Lewd Ascent: A Futa LitRPG c276-285

7.25 - Dreams at the Academy I

There was another task Zoey had put off--if not for as long as solidifying her bonds with her two girlfriends and confessing the truth of her feelings.

Fe.

The sheepgirl artificer was someone Zoey was quite fond of and probably the only person for whom she had significant affection that had been left behind in Mantle. It wasn't unreasonable that she hadn't been immediately willing to uproot her life. Sabina had done so, but she was intertwined with Zoey, being her alchemy teacher and also benefiting from a livelihood sense.

Unfortunately, for all its magic, long-distance communication was limited in this world. Zoey didn't know if the highest echelons of society had means of instant message transportation--and it seemed likely there were some artifacts like that--but there was certainly no 'magic post office'. Keeping in contact was limited to regular mail, which could take days or weeks depending on who they hired to carry the message.

But Zoey?

Zoey had other ways of getting in contact.

[Potion of Expanded Consciousness] - Open the consumer's mind to the dream world, allowing external influences to delve deep into one's psyche.

Zoey had yet to explore everything the potion was capable of. Like many of her underutilized items and potions, that was simply because of how hectic her life was. She had too much going on to utilize everything to the highest degree, or to the degree it deserved. Nevertheless, she'd come up with a practical use for her dreaming potion: contacting Fe.

The potion was limited, though. At a minimum, it required her target to be sleeping. So, Zoey waited until late at night to drink the potion--after some, ah, celebrations with Rosalie and Delta--and thus she expected the sheepgirl to be asleep. Then again, it seemed possible the dedicated artificer was the kind of person who would often be burning the midnight oil if a project had caught her fancy. There was also the risk of the dream realm limiting links by distance; she had no idea. It was a gamble twice over.

But hardly an expensive or risky one. So, Zoey tipped the vial back and cuddled in with her two girlfriends.

Delta's amused voice was the last thing she heard before she drifted off, consciousness sapping away all at once.

"Say hi to her for me, by the way. And by that, I mean fuck her brains--"

Zoey could intuit Delta's request, even if she wasn't conscious enough to finish hearing it.

Just like that, she was floating in a black void. Splayed out beneath her was a sea of multicolored orbs, each representing a dream of a different type. Her attention was drawn to the pink ones, which represented dreams where the dominant emotion was lust. A myriad of other colors pervaded the dense spiritual space making up the spiderweb of Mantle's sleeping citizens. But intriguing as exploring that landscape might be, Zoey had other goals.

She looked down at herself--though she had no self, being a floating spirit of nothingness, no shape or form to represent her body--and found a collection of lines emanating from her. Each was a relationship. These lines were how Zoey had forced contact with Ephy, once. Though that prismatic string was gone now, Ephy denying such easy access a second time. She preferred 'rituals'.

The links to her girlfriends were strongest, but they were faded and grayed out since they were awake. Though likely not for much longer; they had all settled down for the night.

Focusing on the lines gave her a sixth sense for who they represented. Finding Sabina's, Zoey discovered the alchemist was asleep. Her dream was, curiously, golden-colored. Curiosity tickled at her to go find what gold meant--glory? Excitement?--but she had more pressing aims.

Because, identifying Fe's line, Zoey found she was asleep as well. And accessible, despite being a great distance away. Her dream link was thin and strained, either because of the distance or because they were only friendly acquaintances. For all that she liked Fe, they didn't know each other that well. But it was still available.

Gripping onto the dream-link, she let herself be tugged toward her destination. The line had a pull of its own. She accelerated with every passing second, the collection of thousands of dream orbs blurring beneath her.

A surreal trip later, she arrived to Treyhull. It felt like it had taken both minutes and hours--it was hard to tell how much had truly passed. Like sleeping, she thought amusedly.

She found herself face-to-face with Fe's dream orb.

It was a strange color--half pink and half burnt orange. Orange was a common color among dreams; her best guess was anxiousness or 'restless energy'. That was an instinctive assumption, at least, and in a world built from her consciousness, why wouldn't instinct be correct?

Pressing into the bubble, into the murky depths that she could almost but not quite make out, she met resistance. But all at once, it yielded, and--

--she was falling.

***

She woke up. That wasn't the right word; she transitioned. Once more, she had a body. Everything felt real again, her physical senses reconnecting. Except, at the edges of her vision, things were--slightly fuzzy, for lack of a better term. She was in a dream still, and she knew it in an instant; though at the same time, everything felt genuine. A strange mixture of sensory inputs.

She took in the environment.

She was in a university hall. Or that was the comparison her brain made, since, as had happened a number of times since arriving in this world, it wasn't fully familiar or identifiable. Tall, arched windows allowed sunlight to stream into a hall shaped like a great amphitheater, with tiered rows of wooden benches that ensured everyone had a clear view of the--presumed--professor below. The lectern he stood in front of was a simple, sturdy podium made of dark stone, carved with magical runes that amplified the professor's voice and carried it out toward his students. Behind him, a chalkboard displayed a variety of diagrams and formulas. Students filled the benches, a mix of races and species. Most were human or various animal-kin, wolfgirls or foxgirls or similar, though some were less human: golems and such. All were listening attentively.

"I won't belabor the point," the short, bearded man was saying. "I trust that each of you has adequately prepared for today's demonstrations. Remember, these evaluations are critical, comprising sixty percent of your final grade. A failure to present will, regrettably, result in an automatic fail, nullifying four years of dedicated study and effort--no matter what excuse you may have." He chuckled. "I'm sure none of my students are so recklessly irresponsible, though."

Zoey blinked. It was rather blunt and heavy-handed for a professor to say, and an unforgiving policy.

"No, no," a voice muttered to her side. "Where is it? This can't be happening."

Zoey stirred in surprise. The voice was familiar. Turning in her seat, she laid eyes on her neighbor. It was, as shouldn't have surprised her yet somehow did, Fe.

The sheepgirl artificer was rummaging through a backpack set to her side. Frantically. With mounting panic. Seeing how this was her dream--and the droning professor was emphasizing how disastrous missing this assignment was--Zoey put two and two together.

"I know I packed it. I know I did. Where is it?"

A stress dream. Academically flavored. Zoey sympathized; she hadn't cared much about her grades growing up, and even she had sometimes been a victim of similar nightmares. They were rare, admittedly, but still easy to sympathize with.

Especially since Fe was more academically minded than her. She was a working professional in an important and lucrative wayfaring career: the identification and modification of magical items. That had to be the equivalent of, say, some engineering field back home. A rigorous and respected education.

In this world, academic institutions were surely more exclusive and competitive than the ones Zoey knew, since back home, attending college had been nothing special. Here, higher education was a privilege--or hard-earned reward--rather than an expectation. So failing or being held back a semester would be devastating.

"What happened?" Zoey asked, leaning over. "What'd you forget?"

The sheepgirl stiffened, then looked up. For a moment, her jaw hung open.

"Zoey? When did--when did you join the Academy? I didn't know you wanted to be an artificer."

There wasn't an ounce of suspicion in her voice, only confusion. She had accepted the impossibility of Zoey sitting there next to her with complete and total acceptance. Zoey raised an eyebrow. Dream logic clearly held sway. She could probably give any explanation, and Fe would accept it.

Briefly, she wondered whether to play along or break Fe out of the stressful dream. If it had been only for the sake of alleviating Fe's anxiety, imaginary or not, she would have done so, of course. But something else tempted her not to.

Because the dream had been tinted pink along with orange when she'd first gone in. What did that mean? This dream was clearly going somewhere. Fe was in a particular mood. How lust would work into a stress dream about forgetting a crucial project at home, she didn't know.

But Zoey thought she might be able to play a part. Or maybe take it over. To Fe's pleasure. She didn't have explicit permission to invade Fe's dream and give her a good time, but she knew Fe well enough that she would be appreciative afterward. She had implied permission.

Resting her cheek on her fist, Zoey grinned at the sheepgirl she'd been missing the company of for the past week. "Oh, you know. Just took an interest." She nodded at the backpack Fe still had a hand inside. "What happened? Did you forget your project at home?"

7.26 - Dreams at the Academy II

Fe blinked at Zoey a few more times, still baffled that she was sitting there in the Academy lecture hall with her--then she digested the question, and her expression of panic doubled.

"No. No, I couldn't have forgotten it. There's no way. My final project? I brought it, I know I did."

Yet her anxious search through her backpack yielded nothing. She looked up, seeming so distraught that Zoey almost second-guessed her decision to play along.

Instead, she tried an alternative approach: setting Fe at ease while also delving down what was sure to be a fun dream.

"It's no big deal," Zoey said, shrugging. "Professor said we could share projects, didn't he? You can help present mine. You helped with it, anyway."

"He said that?" Fe seemed confused. "Semester projects are individual, though."

Zoey cocked her head, feigning earnestness. "Oh, you didn't get his last--" She almost said e-mail, but wait, this wasn't a modern university. "--ah, message? He said group presentations are fine too. Hundred percent certain. So, you can join me in presenting mine."

Fe seemed befuddled as her subconscious adjusted to Zoey's hijacking of the dream. Then the expression cleared away into such relief that Zoey almost felt guilty for a different reason.

"Oh, heavens. Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done." Her face paled. "But... wait. Help present your project? Isn't that--?" She trailed off.

Zoey had told Fe that she had helped create it. So what did the sheepgirl's subconscious assume was Zoey's semester project?

Probably something fun.

"Yep," Zoey said brightly. "Why, that's not a problem, is it?"

"A problem?" Fe squeaked. "No, of course not, I'm super grateful. You're a lifesaver. Just--" She squirmed in place, then glanced at the front of the room where the professor was droning on. Impressively, he wasn't even forming real words, just a vague "blah, blah, blah," background noise that Fe didn't seem to realize was odd. Since Fe's focus was now on Zoey, not the professor. "But is it appropriate?"

Zoey pursed her lips. Fe's subconscious had definitely assumed something lewd. Hardly took a genius to deduce that. But what?

Leaning over, she grabbed her backpack and lifted it. Curious, she rummaged inside, seeking whatever Fe's imagination had conjured. Her fingers wrapped around leather straps. Eyebrows raising, she tugged the item out.

It was... some sort of harness?

A full-body one that would fit around a person's torso and lower half? In a rather appealing way, for that matter. It looked like fetish gear.

Fe's face turned crimson. "Wow. You finished it. I mean, of course you did, but--wow."

Pretending that she knew what was going on had worked thus far, so Zoey kept the act up. "Course I did. Had your help, didn't I? But, ah, just to make sure we're on the same page. What does it do?"

"It hasn't changed, has it?"

"No. But if we're presenting together, I just wanna make sure we're on the same page."

"Oh. Fair enough?" Her cheeks colored. "It's still--the Lust Harnesser, right? Like we talked about?"

Zoey felt her eyebrows go up. "Of course. But, ah, be more specific? Since we're about to demonstrate."

Fe pursed her lips. "Well. Assuming you got it to work like we wanted--and the runework is impressive, by the way, I'm surprised you managed such intricate detailing on leather--then it's supposed to harness lustful energies and store them for future use. Allowing us to empower items, maybe even moving them through advancements. Your skills inspired it, of course."

The girl was visibly excited explaining the item, and Zoey wondered whether it was a real-life project of hers or whether it was a spontaneously created idea to fit the dream's theme. She could see it going either way. It seemed ambitious enough for Fe, and aligned with her interests, but also fantastic enough that it didn't seem plausible. Maybe for Zoey's class, it was reasonable, but her class broke normal conventions; she was sponsored by a deity. A typical artificer, no matter how competent, shouldn't be able to 'collect lewd energies and harness them to move artifacts between advancements'.

In any case, Zoey replied, "Yeah, that's the gist." Then, ad-libbing more dream logic, she said, "I've done some preliminary testing, and I know it works. But it's going to take a significant starting charge to make it function in a flashy enough way for a good demonstration."

"And how are you planning on doing that?"

Zoey hummed and tapped her lips with a pointer finger. "I guess I'll have to make you cum really, really hard. Should be easy enough."

Fe paled at the bluntness of her words. "But. I know that's how the item works. But do you really think that's appropriate?" Her eyes flicked around the lecture hall, and her breathing visibly sped up.

"It's in the pursuit of science. And a good grade. So, sure, it's appropriate. Besides the whole, I'll be fucking you in front of all your classmates part. They'll understand, though." Zoey grinned at the sheepgirl. "Why? Does that make you nervous? The idea of cumming in front of your peers and professor?"

"Of course it does!"

"Perfect. Remember, we need a big starting charge." Leaning forward, she murmured, "So make sure you really, really focus on how many eyes are gonna be on you. How it makes you feel that all your friends are watching you get split open by another girl's cock. In public. Should I make you beg? I bet I can get you to say all sorts of embarrassing things once I'm inside you."

The words did the job--Fe simply floundered, mouth opening and closing as her face turned a brilliant crimson.

Her response was preempted by the professor speaking.

"Alright, with that out of the way, let's begin." He shuffled a stack of papers on his lectern and squinted as he read the top page. "Ah. Miss Fe. The floor is yours. I'm looking forward to what you've prepared. Your work has always been promising."

To her side, Fe's head pivoted, and she stared with a look of dawning horror.

"First? We're first? Oh, no, you have to be kidding me." She buried her face in her hands. "I can't do this."

At her words, Zoey hesitated. "You... can't?" Some doubt crept in. "If you don't want to, you don't have to. I can fix this. The professor--uh, owes me," she lied. Hopefully, dream logic would continue to help her. "I can get you an extension."

Fe looked at her oddly. "You could? He owes you--?" She shook her head, then took a deep breath in. "No, no, it's fine. I didn't mean--" She gulped, and her face went another shade redder. She squirmed in her seat, clenching her knees together, and that did enough to alleviate Zoey's worries; the sheepgirl was clearly getting off on the idea. Had been since the start, hence why Zoey had been teasing her. But she'd sounded panicked when her name had been called, so Zoey had hesitated. "I'll be fine," she squeaked. "It's in pursuit of better understanding the nature of artifacts and arcane energies, like you said. Isn't it?"

Zoey studied her face for a second more and, satisfied, let her grin return. "Right. You're just being a good student." She stood, scooping up her backpack with the harness in it. To the professor, whose name she still didn't know, she called out, "We'll be presenting together, actually, sir. Like you said we could. It's last minute, sorry for the lack of notice."

"Ah? Hm, yes, I did say that, didn't I? That's acceptable," the older man said. "I know you two have been working closely with one another throughout the semester. However, please be advised that a two-person project will be graded as such."

"I don't think anyone'll be disappointed with what we have planned," Zoey joked, sharing a look with Fe, who, unsurprisingly, blushed even harder. "It'll be a real show we put on."

"Zoey," Fe hissed, slipping from her desk to join Zoey as they walked down the slanted layers of tiered seating. "Be professional."

When they arrived at the front of the room and turned to face the class, even Zoey felt a surge of apprehension. There were a lot of people here--and all of them had their attentions politely and inquisitively locked on her and Fe. For all that she knew this was a dream, her hindbrain recognized it as reality. The only aspect that distinguished this false scenario as a real one was a sixth sense in the back of her mind, a vague 'fuzziness'. The visuals, the sounds, even the feeling of her clothes against her skin were no different than when she was awake, though.

She reminded herself that the audience was conjured from Fe's imagination. That she wasn't actually about to fuck another woman in front of a hundred other people under the guise of presenting a 'breakthrough in artificing technology'.

Which was easy to tell herself, but harder to internalize with a sea of people staring down at her, Fe fidgeting to her side.

Ah, well. At least the perfect simulation made it that much more interesting.

7.27 - ❤ Dreams at the Academy III

Up at the podium, Fe fidgeted, her gaze sweeping across the collected student body--her peers. Hands clenching at her side, she took a deep breath, then, impressively, spoke with a voice that didn't quaver despite her obvious nervousness.

"Good morning, everyone. Today, my partner and I will be presenting an exciting breakthrough, one that I believe has wide-reaching implications for our field. As artificers, we strive to identify, modify, and enhance magical artifacts for the betterment of society--but I believe there's a power source that we haven't properly delved into, even in cutting-edge research facilities like this very academy. Together, my partner and I have created a prototype that harvests this energy to great effect."

Zoey's eyebrows raised as Fe gave their introduction to the class. With the anxious energy she had been giving off, Zoey had expected the sheepgirl to be a stuttering mess--or at least for her to stumble. But she delivered it as adeptly as a professional speaker. Certainly better than Zoey could have.

The composure didn't last. After a deep breath and starting to elaborate on what, exactly, their project was, her voice quavered.

"The technology we'll be demonstrating today makes use of an, ah, novel energy source that I became aware of thanks to a set of particularly... strange artifacts I had a chance to work on." Those artifacts were definitely Zoey's. The messed-up chronology didn't seem to pierce the dream logic. "Specifically," Fe continued, her professional facade slipping further with each word, eyes shying away from the audience, "it's, um, l-lustful energies."

Lustful energies.

Those words hung in the air before a surprised murmur went through the crowd. Zoey fought an amused expression away, trying to stay professional.

The susurration seemed to be as much from the outrageousness of the words as from intrigue in Fe's claim. Were these--admittedly imaginary, if perhaps based on real classmates--people genuinely interested in the functional merits of "lustful energy"? Zoey guessed this was a room filled with Fe's peers, not just in name but in attitude as well.

"T-the first stage of our presentation will be the collection of such energies, and afterward, we'll show what uses it might have. For now, my colleague will perform the collection process," Fe squeaked, rushing the words out before fleeing the podium, her hard-garnered composure having run out.

Which meant Zoey was up. She took her place in front of the podium, scooping the harness out of the backpack and holding the apparatus up for the class to see. The strips of black leather covered in arcane runes were as interesting to look at as the first time: fetish gear made into a magical artifact.

She wondered whether the runic symbols meant something to Fe or if they were nonsense. They certainly meant nothing to Zoey. She had no idea how magical items worked in this world. It was possible to fabricate them, she knew, though the large majority came from shards.

"Right," Zoey said, sweeping her gaze across the sizable crowd and finding herself oddly nervous. Despite being certain this was fake, it felt real. She wasn't terrified of public speaking, but she wasn't the kind of person who loved it either--especially with zero preparation. "As Fe explained, this... ah, device... collects and stores sexual energy for later use. Pretty innovative stuff, and it took a lot of work to make." She turned to Fe with a grin. "While we could just talk about the theory behind it, where's the fun in that? Empirical evidence is better, no? I'm sure you all want to see the whole process, not take our word on it. So, the first step is getting the energy, as Fe said, and after that, my partner and I will display what it can be used for. I hope you enjoy."

The last bits of Fe's plastered-on professionalism crumbled as Zoey advanced on her with the harness in hand, a predator-like grin on her face as she stalked her prey. Even more than usual, Zoey felt like pouncing on the girl. Was it the fluffy white hair and sheep horns, the blatant timidity?

Vaguely, Zoey was conscious of the crowd of students watching her, a sea of both men and women across many species. They leaned forward in their seats, interested, either academically or more personally, in the developing situation. She could feel the excitement in the air; it tingled across her skin. To be fair, Zoey herself would've been thrilled by what should've been a stuffy collection of academic presentations being interrupted by two girls publicly fucking in the 'name of science.' This would've been the highlight of the class--or the year.

The professor, for his part, had his eyebrows at the top of his forehead, though he made no move to intervene, tapping a pen against his notebook. Zoey put him, and everyone else, out of her mind. Her attention was far more occupied by the furiously blushing sheepgirl.

Fe backed up as Zoey approached her, and she swallowed hard.

"W-Well, maybe we should explain a little more how it works before we--"

"Nah," Zoey said, taking another step. The harness brushed against Fe's arm and made her jump. "A good demonstration is worth a thousand words. Best to just get to it."

Fe's breath hitched as Zoey's free hand quested out to toy with the top button of her university uniform jacket.

"But--everyone's watching," Fe breathed.

"That is the point."

"But... there's so many?"

"All part of the experiment." She worked her way down the uniform, popping buttons open. When she finished the last one, she slipped the jacket off Fe's shoulders, letting it fall to the ground. Leaning in to murmur into her ear, she said, "And if it turns you on, good. That's also the point. More energy means a better demonstration, so just enjoy yourself."

"What will they think of me?" she murmured.

Zoey tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "That you're a very accomplished artificer." Fe almost relaxed at that, so Zoey continued: "With a giant exhibitionist fetish. I mean, getting fucked in front of your classmates? That's really something." She laughed. "But I'm sure no one will think of you too differently... probably."

"Z-Zoey," she protested.

She laughed again, and Fe's blouse joined her jacket on the floor--finally taking away her modesty. Fe stood there in her bra and skirt, cheeks flushed pink, eyes darting between Zoey and the audience. Zoey dragged her by the waist, positioning her in front of the podium, front and center so that everyone had a good view. She took a second to admire the girl herself, too. Fe shivered under the attention, squirming in place while staring down at her feet.

"Zoey..." she mumbled. "Are you sure we should do this?"

"Positive. Skirt next. You can handle that one yourself, right?"

"S-Seriously?"

"Skirt. Hurry, now. Don't wanna run over our timeslot, do we? We'll have points docked."

Fe shifted in place, but, either because she was obeying by rote or because she was more willing to get naked in front of her classmates than her feigned reluctance indicated, she began taking off her shoes, then her skirt. Based on how slow and indulgently she did so, Zoey suspected the latter of the two explanations.

Bit by bit, the sheepgirl's pale, creamy skin came into view. After kicking off her lower garment, she was left standing in a lacy white bra and panties.

"The rest, too," Zoey said.

Fe's face went red. When she squirmed in place for longer than usual, fingers on the clasp of her bra but not working up the bravery to undo it, Zoey rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I'll help."

But where Fe might have worked herself into it, bracing properly before exposing herself to her classmates, Zoey gave her no such reprieve. She unhooked the sheepgirl's bra and forced her out of it, revealing those cute pink nipples to her classmates in an abrupt motion. In practically the same moment, even as she was discarding the top piece, Zoey knelt down and yanked Fe's panties to her ankles. Fe yelped, hands shooting to cover herself up, but Zoey peeled them away to stuff the harness into her hands.

"Now put that on," she murmured, "so we can get to the fun stuff."

With how much Fe was shaking with nervousness and excitement, even the audience could probably see it. Fe donned the black leather straps, and when she finished, the get-up cradled her body quite nicely, cupping her breasts and accentuating her curves.

"Did you have to make the design so... lewd?" Fe mumbled.

"Obviously," Zoey said. "Do you even know who you're talking to?" She clapped. "But there we go. You look great. Now, how do you want to do this?"

7.28 - ❤ Dreams at the Academy IV

"How do you wanna do this?" Fe repeated meekly. "What do you mean?"

"There's lots of ways to make a girl cum," she said, a teasing smile slipping onto her lips. "Was just wondering if you have any preference." She tapped her fingers to her lips, then feigned having a good idea. "Maybe I should leave it up to a vote? Should I ask our classmates?" She turned to face them, opening her mouth to make the announcement, but Fe squeaked loudly and pulled on her by the arm.

"A vote?" she hissed. "Are you crazy?"

"Oh? So you do have a preference?"

"Well, that's not what I--" She swallowed. "But it can't be a vote."

"Too embarrassing? Fine, fine. I think it would've been fun." Her grin widened. "I do, at least, know how we'll be finishing the job." She stepped forward and patted the sheepgirl's lower stomach. "I've been waiting for a while to get my first taste," she murmured low enough only Fe could hear. "So there's only one place good enough to finish. And I don't think I'm gonna use protection, just so you know."

"W-What? But then I could...?"

She rubbed a slow circle into Fe's lower stomach--overtop where her womb would be. "It'll be a little risky. But we are going for maximum energy collection, aren't we? You seem like the kind of girl who'd get off on... risky stuff." Her hand slipped down from her lower stomach to cup her pussy--which was delightfully cradled by two thin black straps of leather on either side. She was more than a little wet by this point. "Of course, I wouldn't do anything without permission. But I'm sure you won't actually get pregnant. Probably."

Zoey, for her part, could enjoy the fantasy in the fullest because she knew it was a dream. There was no real risk. Fe, on the other hand, thought this was reality. Her consciousness was fully submerged, instead of halfway like Zoey's. So how would she take Zoey's request?

"We... do want a great demonstration," she breathed. "S-So I guess that's fine."

Zoey's eyebrows went up. Oh? So she was that kind of girl? The idea of being finished into without an ounce of protection had Fe heating up more than the hundreds of spectating eyes? Good to know.

"But that's how we're finishing," Zoey laughed. "How should we start it off? Since you don't wanna take a vote, and you won't pick yourself, I guess it's my choice. How about... you get me lubricated first?"

Without a tenth of the trepidation Fe had shown, Zoey kicked off her shoes, pulled down her uniform skirt and panties, and revealed a quickly-hardening rod. Fe's eyes widened as she took it in, and, to be fair, Zoey did have the sort of weapon that took re-acquainting with every time.

"That's a good starting point, right?" Zoey asked with a smile, wiggling her cock at Fe.

Fe dropped to her knees seemingly by instinct--a nature Zoey could appreciate in a girl. The show of submission made Zoey's cock throb.

"But, in front of everyone?" Fe murmured, which was growing into a refrain. She glanced at their audience.

Which prompted Zoey to look too. Her gaze wandered to the side, where many rows of amphitheater-style university seating stared down at her. It made her stomach clench to see all those eyes locked on her--to Fe's naked body and the fourteen-inch cock erected in front of her face. Especially because there were quite a lot of attractive women scattered throughout the audience.

Jeez. Even if these weren't real people, they were modeled closely--maybe magically closely, or identically--to real people. They were Fe's classmates. Some of them Fe only knew halfway, but while fidgety, she seemed to be fairly outgoing; many of the personalities were probably accurate since she knew them well. So in some vague sense, this could be considered 'real.'

"In front of everyone," Zoey confirmed, her heart rate picking up.

Then, because Fe would just squirm and hesitate and never take action herself, Zoey took the lead. She wrapped her hands around the two horns sprouting from the fluffy white hair atop Fe's head and, grabbing two handfuls of sheepgirl dick-sucking handles, forcibly pulled the girl into her.

Fe, for all her trepidation, had been more than ready for it. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth as Zoey pulled her in, letting Zoey's cock bulge her cheek outward in the first thrust. Zoey sighed in satisfaction as she felt the soft, slippery skin of her inner cheek rub against her sensitive member. Relief. Finally. There had been too much teasing; she was nearly on fire already.

"Can't get too carried away," she murmured, a reminder to herself. "There's more important places to finish."

It was easy to say that, less easy to not lose herself in pleasure as she started to explore the sheepgirl's mouth with her cock. She'd been inside Fe's mouth once before, back when she and Delta had made use of the artificer's enthusiasm to 'test' their new spatial-anomaly artifact, but there was a bigger anticipation in the back of her mind--that she'd be getting to do a lot more than that today--that made her hips start thrusting faster than usual and made the experience feel even better.

She could only enjoy a few seconds of rubbing around inside the other girl's mouth before she found herself bumping into the back of her throat, wanting more direct pleasure. Fe, the wonderful girl, was more than ready to help. She opened her mouth wider and relaxed her throat. Gripping the sheepgirl's horns firmly, she yanked the other girl toward her pelvis. All fourteen inches of sizable cock slid down the restrictive, velvety tunnel. She moaned as she sheathed herself in a quick, hard motion, hunching over in pleasure as, with some forceful pulling, Fe's lips squished down to the root of her cock.

She hovered there for a moment, toes curling, before moaning, "Not even a gag. Naughty girl."

A muffled, choking noise that sounded pleased, though maybe that was Zoey's imagination.

She worked into a rhythm. Since she didn't want to waste her climax in Fe's mouth--however much she enjoyed the idea of stuffing it full of cum and watching it leak down her chin--she only let herself indulge for a little bit.

The facefucking was clearly appreciated by the audience, though Zoey could only pay half attention to that. She was surprised by how much it turned her on. Zoey wouldn't pretend lewdness in front of others didn't excite her--though maybe not as much as Maddy or apparently Fe--but she'd never have called herself an exhibitionist. But she had to admit, thrusting into the sheepgirl's throat again and again in front of an audience of her peers had her whole body feeling like it was on fire. She was keenly aware of each and every spectator.

The loud squelching and gagging noises were audible across the stage, though it didn't fully mask the murmuring and voices from the crowd--the exclamations of surprise, the laughter, the quiet gasps.

Zoey didn't go gentle on Fe's throat. By the time she pulled out, her face was red with pleasure and exertion. She let her cock pop out of Fe's mouth, satisfied by the string of saliva that connected them for a second before it broke and dripped onto her tits.

"Alright," Zoey said, pretending to be casual but feeling anything but. "Nice and lubed up. Good girl. Ready for more?"

"Mmm," Fe replied, swaying in place on her knees, face covered in drool, cheeks bright red and eyes glazed over. It was an attractive enough sight that Zoey had to stop herself from immediately pulling Fe back onto her.

She snapped her fingers in front of Fe's face a couple of times, amused. "Hello? Anyone there?"

"Hm?" Fe blinked several times, coming back to herself. She jumped slightly. "Sorry. What?"

Her haziness did anything but discourage Zoey. She laughed, then hooked a finger into one of the harness straps and, kneeling over, pulled the other girl forward to plant a kiss on her lips. Fe blinked, then melted into it, sharing saliva happily. The taste of her own cock, even mixed with the pleasant natural taste of Fe's mouth, sent another hot surge of arousal through her body.

The other girl enjoyed it too, because when she pulled back, she looked dazed again.

"Time for the main course." Zoey wiggled her hips, swaying her cock in front of Fe, whose eyes tracked it raptly. "Aren't you excited?"

"Ah. Um. Yes?" She didn't seem like she was fully aware of what she was saying, attention locked on Zoey's cock. "S-Should I--?"

Zoey pulled the other girl up, spun her around, and pushed her against the podium, bending her over so that her rear stuck out nicely--in proper profile view for their spectators. The sheepgirl yelped in surprise at the suddenness. Zoey grabbed hold of the other girl's thick thighs and parted them to stand between, taking a second to admire the two dimples that sat on her lower back just above her butt.

"Ready to show how far you've come as an artificer?" she murmured, pressing her cocktip against her entrance. "Our classmates are waiting for us to put on a good performance."

7.29 - ❤ Dreams at the Academy V

With her cock fully lubed by Fe's saliva, Zoey's member slid easily against the other girl's lower lips as she nuzzled her tip across the sheepgirl's pussy, threatening entry. Arousal spiked in her veins as she readied herself to enter. There was always something amazing about the first time, and this whole event? A particularly special way to go about it. It was a dream in more ways than one.

"Stop teasing," Fe groaned.

Ignoring her, Zoey took her time stroking up and down. The other girl tried to push her hips back and spear in herself, but she dodged by pulling back--Fe whined in complaint. Only when Zoey herself couldn't stand the anticipation any more did she finally angle her cock and begin to sink luxuriously into her partner's tight pussy, moving an agonizingly slow inch at a time. As much as she would've loved to shove in one eager thrust, she enjoyed the slowness more. Especially when Fe let out a long, keening moan as she was spread open, getting her first taste of Zoey's weapon bit by bit.

"Tight," Zoey murmured in pleasure, gripping the other girl's waist as she urged her hips forward.

"N-not my fault," she moaned. "You're so big."

Zoey slid in another inch, drinking in the sheepgirl's groan of pleasure. Her eyes fluttered as Fe leaned forward with the movement, body pressing against the podium and smushing her breasts against the surface. She grabbed one of her horns and pulled her head back slightly, before finally indulging--she closed the last several inches with a hard jerk forward. Her hips slapped against the other girl's cute butt, sending a ripple through her ass and bumping her against the podium.

Fe let out a high-pitched moan as Zoey's lower half met her ass, her entire length cramming inside. She released her grip on Fe's horn so that her hands could roam along the girl's plush body, drinking in her curves and soft skin. She let out a long sigh of contentment. Her hips remained flush against Fe's, dick sheathed all the way, sheepgirl's cervix kissing the tip of her cock, for several long moments. A quiet, fluttering moan left Fe's lips as Zoey pulled back and bumped into it again.

"Such a cute girl," she murmured.

Her hips pulled back quickly, sliding out of the other girl just enough to almost pull free, then, angling her hips, she plunged back in. Fe moaned as Zoey worked into a rhythm. Her thighs slapped against the sheepgirl's over and over, creating a steady clapping noise that filled the university hall--amplified by whatever magic had been projecting the professor's voice. Visible ripples spread through Fe's ass every time they met, a delightful image. Zoey groaned in pleasure as the tight, velvety tunnel dragged along her cock. She panted hard, working up a sweat as she started to pound away with every ounce of repressed anticipation she'd needed to suffer through thanks to this dream.

This dream--the presentation. Her skin tingled with heat at the reminder, at knowing they were being watched. It was intensely arousing, the many eyes on them. Even if this scenario was fake, she had an audience of people staring at her as she plowed into the other girl, and it was impossible for her brain to fully differentiate the false reality from a real one.

She alternated her gaze between where their bodies were meeting, Fe's red, flustered face as she leaned against the podium, and their spectators. A mix of expressions met her in return. Excitement, interest, arousal.

Somewhere, these classmates and friends of Fe existed. Maybe she would bump into one eventually. Wouldn't that be something? Her eyes met a brunette with curly hair who seemed to be taking particular interest in their 'demonstration', leaning out of her seat to get a better view--her shirt falling open to give Zoey a clear sight into her cleavage.

"H-Harder," Fe moaned, snapping Zoey out of her reverie. "Fuck. I want it harder."

The sound of the sheepgirl's begging sent another shiver through her. "Oh?" she asked breathlessly. "Kind of lewd to ask that right in front of your classmates, don't you think?"

"D-Don't care anymore," Fe whined. "Harder. Please."

Zoey wasn't one to turn a partner down. She sped up, thrusting deeper and harsher into the sheepgirl holding onto the podium to stay standing. Each stroke drove the air out of the other girl in an explosive gasp, but despite that, Fe was apparently insatiable--because she wanted more, and was vocal about asking for it. Zoey obliged, gripping both of the girl's horns and pulling her off the podium so they were both standing, then started to really pummel into her, with Fe's back curved as she held her there and pounded from behind

"Haah," Fe groaned. "S-so good. Feels so good. More. More, please, more."

Their hips slapped together noisily, both of them really getting into it. Zoey let out little grunts of pleasure every time they met, hips pulling back before jerking forward with as much force as she could muster, bouncing the girl's whole body.

The harness was starting to react--something Zoey had almost forgotten about. The runes inscribed across the leather were lighting with a soft pink glow as their carnal demonstration created 'lustful energy', or whatever Fe had called it. She was only half able to pay attention. The feeling of Fe's pussy occupied a much greater portion of her thoughts.

Fe was starting to fall apart, so she changed positions one more time in preparation for the finale. She scooped Fe up, lifting the sheepgirl off the ground, and hooked her arms under her knees. She pulled Fe against her chest, fingers interlocking behind her neck, with Fe's legs hooked over her arms and her back pressed against Zoey's breasts. Fe squeaked in surprise at the change--and at the lewdness of the pose, suspended in the air by Zoey's grip, legs spread, a prime view for their audience. In this position, Zoey resumed her thrusting and began driving into Fe with renewed vigor, bouncing Fe with each impact.

The new angle must have felt great for Fe--or maybe it was how exposed she was to her classmates--because she started writhing in Zoey's grasp, moaning, back arching and hips bucking in what limited way she could to help spear herself onto Zoey. Zoey groaned in building satisfaction as she found herself buried to the hilt every time she jerked her hips up, making the other girl bounce atop her. As much as she was getting off on the audience, Zoey was getting off on putting Fe on display--and by how much Fe was visibly and vocally enjoying it, too.

"They can see everything," she murmured into the sheepgirl's ear. "That doesn't bother you at all?"

Fe moaned louder, which only had the effect of exciting Zoey more.

"And they're about to see you cum. You can't help yourself, can you? You're getting off on being fucked in front of your classmates. What a naughty girl."

She chased the growing heat in her cock. Fe was close, squirming with pleasure, unable to stop moaning as she stared at the spectators and made no effort to hide her lewd expression. Their audience watched with bated breath as Fe built up to her peak, trembling in Zoey's grasp, pussy clamping down around Zoey's cock as the sheepgirl whined in pleasure, unrestrained and high-pitched, spreading her legs as much as she could to give them an even better view.

Fe's orgasm, naturally, made Zoey follow just after. It took a couple more thrusts before she was at her limit. With a long groan, she began to stuff the sheepgirl's twitching pussy with her cum. That, too, drove Fe even higher--and her next moan turned into a squeal as Zoey shot rope after rope of hot, thick seed inside her, making her stomach bloat slightly with each powerful throb.

But then, halfway through that blissful experience, the dream suddenly disappeared.

The classroom and all its inhabitants vanished, and so did Zoey's body. With no transition, she was abruptly floating in the black void of dream-orbs again.

She floundered for a second, confused.

She'd been kicked out of Fe's dream?

Seeing how she'd been in the middle of orgasm, and thus her faculties were more than a little compromised, it took her a moment to piece together what had happened. The only reason she would be kicked out of Fe's dream, she figured, was if the dream itself had broken. If she had woken up.

Fe had cum so hard that she had jolted awake.

Zoey laughed. That was a mark of a job well done, she supposed.

But she was also a bit miffed. Her orgasm had been cut off halfway through; ghost sensations of that blissful pleasure were still pulsing through her, but with no stimulation to do them justice.

At least she'd gotten to mostly finish. It would've been tragic if she had been kicked out right as Fe had started to reach her peak--and thus be denied her own.

Twenty minutes later, the dream-orb became accessible again. She dove back into Fe's subconscious.

7.30 - Artificer

The setting for Fe's next dream was more familiar: her workshop. Popping into existence, Zoey oriented as she looked around the room she'd visited only once back at Treyhull, when she'd needed to track Fe down and inform her of their hasty departure to Mantle. The sheepgirl was sitting in a chair, hunched over a notebook.

"Even in your dreams, you're a workaholic?" Zoey asked, amused. "How am I not surprised?"

Fe jolted and twisted in her seat to face her.

"Zoey?" she asked after a moment, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here? You're back from Mantle?" After a moment, she realized what Zoey had said. "Wait, in dreams? What do you mean by that?" She trailed off, and Zoey could see her make the connection. "I'm dreaming? Oh, dear, I am, aren't I? But how are you--? Wait, are you even actually here? Is that you, or are you part of the dream too?" She shook her head, confusing herself more by the second.

"It was a potion," Zoey said. "And yes, you're dreaming. This is the real me."

"A potion that lets you enter people's dreams?" Fe seemed shocked momentarily, but a dream-delving potion was hardly the oddest item she'd seen from Zoey. Her expression shifted to interest, no doubt because of the possible uses of such a potion, then changed one more time: to widening eyes as she realized something important. "Wait. Then, the previous dream? That was you too?"

"Yep," Zoey said, trying not to laugh at the growing panic on Fe's face as she realized that the especially lewd scenario hadn't been a private fantasy. "It was rude to kick me out right at the fun part, you know," she pouted.

Fe floundered with the multiple revelations, before sighing in resignation. She puffed her cheeks out. "I guess that makes sense," she muttered, facing away with reddening cheeks. "It felt way too real. A part of me knew something was off the moment you showed up--I think I was deliberately ignoring it."

Zoey laughed. "Hope you didn't mind that I didn't try to tell you. Didn't want to break you out of the fantasy." Her smile widened. "More fun if you thought it was real, right?"

"I-It was certainly an experience," Fe agreed, blushing. Clearing her throat, the flustered girl attempted to divert the conversation to safer waters. Zoey was relieved the assumption had been correct--Fe hadn't minded the minor deception, and, indeed, had enjoyed it instead. "You made it to Mantle in one piece, I take it? I mean, of course you did, but no issues?"

"It was mostly uneventful." That wasn't the full truth considering the whole Lucinda debacle, but that was nothing Fe needed to know about. "Speaking of which, have you given any thought to the offer?"

"To come join you?"

"It's a big ask--" Zoey started.

"Hardly," Fe replied. "It's an opportunity for me more than a favor to you. It was just sudden. That's why I couldn't promise anything. But yes, it's absolutely something I want to take you up on. As a matter of fact, I didn't have to think long--I'm en route now."

Zoey's eyebrows shot up. "You are?"

"Left yesterday. Expected arrival is tomorrow."

"Oh." That was significantly better news than Zoey had expected. She'd been ready to try to convince her, since having a discreet artificer that was on their side would be extremely convenient. Trust was in short supply in a city--or entire territory--that Enzo owned. "I'm glad to hear that. How are you, ah, managing it?"

"Sorry?"

"Like, how are you traveling?"

Fe tilted her head. "In an escort party, of course. We have a team of third-advancements guarding us--there's about two dozen passengers. Mantle's large enough that the traffic between it and Treyhull is consistent, so it wasn't hard to find one on short notice."

So that was how civilians traveled between cities. Zoey wondered whether one being in Striders territory and the other in Deepshunters affected anything. Not enough to inhibit trips, apparently.

Though--"That's it? Just a few third-advancements?"

Fe looked amused. "That's safe, all things considered. More than most people get. As long as the guides take us through lower ranked fractures, there's no real threat. And the one I picked has a good reputation." She smiled. "I make enough money I don't need to skimp on my escort party, Zoey, don't worry. But thank you for the concern."

She blushed. Had her worry been that transparent?

"Well, I'm happy to hear that you'll be joining us," she said. "There's a few things I should probably warn you of, though."

"Warn me of?" Fe asked, eyebrows going up.

As much as it would be amusing to throw the whole d'Celestin situation at Fe when she arrived, it would also be rude. Sabina had taken the debacle in stride, but she was composed by nature. Zoey would've warned her too, if she could've.

"You know Rosalie?" Zoey asked, broaching the topic slowly.

"Your front liner? Blonde? Uses a spear? Yes, I remember her, naturally."

"She's that Rosalie. The d'Celestin." She assumed she didn't need to elaborate; Rosalie's family was famous across the world.

Fe blinked at her. "Sorry, I'm not sure I get the joke."

"It's not one. I'm telling you so you aren't caught off guard. I didn't know earlier either, for the record, or I would've told you so you could make your decision accordingly." Zoey wouldn't be surprised if someone didn't want to entangle themselves with such a family.

Fe studied her with a furrowed brow, as if trying to decipher the joke Zoey was making--despite her insistence that it hadn't been one.

Slowly, her expression morphed to dawning disbelief as Zoey met her gaze straight-faced.

"Wait. You're kidding, right? Rosalie d'Celestin? The prodigy? Daughter of the Guildmaster. Heiress to the Deepshunters Highguild."

"That's her."

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"How is that even possible?"

Zoey shrugged. "Bumped into her in a shard. Got lucky, I guess. She was tight-lipped with her background for some pretty obvious reasons, that's why she didn't tell you--or me. She needed to get somewhere safe."

Fe laughed, still wide-eyed and incredulous. Then she froze and seemed to become even more so.

"Wait. Then--you two. All those artifacts. And she's--?"

Zoey supposed finding out that one of the world's most famous upcoming wayfarers had been 'messing around' with lewd artifacts would be a shock to the system. Not to mention her and Rosalie's obvious relationship.

"We're keeping that a secret, if you wouldn't mind being discreet."

"Right," she stammered. "Of course. I would never go against--um, that is, I'll be quiet about it."

There seemed to be more than just polite acquiescence in her words; she sounded slightly panicked, hurrying to assure her as fast as possible. Zoey wondered whether that was because there was an implied threat in acting against the d'Celestin heiress's wishes--not that Zoey's tone had implied any such thing. She hesitated, wondering whether she should assure Fe, but decided that would just be more awkward. The social dynamics in play were probably bigger than Zoey could contextualize, considering her own background in modern society.

"We'd appreciate that," Zoey said. "Also, there'll be a place in the d'Celestin estate if you want it. If you don't already have plans made. And you'll have access to their workshops while you get your own equipment set up. Sabina's been thrilled with what they have, from what I've heard. I think you'll enjoy it too."

Fe blinked. Zoey could see her brain shifting gears. "The d'Celestin family's personal artificing equipment? I'd be... more than a little intrigued to take a look, yes."

Zoey nodded. "Anyway," she said, to move past all of that and give Fe time to digest the news on her own. "That university was where you went to school, right?"

"The Academy?" Again, Fe had to adjust to the change in topic. "Ah, yes. I spent three years there."

"And that project? The harness? Was that real too?"

"Oh." Fe's cheeks colored--at least she seemed to be relaxing. "No, of course not. After those items you brought me, I wondered whether similar artifacts could be fabricated from the ground up, but all of my attempts met a brick wall. Zero progress. Reasonably so. There's something... special... about those items, even if I can't classify how." She grew wistful. "That's why I didn't have much choice following you to Mantle. There's no way I'd give up the chance to study more of them."

"And here I thought you were missing my company," Zoey teased. She was, of course, not offended at the accidental reveal of Fe's greater motivation. The two of them had only shared a few pleasant encounters. They were hardly girlfriends, nor did Zoey even think it was heading that way.

Fe blushed. "That too, of course," she hurried to assure her. "And honestly, I've missed Sabina as well. She's pleasant company, however eccentric she can be. For an outsider to artificing, she's given me consistently great insight when I've needed to bounce ideas off her."

"She's a smart one," Zoey hummed in agreement.

That about summed up the practical conversations she'd needed to have with Fe, so she walked up and leaned onto the desk Fe was sitting at. The sheepgirl seemed to sense the change in her demeanor, because she went suddenly still.

"So," Zoey said, dragging the word out. "You kicked me out of the last dream. Halfway through. That was kind of mean. I didn't get to finish." Her grin widened an inch. "Wanna make it up to me?"

7.31 - Patron

The next morning, Zoey filled Rosalie and Delta in on what Fe had told her. Both seemed pleased by the announcement, though if she had to guess, for primarily different reasons: Rosalie, in relief that they would soon have a reliable artificer to inspect their items, while Delta's delight came from a more... personal interest in the sheepgirl's return.

She gave the good news to Sabina next, since, while Zoey didn't think the two craftsmen had a relationship as meaningful as 'old friends', they were closer than simple acquaintances. Fe had even mentioned Sabina as a factor in what had made her mind up.

"Oh?" Sabina said when Zoey showed up to her room and informed her. "I see. And as soon as tomorrow? How fortunate. You used one of your dreaming potions to make contact, you said?"

"Yeah. Apparently there's no distance limitation. Was worried there might be, but--got lucky, I guess."

"The possible uses of that potion are intriguing," Sabina mused. "If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate if you took the opportunity to write down your experiences in depth. For my records. I might be able to make derivative potions."

"I'll do that, then."

"Would you like some tea, by the way?" she asked. "I have a few questions of my own, if you aren't in a rush."

"Oh? Sure." Her lessons with Sabina happened later in the day, usually, so she hadn't expected to stay long, only to deliver the news. But she could spare a few moments.

The offer for tea was atypical, but not enough to make her suspicious. There was a tray sitting prepared on a side table, which she hadn't noticed. Sabina grabbed it and brought it over.

"What does your schedule look like for the rest of the day? Are you busy?"

"Always," Zoey sighed in response, taking the offered cup of steaming liquid. "But it's just more of the same. Training, practice, and--you know, other stuff."

Sabina's lips twitched at Zoey's not so subtle implication. The alchemist lifted her tea and took a sip, so Zoey mirrored her. The flavor that hit her tongue nearly made her choke.

"It's sweet!"

"Apologies if it's not to your taste," Sabina said. "Anything crucial?"

"Sorry?"

"In your schedule. Is there anything that couldn't be interrupted? Particularly in the next few hours."

She blinked. "Um. No, like I said, just more of the same. Training, mostly. Probably won't be too long before we set out for the next shard, though I want to be here when Fe arrives. So not till after that." Plus, there was the issue of Astrid. Not that it was an issue, but she was still adjusting to the revelations Zoey had dumped on her, and she guessed it wasn't one-hundred percent confirmed that she would want to tackle a lewder shard. "Why do you ask?"

Her vision swam, her head feeling suddenly foggy. She shook the sleepiness off--at least, she assumed it was a bout of fatigue. What else could it be? But she'd woken well-rested, so she wondered where it had come from.

"Just verifying the timing isn't inconvenient," Sabina said mildly. She took another sip. "That I won't be impinging on anything important. Since I'll be borrowing you for the next few hours."

"You will?" The words came out slurred to her own ears, and a jolt of concern went through her. But even that was muted; her head was growing heavier by the second. Sluggish as her thoughts were, she made the connection as she looked down at her tea. "Did you... drug me?"

Sabina arched an eyebrow, seeming impressed that she'd made the deduction so quickly. "It's difficult to make something potent enough to pierce a fourth advancement wayfarer's constitution, but I am an alchemist. I was up to the task."

In the few remaining moments before she slumped in her chair and lost consciousness, Zoey mused over how little she was worried about the development. She'd made connections with people high up in this world, and danger was implicit by association with them--hadn't even Elodie mentioned assassins? Who was to say such an organization couldn't have gotten to Sabina?

Or even that the woman in front of her wasn't someone wearing her face? Zoey and Delta had done that themselves, once, in an infiltration of the Cult. But rather than assuming this was a poisoning, or something of that sort, she just assumed--well, she didn't know what. But Sabina had seemed herself in their interaction, and she trusted her.

Well, too late to worry now.

Her vision went black.

***

She woke some indeterminate amount of time later naked and strapped to a stone slab. Her limbs jerked instinctively, but she was thoroughly restrained; she only managed to shift around, the leather straps creaking in response. Maybe she would have struggled more fervently--and she might have had some success, sharing stats with Rosalie and Delta--but she was interrupted by a voice.

"You're awake. Good. The dosage performed as expected, within variance." Sabina hummed, tapping a finger into the clipboard she was holding. "As I said, drugging wayfarers is tricky, and not my specialty."

The alchemist was standing a few feet away, dressed in her white lab coat. The details of the dimly lit environment trickled in, and it took a second for Zoey to recognize where she was, since she'd only been here a few times.

The Temple. Her temple. The building had changed. It was furnished now: hanging lanterns leaking soft red light, wooden benches with plush pillows for sitting, tapestries hanging on the wall, and carved stone statues among other decorations. The whole space had been taken care of. The alcoves had curtains hanging from them, pulled open, but the implication that they could be turned into private spaces was clear; Aria had mentioned the idea. There was comfortable-looking lounge furniture inside each. The adornments trended, as expected of this 'holy place', sensual in nature. Nudity in the artwork was abundant, and, while mostly tasteful, not in the timeless way a museum might allow. Definitely more carnal than that.

The air was filled with the light smell of incense smoke, jasmine and sandalwood mixing with subtle hints of vanilla. The elegant stone and stained glass interior made it clear this was a temple, but the interior was more reminiscent of... a bordello, perhaps, than a true place of worship.

Aria had done a great job in only a few days of preparations. The temple looked nearly ready to open to the public.

Zoey was lying on the altar, hence why she'd thought it was a 'stone slab.' She was strapped down onto the altar, for that matter. And she was naked. Very naked.

"How... thematic," Zoey finally said, piecing together what was happening. She gave another tug on her restraints. "Am I your sacrifice tonight, then?"

"Sacrifice?" Sabina asked, a tinge of amusement in her voice. "I suppose in some senses, you aren't wrong."

"Not that I'm not interested, but an explanation would be nice."

Sabina raised an eyebrow in response. "I hope the tea wasn't too much, but there's a certain atmosphere I'm going for. This was a more dramatic, and thus suitable, arrival, was it not? I did ask for blanket permission."

Ah. Right. That conversation. Another puzzle piece clicked in.

So this was--the event. To Patron Sabina and move her up in advancement through a 'holy ritual'.

Which meant...

Zoey calmed her rapidly quickening heart.

"There's enough energy?" She'd expected this to happen later. Days later, if not a week or more. The temple wasn't even open yet.

"Aria thinks so. She's earned a surplus of 'Holy Energy' in the past few days; she said her reserves feel abundant."

Without any followers, she'd earned that much? Just setting up the temple?

"It works like that?"

"She was surprised as well. But it makes sense. It would count as an act of worship, no, to pour one's attention into the furnishing and establishment of one's temple?"

That did make sense, actually. This was a large, culminating milestone, and the temple looked nearly ready to open. She was pretty sure Aria herself had suggested that even mundane activities as High Priestess would create a trickle of Holy Energy, just not as much as the more 'explosive' events they might one day host.

"Just to verify," Sabina said, "you have no pressing obligations?"

"I should probably tell someone where I've gone, at least."

"That's been handled."

"Then, uh. Yeah. Guess I'm yours."

"Excellent." Sabina walked over, and, twisting under her restraints, Zoey watched her pull a wheeled cart toward the altar. It held rows of vials atop it; there were drawers that might hold other tools or liquids. "You'll be my test subject for today. It seems a suitable ritual for our relationship. And I have the blessing of your High Priestess." She pulled on a pair of white gloves. "Now," she said, plucking a potion from the rack. "Let's see if my labor has borne fruit."

7.32 - ❤ Patron II

Zoey supposed she should have expected something along these lines. Sabina had gone out of her way to get permission for something 'a little more extreme' than usual, but had left it vague what that might be. When it came to an alchemist, specifically this alchemist, was she really surprised that meant drugging her, bringing her to the temple, and strapping her down to perform experiments on her?

"So, uh," Zoey said, her heart rate rapidly accelerating as she eyed the vial of bright orange liquid. "Can I ask what you have planned, at least?" Sabina had dodged that question earlier, and when Zoey tried inspecting the potion, Sabina denied the request. That was answer enough, she supposed, that she would be going in blind.

"My observations will be more reliable if the subject isn't influenced by any preconceived notions of what might happen to her," Sabina said, her voice perfectly calm. "I'm sure you understand the need for rigorous scientific procedure. Open."

Despite her apprehension, Zoey opened her mouth as Sabina brought the vial to her lips. Gulping the liquid down, she braced herself for--well, anything, at this point.

To her surprise, though, she was fairly certain her racing heart was the fault of mundane anticipation, not anything more.

"Well?" Sabina asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I--don't think anything happened?" She waited tensely for some crazy effect to kick in, but nothing came.

Sabina seemed pleased by her response. "Indeed. That one, you won't notice anything until later. But I thought you might misattribute typical reactions. Well done--you'll be a reliable subject."

A test to see if Zoey would experience a placebo effect? She wondered if this world had a proper term for that.

Also, she couldn't help but wonder what effect would only 'show up later.'

Grabbing a second vial--this one with dark blue liquid--Sabina uncapped the cork and poured some onto a cloth. The alchemist was in her lab gear, and seeing her douse a rag with a mystery fluid was a rather intimidating sight, especially in this setting: strapped to an altar in the middle of a dimly lit, recently furnished temple to a lewd deity.

"This one, you'll probably have little difficulty guessing," Sabina said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Placing the rag at the base of Zoey's cock, the liquid touched her skin, and the effect was immediate. She sucked in a breath as her nerve endings were set alight, suddenly becoming hyper-sensitive. A groan was torn from her lips, and Sabina wasn't the sort of woman to ease her into it: she dragged the cloth all the way up her considerable length, working the potion into every inch of skin in a smooth motion. When the fluid reached her cock-tip, Zoey's eyes rolled up in her head as her back arched off the altar's surface.

"It's a concentrated dosage, naturally," Sabina said. "I'm pleased by the initial result." Her lips tugged up in amusement as she watched Zoey squirm in her restraints. "Oh? Nearly there, already? In one stroke? Yes, an excellent result."

Pulling the cloth away was half a relief and half the greatest disappointment ever. Her cock tingled from root to tip with the lingering sensations.

"What-- what was-- what was that?" Zoey gasped, her brain not fully functioning. She'd only half heard what Sabina had said.

"Sensitivity serum. Temporary designation. Should work anywhere, though especially erogenous zones. But I wouldn't waste the surprise on anywhere except... the most interesting place to get a reaction, of course." Smirking slightly, she flicked Zoey's cock, and even that was enough to make another exaggerated moan rip out of her mouth.

Pressing the cloth into Zoey's right nipple, then her left, Zoey discovered Sabina's claim was accurate: those nerve endings were set on fire too. When Sabina tugged at one, her mind went blank. Having her nipples touched shouldn't feel that good. 'Concentrated dose', huh?

"Too much for you?" Sabina murmured after Zoey sank back down into the table, gasping as the sensations left her. "I hope not, because I don't intend to be a merciful mistress, tonight. We're just getting started." Leaning forward to murmur into Zoey's ear, she whispered, "Wouldn't want this ritual to be half-hearted. It would be disrespectful to my Goddess."

Gray eyes flicked down Zoey's body to see an erect cock that was twitching furiously.

"And leaking so much, already? Perhaps the recipe needs less refinement than I feared." She brought her mouth near Zoey's cock tip. "Don't feel any obligation to hold it in," she said, her murmuring making her lips brush against her ever so slightly. "I expect to be drawing many, many climaxes from you, before this is over."

She blew a soft gust of air onto her cock, and Zoey couldn't believe how good the touch of wind felt. She struggled in her restraints, all four limbs pulling at leather as she fought the sensation building in her core, the heat growing in her cock. A part of her was indignant. That fast? One stroke to coat her cock, through a layer of cloth and gloves, and then simply being blown on? She didn't consider herself an overly prideful girl, but instinct demanded she didn't give in that fast. Potion or not.

Sabina met her eyes and smirked, and Zoey suspected she knew what thoughts had gone through her head. The alchemist blew a little harder on her cock, and it responded with a violent twitch. Zoey moaned and squirmed in her restraints, fighting the feelings rapidly overcoming her. Sabina blew one more time, and no matter how hard she fought it, she couldn't help herself, not when it felt so good. Every muscle tensing, she watched as her cock throbbed, then exploded, jettisoning a long string of white across Sabina's face. The alchemist pulled back, surprised that it had really been that easy, but then--the second string landing--she leaned back forward. That produced its own jolt of excitement, the way her teacher closed her eyes and let the next spurt of cum land on her face.

Zoey shuddered through the orgasm as her cock kept throbbing, strand after strand landing on Sabina's features, lab coat, and hair. It seemed to go on forever, until she was gasping for breath and Sabina's face was liberally coated with the liquid.

Sabina stepped back and wiped her eyes clear with a cloth--she'd brought plenty of those with her, no doubt expecting this to be messy.

"You know, I do quite enjoy that," she said. "The sheer... quantity." Swiping a gloved hand down her face, she showed it to Zoey. It was drenched; a thick glob dripped down her palm and splattered onto the floor. "And I haven't even given you your output potion, yet." She hummed, then wiped her hands and face fully clean with a towel. "Speaking of that."

Still hazily recovering from her orgasm, she opened her mouth as Sabina brought another potion to her lips. This one tasted familiar; she'd had it before. The 'output potion'.

"Now," Sabina said. "Can you deduce the effect of the first?" The question was accompanied by a gloved hand wrapping around her cock, and the sensitivity serum had definitely not stopped working yet; a lewd whine came from her at the direct touch, so much more potent than it should be.

But she had cum literally seconds ago. She was fortunate that her refractory period was smaller than most, but sensations should be at least a bit muted afterward. Yet Sabina's touch felt as good as it had a minute ago.

Was it the fault of the sensitivity serum?

No. She pieced it together thanks to Sabina's hint. The first one, the orange potion: "R-Removes the refractory period?"

In another circumstance, she might have appreciated the usefulness of such a thing. It would be a popular ware in their upcoming store, no doubt. But her mind was swimming thanks to Sabina's hand resting on her cock. She didn't have space in her head for anything besides how great it felt.

"Quite. I'm impressed you can still think straight enough to make that conclusion. As a reward, let's do this properly this time." She brought her face over her cock and began to stroke. "I want to see how much I can wring out of you before the effect expires."

7.33 - ❤ Patron III

Since Sabina had concocted a magical potion that removed her refractory period, then layered it with another that made her sensitivity go into overdrive, it didn't take long before the growing heat became too much to bear. Especially when this time, rather than simply blowing on her, Sabina was taking more direct action: stroking two gloved hands up and down Zoey's cock.

If she'd thought the sensations had been good before, it was nothing compared to being touched directly. In seconds, her toes were curling and her cock throbbing, a second shuddering climax rocketing through her. Amplified by Sabina's most recent potion, a thick string of cum splattered onto the alchemist's face, which she had positioned seemingly to encourage Zoey to do exactly that. For the second time in less than a few minutes, Zoey drenched her partner, and this time, her climax kept going and going now that she was affected by both sensitivity and output potions.

When she was finished, a thick glaze covered Sabina's features, and she couldn't help but admire the sight while sagging into the altar to catch her breath. The alchemist didn't reach for a towel right away, instead swiping a hand across her eyes and inspecting the way it came back covered. She looked pleased.

"That makes two," she said, an omen for what was to come.

The sensitivity and refractory potions only lasted a handful of minutes, but that was enough time for Sabina to draw out six more orgasms. Anti-refractory and super-sensitivity was a devastating combination, it turned out, especially when her tormentor showed her no mercy. By the end, Sabina was painted white not just on her face, but her chest and stomach too, with plenty pooling on the altar, between Zoey's legs, and other places. A truly impressive amount of the sticky white liquid had been milked out of her.

Thankfully, Sabina wasn't actually trying to torture her; she let her rest afterward. It took a few moments of gasping for breath while Sabina cleaned herself up--well, cleaned up in a superficial manner, since there was way too much to get rid of--before she addressed her.

"Final thoughts?"

"Probably... too much for most people," Zoey said, voice coming out strangled.

"Enjoyable?"

"Sort of?"

A quirked eyebrow. "You're telling me you didn't like that?" She looked pointedly at her cum-covered labcoat. "Evidence would suggest otherwise."

Zoey gave a hoarse laugh. "Was... just a bit much, like I said."

Sabina's lips twitched. "Fair enough. You've provided useful preliminary data, if nothing else." And indeed, the woman had been scribbling down notes in the scant seconds between agonizing yet wonderful climaxes. "I was interested in whether that combination of potions would be effective. Clearly it is." Walking to the rolling cart that had vials stored atop, she said, "Now, in preparation for the true reason we've come here today." She plucked one and held it up, and Zoey recognized it instantly, considering how much she used it:

Fertility inhibition.

The implication flooded anticipation into her veins. Because, as Sabina had said, that was the real reason she'd drugged and brought Zoey to this temple. The carnal ritual that would advance Sabina in rank--the one that Aria said would likely require an intimate bonding of the traditional sort, which was a line the two of them hadn't crossed.

"I've been wondering," Sabina said, tapping the glass edge of the uncorked vial onto her lips as she eyed Zoey's cock, "what that formidable weapon of yours would feel like inside me." Without ceremony, she tipped the potion down her throat, swallowed the payload, and set the vial aside. She turned back to Zoey and began unbuttoning her cum-covered coat. "Normally I enjoy seeing my subjects squirm," she said, labcoat coming away to reveal black undergarments. "In taking control and extracting reactions. But that particular display of yours has worked me up. I find myself impatient to discover an answer."

She plucked two more potions from her rack of vials before climbing onto the altar and sitting on Zoey's thighs. Scooting forward, Zoey's cock lay across the other woman's stomach, all fourteen inches resting against the expanse of smooth skin, jutting up nearly between her breasts.

Zoey swallowed, eying the two new potions the alchemist was holding. Neither was recognizable. One was red, the other light green.

"Bonus points, dear student, if you can guess their purpose," Sabina said, tone mildly teasing. It seemed she was in a playful mood, something Zoey had seen only a few times, usually during their quizzes.

"Don't even know where to start. Could be anything." In Sabina's case, really anything.

"The options are varied," she agreed. "And I suppose you're distracted." Sabina's lips curled slightly as she pulled Zoey's cock in, pressing the hefty mass against her stomach while rubbing her lower half into the base. "I won't fault you for that. It's more entertaining as a surprise, anyway."

Leaning forward--bending Zoey's cock down toward her own stomach with the movement--Sabina brought the red potion to Zoey's lips. She accepted the substance, swallowing the surprisingly sweet liquid in one gulp.

Like the sensitivity serum, there was little difficulty distinguishing what happened to her as the magical fluid worked through her veins. Her libido had already been substantial, considering that she would soon be getting her first taste of her teacher's pussy. But that anticipation doubled, then tripled, then more. Arousal coursed through her, empowered by the chemical she'd consumed, surging so intensely that she began struggling against her restraints in an attempt to lay hands on the woman atop her.

"Aphrodisiac," Sabina said, coolly watching her unstable seat squirm hard enough to jostle her. "Nothing special, I suppose, but simplicity is often king. You have a skill that does the same? Inflame? I'm pleased I could imitate it. A general aphrodisiac was trickier to brew than I'd first assumed. But is it effective?" She hummed. "I can tell it is. Growing impatient?"

Bringing the last of her potions to her fingers, Sabina wiggled the green liquid at Zoey.

"I believe your mental state might be slightly compromised, but can you guess this one?"

Zoey was too busy bucking her hips up and down, bouncing Sabina and providing herself only slight friction that wasn't nearly enough to satisfy her. 'Slightly compromised' didn't describe half of what she felt. The need to pin Sabina down was overwhelming. "Let me go," she groaned. "I need to-- I need to fuck you!" She whined desperately as she pulled against the straps holding her down, but they were unyielding.

Sabina smirked as she uncorked the vial. "No worries. That is, in fact, what I'll be doing."

She tipped the vial over, and green liquid spilled onto the restraints holding her wrists down. The substance sizzled and, in a matter of seconds, ate through the leather, burning away until the bindings snapped.

Zoey froze in surprise.

Sabina had pumped her full of an aphrodisiac, then burned through her restraints to let her free?

The implication was obvious: she was allowed to do whatever she wanted.

And Zoey was well beyond moderating herself. Pulling her limbs blessedly free, she grabbed the other girl by her waist, delighting that she could finally sink her fingers into soft flesh. She flipped Sabina over, manhandling her so that she was the one with her back pressed into the altar instead. With animal need, she ripped Sabina's black panties to the side and lined up her cock while poised between her legs.

Despite the need coursing through her, she hesitated a moment, eyes meeting Sabina's.

The alchemist quirked an eyebrow.

"I hope you won't be gentle. I went through great efforts to work your libido up."

Zoey growled. Pressing her hips forward, she pushed herself in between the lips of Sabina's pussy. Slowly feeling her teacher's tight entrance start to spread, her thoughts whited out as she marveled at the sensation.

It was finally happening.

In another situation, she might have basked in that revelation. But her hips pushed insistently forward without her active guidance, until the tip--blessedly--popped inside. The woman beneath her gasped at the intrusion, even her considerable stoicism breaking as the massive girth spread her wide.

The sensation was heavenly, and where she might have eased Sabina into her impressive size normally, the specially designed aphrodisiac coursing through her veins left little other thoughts inside her head besides pure need. Both of her hands resting on either side of Sabina's head, she pushed her hips forward and impaled herself inside, slapping down against the woman beneath her with a loud smack, sheathing in one quick motion.

She took a moment to bask in it, moaning as Sabina clenched around her. So tight. Her cock twitched needily, and she drew her hips back to shove in again. She started to fuck the other girl in earnest. A haze came over her as her focus narrowed down to one thing--plunging her cock in and out of Sabina's slick, velvety inner walls. The same blissful thought running through her head: Finally, finally, finally.

"Ah... ah... ah."

Even the sounds coming from Sabina's lips were heavenly to her ears. Moans of pleasure, repressed but drawn out nonetheless, an accompaniment to her own grunts as she pumped her hips back and forth, driving her cock deep inside over and over. Lewd noises escaped Zoey as she worked the alchemist's insides, and despite the rough treatment, or maybe because of it, her teacher quickly fell apart. The wet slap, slap, slap of Zoey plunging herself inside filled the temple as she lost her sense of self. She would have been adrift in these sensations regardless, considering how long she'd been waiting for this moment, but the aphrodisiac pushed her into overdrive, all of her muscles working together to fuck the other girl beneath her with everything she had.

It was amazing. Unbelievable. Amplified many times over both because of the magical chemicals running through her veins, and because of how long she'd waited to make Sabina hers.

Dipping her head down, she seized Sabina's mouth with her own, kissing her roughly as her hips continued to pump. Her teacher responded in kind, and for a few moments their mouths and lower halves worked together, Zoey's cock pumping in and out, sliding between slick lips again and again as their tongues slid together.

She couldn't last long, not basking in that heavenly sensation. She moaned into her teacher's mouth as she reached her limit, slapping forward to bury her cock into Sabina and losing control of the growing heat. She came with a low groan, the first shot blasting Sabina's insides so deep that it was impossible to imagine she hadn't been knocked up on the first spurt--her brain temporarily, and happily, forgetting the potion she'd taken.

It kept going, thick ropes of cum painting Sabina's inner walls, enhanced by the output serum running through her. She kept cumming, emptying spurt after spurt into her teacher, filling her insides, and she broke the kiss to lean up and watch as Sabina's stomach rounded out, swelling from the sheer amount being poured into her. That image itself was enough to spur another wave of arousal that made her cock twitch and send a fresh load into the alchemist, her body determined to breed her partner.

When she was finished, she fell over top her, burying her face into Sabina's neck, the scent of her skin and sweat overwhelming her senses. She kissed along her skin, working her way back to Sabina's lips. They met again, tongues working together, cock still buried deep in her teacher.

"I hope you don't only have one for me, apprentice," Sabina murmured, pushing her hips up into Zoey, quickly stiffening her half-soft cock back to full strength. "And remember, I have plenty of spare potions, if you want to have some real fun."

7.34 - ❤ Patron IV

It was fitting, Zoey thought, that the first holy ritual held in her temple ended with the sacred stone drenched in cum.

It wasn't just the altar, too, but her, Sabina, and the surrounding area as well: completely coated. Half-flooded, really. Both girls were panting and exhausted when they'd sated themselves, Sabina's stomach rounded nicely by the heavy loads that had been poured into her. Zoey didn't know why she loved that sight so much, but she really did. There was something amazing about stuffing another girl so full it became visibly obvious--that she looked pregnant.

A few minutes passed as they lay in sweaty puddles, the alchemically-fueled fuck-fest having drained both of them in ways they--or Zoey, at least--had never experienced. She felt empty in the best way possible.

"Oh," Sabina murmured eventually. "I can feel it. How curious."

"Hm?" Zoey asked.

"I felt myself advance."

She cracked an eye open in surprise. "Without sleeping?" That was how all rank-ups happened, she had thought. Sleep, or at least unconsciousness, was a prerequisite to progressing in advancement.

"It did occur thanks to a skill," Sabina mused, idly resting a hand on her inflated belly as she spoke--which did something to make Zoey's arousal stir, regardless of how many times she'd ravaged her teacher in a row. "If anything would break convention, it would be an ability such as yours."

She propped up onto an elbow, interested by the development, her intrigue breaking through her exhaustion. "What'd you get?" she asked before she could think better.

Then she remembered: skills were private information. There was some irony to be found in hesitating over an 'intimate question' considering what they'd just done together, but that was different: sex was just sex to a lot of people.

"Let me check," Sabina said, eyes fluttering closed and brow furrowing as she sorted through her tabula anima. She snuggled into Zoey, erasing some of the hesitation she'd felt a moment prior.

A minute passed as Sabina concentrated.

"Hm. Useful."

"Useful?"

"I received two skills. Both passive, both consistently applicable. I'm pleased."

Zoey raised an eyebrow in response to that, and, to her happiness, Sabina continued explaining.

"Efficient Extraction is the first. And no, the name isn't an innuendo--it's not a skill like yours." Snorting softly, she said, "It's an excellent staple skill for an alchemist; I've seen ones like it before. In short, I should be able to pull better yields out of reagents when I prepare them myself."

"Oh? That does sound useful," Zoey said, excited on Sabina's behalf.

Of course, the ability wasn't as strange as the ones she herself received, but Sabina didn't have a class from the heavens: she had a normal Rune of Alchemy. That also meant the fourth-advancement skill wasn't as insanely strong as some of hers either, probably, but Sabina's tone of voice indicated it was something she was pleased with, and she would know what standards to judge alchemy skills by.

"The second is Essence Sight," Sabina said. "The description is vague, but I believe it will help me intuit the use of strange reagents, as well as possible combinations that would synergize well." She hummed. "It'll cut down on the experimentation stage. I would have appreciated an active skill as well, but these two passives are excellent. No doubt, they were influenced by my relation to you."

Zoey blinked. "What do you mean?" Neither of those skills seemed related to her lewd class in the slightest.

"Both aid in identifying unusual reagents and making more out of them. Who, recently, has been providing a surplus of those?"

"Oh." That was a good point. "Especially the extraction one," Zoey said. "Because lots of what I find is rare, maybe even one-of-a-kind." Unless another person ended up being imbued by a lewd goddess and having their shards--and loot--affected by divine influence, they might never show up again.

"Precisely. With careful rationing and low-yield initial experiments, I can extend a limited supply into many batches--but there's a limit to how far it can be stretched. Effective Extraction ought to help immensely, especially since it's a fourth-advancement skill."

Rather than if she'd gotten the skill at first advancement, Zoey assumed she meant.

"By how much, you think? Double?"

"Easily. Three to five times, perhaps. Such a skill is hardly unheard of in this profession, so there's benchmarks to go by. Though even abilities within similar classes within the same advancement can vary. Every class is individual, influenced by circumstance and desire. And, perhaps most importantly, the heavens' whims."

Zoey mulled that over. "But your class is morphing around me? You really think that's true?"

"Or from another perspective, my interest and alignment with you, not necessarily you yourself. It is my class." Sabina shrugged. "But without a doubt, this branch of alchemy has been a defining point in my career, and, I assume, will continue to be. So yes, my class is adapting in an expected manner--around you."

"I wonder what you'll get at higher advancements, then."

"Wondering if I'll receive more interesting skills?" Sabina asked with a hint of amusement. "I suppose it's possible. Though it probably won't happen, if I were to guess. Then again... some alchemists receive specialty skills that enhance the brewing of particular types of potions. Some even hyper-specialize. Say, in health potions only. I wouldn't complain if I receive an ability such as that, tuned to this innovative branch I'm working in."

Zoey snorted at the phrasing. "Innovative. Yeah. I'm glad you don't mind, though."

"Mind?"

"That your class is bending around me. Wasn't sure if you'd want that. Long term, at least. Your class is for life." She shrugged. "I doubt this was what you had in mind your specialty would be, say, a year ago."

"Perhaps not," Sabina agreed. "But in any case, those two skills will always be useful. I've always been interested in rare reagents, unique recipes, cutting edge research. Formulaic alchemy is far less intriguing."

The conversation lulled there, the two of them enjoying skin contact as they lay on the--admittedly sticky, cum-covered--altar.

"Not to put you on the spot," Zoey said. "But what are we, anyway?" She coughed. "I just feel like we should talk about that."

Sabina, having been resting her eyes, opened them and turned to face her. Like usual, the stoic woman wasn't caught off guard by the question. "Alchemist and apprentice, for one," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Or do you mean from a more personal perspective?"

That had been the implication, yeah. Zoey nodded.

Sabina looked up at the ceiling and mulled the question over.

"First and foremost, I'm married to my work. I've never had a girlfriend, nor do I have much desire to have one, to be frank." She faced Zoey again, studying her to see how she would take those words.

But Zoey wasn't offended; her relationship with Sabina had never felt like Rosalie's or Delta's. She was extremely fond of her, but... it was different. That'd been why she'd asked the question, to make sure they were on the same page.

And, honestly, she had known from minute one that nothing would take first place over Sabina's love for alchemy. It was her defining characteristic. Even strangers could discover that in a few minutes of conversation with the woman.

"I am quite fond of you, however," Sabina said, seeming pleased that she didn't find any negative reaction on Zoey's face. "I enjoy having a... special student. Very much so."

Zoey laughed. She squeezed Sabina in, pressing the woman's soft curves into her.

"And I enjoy having a special teacher," she teased. "She's amazingly hands-on."

***

The rest of the day continued as usual, though Zoey had to stagger out of the temple, drained in a way she might never have been before. Sabina's selection of magical concoctions had done a number on her, in the best way possible. Though she didn't necessarily want all of their encounters to be that... intense, going forward. Better saved for special events.

Next morning, a messenger found Zoey in the training facility working on spellcraft with Maddy. His announcement was simple: Fe's timeline had been accurate, and she'd arrived safely in Mantle.

So, collecting her team--including Astrid--they went to greet the sheepgirl, their team's new dedicated identifier and artificer.