Several weeks after she started getting those raunchy dreams, Bronya's already irregular sleep pattern only became more irregular. For every sultry scene her mind concocted, the more Bronya wished she didn't sleep, all because she steadfastly believed that having such thoughts was wrong! She valued her friendship with Seele greatly, and to tarnish that by having such dirty thoughts disgusted her to her core.
Therefore, as much as she could, the Supreme Guardian avoided sleeping for long periods of time to ensure her body would not have the chance to drift into another fantasy of moans and a tied-up Seele.
To Bronya, this was a small sacrifice for her sanity, but to her colleagues, she seemed more like a workaholic boss who desperately needed a break.
Concerned for her health, Pela, who often served as her aide, requested the leader of Belobog to take another day off once the other politicians had left the room, leaving only the two in private. Of course, Bronya refused, using her recent break as a reason to not take another one.
"Please Lady Bronya, your eyebags have eyebags; you need to rest," begged Pela.
"Pela, I'm fine," Bronya deflected. "I'm getting the perfect amount of sleep, there's no need for me to take another break for a long time."
This was a total lie. Bronya was well aware of the state of her body, feeling it tremble as she forced it to work despite running on fumes. Throughout her work, her eyes kept threatening to shut, but the Supreme Guardian refused to let such a thing happen, opening them widely and forcing her body to straighten whenever it began to tip forward. She wasn't in the best state to work, but between the fatigue and the dreams, she much preferred the fatigue.
But upon ingering on Pela's soft expression, Bronya could clearly see the worry that was reflected in the intelligence officer's azure eyes—for the emotions painted across them were as clear as a still pond. At that moment, the Supreme Guardian knew her attempts at deflecting her current state would fail on Pela.
Knowing it will serve no one well to see a leader in a worn-out state, Bronya let out an exasperated, yet gentle sigh before lowering her head and closing her eyes in frustration. She was truly pushing herself to grant the wish of her companion.
"I understand the concern... very well. I will take a break."
After her declaration, she looked back at Pela and slightly reeled upon seeing the huge smile spread across the smaller girl's face.
"That's great to hear, Lady Bronya. Please, take all the time you need to rest."
Hearing the relief laced in those words brought a warm feeling to the young leader's chest. While she still didn't favour this second vacation, she could at least appreciate that her confidants viewed her not just as a warrior but as a friend too. Truly, she could never be more grateful.
For the rest of the day, Bronya was dismissed from her duties, with Pela taking over the bulk of her paperwork. While the young girl was not her right hand by technicality, there really was no one more appropriate to become her replacement than Pela, though she did ask the younger girl to contact Gepard and share the responsibility with him, her final order before leaving the office and something Pela promised to fulfil.
With that, the Supreme Guardian left her office, took off her medallions and crashed down at her bed, welcoming her break once again.
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Because she would rarely part with her work, the Supreme Guardian had forgotten what it was like to just spend time leisurely for oneself. At first, she thought of sleeping, which wasn't hard at all. For the moment her body fell onto the soft embrace of her mattress, her eyes slowly rolled to a close, her muscles relaxed, and her mind faded into the dark.
It was a peaceful nap, one devoid of any sort of sensuality, which Bronya later attributed to her lack of energy to think.
However, a mere hour of rest was simply a drop in her well of fatigue and upon waking from her slumber, it was time to move on to the next activity that didn't involve paperwork or meetings.
A decent meal.
For food, the young leader enjoyed a mix of warm soups and hearty cuts of meat, but upon taking the seat as the head of the city, she rarely indulged in her old favourites, only really having enough time to eat sandwiches and several cups of coffee. But now, with no prospect of joining old fogies in their never ending debates of the future of their snow-clad city, she could actually sit down on a table and savour the taste, warmth and tranquility of the meal.
Though this was a moment of silent peace, it was a bit lonely too. When eating in the office, she was accompanied by Pela, who often stayed behind to ensure the Supreme Guardian would actually take a pause from her work to feed. But now that Bronya had given her duties to Pela, the grand dining hall echoed with lonesome silence.
Regardless, she was grateful and did her best to savour this peace until her plate and bowl were empty.
Once her stomach was filled, Bronya glanced at the clock: 4:30. It was hardly time to call it a day, but what else could she do?
Head to the front lines? No, the barracks are well taken care of.
Maybe speak to some of the families about future projects? No, those were already in her calendar for meetings, which Pela had taken over.
What about a trip to the museum and volunteering? Absolutely not, the museum was in good hands with the curator and the other volunteers.
She had gained so much time for herself—yet only had little to do.
It boggled Bronya, she had thought that slipping into a simple routine would be much simpler than this. But alas, she found herself only thinking of work!
This could not stand; she was given a holiday, a time to relax, she would never dare tarnish the efforts of her confidants and waste it on work-related matters.
"No this isn't right!" Bronya scolded herself. "I-I-I... I need a change of scenery!"
Quickly rising to her feet, grey-haired leader rushed out of the dining hall, zipping through the large halls of her home and workplace before making an explosive exit by pushing the doors with all her strength.
"Nothing will make me think about work! Nothing!" she declared to herself.
She dashed down the steps, ending her brisk marathon at the square, in front of the statue made of ice crystals. There, the eyes of the populace turned to her with expressions that mixed both shock and glee.
Finally, she was free of that prison that she called an office...or at least temporarily. But that didn't matter; what mattered was that she was out and was free to explore anything and anywhere she desired.
So naturally, she hit up the closest building to her own, Serval's workshop.
Bronya didn't have many friends outside her small circle of confidants. Serval was not one of them, but she was Gepard's older sister, so Bronya believed she could initiate a small conversation with her.
It was a very short trip—much like most things in Belobog's main square—so after what essentially were a few steps, the Supreme Guardian reached the shop door, opening it to a chime of a small bell.
"Hello?" she greeted quietly while peeking her head through the small crack.
She scanned the inside, taking in the little mechanical knick-knacks strewn about the many shelves that adorned the workshop walls. Songs of cogs and gears whirring danced through the air, giving this home of oil and grease a touch of cheer. Now if only the artisan who brought such a choir to life were around, then the Supreme Guardian could give her compliments.
It was an oddity, as Serval was not the type to leave her workshop unmanned or unlocked without her presence, so to leave the front desk while the lights were still on made Bronya wonder if she was just somewhere hidden between her scraps and boxes.
"Serval?" the grey-haired girl called out, yet no peep from the mechanic returned.
After searching around for a few more minutes between the boxes and trinkets, Bronya paused at the centre counter, wondering if maybe the city's number one musician and tinkerer just stepped out for a few seconds and would return later. If such were the case, then she believed it was best to visit another location first rather than loiter in an empty shop. As such, she made her way back to the door, ready to depart.
But, as she neared the exit, she passed by the set of stairs that led up to Serval's room, and there she heard a faint sound, delicate and sharp, which didn't sound like a machine. It made Bronya instinctively stop and turn, her senses growing sharp, as if she had just caught something that required her utmost attention. As a soldier of her own right, she could not just ignore anything that was amiss, and that little sound, though faint among the strain of the machinery, was still out of place, and that alone made Bronya go into high alert.
She waited by the front desk, a few feet away from the exit, waiting for the same chime to enter her ears. Though after a few long minutes, that noise never came again, leading Bronya to believe that she may have just misheard. Taking comfort in the reason, she then left the workshop, returning to the snow-clad streets of her city, without ever wondering again what that noise could be.
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With the overworld not bringing much to the table in terms of entertainment and distractions from work, the Supreme Guardian decided to head below the cold surface, where the source of their warmth all originated from: Belobog's Underworld.
This recently unsealed underground part of the city was still somewhat foreign to Bronya, despite having traversed it many times. It was foreign in the sense that she felt the disparity between her people who lived above and the ones who lived below. While the ones on the surface lived in luxury, those who were trapped in the shadows were made to work in deep mines, like slaves to their masters, gathering geomarrow ores to power the heating system of the overworld.
For a long time, Bronya saw no issue in this, having been raised believing the decision to seal off this part of the world was for the betterment of their survival. But after having walked its streets, talked to its people... she saw how wrong that vision was and actively opposed it. Once sat in the highest position possible, she made it her mission to break the chains which divided her people, beginning with the unsealing of the Underworld. However, every trip made below always reminded the leader of Belobog how far she still had to go.
"Even so, they all still found joy down here," she wondered as her eyes wandered about, studying the faces of the citizens. "Perhaps I should visit Natasha? I know I said I wouldn't work, but if I visit as a fellow leader at her clinic and also just as a partner who wishes to learn what else can be done...then maybe Pela would just let it slide."
A part of her knew this was merely her toying with the rules set for her, but as someone with the power to make changes and following the will of her predecessors—while also making sure she would never make the same mistakes they did—Bronya found a visit was more than appropriate for her break.
With her course set, the Supreme Guardian made her way to the clinic where the doctor and leader of Wildfire were often stationed, helping those who worked in the mines heal their wounds.
However, when she arrived at the clinic, she felt a sense of deja vu wash over her. The usual busy clinic was empty.
"Is everyone out today?" the girl thought while looking around.
It was odd, too odd, the front door was unlocked so the clinic wasn't off, but the beds were empty and no equipment or medicine was out.
"Could Natasha have closed early? Is she still here?" Bronya turned to the two doors at the back of the room. "Maybe I should go check."
Taking a deep breath, the girl began to move towards the door, slowly extending her hand to grasp the doorknob. With the situation as it was, the Supreme Guardian took utmost caution, gently placing her fingers on the knob before grasping it firmly with her breath held.
She readied herself, taking note of her quickening heart before slowly turning the knob to open the door. But before the latch fully released the door from the recess of the frame, a voice rumbled from the other side, halting Bronya's advance.
"Nat, are you sure?"
That voice, gruff and echoed with age. She knew that voice: it was Oleg's.
"Of course Oleg, how many times have we gone over this? There is no need to worry."
And then that one, gentle, velvety that flowed to the young leader's ear like a gentle stream, was Natasha's.
"So she is here," Bronya thought before taking a sigh of relief.
Calming herself down, Bronya let go of the doorknob and was about to knock, but stopped short when she heard something shocking come out the other end.
"The door is locked Oleg, now hurry up and take your clothes off," Natasha gently ordered.
Bronya had to take a moment, initially not believing what she had heard. She blinked a few times, hand still held in a knocking position.
"Nat, I don't know," Oleg reasoned. "We still have a lot to do and—"
"I understand, but let us be honest, we've both needed a break and what better way than this?" Natasha fired back.
Though their manner of speaking remained in this casual and friendly tone, the initial command that Nat gave to the older man still lingered in Bronya's mind, giving their entire conversation a slight tinge of sensuality that she never expected.
"Well, you're not wrong? We haven't really had time to relax I guess," Oleg replied, submitting to his leader's reasoning.
"Absolutely, so... come here then," Nat said, her voice dropping to a sultry inflexion.
Bronya's mind raced, she had silently hoped the conversation wasn't going in the direction she initially thought of, but no, it went exactly the way she predicted and she was now stuck on the other side listening in on two adults kissing and moaning.
This was a shock, while the younger girl knew the two were partners and were quite close, the thought of them being in any sort of romantic relationship never crossed her mind. Why? Well for one, Oleg was older, at least physically he seemed older, with white hair and beard while Natasha still seemed so youthful. Secondly, neither showed any overt signs of a relationship, they were always professional in their conduct that no one could truly grasp their partnership going beyond their roles as a leader and her right hand.
Still, she couldn't deny the reality in front of her, just on the other side of the two doors, were two adults descending into a world of sexual reprieve.
"Oleg, touch me more," Nat breathily begged, before a sharp moan burst out of her. "Ah that's it! I love when you squeeze my breasts."
Bronya desperately wanted to run away, for many reasons, but mainly to just get away from hearing anymore. Only problem was, her body was not listening to her. No matter how much she thought of dashing out of the clinic after hearing such a charged comment, her feet stayed firmly in place, much to her annoyance.
It didn't help the other two were completely unaware of her presence, so inhibitions were already out the window as Natasha and Oleg both exchanged words of what only Bronya could explain as: romantic desire.
"Take it all off Oleg, I want to feel your body directly."
"You do the same Nat."
"No, rip it off me once you're done."
In that brief moment, Bronya's face scrunched as she wondered if such a thing was really necessary.
While the Supreme Guardian could admit she had very little experience in such things, even she could grasp how inefficient that order was. Until Natasha made it very clear why that is.
"Come on Oleg, make me your woman right here in this surgical bed."
Like puzzle pieces in her mind, Bronya pieced together what sort of woman Natasha was. A controlling submissive.
She probably wouldn't have known such a term though if Pela did not overly share one day. And even in this scenario the leader of Belobog wished she didn't know the term.
As the noises of the two continued to escalate in volume and perversion, Bronya's eyes went to the keyhole. For a moment, she actually considered peeping, though that thought lasted all but a mere second before she shook her head rapidly to shake the thought away.
Unfortunately for the young leader, her mind was more powerful and began to create images of what could've been happening on the other side.
"That's it lick my pussy, put your tongue inside!"
Bronya closed her eyes and shuddered, the once mature and elegant image she had of Nat was shattered in an instant. And while she couldn't blame the woman for having needs, she definitely could blame her choice of location. Because now all Bronya could think about was whatever dirty acts they performed in the clinic.
Right now, she imagined Nat on the surgical bed, legs spread open while Oleg buried his face on her crotch, tongue darting out to soak her wet folds with his saliva.
"Oh deeper! Go deeper Oleg!"
"Oh Aeons why can't I move?" Bronya cried internally, shutting her eyes tightly and biting her lip. "I really don't need this."
A guttural moan then erupted through the door, bringing Bronya right back. Such a strong reaction and the only thing she could imagine was Nat holding Oleg's head down while hers bent backwards as she neared her first release.
"Oh! I'm cumming!" Nat roared.
A loud moan then followed, completely unrestrained, which painted the scene quite vividly for Bronya who could only turn away while gritting her teeth.
As the noises died down, Bronya hoped that was it, but deep down she knew...no one ever does it once.
"Mmm, my turn, I want to lick that cock."
Bronya could feel her body cringe at how crude Nat's wording was. She expected it more from maybe Stelle to be so blunt and forward, but to hear the doctor say such words truly made her gut twist.
Soon the moaning returned, and basing the context off the last comment that older woman made, Bronya's mind wasted no time painting a rather provocative image she never asked for—Nat bare and kneeling in front of Oleg while savouring the taste of his hardened manhood.
Whether it was sheer will or the lack of experience, Bronya could never truly imagine anything beyond what she read in her young life. For that, she was grateful, because in this moment it kept her pride and dignity intact, somewhat.
"Ooh Nat... I'm gonna cum."
"Cum on my face, I want your excretion to paint my face."
What a request that was, and the supreme guardian really didn't understand why someone would ever ask for such a thing. It just seemed really messy to ask to be covered in such a thing. Yet, she could hear the sounds of joy blast through the door, giving a clear impression that Natasha really did enjoy being smothered in gooey liquid.
"Mmm, yes," Natasha drawled. "It's so hot."
"You're quite hot looking yourself Nat, look how much I let out?"
"Thank you, I'm glad my body could satisfy you."
"Are you kidding, you're the prettiest girl in the Underworld, heck maybe all of Belobog."
"Why thank you."
What a tonal whiplash this was for Bronya, moments ago they sounded like they were going at it like rabbits and now they were flirting like lovers. This wasn't anything like she imagined. In her inexperienced mind, once the deed was done, there would be a more bittersweet atmosphere, lingering regrets of indulging in sexual endeavours. However, she would admit once again that her understanding was born from Pela's adult themed stories, as such she was sure there could have been some bias at play.
"So, ready for round 2?" Natasha asked.
Bronya was shocked, they just finished and Natasha already wanted to go again?
"Oh god, she's more of a pervert than I thought," Bronya wondered before pulling her body away and luckily actually managing to move.
Without a moment passing by, the girl slipped out of the clinic and ran all the way back to the entrance between the two environments. All the while her mind still tried to only run perverse images of what could've been proceeding within the clinic.
"Oh Aeons, please make it stop!"
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That night, once she returned to her room, Bronya paced about trying her best to make sense of what she overheard. Although she no longer denied the possibility of Natasha and Oleg having some private activity, she found it difficult to tear it away from the forefront of her mind.
"I'm already having those weird dreams, I don't need this!" she screamed internally.
Crashing onto her bed, the Supreme Guardian let out a loud, exasperated sigh. It was late, her eyes felt heavy and her mind was starting to grow hazy, yet those perverse thoughts persisted, something she feared would carry onto her dreams.
At first, she fought her fatigue, refusing to even allow her eyes to close a single millimetre. But eventually, the body proved mightier than the mind and despite her desperate effort to keep herself from slumbering, her mind gave in—blackening to welcome her dreams.
In peace, the leader of Belobog snoozed like a child, her breathing steady and face clear of any signs of her woes, now left in serenity. Her body relaxed, sinking into the soft mattress like it was snow. Her covers provided her with the warmth of a fireplace, enough to soothe the muscles from their strain.
It was bliss, truly bliss.
Which was why she found it rather irritating when her mind began to slip in a few echoes of sultry sensuality, whispering them in her ears, causing her head to jerk in an attempt to shake the thoughts away.
Before she knew it, her eyes shot open to the scene of the underworld, and without even having to think twice, she knew her mind was now in control.
"Another lucid dream? I hope I'm not in it again."
Turning her head to the left, the young woman again eyed the clinic. Already, she dreaded what was to come.
But much like everything else in this dream, it was the only place to go as the other paths were blocked by rubble.
Left with little choice, the girl decided to play along, entering the clinic once again and facing an empty front room. However, unlike the reality she experienced, Bronya noticed that the two locked doors from before were now ajar.
A trickle of cold sweat scuttered down her cheek as she eyed the open doors. Even in this dream, her first thought was not to take a step forward, but like before, she found herself doing exactly the opposite. With eyes locked at the crack where light broke through, the Supreme Guardian's breath hitched as her footsteps dragged her across the room.
Drawing closer, she could visualise where she stood, still as a statue, listening with embarrassment. But in this dream, a hint of another emotion stirred within her heart, causing it to beat heavily.
"What is this? I shouldn't keep going," she told herself. "But...but..."
In this dream, where her will was at the mercy of her mind alone, even the images of past horrors quickly disappeared, replaced with curiosity.
"But, I guess a single peek won't hurt."
Leaning forward, the girl rested her eye between the cracks, peering into the scene within.
But within this light, what greeted Bronya was not the image of a man and woman locked in an embrace meant for lovers. No, instead, what welcomed her was something far more surprising...her alarm.
With a loud ringing of her bedside clock, Bronya was immediately torn away from her dreams and slammed right back down into reality. Her eyes, bloodshot, rolled to the buzzing device, showing that it was now early morning, meaning her entire night was taken up by that dream.
"Heh..." she chuckled, her lips twitching into a small, reluctant smile. "Hehehe..."
For a while, Bronya just laid in bed, chuckling to herself while covering her eyes. This entire experience was far from anything she had planned for her days off. She found it hilarious, sad, but hilarious.
"Ah...I'm such a mess," she confessed.
Silence soon followed and in a more tired and heartbroken tone, she repeated, "I'm really such a mess."
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Bronya had believed she was more than knowledgeable and mature enough not to let such childish curiosity cloud her mind. But her dreams now challenged this very belief: first were the ones with Seele, and now Natasha. It was starting to drive her mad.
So, hoping to find a relief from it all, she decided to consult someone whom she had recently become quite acquainted with.
Reaching for her phone on her bedside desk, the Supreme Guardian flicked through her short contact list and pressed the name of the woman whom she wished to consult. Then, lifting the phone up to her ear, she listened to the ringing for a few seconds before the line connected to the other side.
"Hello?"
"Miss Himeko?"
"Oh, Lady Bronya, a pleasant surprise."
"Sorry, is this a bad time?"
"No, no, it is fine. Is there something I can do for you?"
Good question. How could she exactly explain her dilemma? If she were to do it bluntly, it would make her look uncouth, but tip-toeing wasn't going to get her the answers she needed either.
With pursed lips, the girl then began to explain her plight. "You see, I uhm... have this issue with someone. They wanna ask me about...um adult activities..."
"Oh! I see," Himeko replied, voice laced with slight amusement.
"As someone who dedicated her life to studying military and politics...I never had experience," admitted Bronya. "So I was hoping you could lend me some knowledge in the field to tell my friend."
Bronya was glad she was not face to face with the lady of the Astral Express. In their brief meetings when Belobog first opened its doors to the rest of the universe, Himeko became somewhat akin to her mentor when it came to intergalactic knowledge. But now she was asking her to talk about sex like some child who had just reached the age where such a thing would be within their understanding. And the Supreme Guardian felt embarrassed by this. She believed that she was wasting Himeko's time with this nonsense, and the silence that followed her excuse of a reason only enforced the idea that Himeko found this situation to be ridiculous as well.
As the seconds went by without an answer, Bronya feared that the older woman had hung up on her. Though she trusted that someone from the Express would never do such a thing, and she would be right, as Himeko would shortly answer once that thought finished.
"I see, I'm honoured to be someone who you thought to consult, Lady Bronya," Himeko thanked.
"Huh? Oh uhm... please no need for such formalities, it is a casual question."
"Very well. So? What is it that your friend wants to know?"
With careful wording, the Supreme Guardian explained what was in her mind: from having explicit dreams, to her sexual encounter in the Underworld. She laid herself bare for Himeko, while still running with the friend excuse of course, telling her how torn she was with those new feelings. The young woman admitted that, to her, having such dreams about another friend and eavesdropping on a couple was heinous, and that she was so ashamed that, at her age, she still had no control over such dirty thoughts.
Their conversation would soon finish, and Bronya could hear Himeko hum in contemplation on the other side.
"I see, so your friend is currently unsure of how to deal with her growing sexual awakening," Himeko surmised.
"Excuse me?" Bronya questioned.
Himeko giggled on the other side. "I may be simplifying it a bit much, but I think there really is nothing to worry about, Lady Bronya. Tell your friend that having dirty thoughts is normal, having sexual dreams is normal, and while eavesdropping can be questionable, it wasn't like she was doing it on purpose."
"But isn't it odd that she just continued to listen?" Bronya fired back.
"Recently, I learned that many people have different tastes. We may not all share it, or even agree, but so long as it doesn't bring harm, then it's fine."
Himeko's laid back attitude towards this boggled Bronya, it made her just lean back against the backboard of her bed in total silence.
"Lady Bronya?" Himeko called out.
"Yes, I'm...I'm here, thank you, Miss Himeko. Your words have been helpful," Bronya responded.
"Have they? I'm glad."
"Yes I'll be sure to tell my friends what you told me. Thank you again."
"Anytime Lady Bronya. Oh but before I go, I have one more piece of advice."
"What is it?"
"If your friend wishes to explore their sexual desires more, might I suggest consuming some adult erotic entertainment?"
"Huh?"
The navigator of the Express would then briefly outline the benefits of consuming erotica, claiming it is a safe method of exploring the many aspects of sexuality and its associated activities. Although she didn't take away the option to experience having a sexual encounter, she did say that if Bronya's friend was unsure, then a safer form of exploration was best.
Bronya took the advice to heart, telling Himeko she would do her best to find some erotica, though she wasn't even sure where she would begin.
After that, the two women bid their farewells and ended the call. Bronya would then sit on her bed in silence once more, her gaze turned towards her ceiling.
"It's ok," she repeated. "It's ok..."
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Later that morning, Bronya was walking around Qlipoth Fort after breakfast. Her mind had become somewhat clearer since her earlier conversation, and making do with the advice she was given, she was making her way to the library in hopes of finding some erotica to look over.
Nearing a corner, the girl was about to make a turn when she heard some familiar voices chime in the air.
"Oh, so Lady Bronya is on vacation?" a female voice asked.
"That is correct, ma'am," a male voice answered.
Bronya wasn't sure what took over her, but rather than just stepping out and greeting the two, she stayed behind the corner and just peeked out.
On the hallway, casually chatting away was Gepard, captain of the Silvermaine guard and Topaz, an IPC representative in charge of Belobog's intergalactic relations.
It was rare for the two of them to be seen, but from what Bronya just heard, Topaz seemed to be looking for her. Which only made the girl realise how questionable avoiding them was.
"If you're alright with it, Miss Topaz, I can take a message for you or would you like to speak with Pela, who's currently the one taking most of Lady Bronya's work?"
"No, it's fine, it's not so urgent that it requires immediate attention."
"I see, well, if there's anything else you need from us, please feel free to voice them."
"Well, there is something."
Bronya flinched; she could've sworn that Topaz's tone dropped, becoming more suggestive. But she didn't wish to make assumptions, not when her mind was still full of dirty thoughts.
"No, don't assume Bronya, you probably misheard." The Supreme Guardian shook her head and peeked out one more time.
"What can we do for you?" Gepard asked.
"Well, captain." Topaz took a step forward, only making Bronya paler by the second. "I want you to accompany me for a bit."
As those words entered Bronya's ears, her expression morphed into horror. If before she believed that she was merely coming up with presumptions, now she was starting to believe that her first thought was right.
"Of course, I am quite free at the moment."
Bronya then watched as Topaz placed a hand on Gepard's chestplate and leaned in close to his ear. This single act sent alarm bells blaring inside the Supreme Guardian's mind; there was no room for doubt anymore as to where this entire thing was heading. She didn't even need to hear what the white-haired woman said, she just needed to glance at Gepard's now crimson face to know it was a suggestive comment.
"What do you say? Captain?" Topaz asked, her body now practically pressed against the man.
"I...I uh...don't think this is... appropriate," Gepard answered.
"Now don't be like that, come on, a small break won't hurt."
Bronya wanted to run up to them and stop the scene from unfolding any further, however, she found herself once again anchored in place, stuck to witness the development of what was just a mere conversation into a sexually charged invitation.
Still, the grey-haired young lady had faith in her comrade in arms and captain of her military.
"I suppose I can spare some time."
"Gepard!" Bronya cried out in horror inside her mind. Her face contorting into an unmistakable expression of betrayal.
Meanwhile when she looked back at Topaz, she could see the lustful smile painted on her visage while she gazed predatorial at the captain.
"Come with me, stud."
The watching girl would then jump out of her hiding spot the moment the two went sprinting down the hall. She was in shock because never in her wildest dreams would she ever see someone from the outside take interest in a Belobogian. Yet here she was, a witness to one of her citizens being dragged away by a businesswoman to aeons knows where for, what Bronya could only assume was, a time of sensual pleasure.
Now at this point, Bronya found herself in two minds: One was to walk away and let the pair have their time in private or two, go follow them. The second she immediately tried to reject, but upon remembering the need to be explorative as per Himeko's advice, she wavered.
With little time to think, Bronya ultimately relented to her desires and chased after the pair. In her mind, she kept asking why in the world she was so invested in this, finding her behaviour to be very unusual.
After much running and sliding out of a hallway, Bronya caught the pair in front of one of the many spare bedrooms within the Fort.
With fists balled, Bronya waited for the two to enter before she quietly walked over and faced the doors. Just yesterday she was in this position, petrified, but now, she willing brought herself in a similar situation—only now she didn't feel the same fear, rather she only felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment instead.
Now more secure that this decision was hers, Bronya took several large breaths to calm herself down before inching a little bit closer so that she could hear the voices inside.
"Mmm, I've always wanted to know what sort of man you are," Topaz said, her voice dripping with carnality.
"I never noticed," Gepard answered straightforwardly.
"A woman never shows her hand so openly, I hid my desires on purpose."
Bronya closed her eyes and scrunched her brow. That sentence alone, had summarised her entire recent emotions perfectly. She's seeing new sides to people she thought were one thing, but had a much different persona when it came to other things. Even she was no exception, in that moment, she could recognise that something within her changed as well, she was more...curious to say the least.
"I don't think Lady Bronya would ever do something like this though," Gepard jested.
"Lady Bronya may have a different taste, maybe she's into women instead," Topaz theorised.
Again, her words brought another thought to Bronya, mainly her dreams, which were the reason her emotions had become so jumbled. Reality was that she would never commit such acts of sexual gratification by using a close aide like Seele. Yet, she could admit she had no close male acquaintances to take dream Seele's place, not even Gepard.
The casual conversation would end there, as Topaz would quickly order Gepard, in a begging way, to take off his armour. A few moments later, Bronya could hear the armour fall to the floor.
At this, Bronya stood alert, keeping her gaze square at the door while taking in the sounds from the other side.
"Oh fuck, look at that cock!" Topaz exclaimed. "It's so big!"
"Uh, thank you," Gepard responded.
Hearing all this, Bronya couldn't help but wonder if she was meant to be listening in on something perverted or something innocent.
"Mmm, I can't wait for that monster to drill my pussy."
The Supreme Guardian thought she would get used to this, but no, her jaw had dropped and her eyes were wide open. In her head asll she was asking was whether the person on the other side was really Topaz.
"I didn't know she could have such a dirty mouth," Bronya thought, floored. "She's definitely worse than Natasha."
"Fuck, let me suck on it."
What followed was a series of sloppy noises, mixing with gags and moans entering the Supreme Guardian's ears, forcing to grit her teeth just to bear the images of Topaz kneeling on the floor, naked most likely and bobbing her head to a beat as she sucked Gepard off.
This went on for a full 5 minutes before an audible gasp ripped through the air.
"Oh yes, I love the taste of cock," Topaz declared. "I don't think I can wait any longer, come up here and fucking wreck my pussy."
Presently, Bronya had the choice of walking away again, which she actually did start following through—until Topaz screamed.
"Oh fuck yes! Ram my pussy!"
Immediately, her heels turned right back to their original spot.
Something about hearing such profanities only kept Bronya interested in the entire act. Sure, she couldn't see anything, but just listening alone was enough stimulus to get her cheeks flushing and mind racing.
"Miss Topaz, I think I'm about to cum."
"Then cum, spray your spunk inside me! Breed me like the bitch I am."
Bronya reeled back, though she didn't know the vulgar slang they used, hearing the word 'breed' was more or less a clear indication of what was happening on the other side, and she was, for the most part, horrified by the prospect that Topaz could casually demand such a thing.
Although she could admit they were not close and mainly interacted through work, her image of this dignified and shrewd lady representing the best of an intergalactic business had suddenly crumpled, distorting her views on who Topaz was.
It was a bit of deja vu, a woman she respected greatly, suddenly marred in colours of desire, and drowning in it. Their masks of professionalism left behind to engage in the base pleasures of man. It shook her beliefs to their core.
What was once taught to her as a symbol of dedication, love and maturity was now a mere tool to satiate a hunger hidden away in one's heart.
Still, she could recognise that this was merely her projection of her own beliefs. As a leader, she knew better than to let personal ideals bar her from facing the truth of the world around her. Deep down, Bronya knew that in order to grasp the knowledge she needed, she would have to bend her morals for the time being.
Her thoughts were then broken, however, when guttural moans from Topaz erupted through the doors. This time, Bronya found herself unshaken by these noises, attributing it to the lack of emotional connection she had with the entire thing. She would accept this was just the way things were, but it didn't mean she wouldn't hold the opinion that this wasn't for her.
"Are they done?" she questioned.
"Mmm, look at all that cum," Topaz said. "Come here and let me lick that cock clean."
"They're not done."
Soon, the heated comments returned, increasing volume and vulgarity. Bronya wondered if she should just walk away; it seemed easier now. But then, upon thinking about how much time she had already invested, she thought it was best to see it to the end.
"Oh yes fuck this pussy! Fuck this whore pussy and make me cum on your big hard cock!"
Bronya was ever so grateful that the fort's walls were incredibly thick and that they chose a secluded part of the building; otherwise, a very awkward meeting would have followed.
Nevertheless, the increasingly animalistic nature of their communion was making the girl wonder if this was still the same act she encountered the day before in the clinic.
Looking back, she found that Natasha and Oleg were akin to a couple who were merely finding a new thrill in their relationship. Meanwhile, Topaz seemed more like she was an addict getting her fill while Gepard was the unfortunate soul who became her drug. Ultimately, nothing about their actions made Bronya feel ashamed, as there was no shame to begin with.
About another 5 minutes passed and the peak of the pair's mating soon presented itself to Bronya, who at this point wore a rather disinterested expression upon her face.
"Oh yes fuck, I'm gonna cum!"
"Miss Topaz. I'm close too."
"Yeah, I can feel it! I can feel your cock growing, oh don't pull out, put it all in me. Breed me like the bitch I am, make my pussy spit your cum out!"
A long, drawn-out moan marked the end of the pair's play, and Bronya herself felt as though the wind she had on her sails earlier had just gone away. She followed the pair, hoping to recapture the same atmosphere as before, only to be disappointed at how two-dimensional it was.
So with a sigh, the Supreme Guardian quietly walked away, tracing her steps back to head to the library.
Although she found herself not enjoying that display, she at least could admit she learned a new avenue of what it meant to have a sexual relationship: that it wasn't always done romantically or with an acquaintance.
------------------------------------------
After leaving the vicinity of the copulating pair, Bronya was making her way to the library in hopes of finding an erotic book that she could take back to her room.
However, while meandering the halls of the fort in mostly silence, only listening to the clicking of her heels, she found herself looking back over the last two days, still comparing the two different sexual experiences she encountered.
She could recognise that both carnality and sensuality were two sides of the same coin, both were for the pleasures of bodies intertwined in a pleasurable embrace. Nothing more, nothing less, and that's how she chose to process it.
With such a revelation in her hands, the Supreme Guardian thought of contacting Himeko again to share her insights, while also hoping to get more advice. But, upon giving it more seconds, she realised doing so would be terrible on account of Himeko being a busy woman with her own duties to attend to, calling in for every question would just seem inappropriate.
Sighing in disappointment, Bronya stopped in her tracks and felt compelled to look out the window and into the sky. In her heart, she wished dearly to explore her newfound interest much like the starfarers, but alas, she was bound to her world out of the duty of bringing life back to its frozen land.
Lost in her thoughts, the Supreme Guardian didn't realise that a certain girl had approached her.
"Oh Lady Bronya," the younger girl greeted.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Bronya turned and locked eyes with Pela. "Oh Pela, good morning."
"Good morning, what are you doing?" Pela asked.
"Oh, uh... just admiring the sunshine."
There was no way Bronya would admit she was thinking about how best to study sexual activities; that would just make her crumble.
"I see, well, I'm glad you're enjoying your vacation, it seems."
At that moment, Bronya's eyes pulsed, her mind echoing Pela's words slowly inside her cranium.
"What did you just say?" asked the Supreme Guardian.
"I'm glad you're enjoying your vacation?"
"Vacation... that's right, I'm on vacation."
Bubbling with glee, Bronya grabbed Pela's hands with a large grin on her face.
"Thank you, Pela, I now know what to do!"
Rushing back to her room, Bronya snatched her phone out of her pocket and swiped through her contacts until she landed on a certain trash-diving girl.
The phone rang for a few moments before the line connected, and on the other side, a tired voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Sorry Stelle, did I wake you?"
Stelle groaned, clearly just waking up. "Yeah, but it's ok, I should be awake now anyway. What's up?"
Bronya explained her current situation, how she was essentially kicked out of her office for the time being to engage in some needed respite from her towers of paperwork.
"So I was hoping, could I come to the Express temporarily while I'm on a break."
"Yeah sure," the trailblazer answered immediately.
This came as a shock to Bronya; she wasn't expecting such an immediate response, and she just had to ask if that was all it took. No meeting or anything?
Stelle explained that the Express wasn't one to shun passengers; anyone can enter, with no biases or prejudices. Even dropping hints that criminals have been on, in some capacity.
Though still amazed, the Supreme Guardian managed to let out her next set of words. "O-oh, well, if that's all it takes, when will you be back to Belobog? I'll join you then."
Bronya could hear Stell humming on the other side, which she assumed was the starfarer trying to remember the train's itinerary.
"I can probably get the conductor to make a pit stop—oh wait, we're meant to head to the Luofu next."
Hearing the path of the train's travel, Bronya's expression softened to a slight frown, she had become worried that she was derailing their plans with her request.
"Well, leave it to me for now, I'm sure we can find time. I'll get back to you once I have something."
"A-are you sure?"
"Yeah, of course, don't worry. Speak to you soon."
"Yeah, speak soon."
The call would end there, and a small smile would creep on Bronya's face. She found that a lot had happened in a short period, and if she were to keep up, she needed someone close by to teach her these things. So she hoped Stelle would get her a spot in their next trip so she could converse properly with Himeko.
For now, though, she turned her attention back to her door; with all that happened in the morning, she still didn't get those erotic books! Well, there was no better time like the present.
So with a confident smile gracing her face, the girl ventured once more to the unknown morning, full of sunshine and hidden desires.