Autumn in Zipangu

In a clothing shop outside of town, on a forested mountainside path. You enter the small shop you've visited before.

"Welcome back!" giddily says the owner.

"Hello, Gessica." you reply.

She continues "I didn't expect to see anyone for a while when I heard rumors of a minotaur on the mountainside".

"I doubt the rumors are true." you say, as you walk towards a rack near the door displaying three spectacular silk robes.

"It would have to take something bigger than a minotaur to scare you anyway" she jokes.

You notice the center piece of the main rack hasn't changed. It's a deep blue with an ornate gold spider on the middle of the back, with a gold web design covering the arms, and a triangular main web on the back. The sash for it is the plain blue with two tiny spiders detailed on the ends.

You also recognize the one on the left. A light green robe with four flowers staggered on the back. The first flower by the left shoulder, the second slightly down and on the right, the third on the left again about where the hips would be, and the last one even further down and left. A stretching vine pattern in brown connects the flowers and borders the end of the sleeves. Each of the flowers has a slightly different shade of yellow. You see a new robe on the right of the rack. It is a white robe with a large black and blue koi on the back, with a wave pattern along the bottom.

"Aw, did someone buy the red and black dragon robe" you complain.

"You weren't going to buy it anyway" Gessica whispers in your ear.

You jump and turn to face her not having noticed that she had moved behind you.

Blushing from being called out you look back to the robes to hide your face as you retort "Not with your prices".

Without missing a beat "I have to charge to match material costs maybe if you looked at something with less fabric you could afford 'my prices'".

"As good as they look I doubt I could pull off something that revealing" you reply pointing at a nearby display of some shorter dresses.

"Nonsense, the burnt orange would look amazing on you" she says shepherding you towards them.

"No, thank you" you say rolling past her heading deeper into the store.

You are now reaching shelves of silk shirts and pants. You start inspecting them hoping to change subjects.

"Not scared of monsters, at all. But showing a little skin, banish the thought" she teases melodramatically, still following behind you.

You lift up a shirt that is silver with a crescent of red across the back draping down from the shoulders, in the front at about neck width the red crescent forms lines straight down. Three black buttons along the front. You doubt more buttons could fit with how low the neck line goes.

"Good choice, go try it on" she chimes.

"I don't plan to buy anything today" you say dryly.

"I insist" she grabs you by the arm pulling you toward the small curtain for changing in the back.

You sigh as you let yourself be dragged. You think to yourself, she has to be the best merchant ever, you almost believe her when she compliments you. She must be bored out of her mind with how few people would come out to her shop.

You enter the changing room and begin to put the shirt on.

Meanwhile you ask loudly "Why did you set-up your shop out here?"

"I can't stand crowded places, besides I run the shop myself so I can't have too many customers in at once."

You emerge from behind the curtain.

She finishes "Besides I like the intimate atmosphere."

"I guess I'd rather not try on somethings in front of lots of people" you say as you look to her for approval.

She is smiling. You turn to change back. She catches your shoulder with her hand and spins you back around.

"Oh, no. You are wearing that out of here."

"I told you I'm not buying anything today."

"No payment necessary, think of it as a favor."

You remove her hand "I don't want to owe any favors".

She giggles "Not like that, you'd be doing me a favor. Just let anyone who asks about it know where you got it, deal?"

"I guess" you stammer.

Her face lights up.

"I think I'll be going now."

Instantly her face shifts.

"Surely I'm not scaring you off already" she remarks.

"I shouldn't stay out to late, especially if any of those monster rumors are true" you respond.

"My place isn't far if you are worried" she offers.

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll decline"

"Alright, will you come to see me again soon, you're my favorite customer?"

"I'm sure I will" you say eagerly.

You leave the shop, the sun well past its crest. It must be early evening. It will probably be sunset by the time you are getting home at this rate. You head down the path, your old shirt in hand.

You are glad the path down the mountain isn't heavily trafficked, and you can skirt around the busy parts of town with ease. You won't have to worry about too many people seeing you in something this flashy and different for you. You are grateful though, and it is incredibly comfortable as well as beautiful.

Before you know it you've made it most of the way down the mountain, Right as you reach the final bend in the trail you see something just off the path in the trees. You continue down figuring it's probably a deer. When you get with thirty paces you notice it is humanoid as it stands on up on its hind legs. You notice the horns protruding from the head. It is the minotaur.

You take a deep breathe and freeze in place.

"I'm no man, I'm no threat, I've done nothing to provoke it" you recite to yourself as you exhale.

I'll just give it a wide birth as I pass, and do so at a non-alarming pace. You see it looking in your direction now. You slowly take your first steps forward to try to pass. As you draw near it starts shambling in your direction. Are they territorial, you suddenly worry. You look behind you quickly to see if there could be anything else catching its attention. Nothing.

You turn back to the beast. You see it is picking up speed. I can't outrun it, is your first thought, but you have no other options. You turn and begin to bolt. You see a side path and hope maybe you can lose it in the trees.

You are now bounding as best you can, glimpsing over your shoulder every few steps, only to see it closer, and closer, and closer. There is a cave up ahead. Maybe I could climb a tree, you think, right before you are pushed into a nearby tree by the minotaur. She lays an arm flat across your back pressing you to the tree.

"I love a woman in red!" she cries right before diving her free hand into your pants.

All to late you realize your folly. Her tongue darts into your ear. Your flinching only seems to encourage her.

"You can have the shirt" you scream out desperately.

She pulls her hand out of your pants, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

She lifts you by your shoulders then spins you around, and pins you to the ground. She completely ignored your offer.

"Sto..." you are cut-off as she plunges her tongue down your throat.

You twist your hips and kick and try to push her off. You feel yourself getting weak, hoping for breathe. She mercifully lifts her lips off yours. You gasp for air. Her saliva still in your throat makes you cough.

Her hands slide down from your shoulders to the center of your chest. You try to grab at her hands frantically. Too late. She rips your shirt open. Effortlessly she catches your wrists and spreads your arms wide as the flops her tongue onto your abs right next to your belly button. Your body tenses up, and you can't help but hold your breathe.

She slowly drags her tongue up your body. You tilt your head back further as she goes arching your back at the same time. At the top of your abdomen she retracts her tongue. You collapse your back to the ground. Releasing your breathe in short bursts.

"So sensitive" she taunts right before repeating the process, two more times.

Your inability to exhale while she's doing it brings you again to a point of oxygen starvation.

"I'm jealous" she snorts under her breathe.

As she goes to lick you again you try to bend your body out of the way. You struggle vigorously. Her tongue and wet nose making quick passes on your skin as you wriggle.

Her head moves closer to yours and then she suddenly wraps her lips around your left nipple. Sucking on it violently, releasing it only to trace circles on it with her tongue. You let out gasps and slight sounds. She begins to drag your hands from a spread position to meet above your head. Her tongue slides up from your breast to your neck. It goes all the way up to your chin.

She gathers both wrists in one hand and the other clasps onto your neck pressing lightly but firmly. She draws her head left towards your right armpit and then she draws her tongue from there to your right nipple. You wrap your legs around one of hers to try to press yourself further away.

To no avail. She releases your hands. You spread them along the ground trying to use them to push up. Her now free hand spreads and presses down on your stomach as her head ventures even lower.

"Please, d..." her hand on you neck tightens slightly.

You feel her cold nose press against you. She slides your pants to your ankles. You pull your legs together. She presses them apart with her upper body. Then buries her face into your lower body. You cry out, hating how much you are enjoying yourself. Your hips flare up and your back arches until you are pressing your shoulders down in a forceful way. One hand trying to free your neck the other trying to push her head away.

Suddenly she is pulled away. You are scooped up by a very tall green skinned woman. Its an ogre. You see another ogre struggling with the minotaur. Suddenly a red oni comes in swinging a large club, smashing the minotaur's head. The minotaur's lifeless body falls to the ground.

You are carried away from that towards a blue oni sitting on the ground near the mouth of the cave. She is sitting there drinking from what looks like one of many gourds.

You here shouting from behind you "Watch your swing Odessa!"

"Calm down Qadira, I didn't hit you."

"I'm covered in minotaur blood!"

The one carrying you booms back "There's no blood on you".

"No one asked you, Sada."

"Don't yell at her" says the red oni now catching up to you and your carrier, as you arrive near the blue oni.

The other ogre seems to be lagging behind while trying to wipe herself down.

"Calm down girls, Qadira. You're going to spill your drink all over yourself anyway." commands the blue oni.

"You always take Sada's side" wines the ogre.

Now being completely ignored. The blue oni's gaze upon you.

"Well hello, what have we here. Who are you?" she inquires.

"I'm Autumn. Thank you for saving me. I can't believe I wore a red shirt with a minotaur around" you blurt out.

The ogre carrying you, is now sitting you on the ground,and starts laughing, along with the blue oni.

"She's brave" says the red oni.

As she calms herself the blue oni continues "Well, Autumn I am Zahra, the one who just carried you is Sada."

"Nice to meet you" she chimes in.

"The one who stopped that beast is Odessa."

The red oni waves with her left while drinking with her right.

"And our princess here is Qadira" she motions to the fourth ogre now grabbing a gourd.

"Would you like to drink with us" she holds out one of the gourds.

" Maybe you can tell us just why you were wearing red."

A pained expression crosses your face.

"Too soon?" You swallow a bit of the strong drink then ramble.

"I just got given the shirt, and I completely forgot and I shouldn't have kept wearing it, and..."

"Is it the red that caught your eye" shoots Qadira.

You look back and forth between Zahra and Qadira. You realize your saviors might not have the best intentions. You already have one hand holding your shirt closed. You twist your wrist slightly tightening it shut as though it would matter.

"Look how you're scaring the poor girl" Sada defends.

"Don't worry Autumn, she just enjoys ruining the mood" follows Zahra.

"It's only Odessa you have to watch out for, she gets a little handsy when drunk."

"Hey, you don't listen to that" bellows Odessa as she rest a hand on your shoulder.

"Maybe I should go, I didn't bring anything to this party and my clothes are a mess" you say wiping your eyes.

"Don't worry about it, we have plenty. As for your clothes, even in disrepair you're the best dressed here." Zahra insists.

You look around and see that it looks as though they've already finished two gourds. Stories all say that a drunk ogre is not someone to be around. You start to get up.

"Still, I wouldn't want to impose".

Sada who is sitting to your left puts a hand on your shoulder halting your progress. You look at her.

She says lowly "Sorry, but you are the distraction that means I don't have to compete with them for men later".

Your heart sinks. You look back at Zahra. Her head is tilted back downing a gourd. Odessa is tugging at Qadira's clothes and she seems to only be playfully resisting. You drop your shoulder. Sada's hand falls off. You turn and try to take off. Sada's hand catches your ankle. She pulls you from your feet, and tosses you next to Zahra.

"She's onto you."

"I can see *hiccup* that" Zahra groans.

You look up helplessly at Zahra.

"Aw, don't be like that. I'll be nice" she says her face turning red as she gets drunk.

You try to jump to your feet, but then you fall even closer to her lap. You feel a little disoriented. You think, surely that drink wasn't that strong. Zahra's hand's slide into your arm pits, and she lifts you closer.

"It's so cute, how you handle liquor worse than me" she says.

Her breathe reeks of alcohol. Her thumbs begin to move in circles, rubbing your bosom. You suddenly feel a hand slap against your butt. You glance back to see Odessa.

"You don't need to drink well to party with us" she says as her hand firmly grabs your behind.

One oni might be bad, but the two of them might pull you apart trying to get your attention.

"Please, let me go" you plead.

Looking desperately at each of the ogres, one after the other. Sada seems to be busy starting a fire, ignoring you completely. Odessa seems to be confused by your plea. Qadira doesn't seem phased.

Zahra seems to think you need more persuasion, as her response is "You don't need to go, just have another drink".

She raises you slightly, as Odessa grabs your chin and tilts your head up. Followed by her pouring alcohol onto your face. You open your mouth to try to stop it from splashing all over you.

After the first few gulps, you start trying to keep count. Five. Six. Seven. Eight gulps or so later the waterfall of liquor disappears.

"Looks like she can handle it better than you Zahra" cuts Qadira.

Zahra licks her tongue all over your face.

"Does it taste better to you now" Odessa asks.

"Much" says Zahra licking her lips.

Your head starts swimming. Zahra puts you down on her knee, and beckons Odessa closer with her now free right hand. Odessa goes straight in for the kiss on Zahra. Odessa's hand shoots up and catches the back of your head. Her lips break from Zahra's then with little hesitation drive straight at yours.

You try to close your lips but her tongue forces through easily. Filling your mouth, it presses down into your throat. You bring your hands together pushing her away. Her free hand gathers your wrists easily.

Her tongue slithers back. You take a couple large breathes. It clicks that she has both your wrists in one hand. She lifts you to your feet by your wrists as her other hand migrates from your head to your chest. You suddenly feel two hands around your waist. You notice Zahra is the one removing your pants.

"Your being to nice" you hear Qadira yell.

Odessa is now sliding her hand up and down your chest. You feel Zahra's wrists grab your ankles. She lifts your legs simultaneously. Odessa presses her hand flat against the middle of your chest lifting you to where your shoulders and hips are level. She then forces another drunken kiss on you. While Zahra's head lodges between your thighs.

You try to bite down on Odessa's tongue but are nowhere near strong enough to. She definitely noticed though as its thrashing grew more violent. Suddenly another tongue steals your attention. Zahra draws her tongue down from the bottom of your abdomen lower. Flickering to incredible effect.

Zahra releases one of your ankles. She then proceeds to drag her free hand along your stomach, with only the nails lightly touching. You legs tense up trying to go straight. Slightly lifting you away from her tongue. The faint impact of her tongue seems even more stimulating.

Your free leg now flails uncontrollably. Your knee seems to land a striking blow.

"OW!" Zahra yells.

You feel your legs get dropped and fail to land them gracefully, falling to your knees. Odessa still unrelenting. Zahra flings Odessa off and presses you to the ground roughly. Your right leg is caught with the foot pointing away near your hip. You try to struggle to free it so it doesn't break.

"And here I was being gentle" Zahra snarls.

Her left arm presses down your right shoulder. Her right hand lifts your left leg high. She starts dragging her tongue slowly from your knee to your thigh. Her tongue retracts. She nibbles on your thigh.

"Greedy girl" Odessa jokes pressing her chest against Zahra's back.

You feel her bite sharpen as Odessa drags her tongue up Zahra's neck. You hear a high pitched shriek. Zahra drops you as her and Odessa look up towards Qadira. Your eyes follow. There is now a chimera lifting Qadira up by the neck, in her impressive scaled left claw.

Her snake tail hisses, as she says bluntly "Out of my way".

Zahra, Odessa, and Sada charge at her. You take this chance and hurry to the cave. You go in only as far as you can still make out your surroundings. It's cold and you only have your open shirt, but at least it's dry. You kneel down by a large rock.

You feel your skin crawl, and turn to peer into the darkness behind you. There seems to be nothing there. You look back to the fight amongst monsters. Qadira is lying motionless on the ground. Sada and Zahra seem to be pushing the chimera away. Odessa seems to be nursing a leg wound.

You wonder if you could make it past all of them unnoticed. You move slightly to where you are now beside instead of behind the rock. The fight has moved into the trees and you can no longer make out what's happening. Odessa seems to be chasing to re-join. You let out a sigh of relief.

You hear another sigh from the darkness. You freeze. Then take a deep breathe and turn.

"It's just not your night, huh?" says the oomukade your now facing.

She is crawling closer. Already she's to close for you to run from. You wouldn't even make it to the mouth of the cave. She can see the pain of this realization on your face. A small grin forms on her face.

"First you get caught by a minotaur, then corralled by some ogres, only to escape to my lair. You are just a magnet for trouble."

"I don't mean to inconvenience you, I'll be going now" you say hurriedly.

You turn to leave, hoping to be allowed freedom. Only to be denied, as she is now beside you.

"But, you only just got here. It would be rude not to entertain a guest."

You turn to face her. She is less than arm's length away.

"Let me embrace you, in welcome to my abode."

Her arms outstretched your hands catch the insides of her elbows. You try your best to keep her at least this far away. Your back is to the rock you were using for cover. Her maxillipeds around her neck are slowly searching to make contact with you.

"Don't be so cold" she has tears forming in her eyes.

You almost feel bad for distancing yourself from her, like you'd hug her if it wouldn't end up with you being poisoned. You suddenly realize you have been so worried with her upper-body you haven't been keeping track of her tail. You start tracing her body with your eyes.