On the Road!

"Rations?" Tenpao said.

"Check," Bushy replied as she organized packs of beef jerky and canned corn inside a huge backpack that was sitting on the side of her chair, after proper organization to make sure there was enough room for the other items, she crossed the item on the list. 

After the early morning shopping, they went to the adventurers' guild to file an exploration report and thus began organizing their supplies right then and there, the table they sat at was overflowing with the portable sleep bags, the trinkets Tenpao had taken out of his chest that were set on top of four oil lanterns that stood by four ever-burning torches, a set of clothes for each member, lighters and bombs at the border, an oil jar next to nine anti-venoms bottles that were neightboring four health potions, a whole box full of bandages, three night vision potions close to the torches, and finally the item carrying the utmost importance: The rubber duck.

"Sleep bags?" Tenpao said.

"Check." Bushy wrapped the sleeping bags and threw them into the big backpack, the space inside seemed to distort and grow bigger after the sleeping bags were inside - this is only possible due to the huge funds Lulu gave them to fix her mess, even though spatial bags are slowly becoming more of a commodity than a luxury item as the arcane arts evolve it still wasn't cheap.

Lulu had sat beside Dwelm and Tenpao, while she was indeed happy that her new friends didn't hold it against her the gnoll still could smell a bitter scent in the air - maybe from other adventurers who had to run around saving dragons and kittens stuck in trees, but it was still there and it still hurt her heart. But it was at this moment that Lulu's pumpkin neurons finally worked to create an awesome idea! If she could give them gifts, they would be happy with her again! Now, what to gift...

"Lanterns and oil?" Tenpao said.

"Check." Bushy at the side of the backpack there was a little hook for miscellaneous things, and at the top of the lanterns there was a convenient hole for things like this, so, Bushy attached all the lanterns to the side of the backpack. Bushy sneaked a few glances at the fang whose pumpkin was in the clouds, her ears briefly flicking attention at the surrounding noise and chatter, it was hard for Bushy to tell what she thought of her, she was more like a cat than anything, Lulu brings trouble then just acts silly expecting for everything to be okay and it works! Bushy spread her fingers and there, a single emerald ring shined on her middle finger bringing herself closer to her true self, a wonder of magic.

"Hey, Pampkin..." Bushy began, the gnoll, and her ears perked up with a smile, "I just wanted to thank you for the ring." Lulu stared at the stealthy smile on the elf's face, rose from her chair, and walked up to Bushy, the elf surely didn't expect a very, very tight hug coming from the gnoll draining all of her air with a meek shriek.

"Thank you for thanking me! It really means a lot!" Lulu said and then promptly gave Bushy a cheek lick promptly stunning the elf with a face mimicking the color of a jalapeño, Dwelm's laughter only further concretized Bushy's reaction, and only then did Lulu go back to her sit.

"..Potions?" Tenpao asked.

"C-check!" Bushy replied while rubbing her hand at her remarkably dry cheek.

==

The unexplored wild near Oddtown urban area always has a monster or two creeping around waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting, many mages theorize why monsters only appear near large settlements and not in the wild, such as the magila concentration being higher in there leading to the birth of a monster, some priests claim they are divine punishments that come down to reap the soul of sinners, but the only certainty that both schools of thought can agree is that they are a nuisance.

And because of that, the most dangerous part of a journey isn't the in-between but the beginning and the end, therefore the party reaped a way through the bushes and trees with the utmost alertness, that is every party member besides Lulu who was too busy carrying thrice her weight on her back, "Are... Are we there yet?"

"No," Tenpao replied leading the way, Dwelm on the rear back and Lulu in the middle with Bushy, the sun was still bright and the forest chant was made by cicadas and mosquitos, most of which only interest was on the elf.

"How about now?" Lulu said while avoiding some holes in the ground and pulling Dwelm aside to avoid the same hole, Bushy ahead whimpered once she stepped on a mud puddle.

"No." Tenpao cut down a bush revealing a... Big seven-headed eyeless chicken with long necks? All the party froze and Dwelm raised his crossbow aiming directly at one of the heads.

Each head began to inhale air and- "Cock-a-doodle-doo!!" A subsonic shout echoed throughout the forest, silencing everycritter in the surroundings, Dwelm was quick to shoot shutting down a head, and a burst of black scorching liquid dripped on the ground dissolving every grass blade it touched.

"Cookooo!" The decepted head lined towards Tenpao and sprayed a beam of magically empowered acidic blood! In an instant, Tenpao's whole body began glowing and in a single second he nearly stabbed through the chicken's body but in the last second retreated.

"Can't you go bonkers like yesterday?" Lulu asked, Dwelm aimed at another head and his arrow started glowing, he fired a slower arrow and the chicken ducked, only for the arrow to correct its trajectory precisely piercing another head.

"Everyone out of the way!" Bushy raised her staff pointing towards the monster, and the two headless heads started to coil against each other, at this exact moment both Dwelm and Tenpao jumped out of the way and Bushy released her spell, the chicken, trees, and grass, everything in its path collapsed on their own weights.

After a few seconds, the body of the monster exploded into magila dissolving into the ambient. "We've got a new MVP!" Lulu pounced on Bushy but Lulu's new weight slowed her down enough for Bushy to avoid the gnoll's hug. Both Tenpao and Dwelm let out an air of relief, monsters are dangerous and they were lucky they had someone that could easily counter it.

"Also, on an important note, you guys really need to share your spells and nature," Lulu stopped in her tracks, "If we knew each other good, Pampkin thinks this little monster would've died waaaaaaaayyy earlier."

"Yeah, right." Tenpao said, staring at Dwelm. For once the dwarf looked a tad bit displeased but took the front.

Dwelm cleared his throat and started, "The name of my magic is Guidance my spells are very self-evident, being: Perfect Dodge, Perfect Strike, True Path, and Bullseye. I've also learned advanced magic applications such as True Reinforce and Mana Aura."

Bushy took in a deep breath and was promptly cut by an excited Lulu, "Mine are: Plant growth, Sunflower Sunbeam, Great Florest Ploriferation, Vine Control, and Plant Control. Pampkin also learned from a swordsmanship school too, and has also learned Reinforce and Aura, as well as a racial magical ability!" The rest of the party once again stared at Lulu with wide eyes, for anyone to have the minimal chance to learn a racial ability they must do the extreme and return to their roots.

Now, Bushy unwilling to be overtaken took a step forward, "I know how to cause an impact like being hit by a loose carriage, I can make a singular creature heavier, and I can make anything heavier in an area!"

Finally, everyone looked at Tenpao, Dwelm put a hand on his hip since he didn't reach his shoulder, eventually the old man looked dead ahead but stared at nothing in particular. "My magic allows me to capture the memory of those who passed away, if I do happen to know that someone well I am capable of capturing their dreams. Their strength is added upon mine and their dreams multiply my strength." Tenpao took a low sharp breath, "And I cannot be harmed until their dreams have been concretized."