Things get fun with Wildfall and Mary - then later, there's Koumori story twists!

 
Note: Slightly sexually suggestive material in part I

Nothing other than the occasional flash of lightning in the distance lit up the sleepy village of Degrassi, which was kept covered by slow moving, fat clouds. It was a sleepy, downright lazy day, damp and cooler than most summer days, with the hint of rain ever present. When the rain did hit early that evening, it hit with a vengeance, quickly turning from a gentle refreshing mist into a torrent of rainwater pounding Degrassi.

Mary and Wildfall burst through the front door and started stripping off their wet clothes as Mary said, "We need to get out of these clothes fast and get dried off or we'll catch the worst cold ever."

Wildfall shivered, yanking his shirt off. "That rain hit outta nowhere too, can you believe it? Yeah, even my boxers are soaked."

"Yes, take off everything including your boxers and your shoes," replied an embarrassed Mary as she stripped of all her clothes. Wildfall did likewise, stripping to his boxers. He found himself pausing to watch as she stripped off her last remnants of clothing. With a shrug, Wildfall slid his boxers off. Still freezing, Mary moved to get them towels, but found Wildfall embracing her instead. Mary blushed heavily as she felt the sensation of their cold wet bodies splashing together.

Awkwardly, Wildfall mumbled, "Thought we could share a little body heat here to help stop the shivers." He pulled her closer to his body.

Mary could feel the warmth of his body and it sent tingles through her. "Let me go get those towels and we can at least use them to dry our hair. Looks like you have the body heat to dry both of us well enough," she said chuckling.

Feeling mischievous, Wildfall gave her a light slap on her bare buns as she passed.

Mary gave a startled jump and looked at him with a 'you want some come and get it' look on her face, and dropped on all fours, to which Wildfall did the same before chasing after her. The hotel wasn't terribly big but there also wasn't much in it other than the basics.

The room consisted of the bed they shared, a simple wooden table and two straight back chairs and a wash station with a bowl and pitcher sitting on it. Wildfall reached out, grabbed Mary's foot pulling her back to him and collapsing on top of her with both of them bursting into laughter, suddenly aware of their naked bodies pressing close to each other. Mary blushed as she noticed his well developed muscular chest and biceps and felt his developed jewels pressing against her thighs, but she made not a single attempt to move out from under him.

Wildfall was now fully aware that the girl he had grown up with was now a fully developed woman with full beautiful breasts, a wonderful firm rounded bottom and strong muscular legs. Definitely not the gangly little girl that followed him around all those years ago!

Wildfall found himself smiling like a wolf. "Nice thing about small rooms, makes it hard for you to play keepaway, babe."

Mary giggled and playfully remarked, "Who's playing keep away? You're right, tho, there isn't much room here but we'd have lots of room to play if we went back home."

Wildfall sighed and leaned on to kiss her lips. "Yeah, guess we can call this info gathering mission a failure. Might as well get home soon. Besides, our time's up tomorrow, and if we keep renewing, we're gonna have to, urgh, get jobs here or somethin', babe."

"Honey, I know how disappointed you are at not finding Todd and Fahari, but I'm sure they're both safe and who knows they could be looking for us at home, hehe."

Wildfall smiled, rolling off of her. "Anxious to get back home, huh? To be honest, I'm anxious to get back, too."

Mary grinned. "I think we should set out for home early in the morning, and besides I'm ready to chase after you next."

Let's just say it lead to a fun night for the two. Nuff said.

*-------

The rain had mostly let up by the time our intrepid Ireacan couple returned to the apt-named Seaside Town. So our terrific travelers weren't soaking by the time they got back to the house, just wet. Supplies in hand, they walked through the door into the house, which Wildfall was slowing starting to think of as his own.

Mary let out a long sigh. "It's so good to be back home, but honestly I bet we won't be home long. Something will come up and we'll have to leave again."

"Really?" Wildfall paused, then laughed. "You think so, honey?"

"Yes, seems that we either get bored quickly or something happens and we're back on another job. Like they say 'no rest for the wicked'. I must be pretty bad then hehe."

"Good," Wildfall said, flashing a smile. "Although I wouldn't mind spending a few days at home with my adorable little demon, either."

Mary giggled, "I guess I can be a bit of a demon and quite a handful for you, can't I, honey?"

Wildfall winked coquettishly. "Two handfuls if we're feelin' playful. C'mon, let's get these supplies put away so we can rest a bit. That was a long trip, but I'm glad we got our shoppin' done babe."

"Yes, it was a long trip and happy to have our shopping done too and did you notice our home has more room that the hotel room for playing keep away?" Mary grinned with as special glint in her eyes as she hugged her Wildfall. As Mary turned away, she heard a noise at the door and walked over, opened the door and found presents. She looked around, and seeing no one there, picked the presents up and took them into the house. Excitedly she called out, "Jarlsy, I found presents on the porch. Come see, hurry! I think I heard the sound of bells jingling too."

Wildfall chuckled. "Guess they forgot some. Coming, Mary!"

"What?" Mary replied as she focused on the packages she had brought inside.

"Tell you in a minute," he replied. "You don't think it's boobytrapped, do ya?"

"Think what is booby trapped?" Mary answered answered absentmindedly.

"The gifts." Wildfall chuckled. "Nevermind, they're probably fine. Just be careful when you open them."

Just to be sure, Wildfall leaned in to sniff one.

Mary chuckled and asked, "Who do you think you are, Todd Blackpaws?"

"Smells fine," Wildfall said, mumbling, "Not that I could tell, anyway. Who is it from, honey?"

"These seem to be from Father Crimbo."

Wildfall chuckled. "In summer? Sure, why not? I'd heard Crimbo comes at random times of the year sometimes, but I didn't think it did this year."

"I don't really know the traditions around here so you will have to fill me in. Don't remember a Father Crimbo in Ireaca."

"I heard certain regions celebrated it." Wildfall shrugged. "I only arrived a few months before you, anyway, MK. Let's open it up and see what we got!"

"Okay, sure let's see what there is here."

"They're pretty big boxes.." Wildfall paused. "That's weird."

"Well maybe it's something you've been wanting. I'm not expecting anything from a stranger."

"Uncle Father gets gifts for all good lil boys and girls, I heard." Wildfall shrugged. "I mean.. Father Crimbo."

"Well that leaves me out since I haven't been good and I'm not little anymore," Mary replied sadly.

"Well," Wildfall said, handing her the biggest package. "This one says it's to you, honey."

"This is some kind of sick joke, honey," Mary said as she took the package and started to carefully open it, looking for booby traps. Finding no traps she opened the box and pulled out some cream drop candy and a sweater.

"Wow," Wildfall said, smiling. "Nice. Honey, who's Koumori?"

"I've no idea who that could be," replied Mary as she studied her sweater. It appeared to be a very soft, red hand knitted one with a picture of a fat looking Father Crimbo on the front and long sleeves that would keep her warm on the cold nights when they were in the elements. She slipped in on to see if it would really fit her.. Then her mind drifted to the question of "Who's Koumori."

"One of the packages says my name," Wildfall explained. "Which makes sense. The other says 'Koumori.' Are you hiding a boy in the house you didn't tell me about, honey?"

"Yes I have one hidden in every room of the house." Mary started to feel her temper flare and took a deep breath, counted to ten and continued, "Maybe that is a girl's name. Do you have a girl hidden here in the house you are not telling me about, DEAR?"

Wildfall shrugged. "Of course not. I forgot to feed the last crew and they ended up starving. Hey, do you think it's a title? Maybe it's one of your sailor friends."

"No I know all the names of the sailors on Captain Horatio's ship and I've tasted your meals, honey. Believe me, no one staved unless they were too stupid to eat. You are a good cook," Mary replied. "But there's one thing that just came to my mind. You're not going to like what I'm thinking about." She gave Wildfall a worried look as she contemplated continuing her train of thought.

Wildfall chuckled, starting to open his gift. "What, lil miss Skin'n'bones? Tomato paste or whatever her name was?"

"NO! But leave it up to you to have that creature on your mind!!! I was thinking that might be the name of the bat friend who had been watching over me. I can't believe that you would bring up her name after you made such a big deal of saying there was nothing between the two of you."

"Sorry!" Wildfall replied defensively. "When you said you didn't think I'd enjoy it, I thought you meant 'Raspberry' or whatever her name is. Hey, isn't Koumori the one who kidnapped you and pulled you into the force field?"

"Honey, he didn't kidnap or pull me into the force field. He actually tried to stop me and I was the one who pulled him in. Thankfully he stood watch over me and kept me safe till you could come rescue me. He never meant me any harm at all." Mary replied as gently as she could, "I know you blame him for me being in there, but it truly wasn't his fault and he even fought some of the creatures in there during the battle and pulled the little girl to safety too."

Wildfall paused, sounding upset at the memory. "Okay."

"I know how it looked to you and can only imagine how you felt. I heard your screams of trying to get to me and was so afraid I'd never see you again. But it was him who kept me safe for you, honey," Mary replied quietly as she took Wildfall into her arms to comfort him; she could feel his body shaking as she knew he was remembering that horrific ordeal just as she replayed it in her dreams.

Wildfall give her a big, powerful hug. "Maybe this is our gift for getting through that."

"Honey, I think this gift is Father Crimbo's way of giving us a gift for Koumori to thank him for watching over me and keeping me safe when you weren't able to. Do you think we should look for him and give him this gift?" Mary asked deep in thought.

Wildfall turned at her, smiled and started to say something- but he chuckled instead.

"What's so funny, honey? Show me what you got," Mary replied smiling.

"Not now, opening my gifts." Wildfall winked. "I just realized it looks like you're right about not staying in the house. Anywoo..." Wildfall tried to not just rip his gift open, but he certainly didn't open it up as slowly as Mary opened hers, either. He pulled the lid off, tossing it aside. "Ohhh.. peanut butter fudge, look't'it! You can smell the marble chocolate frosting!"

"Oh that looks yummy. You like fudge if I remember right." Mary laughed.

"Yeah," Wildfall said, smiling wider. "I had to cut back so I could, ya know, survive in the wild. But we are gonna eat all of this. I think you're right about Koumori, I mean, about that being his name. It'd fit with those hand symbols he was making. We should go looking for him. Degrassi's where you met him, right?"

"Yes it's where I met him when you were hurt so badly and he gave me that bat spit for your wounds after I helped him," Mary smiled remembering the first meeting.

Wildfall chuckled. "We could try there. Should we leave now? Well, after breakfast, anyway. Oh, hey! I got a.. note?"

Wildfall pulled the note out.

"Well read it. What did it say?" Mary asked excitedly reaching for it.

Wildfall peeked into her box. "You got one too, honey."

Mary looked in her box and pulled out her note as Wildfall skimmed his. Mary read hers and shook her head saying, "I don't understand this guy. He is going on about some tradition and Summer Crimbo. It makes no sense to me. Maybe it will to you."

Wildfall shrugged, deep in thought. "Yeah, same as mine says. And something about Uncle Crimbo's town, near a Gnomad's camp? So what, the mountains? Unless. . ."

"Well good to know I'm not the only one confused. Looks like another mess someone got into and wants us adventurers to get them…"

Wildfall interrupted without waiting for her to finish (since otherwise, it wouldn't be interrupting, would it?) "Honey! I almost forgot, but I thought I saw a glimpse of presents on the kitchen table. Maybe that'll help us figure this out!"

Mary sighed, "More nonsense to have to deal with. Let's go see what that's all about now." And she started toward the kitchen.

*-------

A couple hours later and Mary Kate and Wildfall stepped out of the door and into the path to their next exciting journey. "Straight to Degrassi, then."

"You do know we haven't any clue where to find Koumori or do we? Also we've got that cryptic town concerning those Crimbo guys that we have to figure out what's going on. This sounds like another wild goose chase for us like the bird one was. We just got back from Degrassi and here we're going back again." As Mary complained, she hurried to keep up with Wildfall.

"Well," Wildfall pointed out. "We found the Toot. Just take it one step at a time or it'll drive you nuts, honey. Just find our friend- if it is Koumori like you think. Then we'll take it from there, and I'm sure we can find someone to help us figure out the great Crimbo Renaissance fair mystery. Just gotta get to Degrassi first, right?"

"Yes and the sooner the better. Besides we didn't find the Toot. We found the demon. The bird flew off and Sassy found him," Mary pointed out and then called out, "Koumori!! Koumori!!"

Tilting his head, a confused Wildfall asked. "What are ya doing, honey?"

Mary answered, "Calling Kournori. What does it look like honey?"

Wildfall chuckled. "I don't think he is gonna hear you, honey. Not like he's in town, flying around just waiting to be called."

Mary looked at Wildfall and replied, "You just never know, but I've got a feeling that he's close by. He's never far away and keeps a good watch over me. Koumori! Are you here?"

Wildfall chuckled. "I'm tellin you Mary, he isn't gonna show. I'd put an Ireacan five-punt on it if I still had any from home."

Mary looked at Wildfall and said, "I'll take you up on that bet and I do happen to have some Ireacan five-punt tucked away."

Wildfall paused. "Alright, I got at least five dollars in loose Ireacan coin tucked away, so an IFP sayin, we don't run into him before we get close to Degrassi, or after. And if we run into him before, you win. Deal?"

"Deal."

The shadows moved and something near silent flitted from them. The form materialized, it seemed that Wildfall lost that bet already.

He looked over the two with the beady eyes of his kind. His hands were held out and away, in a hopefully non threatening manner. Although he was silent, seeing Wild there, seemed to bring a bit of a small grin on his face.

Wildfall rolled his eyes and face palmed. "I think I got hoodwinked."

Mary chuckled and said, "Oops, did I forget to mention that I heard some flapping a few moments ago, honey?"

Wildfall made a face at her before breaking out into a grin. "Nice."

Slowly the creature reached into a pack, making an offer of two small Crimbo wrapped packages. Offering them up he bowed deeply, gesturing with them as an offering. One hand was extended towards Mary, the other towards Wildfall...

Mary looked at her friend, sensed that he was offering the gifts to her, she reached out and took one beautifully wrapped gift and returned the bow. "Thank you," was all she managed to say as tears welled in her eyes. Wildfall stood there looking awkwardly, hands in his pocket.

"Wildfall, the other gift is for you, he is offering it to you."

Wildfall raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Are ya sure they're not both for you? I don't wanna upset him snatching your gifts, MK."

The bat nodded deeply and looked up, smiling and extending the gift as well.

Mary eagerly opened her package and with a gasp she yelled, "MY DONUT ROLL! You remembered - and more bat spit! Oh thank you, Koumori!"

Wildfall had jumped back at Mary's shout and stared at her a moment before shrugging. "I'll have to remember you love donut rolls. Let's see what I got."

Wildfall quickly unwrapped his gift; a smile spread across his face as he removed a small knife from a box. "Ohh, wow. This'll come in handy. Thanks, Koumori. Hey, is that your name? Mary said it was on the box to you. Look, MK. There's walnuts in here, too. Good for travel."

Koumori smiled and nodded at the words, grinning happily. He bowed again, a smile breaking his fanged face.

Mary picked up a package and handed it to Koumori. "This is for you."

Koumori’s ears perked and he smiled that fanged smile again, bowing deeply as he accepted the gift before shaking it quizzically and holding his ear up to it. A smile almost mischievous split his lips as he carefully removed the wrapping, actually going as far as to tuck it carefully away before examining the contents.

Wildfall chuckled. "He unwraps those things more carefully than both of us combined, MK."

"Yes he does."

Koumori opened the package and smiled, what appeared to be a red and white series of plates with sharp edges was pulled out of the package. His face all but lit up, the buckles and edges making little sense to those that don’t know what it is, but obviously he was happy to have the devices. The red and white paint job seemed to be of particular amusement to the bat.

"Huh." Wildfall turned to Mary. "I give up, what are they? Weapons?"

Kuro smiled and nodded rapidly. He held up a finger in a “Wait a minute gesture.” and with practiced motions slipped the harness on.. The ridges went around his wings, turning the upper sides into what amounted to giant razor blades. Albeit giant candy cane striped ones. However, a quick turn of a cloak did hide it while he was standing at least.

"So if you can read," Wildfall said, "you might wanna check the notes. Oh.. here's your other box."

Wildfall handed him a similar box, shaped like a three, just like boxes Mary and Wildfall had opened earlier.

Kuro tilted his head, bowing deep and carefully removing the wrapping again. He grinned happily, actually seeming to enjoy the fact that someone did care for him.

The sight of the candies and the fruitcake made him beam and he rubbed his stomach smiling, the gear was tucked away and he noticed the picture on the first box and suddenly went still. His entire being seemed to focus on it.

Wildfall felt a chill run up his spine. "Ahh- why do you think he's so focused on the picture? Think he's from there?"

Mary suddenly grabbed Wildfall. "Shush and let him concentrate. Watch his movements he might try to tell us something."

Koumori shook his head and frowned, trying to think of how to communicate. He cursed his lack of wording and concentrated hard on the image, his brow furrowing in concentration.

Suddenly and without warning a burst of red and white light enveloped the bat. The faint smell of peppermint lingered as he vanished silently.

Confused, Wildfall turned to an unblinking Mary. He started to ask, "Does he..", when the same burst of red and white lights enveloped them. When it faded, they were somewhere . . . else. Still oblivious, Wildfall continued, "do that often?"

I really like the growing passion in the opening Wildfall/ MK bit. Plus it springs MK and Wildfall forward into the Crimbo storyline too!

Much like the voter Ichiro, I am happy to see more of "the voter's favorite bat-creature" Koumori as well. Speaking of which, the bit with the teleport at the end earns Koumori, Wildfall and Mary the best plot twist award for this mission! It was a nice mix of Koumori's character / skills and the MK/ Wildfall opening, I thought. I think this piece does as good a job of any of showing why the voter called the MK/ Wildfall relationship "the best laid character arc I can think of since judging AiL," in his own words. Just thought that was worth repeating.

Only a handful of roleplays left and the Finale!