Complete Private Solvale Following Your Steps.

[Little Doggo]

She couldn't ignore just how strong this monstrosity was. Moreso when Ruby pointed it out, so it's not just her own little newbie head with that idea. The cold was starting to chill her to the bones even, and for one the snowstorm around them, this blizzard, seemed to have gotten far more intense. Either the creature just got mad, or they were actually beating it!

Good job, but it seems like this thing is much, much tougher than we initially thought...

Doggo caught her tongue between gasps. Her second wind finally hit when Ruby presented herself ready to press on. Their enemy was relentless, and so was Jiejie. If she didn't keep up, then how could she call herself her sister even?

But so are we. Come on, let's end this!

LIL' DOGGO encouraged her to her last breath, letting Ruby take the frontline and assault the Te'raj with lightning speed, frost and blood striking through against it's caparace now that the creature was put in a disadvantageous situation. The cracks upon it's armor intensified, and the sunflower wiggled as if a pilot of a mech wanting to eject themselves out of it.

Then blood followed, and each droplet of blood coated every crack to shatter from the inside, but what it would find is how easily it crumbled from within, specially now that the dog-sized sunflower practically hopped out of it's shell, flopping pathetically against the snow.

It's petals wiggled, they trembled. Ruby could almost sense primal fear in this little creature. The storm died shortly after the caparace of the Te'raj melted into nothigness...

YOU DID IT J- CrIMSON RUBY!

Doggo stumbled onto her words, just as she did to reach out to Ruby as the both would have a harsh decision infront of them. Or a rather easy one? The sunflower remained at their mercy, despite it being just a flower.

What is this thing? I never seen a sunflower act like this... Not like they tend to put on an ice suit and attack people but...

She trailed off, sharing a glance back to both the flower and Ruby.

Maybe we should teach it a lesson, huhu...

Route 1: SP pacifist

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby breathed heavily as it seemed they had finally defeated the unexpected danger, feeling cold and pale due to the amount of blood she had just worked with. She took a moment to recover, before her eyes glowed and the scattered blood crawled through grass and snow, then coating onto the Fallen Night blade as Ruby finally sheathed it.

A sigh of relief was given, and Ruby turned to gaze at Doggo's sudden cheer.

Even if the girl was still skeptical about the smaller beastfolk, she couldn't help but muster a small smile, one that only faded when Doggo suggested teaching the flower a lesson.

"Leave it be." She rested a hand over her shoulder, ruffling a bit harshly to give her a bit of retaliation due to the ill intentioned proposal, only for her to shift her gaze to Doggo. "It clearly doesn't mean evil, it is probably just a flower that has been enchanted or being influenced by some supernatural power."

Ruby's attention then shifted back to the fallen creature, and she crouched near to it.

"Let's see if we can find anything useful, it is always important to loot, after all..." She said, shuffling her hand into the destroyed structure of the monster and the flower that rested on it.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

T-that's something...

LIL' DOGGO took a few steps back once she saw just how much blood went all the way back into Ruby's blade, something about that just seemed so... Unnatural. Sure, blood is scary by default, and she can't even tolerate looking at it for long, but to see her Jiejie use it like it meant nothing, without so much as batting an eye. Even it's smell overwhelmed her sensitive nose.

Was she just so used to the game to be able to not care..?

No, the way her big sister smiled was genuine, and this is all clearly a game. She just needed to man up, yes sir, to make sure to stand up to her. If Yuhan can, then LIL' BAO can!

Leave it be.

OOWWWWW

Missbehaviour got rewarded with harsh ruffling, although maybe she exaggerated her reaction a bit in the process. Her ears perked up however, as a magical word came out of the catgirl once she took a knee onto the snow and begun to inspect the remains of the beast.

Alright, loot you say? Leave it to me!

DOGGO soon tagged along, squatting right next to Ruby to get a good look at what they could find. There was not much to be seen, given how this 'armor' of sorts had begun to melt into nothing, at least not until they got completely rid of it. There was only one thing.

A silver bracelet, simple in design, yet the winds seemed to be almost sucked through it. Aeromancy had touched the bracelet, even if it was small compared to the arm of the Te'Raj.

Oh hey, that explains the blizzard, right?

She didn't know much about elementals or stuff, or if this was an elemental in the first place, but nothing seemed to be left that they could make use of beyond the wind-blessed bracelet.

It was then that the flower showed up, more specifically, right next to Ruby, wrapping it's root-like arms around her leg, but it didn't pull nor push, neither cut or squeeze. It just glued itself close to the cat, almost like a hug.

PFFT, he looks happy. Maybe he is glad you didn't pluck it's petals away?

How about we take him with us? Maybe that's the loot all along: A friend!

And a cute one at that. It's a literal flower! Apparently, it understood her, since it reared it's 'head' up to Ruby and it's petals wiggled all content about the decision.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

While Doggo took care of part of the loot, Ruby side glanced the girl before returning her attention to the remains and focusing on the spirits and souls it could be carrying with it, with her blade slowly draining the will and strength that remained from the creature, if it did exist, of course.

Regardless of the results, Ruby would soon stand and clear her throat, shifting her eyes to see what the smaller beastfolk was up to.

"What did you find?" She questioned, standing near Doggo and lowering her body to see the bracelet closely.

Upon feeling something wrapping around her legs, her ears perked up, and she glanced down to slowly understand what the whole situation was about, "Hmm, this doesn't look like a primon." She said, crossing her arms and tilting her head as she looked at the flower, gazing back to Doggo.

"We?" She asked, with her gaze questioning why the other girl was sounding so personal.

She didn't slip any question aside of that one, however.

"You can keep all the loot." Ruby reached for the flower, carefully cupping it in her arms. "And this small one too. But you must care for it, and never let it be harmed." She said, offering the small plant to Doggo.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

More than one soul had fallen to this elemental, something Ruby could take note of. Weak and fading spirits, some too young others too adventurous, but they were all the same on this amalgamation that formed the Te'raj's core.

What did you find?

Shinies. Look! It really makes you feel like a wind wizard when you put it on.

LIL' DOGGO lifted the bracelet up for her sister to check. Almost a little too big for her arm, but pretty enough eitherway! And it seemed that loot went both ways, as the small sunflower had grown attached to Ruby by now. Just the way it wiggled around with it's vine-y body had her break into giggles.

Not everything has to be a Primon to be a companion you know? Like I said, we can-

"We?"

Perhaps it was the price of enhanced hearing, but she got that loud and clear, baby blue eyes opening wide as they gazed upon Ruby. Even she could notice the distrust the grown-up was arming herself with.

...

It wouldn't be a problem with anyone else. Her parents usually told her she's too trustful, too quick to call someone a friend. She didn't hope for them to be wrong this time around, that wasn't even a thought: It was unthinkable to doubt when speaking to Yuhan. And yet all of a sudden...

She doubts. She doubts what to say, or how to feel. Like with bàba. Never certain if she did good or not, if to say yes or no. She just nodded instead and did her best impression of a wink.

Oops. I just meant going back to the farm together.

Even the flower lost all power to fight back to Ruby's grasp as it got lifted, and Doggo spread her arms to hold onto it once handled over, with the flower spreading it's roots to hug the child as she tried to get herself comfortable with her grasp.

-you must care for it, and never let it be harmed.

'Like Jiejie would..?'

I won't let anything bad happen to it! But uhm... Should we go back with the lady? Maybe she wants to know the story. I'm sure she has some cookies for us.

Her voice falted. She groaned, clearing her throat before looking over to the sunflower. It had not much of a face, and yet she could tell it was looking through her right now, even as it embraced her a little bit harder once Doggo's little legs started to move a little faster.

"Shh..." She hushed the little one, letting the cold winds numb her features.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

The expression that covered the girl's face struck Ruby like a punch. The way the expressions shifted looked uncanningly familiar as usual, yet, there was a pain behind her eyes that sank deep into Ruby.

It took a moment, but Ruby soon realized.

She had made that face herself, many, many times.

Her mouth half opened, almost slipping an apology before Doggo was quick to redirect the topic to something else. This made Ruby lose her timing, causing her to pause and have a lingering guilty in her chest as she nodded quietly.

"Yeah, we have to update her of everything that had happened." Ruby swayed her tails, tracing her path back to the lady's house without saying anything else. Perhaps it made things awkward, but it was better to keep it like that than opening her mouth and make the girl do that face again.

Her assumptions were starting to take too much of her judgement, and unfiltering her way too much.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

Their trip had become uneventful. Ruby proved to be her guide once more on the way back after they agreed to wrap this up with lady Zhu herself. Too quiet for her own good, yet her mind couldn't focus on the silence, nor on her sister. She could swear she saw a change of heart in sis's silence.

Did she got found out? The thought got through her nerves, but despite of the possibility, Ruby didn't say a word, letting the gentle winds and the now clear view of the snowy forest eat away at her thoughts instead. The beautiful scenery helped, and the wiggling little friend they made padded the lack of cheerfulness in their trip with it's ceaseless bouncing.

LIL' DOGGO smiled to herself. Was this how it felt like for Yuhan to watch her? The position of 'Jiejie' certainly felt heavy, even if all she had to do was take care of the little plant, just watching someone smaller and far more vivid than her brought a sense of peace she never experienced before.

On their arrival, Doggo awaited for Ruby to knock on the door, trying to keep herself visible aswell as the sunflower itselfa, before the door finally opened after a few seconds of delay and a 'One moment!' past the oak.

Ah, you finally came back. I can see that the storm has passed already. How did it go?

Zhu stepped aside, giving room for the pair to make themselves at home within the familiar abode.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

With the door opening, Ruby offered a tiny smile to the old lady. "It was interesting to say the least..." She said, taking a step to the side and gesturing for Doggo to step into the house first, following the girl right away.

In a more calm and controlled envinroment, Ruby began explaining the issues.

"It seems it was just magical a flower and bracelet, that corrupted the area enough to make those creatures hostile, and causing all the weather changes that were troubling this place."

It was a strange situation. For example who had placed that bracelet there? Was it a fluke? Or was it done on purpose? Ruby couldn't know well, but...

"Also, we weren't the only ones to try to destroy that thing either. So it was probably weakened by the time we got there." Otherwise, defeating it would prove to be an overwhelming challenge, if done by only themselves.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

Doggo gave a little wave to Zhu just as Ruby spoke, and the sunflower reciprocated it. The woman just watched, puzzled and unsure how to feel about this new 'pet' of theirs, but she didn't question it as much and simply smiled as the pair got inside and Ruby went into detail. The very mention of the flower had Zhu turn back to look at Doggo and the sunflower on her lap, stroking her scarred chin as she sank in thought.

I see...

Regret begun to twist her features, for once showing something different to her usual positive demeanour, her eyes dropping in shame once Ruby explained that others had failed to bring down whatever threat this little plant and the bracelet turned out to be.

It's okay granny, we found no one around. I'm pretty sure people made it out from that fight after it got dangerous!

Doggo tried to give some comfort to the old woman. Genuine, but she didn't think any player was at risk here, given it's just a game, and games are meant to be difficult sometimes.

May I see this bracelet you speak of, Ruby?

Here I got it Granny.

Doggo replied, pulling it off her arm, rubbing it over the surface of the table for a second, before sending it sliding across like it were a frisbee. Surprisingly, Zhu's reflexes were on point and the woman caught it faster than doggo could ever hope to notice. The woman's appraisal of this object and the writing in it's inside lasted little, and to Ruby most importantly it would be clear that she had seen the artifact before.

As I feared. This is a binding spell, a really strong one at that, yet time wears even the strongest of enchantments.

Doggo couldn't even express her confusion at this point, the sunflower did it for her as it tilted from side to side, matching the way the girl's head tilted in a similar fashion. Since when Zhu is an enchantress or something?!

It's an elemental's binding, and clearly a powerful one. Blessed with aeromancy, as elementals tend to rub their magic over to these objects. If you had to fight a creature for it, then it means this is just one of many. No clue how many had gone rogue, however...

She shook her head off, as these little details didn't mattered at the end of the day, and Zhu instead offered them the appropiate reward for their job. As promised, not a single coin missing from the bag she placed over the table, at the edge closest to Ruby.

I'm sorry, had I known an elemental was the root of the problem, I wouldn't have send you two alone. It's a clear exception rather than a norm.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby's eyes averted when Doggo mentioned the ones who had challenged that abomination probably managing to escape with their lives. One of her tails wrapped around her sheath, tugging a bit more behind her back as she chewed her inner cheek to stop herself from slipping anything that she shouldn't, for the sake of the granny and to avoid upsetting the small beastfolk any further.

When inquired about the bracelet, Ruby simply gestured as Doggo showed it, crossing her arms as the expressions of the granny caught Ruby's attention, twitching her ears as she wondered what was wrong.

"Binding spell?" Ruby tilted her head, so faintly that it barely looked like she had turned her face.

"You are knowledgeable in enchantments?" Ruby addressed the surprise, but was also quick to comment on the rest of the information exposition.

"Don't worry, we faced this challenge because we accepted it, you shouldn't blame yourself." Ruby reassured, pausing for a moment and- "Just like Doggo said about the others, we could've just ran away at any moment."

Her curiosity then poked another question-

"Now what, granny? You said there were more than one rogue, what will happen now?" Ruby wondered.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

LIL' Doggo shared a glance over to Ruby, just to notice how she didn't even look at her while she spoke about the matter. How hard her brows furrowed made her aware of how these little things tickled her wrong. She shook her head a bit, setting her gaze straight back to Zhu once inquired about enchanments.

The woman nodded, begrudgingly so.

A binding spell is a means to keep elementals chained into this plane of existence. They have no corporeal forms of their own, capable magi will use these to bind them to this plane. That's what's called an artificial binding.

Her frown turned severe in that very instant, locking eyes with Ruby. Both very well aware of the reality, of the fate of those sent out there in the cold storm to end their lives at the hands of an elemental. And so, a mutual agreement that the little one did not need to know was formed.

Yeah, do you want us to find the rest?

Doggo took the opportunity to boot in just as Ruby asked for the next step. A bit surprising to her, as she seemed so out of it on their way back, like she didn't want to keep this up in the first place. But perhaps she read her wrong?

These bindings are not artificial like the ones i described. These were made by the elementals themselves. If you brought me more, I could possibly figure out who it belongs to.

The little sunflower jumped on it's spot on Doggo's lap. The idea was plant-approved apparently.

With just one of them, all I can do is point you out to where the next one is. An approximate, that is. But you do realize that each of these elementals you fight are fragments of an even larger threat, correct?

Zhu had to confirm just that, first and foremost. It sparked her curiosity to see such interest on the duo, but given they came back alive, she needed no further proof of their skill.

We can take it, don't you worry Granny. We are real strong! Just need some food and rest.

In her case, just a break from the game would do her well. Yet perhaps the opposite is also true. Despite how her heart felt about it, maybe insistence is all she needs to make the cold bend out of her Jiejie. And that meant: another adventure.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

The crimson cat crossed her arms, swaying her tails as she listened patiently for the response regarding the enchantments, having a brief twitch of her eyebrows to something that sounded far more dangerous than they intended to deal with.

Ruby's gaze hardened when the old lady confirmed she knew the results of sending those at the elements.

Her eyes then shifted to @Little Doggo as she pointed out the question that Ruby herself was ready to elaborate, and the answer that came with it wasn't the most desirable. "So it will be potentially more dangerous, is that what you mean?" Ruby strummed her fingers on her arms, letting her arms finally loose and rest on her sides.

"I don't care much for the threat, if I am honest... I am more concerned about the threat it can turn into if remaining all free for anyone to touch..." Ruby frowned. "In the wrong hands, it can be a problem."

Especially some evil and maniac magi.

Ruby turned to look at the small girl again, letting out a brief sigh between her teeth. "Are you sure you want to come? You've heard her, it will be more and more dangerous." She emphasized, trying to make it clear how dangerous the situation was.

 

[Little Doggo]

Precisely. You can't kill an elemental, you send it to the elemental plane. But in the case of one this strong, you have to destroy all parts of the body to send it to where it belongs. So each part becomes stronger the more you defeat.

Zhu went on to explain, grasping onto the table with both hands, supporting herself as she got back up to her feet, turning herself over to face Ruby as she explained where her concerns are aimed at, which made the woman turn over to Doggo yet again, whose been taking the threat without that much of a worry in the first place.

A dangerous mentality, given how much it aligns with the people who fell to the first binding...

They are a threat on their own. I doubt there is a magi strong enough to dominate an elemental of that caliber by themselves. If there was, then an elemental lord would be the least of your problems.

That is, if they wished to be involved in these at all..


Ruby's sighs finally got to her, LIL' DOGGO stared with defiance at the way she emphasized. So far, she's been acting to her like she was some stranger, and only now her sister starts to show some form of worry? Just when she wishes to take a decision of her own?

I'm not a kid. You saw me out there, I can fight! If it gets more dangerous, then I'll just fight better!

A frown dropped her lips, arms folded against her chest, unblinking as she awaited for Ruby's decision- No, not even that much.

We are in this together, remember? No backing out now.

@Crimson Ruby

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby fidgeted her fingers around the pommel of her Jian, swaying her tails at the information that sounded dire, to say the least. Yet, it didn't seem like it had fazed the smaller girl, even with the confirmation that someone experienced to dealing with elementals would have trouble with it themselves.

Her gaze froze on Doggo for a moment, listening and seeing her defiance, narrowing her eyes as she protested like a stubborn child.

Ruby's tail swayed, and she hissed faintly.

"So be it. If you want to come, you can come." Ruby said, then glancing at the woman. "We are going to solve this Elemental problem of yours, lady." She showed her a smile. "We have a full grown and capable adult to help us, after all." Her eyes shifted to Doggo, brimming with a faint challenging aura digging into the girl, just before she turned around, with her cloak making a sway arc as she moved outside.

"Tomorrow we can continue this, Doggo." She pushed the door open, before closing it behind her and disappearing after a gesture on the UI--

---

Spoiler: Log Out

Yuhan took an abrupt breath, feeling a bit dizzy after a rushed log out from the game. She cleared her throat, with the phantom cold feeling making her body feel uncertain, suddenly shifting from an ice cold world to a fairly cozy room, warmed by a heater.

She took a sit, holding her knees and putting away the VR Device, glaring at it.

"Too stubborn. We need a proper party for that." She clicked her tongue, standing up, mildly annoyed.

She sounded and acted too familiar. But differently, she has never been so ill-behaved. She listened to them a bit more--

But that wasn't her, and Yuhan, for a moment had allowed it to slip her mind.

"Stupid roleplayers." She cursed, tugging her phone and sliding to see no messages from Jimmy, and honestly being too out of patience to send anything for him, and maybe she shouldn't send him any message.

That girl just needed a proper lesson, to not get herself killed...

... Just like them.

Turning her phone off, she stepped out of her room. After all, she had a dinner to cook.

@Little Doggo

 

[Little Doggo]

As the scene plays, Zhu just watches them. Silent, without missing a beat of their discussion, and the similarities they both shared despite being polar opposites.

Doggo watched her frown, eyes turning small like dots filled with acrimony, but it was too late to let the cold freeze her limbs now. It would be so silly outside, but ingame, that faint hiss felt threatening enough to instigate fear on poor Doggo. Who retaliated in full.

Grrr...

The pup growled to the grown up cat, with the ferocity of a wolf despite lacking all it's other qualities to stand up to her.

So be it. If you want to come, you can come. We are going to solve this Elemental problem of yours, lady.

Perfect! I'm glad we are i-

"We have a full grown and capable adult to help us, after all."

She bared her little fangs back at Ruby just as she got a stare down that felt not only like mockery, but challenge- One that resonated within her, hands bailed into fists, but her own irritation deafened her to these last words as she watched the catgirl cross the door.

H-hey! Where are you going!

She rised her tone, walking towards the door, but by the time she shoved it open, both hands required to do so, and in the other end there was nothing but the snowflakes falling from the skies and the cold rush that awaited outside.

Her hands tightened their grasp a little more before finally giving up, her ears dropping down as she tucked her tail as best as she could. The sobbing seemed to have caught Zhu's attention, as she could hear steps coming in her direction, and a set of fragile hands resting atop her shoulders.

You can stay a little longer until the cold passes. Want me to prepare some chocolate for you in the meantime?

She nodded with her head hanging a little lower, using the back of her forearm to clear her tearful eyes as she closed the door.

@Crimson Ruby