"He makes a lot of mistakes. Maybe he makes the worst decisions just to get what he wants… like what he did with you, with me, and with all the others. But that inability to feel guilt keeps him from ever stopping. Even when he's wrong, he keeps moving forward without taking the time to reflect on whether what he's doing is right or wrong, if he could've done it better, or if it's even worth continuing," Andromeda explained.
Tonks remained silent, listening to her mother as if she were telling her a bedtime story… only this wasn't a fairy tale.
"Are you telling me all of this is happening because Red is trying to compensate for something?" she asked, trying to process it.
"Yes. I used to think it was to compensate for the size of his dick, but after everything I've learned, it's clear that's not it," Andromeda joked, though there was sadness in her voice. "It's something much deeper… something that, from what I've learned about him, would require therapy with a human psychologist… I mean, a muggle. Though at this point, I doubt it would help."
"So… none of this would've happened if I had just loved him more?" Tonks asked, feeling both confused and irritated. It sounded like she was being blamed.
"No, you couldn't have prevented it. You were too immature to understand the magnitude of what was needed," her mother replied firmly. "Though… I won't deny that if you had played your cards right at the right time, maybe things would've turned out differently." She paused for a moment before adding: "If you had been more assertive, more dominant… if you had completely subdued him, worn him out and reaffirmed your authority—but with love—maybe the roles would've shifted a bit. His 'fishing net' of women might've turned into a 'fishing rod.'"
"Sounds like you're just making excuses for him…" Tonks replied, unwilling to accept the idea that she could've prevented it all just by 'loving him more.' It was too sad to even consider. "So what, I just have to fuck him and turn him into my bitch? It's not as easy as you think. We only last that long in bed because he allows it."
"No, that wouldn't work anymore. It's too late," Andromeda corrected seriously. "I think, at this point, he needs something very specific… or someone very specific. Someone who can give him the care and affection of a mother, with the trust of a friend, and who can also satisfy his twisted lust like no one else." She sighed. "If he could find someone who had all three and could give it to him consistently… maybe things would get better. But at this point, I doubt it. Though I must say, unconsciously, he's already been trying. He collects women to fill those voids."
Andromeda paused, remembering each of Red's interactions with his 'friends.' There was always a barrier to genuine trust. And when that barrier couldn't be broken, he masked it with lust.
"He has plenty of girls his age to fill in for the 'friends,' although he never reaches the level of trust he needs. Whether it's fear, paranoia, or something deeper, he never fully opens up. He gets close, but he never lets anyone truly reach him." She continued with a sigh. "Then he has older girls like you, Gemma, and Elise to replace the 'girlfriends.' You're the main one… at least in the human sense."
Andromeda paused again before smiling with a touch of irony.
"And now he has me to compensate for the 'mother.' Though I doubt I'll be the last. In fact, I know he thought about other older women before me." She chuckled softly, amused by the irony. "It's like he's trying to heal himself without realizing it."
"So what now? Are you telling me I can't be mad at him just because he's a mentally troubled boy?" Tonks grumbled. She wasn't satisfied. Even if her mother spoke sincerely, she still didn't agree that I always got my way and drained her life without consequences.
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm not telling you this so you'll forgive him, but so you'll understand and know how to act moving forward," Andromeda replied firmly. "I told you, I know him better than you think. I know what he's capable of, and that's why I'm telling you there's no way out… not for you, not for me. I just hope what you know now helps you make better decisions from now on."
She paused, looking at her daughter with tenderness.
"You have options. You can forgive him and accept his lifestyle. You can try to help him heal, even if it's impossible. You can rebel and try to manipulate him to stop this from going further. Or you can confront him… and lose." She sighed. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. I just want you to be happy. The truth is, we're in his hands, and I've already accepted that. Of course, my decision was easier to make because of what I've lived through… You do whatever you want, my girl. I just want you to know I'm here, in case you need advice… or a hug."
With a motherly tone, she wrapped Tonks in a warm embrace.
"I told you, we can't leave the path… but we can choose how we walk it. So… how do you want to walk it?"
Tonks didn't answer right away. She remained silent, deep in thought. She really was trapped, with no way out. Yes, she had already accepted it at some point, otherwise she wouldn't be here… but saying it out loud was something else. She couldn't stop wondering what to do next. Was she really supposed to just let me get away with everything?
She wanted to stay lost in her thoughts a little longer, but a strange sensation on her backside suddenly pulled her out of her trance.
"M-Mom?!" she exclaimed, startled, realizing her mother was kneading her butt with far too much lovingly.
"Hmm… Sorry," Andromeda replied casually, moving her hands away like she had just noticed. "Maybe a part of him stayed inside me… metaphorically speaking, of course. I already washed off the literal part when I showered and wow… it really was a lot," she added, giving her belly a little pat.
"MOM!" Tonks howled, scandalized by her mother's newfound twisted sense of humor.
Andromeda just laughed at her daughter's expressions. At least, they were more amusing than the complex, tormented look she had a moment ago.
"I don't want to relive this! I don't care about the twisted cosmic connection you shared with my boyfriend," Tonks spat, her face flushed with shame and fury.
"Come on, my little butterfly," Andromeda teased, hugging her daughter around the waist and covering her cheek with insistent kisses. "As your mother, I carried you within me, and with what happened, I've been inside you too. Is there anything left we haven't done?" She added with a lewd smile, "Besides, when I saw you like that, I couldn't help but think what a beautiful creature I had raised. Who would have thought my little girl would be so terribly sexy and adorable?"
"Ugh...!" Tonks grimaced in disgust, trying to break free, but her mother held on with surprising strength. "Stop it, it's... hahaha... disgusting... hahaha." She could barely speak through the laughter brought on by the tickling.
Tonks couldn't free herself, not because she lacked the strength, but because she didn't want to use enough force to hurt her mother… and Andromeda knew it perfectly well. She was acting in a clearly inappropriate way, but at the same time, she held back enough for it to be more of a joke than a real provocation. Even so, the shadow of Red in her mind made her have certain thoughts she preferred to ignore.
The truth was, Andromeda knew she had changed. It was noticeable in things like this. She had gained something from me with our connection, but she had also acquired something else… something of her own daughter. In that moment when she was Tonks, she felt her vivacity, her rebellious attitude, and her sense of humor. Perhaps, as mother and daughter, their connection had been so strong that she ended up taking more than expected.
And so, they continued to wrestle for quite a while, with Tonks almost on the verge of tears from embarrassment and Andromeda enjoying every second as if it were the best thing that had ever happened to her.
She was truly grateful for what I did. She felt like she had gained a new life… and with it, many more things to enjoy.
...
Inside the laboratory, a special flask flickered unstably, radiating an unsettling energy. Sweat dripped down my forehead.
"Seriously, Elise… this is way too dangerous." (Red)
"Do it," she insisted, sitting on the table, her gaze locked onto me.
"I'm not sure what will happen. I can't let anything happen to you." (Red)
Elise didn't respond with words. Instead, she conveyed her feelings through our connection. I could sense it clearly: she was scared too. But at the same time, something inside her told her it had to be done. And, strangely, I felt it too. It didn't calm me in the slightest… but I couldn't bring myself to say no.
After a long discussion, I prepared the table and began working. But this time, something was different.
I made sure to measure precisely: 1% M essence, 1% C essence, and 98% E essence (Elise). The moment the mixture was incorporated, Elise shuddered. Her body showed no visible changes: no peeling skin, no bleeding orifices… nothing. But the pain she endured was indescribable, comparable only to the first time.
"Keep going," Elise insisted, her voice steady despite the suffering.
I increased the doses:
2% + 2% + 96% → 4% + 4% + 92% → 8% + 8% + 84% → 16% + 16% + 68% → 32% + 32% + 36%
I kept increasing the amount of essences to the point of nearly flooding her with them. Her body didn't seem to change, but something inside her definitely did. I could feel it—something like a sphere or an egg, growing little by little. Even if I stopped the essences, it continued expanding, albeit more slowly. But with every new infusion, it had spikes of growth.
Elise, far from backing down, seemed more determined than ever. That strange sensation within her kept growing stronger… and more addictive.
So began a new session of essence infusion. As before, each new essence reduced the effects of the previous ones, so we had to re-add them all.
+100% Essence of magical equines (unicorns, pegasi, thestrals…)+100% Essence of regular equines (horses, zebras, donkeys…)+100% Mage Essence+100% Centaur Essence
Using so many essences at once was already dangerous on its own, but this experiment was slipping out of our control.
Elise felt an indescribable pain, a burning that consumed not only her body but her very being. And then, she began to glow. Literally. An intense light spread across her skin, growing brighter with every passing second.
The energy she emitted was so intense that my teeth chattered. But everything stopped the moment the panel on the [Throne of Bloodlines] showed the results.
[Elise]Bloodlines:
>Super Unicorn 100%
>Super Pegasus 100%
>...
All the values reached 100%.
We had done it.
I wanted to say something, but before I could speak, our connection sent me a warning. Something was happening.
Elise didn't feel pain this time, nor the usual side effects of previous experiments… but the sphere inside her had reached a critical point.
We looked at each other, both concerned. Elise didn't understand what was happening, but she knew something was about to break. The odds were minimal… almost impossible.
But it happened… the sphere exploded. Or rather, it broke—releasing something. I don't know what it was, or how to describe it.
I just saw the light return to her body… with overwhelming power.
A blinding flash spread across the entire stronghold, followed by an explosion that wiped out the place where we stood. The Mage's Tower disintegrated in an instant… and so did I.
---///---
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