"Come again?" I asked after repeatedly blinking numerous times.

Rhapso then began to giggle. "Hurray! You are glowing! You look so radiant! Has the baby begun to kick yet? When is your due date?"

"Sister!" Nerissa yelled through gritted teeth and the playful Praetorian ceased movement and stood up straight.

"A-hehe. Well Like I said Apollo. Pregnant is the closest human term, yes."

"B-But I’m a boy?" I took off my armour and checked in my pants. Mr Johnson and the juice crew were still in there happy and content. I then looked to my right. Rhapso was also beginning to look inside, but quickly changed her direction and began looking up at the moon, whistling.

"Is this a prank? Because if so, it’s a seriously good one. You make me trek for two days and then prank me by telling me I am somehow pregnant when I know for certain I have no organs capable of housing a baby. Let me just check... Yep nothing in there. Just a load of intestines."

Nerissa then took a step forward, she reached out to me, her hands shaking as she grasped mine and I instantly knew she wasn’t joking. "Apollo... Inside the blessing I have given to you. Can you try and focus on it and tell me if you see something tiny that looks possibly like a seed? It will take some time and concentration, but please try."

I looked into Nerissa’s shining eyes. They were now fixed on their purple as she looked at me. I simply nodded my head before closing my eyes and began to focus. Her blessing has been with me since the first day of college. It had thrummed a few times like when we achieved our closer bond, but not much else happened. It just made me a little bit stronger, fixing some minor flaws in my body’s enhancements.

So I focused on it. Using Psionic aura internally to feel my entire body at once. Despite my body being a cesspit of Psionic energy, I could track the Blessing freely. It was foreign Psionics that achieved Symbiosis.

Trailing the energy, I noticed it did feel stronger, but I had already guessed that my scent and healing was to do with the blessing. Since Nerissa told me herself the first time she gave it to me that humans can sometimes let off an aphrodisiac-like effect once being blessed. I assumed with her second bloom she might have blessed me again or something along those lines.

But considering what she was asking me to do and the utterly bizarre thing she just said to me, I assumed the seed was...

Opening my eyes. I looked at Nerissa and nodded. "Yeah, I can see a seed. Or at least your description of what is in the blessing... So am I going to be a mommy? But we haven’t even-" I couldn’t help asking and Rhapso began laughing.

"Hahaha! Nerissa, you didn’t tell me he was so funny as well as being cute!"

"I’m regretting asking you along... I am sure I could have convinced Phoebe to attempt the ritual if I begged long en-"

"No I am sorry Nerissa! I will behave... It’s just... Y’know. It’s him!"

Not enjoying being lost in the conversation, I asked. "Ok, can I please get some clarification about what’s going on?"

Nerissa immediately snapped to my attention. "Yes! Sorry. That seed... Is a product of our energies... intertwining. Our Emotional and spiritual connection has produced life. Psionic life."

I blinked in surprise. "Are you saying I am growing a nymph?" My voice was baffled. Fortunately, Nerissa had the same bafflement.

"W-What? No of course not! It’s a seed. I wasn’t born from a seed. I-We just sort of *Poof!* became alive. No this is something rarer. Maia, the oldest of us Nymphs, has only seen it a couple of times, Nymphs don’t usually intermingle with other humans, we just used to serve our gods and that was it... But there were times when... Fraternisation occurred and well-"

"Long story short, because you Psionically banged Ness here, You are going to turn into a massive tree-man-thing unless we get that seed out of your body!" Rhapso suddenly declared, wrapping her arms around me and hugging me like a stuffed bear.

...

"Come again?" I asked after repeatedly blinking numerous times.

"Don’t worry, we aren’t going to let you turn into a Woad. With your powers and strength, you would end up becoming the size of a planet and we need to keep this very quiet."

"A Woad? Like a male Dryad?" I asked, clearly not the right time as Nerissa and Rhapso turned to each other before Nerissa returned to me.

"P-precisely correct Apollo. Like a male Dryad..."

I did not want to end up looking like a giant planet sized tree dude and I assumed these two knew what they were doing bringing me here, so I asked.

"Alright. What is the solution?" If I’m just removing a seed, I suppose I’m not against having it removed... It will continue to live after, right?" I asked, perhaps my motherly instincts were taking over as the life inside of me grew... Even if it was going to turn me into a tree...

Rhapso nodded her head. "Oh yeah, it won’t be a problem. We are going to plant the seed in some special soil and it will turn into a beautiful apple tree with golden fruit. I can’t wait, the last one died before I was even amalgamated yet so I am so excited to try these fruits in a few thousand years!"

"Nerissa?" I inquired.

She then shrugged her shoulders. "A few thousand years is worth the wait... They are really good. So juicy and-"

"-Not that, I mean so how are we going to get this out of me then? It’s inside my blessing are you going to take it away?" I asked, a bit saddened.

Nerissa must have heard the sadness in my voice as she walked up to me and stroked my hair comfortingly. "While there is a method where I can do it that way, it involves also cutting you open and well... You are my friend, Apollo. I wouldn’t do that to you... Plus I like the fact you walk with my blessing inside you. It makes me feel closer to you, even when we are apart."

I reached out and cupped Nerissa’s cheek, taking her by surprise as I smiled at her. "Well, I appreciate that. I like my blessing too. So, what’s the other option?"

*Smooch*

My eyes widened as her newly red lips touched mine for a moment before pulling back.

Rhapso gasped overdramatically before Nerissa explained. "Sorry, I have been wanting to do that for a few days like my boops. Please think nothing of it. It was an impulse because what I am going to say next is... Embarrassing. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

I turned to the third party present and stated calmly. "Rhapso. If I ever ’think nothing’ about one of you gorgeous Nymphs kissing me on the lips. Hunt me down and kill me. M’kay?"

The fellow Nymph began to giggle again before I turned to Nerissa. "Just tell me the embarrassing thing. Don’t worry about it. If it will cure me from turning me into a walking tree, I will do it."

’Maybe. I am sure Jewel could always fix me anyway.’

Nerissa cleared her throat once more after looking at me for a few seconds.

"W-Well, you see. Given WE have created life together. Your body is highly attuned to nature Psionics right now. I... Know a ritual that will remove the seed from your blessing by... Transferring that seed into another ’seed’ you carry naturally in your body."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Another seed? I don’t have ano-Oh shit!" My eyes went wide. Not being dense for once, I think I understood what ’seed’ Nerissa was referring to.

"So what? You do this ritual and then what? I tug one off and the seed comes out?"

Nerissa shook her head. "No, when the seed is... transferred to your seed. It will become diluted. It will take a day to complete the ritual then, judging from what I hear from sharing a home with you, another day to release all the seed in its entirety..."

Nerissa then began to blush even more. "Also, your own touch will not be enough to coax out the seed... It is attracted to life energy... Such as Rhapso and I. So we will..."

"We will be literally sucking the seed from your reproductive appendage." Rhapso chimed in and moved forward to hold my arm. She then patted it.

"Now, now. I know what you are thinking. ’But Rhapso, we have just met. Are you sure ab-’ Yes. I am sure. Don’t worry, I know who you are Sentinel ’Apollo’ I am honoured to help aid you in this little endeavour. Besides I have never done anything like this before so I am kind of excited. Plus it takes at least two Nymphs to do the ritual to make sure no raping took place and its a consensual removal of life, so yeah."

I then turned to Nerissa to make sure what I was hearing was actually... Happening. As I did, Nerissa removed her armour. My eyes instantly widened upon realising she was not wearing her skinsuit and I got to see the sight of all her greenness in all its splendour. Her frame was on the smaller side despite her capabilities in combat, but if I went blind at this moment it would be worth it...

She then walked towards me, her face blushing still and placed her hand on my chest and looked directly into my eyes.

"I told you I would never intentionally bring you harm, so let me fix this mistake. And don’t worry... I am excited to try this too."