Awakening Pt. 02

Arjun nodded.

"In Maya Lokam," Marianna said, "sex, nudity, and even incest isn't really that looked down upon. Almost everyone practices incest; to us, it's normal. I don't even think most people there would call what happened to you proper incest -- more like a hazard of being a powered person. I know you probably don't feel that way, though.

"Even you groping me is normal," Marianna continued. "I -- we -- aren't really bothered by it. It's a normal custom in Maya Lokam. Most people ask for permission first, but I don't mind."

Arjun nodded dumbly, utterly stunned.

"I hope you don't think any differently of us," Paco said, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"No." Arjun shook his head. "Wait, so do you guys..."

"No," Marianna said flatly. "We don't practice incest with our son."

Arjun nodded. "The tea really does help, huh?" he said, trying his best to change topics, but also surprised at how much better he felt from when he'd woken up.

"I'm glad it was so effective," Paco said, "but you should still take it easy for a bit, maybe an hour or so, as a precaution."

"I will," Arjun said, stretching his arms. "I think I'll take a nap when I get home."

"Sounds like a good idea," Marianna said, smiling.

"Arjun," Paco said, getting up from the bed, "I know it's a terrible bomb to drop on you just before you're getting ready to leave and go home, but Marianna and I want you to be able to trust us completely. It doesn't do any of us any good to hide things from each other."

Arjun felt his chest tighten - something the tea wasn't going to help with.

"That red ginger plant," Paco said, "is native to Maya Lokam."

"Oh," said Arjun. Then he put the pieces together. "Oh!"

Paco nodded. "I wouldn't recommend launching the Spanish Inquisition against your parents, but, as you're living your life, finishing up high school, and enjoying your time with your girlfriend... maybe just keep your eyes and ears open. We'll do most of the heavy lifting. We'll consult with people in Maya Lokam itself and see if anyone knows anything."

"Do you think...?" Arjun asked hopefully. The tightness in his chest was gone, but he felt something strange inside. His body still hadn't realised the magnitude of what Paco had just told him. He couldn't even think of how to finish his question.

"Someone should know something," Paco responded confidently.

Marianna reached out and brushed against Arjun's arm. It felt strange to him - a mixture of her endless teasing and genuine motherly warmth. "You have us, hijo," she said. "We'll do everything we can to help."

"Wait," Arjun said, pausing as he prepared to leave. A nagging curiosity prompted him to ask, "Maya Lokam is a real place, right?"

The Garcias nodded.

"Who created it?"

Paco and Marianna shared a look. Marianna's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Why do you ask?" Paco inquired.

"Just curious," Arjun lied. The Voice in his head had persisted, even outside the mindscape. It still wasn't an actual voice, which was very frustrating to him, but somehow it influenced him to remain calm. At the same time, however, it had been strangely insistent that Arjun ask that particular question: who created Maya Lokam? It wasn't something he, himself, particularly cared about.

"Well," Paco said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "it was created by someone with an extremely rare magic power known as 'The One-in-a-billion Magic' or 'The God Magic'. The names sound much better in the original language, of course. It was created as a refuge for those with powers, where they could live without fear of discovery by mortal society. But as for who exactly created it, that's unknown."

"There's a magic called 'God Magic?'" Arjun asked incredulously.

Paco nodded. "It's a very rare magic power, as the name suggests. In the six thousand years that powers have existed, it's been recorded to have appeared only fifteen times."

"The people who have it are also burros," Marianna added coldly.

"Amor," Paco chided, placing a hand over hers. Arjun watched them with a confused expression.

"I'm sorry," Marianna said, looking at Arjun. She didn't sound very sorry. "Those with God Magic tend to be... gypsies. They don't have any concern for the consequences of their actions. They behave however they want."

Paco looked at his wife again, clearly disappointed. "Amor," he said, "you need to let go of that."

Marianna just clicked her tongue, unwilling to even pretend to apologise for anything else.

Arjun nodded, still processing the new information as he left the room. He was too tired, too confused, and too overwhelmed to ask any more questions.

On top of that, Marianna had gotten a little bit scary.

#

TEXTS AND JEENA

3:55 PM

After waking from his nap, Arjun realised that it was the afternoon -- maybe around four, he guessed. Despite not feeling as exhausted as before, he remained in bed, as his thoughts kept him occupied. His mother had left him alone for a while, giving him some time to himself to sleep. He knew that it wouldn't be long, though, before she would come knocking on his bedroom door.

As he lay in bed, Arjun couldn't shake the feeling that the Voice he had heard in his head while in the 'Black Void' -- his new name for it -- and while in the Garcia's bedroom seemed familiar to him. Despite there having been no actual voice present, he tried to mimic its sound with his own vocal cords in an attempt to identify it. Unsurprisingly, he was unsuccessful. I can't mimic anything I didn't actually hear.

Sitting up with a sigh, Arjun thought to himself, This is so frustrating. The voice is so familiar, but why can't I figure out who it belongs to?

Shaking his head in an attempt to focus on his other thoughts, Arjun found himself wondering why he hadn't mentioned the events of that morning with his father, or the Voice he kept hearing, to the Garcias. It seemed strange to him, as he usually had questions about everything, and he'd quickly come to rely on the Garcias for basically all of his answers. There was no one else whom he could go to.

*RING* *RING*

Arjun grabbed his phone, checking to see who it was. It was a Snapchat notification from Meera and he couldn't help but grin to himself. As he opened the Snap, he was surprised to see that it was a nude photo of Meera. She was standing in front of a full-length mirror, completely naked, with one leg slightly spread to the side, creating a triangle shape. Her thick, shapely, well-toned leg caught Arjun's attention, as did her small, perky breasts and slender waist. He gazed at the photo for ten seconds before it disappeared. Damn! He quickly held his thumb over the message, reopening it. This time he took a screenshot of it before the image disappeared forever.

Meera's body was simply amazing to Arjun. As a gymnast, she kept it in impeccable shape, and Arjun admired every inch of it. While Meera didn't have the large breasts that Marianna had, or the somewhat-big breasts that his mother possessed, Arjun was still enamoured with her own unique pair. They boasted quarter-sized walnut-coloured nipples that stood out against her wheatish skin. Of all Meera's attractive features, though, the standout was her round, thick, shapely butt. It was easily his favourite part of her body, and he suspected that many others at their school would agree. Adding to its beauty were her thighs, just below it. They, like her butt, benefited greatly from her active lifestyle. They were both thick and toned -- just the way Arjun liked them.

Arjun continued to stare at the nude photo. It was rare for Meera to send any nude, and the ones she did send were usually cropped sections of either her breasts or butt. Soon after saving the photo, Arjun got another Snap -- a text.

Mimi: HEY! You weren't supposed to screenshot that!

Arjun: Sorry.

Arjun: Couldn't help myself

Mimi: Uh huh! Delete it!

Arjun: No way. I'm keeping it

Mimi: Why?

Arjun: Because you look hot duh!

Mimi: Fine

Mimi: But you have to return the favour

Arjun: I do, do I?

Mimi: Yes

Arjun: Well I don't have any boobs to send. Will my butt be enough?

Mimi: You know what I want!

Arjun: Yeah, my butt?

Arjun: right?

Mimi: No..

Arjun: Then?

Mimi: Aju, you know what I want

Arjun smiled to himself. He wondered how Meera's face must have looked just then,, but he couldn't see. He hadn't made any Link with her, nor had he established Links with any animals to try to Link-hop his way over to her, as he'd idly thought of doing before the strange body-swap with his father had stolen his attention. Still, he could make a confident guess. He was quite sure that the shy girl he'd fallen in love with was beet-red.

Mimi: I want your cock

Arjun: Where?

Mimi: If you're brave enough then in my pussy

Arjun: Oh I would love to Mimi but too bad your parents are home

Mimi: I'm home alone...

Arjun: Really😈

Mimi: Yes, but if you want to come I want my photo first

Arjun smirked, jumping out of bed. He pulled down his jeans -- he hadn't changed clothes when he'd come home -- and took his already-hard cock in his right hand. He held his phone in his left hand and snapped a pic, and attached a winking emoji and smiling devil as the caption.

Mimi: Mimi took a screenshot!

Arjun: Hey! You weren't suppose to take a screenshot

Arjun: Delete it!

Meera sent a photo as a response. Arjun opened it to reveal a lusty-eyed, topless Meera, with the caption, Cum make me, daddy🤤.

******

Jeena stretched her hand behind her back, feeling her muscles crack as she tried to alleviate the tension in her body. She was exhausted -- not just from the threesome and countless orgasms she had had earlier that morning, but also from the constant strain of being a wife and mother. It was a full-time job that didn't pay, but it brought her happiness in its own way.

Despite missing the life she'd had before becoming a mother, Jeena wouldn't have traded her current life for anything. She'd been a prodigy, impressing everyone with her exceptional talent. She'd relished the attention and admiration she'd received wherever she'd gone.

As the youngest and only daughter of a powerful telepath and a sight-seer, and the grand-niece of a Primus Lictor, Jeena had lived in a palace of a house that dwarfed the one she lived in now. Her previous life had been wonderful, but something about her current life made her unwilling to go back. Even if it was possible.

That old world of hers, Maya Lokam, had already been changing drastically when she'd been pregnant with Arjun. She'd felt it -- felt the danger. Her late brother had sensed it too. She hadn't wanted her son to be a part of that world. Even with all her family's status and privileges, she'd feared for his future there.

The memory of her own brother's fate still haunted her. It had confirmed all of her fears, at a terrible price. So many years later, she was still overwhelmed occasionally by the pain of regret. All she could do was remain steadfast that her son would not suffer a similar fate.

She shook off those thoughts and looked at her husband, Paul, who sat at the kitchen table with her. His hand rested on his stubbled chin as he made a list of supplies and notes for their store. Despite the long day they had both had, Paul didn't seem tired -- a testament to his endurance and stamina, which he'd developed during his training as a warrior in Maya Lokam. Even though he hadn't fought in any capacity for nearly two decades, he still retained his strong physique and beefy muscles. Every so often, Jeena looked at him and wanted nothing more than to bite into his muscular body.

"Di," Paul said in a soft, yet somewhat deep voice. "Stop looking at me like I'm food."

"Well, don't look like food then."

As Paul turned to face his wife, a sly smile played at the corners of his lips. But before he could utter a word, a loud crash echoed through the room as something collided with the door to the living room. Both Paul and Jeena turned to see the source of the noise; their kitchen afforded them a clear view of the door. Jeena turned back to Paul, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What the hell was that?"

Paul simply shrugged, his expression nonchalant.

Their confusion was short-lived, as the door handle began to tremble violently, causing Jeena to jump from her chair in surprise.

"Amma! Ma! Amma! Mamma! MA!" Their son, Arjun, burst through the living room door, running and screaming into the kitchen frantically. Just as he came to a stop, he skidded across the tiled kitchen floor, sliding past Jeena. Just as he seemed on the verge of falling, Paul's hand shot out, snatching him by the arm with seemingly casual ease while he remained seated.

Arjun stared at his father, always shocked by the man's seemingly superhuman strength. He nodded a silent thank-you before turning his attention back to Jeena, who stood just a few feet away.

Her son was about to yell again, but just then Jeena raised her arm, ready to slap some sense into him. Arjun instinctively ducked, a smug smile crossing his face.

"Aju, if you do that again, I'll kill you," Jeena warned. "What do you want?"

"Can I go to a friend's house?" Arjun asked, unnecessarily pausing between each word. He always asked his mom for permission whenever he wanted to go out, and his dad whenever he wanted to buy things.

Jeena studied her son carefully, a sly smile spreading across her face as she caught her husband's eye. She didn't have any telepathic powers anymore, but she still could tell what he was thinking. "Which friend, hmm?" she asked, a hint of mischief in her voice.

"Mi--Ray, Ray," Arjun stuttered, correcting himself quickly. "I'm going to Ray's house to play...video...games..."

"Uh-huh," Jeena said, glancing back at Paul once more. It was clear to both of them that Arjun was trying to hide his girlfriend from them, likely fearing their reaction if they were to find out. But they had known about the girl from the moment they'd met her -- the day Arjun had suffered a concussion.

"You can go," Jeena said casually.

"Thank you," Arjun said with a wide smile, turning to run to his room to change his clothes.

"Aju," Paul said, looking down at the papers on the table. "I don't think your friend would be too happy if they ever found out that you excluded the 'girl' from the 'friend.'"

Arjun quickly looked at his dad, guilt written on his face.

"Tell her that we'd like to meet her," Jeena said, sitting back in her chair. "She's cute. Also, wear something nice."

Arjun nodded warily and quickly went to his bedroom.

"Have you noticed anything different about him?" Paul asked, looking towards the living room door.

"Like what?"

"Not sure," Paul said, shaking his head. "Something."

"Maybe it's that girl," Jeena said with a shrug. "Boys his age change when they have girlfriends."

"Sure," Paul said with a nod, looking back down at his papers.

Jeena lifted her hands to her chin, thinking to herself. She hadn't noticed anything different about Arjun. He was still the normal, sometimes-too-hyperactive-and annoying-kid he'd been for his entire adolescence. Even before then, he'd been much the same, in her eyes -- just less 'annoying' and more 'cute.'

Paul's question nagged at her, though. Could it be possible? Has something changed within Arjun?

"Icchaya," she whispered, her eyes widening with realisation. "Do you think that Arjun--"

"No," Paul said, cutting her off immediately. "His powers were suppressed before they had a chance to develop -- and you, of all people, should know that it's not possible for him to regain them on his own."

"Of course," Jeena said with relief in her voice. "I suppose I'm just overthinking what you said."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Paul said, smirking to himself.

Jeena playfully kicked his shin. It didn't phase him. It never did. In reality, she usually wasn't one to overthink, and her husband knew that. She retained the mental discipline she'd learned as a Telepath, though her power was gone. Arjun was her weakness; she didn't think Paul truly realised that. That's why she could forgive him after just one hit.

#

THE VOICE THAT KEEPS CALLING

4:25 PM

Meera's house was far from Arjun's own home -- about twenty minutes or so -- but since her parents had gone to Jersey for a couple of hours, he had plenty of time to get to her place without rushing.

Arjun got off the bus. He wore the red flannel shirt Meera loved. It made him look more handsome; that's what she always told him whenever he wore it. According to her, it brought out his darker features against his light complexion. He'd tried looking in the mirror to see what she meant, but he still didn't understand it. He just knew it was a nicer shirt than what he usually wore to school.

Just before he'd left, his mom had met him in the hallway-foyer to give him some money. That had struck him as very odd; he had money on him. From the smile she'd given him, he almost suspected that it was for condoms. But... no. Would she actually? NO!

Arjun shook his head to get rid of that thought, and the flashbacks to the blowjob that it had sparked in turn. He still bought a few condoms with it, whether or not his mom had intended it for that purpose. I need protection, right?

As Arjun got closer to Meera's house, he looked around for some animal he could make a Link with. There were plenty, but he dismissed the neighbourhood cats and dogs right away. He needed something that wouldn't seem out of place anywhere. Squirrels, he judged, were too...squirrely.

He almost smacked himself in the head when he looked up and saw a bird. Obviously, a bird! Birds were perfect: tiny, manoeuvrable, hard to distinguish at a glance, and forgettable even when they were noisy. They came and went as they pleased, to any backyard, any tree branch, any feeder, or any windowsill.

Just as he was about to try to make a Link with one, though, the warning Paco had given rang in his ears. Body Swapping had consequences. Even if he were to be successful, he'd probably suffer some level of bodily damage. I can't have sex with my body hurting everywhere.

Birds, he realised, were also rather flighty. He paused and tried to focus on just one - more as an exercise than as a real attempt to make a Link. He realised his idle non-plan was going to be more complicated than he'd thought. Wouldn't that be quite the sight for the neighbours? he thought to himself. Some crazy teenager chasing birds at four thirty in the afternoon -- or whenever.

Arjun sighed, and remembered why he was in the neighbourhood in the first place: Meera.

As Arjun stood in front of Meera's house, he took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. The house itself was a beautiful single-family residence with steeply-pitched roofs and tall, narrow windows. It was old-Tudor architecture, copied faithfully by a skilled designer. It was set on an elevated yard, giving it a grand and imposing appearance. Which added to Arjun's already anxious nerves. To the left of the house, there was a garage just below the raised yard. Arjun didn't know much about architecture, and wouldn't have known anything but for his father's fascination with the subject. He had picked up enough over the years from random comments and rants to know that Meera's parents' house was very nice, and therefore probably very expensive.