Dungeons and Dalliances

7.05 – Mentorship III

Instructor Robin guided her through her home up into her personal office, which Natalie couldn't help but find ironic, because why had they taken a trip through the city if she was going to be sitting in a chair and talking like they could've at Tenet? Though she was sure Instructor Robin had more planned today.

After settling into her chair, and Instructor Robin doing the same behind her desk, she wasted no further time getting to the point.

"You were assigned a mentor because of your egregious lack of judgment during your previous quest," Instructor Robin bluntly said. "While showing exceptional performance in combat, you brought the city baron's daughter into an alleyway and engaged in sexual activity with her—not just breaking public decency laws, but threatening the reputation of the local ruling family. And in extension, and perhaps more importantly, endangered Tenet's reputation."

She hadn't been kidding, then; no more friendly small talk and getting to know each other. A flush crawled up Natalie's neck, and she glanced away.

"That's the gist of it, yeah."

Honestly, she hadn't been all that chastised by the Dean, merely intimidated and frightened for what punishment might come. The disapproval in Instructor Robin's voice hit much harder.

"I would like to hear your side of the story."

"I'm not sure that'd paint me in a better light."

"Elaborate."

Natalie shifted around in her chair. She really didn't need to make things worse for herself by explaining—but her sentence had already been passed by the Dean, and she'd outed herself with her initial statement.

"I'm sure whatever report you were given was accurate," Natalie said. "There's not much more to say, not anything that would excuse my behavior, make it less bad. If anything, my teammates were repeatedly warning me to not get carried away with Alaina, and I ignored them." She shrugged. "So, like I said, 'my side of the story' just makes things worse."

Instructor Robin considered her.

"What made you disregard your teammates' advice?"

"A pretty girl climbed into my lap," Natalie said. "And all but begged me to—" she coughed. Her cheeks continuing to darken, she shrugged awkwardly. "I didn't actively choose to ignore them. I was just, uh. You know. Compromised, I guess you'd say."

Did she really have to explain this to her primary combat Instructor? How mortifying.

"Mm," Robin said. "I don't believe there's a single man or woman accepted into Tenet who is lacking in willpower. The training regimen and quality of competition precludes it. You, as all other students, are clearly dedicated, determined, and driven. So why are you so easy to sway in this particular regard?"

"Pretty girl," Natalie repeated. "Sitting in my lap. I don't know what you want me to say."

"You recognize the problems your libido creates for you?" Instructor Robin asked, the word 'libido' nearly making Natalie flinch. Seriously—this was so embarrassing. "Not only have I caught you neglecting my classes with other students of mine, but you're also willing to put your team's reputation in danger. You admit these are problems, stemming from your attitude?"

"Yeah," Natalie said. "Yeah, I know."

Instructor Robin nodded, approving. "The important part of making a mistake is learning from it. Analyzing what caused the lapse of judgment and determining how to prevent similar lapses in the future."

"And you have a plan to fix that?" Natalie asked, unable to not sound at least somewhat sarcastic.

Instructor Robin raised an unimpressed eyebrow. Without answering, she stood and walked over to a cabinet. As she swung the door open, an outfit was revealed to be hanging on a hook. Nonchalant as ever, Instructor Robin grabbed it by the hanger and closed the cabinet.

"Uh," Natalie said.

The other shoe, it seemed, had dropped.

"For you," Instructor Robin said. "Your uniform, to be worn during these mentorship sessions."

"I'm sorry?" she stammered in sheer disbelief.

Instructor Robin was holding a maid's uniform, black and white frills in traditional style. Except not traditional—because the skirt was tiny. It would barely reach past mid-thigh. The top had a deep cutout, and undergarments came included.

She expected Natalie to change into those?

"I believe I sized them correctly," Instructor Robin commented, as if nothing was strange about this. "I have a good eye for such things."

Natalie's mouth opened and closed, not forming words.

"Your first task will be to clean my office," the Instructor continued. "Supplies are in the cabinet. Please be thorough." She handed the clothing to Natalie, who mutely took it. "I have more paperwork to finish in the meantime. You should be finished before I am."

Without further explanation, she returned to her seat, grabbed a pen, and pulled a short stack of papers from a drawer in her desk.

Earlier, Natalie had managed to convince herself she had misinterpreted her encounter with Instructor Robin post-Camille-incident, mostly thanks to her professional attitude throughout the past half-hour, and the obvious fondness she showed for her long-time wife.

But this. This couldn't be misinterpreted. Maybe, somehow, if the maid uniform had been a normal maid uniform, it could be. But this slutty thing? It was a fetish outfit. No matter how unperturbed and unaffected Instructor Robin had delivered the command, telling Natalie, her student, the one she was supposed to be mentoring, to dress up in a revealing maid uniform only had one implication.

Right?

Right?? The woman had such a damn perfect straight face that Natalie somehow doubted herself.

She supposed the topic of this 'mentorship' was Natalie's sexual proclivity and lack of control, and subsequently the problems it created for her, so … was this a test? Though what the hell kind of test? Surely it broke some sort of Tenet guidelines, regardless, for a teacher to be suggesting such a thing.

Instructor Robin glanced up from her desk, seeing Natalie frozen there, uniform in hand. She raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem, Natalie?"

"N-No," she found herself replying instinctively. "Uh, just …" Words didn't come out for a few seconds. "Where do I get changed?"

Instructor Robin tilted her head.

"Here, of course."

"Here?" In front of her?

"And don't neglect the undergarments," Instructor Robin said. "They complete the outfit nicely." She waved a hand in a mild show of impatience. "Our time together is limited. Please do as I've asked."

Natalie swallowed.

It was definitely a test. She looked at the uniform one more time—the lacy panties, the deep-cut blouse, the miniskirt.

Well.

Frankly, Natalie had no idea where this was leading, but … she also couldn't say she didn't want to find out.

She just had to tread very, very carefully. This was her Instructor, after all, and she was already on thin ice with Tenet.

A test, she reminded herself. Definitely a test.