Aife took off, like a bullet out of a gun. Sui had never seen her move so fast, and comparing it to the time she was being delivered to Aife and Trina’s residence didn’t even compare. Even the fence did little to stop her, simply making Aife hop over it with little fanfare.

Then she blitzed towards the nearest rabbit and took a swipe. To Sui and Aife’s surprise. It dodged. What?! Sui’s thought crashed through her mind, shocked that something she’d acquired so easily would escape Aife’s grasp.

Ito was a bit smug about the whole thing. The others didn’t notice, but if a spider could laugh, well, Ito would be making use of that feature. As it was, she simply clicked her mandibles together and bobbed her head slightly.

None of the other rabbits seemed to react to Aife’s mad dash, even the one that Aife had swiped at simply hopped off slowly as if it had no cares in the world. Aife looked up at Sui and the blindfolded Trina with her mouth open and a fire in her eyes as if this was a challenge she must undertake.

Sui thought Aife was about to do something stupid, and said as much “Aife, no. You are not challenging the rabbit to a feat of dexterity. Just calmly pick up the rabbits like I was, and I’ll join you”

Sui walked forward as she said this and moved through the opening in the fence that she was provided. Aife pouted when she heard Sui’s statement. It looked strange on her. Aife’s jawline was rather sharp, and of course her height and physique need not be mentioned. It looked less like a pout and more like the swelling from getting punched in the face. Trina would make fun of Aife for something like this, Sui hardly noticed.

“Come on Sui, this is perhaps the coolest challenge in the world” said Aife as Sui bent down and grabbed a rabbit in her hand, before curving her arm and placing it against her chest. Lowering the rabbit down into the crook of her elbow, it looked up at her, before sniffing and snuggling in.

“Aife, I’m sure there will be more challenges for you in the future” said Trina from the other side of the fence. Sui continued to add to her rabbit pile easily grabbing two. Well, she really just placed her hand nearby and they jumped on.

Aife grumbled “But Trina, you can’t even see. It glared at me, I swear, and I think it’s challenging me to a contest of speed.”

Trina sighed, while Sui grabbed another two rabbits, and adding her other hand for support. She now had five rabbits snuggled in her arms. Ito made sure to stay hidden to ensure they didn’t spook, just in case. “Come on Trina, I can’t let that little scamp get away from me like that” said Aife

Trina groaned and rubbed her eyes through the blindfold Sui had provided “Aife, how about this, you spend the next ten minutes catching as many rabbits as you can” Aife’s face lit up “calmly using Sui’s method” Aife’s face fell “and then after that, you can use the next five or so minutes to do it your way. Is that fine?”

Aife grumbled and turned her head away from Trina, despite her still being blindfolded and certainly unable to even see the action let alone react to it. “I don’t like it; I’m telling you these things are mocking me” said Aife.

Sui deposited her rabbits in the hutch before making her way back to the field and collecting more. Hmm, Aife’s acting a bit strange. I don’t think Trina’s noticed but she usually wouldn’t backtalk so much, especially not to Trina.

I think the rabbits might do a bit more than just make us think they are too cute to catch… I wonder what else they are doing? I doubt I’d notice this change in Aife if I hadn’t seen her like this before

She’d get fired up sure, but she’s just as easy to calm down, especially when the situation calls for it. Sui let another two rabbits jump onto her hand. A third tried and failed because her palm wasn’t quite large enough for it. Shrugging Sui lowered the other hand as well, and the rabbit happily took the proffered seat, before Sui dumped them all into the crook of her arm.

Hmm, is that the challenge then? Acting with a level head? Aife was excited before when she charged in… though that was pretty normal. Now she’s overly competitive, perhaps stubborn? Am I able to grab them so easily because I’m not reacting to the rabbits?

Sui let another two nearby rabbits join her growing den of bunnies. But if that’s the case why? I can’t think of any real difference except the fact that I have Ito really. But that shouldn’t play into it at all, right?

Sui wanted to look at her companion, but Ito was still wisely hiding from the rabbits. A normal one may not fear a spider, but when said rabbit was smaller than Sui’s palm, and said spider was larger than the rabbits, well, it just made sense.

“Look Aife, it’s not that hard to understand. You can chase them around like a kid during a sugar rush, AFTER, AFTER” said Trina making clear to emphasise the word “you catch a few. I’m not asking much, and I’m sure you will have cool challenges in the future… so can you please?”

Aife’s face seemed to almost flicker for a second before her ‘pouting’ intensified “You don’t understand Trina, this is the most direct challenge I’ve received in… well maybe years! Nobody tries to challenge me anymore Trina”

It was at this point, that Trina really started to frown. She was starting to notice, same as Sui had, that Aife was not behaving like herself. It took her a bit longer to tell without seeing Aife’s body language, and the so called ‘challenge’ of the rabbit, but it was clear now.

As Sui dropped off another wave of rabbits, Trina reached out to stop Sui. She missed, of course, but Sui noticed the grabbing motion and stopped “Wait just one-minute Aife” said Trina, and to Sui’s surprise, Aife nodded.

Trina then ducked down to Sui’s level, or well, she tried and ended up looking at Sui’s shoulder instead, but it’s the thought that counts. Keeping her voice low Trina whispered “Aife’s acting strange right? I’m not just imagining it, or the rabbits aren’t trying to make me think that right?”

Sui kept her voice low and confirmed Trina’s suspicions “Yeah, Aife’s pouting of all things. Not sure I’ve ever seen that”

Upon hearing Sui’s words, Trina made a grab towards her blindfold to pull it off. Sui’s hands rushed out and held Trina in place. It was likely the taller girl could overpower Sui’s grip had she tried, but feeling her friend’s hands around her wrists snapped her back to reality and gave her a realisation of what she was doing.

“Um ooops” said Trina. Sui said nothing in response, so Trina continued “So what do I do? It seems like I can’t convince her to leave it be”

That is a good question Trina. I guess I can just keep grabbing rabbits? I’m not sure if it would be enough for three people. They seem willing enough to just walk up to me though… actually, maybe that could work?

“Trina, I have an idea. See, the rabbits will just climb into your hand if you get close enough. I think what you do is convince Aife to lead you around so that YOU can pick up rabbits. Maybe Aife will join in, maybe she won’t, but it will mean we are making at least some additional progress and you can keep a tight grip on her so she doesn’t run away” said Sui

Trina nodded at this “Yeah I think this can work”

“Aife, can you come over here?” asked Trina, as she mock shewed Sui away. Sui smirked at the sight and went back to gathering rabbits. Aife, looked at Trina suspiciously but seeing Sui walking away decided to move next to Trina.

When she got within arm’s reach, Trina initiated her special attack. Grabbing onto Aife’s arms Trina pressed herself against Aife and said in a strange voice, Sui hadn’t heard before “Won’t you lead me around? I want to hold the rabbits as well. I can let you show off afterwards if you are willing to be my escort”.

Sui spared a glance at the two and was confused that Aife went a bit red while Trina was talking. I don’t get it. What’s so embarrassing about Trina’s voice? Shouldn’t Trina be embarrassed instead? Is it second hand embarrassment…? I heard that was a thing but…? It doesn’t look like Trina is embarrassed at all; she looks proud of herself…

I don’t understand. Sui once again wanted to look at Ito for advice, but the three rabbits she’d collected so far would be sure to protest.