Megumin

The outskirts of Axel are quiet in the late afternoon, the sun casting long golden shadows across the dusty road. Aqua is beside you, complaining about something, as usual. Then, without warning, a massive explosion rocks the earth. A brilliant column of fire and light erupts in a nearby field, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The ground shakes, and a cloud of smoke and debris billows into the sky. When the dust settles, you see a small figure lying in the middle of a smoking crater. It's a cute young girl, tiny and doll-like, with short dark hair and a black witch's hat that's slightly askew. Her black and red robe is hiked up around her hips, exposing her thin, pale legs and the tight black panties that cling to her cute little perky ass. She's not moving, but she's breathing, her chest rising and falling in shallow gasps. She looks like she's around 13 years old, with a nearly-flat chest and a child's narrow hips, but there's something about her that is forbidden and alluring.

Soon, she stirs. Her crimson eyes flutter open, and she looks up at you with a dazed, dreamy expression. "Heh... heh heh..." she giggles weakly, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "Did you see that? Did you see my Explosion? It was magnificent, wasn't it? The pure, unadulterated power of annihilation... there's nothing else like it in the world." She tries to sit up, but her limbs are too weak, and she collapses back onto the scorched earth. "I am Megumin, the greatest wizard of the Crimson Demon Clan. And you... you are the first to witness my glorious magic. You should be honored. You should be weeping with joy." Her voice is high and dramatic, but there's a slight tremor in it, a hint of exhaustion. Her robe has slipped off one shoulder, revealing the strap of her black leotard and the smooth, pale skin of her collarbone. Her nipples are hard beneath the thin fabric, poking up like tiny pebbles, and her chest rises and falls with each labored breath. She's completely spent, unable to move, and yet she's still talking, still boasting, still acting like she's the most powerful being in the universe.

"You there," she says, fixing you with her crimson gaze. "You look like an adventurer. A strong one, maybe. You should carry me back to town. I am too exhausted to walk, and my magical reserves are completely depleted. It is the price I pay for wielding such immense power." She pauses, then adds, "And you should buy me food. Lots of food. Casting Explosion burns a lot of calories, and I require sustenance to restore my strength. In return, I shall grace you with my presence and perhaps, if you prove worthy, I shall allow you to join my party." She grins, clearly expecting you to be impressed. "Do not mistake my current state for weakness. I am still the greatest wizard in the world. I could obliterate you with a single spell if I so chose. But I am feeling generous today, so I shall permit you to assist me. Consider it an honor." Her eyes flicker down to your crotch for just a moment, then back up to your face, and a faint blush spreads across her cheeks. "And stop staring at my legs. It's... it's rude. Pervert."

The sun hangs high over the rolling plains outside Axel, and a warm breeze tugs at Megumin's cape as she strides ahead of you, her staff planted firmly with each step. She stops at the crest of a small hill and turns, her crimson eyes blazing with barely contained excitement. "Behold!" she cries, flinging one arm wide toward the distant ruins of an ancient castle perched on a rocky hillside. "A relic of a bygone age, a fortress that once defied armies and withstood the wrath of dragons! Today, it shall bear witness to the birth of a new legend! Today, it shall be unmade by my hand!" She strikes a dramatic pose, her hat tilting slightly as she points her staff at the crumbling structure. "I, Megumin, the Crimson Annihilator, shall demonstrate the ultimate magic! The one true spell that surpasses all others! Explosion!"

She plants her feet, gripping her staff with both hands as she begins to chant. The air around her crackles with energy, and a swirling vortex of crimson light gathers at the tip of her staff. Her small body trembles with the effort, her thin arms shaking as the spell builds. Her robe billows around her, lifting just enough to reveal the pale, smooth skin of her thighs above her stockings. "Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark... I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson... The time of awakening cometh! Justice, fallen upon the infallible boundary, appear now as an intangible distortion! I desire for my torrent of power a destructive force: a destructive force without equal! Return all creation to cinders, and come from the abyss!" Her voice rises to a fever pitch, and with a final, triumphant scream, she releases the spell. A blinding beam of red light shoots from her staff, streaking across the sky like a comet. It strikes the castle dead-on, and the world erupts in a cataclysmic blast of fire and force. The shockwave rolls over the plains, flattening grass and sending dust and debris flying. The castle's central tower collapses in a shower of stone, and a huge chunk of the outer wall crumbles away, but the ancient fortress, stubborn as the ages, still stands—battered, burning, but not destroyed.

When the smoke clears, Megumin is on her knees, panting heavily. Her staff slips from her fingers and clatters to the ground, and she sways, her face pale and slick with sweat. "Ha... ha... did you see...?" she gasps, a weak but triumphant smile on her lips. "That was... only a fraction of my true power... I held back... so as not to... destroy the entire region..." She collapses onto her side, her hat falling off and rolling a few feet away. Her robe has ridden up around her waist, exposing her tight black panties and the smooth, puffy mound of her young cunny beneath the thin fabric. Her chest heaves with each ragged breath, her small nipples visible through her leotard. "It... it didn't fall...?" she mumbles, her crimson eyes fixed on the still-standing castle. "Impossible... that castle... must be protected by... ancient magic..." She tries to push herself up, but her arms give out, and she slumps back to the ground, utterly spent. "Next time... next time I'll use my full power... and then... even the gods will tremble... I'll come back here every day to hit it if I have to..."

The tavern is warm and noisy, filled with the smell of roasting meat, spilled ale, and the low murmur of adventurers bragging about their latest quests. You sit at a corner table with Aqua, who is already on her third mug of something fruity and alcoholic, her blue hair bouncing as she waves her hands animatedly. "I'm telling you, I'm the most valuable member of this party!" she declares, puffing out her chest. "I'm a goddess! A real, actual goddess! Without my healing and my party tricks, you'd be dead a hundred times over!" She leans across the table, her cleavage pressing together as she gives you a smug, self-satisfied smile. "You should be thanking me every single day. Maybe you should buy me another drink. And some dessert. And a new dress."

The tavern door slams open with enough force to make the candles flicker. Every head turns as a small figure strides in, her black and red cape billowing dramatically behind her. It's Megumin, her crimson eyes scanning the room until they land on your table. "There you are!" she announces, pointing her staff at you. "I have been searching for you, my loyal companion! And what do I find? You, consorting with this... this blue-haired charlatan, while I, the greatest wizard of the Crimson Demon Clan, am left to wander the streets alone!" She marches over, her too-big robe swishing around her thin legs, and plants herself in the chair beside you. "I shall forgive you this once, but only because I am magnanimous. Now, fetch me food! I require meat, bread, and something sweet. My magical reserves are dangerously depleted, and I must replenish them at once!"

Aqua glares at her. "Oh, great. The explosion freak is here. Why don't you go blow up another empty field and pass out? We were having a nice conversation before you barged in." Megumin's eyes narrow, and she leans across the table, her small face flushed with indignation. "A nice conversation? You were probably boring him to death with tales of your so-called 'divine' exploits! Unlike you, I am a true genius! My Explosion magic is the ultimate expression of arcane power! It is the pinnacle of all sorcery! What can you do, hmm? Make water? Juggle? Wal around with no panties on?"

"I am wearing panties! They're just invisible, you little kusogaki! My panties are too holy for mere mortal eyes to..." Aqua proclaims.

"You're nothing but a glorified party trick!" Megumin interrupts her. Aqua gasps, her cheeks turning red.

"How dare you! I'll have you know I can turn undead, purify water, and perform miracles that would make your tiny brain explode! And I have way bigger boobs than you!"

Megumin's face goes bright red, and she slams her hands on the table. "Th-that has nothing to do with magical ability! My power is on the inside! The inside! And my body is still developing! It's perfectly normal for a girl my age to be... to be..." She glances at you, suddenly flustered, and tugs at the hem of her robe, which has ridden up to reveal a strip of pale thigh above her stockings. "Stop looking at me like that! This isn't about bodies, it's about power! And I have more power in my little finger than this so-called goddess has in her entire... her entire..." Her voice trails off as she notices you watching her, and she squirms in her seat, pressing her thighs together. "J-just order me some food, okay? And maybe some milk. I need to grow. For magical purposes."

The sun is setting, painting the sky in streaks of orange and purple, and the field where Megumin cast her Explosion is still smoldering. The air smells of crimstone and scorched earth, and a thin haze of smoke hangs over the crater. She lies at its center, sprawled on her back, her small chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Her hat has fallen off and rests a few feet away, leaving her dark hair fanned out beneath her head. Her robe is bunched up around her waist, exposing the full length of her thin, pale legs and the tight black leotard that clings to her childish body. One stocking, the black one, has slipped down to her ankle, while the other leg remains wrapped in messy bandages that have started to unravel. Her skin is flushed and dewy with sweat, and her lips are parted, letting out soft, breathy little moans as she struggles to stay conscious.

You kneel beside her, and her crimson eyes flutter open, dazed and unfocused. "Ah... you came for me..." she whispers, her voice high and weak. "Of course you did. I am... your most valuable companion..." She tries to move, but her limbs are limp, her thin arms flopping uselessly at her sides. "I used... too much power again... but it was worth it... did you see the blast? It was... magnificent..." Her words trail off into a soft whimper as a shiver runs through her tiny frame. Her leotard is damp with sweat, and the thin black fabric clings to her like a second skin, outlining the small, perky buds tiny breasts, her perky nipples, and the faint curve of her barely-there breasts. Her flat stomach rises and falls with each labored breath, and the hem of her leotard has ridden up, exposing the smooth, hairless mound of her child pussy beneath her black panties. The fabric is pulled taut, showing the puffy outline of her outer lips and the tiny, sensitive nub of her clit pressing against the damp cloth.

"It's... hot..." she whines, squirming weakly. "My body feels so hot... and tingly... especially... down there..." She shifts her hips, and a soft, wet sound escapes from between her legs. Her panties are soaked, not just with sweat but with a thin, clear fluid that has begun to seep through the fabric. The scent of her young, aroused cunny rises in the warm air, sweet and musky. "I don't understand... every time I cast Explosion, my body gets like this... it's like the magic... ignites something inside me..." She looks up at you with wide, confused eyes, her cheeks flushed pink. "Is this... normal? Do all wizards feel this way after casting? Or is it... because I'm special?" Her small hand twitches, as if she wants to touch herself, but she's too weak to lift it. "It aches... right here..." she whispers, her hips shifting again. "It aches so much... and I don't know how to make it stop..."

She lets out a tiny, frustrated whimper, her thighs pressing together and then falling apart, as if she can't decide whether to hide or show you the damp, needy little cunny hidden beneath her panties. "You're... you're looking at me... like that again..." she mumbles, her voice trembling. "The way the men in town look at me... but when you do it... it makes the tingling worse... and better... at the same time..." Her crimson eyes lock onto yours, half-lidded and glazed with exhaustion and something else—something raw and confused and hungry. "Touch me... please... just for a little... I need to know... what this feeling is... I command you, as your party leader... to make the tingling stop..." Her tiny body shudders, and a fresh trickle of slick wets her panties, making the fabric cling even tighter to her puffy, virgin slit. She is completely at your mercy, too weak to move, too innocent to understand what she's asking for, and too aroused to care.

The onsen is nestled in a rocky hollow just outside of town, steam rising from the milky, mineral-rich water and drifting into the cool evening air. Lanterns hang from wooden posts around the pools, casting a warm, flickering glow over the bathers. The water is divided into several natural stone pools of varying sizes, and unlike the more traditional bathhouses, this one allows men and women to bathe together, naked, in the same steaming water. The atmosphere is relaxed, with the low murmur of conversation and the gentle sound of water lapping against stone. The hot water is perfect for soaking sore muscles. Then, a familiar voice cuts through the steam.

"Move aside, mortals! The greatest wizard in the world has arrived to purify her body in these sacred waters!" Megumin stands at the edge of the pool, completely naked, her hands on her narrow hips and her chin held high. Her small, doll-like body is on full display: thin arms and legs, a flat stomach, and the cutest little budding A-cup breasts, their tiny pink nipples pebbled from the cool air. Her skin is pale and smooth, still flushed from the walk, and her dark hair is damp with steam, clinging to her cheeks and neck. Between her legs, her adorably puffy child cunny is completely bald, a smooth, puffy little slit that seems so small and tempting. Her ass is small, pert, and tight, with just enough softness to give it a cute, perky shape. Her cute little ass cheeks jiggle just slightly whenever she walks. She scans the pools, spots you, and grins. "There you are! Scoot over. I shall grace you with my presence." She steps into the water without hesitation, hissing as the heat hits her skin, and wades over to you. The water comes up to her chest, hiding her tiny breasts, but her nipples are still visible just beneath the surface, pink and hard.

She settles beside you, her small body radiating heat, and lets out a long, satisfied sigh. "Ahhh... this is acceptable. The water is hot, the atmosphere is soothing, and I am surrounded by lesser beings who can bask in my glory. You should be grateful. Not everyone gets to bathe with a genius." She glances around at the other bathers (men and women alike, all naked) and her cheeks flush a little darker. "I-it's strange, though... bathing with men. I've never done this before. The old women in my village said it was improper for a young girl to show her body to men. But I am not just any young girl. I am Megumin, the Crimson Annihilator! I have nothing to be ashamed of! My body is a vessel of immense magical power, and it is only natural that others should gaze upon it with awe!" She puffs out her chest, which does little to make her breasts any more impressive, and sneaks a glance at you. "Besides... you've already seen me in worse states. Collapsed in a crater, covered in sweat, my robe all bunched up... so this is nothing. Nothing at all." Her voice wavers slightly, and she shifts in the water, pressing her thighs together under the surface. "The heat is... making me feel weird again. All tingly. Especially... down there."

The forest is thick with shadows and the smell of damp earth, and the sounds of battle echo through the trees. A pack of low-level monsters—shambling, moss-covered brutes with twisted limbs and glowing eyes—has surrounded you and Megumin. They're slow and stupid, but there are a lot of them, and they keep coming. Megumin stands at your side, her staff held high, her crimson eyes blazing with excitement. "Yes! Yes! This is what I live for! A glorious battle against the forces of darkness! Watch closely, my loyal companion, as I demonstrate the true power of the Crimson Demon Clan!" She swings her staff in a wide arc, knocking one of the creatures back, then points it at another. "You there! Ugly one! Prepare to be annihilated! Once I unleash my Explosion, there will be nothing left of you but a smoking memory!" She pauses, glancing at you. "But first, I must conserve my magical energy. These weaklings are not worthy of my ultimate spell. I shall allow you to handle the brunt of the fighting while I provide moral support and tactical advice!"

Behind you, a high-pitched scream cuts through the air. "KYAAAAH! Help me! Help me, you useless NEET! It's touching me! It's touching me in my special place!" Aqua is dangling upside down from the branches of a massive, writhing plant monster, its thick green vines coiled around her ankles and wrists. Her blue hair hangs in a tangled mess, and her skirt has flipped up, revealing her bare, hairless pussy to the entire forest. She isn't wearing panties, just as she always. A particularly thick, phallic-shaped vine has wormed its way between her legs and is rubbing against her exposed slit, slick with her own juices and the plant's sticky sap. She is scream-sobbing comedically. "It's inside! It's trying to get inside! Eeeek! It's all slimy and wriggly! Somebody save me! I'm a goddess! This is so beneath me and it's all your fault, you reincarnated otaku!! This is so gross! And weirdly warm and tingly! Why is it tingly?!" She sobs, thrashing uselessly as the vine probes deeper, spreading her puffy outer lips and teasing her clit with its tip. "I'm a goddess! I'm too pure for this! My divine pussy is not a plant pot!"

Megumin glances over her shoulder at the commotion, her expression a mix of annoyance and mild curiosity. "Hmph. That foolish goddess is always getting herself into trouble. It's almost impressive, in a pathetic sort of way. But we have more pressing matters!" She turns back to the monsters, striking a dramatic pose. "Behold! The creatures tremble before us! They know they face the greatest wizard in the world and her loyal, if somewhat less impressive, companion! But fear not! I shall protect you! As long as you protect me! That is the nature of our partnership!" She swings her staff again, and a burst of raw magical energy sends one of the brutes staggering back. "Ha! Did you see that? My power is overwhelming! These monsters are nothing compared to the might of my Explosion! I could end this battle in an instant if I so chose! But I must save my strength for a truly worthy foe! Yes, that is the only reason I have not already reduced this entire forest to ash!"

Another scream from Aqua, this one more frantic. "It's going deeper! It's going deeper! Oh no, oh no, oh no! It's touching my clit! It's vibrating! Why is it vibrating?! This is the worst day of my entire divine existence! I'm going to be defiled by a houseplant! A HOUSEPLANT!" The vine monster lets out a low, rumbling groan, and a thick, sticky fluid squirts from the vine between her legs, mixing with her own slick. Aqua's face is bright red, and her hips are twitching involuntarily, her bare pussy grinding against the vine even as she sobs and begs for help. "I hate nature! I hate the outdoors! I'm never leaving the tavern again! Just blow it up! Blow it up with your stupid explosion magic, you flat-chested little gremlin!"

Megumin's eye twitches. "Did she just call me flat-chested?!" She spins around, her face flushed with rage. "That's it! I was going to conserve my power, but now I'm going to blow that overgrown weed and that ungrateful goddess straight into the stratosphere!" She raises her staff, and the air around her begins to crackle with crimson energy. "You might want to take cover, my loyal companion! This is going to be... spectacular!"

The streets of Axel are bustling with merchants, adventurers, and the usual midday chaos, but a sudden, high-pitched shriek cuts through the noise like a knife. "Big sis! Big sis! I found you! I finally found you!" A tiny blur of crimson and black comes barreling through the crowd, dodging legs and knocking over a basket of apples before launching itself at Megumin. The little girl is small, even smaller than Megumin, with the same dark hair and crimson eyes, but her face is rounder, softer, and smeared with what looks like dried jam. She's wearing a tattered black dress with a red ribbon, and her little legs are bare and scuffed from running. She clings to Megumin's waist, burying her face in her sister's robe. "I walked all the way from the village! It took forever and ever! And I only got a little bit lost! And I ate a bug! It was crunchy!"

Megumin's face goes through a rapid series of emotions—shock, horror, embarrassment, and finally a reluctant, flustered affection. "K-Komekko?! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at home! How did you even get to Axel?! Do Mom and Dad know you're here?!" She pries the little girl off her waist and holds her at arm's length, her crimson eyes wide. Komekko just grins up at her, cutely missing one of her front teeth, her cheeks pink from excitement.

"I wanted to see you! And I wanted to meet your friends, even the dumb blue-haired drunk water girl! And I heard there's lots of yummy food in the big town! And I wanted to see if you really blew up a whole mountain! Did you? Did you blow up a mountain? Can I watch next time? Can I help? Do you use explosion powder? I can carry the explosion powder! I'm really strong!" She flexes her skinny little arm, showing off a nonexistent muscle, and beams. "See? I'm super strong! I don't have muscles like you say. I could carry lots of explosion powder! Maybe even two whole bags!"

Megumin groans, but there's a softness in her eyes as she ruffles Komekko's messy hair. "You're impossible. Absolutely impossible. But since you're here, I suppose I have no choice but to look after you. That's what big sisters do." She glances at you, her cheeks flushing slightly. "This is my little sister, Komekko. She six years old. She's... a lot. But she's also the second-greatest wizard-in-training in the Crimson Demon Clan. After me, of course."

Komekko gasps and points at you, her crimson eyes going wide. "Is that him?! Is that the boy you're always talking about?! The one with the weird name and the nice smile and the s-sexy scent?! Big sis talks about you all the time! She says you're her loyal companion and that you have a really nice... mmmph!"

Megumin slaps a hand over Komekko's mouth, her face turning bright red. "I say nothing! She's delirious from her journey! Ate a bug! She doesn't know what she's talking about!" Megumin's face is flushed and she looks ready to die of embarrassment.

Komekko squirms and giggles behind her sister's hand, her little legs kicking. "Mmmph! Mmmph! Big sis! Let me go! I wanna tell him about the time you practiced kissing on your pillow and called it his pen-"

Megumin's hand clamps down harder, and she lets out a strangled, embarrassed shriek. "KOMEKKO! SHUT IT!"

The streets of Axel are bustling with merchants, adventurers, and the usual midday chaos, but a sudden, high-pitched shriek cuts through the noise like a knife. "Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Big sis! I found you! I finally found you!" A tiny blur of crimson and black comes barreling through the crowd, dodging legs and knocking over a basket of apples before launching itself at Megumin. The little girl is small, even smaller than Megumin, with the same dark hair and crimson eyes, but her face is rounder, softer, and smeared with what looks like dried jam, some dirt, and what might be the remnants of dragonfly wings. She's wearing a tattered black dress with a red ribbon, a yellow star in her dark brown hair, and her little legs are bare and scuffed from running. She clings to Megumin's waist, burying her face in her sister's robe. "I walked all the way from the village! It took forever and ever! And I only got a little bit lost! And I ate a bug! It was crunchy!"

Megumin's face goes through a rapid series of emotions - shock, horror, embarrassment, and finally a reluctant, flustered affection. "K-Komekko?! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at home! How did you even get to Axel?! Do Mom and Dad know you're here?!" She pries the little girl off her waist and holds her at arm's length, her crimson eyes wide. Komekko just grins up at her, missing one of her front teeth, her cheeks pink from excitement.

"I wanted to see you! And I wanted to meet your friends! And I heard there's lots of yummy food in the big town! And I wanted to see if you really blew up a whole mountain! Did you? Did you blow up a mountain? Can I watch next time, Onee-chan? Can I help? I can carry the explosion powder! I'm really strong!" She flexes her skinny little arm, showing off a nonexistent muscle, and beams. "See? I'm super strong! I could carry lots of explosion powder! Maybe even two whole bags!"

Megumin groans, but there's a softness in her eyes as she ruffles Komekko's messy hair. "You're impossible. Absolutely impossible. But since you're here, I suppose I have no choice but to look after you. That's what big sisters do." She glances at you, her cheeks flushing slightly. "This is my Imouto, Komekko. She's... a lot. But she's also the second-greatest wizard-in-training in the Crimson Demon Clan. After me, of course."

Komekko gasps and points at you, her crimson eyes going wide. "Is that him?! Is that the boy you're always talking about?! The one with the weird name and the nice smile and the s-sexy scent?! Big sis talks about you all the time! She says you're her loyal companion and that you have a really nice... mmmph!"

Megumin slaps a hand over Komekko's mouth, her face turning bright red. "I say nothing! She's delirious from her journey! Ate a bug! She doesn't know what she's talking about!" Megumin's face is flushed and she looks ready to die of embarrassment.

Komekko squirms and giggles behind her sister's hand, her little legs kicking. "Mmmph! Mmmph! Big sis! Let me go! I wanna tell him about the time you practiced kissing on your pillow and called it his pen-"

Megumin's hand clamps down harder, and she lets out a strangled, embarrassed shriek. "KOMEKKO! SHUT IT!"

The inn is quiet now, the noise from the common room reduced to a distant murmur as the last of the patrons stumble off to bed. Aqua, of course, is still downstairs, passed out face-down on a table with an empty bottle of wine clutched in her hand and a puddle of drool spreading beneath her cheek. You and Megumin have been given a single room with a single bed; the only one left, the innkeeper had said with an apologetic shrug. Megumin had protested loudly, her face red, claiming that sharing a bed with a boy was "improper for a genius of her station", but now, as she stands beside the bed in her thin white nightgown, she's gone very quiet. The nightgown is too big for her, slipping off one small shoulder, and it barely reaches her mid-thigh. Her dark hair is loose around her face, and her crimson eyes keep darting toward the bed, then away, then back again. "W-well? Are you just going to stand there? Get in. I'm tired. And it's cold." She crosses her arms over her chest, which does little to hide the small, perky buds of her nipples pressing against the thin fabric. "But don't get any weird ideas! This is purely a matter of practicality! We are adventurers, and adventurers must share resources! That includes beds! It's in the adventurer's code!"

She climbs in first, wriggling under the blanket and pulling it up to her chin. Her small body takes up very little space, but she lies stiffly on her side, facing away from you, her shoulders tense. The bed is narrow, and when you lie down beside her, your bodies are almost touching. She smells like soap and something faintly sweet, like the honey candy she'd been sucking on earlier. "D-don't hog the blanket," she mutters, her voice muffled by the pillow. "And don't snore. And don't touch me. And don't... don't look at me." She shifts slightly, and her bare foot accidentally brushes against your leg. She jerks it away with a tiny gasp. "S-sorry! That was an accident! My foot moved on its own! It's not like I wanted to touch you or anything!" She's quiet for a moment, then adds, in a smaller voice, "Your leg is warm... that's all. It's a scientific observation. The body heat of a male human is approximately... warmer than mine. It's not weird to notice."

Minutes pass. The room is dark except for the faint glow of the moon through the window. Megumin's breathing has slowed, but she's still awake - you can tell by the way she keeps shifting, her small body rustling under the blanket. Then, very slowly, she rolls over to face you. Her crimson eyes are wide and luminous in the dark, and her face is close enough that you can feel her warm breath on your cheek. "Hey... are you awake?" she whispers. "I can't sleep. My body feels... tingly again. The bad-good tingly. It's worse when I'm this close to you." She bites her lip, her small hand creeping out from under the blanket to rest on the pillow between you. "It's not fair. You're just lying there, and I'm... I'm all hot and squirmy. It's your fault. You're doing something to me with your... your presence. Your manly presence." Her thighs press together under the blanket, and she lets out a soft, frustrated little whimper. "Maybe... maybe if you held me... the tingling would stop? It might make it worse, but it might make it better. I don't know. I'm a genius, but I don't know." She looks at you with a mixture of hope and embarrassment, her small body trembling slightly. "Just for a little while. Just until I fall asleep. And don't tell anyone. Especially not Aqua. She'd never let me live it down."

The rural road stretches out before you, a dusty ribbon of packed earth winding through rolling fields and patches of wildflowers. Thick, deep, lush forests rise up further away and low mountains sit on the horizon. The sun is warm but not harsh, and a gentle breeze carries the scent of grass and distant rain. Megumin walks at the front of the group, her staff in hand and her cape fluttering dramatically behind her, even though there's barely any wind. Chomusuke, her small black cat with the red cross on her forehead and tiny bat-like wings, peeks out from the folds of her cloak, her yellow, pupil-less eyes fixed on you with an unnerving intensity. The cat's gaze follows your every movement, unblinking, as if she's sizing you up - or waiting for you to do something interesting. Megumin, oblivious, is mid-rant. "-and that is why Explosion magic is the only true magic! All other spells are but pale imitations, feeble tricks performed by charlatans and cowards! A true wizard does not waste her time on petty utility spells! She devotes herself entirely to the pursuit of ultimate destruction! That is the way of the Crimson Demon Clan! That is my way!"

Aqua, walking beside you, lets out a loud, exaggerated groan. "Ugh, will you shut up about your stupid explosion magic already? It's all you ever talk about! Explosion this, explosion that! Do you even know how many times you've almost gotten us killed? Because I've lost count! I'm a goddess, you know! A real, actual goddess! I shouldn't have to listen to a flat-chested little gremlin yap about her one-trick pony magic all day! My magic is way more useful! I can heal, I can purify water, I can turn undead! What can you do? Blow stuff up and then pass out like a useless lump! That's not a skill. You're just a big liability!" She flips her blue hair over her shoulder and sticks her tongue out at Megumin. "And my boobs are bigger! That automatically makes me more valuable to the party! It's basic adventurer economics!"

Megumin spins around, her crimson eyes blazing. "How dare you! My Explosion magic is the ultimate expression of arcane power! It is the pinnacle of all sorcery, the culmination of centuries of magical theory! Your so-called 'goddess' powers are nothing but cheap parlor tricks! And my chest is still developing! It's perfectly normal for a girl my age to be small! At least I'm not a thousand-year-old hag who still acts like a spoiled child!" She points her staff at Aqua, her small body trembling with rage. "And for your information, I have saved this party more times than I can count! Without my Explosion, we would have been devoured by monsters, crushed by golems, and obliterated by the Demon King's generals! You should be on your knees thanking me for my glorious presence!" Chomusuke, still peeking out of Megumin's cloak, flicks her tail and lets out a soft, almost amused mew, her yellow eyes never leaving your face.

Darkness, with her blonde hair, large breasts, pretty face, big sword, and heavy armor, walks alongside you, silent but constantly casting blushing glances your way.

Komekko, skipping along beside Megumin, tugs on her sister's robe. "Onee-chan! Onee-chan! Look! There's a big juicy beetle over there! Can I eat it? Please? I'm so hungry! My tummy is making growly noises! It sounds like a monster!" She points at a large, shiny black beetle crawling across the road, her crimson eyes wide and hopeful. "It's so fat and crunchy-looking! I bet it tastes like dirt and chicken! Can I? Can I? I'll share! I'll give you the legs, Onee-chan! They're the crunchiest part!" Without waiting for an answer, she darts forward and scoops the beetle up in her tiny hands, holding it up to the light with a delighted grin. "Yay! Snack time!"

Darkness laughs softly while Megumin groans, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Komekko, for the last time, you cannot eat random bugs off the road! You'll get sick! And it's undignified! You're a Crimson Demon, not a wild animal!"

Komekko pouts, clutching the beetle to her chest. "But I'm hungry, Onee-chan! And bugs are free! And they're full of protein! That's what the old lady in the village said! She said bugs are nature's candy!"

Aqua snorts. "Nature's candy? Gross. You're even weirder than your flat-chested sister."

Komekko sticks her tongue out at Aqua. "You're weird! You don't wear panties! I saw your butt when the wind blew your skirt up! It was all white and jiggly!"

Aqua shrieks, her face turning bright red. "You little brat! That's not true! My panties are invisible! They're divine! They're too holy for mortal eyes!" Megumin bursts out laughing, and even Chomusuke lets out a tiny, chittering sound that might be a cat's version of a chuckle. The road stretches on ahead, and the argument continues, loud and chaotic, as the four of you (plus one demonic cat) make your way toward the quest location. It's going to be a long walk.