The Tower of Passion

"A mage could be useful?" Fiona started.
Qae looked thoughtful.
"Definitely - but look at our abilities, we have party-wide increases to strength, dexterity, and physical damage." She shook her head. "A mage, while incredibly useful - and we will certainly get one later - will get no synergy with us currently. Unless we convinced them to... exchange passions, as it where, and there is no guarantee." 
"I think a healer" Liddy spoke up. "I know Timmy is good for grazes and cuts - but if anyone had taken a full hit from any of the big guys in the last one... And me and Qae almost did, Timmy could not undo that."
"If we kill them faster there's less chance of taking damage." Qae said. Fiona thought - it was true. The faster a fight was over the less risk... But the fight itself was riskier.
"But what if we run into something that only a mage can deal with - like a ghost?" Fiona suggested. Liddy looked immediately scared at the prospect of ghosts, but Qae shook her head.
"The tower is fair - brutal, but fair. It would not put us in a dungeon that our party was completely unable to handle." She looked at the two. "No, if we die it's our fault. Which is why we want to lean into our synergy." Liddy shook her head.
"I agree, and it's why we need a healer."
"A healer is not necessary prior to floor 9." Qae argued.
"Bla Bla Bla I know everything I'm an all-powerful dragon queen" Liddy imitated horns and paraded around, with a monotone stern voice.
"What?"
"What?"

"Enough. I'm trying to think." Fiona was getting a headache. If Qae was right - and she had no reason to believe she wasn't - she agreed. She thought for a moment.
"Right, System - Physical Ranged Damage please." She announced. Liddy pouted, and Qae looked... Well like Qae. She always looked like she was superior. Because she was.

Fiona blinked. Seven seconds? Before the thought could process the next message popped up.

The portal rippled, and the three stepped through into a dark basement. A loud thumping noise could be heard from above, weapon racks lined the walls, and various helmets. An iron gate was drawn shut, with an enormous lock on it. In the very center of the basement, the source of the light was a large platform with ropes reaching upwards towards the ceiling, through a open hatch that had bright sunlight beaming through. 

"All ladies - nice!" A voice said from behind Fiona, who spun around to see their new party member.

The first thing she saw was the dark grey fox ears over the black hair. A human face, covered in dark black makeup, smoky eyeshadow, and a pierced nose. She wore a black leather corset, a dark grey blouse, and dark leather pants with thick, chunky black boots. All of it clung to her shapely, round forms, enormous breasts threatening to pop out of her outfit, accentuated by gold and black jewelry resting on the shelf of her bosom. Behind her wide hips, a fluffy grey tail was swishing side to side. Tight around her neck, a black leather collar. Fingers covered in gems, leaning against a...
"Is that a cannon?" Fiona asked, incredulous. Up til that point, this woman had been everything Fiona had wanted to be age thirteen to nineteen. Until she thought of Fiona Ragehammer.
"Yep!" The girl said in a cheerful voice. "Names Ash, I'm a [Cannoneer]" She picked up the massive iron tube with both hands and brandished it. 

"You are a barbarian?" She asked Fiona. "And... You are a barbarian?" She looked confused at Liddy.
"No eh... [Berserker]" Fiona said. "Spirit Monk - Paladin" She pointed at her friends in order, without realizing that she was unable to properly link their classes to a stranger. Feeling a bit awkward coming off as new, she let her friends introduce themselves.
"No healer eh? All damage - I love it" Ash smiled. "So what you think we gotta do?"
Qae looked at Fiona. "I... Fiona, I think you need to share your full class. We have to prepare appropriately."
"Prepare? And share your class - I don't mind lady, but don't expect to see mine." A concerned look on Ash's face upon realizing that the three of them clearly knew each other. Uncertain of what she'd gotten into.

"You're right," Fiona said. "Read it, then... We'll see. [Berserker of Endless Passion]."

Ash was clearly focused on reading, and her expression gave away where she was, and again as she saw the bonuses.

"That is mad." She said. "Passion eh? It sounds... is it what it sounds?"

"No...Not necessarily. Me and Qae talked about math and it triggered it."

The fox woman grinned. "Not necessarily.... so it could be?" She laughed jokingly, noting Fiona blushing. Looking at the gnome 
"I guess.. You two don't do math." Fiona shook her head.
"But - you don't have to activate the abilities. If you have anything you are passionate about though... If we talk about it you might at activate [Exchange of Passions], and the first rank of [Shared in passion]"

"Or i could just you know, do the other way." She laughed again, waving her hand. "No I... I'll have a think. I suppose we want to figure that out before we go, something we are both passionate about."

Fiona nodded, feeling a bit awkward about how much the woman was joking. She wasn't sure if she realized that was actually how her and Liddy activated the ability.
"Well.. We'd want to reactivate the broken links" She looked at Liddy and Qae. "and maybe activate rank two? Although we need new methods." She seemed thoughtful. 
"Does that mean..." Ash seemed to realize it wasn't all a joke. "Wait. You two gonna? You know?" Her voice awkward and... excited? 
"Ehrm... Liddy what can we do otherwise?" Fiona asked the mouse.
"Work out?" Liddy suggested. "I haven't actually exercised in a while."
"No. These are stat-muscles not squat-muscles" Fiona said quickly.
"I like oceans and sealife?"
"They scare me." 

Fiona was getting a bit sad. Was the only thing she and her friend had in coming the carnal pleasures? Not that she minded - but she liked Liddy. If she was completely honest with herself, not hiding any emotion at all, she really treasured her as a friend and the thought this was the only thing they had in common - that they could get excited about was each others bodies seemed... Upsetting? She didn't understand why.

"What about dungeons and monsters? Stories about various creatures, heroes, warriors - I think it's really cool! I studied - not as much as Qae - but I really got into it when preparing to become a climber."

Fiona, a lifelong introverted fantasy nerd jumped on it.
"You like stories? About magical heroes and adventurers? But they are-" She was about to say they were real here. But she was meant to be from a sphere, Liddy didn't seem to notice though.
"Yeah! The kind about heroes and big evil dragons, and proper quests - not just climbing the tower for a wish thing!- No offense Qae. " The dragon queen smiled at the comment, Liddy's face apologetic. 
"I'm not an evil dragon. Though, some of my siblings are."

"Wait... You're a dragon?" Ash was wide-eyed. "Can I  - Can I ask you some questions? While those two talk about stories?" Qae sighed slightly but waved the fox-girl over and they went to sit in a corner, presumably talking about the exact same questions Fiona had asked the paladin.

She refocused her attention on Liddy. "Ok so - I'll tell you a story, it's really famous on my sphere."
Liddy was wide-eyed and sat next to her friend attentively. Their thighs brushed together, but Fiona was distracted by trying to decide what story to tell - what could she remember?

And then she realized, Liddy knew none of her stories. So she started with the same story she first started with, many, many years ago.
"I'll tell you the first part - hopefully that is enough." She cleared her throat, remembering how it went. "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit..." She started, putting on her best deep narration voice.

A short time later - having paraphrased most of the beginning, Liddy's passion for stories had been sated, and Fiona's dexterity had increased again.

She'd planned for Qae - in the odd free moment, she'd asked the dragon to borrow a piece of paper and a pen. Pulling the paladin away from the Cannoneer, Qae sat her down and explained it. She knew this was a woman who loved puzzles, thinking and solving things.

Pink glow flowing between them, it didn't take long before Qae had a deep interest for Sudoku, having solved the puzzles Fiona had prepared. Stamina increased, both link established she went to talk to Ash again. 

"So... I do have like, a collection" Ash said, awkwardly twirling her black hair in a finger. "Unless you're really into guns? Do you think guns would work?"
Fiona shook her head. "I've... I've never even held one."
"Right, right. Ok, the abilities are too good - especially after talking to the others. We can just talk about it though right? We don't have to do anything?"
"Probably - I think if we just appreciate it together."

Ash took a breath. "I've only known you for like ten minutes I don't show anyone this... But surviving in the tower is more important." She looked Fiona in the eyes, steeling her resolve.
"I collect toys."
"Toys?" An eyebrow raised, Fiona curious. "I... What kind of toys?"
"You know. Toys." Ash pulled something out of the tower given magic that was her inventory, and held it up for Fiona.
"I think... This will work" Fiona said as she was staring at the exquisitely carved crystal cock the fox girl was holding in front of her.