//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: I summon... // by Xinrick //------------------------------// Another year passed. Harlow and I still fought but it was less and less about a rivalry and more about general tests of strength and combat experience. Fifteen now and I finally asked Brandy on a date. And now that date was today. I've been going out with Sunset for a long time and my harem back on Equis so why am I so nervous? “Ugh…I shouldn’t be this worried…” I grumbled. “I mean, you have to worry about Pegasus there bro.” Ark said honestly. “That’s not my worry cause Cecillia was very clear that he wouldn’t try to assault me during it…” I said carefully, starting to pace around in worry. "So what is up your butt then?" “I suppose I’m just concerned about this whole date…I don’t want to screw this up…” I said carefully. “You’re not going to screw this up.” Trul told me. “Gotta be more confident.” “Well something’s different with Brandy…” I said carefully. "Well, she is a childhood friend so maybe that?" Ark pondered. “Well…maybe.” I said. “Don’t want this date to mess up our friendship either…” I admitted. "Yeah, that would suck." Ark nodded. "So, try not to end up in bed with her then. Maybe wait a while." I face palmed. "I'm not going to sleep with her after the first date, we're still a little too young for that." I frowned. "I dunno, you slept with Sunset around this age." Why do I tell them things? "Can we not?" I asked with a bright blush.  "Can you not be a cheap harem anime protagonist?" Ark countered. "At least I got a date." I countered back. “And I’m not a cheap harem anime protagonist.” “You’re right, cheap normally get a lot of generic women, your trash because you keep getting every villain lady on your planet.” Thul brought up. “That’s not my fault…” I said carefully. "Says the guy with plans to bang the pattern screamer demoness of nightmares." Ark said. “It’s better than her breaking free and causing damage on a planetary scale.” I shot back. “If not an even bigger scale cause of what Pattern Screamers can do…” "He just wants to bang the demon horse lady and get kinky with her fangs." Thule teased. "Lord help them all when he gets the shapeshifter in bed." Ark laughed. "Can we please stop?" I mildly pleaded. "As your brothers I'm afraid we are duty bound to never stop and mess with you for all eternity." Ark said. "Here-here." Thule agreed. "Ugh~!" I groaned and flopped onto the couch. "I don't need this right now…" Brandy and I decided to start our date off with a simple trip to the mall. Mainly to browse and kill some time. "So, any place you wanna visit?" She asked me. She wore a rather simple yellow dress and matching shoes. "Haven't been to the mall in forever, I'm not entirely sure." I said honestly, as I was wearing a black t-shirt with Blue Eyes Toon Dragon on it, simple jeans and matching comfy shoes fit for my feet. "You got anywhere in mind?" "Maybe a comic book store." “Sure, haven’t been to one in a long time.” I admitted. “So which Comic shop? Cause there’s probably…a lot…” "I guess the first one we see." “Alright.” I nodded, looking around this place and wondering what comic shop we’ll see.  We walked around for a while, window shopping til we came across a comic shop. We browsed, bought a few things, and after that walked around more. "So, wanna eat somewhere in the food court?" My stomach growled in response to food. “Sure, food court should be close by.” I said, having smelt the food court was closer. "... Anything specific you want to eat?" “Hmm…” I hummed, thinking about what I’d like specifically. “Well, can never go wrong with Pizza.” I shrugged, "Hm. Alright." Brandy nodded. We each got some mini pizzas, I got one with everything and she got one mostly with mushrooms and jalapeno peppers. After that we went to the movies. "So, what should we watch? Action? Horror? Comedy? Romance? Or a documentary?" “Hmm…” I hummed, looking at all the movies that were playing…”Well, never got to watch John Wick 4 to be honest, but what are you up for?” I asked, wanting to know what she wanted and to go from there cause a good date should be both parties doing something fun. "Alright." She nodded. The movie was good. Felt a little weird that Brandy was rather… quiet.  After the movie, we began walking home. “...Did I do something wrong?” I asked. "Why do you ask?"  “You’ve been…rather quiet the whole time, makes me think I’m either boring you or…you’re not having fun or enjoying this…” I sighed. "... I guess I just… don't know how I feel about all this." Brandy said, stopping as she turned to face me. "We've been friends for a long time, but… I don't know how to or if I can reciprocate your feelings. I've known you liked me for a long time, you're kinda obvious. I just don't want to jump into something that would ruin a friendship and hurt you." “Hate how I was obvious with her…” I thought to myself, but sighed. “I’m…I know you don’t want to ruin our friendship, I don’t want to either…” I said, trying not to think that this is me getting friendzoned cause I really don’t want to hear it all from my brothers. “I mean…I know I can ask ‘let’s give it another try’...but I don’t want to force it when you’re not feeling it.” "... I know I have fun when we just go out as friends. Can we keep doing that and if something happens, I'll let you know?" “Alright.” I nodded. “Just…let me know alright?” "Promise." – "So she friend zoned ya huh?" Harlow asked. I was at his place, face deep in the grass at the base of the clearing with a tree and pond that seemed to be his bedroom more or less. “I really don’t want to hear it right now…” I said, not even knowing why I’m here as Harlow is someone that would just as easily abuse this just like my brothers… "Heh. This is why I’m waiting til I'm eighteen. Teenage drama. How Hollywood milked that for so long is beyond me." “Probably wouldn’t have mattered what age we are…” I groaned, lightly smacking my head against the ground. “Cause of course this had to happen…” "Is this your first time getting friendzoned?" “Not really, but it still sucks.” I grumbled. “I mean…we’re still friends and I’m happy about that…and sure I didn’t do anything that would be ‘I poured my heart out on this’...but still being told ‘I don’t know how to feel’ hurts…” "People need time. Heh. Sometimes things happen and it just takes time." Harlow said, swinging from their tree hammock. “Yeah yeah...” I grumbled. “So what did you do today?” "More training. Dad said I can get my own Blades of Chaos tomorrow." “That’s cool.” I said, feeling worse as Harlow is going to get something cool tomorrow and all I’m going to get is probably a tub of ice cream to shove my muzzle into… I could hear Harlow sigh from above. I yelped as suddenly a cone wrapped around my leg, pulling me up and dropping me into Harlow's hammock. Before I could protest he leaned on me. “Uh…what?” I asked carefully. "Just… shut up and don't say I never tried to help. Big baby." He huffed. Despite the awkwardness… Harlow's fur felt… very soft. He was smaller than me, and somehow feeling them like this felt… alright? Not bad, awkward sure, but something else… maybe it's our nature as opposing Chaos and Order gods? I don't know… but I found myself getting comfortable quick. “Well…this is nice…” I muttered. "Yeah… you make a half decent body pillow." Harlow said. “Half decent?” I asked. "You need to condition more." I actually laughed. “Yeah yeah, but all this fur and my wings are a pain in the ass to fully clean.” I admitted. "Pst. You should try getting your hooves and horns trimmed. Bolt cutters and small sanders to smooth it out." “I can imagine it is mildly annoying.” I said. “But wings…wing’s are worse.” "Heh. Try getting a crack in your hooves. Might as well have stuck a nail up your foot." “Try having to pluck some feather’s, wing’s are sensitive bundles of nerves and everytime you pluck one it feels like pulling out cactus needles.” We were both silent for a while… then laughed. "Know what I like most about this room?" “What up?” I inquired. "About now, the sun's setting so…" Harlow said. I looked up, seeing the sky was painted with orange, red, faint blues and the lingering whites of the clouds. Through the tree's leaves it all looked like some painting but in motion as soon the sun set, revealing a whole cosmos of stars, swirling galaxies and even comets all going across the sky, lighting up the night in a way I've never seen before. “Well…this looks pretty.” I said in awe. "Yeah. No better way to fall asleep." Harlow smirked. "So, wanna just stay here for the night?" “Well…I suppose I can.” I said honestly. “So…why are you being kind like this?” "... Can't a guy change his mind?" “Just curious is all.” I said honestly. “Given we’ve mostly been at each other’s throats this whole time…” "Yeah well… I got issues, you got problems, might as well take off some baggage is all." “That’s fair.” I nodded. “Cause…we have a lot of crap to sort out…having someone else as support is good.” "Sure. Still wanna duel though?" “Of course.” I said honestly. “Always ready for duels.” A month went by and Brandy and I were hanging out again. Nothing major, just playing a simple game of cards in the park. “So, how have you been?” She asked. “I’m fine.” I said, which was both true and kind of a lie as I was working past my stabbed heart but…well, my heart still felt stabbed. “You don’t sound all that fine.” She said. “Just working something out, it’s no biggie.” I shrugged. “How have you been?” “Alright. Dad’s been cheery, but we both know why that’s the case. Mom’s been happily reprimanding him for an improper reaction to our situation.” “Seriously, Pegasus needs to take a fucking chill pill over this…” I grumbled. “But it’s good you're doing alright.” “More or less. Sorry if the month has been awkward. How has Harlow been? Heard he got his own Blades of Chaos.” “Yeah, and from what has both said and has shown…it looks very painful.” I said carefully. “I’d imagine… I hear the metal from the chains burns into your flesh, down to the bone and wrapping around them and even weld themselves to the arm bones to ensure they remain bound to their user…” I nodded… I was there the day he got them given I spent the night and… That was the first time I heard Harlow scream from pain… “Yeah…I spent the night being there with him to give him some emotional support…first time I ever heard him scream in pain…” “... You spent the night with him~?” Brandy said, giving me a smirk at hearing that tidbit. “Not like that.” I said quickly. “I was there to help him get through that whole thing.” “Bet his fur was soft and puffy~” She teased me. “And why are you suddenly into teasing me about his fluff?” I asked carefully, shaking off the embarrassment that was brewing in my head. “Well, statistically speaking there are two commonalities between gods that embody opposing forces. They’re either enemies, or lovers. But enemies to lovers, well now that’s just romantic.” I was now quite red. “Me with him?” I asked, trying to play it off with a quick little wave. “Have you seen how we keep trying to kill each other?”  “Well, you two already know how to stick it in one another at least.” I fell off my chair, Brandy laughing her lungs out onto the table. “Brandy~!” I whined, getting back up onto my chair. “Why must you betray me like this?” “Because seeing you all flustered and embarrassed is very cute to witness. Hmm… Wonder if we invite Harlow I could get him to do the same?” I sighed… I’m crushing on a crazy lady. “Right…but Harlow is still training with his new Blades of Chaos cause he wants to get all sorts of stronger.” “Bet he’s having fun now at least. Could probably pretend to be Spiderman with them if he tried.” “Maybe.” I shrugged. “And for me…well, I’m still trying to figure out whatever the hell I can do from my parents since they said I’m naturally good with spears and guns…hmm, maybe I could get gun spear hybrid, there’s plenty of thing’s like that…” I hummed. “I’m just imagining you with a harpoon gun.” “I was thinking either the Gunlances from Monster Hunter, or the Guardian Spears the Custodian’s have from Warhammer 40K.” I admitted. Brandy shrugged. “EIther or.” She said, turning a card over- damn it… “I win.” “Of course…” I muttered. “Seriously, how are you so good at this? Unless your Mimic is somehow telling you what I have in my hand.” I glared at the cartoon cat who whistled innocently at my accusation. “I am no cheat. The fact you assume such is poor sportsmanship.” “I didn’t say you were cheating.” I huffed. “And it’s just weird how you constantly win when I know I should have it in the bag…” I scooped up and shuffled again. “Been playing for over ten years, I can still barely beat you…” “Maybe I’m just that good?” She said, giving me a grin. “I mean, you are the daughter of a God of Card Games so that would be true.” I admitted, wondering to myself if I should ask a…pretty dumb question now that I think about it… “True.” She nodded. “So…I have a dumb question to ask that just popped into my head…” I said carefully, seeing her raise an eyebrow. “I…guess my question is…what do you look for in a significant other?” I asked, knowing this was dumb but I just had to know. “I haven’t thought about it.” She shrugged. “Really?” I asked, knowing with apprenticeship and other things she might not have thought about it but…to not think about it at all was a little surprising. “It’s just been something I never really gave any thought about. I know I’d like to be in a romantic relationship, but with who or what kind of person was alway just something I didn’t feel like I cared about… or maybe it was something I just don’t know enough about myself to answer.” “Well…I guess that’s fair.” I shrugged. “Love is a fickle thing…” “So mom tells me.” She laughed.  “She has a lot of experience with that.” I chuckled. “Hey Mike.” Brandy said, making me look up at her. “Just to let you know… if you wanna try and date Harlow while I’m still undecided, go ahead.” I fell off my chair again. “A-and why do you think I would suddenly date Harlow?” I asked, getting back on my chair again. “You two would look adorable together.” She smirked.  “Is it because of all the fluff between the both of us?” “Well, that, the whole wolf and sheep dynamic, enemies to lovers, the fact I bet your first night together you’d grab him by the horns and you two would not be gentle~” I fell off the chair again. “You are not allowed to speak such sorcery!” I whined, causing Brandy to laugh. “But at least someone thinks I’m topping if that hypothetical ever happened.” I said, getting up on my chair a third time. “I see you more as a switch.”  I fell off the chair… again. Brandy laughing even more. “Alright, either your speaking voodoo or this chair is wonky.” I frowned, looking at the chair I was sitting in to try and get my blush under control and to distract myself here.  “... Or better yet, despite being bigger and stronger than him you’d prefer to be the bottom~” I fell on my face. So it’s not the chair then… “Okay, I’m drawing the line at bottoming for that angsty looking headass ball of fluff.” I stated bluntly. “Not even for his birthday or an anniversary~?” “Lady please!” “This is too much fun.” Brandy cackled. “Why must you torture me like this~?” I whined, lightly pawing at her leg in some mock violence to get her to stop as I was so embarrassed. “Bet he’s a power bottom at least~” Kill me now! Ah shit I’m imagining it what the fuck?! To be continued...