A Break Between Bouts

The guildmaster's box was trapped in an eerie quiet as the three master's and an awkward fox sat in utter silence.

"I'm good right? I don't have to die now that I heard that?" Kukiri asked in fear before Nikolos pet her head comforting her.

"Of course not, in truth I should've told you sooner. I'll have to tell everyone at Draconum Familia. Even if it does risk their lives." Nikolos said.

"They're at more of a risk if they don't know." Kiris stated bitterly.

The awkwardness was brought to an end as Meline and Cena burst into the box. 

"Heyo Niko! Meow you doing?" Meline asked energetically.

"Master Master Frost, we couldn't find anything related to your sour mood I'm afraid. Why again can't you explain it to us?" The elven maid Cena whimpered as she slumped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Cause, that's what these two are for. I've got something else to do." Niko said as he swiftly left the box leaving masters Tuma and Kiris to explain what he would be explaining to Draconum Familia.

********

Each guild had their own luxury suite where they would essentially live for the duration of the ceremony. Each suite was decked out with two massive bathing rooms, four separate bathrooms, a bedroom for each member, and a fully stocked kitchen, along with a spacious living room complete with a wondrous view of midday Drasil and a gorgeous balcony.

"Holy damn! This place is bigger than our guild!" Jex shouted in disbelief as he threw himself onto a large sofa.

"Hmm. The kitchen is stocked with some expensive ingredients. I can't wait to see what I can do with them." Aceil said as he donned a flame patterned apron showing off a side of him, I never knew he had.

"Shade! Look at the view! It's beautiful!" Okami exclaimed as she held Shade near the window and admired the once in a lifetime view.

"So... high..." He replied weakly as he clutched unto the walls preventing Okami from nearing the window any further.

Everyone seemed to be having a blast, I on the other hand, felt as though every bug in that forest was crawling on me and needless to say, I wanted a bath.

"Well, I'm gonna check out the baths." I said as I began to navigate my way to them.

"Oh, oh oh. Me too." Robius said following me without a care in the world.

"You're not following me in the baths, you know that right?" I reassured Robius who nodded affirmatively.

********

The gargantuan bath was surrounded with various species of plantations and elegant stonework to give it a natural look, it was illuminated by a magical roof designed to look like a full moon night complete with a sky full of stars.

"Whoa. This place is beautiful." I said upon reaching nirvana as I relaxed amidst the warm bubbles.

"Sure, is pretty." Okami said as she joined me.

"You're right, it looks almost unreal." Lilac said also joining me in the baths.

As they entered the moonlit baths, the vision of peace I pieced together in my mind, shattered before my eyes.

As Okami entered it was as though history repeated itself and the water changed to a dark murky gray momentarily before the water purified itself.

"Ahh. How nice. I just wish Shade followed me like I asked. I swear he's only a gentleman when it suits him best." Okami complained as she washed her tail.

"I know right. Nosora is the same, sometimes it's okay to stare and be a little pervy ya know." Lilac replied as she washed her lavender hair.

And then there was me.

'Am I really the only girl at Draconum Familia without a boyfriend, I mean, Shade certainly doesn't think of Okami the way she thinks of him. But still...'

The dreadful thought echoed in my mind as I sat motionless in the baths.

"Is it true what they say about Homo Bestia and the, you know, sensitive tails and ears." Lilac said making small talk.

"They really say that. In any case, not really, I mean imagine taking a dump. But the base of my tail is pretty sensitive along with the base my ears. But then again, the base of my tail is in a place that is always awkward to be touched, even for a human. As for my ears, they're mainly cartilage, but at the base they're full of nerves and stuff which makes them somewhat ticklish if you're unsuspecting, regardless I would consider touching either an intimate thing only to be done with those you feel comfortable with, you know, like holding hands or slapping someone in the butt." Okami explained as she washed her ears.

"I feel like I have been told a secret nobody should know. Is this normal for people to talk about during baths? Or is Draconum Familia even weirder than I thought?" I said to myself.

********

"Ow ow ow ow ow! The water is shallow!?" I shouted in pain after my attempted cannonball in the boy's bath.

"That's what you get for being so stupid." Aceil teased as he rinsed his long feminine hair.

"Oh, shut up Rapunzel." I replied as we began to bud heads.

Meanwhile on the other side of the bath, where the wall separating us from the girls was positioned.

"No!" Shade and Nosora said in sync.

"Oh, come on you bunch of prudes! There are legit naked women behind that wall. I heard that sometimes girls want men to be little pervy, it shows that he is willing to risk his live just for a glimpse and therefor it proves he's willing to do anything for his girl." Jex pleads desperately as the two keep him at bay.

"Is that true Shade. Lilac wants me to peek?"

"The hell are you asking me? Even if it is though. It's just plain wrong to spy. Not to mention Okami may get the wrong idea if I do." Shade answered.

"Come on Nosora, together we can overcome him, we can admire dem tig ol bitties! Imagine how happy she'd be, it's no secret we don't get along. Yet you would work with me for her? I can think of no action more noble! More justified!" Jex shouted inspiringly as me and Aceil duelled behind them.

Nosora gauged the wall as it seemed to pierce the very heavens.

"What's the pla-"

"Shadow's Tendril's." Shade said as shadowy tendrils immobilized the pervy duo. "I can't believe you would do this Nosora."

"Lookie! A brawl!" I shouted from across the bath.

"Wait, Robius, don't." Shade pleaded as I punched him in the face breaking his spell.

"Team perv versus team chivalry!" Jex shouted instigating a fight. "Who's with me and Nosora!?"

"I'm in whatever team Aceil's not." I proclaimed proudly.

And sure enough, a team battle was ensued. And with perv team (my team) having an advantage in numbers we won the duel.

Only to realize that peeping was impossible, for the girls had already finished bathing. 

********

The physical fighting had ended and by the time we left the bath we were just bickering.

That was until...

"Nosora. Did you really try to peek on me?" Lilac said bashfully as Shade somehow managed to escape us and snitched out.

"That elven bastard. Alas, tis true what he sayeth, I attempted a glance at thine forbidden fruit. Shame fills my heart, yet pride, fills my soul." Nosora replied with a noble bow.

"You know, if you really wanted to see me like that..." Lilac said with flushed cheeks as she toyed with her lavender locks. "I mean, we are boyfriend girlfriend..."

Aceil proved his worth with the vanishing trick by disappearing into the kitchen to 'Take inventory.'

 "No freaking way!" Jex exclaimed as he patted Nosora on the back. "I told you man! I told you; you should really trust me more often I'm a great judge of character."

"I don't get it. Because you're a couple you're gonna do what?" I said completely oblivious as I picked my nose.

A soft black and white fox plopped unto my lap seeming to appear from nowhere.

"Nothing, they're gonna wait for Master Frost to catch up, he has something important to tell us." Kukiri stated as she made herself comfortable.

"Shame you just got here; you could've bathed with us." Kenki stated as she pet Kukiri.

Suddenly Lilac and Okami stared at her with confusion. 

"She bathes with Robius, always has." Okami said as she brushed her tail in front of an ogling Shade.

"But isn't she a girl?" Kenki argued silencing everyone. Even Aceil in the kitchen was dumbfounded as the pan which he was preparing food on began to fizzle.

"I mean, I think so. It's not like I looked or anything, wouldn't that be a little awkward?" I said blushing in embarrassment.

Kukiri chomped down on my finger with considerable force before she leapt unto Kenki with the greatest of ease.

"You think so! That's it! I'm sleeping with Kenki tonight! And I'm bathing with her too!" Kukiri scoffed in disdain.

"Oh yeah, well jokes on you! I'll sleep with Kenki too!" I shouted as I turned away my head.

"Nope. Not gonna happen. I'll take the furball, but not you." Kenki said sternly.

The fancy suite's door opened to reveal Master Pops on the other side.

"Good to see nothing's changed. I hope it stays that way." He said as he took a seat. "I have to tell you something. But once I do things are gonna change. Are you ready?"

"This is about what happened to Sieg isn't it?" I asked as I recalled Sieg's message.

"Indeed. This is about a land far from here, far from the whole continent of Dorupe. This is about The Smilers, the deadliest assassin guild in Rexia."