~The following chapter is non-canon! So anything that happens here is not part of the main story. This chapter will be split into two parts as my chapter took a life of it's own. Next part is heavy on the lemon side. Just sit back and enjoy the smut!~
Flannery and I walk slowly down the slate-paved path. The soft glow of paper lanterns gives the evening a warm glow, made only better by my lover at my side. The two of us are dressed in an interesting combination of contrasts, much like ourselves. Where her yukata is all the fiery colors of fall, complete with leaves patterned on it, I am covered in the whites, blues, and silvers of winter.
The warm breeze of the night gently caresses us as we follow the path as it winds through the bamboo forest. I lightly squeeze Flannery's hand as I lean against her, and she rests her head against my shoulder. I lightly kiss the top of her head as we come around another bend in the path. A small shadow flitting across the path in front of us draws my attention for a second, but the sudden appearance of lights and the sounds of merriment draw my attention away.
As we exit the forest, passing under a vermillion Torii gate, the small ring of a bell quickly gets lost in the din of the growing noise of the crowd. Spreading out before us is a huge courtyard filled with people as they mingle along rows and rows of different stalls, each one decorated in bright colors and cute designs meant to draw attention. Paper decorations flutter from the trees scattered about the courtyard like drifting leaves, and the sweet scent of candy mingles with the savory smells of roasted meat. The soft beats of festival music carry through the air, just masking the words of the crowd and turning it into a complement to the music.
Flannery takes a moment and takes a deep breath. "You smell that?" She asks with a hungry glint in her eyes, not unlike what she gives me when she is feeling frisky. "I think the universe is telling us we need to find the sweet potato stand first."
I can't help but smile as I bump my shoulder into hers. "You say that like it was a choice."
"Choice? What's that? Is it tasty?" she asks, tugging at my hand and diving into the crowd before I can protest. Her yukata dances around her in a flare of red and gold as she weaves through the crowd, pulling me in her wake.
It only takes us a moment before we slip into a row of stalls, each glowing with its own color in an attempt to draw customers in for the delectable wares they offer. Letting her nose guide her, Flannery drags me to a roasted sweet potato vendor and quickly purchases one before holding it up triumphantly to me. "You get the first bite, because I'm nice like that."
I arch a brow. "Because it's too hot, you mean."
She grins. "Details."
"The heat never bothered you before," I quip at her as we break into a fit of giggles, until something warm and fluffy brushes against me. I glance down just as a black cat winds around my ankles, its fur gleaming like spilled ink. The cat blinks up at me with curious amber eyes, like shiny little pumpkins. A tiny golden pumpkin-shaped bell hangs from a crimson ribbon around its neck, jingling softly as it moves. Flannery crouches down and reaches out her hand to pet the soft-looking cat.
"Look at you, little shadow," she coos. "Did you come for a snack too?"
The cat mews once, then pads a few steps away, pausing to glance back at us before slipping through a gap between two food stalls and disappearing with a flick of its tails.
"Did that cat have two tails?" I ask Flannery as I stand back up, straightening my yukata.
"I didn't see anything like that. It is probably a trick of the light."
"I suppose so. Anyways, let's keep exploring!" I give her a radiant smile as I unwrap a little bit of the roasted sweet potato, letting the nutty smell hit us as I take the first bite. I come to regret my impulsive bite a moment later as I act like a fish while trying to pull cool air into my burning mouth. Flannery nearly doubles over in a fit of laughter at my reaction.
I stick my tongue out at her once I finally swallow the burning hot bite. Not waiting for her response, I grab her hand and drag her away from the food stalls. Before long, the two of us are slowly navigating through the festival stalls, sharing bites of sweet potato as we do. As we get to the end of our current row of stalls, we come across an open area with a number of tables laid out and various couples standing nearby. Off to the side is a gentleman who is only wearing three-quarters of a yukata, half of his muscular chest and one arm bared, calling out to different couples.
"Couples decorating contest!" He calls in his boisterous voice, drawing attention from the various people filtering out from the different alleys. "Onsen trip for the winning couple! Everyone wins something!"
I gently bump Flannery to get her attention, and when she looks towards me, I tilt my head towards the shrill. My lover looks over to him and tilts her head as she thinks for a moment. "Sure, could be fun!" She says before she leans closer to me. "Though we are going to aim for first place."
"It's no fun if we don't try. A trip to an Onsen would be nice~" I agree as I drag her over to the guy.
"Oh, what's this? Do you two cuties want to join in the festivities?" He asks the two of us as we come closer.
"It seems interesting," I say with a smile on my face as I hug Flannery's arm, "is there anything needed to enter?"
"It's completely free! It can be a little embarrassing, but it's all in good fun~" The guy says with a smirk as he gives us a once-over.
"A little embarrassment never hurt anyone~" Flannery replies with a cheerful lilt to her voice.
"Head right on in, the contest will start soon." He says as he waves us towards the tables.
It is just now that I notice that the area is roped off and there are about fifteen different tables in the area. On one side is a raised platform with another table with a couple of seats behind it. A couple of the seats are already filled with what I am assuming are judges, a male teen around our age, a beautifully mature woman and an older gentleman, all of whom seem to be chatting with each other amicably. With a quick glance around, I don't happen to notice anything that denotes any kind of order for the tables. I spot an empty table near the front and gingerly pull Flannery towards it as a few more couples trickle in behind us.
A few more minutes pass by before two more judges appear, one is the guy at the door, and the other is a twenty-something young lady dressed in an elegant black furisode with crimson spider lilies on it. The guy joins the other three behind the table as the lady walks towards the center of the stage.
"Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining us for this event." She does a small bow towards us before continuing, "before we begin, if anyone here is uncomfortable with undressing in public, please leave the roped off area."
"Eh?" I squeak as a shocked murmur ripples among us. "It's that kind of decoration?" I ask Flannery quietly. She just shrugs but gives me a knowing smile.
"I can see a few of you are confused, so allow me to enlighten you. Some of you may have been under the impression that this was a contest about baked goods; however, as it stated on the entrance, this is a Couples decorating contest. This means that one of you will be decorating the other." I can feel the heat in my cheeks as she mentions about the assumption, and a quick look around tells me I wasn't the only one.
"If you would rather not participate in this event, please leave the contest area." She continues after a brief pause. "If you choose to stay and participate, you will each be given a set of edible body paint and soft brushes. The winner of this event will be granted a two-day, three-night trip to the Inari Hotsprings Resort with all expenses paid." After saying all this, she goes silent, giving everyone a moment to think, but I can tell by the lack of sound around us that no one has left. I can feel my heart racing as I realize that I will need to strip in a moment.
"Who is gonna show their body off to a crowd of strangers today~?" Flannery whispers into my ear, her voice almost purring with promise of fun. "Shall I slip out of this beautiful yukata, letting everyone around us stare at my naked body, unable to hide anything from them?" She lightly nips at my ear, causing me to squeak quietly at her amorous attack. "Or do you want me to peel off your clothes, piece by piece, for the enjoyment of our watchers? Letting them see as your nipples harden because of their gaze and being unable to hide your dripping core as I play with your body~"
"I-I will do it," I answer in a shuddering breath. I hadn't even considered that Flannery could be the one to strip, but something in me just wants to be free at this moment. The soft ting of a cat's bell draws my attention for a moment before I notice the elegant lady starting to speak again.
"I will assume that those of you here consent to our rules." The lady says after letting everyone think for about thirty seconds. The lack of anyone speaking up in protest shows that everyone is in agreement with her statement. "When ready, the partner who is decorating can use any item on the table to dress up their partner however they see fit. There is a time limit of thirty minutes starting… Now!" She says as she sharply claps her hands together. "Work fast~"
I'm glad that I am only wearing a yukata tonight as I loosen the obi around my waist and slip the collar off my shoulders. With a soft thump, I am standing completely naked in front of Flannery. The night air feels pleasant on my bare skin in a way that feels natural, like I was always meant to be like this. My lover doesn't move right away and just stares at me, causing me to tilt my head slightly as my ears flick in curiosity. It's not the first time she has seen me naked, much less in public. I wonder what's wrong.
"Flannyan, what's wrong? We only have a short time." I ask her as my tail flicks in anticipation. This will be so much fun~.
"You have cat ears and a tail!" Flannyan whisper-shouts at me. I wrinkle my nose at her shock. I have always had my ears and tail. Flannyan is just being silly.
"I know? I've always had them, Flannyan. Get decorating, I want to see what you come up with." I purr in anticipation as I spot body paints and brushes on the table. I wonder when those got there, curious.
"You—, I—..." Flannyan sputters for a moment before letting out a sigh. "You know what, whatever! Let's get you painted and horny."
Flannyan picks up a brush and a paint palette from the table and starts to give me an appraising look as she tries to decide what to draw. Absent-mindedly, she takes the soft brush and slides it slowly down my body, letting it caress my skin. A soft purr escapes my throat when it brushes past a nipple, causing my tail to flick with happiness at her ministrations. "Okay! I have decided! I will paint you as…"