18+ Private Eastern Brisshal [Reaping Season I] Lunar Howl

[Astrid de Margolis]

This game was certainly a delightful distraction. Truly, Astrid hadn't expected much at first. Perhaps a playground to waste her menial hours on when she wasn't busy scoring contracts or grinding competitors beneath her heel. "Virtual reality" was such an overused phrase for pixellated abominations with no gameplay that pretended at delivering a proper 3-dimensional experience. It had been a pleasant surprise indeed that Terrasphere went beyond mere virtual reality or even augmented reality. She could feel, smell, taste... As far as her senses were concerned, this WAS reality.

It hadn't taken long for Astrid to identify the best ways to make progress in this world. Combat, quests, commissions... For all of its supposed fantasy roots, Terrasphere didn't function all that differently from the real world. Currency and influence were king, and the best way to get those things were through feats and action. Her own strength as a character would follow. Thus, it came as little surprise that a simple commission to assist some podunk village in the middle of nowhere would make for a good stepping stone. It had to be better than testing herself against the low level monsters around the so-called "newbie zone."

The aristocratic woman walked the dirt road toward Hovelis, a mysterious smile on her face. Her long dress trailed upon the ground, its rendered quality preventing the accumulation of environmental dirt and dust. Perhaps damage was the only way to truly dirty her clothes. Yet another convenience that was tragically missing from the real world. She carried her staff in her right hand, pleased at how weightless it felt despite its size. Now then... What was this commission again? She looked down at the missive from the aptly named Adventurer's Guild in her hand. Strange grunting and howling at night, was it? How nauseatingly predictable. At the very least, the presence of an unexpected partner would spice things up. Perhaps she'd have her first toy to play with, or depending on what was making such strange sounds she might have two.

An assignment of this caliber was evidently too much for a single new user, so the game had practically auto-assigned this mission partner to her. Sunny Skies was this player's chosen character name, and Astrid could have puked at how chipper it was. Was this person supposed to be some kind of beacon of positivity? Ugh. Rather than a pet, perhaps this mysterious individual would be a good victim instead. Hopefully they would prove to be at least somewhat entertaining. Arriving at the appointed meeting place, the outside of the requestor's house, Astrid waited, opening her HUD to fiddle with the menus. With her regal appearance in this village of seeming down-to-earth individuals, she stood out like a sore thumb.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny was a little disheartened.

In person, she felt more confident, but she felt too well-known and famous to make friends. That was part of why she'd wanted to play Terrasphere. However, her appearance, mixed with the fact that she was on the shy side when it came to actually interacting with people, apparently had her coming off as cold and stand-offish.

She figured a good way to solve that would be to take up a quest instead of just solo grinding low level enemies. Finding one that had someone else on it already was a bit of a gamble, but it was better than nothing.

The walk to the village wasn't too long, and she arrived wearing some clothes she'd bought with gold she'd paid real money for. It was something she found in a shop in Honeyhome, and she loved the way it showed off her midriff. It also gave off techwear vibes, which was a style she was a little too nervous to try in the real world, even if she was typically praised as stylish.

Finally, she arrived at the meeting place and saw someone on their HUD. Oh fuck, she's pretty. Like, really pretty. Astrid, was it? Okay, Sunny, play it cool. Approaching silently with natural stealth, she posted up on the wall with one knee bent, foot planted on it. Taking a moment to scan her up and down, she broke the silence by clearing her throat. She thought about saying words, but none would come out. Good thing she always wore this mask, otherwise people might see how often her cheeks were red.

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Absorbed in browsing through menus, Astrid had to use every bit of willpower she had to bite back a gasp or squeal of shock at the sound of a throat clearing near her. She forced, through herculean restraint, to slowly turn her head toward the source of the sound, taking in the woman leaning against the wall. What in the world had she done to manage that? Were there stealth mechanics to this game that Astrid didn't understand?

After some of her initial surprise and anger at being caught unawares subsided, the majestic mage took in the woman's appearance, her HUD helpfully showing that this was the so-called Sunny Skies that she was meant to embark on this menial quest with. There was nothing sunny about her, which was actually quite a blessing for Astrid. Her attire was surprisingly modern for a supposedly fantasy based game. Baseball cap, tech mask, midriff-exposing shirt... How interesting. Well, Astrid supposed for the last point, she couldn't talk. Not only was the front of her dress all but open from the chest down, but the blue tattoo emblazoned just above her privates was its own sort of risque.

Sunny might be some fun after all. Astrid didn't have a "type" exactly, but the way she played things cool and attempted to look like a badass entertained her greatly. How much would it take to break down that confidence? She'd left many bolder men and women groveling at her feet in the real world. Of course, Astrid could never fathom the turmoil that lay beneath Sunny's surface. For now, however, there was a quest to complete. She delicately placed the back of a hand to her face to hide her mouth as she giggled, eyeing Sunny slyly. "You know... It's good manners to greet people when you meet them, rather than clear one's throat and expect the other party to do all the talking," she scolded playfully. With a sigh of resignation, she took a step closer rested lightly against her staff.

"Still, I suppose I can't expect the players of a game largely designed for escapism from the real world to acknowledge all of the niceties of conversation, hmm? You must be Sunny, my partner for this dubious quest. I am Astrid de Margolis, but just Astrid will do. A pleasure to meet you." Astrid raised a hand delicately and offered it to Sunny. To shake, to kiss, or to bow in supplication... It was all the same to her.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Oh.

Oh no.

Sunny's cheeks reddened more as the beautiful woman giggled and scolded her playfully. She was captivating, and she couldn't help but stare. Meeting her eyes was difficult, though. She looked a little embarrassed about not talking, but hoped that it wouldn't show too much. Sunny nodded once when her name was mentioned, looking down at the hand as it was offered.

She hesitated over a simple handshake. Should she just shake it? It was offered peculiarly as if from a noble. Was this woman a noble? Wasn't that the proper thing to do with a noble? Hoping that she was doing the right thing, she flourished before taking the hand in her own, bending down, pulling down her mask, and planting a kiss there on the back of it.

Having already pulled it down, she decided to take her mask off and put it in her pocket. She knew she was also pretty, but had a hard time showing it or acting like it.

"You as well." She returned, "I don't talk much. Sorry." She sheepishly apologized, her voice clear as day and bright, despite her appearance.

"I uhh...I wanted to play this game to make friends, but decided to roleplay a quiet assassin so...you know." She admitted, feeling silly even saying it out loud, "You have a really pretty name, by the way. Are you a noble of some kind?"

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Oho? And just where was her dear little Sunny staring? Astrid felt like a spider circling a particularly juicy fly. She saw the way Sunny tried to be subtle, but attention slowly moved over Astrid's cleavage, her bared midriff, her hips... It would have been easy enough to make some comment about where her eyes were to embarrass the girl, but then he might not be so obvious. Predictability was a cornerstone of manipulation. If she could be certain of Sunny's clear interest in her, then Astrid could make her dance like a puppet on a string.

The regal mage offered a hand to shake or do as Sunny wished. She hoped that the woman would show something resembling fealty, but perhaps that was too much to expect from one who seemed so independent. Her icy blue eyes focused solely on the masked woman and widened slightly as she actually pulled down her mask and made a great show of kissing Astrid's hand. Oh yes~ This one was a keeper. An indulgent smile spread over Astrid's face, and in the real world, a very pleased businesswoman subtly cracked a knuckle.

From her appearance alone, and the sheer fact that very few would purposefully choose to make an ugly avatar, Astrid expected a beauty behind the mask, but even she hadn't expected the surprisingly delicate features Sunny chose. Wasn't she meant to be a hardened assassin type? She looked soft, cute even. Without even thinking, Astrid gently ran a finger along the brim of Sunny's hat and giggled to herself. So delectable. Her appetite for toys was growing far too ravenous.

Sunny confessed that she didn't talk much, and Astrid laughed. "Ahah... I gathered that much. There's no need to apologize. Just fix it for the next time we meet," she explained. For one who was supposedly shy, Sunny had quite a powerful voice. There was something vaguely familiar about it too, but she just couldn't quite place it. That was a mystery she'd have to unravel later, she supposed. Sunny's reasons for playing the game were so pitiful. To make friends? So was she some mousy little loser in real life hiding behind a keyboard? Astrid had so many questions, yet she held back her sharp tongue. Antagonizing her would just chase her away, and Astrid hoped to have a plaything for at least a little while yet.

"Oh? It couldn't possibly be that I might be your first friend in this game? You poor soul. How lucky for you that a mere assassin could never ruffle my feathers," she mused, delicately resting a single finger against her lip as she gazed down almost imperiously at the girl. "And thank you very much. I used a few literary influences to come up with it. Alas, the only nobility I have is that which I play in this game. I'm quite ordinary in the real world, I'm afraid." It would stay her little secret that her direct inspirations were the infamous Marquis de Sade and the demon Astaroth. Such grim influences would surely frighten her new companion.

"But surely we didn't come her to exchange pleasantries on names? I believe there is a quest we have to do. Perhaps we can take some time to get to know one another once our business is concluded? Or we could simply chat along the way," she proposed, testing the waters by taking Sunny's chin between her thumb and forefinger and giving a little tug to bid her to follow as they walked deeper into the village.

 

[Sunny Skies]

"Just fix it for the next time we meet," Not even a request. A command. Sunny looked down and nodded,

"I'll try."

Things were moving fast as Astrid called herself a friend of hers, but Sunny didn't mind that. If she was willing to be friends, that was good. She seemed a little odd, at first, but she was happy to work with that if it meant gaining a friend. Who knew, maybe they would even meet one day in the real world, if possible. Even if she was quite ordinary, apparently. Oh, if only they knew about each other, how differently this would have gone.

"Right. Let's do it." She said, promptly moving to walk beside Astrid. There was a few moments before she spoke again, "What do you think it is? Sounds like a werewolf to me." Indeed, there were few other things it could be, right? She just hoped they wouldn't end up victims of said werewolf.

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Astrid all but demanded that Sunny work on her poor manners when it came to greeting people, and a thrill of joy ran up her spine as she watched the assassin bow her head and nod obediently. What a good girl. Astrid was so tempted to take her in hand and break her like a twig, but now wasn't the time. A meal was best savored after it had enough time to simmer. After all, they were only just barely friends. She had to be patient...

For now, she avoided the sanctimonious speech about doing more so than trying and simply moved forward. Astrid took the time to glance discretely out of the corner of her eye and survey Sunny more closely. She had chosen a fine yet cute set of facial features for her avatar, and it was obvious from the way her chest strained lightly at her top that she'd chosen some attractive proportions. In that sense, Astrid was just as guilty. It made for a lovely sight as they walked together. Just how realistic was Terrasphere? If she were to trade Sunny's modern fashion for mere rags, would the rest of her model render appropriately?

Sunny's innocent musings at the task at hand snapped Astrid out of her progressively more predatory thoughts. She rested a fingertip delicately on her chin and looked thoughtful. "Hmm... Well, this game does seem to subscribe to a very predictable sort of fantasy. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if that was the outcome." They reached the house in question, and it looked fairly plain from the outside. The only thing that might be suspicious were the occasional scrapes in the brickwork as if claws had been gently dragged across them. Alas, subtlety was sorely lacking in a basic quest of this type as chains with a massive padlock wrapped over the door... somehow.

Astrid rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh please... Sunny dear, I'm assuming that you have some sort of power over locks as an assassin type, yes? Would you do away with that eyesore of a door? It's obvious enough to be outright crass," she groaned, waving away the sight of the door as if it smelled bad. The scene began to be painted in orange as the sun set. It was expected as part of the "quest time" that they did this at sunset, presumably to trigger whatever transformation or monster spawn would take place. It made sense to Astrid even if it felt altogether far too much like a game quest.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Gods, what was she doing?

Suddenly feeling more anxious than before, feeling like she'd been caught staring, she pulled her mask back up over her face. A pretty girl couldn't be what put her guard down. That was a good way to get caught up in trouble that would be hard to get out of. Being vulnerable was always risky, even if she desperately wanted to be vulnerable for the right people.

"True." She replied simply about the nature of the game. For as realistic as it was, it still had tropes for days.

When they came to the door, it was discovered that it had a padlock wrapped around it. She watched Astrid closely as she made a big show of being bored of such obstacles and asked that she handle it. A simple nod was all she provided back as she got to work and, within a minute the door was unlocked. She stepped back and waited to follow Astrid inside, not wanting to be the first in a spooky house even if she was better suited to recon and stealth.

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

In an intriguing move, Sunny put her mask back on despite her apparent willingness to remove it earlier. Shyness? Embarrassment? Astrid made a mental note of her behavior but didn't say anything. There seemed to be many layers to her new assassin companion that Astrid looked forward to peeling back. It had been all but decided at this point. Sunny would be Astrid's new plaything whether she wanted to or not. Astrid just wondered how much she would be able to handle before she broke down, never to be seen again. Everyone had a breaking point, but she never could predict exactly where each person's would be.

For now, however, they had a quest to complete. Astrid tasked Sunny with finding a way past the padlocked door, and as she predicted it didn't take Sunny long at all. Despite her imposing appearance, Sunny quickly fell back as the door opened to reveal a dark interior. Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You're going to let the delicate, frail mage take the lead? For shame, Miss Sunny. What would your mother say?" she teased with a smirk, proceeding ahead regardless. There was very little room for fear in Astrid's heart. It was just a game after all.

The inside of the house was a single room that seemed to serve as living room, kitchen, and bedroom all at once. How typical of a peasant's home. Astrid wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she knew quite well what it was like to live in a house like this. Even the utter disrepair was annoyingly familiar. The house looked like it had been both ransacked and abandoned with furniture knocked aside and some of it torn apart. Objects had been scattered all over the floor. Thin motes of dust drifted in the dim light. There were no candles and the windows had been either blocked by objects or boarded up from the inside.

"Hmph. Can't see a thing," Astrid muttered. She raised her staff and tapped the butt of it lightly on the floor. Light magic sprang up at its headpiece, illuminating the room in a blue-ish glow. Turning slowly, Astrid swept her light about the house just as the last of the sunlight began to fade out, giving way to night. There was a soft growl to her left, and Astrid whirled around to shine light on one corner of the house. Crouched there in a tattered brown tunic and pants was a young woman. She seemed to be doing a strange mixture of growling and sobbing, her long blond hair scraggly and unwashed. As the light hit her, she looked up sharply, her eyes glowing a slight red as she whimpered, baring teeth that seemed to be halfway between human and beast. Little patches of fur poked through the tears in her dress.

"No... No one was supposed to come in. G-go away... Please go away!" she cried out, waving one of her arms to attempt to ward the pair away. Her hand was growing larger with claws replacing her nails. Astrid blinked and stared, fascinated at how realistic it looked but also... Well, this was a golden opportunity, right? "Step aside for a moment, will you Sunny? You might get hit if you stay there," she said with utter indifference, the light at her staff burning brighter and hotter as she prepared to unleash a blast of magic to smite the woman. After all, if they killed her before the transformation completed, then the quest would end with little hassle, right?

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny winced lightly at the small amount of reprimanding she got for letting the mage go first. She hadn't thought of that, silly her. What would her mother say? Once inside, she got a good look at the sufficiently spooky surroundings to set the tone of the quest. If anything, it was a little pitiful, and made Sunny feel bad for the poor werewolf, regardless of other implications that came along with transformations.

As light brightened up the place, a pang of pity hit Sunny's heart as she looked at the woman halfway through a transformation. It would be best to end her suffering, and there was hardly a faster way than what Astrid was suggesting. Sunny had nothing to say, or at least, no words would come out as she obediently stepped to the side and got out of the way of whatever Astrid was about to do.

Only one thing was voiced, and that was a small, "Sorry."

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Astrid raised an eyebrow slightly at the softly muttered apology behind her as Sunny stepped aside. A calm smile gently spread over the mage's face as she turned slightly toward Sunny, the magic still glowing on her staff. "What's wrong, Sunny? You're apologizing to this beast? You know, someone could get hurt because of this thing. Will you be so quick to whisper your 'Sorry' then?" Her voice was gentle and kind, but there was an unmistakable sense of danger behind the words, especially with the way the smile didn't quite reach her cold, blue eyes.

The half-transformed monster cried out in helpless dismay. "I WON'T HURT ANYONE! WHY DO YOU THINK I LOCKED MYSELF AWAY IN HERE? THAT IS, UNTIL YOU SHOWED UP!!" she wailed, snarls and growls interrupting every few words. More fur began to emerge from the woman's back as her limbs grew and her body enlarged. Astrid sighed under her breath. This was such a nuisance. It was like listening to some office peon prattle on in a desperate attempt to preserve their job during layoff season. "Never mind. We'll talk about this later," she sighed.

Her staff glowed a little brighter and a bolt of magic shot towards the werewolf. Except... she wasn't there anymore. Astrid's eyes widened slightly as a blur of brown moved to her left. A vicious maw filled with razor sharp teeth gaped as the now fully transformed werewolf lunged for Astrid. That brief distraction had been enough to throw everything out of whack. Well, if this game had any sense of adventure, it would have been scripted to happen this way anyway, so Astrid couldn't really be angry about it. Besides... This presented an excellent opportunity.

Ensuring that the pain limiter was fully activated, Astrid moved enough so that the werewolf's jaws wouldn't immediately find her throat. Its fangs tore into her left arm, ripping off a chunk of flesh and sending blood showering to the floor. Her hit points took a surprisingly large drop, much to Astrid's amusement and irritation. Mage characters would be so weak, of course. She stumbled back, leaning against the wall of the house as the werewolf snarled and chew on its mouthful. Blood ran down Astrid's porcelain skin and dripped to the floor. "Hmph. Do you feel so sorry for her now?" Astrid asked in a haggard voice, panting as she gathered her strength. Well, thanks to the pain limiter, she didn't feel much of anything. It was all purely an act to get her lovely new toy to dance in the palm of her hand.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny had so much she wanted to say, but things were happening too fast for her to say any of it as her mind screeched to a halt. She tried to open her mouth several times as new things kept happening, interrupted by her own new thoughts and by the beast.

Guilt stabbed her through the heart as she saw the beastly woman draw blood from her new mage friend, and she realized that she was right. She wanted to say that there had to be a better way, but action was required now. It didn't matter that this was all an act of self-defense. They were here to solve a problem.

She did still feel sorry for the werewolf, unable to imagine what living under that kind of curse must be like. Still, though, she had to do something about it, lest they fail this quest and the mage lose a life. It didn't occur to Sunny that the mage could have dodged or not put herself in harm's way.

Activating battle mode, Sunny suddenly looked very serious and deadly, even if all one could see was her eyes due to the mask. While the werewolf was distracted, she slipped behind it for a backstab sneak attack, absolutely decimating its health and dodging the retaliating blow it attempted in a wild swing. A few blocks and swings later and the deed was done, the werewolf lying at her feet. She felt lucky, knowing that it wouldn't have been nearly as easy if she hadn't gotten that first devastating attack in.

"Here." She offered a potion to the mage, looking guilty and apologetic.

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Astrid watched with a calculated sort of amusement as Sunny reacted to the damage done to her by the werewolf. It was like a switch of some sort had been flipped in the stoic woman, and the deadly glint her eyes made Astrid's heart race. So there was something hiding that awkward nervousness after all... Astrid hid her smile behind a grimace of pain, leaning slightly against the wall of the house as Sunny got to work. A flurry of blades and claws followed, leaving the transformed creature in a heap at Astrid's feet. She put on a look of utter shock and amazement. "So strong..." she breathed and was only halfway faking it.

Holding her shoulder, Astrid observed as Sunny approached and held out a potion with little more than a simple "Here." Quite a wordsmith, wasn't she? Astrid took the potion and examined it curiously. From the menu that appeared in her HUD, it appeared that the proper way to use it was to pour it on her wounds. She obliged, pouring the bright red liquid onto her shoulder. Her HP reappeared and rose slowly as the wound stopped bleeding and stitched together before her very eyes. Fascinating... Soon, all that Astrid had to show that she'd been injured was the tattered sleeve of her outfit, and even that would resolve with some durability repairs.

"Thank you," she said graciously with a slight curtsy. Still, a faint frown of disapproval remained on her face. "But you know, it's customary to apologize when your carelessness gets someone hurt. Instead of using your sorry on beasts, shouldn't it be reserved for me?" Astrid captured Sunny's chin gently with her thumb and forefinger, turning the woman to face her. She stared up at Sunny for a moment in silence before a dignified smile broke the grim atmosphere. "Hah. I jest. Well done, darling. Despite being a fellow beginner, you're far more skillful than I. If I were to journey on my own, I'd be quite helpless, wouldn't I? Imagine nearly being defeated by a mere early quest mob. How shameless."

Turning away, she gestured once more for Sunny to follow. "I suppose the only thing for it is for us to travel together so that my strong and silent new friend can protect me. It's the least you can do after I was hurt so badly, don't you think?" Astrid looked back with a regal chuckle and winked. "Well, I say that, but I won't force it if you find me repulsive. At the very least, allow me to treat you to a meal after we've collected the reward for this... creature." As Astrid turned to leave the house, she subtly ground her foot into the paw of the fallen werewolf. Utter trash. NPC or not, how dare this mangy mutt spill her blood? When she was queen of this world, she would ensure that such filth would stay at the fringe of society where they belonged.

"Where did you learn to fight that way, if you don't mind me asking? Those practiced movements certainly seemed beyond the mere skills bestowed by a game. Real life experience perhaps?"

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny was looking away after handing the potion, allowing the mage to do whatever was needed without her watching. She apparently had other plans for her, however, and after the potion was administered she heard soft words that tickled at the back of her neck and made her hair stand up straight. Coupled with a hand at her chin, gently guiding her vision to the visage of beauty and grace before her, she was practically about to melt.

She was happy for the mask to hide her deeply reddened cheeks, captivated as she was in the woman's eyes. How could they be so deep? So mysterious? Kindness and teasing laid on the surface, but she wanted to uncover what lay deeper. A choice she would one day wonder about.

"You're right. S-sorry." Even the way she called her darling made her head lightly spin, kicking up butterflies and bubbles in her stomach that had her holding her breath without thinking. She obeyed the unspoken command to follow without hesitation or a second thought, not even realizing how quickly she was rolling over to show her belly, despite her appearance.

She felt proud at the idea that she was the strong and silent new friend of such a marvelously refined and composed woman, liking the sights and visions that fluttered through her mind like a warm summer breeze such words brought to mind. She nodded quietly as Astrid looked back, looking a little ashamed but brightening up dimly at the wink.

"A meal and a friend to travel with both sound nice." What else was there to say? Fortunately, Astrid could lead the conversation more, and asked her a question, "Oh, um, my job involves a lot of dexterity so...I don't know. Maybe it just came naturally." She let the answer hang a little long before realizing she should ask something back, clearing her throat bashfully and half-heartedly gesturing towards Astrid,

"W-what about you? What made you pick a mage class?"

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Astrid observed Sunny's reaction to her behavior closely, and she suspected that perhaps this supposed strong, "badass" type would be an even better toy than she hoped. It started with the look in her eyes as Astrid captured her chin. The mask hid much of Sunny's expression, but she could see the same pathetic wavering that all of her toys did when they became infatuated. Next was the ease with which she apologized for blame that Astrid knew was objectively unfair. Displacement of blame from the werewolf to her supposed quest partner was a subtle red flag, yet Sunny didn't complain.

Then there was that way she so eagerly obeyed Astrid's commands... Delicious.

The woman's mood seemed to rise and fall with every change in Astrid's approval, as much as she tried to hide it behind stoicism. She was like a pet or a child dancing on the palm of Astrid's hand. Just the way she liked it. To think it would be this easy... Sometimes, life truly did have a tendency to drop good fortune in her lap. It made her want to experiment, to see just what Sunny would accept or enjoy at this point in time when they were just "friends." It was almost like Astrid was a demon, stretching out her wings and claws to wrap an unsuspecting Sunny in their grasp.

Astrid's offer of food and friendship "sounded nice." How utterly banal. Astrid couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Sunny wasn't the most intelligent of women, but that might well be for the best. The stupid were easier to manipulate, even more so if submission was baked into their personality. This could only be a good thing. Astrid had to admit that she felt a bit of curiosity at what kind of job would give Sunny the "dexterity" for knife-wielding. She filed it away on the list of things to slowly worm out of her through what would surely be many conversations to come.

For now, the mage supposed it was her turn to speak. Astrid pressed the back of her hand lightly to her lips and giggled. "Well, dearest, in case you couldn't tell, I'm a woman who's fond of showmanship and the finer things in life. Seeing as a ringmaster class wasn't one of the most immediately obvious choices, a magician seems the most likely, don't you think? Regal, poised, bringing powerful magic from a place of safety and dignity... Well, most of the time." She glanced at her torn sleeve and chuckled softly, keeping her tone to one of playful admonishment. "Even without expending much magic, I can put on quite a display, especially with my chosen traits."

The dignified woman made a graceful twirl, raising her staff and her free hand. Sparks of light and wisps of darkness showered from them and swirled around her, making her hair and face glow in alternating patterns of white and black. It suited her... to have both these elements. But which was the real her? Sunny, if Astrid had any say in it, wouldn't know until it was far too late. "And on top of that, I can create constructs. Truly fascinating, what you can accomplish in Terrasphere. Behold!" Astrid flicked her hand in Sunny's direction and a short burst of blue light shot out of her fingertips, forming a sequence of chain links in the air until it reached Sunny before materializing into a solid collar that wrapped tight, perhaps too tight, on the woman's neck.

Astrid gasped and pulled her hand away, quickly dispersing the construct with a wave. "Oh goodness! I'm terribly sorry, Sunny. I'm still getting used to the interface. I didn't mean to do such a terrible thing to... Ah, it was supposed to be a little cloud of butterlies. This is what comes from toying with my magic when I'm not accustomed to it," she lamented, her words full of self-admonition as she hurried to Sunny's side. Astrid hastily ran her dainty fingers over Sunny's throat and neck, soothing whatever discomfort might have been left despite the short period the collar had been in place. "Are you alright...?" she asked, her voice and expression laden with concern. Behind all that worry, she observed carefully. Her "mistake" had purposeful of course. It was all part of Astrid's careful game to tease out just how delicious of a snack her new friend could be.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Being called dearest and darling was nice, and Sunny smiled softly beneath her mask naturally at the woman's presence and energy. She seemed so natural and familiar that it was like a blessing that she'd been tasked to this quest with her.

As the showmanship in question began to be put on display, Sunny was nervous about what might come out, knowing that she didn't fully trust her or anything just yet. What came out was a surprise that she wasn't ready for, and she quickly entered fight mode as something wrapped around her neck. Her eyes changed again and she wrapped the chain around her arm to bring Astrid closer, though she settled down as she saw the remorse in her eyes and began to hear the explanation. Softening, she felt apologetic, clearing her throat,

"Right. Of course. Sorry." She said, touching at where the collar had been, "I'm fine, just...thought I was going to have to fight you, which made me a little sad and nervous. You've been fun so far so I'm just hoping that we can actually be good friends and not just the kind that fall apart quickly."

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Sunny reacted poorly to Astrid's little "slip." It was a reach to expect that she would be a perfect little thrall right from the get go, but Astrid knew enough sycophants in her daily life that would have gladly let her put a collar on them in exchange for advancement. She felt no need to worry. It was a small setback at best and one that she could easily smooth over. Besides, toys that needed a little breaking in were fun in their own right. She noted the way Sunny immediately wrapped the chain and started pulling Astrid in. Fascinating. A warrior born and bred, it seemed.

Her melodramatic display of contrition and apology had the desired effect as Sunny accepted her sentiments. She was apparently more afraid at losing Astrid's friendship than anything else. The way she talked about it made her sound so... lonely. Astrid was once again reminded of how stoic and aloof Sunny seemed to be, yet so eager to accept offers of meals and friendship in the same breath. There must have been something there. "Hah, well if it came down to a fight between the two of us, I think it's clear that I would lose. I'd be foolish to pick a fight with someone as powerful as yourself. I really am sorry though. My magic wielding prowess really does need work." She gently wrapped a hand around Sunny's upper arm and stood at her side once again, continuing to walk.

She giggled softly into the back of her hand. "I'm 'fun', is it? An unconventional sort of compliment but a compliment nonetheless. Thank you, my dear." As they made their way back to the town, Astrid glanced in Sunny's direction. "So... friendships that fall apart quickly. You sound like you have some experience. Don't tell me that's the reason you're so silent and nervous?" Astrid understood, of course. The vast majority of her relationships were vapid and motivated by personal gain. Unlike Sunny, however, Astrid reveled in it. She squeezed the value out of every last person who thought they had something to gain from her before discarding them like trash. Whether it was to rise in the corporate ladder, gain new wealth, or simply to get her clutches on a new toy to break, Astrid had no qualms about using her superficial connections for her own benefit. She could still remember her last toy, a pathetic, sniveling little thing. He had a decent body at the least and brought her some pleasure... for a little while. Ultimately, his wealth proved to be far less than hers, however, and he couldn't stomach much more than the surface level of Astrid's special brand of "play." He'd run off with his tail between his legs before the month was through. The last Astrid heard of him, he'd had some kind of breakdown and been hospitalized. Pitiful.

She could only hope Sunny would last a little bit longer.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny felt a little guarded at the woman's reassurance and use of the word 'really' twice in a row. Had she needed the extra assurance? Now she wasn't so sure that it was a mistake...

Still, could she afford to lose a potential friend over it? She liked to think her standards were good, but there was nothing to solidly call out as a red flag yet. She smiled instead at the idea that she would win in a fight, unseen behind the mask but reflected in her eyes, rubbing the back of her head almost apologetically. People often said she was good at everything, but she wasn't sure how to take it. Accepting compliments was never a strong suit of hers.

Calling out her compliment as unusual made her blush beneath her mask again, and she held her breath. What was it about this woman that made her want to earn her approval somehow? She had such power in her eyes and movements that it made Sunny feel weak in comparison, like she should be so lucky to be noticed. It made the compliments paid back to her weigh all the more, and Astrid's plan of attack worked wonders.

It helped that she liked being called pet names like darling and dear. But being called silent and nervous put her a little on edge, feeling defensive all of a sudden even though she knew it to be true,

"Well..." She clutched her arm with her other hand, looking away as she rubbed it for some measure of comfort, "It just seems like once people get to know me, they get scared away for some reason. I don't know if I'm weird or boring or whatever but I also think some of the people I met in the real world were only trying to befriend me for my money and status." She almost went into how she was a pro skateboarder, but returned to feeling guarded almost suddenly, as if she'd said too much.

 

[Astrid de Margolis]

Astrid saw the way that Sunny seemed to recede further within herself at the simple compliment of her combat abilities. She was humble then, whether real or faked as a pretense. There was a lot of room to work there, since it would be easy to keep Sunny on the back foot with something as simple as an overabundance of flattery. Arrogant people were more fun to break, but the humble tended to be sweeter and more pliant. That was certainly the case with Sunny from what Astrid had seen so far.

For now, Astrid decided to do a little bit of psychoanalysis, finding a way to probe deeper into Sunny's psyche with her unintentional comments. The woman was like a steady stream of water, worming its way into any cracks in a rocky surface and wearing at them until they all but disappeared. Sunny would be Astrid's new toy and no walls, real or imagined, would keep her away. She kept an open, nonconfrontational air as Sunny closed in on herself a bit, rubbing her arm. The posture of a weakling, if not physical than certainly mental and emotional. Easy prey. Everything about Sunny just screamed sad, little rabbit. Were Astrid a primitive woman, she might have drooled.

She confessed that she had a hard time keeping people around, scaring them off with some aspect of herself. Astrid wasn't surprised, really. Sunny could barely muster up the manners to greet someone. She allowed silence to persist for far too long and took an irksome amount of prodding to produce any kind of response. Were people actually scared of her or just tired of being around the personality equivalent of a lump of stone? Then again, with her appearance, proclivity for stealth, and apparent power, she could see how one might be frightened, especially with the difficulty in talking to her. It was certainly for the best that Sunny couldn't read minds as the venom dripped caustically from Astrid's thoughts like acid mixed with bile.

Instead, Astrid saw a golden opportunity. This clearly seemed to bother Sunny. If there was any opportunity to firmly capture the taciturn woman in her clutches, it was now. Like a spider wrapping its legs around a fly, Astrid metaphorically closed in on Sunny.

Certainly the hint of some hidden wealth and power intrigued Astrid. A trust fund baby perhaps? The kind that locked themselves away on their estates and barely talked to others? Truthfully, Astrid hated that type of person, the exact opposite of what she was and what she had grown to be. It was like an indirect spit in her face. She wouldn't let that affect her behavior though. Not only was it presumptuous to assume Sunny was, in fact, a child of wealth, but that would just make her more fun to crush if she was.

The amateur would likely dive right into gooey reassurances and soft, kind words. That was a trap. It would come off as shallow. Mere platitudes. Astrid was not an amateur. The mage looked down for a moment and sighed, shaking her head gently. "I see. I understand your plight all too well. I'm no stranger to power and the deceptive leeches that come with it. Sorting through the friends that are real and those that just want something from you is a long and exhausting process. In the end, it can change you. Make you slow to trust and distant from others. Sometimes, you can even feel like no one understands you, or worse no one wants to understand you. Does that sound about right?"

Astrid looked towards Sunny with a sympathetic smile, injected with just the right amount of pain hiding behind her eyes. An act, of course, but she doubted Sunny had the acumen to notice. "And for you, who worries about being frightening or boring, it must be isolating. I can only imagine how lonely you must feel." She gently but firmly slid her hand into Sunny's where it grasped at her opposite arm, taking hold of it and giggling softly. It was a subtle but obvious change from Sunny finding comfort in herself to finding comfort in Astrid. "Perhaps we were meant to be friends after all. In isolation, we find each other. What could be more fitting? Though I really must insist that you practice conversation. I can't be the only one keeping discussion going. Can you do that for me, Sunny?" Her real name instead of some little term of endearment... A show of authenticity. All of it was perfectly calculated, as it must be.

The rest of the village came into view with a tavern in sight to their left. "Ah! At last, a place to rest and eat. I suppose we shall see if Terrasphere's idea of a steak dinner matches up to the real world, eh? My treat, darling," Astrid insisted with a wink.

 

[Sunny Skies]

Sunny listened closely even though she felt a little foggy, a little depressed, about the whole conversation. All of this while they stood next to a dead woman she'd had to slay to keep Astrid safe. It was about as depressing as a situation could get. Especially given the woman's own situation that had led her to such a transformation.

She nodded at the first question, tightly. Astrid had hit it on the head. The woman was insightful, wise, and obviously rather intelligent. It almost read like a warning sign, but she couldn't help herself from being more curious about how she would be as a companion. Fortunately, the conversation turned that way as Astrid grabbed her hand, requesting that she work on her conversational skills. A pang of guilt hit her in the gut, not because Astrid had meant to make her feel that way, surely, but because she knew she was right. Sunny knew she was lacking in that department, the remark about being boring not only one of her greatest fears, but her greatest shortcoming.

She wanted to roleplay and have fun in this game so bad, but she was just full of anxiety about seeming cringe or doing something wrong or stupid. It was a little paralyzing. Fortunately, Astrid was here to help by giving her a little nudge. She had to appreciate that.

"I promise I will. Sorry for making you pull all the weight in the conversation. I just...I don't know, I don't ever want to sound dumb or say the wrong thing and I feel anxious. Especially around someone like you who is so..." She drifted off, looking at the tavern, implying a dozen things but leaving it left unsaid as she let Astrid bring up dinner. Blinking, she realized she'd never pulled her hand away and felt like she was imposing, suddenly pulling her hand back and blushing deeply behind her mask.

Crap, that was right! She was going to have to pull down her mask for dinner. It couldn't be helped, but she wasn't looking forward to being more on display. She looked embarrassed for holding hands for so long, knowing she didn't really mind and wanted to continue but thought it was just a mistake and that Astrid was just being nice.

"Y-yea. Hopefully it reminds me of home like when my dad used to make steaks on the grill every weekend." Slowly talking more and opening up, pried open like a clam thanks to Astrid's masterful handling.