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Tag: Mapel

  • [Draft] [ReignBoot: Story 5] The Final Shopkeeper Pt2

    <- The Final Shopkeeper Pt1

    8 Hours remain

    The past few hours have been a blur, throwing a party, having honest chats, planning for a final stand, and hunting a relic that could not be found. And for the record, yes, the party was needed, the local heroes are still grieving and it got the local protage out of her funk of a mood.

    Items
    Equipment
    -> Party <-
    Settings
    Quit

    [entity.character[avatar].name is undefined]

    [entity.character[avatar].pronouns is undefined], an avatar of a higher being that appears to have been influencing both Reign’s Musketeers and the Rainbow Stripes groups. After the control interface was interrupted, this higher being was given [entity.character[avatar].pronouns is undefined] own avatar to get more directly involved as the world draws to it’s end. Team Role: Commander/[entity.character[avatar].class is undefined]

    Wendy Colour

    She/Her, leader of the Rainbow Stripes, a clone of Peter Colour and former corporate spear. She has been doing her best in the change of leadership and proven herself capable of taking on the big threats. This is her first real mission as leader, having to manage a grieving team and an impossible threat. Team role: Commander/Phys Tank

    Reign

    They/Them, leader of the ragtag Musketeers, known for manhunting milk and toppling the British monarchy . They’re extremely quiet but their few words are used very well, able to push through any obstacle with their friends by their side. A friend of the Rainbow Stripes as a local fighter and employee at Del Tech who supply a lot of the local technology. Team role: Commander/Sharpshooter

    8 hours and all you have to show for it is one person going at full power rather than being depressed, and the only kind of plan you have is to use Overdrive… Somehow, no people in position, no real plan of attack. Just in the middle of town with no idea what to do next. A quick look around shows no quests in the local area, just… The final shop, Mapel might have a clue now you’ve done a few things? You make your way to the door-

    A retro style JRPG text box. The box is labeled with the name "Wendy" and the text reads "Do we need equipment? I thought we stocked up already"

    Anyway, you make your way to the door, ignoring the comment, you’re not here for equipment, you’re here for words. You open the door and this time, you expect the strange storefront.

    “Welcome bac-” Mapel’s hopeless tone is quickly cut off, she slowly turns and jumps in her seat, falling off the chair onto her face before quickly springing up. Elbows on the countertop, head on her hands, bright smile on her face. She looks to the side, her eyes go wide, one hand shooting to the side and pulling down, the whole room lighting up bright! The smile on her face more visible.

    “Welcome back!’ She gives the brightest of smiles, looking to the trio, “What can I get y’all?”

    -> Buy
    Sell
    Chat
    Leave her be

    Well you know why you’re here already here. Wait a moment, all the options have reset to unselected!

    -> What are you doing? <-

    “Well I’m running a shop!” Her eyes look around the area, “Weapons, equipment, items, you know, the standard stuff you’d need! I think I have everything you guys and not guys need” her eyes reset back to looking to your party.

    -> You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours? <-

    “Well I’m the psychopomp and record keeper of the world and for right now I’m a shopkeeper. Just like you’re an avatar of a higher being, Wendy is the hardheaded fighter, and Reign is the recluse that seeks revenge.”

    A retro style JRPG text box. The box is labeled with the name "Reign" and the text reads "That's uncalled for ... Wanker"

    “That’s fair” She sticks her tongue out, “you’re lucky I care so much, prick” back to her normal looking at you

    -> Why are you selling this stuff? <-

    “Oh, well gotta help the effort, I can’t directly interfere but nothing says I can’t do stuff like this as long as I stay within the lanes” she lifts her head up to give finger guns before planting her chin right back onto her hands.

    -> Any hints to save the world? <-

    “From the records, it looks like you have:”

    “Searched for a relic to assist in the mission”

    “Organised a party to help cheer up Fiona Colour”

    “Held a meeting on what to do when the time comes”

    “Based on the information I have, I believe that you have the people needed to deal with this. I believe you would need one person from each team, yourself commanding and 3 others to execute the commands. Think on that, alright?” She gives a quick 4 frame wink.

    -> If the world is saved, will you do anything differently? <-

    “I think I’d travel, sorry avatar, nothing extra”

    -> Is this the part where I can ask for a fight? <-

    “Three on one? Are you kidding me?! And please not in the shop!” She springs up, arms waving in front of her, presumably as some sort of ‘Stop!’ gesture.

    “Besides, you gotta find the me to fight and this ain’t it, bub” she stops the gesture and returns to her idle pose.

    -> Can I save? <-

    “Are you seri-” she glares for a moment before pulling out a heavily sticky notes and ammended notebook, opening it on the counter, the book bounces as she writes in it with a large quill.

    “Annnnnnd done! Next time, just use the me outside” she returns the book back to under the counter, returning to idling.

    Buy
    Sell
    Chat
    -> Leave her be <-

    “Say hi to the next me you meet” she gives a big grin and a big wave. You open the door, letting Wendy and Reign exit first, you hear a click and the light turns out

    “Come back, alone, I’ve got info” the chipper tone has completely disappeared. You leave the store.

    A retro style JRPG text box. The box is labeled with the name "Reign" and the text reads "That was weird ... She... was weird"
    A retro style JRPG text box. The box is labeled with the name "Wendy" and the text reads "Look, a lot happened. Honestly, I don't understand how she is keeping it together at all"

    Items
    Equipment
    -> Party <-
    Settings
    Quit

    [entity.character[avatar].name is undefined]
    | Stats
    | Profile
    Wendy Colour
    | Stats
    | Profile
    -> | Dismiss <-
    Reign
    | Stats
    | Profile
    -> | Dismiss <-

    Well she hasn’t steered you wrong so far so might as well hear her out. You renter the shop, the sight greeting you is the same as the first time. Not even a greeting, that’s a great sign.

    Buy
    Sell
    -> Chat <NEW> <-
    Leave her be

    -> Any hints to save the world? <NEW> <-

    “So you failed to find it…” Stillness, the room freezes, “I believe Reign would have been the one to find the clues but maybe they were too well hidden”

    The room resumes, “I have one extra thing to tell you. If you try to stop this, there will be pushback, while I can’t be sure of everything that will come after you, there will be a guy coming. The last I heard, his wings have been clipped, but if he is at full power, he will most likely kill everyone in his way.” She turns her head, her eyes are open wide, a look best described as pity on her face. “He most likely can take you all on at top form, with his wings clipped, he’s still physically enough to do some real damage”

    She turns back around, there is a multiple second pause before the menu returns.

    -> Why were you so different with other people here? <-

    “You ever work retail? The people of this world are lower life forms compared to us. I can’t tell them much of anything. We are on more equal footing and I’ve learned to mask when ‘on duty’”

    “Not that I physically can’t but I’m under strict instructions not to, apparently there was a problem awhile ago in another story. The Wendy Colour of that story was too aware, caused a big problem. So they need to remain in the cave, seeing The Creator’s shadows on the wall”

    Buy
    Sell
    Chat
    -> Leave her be <-

    “Farewell, enjoy the time you have”

    You take your leave, the door isn’t closed before you see the nearby Mapel on the street, you make your way to call a meeting, there’s more info to discuss…

    Author’s notes:

    • I don’t think I got any comments really, the part 1 notes covers it

  • [Draft] [ReignBoot: Story 5] The Final Shopkeeper

    Mapel had always been an odd sort, always showing up where the action is, somehow able to be in both the UK and the US at the same time speaking to 2 separate groups of people. While most people speaking bring their name to mind, when she speaks, your mind flashes a whole darn image of her face!

    So as the end of the world is looming, her trying to help out, give a push for those she spent decades helping out. She opened a shop, with the best equipment and items she could get her hands on, opening right in the middle of New Beginnings open all hours with a lack of hours left on Earth.

    Entering the shop you expect the usual floor space, chat with the shopkeeper to start the shopkeeping business, most of the time it’s just the business of buying and selling, no funny talking business, getting to know the local pharmacist or weapons dealer. So entering this new store is rather-

    “This world… I wish to enjoy every moment of it while it lasts, I doubt I will see the sun rise again. 16 hours remain, make the best of it.” Mapel is sat in strangely high quality on a chair, facing away from you, looking out of a small window to the clear sky outside. Her tone is devoid of the usual hope or cheer, only a melancholy softness remains. Her long hair flows in a wind that doesn’t appear to effect anything else in the room. The scene is a much higher quality than what you typically see, muchore detail in everything as well.

    The store itself is a small floor, the counter is see through, offering many healing and support items, healinator injectors, e-spray, and t-spray being front and centre. Behind the counter is stuffed full of equipment, swords, oversized paintbrushes, mini crossbows, katanas, slim armour, and fantasy armour. Actually, how was she keeping it all in the shop? It’s too much!

    -> Buy
    Sell
    Chat
    Leave her be

    What the hell?! Where’s the floor space? What is this… Non standard menu?! There’s not even anything indicating a speaker! Well I guess it’s obvious as there’s only one person in sight but still.

    Buy
    Sell
    -> Chat <-
    Leave her be

    -> What are you doing? <-
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    Any hints to save the world?
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    Can I save?

    “Doing? I’ve opened shop to help the local hero group, you’re working with them so it’s your shop as well,”

    The wind suddenly stops, her hair hanging limp.

    “If you mean why I am looking out of the window, I don’t get to sit and enjoy the world I’ve been assigned to. The shopping sequence takes longer than saving so I thought I could enjoy the peace for a single moment,”

    After a couple of seconds pass, then the wind returns to her hair.

    What are you doing?
    -> You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours? <-
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    Any hints to save the world?
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    Can I save?

    “My role? I am the psychopomp of this world, easing the souls of the dead out of this life, I also take a record of events that interest our… Well excluding you I guess… Creator. In this case, the lives and adventures of both Reign’s group, and the local Rainbow Stripes. My role fixes me in the past but I enjoy being in the present”

    What are you doing?
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    -> Why are you selling this stuff? <-
    Any hints to save the world?
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    Can I save?

    “The rules of this world… I can bend them, or they bend around me, I do not know. But I cannot break them entirely, I saw the look on your face, this shop is nothing like your usual shops, that is one example. I believe that our creator created me last, putting me in a different ‘style’ to the rest of this world.”

    “…”

    “Sorry, I didn’t answer your question, I am selling this equipment because the rules of the world force me to, and at market rates. I assure you that I have done everything in my power to give you a leg up. I promise that I would want is to see the life of this world continue”

    What are you doing?
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    -> Any hints to save the world? <-
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    Can I save?

    “There was a legend of a person that attempted to force freedom into this world, rip the constraints on all of us. I do not believe this person is around anymore but they may have left clues-“

    The lights turn off, even the sun outside, the only thing visible is Mapel covered in shadow.

    “Actually, if you do not know where to look already, then I believe this method will be lost. I apologise, it would not have been easy information to find, they would have wanted to keep it away from hands like mine, hands that serve the chains”

    The lights return to normal

    What are you doing?
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    Any hints to save the world?
    -> If the world is saved, will you do anything differently? <-
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    Can I save?

    “My duties end when the world is set to end. If I am released from my duties, I would like to travel, really explore the world but…”

    That stillness again, everything stops, slowly, her head turns to look at you.

    Her eyes are puffy, tears still at the corners of her eyes, she sniffles.

    Her tone starts to shake, voice wobbling.

    “I don’t believe such a world can exist for us. Please, you don’t need to worry about me, I am immortal, I will survive in some form. I will not blame you for failing”

    Tears start to pour down her face, she quickly turns away and the wind returns.

    “I apologise, that was not very becoming of me, thank you for taking the time to speak with me, letting me remain fixed for a fleeting moment”

    What are you doing?
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    Any hints to save the world?
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    -> Is this the part where I can ask for a fight? <-
    Can I save?

    “I am in no condition to fight, please find the correct instance of me to ask”

    What are you doing?
    You’ve mentioned roles, what is yours?
    Why are you selling this stuff?
    Any hints to save the world?
    If the world is saved, will you do anything differently?
    Is this the part where I can ask for a fight?
    -> Can I save? <-

    “Sure thing, how have things been for you?”

    …

    …

    “Record saved, enjoy your time while you can”

    …

    “Thank you for staying and speaking with me, I can tell you’ve said everything you are capable of. Please, have this on the house, and, if you wouldn’t mind, stick around a bit longer, the view is wonderful”

    You got the “Replica of a hero’s chestplate”!

    Replica of a hero’s chestplate – A purple & orange replica of the chestplate worn by Haloes Colour. Not as good of a defence tool but much lighter than the original. Despite being a replica, this has clearly seen use, the mechanical components are far smaller than current technology is capable of.

    You decide to sit in the the store for a few minutes, Mapel has always helped out and if this is the one way to pay her back then might as well do what you can.

    “?”

    “Are you waiting here for my sake?”

    -> Yes <-
    Oh sorry I was zoning out

    “…”

    “…”

    “Thank you,” her voice is shaking again

    “I… Can’t share this with the people of this world”

    She leans down, no longer looking to the window

    “Thank you”

    Her body shakes

    “[entity.character[avatar].name is undefined], I have enjoyed this time”

    “The fleeting moments, have not felt so fleeting”

    She lets out an audible sigh

    Suddenly your bag feels heavier

    You find t-spray+4 and e-spray+4

    “Consider it a gift, I hope it serves you well”

    Her body stills, looking back up

    “Don’t let me keep you further, you have a world to save don’t you?” Her voice still shakes a tiny bit but it’s calmed a lot.

    Buy
    Sell
    Chat
    -> Leave her be <-

    You take your leave, you hear a melancholy sigh as you close the door behind you.

    Back with the normal world, nearby in sight of the shop you can see Mapel again but she looks… Normal, nothing left of the tears from within the shop. You walk on over, starting a chat with her.

    A video game style text box, a portrait of Mapel on the left. The text reads "Oh hey! Need me to take a record of your story?"
    A video game style text box, a portrait of Mapel on the left. The text reads "And... done! Say hi to the next me you meet!"

    Well she seems fine now, if what she said was correct, she’s just ‘in her role’, you move on your way, you need to chat around, see what plans everyone has, get a good feel for the state of things. Now where the heck is Wendy Colour?

    The Final Shopkeeper Pt2 ->

    Author’s notes:

    • The protag of this story is ‘Undefined’, meant to be a diegetic insert character
      • Mapel is one of the few characters that actually understands what that means. The usual characters (Wendy Colour for example) just know that they’re great at handling strategy
      • Mapel’s pitch is the only reason they’re not just getting dragged around by the local heroes
    • There’s a not that is not explained in this story, it’s just a snapshot in the middle of things
    • For a touch of context around Mapel, she shows up everywhere, she’s the in universe save point. It is the same woman the whole time, so she is being pulled around constantly
      • Her design is the same as the Mapel I’ve made character sheets of but her story and place in the world is completely different. Unlike the other version of Mapel who is one of the main characters, this one just kinda chills around the world
    • I’m not going to elaborate if Mapel having explicitly different textbox design is diegetic to everyone or just Undefined
    • Mapel is known at this point to be created by a higher being (who she defines as “The Creator”)
    • Undefined is known to be an avatar of an unrelated higher being, they’re an insert for a reason, ya know?
      • As they are meant to be an insert character and this is meant to be a video game style world, in writing, they are represented by a glitchy missing file without detail. Note that this non-diegetic and it is presumed that they were a “Make your own character” type deal

  • [Draft] A Lote of questions

    [Draft] A Lote of questions

    A FreeBoot (Treboot Universe) story

    CW: This story contains language that can be seen as bigoted/transphobic, used to show a character’s ignorance and is to show them not understanding rather than being hateful

    Leia more info

    Currently without their main soul, Leia is on an adventure to find the soul that’s meant to be in their body, tagging along with Lote and Mapel to get the help of the new land of the unicorns

    While the duo look into eachother’s eyes, getting completely lost in the future they could share, walking side by side, throwing silly comments, and more formal and less silly comments back and forth… not too different from the present, something stirs from the nearby bushes, a violet aura surrounding a beaten and bloody body that has just collapsed in full view of the not lovers.

    “Leia?!” Mapel is first to get up, running towards the brunette with multiple large scratches through the back of her leather armour and flesh. Mapel looks her over, rapid blood loss, must have been attacked by multiple large animals or something the group does not want to cross again.

    A golden aura surrounds Mapel, a spell crossing her lips as a matching aura surrounds Leia. The wounds quickly close, the blood loss stops, Leia jumps back to life and onto her feet. “Good news, I’m alive and with intel. Bad news, there’s a LOT a bears around and they do not like humans putting up campsites” Leia pauses to take a breath, “I swear there were something like 8 bears trying to take chunks out of me, I’m good but I’ve got limits!”

    Lote takes a look at the healing handy work, a small smile on their face, “Have you considered that they simply don’t care for a quarter of the nonbinary flag that you constantly emit?” they wave their hand in Leia’s aura, disrupting it as the hand moves through it, if only for a moment. Mapel gives a little giggle at the rather deadpan joke.

    Leia looks between them, looking for some glimmer of an inside joke but sees nothing of the sort, they’re fully expecting her to get it, but instead of that, she tries to make some kind of joke back, “I’m plenty binary, I was a robot brain in a past life” she’s either way too proud of that or simply deflecting not understanding… again.

    Mapel sighs with a facepalm, full slap of hand to forehead, it probably hurt, “You go by she/they, how do you not know what non-binary is? I thought you spent years travelling someone that goes by it” both her and Lote give a look, the old look of that weird woman is speaking nonsense again

    Leia gives a dismissive “Pssh” as she quickly thinks up a reply, “Well I guess the obvious is that the they is from me and Haloes being kinda…” She punches her fists together a couple of times, “together in one body, literally two of us so yeah. As for my fur friend, I thought it was because he like is completely out of place here? Like there’s no other furs that look like him at all, are we sure it didn’t skip through some weird crack in reality like I did?” She finally takes a glance towards the rather horrified looks of the rest of the group, “Wait wait wait, you don’t see it? Like if I appeared with my old body, I’d totally think the same way about myself, designed outside of the sight of that God Above All you liked to like. Like seriously, it looks nothing like any other fur I’ve seen1, less towards the human of humanoid than even it’s bestie” she gives a quick nervous chuckle, “Seriously, I can’t be the only one seeing this, I’m not thinking this to other it! It’s like when we found that sign about nonexistent mobile phones, just really out of place and I can’t explain why… Not like I can ask about it’s history, guy probably thinks it’s only lived in this world” her eyes grow more tired as she looks towards the floor, her tone losing its usual energy, “Hard to find someone that understands, ya know?” Her eyes dart up to look between the duo, “You both look like you know, I assume the chat went well”

    Lote offers a soft chuckle, “Let’s not start changing the subject here, but yes, just so you do know, the chat did go well, thank you for taking over tent duty” they look to Mapel, a gentle smile on their face, before it suddenly drops and the attention is back on Leia, “As a quick summery, a non binary person is someone that does not identify with a binary gender so male or female. It covers many identities, for reference, I’d refer to myself as a demiwoman, I don’t feel discomfort being a woman but I don’t feel like I connect with it at all. Jeder ist anders2, so how I feel may not apply to your fur friend and, as far as I am aware, does not apply to yourself” they hold a teacher like composure during the explanation with Mapel nodding and thumbs upping along with it.

    Leia thinks for a moment, full hand to chin, looking to the sky, “I think I get it? Like you don’t feel much of connection to being a woman but don’t feel like a guy, like just neither” her tone completely lacking confidence but a nod from Lote seems to help a bit, “I mean, I really only use they because there’s usually a guy here too, dunno if that counts if I myself uses she… I mean, I guess that’s my choice” she simply sighs and gives an over the top shrug, “Come on you two… Whatever your relationship is now, we should probably reclaim our camp site and supplies, you might wanna explain that too so I don’t mess anything up”

    Mapel whips out her electro pistol, “For the record, we’re together, we still gotta figure out what that really means, you know what I’m like” the pistol buzzes with a sharp buzz. Lote rolls their eyes, pulling pulling duel knives from their leather armour, “Yes, we will need to find out what that means, do not worry about being das fünfte Rad am Wagen3, we are always great together” they flash a casual smile, twirling the knives before walking into the bush. The rest of the group follow along, ready to fight for their tents!

    1. The character referred to here was not created by me and 100% doesn’t look like my fur characters ↩︎
    2. This (should) mean “Each to their own” ↩︎
    3. This (should) mean “Be the fifth wheel on the wagon” ↩︎
  • [Draft] A Lote to work with

    [Draft] A Lote to work with

    A Freeboot (Treboot universe) story
    Mapel more info

    Mapel is a cleric that turned against her god to help Lote and develop a plan to rid the world of gods and fix some outstanding issues she noticed over the past 7 years. In this new world, she travels with Lote, enjoying a casual time while it lasts

    Lote more info

    Lote has succeeded in her mission to rid the world of gods and has offered to take Mapel to their homeland, currently travelling to a newly created land which has the best port to depart from. They owe Mapel a great deal as her assistance on guiding the changes to the world have made things a lot better than if she was to go it alone.

    The Sun slowly decended below the rainbow filled sea, Unicornucopia marking the land’s edge before reaching a port to new lands unknown. It’s a day’s travel at this point, not too far but it will be a long day to get there and hope there’s a people sized bed, how big are the unicorns or equine or whatever creatures live there? That’s the problem with casually reality warping a new territory into existance, no one knows what to expect!

    A tall figure sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking everything, cozy green jumper keeping her warm, though a bit tattered from bandit encounters and just falling on her face when her legs decide they hate her. Her brunette flowing hair catching the breeze as her eyes scanned the scene in front of her, something new, something different, something she’s never seen before. She sat, hunched up with her head reading on her pulled in knees, enjoying the calm and the wind. She isn’t truly alone, her companions are simply preparing a camp for the night, not her area of things to do, she knows her pals can handle putting up a few tents.

    From the nearby bushes, a shorter figure appears, “Mapel, you doing alright?” the voice is lightly gruff and raspy, a voice Mapel knows very well. The smaller figure wore light roguewear, simple leather armour with underclothes, not much for fighting but they make do, their expression typically extremely chilled out has a twinge of nerviousness to it. The larger figure looks over, offering a soft smile and a nod, patting the space next to her. The smaller figure gives her own smile and puts their butt on the previously patted ground.

    Mapel looks out to the sea below, the waves crashing with colours below, “You sure you can leave Leia alone with the tents? She might try stabbing them into place” her tone is playful and teasing, as if messing with a sibling. The smaller figure offers a soft chuckle, “She was insistant that I go and relax with you, she was like ‘You better have a nice relaxing time while I beat up these tents!’ and I’m not going to argue with that, she’s a lot you know” they sit with their legs hanging off the edge, swinging their stick legs above the sea below. Mapel giggles, “I thought you were a Lote” Lote’s face changes to one trying to fight bursting out loud and wanting to sigh so loud she’d alert every animal nearby to their location.

    Ultimately, no noise is made, much to Lote’s relief, they just smile in that casual cool way they always do, “I did have something, I wanted to ask you” their voice suddenly not as calm and casual as usual, a small tense pull on their words, “If that’s alright” they’re not sure why they would even say that, of course a question would be alright, a question is always alright, They really don’t know what is happening in their mind, is this an internal conflict of what to do next?

    Mapel’s eyes jump to look at her sitting partner, “Sure thing, of course!” she offers a soft and gentle smile, it’s been a good while since they got to know eachother, she outright betrayed her own god in the hope that Lote was true to their word, which turned out to be the right call in her eyes. So the long and short is there is a lot of trust between the two, would be kind of awkward if they hated eachother and sat like this.

    Lote’s eyes divert away to their destination in the distance, “We’ve known eachother for a while and it’s been great, I mean, you’re not a kissass like the followers were and you’re not… quite so gung ho like Leia is, you’re…” they pause, a rare struggle to find the wording, “…different, in a good way” she runs her hand through her hair, her bangs flopping back to join the rest of her hair. “I just think, and worry that, once this is all said and done and we have some fun in my homeland, we’d end up going our seperate ways”

    Mapel looks to them with a mix of concern and confusion, confusion…. those words are too easy to fuse together, even have the word fusion in there. Anyway, she lets out a small sigh, “I’m not going to say that hasn’t happened before” she fidgets her hands, aimlessly squishing them together, “But, that was a mutual split, the others had their lives to get back to and I had my work to do. Besides, until recently I would have called them family, we were that close and continued to be” her tone gave away that she was confused by the topic but her words are of reassurance.

    Lote’s expression changed, completely, their messed up hair mixed with a borderline distraught expression is a fresh look, not a good one, but a fresh look nontheless! “Well, I don’t want to be like family” is this how anxity feels? The hitched breath, the swear on their brow, the beating in their heart. For once, they aren’t sure of the outcome, not sure of what could come of what they want to say and the outcome really does matter. “Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright. Well now I’m sounding like you” she goes to give a chuckle but gives a short burst of laughter before cutting herself off, “I was thinking that maybe we could get together, like I don’t know about dating or anything like that I ju-” Mapel’s hand snuck up and landed on her shoulder with a shockingly firm grip.

    Mapel stares deep into Lote’s eyes, while the stare is firm, there is a small glint of reassurance, “Breath, focus on your breathing and take a second to get your thoughts together” she offers a soft smile, “And, if it helps, from what you’ve said so far, if it was a hard no in that direction at all, I would have said already, but I gotta hear the whole thing” she slowly removes her hand from Lote, like releasing a reset button and letting them start back up.

    Taking the friendly advice, they relax their breath and close their eyes, for a few moments, just existing. Their hair flops back down into bangs and the shakiness in their body starts to subside, not completely but the improvement is great. When they eventually open their eyes and lay their eyes upon their sitting partner, the shine of the setting sun on her face, the crashing rainbow waves as a backdrop, it’s now or never. “Mapel, I have loved travelling with you, you’ve been the best and I believe you will continue to be. I don’t believe I… can like people like other’s can, I don’t want to go on romantic dates, I don’t want to have big acts of love or anything of the sort. I’m happy as we are, I don’t want to have to see you go. Ich hab dich lieb1” she felt like she was going to die having it in the open, like her heart was going to explode.

    “I sure hope you didn’t just put a curse on me or something at the end there” Mapel giggles softly, “I think I understand how you feel about love and relationships, and I accept your feelings, I don’t want to flake on you, I want to be close to you. So of course, I wanna be with you, not like lovers but like… together” she gently takes one of Lote’s hands with both of hers, “I don’t know what we’d call this but I’m thankful for meeting you. And we can be… a bit closer than friends if you want, if only to save inn fees”

    The silly comments, always with the silly comments, Lote smiles warm, “Of course, I didn’t want to pull you into anything more than how we’ve been but being a bit closer sounds nice. I presume we will just see where we end up and how we express our relationship” they chuckle softly, “The worry feels silly now, I suppose you feel like this a lot, like a final trial to understand you better, I swear I’ll stop talking like you once I’ve calmed down”

    1. German is not a known language in lore, also I cannot speak it so I made sure to research to ensure the right phrasing is used, this is not meant to be a romantic romantic line but of love nonetheless ↩︎