The Bargainer 14 (Patreon)

The Bargainer
Interlude 14.1: Hannah 2

-VB-

“Does it have to be sexual?” Hannah asked Beast on her second visit.

She heard a lot about how Jennifer got boosts to her power. Some of the things Jennifer allegedly did were … improper. On top of that, the thought about sleeping with random stranger didn’t make her comfortable at her.

The Beast, or Alan as he let her call him, nodded. “It is unfortunate, but the only rituals I can conduct to improve a parahuman’s power are tantric rituals.” He paused. “I know there are some higher-ups in the PRT board of directors who would see heroes like you use your bodies for power, because how else did you learn about this, but you don’t have to.”

“N-No, I learned it from Mouse Protector…”

“Oh.” This time, he seemed to be thinking. “Well, I supposed it was inevitable in that regard.” Then he shook his head. “No, I only have tantric rituals for quick power-ups.”

She perked up. “So you can help anyone with their powers even without sex,” she prodded.

“Well, I already have been helping you.”

She blinked.

“The Training.”

She froze.

“Move!” Hannah shouted as the Beast came down in some kind of four-armed gorilla form with mouths closer to a chainsaw and as twice as tall as the tallest of the Wards. She jumped out of the way before rolling further away, and then felt and heard the crash of the demon gorilla as the Beast slammed into their previous position like a meteor. The ground shattered and rose up like a flower made out of sharp and long boulders.

Chevalier, who was on the other side of the gorilla from her, swung his cannon-broadsword forward. The tip of the cannon-broadsword lit up for a moment before thundering staccato filled the air all around them.

The gorilla tanked those attacks that would have punched holes in concrete blocks. Its fur and skin rippled like the surface of the water.

The Beast shrieked, grabbed some of the boulders while continuing to shriek, and then hurled them at Chevalier. He dodged out of the way, but one of the boulders clipped him in the back as he jumped and sent him spinning away.

She grimaced as her M14 assault rifle changed to a grenade launcher with live ammo. She took aim and fired, watching the green fluorescent grenades sail across the air before slamming into the Beast’s back and exploding.

The other Wards took up the chance to -.

She shook herself out of the memories.

“Something wrong?” Alan asked her as he poured her another cup of tea.

She drank it down in one-go.

“Just … memories. The one with the gorilla.”

“Ah, yes. I told you all to attack me with the intent to kill, but you hesitated. Really got beat up for it.”

“You make it sound like we only got out of it with bruises and scratches,” she scoffed. “If I remember, then my right leg was broken.”

“You also discovered that you can pull out smaller artillery pieces,” he pointed out with a smile.

She shuddered. “In what world does a gorilla that can shrug off a artillery shell exist?”

Alan laughed. “It’s not even one of the strong animals from that world.”

Her shudder deepened. “Never again.”

“... Ah, does that mean you won’t be showing up for training anymore?”

She grimaced. On one hand, Alan’s training, despite the seemingly life-threatening dangers they posed, really did help. All of the Wards, whose powers were comparable to most of the Protectorates, were all standing on top of their branches as beacons of power. Mouse Protector was merely the one whose power developed more, but she had been receiving help on the side apparently so she didn’t count.

Even the most reluctant participants of the Training came out of it with skills and experience they would have had to actually risk their lives to get. In exchange, every single one of the original Wards developed a healthy dose of respect(fear) of animals.

“I probably will,” she replied with a sigh. “I’m just not sure about the other one.”

“About what?”

“You know, the sex thing.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, then we don’t have to start right away with tantric rituals. We could go out on dates and whatnot.”

She stared at him with condemning eyes. “Wouldn’t that be cheating on Jennifer?” she asked.

“Nope,” he replied. “Not if she knew about my job and comes back every now and then for more.”

“Ugh.”

He chuckled. “Take your time. It’s not like I like sleeping with random people, either. I may not be a homophobic, but I am also not a homosexual. Let me tell you, I have a certain fan … does want to do me.”

She didn’t want to know (but she kind of did).

“So …?”

“He just ends up masterbating for the tantric ritual.”

She blinked. “You can do that?”

“It’s not worth it in terms of time spent, but yeah. It’s the least efficient method.”

Hannah shivered. “And you have to be there and watch?”

“Nope.”

She blinked. “You don’t?”

“I may be a pervert, but I am into watching. I’m more into doing,” he drawled.

She shivered. “Okay. Umm. Can I. Fuck, uh, try?” she paused and then realized her wording. “I mean the masterbating thing.” She felt her cheeks grow hot.

He nodded.

“Sure, we can do one right now,” he said. “If you’re up for it.”

He opened up a portal and she hesitated before following after him as he crossed through the portal.

She found herself in a circular room with a smaller ritual circle in the middle of the room. She expected to see cultist things, but all she found was a sterile white room with the circle.

“So…?”

“Once I leave the room,” he pointed to the plain door at the side of the room. “You can strip and masterbate.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. Oh, and the paper towel is in that corner along with the spray.”

“... I kind of expected more.”

He shrugged.

She hesitated again after he left. Slowly, she took off her jacket, her pants, and then her wool long-sleeve shirt. Down to her bra and panties, she took them off only after a little bit of hesitation and then pushed her clothes out of the circle.

Then she touched herself. One hand groped her own tit and pinched her nipples and her other hand rubbed at her clit.

Her breathing came more shallow and quickly, and soon, she was gasping as her body grew hot.

Soon, she whimpered as she fingered herself, pushing her slender and calloused fingers into her cunt and dug into her own flesh.

“Fuck, fuck…!”

Her climax began to build.

She squeezed her eyes close as she orgasmed explosively, and left her feeling … empty.

She took deep breaths to calm herself, and then, cleaned after herself and got dressed.

Hannah knocked on the door after she made herself modest. Alan opened the door and peered in. “Done?”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Do you want to do power testing right away?”

She nodded. This ritual was supposed to have an immediate effect, no matter how small, so she wanted to verify it.

Because if it did work…

If it really worked, she wasn’t sure if she could argue against not doing this.

Alan led her to other parts of the facility.

“Where is this place?”

“Classified~,” he hummed before leading her to an indoor shooting range. He pressed a button and a thick pillar came out. “Fire at will, hero.”

When she saw her rubber bullets hit all of her mark even though she wasn’t really trying, she knew that if even if she didn’t want to, her duty required her to get better. Besides, she didn’t strictly have to sleep with him.

Just … a lot of masterbation.