Midsummer Feast

Merie couldn’t say why she’d ended up there she was. She’d been bored as she started in the early morning, during a weekend, making sure to spend most of the day playing Rocking World. And strangely enough so had Opiom already been online and directly asked Merie to join her at a monster hunt.

They’d ended up in a small village at the top of a mountain, where every cottage was covered by snow. Sure, she couldn’t deny it was a beautiful view. But she was sure it wasn’t why Opiom had taken her there. “So… Why are we here, Opiom?” As far Merie had been told, so would they set out for a hunt, but Opiom didn’t seem to mind spending time in the village. “We’re here because we need a few things before we can go out and massacre some rabbits.” So Opiom had pulled Merie along to hunt some rabbits? One of the weakest creatures in any area. Who didn’t even fight back when attacked. “And before you question it, Merie. So can I say I want a rare drop from them, which is why I wanted to come along as a good bloodhound.”

Merie couldn’t say that she even was angry about being called a bloodhound. Not that she anyhow could say Opiom was right as the dog had a great sense of smell, which Merie didn’t. “I see… But what do we need before we set out?” It was the first time Merie would spend hunting in a snowy area, usually going for hunts in the forest where she felt safer. “Outside the villages so will we get the debuff Freezing, which will cut our stats and slowly drain our lives. As long we don’t stay close to a fire or get some warm clothes.” It seemed as if Opiom was used to hunting in cold areas like that. Or so had she simply just researched it, as Merie had researched Pois.

The villagers, NPCs, weren’t minding them at all. Barely even batting them an eye. “I think this might be the shop I’ve read about, so should we head in, Girl?” Opiom had stopped in front of a plain building, which didn’t look the slightest like a shop. So if Opiom hadn’t called it a shop so would Merie never have known. “Just lead the way.” But as long it could provide what they needed, so couldn’t she care less.

Merie looked distressed at the clothes in the shop, regretting she’d followed Opiom. Honestly, so weren’t the cloth even looking warm. Dresses, many of them with frills and in vivid girly colours. “Are you sure this is the right shop, Opiom?” Merie wasn’t distressed by the clothes, themselves, but rather by the fact that if Opiom had the right place, would it mean Merie would be wearing clothes like that? And those clothes wouldn’t be much different from putting a dress at a turd, and Merie was the turd.

“It’s the right shop, a privilege for us girls, and I want us to take advantage of it.” Opiom couldn’t be serious. She’d to be shitting her. “I think I rather wear some more boring clothes than this. Maybe something with better armour.” Merie couldn’t think the dresses had any good defence, so she would go with that. “It’s no use, Girl. These clothes are the cheapest you get, and just like the other clothes, so don’t they add nor lessen your defence as it’s only equipment to put on your armour.” Opiom almost sounded as if she’d waited for the comment. Merie could only look annoyed at her “friend” as she thought about a comeback. “Anlied said you never wear cute clothes, so we decided this was a great chance. And after I’ve forced you into a dress, so does we have to look forward to when she comes online and joins us.” Did Opiom say this mostly happened because Anlie had opened her fat piehole? Not that what she said was untrue, but Merie already knew how horrible she would look.

Yet it wasn’t anything Opiom even seemed to care the slightest about, and she might’ve been taught some tricks from Anlie as she smoothly talked Merie into wearing a dress. A black dress with white and pink frills, leaving her just as bad looking as she’d suspected. “You might’ve looked better with another colour palette, Merie. But otherwise so are you looking diabeticly cute.” No, Opiom’s comment wasn’t making Merie feel any better. “I don’t like this. And please tell me that I’m not the only one wearing clothes like this, Opiom.” It was the slightest blessing Merie could ask for. “You’ll be the only cute one of us two. I’ve a maid outfit, specially made by a friend of mine, that I’ll be wearing.” Wouldn’t Opiom feel embarrassed by wearing something like that? “But I won’t change to that until we’re leaving the village… So what do you say about getting out, Cutie?”

Merie paid for the dress and followed Opiom out of the village, watching in disbelief as she equipped the maid outfit. A cute black dress, a white undershirt and a white apron. Probably what some called “French maid”, if she’d understood it right. “At least someone of us looks cute in our outfits.” Merie was in no way lying, Opiom was looking cute in that clothes. Honestly probably cuter than Merie has even seen anyone before. “And I would like to say it’s you looking cute, while I just look erotic.” “But instead of stand here and talking till Anlie joins, so would I suggest we start kill those rabbits.” Opiom was right, Merie agreeing with a simle nod.

Merie had started to understand why Opiom had asked her to come along, as the rabbits, Snow-rabbit, had the same fur colour as the snow. And if it wasn’t because Merie could hear them, so would she never be able to tell where they were hiding. “You’re doing a wonderful job sniffing them out, Cutie!” Opiom were casting spells at random in between Merie giving her targets. So most of Merie’s time went straight to finding new targets, only a few times breaking stride to kill a rabbit herself. Only to get Fur and Meat as drops. “May I ask what kind of loot you’re searching for, Opiom?” Merie still hadn’t been given that information, nor what Opiom thought about doing with it. “I was asked by a whore of a friend to get her a pair of rabbit ears for a bunny-girl suit. So it’s what I’ll do.” Not only did she make it sound like a dumb idea, but she didn’t seem to bat an eye at calling her friend a whore. “May I ask you, just, what kinds of friends do you have?” “I think a better question is what kind of friends I don’t have. And the answer is normal.” Opiom didn’t miss a beat before answering.

Merie hadn’t paid the time any mind, and soon enough, so did Anlie joining them, dressed in some warm skin. Looking the most normal out of the three, “Why aren’t you wearing a dress, Anlie?” Merie had to get an answer to that mystery as they’d forced her to wear a dress. “Because we knew you would look the cutest out of us, Dear.” There was no hesitation in her response, maybe just a slightly joyful tone in her voice. And Merie would like to say Anlie’s eyes were scary, giving her a feeling they were eating her alive.

Things didn’t turn any better as Anlie joined the slaughtering. She seemed to spend more time watching Merie than the rabbits, which she’d some problem catching up with. “I think we should be satisfied with the haul for this time, Girls. Even though I don’t think any of us would mind seeing Cutie’s shirt flip up some more.” Opiom probably meant that she and Anlie might have enjoyed it, even though the skirt probably didn’t show off much more than a little above Merie’s knees. “But did you get what you wanted, Opiom?” It was the first thought in Merie’s mind as she wished to avoid wearing the dress as long as she could. Of course, she could buy another set, but consider if it would be worth it as she’d gotten one functioning set free. And even though it was embarrassing and disgracing, so was it enough. “I got what I wanted before Anlie arrived, but I thought about getting another one for you, Cutie. As I read some equipment should get skills in the update, and I would like to think this might be one of them.” Opiom’s answer was dubious and Merie couldn’t say she trusted it. Sure, she’d also read about some equipment getting skills, and she could think a pair of rabbit ears could be one of them. But at the same time, so wouldn’t she be the slightest surprised if it turned out Opiom just wanted to mess with her, maybe with some support from Anlie? “That sounds fun, and as if our dear can get even cuter, but so wonder what kind of skill it’ll involve? Agility?” Of course so was Anlie along with the idea, but she was right that the rabbit ears could’ve something to do with agility, as the small critters were infamous for their speed.

“Instead of just cutting the fun off, so am I curious about what you should say about hunting some Mountain-wolves and collecting their fur for a new set of clothes for Anlie?” “May I ask if the clothes will look anything like this, or will she be let off easy?” Opiom’s question was rapidly followed by another critical question from Merie. Wishing for Anlie to also suffer through some embarrassment as Merie had done. Even if it maybe wasn’t as bad as for Merie.

“Considering it’ll be fur we hand her, so can I ask her to put together a one-piece, based on a puppy.” Opiom’s idea sounded good, and just by trying to build up a picture of it in her head, she was sure Anlie would be cuter than Opiom. So she didn’t hesitate to go along with the idea, and neither was Anlie. “If you think that’ll even the score, so sure.” And with Anlie’s agreement so did Opiom lead the way toward a dense forest she said would be a great area to hunt the wolves.

Merie logged in again after they’d decided to leave for a short so they all could get something to eat. She was satisfied with both taking the time to eat and have a quick chat with her parents. But she was less satisfied with the fact that she just happened to pick up the news that there had been new slayings, already connected to the killer murdering gamers. Preparing herself for another shitstorm shaking the game, and tried to foresee what the developers could do next to help the police.

As soon she had both her feet on the ground, so did she note a bunch of wolves glaring at her. “Wind of a Goddess”, rapidly activates her ability and throws herself out of the way of a wolf’s attack. Pulling her claws and leaping into action as soon as she landed, aiming for the one attacking her. Sharpening her hearing and noticing the rest of the flock ganging up at her.

Her blades here straight, so she wasn’t able to rip them up, as if she would’ve used her other claws. Still, she didn’t have any problem avoiding their attacks or attacking them. Mostly because she could hear them. Sparks flew everywhere as she dodged and sliced them, starting to think of the event as pure training. At least until the rest joined her, then the slaughtering would begin for real.