"Where is she?"
The party was gathered at the town gate, waiting on their Paladin. It wasn't too unusual for Constanze to be late, especially since she met her new girlfriend. Still, she was certainly taking a while, especially for a day they'd planned a dungeon delve. The party leader, a Cleric, continued to pace while the Mage and Fencer sat around impatiently, until finally they heard the voice of their companion calling out to them.
"I'm here! I'm here, sorry I'm late!" she called as she jogged up. "I was just-"
"What in the abyss are you wearing?" The Paladin's excuse was cut off as the party leader interjected.
Instead of her usual well-kept scale cuirass, Constanze Bulwark sported a bizarre armor of translucent pink. One could clearly see her leathers through the material, and the way it followed her movements was slightly.... odd.
"Ah, um, well, actually this is-" the Paladin stumbled over her explanation, "-this is a suit of, um, gemstone armor." She stood up slightly taller, her confidence un-stumbling as she continued, "It's magical, actually! The finest protection one could wish for, really."
The Mage gave her the most skeptical look they could muster - quite devastating, from a wizardly type - and prodded, "And what gemstone would that be, exactly?"
"Ah, of course! It's, uh.... hmm...." The Paladin looked down at herself, apparently having to try very hard to remember this important information about her brand-new armor, "Ma... Magent.... Magitite! It's Magitite. A real gem, that exists."
"Ah yes," deadpanned the Mage. "Magitite armor. Of course."
The party leader, deeply unamused, asks, "And I suppose it's intended to move like that as well?"
The Paladin looks down at her "armor", which was currently gently undulating. And, if one listened closely, slightly bubbling. "Yes. Yes it is," she replied, straight-faced.
"And it also has nothing to do with that slime girl you've been spending time with recently?" the party's Fencer provided with a grin, much less unamused than their Cleric.
At this, the facade finally gave. Constanze's armor, shaking with laughter, popped up a little head and arm at the Paladin's shoulder and gave the party a little wave.
The Paladin sighed, and gave a defeated chuckle. "All right, yes. I'm sorry. Everyone, this is Magenta. She wanted to try coming with us today." The Slime waved again in greeting, and the party waved back. Though, the party leader raised an eyebrow at that last bit. Constanze continued, "I told her that the party might not want an unexpected newcomer, and that I should ask first, and.... Well, we were talking about it and joking around, and came up with the idea for this, and, well...." The Paladin blushed and looked away sheepishly, an embarassed grin on her face. "Sorry 'bout the antics."
The party's leader gave an exasperated sigh. "All right. Well. I'm glad you two had your fun, but we're obviously not letting your girlfriend just 'tag along' into a dungeon with us."
"Don't worry! She'll be sticking with me the whole time," replied the Paladin. "She won't get in your way, and she can communicate to me just fine so long as we're touching."
The Mage was taken aback. "Wait, you're serious? This wasn't all a joke?" The Slime nodded earnestly from the Paladin's shoulder. "You can't.... You want to bring your girlfriend into a dungeon - which is dangerous! - as your armor - which is even more dangerous?"
"Come on guys, she's not helpless," said the Paladin, a little miffed at the implication. "She nearly managed to kill ME when I met her!"
At this, the rest of the party paused in surprise. A surprise which grew into genuine shock as Magenta gave a smug smirk and nodded confidently in confirmation.
--
And so the party journeyed on into the dungeon, now more than convinced the Slime could hold her own. Cleric, Fencer, Mage, and a Paladin sporting her lovable new slarmor (Slime armor).
