User blog:Drkness231/Mamono One-Shots S2! Chapter 15: Centaur

A/N: *Death sounds, slashing metal, roars* "No!" *Drake punches another intern* "Pon, why do you suck so much?" "Sir, there's several things wrong with that statement: First, you're playing Dark Souls 2 . Death is expected, repeatedly. Second, just because you named your character after me doesn't mean I'm just as bad in real life." "But Pon, do you realize how important this is to me? I beat the first one, so there's no way I can let the second go unbeaten!" Aside from that huge hint that I gave you all just now, I really have been busy this past week. I'm fully aware that this release is very late, but lemme just break down my problems for you all. In addition to playing video games, I'm on a job hunt (I know, kinda fast for just a college kid) which is more-or-less fruitful. Also, I've been preparing for my excursion to the Mexican-American Border State. The last reason for the lateness is just a mix of lazyness and writers' block; of course. Anyways, this Centaur chapter started as something else before, but once I decided to scrap the first draft and make this new one, my creativity just returned to me. Hope you all enjoy this despite my shortcomings!

---DrinkingNeverEndsWell---

 I visibly cringe at the yellow liquid being poured into the glass before me. Of all the places to be sent, this is the one I least expected: a bar. I was told to 'investigate this business', but I'm getting the feeling that my boss just wanted an excuse to tease me due to my hatred of alcohol. Drinking has never made a good impression on me, but for the sake of this job I have to try and persevere. I slowly reach out to grab the handle of the filled glass in front of me, knowing the possible consequences of my actions tonight. Nonetheless, I have an obligation to fulfill as well as my own circumstances which brought me here. My fingers close around the handle and the glass is lifted to my mouth close enough for me to smell the strong scent of the beer. Without any more hesitation, I throw back the glass and take a large sip of the intoxicating liquid.

 By the time I put my glass down, half of the beer has already disappeared down my throat and my cheeks are reddened by a deep blush. Everywhere on my body feels hot and my vision is starting to shake and blur, but I push on and lift the glass one more time. I finish off the last of the beer, almost falling out of my seat as imbalance takes its hold on me. The bartender pulls me back up to the counter and says a few words, but I don't hear them. He makes a gesture and suddenly I'm helped up by a Red and Blue Oni on either side of me. They both drag me over to the door and steady me to my feet before leaving me outside. I start walking home, but I don't get very far before I fall over and my memory of the rest of the night is lost.

---TheMorningAfter---

 “ Yo, Sigs. Wake up, man.” A voice calls out to me in the darkness, “Breakfast is almost ready. You're the last one up, so you're on dish duty!”

 “ ...Mngh....zzz....” I try to answer, but I can't seem to find the words.

 “ Right, we'll give you five more minutes. After that, we're eating without you.” The voice tells me with mild irritation.

 I slowly start to open my eyes and shake my head free of sleep. The harsh sunlight peeks in through the curtains, assaulting my weakened form. I push myself to get up, but somehow it takes considerably much more effort and even then I can't seem to move. I pull off my blanket and bite my tongue at the sight that greets me. Naked and quite forceful, a beautiful woman is clung to my waist in her sleeping state. I almost scream again when she tightens her hold, but I opt to call for one of my housemates instead.

 “ Uh, hey guys? Can one of you help me out here?”

 Silence falls on the room as I feel the woman's chest pressing more firmly against me.

 “ Well a fine morning to you too, Sigfred.” A slender man enters the room with a smirk.

 “ Yeah, good morning Vince. I'll assume you didn't come in just to exchange greetings, so could you help me out of bed?” I ask, annoyed at my friend's sarcastic ways.

 “ Fine, fine. You're the  big man  after all. Wait, aren't you gonna bring her along too?” Vince points to the woman so closely that he almost pokes her face.

 “ I don't even know who she is...”

 Vince gently massages the woman's arms, causing her to relax them and giving me a chance to slip free from my bed. I carefully walk over to my dresser and pick out some casual clothes and walk out with Vince to the dining room where everyone was waiting.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Mornin' Sigs, have fun last night?” Another housemate, Keith, taunts as I sit down.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, what's for breakfast?” I dismissively ask to the cook for the morning.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Special eggs made however you want, and some sausage we bought from some merchants in town. I think we've got some bread up for grabs too.” My last housemate, Garrett, announces.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Are you serious about last night though, Sigs? You don't remember any of it?” Keith raises an eyebrow in genuine curiosity.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ All I remember is having a...drink, and walking home. It still doesn't explain the woman in my bed.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ I can inform you about that.” A new, feminine voice cuts into our discussion.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ ...!!” I am the only one to freeze up, the other guys simply preparing for breakfast as usual.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> I look to my immediate right to see the formerly-sleeping woman standing over me. I don't even need another moment to notice the horse ears and lower body that identifies her as a Centaur. She looks down at me with a murky expression, one of both disappointment and annoyance.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ My name is Serena, in case you forgot.” She declares, eyeing me sternly.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ I'm sorry, I don't remember anything.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Hmph.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ So, Garrett, is breakfast ready?” Vince tries to ease the growing tension between myself and Serena.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%">---ThatEscalated---

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> After an interesting breakfast (rowdy for the guys, but awkward for me), Serena suggests that I walk with her through the town. I take her up on the offer, trying my hardest not to stare at her. She is wearing a one-piece dress that covers her up well, but it looks great on her even still. I don't mind walking with Serena since I live in a monster-friendly area, but it still unnerves me. I catch glimpses of Serena looking at me, but she always hides it so that I can't be too sure. I don't know what she's thinking, but it seems that whatever happened between us last night is the source of it. Serena is attractive, but I can't help but feel uneasy. Her shoulder-length chestnut hair is lustrous and she is quite fit, especially her-

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Sigfred.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ H-Huh? Did I miss something?” We stop walking in front of a park.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ I was telling you about last night.” Serena glares at me with two icy-blue eyes.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Sorry, I was thinking about it too. Could you summarize it again?”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Sigh...you were the cause of it all.”, Serena turns her rear end towards me and points to a specific spot, “Apparently you were drinking last night and left for home. Then you...shot an arrow, which hit me here. I yelled at you, but it obviously didn't get through so I helped you home. Then you offered to treat me, and well...we did it.” She shuffles around nervously, but it seems cute above all.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Um...right. So that's why you were in my bed. You're gonna ask me to-”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Please take responsibility and marry me.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ I feared it being that.” I respond, dejected.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ You may have been drunk then, but I now know for sure that you truly care for me.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> It clicks right away in my head. Ever since she woke up this morning, she's been testing me the whole way. At breakfast, she watched me to see if I remembered last night; I didn't. Now, on this walk, she's seen me staring at her to test my affections; a clever plan. However, I have no idea what she feels for me, and it feels a little unfair that she can read me like an open book.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Fine. I'll take responsibility.” I let out a deep sigh.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Ah, good. Then-” Serena's face lights up with excitement.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “Eventually. ”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ ...What do you mean 'eventually'?” The Centaur's face returns to its firm manner.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ I don't want to rush anything, even if we had sex. You know so much about me, but I don't know anything about you and it frustrates me. So if you're fine with it, I want to just see you as my girlfriend. I promise I'll marry you someday.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ ...” Serena says nothing as I am hoisted up and placed on her back with swift movements.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ ...?”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> “ Hold on tight, we're going to my house. I'll be moving in with you today.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%"> ---GodSpeed---

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; line-height: 200%">A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoyed that little episode because Sigfred is now an official intern working under me as of today! Well, Pon will always be known as 'The Intern', so let's just refer to Sigfred as 'The New Guy'. But boy, did I have a tough time with this chapter; I'm glad it worked out. This chapter was originally written through a drunken perspective (the scene was supposed to be what about happened last night), but it didn't work out well so I remade it. "Ahh, it feels like it just happened yesterday..." "Director, it was yesterday. Serena is still asking me to move forward with our relationship." "Not my problem, Sigfred. I didn't know you had a low alcohol tolerance." "Then what was the application for...?" "Paperweights!" *Thumbs up* "That was a bad joke." My personal comedy hour is always fun, don't you think? The next chapter I have on my list will be Unicorn, but there's a bit of a problem here: it's not expected to be out for at least a week. Wanna know why? Because during the week, I'll be working the first of the full stories that you all voted on in the first one-shot collection. The first story is on the Dullahan species, so make sure you keep a *Sunglasses* 'cool head'. Thanks for putting up with everything I do. I really appreciate the reading that you all are doing, and I hope you can take some time to comment if you've got the time!