12. Squidlarkin
Yuna and Rikku pursued the figure through the darkness, getting further and further into the woods. The duo observed its movements, noticing its gait wasn't altogether human. It gave a slight limp, its unknown mannerisms somehow repulsing them. It ran less like a human and more like some bipedal fish. Indeed, the smell in the air reeked of ocean life, almost like that of a seafood restaurant. At last, Rikku caught up with the creature, cringing as she darted forth.
"Die!" she screamed, suddenly kicking the monster in the head. It gave a ghastly groan, immediately sending chills up the duo's spines. The creature staggered twice, suddenly falling to the ground with a slosh.
"Haa… haa… nice one, Rikku!" Yuna said, catching her breath. Rikku did the same, slowly lowering her leg from her forceful kick. She peered down at the beast by her feet, the fishy odor intense in the air.
"Yeck! Smells like someone died!" Rikku said. "What the hell is this thing, anyway?" Yuna stepped forth, bending over as her bare ass stuck out in the air. She grabbed the creature's wrist, at once flipping its body around.
Before them lay a horrid, humanoid-like creature, body of a man, head of a squid. It wore a red and white wool robe, tentacles jutting out where its jaw should be. Yuna was at a loss, but Rikku edged forward, crouching down to get a better look.
"Don't get too close to it!" Yuna said. Rikku eyed the monster, holding her nose from the clammy stench.
"Bleh. I recognize it, now. It's a mindflayer," she said, inflection comical due to her plugged nose. "These things are dangerous. They often live near water, and are said to have psychokinetic powers."
"Hmm. That sounds familiar. I still don't see our clothes anywhere, though," Yuna said.
"Maybe this isn't the one who stole them. Mindflayers live in nests. If there's one nearby, I'll bet our stuff's there," Rikku said.
"How do you know so much about these things?"
"Shinra told me. He's compiling a database of creatures from all over Spira. These here critters are just one of the many he's put into it."
The two continued on, keeping an eye out for a monster's nest. They considered taking the mindflayer's robe, but found that it was stuck to its body by a disgusting film. They nervously marched through the dark forest, braving its depths without a stitch on.
"Heh. This is kind of fun, eh, Yuna? Sorta like getting back to nature or somethin'!" Rikku said.
"Your idea of fun is more than strange, Rikku," Yuna replied, shivering. "Still, it must be at least ten o'clock by now. I wonder what Brother and the rest are up to? Think they're worried about us?"
"Puh. Fat chance," Rikku said. "Those boys love to cut loose at night. They're probably piss drunk at the bar right now. Barkeep always keeps a healthy supply of booze in there."
"True. And Shinra goes to bed early and wakes up at dawn. He's probably fast asleep by now," Yuna said. "Ouch!"
"What?"
"I think something bit my ass!" Yuna said, rubbing her right butt cheek.
"Heh. How flattering! Even the bugs love groping that dumper of yours!" Rikku joked.
"Very funny," Yuna said. Just then, something caught her eye. "…Rikku, wait. Look!"
"Hmm?" Rikku asked. Yuna approached some bushes, crouching behind them as she pointed ahead. The two noticed a dim torchlight, burning outside what looked like a cave off in the distance.
"Ah. Looks like a bandit's den," Rikku said.
"Then I'll bet those damned bandits took our clothes. Maybe that mindflayer was a red herring," Yuna said.
"Heh. It certainly smelled like one," Rikku joked.
"Good. I feel far more comfortable facing fellow humans than those creepy fish men," Yuna said.
"Yeah. That makes two of us," Rikku said.
The girls stepped over the tall bushes, slowly creeping their way toward the den. They snuck through the grass, tiptoeing, careful not to make a sound. As the two reached the entrance to the cave, they both blushed, warily looking around. While the darkness shrouded their nakedness from sight, the nearby torch lit up every square inch of their flesh. Yuna stepped forward, carefully putting an ear to the hideout's raggedy wooden door.
"...I don't hear anything," she whispered.
"Try the latch," Rikku whispered back. Yuna did as asked, finding that the door wouldn't budge.
"It's locked," Yuna said, hardly surprised. "What do we do now?"
"Step back. I got this," Rikku said, producing a lockpick from her hair.
"Wow. Kept a spare, huh? Good thinking, Rikku," Yuna said.
"Hey, a good thief always has a trick up her sleeve! Err. Not that I'm wearing one, mind you," Rikku grinned. The girl bent down, carefully examining the shoddy looking lock. She fiddled with her lockpick, her normally chipper expression going dead serious.
"...Think you can unlock it?" Yuna asked, her breasts and pussy barely contained in her hands.
"Probably. Locks to bandit hideouts are usually shitty," Rikku replied. The girl shimmied with the lock, doing her work like the master thief she was. Several seconds later, she smiled. A satisfying click filled the air. "Bingo!"
"Nice! Good job, Rikku!" Yuna said with a smile.
"But of course. You're talkin' to Spira's number one thief, here!" Rikku said, thumb to her chest.
"We can't relax yet, though," Yuna said. "Now comes the hard part…
going inside."