Parley!

Panic time. This is a good party. Their roles are balanced, they have experience, and it looks like they're used to working as a team. Just you and Fay against them... You don't stand a chance. Only one course of action now.

"P-parley!" you shout as loud as you can.

They all stop moving, as though they can't believe their ears. "What?" the cleric finally asks.

"Parley! I don't want to fight!"

"Of course you don't!" the knight snorts. "You know you'll die!"

You can't really deny that. "But I could do more for you if you don't kill me!"

"Like what?" she demands.

"I have some things I can trade! You'll be able to take them back and sell them for money."

That's enough to give them pause. The knight looks like she's gonna shoot the idea down, but the rogue in back speaks first. "What kind of stuff?"

"Clothes, a few drops, some Greater Health Potions that are way too big for me-"

"Greater-!" the knight exclaims in disbelief. She holds a quick, whispered council with the ranger.

"Um!" the sorceress interrupts. "Won't you just drop all that if we kill you?"

You have no idea. "Probably not; the pack I'm using as my inventory is from someone else, so if I die I think it will all vanish when I respawn and reset."

"Then, um, what do you want? You said you wanted to trade, right?"

Now there was a fine girl! "Smaller potions would be nice. Maybe some silk gloves... And that skirt you're wearing!" It was a short, blue miniskirt with a heart design sewn on each side in gold thread. "I'll trade you a Greater Health Potion just for that!"

Her face lights up crimson. The knight turns an angry glare at you. "Hey, bitch! Don't pick on Youko! Why don't you come down here and say that to my face!?"

"Um... If I get any closer than this, you'll be affected by my Aura. I really am just trying to trade."

"It's okay, China. If...that's what it takes to get the potion..." the sorceress timidly put forward.

"What are you saying, Youko!? You just lost your good armor, so that's the only skirt you have with you!"

"But you'll need the potion when we face the boss! And... And this skirt doesn't really give any bonuses anyway! So...So!" Her legs are rubbing together nervously even as she argues to be allowed to trade you her skirt.

"What about the other things?" the rogue asks, not paying the arguing pair any attention.

"Well, it's two of the potions. Then three slutty dresses, two sets of men's armor and a bow (hey, this ranger gear might be pretty good, too!), and I'll toss in the monster drops as a bonus since I haven't a clue what to do with them."

"In exchange for..."

"That skirt, silk gloves and stockings, and three minor health potions. The shirt, too, if I can, since they look like they go well together." Same color scheme, same heart pattern on the short sleeves.

"That's going too far!" China roars.

"I think that's for Youko to decide," the rogue replies coolly.

All eyes turn to her. She cringes beneath the glares, all the attention almost overwhelming for her. "You don't have to do this," China says. "We can just kill her and see if they drop."

"Bad odds," the rogue chimes in.

The cleric finally speaks up again, turning to face you. "Sorry, miss..."

It takes you a moment; you aren't used to having a name, let alone someone asking for it. "Shelia."

"Miss Shelia. We're on a fairly urgent quest right now, so we wouldn't be able to procure any other clothing until we complete that. Accepting your offer would mean Youko would be wearing only her undergarments for several days, maybe a full week. You can see how this would be troublesome for us."

Indeed you can. You're almost considering letting them off easy--but then your succubus sense catches something delectable. Your eyes turn to the sorceress. She's squirming. It's not just the attention now; when her companion mentioned being half-naked for a week, she reacted. Strongly.

"That's a shame; I really am just in love with that outfit. I'll even throw in another 100GP for the set."

A small noise from the sorceress draws attention. Again all eyes are on her. "What?" China asks her friend.

"I said I'll do it," Youko repeats, a little louder this time. You want to grin and laugh maniacally, but you reign it in to avoid angering China.

Slowly, her face burning with shame, Youko strips off her top and her skirt. Beneath is a set of white undergarments. They aren't quite as sexy as you'd hoped, but the innocent appearance of them is in a way even more appealing on this girl. With the main clothes off, she peels off her gloves and her stockings, adding them to the pile. She hands them to the cleric who places a few small potions with them.

For your part, you come down to ground level and take out all those useless items that had been building up in your inventory. You start making a pile on the forest floor, intending to make it possible for them to take them without approaching you, but the cleric boldly steps forward without waiting. "Wait! My aura-" you try to warn him.

"Don't worry, Miss Shelia; I can't be influenced by a succubus's aura that easily. I'm a disciple of Anari, and that affords me her protection even if I am a man."

The others hang back, but you can see the ranger watching you warily. And China outright glowering at you. And cute little Youko in her whites, the blush reaching from her face clear down to her exposed cleavage now, and still going. Cleavage might be a generous word for it; she was uncharacteristically small for a heroine, with breasts smaller than yours. Everything about her was petite and adorable, really, from her feet to her hips to her chest to her mouth.

"Hey, I don't suppose she'd be willing to-" you start to ask the cleric, wondering how far you can push your luck. The vitriolic look China hits you with cuts you short; potions be damned, she would cut you in half if you finish that sentence. "...y'know, come back sometime with other outfits? I can't exactly go into town myself. I'll keep finding things I can trade for them."

"We'll think about it," the cleric answers diplomatically.

You give an understanding nod. "Thank you. For all of this."

The two of you swap piles. For now you stash everything; you aren't sure how China might react if you put the clothes on right away. Fay chooses that moment to fly down and land on your shoulder. You can see the surprise on the party's faces. The elf gasps audibly.

"Friend of yours?" the cleric asks.

"Shelia is Fay's mama," the small woman answers herself.

Now the entire party gasps audibly.

"Er, that's not-" you try to correct before something terrible happens.

To your surprise, the cleric breaks out in laughter. Deep, booming laughter that's so heartfelt you almost feel like joining in. "You really are a strange one, little demon. Parleying with heroes and mothering a fairy." He leans in close and mutters so his teammates won't hear. "And helping Youko like this. China will keep her safe, I've no fear about that; but she really needed this chance. If it's up to me, we'll parley again next time we meet." He gives a quick wink, then turns to rejoin his party.

You and Fay both stay still for a time, stunned, as the party adventures on--one embarrassed little sorceress wearing only her bra and a set of slowly dampening panties. Then another fanfare sounds, snapping you back to reality and away from whatever fantasy that amiable cleric of the prude Anari came from. If you didn't still have the clothing in your inventory you might believe the entire encounter was a dream. Even if most of it was real, did that man really thank you for granting Youko a week of exhibitionism?

You almost talk yourself into disbelieving it. Then you see that he gave you not three, but four minor health potions.

Maybe the entire thing was real.