#tabletop mentions

Now, without further ado. I present:

Luka's Night Drive

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If there was one thing that always made Ruby excited, it was when her friends would meet her after school and they would ride home together after classes to Luka’s house. Luka would always tell them about a new anime she watched or a new cartoon she found (that she originally complained about, because it was a reboot and therefore ‘Not the same’ as the original) and would carry on the conversation for Ruby and their friend Dahlia. Dahlia was a little more shy than Ruby, or at least that’s what Ruby assumed until much later when she and Luka held Dahlia after watching a movie about a golden haired princess and an evil witch hit too close to home. But in those car rides, Ruby saw her shy friend Dahlia listen to Luka’s latest interest with a smile and sometimes asking questions, all the while her leg bounced until they were out of the car. But Ruby would watch the trees go by, wanting it to last forever because once she went to Luka’s house and the girls did all their homework together they would all have to be dropped off at home.

Being dropped off at home made Ruby curl up near the window, picking at her lips until Luka's mom stopped her. Being the last one meant she had to sit by her friend's mom. Luka and Ruby never really understood why.

But Ruby did know she did not like going home, because mom and dad would be paranoid about what the other parent was doing and she would be dragged in the middle so her siblings would be safe.

Years later, all three were in college. Ruby was once again in the car to Luka’s house with Dahlia, but now they were in college and coming home from club activities. Luka excitedly told them about this game she was playing in and how it had vampires and changelings while Dahlia was texting someone she met there. A soft smile came to her face as she did. Typically, Ruby observed. Even all those years ago. But tonight was different.

It was the same with Dahlia bouncing her leg, head on the car door that Ruby now child locked for safety and Luka was still talking faster than anyone should be able to after club activities and only seemed to speed up at the most exciting parts. What was different was when Luka suddenly stopped like an idea came to mind and she changed subject.

“Hey Rue, were you playing any games? I saw you looking at a rulebook. Are you planning on running one?” Luka looked over at her, then back to the road as the light changed green. “I saw Dahlia playing, she was playing with a group and they got pretty excited.” Now Dahlia looked up, startled as she was deep in her own world. “Well, I’m thinking about it, I just don’t know yet. There was a lot in the book Luka.” Almost too much, so much stuff that Ruby got confused over and worried about messing up. It had a lot of story behind it and surely people knew it. It would be obvious if she didn't fully know the setting! Her friend nodded though, and spoke again. “I could ask Asher if they could help you? I know you said they looked intimidating but they are a storyteller! It could help.” Ruby did find Asher intimidating, and she did not like this idea. Not one bit.

“I don’t want to. What if he thinks I’m stupid for not understanding?” Ruby tugged at her hair, now looking to Dahlia. “You said you were nervous about that too? What did you do?” Said girl looked down for a moment. “I just kinda did. Luka helped me talk to one of the girls there and she helped me out with my sheet away from the group since it wasn’t game time yet, go figure she was the story teller. That helped me.” Dahlia made it seem so simple, and it made Ruby frustrated with herself. It seemed Luka could tell, because she took attention back to her to give Ruby a break. “So, I got the original version of Prism Glow, that anime we watched with the bad dubbing? Well the studio made an official dub that’s more accurate so I hope you guys are ready!”