Four-sided Circle
Warm wind wafted onto her face as she looked out towards the horizon, leaning against the starboard of the airship carrying them across Southern Thanalan, and she closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling of it caressing her cheeks and blowing through her hair.
The sea was in her blood, always was, and always would be, but it was moments like these that made her very much understand Cid's love for airships.
Opening her eyes again, she watched the vast openness of the Sagolii Desert, the scorching yellow sand almost appearing a bright white in glaring sunlight from above.
And far in the distance, behind a series of mountains, she could spy the first hints of their destination, the Manderville Gold Saucer. S'eni watched for a bit as more of the giant Cactuar, which served as its mascot, revealed itself before stepping back and walking over to the bench where Y'shtola was currently reading a book.
Sitting down next to her, she found her attention drawn to a small family sitting nearby, the two children barely able to contain themselves while the parents simply watched in amusement. A grin split her face.
"Someone is certainly excited," Y'shtola commented.
"The little ones, or me?"
The other woman turned a page but stopped halfway for a second to shoot her a smile. "Both."
S'eni chuckled and leaned backwards, crossing her arms lightly.
"Well can you blame me? It's been a while since I've truly kicked back and relaxed." She leaned over and gently bumped her shoulder against Y'shtola's. "And with such pleasant company too."
Now it was Y'shtola's turn to chuckle.
"No need to flatter me. I agreed to this, didn't I? Even if I can't say that this was what I imagined."
"Not a big fan?"
"I don't know, to be honest. I have never been here before," the other woman explained. "So this should be an interesting experience either way."
"Don't worry," S'eni said with a smile and gently patted her arm. "I'm sure we'll find something for you to enjoy."
Leaning in to plant a kiss on her lover's cheek, she felt herself being stopped by a finger on her lips that then pointed over to the family.
"Not in front of the children," Y'shtola playfully chided, making them both laugh.
The airship shook a little as it made a swerve and they both turned to see the Gold Saucer coming into view in all of its glory.
"Well, here we are," S'eni said.
After landing, they got off the airship with the rest of the passengers and stepped into the richly decorated and garishly illuminated halls waiting for them. As they followed the hallway, they were greeted by a pair of beautiful women, dressed in bunny-themed clothes that accentuated their good looks.
"Welcome to the Gold Saucer," they both said simultaneously and bowed with practiced ease. "Please, enjoy your stay."
"I can certainly see the appeal for certain visitors," Y'shtola said dryly after they passed them.
"There's also some nice games, but if it's the costumes you're after then I'm sure we can arrange something," S'eni said, stepped in front of her and struck a little pose, raising her hands in a cute paw gesture and letting her tail swish playfully from side to side.
"Promises, promises..."
With a giggle, she turned around and stopped short when she nearly collided with a Cactuar wearing a suit and top hat. Señor Sabotender.
"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there," she said, her lips curling into a friendly smile.
He looked at her with its single eye, then raised his arms and scurried off in typical Cactuar fashion. S'eni had to hand it to the person inside that costume. It couldn't be easy to run around like that all the time.
They stepped up to the counter, where a young man dressed in a white suit stood and smiled politely at them.
"Welcome to the Gold Saucer," he greeted them. "What can I do for you?"
"I made reservations for a room," she replied.
"Of course." He pulled a book out from under the counter and opened it up. "Under which name?"
"S'eni Gata."
He looked through the list, repeating her name a few times and turning a page before letting his finger come to rest upon it.
"Here you are—oh..." his brows furrowed, looking from the book towards her, then back down again. Clearing his throat, he took a step back and said, "Excuse me for a moment, I need to make a quick inquiry."
Not waiting for her response, he walked off with a hand going towards his ear. S'eni shared a look with Y'shtola and shrugged.
He returned not long after, the polite smile back on his face. "I am very sorry about the wait."
"Everything alright?" she asked.
"Oh yes, everything is in order. Your room is being prepared as we speak," the attendant said.
"Eh?" S'eni tilted her head. She supposed it was a bit on short notice, but what was there to prepare for in a simple room for two?
If he picked up on her confusion, he didn't show it. "One of my colleagues will come fetch you when it's ready. In the meantime, you can enjoy the Gold Saucer's many games or participate in one of our events."
"Hm, guess we'll do that. Oh! That reminds me." She reached into her bag and pulled out the two envelopes that Khloe had given her, handing them to the attendant. After receiving two sacks with quite a large amount of GP, she turned towards the other Miqo'te and handed her one.
"So, how about we go have some fun?" S'eni asked with a grin.
Y'shtola looked at the sack in her hand then let the corners of her lips quirk upward. "I suppose there's nothing for it."
"That's the spirit!" She put an arm around her shoulders and they both headed in the direction of the crossing that would lead them to the true heart of the amusement park.
People of all ages roamed around, going to and fro the various games that were offered to them, talking and laughing without a care in the world. S'eni had to admit that it was hard to not get swept up in the atmosphere and if not for Y'shtola holding her back, she would already be rushing towards something that caught her eye.
"So what shall we do first?" Y'shtola asked, calmly looking around Event Square, eyes coming to rest on the large stage for a moment. "I wonder if they perform plays here. It's been a while since I have last seen one."
"I don't think the Gold Saucer really is the place for plays. Maybe for concerts—Hey, wait." S'eni looked at Y'shtola. "You like stage plays?"
"I enjoy watching them from time to time."
"Oho." She put a hand on her hip. "So which kind do you like? Tragic romances like 'I want to be your Canary' or rather epic tales like 'The Legendary Hero Alfred'?"
"Seems like a certain someone isn't a stranger to them either," her lover noted.
"Back when I first started out, I occasionally found myself with more free time than I knew what to do with and since I had nothing else to do and the Gil to spare..." She still remembered the first time she had sat in Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre, back at its original location, before the Calamity.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud crash echoing towards them and they both turned their heads to see a young man standing in front of what looked like a punching game, where one had to hit the target as hard as they could to earn rewards.
"I believe we may have found something to start with," Y'shtola said.
"Cuff-A-Cur, huh?" S'eni read out loud as they walked over. "Sure, why not?"
She hadn't seen that the last time she was here, but she also didn't have that close of a look around back then. As they approached one of the machines, she stopped for a second when she saw the shape of the target. A miniature Gilgamesh.
A chuckle escaped S'eni, making Y'shtola look at her, but she simply waved her hand. "Long story, maybe I'll tell you later. So let's see...1GP..."
She put one of the coins into the machine and shortly after it sprung to life with a rather silly recreation of the strange warrior's laugh.
Well then... S'eni thought as she pulled her fist back. ...nothing personal.
With speed and precision acquired from long hours of training, she struck the mini Gilgamesh squarely in the chest, making him shoot backwards and slam against the back wall of the machine with a crash. The lights on top began to blink and a loud, blaring sound began to echo through, drawing the attention of people nearby. A small hatch opened and a generous amount of GP flowed out.
"That was easy," she said and began to gather up her prize.
"I believe this has less to do with it being easy and more with you being incredibly capable," Y'shtola pointed out.
"Now who is flattering who?" S'eni grinned.
After trying a few more times with the same results, and even Y'shtola giving it a single go as well, they continued onward to try out a few more games, all of which didn't prove too much of a challenge for either of them until—
"What in the seven hells!?"
—she had found her match.
For what felt like the hundredth time, but was honestly just the tenth, S'eni watched as the toy moogle, which was supposed to grab one of the many prizes, rose back up from its slow descent with empty paws.
Her hands curled into fists and she threw the fuzzy little toy a glare so intense it would have made a primal step back in fear, before slapping one of the two large buttons. "This thing is rigged!" she declared, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
Next to her, Y'shtola had calmly watched every try, gently rapping her knuckles against her cheek in thought. "May I?"
She looked at her lover for a moment, then stepped back with a huff. "Be my guest."
Y'shtola let her eyes wander over the machine's contents, balls of various sizes and each holding a mystery, before having them come to rest on a particular one. She pulled out a coin and put it into the slot.
S'eni could only watch as the other Miqo'te guided the toy moogle above her desired prize, lowered it down and successfully got hold of the ball in one fell swoop, making it look like the easiest thing in the world.
"H-How?" she wanted to know as the ball was dropped into the prize hatch.
"You were an ilm off," Y'shtola explained and reached out to take it.
"Huh..."
"I admit it is rather unfair, since you have to be very precise." The ball was opened with a little click, revealing...more GP. Y'shtola held them out towards her, but she simply shook her head.
"To the victor the spoils." S'eni smiled. "Buy something nice with it."
After this little exercise in patience, the two of them decided that they had played enough games for now and headed to the Manderville Tables to relax a little while watching the other customers play some Doman Mahjong, a rather recent addition that seemed to fascinate Y'shtola a great deal.
She had seen the game being played at the House of the Fierce a few times, but it had confused her a great deal back then. Maybe she should give it a try?
While mulling that thought over, S'eni noticed a Lalafel approaching them, dressed in a suit that looked just like the one the young man from earlier wore.
"Mistress Gata?" he asked.
"Yes?"
"Your room is ready."
She shared a look with Y'shtola and rose to her feet. "Well, then let's see what they had to prepare."
Returning to the Entrance Square, they boarded a lift and headed up. In retrospect, the fact that they were leaving quite a few floors behind should probably have tipped her off, but it was only when they walked down a rather empty hallway towards a large set of double doors, that she began to suspect that something was amiss here.
The Lalafel attendant placed his hands on the doors and pushed them open to reveal one of the most luxuriously decorated rooms she had ever laid eyes upon. Walls painted a rich burgundy that reminded her of Fortemps Manor; a fireplace to warm up in the cold desert nights and a bed so large it could fit four people on it were only some of the things that caught her immediate attention.
"The Sultana Suite," he said, but S'eni could only stare with wide eyes, her mouth agape. It wasn't until Y'shtola's soft fingers came to rest underneath her chin to close it, that she regained her ability to speak.
"T-There must be some sort of mistake here. I didn't order this," she stammered. All she had asked for was a bedroom for two for a few nights when she had contacted— "...Oh."
—Godbert.
"I assure you, no mistakes have been made. Master Godbert himself has arranged for this. We just did not expect you to arrive so early, for that please accept our humblest apologies." He gave her a deep bow, his face the perfect mask of professionalism.
"Uh," was all she managed.
He rose back up and pointed to another set of doors to the right. "You will find the bath beyond there. Now, if you would please excuse me, I will leave the ladies to their privacy."
Not really giving her any time to respond, he walked past her with busy strides, closing the door behind him and leaving the two of them alone. While she had 'talked' with the attendant, Y'shtola had already begun to look around the room. The corners of her lips were curled up in obvious amusement.
"I take it I'm correct in my assumption that you're acquainted with Godbert Manderville himself?" she asked.
"...Yeah," S'eni replied, rubbing a hand over her face in resignation over this entire thing. "I'm friends with his son, Hildibrand. Maybe you've heard of him?"
"No. Never heard of him."
That...didn't really surprise her. For all his bluster as a self-styled agent of inquiry and Eorzea's greatest detective, he was anything but competent in the pursuit of his chosen profession. But what he lacked in brilliance, he made up for with heart, and more than once he had given people back the hope that they thought lost. Even if sometimes rather unwittingly.
"I met him five years ago in a rather strange turn of events and we reunited not long after Gaius was defeated," she told her, looking around the room now too. "I got tangled up in his newest investigation shortly. We ended up saving Ul'dah from becoming a city filled with undead."
Y'shtola stopped what she was doing to turn around and stare at her with a look of disbelief on her face. "You're joking."
"Told you it's a long story."
"Unbelievable..." her lover muttered. "Now you absolutely have to tell it to me."
"Believe me, it's even more absurd than you think." S'eni exhaled through her nose. "Anyway, I doubt we can do anything about the room now, so how about we just make the best of it while we're here?"
"I shall try my very best to bear all this luxury," was Y'shtola's dry response, turning towards the doors in the back. "Starting with a bath."
A chuckle escaped S'eni as she watched her head into the bathroom. Walking over to the bed, she plopped down on top of it and cast her gaze across the room. Her eyes came to rest upon the large set of windows offering a great view across the Sagolii Desert and she could already tell that once evening approached, that the view of the sunset would be magnificent.
She kicked off her boots, letting them land on the nice-looking rug in front of the bed, and lied down, her hands brushing over the soft sheets covering the equally soft mattress. A smile formed on her lips as the faint sound of running water pervaded the air.
Yes, this might actually not be too bad.
Stretching herself, S'eni nestled deeper into the mattress and closed her eyes. Maybe I'll take a little nap in the meantime...
But before she could pursue that endeavour, a knock resounded off the double doors.
...Or not, she got off the bed again, walked over to the doors and opened one to reveal a woman dressed in one of those bunny outfits. But unlike those from earlier, her's offered more cleavage and the ears resting on her head were floppy.
"Yes?" S'eni asked.
The woman smiled brightly and offered her a bottle of wine. "Please accept this as a token of apology for the inconvenience."
Her first instinct was to ask what inconvenience she meant, but kept herself in check and decided to simply accept it even though this entire place in itself was already an apology for the wait.
"Thanks," she said as she received the bottle. "You wouldn't happen to know where the glasses are?"
A pretty little giggle escaped the bunny girl and she pointed past her towards one of the cupboards.
"Should there be anything else you desire, please feel free to call." With a bow that was just as practiced as her colleagues', the woman left again.
Closing the door again, S'eni looked at the bottle in her hands before heading over to the cupboard that had been pointed at and taking out two finely blown wine glasses. She placed them on the nearby table and, after uncorking the bottle, poured some of the velvety red wine into them.
With a glass in each hand, she walked over to the bathroom doors and pushed them open with her back. The scent of rose greeted her as she turned around while saying, "A little present for—"
Her words died on her lips at the sight of Y'shtola's naked form sliding into the foamy bathwater. Seeing her like this wasn't exactly anything new anymore, but she doubted she would ever grow tired of how beautiful she was.
Y'shtola for her part simply looked at her, a smile dancing across her lips as she leaned back and let her arms come to rest on the edge of the bathtub, clearly enjoying the little reaction she had caused.
"A little present for...?"
As if a spell was broken, S'eni mirrored her lover's expression and bridged the gap between them. "For the inconvenience of waiting," she finished, handing her a glass.
"How very considerate."
They clinked their glasses together and took a generous sip each. With her attention no longer drawn to Y'shtola, she looked around the bathroom. Smooth, white marble adorned with gold made it look lavishly classy, and she could only wonder, as she looked into the polished mirror, just how much Gil it must have cost to build all of this.
Actually, it was probably better if she didn't know.
"So, are you going to just stare at yourself?" the other woman asked, her knee surfacing through the foam for a second as she crossed her legs. "Or are you going to join me?"
Her eyes shifted down to the creamy smooth marble edge of the bathtub and the steaming, bubbly water inside, looking at it for the shortest of moments before wordlessly handing Y'shtola her glass and beginning to undress.
Once the last of her garments had hit the ground, S'eni walked towards the edge with a teasing sway in her hips. Her tail rose to her back as her toes came into contact with the pleasant heat awaiting her, remaining there until she slowly slipped inside, then sinking beneath the water as her body relaxed almost instantly. A sigh passed her lips.
Y'shtola let out a chuckle and handed her the glass once more. "Adorable."
"What is?"
"Your tail going in last."
"Yeah, well..." a smirk formed on her lips. "We can't all be as cool and composed as the mighty Y'shtola Rhul."
She downed the rest of the glass and placed it on the floor before closing her eyes. "Ah but since we're on the topic—" she raised a finger. "—I think it's really cute how yours stiffens whenever you find something that truly fascinates you."
A small splash of water was the only reply she received. Cracking an eye open, she spied Y'shtola's foot as it slid back into the water and her arm shot forward to take hold of it.
"Oh my, what do we have here?" she asked with a playful tone, her grip tightening a little as the other Miqo'te tried to escape. "Is someone in a playful mood?"
She raised the foot out of the water, placed the tips of her fingers on her sole—
"Eni, don't you dare—"
—and began tickling her.
For a few seconds, Y'shtola managed to hold her composure, face twitching involuntarily as she tried to wrestle free of her grip. But S'eni was by far the stronger of the two and as the seconds of relentless tickling passed, so too did her lover's composure and she burst into laughter, the sound echoing loudly through the room as Y'shtola twisted and turned.
She watched in glee as the other Miqo'te's chest rose and fell out of the sloshing water, fingers twitching as they tightly held onto the edge as she was reduced to nothing but a pile of laughter. After a few more, sweetly torturous seconds of this, S'eni decided that she had enough and released her grip.
As soon as she was released, Y'shtola slumped back, lips still twitching a little bit while trying to catch her breath.
"Everything alright?" She asked, reaching out to grab the glass that had dropped into the water during all of this and placing it outside the tub, then put her hands on the edge to lean over her.
But Y'shtola simply ignored her, turning her head slightly to the side to face away from her.
"Aww, come on." Her lips forming into a pout, she leaned in close, putting a hand on top of her lover's shoulder. "It was just a little joke."
She received a sideway glance in return.
S'eni gently ran her thumb across soft skin. "Let me make it up to you."
"And how do you intend to do that?"
"Hmm, I can think of a few things," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips while her other hand came to rest on Y'shtola's other shoulder and began to massage them.
Seconds passed and she watched as her lover tried, and very much failed, to keep her stony expression before letting the corners of her lips curl upward and turning to face her once more. Arms moving to circle around her neck, Y'shtola pulled her closer until their lips were only a hairbreadth apart.
"Honestly..." she huffed out and captured her lips in a deep kiss.
After separating again, S'eni let her head come to rest just slightly above Y'shtola's chest, releasing a content sigh at their closeness. "Let's just stay like this for the rest of the day."
"As lovely as that sounds, I would rather not have my skin be as wrinkled as Master Matoya's for many decades to come."
They shared a laugh.
"Fine. Then let's stay like this for as long as possible."
Y'shtola hummed in agreement, then added, "You owe me a glass of wine."
"There's still a bottle waiting outside for us to finish."
"Very well. Perhaps you can also tell me that story then."
"Alright, but now—" she pressed a kiss against Y'shtola's skin. "—bath time."
Poor Hildibrand. The only other Scion to know him is Urianger of all people. But nevermind that, I suppose. He is a hero of a very different kind of adventure after all.
I hope you're all gonna have a great weekend!