A/N: This is my first time writing something like this, so tell me how it goes. And once again I composed a soundtrack for this chapter, this time stealing from Glass Animals' "Gooey". You can find a link to it on my profile.

Chapter 11: The Warmest Color


)✹◯


"Darling?"

The vixen turned away from the viewport, having lost herself in thought while staring out. Looking at the dark blue sky and walls of clouds, she could almost picture herself at home on Corneria. But the voice sharply called her back to the unfortunate reality.

Standing in her room's doorway was Dr. Andross Bowman, director and lead researcher of the unnamed, unapproved Bayoon project. He was her superior, captor, and ever-perseverant suitor. The simian was tall and rugged-looking: a scientist who dirtied his hands in raw experiments rather than the saint-like, sterile typecast. Graying beard well-trimmed, hair conversely disheveled, and spectacles precariously perched atop his flat, primate nose. Altogether an enigmatic man—one who had charmed her like so many others upon introduction—yet his enigma masked ruthlessness and amorality.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Andross sighed as he strolled in. "I wanted to copy down as many notes as I could remember. Like dreams that fade upon waking, the practice of journaling helps one recollect them. In my last life we collected many samples from the town after the invasion. We were so busy gathering that we left little time to analyze. Much of what we found was lost, but I intend to rectify that this life. You know, this spell is proving just as much of a nuisance as it is an asset."

The vixen's eyes crept to the tribal necklace Andross wore around his neck: black string with a polished nacre pendant.

"But once we eliminate the lynx our project will go forward without setback, and the negative side of this two-faced coin will vanish."

Andross stopped at a table in the center of the cabin, laden with silver serving trays that smelled like seafood—more luxurious than almost anyone else aboard the research station was allotted. While Andross only ate out of necessity during experiments, he pulled out all the stops while dining the vixen. He removed one of the chairs from the table, offering her the seat.

She couldn't refuse. The vulpine slunk over and let her host seat her. Andross sat across from her, already removing one of the tray lids to start serving them both. While he dished the steaming shellfish and salmon onto their plates, the vixen merely sat and watched, not having spoken a word since he entered. Her expression a wall of stoicism and melancholy. She couldn't care less about the expensive meal, and loathed the man serving it.

Andross looked up from slicing the fish. "What's bothering you this time, Vixy?"

Once again her mind was elsewhere. She saw home-cooked meals arrayed on a dining room table, her husband and young son gratefully digging into them.

The scientist continued working the fork and knife. "You know you don't nearly shout at me as much as you did when I first brought you here against your will."

He sat Vixy's plate before her. Careful not to show eagerness to eat while at the same time satisfying her yearning stomach, she lifted her fork and started in. She kept her head down and spoke not a word.

"You know I prefer all those shouted obscenities and abuse to this cold shoulder tactic," Andross informed her. "That's what I saw in you to begin with—that spirit. It's why I fell for you and brought you here. But now you measure magnetosomes like a cowed slave who's given up on herself. I prefer you smashed a few of those test tubes over my head rather than cry into them. You don't have to be so dour."

Vixy looked up from her food, glowering at him.

"Monster."

Andross sighed. "Is this about our test subjects again? Their suffering is for a good cause. After I conduct the necessary experiments I can simply reset time, and all their memories will be erased, their pain but a fleeting shadow they will soon forget."

"Monster."

The primate's fork scraped against his plate, striking a violin note like nails upon chalkboard. "You know Gladys called me the same thing last life. You wouldn't want to take the same side as that creature, would you?"

Vixy scooped up a mouthful of vegetables. "She's right. She would throw her prisoners in the brig, or maybe execute them. You parade them around on a leash, keep them separated from their family, all while having the audacity to make love to them. Death is preferable to this."

"Now now," Andross clucked, "Neither of us want that. I need you to finish these experiments, and you still hold onto the chance that you may see James and your son again. While that remains a possibility, you will never give up. But beyond my need for bright scientists… don't you see that I love you?"

"Is a creature like you even capable of loving?"

"Of course, my dear. This love defines me as a person. Without it, I really would be a monster, or some dumb animal. Is this not proof of my soul?"

"All you care about is destruction. How powerful a weapon you can make, how high a death count you can rack up."

"Ah! On the contrary, I care about order. I care about control. And these experiments will bring about a new order in the Lylat."

"With you as its dictator?"

"With myself and whoever I deem fit to rule."

"Oh? And what if no one meets your standards?"

Andross paused before responding, staring off at the sky outside rather than Vixy.

"Then I alone."

"Monster."

Andross opened his mouth to respond, but couldn't come up with anything. He let his jaw close, and went back to poking around his plate.

It was true, the saying that floated around the research station. Andross only bowed to two women: Gladys, when she so commanded, and Vixy, his unwilling mistress. Even in this powerless state, Vixy got a kick out of torturing Andross. He gave her this power over his heart, and, having nothing else, she made sure to abuse it.

Having finished his meal, Andross set his napkin on his plate and pushed his chair from the table. He stood up.

"Thank you for dining with me. The conversation could have been better, but it proved most stimulating."

"I hope you choke on a fish bone."

He smiled devilishly, raising a finger. "If I do, the universe will reset to a time where I didn't."

Vixy rose from her place as well. "Oh I don't mean for you to die. I want it to stick halfway down your throat, lodge in your esophagus, and poke a hole into your neck. I want you to choke for as long as possible, until the paramedics show up to cut a doorway into your throat and rip the bone out. Then you will really know what it is like to choke on your own ambition and egotism."

"Very poetic. You know, sometimes I think your wrath is just your way of… making love." Andross gestured to her outfit. "You look ravishing in that dress, by the way. Makes it impossible for me to interpret whatever you do as anything other than an act of romance. Your pricking needles are arrows of the god of love. Your fiery, glaring eyes betray the passion burning within. But you really should have bathed before wearing that dress. Your beautiful appearance wore off after the stench of the labs set in."

"How about that," Vixy sneered. "The same way I met you."

Andross lightly clapped his hands. "Oh bravo. Now off you go—shower."

"But if I—"

"The dye is unnecessary, dear. You're safer here than Corneria. Besides, I prefer your natural look."

Vixy waited for Andross to bow and exit before she closed the door. She locked it to ensure the utmost privacy, even if other higher-ups could override the lock at will.

She entered her bedroom and the adjoining bathroom, locking that door as well after making sure she had a clean pair of laboratory clothes. She turned the shower faucet on, balancing the hot and cold water just right. While she waited for the water to heat up she undressed and lay her clothes in a pile by the clean set.

When steam seeped out of the shower compartment, she parted the curtain and slipped in. The water was too hot, and she winced, correcting the temperature as she pressed herself against the wall to avoid the burning cone. When the water reached a satisfying level of warmth, she stood in the liquid spotlight, entertaining an audience of memories. She tilted her head down and let the water mat her hair, dousing the rest of her. The alien feel of the shower taunted her, made her uncomfortable. She crossed her arms and huddled in the warmth, trying to put on a good face for the apparitions of James and Fox.

As the water poured over her, she stared down at the drain in the bottom of the stainless-steel compartment. After running off her fur, the water became stained orange and auburn, revealing her fur's cooler, darker tone. The dye left streaks in the water puddling on the floor, then seeped into the drain between her feet.

Emitting a fragmented sigh, she set to work washing the rest of the dye out, along with the peculiar stench left over from the laboratories. What was the use? In a couple hours she would be back there anyway.

When she was finished she wheeled both the hot and cold faucets off. She reached through the curtain to grab a towel, drying her fur and hair. Once done, she wrapped it around her torso and stepped from the compartment.

Condensation had formed on the mirror, clouding her reflection. She cleared it with several wipes from her paw. She stepped back to get a full view of herself, trying to see what Andross had seen earlier.

A blue-furred fox stared back at Vixy, wrapped in a towel.

It felt like looking at a stranger, with how often she kept her fur dyed. Only Andross, some fellow scientists, and James had seen her true pelt. Not even Fox had. It'd been awhile since her last permanent dye, which lasted upwards of five months. Being isolated in the Bayoon research station meant she had to settle for quick dyes, which required more frequent applications. There were risks of walking around in her natural fur, and she might turn the pirates' eyes, but there was minimal chance word would leak back to Corneria.

She leaned over the sink, supporting herself with strong arms as she brought her face closer to the mirror. As much as she hated to admit, Andross was right. Her face showed nothing but resignation and despair. Why had she given up? Why had she quit fighting?

Growling at herself, Vixy looked around the counter top for weapons. A variety of sharp objects presented themselves to her, and while they would be useless against the immortal Andross, she could still use them against his henchmen.

She wasn't helpless. She was weak and outnumbered, but she could make up for that with resourcefulness.

Vixy returned to glaring at her reflection, her aqua-colored irises burning with determination.

Andross and Gladys must be stopped. For the sake of Bayoon. For the sake of the Lylat System.

So she could see her family again.


)✹◯


The girls didn't have to search long. The mountain path lead them to a wooded grove on the western slope, shrouded in its own personal cloud of mist. Even from that distance to the springs they could hear the white noise of rushing, bubbling water.

Miyu's ears drooped. "Why's it always have to be water?"

"Can you not be so stereotypical?" Fay responded.

Miyu sighed. Ask the same question, get the same answer. Apparently Fay reused jokes after the resets. Were they already falling in a rut?

"Trust me, you'll love it," the spaniel followed up. "They're so much better than baths—even spas. Helps that they're totally natural."

On their approach to the springs Miyu felt a wave of excitement energize her. It quickened her pulse and made her cheeks burn beneath her fur. Suddenly the prospect of bathing became that much more appealing. As long as…

She touched Fay's arm. "Hey, you're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"No, of course not! Someone has to help you wind down."

Miyu exhaled an excited, shivering breath—hoping Fay wouldn't notice.

"Then let's find a spot farther back, could we? Just in case some Bayoons stop by."

"Agreed. We could use some privacy. I'd hate to have the local yokels leering at us."

They forged into the trees, following the sound of the water and the shape-shifting mist. Several of the pools and tributaries they passed up, though each one seemed more beautiful than the last, and twice as tempting. Once they placed a comfortable distance between themselves and the path they decided on a pool that lay just ahead.

"You go on ahead, Miyu. I want to set something up."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just a little thing. You say there's a radio station at the top of the mountain?"

"Yeah..."

"I bet we get excellent signal strength here. Be with you in a moment."

Reluctantly, Miyu went on alone, until she realized it was an opportunity to undress in private. She stopped in some bushes halfway between Fay and the pool. She stripped off her jacket and outer clothes, leaving her sports undergarments. She paused, looking back over her shoulder at Fay. How much would she think was too much? At what point was she being too forward?

Miyu's desire won out. Clumsily she unfastened her bra and removed her thong, letting them drop to the ground. Thinking better of it, she hid them beneath her clothes so Fay wouldn't see. Standing naked in the bushes she hunkered over a bit. Fay was still fiddling with her wrist comm, which emitted constant spurts of static.

A cool breeze picked up, finally motivating the lynx to move on. She carefully navigated the moss-covered ground until she emerged from the underbrush. Before her lay the mineral spring they had chosen, in all its seductive splendor. It was pear-shaped, with a trickling waterfall pouring into the narrow side, and a shallow bank rising to meet the surface of the other. The water was the same hue she'd seen on island-themed calendars or postcards of Zoness—if not prettier. It was a livelier hue than even the azure disk of Aquas floating overhead: a blend of electric blue and lime green, colors of marker she coveted as a child. A white film enclosed the edges of the spring, almost like soap suds. They built soft crystalline formations on the sides of the shore, with some near the waterfall towering out of the pool.

The pleasant sounds of the fall and jets of bubbles laughed in her ears. The clouds of warm steam caressed her exposed fur. The brilliant aquamarine water dazzled her eyes, so saturated she could taste it with her irises.

Unable to stand its foreplay any longer Miyu gave into the allures of the pool. She stepped down the bank until she set her first foot in the water, and arcs of pleasure shot up her leg. She placed her other foot in and descended into the spring, crushing some of the soft crystal formations underfoot. By the time the water reached the top of her stomach she was halfway across, standing in the deepest portion. When she reached the other side she turned around and seated herself on the spring bed. The floor was mostly hard, flat stones, yet cushioned by the shifting minerals covering it. She tilted her head back against the moss-covered bank, spread her arms against the shore, and closed her eyes.

She melted into Bayoon, becoming part of the satellite.

It was difficult remembering a prior occasion when she felt so much bliss. Fay was right; none of her baths even approached this current sensation. It was heavenly—a taste of paradise. Exploring the salt springs felt like entering an entirely new world, divorced of the worries of Badwash. The swamp had always been cold, wet, and miserable, holding dangers like leeches and serpents. Here the water coaxed their memory from her skin, like venom from a wound. In Badwash the trees hid shadows and monsters; here they only protected, sheltering her in solitude and privacy.

The sound of approaching music and rustling leaves caused Miyu to reopen her eyes. Standing above the opposite side of the pool, haloed by the sun setting behind Bayoon, was Fay. In the midday sunset the amber mist cast a golden, creamy glow upon her normally blank fur. Their previous encounter in the swamp had been under cover of the Aquan twilight, which did Fay's body no such justice as this.

She hesitated upon the bank, letting Miyu soak up her image. She couldn't help but admire her, indulging the flame that smoldered within. She was a year Miyu's junior, and smaller in size. Her petite figure shrank in comparison to Miyu's toned frame. To the lynx's delight she wore only her lace panties—the cute ones she teased her about earlier. Her breasts were bare, though concealed by her arms. If only she'd give Miyu a glimpse—

At that moment she became aware that Fay was in turn staring at her. Fay was conscious of her ogling! God, how long had she been drooling? She must've made it too obvious.

Then Miyu realized that her own breasts were exposed above the surface, and her leering was far from one-sided. Fay looked up from Miyu's chest to met her eyes, and they both shared a frightened stare.

While Miyu discreetly sank into the water, Fay burst out giggling and uncrossed her arms, baring all. In one paw she held her wrist comm, which she set on the ledge above the pool. It emitted a playful, sometimes romantic jazz ballad. Miyu didn't like the thought of hearing the radio, but at the same time she had to admit the song was pretty, and combated any of their awkward silences. As a bonus it sounded like an instrumental piece, with no vocals to intrude upon their relaxation. The last song she remembered had made heavy use of spoken-word, and was quite foreboding…

Fay sat on the bank and slid down the incline, landing feet-first in the water. Miyu secretly loved how her breasts bounced from the motion, revealing how doughy they were. They were small—like the rest of Fay—but shapely and befitting of her size. She gave Miyu an even better view when she arched her back and stretched, prominently displaying her chest. She slowly inhaled and closed her eyes, as if signaling for Miyu to look at her without fear of being caught.

That's it, Miyu thought. There was no more running from what she felt. Maybe she had always known, but it took this moment to make her feelings impossible to ignore. That burning passion she felt in her abdomen; that yearning desire to hold and be close to Fay stirred in her chest.

"Ohhhh," Fay moaned in pleasure. "Gosh this is amazing. It even beats my family's hot tubs."

Succumbing to the designs of the pool like Miyu had, Fay sunk down into its steamy depths, seating herself across from Miyu. Her chest was hidden from view, but Miyu could still see her delicate, rounded shoulders. She lay there with her eyes closed, losing herself in the hot bath like Miyu had.

Why was she afraid to admit these feelings? Love between same-sex Lylatians had always been a taboo subject on Katina, but Cornerian culture championed that kind of love. If anyone, Fay would be the most accepting of her. But… she was also the one person Miyu cared about now. The person who meant the most to her. In fact, Fay was her only friend. If Fay turned her down for whatever reason, she would be crushed. It would throw a wrench into their friendship. The fear of rejection held her back, paralyzing her.

Miyu told herself she couldn't be the one to make the first move and be stuck with the blame. Like a cold war of love, she couldn't be the instigator. In fact, it was how Miyu acted in most social situations. Never appear too forward. Always leave the initiation to her opponent, then seize the opportunity they create. Oh if only I was as brash with romance as I was with combat…

Sure enough, the wait began to pay off. Fay swam across the pool to the shallow bank. She lay propped up on her side, patting the water in front of her.

"Come on, it's time for your massage."

Miyu gulped, but knew better than to back down now. She pushed off the bank and waded over to Fay, standing in the waist deep water. She gave the spaniel a curious look, awaiting further instructions.

Fay gestured at the soft bed of sand and water. "Well, lie down!"

Obeying her demands, Miyu crawled up from the pool and lay stomach-down in the shallows. The water was just high enough to flood the small of her back and her lower legs, but not much else. She was able to cushion her face against the mossy bank.

Fay looked down at her and let out a quiet little "eep!"

At first Miyu was confused, but then she remembered her lack of undergarments, and her exposed cheeks which rose above the water.

"What's the matter Fay?" she asked, putting up a cool front and swishing her tail. "You said one of the benefits of mineral springs was being 'all natural'."

Fay laughed with a dash of nervousness. "Oh, I just didn't know you were naked—your ass surprised me... but I'd prefer you to a dick pic, though."

Sitting beside Miyu's prostrate form, Fay set to work earnestly massaging the stress from the lynx's body. She started with the back of her neck and worked her way down to Miyu's shoulders, kneading Miyu's fur and the flesh beneath. It felt like a sculptor working on her back; smoothing her skin, molding her muscles, and arranging her spine. Each new movement released a burst of heat and tension from Miyu's body, until it felt like she was emitting just as much warmth as the spring.

Is Fay even attracted to girls? Miyu absently asked herself. She seemed to fawn over men most of all during their missions, but that was because they predominantly encountered men. Bear Grylls was her most recent infatuation… but Fay seemed to be attracted to his resourcefulness and knowledge more than his physique and appearance. But she had to admit Fay's chances of being attracted to other girls were depressingly slim, given the statistics. Perhaps she just needed someone to convince her. She had to probe.

As Fay scooped water onto her back and massaged it in, Miyu asked, "So, you ever get any dick picks?"

"Huh?" Miyu had to admit an awkward amount of time elapsed since Fay made the comparison. "Oh. Uh, yeah. One or two. Well… just one."

Miyu closed her eyes as Fay worked her over, resting her head on the cheek that faced away from the spaniel. "Who was he?"

"Just a boyfriend from flight academy, before I left to become a merc. He was the farthest I ever went with."

Oh. Well, maybe she was bi…

"And how far was that, exactly?"

"Dick pics," Fay stated matter-of-factly.

Miyu laughed. "Took one look at it and freaked, am I right?"

"No, I wasn't scared of it. I mean… well, it's ugly and all. It was just something really personal of his... and showing it to me was rather forced… it was just too fast for me. I had only just met him that semester."

At least she never had a full relationship with a boy. God, I'm so disgustinghoping my friend had a fruitless love life so I can get with her…

By that point Fay had reached the small of Miyu's back and dangerously approached her flicking tail. However, to her disappointment, Fay timidly skipped over her rear and set to work on her legs instead.

Miyu lifted her head. "Hey, don't I get the full treatment?"

"Hmm?"

Miyu gestured with her head. "You're forgetting something big."

"Oh… I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable with that. But-but I'm fine with it, if you are."

"Yes, that would be nice." Miyu lay her head back down, closing her eyes and smiling giddily to herself.

Fay scooped up two handfuls of water and let them pour onto the twin mounds of Miyu's seat, then lay her hands on them. At first her touch was feathery, as if teasing Miyu's cheeks while she spread water over them. Then she began kneading the malleable peaks, pressing them towards Miyu's back, then down towards her legs. Up and down she worked, simulating the movement of ocean waves. Miyu shivered with excitement; it was the most intimate either of the two girls had gotten with each other. She wondered if Fay could see her womanhood, or—she felt dirty for even considering it—her other scandalous parts while spreading her cheeks.

She decided to help Fay out.

Acting as if unconscious of her actions, she lifted her tail out of the way, and shifted—just enough to open her legs a bit and widen the gap. It seemed to work—Fay slowed down, coming to grips with the sight Miyu presented. After a few more seconds though, she shifted to Miyu's thighs and legs, unabated. Whatever progress Miyu made, it felt like Fay rejected it.

Miyu felt discouraged. Perhaps this was an early warning. A sign that Fay recognized her advances and did not appreciate them…

But why not risk it? What did she have to lose? If Fay turned her down, she could just restart and try again. Save Fay from the pirates, bring her to the spring, and relive this moment again and again. Even if she was rejected, Miyu could relive those same golden moments again and again. In fact, maybe she could retry their time together until she found the perfect way to make Fay accept her. Forget about the Aquans who hated her and their employer who wanted some stupid artifacts; if it took a thousand deaths, she would make love to Fay.

Miyu rose to her haunches, crouching in the shallow bank.

"Fay, would you give me a wash next? In the waterfall?"

The spaniel looked a bit worried, but her wagging tail revealed more. "Yeah, sure. I've been eying that waterfall ever since I got in."

Miyu took Fay's paw and lead her over to the fall. Once she was close enough, she let go and turned to face Fay, retreating until her back pressed against the rock cliff beneath the ledge. The water struck a series of rock steps on the way down, causing it to bounce off and spray in multiple directions, creating a soft shower. She presented herself to Fay, spreading her arms and letting the water cascade down her front.

Her heartbeat picked up, drumming dangerously fast in anticipation.

Fay stopped with the look of a deer lost in the headlights. Miyu could see her pupils dilate as her eyes roved over Miyu's exposed body, and she caught her swallowing. Still, the spaniel was brave, and she approached Miyu. She stood less than an arm's length away. For lack of a washcloth or even shampoo, Fay used her wet paws to comb through Miyu's hair and head fur. She giggled when she stroked her ears, fondling the gold earring in one of them.

But just when she was growing comfortable, Miyu daringly pressed on. She reached up and took Fay's paws in her own, letting them fall to hang at thigh-level. She drew an inch closer to Fay.

"Fay… what do you think of me?"

"Huh? Wha-what do I think of you? How do you mean?"

"It's an open question—don't get so technical about it. First thing that comes to your mind; what do you think of me?"

Fay floundered, eyes darting left, right, and at Miyu. "Um, well, you're totally my coolest friend! I have so much fun on the adventures we go on, even if they don't always end well..."

Miyu let go of Fay's paws and began tracing the fur up her thin arms. "Friends?" she breathed in a whisper.

"The best!" Fay reaffirmed. "You're the closest I've been to anyone outside my aunt and uncle. I never had any real siblings, and there was always this social gap between myself and the rest of my classmates, so… yes, you're the closest friend I have. It's only been a couple years, but we've been through a lot together. You've always been there for me. Especially… especially on Aquas. You're so strong, but I don't think you always know it."

Miyu finished tracing up Fay's arms and moved on to her shoulders and neck. "Strong? ...Tell me what I look like."

Fay licked her lips and brushed over Miyu's body with her eyes again. "Well, yeah, you're strong. You're the strongest woman I know—except for maybe my aunt. But you're… you're like me. You're young, and the strength you have is a product of you trying; not the weathering of old age. You look pretty and like a girl, but at the same time, you're strong."

"How do you know?" Miyu asked. She placed her fingers on Fay's eyelids and guided them closed. "What do I feel like?"

With her eyes closed, Fay raised her shaking hands and placed them on Miyu's well-toned abdomen. She felt how firm her muscles were, and traced the lines between her abs. "When I touched you earlier, you were rough, and firm. There was tension and worry in you." Her own hands crept upward as she spoke, unconsciously searching. "But after I touched you, after I tended to you, you became—" Her hands found the bottom of Miyu's supple breasts. She opened her eyes, surprised to discover herself cupping them.

"Soft."

She looked up with frightened eyes, only to see Miyu's closed and rushing towards her own. Miyu lay her paws on the base of Fay's back and pulled herself closer. Their bodies and lips met, and the walls separating their individual worlds crumbled. The lynx caught her partner in a full-bodied embrace, pressing her hips and chest against Fay's own. Lightning jumped between their bodies, igniting the embers they carried into burning suns. The light was so bright it obscured all of the spring, bathing everything except the two united girls in white. Everything was completed in that momentary kiss—that common warmth they shared between their yearning bodies.

Yet as spontaneously as it began, the moment ended. Fay pulled away, fleeing the embrace. She broke free of Miyu's arms with such force that she lost her balance and fell backward. She created a tremendous splash in the pool, then back-paddled and crept up onto the shallow bank. She faced Miyu from where she sat, breathing excitedly, her blushing chest heaving.

"Miyu? Did you just..."

"We did," Miyu corrected. She slunk through the water toward Fay, accentuating her walk by exaggerating the movement of her hips. How clumsy and awful she felt at this, but at the same time the cadre came instinctually.

"I'm—I'm so sorry! I don't know what got into me," Fay whimpered. "I totally went too far! I shouldn't have come onto you like that. First I was massaging you, then washing you, then feeling you… I let it go too far!"

She stopped directly over Fay's sprawled form, towering above her. Water dripped in rivulets down her fur. She was close enough that drops landed on Fay's legs.

Miyu internally toasted, To this life.

The words spilled from her mouth. "Fay, I've never told you this, but I think you're beautiful. I think you're cute, and adorable, and playful. You're so innocent and untouched—more so than you might think, even now. There's something about you that makes me want to protect you. I… I want to save you over and over again, in different scenarios. I want to rescue you from pirates and monsters and scumbags, and I want to hold you. I want to wrap you in my arms and fall asleep with you at night. But it's more than that. I want to kiss you. I..."

She placed a paw on her flower, bared for Fay to see.

"I want to love you. I want to caress your neck and shoulders and back, and..."

She felt her hand dancing across herself, stoking the uncontrollable fire that ached within.

"I want to smother your body in kisses. I want to bury my face in your breasts. I-I want to touch you. I want to excite you, and make you purr sweet sighs."

Miyu stroked herself more intensely, until she practically caught fire. Unable to control herself, she sat down atop Fay's leg, shivering when her lips pressed against her soft thigh.

"Fay… I need this. I need you."

Fay had been staring at her like a gaping fish leading up to the moment. "But we can't! This… this is wrong!"

"Are you scared?"

"Well, no!" A tear slipped from Fay's eye. She sniffed, keeping her head angled down. "Yes..." Then when Miyu began to pull away in shame, she grabbed her wrists. "B-but I want this too!" she burst out.

Miyu halted, waiting anxiously on Fay's every word. This was it.

"I just… I don't have the courage or the forwardness you do. I don't know what to do or how to act."

Miyu breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey, to be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing either. All I know is," she placed a hand over Fay's thigh, upon which she sat. "I want you."

Fay stared at the mound of Miyu's abdomen pressed against her. She kept her leg completely still, as of trying not to frighten off a curious bird. Sucking in a breath she looked up at Miyu. She fixed her with a deathly intent look.

"Me too."

Miyu cocked her head. "You want yourself?"

Fay flung a handful of water up at her. "No! I want you, you stupid lynx!"

Miyu beamed down at her, inwardly exclaiming, Woo, first try!

"And I can't know what you're going through," Fay momentarily added, "but I can imagine it. I can see its effects on you. No one has a right to be all pent-up, tense, and mentally exhausted as you are—not when it's been a period of a few hours. It's clear something happened to you. I want to help you recover—in any way I can. I want to make you forget. So," she clapped her paws on Miyu's hips, holding her in place, "whatever you want to do with me, do it. I'm yours. Take me!" She screwed her eyes shut, ready for Miyu to do her worst.

The lynx nervously laughed. "Um, forgive me, I've never been in this position before."

Fay peeked through one eye. "Literally?"

"Ha, I guess both ways. I don't know what to do, so you'll have to bear with me."

Fay looked nervous, but at the same time morbidly curious. She gently moved her thigh, rubbing it between Miyu's legs. To help her teammate along, she applied more downward pressure on the lynx's hips. She smiled victoriously as the feline's jaw hung open. "Does this help?"

"Oh yes." Miyu leaned forward, placing her paws on Fay's breasts for support. Taking matters into her own hands, she rubbed herself up and down Fay's leg, moaning as she felt her lips spread apart, bringing her core closer to the spaniel. Gyrating her hips forward and backward, she dragged her womanhood over more and more of the leg's real estate.

Fay was supportive, grabbing Miyu's rear and giving it a hearty squeeze. She complimented the lynx's motions, guiding her back and forth. "Feel good?"

"Yeah," Miyu breathed. "Wander more!"

She behaved as she was told, spreading the lynx's cheeks and exploring the vulnerable flesh within. Each new area she touched sent arcs of pleasure through Miyu's being. Soon, it became less about Fay's desire to please and more about her own curiosity and lust. She left one hand to approach Miyu's clit from behind, but took the other to approach from the front, feathering her lower abdomen on its path down. The sensation elicited a purr from Miyu, and she brought her oscillating hips higher up the spaniel's thigh so she could reach farther.

In a pincher move, both of Fay's roving fingers found Miyu. She tickled the exposed parts of her partner not rammed up against her leg, and the cat growled in pleasure. She halted her gyrating, pausing to give Fay the chance to explore further. She took the opportunity, letting her front hand caress Miyu's flower while the other hand went back to grasping her ass. Eventually she began sinking a finger into Miyu, and the feline gasped. She pulled back a bit, and Fay removed her hands.

"I'm sorry!" she hurriedly said, covering her mouth.

"No, I-I'm sorry. That surprised me was all. But… I don't want to end this prematurely."

"You're right; let's make this moment last!" Fay winked. "Whatever makes you happy."

Miyu dismounted Fay, kneeling with her legs on either side of her. "Do you know what really makes me happy?"

"Uh, what?"

"For you to be happy, you dumb dog!"

Fay rolled her eyes. "Wow, way to insult me in the middle of our—" She cut herself off. Miyu had slipped a pair of fingers into her panties and was teasingly snapping the elastic strap against her stomach.

"Oh, that's what you meant."

"Tell the truth; you like my constant insults."

"Okay," Fay sighed, shivering as Miyu played with her underwear. "I love them. Now what are you—"

Miyu had to get an unadulterated look at Fay. Grasping the garment's straps she slid the article down Fay's legs. The soaked thong turned inside out as it clung to Fay's abdominal mound, then peeled away when Miyu relentlessly forced it down. Finally, the pink petals of Fay's rose were allowed to blossom. Miyu froze, unabashedly staring at the precious sight. Her jaw slipped open. She must've looked like a creepy old man.

"Am I really that attractive?"

"You have no idea," Miyu whispered. Recovering from her momentary trance, she slid the article the rest of the way down Fay's pale legs until it was completely free. Rather than casting them onto the shore though, she tossed them into the spring, where they disappeared beneath the milky surface.

"Hey, I need to put those back on!" Fay whined, reaching in vain.

"Well they're mine now," Miyu taunted her. She leaned down over Fay, supporting herself on all fours so that their muzzles were dangerously close. "I don't want you ever putting them back on if you want to stay in this team. Got it?"

Fay vigorously nodded.

"Good. Now then..." Without further warning, she let herself fall upon Fay, meshing their bodies together. Their breasts compressed against one another, and their lips met for the second time that day. Because of their damp fur Miyu was able to slide up and down Fay's frictionless body, enjoying every moment of the way she could maximize their contact.

Fay was panting now; she couldn't take any more of the foreplay and decided to give her all to Miyu. Taking the lynx's paw in her own, she guided it between her legs.

"Miyu..." she whimpered.

That was all she had to say. The lynx began feathering the outline of her lips, making sure the canine was well-coated before she entered. When she was confident enough that Fay's nectar had built up, she dipped her fingers inside. The spaniel flinched and yipped, but didn't stop Miyu. She breathed erratically, yet wrapped her arms around Miyu's torso, as if to keep herself from retreating more than her partner. The more the lynx twisted her fingers inside of Fay, the harder she gripped Miyu's back and shoulder blades, until she left imprints in her fur.

"Oh-oh y-yes, Miyu!" Fay's exclamations were interrupted by erotic sobs that racked her body. She pressed her abdomen up to meet Miyu, then wrapped her legs around her back as well. "More! Please!"


Black Mamba stopped in the forest, roughly ten yards away from the spring. The bushes placed enough cover between herself and the bathing girls so that she could remain unseen. As long as she could hear them splashing she could search in safety.

Cira didn't have to look long; she stumbled upon two piles of clothing and gear. Kneeling, she began rifling through the lynx's articles and packs.

If those incompetent pirates had done their job correctly I wouldn't even be here. But here I am, cleaning up the work they left unfinished. At least she got to kill Miyu herself—her only consolation. Then why was she glad when she first heard the pirates would kill her? It couldn't be that she was relieved someone else had done her in. She wouldn't accept that.

She grasped something hard in the lynx's flight jacket. Withdrawing the item, she discovered the missing dagger. It was a beautiful piece, fashioned for some ancient ceremony. Mamba slipped it from its sheath, revealing a polished ivory blade—the same material the necklace pendants were made from. The handle was carved from bone, possibly whale or some other sea creature.

While useful, the blade was not her primary objective. Miyu's necklace was more important. She sheathed the kukri and concealed it in her bag, then returned to her search.

Cira reached the bottom of Miyu's clothing pile. A quick run through her undergarments confirmed the necklace wasn't there. She cursed beneath her breath. Miyu must still have it, even though she disrobed of everything else. But Cira couldn't imagine her keeping it on her person; not while she risked losing it in the water. She probably left it on the bank nearby where she could see it. That meant she would have to kill Miyu before she could put it back on. Unless…

On a whim, the pantheress rooted through Fay's belongings as well. Her fingers closed around a rope chord, and she lifted it from beneath her jacket. Dangling at the end of it: the hand-shaped pendent.

Well well well, look what I found. She grinned, arraying the necklace over her own shoulders. She let out a shaky, relieved sigh. It was hard to believe such an item could render her invincible. But at the same time, the pendant looked old and magical enough to imbue such powers. And Andross had known exactly where to find the girls, along with the fruits of experiments he couldn't possibly have conducted yet.

Feeling more empowered than she had ever felt before, Cira drew her gun and silently approached the spring through the underbrush. All that was left was shooting fish in a barrel.

As she drew closer, however, a strange noise reached her ears. They twitched, and she slowed her approach. Those weren't the sounds of two girls having fun in a mineral spring.

They were impassioned cries and moaned names and excited yips and purrs. If she didn't know the two better, she would think they were…

Cira came into view of the pool, still shrouding herself behind the foliage. She froze, staring at the scene before her.

No amount of preparation could ease her shock, or pain.

She saw Miyu lying atop Fay, pinning her to the ground—their bodies entangled in a single, wet, naked mass. Fay was arching back, overcome with pleasure, her pale-white breasts and rose-colored nipples heaving in the open air and sunset light. Miyu crouched between her legs, fingers exploring the spaniel's core.

Enraged, Mamba lifted her gun and stood up. But before she could approach her earpiece buzzed.

"Well this isn't family friendly, is it?"

Gladys.

Mamba searched between the branches. Eventually she caught a glimpse of irregular light—practically unnoticeable unless one were looking for it. Floating just behind a wall of vines was a small surveillance drone. The kind nature magazines used to unobtrusively observe wildlife. The cloaking technology it employed made it the perfect tool for spying on specific targets, which Andross re-purposed it for. The tech involved was simpler than spacecraft cloaking devices; it utilized colored beams of light to mimic what a viewer might see if they could stare straight through the drone. It wasn't as perfect, nor could it hide from thermal imaging or radar, but for Lylatian subjects it did the job.

Cira crouched back down, making sure her prey hadn't spotted her or the surveillance drone.

"The lynx won't see the light of day for long," she warned Gladys in a whisper. "I recovered the artifact. I'll let the bitch live, like you ordered. It'll only take a moment."

Gladys fell into a fit of amused laughter on the other end. "No no! Don't put an end to this now. The men love it! Do you know how long they've gone without female company? Some of them for months. And all the prettiest darlings in the research base are off limits—that would be myself, Andross' mistress, and you, my sweet." She could practically see Gladys winking.

"They're… getting off to this?"

"Oh yes, you should see them squirming and wolf-whistling. Makes me miss having a—"

Their conversation was interrupted by Fay's cries.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh! Miyu!"

Mamba watched in disbelief as the lynx backed off, revealing Fay's twitching flower—the petals of which dripped honey. Fay's entire body shook, culminating in one long moan after her muscles fell limp.

It was a beautiful sight, yet all the bounty huntress felt was disgust and boiling rage. That dark memory reared its ugly head. She didn't see them swimming in a mineral spring. All she saw was the reflection of Aquas' blue surface in the water. How can Miyu touch her after what happened! And they dare kick me from the team? The one that avenged her?

Once Fay had sufficiently recovered, she sat up and gestured for Miyu to lie down. Miyu seemed to like where that was leading, and obediently lay her back against the cliff bank. Fay lowered herself in the water until just her head and shoulders remained above. She spread Miyu's legs apart, then set to feathering Miyu's pink lips with her tongue. As she worked, she stared up at Miyu with deep blue puppy-dog eyes, delighted by the pleasure mirrored in her face. Growing braver, Fay dragged her tongue upwards in great, full-tongued licks, as if trying to finish a lollipop in as few goes as possible. Miyu alternated between purring and outright moaning. She reached down, jamming the spaniel's head into herself.

The more her teammates made love, the more Cira felt envy bubbling up within.

"When can I kill her?"

Gladys quickly responded, "Actually, that won't be necessary. As long as you have the necklace the lynx won't be a threat to us. Once we attack the town we can destroy their ships. By the time any word of Badwash' massacre reaches the authorities we will have packed up and left. No one will believe two paranoid girls sobbing about time travel and zombies."

"But, Andross ordered—"

Gladys yawned across the link. "What Andross doesn't know won't hurt him. And may I remind you that I am in control of this operation?"

Cira nearly threw up as Miyu approached climax. The feline's eyes screwed shut and her head flew back. She nearly screamed Fay's name, over and over again. It didn't seem too far from torture—as if someone were burning her with a hot poker, or freezing her with dry ice. Competing with Miyu's cries of pleasure were the screeching and howling pirates in the background of Cira's earpiece. It twisted her gut that they were finding so much pleasure in a sight that brought her so much pain.

As Miyu's cries subsided, and she wrapped her legs around Fay's shoulders, Cira grabbed the surveillance drone out of the air. She shoved it into her pack, then turned to slink away from the pool. Cries of confusion and disappointment filled her earpiece.

"Aww, you're no fun," Gladys pouted. "We would've liked to see you join them. Given the way these men are demanding your severed head, I think you might have to find some other way to appease them upon returning. They get bored of just watching, you see."

"I got the necklace. You can find the rest of the artifacts aboard one of their ships. If you don't want them dead there's nothing more I can do for you. And I've decided against delivering Fay to you. Your men dissuaded me from that."

Gladys sighed. "Well then, return for your reward. I'll hate to see you go. As for those girls, they'll meet their end one way or another. There's no escaping the carnage to come. And now that the lynx can no longer cheat death, this will truly be her dead end."


)◯(


Exhausted by their love-making, the girls lay upon the shore. The rising steam from the salt spring felt like a sauna, meaning that even outside the healing water clothes were unnecessary.

Miyu reclined on the bank with her arms around Fay, spooning the smaller canine. Fay's wrist comm sat not too far from them, still playing music from the nearby radio station. A new song had begun, sung by a dark feline voice—the first female vocalist Miyu had heard on the station. Her voice was full and filled out the radio waves, hanging onto the last word of each line. And whenever the airy, whimsical violin and flourishing piano took the forefront, she would hum along to their tune.

"Don't make me live on, I pray
Knowing each day
Merely shadows the way
You made love to me that day.

We will never commence
A more sweeter romance
The rest of our lives… but after-play."

Fay purred and pressed her back snuggly into Miyu, and the lynx reciprocated the gesture by caressing her collarbone.

"I wish we could stay here forever," Fay murred. "Just you and me."

Miyu smirked inwardly, knowing that if she really wanted to, they could. It was well within her power to relive that wonderful scene again and again, but her anxiety of doing or saying the wrong thing at the wrong time diminished that desire. She could easily mess things up with Fay, bringing unbearable shame upon herself. No, it was best to continue from here.

Miyu lifted her head onto Fay's shoulder. She whispered in her ear, "We could, you know."

Fay hummed pleasantly and shifted around, rolling over to face Miyu. She nestled into her waiting arms, sharing the warmth and comfort of one another's breasts. "Mmm, we could."

While they talked Miyu absently watched a small galaxy of film and bubbles floating on the pool's surface. The constellation of foam began spinning inwards on itself, as if forming a tiny solar system.

"I'm glad it was me you chose
To that other girl
You gave only no's
Now with envious rage she glows.

She's jealous you see
Of sweat you and me
Her evil eye casts us woes."

"But we really could," Miyu pressed on, caressing the canine's shoulder blades. "Maybe not here, but if we wanted to, couldn't we stay together forever?"

Fay seemed to pull away at that. She pressed her hands against Miyu's stomach, separating their bodies slightly. Miyu felt disappointed when Fay's breasts left her own.

"Well… I don't know if my family would approve."

Miyu snorted. "They already disapprove of you being a mercenary, don't they? I'm sure you disobey them in a lot of ways. What's wrong with adding one more thing to that list?"

Fay lay on her back, staring up at Aquas, her chest splaying out left and right. "I know, but this is a big thing. We're a big thing, Miyu. We can't just rush into this—we're still young and hot-headed and all that."

"But we can try it out." Miyu reached across the bank for Fay, grasping her sides. "And I'm sure once you've gotten more tastes of this, you won't want to give it up. Today was amazing, Fay. And we didn't even know what we were doing. Think how much more of each other we can explore, think of how much more we can love each other when we understand how this works."

"That's what I'm afraid of. This only happened because we didn't know what we were doing. I… I can't shake the feeling that this is…

"…wrong."

When all the bubbles coalesced, and the spinning galaxy slowed, they settled in the shape of an eye.

The sun dipped below Bayoon's horizon. With the last rays of the daylight cutoff, the orange-lit mountainside became cast in darkness. The eclipse twilight had begun.

In a series of swift motions Miyu extricated herself from Fay. She sat upright on the bank, and the spaniel turned to look at her.

"What's wrong?"

"The necklace—I dropped it on the cliffside back there!"

"Oh relax, silly. I stashed it in my jacket."

The moths in Miyu's stomach quit their fluttering, but only for a moment. She turned to look back through the forest, noting with dismay that their changing spot lay out of sight.

Miyu stood up and ran through the bushes. "I need it!"

"But why?" Fay's voice came as she pursued.

She reached their piles of clothes, shocked to see they had been rifled through and lay scattered about the small clearing. Someone had searched through them.

"Oh no..."

Miyu descended upon the clothes like a hurricane, feeling her way through each article with a fine-toothed comb.

"Miyu, you're scaring me."

"I'm always scaring you!" she responded, a bit harsher than she had intended.

Fay clasped her hands in front of her stomach and did a little dance, shivering a bit in the open air. "Why do you need it so much?"

"Because it's our ticket out of here! It's saved me three times already. Without it, we might mess up and get both ourselves killed—and there's no coming back this time! We're dead for good!"

Making herself useful, Fay knelt down and began sifting through the rest of the clothes. "But what's there to kill us? You already KO'd the pirates."

"Well there's more of them! A whole army! And those monsters prowling the swamp in the dark. A whole haunted forest we have to get through. And-and when we get back to Badwash Harbor, guess what's waiting for us? Even more monsters, if they infect the city again. And cultists, and a mad scientist convention, and a pirate death squad..."

Taking a break from her search, Miyu paused to strike herself on the head.

"Oh how could I have been so stupid! I let things get this way. This is all my fault. If I had kept searching for a way out of here rather than lusting after you we wouldn't be in this mess! Stupid, stupid, bitch!"

Fay crouched beside Miyu, placing a gentle paw on her shoulder. "Miyu, don't beat yourself up like this!"

Ignoring her, Miyu continued, "Oh, and don't forget Black Mamba is out hunting for us."

"Do you really think Cira would kill us?"

"She very nearly did!" Miyu retorted. "In fact, I—" She stopped herself from telling Fay she got Cira killed last life, even if it was self-defense and after she had tried to save her.

Miyu sorted through the last garment, grasping for the next but coming up empty.

The necklace was gone.

"Shit! Shit-shit-shit, fucking dammit!"

"It's not here," Fay whimpered.

"You could've dropped it on the way up, but that still doesn't change the fact that someone's been through our stuff," Miyu reasoned.

"Then why didn't they just kill us after they took it?"

Miyu only had to think for a second before she arrived at an answer.

"Cira."

The thought of the pantheress rooting through their belongings like a hyena through a carcass sent shivers down Miyu's spine. Cira was mere yards away from their position. An excellent sniper could've shot them at a hundred. They were distracted with each other and unprotected, having shed their guns with the rest of their clothes. She had to have heard them carrying on—had to have seen the shameful acts they committed together. Yet she still didn't kill them. She chose to let them live on in fear, knowing they would die some way or another, perhaps more horrifically than a bullet to the head.

"Miyu? What now?"

Miyu stood, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling completely alone and exposed in the darkness. She never felt so naked and unprotected than without that necklace. Each path lying before them was a dead end in a nightmarish maze. The certainty was death. Fear and uncertainty the path leading to it. There were no more second chances, and trial and error was no longer an option.

"Miyu?"

Miyu was powerless. She stood there, shivering in the dark, feeling thousands of eyes of monsters peering at her from between the trees.

Every evil eye was on her.