When I get inspired to write a fanfiction, I have learned that I need to take it. This is also practice for when 'Searching for Assistants' gets spicy.
"Alright, how many herbs do I need…!" Collei wonders aloud. A clear mistake.
"Hm? What was that Collei? Everything ok?" A strong voice, Dehya's voice, rings out, reminding her of the urgency that she finds herself in.
"E-everything's fine! I promise! Just- just wait a minute!" The heart of the young Dendro user pounds like a hammer to the chest. This was it, she was about to remove the final obstacle in her way! She just needs to calm down and make the right modifications…!
Th-that's right! Master Tighnari advises me to take five a night, so for a bigger woman like Miss Dehya…? Ah, maybe t-ten?! I think that'd work!
A shaky fistful of 'special' leaves is born seconds after the choice is made, tossing them into a bowl next. Collei hurriedly shifts to 'cooking' it, which in this case is just her rapidly grinding the herbs into paste, draining out their liquids into a separate glass. She tosses a few words of thanks to the Dendro Archon, Lord Kusanali, for the Vision she was somehow blessed with. If she didn't have that, her strength wouldn't be anywhere near enough for this task to be so clean and relatively quiet…!
The liquid is added to a pure cup of water; a rarity in the desert town known as Caravan Ribat. Much to the young girl's initial horror, the addition of liquified herb tinges the water a light green, its difference to her own cup- actual water and nothing else- pretty apparent. However she remembers that the creation isn't finished yet, it still has to be stirred. And one such action later, Collei is now satisfied at the camouflage. If you squint, the 'water' is just a bit murky and cloudy, but if all goes well, there will be no reason to worry about that.
Just…gotta stay calm! Act natural! Wait until she takes a sip…!
She absolutely sears the knowledge of which drink has been modified in her brain. Aside from the obvious humiliation that would occur by Collei ingesting her own drug, with a dose this big, it might just have horrific side-effects…! Honestly there's no guarantee that Dehya will be safe either… but that would really only benefit her anyway!
But just as she's thinking that it might be better to include another ten herbs in the Flame Mane's drink, Collei's legs emerge from the kitchen, cup of water in each hand.
"S-sorry for the wait!" She goes over to the yellow table that separates her from the other woman, expertly sliding the contaminated drink over. "Here you go…!"
"Thanks Collei~" Unaware of anything shady, glass meets a ready hand- er, claw. Of course, Dehya never leaves home without everything she'll need for the day, weapon included. An inhabitant of the Sumeru Desert all her life, the tanned beauty is rather famous for her toughness and beliefs. Of course, helping rescue Lord Kusanali from a fancy prison, complete with toppling the sages' inner circle IS quite a good way to gain popularity too.
"It's the least I could do for giving the escort…" Collei trails off, as the desert dweller slowly raises her glass. But of course, this will only attract suspicion! So she has to keep talking! "Um! Going from Gandarva Ville to here is quite a trip, I really underestimated the distance! Heh…heh…"
"Pfff, child's play I assure you." Dehya responds confidently. "When you smentioned that you were meeting Aether, I couldn't turn down your request~ Seeing him again will be nice, the icing on the cake." She throws her head back mid-laugh, cheerfully gulping down the water. If this action came at any other time, Collei might've done something to get the Flame Mane's unwanted attention- but not like this. A frown crosses her face.
Dehya just mentioned Aether. Her Aether. That absolutely can not stand.
"Hey, wanna play some Genius Invocation TCG?"
Her "friend" looks away from her empty glass, into the eyes of a surprisingly-fierce Collei.
"Ohh? You're ready for a duel now?"
"I see Cyno every weekend, remember~? He would never let me not have a deck on hand!" Talking about someone she actually respects produces a genuine laugh from the young woman.
"Hah! Well then, I accept!" Using her Pyro Vision, Dehya produces her own cards, ready for a challenge. However Collei doesn't smile back right away, no no. She only does so after she sees the dark-skinned warrior open her mouth- only to let out a small yawn.
"…Alright, let's do this!"
"Let's see, using the Sacrificial Bow I equipped on Amber, that equals…3 damage? Right? Right." Collei says unsure, brain overheating. Math never was her strong suit… "Sadly, I can't do anything with the 1 Pyro die… so it's your turn!"
But she's more excited to be watching her opponent rather than speaking for this game, so a smile returns to her face. It's clear that Dehya is really struggling to keep her eyes open, extra movement in the couch trying to hide the fact that fact. But it's no use- her eyelids feel heavier with each minute… and a dumb grin has started to appear.
"So, I will… switch off Cyno then… and use my Candace's Skill…"
"You can't do that. You only rolled 2 Hydro Dice, I think~"
"Huh? O-Oh… yeeeah..." She lets out a nice, calming yawn here, too lazy to raise up a hand to cover it. This isn't right….?
"Are you ok?" Collei asks full of concern.
"Ye-yeah, don't worry…just a bit tired…" Dehya tries to smile confidently. It doesn't work, she lets out another yawn.
"Shouldn't you rest back at home then?"
"No way…not until I see Aether here~"
Collei frowns again- she's had enough of this tactic. This… homewrecker is on her last life, it's time to end this!
"It's all about him, huh?"
Tired as she is, Dehya's no fool to the change in atmosphere. "C-Collei?"
"I've heard rumors, Miss Dehya. Is it true that you forewent payment with Aether- if he just gave you a smile? 'A smile from you is all I need', hm?!"
"How did you know…?"
"So it's true! And nobody would EVER say that unless they were f-flirting! You were flirting with Aether!"
Dehya is speechless…both because she's yawning again and because it's becoming harder and harder to think… Yet she can feel heat begin to rise to her cheeks, as the pleasant memory comes back to her. Collei, however, is not amused by what she sees.
"You're blushing too! Really?! You….jerk! Dehya, you're a filthy jerk! …I need to stop this, stop YOU!"
The happy recollection stops for Dehya, just as she was about to see Aether again. In his place is a very real, very annoyed Collei- with a special weapon in her hands. A strangely alluring weapon~
A pocket watch, as golden as her crush's hair. There's…something very not right about this…!
"Collei…! S-Stop…ugh… stop this…! What's going-"
But her pleas are cut off by the green-haired girl leaning forward, swinging the object right in front of her.
"S-ssshhh~" Collei awkwardly stammers out. "Just follow the watch… and be quiet."
"Col… collei… I-I don't…"
"Follow the watch…Miss Dehya~"
Normally, Dehya would never follow such an obvious trap. But, the drug has been flowing throughout her system for a while, the greater dosage completely blunting her usual senses. As such, it isn't long after the watch is revealed that the Flame Mane's blue eyes start following the exact motion.
"Good! What did I say, hm~"
"Follow the watch…uggh- no…! I c-can't look away….!"
Collei just smiles sickly at Dehya's resistance, raising the instrument so it's in full view of both Sumeru ladies. As much as the prisoner tries to strain her neck into not looking, the glimmer of the watch ensnares her focus. And it won't be letting go.
"It's such a beautiful object, Miss Dehya~ So shiny…"
"Shiny...you're right, but-"
"So pretty too~"
"Y-Yes…it is very pretty…"
"Don't you just want to admire it?"
"…Admire…it…."
As expected, Dehya quickly falls, blue eyes shifting along with Collei's hand. But unexpectedly, they're even joined by a pair of purple eyes- courtesy of the very same Dendro user orchestrating her friend's downfall.
"Right…! Just follow the….the pretty… watch…" More and more of her vision captures the object with each swing, slowly breaking her earlier grin. "Oh…! …This is…r-really…"
Dehya nods, sense fading as the situation progresses. "Yes…ma'am… The… very…pretty… w-watch…" It's like her mind is leaving her body, haze only thickening. The eyes of the beautiful warrior begin to cross, making any resisting muscles fade away.
And she's not the only one.
"Yes. T-the….very….verrrry….pretty….watch…" Amiss the slur, Collei lets out a cute little yawn. "So…Pretty…..mmm~" There's a part of her which wonders if this is all part of the hypnosis process- but it's smothered in short order as she fiaithfully follows her own hand left, and right. "Obey…it…."
"Obey…the… pretty….waa…tch….." On the other hand, Dehya has no such thoughts left by this point.
"Ye…sss….o-obey…..the….sleepy…. T-the…sleeepy….watch…. It…c-commands…you…" There's a fleck of drool, dribbling down the young girl's lips… her own voice starts feeling foreign…distant…
"….yeeeees…I will obey..."
"….Obeeey….watch…I-I obey…."
".What does it say…mmm~?"
"…Says to…..to….strip…"
"…Understood…I will…strip…..I will obey…."
"… s-strip…..I….will….obey-"
Ding. The watch that has just proven too powerful for Collei to handle has succeeded in obtaining freedom, dropping down to the table as the green-haired girl loses her last bit of strength. Instead, both woman just stare at each other motionless, hallow eyes on full display. A duel of purple and blue, fighting to infinity.
Until of course Dehya remembers her new duty.
For someone like her though, this new job will be the easiest thing in the world. Strong hands play with the various belt buckles at her shorts, and several decisive clicks follows right after. From there, it's a few simple movements until a pair of impressive thighs get to enjoy no longer being confined. They're not the only ones either, as a certain batch of dark hair is made temporarily free as well. There's no doubt about it- her body is extremely well-maintained, toned and tempered from years of desert exposure.
But doing a job halfway would never stand with Dehya, and that's true even now. So it's no surprise as her fingers deftly grip two separate red and black pieces of cloth. Previously hiding her shame from the world, the fabric engages a magical journey coming off, touching a naked Dehya's collar, neck, and face before resting on the floor somewhere. Just like her lower half, skin that rarely get exposed outside of a washroom is now hanging out in full view, complete with a pair of pink unstimulated bumps.
"Job is finished. I have stripped as instructed." As obedient as Dehya has been, her report goes unacknowledged by the other person present. They're not even blushing at the sight of her nudity, completely unfazed by the body of the Flame Mane! So with nothing else, Dehya just sits back in normal fashion; legs spread out like she's in charge. But while her body has shut down until further notice, her words have a profound impact on what is to come.
"Stripped…? Y-Yes…I must…" Undeterred by the downright mystical sight in front of her, the younger woman in the room stands up. Not wearing an outfit as bare as Dehya - and not being as skillful with her hands either - will ensure that Collei won't be as quick. Nonetheless, her eagerness is apparent, smoothly peeling off her left legging, following up nicely with a repeat performance on the right. The golden brace that digs into her skin is removed with one slide downwards, where gravity takes care of rest. Collei takes a step to finish and just like that, the Dendro wielder's smooth pale legs stand perfectly bare.
After that, Collei grabs the edge of her dress in each hand- before pulling up in a spirited attempt to show off everything as quick as possible. The brown clothing offers little resistance to this outburst, briefly snagging her neck uncomfortably before having a head full of green pass through its' opening. Dimly being aware she's turning her top inside-out does not stop Collei from continuing- and with a final clumsy flourish, most of the archer's front is exposed.
"Most", however, isn't good enough. A raggedy gray makeshift bra is the only thing protecting her unmentionables. But this ally has turned into an enemy with the hypnosis, so it's time to use the clothing's age to her advantage. An excited pull outwards expands the fabric to the point where it might be able to fit Madam Faruzan, but not Collei any longer. One last pull over the shoulders, and she is free from any confinement.
Two feelings make their way to the mindless girl now. The first is wonderment- it wasn't long ago that this amount of skin exposed would've been potentially fatal. Living with Eleazar was… almost too much, and she will be forever grateful to Aether and Kusanali for curing her. But it's the memory of the blonde that makes her feel something else- inadequacy. Looking down her body only shows off two tiny nubs. Nothing special. When you compare her to… anyone really, she fails to stack up. And hanging out with Eula and Amber only makes this comparison more unfavorable, to say nothing about the home wrecker in this very room. And as much as Collei wants to do something, she was told only to strip… with that done, it's time to sit back down and stare at Dehya.
Until either someone comes, or one of the girls snap out of it, that's all they will do. So after an unknown amount of time-
"Sorry I'm late…!"
The door opens, revealing a face both mindless girls would know all too well. The hero of Sumeru himself, the worldwide adventurer, the devilishly handsome blonde- it's none of than Aether. Thankful for finally getting out of the sun, he puts his hand over his eyes as he enters, waiting for his eyes to adjust.
And thus remains oblivious to the room's current, ahem, "state" for just a bit longer.
"Thanks for this Dehya~ I had some mercenaries to take care of, Adventurer Guild's order- you understand."
Neither black-haired desert dweller or green-haired Forest Ranger respond, still having their pointless eternal stare-down. And it's now that Aether realizes something is up.
"Collei? Dehya…?"
He creeps around the corner, staying cautious. He's not sure what to expect, what he's going to see first- but it sure as hell wasn't a full view of Collei's back. In all of it's naked glory.
"…What the heck?! Collei?! …Dehya, is she- …D-Dehya?"
Rushing to his partner's side, it's almost instant that he notices something else odd- namely, Dehya's own state of dress. Or lack thereof, as she sits on the couch completely naked. And from his new position, Aether can now clearly see that Collei isn't wearing anything in her front either.
But if someone thought that Aether would continue acting unsure, they don't know the blonde. In fact, he looks down at the table separating the two ladies- and sees the pocket watch lying.
Aether smiles. Now he understands~!
"I was wondering where this went~ This is why you called me, isn't it~?" The cheeky grin he shows Collei makes his cheeks hurt. "You were going to "return" it, hm? Naughty girl~"
Collei, naturally, says nothing to defend herself.
"Thought so. Though I'm curious how Dehya ended up like this… but I guess it hardly matters. Your contributions are greatly appreciated Collei; I won't waste this chance. Let's do something that will make us both happy!"
Standing up, he almost can't be his luck... this day will definitely go down as a fond memory~
"So you saw me with Amber then?"
"Y-yes…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- but, I j-just saw you two behind Angel's Share and then you pulled out the watch and Amber giggled and you just- mmm?!"
Stealing her breath, Aether leans over and kisses Collei firmly, right on the lips. But there's no worry about this being a one-man show, as the girl's surprised muffles soon melt into a needy groan- only growing as Aether runs his lips down her neck.
"A…ah~! A-Aether! Please…!"
"Don't worry, I won't leave a bruise~" His touch leaves Collei, frustrating her inside, before going even lower, nibbling at her breast. "Well, not there at least." He laughs in between tongue flicks.
"You…ahn~ You…l-like my body…? But it's so-"
"Be quiet Collei."
"E-Ehh?"
Aether's mouth pops off the young woman's chest and looks up, staring deep into her purple eyes and red face. "Tiny? Not impressive? Were you going to say that, really?"
"M-M…mmhmm…?"
"It's not about the size Collei~ It's about the person. You're a lovely woman- being through so much unfair crap would break almost anyone! And yet, despite all that, you're still standing! You're resilient, tough, and an inspiration! And I love that about you~ …So why would something so arbitrary as 'size' matter to me?"
"…Aether….I-I…"
"Besides, it's quite funny that you're worried about something like that~ I mean, look at the rug. Doesn't it look like a 'bigger' woman?"
"Hmm…I never noticed it before, but you're right!" Collei reports after looking down. "Actually, speaking of the rug?"
"Hmm?" "Can you return it?"
"Oh?" Aether asks, smiling. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's quite small… and a bit uncomfortable." She adjusts herself, sliding her bare ass along a pair of wet spots. "Sometimes it feels like someone is licking my butt too."
"Hm, I see~"
"And I'm pretty sure the stuffing is coming out in some places." "Ah, you're right." Aether takes his hand off a surprisingly smooth section of rug- soft indent reminding Collei of her own bellybutton- and inserts it in an area right next to his crotch. A strangely satisfying pop happens after, and when Aether's hand resurfaces, it's covered in white.
"See?!" Collei excitedly points. "Like I said, the stuffing's coming out! I just don't think this rug is gonna last much longer.."
"Fair enough!" Aether replies, as happy as Collei has seen him in weeks. I'll talk to some people I know, we'll see what we can do." He stands up, triggering a second sticky pop sound, allowing his partner to see his glory at full length. And although she would normally blush at such a monster, Collei only leers. After all, it's covered even more white!
"Ugh! Come over to the couch now! I'll clean you up!" She quickly stands up, leaping to the back of the room.
"Yes Ma'am~" Aether obediently follows her lead… but not before looking down at where he just was and smirking once again. "Thank you for your service~"
"muuh….urrh…." Poor Dehya lies motionless, foreign waves of release covering both mouth and crotch alike. At least her impressive chest has started moving again, thanks to Collei finally getting off her mouth. And speaking of which.
"Ohh Aether~? Hurry up~"
"Coming! Well, don't wanna look like I'm talking to furniture. Bye Dehya, I'll undo this after we're done~ Promise!"
The fallen Flame Mane just lets out another defeated watery gurgle; as Aether starts grinding Collei five feet away. Yup, today is a special day indeed!