Ch 2.57:  Diversion


    <span style="font-weight:400">ina really needed to work on her dress, needed to study the textbook Carly had left her afterwards, needed to go over the rules for poker, needed to eat, needed to sleep. All were very important things, and all were in the very, <i><span style="font-weight:400">very</i><span style="font-weight:400"> back of her mind as she stared at a naked Flora holding the dress she’s just made.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I really need to work on my own dress, Flora.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ohe on,” Flora said as she walked over, pouting in front of ina. “You made mine in a day!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I can’t wear something like that out in public!’


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh course you can! I’m going to after all.” Flora punctuated the point by holding the dress against the front of her body, showing that it did very technically cover the most important parts. “See, perfectly decent!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">ina waved Flora off, returning to drawer that held fabrics to pick out something for her own outfit, and to try and take her mind off of how Flora and that dress looked. “You are wild for wanting to wear that in the first ce, but even if I was too I couldn’t wear that. I have a bit more in the chest than you, you know.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“So a boob or two spills out every now and then, what’s the big deal?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Flora!” As alluring as the idea actually was, ina should’ve known she was being baited before she turned, but it was Flora’s cheeky grin as she was bent over and holding her hands behind her back that let her know the girl was actually kidding. And even more than she was cheeky, she was just so damned inviting, with bright eyes and an eager smile that anyone would have a hard time saying no to. <i><span style="font-weight:400">I can probably start my dress tomorrow.</i><span style="font-weight:400"> “Fine, we can go to my room for a bit.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">To say Flora looked ted would be an understatement with the way she hopped into the air, pping the dress in between her hands. “Thanks the gods! Carly wouldn’t hang out with me earlier cause she was so busy, and I was really afraid you were about to say no too.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Flora started off towards the school, and ina almost thought she was going to forget to get dressed at first, right up until the school uniform started materializing around her again. “Youing?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uh-huh,” ina said as she started grabbing her things, her faculties somewhat returning now that Flora had clothes on once more. But even with a firmer grip on her mind, she didn’t want to stay, didn’t want to change her mind, didn’t want to give up the chance. After all, Flora was the person in her party she knew the least, had spent the least amount of one on one time with. It would be good to get to know her more, productive even. Never mind that the same could happen if they just chatted while ina worked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Once she had her stuff packed away, Carly’s book included, she started off after Flora, running to catch up as her senior stood in the door way.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You look pretty eager yourself,” Flora said.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I didn’t want you holding the door open forever,” ina said,ughing as they entered the engineering ssroom.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You know, this lecture hall is pretty empty.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Not a chance.” <i><span style="font-weight:400">Not in the middle of the day anyway,</i><span style="font-weight:400"> ina added to herself. <i><span style="font-weight:400">Gods, what am I even thinking?</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Flora. Flora was what she was thinking. Even besides the obvious allure of her walking, those damns hips swaying, she just had an aura you wanted to follow, the air of a true leader. Part of it was definitely that Flora had a good read on people, knowing what to ask for and when, but regardless she was just so easy to say “yes” to.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Part of ina felt that maybe she’d be a better leader for the System. ina was sort of the de facto leader, but she didn’t have the experience that Tira had, or the charisma that Flora did, not even the knowledge that Carly did. She was maybe stronger on a technical level since she was level three, but that was by mere chance, not her own merit.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Flora, I think you should go with Carly into the tournament. As the ones we’re trying to actually get to round two, I mean.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Flora didn’t break stride as she exited the ssroom, stepping through to the hallway and into the light crowd of students. ina thought that the girl hadn’t heard for moment, but eventually the reply came. “No, I don’t think so.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">ina waited for a follow-up, for some rational behind the answer, but it didn’te. “I don’t even know how to y though.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It’s not that hard. I only barely know the rules myself. And besides, Carly has a n. We should trust her.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">That was that, somehow. It still didn’t quite feel right to be going in as the second for Carly, but felt even more wrong to argue with Flora. <i><span style="font-weight:400">She really does have something I don’t.</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">ina’s mind danced with turmoil as she walked through the halls, unable toprehend why Flora was so easy to follow, and why she believed in ina at all. Her thoughts finally returned to reality, to the present, as they walked through to her dorm’smon area.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Visitors were allowed this time of day, and one might not normally have gone noticed, but Flora’s height and volume of hair made her stand out even putting aside her general eye-catching nature, and eyes did she catch. ina couldn’t help but feel the entire room’s gaze on them, and she couldn’t help but blush at the fact that she was pretty sure they all knew what was happening as well. Flora’s walk was just too determined, to purposeful as she led ina towards the stairs for it to be anything else.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Somehow though ina managed to push through that minor embarrassment, even managed to enjoy the slight boost of pleasure from in through [Humiliation Factor]. Still, she was grateful the awkwardness was over, right up until Flora opened the door to ina’s room and they walked in, catching the attention of a book-holding Carly sitting on her bed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What’re you two doing here?” Carly asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Each other,” Flora replied.