For someone who's masturbating, Ember's practically a stone statue. But the stiffness of her body betrays her pleasure; she trembles just slightly with each touch, and that is enough to tell the whole story.  

She wants to kiss her. 

She doesn't.

She watches, and carves every touch into her mind.

She touches, and strokes, and presses in, and is not satisfied. It feels wonderful, but she can tell that there's something she needs, some release she can't reach. She tries her best, but eventually frustration wins out over her attempts. 

"I can tell that I need more," she says. "But I do not know how to - It is difficult." 

Kumi looks her in the eyes. 

She shouldn't say this.

She says it anyway.

"I can instruct you, or I can touch you myself. It is up to you which."

It's hard to admit it, but...

"... I would like to be touched."

"Alright." 

Kumi reaches out and gently taps Ember's hand aside.

She uncovers herself.

She lays the pads of her fingers against Ember's sex, and strokes. She focuses on Ember's clitoris, with touches of her labia as well. 

It feels like she's bridging some - indescribable gulf - 

She strokes intently, her whole world narrowed to one hand and the warm wetness pressed into it. 

... She feels a flush rising to her face. 

Touch is wrong, pathetic, weak -

Suddenly it is obvious why the Kuthites said that.

She reaches out in turn, braces herself against Kumi's shoulder. 

Kumi's touch is intense, sharp, like fire but not, like being cut but pleasurable instead of painful -

Ember's thighs tense and start to jerk raggedly, the sensation overwhelming all her defenses -

Kumi lets Ember grind in, maintaining the rhythm that's working as best as she can, and breathes with no small amount of heat herself. 

"Come for me," she whispers, so quietly that she thinks she's the only one who can hear.

The words are unfamiliar, but she understands the instruction. Surrender. Give in. Many people have told her words to that effect, before. 

She gives up and moves. The pleasure flares all across her stomach and abdomen, leaping like lightning outward from her overstimulated sex. 

She lets out a long, panting breath, and leans heavily on Kumi, her thoughts overwhelmed with pleasure, thick and foggy. 

All at once, a brilliant flash of sensation drives through her whole body, hot and blissful, the most intense pleasure she's ever felt in one sharp break like a whipstrike - 

She clings to Kumi and makes no more noise.

"Beautiful," Kumi whispers. She gently wraps her arms and tails around Ember's body, bouying her through the unfamiliar sensations. 

They stay like that for a while.

It's so much touch. 

"... Thank you," she says.

She stays against Kumi. Her body is right and the Kuthite in her head is wrong. She wants to be held.

Kumi very gently pets Ember's bare back.

"... I said it was important, didn't I?" 

"You did." 

Ember lays her head against Kumi's shoulder, and stays.

Meanwhile, Sunaira has been investing micro into Tian Xia. 

Her shrine in Akafuto has a third circle cleric of its own, and is rapidly spreading the knowledge of her alchemical contraceptive up and down the coast of Minkai through the lumber trade. She's introduced several more helpful alchemical preventatives and treatments with the help of Qi Zhong, and the concept of "safe sex" is spreading. She's even gotten Daikitsu on board to help her given her fondness for sex workers. 

So far, the response from the evil deities of Tian Xia has been muted. Lady Nanbyo is trying to spread plague, as always, but she's ahead of her. Fumeiyoshi has been annoying: his edicts to punish those who have good fortune, devour the pleasures of the living and encourage resentment have lead to a natural opposition to anything good for anyone. He's still not really fighting on her territory, though; like Zon-Kuthon, he envies those who have pleasure rather than using pleasure itself as a weapon. She's played this game a thousand times before, and it's not hard to manipulate his oni, as obsessed with physical pleasures as they are. 

Lamashtu has been more of an issue. She plays in this region too, and has been eager to pervert the treatments Qi Zhong develops to cause birth defects and miscarriages. She's been preaching to the whores who now get a better chance in life, especially those with trauma, and trying to convince them to take vengeance and birth monstrous children with her blessing. Ultimately it's the cost of doing business - the good done outweighs the evil - but every time a whore sides with the Mother of Monsters over the Lady of Blackberries, Sunaira's heart breaks just a little. 

Nonetheless, Sunaira is broadly on track to win the sexual revolution on the continent at this rate. No-one else here but Kofusachi is playing her game.

Nonetheless, you can't spend all your time on micromanagement, or you'll lose track of the larger picture. She's been making discreet inquiries among her fellow deities for minor and not-so-minor players who might support her goals. 

There are actually quite a few.

In the Mwangi Expanse, Adanye of the hearth and Uvuko of fertility and change. There's also the option of Lubaiko, who's always good for a revolution.

In Arcadia, Kazutal, defender of her people and guardian of community.

Of the elves, Yuelral, patron of herbalism and magic; and of the dwarves, Bolka, guardian of marriage and love.

There's a whole set of former players in Osirion - Bastet and Hathor most prominently. She hears they're playing on another server now, but she might be able to tempt them to return with the right incentive.

It would be foolish to invite them all to one chat channel - after all, most of them have never heard of each other, and some of them are active rivals - but she can nonetheless make inroads. Most of these conversations should be fairly short, simply a few words in the right ears. 

She'll start with Yuelral and leave the former Osirian deities for last. Speaking to them could tip her hand to Abadar, and she doesn't want to do that just yet.

Hey, Yuelral, you're a patron of herbalism, right? Have you ever heard of a goddess named Arundhat?

I have not. Is she the one who made that wonderful birth control preparation that Calistria's spreading around?

Yes, she is; she's a goddess of herbalism too. You should perhaps speak with her, pool your notes. She's Vudrani, from the jungles of Sikari. Here's her address.

Thank you, I'll speak to her when I next have a moment's rest. Urgathoa keeps me busy, you know how it is.

I understand. Good luck!

That should pay some dividends in time. Next on her list... Kazutal. 

Hey Kazutal, this is Sunaira. I'm a Neutral Good deity of Love, Pleasure, Sacrifice and Kinks from the Inner Sea region. Here's my proof of alignment. 

I understand your domains are community, liberty and safety; have you ever given a thought to the sexual liberty of your worshippers? I've heard that you deeply care about devotion to things you love. Perhaps there is something we could collaborate on?

Ah, yes, Erastil said that you might call on me. Something about a cleric orison for birth control? It's not really my area of concern, but I'm certainly not against it. It would help devoted couples not to end up with too many mouths to feed. 

There's an alchemical preparation for that, now, which you might be interested in...

Unfortunately this preparation doesn't use herbs native to Arcadia, and I'm not sure how to adapt it. It was a good thought though. You could try taking this to Cihua Couatl and seeing if they're able to adapt it.