AN:

Chapter 26.4: I Want Touch It

Dreams, they come to us all both human and Crystallim alike. It could be said that the dreams we had were windows into our subconscious. Sometimes those dreams were nothing more than an incoherent, dissonant, series of disconnected symbolic images. Sometimes they were capable of showing a future event that our mind has determined to be highly probably.

In the case of one young and surprisingly sweet girl, a dream was also a portal to the past. A dream could be a means of remembering what had been. This was especially true of a Crystallim, as they were almost a dream by themselves. Often when they dreamt of the past, they became aware of things that their basic physical senses did not know. Their true senses picked up on subtle cues and other tidbits of information that the more common senses did not.

Deep within the crystalline heart of a slumbering girl, the past unfolded. The scene began, not with a gentle sigh or a warm breeze upon the face of innocent youth. It began with a blood-curdling scream. It was a scream not her own.

"S-serves you right!" cried the blond powerhouse as she gazed down at the lecherous pervert who had walked in on her during her private sauna time.

"The hell..." whimpered the man, little more than a teenage boy really.

Concerned that the sudden arrival of a pervert might signal an attack on her beloved home, Eina lifted her fists and took up a shaky fighting stance. "Don't you dare try to take advantage of me..." she said while making an attempt to use her elbows to hold up her towel. The towel, her only defense against the lecherous gaze of a foolish pervert. Sure, she could have simply de-manifested, but that might have left her home vulnerable.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Jack just said to come tell you that he needed to talk to you when you're done." said Scott. He gasped for air while he clutched feebly at his injured manhood.

"Wait, that voice... Scott?" asked Eina, surprised.

"Who else would it be?" he said with a grunt. He tried to sit up, but the pain was still too intense.

Eina gasped loudly then knelt down and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry! I thought you were just a random pervert..."

Scott gasped for air once more. This time he did manage to sit up. "Damn, you kick hard."

A soft blush crossed her delicate features. She reached back and pulled a lock of her free-flowing hair over her shoulder.

She stroked it a moment before she spoke. "Thanks."

"Was that a compliment?" he asked her in a muttered tone.

"Wasn't it?" she smiled sweetly at him then sat down next to the injured teen. "Sorry I attacked you. I really am..."

"It's alright. I should have called out." he waved one hand in the air. "Blame the steam, too."

Eina laughed softly then nodded. "Yeah, it does get steamy in here..."

"Oh? Does it?" asked Scott with a toothsome grin.

She frowned at him then pushed at him gently. "Cut it out."

"You're right. It's not fair to tease you." he said before offering her a smile.

"No it isn't... Especially right now..."

Scott looked over to her then slipped an arm around her waist. Eina's blush returned in earnest and she made a cute noise. "So forward..."

He moved his hand up to gently cup her chin. "So is this." he said before he kissed her warmly on her soft, pink, lips.

Eina moaned against his mouth slightly then leaned into him. Her eyes fluttered open after a moment, once the kiss ended. "You really shouldn't do that."

"My best friend needed some encouragement." he said simply.

She laughed a little then looked away. "I'm in training. You shouldn't distract me."

"Because you'll ascend to a higher form soon?" he asked her, before he kissed her warmly on the ear.

"Yes, any day now."

Scott whispered into her ear, "Will you still love me when you're a rock star?"

Eina snorted then pushed at him again. "Who loves you?"

He pointed at her then offered a silly grin. She rolled her eyes but did not deny it. Instead, she changed the subject. "So, Seventy-two is getting a weekend pass soon?"

"Yep. We think it's her birthday, so I figured it would be nice for all of us to go out and celebrate."

Eina waved her hand dismissively. "You just want to get me drunk and do perverted things with me again."

Scott nodded at her shamelessly. Eina, rolled her eyes once more then unleashed a tired sigh. "You're just a useless horny dog, you know that?"

The recent military recruit laughed in a good natured way then pulled the petulant girl close. "Yeah, but I'm your horny dog, right?"

Eina smiled in spite of herself. "If I thought you meant that, I might let you do more than kiss me when I'm not looking."

"My word is my bond. Ask anyone." replied Scott with a cheeky smile.

"Right? Who am I going to ask, the other fifty girls you're stringing along?" asked Eina, her expression shifting from amused to sour.

Scott shook his head gently. "No. You know I'm only with Seventy-Two when I'm not with you?"

Eina smirked at him. "Right. I'm really that important to you, huh?" she said in a disbelieving tone.

He grew quiet for a moment, and then he grew distant. He separated from her then sighed. "Yeah."

"What's with the sad little me, routine?" asked Eina, concerned.

"It's nothing. Not really." said Scott without looking in her direction.

The amazon slid closer to him once more then embraced him warmly. She placed her chin on his shoulder. "Scott. Tell me?"

He shook his head. "Nothing to tell. You know my tragic backstory." he said with a shrug.

"Tragic...? You talking about growing up at the orphanage?"

"Yeah. That."

Sweet pink lips parted softly and were then pressed against his cheek. "You were lonely back then, huh?"

"Yeah." He frowned slightly then closed his eyes. "Hated it."

Eina's eyes lost focus for a moment. It was as though she gazed at an object in the distance. "Being alone sucks. Weren't you scared?"

"A little. I got used to it."

She shook her head then pulled him close. "No way. You shouldn't get used to it."

"Why not?" he asked rhetorically. He gave no thought for receiving an actual answer.

"Cuz..." said Eina softly, her face taking on the most delightful shade of red.

"Hmm?" asked Scott as he leaned his head against hers.

"I... uhm..." she mumbled something then coughed once.

"What was that?" he asked her, confused.

"Nothing..." she said nervously.

"No, you said something Eina." When she refused to answer he offered a cruel smile then lifted up one of his hands. He then wiggled his fingers. "This hand of mine bears an awesome power."

"Oh, you better not..." she said, wide-eyed.

"Give me the knowledge that I seek, or prepare yourself woman."

"I can't believe you..." she said, a frown growing steadily upon her lips. Soon that frown turned to a displeased smile. That smile split apart and a laugh erupted. Scott tickled her mercilessly while she laughed and hurled obscenities at him.

Once she reached her limit, she cried out, "Fine! I said don't be scared, I'll protect you. Just stop, dammit!"

Scott kissed her softly on the lips then pulled her close. It was an instinctual reaction on his part, but she did not fight it in the slightest.

Slowly, they slipped down to the floor. Eina's towel fell away and it was not long before their taut young bodies were intertwined. Things were certainly becoming steamy in the sauna...

Unfortunately, the time was not right for their mutual affection. Jack chose that moment to walk into the room. He stared down at Eina, a Crystallim who he thought of as a daughter, and Scott a young man who was sort of like a son despite the fact that they had only met a few months earlier.

Jack eyed them carefully as they cuddled and kissed on the floor for a moment then walked out of the room. He came back later with an air horn he kept on hand for training purposes. He squatted down then unleashed its loud and obnoxious sound upon them full blast *Eruoo hoooonk!*

The horny teens bounced up into the air then writhed around on the ground in a desperate bid to separate from each other. Jack snorted at them. "Just for this, you two are going to scrub this place till it shines."

"Jaa-aaack." whined Eina.

"Don't you Jaa-aaack me, young lady. You two were well on your way to bonding right here on my sauna floor." groused the man. Eina had the decency to blush then look away.

Scott tried to crawl away under the steam, but there was no chance of escape. Jack snatched him up by the scruff of his neck and dragged him off for a private chat.

Around an hour later, both Scott and Eina sat at the kitchen table. Neither spoke a word for some time. Finally, Scott looked over at Eina, his face a mass of bruises. "Good job of the protecting there."

"Oh shut it.... at least you can sit down without an air cushion." Eina winced then pulled her poor bruised booty back up a little. It hurt to sit, but she did not want to stand.

"Bad little girls deserve a spanking." remarked Scott, before he placed his ice pack against his left eye. It had been instructed the most regarding what Jack thought of the situation.

Eina groaned loudly. "Asshole!"

"Hell yeah, talk dirty to me baby." remarked Scott.

She snorted at him then looked away. However, it was not long before they both began to laugh a little. The look on Jack's face had been priceless.

"Sorry, you ended up like that." said Scott.

"It's OK. I should know better than to make out with my best friend at home." said Eina.

"So, I'm your best friend now?"

"Who lied to you and said that?" she asked, an amused smirk on her lips.

"Dunno, some pretty girl."

Eina shook her head. "Dumb ass." She said it with a smile, however.

"Pretty ass." he replied lightly.

Before she could respond, he clarified. "Well, it was at least."

A long suffering sigh escaped her lips. "Why do I put up with you?"

"You're a masochist?" he asked, a smug smile on his lips.

Eina glanced over at his smug face for a moment then casually reached over, picked up a salt shaker, and threw it at him. Scott could not possibly move fast enough to dodge, and a new bruise was added to his collection.

"My heroine." said Scott with a snort. "You make me feel so safe..."

She merely smiled a little. "Good."

Neither of them spoke again for a moment, but when they did it was of simpler things. They also spoke of plans for the coming weekend pass with Seventy-Two. No more was said about Eina's tender ass or Scott's fist shaped bruises. Warm laughter and good humor was the course of the day.

Not long after, Eina awoke in darkness. There was still a few hours before dawn, and she was cuddled against Scott. She blinked twice upon awakening then noticed him lying next to her peacefully. A complicated expression from her beautiful face then a slight smile rose upon her lips. "Asshole." she said, before she gently kissed him on the forehead.

Scott snorted then snored slightly at the sudden movement. Eina smiled softly at his actions for the briefest moment, but then her eyes narrowed when he said the worst possible thing in his sleep that he could have said. "Alexis... Mmm."

Eina's eyes narrowed and she rose her hand to slap him. However, she stopped then swallowed hard. "What have I done?" she asked in a soft voice.

She could not help but recall how she had acted in recent months. There had been a growing rift between them ever since she reached her current tier. Once she became an Amazonian Armsmistress, she had become even more demanding. Her last evolution had been the start of the situation, but the moment she had ascended to Armsmistress she had become a total jerk. Of course, had Scott been awake he might have used a different word.

The problem, of course, was that he was weak and pathetic. Everything about him pissed her off.

A deep sigh escaped her lips. She lifted her fingers to his cheek then closed her eyes. "Jerk. When will you keep your promise...?"

Tears began to trail down her cheeks. "You promised to protect me, too..." Eina closed her eyes and eventually returned to her slumber. Once again, she was lost in dreams of what had been, and in the possibilities of what might yet be.