93 Heart

"Hey, what the-"

"Aisha!" Sui cried excitedly, hugging her friend tightly from the back. "I knew you would come back! And your breasts are larger! 55-"

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"Put me down!" Aisha squealed. "M-My boobs? What?"

.

Sui set the girl down and turned her around, giving the girl a friendly hug, her steel frame hard, and yet somehow warm against Aisha's chest. She had never really paid attention before, but her body gave off a pleasant hum, and a slight, soothing vibration.

.

"I…" Aisha mumbled. "It's good to see you too, Sui. Thanks for… believing in me."

.

Her last few words came out as a mumble, but Sui heard them anyway, her sensors sharp. Sui's face was still covered, but Aisha could tell that she was smiling. She looked away from the bright expression with a wince, where her eyes caught sight of a tan-skinned boy, looking out of place in the small tavern.

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"Hey kid." She mumbled.

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"Nnh."

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"Hey." Vega said, taking a seat noisily to grab everyone's attention. "Sit down. We need to talk strategy."

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The group of four obliged. Vega waved her arm in front of her clumsily, as if she was trying to motion to something, but clearly was attempting a gesture that was meant to be done with two hands. The group looked at her strangely, and she just sighed, putting a palm on her forehead.

.

"Anyways." She said, exasperated. "I'm going to say it right now. I'm not strong enough to beat that thing."

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"I still don't know what it is." Sui pouted. "Your description doesn't match any of the machina in my database. I guess it's new."

"It doesn't matter." Vega sighed. "What I need from you are the abilities of all of Shinra's machina that are running around."

.

"What?" Sui exclaimed. "Why?"

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"I didn't find any remnants of her machines where Shinra said they would be." Vega explained. "It was stronger than she told me it would be."

.

Sui paled.

"This leads me to believe it absorbed Shinra's other machines." Vega said quietly. "And so, I need to know all the abilities that it might have."

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"It's…" Sui hesitated. "It's… classified… information…"

"..."

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"Classified… means that I can't tell you."

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Sui shrunk under the withering glare that Vega gave her, but just as quickly, the tall woman diverted her gaze, starting to speak again.

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"Whatever. Any-"

"Aren't you going to pursue this a bit further?" Aisha frowned. "You're just going to give up like that?"

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"Shinra's machines can't be reasoned with." Vega said blankly. "They just follow her orders."

"Hey, that's not true!"

"What do you mean?" Aisha asked curiously.

.

"Errr… from what I know, the machina follow a set of "instructions"." Vega shrugged. "And they don't deviate from these "instructions," ever. They're built around them. Or something."

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Vega scratched her head, clearly not well-versed in the inner workings of machines. Aisha looked curiously at the aforementioned machina, who shuffled slightly in response.

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"That's kind of a mean thing to say." Aisha commented.

"They don't have feelings like we do." Vega said harshly. "They're not human. They're metal."

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"That's not true!" Aisha protested. "Sui has… she's… she's my friend! I've seen her be happy, and sad, and… all kinds of emotions. How can you say that's not real?"

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"They're told to act human." Vega said simply. "They're tools, kid, they don't make their own decisions."

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"Is she right?" Aisha asked Sui, a hurt expression on her face. "Being friends…"

"J-just because I'm programmed this way doesn't mean we can't be friends!" Sui protested. "Everything we did together still happened!"

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"But… was it real?" Aisha whispered. "Would you… let us die, if your creator told you to?"

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"NO!" Sui said suddenly, slamming her hands on the table, crushing the wood and iron supports underneath. Her voice crackled and peaked, as if protesting against the constraints that they were given. Vega visibly startled in response, moving slightly back in her chair with a surprised look on her face. "NO! I WOULDN'T! DAMMIT! I… I'LL I'll… I'll tell you! I'll tell you, okay! All the specs! The 01 combat model - 2 gatling guns mounted on a terrasteel compound chassis! 8mm rounds! Draws 5 Volt-Magicules per…"

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"Er." Vega said, still surprised. "Wait. Slow down."

"You wanted the specs!" Sui said, clearly upset. "I do care! I… Aisha, Miss Vega, I would… Even if I have to disobey the doctor, if it means that you two will live, then that's fine!"

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"Oh." Vega said, dumbfounded. "Er… okay then."

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"Friend Aisha-" Sui said, clasping the girl's hands in her own, servos warm against her palms. "Even if I was programmed to feel this way, that doesn't change the fact that I care about you!"

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Aisha smiled. "Okay then."

.

"Anyways…" Vega continued. "Hey kid."

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At first, Aisha thought that Vega was talking to her, but her body was fully turned away from her. Following the tall woman's gaze, Aisha saw Kayle, the quiet boy sitting silently next to her.

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He had been so quiet that Aisha had almost forgotten that he was there.

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"Do you know how to write?" Vega asked.

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"Yeah." Kayle said quietly.

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"Perfect. Go get a pen and parchment for me." Vega sighed. "I will need to write this down. Until then…"

.

.

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"Now tell me, what should you do if we get separated, and the angel targets me?"

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"Wait for a beacon, keep a distance of 20 meters, and wait for your signal to engage."

"It's 25 meters." Vega corrected harshly. "At 20 meters, you can get hit by my attacks!"

"Sorry." Aisha mumbled.

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"What if it's Sui?"

"Group up with you immediately." Aisha tried. "Search for you beyond the sensor range of the angel. Continue from there."

.

"Good." Vega nodded. "And if I'm incapacitated?"

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"..." Aisha hung her head. "Leave you behind and split up."

.

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The talk with Vega lasted almost three hours, the dragonslayer meticulously going over every point of data, every last bit of information that she had received from Shinra, every observation that they had from their short battle with the angel. She had made sure that every single party member had memorized every bit of shared information that was available, no matter how small. And after that, she had made sure that they all knew the plan, to the very last detail.

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It had almost given Aisha another headache. But despite that, she couldn't help but feel an admiration for the woman. She was everything that Aisha was, and more. What she aspired to be. Intelligent and observant, but with the confidence and experience to convert those raw skills into action, and the discipline to make sure everything went to plan.

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Sui had absorbed all the information instantly, of course. Aisha was jealous. She had spent a long time memorizing a list of all the possible abilities that the angel could have by now. They numbered almost a hundred. Kayle…

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"Hey." Aisha said, turning to the teenager.

."...What?" Kayle said quietly.

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"What's with you?" Aisha asked. "You're acting really strange."

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Kayle didn't answer, instead returning his efforts to keep up with the party's walking pace.

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"You're not scared." Aisha observed. "Are you angry?"

"No."

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"You are angry." Aisha said, ignoring the boy. "But that's not why you're here. It's something else."

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"Why do you care?" Kayle asked suddenly, clearly irritated. "Just leave me alone!"

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Aisha took a look at Kayle's face, his lips turned into a harsh scowl. Suddenly, a flash of recognition hit her - it was a familiar expression, angry, but stemming from frustration and sadness. It was the same expression that she once had… and still sometimes did.

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A sudden empathy, and to a lesser extent, guilt, entered Aisha's heart. It was the first time that she had really bothered to observe the boy. In a way, he was just like her… but without the love and compassion that others seemed to so freely shower onto her.

.

Maybe…

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"I'm sorry." Aisha offered, her expression softening. "It's my fault that… your brothers are dead. I… nnn… uh…"

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Aisha scratched her head nervously. It was the first time that she had ever tried to make someone else feel better.

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"Yeah." Kayle said curtly. "It is."

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"Your brother was my friend too." Aisha said, turning around and walking backwards, in an attempt to look the boy in the eyes.

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"Mh."

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"He was a good friend." Aisha said, sighing. "He was always giving me advice, trying to help me better myself… But I never really listened. I thought… I thought he was just being annoying. Like he thought he was better than me, and wanted to control me. Like that… Er. He just wanted to help, the only way he could."

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Kayle stiffened.

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"I wish I was a better friend to him." Aisha said.

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"What was he like?" She tried again. "To you."

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"Stop trying." Kayle said harshly. "I know what you're trying to do!"

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"I owe it to him." Aisha said impassively. "To help you. I don't like you that much either. But you need someone, and I'm all you're going to get."

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"I can take care of myself, dammit!" Kayle shouted angrily, attracting the attention of Sui and Vega, who glanced at the two, but then decided to not interfere, after sharing a look. "I don't- I don't need your help! I don't need you to make me feel better, or- or-"

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"You think you don't." Aisha crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "Even he-"

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"STOP TALKING ABOUT MY AMIR!" Kayle shouted. "I DON'T CARE ABOUT HIM! I DON'T CARE! ALL HE EVER DID WAS TALK ABOUT SCHOOL, AND WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, AND HOW HARD ELY AND HIM WERE WORKING TO- TO-"

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Kayle sputtered on his words, anger rendering him unable to come up with a coherent response. Aisha narrowed her eyes in response, at the boy's ungratefulness- a bit of her past disdain welling up inside of her. This is what her friend died for?

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But Aisha decided to drop it. She just scoffed and turned away, walking over to Sui and Vega.

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"You've changed quite a bit." Sui observed. "I thought you hated kids."

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"I do." Aisha mumbled. "I just… I owe it to his brother. To try and help the kid."

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"Why bother?" Vega sighed. "Just let the kid die. It's his own choice - I did all I could."

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"You would just let a child die like that?" Sui asked in shock, at the same time that Aisha said, "Maybe."

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"Uh." Aisha said.

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"You care far too little, Vega-san." Sui said. "Adventurers are supposed to help people! That's what the doctor told me."

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"Hah." Vega let out a curt noise. "I don't really care about that stuff anymore."

"You don't seem to care about anything." Sui said in a pouty voice. "All you do is hang around the guild and get drunk."

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"I'm doing this now, aren't I?" Vega said halfheartedly. "I care about the girls."

"Who are the girls?" Aisha asked eagerly.

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"Just our guildmates." Vega explained. "I guess you could say… we're close. Or well, all the people at Gehenna are. It's like a family… for us adventurers."

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"A family, huh?"

"Mhm." The tall adventurer nodded.

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Aisha looked guiltily behind her, to where Kayle lingered, fuming.

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"Don't get too hung up about him." Vega sighed. "Kids like him are dime-a-dozen. Worry about yourself. Ah, speaking of which… You guys improve at all since the last battle?"

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"I wasn't there." Sui answered.

"No." Kayle mumbled.

"Uh…"

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Vega glanced at her arm - or rather, her lack of one of them, before looking at Aisha. Who shrugged.

.

[

"Aisha!"

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"Aisha!"

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"Aiiiiiiiishaaaaaaa!"

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"Mistress…" Aisha sighed, smiling slightly at the big girl's cute whines. "I told you… I have to finish the laundry."

"But I want to cuddle nnnoow!" Lorian whined, kicking her arms and legs up and down on the couch. "I want my kitten!"

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"Just five more minutes, okay?" Aisha giggled, as she started to fold Lorian's skirts.

"Fineee…" The big girl grumbled.

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After a long, long five minutes, Aisha put away the last article of clothing, all comically large in comparison to her own body, and hummed happily as she sashayed her way over to her adoring mistress. She took her rightful seat in the tall girl's lap, and soon after, that amazingly soothing feeling began to permeate her body, and she closed her eyes in bliss.

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Aisha started to purr and mewl as Lorian pet her, head cushioned in between her breasts. So soft. So warm. So… comfortable. She giggled as Lorian pouted, cuddling the girl's ears and pulling her close.

.

"That feels good." Aisha purred, as Lorian rubbed her face into her ears. "Ehehe…"

"Does it?" Lorian asked wryly. "My adorable little kitten likes her head pats?"

"Mhm!" Aisha giggled. "Nya… heehee."

.

"You know, you used to get all embarrassed when I did that…" Lorian pouted. "Now you're all lovey dovey and stuff…"

"Eh?" Aisha smiled. "But I do love you!"

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Lorian pursed her lips together in a pouty expression. "Yeah, but it's so hard to tease you now…"

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"Do you want me to act embarrassed?" Aisha asked mock-shyly, a sly smirk on her face.

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"I don't need you to act." Lorian smiled back predatorily. "I can do that whenever I want."

"Try it." Aisha challenged.

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"Aren't you confident." Lorian said, pressing her face up close to Aisha's.

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Aisha fired a competitive smile back. "Yeah."

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"I love it." Lorian whispered, her voice all of a sudden dropping to a husky register. "I think it makes you look really suave. And handsome."

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"Wh." Aisha fumbled over her words for a second. "W-what?"

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"I think if someone like you… so confident, so mysterious… so good-looking… So… exotic." Lorian whispered into Aisha's ears huskily, practically breathing her words into the little fey's ears. "If I met you on the street. I would fall for you instantly…"

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Suddenly, Aisha felt hot in her ears and face.

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"Can you imagine it?" Lorian breathed. "Having any girl that you want… having me… chasing after you, practically begging for your attention…"

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Aisha started to pant, her eyes wide like saucers. Lorian smirked internally. She was so easy.

.

"I'm already so infatuated with you, Aisha…" Lorian practically moaned. "I'll do anything you want… Just… tell me what to do, Aisha… with that sexy voice…"

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At the mention of 'sexy,' Aisha turned scarlet red, and could no longer hold the urge to bury her face into her mistress. With a whine of embarrassment, she pressed her face into the valley in-between Lorian's breasts, her head smooshed up against her valley. She began to emit a sound like a low squeal, whining. Anything to get the butterflies out of her chest - the heat out of her brain.

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Ah… she had lost… that meant…

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"Aren't you a good girl." Lorian cooed, giggling as she pet Aisha's little head.

"Ah, it's not fair!" Aisha whined. "I just-... nnn…"

.

"You're so adorable." Lorian giggled. "My blushy little kitten. I love you so much."

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"Do you like it when I'm embarrassed?" Aisha asked all of a sudden, her voice even and curious.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

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"I mean…" Aisha mumbled unsurely. "I… I don't get embarrassed as easily anymore. But you seem to like it when I do. Does that mean…?"

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"Aisha, I love you the way you are now." Lorian chided, holding the girl gently against her breasts. "In fact… I think I prefer you the way you are right now the most."

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"Really?" Aisha's eyes lit up, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Lorian smiled as the girl bounced in her lap like a puppy. So cute. "Why?"

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"I just feel like this is the closest you've been to… the real you." Lorian said, pursing her lips. "I don't know. It just feels… Heehee. I just feel like you're the most 'Aisha' you've ever been."

"What?" Aisha blushed. "W-what do you mean?"

"I dunno." Lorian said absentmindedly, leaning back and twirling her hair around her finger. "It's just… whenever you do something… whenever you say something… It feels like you're doing it because you want to."

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"And why does that make you happy?" Aisha asked shyly.

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Lorian blushed as well. "I-... um… I don't know. I'm just… maybe… I'm… I'm happy that… that you love me…"

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The tall girl's cheeks burned, and suddenly she was the one who wanted to bury her face into something. Suddenly, she picked up Aisha off of her lap, setting her beside herself.

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"Mistress?" Aisha asked curiously.

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Wordlessly, Lorian swung her feet up on the couch and pressed her face into Aisha's tummy, smooshing her cheeks against the girl's firm abs and thighs. She hugged the girl's small frame with a blush.

.

"I-I wanna be pampered now." Lorian mumbled. "It's my turn."

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Aisha looked down at her mistress with mild surprise, the big, matronly girl's soft tresses tickling her exposed skin. She put her arms around her waist and squeezed. God, she was so soft, so warm. Lorian looked up at her with those big, soft, brown eyes, and Aisha couldn't help but smile, watching as Lorian looked away abashedly. It was… cute.

.

"You're cute." Aisha said suddenly, the words escaping her mouth without thinking.

"W-WHAT!?" Lorian stammered. "W-WHAT did you say??"

"Oops." Aisha smiled softly. "I dunno. I just thought it."

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Lorian practically steamed with embarrassment, and as Aisha stroked the back of her head, Lorian couldn't resist tracing a finger along Aisha's firm muscles. Biting her lip at the firmness, she couldn't help but take in a deep breath of Aisha's smell, the grassy scent filling her body. For some reason, she just couldn't resist the wave of… pure submissiveness that washed through her.

.

What was happening to her? Why did she- why did Aisha stroking her feel so damn good? Why did she… why did she want Aisha to do all the things that she usually did to her?

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Lorian shook her head furiously, shaking the submissive feelings out of her. With a growl, she suddenly leapt out of Aisha's lap, pushing the girl onto her back, the couch rocking violently beneath her ministrations.

Aisha gave her mistress a surprised look, but Lorian despaired at the lack of red in the girl's cheeks, only a sly look of anticipation that made Lorian want to-

.

"No no no!" Lorian wailed, slapping the top of Aisha's head weakly, a gesture that made the short girl giggle. "Go back! I changed my mind! I'm the dom! I'm the dom in this relationship! I hate this I hate this!"

.

Aisha smiled. "What happened to-"

"You're going to be my kitten forever!" Lorian whined, smothering Aisha in her breast. "I'm- you're - "

]

.

.

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"Having a good dream, kid?"

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Aisha's eyes snapped open, high alert as she was yanked out of her dream. Sparks crackled between her fingertips, ready to fly at any moment-

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"Sorry." Aisha apologized meekly.

"It's fine." Vega sighed. "It's nothing I'm not used to."

"..."

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Before long, the party had set up camp, literally only five feet from the road. They had expressed their concerns regarding the location, but once Vega announced she would be keeping watch the entire night, their concerns were relieved. However, Aisha now had a few new concerns.

Vega took a flask from her belt, and took a deep swig of an alcohol that Aisha could smell, even from a good social distance away from her.

.

"Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch."

"I am keeping watch." Vega said, swaying slightly. "Nothing out here could touch me, even if I was completely asleep."

"What about the angel?"

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"I don't think that thing is going to sneak up on us."

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Aisha nodded hesitantly.

"...Sure."

"What did you dream about?" Vega asked.

.

"Uhh… my mistress." Aisha replied, a slight smile touching her lips, and a small warmth entering her chest, which Vega did not miss. A look flashed across her face, that she didn't even attempt to hide. It was jealousy.

.

"You look happy." Vega said, decidedly… unhappy.

"Ah." Aisha blushed. "Um. Maybe…"

.

"It's not very often I see happy people in this job." Vega said sourly. "You should quit. After helping me out with this, of course."

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"...Why?"

"There's absolutely nothing at the end of this road." Vega said solemnly. "You've hung around with upper-division adventurers. Any of them look happy with themselves?"

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Aisha's memories flashed before her eyes - A husk of a man, alone, scorned by those he chose to protect… A regretful father, leaving behind a family, his sacrifice only leaving those he loved more alone. A desperate brother, who had given up what he had loved most, in the service of that love…

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There was the orc and the mysterious swamp woman, but Aisha sensed that they stayed sapphire ranked adventurers for a reason.

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"I guess not." Aisha mumbled.

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"Adventurers all have a hole in their hearts." Vega said wistfully. "That's why they do it. That's why they throw their lives away, chasing for something to make themselves whole. But that's never going to work."

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"Geh." Aisha flinched.

"I would stop now, before you put a hole into yourself." Vega advised, before downing another few shots of whatever poison was in her flask.

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"Are you lonely?" Aisha asked quietly.

"..."

"...Sorry. I shouldn't-"

"Yeah." Vega responded.

.

"..."

"I just kept pushing people away." Vega sighed. "There were people who cared about me once."

"I've heard this story before." Aisha mumbled.

.

"Yeah. Sounds about right. Us humes are fickle creatures." Vega said. "We think we know what we want, that's we're always right… but more often than not, what we really desire is the complete opposite."

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"But you." Vega continued. "You're not a hume, are you?"

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Aisha felt a chill go down her back, as she suddenly felt sick to her stomach. The air seemed to turn cold, and when Vega spoke, Aisha could have sworn that she could hear a whisper, echoing her every word.

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"You still might have a happy ending."