SAO: Strawberry Bunny

As the cold mountain air brushed against them and the sounds of the cave faded behind, Quinella walked beside Strawberry, her silver hair catching the dim light as they descended the rocky path. Muffin, nestled comfortably in Strawberry's hood, let out a soft chirp every now and then, clearly enjoying the quiet after the chaos of the day.

They had accomplished so much together—defeating Gaindogrig, rescuing Orsyn, and uncovering the mystery of the gemstones—but it felt like their journey had only just begun. The silence between them was peaceful, but it was clear that Quinella had something on her mind.

"Strawberry," Quinella began, her voice soft but thoughtful, "I've been thinking… about what comes next."

Strawberry glanced over at her, curious. "What do you mean?"

Quinella smiled, her violet eyes warm yet filled with determination. "I'd like to keep traveling with you and Muffin. We make a good team, and I feel like there's more we could accomplish together. These gemstones… they're clearly part of something bigger, and I want to be there to figure it out with you."

Strawberry was silent for a moment, surprised by Quinella's request. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy Quinella's company—far from it—but she had gotten used to traveling solo. Yet, something about the idea of continuing this adventure with Quinella and Muffin felt right.

Muffin chirped softly from his cozy spot in the hood, as if agreeing wholeheartedly.

Strawberry shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Well, I'm not about to say no to more help. You're welcome to join us for as long as you like, Quinella."

Quinella's smile brightened, her elegant features softening with relief. "Thank you, Strawberry. I think we'll make quite the team."

They continued walking, the sounds of their footsteps mingling with the soft chirps from Muffin. After a while, Strawberry's eyes flicked over to Quinella's face again, her gaze lingering on the other girl's violet eyes. There was something about them—something familiar. Might as well ask. I don't think I will be able to figure it out by myself soon.

"You know," Strawberry said thoughtfully, "your eyes… they're really familiar."

Quinella raised an eyebrow, looking at Strawberry curiously. "Familiar?"

"Yeah," Strawberry continued, narrowing her eyes slightly as if trying to piece together a half-forgotten memory. "Have we met… in real life? Your eyes… they're striking. I feel like I've seen them somewhere before."

At this, Quinella's expression changed. Her violet eyes went from curiosity to confusion, then to something thoughtful and distant, as if she were reaching into the depths of her own memories. And then, after a moment, her eyes widened in realization.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips.

"When you said you were bad with faces and names," Quinella began, her voice laced with amusement, "you really meant it."

Strawberry blinked, caught off guard. "Wait… what?"

Quinella's laughter grew, though it was gentle and good-natured. "Strawberry… I believe we did meet in the real world. You helped me at the park after a cat jumped on me from a tree branch."

Strawberry blinked again, her expression blank as her brain worked to connect the dots. A cat? A park? She vaguely remembered the incident Quinella was describing—the way a silver-haired girl had been startled by a stray cat, and how she'd jumped in to help. But…

"Oh my god," Strawberry muttered, her eyes widening in realization. "That was you?"

Quinella chuckled, clearly entertained by the slow realization dawning on Strawberry. "Yes, that was me. You were wearing workout clothes—if I remember correctly, an unzipped hoodie and sweatpants. And you were the one who scared the cat away."

Strawberry scratched the back of her neck, feeling a little sheepish. "Huh… no wonder your eyes looked so familiar. I remember that day now."

Quinella's amused smile didn't fade, but her gaze shifted slightly as she looked Strawberry up and down, as if putting together another piece of the puzzle. After a moment, a curious expression crossed her face. "Now that I think about it… you also had a sports bra on back then."

Her eyes lingered for a moment longer, and then a sudden realization hit her. Quinella tilted her head, her expression more curious than anything else.

"Strawberry," she said slowly, "are you… a girl?"

Strawberry blinked, surprised by the question. "Um, yeah. I am."

Quinella's eyebrows shot up. "I… I thought…" She trailed off, as if reevaluating everything.

Strawberry smirked, an amused glint in her eyes. "Let me guess, you thought I was a guy?"

Quinella looked mildly embarrassed, a faint flush of color brushing across her cheeks. "Well, you do dress kind of… boyish."

Strawberry let out a light laugh, shaking her head. "Yeah, I get that a lot. I like baggy clothes, and I guess I don't exactly scream 'feminine' with my style."

Quinella's lips quirked into a smile. "That's fair. I just… never would have guessed. You look cute, though. The tomboy look fits you rather well." She looked thoughtful for a moment before laughing again. "You really are terrible with faces and names."

Strawberry rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Hey, I can't help it if I don't remember every random encounter in a park. Besides, it's not like I thought you were some ethereal dragon-hunting beauty back then."

Quinella chuckled. "Fair point."

As the banter faded into a comfortable silence, the two continued walking down the mountain path, the stars beginning to twinkle above them in the darkening sky. Despite the surprise revelations and the laughter, the bond between them had strengthened. And though they were both still processing the fact that they had crossed paths before, it somehow felt fitting.

Quinella was still smiling softly, her violet eyes glinting with humor as she looked over at Strawberry. "Well, I'm glad we met again, regardless of the circumstances."

Strawberry gave her a nod. "Yeah, me too."

Muffin chirped softly, as if chiming in on the sentiment.

As they continued down the path, the light from their gemstones glowing faintly in the night, it was clear that their journey together was beginning—and this time, they would be facing it side by side.