✦ ✦ ✦
“Hope I get to see you do that for our side next time. You might mesh well with Marx’s summons.”
“Yeah, we could make a lot!”
“And we’d like to take advantage of it.”
“Mm-hmm! You got it!”
“Thanks. Oh, almost that time.”
The cat behind them shifted, stretching, and they both slid to the ground.
The dappled light grew brighter, surrounding them. A low, rumbling meow echoed…and they could no longer see at all.
✦ ✦ ✦
On a later day…
Kaede and Risa were walking home from school. Today they planned to start exploring the third stratum.
“You fought Frederica?”
“Yep! My approach worked great. Still…I just let Dark Rebirth and Ancient Ocean do all the work.”
“That’s a brutal combo…”
Maple had several skills that played into each other. Following Paralyze Shout with a poison attack could also do fatal damage, swiftly eliminating opposition.
“Frederica’s not equipped for Dark Rebirth.”
Risa had fought her a lot and knew exactly what she was capable of. Without a front-liner, her build could not handle that many tanky monsters.
“………”
If Maple had accepted Frederica’s duel…
No, even if she hadn’t, she’d likely agree if Risa asked. As long as she asked.
“After that, Mii invited me to a secret area!”
“Oh? What did it have?” Kaede told her all about the cat cradle. “Interesting. Word of that hasn’t gotten around, and if you can get there without a quest, it’s likely an Easter egg.”
“I thought so!”
“Yup. Mii’s probably right—there’s another condition. I doubt it’s just there for you to play with cats. Still…if there’s a skill there, it likely won’t mesh well with Mii’s style.”
“O-oh…yeah…right…maybe not…”
“……? Well, either way, I’ll take a look at it myself. It’s cool how you’re friends with other guilds, and maybe I’ll find a way to trigger an event there.”
“Okay!”
“And if that makes you stronger, it’ll be two birds with one stone!”
“Mm-hmm!”
When their schedules didn’t match up, they were going their own ways, grinding levels or searching for secrets in areas they’d already cleared.
And Risa’s new goal was the kitty corner.
“But I never thought you’d make so many friends in-game, Kaede.”
“Yeah! I’m glad they’re all so nice!”
They weren’t just nice—they were the best players in the game. Frederica and Mii were just the start. If they were ever struggling, Maple and Sally knew a bunch of people they could call.
“Also, I feel bad about this, but my folks are definitely tightening the screws faster than I thought. I can play today, but you may be left to your own devices along the way.”
“Really?”
Risa made a face, nodding.
“My own devices…”
“Yeah. Just have fun. That’s all I wanted when I invited you.”
Kaede and Risa’s time limit was coming up fast—if it arrived before they finished the tenth stratum, it would be frustrating. Risa wanted to avoid that if she could.
“I think I’ll wait for you.”
“Uh…”
“Eh-heh-heh, that’s what’s fun for me.” Not what Risa had been fishing for, but Kaede took a step ahead, turning back with a smile. “And since you invited me, I want us to play together as long as we can. Okay?”
“Yeah…yeah.”
“Great! And if you put it that way, we’ll have to study together more often!”
“Mm-hmm, I certainly plan to hit the books properly.”
“Excellent news, young Risa.”
“I shall not disappoint, young Kaede.”
Risa shook off her earlier thoughts—they’d been pretty pessimistic and didn’t help much.
Best to have fun with whatever lay ahead. They’d only just started the tenth stratum.
“I’ll get a real good score on the next mock exam, just you watch.”
“Good luck! You do great when you’re motivated.”
“Heh-heh, I’m gonna try twice as hard.”
She had no time to fret and worry. Especially when they had the third-stratum area to tackle later today!
Best to nail her studying and her playtime. That way, she need not sweat the small stuff.
“Well, see you in a bit…”
“Yeah! I’ll see you in NewWorld Online!”
They went their separate ways, planning to meet up again in-game—as Maple and Sally. For now, they both hustled off toward their respective homes.