The Misfits meet System-san

Alice:

Alice noticed that the horizon was going noticeably darker in all visible directions.

"I think we had better cook as much of this meat as possible and store it inside. Then we need to find a rock or two to plug the entrance hole," she said.

"We also need to melt some ice and take a drink," said Bronsen.

"Oh, and right now, I need to go to the toilet," said Alice, not looking at Bronsen when she said this.

"This gets a bit awkward. What say I zip out that way and go behind a rock while you go the other way..." said Bronsen.

He hopped onto his feet and was about to dash off when Alice flicked out her tail and caught his hand.

"What?"

"Would you stop charging off and doing your own thing all the time? Please!" said Alice.

"But..."

"We're in a dangerous environment of which we know absolutely nothing! We need to plan things together before doing anything! After all, some other vicious predator could hide behind one of those rocks."

"Oh, right, ahh, sorry."

Bronsen looked so upset Alice relented.

"I'm sorry, too. Ahh, this is so awkward."

They came to an arrangement. A particular rock, ten metres away, was chosen. It was a metre high and close to the cliff face. So they, with all due precaution, checked the other side. Not finding anything of interest, they dug a hole, and while Alice returned to the campfire, Bronsen did his business. Both could see each other and the surroundings, but the metre-high rock acted as a vanity screen.

Then, it was Alice's turn. She approved that he had shoved some dirt into the hole to cover up his actions.

He's got some sense, then.

She squatted down. Her body reacted by lifting her tail right up and to one side.

I've got a whole new set of reflexes, haven't I?

She discovered that using a small flat piece of rock, available in abundance along the edge of the cliff, was not the best way to wipe one's bum. But there didn't appear to be any toilet paper dispensers nearby.

Yuck.

She plopped the rock into the hole and put some more dirt in. She looked back at Bronsen.

Oh my God, I went to the toilet while a man could see my upper body. And my breasts. At least he has the decency only to look sometimes.

She could see that he was doing his watch duty by diligently looking in all directions.

And here is my chance to find out something.

Waiting until Bronsen looked away, she felt between her legs with her other hand, the clean one.

Nope, nothing. Normal tactile sense, but absolutely no sexual feelings whatsoever.

So, our libidos have been turned off?

Bloody hell.

She checked Bronsen. He was just about to turn in her direction. So she looked down and pretended to fill in some more dirt. Then she got up from her squat, brushed sand and snow off her hands, and returned to the campfire.

Bronsen:

Here she comes back.

He remembered his little investigatory experiment when he took his toilet break.

So, I'm totally impotent?

He could feel his [Emotional Control] exerting itself, calming himself down.

No wonder I don't react to Alice's beautiful body. And by golly, she sure looks lovely as she walks back here.

Crap, she's looking at me as if to say she knows what I'm thinking. Quick, do something else!

"Er, hi! Did you work out how to wash your hands?"

She also looks a little bit embarrassed. Hmm, I wonder.

"Ah, no?"

Bronsen demonstrated how to pile the snow into a compact heap and then put a [Fireball] on the top, thus melting the snow. The water would flow outwards, then freeze. By continuing the process, Bronsen ended up with a bowl of ice with some water in the middle.

"Hey, clever!"

She washed her hands while Bronsen made another ice bowl.

"And here's our drinking water!"

He looked at the horizon yet again.

"It's getting even darker. We had better find some rocks to plug our doorway. And, upon consideration, I don't think a single rock will do it. For a start, even with our newfound strength, it is probably too awkward to manoeuvre."

By the time they had gathered enough rocks of sufficient size, the exterior light had dimmed until they could barely see each other. Fortunately, a [Fireball] helped provide light. Finally, they were inside their cave, the entrance blocked with a pile of almost fitting rocks. There were small gaps between the rocks, but that was OK; they needed a bit of a draft to provide breathing air.

Bronsen and Alice stretched out the fur pelt from the cougar onto the sand, then folded it in half, the fur on the inside.

"Well, I claim the side next to the fold. It'll be warmer, and I am a delicate female after all," said Alice.

Bronsent snorted in derision.

"According to our status screens, we are precisely equal in our abilities."

He could see her face and body in the low light from a hovering [Fireball]. She smiled innocently back at him.

"Surely you're not objecting to trapping me in our sleeping bag?"

"Oh, certainly not!"

They were wrapped up in their brand-new fur blanket a few minutes later. It was just big enough to hold both Alice and Bronsen and for Bronsen, on the outside edge from Alice, to be covered completely. Provided he didn't wiggle around too much.

He made an effort of will, and the [Fireball], which was his, winked out.

Pressed against Alice's body, soft fur surrounding them, he felt warm and cosy.

"What on Earth is that slave collar about?" said Alice.

"Who knows? Since there doesn't appear to be anybody around us now, let's not worry about it. It's probably not important, anyway. And, also, you realise that this fur will start to stink in a day or two if we don't do something about it?" said Bronsen.

But the only reply he got was the sounds of Alice's slow, deep breathing. She was already sleeping.

Soon after, so was Bronsen.

They slept on, holding hands - and tails wrapped around each other.