The woods had grown boring. Nash Latkje, special agent of the Harmonian Southern Defense Force, had been wandering through this forest for what felt like days, and he was running low on resources and supplies from the hike. Not that his training hadn't prepared him for hardships such as these, but the strain was still taking its toll on his constitution. "I'm never going to get anything done at this rate," he complained, voice weak from exhaustion.
"Stop whining up there, I can hardly sleep with your chatter ringing in my ears." The lack of energy could almost squarely be blamed on the passenger taking residence on Nash's back. A young woman with pale skin and white hair, practically albino, was attempting to rest on top of bags and boxes only secured by Nash's shoulders, in the middle of the afternoon no less.
The question certainly occurred to him why he was even putting up with her laziness. "If it's so hard to sleep, then get up and carry your own things."
"Talk like that again, and you can kiss that information goodbye," she retorted, yawning.
The two met in the abandoned Blue Moon Village, where the woman, whose name she revealed to be Sierra Mikain, was the only remaining resident, which made her Nash's only lead. His job was to research information on the True Runes, with Harmonia's ally Highland moving to war, that kind of knowledge could be vital. Problem was, the nature of the True Runes wasn't recorded in any kind of book, making the only source he could go to the Rune Bearers. And with Sierra the only survivor of the Moon Rune's Blue Moon Village, that made her all he had. Which meant he had to do her bidding, carrying her to Muse to appease her.
"Although, there is a way you can give me some energy," Sierra offered, a very sultry seductive tone evident in her voice. She spun around and slid lower down, swinging her legs around Nash's waist and pressing her face close to his neck, close enough where her cold breath made his hairs stand on edge. Opening her mouth with the smack of her saliva splitting, her lips surrounded Nash's nape as her sharp fangs pierced the tough skin.
With reflexes so quick they could only belong to a veteran fighter, Nash's left hand let go of its grip on the luggage to aim a hidden anchor wire at Sierra's head, forcing her retreat. "Hey, we agreed there'd be no blood-sucking, you old witch!"
That was the other trait Sierra harbored, which meant one more nuisance Nash had to put up with. Sierra wasn't human, or at least, hadn't been in a very long time. The power of the Moon Rune had turned her into a vampire, granting her immortality, along with the ability to spread her affliction to others at will through a bite. This alone made Nash incredibly wary about accompanying her, considering his knowledge of the vampire massacre in North Window long ago, until Sierra lectured him with a history and biology lesson on vampires too long for him to pay attention to. The most he was able to gather was that, as the owner of the Moon Rune, Sierra didn't need to suck blood to survive.
The coven mistress was prepared to attack Nash for making fun of her age, but that proved to be unnecessary. The change in balance he caused to himself in order to strike back took away his footing, the gravity of his cargo pulling him down to his right, sending the two colliding in a crash of personal items. They splayed out among the goods, neither in control of their positioning upon hitting the dirt. Didn't stop Sierra, on top, from elbowing Nash in the side of the head when his open hand happened to stop Sierra's bare thigh from hitting the ground.
However, he wasn't the only one feeling pain now, as Sierra realized soon after. The source was quite different, but it was no less worrying, that warm ache emanating from her stomach. Even with the extra power provided as a vampire, Sierra still had a bladder of her own, one that still required tending to. And the harsh landing in the dirt had reminded her, it would certainly like to be emptied, possibly into that same dirt, watering the same grass it sprouted. While a lack of blood meant that wasn't fluids adding to her strain, she still needed water, and however much she had taken from Nash's supply was proving to be a mistake.
Living in a lone cabin in the woods for centuries, answering nature's call like that was hardly a foreign concept. Sierra wasn't even a shy girl. No, the obstacle now was Nash. With the whole thigh grope incident still fresh in her mind, probably because she hadn't moved off of Nash yet, she had no faith that a man like him wouldn't take a peek if she were to expose herself out in the open. Humans were such primitive, base creatures.
Which left her with the pressing question of what she could do? Frankly, she didn't have the energy or drive to wander far enough off the road to remain unseen, if she could even give a reasonable explanation for her absence (or a threat not to question it). But she'd lose her ride if she nodded off on his back and subsequently peed herself. Could she even hold it?
"Hey! Get the hell off me, you bat!" Or maybe she should take things one step at a time, that first step being unpinning Nash. Of course, she did so very slowly, allowing him to breathe again, coughing at the sudden influx of oxygen.
Sierra had no sympathy, of course. "Hurry and pick all that up, it'll be dark soon."
"Why didn't we take a carriage?"
"There weren't any in the last town, they had all been rented out."
Immediately afterwards, as if strictly to make her look dumb, the two picked up the approaching sound of bouncing, rolling wheels and clopping hooves. The source, as it trotted into view, was a wooden carriage pulled by two horses, its passengers a Kobold mother and her two sons, who were roughhousing playing with a wooden doll. Nash's gaze turned a side-eye to Sierra, exasperated and frustrated.
However, amidst the silence of the forest, their focus was inevitably pulled to the Kobolds making a ruckus. "Come on, lemme see it," the Kobold pup that didn't have the toy pleaded, reaching over their mom to take the doll by force.
"No, it's my turn," his brother shouted, leaning away to protect his figure, holding it outside the boundaries of the carriage to keep it out of reach.
"Boys, boys, please settle down," the mother reprimanded, reaching out to keep them separated and properly in their seats. However, the jolt of grabbing her son by the collar made him lose his grip, dropping the toy outside the carriage.
With the cart moving very slowly in its leisure ride, Nash had no trouble catching up, picking the wooden doll off the ground and returning it to the Kobolds. "There you go. Take care not to drop it again."
The mother pulled the reigns to the horses close to her chest, bringing the steeds to a halt. "Thank you very much, sir." She turned her children's heads to look at Nash. "Thank the nice man, kids."
The kid who dropped the toy gave his gratitude, but his brother instead tugged on his mother's sleeve. "Mom, I gotta go tinkle."
With the vehicle already stopped, there was no reason to refuse the request. "Alright, go on that tree right there," the mother instructed, pointing to a tree within easy view. Many would find the lack of privacy a deal-breaker, but the Kobold pup wasn't concerned with modesty, he just needed to go. Lifting a leg to climb over the wall, he jumped out of the carriage, running to the aforementioned tree with a paw on his crotch. As soon as he reached the trunk, he quickly shoved his pants down, reaching both hands to his front and aiming a clear, healthy stream of liquid, splashing and streaming down the rough bark into a puddle by the roots.
Nash thought nothing of it, that's just what you need to do, and looked away to give the kid his earned privacy. Sierra didn't look either, for entirely different reasons. Of course, she had to deal with someone else peeing when she really needed to go, and while she could and did avert her eyes, there wasn't much she could do to avoid hearing it. At least, not with only one free hand, as the other was tugging on the front hem of her skirt, pulling it down for no logical reason other than to give that hand something to grip and keep it busy, anything to prevent it from being too obvious by slipping between her legs.
Thankfully, for the sake of her own sanity and dryness, the leak didn't take very long. Less than a minute and the pup was done, shaking himself dry and pulling his pants back up to bound back to the carriage. "All set, mom!" Safe and relieved, the family urged the horses on, and their carriage rolled away, down the road and out of sight.
The lack of auditory stimulation slowly brought Sierra down from riding out her tall waves of bladder strain. She could feel her abdomen easing up on its torment, allowing her to remove the grip on her skirt, mere seconds before Nash looked at her once again. "It's going to be dark soon," he reminded. "We should start setting up camp before we can't see."
"Let's keep moving. There's a mansion nearby we can stay at."
That claim came out of nowhere, leaving Nash stunned, to put it lightly. "What?! When were you going to tell me?"
"I just did. Now pick up my stuff and carry me," Sierra commanded, practically falling asleep on her feet.
"This information can't be worth this much hassle," Nash lamented, yet he still bent down to gather their personal items. "I'd certainly like to spend a night in a real bed, though." The side of the road the two were inhabiting was soon bustling with the grunts and crashes of a poor man torturing himself with heavy packing.
Of course, Sierra was suffering through torture of her own. She was at the phase of desperation where she was once again eyeing all the foliage, thinking about what would happen should she run behind any of it and unleash her body's contents in a nice warm stream. She was pretty tempted to do just that, it would certainly feel really nice. Just squat and take care of business, with a messy puddle to show for it.
If only Nash wasn't right there. If she were to sneak away, he could either follow her to be a pervert, or abandon her in the middle of nowhere for the way she treated him. Either way, she wouldn't give him the chance, she'd be sticking by him. Men were nothing more than miserable little piles of secrets, he'd be doomed without a generous vampire to protect him.
There was another reason she couldn't simply tell him she needed to whiz, either. Vampires had very slow metabolism, which allowed for their long lives and limited diet. And because of that unusual biology, Sierra's cycle of fluids progressed at a far slower rate than humans. As such, she hadn't needed any sort of bathroom break since the two had met. Now was hardly the time to introduce that little fact about her body.
"Sierra! Get over here, or I'm leaving you behind," Nash called. That's all she needed to hear to confirm her views of dumb humans. It was also what she wanted to hear, because it meant her seat was free to take once more. Slowly, with a heaviness in her step, she climbed back onto Nash's back, who had long since given up arguing, nodding off to sleep within minutes. Whatever she'd need to do about peeing, it could wait until she'd gotten some rest.
---------------
"Hey, hag! Is this the place you were talking about?!" Nash attempted to hit Sierra on the head to forcibly wake her up, but with her eyes still closed, she managed to intercept the blow.
What a rude awakening. "There are better ways to wake a lady, you know," she loudly yawned, wiping her eyes clear.
"Well, you're certainly not like any lady I know."
"Thank you," Sierra accepted, knowing full well it wasn't meant to be taken as a compliment. She arced her head up to look ahead of them, and sure enough, she saw a large, gothic mansion shrouded in darkness. Suddenly, the vampire was awake, and on guard. "Yes, this is the place." She hopped off Nash's back, wiping her clothes off to look cleaner and more presentable.
However, that landing on the hard soil was the kind of wake-up call she didn't need. The impact rippled through her body, resonating in everything malleable from her ankles to her neck, and that included her quite full bladder. All that pent-up urine jumped at once, creating a powerful force attempting to force its way out, with a stinging stab of agonizing pain, to the point there was the faintest idea she would wet herself there.
In a stroke of good fortune for the vampire, that fear never came to pass, not even a tiny leak, her underwear remained dry, for the time being. A lucky break, to be sure, but one that wasn't likely to repeat. She would need to stave off the need through actions of her own, starting by bouncing on her heels, biting her bottom lip.
She couldn't have picked a worse time to outwardly show her need, as that's when the front door opened, and on the other side stood a well-dressed butler. She didn't even notice that Nash had knocked. "My apologies, sir, but we are not accepting unsolicited visitors at this time," the servant informed.
"S-sorry, it's just...we're wandering travelers, and we were hoping you would be willing to house us for the night."
"The master has made his intentions clear, no uninvited guests..." The butler was repeating himself in denying Nash, but he stopped when he noticed the smaller, more distant Sierra, still as a stone. "Oh, my apologies, I was not aware that Miss Sierra was traveling with you." He stood aside, opening the path into the foyer. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."
Sierra walked in while Nash stood by, dumbfounded, at the sudden change in attitude. It was only once the door was nearly closed behind them that he was snapped back to his senses, bolting inside to catch up to the two. "Sierra, you know the person who lives in a mansion like this?"
His question went unacknowledged. "Is your master in at the moment," Sierra asked the butler.
"He has requested that he not be disturbed. However, I will be sure to inform him that the Founder has come to visit. For the time being, I'll have a room prepared for you and your..." The butler looked at Nash, his face sneering with disdain. "...mule."
"I also expect a bath and meal," Sierra demanded.
The butler bowed. "That is to be expected. Please, this way, miss." He led the way towards the quarters the two travelers would be sharing for the night.
On the walk there, Nash leaned down to Sierra, whispering to remain unheard by their host. "So, the guy who owns this place is a vampire, isn't he?"
"What gives you that impression," she replied, matching the low, breathy volume.
"They know you, by a fancy title no less, and that dismissal of me? I've heard that exact same tone from you."
"Hmph. I suppose even humans can be perceptive. There's also a signature, suffocating bloodlust in the air that follows any gathering of vampires."
"Really? I didn't notice that part."
Sierra groaned. "Then you're even denser than I thought. You can't leave your guard down around blood-sucking creeps like these."
"Self-loathing much there?"
"I only suck blood because I want to. It's totally incomparable. So don't go off on your own in this creepy place, unless you suddenly want to be sucked dry."
"Do I have to accompany you to the bath too? I have no desire to see naked grand-" He couldn't even get the insult out before Sierra knew how it would end, retaliating with a burst of magic, stinging Nash through his clothes, silencing him with nothing more than a yelp of pain.
Yet somehow, their bickering went unnoticed by the butler, or rather, he simply didn't intervene, until they reached a closed wooden door at the end of a dimly-lit hallway. "Please, make yourselves comfortable." He opened the door and guided Nash and Sierra inside, allowing them to see where they'd be staying during the night, and it certainly wasn't some forgotten side room. It was large, clean, decorated with various adornments and furniture, soft chairs, a fireplace, and one large bed. "Someone will be in to inform you when dinner or the bath is prepared. If you'll excuse me." The butler bowed and left the two alone, closing the door behind him.
Immediately, Nash ran to one of the couches, jumping into a laying-down position with a slight bounce upon impact. "Man, this place is swanky! Sure is welcome after all that time in the wilderness!"
"Don't get comfortable. I've got a hunch that tonight isn't going to be peaceful."
"With vampires? That's to be expected. So long as it's after supper, I'm starving for a good meal!"
"If I can even stay awake that long," Sierra lamented, covering her mouth with a yawn. Slowly, she stumbled over to the same couch, falling on top of Nash, eyes half-closed and mouth hanging open. "Come on, give me some energy."
Even pinned, Nash still had the strength to push her off. "I quite like my blood inside my body, thank you very much!"
Sierra was thrown off her human prey, landing on her stomach on the carpeted floor beneath. And that soft crash brought her need, forgotten in her drowsiness, back to the forefront of her attention. After all, she had yet to empty her bladder, and it was starting to get annoying. No, worse than annoying, demanding. Demanding that she find the restroom and drain herself of all those pesky liquids she had ingested.
Most would expect a mansion to be the easiest location to be having this problem. A huge home like this would have bathrooms around every corner, just go to one. If only this place wasn't so passively hostile. She wasn't kidding when she said it was dangerous to go alone in here, and even with her superior vampire powers, she was outnumbered and exhausted. So, unless she asked Nash to come with her to the bathroom, like a little girl, it simply wasn't safe to follow the logical, easy solution.
Nope, she'd need to just hold it. Hopefully, sleeping would make the time go by faster, quick enough that the events of the night to come would pass by before the desperate need became unbearable. Pushing herself up to her feet, Sierra trudged to the bed, crashing onto the soft mattress, face down and suffocating in the quilt. "I expect you to be punctual in visiting me, Rean," she slurred, muffled through the blanket.
---------------
It was dark when they arrived, but now, it was pitch-black outside. In the intervening time, they had been served a wonderfully prepared dinner, and Sierra had left the room in a huff when Nash began flirting with the maid tending to them, leading to a long, warm, and lonely bath. Now, she had returned to her permanent spot of the bed, currently wishing she had dealt with the disgusting implications and just peed in the bath. Would have saved her the pain she was experiencing now.
It was so bad, in fact, that she couldn't even sleep, an outcome she couldn't have imagined before now. Instead, she was laying on her back, hands folded above her stomach, attempting to focus on the ceiling instead of her body. It wasn't working. All she could picture now was her overfilled bladder, pulsating and bursting at the seams. Leaks of any magnitude had yet to manifest, a testament to her willpower, but she couldn't shake the disastrous mental image of the white clothes she wore beneath her blue cape rapidly turning a darker color.
And then there was what laid beyond the door giving her cause for worry. Much like a child terrified of the monsters that lurked in the night, Sierra was kept awake by what she thought laid just outside their room. Yes, the denizens of the mansion were fellow vampires, but she had no misconception about their friendliness, or rather, lack thereof. So close to her kind, after everything that had happened with the Moon Rune, there'd be an assault soon, enough reason to be on edge.
Could she wait it out? No, no chance, she knew. There was no telling how long the vampires would wait before beginning their attack, meanwhile, it was absolutely evident there wasn't much time before this bed was soaked in her urine. And getting into a fight right now could only end in disaster. So, all she could do was run out to the bathroom before anything bad could leap for her. But, alone, on the toilet? That was the worst place to be interrupted.
"I'm...so what do I do now?" Her teeth were clenched and her legs rubbed against one another, shifting the blankets around, catching them between her knees, adding them to the creation of friction agitating and burning her smooth legs. The strain, blood flushing across her cheeks as her body turned hot beneath the sheets, sweat rolling from her forehead and down her thighs. She hadn't even noticed, until she felt the dampness beneath her waist. "Ah, no no no...oh, right. Haven't leaked yet." It was very telling that she almost believed her bladder had given up.
If she was confined to this bedroom, what were her options? Her mind was first drawn to the window, just balance a squat on the windowsill and do it out into the night. Unfortunately, that window simply would not open, they had tried. Even the advice from the maid accomplished nothing. Guess the owners took every measure to ensure she couldn't escape. There was an empty vase in the room, she had noted, but it was clearly for decoration only. That's why it was on a high shelf, out of reach. Hell, at this point, Sierra even weighed the possibilities of cutting her losses and spraying down a corner, but "spray" was the correct word. She had to pee bad, on a hard wooden floor, it'd be loud, cacophonous, deafening, it was sure to wake Nash in time to see her disgracing herself to the highest degree.
That was the first time a new consideration had appeared. "Nash." Her head rolled, turning her gaze over to Nash, confined to sleeping on the couch. Was he really her only means of escaping this drenched fate? Wake him up, demand he accompany her to the bathroom, and have him serve as lookout while she did her business. If she could even trust him to serve as a competent line of defense. Not that she trusted her panties to serve as adequate defense should she not rely on him, but what was the better of two terrible choices? Honestly, she couldn't tell.
She was hesitant, extremely so, until her extremely pained bladder hit her again with a vengeance, making its mark with a sudden, searing, localized agony. She had been stroking her legs, but now she had to squeeze them together right at the crotch, forcing them with as much pressure as she could muster, to counter the internal pressure working overtime to turn external. The strain put Sierra in such a trance, she couldn't even tell who was succeeding. No doubt she could feel moisture around her sensitive parts, but it could be either sweat or urine. The only certainty was, if she had to push herself to that limit again, it was guaranteed to be urine next time.
"Ggghghgh, do I even have a choice?" Like it or not, Nash was the only available alternative to wetting herself. Both were undesirable, conclusions to her predicament that should have been far below her, but when push came to shove, she'd rather be dry. "Hey! Nash!" Her shout echoed through the large, dead room, yet even letting the call sit, Nash didn't stir. "Damn it, how the hell can you sleep through that? Don't you need to be alert for attacks? Nash! NASH!"
Only through that louder cry was Nash pulled back into the waking world. He propped his head up, looking at Sierra with tired, irritated eyes. "What?! What's so important that you need to wake me up?!"
"You are coming with me to the restroom, right this second." There was no shame, it was a demand, a simple statement, an unequivocal truth. "And I'm not going to stand for any slowness on your part."
Out of it, having just been forcibly awakened, Nash was silent for a minute while the request sunk in, leaving Sierra squirming under the blankets in the meanwhile. Eventually, while his vampire roommate was struggling to stay dry, begging for a response, he reacted. "Ha...hahahahaha! Oh, the mighty Sierra, the vampire vastly superior to humans, is too afraid of the dark to go to the bathroom by herself? Oh, I couldn't have made that up if I tried!"
Sierra, face already crimson from the effort of holding, couldn't get any redder in her anger. And the worst part was, despite how much she wanted to, she couldn't formulate a retort. He wasn't wrong. The reason she wasn't going alone was because she was worried about being attacked. Not by some nameless, imaginary monster, the threat was very real, but the concept was similar. Too similar for her liking.
The two conceptions were so similar, in fact, that she lost her will to fight back. She couldn't rely on being threatening enough to will Nash to do her bidding, not with him laughing at her, so she couldn't win a verbal argument. Instead, in a stunning display of uncharacteristic timidity, her voice fell into close to a whisper, only audible thanks to the dead of the night offering no background noise, even the wind being silent. "Yes. Please, help."
Nash's laughing stopped in an instant, and he almost fell off the couch in shock. Sierra acting...humble? Ladylike? Dependent? The surprises were just never-ending tonight. The sad way she was begging, asking for his assistance, there was only one way he could take it. "After everything you've done to me? No. Take care of it yourself." He laid back down, rolling to face the back of the couch to prevent eye contact between the two.
Sierra would take that opportunity to kill Nash, if she was even able. It was all she could manage to avoid an accident, fingertips digging deep, through her underwear, to put everything she had into physically holding, because internal muscles were starting to falter. A trickle of urine slipped out of her bladder, and only clenching herself kept it from leaking into her panties. Soon, there'd be too much of a flood behind the dam to possibly expect success. She only had one chance to convince Nash before there would no longer be a point. "What do I need to do to get you to agree? Promise to stop insulting you? Take you along for the rest of my adventure? Take my top off? I'm begging you, what do I need to do?!" Her voice cracked, giving away how choked up she was getting over this plight.
It was a lucky break, because the sound of a girl crying awoke something in Nash. He wasn't the chivalrous type, it had nothing to do with being an honorable man, but something a lot more personal. "Julie..." Against his logical judgment, he jumped to his feet with a spring, approaching Sierra in her bed. "Fine, I'll help. Get up."
She wasn't surprised at the assistance, considering how she was requesting it, and she was the kind of woman who got what she wanted. Problem was, it was no longer enough. "I...I can't move."
"I'm not carrying you again." Rolling his eyes, he reached out and yanked her blankets down past her feet, exposing the delicate way her legs were folded over one another. Wearing nothing more than a gown, nearly all of her legs visible, as she shook and squeaked under the stress, hands covering her private area, lips parted and eyes closed. If only she hadn't constantly mistreated him over the last few days, it might have been a pleasant image. Instead, he merely groaned in disdain, reaching out and forcefully grabbing her shoulders and pulling her out of bed, standing her up straight. "You can walk on your own."
Sierra wasn't so sure. The sudden, involuntary change in posture wrought havoc on her bladder. A jump like that, no one could ride that out without any side effects. The pee that had been attempting to spurt out finally had an opening. A small, warm drop of urine spread across a small portion of her womanhood, jolting her to attention, with her eyes shooting open, and one of her fangs piercing into her bottom lip.
All of a sudden, she had a rush of adrenaline coursing through every vein in her body. After all, while her life didn't depend on running to the toilet, her clothes definitely did, and that was just as imperative in her mind. Her muscles, previously locked up across her entire person, simultaneously loosened, allowing her to bolt from the room, grabbing Nash's hand and dragging him along, faster than he could keep up.
As a creature of the night, the total lack of illumination did nothing to inconvenience Sierra, she was able to keep footing and turn corners with no missteps. That was one variable taken care of cleanly, but the other was still a major obstacle; as her first time in this mansion, she had no clue where the bathroom was. She knew where the bath was, but that room had no toilet. She was navigating blind, and with no outward indicator of the room each door housed, she had nothing to work off of. "Where the hell's the toilet?!"
"Stop pulling! It's right there!" Without even processing what Nash had shouted at her, Sierra stopped just because he shouted, only stopping to think as she skidded to a halt. She looked in every direction, frantic like prey on the run from a predator, and was indeed greeted with a door.
Reaching out to the doorknob, slow enough to appear as fear, she turned the handle and pushed the door in. And while it was shrouded in shadow, she could make out that it was indeed a toilet. "How did you know this was it? I told you not to leave the room alone!"
"Is now really the right time to be going after me? You're leaking."
That shut Sierra up real fast, and in the vacuum of silence, she heard the last of her strength breaking. And it sounded like light drops of liquid falling into the carpet. Only then did she realize, just how warm and wet her crotch had gotten while she wasn't paying attention. Nash was right, she was out of time, to the minute. There was literally zero time to argue, leaving her with no choice but to turn around and run into the bathroom, reaching an arm back to slam the door shut behind her.
Alone in a dark room hardly bigger than a closet, Sierra was faced with the open toilet. Honestly, she was a lot luckier than most in this situation. Centuries ago, while she still lived in human civilization, toilets weren't a thing that had been invented yet. And the Blue Moon Village, in the middle of the forest, was not privy to their luxury once they had become commonplace. She had used them more recently, when she slept in inns while venturing to visit the humans, but she had never developed an instinctual demand to void her bladder while in the facility's presence.
Unfortunately, it meant nothing, when her bladder was about to drain of its own volition. The one hand that had yet to let go of her groin registered a growing warmth on the palm, and it wasn't stopping. "Ngh, nn, n-no..." What horrible timing it would be to wet herself with only one step left to go, an ironic fate she couldn't allow to pass. "I'm gonna whiz if it kills me!" With her hand already gripping her underwear, it was a simple matter to pull them down around her knees. It wasn't easy, pulling on one point in the middle was a lot more awkward than pulling from the sides, and a lot more wet, but the same result was basically accomplished.
A mere second later, she dropped her butt onto the toilet seat, getting lucky with her skirt being pressed up by the seat, instead of getting caught between her rear and the porcelain. It wouldn't have mattered, the fear of further soaking her clothes held no power, not against her muscles pushed to the brink of exhaustion. She needed to pee, and it was happening now.
Soon enough, the room was reverberating the low sound of a powerful torrent of urine slamming against the inner bowl of the toilet, the sheer force and forward angle causing an impact above the lingering water. It didn't matter, either way, it'd be loud, deafening even. It was amazing that Sierra could even hear her own thoughts over the waterfall cacophony.
She would have been able to guess her thoughts regardless, there wasn't much complexity or nuance. "Ooooooohhhhh, that's wonderful..." Her head fell in a heavy sigh, maybe more like a moan, as she shuddered in relief, sending the angle of her pee stream haywire. Her knees turned inwards as she released the tension her body had been unintentionally carrying, allowing her urine to flow out at an even heavier rate, with the speed to propel it directly into the water. The result was an tenfold increase in volume, ensuring any noise she made could never be heard. And she couldn't help but make full use of that happy little benefit. "Haaaaahhhhh, I've never had to go that bad before, and I never want to again...but this feels so good."
Yes, the relief washing over her body was wonderful, a fantastic type of ecstasy she rarely felt without a man keeping her company, covering the skin on her arms and legs with goosebumps. She couldn't help it, she moaned again, a long, drawn-out moan with rising and falling pitch and tone. It lasted so long, it outlasted the rush of water quieting to a trickle, making her unseemly and immodest sounds audible, probably throughout the rest of the mansion. It didn't stop her, of course, but she took care not to repeat it once the moan ended naturally.
Shortly afterwards, her bladder ran dry, reducing her output to lingering, broken drops falling irregularly to join with their brethren, before ending completely with nary a splash to stimulate her ears. "Phew, happy I'm good enough to wait long enough," she boasted, ripping off some nearby toilet paper and drying herself off. Not just her crotch, but the small traces down her legs too. And soaking up a little of the moisture drenched into her underwear, where very little could be done. The white garment was badly tinged by the color of a vampire's urine, dyed a red hue by the blood diet. She'd just have to live with the gross warmth permanently cradling her privates. The thought occurred to her that it might be a little exciting to ditch the panties, but in a skirt like hers around a man like Nash? Trouble waiting to happen.
Speaking of Nash, he was ostensibly still waiting outside, standing guard to buy time for her to do her business. Hopefully he hadn't been abducted while she was preoccupied, a fact she wasn't too sure of herself, expecting to be met with no one as she opened the door to leave back into the hallway. Of course, there was no need to be concerned, if she even was, as Nash was standing right there, leaning against the wall to the side of the door. "You know, it's really difficult to listen out for attackers while you're making a racket in there," he criticized.
"I can't help it. Women like me get very excitable and loud. Definitely not the first time I've moaned like thaaaaa..." Sierra's voice trailed off as she wobbled in her stance, falling over and relying on Nash's frame to keep her upright. "Great, I'm still exhausted and now I'm dehydrated." She looked up at his face, looking down at her with confusion as to what she was doing, a confusion she was happy to clear up, baring her fangs. "You know what would solve both problems?"
Rolling his eyes with a disdainful sigh, Nash pushed Sierra off, letting her fall to the floor. It wasn't so bad, her fall was broken by the carpet. "I don't know how you expect me to protect you if you insist on keeping me malnourished."
"Who says I need you to protect me? You have no idea what secrets I'm hiding or what I'm capable of."
"That's nice. You're still human. You stand no chance against vampires actively out for your blood."
"I seem to have been holding my own so far."
"You're lucky I'm the worst you've had to deal with. Hell, you're lucky to have me around, period. You're never going to find a better..." Once again, her voice trailed off, this time because of something else pulling her attention away. "I know I was more concerned with other matters, but...how did I miss this much bloodlust in the air? I sensed it before, but this is a whole other level."
With his attention drawn to it, Nash began looking around, diverting all his senses towards feeling the atmosphere. "Now that you mention it, there certainly is quite the heavy stench of danger." He reached into his coat, pulling out a small, card-sized sheet of paper. "I'm prepared."
"With one talisman? Good luck with that."
"I don't need you wishing for me, I've got enough luck as it is."
"Well then, let's see how far your luck carries you." Sierra readied herself for a fight, while Nash prepared his hidden arsenal of weapons. Their night was far from over, a fact Sierra quietly lamented. "I hope you're prepared to see us, Rean."

The city of Greenhill, part of the autonomous Greenhill Principality, was a famous town. Not just for its unique independence status, having seceded from the City-State Muse some time ago, but for the educational opportunities present within. The city housed New Leaf Academy, one of the most prestigious colleges in the Dunan Republic. Even as the conflicts heated up between Jowston and Highland, Greenhill was keeping free of the bloodshed.
Unfortunately, the war was coming to them, as the Allied Army's leader and his Orange Company were sneaking in on an important mission to rescue Greenhill's mayor-in-hiding, Teresa, to recruit for the war effort. The plan was clear and simple; use forged papers to enroll in the academy, find any useful information, and don't act suspicious while doing it. Time was of the essence, lives were constantly at stake after all, but it was a pretty leisurely errand.
The company members posing as students included: the Allied Army's leader, Riou, destined wielder of the Bright Shield Rune. Nanami, Riou's adoptive sister, dangerous with both her nunchaku and her loud mouth. Eilie, a travelling performer that liked to hang around Riou for reasons unspoken. Gengen the Kobold warrior, Chaco the Winger thief, and Flik the veteran hero, who was away from the party at the moment conducting his own investigation, while simultaneously avoiding a relentless new admirer.
For now, things were calm. The party was wandering around the campus, checking out the classrooms and study halls, talking to the students, occasionally going into town and witnessing Highland soldiers throwing their power around. Okay, tensions were high all around, with Greenhill's citizens almost enacting vigilante justice on the Allied Army's informant, Fitcher, but that was resolved without any violence thanks to Flik's gambit, and it was back to the five being ordinary students.
Unfortunately, that last event had been the final straw that wore out the final, honorary member of the team, a very young girl named Pilika. Despite her age, she had been through a lot of hardship, most notably watching her village, Toto, be burned down, whereupon her parents died and she was almost killed by Prince Luca Blight of Highland. The event had understandably traumatized her into becoming mute, and the only people she could connect with anymore were Riou, Nanami, and their childhood friend Jowy, who...wasn't here at the moment.
As dusk set in and the sun dropped below the horizon, the Orange Company returned from the town onto campus, Pilika resting as Nanami carried her on her back. "What do you think they're going to serve for dinner, Riou," Nanami asked excitedly. In the couple days they had spent at the school, the food served had become her favorite thing, wolfing down her plate, and seconds, and thirds at each and every meal.
"I don't think it matters, you'll eat it regardless," Riou offered.
"Yeah, you eat worse than a pig," Chaco teased, flying in front of the pack so all could see his evil grin.
"Well, of course! I'm a fighter, I need to keep my strength up," she shrugged off. "It's all about proper nutri..." Her statement trailed off as they re-entered the campus gates, as there was someone standing in their path: one of the school's established students, Nina. They had run into her multiple times recently, but it was odd to see her standing still. "Nina? You're not bothering Flik anymore?"
It took time for Nina to respond, she was hunched over, hands on her knees, and panting. "I-I am not 'bothering' Sir Flik! Destiny has brought us together, and I will not let fate pass me by! He just...hasn't realized our inevitable future yet. As soon as I find him again, I'll make sure he understands! Every elegant knight needs his princess!"
Nanami's face soured, and she closed the distance with a march, leaning inches from Nina's face. "Listen, don't think Flik's going to be into you just because you're enthusiastic about him. He's clearly into strong women who know more about fighting than they would reading or cooking," she declared, a heavy air of "holier-than-thou, I know I'm right". "But actually knowing how to cook doesn't hurt," she snickered.
The fires of conflict were being stoked, quite frankly worrying all those watching, and yet somehow, Nina laughed it off, with an exact mirrored haughtiness. "I appreciate you looking out for me, Nanami, you're being such a great friend. But you don't have to worry, I'm a well-rounded woman," she boasted, bringing up a forearm to prop out her upper chest. "Well, I suppose you do have something to worry about. Did you hear those sounds in the dorm last night?"
In an instant, Nanami's skin turned pale. "Y-y-yes...but that couldn't have been that ghost you talked about, right? G-ghosts aren't r-real...right? I-I mean, o-of course they aren't!" She laughed nervously, continuously looking back at Riou, allowing him to see the sweat beads drip from her forehead. It wasn't a surprise, she had reacted this same way every time the topic of the ghost in the dorms had been brought up since they arrived.
"No, you're right, I made that old story up," Nina admitted. "But there was something last night. Who knows? Could be a real ghost. Well, I should get going, I've got my own things to do. Have a good night, Nanami." Nina waved farewell, running off into the distance. "Sir Flik! Where have you run off to?!"
Once Nina had dashed away, Eilie made her thoughts crystal clear, ones it sounded like she had been holding in for quite some time. "That girl's crazy, getting so obsessive over a guy. A real woman knows how to control herself."
"Gengen thinks neither of you are ones to talk," the Kobold accused.
She should have been offended, Eilie certainly was, but Nanami was still too shaken up to properly respond. "R-Riou...s-she was just kidding, right? T-there's no ghost, right?"
It wouldn't be out of character for Riou to comfort his older stepsister, but as the younger brother, a different response was also appropriate. He held his hands in front of his face and wiggled his fingers. "At the stroke of midnight..."
"Aaaaahhhhhh!" Nanami covered her ears, closed her eyes, and shook her head violently enough to sway her hair side to side. "Nononononono! There's no such thing as ghosts!" Trembling so fiercely, Pilika had to tighten her grip around Nanami's neck to prevent falling off, reminding her carrier that she was present at all. "Oh! There's nothing to be scared of, Pilika! I'll even sleep with you tonight!"
Pilika looked at Nanami, perplexed. She couldn't verbally express her confusion at what the older girl was trying to claim, but everyone else caught on to the face-saving scheme. All except Chaco, lost in thoughts of his own. "She called you 'Nanami'. Didn't we give everyone fake names?" The team looked between each other, acknowledging the Winger had a point, but none could come up with an answer. Did they say their real names at some point and forget, or did Nina know more than she let on? Try as they might, none could come up with a plausible answer, so they shrugged, gave up, and proceeded to the dorms, before it got dark.
---------------
"Hnnnnngghhhh," Nanami grunted, clawing at her blankets. It was the dead of night, everyone else was long since asleep, yet she remained awake. Fear had prevented her from entering slumber, she couldn't relax while worrying about a roaming ghost, but it wasn't the only thing keeping her from getting comfortable. It wasn't just endless plates of food at dinner, but also chugging down a half-dozen drinks to wash them down. Her stomach may have seemed bottomless, but in the hours that had passed, her bladder had proven it did not share that distinction, as all those glasses of liquid filled it up to near-limit.
In any other situation, this shouldn't have even been a concern. She was up, she was desperate, perfect time to run to the bathroom and relieve herself. Even if they were camping out in the wilderness, it was easy enough to wander off and water the plants. The key difference was, at any other time, there wasn't the threat of a ghost. If she were to leave the security of her bed, she had no idea what horrifying thing she would find out in the halls. She wasn't brave enough to take that risk, because she knew: if she saw something scary on the way out, she suddenly wouldn't have to go anymore.
And she had very few options to pee. Attempting to make it to the proper location was a risky proposition, and there were no alternatives in her room. No containers, no window, and she couldn't very well wet her bed with another girl sleeping in it. "Unless I...no!" A brief thought flashed through her mind of soaking the sheets and blaming Pilika if questioned, but that seemed unnecessarily cruel.
That left only one possibility, to find someone willing to accompany her. Of course, the first thought was Pilika, she was right there after all, but asking a little kid to be her comfort was demeaning, and wouldn't ease her fear at all. She'd have to brave the darkness a little to run into one of the other bedrooms, but whose? Of course Chaco and Gengen were out of the question, so would it be Eilie or Riou, a fellow girl or her brother?
"Riou...Riou will help me, definitely." Despite the lack of blood relation, the two were close as could be, he was sure to help out however he could. And his room was right next door, so she wouldn't have to survive the black halls for long. Finally, she had a plan, and not a moment too soon. "I gotta get over there, now!" She quickly swung her legs out from under the quilt, bending her knees so her feet could touch the floor, ready to run, when one final concern occurred to her. "I can't just leave Pilika alone..." Crossing her legs and squishing her thighs together, she gently prodded the little girl. "Pilika...Pilika..." Pilika remained firmly in slumber, and it didn't seem like more pushing would change that.
Though, that peaceful rest was not to last. At that moment, a piercing, echoing creak overtook Nanami's ears, sending a shiver up her spine. And in that instant, her eyes shot open, all sleepiness fizzled away in a sea of adrenaline, even the impossible-to-rouse Pilika shot up immediately, instinctively clutching for Nanami. "I-it's okay, Pilika," she comforted, "although that shock almost got me." A heart-stopping surprise like that, it was a miracle she didn't have an accident then and there.
Without any time to think before panic took hold, Nanami could only think of one explanation for the ruckus. "I-i-i-it's the ghost!" She squeezed Pilika's wrist hard enough to cut off circulation, and took off running with enough speed to pull the little girl's arm off, yanking her from the bed. Nanami dragged her all the way to Riou's door, knocking with the force to knock it off its hinges. "Riou! Riou, get up! Get up now!"
The pounding continued for another half-minute, until Riou finally answered, wiping his eyes. "What is it, Nanami?"
"That creak! It's the ghost! I know it!"
"It's probably just someone stepping on a creaky stair. You're being paranoid."
"No, I'm serious! It's the ghost, it has to be!" She grabbed her brother's collar and began shaking him, waking him up fully with his own shouts.
Gengen slumped around the corner, yawning. "Gengen can't sleep with all this screaming. What's going on?"
Following behind, Chaco peeked from behind Gengen's back. "Are you still freaking out about that ghost story?"
And finally, Eilie rose from above both their heads. "For what it's worth, I heard the creaking too."
"See?! It's real! The ghost is real!" Nanami shook Riou harder, who was beginning to go limp.
Finally, Riou knocked his sister away. "Alright, we can go take a look." He left his room to join his team, pushing them aside to lead them, very slowly, out into the corridors. He leaned in around the nearest corner, everyone else following his lead shortly afterwards, to take a peek. Nanami was the last to look, even Pilika got in before her.
Aside from Nanami, none of them were expecting to see anything, and prepared to chew the girl out for wasting all their time with her nonsensical phobia. In fact, they were geared up for it, when a shadow flashed by, disappearing out of view down the stairs. That was absolutely the sight no one was expecting to see, even Nanami found herself hoping she was wrong. As such, when no one else could muster up a response to the sight, she expressed herself, clearly and loudly. "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Letting go of Pilika's wrist, she tightly hugged Riou from behind, desperate for comfort.
As that startle and jump reminded her, that wasn't the only thing she was desperate for. Her full bladder jolted, but without much room to slosh around, the urine needed to move somewhere else. That relocation turned out to be into her underwear, a little patch of warm dampness spreading across her crotch, out of sight beneath her pants, but absolutely noticeable to Nanami. "Eep!" Her arms released Riou, as their focus rediverted to pressing against her pants, begging to keep that little drop the only bit that escaped.
The resolve was enough to hold off the flood for now, but leaving an intense pain near her stomach as punishment. Now would be the perfect time to hit the bathroom, if not for one major problem that had just presented itself: Nanami was right. There was something prowling the dorms. Now wasn't the time to take a break, with all the sabotage and cutthroat tactics going on in this war, it was imperative they catch the specter or whatever it really was, and Riou was leading the charge. "Hurry! Don't let it escape!"
As the team ran after the shadow, Nanami was left behind with Pilika, eyeing the opposite direction, the one housing the toilets. "Wait! I need to...Agh!" It was clear her teammates weren't going to listen to her, and it wouldn't be appropriate to hang behind while they did something important, just to pee. The only action she could take now was buckle down, be tough, and hold it in. Groaning loudly, since her friends clearly weren't listening to her, she grabbed Pilika's hand and ran after the four.
---------------
Well, the good news was, there was no ghost. The dark spirit they witnessed was, in fact, just Flik. He was tailing Shin, Teresa's aide, through secret passages and into the forest behind the campus. It was nice to know there was no ghost, but this meant a lead to their actual mission, and they couldn't very well ignore that and go back to sleep, which meant the whole team was trekking further into the forest.
It also meant that Nanami still had not relieved herself, and it wasn't looking like she would get the chance any time soon. There hadn't been another leak, she could thank her strength training from Grandpa Genkaku for that, but she was still on the verge of an accident with little time left. And having this predicament in the woods was the ultimate torture, every tree tempting her with memories of what she could do to them if she wasn't in the middle of a mission, and accompanied by others. No way would she let Flik see her acting so pitiful.
Well, she didn't want to demean herself, but it wasn't really looking like she was going to have a choice. She had to go bad, and their tailing task was slow-going. And with every passing second, Nanami's bladder was becoming more of a pained nuisance, threatening louder and louder to spill its contents straight into her pants, and she was beginning to feel powerless to resist. Maybe it really would be worth it to be honest, and just ask to stop.
Well, they were stopping, but it wouldn't be for anything to ease the struggle, at least not for her. Looking out over the limited distance, and lost in her own worries, Nanami wasn't paying attention to her immediate surroundings, and was caught off-guard by Pilika tugging on the scarf around her waist. "W-what is it, Pilika?" She looked down at her little companion, and with her eyes adjusting to the darkness, she could see exactly what was bothering Pilika. She was lightly clutching the front hem of her pink dress, rubbing her thighs together and looking really nervous. She couldn't say what the problem was, but she had performed this exact mime before, it could be perfectly translated into words: "Big sis Nanami, I gotta go potty."
This wasn't the first time she had needed to make that request, a small girl needed more frequent breaks of all kinds on the long road from one town to another, and Nanami always took the responsibility of taking her off the path to answer nature's call away from prying eyes. Not only was it wrong to make Pilika hold it longer than necessary, but it also provided a good opportunity to handle her own needs without ever having to admit as much. It had become a response to associate that potty dance with her own impending emptiness, something she absolutely didn't want to picture when she really needed that exact feeling, with no idea when she'd get it. Just the sight was enough to make Nanami whine, repeatedly pressing her legs into each other.
However, as she soon realized, this could be a perfect opportunity. No one would have the heart to refuse Pilika with such a critical request, not unless the present situation was too dangerous to allow any stragglers. Right now, they could probably get away with an escape. "Hey guys, Pilika needs a quick minute. You go on without us, we'll catch up."
"You sure? We can wait for you," Riou offered.
"I agree," seconded Flik. "It would be dangerous to leave you two alone in unfamiliar territory, especially in the dark."
Two against two, and it didn't look like anyone else would be stepping in, leaving the two sides at a stalemate. That is, until Eilie put her foot down and started pushing the two men further on their path. "Don't you two know anything? When a girl says she needs alone time, she means it! Let's go!" She helped the boys along their way, Flik in particular being rendered speechless, as Gengen and Chaco followed, having played no part.
Finally, the ladies had their privacy. Nanami sighed in relief at the thought of the relief she'd soon be getting, practically drooling at the image. It took Pilika tugging on her scarf again, pointing to the denser forest off the beaten path, to bring her back to the real world. "R-right, we should hurry." She led Pilika into the deeper shadows of the many tree trunks, waiting just long enough to ensure they were out of sight before reaching for the waistband on her pants. "Phew, I've been waiting too long for this."
But just as she was about to undress, she was interrupted by yet another tug from Pilika. A part of her wanted to just ignore whatever the request was in order to pee, but the big sister instinct overpowered the urge. "What is it now," she asked, a tone of frustration clearly evident. She looked over Pilika, desperate to find what was bothering her now. But she was just doing the same potty dance, turning this into a frantic guessing game. "You're starting to have an accident? You need help undressing? Something else hurts?" Every one was met with a dismissive head shake as Pilika's prance grew faster, until Nanami finally hit the jackpot. "You want me to stand watch?" The little girl nodded in agreement.
On the surface, it sounded like a reasonable request. It was the dead of night in the middle of some woods, probably with monsters and vicious animals. Having someone guarding her while she was incapacitated was the sensible thing to ask, and under ordinary circumstances, Nanami would be happy to oblige. If only it wasn't imperative that Nanami start peeing soon. "I-I promise nothing is going to attack you, Pilika! Just let me go..."
Before she could properly plead her case, Pilika's eyes suddenly pressed tightly shut, and she squeezed her dress even harder. Nanami couldn't see the finer details, but there was little to get in the way of hearing what happened next. A light pattering sound, with the tiniest hint of liquid hitting fabric, but primarily pee falling into the dirt between her feet. Pilika was already having her accident, and Nanami was about to do the same. She quickly twisted her legs, grabbing her crotch with no hint of shame, halfway doubling over with a pained grimace. She wanted to rip her pants down and go right there, but she had yet to receive approval to not stand guard, and she wasn't going to get it now. "Please, just don't take too long, Pilika!"
The instant she got the okay, Pilika lifted her pink dress above her waist, shoving her white panties to her ankles, where only she could see how much they were actually yellow now. She squatted down, wrapping her arms around her knees, making good use of what Nanami had taught her back when she didn't know how to pee outside. Without any obstructions, the golden stream sprinkled cleanly into the soil.
That soft little tinkle was enough to drive Nanami crazy, as her bladder made one more shove, practically forcing all her pee out. She had to double, and triple, and quadruple her grip to force her muscles into obedience, being pelted with endless agony in the process. She had to turn away to ensure she wouldn't see the relief, if she would have even found the strength to open her eyes, but with her hands way too occupied, there was nothing she could do to drown out the noise. Pilika wasn't letting out a constant pee, she was nervous, spraying in loud and forceful, but brief spurts. She'd rest for a second, and then resume going for another two. Not only did this mean it was taking nearly double the time to finish, but every pause, Nanami found herself praying it was the end, only to have her hopes dashed as more flowed out.
It was unavoidable, that flowing sound to a desperate girl had to have an effect. Nanami had to pee so incredibly bad, she needed to follow Pilika's lead. Warmth quickly filled her underwear, renewing the tepid dampness and sticking the fabric to her skin. And this time, her panties weren't enough to contain the leaks, as the stream seeped through, snaking down her legs and being absorbed by her pants. Even her gloves were taking damage, and she could feel the heat on the fingertips and palm of her right hand clutching her crotch.
She tried her hardest, but there as nothing more Nanami could do. She was already grabbing herself as hard as she could, with her thighs twisted together, and she was putting all her effort towards holding. She was not about to give up and accept a wetting, but it was starting to look futile with the increasing soaking her green pants were displaying. If it wasn't near-pitch black out, she was sure she'd be found out as soon as she returned to the group. That is, if she didn't totally lose it, because that couldn't be hidden.
Perhaps fate had decided she had suffered enough recently, or she had a lot more endurance than she previously believed possible, because the flow of urine heating her lower half was stemmed, a little more dripping down before nothing more sprang forth. It was a close victory, she felt soaked enough to believe she didn't make it, but Pilika was still shooting out a stop-and-start stream, so Nanami couldn't have emptied out yet. Plus, her insides were still being tortured, so she definitely still needed to pee, worse than almost any other time, even with that partial release.
It was a combo of good fortune tonight, because the splashing of urine into a growing puddle halted, and five seconds later, had yet to restart. She heard Pilika's clothes rustle, as she surely pulled her underwear back up and let her dress cover it again. She no longer needed someone taking special care to watch for her, not that Nanami had done a good job of that task, so it was time for the older girl to do what her body demanded. Once again, she gripped her waistband, determined to let nothing interrupt her this time as the pants slid past her butt.
At that moment, a rustling emanated from a nearby shrub. Even that wasn't enough to stop Nanami, her pants halfway down her thighs as she was halfway bent down into a squat. The only thing giving her pause was Pilika jumping at the noise, shaking as she looked between the source of the noise and Nanami. She clearly wanted some protection, but now wasn't the time. "J-just get behind me," Nanami commanded, getting her pants to her knees as she moved her attention to removing her panties.
Too bad her luck had run out. The rustle happened again, and it had friends this time, multiple echoes from behind other hiding places in the same general direction. Whatever was causing the noise, it was something numerous, and experience had only shown her one thing that would act that way: monsters. Monsters were coming for them, obviously Pilika couldn't fight them off, and Nanami would be useless if she were to go through with undressing. She could either take the punishment while peeing, or...
"Pilika, let's run!" She grabbed Pilika's hand and dashed off, away from the noises, towards the direction the party had left in. It was a simple plan, lead the monsters to the people capable of fighting, let them deal with the threat, and run off on her own while they had their battle. It no longer mattered if they could easily guess what she was doing, who cared? Nanami had to pee! It was hard enough holding it as they ran, each step allowing a little more urine to slip out and join its brethren, the added wetness no longer registering.
Just as it was beginning to seem she was going to fail, silhouettes appeared at the end of her vision, totaling a perfect five, exactly what she was expecting. "Riou! Riou! Something's chasing us!"
Hearing his name called out, Riou turned to face his sister, and see her frantic stride and terrified facial expression, with nothing behind her. "Are you okay, Nanami?"
"No, I think she's right. I hear something coming," Flik warned, drawing his sword from the scabbard on his belt, prompting everyone else to grab their weapons. There was a painful silence, as everyone waited for the inevitable ambush, scanning their surroundings for any other clues to where the attack would begin from. Even Nanami was sticking around, she had no idea how many creatures were lurking in those woods, she didn't want to duck behind a tree close to any of them and waste the opportunity she was banking on by coming out here in the first place. Her rapid dancing and stepping were becoming faster and faster as the flood in her bladder was rising over the dam wall, reminding her how much every second counted right now.
Finally, their patience paid off, as enemies jumped from beyond the treeline, coming to a halt before the party, ready to attack. Five Holly Boys, and one Holly Elf. The Holly Boys were no problem, incredibly weak in both attack and health, but the Holly Elf was heartier, fast, and commanded the small tufts of leaves. Defeating the dryad first would be the real priority, or its abilities would cause trouble. And of course, it was hanging in the back row, where only Eilie's attacks could reach it. Now was Nanami's only chance to bow out, drawing as little attention to herself as possible. Still holding Pilika's hand, she took careful, deliberate steps away from the battle formation, quietly sneaking away into the deeper forest.
Too bad Riou had different plans. "Nanami! Let's get the elf together!"
True, the step-siblings had an attack where they'd strike the same enemy with a unified series of swings and kicks. But now was hardly the time for such a strenuous activity, not if she wanted to stay...only mildly wet. "I-I don't think that's a good idea! I need to..." She couldn't even admit the truth before Riou jumped forward, snaking between the Holly Boys to stand immediately before the Holly Elf.
Now he was in a precarious predicament, in the middle of an enemy formation, waiting for Nanami to leap in and team up. They had practiced this move many times, both in training with Grandpa Genkaku and in the field, it was strong, but it absolutely required the two working together in perfect harmony. Riou had just thrown himself into danger, because he wholeheartedly believed Nanami would join him. Trust was his defining characteristic.
Nanami didn't have a choice. "Alright! But only one attack!" She leapt forward to join her brother, landing right next to him, staring the Holly Elf down. The two looked at each other and nodded confirmations to start fighting, with Nanami's of course looking much less optimistic. Still, it was enough, and their wild attack began. It started with swinging their weapons in various directions, all in perfect time and coordination. Having to lean her body forward to get maximum power from her nunchaku was not easy on the poor girl. Then came the unarmed attacks, something many times worse. Each punch sent a recoil shockwave back through her person, rippling her bladder like a stone thrown in a pond, to say nothing of needing to lift one leg in the air for a high kick, fully exposing the wet patch on her pants and growing it further. How she didn't lose it there was anyone's guess.
The attack paid off, the final hits connected, and the Holly Elf faded from existence, allowing the two to jump back to their positions. Notably, Nanami in the back row, allowing her to ruthlessly squeeze between her legs, free from witnesses. The wetness was starting to feel chilly, a good sign if it meant there wasn't much hot pee to warm it up, but she was still extraordinarily damp. Once again, she had to concentrate all her focus on holding, totally isolating her senses from her surroundings. She started wavering with lost balance, she didn't see or hear everyone else jumping forward in succession to attack their foes.
And she certainly didn't see, after the other four had taken their turns, there was still one Holly Boy alive. It hopped twice to approach, leaving everyone on guard but unsure where it would strike. And, because fate was evil, its attack was aimed directly at Nanami, as it revealed when it rocketed towards her torso. Whether it could sense her distraction, or it was just going for the one target not actively defending herself, maybe it was just bad luck. Whatever the reason, it wouldn't end well for Nanami, especially when she only realized something was closing in seconds before impact, too late to dodge, not that her stiff body would be able to react fast enough anyway. Still, she attempted a last-second evasion, ducking off to the side with all the speed she could muster.
It wasn't quick enough, of course not, but something else interfered. Flik, the honorable mercenary, in the front row before her, came to her aid. He swung his blade with expert precision, cutting through the Holly Boy in its tracks, in a wide swing that almost hit Gengen to his side. It would have been a legendary save, if it wasn't all for a tiny foe that would have barely scratched through their thick, battle-ready clothing.
It also would have been better had Nanami known she'd have been safe standing her ground. She had made the grave mistake of making a sudden dive, one that upset the delicate equilibrium, the only thing keeping her from a further accident. And she knew this, even before the exact moment of failure, she didn't even try physically holding this time. It wouldn't do any good. The color faded from her face, she froze, and couldn't say anything, only making small choking sounds, nearly putting her on the same level as Pilika. While most were simply confused by her sudden change in attitude, Riou had the experience to know something was wrong. "Nanami...is something wrong?"
While their eyes had adjusted to the darkness reasonably well by now, sound was still the primary sense to rely on. That meant, with their ears open, everyone clearly heard the crashing slam of fluid falling onto the hard dirt. It was loud to all, but to Nanami, it might as well have been deafening. Not just from proximity, though that certainly didn't help matters, but shame. Not only was it embarrassing to pee herself at her age, not only was it embarrassing to have an accident in front of her brother, a girl that looked up to her as a big sister, a dreamy older man, and three people she barely knew, but it had to be her, heir to Genkaku's trainings. Her and Riou had only recently been told of their grandpa's exploits, that he used to be a hero of the state, so with that in mind, it felt like she was failing something much greater than herself.
But more than anything, it just felt bad. The torrid torrent rushing out, soaking her pants while simultaneously powering through the two layers of clothing, hitting the ground so hard it splashed back onto her ankles. Her loose pant legs now stuck to her skin, squishing with every minute movement, constantly fluctuating between the searing heat of the pee and biting chill of the wind. And it just wasn't stopping. She could still pull her pants down, squat, and spray to save herself from about half her bladder, but there was no point, she was drenched already. And she wasn't about to expose herself in plain view of everyone.
She didn't need to, they were already getting quite the view of her disgrace. Up to now, Nanami had been forceful, loud, took charge, and did things her way with guts. Granted, it was an immature brand of bravado, but it was still far removed from the kind of juvenile behavior that would excuse peeing herself. If Pilika had an accident, that would be cause for concern and comfort. With Nanami, someone who should know better, it only meant she was a loser, not worthy of respect. She'd be forever in the shadow of her younger brother, the Allied Army's commander. Riou would go down in history one day as the boy who defeated Luca Blight, and she'd be his sister, the one who peed herself.
That was her fear, one founded by the first person with the courage to remark on the sight. Would it be Riou to tell her it'd be all right? Would it be Flik or Eilie putting in an honest effort to make her feel better? Maybe even Pilika could chime in with a smile or something? Nope, it was Chaco. "Hahahahahaha! Wow, that's rich! And you were lecturing me on responsibility in Two River! Some 'big girl' you are!"
It was harsh, but Nanami couldn't argue. She had failed, made herself look incompetent, pitiful. She still was, even as she was being mocked, she was still peeing. It had eased up, though it was still quite violent, and unceasing. It wasn't the only water she'd be producing either, as she couldn't help it again and began crying, wails and all.
She didn't even realize how loud she was sobbing until there was no splashing from the puddle beneath her to drown it out. Somehow, her bladder had finally emptied. She had to admit, there was some satisfaction to being finished, her episode was over, and she didn't feel like she might explode with the force of Viktor igniting fire spears. But those tiny comforts were erased, as soon as she opened her eyes, reddened and swollen, and saw everyone staring at her. Why wouldn't they be, she had just humiliated herself, wasn't that a funny sight? She had the right to be upset, and she exercised that right. "D-don't look at me," she shouted, running off into the woods like it wasn't too late for that.
Five minutes earlier, this kind of privacy would have been the best possible outcome, a place she could let loose and leave this whole mess simply a close call. But now, after she had already ashamed her entire being, the dark void only served as a reflection of her inner self: black, cold, and alone. Not that it would embarrass her any further at this point, but without anyone to see, she fell to her eyes and started a second round of tears.
"Nanami?" Was actually having a little time to herself to cry too much to ask? Why did Riou have to come over?
"J-just leave me alone. I'm not worth worrying about." She waved her brother away, refusing to look anywhere near him.
"We're still looking for Teresa, remember? Come on, I can't have someone chickening out on us. The only way we're going to win this war is to be strong, no matter what troubles are thrown at us."
"But I'm pathetic! I can't help you, I'm just a burden who should fade away and be paid no mind."
"...okay, let me tell you something. Back when me and Jowy's brigade was attacked by Luca Blight, when we escaped and were on the run. We could have disappeared into the shadows where we'd never be found, or we could have stayed with Viktor and Flik where we'd be safe. But you know what Jowy was adamant about? That we infiltrate Highland territory, when we were already branded traitors, and get into Kyaro. Not to retrieve some item, or say goodbye to his family. It was to make sure you were with us."
That was a part of the story she hadn't heard before. With great difficulty, she choked back her tears, and faced Riou, bending down and extending a hand to pull her to her feet. "J-Jowy said that?"
"Yep. You know him just as well as I do, would he have gone so far if he didn't believe in you?"
All at once, it was like a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders. There was still a lot of lingering misery, but she felt...relieved, like the feeling of blissful release had only just hit her. Without any assistance, she jumped back to stand, towering above her brother for a second before he righted himself. "W-well, of course! I knew he had faith in me all this time! We're friends! In fact, I was the one protecting you two when we were little!"
Riou chuckled. "Yeah, you were. Guess I'm only paying back the favor now, huh?"
"Oh, come on! You don't owe me anything! Just end this war, and the three of us can live in peace somewhere! Then we'll be even!"
"You're feeling alright now?"
"Sure! Momentary setback, it's all good. Just need to take a bath when we get back to the dorms." She started marching back towards their team, a very noticeable spring in her step, despite the added discomfort so much leg movement caused.
Riou smiled, this was more like the Nanami he knew. It took her a minute this time, the constant stress taking a toll on her, but she still bounced back. He had to sprint to catch up with her lead. Things would be okay.
Well, Nanami still had one concern. "Hey, I know he trusts me, and wouldn't think less of me or anything like that, but...please don't tell Jowy about this when we see him again."
"I...I don't think this will be what we talk about when we meet," Riou replied, suddenly somber.
"Good! Let's just get this over with, so I can wash myself off!" Everyone was safe, Nanami was back in good spirits, and they still had a lead towards finding Teresa and securing an alliance with Greenhill. Everything was on track. Except, if they did find someone at the end of this maze, Nanami was determined to hang back, out of sight. Couldn't have the rest of the team looking bad.

Moravia, the castle stronghold commanded by Kasim Hazil, one of the Scarlet Moon Empire's Five Great Generals. With the Imperial military stationed in the fortress, most would not dare attack the palace, much less a Liberation Army barely fifteen-thousand strong. The fact that a team of six were doing just that was insane, that was the only way to put it. No one would believe this army had a strategist, or if they did, they would certainly object to the notion that this was his idea.
However, the plan was a lot more complicated than that. Yes, they wanted to dethrone Kasim, reduce the power of the Empire and potentially recruit another powerful leader, but that wasn't the only objective. The Liberation Army's strategist, Mathiu, was distracting Kasim, while a team of six would fight their way to the prison to rescue one of the army's most valued assets, Viktor.
And if anyone could penetrate this fortification, it would be these six. Valeria, former lieutenant of the Empire, her skill with the Falcon style sword unmatched. Camille, fiery redhead with a fiery lance thanks to an attached elemental rune piece, it was unwise to owe her a debt. Krin, low class thief with a penchant for poisons. Cleo, longtime guardian of the McDohl household, and her charge, Tir McDohl. Son of another of the Five Generals, Teo McDohl, Tir had already been named leader of the Liberation Army, his natural charisma and propensity for justice earning scores of followers. He was strong, intelligent, moral, and quite cute.
That last observation colored the face of the last member of the entourage as red as her limited clothing. She was Kasumi, a young black-haired ninja hailing from the village of Rokkaku, dedicated to ending the reign of Emperor Barbarossa through the victory of the Liberation Army. To her credit, Kasumi was putting her all into this contract, but it wasn't just because of training. She...wanted to do good by Tir, he was a good man and she wanted to be by his side, be it bodyguard or something more. That was the honor and strength all proper ninjas lived by.
However, that stalwart obedience came with a downside. Kasumi and Tir had been separated recently, as she had her own mission with Krin, with the two only just reuniting before this undertaking. She would not leave his side...even if she really wanted to now. Thing was, in her desire to act out her role as guardian, Kasumi had found herself on the receiving end of hydration making its way down south. Sheepishly, she lightly gripped the sides of the cloth covering her lower front for comfort and support.
It was pretty awkward to admit that she had let herself reach this level. She was trained, she was experienced, it's not like she had no practice in holding her bladder. It wouldn't do much good for a suspicious trail of liquid to trickle down from the rafters onto the espionage subjects, impeccable control was an important qualification for the job. Which made it only more concerning that it was painful enough to be worrying. She was in a bad spot, no other way to say it.
"Kasumi. Kasumi!" Her name being called out brought the ninja back to the moment, as she only now recognized Tir snapping his fingers inches from her face. And her blush, which had since faded and cooled, had its glow reignited at the proximity. Years of reflex and self-defense training took hold as she jumped back and placed a hand on one of her many kunai, poised for attack. It took until now for her to notice the other four looking at her weirdly. "Good, you're back," Tir continued unflinchingly, "we're heading up the tower now."
"Y-yes, Master Tir," she blurted, releasing the hold on her weapon to stand straight. "I'm ready, I won't hold you up!"
Observing the interaction, Krin covered his mouth and snickered. "Look at you, acting all proper around the boy. Can't help but wonder why," he asked, stretched out, leaning in towards Kasumi.
She wasn't taking it, as she smacked him away. "You can shut your mouth." There was only so much politeness to go around, especially with most of it going towards Tir. Not to mention, the lacking mental faculties at the moment to spare on manners. Talking wasn't needed anyway, everyone had their serious faces on with weapons tightly gripped, it was time for action. Whether it would serve as a welcome distraction or an unpleasant exertion, only time would tell.
The six-person party marched up the stairs to the second floor of the stone building, Kasumi taking one last look back. She couldn't imagine actually doing it, but she had thought about asking for a quick break to run outside and "tend to the castle's gardens". Regardless of whether she would have worked up the courage to speak up, the opportunity had passed her by.
As they ascended, each step sending a tiny jolt straight through the desperate ninja, she reflected on how she ended up needing to relieve herself this badly. Granted, there wasn't much to consider, it was a simple tale of lacking time management. She was busy, not alone, there was no chance to duck away to take care of business. Even when she returned to the castle serving as the Liberation Army's headquarters, it was so big, and she was new, the bathroom was too hard to find before she was called out again. There was no time to go off the side of the boat on the way there, either. She needed to hope she'd be given another chance soon, or that this wouldn't take forever and she could endure. After all, they did need to act fast before their presence was reported, she could get lucky and hold out, it was possible.
But it wouldn't be easy, as guards were waiting for them at the top of the stairs. Two elite soldiers, a whip master, and three hell hounds, a full six on six match. Weapons were drawn on both sides as the combatants got into position, Tir, Camille, and Valeria taking the front line. "You may want to consider targeting the whip master in the back first," Valeria offered, experience behind her words.
The problem was, Kasumi wasn't paying attention, she needed to pee too bad and wanted everything to hurry up. All that was running through her head was how to finish this fight as quickly as possible, so they could get out of here before it was too late for her. As the fastest member of the group, she activated her Shrike Rune and dashed forward. Slipping between two of the hell hounds, she circled behind a guard in the back corner before he could process what was happening, thrust her arms beneath his armpits, brought her forearms up to bind him, and jumped straight up.
While rune powers were varied, usually magic based, there were physical runes as well. That was where the Shrike Rune fit in, its power granted Kasumi the ability to perform a devastating suplex, a stone-shattering slam from high in the air. With the soldier in her grasp, the ninja flipped mid-flight, and began rocketing back to the floor, crashing his head with an echoing blast while she remained safely suspended from his torso. Displaying the same speed she used initiating the move, she jumped back into formation, letting his body fall flat.
The instant her feet hit the floor, Kasumi regretted performing that super move. The hard impact, while not nearly as hard on her as it was on the soldier, still had quite the powerful adverse effect. She had been concerned about the waves steps were making, a fierce landing created a tsunami in comparison. She felt it so hard she could picture it, easy enough with a mental image identical to the attack she just performed, just replacing the guard with an ocean of pee and the floor with her bladder's borders. Her knees buckled at the blow, and her eyes widened as she choked back a breath. Most would have their accident right there, yet Kasumi showcased her inner strength and remained totally dry. Somehow, she knew that wouldn't last.
Still, she felt satisfied that she had delivered such a strong opening, breaking through her haze of desperate discomfort, until the single image that could bring her down played out before her; the guard got back up on his feet. She gulped, a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek. "He must have an amazing helmet," she breathlessly observed, in a sort of awe. She stepped back in slight fear, more for her own well-being than anything about their foes.
Though the opponents were also worth her attention. Her reckless charge had thrown everyone else off-balance, giving the whip master the chance to swing his lash, siccing the hell hounds out. One leapt at Camille, who attempted to hold it off with her spear, while another jumped at Tir, who defended much less successfully. And the third, despite Valeria also being within easy reach in the front row, was coming straight for Kasumi. "Agh!" She froze, faced with a threat she was not expecting, without any viable means of fending the canine off.
"Kasumi!" Once more, her name being called brought her into the moment, where she saw the dog immediately before her face, but not approaching. And she saw how that was possible, in the hell hound's mouth was a staff, biting down, unable to attack. She recognized the weapon as Tir's, so the real surprise was Tir himself. He was straining to reach the staff in front of Kasumi, his battle-worn clothes further ripped, bleeding from his own continuing attack, yet his focus was still on protecting someone else. He had a fire and fury in his eyes as he swung his staff, flinging the canine off and sending it flying back to its crowd, at the same time the others relented their assaults.
Cleo skillfully threw her Air Sword at the whip master, taking him down, while Krin threw a needle to defeat the elite soldier Kasumi attacked, which meant he was so close to death already. Tir spun his staff and whacked a hell hound on the head with an electrically charged hit, which Camille followed up with a flaming jab, enough to pacify it. Finally, Valeria used her Falcon Rune to unleash a flurry of stabs on the other elite soldier, eliminating him as well. That just left two hounds without their master.
Kasumi's next turn was up, she hesitated given her previous failure, but it would be pretty difficult to mess up this time. She definitely wasn't trying another usage of the Shrike Rune, so she simply jumped in and slashed one of the dogs, which Tir followed up with another killing bash. Without any direction, the final hell hound didn't attack, and with four warriors solely on his tail, it didn't last long and the fight was done.
Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief that the struggle was over, until Camille marched into her face, a good head taller. "So why did you rush in, without any solid strategy, while Valeria was talking?"
Camille was a tough lady, being on her bad side was enough to make even a trained ninja nervous. Either to avoid the question, or just different priorities, she responded with an unrelated question of her own. "Master Tir! Is Master Tir alright?!"
Camille moved aside, allowing Kasumi to see Tir sitting on the ground, clutching his injured arm. However, Cleo was standing next to him, channeling her Flowing Rune, Kasumi was afraid she'd be following the name's lead soon enough. As the light of the divination faded, rain began falling from no discernible origin, the last thing the ninja wanted to see at the moment. As the drops landed on Tir's body and slid across his gashes, the crimson blood washing away, revealing perfectly mended skin. No worse for wear, Tir stood up as if nothing happened. "Thank you, Cleo."
Kasumi should have been happy that he was safe, and she was, but something was more gripping and demanding at the moment: the lingering puddle, evidence of the water magic that had just been cast. Oh, how much she wanted to double, triple its size. The image of the still fluids was tempting, enough to force another violent punch from her tortured bladder, one she was not properly prepared for. If she wanted to avoid an accident, she had to at least press against her crotch now.
In a stroke of unfiltered, pure luck, she'd be doing that anyway as part of a different motion. With her hands clasped together on the skirt-like strip hanging from her waist, and secretly applying force, she bowed repeatedly to the boy no older than her. "I-I apologize profusely, Master Tir. It's a great shame for a bodyguard to require protection, and I understand if you wish to dismiss my services."
Unable to look as an equal, Kasumi only heard footsteps without an origin, until they stopped and a hand was gingerly placed on her shoulder. "No need to be so hard on yourself. It was a mistake, nothing major, no big deal. I still respect your skill." The praise gave Kasumi the strength to look up, and see Tir's face directly before hers, beaming with a youthful smile.
He was being nice to her, and she appreciated it, but the proximity was more obvious. Once more, her face flushed bright red, it might as well be her default color. Her open mouth was quivering and shivering, unable to form words, pupils darting for a solid ten seconds. Eventually, her brain flatlined into one single thought she could concentrate on. "Agh," she shouted, leaping back to maintain distance from Tir. That reaction confused him, it confused everyone, Krin made a circling motion with his finger to say she was crazy.
They all shrugged it off, however, and regrouped to continue the task. Kasumi took a second longer to compose herself, and realized something important. "I need to stop jumping around so much." Sudden motion like that just kept agitating her, sloshing and shaking her collection of urine, priming pressure and pain on her muscles. No one was looking this time, she took full advantage and outright grabbed between her legs, stroking her thighs against each other and grunting in the struggle.
It paid off, the wave passed, and she could stand up normally again. Cautiously, she resumed walking so as to not stray too far from the pack, while not straining herself. She needed to act inconspicuous, which would be easier if the other five weren't trying to hold a distracting conversation. "How do you think that bear Viktor will react to us infiltrating a castle to save him," Valeria asked.
"I guarantee he'll have some kind of smart quip, a 'what took you so long'," Camille answered, resigned to the fact that she was right.
"Come on," Tir defended, "Viktor's cooler than that. He'll be happy to see us. Schtolteheim Reinbach III does not so easily forget his kin," he shouted, holding a fist in front of him jovially.
Despite Tir being happy about it, Cleo sighed. "You can perfectly remember that complicated name from months ago, yet Gremio and I had to fight to get you to do your studies."
Tir shrugged, and the team continued as if the conversation never happened. Not up to joining the discussions, Kasumi took the silence to whisper reassurance to herself. "If I keep it easy, I can survive this. I can hold it."
---------------
The idea that she could not strain herself was nothing more than wishful thinking. That first group of enemies was far from the only ones they'd be fighting, there were plenty more encounters, various combinations of the same three types, and they added up over time. By now, the party had slain dozens of opponents since arrival, and Kasumi had to pull her weight. She still wouldn't dare using the Shrike Rune, but again, all the battles added up. Her need was growing fast, approaching her hard limit.
Yet, somehow, the hardest challenge was yet to come. "Come on, Kasumi! You can make it!" She didn't believe those words, she heavily doubted she could "make it", but that wasn't the topic at hand. Word had traveled through the castle that they had intruders, and the place was on lockdown. That didn't mean it was impenetrable, they just needed to be a bit more creative. Such as crossing from one roof to another to enter their window, using a tightrope Krin set up. Her five comrades had already crossed the gap, and were waiting for the ninja to take her turn.
Under any other circumstance, a balancing act like this wouldn't even be worth a second thought. She could handle this obstacle easily if she was fully flexible, but that just wasn't the state she was in. In a desperate attempt to not burst, one taking more and more concentration by the minute, Kasumi's joints had gone stiff. It did have a negative impact on her fighting ability, but her teammates weren't paying total attention, she got away with it then. Now, with all eyes on her to do something much more precise, there was no place to hide.
Still, she couldn't chicken out here. So, without the freedom to bend her knees, she extended her left leg and placed it on the rope, flattening her foot against the thin bridge. Applying pressure to ensure it wouldn't snap or slip, she swung her other leg around very awkwardly, placing that foot down firmly, taking her off solid ground. Her arms were extended to her side to maintain balance, an act normally unnecessary for her, so they couldn't be anywhere near her crotch. At least there wasn't any wind, she was shaking enough already.
The whole time she was crossing, she was embroiled in a harsh, internal struggle. Her bladder had since grown violent, demanding its master to be allowed to drain, a request it would continue to be denied. She didn't want to keep holding, she'd be more than grateful for any place to relieve herself, a need so urgent she was beginning to waver on the point of privacy, anything to avoid this agony any longer. It was beginning to have an adverse effect on her physical well-being, the effort chilling her blood like a fever, exacerbating the already-present chill the altitude brought.
It certainly felt like it was taking forever, definitely due to the pressure, but Kasumi had reason to believe it was long no matter what, judging from the weird looks everyone was giving as she crossed. Or that may have been due to her inhuman walk, more like a badly-made puppet whose strings were operated by someone suffering from hypothermia. Valeria turned to Krin, the person who had spent the most time with Kasumi, who could only shrug. There was no real explanation for her performance, and that's the way she wanted it. Better to have them unable to guess that she was on the verge of wetting herself.
Eventually, she reached the other roof, finally able to stand on steady ground once more. She was still shivering, arms still out, but she was safe. "Good, finally," Camille groaned, "we can finally move." She leapt through the window, thankfully without glass, with the rest following.
Of course, Kasumi was again the last to prepare to make the jump. "I'm losing my speed," she had to admit, dropping her arms to her side, shuffling her feet and standing on her toes to better prepare for the next wave of desperation, sure to be soon.
She wasn't expecting the hearty pat on the back from Tir. "Hey, good job making it across the rope. I can tell you were afraid, but you still did it."
She wouldn't dare tell him it wasn't fear making her hesitate. Well, it was, but of a different variety. She didn't even realize Tir was hanging behind, she thought he jumped through the window already. And most importantly, she was in a precarious position when he slapped her, with minimal point of contact between her feet and the balcony. With that push, she was thrown off-balance, windmilling her arms as she fell forward, landing on her stomach with a loud crash. Hearing the impact, the four that already reentered the building looked back. "Ha! Some ninja," Krin laughed.
At least he was the only one mocking, as Tir grabbed Kasumi's arm and pulled upwards. "You alright?"
The fall wasn't as devastating as it very well could have been, thanks to some light "cushioning", but Kasumi was already right on the edge. No matter the tumble, she was done for. She probably would have lost it if nothing happened, she was just pushed too far. She could practically feel her bladder muscles give out, as urine began to rush to its exit, like a dam on a river being broken. She would be wet really soon.
But, for as long as her body would allow, Tir McDohl would not bear witness to Kasumi's accident. He would not see it, he would not hear it, absolutely none of his senses would be provoked. No one else's should be either, but Tir remaining blind was the top priority. With speed closer to her average, and above it, she jumped to her feet, vaulted through the open window, shoved everyone out of her way, and bolted down the hall, around a corner and out of sight, shouting all the while.
Out of sight, out of earshot, the ninja could make it no farther. The boiling liquids burning a hole in her abdomen, or perhaps the dagger twisting the same spot, however she could describe the pain, it had overtaken her. Her legs went numb, causing her to fall on her butt, knees also hitting the ground as they splayed outwards, that tiny crash becoming the hole that sank the ship, as water began pouring through. The only preparation she had the time or energy to make was lifting the front flap of her robe up to keep it out of harm's way.
She didn't want to look down to avoid the shame, so she heard the sound before she saw anything. For the briefest instant, it was the light pattering hitting fabric, until the pee absolutely soaked through the thin white garment, when it was replaced by the stream smashing against the smooth stone beneath her. Seconds later, even that was usurped as there was no more untouched marble in the path, and there was no sound but splashing water, drowning out the distant sounds from elsewhere in the castle.
By all respects, Kasumi should have been horrified by what she had been reduced to, and she was, anyone capable would be when brought to the level of a mere child. It didn't feel enjoyable, the sudden emptiness left an ache akin to a stomach cramp, and it was spreading a warm, gross wetness through her thin leggings. It smelled awful, stale and pungent. Her head fell, letting her see her mess against her will, the translucent, lightly golden jet shooting forward and outward in small waves, small pockets of foam forming on the surface. She had disgraced herself, her clan, and the Liberation Army in her incompetence.
Still, sometimes a girl just needs to pee. "Ooooohhh," she moaned, her voice cracking as she attempted to reach that high note of bliss, placing her hands on her thighs, careful to keep them dry. "Too...too far..." Those were the last words Kasumi was able to form, as everything following came out instead as broken sighs and inelegant moans, when it wasn't just heavy breathing. There was no room for anything in her mind but the feeling of release.
"K-Kasumi?" Well, except for fear. Or, "terror" would be the more apt descriptor. That voice was definitely Tir, no mistake about it. And now he was seeing Kasumi at her lowest moment. She had spent so long struggling and suffering to avoid him knowing, and she couldn't even get that.
Unfortunately, there was nothing much she could do about it, the flood wasn't stopping any time soon, she would be seeing this one through to the end. "M-Master Tir!" She stuttered as she racked her brain for possible excuses, but it didn't matter. Regardless of how she explained it away, the incontestable fact was that she peed herself. Nothing could make that better.
If she had to face it, she would face it like an adult. She gulped, and slowly turned to face her audience, braced for the look of utter disgust. Instead, far from her wildest expectations, there he was, looking off to the side with a hand against his head, blocking all view of her. "I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay, after y-you ran off like that. I...I guess this explains it."
"Y-yes," Kasumi replied, blankly. How was she supposed to take that? The idea that Tir, a boy who had made it big thanks to his strength, courage, and ingenuity, wouldn't be ashamed of her? It just seemed impossible to believe. It had to be an act, he had to be secretly loathing her under that soft facade.
Or, the more she thought about it, maybe it really did make sense. It wasn't just ability that propelled Tir into his position, it was kindness, charisma, and trusting that made him who he was. No one else could amass such a large and varied army. So, was it possible that he wouldn't hold this against her? "Y...you're really not angry with me?"
"Why would I be angry?"
"W-well, because I'm proving, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I'm incompetent! I tell you that I'm protecting your life, and I can't even do this? I need to fight monsters and imperial soldiers, and-"
"And you pick all of them up and suplex them, no matter how big they are! That's amazing! You've proven time and time again that you're strong and dedicated, exactly the kind of woman I can use more of. In the places where it matters, you're great, no other way to say it."
Kasumi could no longer breathe. Tir McDohl, commander of the Liberation Army, just praised her in the face of obvious evidence to the contrary. And maybe having a crush on him made it even sweeter. He really was one of a kind, and she'd protect that for as long as she lived.
First things first, however, she did need to finish peeing, it was wrapping up now. A few spurts followed the full stream, and lots of drops from the large patch of drenched underwear falling into the massive puddle she didn't dare examine. As soon as there was only a minimal amount of remains dripping, she stood up, dropped her lower coverings, and hurried away, feeling the urine splash around her boots. She stepped carefully to avoid spreading the wetness, forcing Tir to face the complete opposite direction. "Please, Master Tir...please never tell anyone about this, I'm begging you." She clasped her hands together to complete the image.
"Wouldn't you rather I get Cleo for you. She can wash you off with her Flowing Rune, and I know she's good about keeping-"
"No!" She covered her mouth at the outburst, until it was evident Tir wouldn't reprimand her for shouting at a superior. "I...I mean it. Tell no one."
"I don't really get it, but alright," he shrugged. "I won't tell a soul." Kasumi nodded, walking in front of him as a good bodyguard should for the two to return to the group. Until Tir remembered something, and called out to her. "Oh, Kasumi! Until we return to our castle, you should avoid using your Shrike Rune."
She pivoted back to face him, perplexed. "What does my Shrike Rune matter?"
"Er, well..." He scratched his cheek as he looked at a spot on the wall, rather than the girl he was talking to. "When you jump up, we can all see your underwear. I imagine you'd rather avoid that now, with what it would reveal."
The blush Kasumi had become known for today hadn't diminished in quite a while, this one more internal temperature induced rather than embarrassment, but that latter category came back in full force, harsher than ever. She reeled back, clutching at her robe to cover as much of her lower body as it could. "I've been flashing my panties to you this whole time?!"

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(Note: Contains underaged wetting desperation. Reader discretion advised)
This story commissioned by Night Rain
 
Mornings in Sinnoh were always so pretty. The way the rising sun made the snow-peaked mountains in the distance sparkle, and the rays of light shining through the trees always made her happy that she actually woke up early enough to witness such beauty. Then again, she might have been a bit biased. How could she not have such appreciation for the morning when her very name was Dawn?
Stepping outside of the Pokemon Center she had spent the night in, Dawn paused to raise her arms over her head, fingers interlocking as she stretched out in the sunlight with a big smile on her face. She couldn’t explain it, but it felt like today was going to be a good day somehow. Maybe she would make a new friend in her journey as a Pokemon trainer, or possibly catch a new Pokemon. Maybe if she was really lucky, she might even get to see a legendary Pokemon today.
Dawn giggled to herself a bit. She was only a couple months into her adventure; meeting a legendary Pokemon out of the blue was still a long ways off. Then again, she had been through quite a bit already, having crossed paths with the sinister Team Galactic and even witnessing the three lake spirit Pokemon, although in dangerous circumstances. Even after all that, it still felt like she had only just gotten started, especially after seeing how much her friends had grown in such a short time.
Oh well, she wasn’t going to keep up with her friends just by standing around wondering about it. Turning to the road that lead outside of the city, Dawn felt that sense of excitement and nervousness that always came up when she was about to set off on a new trail. It always reminded her of when she left home for the first time.
“Okay, let’s see here,” she said as she opened up her bag. “Potions, check! Repels, check! Food and water, check!” She zipped up the bag and grabbed one of the Pokeballs on her belt, this one containing a Riolu she managed to catch a month ago. “Pokémon at full health, check!”
Putting it back, she looked down at her clothes, a black top and pink mini-skirt with  a long scarf and tall, pink boots. “Clean, cute outfit… mostly check.” Dawn patted her head, lacking the beanie she loved to wear up until about a week ago after an incident involving a Grimer that she really didn’t want to think about. “I hope the next city has a good hat store,” she said with a grimace.
Shaking her head, Dawn returned her focus to the task at hand. “Alright, looks like I’m ready to set off again!” she declared with a smile. Walking with a spring in her step, Dawn hummed a tune as she left the town behind her. Adventure awaited, and she was certain she was prepared for anything today could throw at her.
 
 
“I knew I was forgetting something.”
Dawn muttered this to herself, even though nobody was around to hear her. Well, there might have been a Pokémon or two behind some of the trees in the forest she found herself in, but she didn’t want them hearing, either.
The thing she had forgotten about was not an important item or a crucial step in preparing her Pokemon for any dangers ahead. Rather, it was a simple part of her morning rituals she had neglected in her excitement to head off to a new city. Specifically, it was something involving the bathroom and her bladder filled with a night’s worth of liquids. The more time had passed, the more she had come to regret her forgetfulness.
Dawn paused to take a moment to rest, leaning against a tree with her legs lightly rubbing together. How long had she been walking today? Not even a couple hours, but still plenty of time for her drink from breakfast to go through her body. The water she had been sipping along the way didn’t help, either.
The thought occurred to her that maybe now was a good time to take a quick break. She was alone in the woods with plentiful cover and plenty of tissues in her bag. Circumstances could not be any more ideal for her. She could almost hear the relieving sound of water piddling against the earth right now…
Wait, she really was hearing that. Turning her head, she soon found its source. A wild Buneary stood before a tree, a big grin on his face as a yellow stream flew from between his legs, making a puddle that ran down the trunk and onto its roots. Dawn gasped both in surprise and disgust, making the Buneary’s ear twitch and eyes snap open in panic. It turned and darted into the bushes, leaving a trail of urine along the ground as his bladder kept draining even while he fled.
“Guess I won’t be catching that one,” sighed Dawn. It was disappointing to let a Pokemon get away so easily, but worse than that, the sight of something handling its business only made her body yearn for relief that much more.
It reminded her of a memory from long ago, when she was just a little girl. She really didn’t want to remember it, but the details were just as vivid as the day it happened: standing at the bathroom line in the park plaza, dancing in place with one hand between her legs and the other in her mom’s hand, trying and failing to not pay attention to the large fountain of cascading water nearby. She did her best, but she still ended up making her own golden waterfall right there, running down her legs and ruining her favorite underwear and sundress while tears streaked down her blushing face.
Dawn wished that was the only time such misfortune befell her. Unfortunately, potty troubles were a somewhat regular problem for her growing up, as her ability to hold was never up to par with the other kids her age. Every time it happened, she would swear to herself that she would learn to hold it better when she grew up.
Now was the time to prove that to herself. If she could just could hold it until she reached the next town, it would show how much she has grown in her travels. Standing back up, she set off on the path again with a look of determination.
“I can do this,” she said to herself, “I’m a grown trainer just like my friends. I won’t let something like this stop me, no sir!”
 
 
“Oooh, I hope I get there soon!”
The sun had reached the middle of the sky, yet there were still no signs that Dawn was nearing the next city. The forest continued to stretch on as far as she could see, certainly not a good sight for her morale.
It also did not help that her walking had slowed since that morning. The confident stride she once had was now replaced by a stiff shuffle, with her legs pressed together and a hand placed between them. Her bright smile had dropped to a grim frown while her eyes would regularly glance to the bushes and trees on the sides, their presence tempting her further with every passing minute.
Worst of all, the path had taken her near a local river, with all the sights and noises that entailed. Just like when she was a kid, Dawn tried her hardest to not look, listen to, or even think about all the rushing water nearby, with limited success.
Yet, even with all the protesting her mind and bladder could muster, Dawn simply would not give into their demands. Shaking her head and trying to stand up tall again, Dawn raised a fist and furrowed her brow.
“I w-won’t give up,” she declared to the woods around her. “I’ll give everything I have, and I’ll make it, j-just like a real train-eep!”
Her bladder’s rebuttal was simple yet effective: with Dawn’s lapse in concentration, it was not hard for a little bit to leak out of her, immediately creating an unpleasant warmth in her underwear. Dawn corrected her mistake at once, shoving her hands right back between her legs, doubling over and putting all her strength into keeping her panties from being dyed any further.
Several agonizing seconds passed, but the pressure subsided eventually. Dawn stood upright, letting out a groan while keeping her hands at her groin. Her undies were safe for now, but she got the hint from the leak.
“I’m… not gonna make it to the next city like this,” she admitted while glancing to some nearby bushes. “I guess I just have to find a good spot and…”
“Raptor!”
Dawn yelped at the bird-like shriek from behind her. She started to turn around, but a large shape already blew past her, creating a powerful gust of wind from behind that would have blown her beanie off had she been wearing it. It did, however, lift the back of her skirt straight up, revealing her choice of underwear that day: a light-blue pair of panties with a dark patch at the bottom from the prior leak.
“W-what the…!?” Dawn scrambled to fix her skirt while looking for the figure. She soon saw it sitting on a tree branch ahead of her: a Staraptor, a fully-evolved and very aggressive bird Pokemon. From the way it cried at her and flared its wings, she didn’t need her Pokedex to know that it was looking for a fight.
With no time to think, Dawn reached to her belt and tossed a Pokeball out of instinct. A bright flash of light appeared, and out popped her Riolu with a cry of its name.
“Riolu! Get ready to fight!” yelled Dawn. She pointed at the Staraptor with one hand while the other remained between her legs.
“Riolu!” replied her ally.
Okay, Dawn, it’s another Pokemon battle, she thought, Just stay calm and remember your tactics. This shouldn’t be a problem!
“Raptor!” Before either Dawn or Riolu could react, the Staraptor took off from the branch. It launched forward at a blinding speed, striking Riolu and flying back in almost no time at all.
Dawn winced from seeing her Pokémon take a blow so early. Even she didn’t expect their foe to be so quick on the draw. She had to think of something to counter him with, and soon.
But try as she might, Dawn quickly realized something: concentrating becomes very difficult when you really need to pee.
“Um, er, try a focus blast!” she called out. Her Riolu responded at once, channeling its mental focus into a ball of energy, then launching it right at his target. But just as it was about to strike, the Staraptor darted to the side, and the energy blasted against the tree behind him instead.
“Shoot! Use brick break!” Next, the Riolu waited for his foe to dart forward before raising his hand and delivering a powerful downward chop. Unfortunately, he met with the same result, the Staraptor dodging at the last second, but this time with Riolu left unbalanced and open to attack.
“L-Look out!” But it was already too late. The Staraptor flew back and made a u-turn, then flew straight forward with its wings outstretched. He clipped right into Riolu, dragging him with it and sending him tumbling a good distance away.
“Riiii!” he cried out in pain.
“Riolu!” Only now did Dawn remember the advantage flying Pokemon had over fighting Pokemon. She grabbed the Pokeball and aimed it at Riolu to recall him, but then quickly found another reason to gasp.
With Riolu knocked out of the way, the Staraptor had banked around and was now charging towards a new target: her.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the fearsome bird flew straight at her. She could only stare with her body frozen in fright. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted something spurting into her underwear again just before she could see the whites of its eyes.
“Riii!”
But the Staraptor’s attack never came. Instead, it met the hard strike of Riolu’s charged palm against its face, sending it careening into a nearby tree. From there, it slumped to the ground with dazed eyes, clearly fainted from the impact.
“R-Riolu?” Dawn blinked.
“Rio, Rio!” he replied, looking at her with a smile and raised fist.
Dawn could only smile. He may have been young, but he was one of the toughest Pokemon she knew. “Th-thank you-oh!”
With the immediate danger over, Dawn’s other problem came roaring back. She felt not just a spurt, but a dribble leak through her panties, and the faint sound of it hitting the ground reached her ears.
“Ah!” She snapped her legs together and buried a hand as far as it could go between them.
“R-Riolu?” asked her Pokémon.
Shoot, I can’t let him see this! “Uh, b-back to your Pokeball, Riolu!” she replied, aiming his Pokeball at him. A red beam emerged, enveloping Riolu and returning him inside.
With no one to witness her, Dawn shoved her other hand into her groin, but it did little good. The dribble had not stopped, and she could now feel it getting on her hands, down her legs, and onto the front of her skirt.
“N-no, no, please,” she whimpered. She tried to move towards a bush or tree, but her legs were firmly locked in place. All she could manage was a slight shuffle backwards.
She didn’t get very far with that. With her eyes shut in desperate focus, Dawn didn’t notice the dip in the trail right behind her. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling backwards until she totally lost balance and fell onto her bottom with a yelp, her legs spread wide and revealing her damp undies to the world again.
For a moment, Dawn could only sit there and focus on her sore butt, until she realized how wet it felt as well. Her cheeks burned red as the undeniable truth hit her. Against her deepest wishes, Dawn had made the last jump from leaking to fully peeing herself.
It was no small accident, either. So much pee sprayed out of her that she could hear a hissing noise among the piddling sounds down there. Her panties, already sporting a big dark spot, became thoroughly soaked. It was enough to add a slight stain to the light-blue garment, and to make the pee run along the outside. Her urine only spread out from there, saturating the back of her skirt and forming a puddle that grew and grew.
Dawn couldn’t lie, it felt good to finally let out all that pee. Really good, in fact. But it could never make up for the fact that she was wetting herself, just like the hopeless little girl that she used to be. No, she still was that girl, no better than before she left her home to become a trainer.
“N-not again,” she choked out between sobs. Her vision grew blurred from tears, so she closed her eyes and let the hopelessness and failure sink in like the urine staining her clothes. The trainer’s path was no place for someone like her, and she knew it now more than ever.
But before any other such thoughts came up, a strange sound the she had never heard before got her attention. Dawn slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head to find a weird light in front of her, and in the middle of that light…
“M-Mesprit?” Dawn thought she had to be seeing things. A lake spirit Pokémon floating right in front of her, and now of all times? Had she lost her marbles now?
Yet, as she they made eye contact, something strange happened. The sadness and failure that weighed her down so much seemed to fade away. Was Mesprit doing this to her?
Whether it was by magic or not, Dawn could think about her accident in a less condemning light now. Now that she thought about it, it was pretty silly of her to try and hold it when she could have gone at any time. After all her adventures already, she didn’t need to prove anything to herself. This mishap was not proof of her failure, but just another lesson to be learned on her journey as a trainer.
In any case, Dawn no longer wanted to sit in her puddle and feel sorry for herself. She stood back up and fixed her skirt, wincing at her hands touching the cool, wet fabric.
“Th-thank you so much,” she said as she looked back to the Mesprit. “Huh?”
But it was no longer there. Not only had it disappeared, but the light and strange noises were gone as well. Dawn looked all around her, but no trace that Mesprit had visited her could be found.
Dawn sighed in disappointment, but then thought better of it. Maybe it was for the best that it left so soon. They would meet again when she had earned the chance, she just knew it. “I’ll become a better trainer. I swear it!”
But first, she had other things to take care of. Her Riolu needed some care after such a rough fight, and he was probably worried about her to boot. More importantly, she really wanted to get cleaned up now, preferably before anyone saw her wet skirt and undies. The nearby river seemed like a good place to get all that done, and maybe take a break while she was at it.
“I hope the water’s not too cold!” Dawn declared as she set off, leaving the puddle to dry under the sun. The morning may have passed, but this Dawn would stay on her path for as long as it took.