Harem Tournament of Champions

Mich's lips were puckered when he stopped and opened his eyes to have Kenna's displeased stare glaring at him.

Pushing back with a yell, he fell off his chair, hitting his head on the wall from the impact.

Kenna sat upright, placing her hand over her thighs.

"What the hell happened to me?! Why am I here?!" She shrieked, pulling off the coverers, and tossing them on Mich's head.

Pulling off the cover, Mich had a pout in disappointment, having lost his opportunity to have some sort of connection with her.

"You're welcome." He deadpanned, getting to his feet and dusting his torso.

Kenna narrowed her eyes at him, pointing an accusing finger at him, "you did this, you brought me here to fulfill some sort of fetish!"

Mich did a double take, raising a brow at the accusation, mumbling to himself. "There must have been something wrong when she collapsed."

Clicking his tongue and shaking his head, he leaned on the wall and folded his arms. It was best to know to what extent she had recovered and went through what she had witnessed before her collapse in her hut.

Not yet done with her accusation, she scoffed as she continued, "you've got some nerve to attempt to take advantage of me, even when I look this way."

"There's nothing wrong with your appearance." Mich was quick to refute her degrading herself.

"I care not about superficial appearance, because I l–" Mich's lips trembled at the near slip he had almost made and bit down on his bottom lips.

"Because you what?" She pressed on.

'Stupid brain' Mich repeatedly hit his head with his palm.

"I care about the feelings of every one of my territory." He lied, sweat dropping.

Kenna's face fell in disappointment at his words, forcing a smile.

With a mocking tone, she copied his words and rolled her eyes.

Mich had a smile at her actions, grateful that she could still be the usual self she was after all that had happened.

"What's so funny?!" She snapped.

"You are," he revealed, tilting his head with a smile.

"I miss this." He smiled. "Could we keep this atmosphere for at least a few minutes?!"

Kenna couldn't differentiate if she was being fooled or mocked.

"You will get your youthful appearance, I wish to help you with this." He blurted out.

Kenna was at loss for words with her jaw wide open in shock.

"I know this troubles and hinders your usual activities, but I will find another around this." He vowed.

Tears trailed down Kenna's eyes which she wiped quickly. With a flick of her fingers beckoning him toward her.

Unfolding his hands, Mich was quick to listen and went down on a knee. "Did I say something wrong?"

Pulling him by the neck, she kissed him on the lips.

Mich was too stunned to close his eyes, not because it looked like she had forgiven him, but the fact that she looked younger and in her youthful vigor as they did.

Her white hair had regained the vibrant black look which flowed behind her.

Her wrinkly fingers with her right hand on his face allowed enough visuals for him to see how smooth they had become.

'What the heck is wrong with my thoughts?!' He panicked, pulling away to confirm his visuals.

His face fell when she looked the same as she had been currently.

Sigh!

'No, that wasn't a part of my plan.'

"Did I mistake your intentions?" Kenna mumbled, fiddling with her fingers.

Pulling her in for another kiss, Mich stared in shock as he combed his hand through her black hair.

Mesmerized by what he was witnessing, he didn't want to stop as he pulled her even closer.

Gasp!

Pushing on his chest, Kenna broke free from his grasp, gasping for air.

"What... has... gotten... into... you?" She pointed at him, staring at her bedsheets.

Mich took several steps back until he had his back against the wall.

His eyes darted in every direction, trying to gauge his next move yet still in denial of what he had seen and felt.

"I don't know." He muttered.

Kenna's thought flashed back to how he had held her waist, caressed her head, and all that made her blush at the thought of experiencing such even with her appearance.

"Kenna..." Mich began with trembling lips, his hands shaking from the overwhelming information.

"Do you believe you can regain your youthful appearance?"

Silence!

The awkward silence lasted for over two minutes as none attempted to glance at the other.

"Can you really do that for me?" Kenna looked hopefully at Mich.

'That's my greatest wish aside from the power that comes with the pearl.'

Mich let out a sigh, giving a nod with a sad smile.

"Could you please tell me what happened back in your hut?"

Whipping her head in his direction, she tilted it in confusion. "I–I don't remember."

'Fucking damnit!' Mich screamed in his thoughts but managed to force a smile on his face.

"Is there any problem I might have missed?"

Shaking his head at her words, he pushed against the wall and gave a grin. "It's nothing. I'm just glad you're safe."

Kenna watched as Mich staggered with a glum face towards the door, pulling on the door handle and slipping out.

Click!

Sigh!

A frown made its way on her face as she stared at the door.

'I can't allow you to be corrupted by the pearl, even if it means I stay this way.'

Pulling her legs in a tight hug, she sniffled at how frail and bony they felt–a grim reminder of what she had lost.

Turning her attention to the bathtub at the far corner close to the window, she made her way to the edge of the bed.

'If this is the only way I can feel young again, then so be it.'

Stripping off her clothes, she stepped into the bathtub, easing herself in with a sigh of satisfaction.

The water glowed as her frail legs merged and in its stead was a navy blue tail and scale marks that scattered around.

Resting her arms on the side of the tub, her hair black hair spread all around her as she submerged herself in the water.

Blob!

Blob!

She stared at the ceiling with a smile, the ripple effect caused by her submergence, closing her eyes to the one thought that caused nothing but a headache in her dealings with her people.

'The disaster can't be prolonged anymore.'

*****

In the garden,

Solara stared at the sky, counting the stars as they twinkled.

The rustling sound in the bush was not enough to distract her from her set gaze.

Without as much as a glance at the figure that sat by her, she let out a little chuckle.

"There was a time you once tried to kill me."

Alta leaned forward with her chin on her folded fist, clicking her tongue as her yellow eyes glowed from the reflection of the luminous moonlight.

"Kill is a play on words, I wanted to rip your head off." Alta snickered, pushing back on the backrest of the wooden bench.

Solara scoffed and broke off in a little chuckle. "For a demoness, you do have a few words to tell."

Spreading out her wings so they could push away Solara, she had a wicked smirk at the sight of her right-wing held on the alula.

'Just as I thought.' Alta switched her gaze from her right wing and Solara who held onto it.

Retracting and folding her wings, Alta turned her attention solely to Solara. "You pretend to be weak, why is that?"

Getting to her feet, Solara looked over her shoulder. "It's for the best, at least for now."

Whoosh!

Weaving and narrowly dodging a hardened feather shot at her head. Solara looked in disbelief at the smirking demoness.

"You and I both know we are one of the strongest, if not the best." Alta related, folding her arms under the bust of her silk white night dress with a deep v that trailed to her navel.

"We don't know that." Solara countered, wanting to leave to put a hold on any form of provocation.

"I am partly restricted by our lord due to what I had done in meretrix-01–even though those weak-willed ladies deserved it!" She spat in disgust at the memory of that night.

Solara closed her eyes, trying her best to stomach the massacre she had witnessed at the time.

"But you–what's your excuse?" Alta challenged.

*****

A/N

¶ An image of Kenna in her prime as a mermaid is up in my discord channel.

A pictorial illustration of the Alta's wings and parts of it for easier navigation on what's described on my discord server. (•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→ https://discord.gg/NhMzNqgzwn

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