Chapter Text
Jimmy doesn't know how he got roped into playing DND.
That's a lie. Scott sweet talked him into it. Something about needing more players.
He didn't even know who's house they were in, only knowing it was a shared house between two of the players. Who they were he didn't know.
He sat down, sticking close to Scott. He'd helped to make Jimmy's character sheet with a bit of assistance from the DM.
The other two people sitting there were doing their own things.
He recognized Pearl. She was on her phone, chair leaned back and feet up on the table where a large and very detailed map was spread out. She wore her signature blue hoodie, white T-shirt, and ripped jeans. Her hair was messy, as always.
It was comforting to know he knew at least one other person here.
The other person looked significantly more intimidating. She was quite tall, frizzy orange hair going in every direction. Her green eyes glared at everything and her arms were crossed. She studies Jimmy for a moment before reaching her hand across the table.
"Hi there! The name's Cleo!"
He's momentarily surprised by their kindness. He fumbles to shake her hand back.
"I'm uh- Jimmy. It's nice to meet you Cleo."
They smile, letting go and sitting back. Pearl moves her phone to show the ginger something and suddenly Cleo is much less intimidating.
They have to wait a while for the next person to enter the room. He's tall, coming in from deeper inside the house. He wears a plain black shirt and sweatpants, clearly intending to be comfortable. He has a folded sheet, binder, and laptop tucked under one arm, a canned drink in the other.
He sits at the end of the table, setting up the folded sheet. It's a kind of privacy screen.
Thankfully Scott senses his confusion. He nudges his shoulder to get his attention.
"That's Impulse. He's our DM. He'll be telling the story and rolling for NPCs and stuff. Him and Tango made the world we're playing in."
When Jimmy turns back to Impulse the man smiles at him. He seems very kind. Jimmy knows he's definitely patient with how many questions they had to ask over text.
"Nice to finally meet you Jimmy. We're just waiting on Etho and Tango now."
Cleo nods, turning her gaze to the front door. Impulse and Pearl engage in conversation while Scott goes onto his phone, scrolling through some social media of his.
Jimmy looks over his shoulder, jaw dropping (figuratively) at the number of dms Scott has.
Still as popular as ever he supposes. Scott's always been like that though.
He doesn't know how he manages to maintain such a large friend group.
The next person to stumble into the room comes from the same direction as Impulse. He's blonde and shorter than Jimmy but quite attractive. He's dressed similarly to Impulse, only wearing a red and black hoodie.
He carries an absurd amount of snacks in his arms. They're all dumped on the table as he flops into the open chair nearest Impulse and directly across from Jimmy.
"Did you really have to put the snacks on my map?"
"Relax Impy. We'll get them cleared off once Etho gets here."
The new person's eyes land on Jimmy and the air immediately feels a bit stifling. He smiles, grinning from ear to ear.
"Well hello hello new guy! Don't think I've seen you around before! I'm Tango of the Tek variety."
"Uhh. Jimmy. Jimmy Sea."
Cleo looks over at that. "Lizzie's brother? Small world I guess."
"You know Lizzie?"
"Yeah. She's in my business class. Told me she wants to be a veterinarian."
"Mhm. She wants to open up her own place so she can treat all kinds of animals. I think she's trying to get certified to help as many kinds as possible too."
Cleo hums. "That's pretty impressive. I'm rooting for her."
The conversation cuts off as the final member of their party enters from the front door. He looks quite cool and nonchalant, long silver hair pulled back into a short ponytail. He has his hands in the pockets of his dark green hoodie, cargo pants on underneath. He wears a black mask to cover half his face and his one of his eyes is red while the other is pale blue.
He sits down on the other side of Scott, filling the last chair.
"Excellent! Jimmy this is Etho. Etho this is Jimmy." Impulse introduces them quickly. Etho looks over, smiling with his eyes as he waves with a gloved hand. Jimmy returns the wave.
"Now that we're all here. You all have your character sheet, right? You don't need to worry about dice because Tango's a goblin and we have pencils."
There's various confirmations around the table as everyone pulls out their own character sheets. Jimmy hurries to do the same, embarrassed that he doesn't have any dice to bring with.
"Ok and who doesn't have dice?"
Scott, Cleo, and Jimmy all raise their hands. Tango stands up quickly, running off only to return just as fast. There's a cup of mechanical pencils in one hand and four bags of dice in the other. He hands the bags out to Scott, Cleo, and Jimmy, keeping one for himself.
"Alright then! Now that that's all settled, I'm going to need you all to clear the map and we can get started."
Everyone scrambles to do so, talking over the noise.
"In the land of respite and rest, a dark force brews on the horizon. It demands attention, otherwise the world will fall to chaos and destruction as foretold by various spellcasters throughout the land. This is not where our story starts, however. Instead, we begin where most stories do in a tavern."
The tavern was cozy and small. A few patrons sitting around and getting drunk despite the sun still being up. The barkeep stood behind the counter, wiping down the inside of a wooden stein with a towel. He looked relatively uninterested in the surroundings.
"Pearl can you describe your character please."
"Right 'o!"
A woman sat at the bar, red hood up and untouched drink before her. She wore a flowing red cloak, a pair of sickles at her sides. Her brown hair was long and as wild as her eyes as she studied the other patrons.
"Alright thank you. Etho can you describe your character please."
Ehto nods, quickly launching into the description.
A masked figure studies the wall of wanted posters. He's dressed in a green utility vest, all other clothing dark and covering his arms, legs, and neck. His long white hair was held up with a headband that was angled down to cover one of his eyes. His cool grey eye seems quite uninterested in the rewards, however.
"Really? Kakashi again?" Tango questions. Etho shrugs in response.
"Cleo can you describe your character."
A gorgon sits in the corner alone. She hisses at anyone who comes near her. A pair of glasses cover her deadly green eyes for the sake of everyone around her. She wore an expensive looking outfit made of a loose, dark cloth. It flows around her arms and torso on a way that cannot restrict her movements and doesn't fall low enough to impede her ability to travel ground due to it getting stuck under their snake-like bottom half. The snakes that make up her hair hover around, not nearly as active as they could be. A large battle axe sits sheathed on her back.
"Wonderful. Scott."
A blue-haired elf in white and gold clothing enters the bar. He carries a staff in one hand and golden jewelry dangles from his ears and around his neck. The tips of his fingers and ears are tinted a frosty blue and he seems quite comfortable with the temperature despite the large fluffy coat he wears, a staple of the winter court. He looks around the bar as if looking for something or someone in particular.
"Cool cool. Tango."
A tiefling sits at a table, empty aside from himself. He wears primarily red and gold, sleeves short and lose. He wears a pair of thick leather gloves that meet his sleeves around his elbows. His blonde hair is pushed backwards, held back with a red hair tie. His tail rests on the ground, curled under his seat to avoid people stepping on it. A backpack and shotgun sit by his feet in an attempt to deter thieves. A leather gun holster sits on his hip, containing a handgun of some kind. Strangely, he doesn't seem to have any horns despite being a tiefling. He doesn't seem bothered by it though.
"Aaannnnd Jimmy!"
"Oh uhh.. he uhmm.. I guess he's a-"
"You gotta roleplay Jimmy. That's half the fun of DND." Pearl quickly chides.
"Right right."
A golden aarakocra, strangely more human than bird with his wings mounted on his back, studies the wall of wanted posters. He stands next to the white haired man, one hand on his sheathed short sword. There's a shield resting on the same hip, in its current location as it cannot rest on his back due to his wings. He wears leather armor under his plain tunic. He furrows his eyebrows, blue eyes searching dissapointedly.
"Wonderful! Now what would you all like to do?"
Scott slams his hand down on the table. "I want to flirt with the bartender.
"Alright then. How do you do this?"
The elf walks up to the bar confidently. He leans one arm on the counter, the action dragging the barkeep's attention from the beer stein he's in the middle of cleaning.
"Hey there handsome."
"Roll me... Persuasion."
Scott rolls a d20. It clatters across the table before landing on a 3. Scott sighs in defeat as Impulse tuts.
The barkeep isn't fazed. Despite being elves notoriously attractive, he doesn't seem to find the elf before him enchanting in the slightest. He raises an eyebrow.
"Is there something you need sir?"
At that moment, a frantic man comes running into the tavern. He's gravely injured and it's a miracle he managed to even make it inside at all. The aarakocra runs over, helping him over to a chair.
"Sorry what happened?"
"The- the- it's the- ATTACK! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! YOU ALL NEED TO RUN! RUUUUUuuunn-"
His voice fades out as his eyes roll back into his head. The aarakocra attempts to help him by patching his wounds but the man is already gone.
A commotion can be heard outside. The elf, aarakocra, and gorgon all exit outside the front door, looking for a fight and to protect innocent lives respectively. The shady woman follows them outside, the white haired man following soon after, albeit much stealthier. The tiefling is the last to exit, having hurries to sweep all his machinery into his bag before hurrying out the door, shotgun in hand.
The party is met immediately by a number of goblins, accompanied by two bugbears. They all look mean and dangerous, sporting various weapons as they terrorize the small town, wrecking everything in sight and killing everyone they see.
They look meaner than they would be usually.
A group of five goblins notice the party immediately, swooping on for a fight.
The first goblin goes for the elf, blocked by the shield of the aarakocra. The goblin is quick to meet the avian's blade, a swift swing taking it's head clean off.
"Oh. Thank you."
"Of course. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Thanks to you handsome."
"WHA- SCOTT!?"
Scott snickers beside Jimmy. "Whaaat? I can do what I want. This is DND."
Jimmy just shakes his head as Impulse rolls some more dice.
A second goblin makes an attempt to attack the duo out in the middle of the battlefield, quickly dispatched by a bullet hole in it's head as a loud crack rings out. The pair look in the direction of the noise to see the tiefling, shotgun in hand. He's down on one knee, using his raised leg to steady the weapon.
He grins stupidly at the two as the gorgon swoop in, quickly ending the life of another goblin with her axe.
The woman in red swoops in as well, sickles a whirlwind of death as she takes out two more goblins.
Unfortunately, this seems to get the attention of the bugbears, who approach quickly. The first one is slowed by the white haired man appearing from nowhere to embed a dagger in it's throat. It doesn't seem to faze the monster, however, and the ninja dissapears once more into the shadows.
The second bugbear swings at the aarakocra with a warhammer. It clangs with the shield loudly, metal grating against metal at the weapon is deflected.
A shard of ice quickly buries itself in the bugbear's forehead and it crumples to the ground.
The elf stands behind the aarakocra, frost coating his staff and hands.
The aarakocra nods at him before charging the remaining bugbear, slashing with his sword.
The attack causes it to stumble backwards. It doesn't fall though even as the tiefling fires twice with his handgun, hitting one shot as the other lands in the wood of a building behind it.
The gorgon rushes in, axe swinging wildly. She manages to get it stuck in the bugbear's arm right in the elbow joint.
It doesn't go down though until the woman in red gets her blade around it's neck, jerking the weapon back to kill it.
The white haired man exits the shadows, approaching the large group around here bugbear.
"Thank you for your assistance everyone." the aarakocra says courteously, bowing slightly.
The elf hums. "Of course. I couldn't let you fight such evil all on your lonesome. My name is Smajor."
Pearl snorts. "Your last name? Really Scott?"
"Shut up before I freeze you in a hunk of ice."
Pearl and Scott glare at each other from across the table.
Tango clears his throat.
The tiefling runs up to the groups, spinning his handgun around his finger before holstering it in a swift and impressive motion that the aarakocra whistles at.
"Lovely fighting everyone! Name's Ember! Lovely to meet you fine folks."
He bows down, taking the aarakocra's clawed hand. The avian blushes slightly as the elf glares at the tiefling.
"And who might you fine fellows be? I love to know the names of the people I fight alongside."
The white haired man raises a hand in greeting, other hand in his pocket. He takes on a relaxed stance.
"Kakashi Hatake. Pleased to meet you."
"Cleo." Is all the gorgon says as they return their axe to its place on their back.
Pearl stares at Cleo in disbelief. The ginger just shrugs.
"I couldn't think of anything."
Pearl just sighs.
"My name is Scarlett." the red hooded woman says as her dual sickles return to their sheathes.
"Ah. I suppose I'm last. My apologies. You all may refer to me as Solidarity."
The aarakocra stands proudly at the mention of his name.
Tango opens his mouth to say something but he's swiftly cut off by Impulse.
"Aand that will be the end of our first session!"
"What?! Already?" Tango whines.
Jimmy checks the time. It's gotten quite late, even though it feels like not much time has passed at all.
"You know how long combat takes Tango!"
Cleo hums in agreement. When Jimmy looks up, he can see that she'd also been checking her phone. "Yeah we should probably get going. Classes and all that."
Tango deflates as Pearl and Etho stand. Etho's the first to leave, waving goodbye as he quickly dissapears out the front door. Cleo is quick to follow him out, bidding her goodbyes as Pearl stretches.
Scott stands up next and Jimmy scrambles to follow. He is his ride after all.
"Hey uhh Pearl? Do you need a ride?"
"Nope! I'm having a sleepover with Impulse so we can get breakfast with Gem tomorrow before class. Thanks for the offer though Jimmy!"
He nods, swiftly following Scott out the door.
Naturally, Scott makes conversation as soon as Jimmy sits down.
"Sooo. How was your first session?"
"Oh uh... It was quite fun."
"Think you'll be coming back? I hope we didn't scare you off."
"No no! I'll definitely be coming back! I look forward to seeing what Impulse has planned."
Scott hums as he pulls out of Impulse and Tango's driveway.
It doesn't take too long for Jimmy to be dropped off back at home. He waves goodbye to Scott as he unlocks the door.
Lizzie is on the couch, laptop in her lap as she types quickly. She smiles up at Jimmy when he enters.
"How'd you hangout go?"
"Surprisingly well! I met a few new people. Pearl was there which is nice. One of the people there apparently knows you too."
"Oh neat! Who was it?"
"Her name's Cleo. They were very nice of a bit intimidating at first."
Lizzie snorts. "Yeah that sounds like Cleo alright."
Jimmy yawns, stretching. Lizzie just shakes her head.
"You should head to bed Jimmy. You seem tired."
"Yeah I am. You should go to sleep soon too. Don't pull another all nighter and all that."
Lizzie chuckles. "No promises. Goodnight Jimmy."
"Night Lizzie."
With that, he trudges off to his room. Passing out as soon as his head hits the pillow.
That night he dreams of a golden bird, being fought over by fire and ice.