X-Com Chimera 31 [LazyKitsune]

[Lorielle]

Bruiser takes 4 damage! 4/8

The bruiser didnt know what hit him as you phased in behind him, his shield on the completely wrong side to deflect or minimize the damage he could have taken from shots. You hear a strained grown and thunk as his shield taps against the ground, but he still seems to be raring to go.


Python Uses tongue grab!
Phys vs Athena: 19! Hit!
Athena is pulled to the Python and Coiled!

You successfully land a hit on the bruiser, but your attempt to dig Athena out of her predicament mattered little to the Python as she rears back, gathering the energy needed to unleash her tongue against the Templar. Reaching over the low cover she was in and pulling her through the air and instantly coiling the young woman. "Shit!" You hear her shout, but on top of that your comfort you offer into the projection is overtaken by the sudden surge of panicked passion. You can see and feel the emotions rising from Athena, her projection writhing around fucking your face harder and drawing your breathe away as she seemingly wants to escape your projection with force along with her present predicament.

Bruiser Reposition: 15
Bruiser aims at Asa: 9! Miss!


With one of his threats dealt with by his ally the bruiser sees the opportunity to reposition so that you werent directly against his back, shifting to some cover that secures him from you and your allies he takes a shot with his side arm, but it slams uselessly against the cover you found yourself in.

Athena is Coiled! takes 2 damage! 13/15
Athena tries to maintain the meld: 12! Success!
The python's tail muscles are too much, not even mutons could really resist the hardened muscles, there was little Athena could do but get squeezed by the python, feeling her bones creaking under the immense pressure. Despite this though she remembers her training working to not let the thin bridge between the two of you snap and spiraling this situation even worse.

Monsoon Repositions: 11
Monsoon aims at the bruiser: 10! Miss!
Bruiser takes 2-1 damage from reliable! 3/8 HP
Monsoon shifts towards the Bruiser, to close the distance with her shotgun, but despite this the Bruiser's position is too good and as she fires she only manages to wing the man with a few stray pellets, unfortunately though the man's enhanced armor plating lessens the pain he would have otherwise felt.

Paladin aims at Aloe: 4! Miss
Aloe aims at Paladin: 21! Crit!
Paladin is dead!
In a bit of a panicked shot the sectoid takes aim with his plasma pistol, but the shots go wide unable to really do anything as Aloe was well behind cover, a guttural scream is the last thing anyone hears from this side of the room just after Aloe lets off her own barrage of shots at the sectoid littering the man with bullets. "All clear over here boss!"

Raven support Luck: 1!
No support for the upcoming round.
You hear over the radio as you're just about to make your next move. "Shit sorry Ma'am, gun's jammed i'll need a sec!" You hear crackle over the radio. All that was left was the bruiser and python who was currently entangled with your comrade.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Its a strange sensation, to feel Athena's frantic panic translate as a frantic face fucking in our mind meld. She holds herself together enough to keep the link but the sensation is strong enough that I find myself swirling my tongue around my mouth to make room for an imaginary cock pushing out against my cheek. With Monsoon helping me pin down the Bruiser and Aloe bagging themselves a Sectoid, things were turning in our favour even with the Templar currently bound. No support from Raven right now, but we were making do.

Eager to free Athena from the clutches of the Python, I aim carefully to try and take a shot at it without hitting her.

Asa Attack: 4 (Nat 1)

However right as I focus on the Python, the feedback from Athena hits its most potent. In an instant, I not only feel her panic, but also the sensation of being pound in the Python's coils. My arms tighten against my chest reflexively, even though there is nothing physically binding them. This causes my shot to go wide and I curse my wavering focus. It slipped for just a moment, but that moment was enough for the duress and physical constriction Athena was feeling to enter our mental link and start to colour it just as much as her other subconscious thoughts had. My knees buckle under the wave of psionic energy that hits me from the feedback, and I have to reach out to catch myself against the cover near me to stop myself from falling onto my knees.

Asa Will: 10

The psionic projection changes. No longer was I servicing Athena. Now we were kneeling while bound in the Python's coil, who seemed much larger in the psionic illusion. We struggled weakly against the coils that bound us together, while the Python's twin cocks stood between our faces while we both found ourselves meekly kissing along its lengths.

[Lorielle]

Timeline!
Asa > Python > Bruiser > Athena > Monsoon > Paladin > Aloe

Python continues to coil Athena!
Athena Takes 2 damage! 11/15 HP
Athena attempts to maintain the mental link DC 15: 12! Mental link holds

"F-fuck!" Athena groans out, the pain was heavy on the Templar's mind, but she remained resilient in the face of the adversity present. Her arms continue to buckle, she shifts and writhes against the coils, but the feeling the projection was already seeming to have some sort of effect on the templar. Her resistance lessened just slight and her mouth opens up in a pant, her tongue hanging out as her mind is assaulted by the vision of servicing this python currently squeezing the life out of her. You could feel through the link the growing arousal that was taking place, but just how was Athena going to take it once she could gather her wits?

Bruiser Tactics roll: 6!
Bruiser aims at Monsoon: 12! Miss!

The bruiser seems to lose sight of you as you collapse against your cover, wrapped up in your projection keeping your head down seemed to save you in this moment, though if the man was less panicked he certainly would have taken advantage of your mentally stunned state. Instead he hoists his pistol at Monsoon and takes a shot, though his aim certainly needed work as his shot goes wide.

Athena opposed Will vs Asa: 12 vs 10!
The projection seeped into Athena's mental state, the feeling of servicing this python, allowing herself to be coiled by it, you'd given the templar a vision of pleasure that seemingly the two of you should accept, but even against your immense will Athena seems to turn it around, though seemingly in a way that seems to push you even further down. Within the projection Athena somehow manages to get her arms free, she's no longer placing light kisses on those twin dicks, instead her hands her against your head pushing your lips down. "Fucking nn whore~ you want to serve cock so badly, take it then, take her dick like you'll take mine when we're free!" She says, her voice forceful and demeaning, she was no longer seeing you as her commanding officer, instead as a slut who was making the situation worse, who needed to be shown her place.

Monsoon Reposition: 12! Closes the distance
Monsoon Activates Disarm! 8/10 WP
Opposed Grapple: 16 vs 15! Bruiser is Disarmed!

Monsoon senses an opportunity, the lull in combat and the lack of skill coming from her opposnent she seizes the moment, using her muton physicality she leaps over a table and ends up within arms reach with the bruiser. Within a split the Muton woman uses the butt of her shot gun against the man's firing wrist causing him to drop his pistol. "Its over!" She shouts in that muton way, her throat muscles rippling.

Aloe Reposition: 19!
Aloe attempts to get the bruiser to surrender: 20! Crit!
Bruiser Surrenders!

Aloe sprints from halfway across the room towards Monsoon and the bruiser and seemingly unison she had her assault rifle against the man's helmet. "Com'on love, its over for you, throw down the shield." She says in a lower soft tone to contrast monsoon. This display seems to work as the man throws the shield down and he gets on his knees slowly raising his arms behind his head. Just the Python left!

[Lazy Kitsune]

The mixed sensations of feeling Athena's arousal at being bound tighter, and the sudden shift in the projection made focusing a bigger challenge than it should have been. Fortunately Monsoon and Aloe were keeping up the offensive, securing any possible distractions outside of the Python. Even as I felt myself choke on the Python's cock, a part of my brain becoming confused and dazed - was a whore? Did I want to serve cock that badly? - I manage to shake it off to focus on taking the shot. Whatever was happening in the link was a confused manifestation of reactionary emotions and fragments of Athena's subconscious fantasy. I've seen far stranger in the minds of others, the only difference was that as a Templar Athena had stronger psionic energy feeding back on me than I was used to. It made it all feel more real... but I had to keep it out of my mind.

Asa Attack: 12
Damage: 6

The shot was successful, but I still feel the link getting to me. I try to focus on stabilising it, get it back in some semblance of order. It doesn't need to be perfectly calm, just less overwhelming... but I feel a strange push back that makes it hard to control.

Asa Will: 7 vs Athena Will: 13

[Lorielle]

Python takes 6 damage! 2/8
Python will roll: 9! Python Surrenders!
Combat over!
Athena spends 5 WP for ???


Your barrage slams into the python's coils thankfully none tag Athena, the hiss of pain causes the Python to release her quarry, but that suddenly opens up the realization for the Python that the situation is untenable and she tosses her plasma rifle away to avoid being shot or cut to pieces by Athena in the heat of the moment. Suddenly the situation takes on a certain calm, and this calm lets you turn to your Mental link with Athena, wishing to stabilize it you realize.. something.. something is really changed about it.

Within the projection itself the Python is gone, but not even by your hands, instead it seems like the python projection and Athena... had merged. The presence you felt was as overwhelming as before, Athena was larger physically and mentally in your mind. Seemingly consuming all of your mental capacity as the projection's vison consumes your vision. The world slows down around the two of you as for a brief moment the mental bridge between the two of you takes on a devilish red color as your "partner" forces her own psionic energy into the link, causes it to reform around this new dynamic.

You were on your hands and knees, Athena's projection standing tall above you, but she was twin dicked like the python before, as if maintaining the continuity from before. "Your place is like this 'Commander,' You might know how to use this energy, this Power, but its clear you resistance psionics think your little spells are sufficient, no you lack Discipline, from now own you're my disciple, understood Asa? You. Are. Mine."

With this seed planted Athena reverts to something more normal as the link stabilizes, but something feels familiar about this.. you were still on your hands and knees, Athena's hardened hands against the back of your head as she thrusts in and out of your mouth. And that domineer tone remained, not a lick of gratefulness for your role in freeing her from the Python's coil, only the feeling of anger and exasperation as her cock dives in and out of your mouth reminding you, whispering into your mind, whore~ Slut~ Cumdump~

New Trait!
Templars out rank me: You've been implanted to believe in terms of psionic ability Athena will always be your superior and that comes with certain perks for your new ranking superior -5 will against Athena, opens up training options during standby periods.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Buffed by my own psionic energies through the mental link, Athena's own potent energies surge back at me unexpectedly. With my main focus on shooting the Python and freeing Athena, I left myself open to her taking the reins on our link and redefine the rules of our bond. This was overwhelming... I had to... I had to...

What did I have to do... I... can't quite remember. But it seems Athena was freed now. The least I could do for being so useless to her so far. I would hold the connection though, of course, as bolstering her abilities with my psionic presence was the most useful thing I could do right now. Well... not quite... I still had to lead my team... but this link was just as important. I could learn so much from Athena's superior Templar technique... and I had to make my failures up to her.

It felt even more vivid now, the sensation of servicing Athena so obediently. Was I really a whore? A slut? N-no... but... this must be my subconscious fantasy, right? What I mistakenly interpreted as a mismatched of Athena's subconscious and my attempts to support her was actually a manifestation of my inner Templar cumdump. Yes... that must be it... That makes sense...

"Alright, tie up the prisoners, we'll have to keep moving. Raven, can you get eyes on further hostiles?" I call out, checking over everyone and heading towards Athena to help her up and make sure she was okay in particular.

"We'll split up to cover more ground quickly. Athena and I will sweep the east wing of the museum. Monsoon and Aloe you sweep west." Was that... the right strategy? It must be, why else would I have jumped to it so quickly. "Raven if possible alternate who you provide cover for, but until I say otherwise prioritise the team going west if you can."

[Lorielle]

Running up to Athena it was clear her arms and legs took a bit of a beating from the coiling, points where the viper's scales met the woman's body suit were especially evident, around her thighs and arms the material was practically sheered off, giving her suit a sort of cut of vibe that heightening the warrior vibe she was giving off. You help her too her feet as Aloe comes over with some zip ties. The redhead speaking up. "31PD will be here in just a sec Ma'am, let me see your wound Athena." With that Aloe pulls out a small first aid kit from her tool belt and sprays the open parts of Athena's suit with a burn gel that should help soothe at least the surface pain.

"Thanks Aloe." Athena replies as you get your reply from the rest of the team. Monsoon and Raven acknowledge with no back talk. The plan seemed sound enough, after all 31PD only spoke about these two occupied rooms. If there were any tangos left they'd be isolated.

Something happens in the projection though, seemingly.. it.. mirrors what is happening in real life though you feel your mouth plugged up by psionic cum, Athena commands that you arent allowed to swallow it as the projection shifts to take on a.. strange simulacrum of real life, Athena seems to approach you from her short distance away but as the two of you walk off to the east wing door, the Projection(?) grabs a handful of your ass. "Lets get going commander, we should be quick dont you think?" Athena says to you. You cant help but nod as the two of you pick up the pace sweeping the building.

About 5 or so minutes in, the halls are empty save the sounds of your foot steps. Your squadmates do their check ins and all seems to proceed apace. The projection continues like normal, a strange simulacrum of real life, but your mouth was full of cum you were allowed to swallow, making it so you were unable to say anything though it felt utterly right. Thats when the two of you come across the bathrooms at the end of the hall. And you feel a whisper in the projection. We deserve a break.. lets stop by one of the stalls and let off a little stress. You hear Athena whisper into your ear, her(?) hand still firmly clapped against your ass, kneading it, forcing you to just take it.

[Lazy Kitsune]

I felt the taste of Athena's cum the entire time we swept the building. At least, a psionic projection of her cum... I had no idea if it tasted like the real thing. Unless Athena had ever tasted her own cum, in which case it was likely sampled from her own memory. Fortunately the projection seemed to stabilise now, syncing up neatly with reality, with just a few minor differences. This helped me focus on paying attention to my surroundings better without distraction. Unfortunately it also made the cum in my mouth seem all the more real, and so I avoided speaking where possible. In may just be a projection, but it felt important that I did as psionic Athena commanded and avoided swallowing, leaving me very thoroughly shut up by my subordinate superior.

Asa Will: 8

"Mmhmm~" I murmur, nodding at her words. Yes... we could use a moment to destress. The fights had gone well so far but they were still very intense. I step into the bathroom as if in a daze, waiting with Athena's hand on my ass... my projections ass... she wouldn't actually touch me like that... obviously...

[Lorielle]

Athena's(?) hand slides to between your legs her fingers pressing at your crotch. The projection seems to acknowledge you were sopping wet bringing your attention to your real life self and feeling how slick you felt against the Projection's(?) fingers. The two of you walk into the bathroom but you realize you didnt actually tell Athena why were you in here, but she followed you in regardless. She looks at you somewhat oddly.. standing there with a sort of expectant stance, one of her arms seemed to be behind you but you didnt mind.

As you stood in front of one of the bathroom door stalls the projection speaks up as it presses its fingers harder against your pussy. "Swallow Cunt, then beg, beg your superior to fuck you and free you of your worries~" The projection speaks, working its fingers in tandem with its command.

[Lazy Kitsune]

My projection's hips shake from the feeling of Athena's fingers upon me... a motion that my real body starts to mirror even as I stand silently before Athena. My pussy was slick and aching with need for this younger woman in ways I didn't even realise until now. I find myself gulping down the imaginary cum, feeling it slide down my throat as I hold my gaze with Athena's own. I lick my lips afterwards as my breathing grows quicker from the feeling of her psionic projection toying with me.

"P-please..." I gasp out, dropping to my knees before her... where it just felt right to belong. "Please... fuck me... fuck my worries out of me... use me... please... just take me, I'll do anything..." my voice is breathy and dizzy, my eyes unfocused as they stare up at Athena.

[Lorielle]

Both the real Athena and Projected Athena stand there, her hip slightly crooked to the side, her wrist resting on it. Watching as you slowly follow her masked gaze downwards as you sink to your knees. The ever so slight presence of a smile on Athena's face as she gets to watch your utterly debauched display. There was no way a commander should be acting like this, but your inner templar Cumdump self soothed your mind, whispered to you sweetly that this was exactly what you wanted.

The projection seems to utterly meld with real life at this point, you feel Athena's hand sliding under your chin, lifting your face up towards her. "Of course, Commander(Whore). I (You) cant refuse an order." She pulls her hand away from your chin letting your face drop as you feel her cock slap against your head. "These white locks.. i wonder if i should wrap them around my dick and utterly coat you in filth, (you'd like that wouldnt you Slut) But we wouldnt want others to know we were having a spot of fun on the job, so lets be quick, get up and bend over the toilet Commander (Whore).

And of course you obey without a second thought, rising to your feet, feeling the anticipation rising throughout your whole body.

SLAP SLAP Athena was pick to pull down your combat leggings baring your creamy ass for her only to redden the smooth surface with her hand. "Thats it.. you're gonna love this Asa." You feel the tip of Athena's dick against your cunt, sliding against your wet folds.. feeling her precum stain your body. But then something feels off. When you refocus the projection seems to be standing in front of you.

"This is the perfect opportunity for training Cunt. Your throat needs work and so does your tongue." The projection grabs your projection by the chin and forces your mouth open and in unison both Athena's slam home with no care for you in the world, their hips rocking back and forth in a perfectly timed seesaw. The only thing on your mind is Bliss

[Lazy Kitsune]

Utterly demeaned and manhandled by Athena and her psionic projection at the same time, my brain fogs over with the a psychic haze. As her cock smacks against my head, it shoves out my own personality, leaving only Athena's view of me to linger in its place. "Yes, ma'am..." I gasp out as she commands me, and I shakily rise to my feet. Eager to follow orders like a good soldier whore, I bend myself over the toilet and let Athena strip me down.

I gasp out as I feel her slap my ass with force, not a single ounce of respect holding her back as she spanked me before lining herself up with my eager pussy. I would beg her to fuck me or moan out in need, but Athena had other plans. Once again I find my mind overwhelmed with the sensation of sucking on cock so vivid that it makes me gag. I move my head in motions that mimic my own psionic mind, bobbing back and forth on Athena's cock and letting out a wet slurping sound around the air before me - my tongue reaching out to lick upon an undershaft and ballsack that wasn't' there - but I could taste it all the same. As Athena takes my body for her own, her cock spreading me open and fucking me, my moans are pushed out but garbled my the saliva I'm producing by gagging on nothing. With no cock in the way, this drool flows over my lips and drips down my chin as I throw my hips back at my superior.

[Lorielle]

Your moans, your gags, the clapping of your ass against Athena's thighs are all music to the Templar's ears. While her domination of you is partially subconscious, the desire for you to submit to her, to see her as your Superior she's nonetheless enjoying witnessing this side of you, subsequently turn the knob up on just how much more she wants to see you submit to her. Her mind is filled with the thoughts of how far to push this, at first she just wanted to lord it over you that her techniques were superior, but no, now her mental link is slowly leaking into your mind that she, just is.

A couple more hard slaps follow, your ass marked by an indelible red hand print. "You like that commander Bitch? I have so much more to give you when we get back at base, but fuck.. the way you've been teasing me all mission, you need to be taught a lesson now!" She slams her hips hard on this particular thrust driving you against the cistern of the toilet though the feeling of the projection's own thrusts drive you upward bending your back somewhat painfully. But the lesson is clear Linking to Athena is Submission, you are expected to submit. "When we get back to base we're gonna need to strengthen this link too~ Cant have it breaking or have you turn it off when you want. Doesnt that sound lovely Cunt?" For a brief second the projection removes her cock from your mouth, allowing you to speak. Theres a flicker though.. you dont need to accept this do you? to be mentally leashed and allow her to hold the reins..

[Lazy Kitsune]

I'm not usually so submissive a lover... but something about Athena changed that. She was just so dominant... so much better than me... so superior. As a fighter, a psionic, a leader, a lover... just as a person... better, in every way. This realisation slipped into my head as if from nowhere and started to burry itself deep into my subconscious. As deep as Athena's cock drove into my eager, whorish pussy. She spanks and demeans me as she uses my body for her own pleasure, fucking me against the toilet like some cheap whore, or overly drunk night club slut she didn't care enough to take home before screwing.

As her projection pulls her cock from my mouth, I cry out in pleasure and gasp for air, before looking up at her with hazy eyes. I'm part way through nodding in agreement with her words when...

Asa Will: 14

The fog over my mind lifts for a moment and I start to realise this situation doesn't feel quite right...

"N-no! Athena ~ah~ slow down... I'm your commanding officer ~Mmph~ Something... something's wrong here... I ~ugh~ I order you to stop." Something must be wrong with the psionic projection. It almost feels like Athena really was fucking me against a public toilet. If she didn't pull herself together, I may have to break the link to help us both recover and figure out what happened.

[Lorielle]

Those words were clearly not the one the Projection expected to hear. You feel the feed back of anger seep into you. And within moments you mouth was taken hold of again and the projection slams back inside your throat, carving out this shape you were thoroughly being trained on. You only hear the dual grunts and moans coming from both Athenas as she makes up for your little transgression, you werent going to wiggle away out from it so easily, not while the link held.

"Shut it Bitch, you asked me to fuck you, to 'destress' remember, begged me to give me my cock. Especially after your teasing in the middle of those firefights. Im just taking what I'm owed, now keep quiet and accept your place!" There was no mercy now from the Projection, seemingly picking up the place before even he real life counterpart has the mental capacity to do so. They were nearing the edge and if you werent.. the link was certainly making you want to cum at the same time at your Superior.

[Lazy Kitsune]

Asa Will: 2

Silenced once again by Athena's psionic cock, I find myself fucked into maintaining the link, my brief moment of near lucidity fucked back into that warm obedient haze she had put me into in the first place. The relentless assault on my body and mind at the same time had me shaking beneath Athena, my legs trembling as they strained to keep me positioned to take her cock even as she used me brutally - punishing me for my moment of disobedience. I gripped tightly to the toilet cistern for stability. My head tilted up, gurgling on invisible cock as my eyes rolled back into my head. Yes... fuck... I could feel it... my body and mind at the same time were ready to climax the moment Athena was ready - our link perfectly syncing us both up for a simultaneous orgasm.

[Lorielle]

If there was any visual indication of just how strong the mental link was between the two of you in this moment it would be the seemingly roiling aura around Athena's head and the seemingly drained aura yours had by comparison. Perfectly illustrating the dynamic as you were bent over a porcelain throne, entire body rocking back and forth. Your psionic will pummeled into submission by the Templar pummeling your pussy. That sickeningly sweet feeling emanating from her mind. She's loving every moment of this and in turn you were being made to love it, to accept it.

And the tiny moment that you do. It all comes crashing down at once. Your mind and body filled with boiling cum. The Projection and Athena are silent on the matter, but you know in your heart what they're telling you to do. Accept it, Take it, like the good little Cumdump you are This mantra roiling around in your mind as you feel Athena against your back, her tits, her breath against you. She's utterly exhausted but entirely content for the moment. Though you can feel her thighs pressed hard against your ass. She wants to ensure her cum doesnt leak out of you too quickly. Though the psionic cum you were forced to take.. well it feels like you could almost choke on it if you dont swallow.

[Lazy Kitsune]

I swallow on air to drink down cum that existed only in my mind, while Athena pressed into me. I fell, slumped against the toilet having been fucked past the brink. I felt her pump her seed into me, conquering my womb as she did my mind and body. My psionic image reacted, appearing pregnant in Athena's mind. Whether this was because of a subconscious urge of hers to knock me up, or my own acknowledgement of the potency of her superior genetics, I did not know. But if I didn't take precautions the odds of this projection becoming a reality would be quite high if Athena continued to keep her cum plugged inside of me as she was. Not that I reacted at all. I was her cumdump, and right now she held all the power. The mission, the chain of command, my team... Athena suppressed all those concerns under the drive to be her good little cumdump.

[Lorielle]

Athena tries to maintain the link: 8! Success

The moment of bliss seems to drag on for quite a while. The two of you filled with by the swell of content that seemed to ripple out from Athena’s subconscious. The fact you weren’t fighting back either during this low point in Athena’s mental stability as well gives the Templar the impetuous to maintain and stabilize the link. You actually hear her wince a bit, likely from her earlier wounds as she focuses her mind. The link holds though as the Projection unplugs your mouth. Letting her semi-flaccid cock slap against your face. ”That was a good lesson wasn’t it Cunt? Get cleaned up. You need to report in to the rest of the team. The link stays until we’re back on the APC.”

It says so matter of factly, giving you no room to argue, but you do feel Athena’s hand against your ass, caressing it, reminding you she owned it. Though she uses that hand in particular to stabilize her position and stand up, letting her cock slip out of you with a wet plop. As she does so the plug is released and a light torrent of her jizz spills out of you. A slap confirms she’s no longer resting on you and is ready to get a move on.

[Lazy Kitsune]

With a weak nod I struggle to my feet and tear away some toilet roll to clean my ass and thighs up with. There's no need to do anything about the mess on the ground, I only needed to clean myself up. Staggering out of the stall and pulling my pants back up, I neaten up before standing by the exit of the bathroom. I click on my radio. "Aloe, Monsoon, come in. So far our wing has been empty, have you encountered any signs of further hostiles? Over." I ask. As authoritative as my voice is over the radio, my stance is anything but. I follow close to Athena, letting her take the lead in our continued search of the building. In the psionic projection, I find a collar forms around my neck, the leash held in Athena's hand... tugging me along as she walks ahead of me.