She knew she was pretty and she learned early on, pretty people didn't need to do much else than be pretty. Why put in effort if you could whine a little and Daddy would get his princess everything she wanted? It only continued in the same manner the older she got. Drop some hints, act all ditzy and cute and most guys just did everything she wanted. So when she woke up in a clearing, with most of her memories foggy and gone, she started panicking.
It's easy to pull some strings and have others do things you don't like, but which strings do you pull when you are alone? Walking through a dark forest, which never saw the sun, she complained internally about her choice of shoes. Why couldn't past her have worn some simple flats? Why did it have to be uncomfortable but stylish pumps with a small heel? She knew of course, they were just the right kind of cute to raise some charm points. She also knew she couldn't have known she'd wake up in a forest surrounded by dying trees.
Kelly thought about just taking off her shoes, but she'd rather walk uncomfortably, than hurt her feet on stones and thorns. Nature wasn't easily swayed by her charms, so she was happy when she found some lanky guy gesticulating in grand movements. "The world shall bow before me, for I will rise to the top with the gamer system!!" She heard him say.
Where was she going with this thought? Right, life was easier before and she thought it would be easy again after finding some dunces to do everything she wants. Color her surprised when it worked at first, some guy throwing himself in the way of danger, heroically telling her to run while he was skewered by a bear's claw. But everything got worse after that. She won her first survival game and came upon a campfire with a few guys and a cloaked person sitting around.
At first she was happy, she could continue taking it easy and everything would turn out fine she thought! But why did the others all have to have such, she wasn't sure how to describe it, intense personalities. The middle-aged guy had that handsome rugged look going for him, but he didn't pay her as much attention as she'd like. The other guy reminded her of a snail. Don't take it the wrong way, he looked good, his slicked back hair did add to his charm, but with the way he acted and his faux confidence? She'd be lucky not to slip on the slimy ground after his awful compliments and low-key boasts.
The third one was a cloaked mute. How does she make someone who is mute bring her some food and protect her?
The next person was in a weird barely responsive vegetative state. Just sitting on a throne with glazed over eyes staring into the distance. They waited for hours and she was surprised, that she wasn't surprised that she didn't have to eat, neither drink, nor did she have to go to the loo in the time she spent here.
She liked to carefully think about everything going on around while trying to portray herself purposefully obnoxious or sometimes bratty outwardly. It always worked to make people underestimate her.
Was she the only one with blotched memories? Not only did it feel like parts were missing, she also felt other memories she had, where shortened and cut off at specific points.
Another person joined their group and she took notice that he was one of those adorable easily manipulated teen types. She'd have him wrapped around her little finger before he could even call for his mommy. The creepy guy on the throne slowly started being more animated and Kelly listened to their discussion while throwing shade at herself. Can't have everyone know that there is more going on in her head than the color pink, nail polish and other ditzy blonde things right?
As the sun went down and it got darker, she was greeted by a being of mud. Realizing it wasn't a mud monster, but some guy who covered himself in dirt, sticks and leaves, she looked him over only to be struck by his beautiful honey brown eyes. It felt like they instantly saw through everything she was and she noticed herself instantly paying more attention to him. Color her surprised when he just up and disappeared while Edmund started threatening them by turning into inhuman proportions. She planned on letting out a girly shriek, only for the teen to beat her to it.
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That was the most girlish shriek she'd ever heard and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to beat it, not like there was a girly shriek competition to win as far as she could remember. Or maybe there was and she just forgot?
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She never really played many games before, she tried them out and had fun, but never got hooked by anything. So when she woke up to a scenario where she was like a game character? She was annoyed. It didn't come with those amazing bonuses of equipping things easily and an infinite inventory, it didn't come with any other of those fancy quality of life upgrades.
So she was even more annoyed that she didn't have a class or skills. No levels, nothing!
On the plus side she had some traits in her status, telling her she is smart and able to plan strategies well if the end goals are things that would enrich her life though. It's like a small insight into what choices would help her.
That's why she didn't say anything when John and Alexander decided to leave the teen as bait, because she felt she'd get more out of it if she went with the flow. So she did. She went along with them, babbled some useless stuff while trying to look unexpendable and they came upon some chapel where they gained classes.
She was annoyed by the way her class worked. It's nothing magical like information being dumped into your head and you know a bazillion skills to take over the world. She just had an inherent feeling, how she was able to do some things she wasn't able to before. Oh joy, she could feel a certain way to make some fancy light rain upon someone. It was interesting to note that the same light, depending on intent, could either harm or heal others. But weird feelings aside, she got a fancy mace that should be much too big and too heavy for her.
She was able to wield it easily as if it was a magical girl wand, maybe it's a magical girl bashstick? Thoughts for future her to solve she'd guess.
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Meeting up with Mr beautiful eyes again was an.. experience. She felt the need to be close to him, she felt compelled by his gaze to tell him all her secrets. So she did. When he asked her what happened in the chapel and for her skills she just straight up told him everything. She didn't feel bad about it either as she bickered with Alexander about it. Is this how those dozens of guys she led on felt? Having a crush is stupid she decided, as she walked away from him with her group.
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The plan was simple, John decided he would just protect us with his big shield and try to smack Edmund with a thick branch, while she'd rain down holy light upon everyone in need. She watched Alexander turn some walnuts into liquid, which then turned into small darts, which he then finally pocketed into a special case.
He never told the group what he could do, but watching him she realized he was a walnut magician. Are walnut magicians a thing?
He turned walnuts into poison darts and used his special wand to blow those loads into his enemies, so they might as well be.
She giggled at her own joke as their group slowly came back to the campsite. She was still mad at the weird stone for ripping a piece of her skirt, but also forgiving since it was a special item that regenerated over time. They got into position, with John and his shield being at the front, her behind and to the right of him. She placed herself in a way so half her left side was covered by his shield and the other half would be unimpeded when she needed to use her Mace.
Alexander was a few steps further behind, trying to stay far without being out of range for his poison darts.
"Oh? Did the lambs decide to walk into the lion's den by themselves? Will you just gently lay down your weapons and walk into my mouth too?" Multiple deep voices tangled into one, jostled her insides as they vibrated through her. Their group froze as they watched a disproportionately huge humanoid get up from it's throne. Now they understood why the throne was so big in the first place, it had to be, for otherwise this being wouldn't be able to sit on it.
"I was even generous enough to give you two hours of preparation time and this is how you spend it? Bumbling around just to give yourself to me in the end? We are so grateful." His voice reminded her of the sound a shovel makes when it's carried over gravel.
"The three of us are enough to deal with you. Let's get this over with so I can have a good night's sleep." John retorted as he fought off the stiffness and pointed his thick branch at the monster.
She didn't like the way it confidently watched them, it's mouth twisting into something resembling a smug smirk. It gave a rumbling chuckle, making the ground quake as it raised its hands and with it, dozens of grotesque beings of root pierced the ground.