Golmore Jungle, once one got past the monsters, was a pleasant and peaceful oasis. No matter where you ventured, the soothing smell of woodsy tree bark and leaves followed. There were special flowers that grew there as well, right up the sides of the trees, having long ago adapted to the lack of actual ground to bloom from. Despite growing in the shaded canopy trees of the Wood, the flowers were bright and vibrant in color. Some were toxic to the touch, others hid away various status ailments unknown to anyone but the foolish and experienced. In all, however, they smelled sweet and intoxicating, tempting viera, hume, and fiend alike to touch and smell them.
"How much further do we have to go?" Penelo asked, trying her best to keep a whine out of her voice.
"Only a bit more," Fran replied as she continued to walk at the head of the small band of mismatched comrades.
"It's lovely here," Ashe commented, looking around at her surroundings. "Don't you think so, Basch?"
The man in question looked around for a moment then nodded silently in agreement.
"I just hope no unusual insects find their way into my clothing," Balthier commented as he checked the cuffs of his pristine white blouse.
"As tight as you keep the openings of your clothing? I'd be surprise if a flea could get past your cuffs without suffocating first," Vaan joked.
"Quiet boy. At least my chest isn't an open invitation to the creepy crawlers of the Wood."
Looking slightly nervous at the realization, Vaan crossed his arms over his chest.
"Honestly, you two behave like children," Penelo huffed.
"It is only fatigue that makes them snap at each other as such," the viera said poignantly.
Penelo opened her mouth to suggest that it seemed more like a lover's spat, when her foot caught a vine, tripping her. With a comedic flail of her arms, the blonde fell forward as she tripped and fell face first into a tree. Immediately dazed, it took her several moments to recognize the voices of her friends and another two to realize they were helping her up to her feet.
"... not good," Fran was saying and Penelo fought to focus on what was being said. However, her head was spinning and there was an annoying throbbing coming from seemingly everywhere on her. She wanted to know what Fran was saying, but only managed a wobbly step toward the viera. That was pretty much all she had in her as her stomach lurched violently and she fell forward into Fran. A last conscious thought involved the softness of Fran's breasts.
***
Voices began to find their way into Penelo's dreams, which were odd and unlike what she was accustom to. Slowly gaining consciousness, she peeked her eyes open just enough to see a viera talking with Vaan and Ashe at her bedside. The light, though fairly dim, bothered her eyes, so she closed them before any of the trio realized she was awake.
"She will be fine in a few hours. It was luck that the flower only rubbed against her skin. Had she actually inhaled it, the consequences would have been dire," the viera said.
"Will there by any side effects?" Ashe asked.
"Hypersensitivity and an increase in sexual desires tends to be prevalent in those exposed to the Gum Gum Flower."
"Sexual desire? You mean like...?" Vaan asked with an audible blush.
"Grow up, Vaan. Penelo's going to be horny for a few hours is all."
Penelo blushed lightly.
"We should leave her alone for the time being. She needs her rest." The viera said, followed by the sounds of her ushering them out of the room.
At the sound of the door closing, the blonde opened her eyes, slowly so they adjusted to the light. Lifting a hand to her head, she found no bandages. Any cuts and superficial injuries had been healed by the vieras, or at least she assumed they were. There was a bump on the side of her head though and when she brushed her fingers against it, she felt the pain throughout her body, pulsating in every fiber of her being. When the stars stopped dancing beneath her eyelids, Penelo inhaled gently, unsure as to whether the pain would return or not. When it didn't, she slowly sat up, feeling her body sore despite the lack of physical injuries. Thankfully, no other pain seemed to prevail through her body aside from the lump which now throbbed dully, so she figured the soreness must have to do with the healing that was preformed on her unconscious self. Penelo also noted there was no 'increase in sexual desire', until she shifted her legs to stand and her tight bike shorts slid roughly against her pussy. The simple action, felt a hundred times before but never more than a small nuisance, enticed a violent shiver and gasp from her.
"Oh, I think I understand now," Penelo said aloud, panting and unsure whether she wanted to move again or not.
"Understand what?" A voice asked.
The blonde choked on a scream when she looked up to find a familiar viera closing the door of the room. Her body's reaction to the appearance of Fran was more subtle and a hell of a lot more friendly as Penelo could feel her juices flow eagerly beneath her shorts. With her body tingling, wanting the busty woman to touch her everywhere, except for where the lump was, of course, she came to a decision. Licking her lips hungrily, Penelo got to her feet, shuddering as her clothes rubbed against her sensitive skin.
"I feel like dancing," Penelo said, holding out her hand.
"I would think you'd desire rest. I only came to see if you were awake yet," the viera said even as she took the offered hand.
Stepping lightly against Fran, unsure what full on contact would result in, Penelo laid her free hand on a full curve of hip. Entwining the fingers of her other hand with Fran's, she led the viera in a small waltz across the small floor space between the bed and door. The dance reminded her of her parents, whom had always performed a small waltz before bed, giggling like little children. They had said it kept the nightmares away at night. No more than a small child at the time, Penelo would watch them dance, love in their eyes, and would then try to waltz along with a stuffed toy Wyrdhare she had. Then the war began and her parents stopped dancing because the nightmares came whether they danced or not. Knowing she could easily succumb to the depths of her memories, Penelo pressed tightly against Fran. The expected jolt of pleasure made her gasp and heart race, forcing the memories back into the depths of her sub-conscious.
"Are you well?" Fran asked, pulling away.
The taste of lust heavy on her tongue, Penelo smiled in reassurance. "I'm fine. The lump on my head is the worst thing on me."
Pressing her hand to the hume's forehead, Fran watched Penelo inhale sharply, her eyes closing against the feel of the viera's hand. Unable to contain herself anymore, the blonde grasped Fran's wrist and pressed her mouth to the delicate flesh on the inside of the wrist. She tasted the flesh with lips and tongue, nipping several places along the viera's forearm in the progress. Her body alit with feelings she'd never known before and some she had only known in private. Reaching up to Fran's face, she turned her lips to waiting ones.
Somehow, the pair arrived on the bed, the whole while Penelo's body begged for release. At some point, as her fingers explored the viera's body, she realized how easily Fran had allowed her to do all these things. Trying to find the words to express this observation, Penelo cried out as the viera's fingers found the wetness on her shorts between her legs and pressed several fingers against it. Body arched tightly, Fran took advantage of the position and exposed pale breasts to her lips. Taking a nipple into her mouth, she pressed her fingers against Penelo's covered pussy, purposely teasing her. Thanks to Penelo's odd hypersensitivity, it took only a few desperate bucks against Fran's fingers for her to orgasm, shouting out a swear word as her body exploded.
"You knew..." Penelo finally said some moments later, when she could breathe again.
"The viera use the Gum Gum Flower as an aphrodisiac, but only in very small portions." Fran smiled. "The flower is quite strong as you now know."
The hume tried to move, meaning to whack Fran's arm for not telling her sooner, but her body flared, too sensitive to move. She groaned as her now soaked shorts rubbed against her pussy, making her twitch.
"Let me guess, because I got a lot of it on my skin, I'm stuck like this until the effects wear off?"
Nodding, Fran sat up carefully and began to remove Penelo's clothes. While she was glad to be rid of them, she felt embarrassed to be naked in front of the viera. She laughed at the ridiculousness of the feeling and when Fran looked at her inquisitively, she blushed and waved her hand.
"I just thought of how embarrassed I feel being naked in front of you and compared to what just happened, that's probably a bit silly."
"Nay. It is a justifiable feeling. You are young and inexperienced in these matters," Fran assured her, leaning over to kiss Penelo's lips lightly. "I will not judge your body, so rest your mind, young one. It appears beautiful to me."
Relieved and slightly embarrassed, Penelo watched Fran kneel between her spread thighs. "What are you doing?"
"As long as your body is under the influence of the Gum Gum Flower, the only way to ease some of your discomfort is to give your body what it wants," Fran replied, running a finger over a pale thigh, effectively making Penelo shiver and whimper.
"You can't possibly last that long! The other viera said I could be like this for hours!" Penelo almost shouted, though not arguing against Fran dipping her mouth to her wet sex.
"You'll be amazed by a viera's stamina," Fran said as she captured Penelo's clit with her lips and made the girl see stars.