The waterfall in the center of the mysterious island was a sight to behold. As anyone who had seen it with their own two eyes would attest, what the moogles had told them paled in comparison to what they saw.

Getting to the waterfall was the hard part as it was down a steep slope that led to a lagoon surrounded by thick vegetation but once you reached the bottom it was easy to find.

Even after everything she had seen up to this point, Lightning still was at a loss for words at the waterfall which stretched high above her in the background of the lagoon. The lagoon itself was nothing short of breathtaking. A large body of water that was knee deep and with rocks that made paths to a much larger rock in the center on the pool. That rock was smooth and flat not to mention spacious. The sun shined down on this spot like a halo and was the only source of warmth in the area, in contrast to the ice-cold water. A thin veil of mist formed from the waterfall that coated the area in a dampness.

Caius tapped his partner on the shoulder, "You okay Claire?"

Lightning shook her head, not realizing she had been staring and closed her gapping mouth. "I'm okay. Just taking in the scenery." she then retorted, "And don't call me that."

The man chuckled, forgetting his place when it came to saying her real name. "Thought it would get your attention better." He carried a small basket that the moogles had given him prior to leaving the resort that was filled with essentials they would need for spending time outside.

"You would be distracted too with all this before you," the pink haired woman said before following her partner. The two went along the edge of the pool to a path of rocks that led straight to the center.

True to what she said Caius had thought the lagoon, not to mention the whole island was a sight to behold. However, what got his attention more than anything was how Lightning looked in her swimsuit. Though it was a simple design, an all-black two piece with a strapless top that was tied in a small bow between her breasts, it made her look more adorable than badass. To protect her skin from the sun she wore a think white sheer jacket. Though she had gone for simplicity Lightning had instead gotten a cute look and Caius had been teasing her ever since she had bought it.

She caught him looking at her again and she glared at him with a look that could melt steel. "You turn those eyes elsewhere or I will pluck them out." Personally, she didn't like him gawking at her, even though they were in a relationship (a secret one at that).

"But it's nice to see you in such a different light," he defended himself. "Besides, a woman wearing next to nothing has to gather the eyes of any hotblooded male in the area, am I right?"

"I wish I could slice you in half-" She hopped from one rock to the next and went right into Caius, who wasted no time in putting an arm around her slender waist. To steady herself she forced herself to grab his broad shoulders but tried to keep herself form molding onto his form. If she hadn't done that she knew she wouldn't have been able to tear herself away.

She kept her eyes down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction that he had her trapped. "Okay...let me go now."

Though he would have teased her some more, Caius wasn't a glutton having been satisfied earlier by the make out session he and Lightning had shared prior to coming outside. He had his fill of her. For now, at least. He let her go and she walked around him to climb on the rock. The smooth surface was the size of the room they were staying in so there wasn't a shortage of where to choose to lay down.

However, the decision to where to set herself down was set aside as Lightning saw a familiar face climbing onto the rock from the opposite side. "Vaan?"

The young sky pirate was with a short haired brunette. Vaan was holding onto her hand after he helped her up onto the rock. He noticed the others getting onto the rock and he smiled. "Hey there, Lightning."

"Thought I saw you yesterday but didn't make sure," said Lightning as Caius went over and set their basket down next to where they stood.

"I thought I saw you as well, but I wanted to spend time with Ashe," said Vaan as he turned to find his lover already getting their spot on the rock set up. She didn't seem to be interested in meeting the new arrivals. Kind of rude on her part, but she had a chip on her shoulder.

Vaan stepped in and spoke on her behalf. "Sorry if she seems a little rude. She was hoping we would have this spot to ourselves."

"Hoping against hope with this many people on the island," said Lightning. She gave no ill will towards Ashe, only an apologetic smile. Ashe nodded once, taking the apology and decided to make the best of the situation.

Lightning took off the jacket she wore and handed it to Caius. "We're more than happy to share the rock. Nice to talk to someone as well."

"I agree with you there," said Vaan as he sat down next to Ashe. The Queen of Dalmasca was wearing a similar swimsuit to what Lightning wore except hers consisted of a white strapless top and tight red bottoms that showed off her hips. She leaned on Vaan who put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

Vaan then whispered something to Ashe that caused her to smile before she turned to lie on her stomach on the rock. "So, what are you planning to do today, Lightning?"

As she thought up a response Lightning saw that Vaan had a hold of a bottle of sunscreen. That explained the giddy smile that Ashe wore as she laid flat on the rock. Lightning thought of what was coming next and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Still she gave an answer, "Just coming here until lunch is served, then might as well explore the rest of the island." Her cheeks went even redder when she turned and saw that Caius was holding onto a bottle of sunscreen as well. He gave Lightning a cunning smile.

That smile made her shiver. She didn't want to make a scene and sighed in instant defeat. Yet she wanted to make her point clear. "If you're going to do what you think you're going to do-"

Caius cut her off. He had her figured out. "I assure you; my intentions are purely admirable." He put his hands on her shoulders and helped her turn onto her stomach on the rock.

"I don't need you to-hey!" The feeling of the cold lotion on her lower back caught her off guard and Lightning bit down on her lower lip. She would have sent a curse word Caius' way had they been alone but instead she forced herself to relax. That proved to be harder than she thought possible as Caius' rough hands moved across her back. Calloused hands hardened by fighting were surprisingly soft on her skin and she struggled to keep herself quiet, to keep any pleasurable sounds to herself for fear of making everyone around her uncomfortable.

Ashe wasn't like that. Vaan's hands moved across her back he in turn made it feel like a massage, touching all the right points that she gave a pleasurable sigh with each right movement. The smile she wore never left her lips.

Lightning couldn't say the same as she felt Caius' hands venture beyond her back to her sides before going lower onto her hips and bottom. He didn't show any form of hesitation but went on touching her, his hands went under her swimsuit bottoms. Without thinking Lightning gasped and wiggled her hips.

Caius smiled, "Relax, Lightning."

She turned her head in his direction, the redness in her cheeks was the same hue as a red chocobo. She spoke in a whisper that only he could hear, "You say that as you have your hands on my ass!"

Caius chuckled and rubbed the skin of her bottom. He didn't fail to notice that her hips moved with his hands and softened under his touch. She was enjoying it, no matter how she wanted to deny it. "Calm yourself."

She huffed before turning away from him. His hands went to her back once again and up to her shoulders. She laid her head down on her hands and let him touch her. "Just keep those hands on my back. I'll take care of my front when I get to it." The thought of those expert hands touching her chest made her get even more flustered.

Luckily, Caius conceded her wish. "As you desire." He had access to her backside and that was enough to satisfy him. For the moment at least.

"Dakk, please put me down!"

Lightning had her eyes closed for a mere moment before she heard another woman's voice. This one wasn't Ashe either. She raised her head and saw a pair of new arrivals coming onto the rock from the opposite side of where she was facing.

A man with purple spikey hair with a long fuzzy cat tail carried a gorgeous looking blonde in his arms bridal style. The woman had her arms around his neck even after he got her to stand on her own two feet. She wore a two-piece white and pink striped bikini that hugged her curves tightly. Its rather cute color scheme was a contrast to the lean physique the woman had.

The man named Dakk, with his dark visor covering his eyes smiled down at his flustered lover while his hands found comfort in her lower back. "Thought I would save you the trouble of getting here, Lyse."

Lyse tried to protest, "But you didn't have to carry me all the way here. I mean it was okay for the slope down here but not to this spot-I could have made it just fine."

Lightning arched an eyebrow at what Lyse had implied. 'Did her boyfriend literally carry here all the way here? He must be strong to do that...'

If that was the case she was impressed.

Lyse pulled herself away and laid out a towel, fully intending to join Lightning and Ashe in their little gathering.

Her blonde hair cascaded down her back as she made a playful glance at the miqote samurai behind her, who was nodding at her. Under his visor which covered battle scars suffered in a recent war for Lyse's homeland his eyes were showing her a level of affection he showed no one else in their world.

Lyse knew he had eyes for her only, and she wouldn't want any other man even if the gods themselves offered her their affection and swarmed her with gifts.

She finished laying out her towel before laying down on her stomach. The mist created from the waterfall had dampened the entire area and was now even leaving a layer of glistening on the six guests. However, it was Lyse who showed the most of that as her swimsuit was wet and stuck to her curves enticingly. The only one who really appreciated that was of course Dakk himself. He had chosen the outfit for Lyse, after all, and he expected it to pay off in some form. This turned out better than he had anticipated.

Still Lyse got comfortable and Dakk sat down next to her, intending to make it a hat trick and give her a coat of sunscreen.

"Kind of glad that there are others here to talk with," said the blonde while Dakk grabbed the bottle and held it in his hand. With his free hands he slowly caressed her spine which earned him a smile from Lyse.

While one of the three was enjoying the company as well as their male companion Lightning was half and half. She didn't mind the others being with her, but with the crowd growing around her so did Caius' boldness in touching her body. This was because she felt him feel up her bottom again before going along the length of her legs. She kicked up her legs to send a message, but he merely adjusted himself and felt up her legs. He particularly liked squeezing her thighs and watching her shake each time he did that. She kept giving him a glare that would scare a behemoth but the smirk he sent her way showed he wasn't afraid of her wrath.

So, she let him play with her legs and tried to ignore him. She turned back intending to talk to the girls when she noticed someone else beginning to set down opposite her. It was another blonde woman in a white two-piece bandeau bikini that was adorned with blue flower print as well as a sheer white skirt that was open in the front. 'That's the woman from this morning...Noctis' wife if I remember correctly,' thought Lightning. Sure enough Noctis climbed onto the rock carrying a basket in his hand. He was wearing a black pair of shorts and a matching black tank top. He saw Lightning and greeted her with a nod.

"Hey, Light, mind if we join you?"

The warrior woman waved her hand, "More the merrier."

Ashe had her head on her hands and had remained silent for the last few minutes as Vaan finished applying her sunscreen. She was still no doubt upset about her desired privacy being ruined but had since grown accustomed to it. She'd have other opportunities in the future. Still, with Vaan and Noctis being in the same area the two decided to talk about their adventures in life back on their home worlds.

As for the others Lyse was more preoccupied with Dakk and his massaging her skin. Though he had long since completed his quest of applying sunscreen he seemed to enjoy touching her beyond that. Not that Lyse didn't enjoy it she just wish he kept his hands away from her more intimate areas when in front of others. He really enjoyed touching her bottom it seemed, as she had to more than once adjust her swimsuit after he pushed them up her hips. Yet each time she fixed them he returned to touching her there until she shooed his hands away.

That didn't stop Dakk as he lightly patted her bottom in response, and Lyse's already reddened cheeks went a deeper shade as she turned to face her lover.

"Stop that, please, Dakk."

He smiled but gave in. He didn't want to make her angry with his teasing. He'd make sure to pay her back later though. "Okay, Lyse."

As Lyse seemed to have Dakk wrapped around her finger Lightning had a thought. 'Wish Caius was more like him-' Her thought was cut off as she felt a heavy hand smack her bottom. She turned her head back and grunted in extreme displeasure. She decided to try and be forceful. "Do that again and you will pay."

Caius' hand caressed the length on her legs, "Put it on my tab, Light."

Lightning pouted and turned away, extreme annoyance on her beautifully fierce features.

There was some amusement from the others. Both Vaan and Dakk, whose actions earlier inspired Caius' own on Lightning, chuckled under their breath. Yet she had some sympathy on the part of Noctis. He wouldn't do that with his own wife. Being a king and all, he had a public image to think about when he was with her, even in a tropical island paradise he couldn't bring himself to be like that...at least in public.

Not only that but unlike the others Luna was more than willing to apply her own sunscreen. While that was less to do with their image Luna knew that touching her in public was something that Noct wasn't used to doing. He even had trouble kissing her when cameras were around. Not having a problem with his hesitance Luna was more than happy to do it herself. She'd give him some sort of compensation for his patience later.

"Wish I had some water...," said Lightning, suddenly feeling parched. The idea of forcing Caius to stop touching her was the actual motivating factor in that request. She turned to look back over her shoulder to relay the message to Caius. "Make yourself useful and get some water please."

Caius sat on his knees and shrugged his shoulders, "At least you said please."

Luna laid on her back on her towel and spoke to her husband, "I suppose that would be good. Darling, would you be a dear and get me a bottle as well?"

Noctis rolled his eyes but smiled. He took his wife's hand in his own and kissed it, "Sure. I'll be right back."

With half the guys getting ready to leave, the other two didn't want to be left out.

Vaan was the one who spoke his mind, "We should go to. That way we can let the ladies talk without us overhearing."

Dakk agreed, "But when we get back we better find something else to do." Dakk got on one knee. Lyse got on her hands and knees to adjust her towel as well as readjust herself. Seeing his chance-as well as being presented with a fun moment-Dakk slightly smacked Lyse's bottom again. With a yelp the blonde woman's hands went to cover her skin and she sat up straight. She turned her head to Dakk who was already hitting the road laughing. He had avoided her wrath, at least for the moment.

Vaan shook his head before hopping off the rock to join the other guys.

As soon as they were gone Lyse laid down on her stomach, one hand was rubbing her bottom on the spot Dakk had spanked her. "I hate it when he does that..." It didn't hurt in a physical sense, but it was more annoying to Lyse than anything.

"Wearing what you have I can see why he does it. You have only yourself to blame." Lighting rolled onto her back and put her hands behind her back. With the guys gone she felt the need to open up a bit more.

"Should have known he had ulterior motives when he picked this out for me," said Lyse as she turned to lie on her back as well.

The four women laid out on the rock in the four directions on a compass and with their privacy being almost assured, Lightning knew now was probably the best time to finish what Caius had started. She grabbed the sunscreen bottle and started to rub the lotion on her chest, going under her swimsuit and other areas she refused to have her partner go. "He got carried away with this. I swear if he and I weren't together I would have skinned him..."

She wasn't the only one going extreme with the lotion as Lyse joined her. However, she went one step further and removed her bikini top and laid down on her stomach after applying. Being around other women made her feel comfortable enough to strip the top. If one were to compare them, it was easy to acknowledge that Lyse had all the women beat in terms of size. Though Lightning was no slouch in endowment even she knew Lyse was bigger than her. However, she liked how the blonde had her physique so toned yet her skin looked so soft at the same time. "So how do you do it?"

Lyse was leaning on her arms and had her legs together, "What?"

"Stay so fit? I mean I'm a soldier of destiny but even I can't get a body like yours," Lightning asked out of genuine curiosity.

Lyse smiled sheepishly, "I fought for years to liberate my homeland...training mind, body, and heart to fight for it. I guess that's the best way to describe it." She had never intended to be healthy for anything else. Yet now that her home was free she had tried to maintain a lifestyle to keep her focus.

"Then we have something in common." That sentence was spoken by Ashe, who finally broke her own silence after being quiet for so long. She sat up and put her knees to her chest with her back to the others. "Dalmasca was freed after much learning on my part."

Seeing some familiarity between herself and the Dalmascan queen made Lyse respect her more.

She wasn't the only one. Luna put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. The sun was shining brightly down on the four women and while she was warmed by it she still felt a cold ach in her heart. "Destiny and fate can be cruel, can't they Lightning?"

The pink haired woman didn't have to ask what she meant. No doubt Noctis informed her of her past. She went along with the conversation. "They can, but there are ways they make life better. I mean, you married your childhood friend and defied your fate."

"And you saved your future instead of being a pawn to the gods," replied the Insomnia queen. "You have my deepest respect in that regard."

Lightning smiled and expressed one moment of disappointment she wished she could do without. "Yet I ended up with Caius, and he's more trouble than he's worth." 'Sometimes,' she thought with a small amount of glee.

Luna sensed her inner feelings and played on them, "I think you enjoy him more than you let on." She sat up and leaned back on her elbows. "I mean Noctis is so shy going to a place like this with him can be a bit much but if I hold his hand long enough even he can surprise me."

Lightning chuckled, "I'd rather take a shy boy than Caius, sometimes. He knows how to push my buttons and he's damn persistent."

"Dakk's fearless, and while that works out for him when he's adventuring I wish he would be more shy when with me," said Lyse still feeling the sting in her bottom from earlier.

"I prefer Vaan's charm and unpredictability," said Ashe as she got on her stomach to effectively join the conversation. The women talking about their men was something she was used to participating in back home.

Lightning laid on her stomach and the four women scooted closer together like a group of high schoolers at a sleepover sharing secrets. "So, between the four of us we have a fearless one, a shy one, a charmer, and one who is too adventurous for his own good. What a harem."

Lightning surprised herself by laughing, and the other women joined her in laughter.

"Yet we still love them, in our own ways," said Luna.

"No other way to put it," Lightning added. Though she was annoyed with him, she knew she couldn't live without Caius. Life would be super boring otherwise.

Same was said for Ashe, Lyse, and Luna. Without the men in their lives, life would not be worth living.