[center][h3][color=f7941d]Wendel[/color] & [color=FFD100]Sunny[/color][/h3] [sub]Collab with [@Diggerton][/sub][/center] [hider=Into The Woods] Sunny scanned their new surroundings. It was no sunflower field, but it was nice enough. She looked the (apparent) NPC up and down. He seemed interesting, at least, but not comfortable with a group this big... and they were a big group. No reason for them all to crowd one NPC, right? She decided it'd be better to leave the others to bother him, so she tugged on Wendel's sleeve, giving him a grin, [color=FFD100]"Hey, wanna look around?"[/color] Wendel stared curiously at the hand on her sleeve, her attention stolen from the incredible forest scenery. An eager nod followed, and her smile returned more easily than before. Sunny glanced around, picking a direction to go. By the NPC's house was... a car? She hurried towards it, glancing back at Wendel, [color=FFD100]"Woah! Look at that. Is that a car?!"[/color] That was weird. The swordsman pressed both hands against it, trying to peer in through the murkiness. Sunny peeked in over Wendel's shoulder, laying a hand on his back as she tried to look over him. There wasn't much inside, besides what you would usually expect from a car. [color=FFD100]"Huh... that's weird, isn't it? Isn't this a fantasy game?"[/color] she asked. [color=f7941d]"Yeah..."[/color] Wendel blinked at the sudden contact on her back but ultimately shuffled so Sunny could get a better look, [color=f7941d]"Reminds me of those post-apocalypse movies a little."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Huh. Yeah.”[/color] Sunny said simply, backing off, [color=FFD100]“Zombie movie vibes for sure…"[/color] Sunny paused for a moment, [color=FFD100]"Maybe... wanna break in?"[/color]she said with a grin. Huh? [color=f7941d]"I mean...yeah, that sounds pretty video game-y."[/color] Wendel glanced nervously over her shoulder. The NPC seemed preoccupied with some others. [color=f7941d]"It's just..."[/color] Sunny followed Wendel’s gaze. She almost forgot about the NPC… [color=FFD100]“Oh yeah… I mean… maybe we can just, like… hey, did you try opening it?”[/color] Wendel tried the door handle. The door opened, to her thankful surprise. A quick look around provided exactly nothing. [color=f7941d]"Not so video game-y after all,"[/color] she chuckled. Sunny laughed, [color=FFD100]“Yeah.”[/color] Sunny leaned over Wendel, peering into a car, [color=FFD100]“Well, it’s a car alright.”[/color] she observed helpfully, [color=FFD100]“No loot, though. Maybe we should check out the rest of the forest?”[/color] Wendel made sure to shut the door properly. [color=f7941d]"Okay."[/color] Sunny turned around, peering into the forest. It looked peaceful enough – there were the… fairy things, Sunny wasn’t sure exactly what to call them, but they didn’t look like much of a threat. There were no obvious landmarks besides the house, so she set off in the direction she was facing. She glanced towards Wendel as she did. It was a lot more fun to walk [i]and[/i] talk, she decided, [color=FFD100]“Hey, I told you about my job, tell me a little about yourself.”[/color] Wendel would have preferred talking about those fairies. Were those...normal? [color=f7941d]"I deliver pizzas. And I'm living with my sister right now, since we're probably the only people in the world who know how to put up with each other. Aaaand...my favourite movie is The Princess Bride."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Pizza is good,”[/color] Sunny said, [color=FFD100]“So is Princess Bride. That one is def up there, but if we’re talking [i]favorite[/i]… hmmm… you ever seen Amélie? It’s, uh, a French movie.”[/color] [color=f7941d]"Oh yeah,"[/color] the swordsman's eyes brightened, [color=f7941d]"The soundtrack was really pretty."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Yeah. Real good. I just connect with it.”[/color] Sunny could’ve kept talking, but instead she circled back to pick up on something Wendel said earlier, [color=FFD100]“You live with your sister? That’s cool. I’m an only child, and, uh, live by myself now.”[/color] [color=f7941d]"She's fun, yeah. So's my brother. He spends so much time around the apartment that Joy tries to make him help with the rent but it hasn't worked so far."[/color] Wendel smiled fondly. Small talk aside, she had a feeling she knew what Sunny meant by connecting with it. Wendy didn't want to talk about that. [color=f7941d]"I can't imagine being an only child. Getting dragged around by my siblings took up a lot of time back in the day."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Heh… yeah.”[/color] Sunny kept smiling, [color=FFD100]“I always thought it’d be cool to have, like, a sister or something. But being an only child has its perks, I guess. Don’t have to share, even if it gets a bit lonely sometimes.”[/color] [color=f7941d]"Did you have any pets?"[/color] [color=FFD100]“Yeeeeah,”[/color] Sunny smiled at the memory, [color=FFD100]“I have a chubby little corgi back home, name's Tulip. And I’ve got a turtle that I took to my apartment, Buttercup."[/color] Woah. That's... Wendel couldn't help but laugh. [color=f7941d]"That's cute as. Did you name them yourself?"[/color] Sunny beamed, [color=FFD100]“Yep, I did. They’re [i]very[/i] cute. My lil’ flowers. What about you, any pets?”[/color] [color=f7941d]"A Russian Blue called Reggie. Lucas named him."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Ohhhh. Those look so cute!”[/color] Sunny grinned. It was almost easy to forget that she wasn’t [i]really[/i] talking to Wendel, [color=FFD100]“You like music?”[/color] [color=f7941d]"I guess?"[/color] Wendel frowned, [color=f7941d]"I listen to the radio when I drive. That...doesn't really count, huh?"[/color] Sunny nodded, [color=FFD100]“Heh, I mean, as long as you enjoy listening to it. Before I picked this up music was pretty much how I used all my free time, so… not exactly the same.”[/color]she said with a small laugh. [color=f7941d]"You must be a pro if you've been playing since forever."[/color] [color=FFD100]“H-heh, I’m alright, I think.”[/color] Sunny blushed a little, glancing away, [color=FFD100]“I mean, I’m far from a pro. Maybe someday, but…”[/color] she trailed off vaguely, not finishing whatever thought she was trying to from. Wendel looked back at her companion, waiting for the sentence to finish. Sunny’s pause continued for a moment longer until she realized Wendel was waiting for her to finish. What was she trying to say again? [color=FFD100]“Well, I haven’t had as much time to play since I moved… and it’s a little weird to play without the band, y’know?”[/color] Sunny said with a small chuckle. [color=f7941d]"Wow,"[/color] the swordsman was genuinely impressed. [color=f7941d]"A whole band?"[/color] [color=FFD100]“Not anymore.”[/color] Sunny said with a sigh. For a moment her smile disappeared, but she recomposed herself, [color=FFD100]“Going solo isn’t as cool as the greats make it look. It was fun playing with them, even if they were goofballs, y'know?”[/color] Wendel caught that. Probably best not to mention what she left behind. [color=f7941d]"...Can I listen to your stuff sometime?"[/color] Sunny let out a slightly nervous chuckle, [color=FFD100]“Uh, if you want, sure!”[/color] She agreed happily, [color=FFD100]“I mean, meter your expectations. W-we’re not that great, probably. We were kind of, uh, locally popular, but it wasn’t a big town.”[/color] She paused for a moment, suddenly looking down before laughing a little, [color=FFD100]“I guess I’ve gotta warn you first, I didn’t pick the name. We voted.”[/color] she was about to speak, but cut herself off, [color=FFD100]“I feel dumb just [i]saying[/i] it.”[/color] [color=f7941d]"Aw, it can't be [i]that[/i] bad."[/color] Sunny gritted her teeth. It took her a few more moments of thinking to work up the courage, but eventually the dreaded words came, [color=FFD100]“Dandelion Blowjob.”[/color] she admitted in a near whisper. Wendel stopped in her tracks. Froze. Apart from the myriad of emotions flashing across her panicked face, she was completely still. What...how was she supposed to respond to [i]that[/i]?! Sunny stopped too, giving Wendel a barely restrained smile, [color=FFD100]“Yeah. [i]Yeah.[/i] It’s [i]that[/i] bad. Imagine getting up in front of a crowd and saying ‘Dandelion Blowjob’... and also your mom is in that crowd because she [i]really[/i] wanted to support your passion.”[/color] she sighed, [color=FFD100]“Like 75% of the reason they picked that name was to embarrass me.”[/color] A muted nod in response. [color=f7941d]"I, uh...yeah, I can imagine."[/color] Some silence passed. The Joy in her head berated her for not continuing. [color=fdc68a][i]Reuse the last topic, dummy![/i][/color] [color=f7941d]"So is the dandelion the one giving the b-blowjob or..."[/color] Sunny blushed, running a hand through her hair, [color=FFD100]“N-no, please, the blowjob is when you blow on the dandelion. Like for luck. Not… an actual…”[/color] Another silence as Wendel looked around the forest, contemplating which tree she was going to use to [i]bash her fucking head in with[/i]. Hah. It had been a fine while since she'd felt this level of raw embarrassment. A nauseous grimace surfaced, the product of the conflicting desires to scream in horror and/or crawl in a hole to die. What a shame, too. Sunny seemed like a really nice person. Now Wendy could never show her face again. She pointed vaguely back to the portal. [color=f7941d]"H-hey, I think...fairies...doing a thing..."[/color] And without another word, she dashed back the way they came, sprinting at full speed. Sunny watched as Wendel ran away. That was… really, really embarrassing. Why did she decide to bring up ‘Dandelion Blowjob’ with someone she just met? She paused, but ultimately jogged after the fleeing Wendel. Not far ahead Wendel caught sight of a small group of fairies in her path; they had been playing much as children would, but Wendel’s quick approach drew their attention. Now they turned, a distinctly displeased look on their collective faces. The swordsman halted immediately. [color=f7941d]"Oh. Uh..."[/color] She took a step back, hand wavering uncertainly by her weapon. Now that Wendel stopped it was easier to pick out the details of the situation. There were five fairies, and they had been lazily meandering towards the house the group had first appeared at. They eyed Wendel cautiously, whispering amongst themselves for a moment. It seemed that they came to a conclusion quickly. The three closest to Wendel flew towards her, charging. The two in the rear raised their hands, faces flushed with concentration, spheres of green energy beginning to materialize in front of them. Ah. With a precise movement, the sword was whipped out, its tip charging with blue energy and pointing right at the two in the back. Energy pooled in the balls of her feet, the tension in her legs, and she dashed forward right through the pack with a measured exhale. As the fairies got locked in the dumbfounded gape of the 'stun' animation, Wendel slashed at the two mage enemies. The fairies had no response to Wendel’s sword, her strike flying clean through. In spite of the attack’s success the pair of fairies merely fell to the ground, seemingly stunned rather than killed, remaining in once piece. Meanwhile, an arrow landed inches in front of the stunned group of fairies, Sunny suddenly appearing right on top of it. Wispy blackness surrounded her as she seemingly phased into existence, quickly dissipating into the air. As soon as she appeared she nocked an arrow and launched it at the fairy directly in front of her, leaping back evasively as she did. Similarly, it fell to the ground, unconscious but not dead. Wendel watched with dread as her partner materialised. Oh, right. She was fast too. Any finesse the swordsman possessed earlier began leaking from her posture as she took another step back. Pulling out her shield, she gazed warily at the scene. Sunny barely registered the wide-eyed Wendel; the glazed over look of the fairies had disappeared, replaced with anger. A spear made from rock appeared in the hand of one, which it quickly tossed at Sunny. The archer was too slow to dodge, catching the spear with her shoulder, knocking her off balance. She moved to pull out another arrow, but was too slow, the other fairy summoning its own spear. It lobbed it at Sunny, catching her in the knee and sending her tumbling to the ground. The effect on her health was marginal. The fairies were trash mobs – not a significant threat to Sunny and Wendel. The danger now was follow-up, the pair summoning another volley of spears. Sunny was scrambling to recompose herself, but knew that she would be seconds too slow. A stab of guilt rang through Wendel. Though the damage being taken was negligible, the swordsman didn't notice at all. All she knew was that this was [i]her[/i] fault and she needed to fix it. Fast, really fast. Panic and haste didn't make for smart decisions. Taking cue from the very enemies they were against, Wendel flung her sword at the closest one before shouting a determined [color=f7941d]"H-Hey!"[/color] to get their attention. Unfortunately, swords were not made to be throwing weapons. It was easy for the fairy to dodge the clumsily flung weapon, the sword landing uselessly in the dirt. Fortunately, Wendel did prove enough of a distraction to draw the fairies’ attention away from Sunny. She used the moment Wendel gave her to pluck an arrow from her quiver, landing a shot on one of the distracted fairies. With the speed of her shortbow she was able to let loose another arrow at the fairy’s partner. Sunny’s aim proved true, both of them falling to the ground unconscious. Sunny pulled herself all the way up, giving Wendel a smile, [color=FFD100]“Hey, nice distraction!”[/color] she called, evidently unaware of Wendel’s perceived wrongdoing. A stiff nod. [color=f7941d]"...Thank you."[/color] It was probably a bad idea to try fleeing agan. Luckily the small battle seemed to have eased Wendel's nerves. She remained where she stood, looking over the unconscious fairies. Were the death mechanics different in this new area? Sunny carefully stepped towards Wendel, glancing at the fairies as she did. Not dead, unlike in the regular campaign… interesting, but she wasn’t exactly sure what to make of that. Sunny gave an exaggerated pout, [color=FFD100]“Hey, you really shouldn’t ditch me like that! We’re a team.”[/color] she gave him a light punch on the shoulder, [color=FFD100]“Good work though.”[/color] she added, reverting to her usual smile. [color=f7941d]"Sorry. ...Thank you."[/color] It appeared that Sunny was willing to overlook the swordsman's earlier embarrassment. Thank god. Wendel turned away. [color=f7941d]"I need to get my sword."[/color] Sunny nodded, [color=FFD100]“Yeah, of course.”[/color] she glanced back in the direction of the house, [color=FFD100]“You think the others are doing alright?”[/color] Wendel brushed the dirt off her weapon. [color=f7941d]"That NPC seemed friendly enough. Do you think we should go back?"[/color] Sunny shrugged, [color=FFD100]“I mean, hanging out with you is more fun than with the others. But…”[/color] she paused for a moment, thinking, [color=FFD100]“Well, you’re right about the NPC being friendly. They probably won’t be missing us if we stay out here, right?”[/color] [color=f7941d]"I..."[/color] And with that first statement, Wendel completely short-circuited. She was...fun? Even after she tried to run away from them, someone liked hanging out with her? A pleasant, bubbly happiness rose in her chest and Wendel's thoughts raced too much for her to repress the small smile building on her face. [color=f7941d]"Y-yeah. There are so many of them back there and...I mean, might as well see what we can find without the others. It's a whole new area."[/color] Sunny grinned, [color=FFD100]“Yeah! Maybe we’ll find something cool before [i]anyone[/i] else does. That’d be neat, right?”[/color] Sunny looked up in thought, [color=FFD100]“We could totally, like, put our names on it or something. Be semi-famous.”[/color] [color=f7941d]"Famous doesn't sound bad,"[/color] the swordsman chuckled, [color=f7941d]"Lead the way, Sunny."[/color] [color=FFD100]“Alright…”[/color] Sunny looked around. Which way should they go? She shut her eyes, spinning around on her heel with a finger outstretched before suddenly stopping at random. [color=FFD100]“We’ll go this way!”[/color] she decided, marching decidedly towards her new destination. With one more laugh, Wendel followed eagerly after. [/hider]