literature

Flanoir .:VORE:. Part 1

Deviation Actions

Goron-King-Darunia

Published: Jul 7, 2013

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Literature Text

Warning! Please read the Artist's Comments before reading this story! You have been warned!

Flanoir (working title... which sucks)

Part 1: Pineapple Snowmen (also a working title... and a very stupid one at that! XD)

Flakes of snow fell gently over Emil's surroundings; he was pleased to see the weather had stabilized since his adventure to save the world. When he had first come here with Marta, the skies were eerily clear and the snow was slushy and muddy from seasons of unusually warm weather. Now, it had all returned to the way it should be - the ground was covered in a knee-deep layer of crisp, clean white and the air was filled with the usual painful chill; the sky overhead was filled with grey clouds as thick as the snow below, and the surrounding seas were filled with the hazardous, though beautiful, glacial ice.

Emil sat on the stoop of the local inn, watching the citizens go about their lives. Most of the men were shoveling a path through the snow, clearing off a narrow section from their porches to the streets, making way for their wives to head into the square to do the day's shopping. Children of various ages were scattered about, playing one game or another in the wintery landscape of the schoolyard and adjacent churchyard. Emil smiled, knowing the advent of a school there was yet another advent of the Lezareno Company; the funding of local schools throughout both Tethe'alla and Sylvarant was only one of their many recent projects. Emil remembered his time at the school in Palmacosta, simpering as he had to remind himself that those memories were not really his own.

Emil Castagnier was just a pseudonym, a name taken on by Ratatosk to protect himself, a name belonging to a boy who was likely dead. But, it was all Emil had, really. He had always felt separate from Ratatosk, the way they thought and felt about the same things was nothing alike, and yet, he couldn't deny the evidence that he was one with Ratatosk. He had two distinct sets of memories, one of being Emil Castagnier and one of being the Summon Spirit Ratatosk, and neither of them felt real to him anymore.

It was a relief in some small way - he wasn't tied down to a persona anymore, he could act on his own feelings now, his own desires, not having to cross-check with memories that were skewed, no longer burdened by pain that he did not deserve. But, on the other hand, it left him feeling a little... empty. He wasn't Emil anymore, and he wasn't Ratatosk (and there was plenty of evidence that - though his body was Aster's - he was not that scientist prodigy from Sybak).

So, Richter's question the night before had come as quite a shock. "When is your birthday...?" It upset Emil at first, not really being able to answer, since none of his identities were really his anymore, but Richter had comforted him effectively enough. "Since you don't have one, then how about tomorrow? After all... tomorrow will be exactly two years to the date that I first met you." Emil liked that idea. Richter was out at that very moment, buying him presents and setting up reservations for the day. They would be doing more wine tasting, of course, and a couple things Richter was setting up as a surprise, but other than that, the entire day was his. Richter had promised to do anything Emil wanted for the next twenty-four hours, and Emil couldn't wait to spend the entire day showing Richter his favorite things to do around town. Not that he'd spent much time in Flanoir, or knew of many things to do there, but... well, with Richter around, he could do anything at all.

Emil smiled, thinking of the wonderful day he would have with his beloved partner as he watched a young boy and girl in the square rolling a big snow ball and trying to hoist it on top of a pair of larger snowballs. They stood on each other's shoulders, but the snowball was too heavy for them to lift on their own, and Emil quickly ran over when he saw the boy on the bottom of the mini totem pole struggling to pick up the heavy white sphere.

"Be careful! Wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves." Emil smiled cheerfully as he jogged up to the two children. "Building a snowman?" He asked as the girl hopped off the boy's shoulders and stared shyly up at Emil.

"Uh-huh!" The boy nodded. "It's going to be the biggest snowman in the whoooooole world! But we can't get the head on like this..."

"Well, maybe I can help." Emil smiled. He bent over and lifted the over-sized snowball and placed it on the top of the two larger ones, completing the snowman. "Wow! You're right. He is a big snowman." Emil humored the two kids. "But something's missing..."

"Yeah! He needs a face!" The little boy yelled excitedly. "Beth! Bring over the stuff!"

The little girl trotted off to grab a top hat filled with pebbles, twigs, and the classic carrot nose. "Here it is, Calvin! Everything our snowman will need!"

"Hey, could you help us out again, mister?! It would be really nice if you could help us finish him up!"

"Uh, sure! What do you want me to do?" Emil knelt to be eye-level with the two children.

"Well, it would be kind of hard to try to balance Beth on my shoulders for a long time, so if you would, could you lift me and Beth up so we could put on our snowman's face? At different times of course. After all, you've only got two arms."

"Sure, I could manage that." Emil grinned. "So, what goes on first?"

"Well, he needs two eyes so he can see." Beth pulled two relatively round pebbles of approximately equal size from the hat. "So I'll put those on first."

"Alright, Beth! I'll break up the twigs and get the mouth ready." Calvin cheered.

Emil carefully lifted the little girl up and she placed the pebbles gently into the packed snow. "Those look perfect!" Emil winked as he set Beth down again.

"Alright, I've got the mouth ready!" Calvin skipped over to the two. "All set, mister! Could you give me a boost, please?"

Emil lifted Calvin up as well, and the young boy set the twigs in a gentle upward curve. "Excellent work! He's looking cheery and bright already, just like a good snowman should!" Emil praised. "Alright, what comes next?"

"Now he needs a nose!" Beth held up the carrot. "I'll put it on, okay, Calvin?"

"Right! Then I get to put on his hat."

"Okay!" Emil lifted Beth for the second time, and she enthusiastically pressed the carrot deep into the snow.

"That reminds me of a joke!" Emil giggled. "What did one snowman say to the other snowman?"

"Uh, I give up, mister. What?"

"Smells like carrots." Emil grinned.

The two children roared with laughter; it was an old joke, but it was new to them.

"That was a good one!" Calvin smiled. "Alright, one more boost, mister! I want to put on the hat!" Emil lifted the over-zealous boy and he placed the cap atop the snowman's head. "Tada! He's done!"

"He looks wonderful!" Emil praised the two. "You did a great job!" He gave both children a high-five. "Are you going to name him?"

"He's right, Beth! He should have a name! How about... Frosty?"

"Every snowman's named Frosty, Calvin! He needs a better name than that! You got any ideas, mister?"

"No, sorry." Emil blushed. "Frosty was my only idea, too."

"Uh, how about Mr. Snowman?" Calvin suggested.

"No, no, no, silly! That's too easy! He needs a good name! A real name!"

"How about Walfred?" A familiar voice made Emil turn about eagerly. "Haven't I told you not to talk to strangers, Emil?" Richter chuckled as he walked up, carrying several paper bags filled with all sorts of goodies that were undoubtedly meant for him.

"Richter!" Emil grinned. "You're back!"

"Miss me much?" The half-elf chuckled as the blond trotted up to him like an eager little puppy, thrilled to see his master after a long wait (which had really only been an hour).

"Just a little." Emil grinned. "They were having some trouble getting the head on. I kind of got recruited after that..."

"I see." Richter dusted some of the snow out of Emil's hair, looking up as the little boy and girl walked up.

"Hey, what was that name you just said, mister?" Calvin asked.

"Walfred? I was just kidding..." Richter blinked self-consciously, wondering why such a ridiculous name interested the two children.

"Oh, no. Sorry, sir, we were asking him." Beth pointed at Emil.

"Huh? What name did I say?" Emil puzzled over his last few words for a moment. "Y-you mean 'Richter'?"

"Yeah! Richter! That sounds like a cool name, right, Beth?!" Calvin beamed.

"Uh-huh!" The girl nodded in agreement. "Richter the Snowman, it is!"

Richter looked astonished for a moment then chuckled wryly. He leaned in and whispered in the blond's ear. "They're naming their snowman after me.. there's some cosmic joke in that, isn't there?"

Emil giggled. "Well, you'd make a handsome snowman."

Richter rolled his eyes. "That's what you took from that?" The half-elf shook his head with a weak smile. "The sobering humor in the unfortunate appropriateness of their decision escapes you, doesn't it?"

"No. I just beg to differ. I think you're a very warm person, Richter. You just need a little motivation to show it." Emil snuck his lover a kiss while the kids were focused on writing "Richter" in the snow in front of their creation. The half-elf blushed.

"Hold these for a minute, would you?" He handed the bags to Emil. "And no peeking. We're going back to the room to open those." Emil obeyed, since his furtive glances only revealed layers of colored tissue paper and many gift-shop boxes in the bags.

Richter bent down and gathered a couple handfuls of snow. He pressed them together, creating a nearly egg-shaped oval. He ran a little groove along the top, near the middle, then pulled it back toward the front along the sides. He pressed both index fingers gently in the snow he outlined, then made two L-shaped trails on either side with his thumbs. He set a pair of pebbles and an extra clump of snow before he set down the nearly-perfect snow bunny beside the children's snowman.

"Wow! That was really neat, mister!" Beth exclaimed. "Calvin, look at the cute little bunny he made!" Both children 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed as they ogled the redhead's contribution.

"I didn't know you could do things like that, Richter!" Emil grinned past the half-elf at the little white rabbit. "It's adorable."

"Yeah, that's the only thing I can make out of snow... well, the only thing other than a snowball!" The redhead whipped around and chucked a small snowball at the human, who squealed and ducked just in time to avoid the cold, white orb.

"Hey! No fair! My hands are full!" Emil whined, flicking some snow at his mate with the toe of his shoe.

"Sorry, I wasn't really trying to hit you." Richter simpered, taking the bags back. "So, are we going back to the room to open these, or are you going to play with children all day?" Richter hoisted the bags over his shoulders, tilting his head in the direction of the inn.

"Okay, I'm coming." Emil nodded. "You kids be careful, now, alright?" Emil called back to the two children.

"We will! Thanks for your help, mister!" Both youngsters waved at the blond, and the blond returned the gesture as he began to follow Richter back to the inn. They were just about to enter when a woman's voice called out to Emil.

"Excuse me! You there, young man!" Emil turned around to see a amply pregnant woman waving in his direction. Emil looked around for anyone who might be the addressee of the woman's calls, but there was no one in her line of sight except for himself and Richter. Emil pointed to himself with a questioning look, wondering if he was really who the woman was looking for. "Yes, you, young man! Come over here a moment, dear!" Emil looked at Richter, who met his eyes with that same bewildered look. The blond shrugged and told Richter to head on up to the room while he went to see what the lady wanted. Richter nodded but promised to return for him if he failed to come back to the room in five minutes.

"Oh, come on Richter, I doubt she wants to kidnap me!" Emil teased.

"Well, maybe not, but the way you've been getting 'recruited' today, you may very well end up being talked into spending your birthday running errands for her!" Richter retorted. "I doubt either of us wants you spending today like that, but you're the kind of person who just can't say 'no'. So, if you get 'recruited' again, I'll come bail you out, alright?"

"'Kay." Emil, blushed, knowing that Richter had a point. The redhead nodded and headed off toward their room while the blond went to see what this woman wanted with him.

"Uh, h-hello, ma'am. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh, you've helped me a great deal already, dear! That's why I'm here. Beth and Calvin are my children, you see. Their father is away on business in Meltokio, but they had their hearts set on building that snowman today. Obviously, I'm not really in any shape to help them with that, not with this one on the way." She gestured to her pronounced midriff. "I warned them not to get carried away, but..." She shook her head with a laugh. "Well, they did anyway. I was about to head outside to warn them that they were trying to make it too big, but then the kettle starts a'callin' and by the time I've got it off the fire, you've already stepped in to help them out. I figured the least I could do was thank you myself."

"Oh, it was really no trouble, ma'am..." Emil flushed, grinning sheepishly.

"Maybe not, but it was a great help. People usually pay children no mind, it's nice to see someone go out of their way to-- ooh...", her breath caught mid-sentence, and her hands immediately went to her motherly bulge.

"M-ma'am, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Conrad just gets a little excited, sometimes."

"C-Conrad?"

"Mm-hm. In here." She pat her maternally enlarged midsection. "Here, feel." She grabbed one of Emil's hands and placed it on her belly, causing a deep, red blush to flood the boy's cheeks. "He's due in a couple more weeks. Normally, he's a gentle little thing, but he gets so riled up sometimes." Emil nodded, dazed. He could feel it... more than with his hand. There was a familiar, warm, throbbing sensation in the pit of his stomach accompanied by a small voiceless voice in his head. Is this something you'd want?, it asked. Would you like to be able to do this? The question throbbed along with his gut. Did he want this? Was it even possible? No, it couldn't be... could it? But that wasn't the question. The question was: did he want it to be possible? And his answer was 'yes'.

Truth be told, Emil was always rather fond of kids. He wasn't quite sure why. Maybe his false memories of his life as Emil had something to do with it. Whatever the reason, Emil had always had a nurturing instinct that never quite felt fulfilled. Being with Richter had helped calm that urge tremendously, but Emil had always felt that there was something... a little bit more...

Oh, sure, he loved traveling and seeing the world, but he didn't plan to wander his whole life. Eventually, he wanted to settle down somewhere, maybe start a family... He hadn't really planned on what that would mean, having a partner of the same sex; maybe adoption, maybe use a surrogate... But now... the implications of this... this miracle, were too wonderful to pass up. He and Richter, having a child together... Emil wanted that. Badly. And yet, there was an uncertainty lingering in his heart... This would be a big change. Emil didn't even know what it entailed. Would he become a woman, with all the necessary "parts"? Or a hermaphrodite, perhaps? And what would Richter think of him, then?! Did Richter even want kids...? Was there no turning back if he went through with all this? If he passed up on this offer, would he ever have the chance at this again?

Just as Emil was beginning to give in to panic, a familiar, soothing voice swept over him. "Emil... I can see your heart is a very frantic color. You are... troubled."

Verius?! Emil called back, speaking to the Summon Spirit through his heart.

"You sound surprised. Did you forget what Sheena said? I exist in your heart... in all hearts... And I can tell you're fighting your heart, Emil." Verius lilted. "You needn't worry so much. Indulge your heart. You, like all beings, are free to change your mind. It should only be fair that you be free to change your heart as well. I will help you fulfill your heart's wish, no matter how often it changes. Be at peace..."

Verius and the voiceless voice within Emil spoke to him in unison. "Do you want this power?"

I... I don't know... Emil closed his eyes. He was at a crossroads, caught looking down the paths of two entirely different futures, scared.

"It's alright. You don't have to decide, now. You may take your time. Whatever your choice, I assure you, the option will be available when you decide. You are always free to change your mind. When you have decided, you know where to find me..."

Emil felt Verius' presence fade along with his fears. He trusted Verius. He was glad to have some time to think about what he wanted... for his future with Richter... Richter. Remembering what Richter had promised brought Emil back to his senses. He gently removed his hand from the woman's baby-bump, recalling what she had just said moments ago. "Y-yes, he certainly does seem excited. I'm sure he just can't wait to be born, so he can meet his parents and siblings."

"You're probably right!" The woman chuckled. "You're awfully good with children. I bet you took care of younger siblings, didn't you?"

"Oh, n-no, ma'am. I'm an only child." Emil blushed, a little ashamed that he always seemed to default back to a stolen past when asked such things.

"Really? Such a shame. You'd have made a fine older brother for some lucky child."

"That's kind of you to say, ma'am, but it was nothing, really..." Emil eyed the door behind him, expecting Richter to come walking out any minute to "bail him out".

"Don't be so modest dear, you were really quite helpful! Honestly, you really are a-- Oh, dear, where are my manners?!" The woman shook her head, noticing Emil's furtive glances at the door. "You have someone waiting for you, don't you? Silly me!" She pulled a small handkerchief, tied into a loose bundle with a bit of twine, from her apron pocket. "It isn't much, but please, enjoy them with your friend."

Emil untied the little pouch carefully to reveal a few, warm Snickerdoodle cookies. "Oh, no, ma'am. I couldn't possibly--"

"Nonsense! Of course you can! Goodness, you're a modest boy, aren't you? I knew you wouldn't accept money as thanks, but there's certainly no reason not to accept some cookies!" She curled the blond's fingers around the parcel of baked goods. "Take them! Enjoy them! If you don't I'm just going to throw them away~!" She winked at Emil.

"Th-thank you very much, ma'am!" Emil beamed.

"Thank you, too, dear. I hope my children grow up to be as thoughtful and caring as you."

"With a mother like you, I'm sure they will." Emil smiled. "Take care!"

"You, too, dear! And thank your handsome friend for me, too! The snow bunny is quite adorable!" She waved.

"I will!" Emil turned to the door, a goofy looking grin on his red face. Yes, Richter was handsome, and yes, the bunny he made was adorable... but there was just something about that contrast that made Emil's heart dance. It was a side of Richter that he rarely showed, especially to anyone other than Emil. Emil supposed that meant... that Richter was starting to open up again... Richter was hard to approach, with such a rough outward personality, but once you got past that prickly exterior, you found the sweet, wonderful man with a heart of gold that Emil fell in love with. Kind of like a pineapple... Emil giggled hysterically at this thought. Yes, Richter was like a pineapple... And Emil did like pineapples...

Emil calmed himself down, remembering that his beloved "pineapple", Richter, was likely waiting impatiently for him. He folded the handkerchief around the cookies and put them in his pocket. He checked his reflection on the chrome plaque hanging on the inn's door and nervously straightened his hair... He caught himself doing this and immediately wondered why he was so nervous. Richter was his partner, had seen him at his best and at his worst, and yet here he was, fidgeting on the front stoop of an inn like he was getting ready for a first date! Emil immediately dropped his hands to his sides, admonishing himself for dawdling unnecessarily, and very deliberately raised one hand to turn the door knob.

Before Emil could even lay a finger on the cool brass knob, it turned with a heart-pounding click. Emil jumped, startled, and immediately withdrew his hand as the door opened inward, revealing the familiar mane of soft, red hair that belonged to his darling Richter. "Oh." The half-elf blinked in surprise. "I was just about to come 'rescue' you." He chuckled, standing aside to let the blond in. Emil wiped his shoes hurriedly on the mat in the doorway and stepped, gratefully, into the warmth of the inn. "Everything go alright?" Emil nodded. "You didn't get recruited to babysit for her all day, did you?" Richter muttered, only half-joking.

"No, of course not." Emil shoved Richter playfully.

"Good, because I made some expensive reservations that we are not going to miss!" Richter laughed, putting his arm around Emil's shoulder. "Now, come on up to the room. Your presents have been waiting."

Richter seemed almost excited, a highly uncharacteristic emotion for him, as he ushered Emil up the stairs and down the hall to a pair of double doors... but...

"R-Richter? This isn't..." Emil turned, confused, and pointed back down the hall to one of the small, single doors near the stairs. "W-weren't we in Room 103?"

"Huh, were we?" An obviously fake look of bewilderment barely hid the widening grin on the redhead's face. "Because my key says '110-D'." He dangled the key-ring in front of Emil, playfully jangling the key against the little, metal key-fob that indicated what room it was for. "That's just the darndest thing, isn't it?" Richter snorted, obviously having a very difficult time trying to fight the insane look of glee on his face.

"Since when do you say 'darndest'? What's going on...?" Emil cocked an eyebrow, casting the half-elf an incredulous look.

"Maybe you should open the door and find out?" Richter smirked, placing the key in Emil's hand. The young human glanced at the tag, which did indeed read "Room 110-D", the very same was written on the shiny, gold-colored plaque on either door before him. He shrugged and fit the key into the lock, turned it slowly, then pushed the doors in on a sight he could scarcely believe.

"Happy Birthday, Emil!" Richter grinned, gently shutting the door behind them. "I upgraded us to the deluxe suite. I hope you don't mind." Emil gawked, slack-jawed, at the dazzling room around him. There were deep ceramic planters, painted with beautiful tropical scenes, overflowing with amaryllis, freesia, hyacinth, and lily of the valley. They were so lush and realistic, Emil would never have guessed they were fabric if he hadn't touched them. The roses were real, though... Three crystal vases of three different heights were placed around the room at the most aesthetically pleasant places possible. A short, cylindrical vase filled with a dozen white roses was set upon the vanity, beside the mirror; a taller, rectangular vase filled with a dozen deep, red roses was the centerpiece of a low table, quaintly situated between two plush loveseats, a luxurious sofa, and a darling little fireplace. The third vase, a traditional, flowing, free-form jug shape, was filled to bursting with two dozen roses, half white and half red, drawing the eye toward what was, by far, the most lavish feature of the room. The biggest bed Emil had ever seen in his life sat almost "regally" against the wall at the center of the room. The headboard was carved with delicate floral designs, and upholstered with white cushioning, guiding the eye down to the bounty of white and red pillow cases, wrapped around meticulously placed pairs of pillows, each with their own firmness. The mattress - far beyond king-sized, if that was even possible - was superficially plush, belying a firm, springy core for optimum support. A thick, red, fluffy comforter covered the rest of the bed, practically begging Emil to jump on in and curl up under those snuggly blankets.

Emil was speechless, darting from one corner of the room to another, "ooh"-ing and "ahh"-ing at every fancy detail. Richter leaned against the door and watched the little human, vaguely amused that the boy was so distracted by the room itself, he hardly noticed the array of presents it contained, exclusively for him. Still, that was one of Emil's charms. The boy was always in awe of the world. He never took anything for granted. Luxuries always impressed him, but he never became tainted with that loathsome quality of expecting the best. He was content to live with the bare essentials, and indulgences such as these were regarded as such - treats, things to be had once in a while, not things to be demanded on a daily basis.

"Richter! This room is wonderful!" Emil squealed with glee, skipping out of the bathroom after having discovered the spa tub. "You got this room just for me, today?!"

"No, actually... wrong on two counts." Emil frowned at this, wondering why Richter would pull a trick like that. "First..." Richter grinned, hugging the little human from behind. "I'm sleeping here, too, you little nut." Emil smiled and rolled his eyes. "Second," Richter spun the blond around to face him, "it's for three nights."

Emil squealed and leapt into Richter's arms, hugging the older male tightly. "Oh, my gosh, Richter! That's so great! I can't believe it! I-I just... I love you so much, Richter! IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!" The blond kissed him repeatedly, on the forehead, eyebrow, cheek, chin, every inch he could reach.

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you trying to do, drown me in kisses? Enough already!" Richter teased. "If I'm going to get that reaction every time I give you a gift, we're going to be up here for five days!" Richter kissed the boy chastely on the lips, smiling gently. "I'm glad you like it, but why don't you save all that enthusiasm for after you've opened all your gifts, okay?"

Emil nodded, blushing a bit when he realized how carried away he had gotten, completely forgetting all the other wonderful things Richter had gotten him. Richter ushered him over to the table by the fireplace, sitting beside him on the sofa before pulling out the bags he had brought up earlier.

"Alright, this one first, 'cause I know you've been waiting..." Richter beamed as he held up a little ring-box. Emil opened it excitedly.

"Oh, Richter..." Emil gasped, clasping one hand over his mouth. "It's beautiful..." Richter helped Emil take the ring out of the box (the boy's hands were currently shaking too much to be of any use) and slipped it back onto the blond's finger. It was the very same electrum band Richter had given Emil when he proposed, only now, a lovely Turquoise gem had been added.

"I wasn't really sure about the stone..." Richter simpered, rubbing the marbled, oval gem with his thumb. "I didn't know if you had a preference, so I picked something I thought would bring out your eyes..."

"I should have guessed when you asked to borrow it, earlier..." Emil smiled, nuzzling Richter's shoulder. "I felt so naked without it."

"Ooh..." Richter shuddered.

"Wh-what?"

"'Naked'..." Richter repeated with a salacious grin.

"Oh, you!" Emil gave Richter a playful slap on the cheek. "Why do you have to go and make everything sound so dirty?"

"Hey, you said it! It's not my fault I have 'gutter mind'..." Richter smirked. "Besides, there's nothing 'dirty' about being naked. We're all born naked, right? Naked is natural..."

"Excuses, excuses." Emil giggled, pinching his mate's nose. "You just want to keep saying 'naked'."

"Guilty." Richter chuckled. "...But you know you like it..."

"Next gift." Emil curled his fingers toward himself, a playfully disapproving look on his face.

Richter handed him a thick, rectangular package, wrapped in festive green and gold paper. It was fairly heavy and felt solid, so Emil had a pretty good idea of what was in it. "Ooh, I wonder what kind of book it is..." The blond mused, tearing from the corner toward the middle. The paper was discarded to reveal Flanoir's Finest Recipes, one of several cookbooks written by the elusive Wonder Chef. Emil had to hold himself back from engaging in another hug. "Thank you, Richter! I've been wanting to learn a few new recipes!"

"Don't be shy about practicing!" Richter chuckled. "I promise I'll even eat your failures!" The half-elf stroked his stomach, grinning.

"You wouldn't say that if you knew I could actually fail a recipe." Emil mumbled sheepishly.

"Emil, you could burn dirt, and it would still be delicious." The redhead kissed the little human on the cheek. "Me, I can't serve sliced bread without something going horribly wrong!" The redhead snickered, remembering how badly his first attempt at cooking had gone.

"You're not that bad, Richter..." Emil cooed, "but you definitely need some practice. We should learn these recipes together, that way you can get some practice, too! Okay?"

"Sounds good to me." Richter licked his lips, thinking about all the delicious meals he could help Emil with. He still had no confidence in his skills, but with Emil by his side, he doubted he could fail half as miserably as he would alone.

Next, Emil opened a set of cake pans and cookie cutters. Emil loved baking sweets more than anything else, especially after he discovered Richter's secret weakness for chocolate cake... He had never had the proper accoutrements to make anything beyond a single layer cake, but now... now he could spend a few weekends doing what he did best: making fantastically complicated treats for Richter. Following this trend, Emil's next gift was a new skillet. Richter explained that it had some sort of special non-stick coating just developed in Tethe'alla that Richter thought would be perfect for him to learn with and would make Emil's job as the pair's unofficial chef much easier.

The gifts were already bordering on excessive, and Emil was surprised when Richter pulled out one more bag of goodies for him. "Gosh, Richter... I know you love me and all, but isn't this a bit much?!" Emil giggled, taking the next package that was handed to him.

"Hey, it's my money, I'll spend it how I like!" Richter ruffled the youth's blond tufts. "I have to say, that's got to be the only real benefit of a depression-induced ascetic-mercenary lifestyle... you end up with a lot of money and no desire to spend it."

"Well, that doesn't mean you have to blow it all on me! It's better to have more money than you need than to need more money than you have!"

"Hahaha! True enough, true enough..." The redhead nodded. "Don't worry about it. I've no desire to be broke, trust me... Now that you've gone and got me hopelessly addicted to your cooking, I need to keep a fat wallet in order to support my eating habits, now don't I?" The half-elf pat his belly almost proudly... Emil couldn't help but giggle and blush at this gesture.

"I guess so. So, these 'gifts' must be more like an investment to you, huh?" Emil winked, freeing a thin, white gift box from it's silver-and-blue paper wrapping.

"How could you even suggest that?!" Richter pressed his hand to his chest in a flamboyant gesture to match the false indignation in his voice. "It's your birthday! How could you think I, your loving partner, would be so inconsiderate that I would exploit this wonderful day in order to satisfy some ulterior motive?!" The redhead put his arm around Emil's shoulder, giving the boy a gentle squeeze. "In all seriousness, I did put in some consideration of practicality when choosing most of these gifts, and I admit it was much easier to buy things that would benefit us both, but I have a frivolous side, too. I saved the best for last..." The half-elf rested his head against the blond's as Emil opened the small box he had just unwrapped.

Inside was a fine, stainless steel blade with a full tang* through it's comfortably-shaped laminate wood handle. It's gentle curved edge was razor sharp and the flat and spine of the blade were engraved with a very fine design of roses. Just above the fuller* on the left side of the blade, the words "World's Best Chef" were engraved in a lovely, flowing script. On the opposite side, Emil found his name. It was a wonderful chef's knife, and Emil had been needing one.

"That was my initial purchase, actually." Richter explained as the awestruck Emil turned the knife over and over in his hands. "I remember you complaining about how dull yours had become, and after the handle broke last week, I figured you'd want a new one. There's also a paring knife in there..." Richter gestured to the box. "I figured since you didn't have one, I'd buy one while I was there. Then, I kind of got carried away..." Richter blushed. "I started thinking about all the other things you didn't have, and, well..." Richter rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he gestured to all the cooking supplies Emil had already opened. "When I went to pay and saw how much it all cost, I tried to negotiate a discount, actually..." The redhead snickered. "I told the store owner that I shouldn't even have to pay for the knife set, since it already had your name on it."

Emil gaped and turned to Richter in disbelief. "They seriously had these knives with 'Emil Castagnier' engraved into them just sitting around the store?!"

"No, that part was custom." Richter grinned. "I meant the 'World's Best Chef' part. After all, you are the world's best chef! I argued that since all the knives in there had that on them, they were lucky I was only trying to reclaim a few! Why should I have to pay for something that obviously belongs to you?" Richter nuzzled his mate's cheek fondly. "The fools there had no idea who you were, of course. Made some stupid comment about how that was the Wonder Chef's marketing tagline, now..." Richter turned the now red-faced boy's lips toward his own. "It's so sweet of you to let that bumbling, second-rate sideshow* take all the credit." The half-elf kissed his young partner lovingly, running his gloved hands through the boy's hair a few moments before releasing his flattered companion's moist lips.

"You know I learned some of my best recipes from the Wonder Chef, right?" Emil simpered, still so modest about his own obvious talent.

"So? You made them better. Besides, that puffy-hat-wearing street-magician puts more effort into his half-assed disguises and parlor tricks than his recipes. Have you ever seen the guy cook, even once?" Emil admitted that he hadn't. "Exactly. The putz is a traveling cookbook that likes to play dress up and hide-and-go-seek. You are a true chef. No gimmicks, no hat-tricks, no fancy-shmancy showboating. You put your heart into your cooking... and you manage to do such amazing things with food without extra prep or cooking time! I swear, Emil, you can work magic in the kitchen..."

The blond blushed, kissing Richter in return for the kind comments, knowing that further modesty would only earn him more praise that he was positive he didn't deserve. Sure, Emil was willing to admit he was a decent cook. Compared to Marta and Raine, Emil would gladly admit he had "considerably more experience" to use the nicest words possible. But Emil didn't think he was anything special, really. He felt he was comparable to Regal, Sheena, and maybe Genis - though Genis was two years younger than him, which Emil felt further bolstered the young half-elf's reputation as a good chef. Actually, if Emil was honest with himself, Genis was several thousand years younger than him, considering he was part of Ratatosk before he gained self-awareness... Sure, Ratatosk probably didn't cook much, since Summon Spirits and Centurions have no need or reason to eat, and having to guard the door to the Ginnungagap probably limited the Summon Spirit's real-world, practical experience, but he had a knowledge of the intricate workings of the world, sometimes far more complicated than even Emil could comprehend. But shouldn't that still make him a better chef, understanding the world on such a complex level? Emil felt like it should. And yet, Emil often felt Genis's cooking surpassed his own... Even Collette, who relied almost exclusively on fruit to cook, nearly paralleled Emil when it came to skill. If it wasn't for her occasional clumsiness, and her select ingredient palate, Emil thought that even Collette would make a better chef than he. And yet, in spite of all this self-doubt, Emil knew Richter was honest and sincere. Even if I'm not the "World's Best Chef", Emil thought, I'm good enough for Richter... and that's good enough for me...

When the kiss had ended, Richter handed Emil yet another package. "Seriously?! How much stuff did you buy?!" The young human balked.

"Just two more packages after this." Richter smiled.

"And then, on top of that, you made reservations, and you're willing to do whatever else I want, today?!"

"Yeah, that's right." The redhead nodded. "If it makes it easier for you, you can think of this as making up for all the birthdays I've missed in the past."

Emil shook his head, smiling. If Richter had any flaws at all, being too loving was one of them. Sometimes Emil couldn't help but wonder what odd compulsion caused the man to go overboard this way. The redhead was far too fond of doting on Emil for a man with no predictable source of income. Emil honestly wondered where all this money was coming from. If it was anyone else, Emil would have sworn they were caught up in some unsavory dealings with less-than-respectable people. But it was Richter's money, and it was entirely his business where he got it and what he spent it on. And Emil agreed, it was easier to accept, knowing many of these things benefited Richter as well. Banishing his worries and doubts, Emil tore into the newest package to reveal a most unusual gift.

The blond stared at the box for a long moment, both delighted and confused. In his lap was a wooden case with a clear glass door, displaying an array of chisels; angled, straight-edged, flat, U and V-shaped. There were a few thick pencils in the box as well, and some sand-paper of differing coarseness. Emil looked up at his partner, a tearful smile on his face.

In answer to the unspoken question - "Why?" - Richter explained. "I know you have a lot of creative energy, Emil. And I know you get to express a lot of it with your cooking, but... sometimes, it feels like you could be happier if you had a more... 'constructive' outlet for your talents?" Richter quickly realized that what he'd just said could be interpreted as an insult and quickly amended the prior explanation. "I mean, I appreciate the effort you put into everything you cook, but it always feels like such a shame to eat what you make. It's more than just exquisite cuisine, it's art, in every sense! I just thought that maybe... maybe you would want to try a more permanent medium for your art than food, you know?"

Emil wiped his tears away and beamed up at his mate. "Thank you, Richter. I think that's a wonderful idea. I can't wait to use them." Emil meant it, too. So far, Emil felt like he hadn't been all that useful to Richter. Sure, he cooked and cleaned for Richter (despite the lack of permanent residence, Emil still managed weekly chores like laundry and daily chores like washing dishes when he and Richter were out in the wilderness.) But apart from doing those menial chores and his "amorous duties", Emil didn't really do much. Richter was usually the one battling the monsters they encountered, doing most of the damage even in situations where Emil joined in. It was usually Richter who did the shopping in town, Richter who set up camp when traveling, Richter who gathered the firewood, and Richter who took the occasional odd job to make a little extra cash. With this, Emil could contribute to their income, too! The chisel set itself was a wonderful gift; Emil did indeed have plenty of creative energy to expend. But having that chisel set was also a gift in a second sense: it allowed Emil to feel useful, productive, and it was this second aspect that brought Emil the most joy.

"You're very welcome, Emil. I was hoping you'd like it." Richter cooed as he retrieved the next present from the bag. "Also, I just realized I kind of fibbed. There are only two packages left, but this one is actually two gifts... Oops..." Richter simpered handing the small parcel to the little human. Emil opened it to reveal a small pocket knife and a sharpening stone. "I figured with all the chisels and knives, you'd need a way to keep them sharp. I can teach you how, sometime, if you'd like..." The blond nodded, curiously fiddling with the pocket knife when he discovered there was more to it than a fine blade. "Careful with that. It's sharp." Richter smiled, shifting so that he could reach around the boy, hold him in a loose embrace, and show him all the hidden tricks to his new knife. "It's a multi-tool, as you've probably discovered. It has a lot of useful things." Emil allowed Richter to lean his head on his shoulder as he demonstrated the various tools. "So, first, there's the blade, which you've already found, and next to that is a pair of scissors. Not much use for big things, but they could always come in handy. Next to that, there's a nail file... Honestly, I've never found much use for those things, but maybe you will."

"You always bite yours when you think I'm not looking!" Emil giggled.

"That's what people did before the invention of 'magical nail files'." The half-elf rolled his eyes, obviously finding no practicality in an item with no other purpose than to do a job his teeth already did.

"Yeah, well, your teeth aren't tools." Richter was about to point out the obvious, but Emil got to it first. "Yes, they're technically tools for eating, but that should be all!" Emil tugged off one of Richter's gloves. "And honestly, your nails deserve better treatment! Look how ragged they are! You know what? From now on, I'm in charge of your nails. No objections!" Emil laughed, filing down the free margin* of one of Richter's longer nails, leaving a much more appealing, soft, rounded curve to the tip.

Richter compared it to his other nails, running it across the pad of his thumb to feel the difference. He had to admit, it was much improved compared to the rough edges of his other nails. "Fine." Richter nodded, slipping his glove back on. "Tonight, then. Right now, you've still got one present to 'explore', and one present left to open." Richter finished showing off the other features of the knife, which included a bottle opener, corkscrew, tweezers, a magnifying glass (a removable one at that!), a can opener, pliers, a small wood saw, a sewing needle (which Emil vowed to be extremely careful not to lose), a screwdriver, and a wire stripper (not that Emil knew what he would need the last two for, but Richter seemed to think they were useful.)

"So, one last gift, huh?" Emil smiled as he folded all the tools back into their slots in the knife handle.

"Yes, and I think you'll be glad to find it is the most frivolous of them all..." Richter chuckled wryly as he pulled a large package out of the last bag. It was nearly as large as himself, and Emil almost fainted at the sight of it. "It was a bit on the expensive side, but... I think you deserve it." Richter chuckled, handing the package to the boy.

Emil eagerly slipped off the ribbons and opened the nondescript box, commonly used as a wrapping for clothes. Emil pulled apart the tissue paper within and gasped, eyes overflowing with tears as they froze on the breathtaking gift. It was a full length fur coat. Emil could tell immediately from the color and texture. Black, white, and that icy blue... The coat was made of one-hundred percent Fenrir fur. Emil had met and made pacts with a few on his journey, and a few of the young Wolves he had pacted with grew into Fenrirs as well. He'd know that soft, silky pelt anywhere. The inner lining was mostly the soft black fur of the Fenrir's back while the trim at the edge of the sleeves was the cool blue and white of the thicker fur found on a Fenrir's joints. The neckline was truly the focal point of the coat. The Fenrir's long, soft mane was shaped into a luxurious hood, and whether up over the head or resting on the shoulders, it gave the wearer a fluffy mane of ice-colored fur. The tail was crafted into a belt around the waist of the coat, and the trademark blue claws were blunted and used as buttons. Emil had never seen such haunting beauty before. He hesitantly reached out and lifted the coat from the box, sobbing. "Richter... It's... it's gorgeous!" He threw himself into Richter's arms, tears and kisses flowing freely as he expressed his gratitude.

"I hoped you'd say that. It's definitely your color." Richter grinned. "People were so jealous when I walked out of the store with it. Come on, try it on! Let's see how you look!" Richter tugged Emil to his feet and ushered him over to the mirror. He held the coat up by the shoulders, smiling as his young partner eagerly slipped both arms into the sleeves. He helped fasten the buttons and then stood back, taking in an adorable vision. Emil twirled around, blushing and giggling, eyes still spilling over with dewdrops of happiness. The sleeves and hemline were a bit too long, reaching a couple inches past Emil's fingers and toes, but the boy was far too happy to care. He lifted the collar and rubbed his face in the soft blue fur, and Richter could swear he heard the boy moan...

The next thing Richter knew, the blond had tackled him, forced him up against the wall, and smashed his lips against his own. This surprised the redhead, but he was quick to reciprocate, cupping the blond's face in his hands, then running them over every inch of the boy's frame. The kiss deepened, and Richter could feel the human starting to mess up his hair, twirling it, tugging it. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going, until Emil suddenly stopped. "Th-thank you, Richter... I love it."

Richter, now thoroughly embarrassed by his misinterpretation of the encounter, flushed and replied. "You're quite welcome. As I said, you deserve it. Nothing's too good for you..."

"Can I wear it out, today?" Emil asked with puppy-dog eyes so cute, Richter almost melted.

"Of course you can! It's yours now, after all." Richter said, moving a few strands of stray hair out of his mate's eyes. "Just be careful not to spill any wine on it, okay? I have no idea how you'd get those stains out."

"Right," Emil nodded, skipping to the door, "just make sure I don't get too tipsy, and we should be just fine!"

Richter couldn't help but laugh. "I should be telling you the same! I think we both know I'm the one who's a little 'liberal with the liquor'..." The redhead joined his partner at the door, linking arms with him. "Well, shall we be off?" Richter opened the door gallantly, gesturing for Emil to head through. The blond nodded enthusiastically, and walked with Richter proudly, down the hall, down the stairs, and out into the glistening snow.

To be Continued

Warning!: This story contains (or will contain, when finished) male-male, same-size, soft, oral vore; yaoi, confessions of love between two males, male-male kissing (lots of it!), consumption of alcohol, and a lot of other dubious material. If any of these things is not to your tastes, I suggest finding something else to read. If you're not sure what vore is, my esteemed mind-twin, ShadowedLightning, has a very informative journal on the subject. If you like these things... then you're probably one of my "fans", so why the heck are you reading the warnings?! LOL. To all those undeterred by my warnings, please enjoy!

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World and the character's involved are all (C) Bandai-Namco, and I make no profit from this fan fiction.

And now, the actual Artist's Comments...

I wrote something! Yaaaaaaay!

It's been a while since I actually posted something, so I figured this was ready for sharing... It's not that I haven't been writing, I have, but not a lot unfortunately. I have the most obscene writer's block for a certain project right now, so the two people reading it, (ShadowedLightning and VaatisCloudy) are probably ~~pissed off at me, tired of waiting~~ itching to read more Richter/Emil vore. This chapter actually went a lot faster than my usual chapters. I started it before "TMrh", dropped it after three paragraphs because of writer's block, then picked it up a few days ago and finished the whole rest of the chapter in just over 2 days!

I know... I couldn't believe it either... I haven't done a lot of edits on it yet, though, so there will probably be a few changes to it later. If you see any horribly obvious typos, please tell me... I don't want them messing up my story!

Basically, I'm posting this to distract you all with more Richter/Emil stuff while I work through my writer's block on that one project.

Soooooo... This is basically picking up where Together with Richter left off... There might be another story between this and TwR, but it will be a ridiculous "dream sequence" anyway, so it's not really necessary...

In case you were wondering what a Fenrir looks like...

Some things to complain about (because I'm self-deprecating and lampshading my mistakes helps...

)

How cliche is it that I made it about Emil's birthday? Very? I think so...
Richter is so much out of character... I think he's in another universe...
Random pregnant lady... check...
I have no clue why, but Richter seems to have money out the ass in all my stories... How the hell?! He doesn't "work" (lampshaded, in-story is he's a mercenary and he takes odd jobs, but... that's a freaking cop-out trope because I'm lazy... ), he probably wasn't paid when he worked at Sybak (they were all basement slaves, right? Maybe in his last two years there after the World Regeneration he got paid, but... enough to throw down a fat wad for a fur coat? No.), he has no canon family (which I always interpret as "he's an orphan", even if it's not true) so that means no one to mooch off of... So where the hell does he get all his money?! Then again, in-game he paid for the damage he and Collette did to that one person's house... I think a hole in the wall is probably more expensive than a fur coat, right? Well, whatever... Namco always has it's game-play and story written incompatibly (hence an as-yet unexplained comment in TwR. But more on that later.) So, yeah, I explained Richter's bottomless pockets semi-realistically in the story... But I'm still going to bitch about it! My story, I'm allowed to. Hell, maybe Richter has a Money Spider...
So, Richter bites his nails, now?! I don't know where I got that idea. I mean, they don't exactly explain a lot of things in game. Like where/when characters go to the bathroom, or where/if they go and get their hair cut, ever... You never see Collette or the other girls sitting around the campfire doing each others' nails... And the men never seem to shave (though Dirk obviously has evidence of this... but all the other men somehow manage to remain hairless bishies?!) So, fuck it, I invented my own shit. My head-canon Richter has been shown to take poor care of himself (so Emil usually takes pride in keeping his lover well-kempt, *coughs, points to bathing scenes in TwR, coughs again...*) so I'm just assuming that Richter used to cut his own bangs with his sword and chewed his nails... 'cause that's what manly men do, apparently! *shot*

I don't know... mostly, I'm not mad at myself for these plot inconsistencies. I'm more mad at "Bamco"(Bandai-Namco/Namco-Bandai... these mergers alone are frustrating!

) I mean, the story and game contradict each other on several levels, and sometimes, the game contradicts itself... Examples:

In the game (Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World/ Knight of Ratatosk for the ~~non-existent~~ new-comers to my works/ this fandom) Ratatosk is the Lord of All Monsters, right? So... why is it that 90 percent of the game is killing monsters? I don't believe the Poke-tard response that "oh, the monsters don't die, you just 'defeat' them." for this reason: When you kill a monster like a Wolf, it will leave behind it's pelt as a war trophy. Unless Ratatosk is more cruel than we give him credit for and he skins the beasts alive, the monster must be dead to get the pelt. When a Pokemon "faints" you don't get it's hide, do you? Heck, fainted Pokemon generally don't drop anything... So, in ToS2, Ratatosk is killing most monsters (except the ones he 'pacts' with, which Tenebrae lampshades as 'defeating'... liar...) We also know that monsters must be able to die, because of the dead Remora at the Dynasty Ruins (or whatever the fuck they were called) in the beginning of the game. However, even that raises questions because monster corpses don't exactly occur frequently in-game, either.

In stark contrast of the dead monster corpse early on, there's that ridiculous quest from the Katz to rescue the idiot doctor who was swallowed by a monster. Upon defeating the third monster, Emil wonders if the doctor disappeared with the monster. So, I'm not the only one who notices that monsters just vanish! Now, it can't just be that they run away after; if that was true, when you defeat the monster that swallowed the Doctor, the monster would just run away with him, right? (And, yeah, it occurred to me that, once you 'defeat' the monster that swallowed the doctor, maybe it spits him up, but... that's not at all what dialogue indicates... Tenebrae says that once you 'defeat' the monster that swallowed the doctor, you should be able to 'find' him... if he really was just spit back out, why wouldn't Tenebrae just say that?! And, if 'disappearing' monsters were just 'running away' why wouldn't Emil say that?! Like I said, the game-play contradicts itself... a lot...) So... when monsters 'die', do they disappear? If they do, where are Emil and Marta harvesting all the monster-based materials from after battle?

Moreover, the game doesn't even tell us how we're supposed to feel about killing monsters. Is it okay? Is it wrong? Do people have moral arguments about it like we do about killing animals in the real world? They never say. We're told it's okay, mostly because nearly all gameplay involves killing monsters, but then we're told it's not.

Richter and Emil kill that one big dragon out in the field. Yay! That's totally okay, no need to feel bad, kids! It's a dangerous monster! But then Emil wants Richter to take pity on and spare the baby dragon? What?! Now it's notokay?! Or when you have to get the Baby Dragon to defeat the Garuda. It's okay for you to kill the monster in Hima, but it's not okay that that monster killed the Baby Dragon's Father? There is no logic, or at the very least, no consistency in any of these cases.

Furthermore, in support of my "monsters must die" theory: monsters are able to breed. They have descendants, as evidenced by the Baby Dragon. So, if monsters never die and they reproduce, the world would overcrowd with monsters, smother all other life, and then die from lack of resources... oh, except they can't die... On the other hand... you can evolve them in a cycle (meaning once they reach their strongest evolution, you can 'devolve' them, and they will start at the 'youngest'/weakest evolution with stats and attacks/skills carried over from the last cycle... counter intuitive much?)

So, in summary: Monsters die, only they don't; they leave behind bodies, except they disappear; it's okay to kill them except when it's not; they are allowed to kill each other, unless they aren't; they reproduce, even though they can't; and there are no rules!

I can't make head or tail of the things they say and show in that game... and I'm tired of trying... So I've decided I will make my own rules! So, as stated by Richter in Together with Richter, monsters don't really die, they're just reshaped over and over... This will be explained later in this story (currently called "Flanoir", because I haven't thought of anything better yet), but I have it set up as: monsters can be killed, they leave corpses behind (which can be harvested for pelts, etc.), it's generally considered alright to kill them, and (in Emil's mind) it's okay to kill them if they attack you, or if (for some other reason) you will die if you don't. They do reproduce, and they are relatively sentient. They can be tamed. But that's rare.

So... I said all this to justify one little thing... It's totally okay for Richter to have bought a Fenrir fur coat! PETA can't get angry for me once I explain how monsters work in this story! But that will happen in the story so I won't spell it out here! (I'm probably yelling at no one, but I saw a journal here on DA where people were going berserk over the fur farming in China. I just want to deter that kind of thought here...)

For the record, though, I believe it is okay to harvest goods from animals. I believe it is okay to wear fur and leather, and to eat meat, eggs, and milk. However, I don't believe in torturing animals, killing them solely to harvest their resources, or any other horrible practice PETA people can come up with. I think that all creatures reach an age where their quality of life has diminished so much that dying would be relief... Obviously, you can't eat sick animals/ animals that die of disease, but that doesn't mean that animals can't be left to live the majority of their lives before we kill them, right? I don't believe in killing animals young, or forcing them into cramped pens where they can never move because it supposedly makes the meat "taste better". That's not okay. But killing an old cow that has lived most of it's life, happy, healthy, but just a little too old to walk well anymore? Sure, why not? Maybe the meat's not as tender or tasty, but we fuck all that up with additives in the supermarket anyway! And there was never anything wrong with eggs! They're not fertilized, they will never become baby chickens, and, lets be honest, chickens can be mean assholes anyway... If you don't like the idea of eating a "chicken period" (as I've read it in some PETA booklets), fine, more eggs for me. When something dies, it dies... If we don't eat it, something else will. Now, the way fur farms work, I'll never agree with... but if something dies on it's own and I take it's fur? What's the problem? The only thing "unnatural" about that is the rest of the animal will get eaten/rot away before the pelt.

Honestly, I love animals, and I hate PETA throwing that in people's faces. "Oh, you eat meat, you must hate animals!" No. Not true. Loving animals doesn't mean you can't enjoy a steak, and never eating steak does not automatically mean you love animals any more than anyone else. I keep fish as pets. Lots of them. But I still enjoy sushi, fish sticks, smoked salmon, tuna, all kinds of fish, all kinds of dishes. The fact that I eat fish doesn't mean I don't love my pets. People who live on farms are the same. The cows and chickens are their pets... but they still have to butcher them to make a living, they still eat them to survive. Humans are physically built to scavenge and eat whatever they can find, plant or animal. We're supposed to eat both. Yeah, being a vegetarian has benefits: there's evidence that it's healthier, more nutritious, and you don't have to deal with people screaming at you that you're a monster because you're eating a burger. But it's not for everyone. My mom's diet is pretty much protein and starches exclusively, because fruits and vegetables make her ill... No, really.

And, the comment I hate most of all "Animals are people, they feel pain." Okay, I agree, some animals are people. Some, that means not all. Yes, I will say that I consider elephants, dolphins, apes, dogs, cats, and other such "higher" mammals are arguably people. They have social constructs, a distinct sense of self, a recognition of and compassion for each other (cats, maybe less so in this case... ) But fish and chickens? No, not really people... Sure, I've seen some chickens who can "count" and fish that are "trained", but with operant conditioning, you can train anything with a brain. Fish eat their own eggs and their own poop... does that sound like an intelligent being to you? Fish eat each other... Like, fish of the same size and species will eat each other... They don't really care about each other... they care about food. That's about it... And, fish have very few pain receptors... So, yeah, they feel pain... but not that much... and, if being able to feel pain qualifies one for personhood, then get this: scientists have found evidence that indicates plants can feel pain. I kid you not. So... now we can't eat anything. Because plants are people now. What now, PETA? What now?

But... Rant aside... LOL, my head canon Emil seems to have some weird kink for fur and leather... I want a Fenrir fur coat... It would look cool.

Anyway! I hope you enjoy the story, despite my usual outbursts! I'll keep working on this story for as long as I can and try to work up the energy to continue that one project, too. I hope that you all like it!

As always, if you see anything that you think is funny, or something that needs work, or something that's just plain stupid, let me know! I always love feedback!

Together with Richter

Spoiler Free Table of Contents

Part 1

Introduction of General Situation and background information.

Recap of ShadowedLightning's story, and a link to their deviation

Explaination of how I use asterisks (*)

Breif/Implied vore

Stuffing

Richter and Emil split up, leading up to the real meat of my story/End of my "Introduction"

Part 2
First full length vore sequence. (Slightly Sensual)

Richter fibs about his powers.

SPOILER: Richter uses liquor to help Emil "loosen up"

MAJOR SPOILER! This section of this chapter has mysteriously disappeared...

Richter explains the Yromem Stone and why he had wanted it in the first place.

SPOILER: Emil confesses to Richter

Part 3
SPOILER: Richter does not reciprocate.

MAJOR SPOILER! Let's just say... there's a dragon in this part.

Emil uses the Yromem Stone for the first time.

SPOILER: You find portions of this story strewn in a river. Sections of it are too blurry to read...

Aqua shows up again.

Emil's first vore experience. (Semi-fatal Digestion Vore.)

Part 4
SPOILER: At the Hot Springs...

MAJOR SPOILER!: Emil finally gets what he wants... Wait... a large section of this section has been scribbled over in permanent marker! You begin to find this suspicious...

Richter and Emil have dinner at an inn, and their peaceful evening is interupted by a couple of drunk women.

Make up Vore!

Part 5
Richter and Emil have a long talk about Richter's powers and his past.

SPOILER: Proposition?

MAJOR SPOILERS!: The pages of this section appear to have gone missing. As you look around, you notice the corner of a piece of paper sticking out from under a pile of clothes. You read it, only to find the nonsensical musings of a Madgod: "Cheese for everyone!"

Richter and Emil have breakfast. (Accidental Object Vore.)

MAJOR SPOILERS!: Doctor?

Official Proposition

MAJOR SPOILERS!: Yet another section of this chapter has been torn from the binding, you find pieces of it tossed about the room in wild abandon, trying to piece it together is useless...

Part 6
Richter and Emil Play tag

Someone unexpected appears.

Richter hides Emil. (Fast, Strenuous, Protection Vore)

Another unexpected visitor appears. (Vore with Unwilling Prey.)

Richter argues about morality.

Richter gives Emil the cold shoulder for a while

Richter has a nightmare and gets drunk again.

Emil comforts Richter

Sea Sickness - Wrapping it up! The End!