They say that variety is the spice of life and is necessary to grow and experience much of what the world has to offer; lest stagnancy take hold and prevent us from moving forward. For some people, going out and trying new things is as easy as taking a breath; but for others, it can be a rather daunting task. There are things that prevent us from branching out; whether it be fears, anxieties, or uncertainties. As such, it sometimes doesn’t hurt to have someone to nudge us into trying something we wouldn’t normally do; if for no other reason than to break us out of our comfort zone and perhaps introduce us to something we may end up liking.

Well, it seems Edel is experiencing this feeling of exploration right now due to her outing with Rouge. Unfortunately, its one that she is VERY uncertain of. Deciding to spend the day together, Rouge and Edel went to a local shopping mall where the duo enjoyed each other’s company while having fun doing what each other wanted. Things were going well…that is until Rouge saw something that caught her eye; something that spelled a bit of trouble for Edel. After Edel decided to visit a game store to pick up several games and items; Rouge happened to see a peculiar store she wanted the bunny to visit with her upon leaving the shop. Taking Edel by the arm, Rouge pointed to a lingerie store filled with lacey and silky ensembles sure to excite and titillate. Seeing the sensual attire, Edel’s face quickly grew red with uncertainty and nervousness.

Rouge: “Magnifique! Look ma cherie, we have to try them on!”
Edel: “I-I’m not sure something like that is for me Rouge…”
Rouge: “Nonsense mon amie, you would look beautiful in such clothing! Come, come! Let’s see!”
Edel: “R-rouge w-wait, I don’t think…!”

Well, even if Rouge’s mind is made up on trying on lacey undergarments, I don’t think Edel had much time to process things before being pulled into the store! It seems Edel will be experiencing a bit more than she bargained for; especially now that she decided to get involved with the likes of Rouge! But how did this all come about? Well, in order to answer that, we have to take a step back and look at what it was like when these two first met! That’s right, its time to explore yet another character bond, this time featuring the gamer bunny Edel and the French performer Rouge!

How they met: Due to the circus she worked at being closed for repairs and slight renovations, Rouge was offered a temporary position at the Restless garden on Delilah’s behest, following successful negotiations with the circus owner. As such Rouge was regarded as a “special guest” where Delilah made sure she was taken care of and given similar treatment and status to the other higher performing members of the theater due primarily to her similar status at the circus. During this time, one of the chefs responsible for preparing meals for the top performers was on vacation, resulting in Delilah employing the help of Edel, who she knew she could both trust and was fully qualified to fill such a position. Agreeing due to needing a bit more money, Edel accepted the position with little reluctance. Due to her position, Edel would soon cross paths with Rouge, where she would act as one of the mouse’s personal chefs for the time being; typically, during the times in which Rouge was working. While initial interactions were limited to Rouge placing orders for food, they soon blossomed into Rouge eagerly engaging with Edel, casually conversing with her and causing a connection to quickly form. It was shortly after this that Delilah noticed the bond forming between Edel and Rouge, and encouraged both of them to socialize with one another outside of work; prompting both workers to bond further, leading to a strong friendship between the two.

Edel’s side: Initially, Edel’s opinion on Rouge was somewhat skeptical (if not a bit negative), largely in part due to the mouse’s status as a special guest and due to knowing nothing about who she was prior. Not helping matters was Edel’s painted view on celebrities and those of higher importance; in how their demeanor and personality can change depending on both their level of fame and the public image they wish to present. Due to these preconceived notions, Edel did her job to serve Rouge as best she could; all the while feeling as if she was walking on eggshells around her. It was shortly after personally speaking with and associating with Rouge that Edel realized her prejudgments were completely wrong; which allowed her to relax and behave somewhat casually around Rouge in spite of her level of importance in both the theater and the circus. The more and more Edel interacted with Rouge, the more at ease she felt with the mouse; ultimately resulting in a more casual relationship as opposed to being strictly work related. Upon spending time with Rouge outside of work, Edel quickly grew closer to the mouse; with her drawing several comparisons to her best friend Camilla, thus allowing her to bond with her more. Very similar to her friend Camilla, Edel enjoys spending time with Rouge and expressed excitement that she was able to show the circus star around where she lived and the places she also enjoyed. While the similarities with Camilla helped Edel to befriend Rouge; it was hearing about the mouse’s past that truly cemented the friendship between the two as she was able to both relate and sympathize with her due to their somewhat similar backgrounds. Seeing how genuine Rouge was despite her admittedly rough past, truly allowed Edel to feel a kinship with her, something that further strengthened her bond with her. This level of friendship is showcased in not just Edel’s casual interactions with Rouge, but also due the fact that she continually communicates with her should they be far apart. In addition, Edel readily offers her home to Rouge should the mouse be visiting the states, further showcasing how much she cares for her and enjoys her visits. However, while Edel truly cherishes her friendship with Rouge and undoubtedly feels comfortable with her a majority of the time; she sometimes finds it vexing when the former model tries to get her to try more risqué activities, another parallel she draws between Camilla. Although Edel sometimes feels ashamed of herself for judging Rouge off of her status before properly interacting with the circus performer, she feels undoubtedly happy that she has her as a friend; knowing that she will always have a smile on her face whenever Rouge visits.

Rouge’s side: Similar to Edel, Rouge initially only viewed the rabbit as a work-related acquaintance, but still treated her with a friendly attitude. However, Rouge was able to quickly sense mild tension and apprehension when Edel was in her presence; mirroring how she used to behave prior to her modeling career. As a way to remove this tension, Rouge began chatting with Edel as a way to get to know the person who was catering to her. Due to the energy she gave off, Rouge was successful in breaking through to Edel so there was no unease or tension between the two, thus allowing a connection beyond a work related one to be established. It was after socializing outside of work that Rouge was quickly able to strengthen the relationship she had with Edel to the point she was able to view and comfortably refer to Edel as a friend rather than an acquaintance. Rouge enjoys spending time with Edel, even if some of the activities the rabbit enjoys are a bit foreign to her. However, this doesn’t stop Rouge from trying these activities with Edel even if she’s not partial to them. Rouge views Edel as no different from her prior friends; in that she both cherishes and deeply cares about her; often times looking forward to spending time with her. One of the reasons Rouge is able to quickly connect with Edel is due to seeing trace aspects of her old self within the rabbit; which effectively allowed her to break through the apprehension Edel initially had. While Rouge’s friendship with Edel is undoubtedly seen when the two are socializing; it is most evident by the fact that Rouge was able to readily share her past with Edel. Although this did cause old pain to momentarily resurface for Rouge, she felt comfortable enough with Edel to openly share such information upon getting to know her; showing just how much she both trusts and cherishes her. Rouge’s comfortability with Edel is further exemplified by how she frequently compliments the rabbit; describing her as beautiful various times and even putting forth the suggestion that Edel should become a model. However, Rouge believes that Edel frequently “restrains” herself, due to not acknowledging her own allure. As such, Rouge frequently tries to get Edel to try different things in the hopes of getting her give herself more credit in regards to her looks. While these attempts prove mostly fruitless, Rouge still embraces the time and experience she could share with Edel; due to spending the time with a close companion. Having made close connection with various people, Rouge expresses happiness in having added Edel to that list of her those close to her heart; and only wishes to keep her as close as possible.

Its amazing how these two became such good friends, and I know that they truly appreciate each other’s company! I hope you enjoy this little interactions between Edel and Rouge done by the ever awesome  RE-sublimity-kun ! Be sure to look out for future character interactions!!

*TRIVIA: Both Edel and Rouge are similar in that they are bot intelligent and did very well in their school lives. HOWEVER, while Edel’s success was more so done on her own accord, Rouge’s was essentially forced on her.