The Tenth Year
The girls were scouting out a field near Targ. The Sangria Clan had been spotted nearby, and Edwina felt well enough to take them. They weren't out to hurt the Gria women, just knock them out and keep them restrained long enough for them to sober up. The whole group was nothing but a bunch of Gria who got their hands on wine and would keep getting severely drunk. The woman the Moogle who posted the bill was working for was the mother of one of the girls and wanted her to go to Fluorgis with her.
"This grass feels good on my feet, Kinta. Let's come back here someday, at night. This would be a wonderful place to do it." Edwina whispered. Kalashi held a box of popcorn with her Kneervon tail and was eating it happily. She only ever did anything when her mistress was in battle. She had vicious claws.
"Can you focus on something besides sex for a while…? Oh wait. You can't. You're in heat. Viera are even worse, I should've known you'd need constant attention. Okay, once we get this mission done, we're finding the nearest secluded area or inn that allows pets. Anywhere the three of us can be alone. Good Wood, you don't look so well. Are you sure you're okay?" Kinta asked.
"Yes. I am certain, my love. It's more my mental state than my physical."
"Your mental state is important too! You're a Geomancer, you rely on controlling nature, mostly by thought, and if your thoughts are that troubling, your control will be impaired."
"I can use weapons just as well. And we don't want to hurt these poor Gria too much. Just enough to take them home and get them away from the alcohol."
"Edwina, if you aren't okay, just tell me and we'll go home!"
Eddy smiled. "You're going a little too far with this Kinta. I know you love me, but I'm not helpless." She assured the Viera.
"Edwina… you've never been in heat before. I don't want you to overexert yourself. Viera in heat don't tire easily, and we often overdo things due to our enhanced energy and end up badly injured without knowing. I don't know if Gria are the same, but I don't plan on letting you find out."
There was a flash of blue. Edwina and Kinta drew their weapons. Both girls had special blades they had tailor-made for them. Edwina's was more of a pole with a long blade at the end. The pole could be extended or retracted to make a sword, and it was magickal and prevented whatever was hit by it from healing magickally. Kinta had a sword with a serrated edge that protected her from Fire and Blizzard. There were no weapons exactly the same to them in all of Ivalice.
"I have to watch what I'm hacking off if these are our Gria." Edwina growled. She hated having to restrain herself in battle. She enjoyed battle almost as much as she enjoyed making love to Kinta. She didn't like hurting other Gria, especially during a breeding year, but she had to do what she had to do.
Kinta spotted something in the air. Right above Edwina's head was a Gria woman who was clearly not flying very well. Not graceful at all. Almost as though she was about to fall.
"Give us all your sangria and we'll let you pass!" The Gria yelled as she landed. Eight more Gria and a black Labrador retriever puppy came out from the trees and the brush. One of the Gria was holding the dog.
"And what makes you think we have any wine?" Kinta asked angrily.
"Mister Stanson says he smells wine on you!" The Gria with the puppy in her arms exclaimed.
"And who the hell is Mr. Stanson?" Edwina asked. The other Gria pretty much shoved the dog in her face.
"Behold our clan leader, the Ravager Stanson. He's a male Gria. Linka and I are gonna mate with him soon. We're the only girls in the clan."
"First off, that isn't a Gria, that's a PUPPY; and furthermore, you're all females, even the dog!" Kinta screamed.
"These girls don't sound drunk; they sound like they're on mushrooms." Edwina whispered.
Kinta had to agree. "Are we sure these are the Gria we're looking for?"
"These are our girls. They asked for wine."
"Let me see. Is one of you named Shanla?" Kinta asked the Gria.
"That's me." The Gria holding the puppy replied. "And this is Mister…"
"We know. Mr. Stanson the female puppy who you insist is a male Gria. Edwina? Get ready. Listen Shanla, if you come along with us we won't have to fight. Your mother wants you home with her. She says she wants to take you to Fluorgis so you can marry and have children. The rest of you girls we don't need, but it would be best if you went home to your families as well. Edwina and I will take you on if you don't come peacefully." Kinta explained.
"Do you really think we can take eight Gria on alone?" Edwina whispered in a voice so low the other Gria couldn't hear. Kinta was a Viera and therefore could hear perfectly with her bunny ears.
"These Gria are clearly drunk, and probably not warriors. They probably spend most of their time drinking and making out. We can probably subdue them rather easily. And all we really need is Shanla." Kinta replied quietly. Kalashi dropped the popcorn and began hissing. She could sense Edwina's agitation growing.
"Kalashi, do not attack unless I say so." Edwina stated. The Kneervon understood her. They could understand their masters or mistresses perfectly.
"You don't have wine?" Shanla asked.
"No. Your mother just wants you home with her. She's having a hard time. She wants to go to Fluorgis and give you a younger sibling, but she isn't going without you."
Shanla didn't answer. She put the puppy down and rushed at Edwina before the other young Gria could anticipate and shoved her down. Kinta ran to the defense of her lover, and Kalashi went nuts. The Kneervon didn't care that she had been forbidden to attack. Her symbiote was in danger and that meant she had to act.
Edwina got back up and grabbed her blade. "You want to fight, don't you? I'll be happy to accept. Kalashi, prepare to attack at the slightest movement from Shanla and the Sangria Clan."
Kinta leapt to Edwina's side. "I'm ready. Let's take these idiots down and take their wine from them."
Two of the Gria took to the air and began buzzing Kinta. She kept trying to knock them down. Kalashi leapt and began clawing at one of the other Gria. Shanla focused mostly on Edwina. The other four Gria stood by, drinking wine. This was quite a ridiculous battle. And it was even worse that the drunken Gria were capable of fighting.