Legends of the Halcyon Era

Episode 46 - Janine's Modesty

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Author Notes: This was originally like, three mini-sessions that were stitched together here -- and largely without my involvement. For fun, see if you can guess when I took part.

While Nytetrayn and Celeste prepared for and went on their first date, Janine went off on her own to find something to do.

Over at the apartment of one Tom Morrow, there is a knock at the door. "Oh my. A knock at my door," Tom said, as he went to open it.

Standing on the other side was Janine, wearing an outfit that would get her arrested in several countries. "Hey, handsome!" she said cheerfully.

"WHOODAJIMMY – err, hi Jan!"

"You doing anything today?"

"Not really, but we can change that!"

"Awesome." They stood there quietly for a moment.

"Yep... so, what'd you wanna do?"

"How about we hit the town? I want to show off my new dress!"

"Sure," Tom said, grinning as he mused about how it's almost ironic that garment could be called a "dress." Janine twirled, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. "Nice. Well, let's go!"

"Let's," Jan said. She led the way as Tom followed, her hips and perfectly-sculpted posterior swaying invitingly as she walked.

"Whooooa," Tom shouted. "Half-off on carpets!" He eagerly pointed towards a window displaying a variety of samples.

"Really?" Janine said. "We could use some new ones. The one in Fenix's room is pretty stained..." Tom gave her a wide-eyed look. "O...kay..."

"He used to bring me breakfast in bed a lot. That coffee never comes out."

"Ah, right. Of course."

"Speaking of which, I need something with caffeine..."

"Hm... We could get fueled up on soda at McLight's."

"That works."

"Off we go!"

Janine spun on her heels as she turned to head towards the restaurant, and her dress flared out behind her, sending a wave of nosebleeds up the street.

"WHOOOOOA!" said Tom. "35 percent off on groceries!"

Later, at McLight's, Janine winked flirtatiously at the cashier while showing off her new attire. The cashier gave them the drinks on the house, as he tried to keep watching Janine through the hearts circling his head.

"Wow," said Tom. "Do you pay for anything?"

"Now, why in the world would I do that?" she replied with a wink.

Tom handed Jan a straw for her soda, and she delicately removed the paper before slipping it into her cup. Then she slowly took it between her lips, and made sensual motions as she sipped at the drink. Tom snorted into his soda and stared. She licked the straw and moaned slightly. Tom twitched. The cash registers all suddenly shot open, and money started to fly out. Then Janine bit the straw, and started to chew on it. Tom continued to look on, his eyes practically bugging out of his head.

"Mmm," she said. "I don't know how they do it, but the soda here just tastes different from anywhere el–" She looked up, eyes innocently wide. "Why is there a pile of money in your lap?"

"Uh... I know kung-fu?"

"Show me."

"Um..."

She gave Tom a smoldering, sexy gaze, and he twitched. "My god," he said. "Can I speak candidly?"

"Sure!"

"YOU MAKE THE PANTS DANCE."

Tom then calmly sipped his soda, apparently relieved now. Janine just stared.

"Just had to say it," he told her, as he took another sip.

"So! What next? The park? They've got playground equipment!"

Tom's eyes bugged out as he sprayed red-tinted soda from his nose. "...what? It's cherry cola."

Janine smiled sweetly, and finished her soda with a long slurp, practically milking the straw.

As they headed out, Tom nearly bumped into Black Steel, who was standing in the doorway when he attempted to pry his eyes from Janine's actions. "Oh! Sorry!" said Tom, snapping Steel out of it. Meanwhile, Janine had stopped and bent over to throw her cup into the recycling bin, which in turn stopped foot traffic as her skirt rode up.

Steel's eyes bulged, but he quickly shook it off. "Still no sense of modesty..."

Janine perked up upon hearing this strange new word. "Modesty...? What is this 'modesty' you speak of?"

"...not making the pants dance," Tom said.

"Didn't we have this conversation once before?" Steel asked. "And who's your new friend?"

"Probably," she said, before moving on to introductions. "Black Steel, this is Tom Morrow. Tom Morrow, Black Steel."

Tom bowed, and Steel barely got out a, "pleased to meet you," before Janine hugged them both to her copious bosoms. A surprised Tom let out a muffled sound, while Steel admitted, "I'm somehow getting used to this." She released them a moment later, and looked oddly pleased with herself.

"Well, give me time," Tom said, between gasps for air. "I haven't known her too long."

"Poor bastard."

"Yeah. Ah, well. Wanna come with? It'll help alleviate the strain of having her gun for me constantly."

"We were going to the park!" Janine added.

"Depends," Steel said, prompting a curious look from Tom. "I came for my vanilla cone. If I can carry that along, then you're on."

"Deal," said Tom. "Just ensure you don't melt it by breathing too hard."

"Excellent," Steel said, as he went to get his cone. Meanwhile, a little boy asked his mother why "the pretty lady has cantaloupes on her chest."

"Nature is excessively kind sometimes, kid," said Steel.

Tom quickly handed the boy a bible, and said, "Read that, and avert ye eyes!" But Janine's mere presence caused the book to become charred.

"Come on, Janine," said Steel. "Let's get you away from young eyes."

"Why am I never allowed to be around children?" Janine asked, as she shattered the careers of two priests as she was led away.

"Corruption is never ugly," said Steel.

Tom walked after, attempting to run interference between roaming eyes and Janine. "Jeez," he said, "I feel their eyes attempting to burn through me!"

"So, where have you been lately?" Steel asked Janine.

"Well, recently, I've been visiting the local ruins on a search for something with a schlong."

Both Steel and Tom stopped in their tracks, shocked silent. Steel's cone dropped to the concrete.

Janine noted the silence, and turned to them, her breasts wobbling from the momentum. "What?"

"Perhaps I should have chosen another day for leisure," Steel said.

Tom added, "Stop being such a boobs – I mean stop being such a pimp – I mean pip."

Janine blushed a little, and pointed her fingertips together. "I guess it sounds a bit weird, but ever since Fenix left, I've just felt all alone. I mean, Nyte and Celeste are so sexually repressed, they don't even sleep with each other, much less..."

"Well, what is your relation to this one?" Steel asked, gesturing to Tom.

"Him? We're just friends. Why?" Tom wondered about that.

"Why don't you find a boyfriend?" Steel continued.

Janine shrugged, and rubbed the back of her head. "No one else really seems comfortable around me. I mean, those three always took me in stride, but for everyone else, it's like, 'Oh my god, she has boobs! What's wrong with her?!'"

"Ahh..." Tom said. "I don't do that normally. I just do it when you make the pants dance."

"I believe it has more to do with the manner in which you carry them," Steel suggested.

"...what he said," Tom added.

Janine lifted them up. "What? What's wrong with how I carry them? Are they not high enough?"

"Uh... How can we say this without her killing us both?" Tom asked Steel.

Steel forced himself to keep his chin high and his eyes averted, and said, "Simply that they are flashed around like so many creamy pastries."

"They're not supposed to be creamy? Damn, I didn't think I was using too much lotion..."

"Uh, not that way," Tom said. "He means..."

"The problem is that they're not foodstuffs," said Steel.

"...so they shouldn't be offered to all."

"You don't display them so... openly."

Janine stared at the pair, confused. "But... isn't being physically attractive a good thing? Am I so out of touch? Maybe it's the children who are wrong!"

"Yes," Steel said. "When it's tasteful."

"Yeah...but look," said Tom, as he pointed past Janine. "Turn around and pick up that penny, then watch what that guy does."

Janine shrugged, then did so. Tom watched as the man passed out, choking on a nosebleed. Janine's jaw dropped.

"But... I just want to be free," she said sadly.

"You can be free and clothed," said Steel.

"Not with these things, I can't," Janine countered.

"Then I fear things will continue along the path you've walked already," Steel said, as he salvaged and finished what was left of his cone.

"Wait," said Tom. "Ever heard of a custom tailor?"

"It's not the way the clothes fit, sweetie, it's the principle of the thing."

"...aight, then," Tom said.

"Why should I be embarrassed to show off what I was so graciously endowed with?"

"Not embarrassed, but it'd be a lot easier to function in society."

Steel sighed. "From the looks of things here, Tom has already accepted your choice. And though I may not approve of it, I will not cease being your friend or staring endlessly at you simply because of your... endowments."

"Staring, I don't mind, it's the unwillingness to do anything else about it," Janine said, as she walked her fingers up Steel's arm.

"Must be programming," Tom muttered to himself. "Well, okay, Jan, you win."

"Hmm?"

"But you do know that you'll never actually get respect from people who don't get to know you. You'll always be 'that hot chick' in their eyes. I need to go and take care of something, so I'll leave now. See you tomorrow." And with that, Tom calmly walked off.

"O... okay," Janine said as she stared after him, apparently a little shocked. She glanced at Steel, her eyes shimmering, but suddenly found herself unable to look him in the face. "I... I should get going, too," she said, as her lip quivered.

She quickly turned and made haste back to the apartment. Steel raised his arm, as if about to say something, but he was too late. He let out a deep sigh.

***

Back at McLight's, Black Steel entered once more, again in search of ice cream. He glanced around, and saw Tom was already there. Tom caught the gaze, and greeted him. "Hey."

"So..." Steel began.

"What's up?"

"I need ice cream. You?"

"I needed some breathing room. How's 'bout I cover the ice cream for you?"

"No, thanks. I rarely accept any form of charity, though your kindness is always welcome."

"Aight, then. I'll spring for myself, though. I could use a cone."

Steel nodded, and made his way to the counter to order. There, the cashier greeted him. "Welcome to McLight's, home of the Big Light. Can I take yer orrrrder?"

"Vanilla cone, please."

"Like, do you want fries with that?"

"Uh, no thanks."

Tom raised an eyebrow at the question, then added, "I'll have what he's having."

The cashier spoke into the mic next to the register. "Two vanilla cones, and an order of fries..." He looked back to the pair. "...y'want that to go?"

"...why not?" said Steel.

Tom sighed. "If it'll ensure we don't get any more fries, yeah."

The cashier spoke into the mic again, "To go..."

A few minutes later, the cashier presents their vanilla cones in little holders, alongside an order of fries, on a tray. Tom paid for the fries and his cone, while Steel paid for his cone and offered Tom money for the fries.

"Thank you, come again, and we hope you've enjoyed your stay at Burger Queen."

"...I thought it was McLights," said Tom.

Steel nearly echoed the same sentiment, then just said, "That's it, I'm out of here."

The cashier blinked for a moment, then looked at his shirt, then poked his head out and looked at the sign. "Huh, you're right. Dude..." Then he shouted to the back, "Hey, did we like, get new owners or somethin'?!"

Tom shrugged, and moved his cloak up a bit, then turned on his heel and walked out, taking a large bite of his cone. Steel held the door for Tom. "You shouldn't eat it so fast," he said.

"Meh," Tom replied, as he took a smaller bite. He seemed fine.

Steel downed his in one big gulp, and his face twisted in pain for a moment, but soon returned to normal. "...it was worth it."

Tom raised an eyebrow, and finished his in much the same manner. "So, what happened with Jan after I left? She just leave?"

"We split ways shortly after." Steel paused, then asked, "How long have you known her?"

"Ah. Not long. I met them recently, maybe... a month ago? And you?"

"Just a bit longer. Maybe almost a year? It's... kinda fuzzy." Steel sighed. "What's the, uh... nature, of your relationship with her... if I may be so bold?"

"Hm. Nosebleed victim, I'd have to guess. I don't know the hierarchy." Steel nodded.

"So," Tom said, "what do you wanna do?"

"I didn't really have any other plans. But night will be coming soon and I had hoped to make my way to the river to gaze at the fireflies."

"Okay, that sounds cool," Tom said.

And so, they went off to the river to do just that, unaware of what events were awaiting them in the days to come.

Author Notes: Happy Halloween, everyone! Here's a bonus pic from Victor for the occasion, featuring Nytetrayn and Celeste cosplaying as Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin!

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