Reborn as a Succubus: Time To Live My Best Life!

The night air in Javir's garden was humming with so much conversation happening and energy in the air.

Kimiko lounged on a marble bench. Her massive tits were almost spilling out of her evening dress as she traded war stories with Armia's father. The darian man's booming laugh echoed through the garden every few minutes. Near the fountain, Jaylin was helping Margaret with her spellwork. Melisa's mom had her purple hair tied back and she was wearing some robes that looked like she'd borrowed them from Zephyra, giggling as Jaylin guided her through the motions of a particularly complex spellsign.

"Oh, like this?" Margaret asked, adjusting her hands.

"N-No, like THIS!" Jaylin groaned as she moved Margaret's hands maybe an inch lower than they'd been.

[... Okay.]

A few feet away, Isabella was doing what she did best - being an absolute menace to Armia's sanity. She had a glass of wine in her hand and it was about half empty.

"Come on," Isabella whined, a faint blush on her face and her pink tail swishing as she poked Armia's muscular arm. "Why are you pulling away so much!?"

"Because I'd rather not have you drape yourself all over me," Armia growled. "Your breath is almost burning my brows off."

"That right? Well I could put my mouth somewhere else," Isabella's grin turned wicked. "I've been wanting another taste of that fat dragon co-"

"ISABELLA!"

A little bit farther from everyone, by the very edge of the garden that overlooked the rest of the city, Melistair was pointing up at stars, describing them to Hazel. Probably talking about constellations or something.

It was... by all accounts, a vibrant night. The only one missing was Javir herself, who said she'd rather have some peace and quiet tonight.

Normally, Melisa would have found all the antics around her entertaining, but her mind kept drifting back to that moment in the palace gardens. The way that lizard (Sir Scales) had just... stopped living.

Both times. First when she tried to extend its life, then when she attempted to bring it back again.

[Two deaths,] she thought, leaning against a tree trunk. [Well, three, actually, since Zephyra had to kill it first before we could start conducting our next animal rights violations. But, anyway, two instances of trying to heal it back to full health... same result.]

The implications for the king, and for Kimiko, were... not good. If she couldn't even maintain the resurrection of a simple lizard, what hope did she have of saving them? Every possibility she'd considered seemed to lead to the same dead end.

[Dead end,] she thought with a grimace. [Poor choice of words there, Mel.]

"You're thinking so loud I can practically hear it from across the garden."

Melisa jumped slightly.

That string of words, softly conveyed, had come from a girl whose grey eyes were looking down at Melisa with some concern. Raven had materialized before her, hands wrapped around a glass of liquor.

"Just..." Melisa sighed, her tail curling around her waist. "Thinking about the king. And Kimiko. And Sir Scales."

"The lizard?" Raven asked as she sat beside her. Her voice was neutral, but Melisa had learned to read the subtle signs of interest - the slight tilt of her head, for example.

"Yeah. I tried to save it. Twice. And both times..." Melisa shook her head. "I keep thinking there must be something I'm missing. Some way to make the spell permanent, or at least longer-lasting. But what if there isn't? What if this is just... it?"

Raven was quiet for a moment, watching Isabella try to climb onto Armia's shoulders while Armia tried her hardest to fight her off.

"Maybe," she finally said, her voice soft but firm, "it's not your job to keep making miracles."

"What do you mean?"

"You already did the impossible once," Raven pointed out quietly. "Twice, if you count Isabella using your spell. You brought two individuals back from death. Maybe trying to stretch that miracle further is... presumptuous?"

Melisa's tail bristled slightly.

"So I should just let them die?" She tried to say it as silently as she could. It would probably kill the mood entirely, after all, if Kimiko heard her.

And yet, Kimiko's right ear twitched as soon as Melisa finished that question.

"No," Raven shook her head. "But maybe accept that you've already given them more time than they should have had. More time with her daughter, for Kimiko. More time to prepare Syux for the future, for the king."

From across the garden, Mr. Duskscale's laugh boomed again as Kimiko apparently reached the punchline of her story.

"I just..." Melisa's voice cracked slightly. "I hate feeling helpless like this."

[It's exactly what I was hoping to avoid when I reincarnated.]

Raven's hand found hers in the darkness, squeezing gently.

"You're not helpless," she said. "You're just human." She paused.

Then, she blushed.

Another honest-to-the-gods blush from Raven Nightsong.

"Well, nim," she continued, clearly a bit embarrassed. "You know what I mean."

Despite herself, Melisa chuckled.

"Yeah, I do." She squeezed Raven's hand back. "When did you get so wise anyway?"

"Probably around the time I stopped trying to kill you and started listening instead."

They stood in comfortable silence for a while, watching their friends and family enjoy the evening.

Isabella had finally succeeded in climbing onto Armia's shoulders and was now declaring herself "Queen of the Dragons" while Armia threatened to dump her in the fountain. Jaylin had moved on to teaching Margaret some basic combat magic, while Kimiko and Mr. Duskscale had started comparing scars.

[Maybe Raven's right,] Melisa thought, a sense of acceptance setting in her gut. [Maybe sometimes one miracle is enough.]

Still, as she watched the others laugh and play and train, she couldn't quite shake the image of Aria's face when Sir Scales had died that second time. The hope draining from her eyes, replaced by that terrible understanding.

[... But,] she finally added, [I should probably try to make sure they'll be ready for it when it happens.]

She sighed, dropping her head onto Raven's shoulder.

The former assassin flinched but slowly got comfortable in their new position.

"Drinking is entirely new to me." Raven said, kinda out of nowhere. "We weren't allowed to have alcohol in the headquarters. It 'lessened your self-control', Miria used to tell me. 'Made me a less capable warrior.' I drank a bit of wine at the gala and I liked it. Figured I should try this." She gestured vaguely at her liquor.

"Yeah?" Melisa looked up at her. "Ya like it?"

"Not at all." Raven said that and then proceeded to drink her liquor anyway. "Not one bit."

---

{Isabella}

Isabella stumbled her way over to where Kimiko was standing by the garden's railing. Her mom was gazing out at the city lights below, her massive tits resting on the stone as she leaned forward slightly. The evening breeze played with her pink hair, making her look almost ethereal in the moonlight.

[She looks... different,] Isabella thought, her wine-addled brain trying to pin down exactly what it was. Maybe it was the way Kimiko's usual playful smirk was missing, replaced by something more contemplative.

"Heeeey," Isabella sidled up next to her mother, bumping their hips together. "Whatcha thinking about? Got tired of trading war stories with Papa Dragon?"

Kimiko didn't answer right away. Her ear twitched - something Isabella had learned meant she was wrestling with whether to say something or not.

"Mom?" Isabella's voice softened, some of her drunken haze clearing.

"I overheard something interesting," Kimiko finally said, still looking out at the city. "About Melisa's spell. The one she used to save me."

"Oh?" Isabella perked up. "Did they figure out how to make it better or something?"

Kimiko turned to face her daughter, and something in her expression made Isabella's tail freeze mid-swish.

"Actually," Kimiko's voice was gentle, "it seems the resurrection isn't permanent. The spell... it wears off."

Isabella's wine glass slipped from suddenly numb fingers. Armia, who'd been watching to make sure Isabella didn't break anything, caught it before it could shatter.

"What?" Isabella's voice came out small. "No, that's... that can't be right. Melisa would have told me if-"

"She's been trying to fix it," Kimiko cut her off softly. "She and Zephyra have been experimenting. But their test subject - a lizard they brought back - it didn't make it."

"But," Isabella's ears flattened against her head, "but we can figure something out! Between my wand and Melisa's magic-"

Kimiko pulled her by the wrist and silenced her with a kiss. Not their usual playful ones, or even their passionate ones, but something softer. When she pulled back, her green eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"My beautiful, brilliant girl," she whispered, cupping Isabella's face. "Always trying to fix everything."

"Mom, please," Isabella's voice softened. "Don't just... don't just accept this!"

"Instead of wasting time trying to find a way to bring me back again," Kimiko's thumb stroked Isabella's cheek, catching a tear Isabella hadn't even realized had fallen, "maybe we should focus on enjoying what time we have left. Make some memories for you to hold onto."

"That's not FAIR," Isabella sobbed, pressing her face into Kimiko's shoulder. "You can't just... you can't..."

"Why not?" Kimiko's arms wrapped around her. "I've lived a fairly good life. Had some amazing adventures, grew up with one woman I loved and met another one, helped create a revolutionary magical tool, and most importantly," she tilted Isabella's chin up, "raised the most incredible daughter I could have asked for."

"Even though I'm drunk and trying to climb Armia like a tree?"

That got a laugh out of Kimiko.

"Especially because of that. You're perfect exactly as you are, my little vixen."

They stood there for a while, holding each other as the sounds of the evening continued around them. Armia was still holding Isabella's wine glass, looking unsure whether to leave them alone or stay close. Behind them, Hazel was asking increasingly complicated questions about constellations, blissfully unaware of the moment happening just feet away.

"I love you, Mom," Isabella whispered, her tail curling around Kimiko's waist.

"I love you too, baby," Kimiko kissed her forehead. "Now, what do you say we go make some of those memories? I bet between the two of us we could definitely get you up on Armia's shoulders again."

Isabella managed a watery laugh.

"Yeah... yeah, okay."