Dancetale AU

Part 2 - Puzzles and Magic

True Pacifist

The shadow of the Ruins loomed above Serena, filling her with determination to make it through the Underground. Following Maple, she walked up a set of stairs into a room. Looking around, she saw a couple of large buttons on the ground.

"Welcome to your new home!" Maple smiled sincerely at Serena. "Allow me to educate you in the operation of the Ruins." Walking to the first row of stumps, Maple waltzed across the buttons in a specific pattern. Then, she flicks a switch on the wall next to the last row.

"The Ruins are full of puzzles." Maple explained to Serena. "These are ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. One must solve them to move from room to room. Please, take a look."

Serena moved forward and prodded at the buttons. They seemed to only move down when her full body weight was applied onto them, and could not be moved back up. Maple, satisfied that Serena knew how the puzzles worked, walked into the next room. However, Serena spotted a sign on the wall. It proclaimed, "Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both not walk the middle road."

Serena felt hairs on her neck stand up from reading the sign. Shaking it off, she followed Maple into the next room. "To continue to move forward here, you must trigger several switches yourself. Do not worry, I have labeled which ones you need to flip." Maple assured Serena.

Maple seemed to have something hidden behind her. Serena noticed, and asked, "Do you have something behind you?" She tilted her body to the side to look behind the older. Maple quickly adjusted her arms, and nervously said, "No! You must have been seeing things, Serena."

Maple walked away, leaving Serena to figure out which switches to flip. Looking behind herself, there was a helpful sign that read, "Stay on the path." Continuing forward, Serena walked over a bridge and approached a switch with multiple arrow stickers on the wall pointing to it. A small laugh came from the black-haired girl upon seeing the abundance of bright yellow signs. Flicking it upwards, Serena looked at Maple for approval.

Maple nodded happily, walking in front of Serena again, long black hair swaying behind her in a low ponytail. She stopped walking in front of another switch, this time with a sign next to it. It read, "Please press this switch. -Maple" Serena smiled, and flicked the switch with more confidence now.

Looking ahead, there were two more switches. Approaching one of them revealed that it was the right switch, as the sign next to it read, "Please press this switch too. -Maple" Serena once again flicked the switch. Suddenly, some spikes that she hadn't noticed near the doorway retracted with a loud SNAP!

"Good job, Serena!" Maple proudly pulled something out from behind her back. "I have something for you as a present for completing this room by yourself!" Holding out a pair of white tights, Maple smiled at the other girl.

Serena had always disliked tights, but tried hard not to show it on her facial expression. However, she couldn't help but furrow up her brows just a bit. "I think it would fit your outfit perfectly. Oh, and don't worry about ripping or tearing it, I can always make a new one for you!" Serena hesitated in taking the tights, and Maple noticed.

"Do you not like this color? Sorry if that is the case." Maple apologized. "But please do try them on! I'm sure you will change your mind if you at least wear them once." Serena disliked tights in general, not the color, and she told Maple as much. "Please at least try them once?" Maple tried persuading Serena. The older of the two pushed the tights forward just a bit while Serena tried not to take a step back.

To the fallen human, tights were the embodiment of Satan's leg hair if he shaved it and weaved it. They were cold, restricting, awkward, and uncomfortable! Then again, it's been years since she's actually worn tights. Maybe they wouldn't be so bad?