, “do I have too? I’m really comfy.”
“Yes,” Boyd hissed. “Unless you meant to be there, you should move.”
“Okayyy,” Daisy whined, which still sounded sweet.
She then pushed herself up to a seated position on one hand, pulling her knees together with her lower legs folded up against her thighs. The little fairy blearily rubbed her eyes with the other hand, her colorful hair falling down to cover her face.
Her butterfly wings fluttered sporadically as if going through a post-sleep warm-up, which tickled his chest. “I’m up, I’m up,” she finally said with a yawn.
Boyd resisted the urge to chuckle, knowing that it would wake at least one of his loves. “No, I don’t think you are awake—not yet.”
The tiny Daisy looked up at him, blinked her big, brightly colored eyes twice, and instantly turned a beet red. “No, no, no…” she let out another, less sweet-sounding whine.
Next to her, Tinker let out a snort that she turned into a too loud, too obvious snore.
“This can’t be happening,” the miniature woman stated in disbelief, then pinched her own arm and winced. “Shit,” she swore softly.
Boyd suppressed a grin.
Daisy leveled a tiny glare at him. “This didn’t happen,” she insisted as she jumped to her feet. “It didn’t happen now, and it will never happen again!”
Leaping into the air, she vanished in a soap bubble.
“Um… what just happened?” Tinker asked in a whisper.
“I have no idea,” Boyd said with a yawn. “Seems like a problem for future me. This me is going back to sleep. Love you, Tink. G’night.”
“Hehe,” Tinker let out a little giggle. “Love you too, Boyd. Good night.”
‘Kuh-he! I love you too, my little shit,’ the Mindy in his mind added before her grin turned positively lecherous. ‘Sweet dreams...’
Epilogue
Victory Seeker sat in his hidden study, the place he often visited to escape that nitwit Archangel’s incessant blathering. The room was small and fastidious, containing only the bare essentials for Victory Seeker’s needs. There was a sturdy wooden desk with a leather chair pulled up to it, a simple viewscreen that sat on its surface, and a bookshelf filled with all too rare paper books beside it. The rest of the room was free of clutter or decoration.
Victory Seeker preferred it this way – it was a calm and organized space where he could focus on his strategies without any distractions. He had spent countless hours in this room, pouring over maps and texts, planning out his next moves in the ongoing war for humanity. While he had retired from the Heroes years ago, and only occasionally went on Hunter missions, he was still an advisor to the Hunters.
Recently, things had not been going according to his carefully laid plans. It was not an entirely new experience for the man who earned a reputation for ‘always’ winning. No one always won. Victory Seeker earned his name by always finding a path to victory when it counted—which is when people paid attention to who won. That, combined with implying that any failures were simply part of his strategy towards some vague future victory, had created the illusion of infallibility.
This had been important when he was a Hero, even if the man himself knew that it was an illusion. He could fail just like any other mortal. He wasn’t delusional.
That had been his mistake. He’d backed a man who was very much delusional. Victory Seeker had been certain that he would be able to impart enough discipline to that damned idiot to counteract his rampant narcissism. If that creature, Hopewing, had just played along and fulfilled her role, it would have worked.
Victory Seeker had no need for it himself, but he well understood the sway love held over others. While undoubtedly a creature, Hopewing was loved by almost everyone she met. If she had played her role properly, she would have curtailed the negative aspects of Archangel’s personality and made him malleable enough that Victory Seeker could mold him into a true Hero.
Unfortunately, she was strong-willed.
He could only blame himself, really. Training he had provided was at least part of why her mental defenses were so strong. They were too strong for even the S-Ranked Mind Powered he had arranged to ‘check her mind for any lasting influence inflicted by a Power’. She’d let them scan her thoughts and memories without complaint, certain none would be found.
Unfortunately, the moment they switched to trying to influence her mind, those defenses of hers clamped down and prevented it. She would always politely point out their error, assumed it was a simple mistake, and let them get back to ‘checking’.
The girl herself served as an example of the power of love. Her love for that filthy demon he had once held such high hopes for—before his Change, of course—was the real reason he couldn’t get her to play her role.
Archangel, while troubled, was a good match. He was classically handsome, charming, mannered, charismatic, and powerful—both in terms of influence as well as his Powers. Victory Seeker had spent a significant amount of time as a ‘Mentor’ back in that damned Powered Adolescent Center shaping Hopewing into a follower. And Archangel would have been the perfect leader for her to attach herself to, if only the power of love hadn’t caused her to forsake the opportunity.
Not that it mattered. The Hero he’d become a handler for had fallen.
Archangel’s proclivities were a vulnerability that Hopewing hadn’t masked as planned, and that weakness was first exposed and then used to destroy him. And that was before the filthy Changed completely humiliated and unmanned him in that farce of a duel. It was ironic that the girl who was supposed to love him had ended his life. The spectacle—he was certain parts of it would be shown on repeat for at least the next two news cycles—would completely tarnish the reputation Archangel, despite his issues, had managed to cultivate.
He wouldn’t even make a decent martyr figure now. What a waste. Completely useless.
Victory Seeker had The Registry of Accredited Prophecies open in front of him—a book that officially didn’t exist. His was a copy; one of only four remaining on the planet of Od. The other three were shared between people who had the clearance to view it and the original had been lost, making his the only personal copy—a point of pride.
He reread the text, trying to figure out what had gone wrong and if he still had time to train another.
In the age of order, the Authority reigns supreme.
And for three hundred years, peace shall gleam.
A world once torn by chaos and strife,
Will be bound by the Authority's light.
With the passing of the three hundredth year,
A menace shall rise, evoking destruction and fear.
The Authority, faced with its darkest plight,
Shall tremble under the shadow of night.
One shall rise, a beacon from shadowed night.
True disciple of he who seeks victory, this Hero shines bright.
Having learned every lesson, and walking the true path with might,
In his deeds, humanity shall take flight.
In the Authority's realm, he'll face love and hate.
Admiration and scorn shall mark his fate.
Triumphant over the one thought strongest of all,
He will become a true monster's downfall.
When the time comes, he'll stand for what’s right.
Safeguarding all, with valor he’ll fight.
For without his strength, humanity's fall is nigh,
In his hands lies the fate of all under Od’s sky.
From the very first time he had been granted the clearance to read one of the Authority’s most treasured texts, he had been certain he was the one ‘who seeks victory’ it prophesized of. It was why he had switched from an active field role to Mentoring. The accuracy of the prophecies had been proven several times over—meaning that he was ultimately responsible for preventing the fall of humanity it predicted.
Without his training, the Hero that would shine bright wouldn’t be prepared to walk the true path.
What left him with a sense of failure was that the menace the text predicted had already started its rise. It was ironic, really. The student he’d once held such high hopes for—and likely trained too well as a result—was the very threat he was responsible for protecting humanity from.
If he had known that Boyd would Change, he never would have given him all that personal training as a youth. Of course, if he had known the demonic Changed would become the threat he now was, he would simply have killed him before he could become such a threat. Instead, the once promising youth had used the training Victory Seeker was instrumental in setting up to make himself a beacon for other Changed to rally to, along with those that supported the creatures.
It was only a matter of time before the past repeated itself. The Changed rebellion that threatened humanity was on the horizon. All signs pointed to it being too late to train another Hero to prevent it before it began, or to end it before they destroyed humanity.
