A Friend in the Dark

(The Real World)

Sometime after the first round of the Arena Battle, every player at the table was in the midst of having a well-earned meal; courtesy of Flip and Lynn Sr. Of course, the Council was courteous enough to provide a menu out to everyone at the table but when the Loud Sisters caught sight of what the choices were; their jaws fell down to the floor. "What the...What is all this stuff" cried Lola with shock and outrage, "'Dragon Pellets,' 'Howling Rings,' 'Hand Pies...' Half of this doesn't even sound like real food!"

Some of the remaining nine sisters couldn't help but agree with her, the names and descriptions of some of the dishes that were provided for meals in this place sounded worse than Flip's infamous "Mystery Flippee" (which happened to contain hot dog bits mixed with Pop Rocks and the usual Flippee syrup and shaved ice.) After a while, Lincoln happened to notice their discomfort and asked what was on their minds. "It's the stuff on this menu, Bro" Luna grumbled, "how could you guys possibly stomach this kind of stuff?" Understandably, Lincoln felt rather confused by his sister's words; thinking that she would be the last person to shun their dad's cooking.

Just then, a server arrived at Lincoln's spot and placed a round serving dish before him that was covered by a cloche. "Yum! I've been hungry for one of dad's Troll Burgers all week" he exclaimed hungrily, as he gripped his hand at the cloche's handle; "but it might be too big for me...you wanna have half of it, Luna?" On the one hand, a part of the young teen felt touched by her little brother's request...but on the other hand, she felt herself growing ill at the mention of the words "Troll Burger" and shook her head slightly.

"How about a couple Spiced Basilisk Wings fresh from the oven, some nachos dipped in my new Scorpion Sauce" Lynn Sr. suggested, "or maybe a few slices from the Stuffed Garlic Log might seem tastier to you?" Once again, some of the girls all found themselves utterly confused by the names of the food that was being provided. Those like Lori questioned how anyone would want to eat things like Troll Burgers, Scorpion Sauce or the wings of something called a Basilisk.

Meanwhile, a few of the other Loud Sisters (specifically Lana, Lynn Jr., Leni, Lucy and even Lisa) found themselves feeling morbidly curious about the menu; wondering just how their father or even Flip got the idea for such odd food ideas. Then, just when things couldn't get any stranger; Lincoln finally lifted up the cloche and revealed his dish for all to see. At first, the Loud Sisters expected their brother's "Troll Burger" to appear grotesque-looking (slimy, made of green meat, covered with warts and even have flies hovering around it.)

Instead, they saw what looked like a relatively normal hamburger; which (to Lana and Lucy) felt like a "major disappointment." However, the girls happened to notice many key things that made this particular sandwich different from other burgers they've had. First off, the patty itself looked about as thick as a hockey puck; which even Lynn thought was insane.

Next, the slice of cheese it was topped with had a greenish color; something Lana felt curious about. Then, there was a sort of green sauce dripping off the sides of the burger and finally, there were tiny green bits of something coated atop the cheese that resembled some sort of vegetable but no one knew what they were. Finally, Lori had had enough of the weirdness going on and demanded answers from everyone at the table.

"Yeah, you guys; what's going on here" questioned Leni calmly, "why make such silly names for the food, if you're just eating normal stuff?" While he new his daughter's words weren't spoken out of malice or rudeness; to Lynn, hearing her call the menu "silly" felt like a punch to the face. That's when Lincoln offered up a small explanation, specifically for the meal he requested. "I was just ordering a Cheeseburger with green tomato ketchup and jalapeño bits, girls" he said matter-of-factly, "nothing out of the ordinary there."

Following this, he explained that every menu item listed had a unique fantasy name to replace the original "Common Tongue" title they go by outside the castle. The "Spiced Basilisk Wings" were, in reality, just a platter of spicy hot wings; the "Garlic Log" was actually a loaf of garlic bread stuffed with cheese and the "Scorpion Sauce" was actually a nacho cheese dip flavored with a pinch of Scorpion Pepper Juice. "But...B-But what about the Hand Pies on the Dessert section" questioned Lola, "don't tell me you guys actually use peoples hands in them!"

Rather than answer her directly; with a coy grin on his face, Lincoln simply turned his little sister's head around slightly and gestured at another player. This particular player was chewing on what looked like a pie crust that had been folded over to one side, which Lola actually found rather strange. "You see, honey; the names for all the food have the same fantasy esthetic as those on the drink menu" Rita explained, "your father was the one who came up with the idea."

Touched by his wife's words, Lynn Sr. confessed that he wouldn't have thought of making the Fantasy Menu without his Father's Day gift from Lincoln; a cookbook filled with Dungeons & Dragons themed food recipes. "Wait, dude...that's what came in the mail for you weeks ago" Lynn Jr. inquired suddenly, "we all thought it was another comic you ordered?" The white-haired dwarf shook his head slightly and assured his sisters that the cookbook was more important than the latest issue of Ace Savvy or David Steele.

With all the explanations taken care of, the Council politely yet eagerly urged the Loud Sisters to order something; proclaiming that they would need energy for the next part of their game. "Alright, let me see here" murmured Lori while she scanned the menu in her hands, "I guess I'll have a bowl of the...Foraged Salad and a side of Stuffed Harpy Eggs." Not long after this, a few of the other sisters decided to follow her lead and went about ordering whatever they thought was most appetizing off the menu.

Leni – Stuffed Egg-Battered Toast

Luna – A platter of Bierocks

Luan – Potato Leak Soup served in a garlic bread bowl

Lucy – Black Pudding

Lana – Scorpion Dip with a side of Jalapeno Poppers

Lola – One Lemon Hand Pie

Lisa – A bowl of Pepper Stew

When the time came to pick something for Lily to eat, the Littlest Loud started gesturing at her siblings' food; as if asking to try some of what they had. "Sorry, sweetheart...but we'll need to wait until some more of your teeth grow in to try that stuff" Albert stated, "but...I've got something in mind that you can try," No sooner having said this, he reached over to his own plate and collected what looked like one half of a spiced baked potato.

With the greatest of care, Albert cut off two slices with his knife and handed one to Lily; who then proceeded to inhale the potato bit in a matter of seconds. Naturally, everyone thought this was very cute but they also hoped she liked what she tasted. Then, without warning; Lily's stomach started to rumble slightly, causing several people to recoil with fear.

Some like Lynn and Rita feared she might start spitting with disgust while Lori and Lincoln feared their baby sister might end up spitting up in general. Others felt worried that the spices might cause Lily to soil herself and even though she was now potty trained; nobody was looking forward to changing her pants, especially the other players. But instead of all that, Lily just opened up her mouth and...she let out one of the biggest belches anyone had ever heard.

This sound was further amplified thanks to the spacious area of the game room, causing it to echo as far up as the ceiling. Then, just as the burp died down; Lily's bitty cheeks flashed a deep red as she murmured "'scuse me" in the most adorable tone possible. "Aww! That was so cuuute" Becky gushed adorably, "reminds me of the way Paige used to burp when she was that little." The moment she heard her big sister bring up the memory, Paige's cheeks flared with mild shame; making her face appear almost as red as the fur on her goat legs.

"Uh...not to ruin everybody's lil' romp down Memory Lane here" Mr. Grouse interjected, "but ain't we got a game to finish before we hit the hay?" Upon hearing these words, many players and the rest of the Council of Game Masters immediately checked their phones; where they saw the time was mere twenty minutes away from nine o'clock. This circumstance left everyone with two choices, either have their dinner and head off for home after or play a small portion of the game to give their current session a proper ending.

"WHAT...We'll have to wait until next weekend for our time to shine" growled Kat with dismay, "what a load of bunk or as my character might say...Kichita!" Now, very few at the table had a clear idea as to what the young lady's strange term meant. But to everyone else's ears; while they didn't quite understand it, the tone in her voice showed that she was not happy.

The same thing could be said about a few other members of the Gal Pals, young and old. But before they got too upset, Lincoln quickly approached the group and did his best to put their minds at ease. "Chin up, everybody; you will have your chances to shine next weekend" he assured, "and that goes for you too, girls." The instant he said these words, all eyes suddenly fell upon Lori's group; who all appeared ready to dig in to their food.

With the exception of Lola, Luan and (to a small extent) Lucy; the remaining three sisters in said group didn't quite like being put under the spotlight so suddenly. But rather than call their brother out on it, they decided to be civil and ask what he was talking about. "He's talking about Round Two of the Arena Fight, girls" Mrs. Johnson stated, "you've bested Gunari's collection of beasts but next time, things will get a little bit harder."

After taking a moment to process these words, Lori suddenly found herself inwardly crying out in agony; despite her outer self trying to put on a happy face. She had no idea playing a game like this would last so long and in that very moment, the eldest Loud Sibling found herself wondering why she didn't bail from the beginning. But before Lori could dwell on her "misery" any further; Becky, Dana and Whitney suddenly enveloped her in a multi-sided group hug while giggling madly.

"Isn't this great, girl; come next week, we'll finally get a chance to play within the same game scenario" Whitney exclaimed, "I've been itching to show you the minifigure I made for my character." Initially, Lori wanted to appear indifferent towards her friend's enthusiasm about her part in the game (or the game in general.) However...as the eldest child in her family, coupled with the fact she made a deal with her parents to behave at the very start, Lori made the kind choice to smile softly at Whitney's words.

Leni also voiced her disapproval towards the game having to end so soon; proclaiming that she was looking forward to playing out her character. Upon hearing this, the Game Masters (now assuming their more casual clothes) quickly assured her that she will have her moment to shine very soon. "Of course, you're all welcome to engage in your other summer plans the rest of the week" Albert stated, "just as long as you don't blab about what we do to unwanted outsiders!"

With stoic looks on their faces; the Loud Sisters all nodded obediently, collected their gear, said their goodbyes and made their way out towards the parking lot outside. Of course, the minute they stepped out the door; Lori immediately heaved out the heaviest sigh of exhaustion imaginable. "FINALLY! I thought we'd never leave" she groaned, "one more minute of nerd culture and I would literally go out of my mind."

Although some of her sisters shared some (if not all) of Lori's feelings on tonight's game, they still urged her to keep quiet; lest she risk any of the adults overhearing her. "Right...Right, sorry about that" Lori whispered, "I just...I'm literally going out of my mind here; I feel like the more time we spend at this place, the more at risk I'll be in becoming...like THEM!" As if on cue, Leni gave a light giggle and said there was "totes no way that could happen;" proclaiming that turning into other people was something that only happened in the game.

"I do not think she was being literal, Elder Sister Unit" Lisa muttered monotonously, "what Lori is trying to say is...she fears the idea of becoming 'nerdy' like the others, the more time we spend playing the game with them." Upon processing this explanation, Leni let out a soft gasp of realization and asked why such an idea seemed so "scary" to Lori. Although she knew full well that the comment was rather innocent, the eldest Loud Sister still felt shocked by it and stared at everyone in disbelief.

"I feel I must agree with Leni on this...as surprising as it may sound" Lucy murmured, "playing Dungeons & Dragons with everyone for the past few weeks have actually been fun for me." Mere seconds after she said all this, the family Goth gazed upward at Lori and reiterated Leni's earlier inquiry; questioning why it seemed "bad" to expose themselves to such activities.

It was here that Lynn Jr. stepped forth with a naughty grin on her face and claimed that she had a "theory" on their sister's real issue. "Does being around everybody in there bring up bad memories for you or something, Lor" she asked slyly, "maybe about the period you call your 'Nerd Phase'?" The instant she heard these words pass her younger sister's lips, Lori threw her arms around Lynn and clamped her hands tightly around her mouth; doing her best to silence her.

At the same time, the doors to "Castle Greyhawk" flew open and all of the other players came pouring out into the parking lot; chattering and laughing amongst themselves. As they started passing by Lori, they seemed far too engrossed in their own conversations to notice what she was doing; which made her feel all the more thankful.

Then, at that very moment; Lori suddenly felt something slimy run across her palm. Disgusted by this, she immediately released her hold on Lynn; who simply giggled like a goofball at her sister's shock. After making sure the "slimy" residue was cleaned off her palm, Lori turned her head slightly and glared in her sister's direction with great intensity.

"EWW! GROSS...Lynn, did you just literally lick my hand" she exclaimed, "you're just lucky Mom and Dad didn't see that!" As Lori prepared to make some sort of remark, she caught sight of her parents heading her way and quickly held her tongue. Of course, while she remained silent on the surface; her mind was a raging storm of anger and annoyance towards her current situation.

This anger seemed to grow even hotter, when she took out her phone and started flipping through old photos of herself. It was here that she caught sight of one from when she was younger, a period she called her "Awkward Stage." Aside from her hair appearing somewhat the same in the photo, Lori felt as though she was looking at an entirely different person.

She had a red hair clip in her hair, wore thick-rimmed glasses, had slight traces of acne on her cheeks, even slighter traces of hair upon her forehead (possibly from a developing unibrow,) heart-shaped earrings and a shirt with a folded collar. But perhaps, the most glaring and noticeable feature on the photo was Lori's wide-mouthed smile. Under normal circumstances, such a smile would be seen as adorable or pretty...but not when you have braces on your teeth.

Upon catching a glimpse of said braces; Lori shuddered in disgust, put her phone away and got into the van with everyone else. "Junior had some nerve bringing up that part of my life" she growled mentally while strapping on her seatbelt, "that...that was the old me, the uncool me...I've moved on from that nonsense now!" After a while, Vanzilla's engines were finally revving up and the Louds were on their way back home; their minds and bodies eager to head off to sleep in their own beds until the weekend.

Of course, during the drive; Lori had to listen to her parents and a few of her siblings prattle on about the game. Those like Lynn expressed further eagerness to have a chance to play next time, while others like Lana was asking for advice on what to do during the next session. "I mean...I know my character can control animals" she stated, "but is there anything else he can do besides that?"

As if expecting to hear this from her, Lincoln reached behind his back and brought out one of the game manuals before flipping it to the page about Druids. Of course, the whole time he was doing all this; he was inadvertently pushing himself up against Lori/pushing Lori up against the car door. As a result, the poor girl could only call upon any and every bit of restraint she had left to not hurt her brother.

(Line Break)

The week came and went by rather quick and surprisingly, things were relatively "normal" for the Loud Sisters this time around (or whatever passes for normal for a family such as theirs.) Throughout that time, everybody went about their usual summer business like usual; playing games, goofing off, chatting online and so on. But every so often, much to their surprise; those like Lori, Luan, Lynn and even the little ones like Lily would have moments where they would start daydreaming.

Whenever this happened, their minds would suddenly start to think back to the game world of Avalonis. On one day, while practicing some comedy in her room; Luan overheard Luna singing out in the hall...and couldn't stop herself from joining in. Of course, this only lasted for a few seconds before she finally realized what was happening and clasped her free hand over her mouth.

"Wow, toots; I didn't know you had those kind of pipes on ya" Mr. Coconuts said suddenly, "guess all that time playin' a bard in that game has rubbed off on ya." Now, everyone knew full well that Mr. Coconuts' dialogue was simply Luan speaking her innermost thoughts through ventriloquism (even Luan herself.) But in spite of this factoid; after taking Mr. C's words to heart, the young comedienne realized the truth...she was becoming "nerdy."

"What...that's just nuts, Mr. Coconuts and I don't mean that in a punny kind of way" Luan said defensibly, "have you forgotten that Bards are singers and as this family knows, Luna is the singer in this family." While some part of her defense was truthful, Mr. Coconuts (and even Luan's own subconscious mind) knew there was a lot more to being a bard than just singing. It was here that he picked up one of the manuals the Game Masters lent to the family and opened it up to a chapter regarding the subject.

Upon reading it; Luan was, once again reminded that a bard's skills lie in both musical abilities and being an entertainer...something she often took great pride in. "Who knows, Missy" the dummy stated, "maybe after this game's all done, you can talk to your folks about trying some of them 'Bardic Abilities' at your next performance gig...or maybe a babysitting job." After giving her partner's words some thought, Luan couldn't help but agree to them; she even considered the idea of asking Luna or Benny for possible singing lessons...thinking it could help shape her into a real bard.

(Line Break)

Coincidentally enough; the rest of the Loud Sisters seemed to be in the same boat as Luan was, as the week passed by. Lucy found herself chanting in several languages from D&D during her séances at home, Lisa was in her room doing research on every available game manual the Game Masters have provided, Lola tried using a bit of Persuasion on Mrs. Carmichael at Reininger's during a shopping trip to get a "discount price" on a dress she sought after...only to fail miserably and Lily found herself running about the yard with Charles on all fours like her wolf pup character, Lupa. As for Lynn, while she did her best to keep up her "tough jock" exterior and try to act like the game meant nothing to her...even she was starting to break a little.

Although her parents swore her time to play would come, very soon; Lynn's impatience would often try to get the better of her and she would come close to wanting to hit something (or someone.) It was moments like this where her parents, sisters and even her own mind tried to remind her of one of the rules the Council established before the campaign even started. "'whatever issues or transgressions you have, be they inside or outside these walls; they must remain there'" Huggins voice echoed softly in Lynn's head, "'those who fail to adhere to this rule shall be disciplined accordingly.'"

Much to her surprise, Lynn suddenly felt an icy chill running through her body; one that caused her to shiver slightly with dread. This sensation would only occur whenever she felt genuine dread about something, which was ultimately...rather rare for her, since she claimed to not be afraid of that many things (except for vomiting but she got over that long ago.) This time, however; Lynn was worried that if she didn't tow the line and follow the Game Masters set of bylaws, she could be in worse trouble than the day her family ended up on trial against Lincoln.

"Gotta keep your cool, Loud...don't want the coach to bench you, right" Lynn thought while letting out a calming breath, "your time will come, just like Mom and Dad promised." As if on cue, Lynn Sr. came walking about the halls of the house's second floor; reminding everyone that dinner was just about ready to be served. It was here that he caught sight of Junior practicing some deep breathing and his protective instincts kicked in immediately.

After taking a seat beside his daughter on the bed, he wasted no time in asking what was wrong. "I'm just feeling frustrated yet anxious at the same time, Pop" Lynn grumbled with her arms crossed, "I mean...I know you and Mom said my time in the game will come but I really wanna show my stuff as Velra Spear-Tusk!" At first, the young jock half-expected her father to outright mock her impatience or chastise her for it.

What happened instead left her feeling utterly shocked; not only did she feel her dad's arm wrap around her shoulders tenderly but Lynn also heard him claim he knew exactly what she was going through. "Back in the day, when I was playing the game at your age; I wanted to get right into the thick of things with my character" Lynn Sr. stated, "but the Game Master told me I would have to wait five sessions in order for it to be properly introduced." To say that Junior was shocked by this revelation would not do the moment proper justice.

It seemed pretty natural for players who weren't in the main party to feel impatient about having their moment to shine in the game...she just didn't expect this idea to hit so close to home. "Trust me, hon; after the next round at the Arena Battle scenario, you will get your chance to flex your muscles...so to speak" Lynn Sr. stated, "but you didn't hear it from me, alright?" Without saying a word, Lynn Jr. smiled up at her father and answered with a silent lip-zipping gesture; indicating that she would not speak a single word about what her dad just told her.

However, they suddenly realized a fatal and glaring flaw in their conversation; the thinness of the walls between bedrooms. As a result, some of the other siblings heard at least...half of what their dad told Lynn and many of them openly cried out "SPOILER ALERT" in annoyance. As for Rita...when this was brought to her attention at the dinner table, she warned Lynn that the Council would certainly hear about this slight "slip of the tongue."

(Scene Change: Castle Greyhawk – Friday Night 8 PM)

"Make no mistake Lynn Loud Sr., we are most displeased by this news" Huggins said in his Game Master voice, "though you stand equal with us as a fellow Game Master, you should be mindful about what topics from our campaign should and should not be spoken of so openly!" Lynn Sr. offered no defense or an argument towards his comrade's words; knowing full well that he was, indeed at fault here. Of course, during the other days of the week leading up to this moment; neither Rita nor the rest of his family stopped reminding him of it.

It was humiliating enough being chastised by them for his mistake but having his fellow Game Masters do it as well really made Lynn feel small. But just as he felt himself shrinking back into his eight-year old self again (metaphorically speaking,) Albert butted in; proclaiming that he technically didn't break any rules. "True, he probably shouldn't have told Junior what was going to happen in tonight's session" he said matter-of-factly, "but at least he was in his own home and not blabbin' game material or secrets in a public place!"

At first, the remaining three council members considered dismissing their comrade's words but they slowly realized that he spoke the truth; none of their main bylaws have actually been broken. To add further fuel to the fire (so to speak,) Lynn Jr. expressed how she herself almost came close to breaking their "no letting personal issues inside or outside the castle interfere with life" rule earlier that week. "But after Dad talked to me and a few deep-breathing exercises I learned from Anger Management Class, I calmed down right quick" she explained, "so...nobody actually did anything wrong here."

Yet again, the other council members considered contradicting these words but they ultimately realized that Junior was telling the absolute truth. In the end, they decided to dismiss the matter entirely and gestured for Lynn Sr. to come sit beside them while asking the Loud Sisters to take each of theirs at the table. As Lori sat herself down; she was immediately swarmed by Becky, Whitney and Dana in a three-sided greeting hug.

Of course, she didn't really mind the gesture; except for the fact that them hugging her all at once while she was in costume made it a little difficult for Lori to breathe. "Whoopsie...sorry about that, girlfriend" Whitney said while scratching at her poofy hair sheepishly, "I'm just so excited that we'll all get to play side-by-side this time around!" The other two ladies shared in their friend's enthusiasm while also asking Lori that there wouldn't be any hard feelings, once the game starts.

This of course, left the gal in question feeling quite confused and was prepared to ask her friends what they were talking about. But then, Lori suddenly remembered that her character was still trapped at the Coliseum; which meant she would still have to fight for her freedom. "I guess the girls and I will have to fight some of our friends, this time around" she thought grimly, "no wonder they're worried about me taking it personally."

For a few minutes or so, everyone at the table was chatting idly amongst themselves; whether it was discussing what they did over the week or talking about potential plans for the game. Then, they heard the sudden "thump" of Mr. Loud's staff tapping against the floor; resulting in the whole room going silent. After that, all eyes fell upon the Council and everyone wondered how they would start tonight's session.

It was here that Lynn Loud Sr. (while in his Acheron persona) recapped the events of last week, just in case anyone needed a reminder. "The Party had successfully held their own against Emperor Gunari's most fearsome beasts, thus achieving victory in the first round" he explained emphatically, "but...as the guard leads them back to their holding cells, one of them reminds Lady Ventris that things would only become harder from that point on."

With these few words, Lori and her group suddenly felt their bodies tense up slightly with dread; as if their father just told they'd be spending the rest of the summer at Aunt Ruth's place. Last session, it was hard enough for them to hold their own against something like a Slime Cube. Yet from what they've just heard, it sounded as though that fight was just a taste of things to come. As the Council continued setting the scene; it was revealed that while the Party suffered some injuries from the fight, none of them appeared life-threatening.

"In other words, ladies; you'll all be at full health again after you've had an in-game rest" Mrs. Johnson explained in her normal voice, "but...make certain you get plenty of rest because the next round will be a doozy." Once more, the girls were left quivering slightly with dread in their seats; wondering just how much worse things could get for them.

(The Game World)

After the guard had brought them back to the holding cells down below, the Party was left alone to bemoan their sore limbs and weary minds. Although they felt thankful in surviving the first round of combat within the arena, not one of them wished to remain in this place for a second longer. Thus, the moment she saw that the guard momentarily left their post; Ursa immediately went to work.

With the greatest of care, she stuck the tip of her index claw into the keyhole of her shackles and went about trying to unlock them. "Just take it nice and slow, now...don't want any slip-ups like last time" she whispered, "then, you can go about releasing the others." With that thought in mind, Ursa gave her claw another quick twist to the right; her ears twitching vigorously with every click the lock made.

Finally, after what felt like ages of work; the lock's grip upon her claw seemed to be loosening ever so slightly. When the others happened to catch sight of this, their hearts collectively swelled with hope; as if a great flame ignited within them. "Keep at it, Sister...you're almost there" Ezra whispered with excitement, "I can see the shackle loosening as we speak!" Ursa gave a light snicker of delight at this news, steadied her one hand over the padlock and continued using her claw to finish picking at the lock.

Then, just when it seemed as though freedom was well within reach; Ventris' elf ears picked up the sound of footsteps approaching. "Drat! The guard must be returning to check on us" Ursa thought bitterly, "but I can't stop now, this lock is just about..." Just as she was about to finish her train of thought, the padlock suddenly clicked open; allowing the cell door to move slightly.

But instead of celebrating the rogue's success, everyone frantically urged for her to shut her door back up immediately. "Be quick about it, furball" Mituna hissed anxiously, "if you get caught, the rest of us will..." At that moment, the main gate of the stockade slowly slid open; causing not only Mituna to silence herself but the other prisoners as well. "Alright, everyone...I know what to do" Ursa whispered to her comrades, "the instant the guard comes through that gate, I will spring out of this cell and try to fight them; all while trying to steal the cell keys...if they have any with them."

Admittedly, the plan sounded plausible but only in theory; considering that no one knew just how many soldiers might be returning. But in spite of all this, Ursa knew it was a chance she had to take; if it meant leaving this place and returning to their quest. Finally, the gate had now fully opened and a lone figure stood outside; cloaked in shadow.

Several of the slaves, including the Adventuring Party, narrowed their eyes slightly in a vain attempt to see who the stranger was. Sadly, even the keen eyes of Ventris or the Tabaxi Twins could not tell who this being was. But from their petite stature and build, it was clear that they were not part of the royal guard.

But before anyone could speak to them, the stranger shushed them loudly and gestured for them to remain quiet. "Who are you to give us orders, strange one" growled the orc barbarian, Varra Storm-Breaker; "show yourself or risk your life!" Yet again, the stranger shushed at the prisoners (this time in a more collected manner) before rushing inside and closing the door behind her.

It was here that, under the glow, everyone could see that the stranger was dressed in a tattered hooded cloak. At first, the likes of Mituna and Ezra mistook them as a slave but Ventris could see a series of odd symbols sewn onto the cloak; leading her to believe this was a holy man. "I do not wish to seem disrespectful, Monk" the she-elf whispered, "but what business does do you have in this sort of place?"

Rather than answer this inquiry, the figure simply reached up for their hood and slowly drew it back their hood; revealing their true face to all. The Adventuring Party and their fellow slaves gasped in awe, when they saw the figure's long white hair fall out from the hood before cascading down her back. Her skin tone was a lustrous light-emerald green, her ears were slightly pointed, her eyes glimmered like sapphires and her cheeks seemed so perfectly sculpted one swore they were carved by the gods themselves.

(Back to Reality)

At the game table, the other nine Loud Sisters appeared to be dumbstruck with confusion; all while Leni seemed to be bouncing about with glee. As for the other players, many of them appeared to be just as awestruck as the girls...but for entirely different reasons. Finally, the first to speak up was Lola; who proclaimed that she had more than a few questions about what was going on.

"Seeing as how we are pressed for time, young one; we shall limit you to only two inquiries" Principal Huggins said in his Fastred voice, "so...make them count." At first, everyone presumed that the former pageant princess would take her sweet time in thinking up the right words/questions for her sister. But instead, she very bluntly asked two things; how was this strange woman connected with Leni and if this was her character, why would she make herself prettier than Lola?

"Oops...I'm totes sorry about that, Sis" murmured the young teen, "but I wanted to make Fatima look almost exactly like the pictures in the manual." Following this, several players started murmuring softly with intrigue; wondering just who (or what) Fatima was. But before these questions could be answered, the Council turned their attention towards Lori's group; which made the girls feel quite nervous.

"It's dice roll time again, girls" Albert said in his normal voice, "this time, we'd like you to make a quick Insight Check...to see if you can discover who this strange woman really is." At first, Lucy was prepared to point out the "pointlessness" in making such a roll; all while reminding everyone that Leni was already prepared on introducing herself already. But she quickly realized that making such a comment would be too much of a risk in getting on the Council's bad side.

So, she and her sisters each took their dice in hand and gave them a good shake before lobbing them slightly along the table. When the dice all finally stopped rolling, everyone examined each one closely and announced who got what number.

Rusty: "Twelve for Lori!"

Benny: "Seventeen for Luan."

Haiku: "Same for Lucy as well."

Girl Jordan: "I see Fifteens for Lana and Lola!"

Chaz: "And a...NINETEEN FOR LIL' LILY! YEAH!"

Upon hearing the final dice roll announcement, everyone at the table cheered loudly...except for the rest of Lori's group, who all believed they were "cheated." "Seriously, how could our baby sister get a higher roll than all of us" grumbled Lola, "the D20 bigger than her hands!" After taking a moment to relish in her victory (so to speak,) Lily turned towards her elder sister and murmured "all in da wist" in her baby language.

Once that was settled, the Council then revealed something very familiar about the strange woman who came to visit them...a bejeweled collar still visible around her neck. It was here that Lily presented the idea that the stranger called Fatima and the woman they saw at Gunari's side were the same person. "Lily, sweetie; I don't want to literally hurt your feelings" Lori stated, "but there's no way that could be true...Fatima looks nothing like that lady."

While she knew that her sister meant no real offense with her words; due to her age, the littlest Loud Child felt embittered by them and was prepared to scream in outrage. But just as she took in a deep breath to do just that, Lily's parents quickly intervened and granted the floor to Leni. "This is your time to shine, honey" Lynn Sr. said gleefully, "tell us all a little about your character."

Although on the outside, she was more than eager to do exactly that...on the inside, the young blonde suddenly felt a twinge of stage fright. Granted, it wasn't quite as scary as when she made a new attempt at learning how to drive but it was pretty close. When he saw that his sister was having issues, Lincoln stood up and cleared his throat softly; gaining Leni's attention.

It was here that she saw him giving a series of breathing gestures, as if instructing her to take in some calming breaths; which she did. Again and again; Leni breathed in for four seconds, held her breath for seven seconds and exhaled for eight until she was finally in a more peaceful state of mind. Once that was done; she was now ready, willing and able to begin her character intro.

"My character's name is called Fatima...I chose it because it sounded so adorbs" Leni explained with a giggle, "she has skin that looks like a sort of...light Emerald-Green sort of color, she's got long black hair tied into a ponytail, kind of like Carlota Casagrande's, she has beautiful blue eyes, wears silver hoop earrings and underneath her cloak, she has a gorgeous set of...what does the book call it, 'bedlah attire.'" To help make things seem clearer, Lincoln offered to help make an illustration of what Fatima looked like; only asking what sort of color the outfit was.

After a short wait, he presented the image to everyone and the reactions were quite varied; some murmuring with high approval while others (like Mrs. Johnson) felt that the outfit looked a little...revealing.

(The Game World)

"Who are you, Fatima...What are you, why did you come here and what business do you have with the emperor" Shadow demanded telepathically while giving an outward squawk of impatience, "we demand answers!" While she fully understood the reasoning behind such hostilities from the slaves, Fatima still urged everyone to keep their voices down; stressing that the Emperor had no idea she found her way down into the cells. It was here that the Tritonian monk, Anya, took notice of Fatima's presence and glared at her with great intensity.

"What are you doing here, you filthy heretic" she hissed venomously, "why aren't you kissing Gunari's feet like you have been doing all these years?!" Not long after this, other slaves saw Fatima outside their cells and started slinging equally vicious slurs in her direction. As expected, this behavior hurt Fatima greatly and she soon started to weep.

Finally at her limit with all this nonsense, Shadow opened her beak and let out a fierce shriek; one that almost sounded like the arena crowd cheering. This, somehow managed to get everyone to stop arguing...but it also attracted the attention of the guards roaming the hall outside. Thinking quickly, all the other slaves retreated to the far back of their own cells; while the Adventuring Party took their positions either on the cot or on the floor.

As for Fatima; with a nervous yelp, she gave a quick snap of her fingers and then...vanished in an instant. To say that this circumstance left the Party feeling shocked, amazed and even confused would be a gross understatement. In truth, none of them knew what was going on or how the strange woman was able to make herself disappear.

Alas, they had little time to ponder on such things; once the guards suddenly rushed in. "What is going on here" demanded the captain, "what's all this noise about!?" Not wanting to appear suspicious, some of the other slaves bowed their heads low and told the guard they were "celebrating" the New Blood's recent success in the arena.

After that, Ventris also bowed her head and reiterated those same words; all while adding that some of her comrades (namely Ezra and Mituna) became much too overzealous in their merrymaking. Surprisingly, this fib seemed to fool the soldiers; albeit only slightly. "Very well...TROOPS, RETURN TO YOUR POSTS" ordered the captain, "and as for you all...I wouldn't recommend feeling too pleased with the New Blood's victory."

With these few yet rather venomous words, any actual joy in the slaves' spirits died in an instant and was soon replaced with the chill of dread run through them. As for the Adventurers; during this exchange, many questions echoed loudly in their minds. "What is going on here, why are all these warriors so afraid of those men" Ventris thought mentally, "more importantly...where did Fatima go off too?"

All was quiet for what felt like ages, after the guards had departed; yet the mind of every slave was a twitter with dread and fear. Then, like a flash, Fatima suddenly reappeared from where she stood mere moments ago; panting heavily with exhaustion. "Thank the gods...they're finally gone" she heaved loudly, "if I held...my breath...for another moment longer, I would have suffocated myself."

After taking a moment to fill her lungs with air once more, Fatima turned her attention back towards the prisoners; who were all gawking at her oddly. With a nervous chuckle, she gave them a quick bow and apologized for any confusion she might've caused due to her spell. "Spell...are you some form of sorceress, then" questioned Ventris, "what is your connection with Gunari, why have you allowed him to abuse all these people for so long?"

While the she-elf's words weren't fully spoken out of pure malice; in Fatima's heart, she knew they rung true and she openly apologized for the emperor's actions towards the slaves. "You all must understand, I do serve Gunari...but not by choice" she explained, "so long as I have this collar 'round my neck, I must do whatever he says...no matter how demeaning or cruel his 'request' might be." While disheartening, this tale only seemed to make matters more confusing than before and many slaves demanded simple answers.

Sadly, according to Fatima; she had little time to fully explain herself...but she was more than willing to explain the nature of her mystical prowess. "Before I was made Gunari's slave, I lived with my parents somewhere on a glistening island nation" she explained, "my father was a monk, a Cleric belonging to the Order of the Golden Lotus and my mother...was a Djinn." As one might expect, this reveal caused every slave to gasp loudly with shock but they quickly stifled themselves soon after; lest they risk attracting the guards' attention again.

Once everyone's voices died down, Fatima resumed her tale; explaining that while she was a Djinn, her mother's power had been grossly misused and abused for centuries. Then came the day where she was found by a young man in common robes. He was neither a person from a noble house, a soldier or even a wizard yet in the eyes of Fatima's mother...he was perfect.

"While on a pilgrimage, my father discovered an unusual amulet buried under the sand" Fatima explained, "then, after he used his cloak to clean it off...my mother was set free." There were those among the slaves who, surprisingly found the woman's tale difficult to believe for many reasons. But to the Adventuring Party, it was as whimsical as it was tragic. That's when Ventris realized something; whenever a Djinn was released from whatever object they were bound to, their magic compelled them to grant whatever wish the user so desired.

"You are quite correct on that, Madame Elf" Fatima stated, "but much to my mother's surprise, the monk was quite content living his simple life and had no desire for earthly goods." Naturally, some of the slaves expected to hear this sort of circumstance but it was no less surprising. Still, many wondered what sort of wish Fatima's father did ask for; since he had no desire for treasure or power.

"When the Djinn asked my father once more for his wish, he looked upon her with the warmest of smiles and said only one thing" she whispered with a light smile, "'I wish...you were free.'" Once again, everyone was left dumbfounded by Fatima's tale but chose to express such feelings in the most silent ways possible. Upon recovering from the shock, Mituna scratched her head in confusion and asked what had happened to the Djinn after being given her freedom.

"She returned to the Monastery of the Golden Lotus with my father, where his Brothers and Sisters of the Order all agreed to care for her" Fatima explained, "they fed her, gave her new clothes, a bed to sleep in and when the time came, they granted my father his own freedom to live his life with her." As the tale continued, it was soon revealed that the former monk and djinn joined together in wedlock the following year. Then, the day came when the couple would receive a "treasure" far greater than anything a djinn or genie could ever conjure up...a child.

"Wait...are you suggesting that...you are that child" questioned Zita Fizzlebang, "if so, one of us could simply wish for our chains to disappear and we can leave this place!" Not long after this was said, several other slaves started frantically calling out random wishes for freedom to Fatima; hoping she would hear at least one of them. Sadly, all it seemed to do was overwhelm the poor girl; who proceeded to cloak herself like she did before.

The instant this happened, the Adventuring Party scolded everyone for their behavior; reminding them that Fatima was there to help them...not serve them. "She's right...show yourself, Miss; we're sorry" sighed Jinn the Changeling sadly, "we are all just...so desperate to leave this place and would do practically anything to do so." For a moment or two, all was quiet; which led many to assume Fatima had run away.

But then, after letting out a heavy gasp for air; the young maid reappeared at the center of the walkway betwixt the cells. She bowed her head apologetically and expressed her regret for disappearing the way she did; confessing that she had a severe sense of anxiety while in the presence of others. Without pause, every slave of every species expressed their own apologies unto Fatima; the Adventuring Party among them.

"I have but one final question to as from you, milady" Ezra murmured politely, "why in the name of all things sacred would the likes of you choose to serve a tyrant like Gunari?" As if expecting this, Fatima glared softly at the young druid and proclaimed that while she was under the emperor's command; it wasn't by choice. It was here that she directed everyone's attention towards the bejeweled necklace she wore 'round her slender neck.

At first, many mistook it as a simple bauble; a gift perhaps given unto the young half-djinn by Gunari as gratitude for her "service." But then, everyone saw poor Fatima's otherwise beautiful face contort into a most venomous scowl; which was accompanied by the tears of anguish slipping down her cheeks. "Make no mistake, everyone...I have no desire to serve the likes of Gunari" she choked out through her tears, "never have and never shall!"

While this confession helped put many of the slaves' speculations to rest, Ventris still had questions; namely why Fatima had not made any attempt to flee from the kingdom. "You do not understand...I cannot leave this place, even if I want to" Fatima whimpered, "this...thing around my neck, it is an enchanted neck cuff, Gunari uses it to force me into being as submissive as a newborn pup." The slaves all recoiled in shock, upon hearing all of this; thinking that the emperor's cruelty was far worse than they imagined.

Then, the Goliath slave named Makon Dream-Speaker proceeded to ask Fatima if she ever made an attempt to free herself. Alas, she revealed that the enchantment placed upon the cuff kept her from so much as touching it; let alone pull it off her neck. "I have tried many times before, make no mistake about that" she whimpered, "and...the result was always the same."

Upon saying these words, Fatima slowly held out her hands under the light of a nearby torch; revealing a series of burn marks and scars upon both palms. This sight, as expected caused even the most hardened of warriors to grimace in alarm while others cried with great remorse. Among those who felt the most displeased by this was Ventris, who believed that forcing such an innocent soul into servitude was the epitome of evil.

(The Real World)

"Seriously, you guys; I've heard of people doing shady stuff to those who work for them...but this is literally the sickest thing ever" Lori exclaimed, "there's gotta be something to help Len...I mean, Fatima out!" Back at the table, everyone had just finished listening to Leni pour her heart out while acting in-character for their current situation and...to say the least, many were spellbound. But as for her sisters, they were not only amazed by Leni's "performance" but it was so convincing that it actually made Lori forget about her earlier prejudices.

Of course, the Council was quick to help being the young teen back down to earth; all while reminding her that this was only a game. "We know, you guys...really, we do" Luan murmured, "it's just that...jeez, we didn't expect Leni of all people to surprise us like that!" Soon after that, not only were the other Louds singing Leni's praises for her performance but so was everyone else.

As expected, this behavior caused the young teen to blush profusely with bashful pride. Then, after he regained everyone's focus, he asked for Lori and Lucy to make a quick dice roll; explaining that it would be their attempt to break the enchantment on Leni's neck cuff. Not needing to be told twice, Lucy was the first to pick up her dice and send it skidding along the table.

Soon after that, Lori made her roll next; hoping to get something good. Sadly, Fate did not appear on anyone's side; as the Council soon revealed that both ladies rolled rather poorly. As a result, neither of their characters' magic was able to break the enchantment around Leni/Fatima's neck cuff.

"Dang it! I knew I should've blown on the dice before rolling" grumbled Lucy dryly, "but...I suppose a quick rescue would've ended things too quickly and no one wants that, right?" While many players happily sounded off in agreement to the wee Goth girl's words, others like Lori (albeit under their breath) chose to say "that depends on who you're asking." "Your efforts to free Fatima from her collar prove to be in vain" Albert said in his Karuk voice, "but she still thanks you for your kindness, regardless."

After this, the time had come to reveal the exact reason as to why Fatima chose to come to the slave pits; to warn everyone. "Oh, is it my turn now" Leni asked suddenly, "okay, um...oh, yeah; I turn towards all the slaves and tell them 'be warned...for the next round of the games, Gunari plans on doing something unthinkable.'" Once more, everyone applauded the young blonde on her acting abilities; her siblings especially.

Yet, at the same time; everyone felt a strong sense of foreboding from her message. "Now...girls, I need you to each pick up your dice and make a quick Insight Check for me" Lynn Sr. asked in his normal voice, "this will tell whether or not you believe in Fatima's message." Straightaway, five of the girls (with the exception of Lily, this time) each took their dice in hand and shook them vigorously.

At one point; it looked as though Lori was rubbing her dice so strongly, one could almost see smoke seeping out from between her fingers. Finally, they sent their baubles flying/rolling along the table with a hard thrust of each hand. When each of the dice finally stopped spinning, they appeared to have landed at several different spots on the game table.

Thankfully, not one of the girls' die had inadvertently struck down any minifigures or dioramas on the board; which would've been quite messy, if it did happen. "Nice rolls, girlies" called out Mr. Grouse, "but next time...go easy on the die, would ya?" The five Loud Sisters in question giggled sheepishly, apologized for what happened and asked around the table for who rolled what number.

Much to their surprise, shock and slight disbelief; the results were all rather favorable. "Looks like Lori and Luan both rolled a 22" Huggins chuckled with great pride, "Lucy rolled a 19 and the twins each gained an 18!" There was much cheering and applause from the other players, after this announcement; which later caused the likes of Luan and Lola to bow graciously (as if they had finished a performance.)

Once everyone had their fill of cheering and laughter, the Council called for silence and resumed the game's story; informing the girls that their rolled helped them see that Leni/Fatima was telling the truth. It was here that the young lady in question revealed that come the next round; Lori's group, half the Gal Pals crew and several others would all be fighting in a battle royale.

"A 'battle royale...' you mean like those frantic wrestling matches Lynn watches" questioned Lucy, "the kind where several fighters go at each other all at once?" Without missing a beat, the Game Masters and Mistresses all nodded solemnly in response; which made Lori's group feel even more uneasy. As for the Gal Pals, those who would be playing in the aforementioned battle to come all looked at one another with worried looks.

They had only just recently joined in on the game and now, half of them would be going up against some of their best friends. "Okay...I'm going to come out and say what we're all thinking here" Whitney said matter-of-factly, "Lori, girls; whatever happens next session, we hope it won't make things...unsavory between us." Soon after that; the likes of Cici, Phoebe, Becky, "Girl Jordan," Kat and even Chaz all echoed similar words of apology towards Lori's group.

Naturally, Leni felt touched that her BF was being so considerate towards her sisters and thanked him with a blown kiss; which he promptly caught. As for Lori...her expression appeared indifferent towards the matter, despite however much her thoughts were telling her to "get even" with anybody who might fight her in the next round. On the one hand, this was her own way of honoring the group's "bylaw" of not letting certain affairs (inside or outside the game) affect her behavior.

But on the other hand, her mind was also trying to remind her to not get "sucked in" any further into the game; lest she might end up getting "infected" by the "nerdiness" of it all. In the end, Lori did her best to put on a smile and told her friends "don't worry, guys...it's just a game, right?"

(First AN: Now, things are starting to get juicy...not only will Lori's group of players be fighting a "battle to the death" kind of scenario in the game's next round, they'll have to do battle with some of their besties! One can only wonder how things will turn out in the end, once the free-for-all is over. Will friendships be put to the test, will our girls' characters survive the coming battle...and how long will it be until Lori will finally crack and succumb to the "Dork Side?"

Tune in next time, to find out!)

(Second AN: Sorry it took so long to make this, everybody; I got sick sometime ago and didn't have it in me to write anything. But I'm all better now and promise to be a little quicker in bringing you the next part. Until then, happy reading and don't forget to leave your thoughts in a review)

(Third AN: I got the inspiration for the food menu for the game group's snack break from several sources. One of which is the "Düngeonmeister Cookbook," an official recipe book made under the D&D name that contains several familiar recipes with a fantastical twist. Other sources include random internet pages with foods bearing fantasy names, while the "Dragon Pellets" that are mentioned is something I personally came up for my Legends of Overon book series.

To put it simply; they're ground beef rolled into small balls about the size of marbles mixed with spices, zesty sauces and a pinch of peppers. Despite their size, they can feel pretty dang hot...I'm talking the kind of spicy that Rosa Casagrande's food often tastes)

(Final AN: I wanted Leni's first time in the game to be something near awe-inspiring, like when somebody on AGT sings in a deep-throated baritone; despite being super young. I know it may not seem "realistic" for her character to do something like that for some of you. But hey, next to Lincoln; Leni always struck me as someone who'd go against all odds and do something awesome.

Need I remind everyone of when she officially mastered driving and got her license? I felt so proud of her in that episode, I legit cried tears of joy...no joke. So, I figured; if she could do that...why not something like get seriously deep into character during role-play?)