Monster Breeder

13. Ovulation

Step one of my plan to become stronger, visit the beach! I’m sure there are plenty of marks to obtain there. What’s that? I just came from the beach, and now I’m returning already? Where’s the variety?

Fuck that! There are powerful monsters around that could literally kill me; this isn’t a joyride!

New places have unknown threats that are almost always worse than the danger you know. Add in that I have an ally waiting for me there on top of that. When I think about it, the beach is the safest option.

“Alex? Good, you haven’t left yet.” Gabby exits the hut wearing her brown robe and rushes over to me with a jar and a blanket in hand. She looks up at me, remembers how tall I am, and scrunches her nose at me in frustration. “Kneel.”

I grin at her bossy phrasing and obey with a sarcastic, “Yes, your Highness.”

Gabby slathers ointment from the jar onto her hands. “Did you forget you’re naked? You’ve been wandering around under the sun all morning, and now you’re going back out there without protection?”

Now she mentions it, I have been feeling a little toasty around the edges. I didn’t want to complain if she couldn’t help. I guess I underestimated her abilities.

She applies ointment to the mild sunburns on my shoulders, face, and the tops of my breasts. Gabby lingers on my mammaries a few moments longer than necessary before moving on…

“I made this by soaking marigold petals and green tea leaves in avocado oil, then mashed in some aloe. Old family recipe. It’ll help heal and protect your skin. Then, tonight, I’ll give you a thorough rubdown.”

I have such a wonderful, caring, and not-so-subtly horny Goblin wife!

Gabby wipes her hands on my skin, then throws the blanket over my shoulders. She secures two ends together at my throat with a needle capped by a cork. Instant makeshift cloak. It doesn’t conceal my boobs, ass, or cock from view, but it’ll provide much protection from the sun.

“That’s my only blanket, so you’ll have to bring it back in one piece!”

I’ll burst into tears if she’s any nicer to me!

“Actually, I found something in that Book of Monsters. The Mermaid I told you about, Ariella; I think I can help her fulfill all the requirements for a Triton evolution.”

“Hmm… You want me to come with you as the ‘Summon’ user.” Gabby, sharp as ever, follows my train of thought regarding her magic spectacles. “You want me to help my main competitor for your affections evolve?”

I brandish the ring on my finger at the little Goblin shortstack. “Don’t forget, I’m wearing this, okay? I belong to you, Gabby. I’ll fuck and love other monsters, but you’ll always be special to me.”

“…” She’s pouting, but also blushing.

“You’ll get to study monster evolution…”

She perks up as I mention her hobby. Gabby adjusts her glasses and says, “At least I’ll be able to protect you this way. One moment.” She ducks inside the hut to retrieve a bandolier of drawstring pouches filled with mysterious powders. “Ready.”

I stand with a huge grin. My journey doesn’t feel so lonely anymore!

I review my remaining Mark choice…

*Goblinoid Marks – One*

Goblin Ears

Goblin Apprentice Ears

Goblin Gut

Goblin Apprentice Gut

Goblin Nails

Goblin Stature

Goblin Cock

Goblin Apprentice Fast Learner

Goblin Apprentice Quick Study

Goblin Apprentice Summon Spectacles

While Goblin Ears are my top pick (enhanced senses for the win), there are a couple of options that could majorly benefit me as well.

Goblin Gut (poison resistance) could save my life, but it’s a super niche application of a mark point. 99% of the time, it won’t be of any use.

Goblin Nails would give me a melee weapon. They’re no Wolf Claws, but better than human hands. Except I really don’t want to lose the ability to finger monster girls! Don’t make me choose between girls and life!

I’ve already realized how powerful the Goblin Spectacles are, but while I’ve got Gabby with me, it’s not an issue. Come to think of it, Gabby has the ears covered too!

Fast Learner is maybe the second most tempting option. If it works as I hope, it’ll help me learn new skills. As a weak human teenager, I’ll take every advantage I can get!

That said, I’d prefer to hold the mark in reserve to fill any gaps in my abilities until I learn when my mark points refresh.

Crossing Fuzzy Field with my Harpy Sight and Gabby’s Goblin Ears dramatically reduces the danger. I wouldn’t call it ‘safe,’ as that concept doesn’t exist in a world with monsters. However, we’re able to avoid most threats.

I scan the distance with my head above the grass while Gabby listens for rustling grass in my blind spots. We have to duck for cover once when a shadow crosses over us. It’s much too big to be Gale’s.

We cross the bunny’s trail again, but it’s too old for a quick detour, and we’re on a mission.

Then, suddenly, we’re surrounded.

The ground beneath us shakes as four furry monsters surface in a shower of gravel. They climb from their holes and summon shovels in their hands to menace us. Four mole-men box us in, snuffling as they scent my human pussy.

“Get behind me, Alex!” Gabby raises a hand to hold me back while she digs in her pouches. “I’ll use pepper spray!”

Doesn’t she have a limited amount of that? I can’t let her waste it on a couple of fucking mole-men! I grab Gabby by the waist and throw her over my shoulder, then activate Wolf Rush. Running away is my specialty!

I dart forward as the mole-men rush me, duck under a shovel, and sprint away. I’m running full bore despite the added weight of a passenger. My speed drops once Wolf Rush ends, but I activate it again immediately. Then once again!

At that point, I drop Gabby and catch my breath. Sweat pours down my brow. Whew. Good thing Gabby doesn’t weigh much.

“That was close,” Gabby says. “But you should’ve let me protect you.”

We start walking. The mole-men won’t chase us far, or the harpies will spot them, but we won’t stand here waiting for them to find us. “I knew I could outrun them, and your resources are important if we run into something actually threatening. I may only be human… but let me do what I can.”

“…” She considers my words. “You did save us.” Gabby sighs. “You’re right, I would’ve used a lot of pepper spray on them. Fine. Do as you like, Alex.”

I lean down to kiss her on the forehead. “Thanks, honey!”

“H-honey?” The kiss discombobulated the little Goblin! So cute!

“Because you’re sweet.”

Gabby’s ears turn dark green in a deep blush.

Glad we resolved that little issue of my independence. I don’t plan on staying a weak human forever, though I expect Gabby to grow stronger too with her interest in evolution.

“We’ll just have to compete to see who gets to protect the other then!”

“Hmm?” She struggles to follow my leap in logic. I stride forward, my steps light, while she moves her legs twice as fast to keep pace. “Did I miss something?”

We reach the beach without further incident.

“I didn’t stop to appreciate how beautiful the scenery is this morning!” I say, taking in the lay of the land. The sand is white and low tide reveals many colorful shells. “They never let us townies visit the beach. Too dangerous for a field trip.”

“I came this way once before, and only once,” Gabby says. She adjusts her spectacles while scanning the horizon, and her long ears twitch. “I prefer to stay in the tall grass where harpies can’t spot me.”

Understandable. If I feel nervous about the giant harpy from this morning, how much worse is it for a small person like Gabby? She wouldn’t fare any better than that mouse who got gobbled up.

The two of us descend to the wet sand.

“We need to find two second-tier aquatic monsters to ‘Expose’ to Ariella.”

Gabby clears her throat. “The book says ‘Seafolk’ specifically, though that may be splitting hairs.”

I blink in surprise. “Do you have it memorized or something?”

I did my best to remember the details, I swear!

“Oh, my, yes.” Gabby taps her head. “Eidetic memory.”

She never ceases to impress… I honestly thought Apprentice was a weak evolution when we met, but I’m definitely coming around!

My Harpy eyes scour the waves for a certain redhead but come up short. It’s not far past noon… I catch a glimpse of something for a moment, but it must have been an optical illusion. Then I finally see a familiar sight.

I point and exclaim, “That’s the rock where Ariella and I made love!” Gabby grumbles something under her breath. I look down to see her scowling, then kneel to throw my arms around her. “Don’t be like that. You’re both precious to me.” I kiss her cheek.

“You belong with me on land, Alex. I see this as an opportunity to gather marks for your unique magic and a chance to study evolution. Nothing more.”

I heave a deep sigh. Making my wives see eye to eye isn’t going to be so easy, after all. And I don’t see any sign of Ariella!

Pain on my tummy tells me my marks are changing. Already?

I sit on the sand to get a good look. Gabby notices my sudden stop, and her big yellow eyes go wide when she sees what I see.

My tummy tattoo has the outline of my uterus, ovaries, and Ariella’s egg within the double circle of marks. At this moment, the tattoo has come alive to show… I’m ovulating! We watch as the illustration of an egg travels along my fallopian tubes before entering the chamber of my uterus.

Simultaneously, a strange new marker rises from my cervix. It’s a growling wolf head resembling the Wolf Lord! It must be his seed—I’ve heard semen can survive in a woman for several days after ejaculation.

More movement. Ariella’s egg quivers as if coming to life. It must have been waiting for this moment and sensed my ovulation.

The Mermaid egg hatches to reveal a tiny swimmer somewhat resembling a giant sperm. It has a tattoo mark with an illustration resembling Ariella’s face, and her eyes are hungry! Both marks race for my ovum.

“Go, Ariella! Do it! Beat him!” I cheer on my Mermaid bride’s spawn as it competes with a third-tier wolf’s seed.

The Wolf Lord’s mark barks silently as the sperm swims toward my vulnerable ovum. Meanwhile, Ariella’s mark has a glint in her eye as she nears the goal.

Ariella’s face takes a big bite, then grins in victory as her spawn consumes my egg. The Wolf Lord’s mark howls in defeat and dissolves as the sperms die.

“Hurray!”

“Nothing is ever boring around you,” Gabby comments.

Ariella’s face mark morphs, shifting and de-aging until I see a little sleeping girl’s face. This girl’s features have a distinct resemblance to mine.

*You’ve Conceived a Mermaid! Congratulations! – One Female Breeder Mark!

I can’t help it. I ugly-cry.