Lest had been spending most of the early afternoon - after completing his half of the chores, of course - going through the various forests and monster-populated areas of Selphia in search of cooking ingredients and components for crafting. He’d brought Flash along with him for companionship and support as he fought off monsters, and there was no question that the big, goofy wolf was also having a great time.
After taking out a few remaining monsters, he took out the gate that had led them from the Forest of Beginnings to the outskirts of Selphia...but once he did, his eyes widened and he grinned as he saw what it left behind.
“A light crystal!” he exclaimed. He’d been looking for one of those for a while, but he’d had some bad luck in actually finding one. And now, he’d managed to get one completely by chance!
He reached down to grab it, but a streak of silver came zooming past him, nearly knocking him down. He scowled. “Flash! You’re seriously an asshole some...times...?”
Well, great. The crystal was gone. His furry friend had probably seen the shiny object and decided that he’d be a better owner for it. The good news was that he probably hadn’t eaten it...at least the wolf wasn’t that dumb.
Then, he saw the wolf’s tail wagging as he stuck his nose into some nearby bushes. That’s probably where it had ended up!
“Out of the way!” He dove into the bushes, and the bright and shiny crystal immediately caught his eye. With a triumphant grin, he grabbed it and put it hurriedly into his rucksack.
By then, the wolf had joined him in the bushes...but he was hearing footsteps. Was it a monster? No, these footsteps sounded like a human’s. His smile returned as he caught a glimpse of green hair that he recognized right away.
He gestured to Flash to be quiet. This was a golden opportunity, after all. He was grateful for having brought a pumpkin mask along with him, and he put it on very carefully. Despite trying to be quiet, though, Frey had obviously noticed some rustling in the bush. Well, his time to build up suspense was gone...but now that she was startled, he could have some fun. He wasn’t always the most patient person, anyway.
When she asked who was there, he took that as a cue to jump out in an exaggerated manner. “Rawrrrr!!!” Flash also leaped out and howled excitedly, and Lest deftly jumped on his friend’s back. “It is I, the pumpkin overlord of doom!!! I have come to reap the soul of the princess so that I may put it in a blender with some milk and a strawberry for added deliciousness!” He took out a back scratcher that he also knew he had. Damn...he needed to go through his rucksack and empty it out. “Say your final prayers, moral, for even the great Venti cannot save you now! Muahahaha!!!”