I am Hotaru Tomoe.
Before, I was a 9-year-old girl wearing a white dress.
Now I am a 30-year-old woman with long black hair, purple eyes, and wearing a red dress.
I've had this appearance since I came to STEM against my will.
My cyborg components are also there, on my arms, my legs.
I have barbed wire all over my body.
It's because of Ruvik.
Everything is his fault.
He says he shares my body, that he's one with me.
He isn't completely wrong because he's connected to me. I can feel it.
Ruvik felt something for me.
At first, he didn't know if it was love or hate, but he chose Love.
He declared his love for me not long ago.
Since then, he has been waiting for my choice. My answer.
Yet, he can read my thoughts, access my memories.
He must know that I can't love a monster like him.
And that I can't afford to hate him either.
Hate is destructive, hate creates enemies.
Regardless, I continue to explore STEM to break free.
Ruvik tells me that it's impossible.
That he's the only one who can get us out.
And he won't until I make my choice.
I don't believe him.
There must be a way out somewhere.
***
Ruvik always told me never to look at him when he projects his body.
This is a rule, THE rule, never to be broken.
My eyes must always be closed.
I don't understand why.
I saw his memories.
The fire, his sister's death.
I know the state of his body.
He sees me, so why shouldn't I be able to see his face?
It's stupid.
The next time he appears, I’ll open my eyes.
I want to see him!
***
I saw him.
I saw him and I screamed.
Like the girl who sees the slasher killer in a horror movie.
Ruvik removed his hood and my scream increased in pitch.
He walked towards me.
His eyes flash with rage.
My body refuses to move.
He must use his powers to hold me in place.
"HOTARU!" He shouts and I stop yelling. "My Hotaru, why did you open your eyes?"
"Ru... Ruvik, I..."
I am still in shock and afraid.
"One rule. Only ONE rule. Only ONE thing I ask of you and you..."
"L...Let me explain."
"NO!"
He snaps his fingers. Everything becomes black around us.
My red dress disappears. I am naked!
I scream and try to hide my private parts, but my body still can't move.
"You broke MY rule and now you have to pay!"
Ruvik is now next to me. I feel something emanating from him. Desire.
"What are you going to do Ruben?" I manage to ask him despite my growing fear. "Rape me?"
"Choose, my love, my Hotaru."
"What?"
"It's time. Choose between Love and Hate towards me. I will taste your body according to your feelings. Then we'll free ourselves from STEM."
"How?"
"You will be back home, in your world, and we will be together forever. I have chosen Love. You, my Hotaru, what is your choice?"
Honestly, I want to choose neither, but that's not an option.
I suddenly have access to an old memory of Ruvik.
A lesson he had received about famous arranged marriages in History.
Some of these couples have learned to love each other over time.
Others had the man dominates the woman.
Rape was also common, because when married, the woman was subject to her husband.
It makes me think for several minutes.
"Hotaru?"
Ruvik is getting impatient. I have to choose, but what?
I can't love Ruvik, so I choose hate.
Something blinds me and I find myself in a dungeon.
My arms are chained in the air, my legs are spread by an iron spreader bar.
I see Ruvik, naked.
He walks slowly towards me while laughing.
"Ruvik!"
"Hate? Then hate me, my love, my Hotaru!"
As soon as he is near my flesh, he puts his hands on my breasts and plays roughly with them.
Ruvik squeezes them, pinches my nipples hard, pulls on them until I scream in pain.
I beg him to stop. He chuckles.
"Hate me!"
He takes his hands away and bites my left breast hard. I scream again.
Blood drops flow. Ruvik licks them with pleasure.
My eyes are getting wet.
"Ruvik, no, Ruben, you don't have to do this. Stop and..."
He slaps me hard, leaving marks on my face.
"Don't you get it yet, my Hotaru? HATE ME!"
He leaves bleeding marks on my stomach with his nails.
He kisses my neck, my breasts, my stomach.
He licks the blood that flows.
I cry, I moan, I scream.
But I don't hate him.
Not yet.
Ruvik realizes this and his anger increases.
"YOU. WILL. HATE. ME. HOTARU!"
He thrusts a finger into my pussy.
He ravages my G-spot, but he doesn't let me cum.
Then he puts a second finger and a third.
The pain mixed with the pleasure creates anger in me.
A growing anger.
"STOP!" I scream.
Ruvik ignores me. He continues to ravage my pussy. I still don't cum.
He laughs, removes his fingers and his tongue wets my inner walls.
My anger gives way to rage.
"STOP RIGHT NOW, YOU MONSTER!"
Ruvik continues to lick me and then he finally let me come. He pulls his tongue out and then violently rams his cock into my pussy. My virginity is gone.
"NOOOOOO!"
He pulls his dick in deeper and deeper.
My rage turns into hatred.
"RUVIK, I HATE YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME?"
"Yes, and it's perfect, my love!"
He chuckles. His cock reaches my womb.
"Now take my seeds, my Hotaru! We will start a family."
Ruvik ejaculates. I yell that I am going to kill him. He ignores me.
"It's time, my beautiful one. Let's break free from STEM!"
The dungeon disappears and I lose consciousness.
***
I open my eyes.
I see a blue sky.
This isn’t me.
I get up slowly.
I look at my arm.
It is still the arm of a 30-year-old woman.
My cyborg components are still there.
This isn’t me!
The barbed wire is no longer there.
My appearance in STEM is permanent now.
THIS ISN’T ME!
I hold out my hand and it appears.
The Saturn Crystal.
A dull purple heart tightened by barbed wire.
The crystal has cracks.
Its appearance reflects her holder’s heart.
A heart filled with hatred for Ruvik.
<Stop controlling my body IMMEDIATELY!>
Ruvik laughs softly.
What a stupid idea!
He can very well take Hotaru's place.
For a while, at least.
<RUVIK!>
I make the crystal disappear and I run towards the big house that I see in the distance.
They’ll be so happy to see me again.
Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna.
<STOP!>
I arrive at the front door and ring the bell.
Haruka is the one who opens the door.
"Haruka, it's me, Hotaru."
<LIAR! HE'S RUVIK! I HATE YOU!>
Haruka's eyes widen in terror.
"What with that face? I'm back. Aren't you happy to see me?"
Haruka remains silent, then a cold voice tells her to let me in.
<I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!>
It was Michiru. I also hear Setsuna's faint voice. I enter the house and the door closes behind me.
DARK ENDING: Saturn Hate Crystal
I can't hate Ruvik, despite everything he did, so I choose love.
Something blinds me and I find myself in a room with a large bed.
I blush as I realize that Ruvik is carrying me, bridal style.
"R...Ru...Ruvik!" I say, embarrassed. "Put me down, please."
"No, my love."
He's also naked, which makes me blush even more.
"I want to honor your body properly. After all, you love me."
"Ruvik..."
"I love you and you love me back. That's..."
"I will learn to love you. It's not the same thing."
My words silence Ruvik. He seems concerned.
Nevertheless, he brings me and lays me on the bed with tenderness.
Then he lies down next to me.
"Are you ready, my Hotaru?"
"Ready?"
"To make love, my beautiful one."
"Oh, of course!"
"The sound of your sweet voice doesn't sound honest. Don't be afraid, Hotaru. I love you."
Ruvik kisses me gently. Lips against lips. I don't resist.
A thrill of pleasure runs through my body.
"See? It's nice."
"Yes, you're right."
Ruvik kisses me a second time and then rains kisses on my stomach.
Then he gently touches my breasts.
He touches my nipples.
I moan softly.
When he places his lips on my right nipple, I flinch with pleasure.
His hands caress my back, my arms, my bottom.
Then he brings his lips down to my intimate area, to my pussy.
He kisses it, I moan loudly, and he licks it gently.
"Ooohhh~ Ruben!"
He continues to please my pussy and I chant his real name.
I was about to cum, but Ruvik withdrew his tongue. He wants his fingers to make my love juice flow, nothing else.
He puts a finger inside me, then two, and squeezes my G-spot.
I cum as he puts a third one inside.
Ruvik is also chanting my name.
Hotaru, Hotaru, Hotaru.
He keeps his fingers in my pussy for a while, then takes them out and prepares his cock.
When his cock is ready, well lubricated with what appears to be his own blood, he kisses my neck and gently penetrates me. My virginity is taken. He thrusts his cock all the way to my womb.
"I offer you my seeds, my love, my beautiful Hotaru! We will start a family, I know it!"
Ruvik ejaculates and I orgasm. Time seems to freeze around us, then he slowly withdraws.
"Ahhh~ That was wonderful. Now, my love, let's break free from STEM!"
The room disappears and I lose consciousness.
***
I open my eyes.
I see a blue sky.
I get up slowly.
I look at my arm.
It is still the arm of a 30-year-old woman.
My cyborg components are still there.
The barbed wire is no longer there.
My appearance in STEM is permanent now.
<Are you sad...Hotaru?> Ruvik suddenly asks me.
"I... I don't know. I have to verify something."
I hold out my hand and it appears.
The Saturn Crystal.
A bright purple heart surrounded by barbed wire.
Under my astonished look, the wires turn into rose stems.
Small red roses are blooming.
<Its appearance reflects your heart, my love.>
Thus my heart is filled with love for Ruvik, no, for Ruben.
"But I have only just begun to learn to love you!"
He laughs softly. A joyful, non-evil laugh.
<I... I feel so happy, Hotaru. My Hotaru!>
I am happy for Ruben.
He tells me that I can still call him Ruvik.
Ruvik, Ruben. As he likes.
Without wasting time, I make the crystal disappear and I run towards the big house that I see in the distance.
They’ll be so happy to see me again.
Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna.
I arrive at the front door and ring the bell.
Haruka is the one who opens the door.
"Haruka, it's me, Hotaru!"
Haruka's eyes widen in surprise.
"Haruka, it's really me! I'm back!"
Haruka remains silent. She seems to hesitate and then a soft voice tells her to let me in.
It was Michiru. I also hear Setsuna's voice. Smiling, I enter the house and the door closes behind me.
LIGHT ENDING: Saturn Love Crystal