Mika watched the sun starting to set from the top step of the Temple of Eternity. The jungle was already starting to regrow over the encampments and makeshift airports of the battle that had occurred a few months before, and the temple grounds were once again undisturbed by the comings and goings of man. Thanks to Emilie and Cécilia’s efforts, the ancient jungle, along with the Lemurian trees, had been declared private property of a shell company the pair had set up. If anyone inquired about the land in question, they would be told it was a private nature preserve, it would keep developers and tourists far away at least.

“I’ve finished searching the eastern wing,” Chloé called, blocking out the setting sun as she slithered up to him. She grinned down at him, opening her massive palm to reveal a handful of gold coins, a few strange idols, and some rare jewels.

“I think that’s it then,” Mika sighed. Some of that stuff I’d like to send off to a museum, but we might need the money too, plus it’s going to be hard to explain to the curators back in Paris or London where we got this stuff in the first place…

Chloé didn’t have as many concerns. In spite of all of their globetrotting adventures, she still had a lot to learn about the world, and while she had a decent grasp on the idea of money, it wasn’t a major concern to her in the same way it was for Mika.

“It’s funny to think we first met right over there,” Chloé giggled, pointing to a spot off among the massive Lemurian trees. She sighed wistfully, “We’ve come so far! Now I can’t imagine being without you, or Emilie, or Oklahoma, Cécilia…”

“We’ll see everyone again soon,” Mika promised.

While the pair of them had come back to the temple alone, hoping to learn any final secrets it might have held, Emilie had established her new base of operations south-west of Paris, in an old military complex just outside the city center which Natasha had owned before her downfall. There, she hoped to research things both magical and mundane which might help her people, while a cure for the curse upon the Neko had been discovered, applying it to most would be a difficult challenge.

Oklahoma was somewhere in Europe with Cécilia, accompanying the Neko as she performed her duties as a railroad executive. The pilot had decided to give up her life of smuggling and illicit activities after Emilie had dumped a seven-figure sum into her personal checking account, a long overdue thanks for her own part in their adventures.

I’ll have to see if I can get them to come back to Paris to spend some time with us, Mika thought with a smile. I wouldn’t even mind seeing Higgins again, if I could find him anyway…

“You know,” Chloé giggled, laying across the steps so that her adorable face filled his field of vision, “if this is our last night here for a while, we should make a few fond memories!”

Mika grinned slowly. That sounds fun, but it would be more fun to tease her.

“No,” he said sternly, “we should search the entire compound to make sure we didn’t-“

He didn’t get any further than that. Chloé’s outstretched hand scooped him up, her thick fingers closing around his body and enveloping him in her warm, soft grip. He struggled feebly as she slithered into the temple’s interior, laying the last of the collected treasures on the steps for later.

…

Mika couldn’t help but grin as the one five hundred meters  long naga dangled him above her face, a smug smirk on her face as she pinched his legs together, holding him upside down. He could feel the warmth of her breath as she exhaled, and it ruffled his hair slightly, shifting again as she inhaled, enjoying his scent as he was brought lower, closer to Chloé’s nose.

“Mmm…” she groaned. “You smell so good today…”

The giant girl’s tongue slowly extended, a vast slimy appendage larger than his entire body that slid up the side of his naked body, enjoying the flavor with a barely contained glee. Mika shivered slightly as the slimy tongue moved away, her spit drying on his body and giving him a slight chill even in the warm air of the South American temple. The slight citrus smell of the Lemurian fruit billowed out over him again as Chloé opened her mouth wide, letting him see the rows of boulder sized teeth, and the dark chasm of her throat glistening with saliva as her mouth watered in anticipation.

Even after all of this time, it always makes me a little nervous to look at it, he thought. His heartbeat picked up slightly as instinct kicked in, trying to warn him that he was in the grip of his natural predator. Of course it wasn’t nearly as strong a reflex as it once was, he’d been swallowed by the naga enough times that her open mouth was less like looking death in the face, and more like the excitement before a large roller coaster drop.

Mika gasped as she released her grip on him, letting him tumble through the air and land on her soft tongue. Instinctively, her mouth snapped shut, trapping her prey inside before he had a chance to get his bearings. The bumpy tongue slid along his body as Chloé playfully tossed him against the side of her cheek, pinning him against the wet flesh and instantly soaking him as her tongue pressed hard against his body, the bumpy tastebuds sliding against his skin as she savored his flavor.

“Mmmm… ” the Naga’s rumbling voice echoed through the cavern of her mouth, vibrating Mika’s body as she teased him. Her tongue flipped him over a moment later, scooping him up as he lay on his back, gazing up at the roof of Chloé’s mouth as her pooling saliva swept him backwards.

I’m all yours Chloé, he thought, watching her uvula dangle overhead. Send me home!

Chloé obliged, arching her head back and swallowing with a loud *gulp* that echoed through the now quiet temple’s inner chamber.

Mika felt himself sliding down Chloé’s throat, his arms and legs pinned to his sides as the tight constricting muscles of her esophagus squeezed him downward. He couldn’t help but shiver as the way the powerful throat rushed against him on the way down, sometimes the sensation alone was strong enough to bring him to climax, something that Chloé would often force by deliberately slowing his descent with the fine control she had over every part of her body.

Today though she opted to let him proceed downward at a normal pace, and while he was still tingling at the end of the passage, he was still hard when he dropped into the open chasm of Chloé’s upper stomach. He landed with a splash, the soft flesh of her stomach floor cushioning his fall as he righted himself, looking around the familiar pink insides of the naga’s belly.

Chloé simply lay back on the large bed of vegetation she’d made for herself, enjoying the feeling of her high priest, her lover, flopping into her stomach. With a sigh she folded her arms behind her head, shifting her body slowly to make sure Mika wouldn’t be tossed about by sudden movements as she got comfortable.

Mika himself looked up at the “ceiling” of the chamber, imagining her bellybutton overhead as he moved to the fleshy wall. The inside of Chloé’s upper stomach was always pleasantly warm, and he found a comfortable spot against the wall, where he could hear her soft heartbeat. The tingling sensation of a vision began as the Lemurian fruit mixed with Chloé’s stomach juices, and soon Mika was closing his eyes, letting himself be swept away.

…

Mika rested in Chloé’s hands as she slithered through the streets of the ancient city which the Temple of Eternity had once been the center of. The streets were wide enough to accommodate her immense tail, and although the people who passed by on either side of her were mere memories, they still smiled and waved as she went by.

“Mika, Chloé!” The Naga goddess called happily. “Welcome back!”

She was coiled atop the stairs of the temple, waving to them as they came into view. The man in the ceremonial garb was sitting on her shoulder, and he nodded at Mika as the pair made their way onto the temple grounds.

“I’m curious why you’ve used the power of the fruit to come speak with us,” the priest said, frowning.

“We were just hoping for some advice,” Chloé said, lifting Mika up to her shoulder so he would be level with his peer on the goddess’s own shoulder.

“Right now, Chloé and I are kind of… a rumor, I guess,” Mika explained. “A lot of people have an idea of who we are, but not everyone really believes in us yet, and I don’t think most governments or authorities out there take the idea of us very seriously.” He thought for a moment, “It’s not just us either. The mermaids, the nekos, and maybe other things out there… I’m just worried that mankind is in for a bit of a shock when reality finally hits.”

“We thought maybe you two would have some ideas on how we could navigate that,” Chloé said, looking at the goddess eagerly.

The goddess and her priest looked to one another, then back to Mika and Chloé. “The relationship that our two races had was always built on mutual respect and protection,” the priest said finally. “Normally the presence of a priest at a Naga’s side is an assurance that her instincts have been tamed, that morally upright men and women could relax near her without fear.”

“The people of those times understood that we had made our own sacrifices,” the goddess continued. “Our population was kept smaller than it might have been, by choice, to make sure that we never became a threat to mankind ourselves… We took humans at the end of their lives as well, great scientists, scholars, priests, those who grew too sick or old for even our medicines to heal. As you have seen, we preserved the knowledge of all those humans we consumed, and we could give it back to mankind whenever it was needed. The modern world does not remember these trade offs, nor the ancient knowledge of high technology and magics that allowed us to build the temples. You and Chloé could in time show them the secrets of our power crystals, the living rock of our animated temples!”

“Should we really share your ancient knowledge with modern humans?” Mika asked. “I wouldn’t want to give away anything you wanted kept from them…”

“It’s not the Naga’s knowledge to hoard ,” the goddess laughed. “Humans discovered these things, humans built our temples. We just held the secrets for them. If you believe that mankind needs the knowledge again, then you and Chloé should share it.”

“Okay,” Mika said with a sigh, “but I don’t know if modern mankind will want to have an arrangement like they had with the Naga in those days.”

“No, they probably won’t, ” the priest agreed. “I suspect that the problem of the Naga population will not be a problem within your lifetimes,” he muttered thoughtfully. “I propose then, that the easiest way forward for you both is to prove yourselves reliable allies and protectors of mankind.”

“The world’s changed a lot,” Mika said, frowning. “Chloé is still the most powerful predator on the planet, but there are weapons now that can hurt or kill her easily.”

“I almost died fighting Natasha’s army,” Chloé added. “If I didn’t have my friends-“

“There have always been ways for determined humans to kill a Naga,” the Goddess said. “You’ll need to work closely with Mika, to develop his own abilities.”

“My abilities?” Mika chuckled nervously. “Oklahoma’s tried teaching me to shoot, but I’m not that good at it.”

“I don’t mean weapons,” The goddess continued. “A Naga’s gift is to look into the past, but her priest’s gift is to look into the future. ”

“I don’t understand,” Mika said with a frown.

“It will grow as you spend more time together,” the Goddess said with a smile. “Exposure to the Naga, to her saliva, to her stomach, over time you will become more and more capable of reacting to things before they happen.”

“How far into the future does this power go!?” Mika said excitedly. “If I could predict things like natural disasters ahead of time-“

“A few minutes, maybe an hour at the absolute most,” the priest chuckled. “The far future changes too quickly, even observing it changes the result. At the moment though? Telling your Naga where an enemy is hiding, what weapons are about to be used? I think this will be very helpful even in this new age of war, with all of its technological advancements.”

The world began to shimmer as the vision ended, and a moment later Mika and Chloé’s vision darkened. “Wait!” Mika called, “I had other questions!”

“Go deeper, ” The goddess smirked, running her hand down her own toned belly, and into her tail.

“But-“

“You’ll find the answers,” the priest laughed, “you and Chloé always do!”

…

Mika groaned, sitting upright and blinking as his vision returned. “Chloé?” he called.

“Yes!” her rumbling voice echoed.

“I think they wanted us to access some of the memories you have, of people you ate,” Mika explained.

“That’s what I thought too,” Chloé said cheerfully. “Guess that means you’ve got to keep going!”

His world tumbled suddenly, and Mika shouted in surprise as her stomach lurched him towards the entrance to her lower stomach, which opened up with an ominous growl that had preceded the doom of many of Chloé’s other meals. The upper stomach, which had seemed so vast a moment ago, squeezed in on him from all sides, forcing him through the opening sphincter.

Mika tumbled into the lower stomach, followed by a deluge of the sweet smelling Lemurian fruit juice. The darker red walls of the lower stomach shuddered ominously, but as he stood up and looked around, they seemed to calm.

It’s almost as if it remembers me, he thought, chuckling as he made his way across the ridged floor. The air here always had a somewhat acrid smell, helped only slightly by the wave of citrus juice that came in with him, a wave which was already soaking into the floor of the organ as it absorbed the potent magical properties. He paused about halfway across the floor, kneeling to run his fingers along the flesh below him, causing it to shudder slightly.

Chloé shivered as she felt his touch, even the smallest movement in such a sensitive part of her body could be felt, and she bit her lip, feeling her hand drift lower… to her dripping womanhood. The thought of Mika giving himself to her was always an arousing one, and feeling his footsteps as he made his way to the entrance of her lower body, the snakelike Naga half, was exciting behind words.

“Keep going,” Chloé moaned, her fingers beginning to toy with her outer lips as she felt her prey approach the entrance to her tail.

“And if I wanted to just stay here?” he teased, looking back towards Chloé’s upper stomach.

“You’re food Mika, food doesn’t get choices on where it ends up!” Chloé growled. As if in agreement her lower stomach rumbled, a few small drops of the potent acid dripping from the far walls.

“Right,” Mika laughed with a sigh. He stroked his hand along the sphincter leading to Chloé’s intestines, and with a final groan of protest from her second stomach, it slid open, allowing him to fall forwards into the glistening light pink cavern of delicate cilia.

“Ahh…” Chloé gasped happily, throwing her head back as she felt the feelers of her intestines grab Mika from all sides, gently shuffling him into the lowest part of her digestive tract.

Mika felt the tingling sensation of the hundreds of fleshy stalks pushing him along through the tunnel, the soft brushing sound calming him as he was ferried through the tight tunnel, the soft pink glow illuminating his pathway.

Soon his vision started to fade, and he closed his eyes, simply giving himself over to Chloé’s will. She felt it happen, and a moment later she lay her own head on her bed again. There was a sparking feeling for a moment as their nervous systems connected, bound by magic and the ancient power of the Naga, and then there was nothing.

…

“Huh,” Mika muttered, looking down at the series of Sumerian-style Ziggurats. “I always wondered what Akkad would look like at its height.”

The metropolis of the first bronze ageThe first bronze age metropolis stretched below them, the dusty sands rising as pack animals bore their loads through the unpaved streets. Outside the city walls was a towering Naga, with ruby-red scales, blonde hair, and slightly tanned skin. She was meeting with what was plainly a royal delegation, with banners bearing the city’s sigil being carried by lines of armed soldiers, along with a man at their forefront who bore a regal looking crown.

“Want to see what they’re talking about?” Chloé asked, startling him.

“Sure,” he grinned, turning around.

She was in her human form this time, complete with jean shorts and a loose white t-shirt. She gave him a playful peck on the cheek, and a moment later they were standing beneath the giant red scaled Naga, unseen by everyone else in the memory.

The King was on horseback, although aside from a few guards and bannermen most of the retinue was on foot. Their armor was made from a series of bronze scales, woven disks in a style that Mika recognized from many archeological digs he’d visited. All in all there looked to be around fifty members of the party in total, with most of the soldiers carrying spears or bows. While the Naga gave them what looked to be a friendly smile, few of the soldiers looked up to meet her gaze. 

One man, though, looked up at her defiantly. He was a ragged sort, with scars up and down his arms and a hateful look in his eyes. He had his hands bound and was being led by a rope, carried by one of the guards, 

“This man has killed many,” the king decreed, pushing a kneeling prisoner before the towering naga. “He has burned farms, and led raiding parties against towns ravaged by plague.”

The king wasn’t speaking French, English, or any other language Mika knew, yet in this memory he could understand him. With a start Mika realized that this memory was the one of the man about to be executed.

The naga looked down at the man grimly, and he looked back up at her, eyes full of spite. The naga’s priest rested on her shoulder, his own face impassive. T he priest was a little older than Mika, with an air of experience about him. Whatever else, he wasn’t impressed by the criminal before them.

“Very well, we accept this offering,” the priest proclaimed. “Know that if this man was falsely accused, we will gain access to all of his memories, including innocence and guilt, and we will find the guilty parties. Do you still wish to submit him to the Naga’s justice?”

“We do,” the king cried, shaking a fist angrily.

The naga glanced at her priest, who nodded, and she began reaching towards the condemned man. She paused halfway to him as her priest went tense. He leaned up, whispering in her ear, and with a growl she fell back, grabbing her priest off her shoulder and sliding him into her mouth. A moment later it became obvious why, a line of horsemen appeared on the horizon, waving spears and brandishing bows.

That’s a real army, Mika thought with a start. What was more, the men all carried long lances and bows, and from the way they branched out as they approached, they knew exactly what kind of foe they were facing in the Naga. If the Neko were able to hurt Chloé with swords and bows, these people probably can too. Still, could they really be a threat to a Naga? Faraway on the hills, a series four large ballistae rolled into position. They’re certainly not howitzers, but I’ll bet those would hurt…

“Ha!” the condemned man laughed. “Your city will still burn yet!”

“I don’t think so,” Chloé muttered, watching the Naga slither towards the oncoming horde.

Chloé and Mika’s perspective shifted as Chloé moved them closer for a better view, and Mika saw that the other priest was peaking out fo the Naga’s mouth, a determined look on his face as her tongue draped over him.

“Under the tongue,” Chloé muttered, rubbing her chin. “Not a bad place to hide your human during a battle…”

“It allows him to peek out at things, and he won’t get swallowed with the rest of these guys,” Mika agreed.

“The ballistae bolts are coated with a poison,” the Naga priest said, “go left now!” 

The enormous ruby-scaled Naga shifted, barely avoiding the whizzing quartet of bolts that slammed into the sand where she had just been. The riders were getting closer now, and a few stray arrows were bouncing harmlessly off her scaled tail. 

The Naga began pursuing a group of riders, who circled around, leading her up a small embankment on the dunes. “Don’t!” her priest shouted, “there’s a group of archers just over the ridge, they’ll aim for your eyes!” In response to his warning the Naga dove into the sand just as a volley of arrows flew overhead. “There’s a charge coming, this one isn’t a feint, they’ll try to get close,” the priest shouted.

The naga growled, whipping her tail along the dusty dune as hard as she could. A cloud of dust rose into the air, making it hard to see. Mika couldn’t help but grin as the air seemed to shimmer, and a moment later the Naga’s camouflage had rendered her invisible in the suddenly clouded landscape. The riders didn’t stop their advance, charging right into the dust as the Naga deftly moved out of the way. 

“Halt!” their leader shouted, rearing his horse up and scowling as the dust cloud slowly blew away on the desert winds. “Where is she!?”

“Here!” the red Naga grinned, appearing in their midst as her camouflage dropped.

The men shouted in panic, their horses rearing up and throwing them to the ground. The beasts took off into the desert, leaving their riders beneath the Naga’s smug and hungry gaze. With a giggle she reached for the leader, snatching him up and holding him over her open mouth with a triumphant smile. There was a scream as he fell, then then the naga’s jaws snapped shut, sending him down her throat with a loud *gulp*. 

The men seemed to rally, throwing their spears as the Naga danced deftly out of the way. With a whip of her tail she sent up another cloud of sand, causing the attackers to cough and sputter as the Naga once again hid herself. Remaining within the dust cloud, she slithered through the battlefield, snatching her foes up one by one and slipping them into her mouth.

“That’s incredible,” Chloé said, awestruck, “she’s routing an entire army by herself!”

“Not quite by herself,” Mika corrected, pointing up to the priest. “Look, she’s using the terrain to her advantage, and she always makes sure to disorient them when they fall back to charge her. She’s tough, but she’s still not taking any chances.”

“They’re about to break,” the priest shouted from beneath the Naga’s tongue. “Charge out at them now!”

The naga finally emerged from the dust cloud, rearing up like a cobra as she grinned down at the gathered raiders. She rubbed her stomach playfully, then with a giggle rushed forward. While the attacking force had been well disciplined and trained, they scattered in all directions. With a smug smirk, she stopped her pursuit, watching them go. 

“Is that the last of them?” she asked.

“Yes,” her priest replied with a sigh. 

“I’ll gather my forces to hunt down the rest,” the king shouted, riding up to their side. “That was a stunning display, truly the Naga are the greatest allies a kingdom can have!”

The naga held up her hand, allowing her priest to crawl into her palm. He sighed, trying to wipe off some of her drool before addressing the leader.

“Tell your subjects that your kingdom is under our protection, and safe from invasion,” he proclaimed. “I’ll send for more Naga to come watch your borders until things are settled.”

Mika watched the soldiers, who had seemed so tense before, break out into cheers. He chuckled, squeezing Chloé close. “What do you think? Could we be that good someday? Maybe I’ll have to try riding under your tongue next time we travel…”

“I like that idea already!” Chloé giggled. She turned to him, playfully opening her mouth and lifting her tongue. Although she was in her human form, he still found himself slightly aroused at the way she taunted him about where he was going to end up. With a chuckle, he stepped to her, meeting her open mouth in a kiss that caused her to squeal in surprise.

“Your mouth is a great place to be anytime,” Mika said, parting from her with a wink. He took a minute to enjoy her blush before looking out at the battlefield. The raiders were retreating, and the Naga was clearly victorious, her belly slightly swollen from all of the bandits she’d consumed. She gave a quick burp, blushing as the king’s army laughed and her priest rolled her eyes. “I think we should work on getting to the point those two are at,” he said with a nod. “Maybe Emilie knows how we can speed up the process?”

“She does know a lot about the ancient Naga,” Chloé muttered. “I’m trying to search the memories I have, it’s kind of hard to parse through them all… but most of them didn’t know much about Naga rituals. Even the Nekos I ate only ever saw us as enemies.”

“I guess we’re going back to Paris then,” Mika said with a smile.

The two watched as the naga reached for the prisoner from the beginning of the vision, still angrily cursing them all. With a final slurp the naga took him into her mouth, swallowing him down and causing the vision to end. 

…

Mika awoke with a start, unsure of how long he’d been in Chloé’s tail. The cilia around him were still frantically, if fruitlessly, trying to extract nutrients from him, all the while shuffling him lower into the Naga’s digestive tract. From the way his world suddenly shifted, he could tell Chloé was awake, and moving her tail too. Mika's eyelashes were gently deposited on soft, supple flesh, signaling the end of his journey.

“Good morning, dinner,” Chloé giggled, patting her tail affectionately.

Mika felt only the soft thuds against the tunnel he was trapped in. He did manage a chuckle, and a moment later he felt his feet hit the sphincter at the end of Chloé’s intestines. There was a sense of pressure all around him as he was slowly forced through it, the tight muscle gripping him on all sides as he was forced through the ring of flesh. The air of the temple felt almost cool compared to Chloé’s insides, and a moment later he was plopped onto the floor, a sheepish looking Chloé gazing down at him.

As always he tried to whirl around, trying to see the hole he’d emerged from, but Chloé’s scales had already slid back into place, hiding it from view. She crossed her arms, an almost pouty expression on her face.

“Don’t look at that hole, it’s dirty!”

“I just came out of it!” he protested.

“It’s not the same!” Chloé squeaked, hiding embarrassment.

Mika grinned, “Say, do you think that if you took your human form while I was in there, would I come out your human form’s-“

“It’s for exit only!” Chloé huffed.

Mika chuckled, walking towards one of the ancient fountains to bathe himself. It’s crazy how she still gets embarrassed after all this time.

…

The small SUV carried the pair through the jungle easily enough, while the makeshift roads that Natasha’s forces had made were already becoming overgrown with weeds in the humid jungle conditions, they were intact enough to make travel by car to the temple possible for now. Chloé snoozed in the seat next to him as he navigated them back towards civilization. He frowned as he saw a trio of men with guns, lounging next to an open top jeep. They watched as he passed, and a moment later their own engine started.

Great, Mika thought with a sigh. This part of the jungle was overrun with all types of men who wanted to evade the government’s authority, and the three men following him now didn’t look like locals either. A moment later they were alongside him, signaling him to pull over and holding up their guns threateningly.

“Chloé,” he said, shaking her awake as the SUV rolled to a stop, “lunch just arrived.”

“Hmm?” Chloé yawned, opening her eyes and looking out the window. She beamed as she saw the three men with guns walking towards their car. “Oh!”

The first of the men pulled the passenger side door open, “Look at this fine chica,” he chuckled, grinning.

Mika couldn’t place the accent, but he wasn’t Brazilian, and the other two men looked like they could have been European, but they stayed quiet while the third pulled Chloé out of the car.

“Too pretty not to have a little fun with first,” he said, grinning wickedly as he led Chloé off into the woods.

Mika just sighed, glancing at the two men who remained to guard him. “You guys are making a big mistake,” he warned.

“Quiet,” one of them snapped.

A few minutes later the sound of splintering timbers reached their ears, along with a scream of surprise. The two men instantly went alert, raising their guns towards the tree line. They weren’t looking up though, and Chloé’s giant hand snatched the pair up before they even noticed her. Gunshots rang out as they fired at Chloé’s face, but it didn’t slow the Naga down for a second. Chloé casually tossed the two men into her waiting mouth as if they were pieces of popcorn.

*GULP*

“Ah,” Chloé sighed happily, tracing their path down her throat with her finger as Mika looked up at her with a grin. “Delicious,” she muttered. There was a gurgling noise as she emptied her upper stomach’s contents into her lower one, along with a final cry of terror as the three would-be highwaymen were digested instantly.

Chloé slowly transformed again, shrinking down before him. Her tail split into legs, and soon she was standing in front of him, naked, a smug smile on her face and a saunter to her hips as she walked over to him.

“You’d think these cartel guys would get the message that this part of the jungle is off limits, ” Mika muttered, shaking his head.

“I don’t mind if they keep coming,” Chloé giggled. “I’m sure you don’t either, you get to watch me eat after all…” She reached for his crotch, grinning as she felt how hard he was through his pants.

Mika gulped, “It’s… always interesting,” he admitted.

Chloé just giggled, going to the back of the SUV to retrieve a spare set of human clothes.

…

Oklahoma sipped from a glass bottle of Coca Cola as she watched Mika and Chloé walk across the rural airport runway towards her, towing suitcases behind them.

“You guys know there are other pilots in the world, right?” she laughed, raising her reflective sunglasses to greet them both in a hug as they approached.

“Like I’d trust anyone else for an intercontinental flight,” Mika replied, pushing her off of him with a chuckle. “In all seriousness, we’re two people with suitcases full of gold, gems, and priceless artifacts. Who else isn’t going to ask questions?”

“Fair enough,” Oklahoma winked. “I’m sure the fact that I’ll look the other way on mile high club activities doesn’t hurt either, right?”

“I might have some fun with Mika during the flight,” Chloé giggled, squeezing him close. “Would that be a problem for most pilots?”

Oklahoma rolled her eyes, “Yeah Chloé, usually you’re not allowed to fuck on airplanes.”

“Oh,” Chloé giggled. “I guess that’s good to know!”

“How’s Cécilia?” Mika asked.

Oklahoma gave an uncharacteristic blush, “Uh… She’s great, really embracing relationships with humanity to the fullest now that the curse is lifted. She’s even trying to get Emilie to teach her how to swallow a human safely.”

“And why would she need to know that?” Chloé asked with a wink.

Oklahoma coughed uncomfortably, “I don’t know,” she muttered. “Mika, you and Chloé get on board! I’ll get your bags, there are sodas and champagne in the fridge if you want them!”

Chloé and Mika shot each other knowing smiles, then walked up the ramp to the plane arm in arm.

…

The flight to France was tranquil and relaxing, and Mika found himself gazing out over the Atlantic ocean and getting lost in the endless blue expanse. For Chloé’s part she mostly read e-books on a tablet Oklahoma had given her, and at one point the two of them had watched an old comedy movie together on Mika’s laptop.

“So just to be clear,” Chloé laughed. “ This movie isn’t real?”

“Nope,” Mika chuckled, snuggling closer to her. “Some movies are based on true events, documentaries are the ones that try to tell you how things happened.”

“So ‘Army of Darkness’ is not a documentary?” Chloé clarified.

“Uh, no,” Mika smirked. “In fact, there are a number of historical inaccuracies in it, even leaving aside the guns and zombies.”

“You know so much about human history!” Chloé sighed. “I’m still trying to catch up, I feel like I’ve got to plug a big gap in the Naga’s knowledge of your whole species…”

“We’ll get there,” Mika promised, hugging her close.

“Je vex fair atterrir my avion,” Oklahoma shouted from the cockpit. “JAY VEX FAIR AVION!” A flurry of angry French spilled out from the loudspeaker, and the pilot looked back into the cabin sheepishly. “Uh, Mika, you mind coming up here for a minute?”

*(note, Oklahoma’s French dialogue is deliberately misspelled, to convey her poor grasp of the language.)

“Sure,” Mika laughed, standing up and walking up to the cockpit. He frowned as he heard a stream of curses, “Wow, you really pissed them off!”

“Apparently air traffic control are much more in touch with their emotions in France,” Oklahoma grumbled.

…

In spite of everything, they easily obtained clearance to land at a small private airstrip just outside of the Parisian city limits to the south-west. There was a car waiting for them, the only Ford SUV in a lot of Renaults and various Japanese imports.

“I will give the French this,” Oklahoma muttered, “they drive on the right side of the road.”

“Still sour about how you almost wrecked the car in the UK?” Mika teased.

Oklahoma scowled angrily, “Complaining about the English is the core of Franco-American relations, kid.”

…

Emilie was waiting for them as the electronic gate opened, allowing the car to drive into the wide open lot, once a storage for French military vehicles, now an empty paved slab surrounded by barbed wire and fencing. She was wearing a wig to disguise her feline ears, and her tail was tucked away inside of her pants, although Mika could see the outline as she approached them excitedly.

“Mika! Chloé!” She embraced them even more intimately than Oklahoma had, and it was no wonder, given their relationship. She parted from them with a grin, looking to Oklahoma, “Well? Are you staying for dinner?”

“Sure,” the pilot laughed, “but I’ve got to be on a train to Berlin tomorrow morning, Cécilia gave me a job with the railroad company. I’m an elite security consultant now!”

“You?” Mika laughed.

“Hey, I kept your ass alive,” Oklahoma said with a shrug.

“I’ve prepared dinner,” Emilie said excitedly, “please, come this way!”

She led them into the base’s old office buildings, past the reception area and into a large state room where important guests had once been entertained by French military officials. A large painting of the storming of the Bastille hung on the far wall, and Emilie had opened the curtains to allow them to see the evening glow of the city center, not far away. The table was arranged with takeaway food from a local restaurant, the plastic carryout boxes not quite matching the otherwise fanciful room décor.

“So, what do you think of my institute so far?” Emilie asked with a smile.

“It’s a nice place,” Mika said, looking around as Chloé sat next to him. “It’s amazing that a place like this was sitting empty so close to the city.”

“Natasha bought it after the cold war ended,” Emilie explained. “I’ll give you a full tour a little later, but for now… Tell me, did you find anything interesting in South America?”

“Yeah,” Mika said, grabbing one of the takeout boxes, “We were wondering if you knew anything that could help us…”

As they ate, Mika explained the visions that he had seen while in Chloé’s tail. Emilie listened intently, nodding as the story finished.

“So you’re going to have Spider-Sense, or something?” Oklahoma joked. “Cool.”

“From the sound of things, that’s an ability that Naga priests gain over time,” Mika chuckled. “I was hoping that Emilie here might know some way of speeding it up.”

Emilie shook her head with a frown, “I can’t say that I do. I spent time among the Naga back when they were at their height, but a lot of their secrets were kept from me. I know that most of the Naga saw plenty of battles with their priests. Chloé and you have seen some fighting, true, but perhaps not enough to trigger this change?”

“I guess Chloé and I have no choice but to stick together until it begins to work,” Mika shrugged. “We need to find Chloé something to eat soon anyways. Maybe we’ll get in a fight with some terrorists or something.”

“The world’s got enough evil bastards to keep her well fed, that’s for sure,” Oklahoma nodded. “We could call up that Higgins guy and see if he’s got any ideas, he seems like the type who would know where to find warlords or drug dealers, or whatever.”

“I can start trying to get in contact with him again,” Emilie said with a nod. “The last I heard from him, he was somewhere in Africa, providing armed security for a United Nations medical mission.”

“Huh, he really did turn over a new leaf,” Oklahoma said, smirking.

“Seeing the end of the world almost happen will do that to a man,” Emilie said, smiling. “There’s also the matter of the other creatures in the world… I thought we’d have more time, but I’ve been hearing some things from a few of the Neko who still talk to me.”

“Is Yukia planning something?” Mika asked, leaning forward intently.

“No, she’s barely holding her own loyalists together,” Emilie said with a frown. She reached into her purse, withdrawing a copy of the Weekly World News. The tabloid had Gloria Chesterfield’s picture in the corner, proudly announcing her as lead journalist. The cover showed a blurry photo of what looked like a woman with foxlike ears and a tail, her teeth bared angrily.

“Fox woman spotted in Japan?” Mika read.

“Someone attacked one of the Neko Clan’s safehouses, and we don’t know who it was,” Emilie explained. “Gloria Chesterfield was there and took this photo. She said that the creature was the only survivor, so whoever it was it was strong enough to take out several Nekos by itself.”

“That’s not one of you, is it?” Mika asked with a frown.

“No,” Emilie muttered, “the whole thing makes me nervous. A vampire was spotted in the United States as well, so far the footage is being dismissed as promotion for a new horror film, but it’s unfortunately very real.”

“Sounds like we’ll have work to do soon,” Mika sighed.

“You and Chloé should train on battles in more urban areas,” Emilie suggested. “The fights in South America or Madagascar were one thing, but Chloé caused a lot of damage in Istanbul.”

“I saved a ferry full of people!” Chloé protested.

“True,” Emilie conceded, “but if you accidentally break the Eiffel Tower during your next fight, people will be angry with you no matter how many you saved.”

“We can’t exactly just practice urban combat,” Mika protested.

“Actually, you can!” Emilie said with a grin. She stood up, waving for the group to follow her. “This base also has a very large underground fallout shelter,” she explained, bringing them to a pair of elevators. “It’s what interested me about it, more than the surface facilities.”

The four of them entered the elevator, descending down into the underground portion of the base. Mika frowned as his stomach lurched with the descent, and as the moments ticked by he wondered just how far underground this shelter was. When the elevator doors dinged open a moment later, he couldn’t help but drop his mouth open in surprise.

The underground cavern was massive, stretching into the distance for hundreds of meters, and with a high ceiling that was lined with bright fluorescent lights.

“This place is huge!” Oklahoma said, her voice echoing.

“Yes, Chloé should have no problem taking her true form down here,” Emilie chuckled.

“I never would have imagined an underground facility this large existed, so close to Paris of all places!” Mika said, stunned.

“From what I understand, the French government’s new nuclear bunker is much nicer than this one,” Emilie said, gesturing to the concrete walls. “This one was built for function over form, obviously.” She turned to Chloé and Mika with a grin, “I have plenty of Lemurian fruit, you and Chloé should be able to have your visions here!”

“It’s nice to be able to do that without traveling, I suppose,” Mika mused.

“What I would propose,” Emilie began, “is that you use Chloé’s ability to change things in her vision. Create a city, modern enemies, civilians to rescue. Practice down here! Ready yourself for the battles to come.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Chloé laughed. She sprinted away from them, her footsteps echoing in the large concrete cavern. She was already pulling her clothing off, tossing it away with a flourish before starting her transformation. Mika watched as her legs fused together, her skin sprouting scales as her tail filled the massive space. True to Emilie’s promise, Chloé’s head didn’t quite touch the ceiling, and she looked down at her friends with a grin. “Now, which of my tasty friends should I sample first?”

“Chloé, I know sometimes we didn’t have options, but I do not want to go in your mouth again,” Oklahoma said with a scowl.

“That’s okay,” Chloé giggled, reaching for Mika. “I’ve got my favorite snack right here!” Her fingers wrapped around Mika, and soon he was being lifted up towards her mouth again. Soon he felt his body sliding over her lips, the warmth of her mouth enveloping him as she readied to swallow him down again.

*Gulp*

Chloé savored the sensation for a moment, feeling the soft lump that was Mika travel down her throat. She traced a finger down her neck, following his journey until he disappeared beneath her collarbone. The soft and pleasant sensation of Mika dropping through the sphincter of her esophagus and into her stomach made her sigh happily, fighting a shiver of excitement as she rolled her hips upwards slightly, positioning the entrance to her second stomach so that it was directly in front of Mika. 

“Go on,” she giggled in a teasing tone. “You’re a snack, it’s the perfect place for a snack to end up!”

“Get the fruit first,” Mika laughed. “Then I’m all yours!”

“Fine,” she huffed, crossing her arms and letting him settle against the floor of her upper stomach as she pulled herself upright again.

Chloé made her way to the large containers on the far wall, easily popping the top open and revealing the Lemurian fruit. She casually reached a hand in, taking a handful of them and eating them like berries. Within her, Mika watched as the chewed remnants fell down into her stomach. He could see the pieces being slowly swallowed up by the voracious sphincter leading to the second stomach, the soft, implacable portal he was going to have to pass through.

“I’m going further in!” Mika called, making his way to the sphincter which led to her lower stomach.

“Sounds good,” Chloé yawned, stretching across the concrete floor. She glanced at Oklahoma and Emilie, “Is there any chance you have something I could use for a pillow?” she asked.

“Afraid not,” Emilie said with an apologetic smile.

“You’d need to get a pile of mattresses or something,” Oklahoma muttered, yawning. “On that note, I’m going to go turn in, good luck with this stuff.”

“Goodnight!” Chloé waved to her friend as she made her way to the elevators.

“I’ll stay with you if that’s okay,” Emilie said, walking up to Chloé.

“Sure!” Chloé said, smiling as she reached for Emilie’s tiny body.

Emilie squeaked in surprise as she was lifted off the ground, and a moment later she was placed on Chloé’s belly button, sitting in it while listening to the gurgling of Mika’s trip through the Naga’s digestive tract. 

“Here it goes,” Chloé murmured, laying back and closing her eyes.

“Mika?” Emilie asked softly, “can you hear me?”

“Emilie?” Mika asked, looking up at the ceiling of Chloé’s first stomach, imagining the soft and toned bellybutton just on the other side. 

“I’m just going to… follow along,” Emilie said sheepishly. “It’s interesting, seeing you go on this journey!” She reached to the small bag at her side, sliding her Grimoire and a pen out, scrawling a few quick notes. “If it’s okay, I’d like to write some things down?”

“Sure,” Mika said with a smile. He made his way to the barrier between the upper and lower stomachs, the tight sphincter of muscle that separated them. He slowly brushed his hand around the entrance, as if stroking a sleeping lion. There was a rumbling gurgle, and it slowly relaxed, opening the way forwards for him.

Emilie heard the sound, and stood up, slowly walking down Chloé’s lower belly while the Naga giggled at the tickling sensation. The Neko stopped as she found herself standing before Chloé’s glistening sex, the outer lips puffed with arousal, and a rich womanly aroma billowing up from inside. Feeling slightly nervous, Emilie stepped over the massive vaginal lips, balancing herself slightly as Chloé gasped, looking up in amusement.

“Careful Emilie, or you might be going in me next!” she smirked, shooting Emilie a wink. A second later Mika passed underneath Chloé’s womanhood, stepping into her lower stomach and causing the lips to open slightly in anticipation. With a squeak of surprise Emilie leapt over them, landing on Chloé’s long tail.

“Are you still with me Emilie?” Mika called, walking across the ridged ground of the lower stomach.

“She almost fell into a trap,” Chloé teased, “but she’s still following you!”

“A trap, right,” Emilie scowled. The Neko knelt down, her catlike balance helping her stay on top of the Naga’s tail as Chloé got comfortable, straightening the massive appendage out. Emilie chewed her lip, writing down what she saw, imagining Mika traveling all the way through.

“Okay, I’m at the doorway to her intestines,” Mika shouted up. “I’m probably going to fall asleep as soon as I’m in there.” 

“No problem,” Emilie whispered, leaning down and pressing her catlike ear against the surface of Chloé’s tail. She listened to the gurgling sound as Mika made his way into the intestines, embraced by the soft cilia that carried him deeper. She shivered slightly, wondering what it would be like to experience it. She glanced up at Chloé, who was drifting off too, and decided she was tired as well. With a yawn, Emilie closed the grimoire, making her way back up Chloé’s body, gingerly stepping around her womanhood this time, and finally coming back to Chloé’s bellybutton. The naga didn’t seem to notice as Emilie curled up in it, yawning a final time before falling asleep with them. 

…

Chloé and Mika appeared in the middle of a vast blank world, a canvas which they could use to create their desires. With a flourish a series of skyscrapers and streets appeared, a city which they could use to practice, as Emilie had said.

The naga grinned down at her priest, “Ready?” she asked.

“Always,” Mika smiled back.