Complete Isulus Before we go

[Crimson Ruby]

A Day before the Myconid Siege

Timeline: Cycle 1.5 of Red Fever event

Expeditions were always source of excitement for Ruby. There was nothing better than engaging into an adventure that the League had to offer. Generally they grabbed the biggest fishes, which were places that Ruby, in her personal and smaller expeditions, would never dream of exploring.

However, the expeditions the League had to offer had a major issue:

It had too many people.

Almost agoraphobic, Ruby struggled to keep a good stance before all the crowd.

Even having Ning, Sol and Bluebird around, at some point they wanted to socialize with everyone else, something that Ruby was inclined to pass this time.

Instead, she found herself mostly isolated with her own campfire and tent, about fourty feet away from the edge of the expedition's camp. With crossed legs, she strummed her loyal liuqin, swaying her tail to ring the bells like a metronome. Something felt off, and she tried to tune her instrument as she felt and listened its notes.

With another strum, her ears perked up. It sounded just fine!

Her tail swayed excitedly, with her bells ringing gently as she placed the liuqin on her lap, reaching for the food she was heating by the fire, sniffing the smell and perking up once again.

Soon it would be ready.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

Helping around with the preparations felt like a noble thing to do. So, of course, Fina would have none of that. She arrived not too long ago, and everything in the town seemed like pure chaos. Heck, she didn't even really know what kind of expedition this was, just that some large-scale event was happening. As someone who was aware of the MMO structure, she felt like it was something she should participate in rather than wanting to, as she knew she'd ultimately just end up following behind this hoard of people and not doing anything useful.

Thankfully, as she wandered around aimlessly, she heard something familiar. A particular kind of sound that she heard as she drifted into her dreams and was played to her as she slept. It would have sounded very strange to anyone but the person who was its source. "Ruby!" The feline shouted the other girl's name almost without breath as she decided to sprint in the direction she heard the sound coming from. Bless her beastfolk ears.

"So you're here as well. Well, that makes sense since this is gonna be an expedition… haha, I have no idea what's going on here, to be perfectly honest." Not even waiting to see if the other feline was up for a conversation, the silver-maned cat would approach and start a friendly chat, hoping that they could waste some time together.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Having her name shouted, Ruby nearly jumped off her sitting startled, thanks to how much on edge she has been the whole day due to social issues. She held her chest with a hand, turning to look at the source and being surprised when spotting no one less than the fellow felis.

"Fina!" She beamed, looking up at her friend and letting out a chuckle.

"Yeah, it is an expedition after all... A bit too crowded for my taste though." Ruby said, even if her expressions didn't betray the joy she felt for having the other girl there. Just because she didn't like crowds, it didn't mean she liked being lonely.

She patted the spot next to her.

"Want to sit? Food is almost ready if you want to eat with me. It isn't anything different from the other few days though... I'm getting a bit tired of mushrooms, but yeah..." She sighed.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

The fact that Ruby seemed genuinely happy to see Fina already improved the girl's mood greatly. And while the Feline already knew of Ruby's phobia of crowds, it was still a bit strange to see it in action, especially after experiencing just how affectionate the red-haired girl was when interacting one on one. Still, Fina was more than happy to steal the fellow beastkin all to herself if no one else wanted to.

Hopping over, she seated herself next to her friend with a smile. "I'd love to! And I don't actually mind eating the same thing over and over again, as long as it's actually edible." A trait she carried over from the physical world, perhaps. "So, how come you're sitting here all alone? Didn't manage to find anyone else you know?" With the girl being a whistle, Fina would have figured that there'd be plenty of familiar faces for the blade dancer. Though she was one to talk, given that Ruby was the first person she knew here.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby watched Fina taking a seat, swaying her tail gently.

"Really, you don't mind? Are you sure you aren't the real explorer between us?" Ruby joked a bit, not being able to get used to that same-ish food. Even if she didn't have a lot of money in real life, she always tried to keep a decent variety in her meals, which made this routine of eating mushrooms everyday a bit annoying.

"Luckily, I already expected it to happen." She gestured to the pot she was using, revealing some jerky beef, onions and carrot pieces in it. "I always bring different type of travelling rations with me, and use nearby ingredients as complement rather than the main meal." It was still a bit repetitive, but at least there were some changes.

At the mention of others, Ruby nodded. "Oh yes! I found my usual group and they have been making me some company... but... there is a lot of things the League and the other factions do together, so I said I wanted to be alone today. I... don't want to keep them away from the fun forever, you know." She said, rubbing her neck awkwardly.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

"Haha, perhaps I am a culinary explorer~!" The girl laughed together with Ruby. However, it was actually kinda surprising that the other feline would not do so well with the same food over the course of several days or longer. Exploration of dangerous places sounded like the kind of scenario where one would have to do with minimal rations that probably were all the same for extended periods of time. Or maybe Ruby just wasn't one to partake in such hardcore ventures?

"Mm?" When the pot was revealed, Fina would lean forward and take a peek inside to find a few extra ingredients. Somehow, it actually made her chuckle. "I see. Clever! Even sneaked in some meat~" It might have been the fact that her avatar was that of a beastfolk, but Fina noticed she enjoyed eating meat much more than anything else when in-game, something that did not translate back into the physical world.

Then came the topic of Ruby's friends, who were likely out there helping with preparations. This might not have been a correct judgment, but Fina almost felt like there was some sadness the other girl presented alongside the explanation. Leaning closer, she would press their bodies together and rest her head on Ruby's shoulder. "I see. I've been getting kinda lonely myself, so I'm glad I found you." Hopefully, that would help cheer the girl up.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"A culinary explorer? That sounds like just a cute way to call yourself a glutton." Ruby teased a bit, looking at Fina's laughter with a faint smile on her lips. The way she sounded so happy and carefree was soothing to say the least.

"Of course I sneaked some meat. Protein is important in this kind of adventure. It helps you to keep your energy high and you are able to withstand the harsh marching much better." She said, raising her finger like some sort of tutorial NPC, almost ready to start explaining all the particularities diligently, though the attempt was interrupted by Fina's closeness.

Ruby paused, smiling a bit brighter though her cheeks turned rosy.

"Yeah, me too," Ruby admitted, making herself comfortable and resting her tails on top of Fina's, soon wrapping them around her tail with a soft squeeze.

"I guess tonight is our night then. Which is nice, because I think we will end up parting ways at some point... Do you know which faction you plan to stand with during this expedition?" She asked, curious.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

In the physical world, Bianca was never all that motivated by eating. Her body very much reflected this fact, not that it could be seen. Fina's avatar was naturally lean and almost the image of perfection, as were so many other player characters. She still would know a delicacy from an amateur dish, of course. And while the thing they would be having here would be more of the latter, she really did not mind.

The fact that Ruby wrapped her twin tails around Fina's own was also a very nice gesture and one the girl certainly did not expect. "Yeah. Let's enjoy the company while it lasts. As far as the factions go… not really. I dunno, it doesn't feel right to 'tie' myself down like that so soon." She figured there was probably a procedure to leaving a faction if she so wanted, but the idea nagged at the back of her head.

"I guess I also feel like I might not really fit any of them? And, uh… responsibilities, and all that." It might have been a bit embarrassing to admit, but she didn't exactly start playing this game to feel like she had real responsibilities. If she joined a company, she'd be at the very least responsible for her partners. Granted, it was the same when she would start traveling with Ruby as well… perhaps she was just overthinking it?

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby smiled and nodded at the suggestion of enjoying the company. Surely it was something Ruby wished for, especially having someone so caring with her now.

"Not fond of responsibilities huh? They can be tough sometimes." Ruby chuckled, pausing and pondering for a moment. "I have been in this faction since the game came back to live, and now I have to also take care of my little sister in real life, so I understand the weight of having someone counting on you... The same will happen if you join a faction, after all, everyone watches everyone's back." She said. It was a nice sense of camaraderie, one that strengthened bonds. But it was also understandably scary.

"You shouldn't feel forced to make a choice though, so I support your choice of being a free spirit, if that's what you want." Ruby nodded, using the hand of her free shoulder to go and take the pot out of the fire, resting it on the ground and looking at Fina fondly.

"How hungry do you are?" She asked with a playful grin.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

“I-I see.” In all honesty, Fina didn't know how to respond. As the only child who was the center of everyone's attention all the way until she became an adult, she just couldn't even imagine how it would be to take care of a younger sibling. But perhaps she could learn from Ruby..? “How is it? To have a sibling, I mean.” Hopefully, that wasn't too personal of a question. Or rather, too loaded of a question.

When the pot was set down, the girl's eyes would follow it all the way to the ground before returning to the other feline. “Not hungry enough to take food out of your mouth. Just take as much as you want, and I'll have what's left~” Hopefully, that was a fair offer. She was the one who was playing the extra here, so she hardly deserved to have more than Ruby. And what she said was true, too. She wasn't nearly as hungry as she could be.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"Half for each then." Ruby nodded, opening her UI to take two bowls from her inventory, and carefully dividing the pot's content on each of the bowls. As the food was poured, warm steam escaped from it, already being enough to warm the curious nostrils of any of the two that decided to sniff how well it was smelling.

Giving a bowl for Fina, Ruby hummed as she pondered the first question.

"It has been... About six years since the last time I had to take care of my sibling, to be honest." She said, pondering. "At the time, six years ago, it was kinda hard. I had to be... Sort of the exemplar figure for her, but also not really the figure that I wanted to be. I still loved her though." Ruby admitted, taking a spoon of her food and blowing the steam of her stew.

"Nowadays it is better. It has just been about a week or so, but I can already feel the difference. I can show her my true self, and she can show me how she truly is, and that makes things much more enjoyable." She smiled widely, shoving the spoon in her mouth right after, clenching her eyes shut and tapping her tail on the ground a few times as she endured the heat.

It was tasty though!

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

Half and half sounded fair! Fina watched as the pot's content was transferred to two bowls. Good thing Ruby really came prepared! Though the feline would not have minded eating straight from the pot if it came down to that. As far as she could remember, she'd done worse in her life. She took her bowl and felt the heat in her hands, almost burning. The night might have been a bit more chilly than the day, but it was still summer. Though if it were winter, something like this would have been very nice.

"Showing others your real self, huh… yeah. It's nice when you can do that. Or at least it felt good when I told you about the real reason why I started playing this game." The girl readily admitted it; there was no reason not to. Of course, the two situations were far from equivalent. The thing was, Bianca never really experienced something like that outside of this game. Ever since her incident, she largely wore her feelings on her sleeves. Perhaps because she simply felt fed up with life itself at times.

"It sounds like you had it rough in the past. I'm glad things are better now, though." Life wouldn't be much fun if everything always stayed bad. It brought Fina no happiness, knowing that there were people plagued by misfortune on every step. "I never had to carry for anyone. Instead, everyone always cared for me - made sure I had everything I wanted or needed. It made me wonder if losing the ability to walk was a blessing instead of a curse at times. But that care never actually made me feel happy. Just… grateful."

Sometimes it felt like happiness and gratitude would always come together, but it just wasn't the case. Bianca was grateful that she had people she could rely on, but the fact that they had to spend their time caring for her did not make her happy. Those thoughts made her almost forget that she was holding the bowl, food slowly cooling down.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby smiled warmly when Fina reinforced she was happy, to tell the truth for her. The smile faded slightly at the mention of her having it rough, but she shook her head in response.

"I wouldn't say rough per se. A lot of people had it much worse-" Ruby would never dare to compare what happened to her to someone like Fina, who was bound to a wheelchair. At least Ruby could still stand and take her own decisions, while her friend had a certain degree of dependence on others. Not that it made her be any less competent, but it sure limited her much more than Ruby used to be limited.

The way Fina spoke, however, made it sound like there was still a lot bothering her in it. Being grateful was different from being happy. "And that's why we will try to have fun. Fun brings happiness, and in this world you won't need to worry about what happens outside of here." She nodded. Was it escapism? Maybe, but it felt as real as the world outside, so why not take it as a real second chance?

Noticing Fina had barely touched her food, Ruby snuck her spoon on the bowl's content and rose it up near the other girl's lips, smiling. "Not eating won't do you any good though. Say aaaah-" She said playfully, leaning a bit closer and tugging Fina's tail with her own.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

Fina kept quiet for a brief moment but then spoke up again. "Even if there are people who have it worse than us, I think we can still complain and feel frustrated about it. Otherwise, no one could ever say anything about their situation." There was always some unfortunate soul who had it worse than you; that was the way of the cruel world. Likewise, there was always someone who had it better. And ultimately, complaining about one's life situation and how rough it could be just had a therapeutic effect, getting all of that negativity out, especially when one had a listening ear to take it all in.

But that was only one way of making things better, of course. Just like Ruby said, the two girls could seek out everything that was fun in this world and obtain happiness that way. The feline was certainly looking forward to it a lot. Especially with such an experienced explorer like Ruby, the two of them were sure to find a lot of things that would be amusing, grand, or even awe-inspiring.

Trying to imagine it all, Fina didn't even notice the spoon until it was right in front of her. "Huh—?" She paused for a brief moment, golden eyes quickly looking over and fixating on the other girl. Was she… about to feed her? "I— er—" Something like that, wasn't it a bit much? If someone else from the expedition was watching, they could probably get the wrong idea! Or maybe that was the wrong way to think about it in the first place. After a moment, the feline relented. "F-fine… aaaaah~"

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

When Fina's eyes met hers, Ruby squinted with a smug grin, swaying the spoon slightly to emphasize she had to open her mouth. When the other girl finally did, Ruby gently spoonfed her. "There we go! Tasty, right?" She teased, maybe having more fun with it than she should.

Her attention then returned to her own bowl, spooning its contents and resuming to feed herself.

"Overthinking will get you nowhere, Fina." She smiled faintly. "It never does."

Quickly, Ruby continued her meal, a bit fast so she could taste it very warm and nice, letting out a brief sigh of joy when she was done with it, quicker than initially intended since she had made two portions, even though one was more than enough to fill her.

One could say she was being a glutton.

"A music would go well though," Ruby said, placing the bowl away while reaching for her liuqin. "Do you prefer out here or in the tent?" She asked, curious.

@Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

It certainly wasn't every day that Fina got to be spoonfed by a pretty girl like this. Shame she was too distracted by the fact of how embarrassing it would have been if someone saw them. Still, it was tasty, and the experience did make her shut up for a brief moment so she could actually eat instead of talk. While the other feline might have set the expectations low for the taste, Fina did still enjoy the meal as well. Far better than some foods she had in the past, that was for sure.

Once they were full, the usual post-meal laziness started setting in. And Ruby suggested the perfect thing as well: some music. Fina didn't exactly hear much of it last time as she drifted into sleep, so perhaps now she would have a chance to make up for it. "If we do it out here, we might draw a crowd. I wouldn't want you to get nervous over that." She paused for a moment as she thought she could be a bit of a tease herself, even if she normally weren't. "Though, if we go inside, people might start talking~"

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby's cheeks turned rosy at the tease, swaying her tail and staring back at Fina with a defiant expression. "Oh yeah, they might?" She unwrapped her tail from Fina, standing and holding a firm grip of her liuqin, taking a step toward the tent and then offering a hand for Fina to help her stand.

"... So be it. Maybe we can give them an actual reason to start talking." Ruby teased back with a smug grin, though it was a double edge sword, making her own rosiness grow redder as she threw the joke.

When Fina was ready to go, and perhaps even if she wasn't, Ruby would start moving into the coziness and comfort of the tent, where she would be able to play her liuqin as much as she wished, brushing the worries of the next day. After all, there was no point in worrying about the future that much...

... Maybe.

@Fina Drago (Wrap up on yours? :3)

 

[Fina Drago]

Watching Ruby stumble for a brief moment was certainly amusing. But the way she then tried to retaliate was even more fun! Usually, Fina was quite susceptible to such things, but when it was coming from a feline who made herself blush with the comment, it just made the silver-maned cat chuckle, perhaps even snort a little. "Pff— haha! Okay, then let's~!" She accepted the challenge, almost struggling to let out the words instead of a laugh as she got up and followed her friend to the tent.

Once inside, Fina would look around with great interest. Once again, it might have only been because of her feline self, but she quite liked the smaller space and the coziness that came along with it. The opposite of claustrophobia? Either way, she made sure to nicely seat herself in a comfortable spot, legs crossed and hands resting in her lap as she smiled back at Ruby, awaiting the performance. Even her tail moved up and down, slapping the floor gently each time.

She was well aware that by the time the expedition got into a full swing, they'd probably not even have the time to talk, much less enjoy themselves in any way. But at the very least, this seemed like a lovely way to spend the evening and night, to regain their strength and morale that would very much be necessary in the coming days. For now, though, the two enjoyed the music and time spent together~

@Crimson Ruby