MapleStory x TaeNy

"You're not very good at this whole magic thing, are you?"

Tiffany opened to speak, but after a silent, awkward moment, her lips curled into an unhappy grin instead. She could feel the wooden stick hanging loosely on her side, her fingers twitching as she fought the instinct to hurl a spell.

In front of her was a woman, near her own size but a little shorter. But her heavy, shiny armor sparked anger in the young mage. She couldn't see the warrior's face very well, hidden behind a bronze helmet. They squinted at each other through the slits. The mage would have easily ended this conversation if she hadn't run out of mana a while back...but the gigantic silver sword behind the woman wasn't exactly comforting either.

Out of options, the mage scoffed. "I don't think you of all people would understand how difficult magic is." She took a step back, scanning her surroundings. "All you have to do is swing a giant sword around to seal the deal."

"Sure." The warrior calmly replies, standing still. "It's just..I've been watching you for about an hour now. You haven't cast any spells or traps against the monsters. One came near you but all you did was wave your stick away furiously." There was a small chuckle that escaped the warrior's lips. "There's nothing wrong with killing the monsters. That's why they're there, so we can learn and get stronger to prepare for the true devils."

Again, Tiffany scoffed. "I'll have you know that I'm perfectly capable of fighting monsters if I need to and that I do not need a lesson about life from a brute like you."

The mage blinked rapidly, anticipating an attack, but the woman merely shrugged, bowing down to remove the helmet off her head. Voluminous hair dropped down, enjoying their brief freedom. Now that the mage had seen her face, she actually thought she was adorable.

The woman wiped some of her hair away, before noticing the deep scratch imbedded on her cheek. The bleeding wasn't terrible -- but it certainly wasn't stopping either.

"To be fair, I haven't exactly been lucky with my first hunt either. That boar got me real good." She winced, gently grazing the wound with the tip of her finger. Her lips twitched, then a small laugh erupted. "We both kind of , don't we?"

Tiffany took a moment to relax, not realizing the breath she had been unconsciously holding out. She nodded, then gave a small grin. "I guess so."

"I'm Taeyeon." The warrior smiled, extending one hand out. She took a while to respond, but eventually accepted the handshake.

She nods hesitantly. "I'm Tiffany, but you know, we shouldn't be doing this."

And it was true. In the past couple of weeks, the tension between the Perion and Ellinia borders have been escalating. Rumors of new resources have made the two normally peaceful settlements bloodthirsty for territory.

Tiffany once overheard of a potential war.

Which meant...

"Technically, we're suppose to hate each other, aren't we?" Taeyeon stared back, her hands still cupped against her bleeding cheek. The magician stretched her hand, feeling the power of mana regenerating slowly.

I have enough. She thought, extending her hand out slowly. The woman flinched at first, but eventually melted against the mage's touch. There's a soft, green glow emitted from her hand and suddenly, relief spreads across her body.

Taeyeon takes off her glove, sliding her face where the wound originally was only to find dirt from her previous battle. The blood was gone.

"You're a cleric?" She whispers, her eyes wide open.

"Training to be one.." Tiffany mumbles back, nearly collapsing due to her complete deprivation of mana. Instinctively, she grabs a hold of the nearest thing next to her -- which just so happened to be Taeyeon's sword.

Despite her weight, the heavy, silver sword did not budge, remaining struck deep under the grassy dirt below them. She tested her strength, trying to tilt the sword away.

"....I stand corrected." The mage smirks defeated. "There's a lot more than swinging a sword, I suppose."

"Ah well.." Taeyeon shrugs, her muscles pulsating in response. "Thank you. Here." She shakes a small glass bottle above her face, the blue liquid inside swishing around. "You need this potion more than I do."

Quickly uncapping it, she tilts her head back, chugging the sweet, cold tea down. Immediately, she could feel her strength and focus returning.

"Thanks for healing me." The warrior adorably smiles before slipping her helmet back on. "Stay safe and..." Her voice quiets down. "You shouldn't train out here. Pages have been scouting out the area lately, you should go down south where you have a friendly border with the archers. I would hate to see your pretty face at the end of my sword."

Without so much of a struggle, Taeyeon pulls her great sword out of the dirt, sheathing it behind her. She turned and vanished behind the trees of the Ellinia Forest.

Tiffany scoffs to herself, tossing the empty bottle on the floor.

X X X

Her energy was an endless cycle of exhaustion fueled by infinite elixirs. Empty glass bottles surrounded the magician as she kneels down, ducking a javelin. The broken sword beside her reminded her of how insanely close to death she was. But she couldn't back down now. The battle was almost over, she could see the enemy and her teammates retreating.

A heavy explosion tips Tiffany off her feet, unfortunately skidding down a small cliff. She heals herself in between the falls, but as the final breathtaking impact smashes against her body, she can barely move.

While she had the mana to heal herself, her body physically ached. She might have broken some bones.

She takes a moment to reorientate herself, but a brief figure flashes in front of her. Instinctively, she casts an ice spell.

A bloody, heated sword shines in front of her face, her chin gently grazing the edge of the sharp weapon. Likewise, a group of floating ice shards await her order as they float calmly in the air, pointing at a scary, but familiar face standing in front of her.

She winces, her fingers twitching to complete the spell. But a soft voice seeps into her unfocused head. "It's you, Tiffany, was it?" The warrior pulls back the sword, then tilts her head down sliding the helmet off.

"Taeyeon." The magician breathes in relief. It had been a couple of years since their first encounter. She looked a little older, but no more than a young adult. Still, she was still carrying th