Chapter 3:

Haruka leaned against a tree, catching her breath, "Why is it that the monsters get stronger the closer we get to the Lich King?"

"That's just the way these things go," Natsuki exhaled, "Shizuru, you holding up alright?"

"Somehow," Shizuru managed, "Who requires healing?"

"Just food," Mikoto moaned from where she was lying face down on the ground.

"The new guy might need some medical attention," Nao, the Rogue, grinned, "But I don't think you're the one he wants it from. I have to say, you were pretty useless in that fight, Tate."

"Shut…up…" Yuuichi Tate wheezed, "No one told me we'd be going up against a dragon first thing."

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"It's Dungeons Dragons, Tate," Natsuki smirked at him, "Did you think we'd be fighting fluffy bunnies?"

"I thought that only nerdy guys who couldn't get dates played this game," Yuuichi grumbled, reaching for a rice cracker, only to find that Mikoto had already grabbed it, "How did a bunch of girls with magical powers, and Suzushiro, start playing?"

"Former magical powers," Shizuru amended, "And…well…it's because of Natsuki's mother."

"Okay, now I'm confused. I thought Kuga's Mom died a long time ago."

"She did," Natsuki said, standing up. She walked over to the window, looking out. At first, everyone thought she was about to brood and go into one of her pensive moods, but she looked over her shoulder with a soft smile, "Though, part of it was also Sagisawa-sensei and Midori."

"I'm really lost, now," Yuuichi sighed.

"When Yohko and I were in college, we found a copy of the game in our dorm room," Midori said, "And we just sort of started playing. Yohko kept it when the dorm supervisor told us that if we left it behind, it was getting thrown out.

"And then, awhile ago, Yohko was looking it over out of a sense of maudlin sentiment, when she found this," Midori held up the guidebook. She flipped to the back cover, and there, in hiragana, was written 'This is the property of Saeko Kuga'.

"Mom was a Doctor, after all," Natsuki turned around to face them, smiling, "She had to have gone to college. Apparently, she went to the same school that Midori and Sagisawa-sensei went to later on. So, Tate, it turns out that my Mom was a big nerd who played DD. They even found a photo of her in the book, and I didn't have many pictures of Mom."

"So, when Yohko found it, she asked me to give it to Kuga, here," Midori grinned, "And I suggested that it might help her get to know her mother better if she played the game."

"We found a highlighted page in the guidebook for a half-elf Ranger in the same book," Midori said, "So we figured that must've been Dr. Kuga's character. Natsuki-chan decided to take up that role in her honor."

"And since Midori had experience, she became the Dungeon Master," Natsuki nodded, "Shizuru was eager to join in. And Mai thought it could be fun. Mikoto invited Yukino, and Yukino asked Haruka to join us."

"Okay, but I thought Suzushiro and Fujino were…well, not to dig up a can of worms, here, but…"

"If you're referring to the relationship between Fujino and Kuga," Haruka closed her eyes and crossed her arms, "I don't approve, but I've come to the decision that it's their business, not mine. And Yukino explained to me that the girls with magic powers were fighting to save their loved ones and the world. Even Fujino had to crack under that kind of pressure, and Yukino told me even she did some stuff she's not proud of, too. So…we agreed to make nice."

"Ara, but Haruka is also very skilled at the game, as well," Shizuru said, smiling diplomatically, "And the role of Paladin was just written for her."

"Yeah, no one pulls a Leeroy Jenkins like Haruka," Natsuki returned to her seat, "Anyway, that's why we play. I mean, since you don't play regularly, you probably didn't notice that we're playing the Third Edition version, rather than the more modern DD rules. That's because it's the set that belonged to Mother. Though a few of the others have gotten their own dice and game pieces."

"I actually like it that way," Haruka said, "My character is of the Lawful Good alignment, which means if I violate those rules, I suffer penalties. I read that the modern editions don't have that stipulation, which seems to me to be making excuses for bad behavior. So this edition is more my style, anyway."

"I didn't know that," Nao said, "That it was your Mom's game."

Natsuki and Nao had buried most of their pre-Carnival hostility, but there was still a bit of friction between them from time to time. However, the one thing neither of them would ever mock the other over was their relationship with their mothers. Nao's mother had only recently been returned to her after years in a coma, and Natsuki's mother of course had perished when Natsuki was a little girl.

"I'd have agreed to play sooner if you'd told me," Nao added.

"It's better this way, anyway," Natsuki gave Nao a sincere smile, "You decided to join us because you saw we were having fun. The other way, it would have felt like I was manipulating you."

Nao blinked, then smiled, "Yeah, I guess that's fair."

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"So," Yuuichi the Fighter looked at the foreboding mountains on the horizon, "We have to go there to defeat the Lich King, huh?"

"Yeah," Nao nodded, "Through goblin infested forests, a barren wasteland of the undead, and past the dragon infested mountains into the Land of the Dead, where the Lich King awaits."

"You make it sound so cheery," Yuuichi said flatly.

"It sure does!" Mikoto enthused, "Let's go show them how strong we are."

"That's our Barbarian," Natsuki grinned.

"We must be discerning in battle from here on out," Shizuru said, "There are no villages between us and our goal, and no turning back once we enter the mountains. We won't be able to replenish our potions and our weapons once we reach that point."

"Then let's get going," Haruka said, "The longer we stand around gabbing about it, the stronger our enemy will get."

"I'm coming with you, Haruka," Yukino said firmly, "You can't go into danger without me."

"Wouldn't think of it, Yukino," Haruka said with a grin.

Natsuki silently took Shizuru's hand, looking her in the eyes and nodding.

"Lead the way," Mai said.

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"The pizzas are here," Nao said.

"Great! I'm starved!" Mikoto said.

"You're always starved," Natuski ruffled Mikoto's hair, "You can share with me."

Mikoto gave a worried smile.

"Oh, come on. Pineapple belongs on Pizza. It's good."

"If you say so," Mikoto quirked her head quizzically.

"Hey, Kuga, can I borrow some movies?" Yuuichi asked, "Yuuki tells me you have an extensive collection of action films."

"You want the blue box, not the purple one."

Yuuichi picked up the boxes, "Why, what's in the purple…Oh, these must be Fujino's."

"Why does everyone treat my movies as though they're looking at R-18 content?" Shizuru moped, "They are no more explicit than any of the romantic movies that Tate and Tokiha might watch, together."

Haruka looked at the contents of the box, and crossed her arms, "I hate to admit it, but Fujino has a point. These aren't exactly pictographic."

"That's…oh, never mind," Yukino blushed.

"Be that as it may," Natsuki lifted the box out of his hands and returned it to its spot under the t.v., "these are probably too stimulating for Tate."

"Because they're still too stimulating for you?" Mai grinned knowingly.

"Oi! I bet I could make your boyfriend pass out just by kissing Shizuru right here and now!"

"He's probably not the only one," Yukino muttered under her breath.

"In any event, let us finish our food, and then return to our quest," Shizuru said with a smile