Chapter Text
Though it wasn’t Alisaie’s first trip to the moon, it had certainly been a while. There was so much to do on Hydaelyn considering everything, but it had settled down enough for there to be a lull in action. She could’ve returned to Sharlayan, or she could have done her usual retread of familiar grounds, but this had been at the Warrior of Light’s behest. And, fair enough, Sharlayan had requested that Mare Lamentorum still serve as a repository for research and samples should an ‘in case’ purpose arise. She supposed if another Rejoining managed to happen without Ascian interference and - thereby - cause another Calamity, ‘twould be imperative to have records of whichever continent or nations were affected and supplies for necessary recoveries.
However, her brow furrowed and she glanced sidelong at her companion - well, more than that. Ugh, she should be better at controlling her temperature when it came to thinking about their relationship status, she should have grown out of being some twitterpated Studium girl - not that she’d ever been, mind, but mayhap that was why her heart thrummed as it did within her breast. It didn’t help how adorable G’raha became once they entered Bestways Burrow with his red eyes widening and pupils expanding from their usual slits while he took all the changes in. Oh, her ever studious but equally reckless historian - not that she could blame him. From being a place once so grey and cold despite warm artificiality, setting the Loporrits on their new path had revived the massive vessel to colours and music that carried warmth and their outpouring love with.
“Less gawking, more walking, Raha,” she reminded him, making him shake his head quickly. His smile was blinding; her heart skipped its beat again and she decided to walk faster before he could comment, ignoring how her swiftness made her coattails sway. They needed to locate Livingway. Fortunately for them, the caramel-furred Loporrit was quick to spot leaving the Dreaming Workshop so catching up was simple enough.
“Hello, Livingway. ‘Tis been quite an age since we’ve met,” Alisaie said, catching the bipedal rabbit’s attention.
“Ah, Alisaie! Yes, welcome!” Livingway replied, her mouth curling to raise her furry cheeks. “I believe the last time you visited, it was while delivering recovered documents from Garlemald.”
“Aye, it was. Have you and yours made good use of them?”
“Indeed! Our archivists and biologists were most curious about the declining ability shared amongst the nation’s people regarding the manipulation of aether and their alternatives,” she explained, ears twitching. “But, lest I talk your ear off, have you both another reason to find me?”
“Yes, we did.” Blue eyes dropping to G’raha as he spoke, she could see the look: he’d wanted to know more about the Lopporits’ findings, but that would have to come later. Nodding his head once, he continued. “Meteor sent us a missive regarding a request from one ‘Thrillingway’...”
Alisaie blinked. Livingway’s ears and fur were both standing, and her eyes had widened significantly. However, she didn’t interrupt G’raha.
“... They required two subjects - preferably well-vested in a relationship - and with significant trust between both individuals.”
“O-Oh… i-is that so…?” Livingway’s voice trailed and had grown… higher in pitch as she dropped her head. “I didn’t expect he would actually find participants for that – and so soon…!”
That last part was a whisper, which further raised Alisaie’s concern. But with a shake, Livingway was looking back up. “Excuse my… surprise. I only recently granted Thrillingway permission to pursue their ‘research’, you see. But, if you’re both capable and willing volunteers, his study has been arranged over there… I wanted to avoid people wandering into it, you understand.”
She was pointing to a door on the same level, but located on the northern side of where they stood - so, the corner parallel to their current location, but quite a walk should anyone else be wandering. Alisaie had questions, but perhaps it would be better to speak with their temporary employer. “Thank you, Livingway. We’ll see to completing his request without any delay.”
“Really?” Livingway sounded amazed, eyes somehow wider. “I didn’t think you… hm, perhaps there is some merit to his studies then. Yes, right, very good! I’m sure you two will be more than capable of aiding Thrillingway. Good luck!”
And before either of them could say more, Livingway hurried off, leaving Alisaie and G’raha to exchange looks.
“... ‘Good luck’?” G’raha rubbed the back of his head. Alisaie shrugged. She would agree it seemed strange to bid farewell that way, but she assumed they would simply be in for something rigorous, even potentially dangerous. Naught out of the ordinary!
“I-I’m sorry, could you… repeat that…?” G’raha’s voice wavered, but Alisaie couldn’t even speak, her eyes still darting around.
“O-oooh of course! At Meteor’s recommendation, I-I simply require you both to perform a few a-acts for me…” And as adorable as Thrillingway sounded to the next Loporrit, his study was… anything but. In all her life - not even following her growth - had Alisaie considered the need to go to a… private dungeon . She’d heard of them, bypassed conversations in taverns after those with looser lips were tucked several glasses in; she’d seen employees propositioning in the proper districts or sometimes skulking about a shaded corner under night’s shadow for clientele. Though still lost in her wandering gaze, she continued to hear Thrillingway speak. “We had received p-plenty of information regarding reproductive habits on Etheirys, but I got my paws on the most curious text, I had to understand more about these methods used to derive pleasure…! A-At least, the ones I cannot test on my own.”
“Oh… so, Loporrits can…” Alisaie started, but trailed when Thrillingway nodded with a gleam in his eye. Alright, she didn’t know why it shocked her that they could fornicate or have ‘kinks’, but she also didn’t want to ask any further. “... Might we have a moment to discuss. I’m afraid Meteor didn’t go into extensive details regarding what you needed.
“... H-he didn’t? I’m certain I told him I required two subjects from Etheirys with significant trust shared between them. And if they were in a relationship, all the better!”
“... Nevermind, he told us all that,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Still, give us one moment.”
Grabbing G’raha’s hand to bring him aside, she needn’t take such action since he followed without delay. But perhaps, at the moment with her nerves, she found some comfort in holding his hand. They didn’t dally far, but hopefully, it was far enough from Thrillingway’s hearing.
“I can’t believe Meteor signed us up for sexual experimentation! Gods, what was he thinking?!” she hissed, not sure whether she felt more pissed or upset. But perhaps this was her own fault? Her admiration for the Warrior still ran deep, and she knew G’raha’s as well; and that he’d chosen the two of them specifically… they’d thought it to be some monumental task only they could handle. Their minds put together had solved complex aetherical riddles that even Y’shtola and Urianger couldn’t, but they had ways of approaching problems from different angles. Alisaie would even take a more physically demanding assignment if asked, but this… this–!
“I’m not certain Meteor fully understood what he was offering to us,” G’raha muttered, a hand resting on his chin. “For all the years we’ve known him now, he’s rather oblivious to certain topics – or uninterested. Also, he cannot resist finding ways to aid those in need.”
That assessment didn’t stop her from pouting, however true it was. And the way Thrillingway had phrased needing volunteers for his task, it must have gone completely over Meteor’s head. That, and he didn’t know Thrillingway on the same level as other Loporrits. But, had he just chosen them since he knew they were in a relationship? It was apparent he trusted them to handle matters, but given what the matter was this time… it made her sigh and her cheeks burned. It wasn’t like her and G’raha were unfamiliar with a few romps in the bed or experimenting between themselves behind closed doors. They could possibly take away new joys from this assignment, but she wasn’t really into the idea of being watched. “... Would Meteor be disappointed if we said no?”
“Would you be comfortable saying yes, Alisaie?” G’raha asked, frowning and crossing his arms. “I believe that’s more important than potentially disappointing our friend should we explain the reason why.”
Biting her lip, she looked elsewhere. Her comfort? A bit much to ask that of her when vying between slight discomfort to see a task complete or abandoning it entirely. Call her prideful, but abandoning a quest recommended to her because it had been done with confidence she could complete it was difficult; and it was just one Loporrit. It wasn’t as though their acts would be witnessed by all in the Burrow.
“... What about you, Raha? Even if I said yes to this, you’re my partner,” she replied after a moment’s thinking, shaking her head. Her eyes drifted back to meet his own as she spoke. “And I know you usually go along with my antics, but given how intimate this would be – and that’s not mentioning how all this is meant to be private… If you’re not comfortable with this, even should I agree, I will go with your decision.”
Watching him raise a hand to his chin, and taking note how his own cheeks flushed. “I can’t deny that. However, we’re not unfamiliar with sexual explorations either… Maybe this could be a learning experience. We’ve been meaning to try something new soon, haven’t we?”
“New, yes, but…” she trailed, humming as she considered again. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about what sort of erotic tome Sharlayan could’ve possibly sent to Thrillingway and what they could learn for their own evenings together. There were such things as relationship experts and getting consultations on these matters, so if they approached it from that angle, it wasn’t so disturbing in her head. Also, as a quest, they should be reasonably compensated.
Catching G’raha’s eyes again, they silently reached their conclusion. He reached out and took her hand once more as they turned to approach Thrillingway.
“Alright, we’ll assist you with your research, Thrillingway,” Alisaie stated. From the way their eyes lit up, the gleam within the depths, why did she feel like they were being eyed by a predator?
“Wonderful! Y-You’re just as Meteor said you two would be!” Thrillingway squealed, almost dancing in delight, but they paused midway. “B-Buildingway has constructed a proper domicile for your stay! I s-shall escort you right a-away so we c-can begin with the f-first assignment!”
“‘Domicile’? Wait, how long do you intend for this study to last?” G’raha questioned, because Alisaie was taken aback.
“O-Oh, of course! By my calculations and list…” They watched quietly as the small bipedal rabbit drew a scroll from their waist pouch and allowed it to unravel to the ground. “A-A moon, perhaps t-two maximum, since I cannot expect this all to be completed in a week w-without taxing your bodies and minds…! T-There’s also a m-matter of p-preparing for the next stages and… g-goodness, my fur is tingling!”
Alisaie exchanged looks with G’raha yet again. Were they really going through with this?