Dungeons and Dalliances

7.31 – First Assignment II

Natalie felt nothing as she transitioned from the proper City of Eros into their instanced assignment. There had been a conversation behind her from two delvers idling in the Arena reception area, and their voices abruptly cut off. The heavy iron gate blocking the path shuddered, then lifted, disappearing into the stone ceiling.

They strode into the Arena. It was a circular space with firmly packed, tough dirt. Rocks and debris crunched underfoot as they walked. Above, the twilight sky of the dungeon floor sparkled. Despite teleporting into some 'custom instance' of the Arena, it still seemed like they were in the middle of the City of Eros. She could see tall buildings peeking over the walls of the Arena.

There were no features of interest. No stands of spectators as might normally be found in an arena. Just walls and a dirt floor, along with the arched doorways that led in and out. On the opposite side was another gate where presumably their opponents would enter. The gates behind them shuddered and closed, sealing them in.

Ahead, three stone pillars rose out of the ground. Natalie eyed them warily, having summoned her weapon in preparation for a fight. Atop each squat pillar was a tablet of lighter-colored stone with text carved onto each. And not just text, but images too. Lewd images. Much like the Tokens of Eros.

Their three choices of stakes.

With some concern—and, admittedly, interest—she approached the pillars to peer at the tablets.

The first held an engraved image of a nude woman, a minimalist illustration completed in as few lines as possible. Beneath the image read the text: Nudity. Both participants will remove all clothing and present their bodies to one another.

"That's it?" Vanetta blurted out. "Just get naked?"

Natalie was similarly surprised, but after a second's thought, it made sense.

"This one has a single heart," she said, pointing to the bottom of the tablet, where said symbol was engraved. "It's one of the easiest stakes possible." Ones that even reserved people would consider with how incredible the rewards were. Her eyes flicked to the other tablets. They had two and three hearts, respectively. "The others won't be as … uh, simple." Simple might not be the right word, but she hadn't wanted to say 'perverted.'

To plenty of people, even getting naked was objectionable, perhaps enough so they would refuse. And the City was structured to accommodate all sorts.

The second stone tablet held an illustration of a pair of lips. Kisses, the stake read. Both participants will strip naked and share a passionate kiss. Additionally, each must place a kiss between their partner's legs.

Natalie flushed. It was hardly the lewdest thing that had been asked of her in the dungeon, but with Vanetta? Kissing her between the legs? That would be … uh, interesting.

The dark-haired rogue had twice the reaction, at least by the color of her face. Her expression, though, she kept perfectly composed, even if her cheeks belied how flustered she'd grown.

"I see," Vanetta said, her voice level. She offered no further commentary.

Natalie herself wasn't sure what she thought of it. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, even if done strictly out of a utilitarian purpose. The 'passionate kiss' would just be a kiss; even Vanetta would probably cede that to earn Empowered Tokens. The one lower down broke propriety far more, but even then … a quick kiss? The tablet made no requirements for any length of contact, or amount of passion. And sure, even placing a quick kiss on Vanetta's pussy—or receiving one—had her stomach squirming. But by the standards of what Natalie had expected going in? Hardly the craziest task.

Her eyes turned to the third of the tablets. Completing the pattern, this one was a three-heart rating, the lewdness increasing from left to right.

This one had an image of two somethings that took her a second to recognize. A cylindrical, hollow object—a pocket pussy—along with its counterpart, a dildo.

Use Toy. One participant will pleasure the other to completion using a provided aid.

Natalie couldn't help it. She snorted. 'A provided aid'? The descriptions were so circumspect. Not that she'd have preferred if it were overly crude, like one participant will fuck the other with a toy until they cum, but that would've been honest at least. Though she'd probably have laughed at that too. It was all just so absurd.

Vanetta, by her expression, didn't find it amusing. But at least she didn't seem to find it objectionable. There wasn't disgust on her face. Clearly she was struggling to come to terms with the situation, though. She wasn't an old-hand to the ridiculousness that came with Natalie's class.

Natalie sobered up. "Well?" she asked Vanetta. "Those are our choices. What do you think?"

"The third one. It means either of us could … use a toy on the other? Not both?"

"That's what it says."

"So we pick who? Who would, then?"

Natalie raised her eyebrows, and Vanetta hurried to say:

"Hypothetically. I'm not saying—" she cleared her throat. "I'm not saying that's the one we should go for. But if we did?"

"Hypothetically, I wouldn't care. This is entirely up to you."

"We're a team, so no, it isn't entirely up to me."

"It is. You can decide." Seeing Vanetta opening her mouth to protest, Natalie clarified: "As in, I'm okay with all three, so you can pick."

That only seemed to trouble her. "So it's my fault if we get a worse payout."

"No. That's not what I—" Natalie frowned. "I already told you. Don't pick anything that would make you uncomfortable. Who cares if we lose some efficiency, or whatever?"

"I would. And all of them make me uncomfortable. That's the whole point. To make you … do things. That you wouldn't otherwise."

"Then we don't have to do any of them." Stubbornly, she said, "We can also just skip. There's ways to get Tokens where we don't actually have to do anything personally. Or with each other." At the Coliseum, for example, they could just watch. Though progress would be slow.

That only annoyed Vanetta. Her carefully controlled expression broke into irritation. "Stop doing that. I'm not yours to protect. I'll decide what I decide, and you don't have any say in it. I'll pick how 'uncomfortable' I'll make myself." She faced forward, cheeks darkening again. "But to clarify. You'd be fine with any of them?"

There were a number of things Natalie wanted to say in response, particularly bringing up what Vanetta had just mentioned: that they were a duo, and so she did have a say in things. And maybe Natalie herself didn't want to engage with a partner who was obviously uncomfortable.

But she studied Vanetta for a second. She was right in that she was her own person, and could decide for herself how much out of her comfort zone she was willing to go. Still, Natalie wouldn't want to interact with an obviously reluctant partner. But Vanetta didn't seem … reluctant. Just flustered.

"We shouldn't even have to pay out, as long as we don't get greedy," Natalie said. "We can keep clearing rounds until it starts to get difficult, then leave."

She glanced at Natalie, then shrugged. "We'll decide that when we get there." She focused on the tablets. "Still have to pick one, though. The nudity is too easy. And I won't take the one with the least payout. Between the second and third though." She hesitated. "Isn't the third … easier than the second?"

Natalie's eyebrows went up.

"It feels like that to me, at least," Vanetta said hastily. "With the second, I would have to—" She didn't finish the statement. "The third would just be a toy. That I use on you?" She flushed deeply. "I wouldn't even really be touching you."

Natalie kept a straight face. Was jerking her off with a pocket pussy until she came less lewd than a kiss followed by a peck between her legs? Not at all, in her opinion. But in some twisted sort of justification, she could see Vanetta's point.

If Natalie was honest with herself, she often did similar mental gymnastics. They wouldn't be touching, after all, in a literal sense.

Still. It was definitely the lewdest of their choices. As backed up by the heart-based rating system. But it was the one Vanetta wanted to pick?

"So, the third?"

Vanetta shrugged, over-casual for how embarrassed she obviously was. "It's the best paying, isn't it? And if you're okay with it…"

Natalie wasn't exactly thrilled that was the excuse she used, that she was acting like they were just seeking profit, but previous interactions and her persistent blush at least gave Natalie some confidence that it might not be pure practicality guiding Vanetta's decision.

"Besides," Vanetta said. "We can always bail, if we need to. We won't even necessarily have to do it. So?" She stepped toward the third pedestal, giving her a questioning look.

Natalie tried not to let her imagination overtake her. Vanetta, using a toy on her? Not that it would actually happen.

"Go for it," Natalie said, shrugging. Also over-casual in a way that probably gave away her blend of nervousness and excitement.

Vanetta nodded and, hesitating before she acted, tentatively pressed the stone tablet. It sunk into the pillar like an oversized button, and the pillars shuddered and descended into the ground, swallowed by the hard-packed dirt of the Arena.

On the far side of the arena, the gate swung open. And so, their first assignment of the day began.