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Cordelia: “Ugh, what time is it?” Was the first thing Cordelia Chase also known as Yellowstorm, former rank 2 player said as she woke up from her nap. Rubbing her eyes she noticed a ceiling above her that was distinctly unfamiliar.
Cordelia: “What happened last night?” She spoke, her voice crackly from drowsiness. She yawned loudly as she got out of bed. The floor was a cold wood that made her feel like she was right at home again.
Just yesterday she had been attacked by demon’s hand and managed to defeat demonkin Minos. She couldn’t have done it without Lucas and Yuda.
Yuda! Where is he? Is he ok? Outboxer couldn’t have died right? No she saw him defeat Minos, but what if she missed something?
Cordelia: “Yuda?” She cried out, hoping against all odds that he was ok. Every second she didn’t get a response it felt like the corners of the room grew closer, like there wasn’t enough air in the room, like she couldn’t breathe.
Then the door opened, standing there wasn’t the outboxer she had met before, no he wasn’t different, but not in a bad way. He was taller, his shoulders wider, and he finally looked like a martial artist.
Yuda: “Yeast? You alright?” He asked, with a coy smile on his face. He knew she could go tit for tat with him. What worried him was her silence.
Yuda: “Yellowstorm, are you alright?” He asked, grabbing on to her wrist. She seemed genuinely shaken, and for a moment she didn’t respond at all.
When she reached out to touch Yuda it became real. She could feel that he was alive, and then he smiled and it was like she learned to breathe again.
Yuda grabbed her hand and put it on his own. He understood. He wanted her to know that he was here and that nothing could change that. Then an idea struck him.
Yuda: “You remember how we never got that dance at the social main event? How about now?” He asked with a look of genuine compassion, his eyes softened and a small smile crossed his face as he made himself her center of attention.
Cordelia: “Hell no!” She responded, she already could barely stand dancing as a formality but to do it without any reason? That was too much.
Yuda: “Oh come on yeast, believe in the me that believes in you, you can do it.” He said, unintentionally referencing one of her favorite anime. She had always liked that show and often would put it on when grinding dungeons.
Cordelia: “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.” She said as she relented. She probably shouldn’t have given in but maybe it was the genuine smile or the silly reference but she couldn’t find it in herself to deny his request.
So hand in hand they danced, the cold of the floor seemed to fade away from her and all she felt was the warmth of Yuda Baiel aka Outboxer. This man had outranked her 23 months in a row. Yet now she was just enjoying his company.
Yuda had been humming the opening theme to the game they had spent so many years playing. She couldn’t count the number of times that she would leave the game running in the background or stay up playing until she passed out.
Outboxer wasn’t any better, arguably he was worse. Outboxer had played the game for 120 hours straight and had even the other players confused by how much time he spent either on forums or grinding on alt accounts.
However those times were gone now, instead of Outboxer and Yellowstorm, two complete strangers, here they were Cordelia Chase, fiancée of Yuda baiel, and Yuda baiel, fiancé of Cordelia Chase.
That was right, they had each other. Maybe at this moment that was all they needed. Whatever threats were to come surely they could deal with it. Well maybe having a frontline tank or perhaps a healer would help but if they had to do this alone so be it.
So as they continued dancing Cordelia found herself laughing. They had just defeated a challenge no one had beaten in the game before, and yet it wasn’t that which made her happiest, but the man she danced with.
Outboxer the man, the myth, the no life degenerate. Yet here he was dancing with her. Though she will hit him with a grease spell if he steps on her foot. She still found herself enjoying the dance.
As the dance concluded she found herself smiling. Yuda was smiling too, seeing her laugh and dance her heart out wasn’t going to be a memory he ever forgot.
Yuda: “Bravo, maybe I should ask you to dance more often if you’re going to show off like that.” He said with a warm smile, there was not a single hint of snark or sarcasm to be heard.
Cordelia: “Are you sure you’re alright, didn’t knock a couple of things out of place with that last fight?” She said, tilting her head to the side. She remembered that Minos almost had him right at the end.
Yuda for no lack of trying took a moment to think on how to respond before coming up with his next plan. He draped his arms over her.
Yuda: “oh I couldn’t believe that last fight was so difficult, especially with all the damage I took, if only there was someone who could possibly cast a healing spell.” He said, his voice full of sarcasm and his face fully showed it with his smirk and that slightly annoying chuckle.
Cordelia: “ALRIGHT ALRIGHT GET OFF ME.” She yelled as he continued to go on about how he just needed the healing. She did in the end cast a healing spell on him, it was strange that she couldn’t find her staff nearby but maybe Dalia had brought it with her.
Speaking of Dalia, where was she? She had to see her and preferably sooner rather than later. Maybe they could go and get something good together? That one stand near the knight hall was always selling that spicy food and that sounded particularly good right now.
As she turned to leave the room, Yuda grabbed her arm. She got that maybe it was something important considering how quickly he responded. She turned to see him and he had the saddest look she’d ever seen him have.
Cordelia stood there looking at Yuda for a moment and then another. Why hadn’t he let her go yet? She was about to yell at him again for not letting her go when she felt his lips press against her forehead.
Yuda: “Merry Christmas, my dear.” Yuda said with a smile. Cordelia was immediately flush red and pulled back looking somewhere between surprised and confused.
Cordelia: “WHAT THE H-“ she yelled in response before suddenly the world seemed to dull and flicker before fading away entirely, before her in this inky black void of a world was a familiar and not entirely unpleasant face of the witch from Cordelia’s main quest
Witch: “Oops you weren’t supposed to see that.” The witch said with a kind smile. She placed her fingers on Cordelia’s forehead, the same spot that Yuda had kissed not even a moment ago. Mana was channeled into that spot and like that she started feeling herself get sleepier.
Witch: “Though I suppose you could always use a glimpse into the future every now then.” The witch said, Cordelia processed that quick enough but what did it really mean? Was that the absolutely perfect happy ending she was striving for?
That would mean.
Witch: “Upupup! Too much too quickly.” The witch said before sending Cordelia back to the waking world. The witch sighed before continuing to languish in whatever liminal plane she currently inhabited.
Witch: “I just hope that those two can make that future become reality.” She said knowing that she would get to be a part of their story one day. She smiled to herself before turning around to face something.
Witch: “I see that you watchers are still here, maybe you’ll find out more some day.” She said with a smile and a laugh before everything fades away.